Funky joint! A DDD find, we had to stop by on our way home. Everything about it is old. The recipes, the building, even the patrons. The road is narrow and parking is tight. "Where's the front door? That's not it. Maybe it's this one...yea, found it." A little odd, I must say.
Cash only, but there's an ATM-ish setup. The little machine across from the bar spits out a receipt that the bartender redeems for cash. It almost seems like no one wants to drive out to refill a cash machine. Not ordinary.
Now to borrow a note about food. "The meals are served family style, right in line with the atmosphere. The minestrone soup is hearty and obviously made from scratch. Â The salad (so good) is fresh and crisp, served up with seasoned lentils & salami." I was going to word that myself, but Mrs. N. did such a wonderful job! I will simply says it's old-world cuisine. See for yourself.
The service was really quite good. This place is dark and funky. It's loved by locals and embraces families. If you want something out of the norm, consider trying Giusti's.
After a long drive from the bay area to meet my parents for dinner for my Mom's birthday, we decided on Giusti's. Â
I drove there since *someone* may have had a bit too much wine at the SF Giants game earlier. Â I must note it is in the middle of nowhere. Â It's not the safest drive, either.
The building itself reminds me of that place in "The Goonies" where the Fratellis are hiding Sloth and those dead bodies. Â The inside is interesting--a buncha baseball caps adorn the ceiling. Â Otherwise, it's pretty sh*tkicker, decor-wise: Â a bunch of over-sized fish, deer antlers, etc. Â
When we arrived we didn't have a reservation. Â Not too smart when you have a 3-year old with you. Â The bartender/host told us it would be a 60 minute wait. Â I never believe someone when they give me a time quote like that. Â Surely you jest--60 minutes? Â I always think they are just giving me that kind of time quote so that when they seat me in 30 minutes, I will be pleased that it wasn't 60. Â Wrong! Â It was a full-blown 60 minutes. Â Man, that's painful. Â And I didn't want to have any drinks while I waited because I knew I'd be driving out of there and back to the bay that same evening. Â Definitely designate a driver and do some drinking if you have to wait that long. Â
The menu here is small--there's about 6-7 regular menu items and about 5 specials. Â They have prime rib, rib-eye, filet mignon, etc. (vegetarians do not go nuts for this place). Â All of these dishes are served with a baked potato (sour cream & butter). Â Salad and soup are included. Â The price of each entree is roughly $20-$30. Â
I wasn't too hungry by the time we arrived. Â I ordered the salmon special, but I wasn't that excited about it--I don't know why but I didn't find the menu too appealing. Â The minestrone soup course came out first. Â I didn't have any, but my sister's daughter loved it. Â The salad came out next, and it was delicious, but dressed too heavily. Â I liked the garbanzo/kidney bean mix and the side of salami. Â
I only ate a little bit of my salmon, but it was good. Â It wasn't too exciting. Â
Kids Menu: Fried Chicken or Spaghetti (I think). Â My niece had the spaghetti. Â It looked good. Â They have high chairs. Â
One big problem I had was with the water. Â They put a carafe of tap water at our table and it was awful! Â It tasted like sulphur! Â Wow, I would not be serving that water if I were them. Â If I lived in that area, I'd be really worried about that water quality. Â I wanted to go Erin Brockovich on them after one sip. Â
Anyway, other than the water (go for bottled), the place isn't too bad. Â Come with a big, carniverous appetite. Â And bring cash--no credit cards (although they have an ATM on the premises). Â Cowboy up.
Very small and quaint local place in Walnut Grove. When you drive up to the restaurant you get the idea that strong wind might push this place into the river but once you step inside and have a couple drinks all your fears go away.
Great place to take clients, friends and family. Be prepared to park on the side of the road or down the hill from the restaurant and make a small hike. The only downside for this place is its proximity to the city.
