Il Ghiottone — Restaurant in Philadelphia

I agree with what others have said "The whole experience I had here was bizarre". Except that in my personal case it all began bad even before I got to enter the restaurant. To make a long story short, I just moved to Phila. and this was my first (hopefully last of this type) deception. Soon, after reading the menu from outside the restaurant I decided to come in. To my surprise, two men with a mean look in their eyes stopped me at the entrance and one of them said to me in a challenging tone "what's up buddy?". I responded, may I have a meal here? and that one guy said "go ahead" while the other one kept his mean look over me...after that I told the waiter that I felt unwelcome and that I wanted to know whether I was allowed to stay there or not? The guy said that everything was "ok". In any case, nobody ever cared to refill my empty glass of water, and one of those guys gave me a dirty look for the most part of my dinner. Yes, my whole dinner was ruined!! For not logical or sane reason! Besides the fact that I was the only person with a different skin color in the customer's area, I cannot understand why they treated me that way. Lastly, one of the waiters was questioning my presence in the neighborhood. (Why do they care who I am if I am not breaking any legal or moral rules?? Why weren't they questioning the other customers as well?? I wonder what options have other people that look like me but are neither researchers nor business executives, just "ordinary people"?) It was imperative for me to have to explain myself to them so they could give me a better treatment. I said "I just moved to Philadelphia, I am actually living in this same block and I am a researcher and business executive at a major Biotech company". After that everything was different, the mean look from this one guy was gone (now smiling faces), the two of them shook their hands with me and I was invited to come back anytime. This was not only bizarre but also rude, unacceptable and possibly highly charged of ignorant racial profiling. Worse neighbors I could possibly get!! Btw, my tip was $0.25, just a token of appreciation to this...

It’s a true Italian restaurant. Be prepared to be met at the door by your "new Italian family". If you go in with an attitude, be prepared to be met with one. I can't understand the bad reviews of this place, but anything is possible I guess.

I am not Italian, nor is my wife...far from it. But I was raised very close to two Italian families and this place brings back fond memories from when I was a kid.

My wife and I were turned on to this place by my wife's nephew and his new wife, and on our second trip, I brought my mother, and 3 of our very picky kids.

Again, this place did not disappoint. Expect light, humorous conversation from some of the wait staff and to be treated the way family should be treated, and spoken to likewise. They will want to know your names and try to get to know you a little bit. They are truly interested, and interesting.

Their recommendations for food is spot on, and special custom dishes for the picky kids was no problem, nor is substituting on dishes for your preference...within reason. NOT your typical restaurant wait staff, but very enjoyable. The food is amazing!!! The absolute BEST Gnocchi, and the Spinach or Mushroom Crepes (I've had both) are SO full of flavor. I can't figure out how they do it.

Its cash only, and it's a BYO, and bringing your own wine is highly encouraged. They will open and pour (the first one) and do NOT charge for it. Do ya really need the wait staff to pour your own wine for you? If that's how it works at your house, ya'll are way too stiff.

We absolutely love this place, and yes, my mom is already asking if we can take her back there when she comes back to visit around Christmas time. We'll be back, and each time I'm sure, our party...

I've been in this industry for 40yrs, I have an astute knowledge of good food and service. For 23 of those years I worked here at ghiottone. Here they use the cheapest cuts of meat. The veal should be milk fed, here it's like a shoe sole. The gnucci is the only pasta made fresh and it is over floured and heavy. A light gnucci is made by not over flouring it, so the gnuccu just dissolves in your mouth. Everything else on the menu is frozen bought from jetro. This explains why in the 23yrs I was here I never went to dine there. Hell, I didn't eat there even when I worked. Part of the ambiance of an Italian restaurant are the large portions. Compared to most Italian restaurant in the city, their portions are more like side dishes. The chicken parm is drowned in sauce. Anyone who knows food, knows you don't go through the trouble of frying something for crispness only to make it soggy in sauce. Anyone claiming the chicken parm is good don't know food!!. I could walk out of my house blinfolded and bump into a better restaurant in SP.. As for the service. Their crass and unprofessional. Be aware that they will often include the tip hoping you don't see it and tip again. I've noticed they are friendly if you're an immigrant. But if your from philly especially South philly they have a...