Gia — Restaurant in Minneapolis

I met an old coworker of mine for dinner at Gia and was excited to try something new - we hadn’t seen each other in months so it was a great catch-up. The food was simple yet done so well. Fried zucchini flowers are an old favorite and the melon and prosciutto cleansed our palates beautifully. The artichoke pasta was incredible, we both commented how much we love the texture of a handmade pasta. Lastly, the halibut + scallop dish was so colorful, flavorful and left a lasting impression. To finish, the chocolate torte and espresso gelato, with limoncello - a pairing made in heaven.

I want to make a shoutout to Katie who initially greeted our party. She recognized us from our workplace and it was so good to see her, I really wish she guided our experience, she made us feel very warm and welcomed.

Our server, was informative and helpful up until our entrees arrived. She took awhile to return for a wine order, (by the time she checked in one entree was already devoured, too good to wait), but after our entrees were finished there was a clear mood shift. Her and the other servers closed down the patio around us, tasks that would take a total of less than 5 minutes, which made us feel completely unwelcome - in future I would recommend waiting until all guests have departed before breaking down the patio. After dessert, she brought us our check, but asked us if we wanted any limoncello to sip on, we hesitated, but said yes and I made a joke, “we would love that, but you can’t be mad at us because you suggested it” my friend and I were appalled, she slapped the leather check book down and said, “I’ll just give it to you.” I have never felt so uncomfortable receiving a gift from a restaurant before, a gesture that cast a shadow on the entire evening. We quickly paid out, after picking up on her obvious signals of being through with us and wished her a good evening. Another party had left and was shocked that we were still out on the patio enjoying our limoncello, I’m assuming they received the same unkind treatment we had.

At about 10:15, our server returned to clear what she could, but informed us that, “we are just about wrapping up guys” I’m sorry; but my friend and I are in the industry and we would never DREAM of cutting a guests experience short. She took the checkbooks, she could finish her checkout. What would another 15 minutes of polishing cost her? I have had guest wait over an hour after paying out, but I would respect their experience and find other things to do while waiting for them to depart. I had even informed her that we were catching up after a long time, but this is the first time we had both been treated so unkindly to be booted out of a restaurant. It doesn’t matter how good the food was at Gia, nothing could wash away the terrible taste her service left in our mouths. We were left incredibly appalled and disappointed. Thanks to our server for an unforgettable...

In my opinion, this week, as our server Antony A mentioned, the menu changed every Tuesday, and this Saturday, 2/22/25, at 6:28 PM, the reservation portion size and taste were not worth the price. The host coming into Gia's first impression was she was dressed very nicely and professionally—excellent customer greeting; our waiter, Antony A, was Amazing in servicing us, super kind in explaining the options on the menu, friendly, and treated us very well. This was our first time visiting. It’s a small restaurant, very loud and crowded. Our table was 31, and a guest count of 5 was right in front of the three cooks. The one male with the baseball cap was very serious about his cooking craft and did great. At the same time, the other two young cooks, who were portrayed as chefs, act like they were working at Noodles and Company. They continued to joke and laugh around with each other while preparing the food; the guy with a Bandanna on and the other heavier-set male wearing glasses were goofing off, which didn't match the dining experience. I believe Gia was trying to hit. I asked the host lady from the front if they would give out a military discount as one of the people in our party of five was on active duty. She quickly said no and walked away without saying anything else to our table. We had a separate check for seats 1 and 2 by our request, and our bill for myself and the Sailor serving on active duty was $78.50, and leaving Antony A. an $11.00 tip ( who deserved it). We ordered only water, 1 flounder with a small severing of Lentils, a thin Slice of lemon, and 1 and 1/2 pieces of artichoke for $32. The other meal was 1 Orecciette small, and the pasta was still stiff with no meat at $29. And 1 butterscotch budino $11. With $6.50 Tax. This place was so Mediocre, and the three sharing plates we got were okay. I was not a fan of the taste of the food or the quality. And nobody Threw salt down when leaving the restaurant. There was clear ice on the property. I hope the menu value getts better, flavors, and portion size improve; I believe that constructive criticism builds positive growth....

I am confident the restaurant will hit its stride as it works through some of the ups and downs post launch. The restaurant was packed on a Friday night, its 4 night of opening. We were seated quickly after a brief wait by the door.

The staff were friendly and welcoming. The tables felt slightly close together, but in a neighborhood restaurant such as this, it makes sense to have a more communal feel and to optimize the space.

Our server, Chris, was excellent, he knew every dish on the menu and spoke highly of the wines and cocktails. He seemed to have a high percentage of the tables as he was non-stop on the move throughout the dining the entire time we were there and as such not as present throughout the meal.

The pacing of the meal was a challenge, likely related to working out the rhythm of a packed weekend evening, there were extended gaps between "courses" and two nearby tables that were seated after us cleared all of their courses before our entrees arrived. The salad took around 40 minutes to arrive, then there was a longer gap than usual between salad and entrees.

Overall, my partner and I agreed that the food was solid, but not spectacular/overly memorable, with the exception of the Mushroom risotto, which was rich, creamy, flavorful, and delicious. The ricotta bruschetta was nice, with the lemon zest complementing the parmesan and ricotta. The winter leaf salad was flavorful. The beef and polenta had nice flavor, but the beef was a little dry. The lemon tart was highly recommended, but was no longer available by the time we ordered. The chocolate truffles were a nice and subtle finish to the meal.

Overall, a mixed experience during opening week. Worth checking out again as they settle...