Gio Rana's Really Really Nice

10/10 no notes...

That meatball dish...I'm dreaming of it wow a true ratatouille moment! Enjoyed the Papparadelle and the Raspberry Torta for dessert. The service was absolutely impeccable! Will be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

There are some great options on the menu. I highly recommend the meatballs and the ragù type pasta!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 4

Went on a Friday night without a reservation. Put my name on a list and got a table for two after about 45 minutes (consistent with what the host said).

Service was great. Didn’t catch the name of our server but he was helpful during ordering, friendly, and the right level of attentive.

We got 4 dishes, and overall the food was excellent and very reasonably priced given the portion sizes.

Giant meatball (5/5) - amazing, sauce was spot on, very generous portion
Pearled couscous (3.5/5) - a bit underdone and one of the mussels tasted off, otherwise flavor was great
Ossobuco: (4.5/5) - creamy and decadent, would order again
Beet salad (4/5): Not a big beet fan but this was still good, would have liked a bit more goat cheese

Atmosphere was nice and lively. Music and general volume was a touch loud, but not impossible to hold a conversation. This would be a fun place to share a meal with a group of 4-6.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent service and a more excellent plate of pasta.!!! Coming from an Italian background and an avid traveller to Italy (once a week). It's hard to find something this good in Toronto! I wish there were more stars!

amazing food, great service and a lovely cozy vibe. staff was very accommodating to some dietary restrictions in our group and our food was INCREDIBLE. highly, highly recommend!

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 5

Service: 4

Delicious food shared amongst a party of 10+. Family style but more than enough food for everyone. Great service, delicious food highly recommended

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Giant Meatball and Tomato Ragu, Tuscan Fries

A little pricy but another wise pretty perfect restaurant experience. Friendly and attentive service, hip vibe, and a delicious menu that I want to come back to keep exploring! I highly recommend this place!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Fresh Italian Burrata

The best.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Love it here every time, incredible quality!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Giant Meatball and Tomato Ragu, Tuscan Fries, House Made Focaccia, Fresh Italian Burrata, Grilled Calamari

We came here for the first time last night to celebrate my partner finishing their Master’s degree. We arrived around 8pm and the place was very busy with a small waitlist, and a number of large reservations waiting for tables. The host was super friendly, funny and affable, really lightening the mood as we waited.

We were seated fairly quickly and our server was wonderful. He checked in regularly, and was very knowledgeable of the menu.

The food came extremely quickly and was fresh and delicious, and even though the service was fast we never felt rushed in any way, and when we were done our meal we were not made to feel like we had to get up and leave immediately.

The place was large but still felt cozy. They were able to fit a lot of customers without any table feeling or looking cramped. Music was a bit loud, but not overly so and to me that’s understandable for a Saturday night.

The prices were very reasonable for the quality of food, which is always a big bonus. Just be aware that in order to keep the efficiency of the restaurant going, they do not accept modifications/substitutions to the dishes, and will not do separate/split bills for one table. I’m not sure how this works with extremely large groups, however. We will be back for sure!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Giant Meatball and Tomato Ragu, House Made Focaccia, Tiramisu Cake, Mezzi Rigatoni, Seared Atlantic Salmon

Unique! Going into a restaurant this quirky I didn’t know what to expect.

Everything tasted fresh and vibrant I honestly cannot cook these dishes better myself.

Otherwise; the inside is just clutter!
I understand the mannequins but they are creepy. Every inch of the place has some sort of knickknack, I can’t imagine yall clean every single one weekly.
Also the poster telling people not to make the hostess cry is unprofessional and makes it look like someone’s home rather than a business that can handle difficult customers when needed.

Looking forward to future visits.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 5

Very nice place, great food, good humor and atmosphere. Will bring family next time!

3 years later…

So, the next time had happened and I am not impressed any more. The place is crumbling, getting old, no cosmetic repairs visible, everything feels and looks abused.

There was surprisingly small number of people, almost half of the tables were vacant. The music was loud and made it tense and uneasy for family talk. I had to use my phone flash to read the menu, nothing that would kill me but contributed to the perception.

Here is the major: the quisine is changed. While a few items stayed and were recognized, they are cooked and taste differently now. Ossobucho tasted great but it was not ossobucho — the sauce was beef stroganoff kind. Creative twist indeed, but kind of perplexing. The steak was mediocre, you can have better cooked meat at half price elsewhere, even these days.

Shinkflation does not justify inflation: last time I paid $300 for six people and all were excited, this time I paid $500 for the same people and everyone said: “Meh…” and when we came home everyone wanted supper after this dinner.

Not worth it anymore. Sorry, it is sad to let go of Toronto great places, not sure if any marketing will ever lure me back again.

🫤🫤🫤

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Braised Veal Ossobuco, House Made Focaccia, Tiramisu Cake, House-Made Potato Gnocchi, Involtini Pulled Pork, Raspberry Ice Cream

I've never left a review before, but after a truly exceptional meal at Gio Rana's I had to post one. My friend and I were warmly welcomed when we arrived. The restaurant was busy but the music selection was fun and the room buzzing with lively conversion.

All of the staff was charming, attentive, helpful, fun and patient. There was a rare feeling of staff chemistry, like everyone genuinely enjoyed working there and had pride in the restaurant. The cocktails were really great, as were the focaccia and the mushroom pasta.
The Butternut squash crespelle though stole the show, it was absolutely divine in flavor and texture. I can't think of the last time I've had a dish so delicious, conversation wasn't possible, it was just that enjoyable.

In addition the prices are so reasonable for an incredible restaurant experienc., I really appreciate that it's accessible pricing!

I will be back on next Toronto visit!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Hellooooo bb.

The vibes, food, and service here was immaculate. I was indeed craving pasta and this place has satisfied my cravings way beyond my expectations. My friend and I got the Pappardelle, Carpaccio, &&& Meatballs!!

Zack/Zac/Zach (sorry for misspelling ur name) was so lovely. He made our entire Gio Rana’s experience even better. He was just so warm and welcoming. The food came out right away and it was delicious overall, with fair pricing. And lastly, I just enjoyed how the place made me feel; super cozy, especially on this cold day (yes it started snowing). Will def be back and this time will try some desserts!!

Thank you for a great dinner <3 I go cry now byeeeee.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Giant Meatball and Tomato Ragu

The staff was super friendly and nice. The food was out of this world. We had the deep fried olives, risotto balls (to die for) and Tuscan fries!!! For mains - we had a gnocchi - super soft and yummy fresh basil tomato sauce and papardelle - hands down the best mushroom based sauce I’ve had so far!! The atmosphere was very cozy and gorgeous. 100% recommend!!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Tuscan Fries, House Made Focaccia, Fresh Italian Burrata, Panna Cotta