My husband and I were looking for a cool spot for a date night, and decided to head on down the river to Al the Wops. Â When we got there the bar tender said that they only served dinner on the weekends. Â So we headed on down the road only to stumble upon this gem of a spot!! Â
 We were skeptical at first because the outside of the building looks very old and warn, but we went in anyway.  WHAT A SURPRISE!  It is an old Italian style restaurant with real nostalgia.  The staff was friendly, the place was clean, and the food was fantastic!  We ordered rib steak, it was huge, not too fatty and cooked to perfection.  The homemade minestrone soup, salad, and bread were delicious.  What a nice touch to have a bottle of local olive oil on every table, yum. Â
 I did not care that I had to have cash, I did not try the water, and the fact that the nice older lady cleared our plates as soon as we were done made me happy!  We went on Thursday night and there was no problem parking or getting a seat at 6:30pm.  Overall it was a pleasant date.
Probably the greatest food and best time we've had on the delta in the 10 years we have lived in rio vista. Â Went with friends. Â Ambiance of place is old but part of the fun. Â It was packed so waited at bar for 20 min for a table and had a great time with bartender and owner. Â Family style minestrone soup then family style antipast salad. Â Both were fresh and delicious. Â Then came the food. Â Literally the best filet with hollandaise and the scampi in wine butter and capers out of this world. Attentive and wonderful service. Â The food was just the icing on the cake to a great time had by all. Â Been to nearly every restataurant in the last 10 years on the delta and this is easily by far the best food. Â Keep it up Guisti's.
Review Source:First of all, we ate here because friends invited us. Second, I do not like to give a bad review, so let me first say something nice about Giusti's -- the older gentleman at the bar who got our drinks before dinner, was very sweet & friendly. Â OK, now as for the food, waitresses, ambiance, I could not wait to leave the place. Â There was not one thing on the menu I would want to order, (health-minded people don't bother coming).
The place was filthy & seemed like the floor was leaning! Â The waitress was rude. Â The salad was warm & wilted with too much dressing. Â The soup was served luke warm, bacteria anybody? Â The meat was awful. Â And last but not least, we felt sick all weekend after eating here!
After seeing an episode of this restaurant on DDD, we decided to give it a try. First, parking is a challenge as this place is located on a small levy road and it was pouring rain. As you enter, you first hit the bar. Cozy looking with what appeared to lots of locals hanging out and everyone seems to know each other. Â Food was not as good as Guy made it seem so we will not be back.
Review Source:This occupies a patch of hard pan and Delta backwash in BFE, on the outskirts of Walnut Grove. The view out front consists of the parking lot, dumpsters and a fig tree. The proprietors keep the shades drawn.
Much of the the interior looks untouched since 1923 or so and features lots of wood paneling and taxidermy. The obligatory wall full of pictures--presumably customers-- includes athletes like Dusty Baker, Mickey Mantle, Don Larsen and Dan Pastorini, as well as a photo of a 1937 softball championship team. Â Â
When we visited for lunch, the food was mostly pretty good. A grilled oyster appetizer was tasty, minestrone soup was decent, hamburgers and fries were excellent, Portuguese beans were hearty like chili, smoked brisket was solid, and chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes were like my mom might have made. Unfortunately, she was just an average cook.
There was a problem with the eggplant parmegiano. It seems the eggplant was prepared improperly and therefore bitter, which was too bad because it took away from delicious tomato sauce seemingly made from scratch. When we complained and left the dish largely uneaten, restaurant staffers seemed confused and then neglected to make the gracious gesture of deducting the cost from our bill. We shouldn't have to ask for that. Â Â Â
Other problems:
1) While the sign board with a brief menu was a nice, simple touch, it didn't include the fried calamari ordered by the people at the next table. Had we known it was available, we might have ordered it. Â Â Â
2) The water, served in carafes with slices of lemon, was putrid. The fruit couldn't mask the essence of sulfur.
3) It's a cash-only spot, so I had to use the in-house ATM, which cost me an extra $1.50. I bet the restaurant takes a cut of that rather than paying a 2 percent fee for credit cards. It might be good business, but it pisses off customers. Â
Even for a dive, which Giusti's certainly is, this place is eminently forgettable.
The best blue cheese filet mignon around. Â The rack of lamb is also delicious. Â
Family style salad and soup is also bomb. Â Just don't drink the water folks the good ole smell of sulfur will make some sick hahah. Â
Family owed and its got that rustic old delta feel. Â You can also pull up after a day of wakeboarding on the delta and roll on in. Â
A great place to get a meal. Â No credit cards are taken though make sure you have cash or have your atm card so you can get cash from the atm inside the restaurant.
