Let me preface this review by saying that the food was VERY good, solid, classic Italian food. We were impressed with the quality of the food and the ingredients.
What we were not impressed with, however was the tiny table we were originally seated at and when we asked to be moved, the hostess walked over to the manager saying LOUDLY, "they don't want to sit there." Why was it such a big deal for us to switch tables? What happened to "the customer is always right"? Her response should have been, "absolutely, let me set that up for you." Instead, we stood there like idiots while she huffed around setting up our table. Even when we first walked in, it took them five minutes to figure out who was going to seat us....kind of a mess.
Apparently, because it was a Tuesday night it gets very crowded (which it NEVER did) due to half off and jazz night. The owner completely blamed it on the fact that it was Tuesday night, and she was nice enough, but it still left a bad taste in our mouth.
If you're looking for AMAZING Italian food, go to Jimmy's in Asbury....nothing better.
I am seeing two major complaints here.....
1. It is expensive
2. The food takes forever
1. Well, Hmm...It's not BYOB which I'm sure all of us Jersey folks are used to and it serves all fresh/homemade and organic meat, cheeses, produce Etc....So yea add a $45 dollar bottle of wine to your meal and it can be one of your expensive nights. I did not find the food expensive at all. $18.50 for a chicken dish...$11 for an app seemed pretty standard. Our bill for three (no drinks) was $123.
2. They disclose on their website and on the top of their menu that the food is all cooked to order from scratch and that the entrees may take up to 1 hour. So I was prepared to wait and certainly not fault them for this. The food overall was excellent. We ordered it all at once two apps and three entrees. The apps came out in about 40 minutes then the entrees 30 or so minutes later. We arrived at 7:15 and left at 10 so this is not a quick meal people. My chicken parm was to die for. I could tell it had just been made, it was piping hot and it was not the usual beaten down chicken cutlet that was made in a big batch earlier in the week. It was a giant breast of chicken topped with their homemade sauce and homemade cheese.
The live band was Reggae and that was a blast many people were dancing.
Service- Here is where they lost one star. The bus boy was excellent we talked about trying to give him a tip directly but I'm sure that was not allowed. The server on the other hand had clearly prioritized his tables. By nights end there were three tables left, us, a large party (12 ppl) that looked to have ordered at least 10 bottles of wine and a wealthy looking couple who seemed to be regulars. It took forever to get out check and get out of there. It felt like he was giving his attention to where he thought his biggest tip would be.
Holy crap. Best veal I've ever tasted. The Veal Milanese is outstanding and I have been eating good Italian food at great, and oftentimes expensive, Italian restaurants since I was born. The breading had crisp to it, but was not overcooked and had so much flavor. The pasta was cooked to a perfect al dente texture and the garlic and oil sauce was exquisite. Â Now the ricotta cheesecake...holy crap again. Best I've ever had. I swear I'm not exaggerating or an owner. It was so different from any other Italian cheesecake I've had...no weird lemon zest and not dry. It was almost like a NY style...so creamy and delicious, but with an awesome ricotta flavor. The food here has been the best I've had in the area. And I wasn't really hungry when I sat at the bar, but now I want to eat so much more. I wish I could. I really do.
Review Source:Very nice atmosphere and ambiance.  Live jazz music was very welcoming walking up but then only audible if you sit in the upstairs bar section. Very friendly staff. Not the most fantastic wine selection if you want to  buy by the glass. Stuffed mushroom appetizer was delicious. Bread was nothing special. Salads not served with entrees. I ordered the flounder franchise it was delicious. They accommodated special meal preparation requests made by members of my party. Portion sizes generous but not overwhelming. Served with your choice of a vegetable or pasta. The rigatoni was cooked to perfection and the red sauce amazing. Tartufo dessert was excellent... Cannoli was nothing special. The staff let my girlfriends and I sit for an hour after we had finished our meal. No one rushed us out. Overall a very nice experience would recommend to a friend/family.
