Garibaldi Savannah — Restaurant in Savannah

My husband picked Garibaldi's restaurant for our Anniversary Dinner and every year, especially this year, he nailed it!!

From the minute we walked in this place has beautiful decor and a very cool atmosphere. The hostess & manager were very prompt at seating us, we did have a reservation, so we didn't have to wait long. This place was definitely busy, so that was a good sign!

Our favorite part besides the wonderful food was our waitress Alivia, she was a breath of fresh air. Very attentive, funny, and kept us entertained as the kitchen was a little backed up with several large parties. She kept checking in with us just to keep us updated. She was DEFINITELY the highlight of our night! We were on no time limit, so it did not bother us that it took a little longer to get our food.

We started the night with cocktails, I had the Double Barrel Margarita, and my husband had the Garibaldi Old Fashion. Both had a kick to them, so we had to pace ourselves!

The food was ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!! To start out, we split the She Crab Soup. It was very creamy and just the right amount of everything!

For our entrees, I had the Seafood Alfredo & my husband had the Mahi Mahi. Both were so DELICIOUS!!

I'm a very light eater, and the portions were so big that I had plenty to bring home for later. My husband, on the other hand, is a very hardy eater. He cleaned his plate to the point of looking like he licked it clean!! (He didn't, of course) We got a kick out of Alivia when she asked how we liked our meal. My husband teased her and told her it was awful but had to eat the whole thing "just to make sure!" LOL!

I rarely eat dessert, but anytime there is Crème brûlée, I have to have it. This was very light and melted in your mouth. The berries were market fresh! My husband had the Pecan Pie, and as per usual, there was nothing left on his plate!

I even asked Alivia if there was a crane or wheelbarrow to get us up after so much delicious food!

The manager even stopped by to check on us and ask if there was anything we needed, we were just content to be able to sit, talk, relax, and be together!

We HIGHLY recommend Garibaldi's to anyone in Savannah whether you live there or visiting as we were! We'll definitely be back!

Please thank Alivia for us for making our anniversary very special!

Dana & Greg...

Wow! I am so disappointed with our experience at Garibaldi's in Savannah!

I have been wanting to eat here since we moved three years ago. Finally made a reservation for our wedding anniversary. Showed up a bit early for a few at the bar. Fun experience here. Charley, clearly the Lord of the bar was a hoot to talk to. We were seated in the beautiful dining room downstairs and were greeted by a very friendly waitress. All good so far. We had been hearing a booming bass music system from the time we walked in. Didn't mind it at the bar, but now trying to settle into a nice and elegant dinner the booming bass was extremely off putting. I asked the hostess where it was coming from (assuming it was the bar next door). She explained that it was coming from the wedding party upstairs. I mean it was only 8 p.m. and they were rocking like it was 12 a.m. She didn't offer to ask them to turn it down. My wife eventually asked Charley if he might talk w/ them and within minutes the sound was muted. Thank you Charley.

So, onto the most important thing now. Our meal. A total let down. My wife had the lobster tail w/ pasta. $55. OK, I get it. Lobster is expensive. And they were good. Cooked well, and sweet meat. The pasta, however, was swimming in a watery sherry sauce, in which the sherry's alcohol had not been cooked off.

I had the Veal Parmigiana. Well seasoned veal breading. Nicely cooked veal. Sitting on a luke warm pile of spaghetti that had about a tablespoon of sauce on it. I asked for some additional marinara sauce, which ended up tasting like a cup of oregano had been dumped into it. The sauce overall was flat and completely underwhelming. My salad was a very small pile of spring mix lettuces w/ a small bit of blue cheese sprinkled on it for $10. My wife's caesar salad was seasoned well, was a good size for $10, but with croutons that seemed to come out of a box.

Soooo, all in all a real let down. Especially for a place that is lauded as an institution of fine dining...

Garibaldi's has been a favorite for many years. However, on my most recent visit, I was left unsatisfied. A few nights ago, I was craving the Shrimp Gang Fettucine so I went in for a quick fix. I prefer the gang with blackened chicken vs. the shrimp and this customization has been accommodated in previous visits. I discussed this preference with my waiter and thought I was clear on my expectations. The meal arrived with shrimp. That's life I guess. I mentioned my disappointment with a friendly tone and the waiter offered to have the dish remade. Just a short minute or two later he returned with the same dish, declaring chicken had also been included - which was confirmed with a little rummaging around with my fork. Feeling a bit compromised, I did move forward and ate the majority of the pasta moving the shrimp to the side. By the time I really dug in though, the pasta had reached a lukewarm temperature and the experience began to wane. I had also ordered the Jamaican Jerk Mussels as an appetizer which in my opinion were too salty. The mussel meat was meaty and delicious. I would have liked to soak up more of the sauce with the bread but could not manage to choke it down. The spices and heat were perfect. I'm not sure, but I think I may have even paid extra for the chicken in the fettucine. I don't recall inspecting the bill... I just wanted to get out of there. Not sure if I plan to go back? I hope this is just a one-off experience but I may look for alternatives in the area when the mood strikes again. I doubt they will miss my absence as I didn't feel very welcome on this last visit. For the price I paid, I don't think expecting to receive the dish I ordered is too much to ask. I left the togo box...