Came here for a late lunch during a motorcycle ride around the Delta and enjoyed our entire experience at Giusti's, from snacking on a couple of figs from the fig trees surrounding their deck to ordering off their lunch menu (which was posted on the wall, how unique!) and everyone in our party thought the food was terrific! Yummy Minestrone soup, delicious lasagne and excellent beef brisket. Oh, and did you know that the lunches COME with wine? I loved the red, it was a perfect pairing with the lasagne I ordered. :)
Review Source:Giusti's is a charming little gem, tucked away amongst winding levy roads, draw bridges, boats, and sleepy little towns.
Outside, you will have to navigate your way down a narrow lane and grab a slab of dirt to park on. Plastic chairs and weathered decks line both sides of the street. There's a small entrance carved into the greenery, which leads to a private dock, reserved only for guests of Giusti's.
Inside, you will find lively conversations, smiles, and generations of character. You can tell that not much has changed in a hundred years, and that's because it works.
The meals are served family style, right in line with the atmosphere. The minestrone soup is hearty and obviously made from scratch. Â The salad (so good) is fresh and crisp, served up with seasoned lentils & salami.
It's tough to spot a table without a bottle of wine, as they have an excellent selection - at very reasonable prices. I selected the Dancing Coyote Pino Grigio at $16, and was very pleased. The pesto pasta is substantially rich, a.k.a., not for a light eater. My prawns were fresh, crispy and delicious, served alongside a perfectly baked potato.
The service was incredible. We had multiple people checking in on us, the entire meal.
Bring your Jackson's, as this classic place is cash only. Like I said, not much has changed in 100 years.
I WILL be returning to Giusti's!
I have lived in the area all of my life..and it took me this long to get to Giusti's.
The draw... 2 for 1 lobster dinner on Wednesdays from 5 pm to 8:30-9:00ish..
Hint..during the summer months get there by 4:30 pm or around 8:30 pm.
That may help you not having to wait for 1 1/2 hours. Â They get b.u.s.y.
Here is the deal and it is a GREAT one...
$30 bucks for two lobster tail dinners...that $15 per meal..with soup and salad. Â
Try to beat that anywhere.
Includes:
~sour dough french bread with plenty of butter <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/9imQ1LLgQSyg7qlAuMvZ4Q?select=ySC0dsAEDKL6rv1WAYTr3g#wJmhfNhG7sjNc5d_1W7aYw">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
~a large yummy salad, fresh and crispy with lots of goodies on the top. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/9imQ1LLgQSyg7qlAuMvZ4Q?select=ySC0dsAEDKL6rv1WAYTr3g#wWMfNg6RZsaJ8oNkv7Kr5A">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
~soup...tonight it was a rich minestrone....served family style. <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/9imQ1LLgQSyg7qlAuMvZ4Q?select=ySC0dsAEDKL6rv1WAYTr3g#_F0hd_MuBTQ1CbPMk0Zweg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
~a baked potato done just right with a side of sour cream
~and of course a fair size lobster tail.  (the pic shows two...you only get one per order) Comes with a side of drawn butter  <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/9imQ1LLgQSyg7qlAuMvZ4Q?select=ySC0dsAEDKL6rv1WAYTr3g#m0X2wug2nmBYHwbGEjH4QA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
~nice touch...iced water with lemon  <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/9imQ1LLgQSyg7qlAuMvZ4Q?select=ySC0dsAEDKL6rv1WAYTr3g#0lWOq5z-6oR6vVfXE9t5Rg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>
This place reminds me a lot of the Waterloo Club. Â From the looks to the
atmosphere to the noise level. Â It is the Waterloo of the Delta!
View from men's room:  <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/9imQ1LLgQSyg7qlAuMvZ4Q?select=ySC0dsAEDKL6rv1WAYTr3g#uJKJ4eyzLTEe1IVwQbaxJQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a> haha...
I will be back at a less rushed time to try some their other yummy dishes.
Don't wait...get there now!
I love Guisti's! It's another family owned business that my family has been coming to for years & years. My amazing grandmother first taught me of this place when I was a child.