Review Source:One year later, and Giamano's consistently exceeds my expectations every time I go. Â The staff and owners are beyond friendly, and I always feel like I am among friends whenever I go in for dinner. Â
The farmers market on Wednesdays speaks to their passion for local, fresh and organic produce. Â
The specials menu is always outstanding (recently had zucchini flowers francaise...they were amazing). Â Add in a great wine and cocktail list, great live music and you have one fantastic dining experience waiting for you!
I'm very puzzled by this restaurant's claim in newspaper ads that the New York Times gave them three-and-a-half stars and said they were "The Finest Italian Dining on the Jersey Shore". I know how to look things up on the Times web site but I can't find any such review. Does it really exist? If it does, how about someone posting a link to the Times article so we can all read it?
Review Source:Food is excellent tuesday is half price don't go. The wait is forever they will send you upstairs and forget you are there .by the time you're called, if ever,you will be dining in an empty restaurant.last time I went upstairs I was told by a rude manager I could have a table but I would not be served for an hour,which is the same as telling me to leave. Â Will never go back there...too many good restaurants in the area that are pleasant and accomodating
Review Source:This was our second time at Giamano's and the food was just as good as the first time. Â I had the veal parm, which was delicious. Â All of the food we had was top notch . Â My only complaint was that it took a long time to get our food. Â It might have been because it was customer appreciation night. Â You certainly can't beat half price for the quality of food. Â So, for the value, it was worth the wait. Â The only other comment was that I wish the hostess had acknowledged my existence as I walked into the restaurant. She just ignored me until she was done with whatever she was doing. Â It actually wasn't even that busy when we got there. Â Once she was done though, she was very pleasant and attentive. Â Perhaps this is a pet peeve of mine but if you see someone standing there, waiting, you should at least make eye contact for a split second to say, "I know you're there. I'll be right with you". Â I would still go back to Giamano's though because the food is delicious. I also had the Ceasar's Salad, which I liked because it had a lot of anconvy paste. It needed more lettuce or less dressing. Â My husband had the Penne a la Vodka, which he gobbled up and wished he had more. Â We also had fried calamari appetizer which was crispy and light. Â Our friend had the, "Chicken Murphy", which he liked but wasn't what he expected. Â If you've been to Jimmy's in Asbury Park, I'd say that Giamano's is comparable. Â When we come to the Jersey Shore, we will always include Giamano's in our plans.
Review Source:My husband and I went to Giamano's last night. Â I had been there a few years ago and thought it was good and was pleasantly surprised to find that I think it is even better now. Â Being at the shore you are subject to some very poor restaurants who know they "have you". Â Not so at Giamano's. Â My husband and I frequent better restaurants and found the food to be very good as well as the service. Â Absolutely surprised with their "house" red wine which was excellent. Â Food is piping hot as it should be and flavorful. Â We must have had a new busboy because I asked for fresh pepper and he handed me an empty pepper mill. Â The waiter quickly saw my dismay and rescued him. Â We will be back and will even take a ride from North Jersey during off season.
Review Source:Been there on a Tuesday night upstairs for the music and it was a great time! After bragging about it to a friend we came back the next week. Â Terrible. Not only was the food completely overpriced, but the one of the employees and some guests sat at the bar boosting about their fasting they were doing and ragging on other people! I was appalled! We couldn't even converse amongst ourselves because they were being so loud and obnoxious. Â Completely ruined our night and honestly we will not go back there again.
Review Source:Surprised at some of the negative reviews here. First of all, Giamanos is hands down the best restaurant at the Jersey Shore. Never had a bad meal here. Most everything is organic for one. The Penne and vodka with prosciutto is the best ever. The crab meat stuffed shrimp is perhaps the best piece of food I've ever put in my mouth. Their bread is insane. Always hot, moist and the olive oil to dip it in is killer. The zuppe de pesce is also amazing. Awesome wine list. If you haven't been, go.
