Sunday, August 17, Montreal feels like autumn already at just 17°C. The perfect excuse to warm up at Da Giovanni, a true local institution since 1954. Known for its generous pasta plates and no-frills pizzas, this Sainte-Catherine Street spot has long been a go-to for families, students, and anyone craving old-school Italian comfort. Today’s choice: spaghetti covered in their classic tomato sauce, topped with a giant meatball. Simple, hearty, and exactly what the chilly day calls for.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Nastya Os
Love this restaurant very much, kept the same recipe and perfect flavour. The portions are large and good price . Great place if you want to spend time with your family or a friend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Jenny L.
I have had the most amazing, wonderful and tasteful experience of my life. Amazing food and amazing people. ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Michaela Allan
Amazing!
Jean-Christophe Clement
Great pasta sauce and Pizza have unique taste. Place not as quaint as there original location, but I wish them long life!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Lise Lelièvre
Spaghetti ecellent
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Tony R
I’ve been coming to Da Giovanni for years, but ever since they moved, it’s been a total disappointment. The spaghetti was passable at best, but the meatballs? Hard as a rock and completely tastelesslike they'd been sitting out for days.
What was once a charming local spot has turned into a full-on tourist trap. Overpriced, underwhelming, and clearly relying on their past reputation to draw people in. The service was sub-par, rushed, and borderline careless. Honestly, this might be the worst Italian restaurant in town right now. Save your money and go literally anywhere else.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
cornwall seeker
My parents used to take me here when I was a little girl. While the food is still good, something about the atmosphere just isn’t the same since they moved. It used to feel like walking into a big family dinner, with warmth, energy, and that old-school Italian charm. I remember the cook in the windows making sauces and spaghetti for all the passersby to see! It was so unique. Now, it feels a little too polished, a little too impersonal—with the TV screens and the decor that’s just like every other restaurant. It’s lost the essence of what made it special.
Another disappointment was the misleading website. The pictures show pizzas that aren’t even on the menu, which was frustrating when we sat down expecting to order something that simply wasn’t available. It left the impression that either the menu had been changed without updating the site, or the images were just for show. Don’t call it a Margherita pizza when it isn’t.
Overall, if you’re just here for a meal, the food still delivers. But if you’re looking for that nostalgic Da Giovanni experience, you might leave feeling like something’s missing.
My husband and I recently visited this restaurant and, while the service was good, the food left a lot to be desired. We ordered the Parmigiana meal and a pepperoni pizza, but unfortunately, neither dish impressed us. The portions were generous, but the quality didn’t match. The pizza was just average—nothing particularly memorable. The Parmigiana however, was quite disappointing. It was extremely thin, greasy, and lacked the comforting, hearty texture you’d expect. I ended up eating just the pasta that came with it, which says a lot. Overall, despite the friendly service, the food simply didn’t deliver, and I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant based on our experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 5
Lynda Lebrun
Very disappointed with lunch, cold toast and potatoes. Flavorless omelet!! Service leaves much to be desired. Next time I'll cross the street to a chain lunch restaurant!!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
Normand B.
It's not what it used to be but, for me it's nostalgic. Still the original taste. The menu have shrunk but still fine.
Got the Pizza-ghetti because it seemed like a fun, whimsical dish. However the pizza tasted like school cafeteria food and the pasta sauce was okay. Service was also pretty slow for how empty the place was at the time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pizza Getti
Violaine MBAFUMOYA TCHOMBA
🇬🇧 I didn't really like the vibe of the restaurant or the breakfast. The customer service wasn't great either, I was very disappointed. But it's still in a good location
🇫🇷 I didn't really like the vibe of the restaurant or the breakfast. The customer support was not great either, very disappointed. But it remains well located
Good pizza.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
The Best Sauce in Montreal hands down !
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sunday, August 17, Montreal feels like autumn already at just 17°C. The perfect excuse to warm up at Da Giovanni, a true local institution since 1954. Known for its generous pasta plates and no-frills pizzas, this Sainte-Catherine Street spot has long been a go-to for families, students, and anyone craving old-school Italian comfort. Today’s choice: spaghetti covered in their classic tomato sauce, topped with a giant meatball. Simple, hearty, and exactly what the chilly day calls for.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Love this restaurant very much, kept the same recipe and perfect flavour. The portions are large and good price . Great place if you want to spend time with your family or a friend.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I have had the most amazing, wonderful and tasteful experience of my life. Amazing food and amazing people. ❤️
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Amazing!
Great pasta sauce and Pizza have unique taste. Place not as quaint as there original location, but I wish them long life!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 5
Spaghetti ecellent
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I’ve been coming to Da Giovanni for years, but ever since they moved, it’s been a total disappointment. The spaghetti was passable at best, but the meatballs? Hard as a rock and completely tastelesslike they'd been sitting out for days.
What was once a charming local spot has turned into a full-on tourist trap. Overpriced, underwhelming, and clearly relying on their past reputation to draw people in. The service was sub-par, rushed, and borderline careless. Honestly, this might be the worst Italian restaurant in town right now. Save your money and go literally anywhere else.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 1
Service: 1
My parents used to take me here when I was a little girl. While the food is still good, something about the atmosphere just isn’t the same since they moved. It used to feel like walking into a big family dinner, with warmth, energy, and that old-school Italian charm. I remember the cook in the windows making sauces and spaghetti for all the passersby to see! It was so unique. Now, it feels a little too polished, a little too impersonal—with the TV screens and the decor that’s just like every other restaurant. It’s lost the essence of what made it special.
Another disappointment was the misleading website. The pictures show pizzas that aren’t even on the menu, which was frustrating when we sat down expecting to order something that simply wasn’t available. It left the impression that either the menu had been changed without updating the site, or the images were just for show. Don’t call it a Margherita pizza when it isn’t.
Overall, if you’re just here for a meal, the food still delivers. But if you’re looking for that nostalgic Da Giovanni experience, you might leave feeling like something’s missing.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Spaghetti Carbonara
Restaurantji Recommends
My husband and I recently visited this restaurant and, while the service was good, the food left a lot to be desired. We ordered the Parmigiana meal and a pepperoni pizza, but unfortunately, neither dish impressed us. The portions were generous, but the quality didn’t match. The pizza was just average—nothing particularly memorable. The Parmigiana however, was quite disappointing. It was extremely thin, greasy, and lacked the comforting, hearty texture you’d expect. I ended up eating just the pasta that came with it, which says a lot. Overall, despite the friendly service, the food simply didn’t deliver, and I wouldn’t recommend this restaurant based on our experience.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 5
Very disappointed with lunch, cold toast and potatoes. Flavorless omelet!! Service leaves much to be desired. Next time I'll cross the street to a chain lunch restaurant!!
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 1
Service: 2
It's not what it used to be but, for me it's nostalgic. Still the original taste. The menu have shrunk but still fine.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: All-Dressed Pizza, Spaguetti Meat Ball, Sauce, Pizza Getti
Got the Pizza-ghetti because it seemed like a fun, whimsical dish. However the pizza tasted like school cafeteria food and the pasta sauce was okay. Service was also pretty slow for how empty the place was at the time.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Pizza Getti
🇬🇧 I didn't really like the vibe of the restaurant or the breakfast. The customer service wasn't great either, I was very disappointed. But it's still in a good location
🇫🇷 I didn't really like the vibe of the restaurant or the breakfast. The customer support was not great either, very disappointed. But it remains well located
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
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