My personal favorite is the 2 for 1 lobster Wednesday's! A great deal & amazing dinner. My other favorite is the salmon special. My grandmother would always get the rack of lamb & said it was delish!
They have a great bar to hang out before & after dinner. There is a bumper pool table & juke box. Baseball hats are hung upon the ceiling. It's a great dive bar with a killer restaurant hidden in the back.
Go to Guisti's if you have never been!
I took a drive out to this area with my Dad today. Â It was lunch time, I was easily the youngest customer there by 20 years. Â But it was cool. Â What amazed me was the service, the bartender was super fast. Â Faster was the food, I swear it was ready in 4 minutes. Â The decor was old and rustic, which I liked. Â Don't expect anything fancy, this is the delta, fyi. Â I had the lasagna and a side salad with house dressing and a Stella.
This is a different experience, so my 5 star rating is based upon the other restaurants within a 20 mile radius of this place. Â The food was good, the service was overly fast. Â The decor reminded me of The Warehouse Cafe in Port Costa, super old, locals, dive'ish type decor, jukebox, booze, and food.
The minestrone soup and rack of lamb are the best items on their menu, in my humble opinion. Â Love their bar entrance with all the farming caps from around the world. Â You won't notice the caps unless you look in the ceiling. Â Â Makes me feel like I'm back at home in North Dakota.
Highly recommend this place to take somebody for a birthday treat. Â Â I will go back again and again, as long as their is money in my pocket book ;-)
(from early December 2011)
I came to Giusti's for an early dinner after wandering around Locke a little bit with a friend. It was 2 for 1 lobster night, and although I don't eat lobster it was such a good deal that I briefly considered ordering it.
Instead I got the pesto pasta and my friend got the fried chicken. The meals are done family style, which I like: communal bowls of soup, salad, along with bread, a salame plate and antipasti. The minestrone was delicious and the antipasti (chickpeas and kidney beans in herbs and olive oil) was tasty. I could have filled up on the soup and salad and been happy.
The pesto sauce was too finely processed for my liking and the pasta was swimming in it, which wasn't very appealing. Tried a bite of the fried chicken and thought it was pretty good - not too greasy or heavy on the breading. If I go back there I will have a steak or the chicken, as I think I'd enjoy that much more than the pasta.
The ambiance is true classic family owned restaurant where the servers have worked there for over 20 years and the bartender teases the regulars about their wine order. (See my review of the Prospector in Long Beach to find out more about my love of an old school family restaurant.) We were told the building was over 100 years old and had once been a boarding house.
If you love a great lobster deal, head to Giusti's for dinner on a Wednesday night with a friend.
Bartenders a 5, food a 3
I have never done the 2-4-1- lobster on wednesdays but I have done the prime rib fridays. Â The prime rib is ok. Â Not bad. Â I do love the salad bowls and clam chowder before dinner. Â I almost filled up on those. Â The clam chowder is the best thing around. Â The salad is good too. Â But everything else i have ever had there is average.
I love the bartenders, great people and there is always a great crowd around.
If you are on the delta, come here, its an institution, the experience will wow you more than the food.
I recommended Giusti's to one of my wine club members who returned to rave about the Lobster on Wed. night.
So next wed. Bev and I drove to Giustis for lobster. We started at the bar w/ oysters and a martini "always great". Then on to dinner and as usual the soup,salad was delicious and the Lobster dish also great. If you enjoy non-chain, Â slo food, family run restaurants.Guistis is for you!
As a local, I eat here a lot. However, with a gluten intolerance, restaurants don't usually take good care of you consistently. Â Mark, Rick and Sammy all prepare dishes for me that are safe, and have steered me away from some of my old favorites that would cause me harm. Â I love that Lamb!
The bar is top notch, with experienced staff. Â The place is always safe and riff-raff free. Â Drinks are poured and priced fair.
Ambiance is pure Giustis. Â Cool and open on the deck, dark and private at the bar, and a everyone's welcome feeling in the dining room.
A true jewel down here that we locals love.