Review Source:Good food, not great. Â I'm Italian and have definitely eaten phenomonal italian food. The problem with this place is the PRICE!!!!!!! Outrageously high. Â The cost of a meal for 2 for 1 appetizer, 2 average priced entrees, a low priced bottle of wine and 2 espressos was over $140, and that was before the tip- on a Wednesday night. Â Had I een more impressed with the food and the ambiance, I could have swallowed that bill. Â They definietely need to have more mid week special offers or coupons available for people. Â I guess that explains why only 3 tables were full during our entire meal.
Review Source:Giamano's remains a 4 star restaurant.
I recently tried the Lasagna which was delicious. It was served piping hot and had plenty of wonderful flavor. Any fare you get here will always be good. Giamano's hasn't been in the area so long because of bad food.
Giamano's won't get to 5 star restaurant for my standards until they have a better salad. For almost $10, you receive cheap bagged lettuce, which is not particularly good. I tried the Caprese this last time and it was ok, but not great.
So I've been there many times over the years. Â I feel like it's an overpriced red sauce Italian place with a cranky owner barking orders at her staff. Â I got a gift certiticate so decided to use it on a Tuesday when the menu is half price for Customer Appreciation Night , so then it's an affordable deal. Â I walked in and Ms. Cranky says "I see you have a gift certificate. Â You can't use it on Tiesdays." Â I was like, Really? Â It's not a coupon, it's like paying cash!. Â No go. Â Ridiculous rule. Â Then i asked for sausage with my chicken savoy. Â Waitress said no special orders on Tuesdays. Â Really? Â Their sign says Tuesday is Customer Appreciation Night. Â Obviously not if they don't care about who is happy.
Won't be back for a while... I would rather go to Fratello's in Sea Girt where the food is reasonable and the staff is nice.
This family-friendly restaurant helped us celebrate our father's birthday party with great success. Â From our initial contact with Rhonda to planning with Steffan to during-the-party leadership from Adriana and her team, the staff members went out of their way to help us feel welcome and comfortable. Â We had 55 guests and they raved about the food and service. Â They loved the beautiful, tasty birthday cake! Â We will return to Giamano's with appreciation for all the care and kindness they demonstrated. Â From wonderful service to delicious food to a great party space, we could not have asked for a better experience!
Review Source:One of the best places at the shore to eat along with Jimmys in Asbury Park. Â On the weekend they usually have live music upstairs. Nothing much has to be said, just go see for yourself. They were running half price specials on Tuesday nights, see if they still have that going on.
I hate to waste energy on going out to eat and having a crap experience, wasting my time and money. I'm a good cook so if I go out I want them to dazzle me with something I can't do. This place does that.
Giamano's is a real winner. Great food and excellent service. They use organic ingredients and always serve up a wonderful meal. It's a bit higher priced than other restaurants in the area but I'm sure this is due to the use of organic ingredients. A great place for a special event or when you just want to treat yourself.
Review Source:Nice place albeit pricey for the area. Â They serve up some decent Italian food in a nice space with white linen covering the tables. Â Service is attentive and more formal than most restaurants in this area.
Smallish bar but manageable with a very nice selection of wines focusing on Italy. Â
Go here for a special occasion or just an ordinary weekend dinner and enjoy.
The food here is always delicious and you can taste the quality in the ingredients. They use all organic produce and wonderful quality meat, fish, and shellfish. It's a bit expensive for it to be an everyday kind of dinner, but whenever I'm craving solid, comforting Italian-American cuisine in the area this is where I go. Â
They make a MEAN penne alla vodka and their Clams Casino is to die for. I mean, I wouldn't die for it but I'd probably sacrifice someone in order to get some. Dipping bread in that buttery, bacony, clammy goodness is a spiritual experience. Do it. If you waste that delicious butter I will find you. And kill you. And then eat your butter.
Anyway, my meals here have always been consistently good and the staff is friendly, accommodating, and warm. This is definitely the type of place you want to bring a date with a discerning palate or a discerning vagina. It's the best Italian food you'll find anywhere on the shore!
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