Giovanni’s Shrimp — Restaurant in Honolulu

We were super hyped to try this place, because it was recommended by friends who visited the island a month prior. As soon as i got to the location, i realized it’s an located in a hip food truck lot, with a lot of options for everyone. I was excited, until i realized you had to pay to park. Even then, you had to wait for a parking spot to open before you get one. With all that disappointment put behind me, i was excited to try the food the most!

We got up to the counter, and we were greeted by a lovely lady that took our order. I got the spicy shrimp because i read it was “award winning” and my wife got the shrimp scampi. As soon as we got our food, which was a plate wrapped in aluminum foil.. i dug in, and was surprisingly disappointed. The food was mid, at most. The spicy “award winning” sauce they had on the shrimp was tangy and spicy, it wasn’t a taste i was too fond of, but that’s my opinion, take what you will with it. Keep in mind, it’s not for people that cannot handle spicy. I love Indian and Thai level spicy food and thought it was on that level, which i liked about my plate. People seem to enjoy it, I liked my wife’s shrimp scampi more, so I def recommend...

Food tasted pretty good. The flavors were well balanced despite being butter and garlic heavy. The dish tasted rich but not excessively. The environment was welcoming with a very clean venue, plenty of seating, and bathrooms. If your people in your group aren’t into shrimp, there are other options to choose from since it’s a food hall.

The main downfall of this place is the bad service. I walked up the counter with no one else around. The gentleman tonight was on his phone, and was talking very loudly. I was looking at the menu for several quick minutes, since it’s a small one, so I initially didn’t mind him being on the phone. However, once I finished looking up at the menu, I looked at this worker at the counter waiting for him to acknowledge my presence. I finally just asked if I could order and just began listing what I wanted. He then proceeded to take my order and was very cold and short.

I was surprised by this since every single service experience so far in this city has been so positive and kind. Not here. Food was pretty good but not worth the trouble to dealing with poor service. Perhaps the original Giovanni’s can provide a...

Take out 4 Giovanni scampi shrimp plate lunch for friends, who really love the spicy sauce with the whole garlic sharp. So, I told the local, big size Hawaiian lady, please add few more "special spicy small container", mahalo. Guess what, she saying "yes I added extra". I bought 4 plates, she literally only put 5, meaning only 1 extra sauce? What is this? I particularly , buying for someone else, asking for additional 2-3 more sauce. I ended, up still tipped "cash " to her, as taking out those gone straight out, and find out there is only 5 sauce in total. Not thinking to go back just to ask for it. Why can't give total of 7 for 4 plates? I can easily, pay extra .50 each if she ask? Pls put a signage, extra sauce, .25 cent- .50 each . I was thinking not to tip at all, but I tipped. She looks upset, no sense of customer service at all, no smile on her face, no greeting, very bad service. May be, cashier job like this, don't need basic customer friendliness to it, but I do think need improvements right there! Will add the picture of the lady, if the owner of this company asking for it. Don;t wish to cause trouble, but I need to share...