Giusti's has been my neighbor for over 10 years now. The family style is something that I do not see often anymore. The soup is always something I look forward too. Lobster Night, is a must. I went with my ex a year ago, and we asked to substitute out her baked potato for some of their pasta. The chef had no problem doing so, and got a HUGE plate of pasta which was enough for a family in itself. It made excellent leftovers.
I cannot count how many times I have eaten here, and have had no complaints.
I've been wanting to go to Giusti's ever since I found out it was on the Food Network. It's like a subconscious goal of mine to go to those spots Guy Fieri has hit up. Yesterday, I finally decided to venture out into the middle of nowhere (aka Walnut Grove) just to try this "praised food."
Upon walking in, I noticed an extravagant display of baseball caps all over the ceiling. Pretty awesome. It was a little slow around 6pm, so we were immediately seated and immediately served. Our server was the sweetest woman. She was very attentive, bringing out new baskets of bread when ours was out and promptly bringing out each dish of food. The busboy was polite and relieved our over-filled table of any unnecessary plates.
The cute, tall server warned me that I'd be stuffed before the entrees come out. That was most definitely the case! We started off with a delicious basket of bread, in which my two friends and I killed fairly quickly. The bread was soft on the inside with just enough crisp on the outside. It was the perfect compliment to our soups that came out. Our server brought us two big bowls- one of minestrone and one of clam chowder. My two friends killed the minestrone & I killed the clam chowder (yes, all on my own :). The clam chowder had some large chunks of clam (though expected, it isn't always true of all clam chowders) and BACON.
By the way, did you know I love bacon??
The woman proceeded to bring out a big bowl of salad, a plate of salami, and a dish of beans. All delicious, but seriously, when are our entrees coming out? I'm already stuffed at this point. And then she brings out our entrees: one scampi, one crusted veal, and one fried chicken. I ordered the fried chicken and a large plate with four giant pieces of chicken came out. Delicious! I really could not finish more than 2 of the smallest pieces. The other two pieces I ate for lunch the following two days. My friend's veal was delicious and soft. And the scampi sauce was amazing and went well with bread. Overall, the food was amazing and we were all well-satisfied with our food.
Giusti's is a fun, family restaurant. And even though it's a good 30 minute drive away, I would most definitely consider driving back out to the middle of nowhere for a delicious meal!
I was excited to visit Giusti's after seeing a solid review on Food Network. Â However, my visit turned into major disappointment.
What was great:
1) The atmosphere. Â Giusti's sits right on the Delta and is tucked away in a not so apparent spot. Â It was awesome.
2) The décor.  Baseball caps of all sorts hanging from the ceiling. Â
3) Cleanliness. Â The restaurant and restroom were very clean.
4) The homemade soup.  Very  tasty.  Perfect for a cold/wintery day.
What was not so great:
1) The service. Â The hostess did not great us. Â She counted the people in my party, grabbed some menus and attempted to seat us at a table that was too close to another party. Â When we asked to be seated at another table, she sighed, but sat us down without another word. Â (Strike one).
2) The menu / the food. Â Giusti's has a limited menu and completely over-priced. Â With family-style servings, you have to pay an additional $7.50 to share a plate. Â ????? Â Really???? Â There are no free re-fills. You must pay for each can of soda. Â (Very expensive.) Oh... and don't drink the water. Â It tastes as if it comes out of the river. Â The bread was chewy - it didn't appear to be fresh. (Strike two).
3) The price. Â The cheapest item on the menu was a bland fried chicken meal for $14.50. Â Although the chicken was a large serving, you had to pay an additional $7.50 to share a half chicken meal. Â Total price$ 22.00 for a chicken meal. Â NO THANK YOU! Â (Strike three).
Giusti's has potential to be a great "out of the way" place for dining. Â However, the unfriendly staff (except for Katie- the owner's daughter) and the over-priced menu will keep you from coming back.
Giusti's is hell to find and hard to get a seat on a Saturday night, but once you've got a seat at the table I'm sure you'll be pleased.
Meals are served with bread, minestrone soup and a house salad. Now this ain't no fancy salad eating place, but the bread is really soft and fresh and the soup was top notch.
I ordered a rack of lamb for $20 and was quite pleased. Seems everyone at our table of 7 walked away full and happy.
It's a meat place that serves great meat. If you're not into that don't come here. Oh the kitch is quite cool as well.
Amazing and I joined a couple friends here for Valentines Day dinner. Â The bar is a fair place to hang out when you have to wait for a table, which should be often given the recent fame given to this place by Guy Fieri's show Diners Drive-in's and Dives.
This place is certainly a Diner, and right on the Delta, about halfway between Stockton and Sacramento, and a little east.
The food is great. Â It flies out of the kitchen faster than you can blink. Â Just when you think maybe you shouldn't have another bite of soup, that it might make you too full to eat your entire main course, there comes your main course. Â I was lucky enough to order the last of their lamb, only because my friend let me have it. Â We both were going to get it. Â It was divine. Â One taste of it was a bit salty, and was probably the bit touching the bottom of the brine pot, nothing worthy of complaining about. Â It was all very very tasty. Â Yes, better than the lamb I had at The Firehouse.
You probably won't like the water. Â All water at the Delta has a bit of an odor to it. Â It's just the way it is, and you either are used to it and drink it, or you're like me, and make that a perfect excuse to order a martini.
Guisti's (pronounced Juice-Tee's), is the definition of rustic.  Our minestrone soup was served family style in a big plastic bowl.  We ate on a wooden table in wooden chairs that may or may not have matched.  The décor in the bar is hundreds of hats on the ceiling and autographed photos of notable patrons of the past.  Some whose popularity went out before I was born. Â
It truly feels like you eat here with a bunch of friends. Â This is how you are served at someone's house. Â When you eat there, you are treated like a friend. Â The food comes from that friend of yours who knows his family recipes like the back of his hand, and he wants to share them with everyone he can. Â Guisti's has been around for nearly 100 years, all with the same family: 4 generations now. Â It has earned its stay, and I'll likely be back.
Giusti's could be a four star eatery, but they seemingly choose to settle for three.
The atmosphere is great: you drive into the middle of nowhere and stumble upon this little shack next to the water. Â Once inside, the place just oozes character. Â The food, well it's pretty darn good too. Â But everything else about Giusti's is quite mediocre.
I've given Giusti's two tries...the first time I sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of reasonably priced draft beers with my delicious rack of lamb. Â For the second visit, I sat in the dining room and gave the pasta with pesto and veal cutlet a try. Â Both times the food was solid, but both times the service was unfriendly and slow. Â Sure, it's apparent that if you visit this place often, you get great service; however, for the rest of us that don't spend our days fishing/hunting in the delta, good luck.
I tried to chat up the bartender during my first visit....but to no avail...and I really tried to be patient during my second visit when I wanted to pay the bill...but unfortunately the waitress was too busy sitting at the bar eating her own plate of food. Â Note to waitress: check down, check back. Â Anybody who's worked in a restaurant has heard this a hundred times.
And yes...like all of those in the other reviews, the pitcher of water on my table also tasted like it was pulled straight out of the river. Â And I too was surprised on my first visit by the no credit card policy. Â "There's an ATM by the bar." Â What is this, a strip club?
I won't rule out a return visit....Giusti's has its redeeming qualities. Â But it's just so frustrating when so much is done right, and you're still left disappointed.
First off... Don't drink the water! Â (more on this later)!~
We strolled in around 8pm on a cold, foggy Thursday evening... There were two other tables seated and both were finishing their meals as we were seated.
Luckily for Giusti's, we had already started in on beer, wine, soup, and bread before we decided to pour a glass of water from the carafe they left us on the table. The water smelled like it was taken right out of the Delta, and thats the polite version... I believe swamp-butt was the term used by my fellow dinner guest!
The soup which comes out in a homestyle serving bowl and ladle, so you can serve youreslf was actually  delicious. The bread was ok,  the salad came with dressing already on it (some sort of thousand island type), also  a plate of salami, and some sort of garbanzo beans/chickpea mix. Quite the pre-meal spread!
Its a Thursday, which is Italian night out at Giusti's -
Two of us got the rack of lamb, one got the lasagna. The lasagna had good flavor, but soggy noodles, I chalk this up to us strolling in on a cold foggy evening about an hour before close, but hey I'm a bit more forgiving than some folks! (re-read water comments above)!
The lamb was ordered medium, but came out medium well. Still had good flavor, I've never had rack of lamb, so I have nothing to compare this to. There was a baked potato, which was pretty standard as potatoes go.
Ummm... Thats it folks! Â And remember, don't drink the water!
After seeing Giusti's on Triple D, we decided to drive up there 4th of July weekend just to try it out. First, it is not the easiest place to get to as it is pretty far up in the Delta. If you are in the area, it's perfect. Second, it's off the beaten path which makes it even better. Third, it can get packed.
The ambience is laid back to me, many locals at the bar and the wine is flowing. Wine choices are plentiful here. The menu on the chalkboard for the day is great but hard to see if you aren't looking for it. Love the trucker hats on the ceiling too.
We ordered the calamari steak and the pesto pasta for the day and they were both awesome. The pesto was not over powering and just right and a decent portion too. The calamari steak was not rubbery and well breaded but not dried out. We decided to upgrade our cup of chowder to a bowl and if you are hungry, I suggest doing this. The chowder is hands down great. Large pieces of fresh seafood. The soup is not too thick and not too thin, so it won't fill you up. Be careful though, the bread they bring to you can fill you up. Don't foget your free glass of wine or other drink to go with the meal and for the price, it's not a bad deal at all.
MMmmmm Yummy!
EVERYTHING Â was delicious.
Lets see it's been about 2 months since I ate at Giusti's....
We had fried chicken (I'd eat it again)
Lamb Shank (omg to DIE FOR!)
and Veal (not my favorite ever, but it was not bad and damn good if you like Veal).
Love the family style servings. Bread is fantastic! Soup is too delicious! It was cozy and intimate for a dive and really cool and chill despite the fact that we were eating in the back of a bar.
I can't remember the prices. But I remember it was pretty reasonable.
Now how do you get here? I have no clue!? GPS!!! LOL and when you're out in the pitch black country thinking you're lost there's a Giusti's sign at the end of the road!
I'll be back one day!
Lovely Girlfriend and I rolled in here after an overly fierce afternoon at Al the Wop's, where we drank Gin and Beer and played Steely Dan on the Jukebox. Â Clearly, we needed a break, and Guisti's had everything we craved.
I stayed away from the jukebox here, as I'm sure if I played nine Steely Dan songs in a row, I would earn a legion of  haters similar to the crew I left behind in Locke.  Step One:  a plate of Fried Oysters.  Step Two:  dos Sierra Nevada drafts. Â
Our bartenders were awesome. Â They created an environment where I wanted to get a room and stay the night. Â Thank God my Girlfriend talked some sense into me, reminding me of our bleak existence Monday thru Friday, when we go to our jobs and Make Money. Â Otherwise I'd still be at Giusti's bar, drinking Fernet Branca and cursing my enemies in Portuguese.
This restaurant is a wonderful hidden gem that you will only enjoy if you are either a river lover who will find it putting around the Delta, OR if you like cool old places that are a piece of local history and never really change.
Every time we come here we end up waiting at the bar for a while, drinking some yummy local wine, and chatting with the friendly patrons and bartenders, and looking at all the ball caps that line the ceiling (most bear agricultural product logos, appropriate for the area).
Then we are super-hungry by the time we are seated and order some delicious fish special, but are totally stuffed after the bread, salad, beans and salami are served. Not that that keeps us from finishing our fish, of course.
Bring cash, a high tolerance for alcohol, and your appetite. But if you enjoy, say, The Olive Garden, don't bother, you'll hate Giusti's.
Candace is right...Giusti's is out in the middle of nowhere...which means it's right by me! It doesn't get more Delta than this: park your boat at the dock out front and walk right up to the bar. The bar itself features a bunch of pictures of celebrities I've never heard of (my fave: the actress from "Ropes of Flesh") and a nice collection of local wines, mostly from the Clarksburg and Lodi regions, as well as the usual alcoholic fare.
This place wowed my Italian father with its soup, a minestrone-like concoction, with greens, beans, rice, and chunks of delicious beef, made fresh every day. Both the soup and salad come out family-style, the salad accompanied by a marinated bean salad (beware if you don't like garlic, this one's a Dracula-killer) and plate of salami. I know, Â a little kooky, but delicious.
And speaking of delicious, every entree I've tried has been just that. My recent favorite: the veal cutlet, breaded and covered in a lemony, mushroomed gravy is so good, I can eat it all, even with a belly full of soup and salad. Some other good choices include the rack of lamb and lobster tail, which you can get two-for-one on Wednesday nights.
So bring cash and an empty belly, and let Giusti's do the rest.
Giusti's is this place that is out in the middle of nowhere. Â It's off the main road between Walnut Grove and Thornton in the Delta. Â You can arrive by car or by boat, since they have their own dock on the river for patrons.
This is one of those places that has always been around for the locals, but itinerant fishermen and hunters have spread the word, and lots of non-locals have added it to their list of "must see" places to eat and drink at  in the Delta during their motoring adventures. Â
I like the nice selection of local wines by the glass listed on the board at the bar. Â You wouldn't think that a rustic place like this would have a good wine selection, but that's one of the surprises that Giusti's has for the first-time visitor. Â
I was tempted by the Bogle petite syrah that I saw on the list, but decided instead, to try a glass of the Bensen Ferry Old Vine zinfandel.
Very nice! Â
It was a good choice to enjoy with dinner. Â
The restaurant has a very modest markup on their wines by the glass. Â You'll be pleasantly surprised. Â All too often, a place will offer pedestrian wines for a high markup. Â Here, you'll get nice local wines for maybe $5 per glass.
(I'm guessing that they offer the wine as a service to their customers and ~not~ as something to make money from.There are ~lots~ of good wines that are made in the area, and it's nice to find a local eatery that showcases some of the gems available.)
They serve lunch and dinner here. Â We were there early on a Saturday evening and made it in before the dinner rush. Â The dinners are served family-style. Â This means that you get a large bowl of minestrone soup with a ladle and a bowl for each diner. Â The tossed salad is served the same way, with a plate of marinated red and garbanzo beans, sliced fresh bread, and thin slices of salami. Â
(If you don't pace yourself, you can easily fill up on these dishes before the entree arrives!)
I had ordered the oysters while the bf got the steak. Â The oysters were pretty large and fresh from the grill. Each one was easily 3 bites worth.
Very tasty and filling. Â The bf said the steak was pretty good. Â Both entrees were served with a large baked potato with sour cream on the side.
Service was very good.  The wait staff was friendly & attentive  without hovering...somewhat difficult to do when the place is hopping.  This is a great place to stop by for food or drink when you're in the area.
Giusti's is a local institution that I hope to drag friends to in the future, whether we arrive by boat, by bike, or by car.
(note: Bring cash. Â They don't take credit cards, but they do have an ATM near the bar.)
At first I couldn't find Giusti's on Yelp so I started  my own Giusti's reviews, I'm just messin' Yelp all up.  In any event, here's my review:
I LOVE GIUSTI'S!!!!!!
Before I got a life I spent a lot of time hanging down in the Delta with my 'rents. Â I just wrote a review of Al the Wops (which is the place to drink) while Giusti's is the place to eat. Â Ok, and drink too. Â
They usually have a couple of specials of the seafood or pork variety. Â With entres you get salad, soup, and bread. Â At lunch they'll serve you house wine too. Â I don't know about at night because we'd usually get a bottle. Â The salad isn't fancy, but it's good, with some sorta homemade thousand island-ish dressing that's never something I'd choose, but still love. Â The soup is minestrone and, it's, well, good minestrone. Â It's Old School fare done right.
My mom loves the fried chicken while my dad and I are all about the steak. Â It's just....an awesome filet with melt-y blue cheese and, like, ohmygod...I don't have the words. Â I just don't. Â I've never gotten it not cooked perfectly (for me that's rare to med rare.) Â Every time they're solid. Â The quality of the meat is outstanding. Â My mouth is seriously watering writing this because it's just that damn good. Â Blaaaaaaaw....sorry, that was drool. Â
Plus, a HEARTY dose of character at this place! Â Hats all over the ceiling, sassy staff, more wood plank floors that could swallow you. Â In the summer when the locks are open we can take the little boat over which is way cool because who doesn't love a cocktail cruise on the river.
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