Gianfranco Ristorante

We were able to get a reservation on short notice via Open Table when everything else nearby was booked. Was this good or bad? The food rating was high so we went for it. From a food perspective, it was quite good. My Caesar salad was very good and the lasagna special was too. My wife had a pasta dish that was excellent if you like garlic! The service was a bit suspect at first — we sat there for ten minutes without anyone approaching us. But once they caught on it was good from that point on. My biggest complaint was the outdated décor, chairs and AC system that kept blowing a breeze through the place all night. Keep your expectations low and you’ll be happy more than likely.

Finally finally finally.
As close to East Coast
Italian we have been able to find!
So excited for our new favorite place!

Went there tonight with friends. Wanted to like it as we like Italian restaurants in our neighborhood. Good to see that the restaurant was quite busy in the high season.
Was very disappointed in the $ 52 (cheapest) Italian red wine on the menu. Would have guessed that it was $ 10 or less retail, but it seems that it was about $ 19. Food was OK but nothing special. James was a pleasant waiter but didn’t like that I asked the prices of the many «specials» that he announced. The restaurants that I like don’t need to embarrass me to have to ask the price.
In the neighborhood, Local Bistro and Spiga are a lot better for atmosphere, service and value for money.

Last Christmas Eve the Owner greeted all patrons except minorities. This was done pointedly and made everyone very uncomfortable. I was very surprised by his behavior and since that time never dined there again.

If you’re looking for a romantic place to take your date, that has class and style, then this is the place for you. It isn’t cheap, but it sure is good.
I had a fish dish with a martini that was out of this world. Tender, tasty, moist, and what every other words that can describe AWESOME meal.
The ambiance is subdued, with low lighting, elegant dining room designed for low sound travel, so although you’re in a restaurant, it seems quiet. So your conversation can go on and on without having to say «excuse me» as you try to talk over the crowd.
I wish Gianfanco could get the patio thing going so one could enjoy his food with the views of the area. Perhaps someday.
My date had a ravioli type dish and said it was amazing as well. Just the right size portion too.
Gianfanco, you’re amazing!

Unfortunately I agree with other reviewers. We’ve tried the place twice now. The first experience was bad and this second time, we were invited by my husbands boss, so we were obligated to go, and it was bad again.
Overpriced for average food. $ 44 for shrimp scampi!!! He is out of his mind. $ 42.50 for a 4×4 square of lasagna, with no sides. Want Green Beans? That will be $ 8. I’d rather have Olive Garden for $ 10
The owner runs around yelling profanities and racial slurs and treating his employees like dirt. The turnaround with the staff is constant. Just another scumbag restaurant owner who gets drunk and takes it out on the staff.
Poor operation with poor food. We will NEVER go back

Extremely overpriced for very average food. Ambiance is nice and staff was very good.
Plastic flowers and fake candles match the food. Was crowded on a Saturday night. The only reason I could guess that the local upscale locals do no not want to bother to drive too far to get a good meal.

While good is more than acceptable everyone we know complains about the price. The wine list is like quadruple retail. And when we asked why we were given the brush off like this was beneath them to respond. Well folks Madoson Ave it ain’t. It’s in a strip mall next to a workout studio. Get real guys. Fix the prices.

Overpriced, boring food — the owner is absolutely terrifying and vulgar– I would never recommend this place — Olive Garden is better (and I hate Olive Garden) because even though the food is mediocre you don’t have to listen to the owner swearing and yelling during your whole dining experience !

Six months later I spent $ 150 with my wife to hear for the entire night more F-​Bombs and racial rants from the owner/​chef. Not my idea of money well spent. The staff is great, so the owner’ behavior reflects badly on them.
As an aside he has raised his prices to high end NY level — over $ 30 for spaghetti and meat balls!

Over rated…
After reading the reviews we were expecting a great night of Italian food, this was not the case. We were seated at one of the two tops and with how the tables are setup it’s not possible for the person sitting next to the wall the sit down without moving the table. We are both thin and watched other diners sit down and feel cramped all night. I had the Lobster Bisque soup special it was good and had lots of large pieces of lobster in the soup but the flavor profile was different from any lobster bisque I have had in my life and it came out scolding hot. At first glance the dinner menu looks big but when you realize 80% of the entrees are breaded veal or chicken with different sauces on them the menu becomes small. Our dinner entrees probably spent a little too much time sitting in the window in the kitchen the plates were scolding hot and my veal looked like it had been sitting there a while. My wife’s chicken Marsala was good but my veal was just average. For the price I expected more…

Fabulous food, Fabulous service. One of our favorite spots. Being your wallet it’s pricey but worth it if your looking for a fine dining experience xo…

It was a disappointing evening. We went with friends and were so excited to have dinner here. The food was inconsistent — the lobster bisque was salty, lacking a robust body. However, the penne with shrimp in vodka sauce was very good. The customer service was disappointing — needed to ask three times for a diet coke and three times to get some more bread. We saw our waiter twice — he took our order and delivered the bill — in-​between he was no where to be seen. The food was overpriced. The restaurant noise level made it very difficult to hold a conversation with our dinner partners.

Always an amazing experience here. With out a doubt the finest Italian restaurant in Arizona.
I’ve traveled extensively and cannot remember a better dining experience.
Ask for James the server. He’s awesome.

Food and service is good, however, beware of the owner, Gianfranco. he has a potential to go postal on unsuspecting patrons for no apparent reason. Screaming, cursing, etc. Dine at your own risk

Words cannot describe how I felt about this restaurant but I am going to try!
First off the hostess was not friendly at all and I would almost say RUDE. I ordered the Italian soup with spinach and egg and it looked like I threw up my egg and spinach omelet from breakfast. Of the four entrees we ordered nothing was good and very small portions! The prices were so high and the portions were very small… a BIG tourist trap for sure!!!
I am warning everyone, do not go to this restaurant unless you want to be bent over!
Gianfrancos should be ashamed to call themselves a restaurant.
Definitely two thumbs down! i would rather have gone to Olive Garden and save my money!!!

Disappointing — high energy equals lousy ambiance for a quiet romantic dinner. Odd tables (table for two much longer than usual — 4 ft from your table mate). Food was fair — very expensive and therefore marginal value. Tried it once, will not be back

I went here on the day before Valentine’s day with my boyfriend and the cutest old couple bought our dinner (: great service! And so delicious

Perfectly cooked pasta. Very clean comfortable place. Excellent service. Not cheap but such good food. I had the carbonara which was the best I have had in Arizona so far. My mother had a pork chop smothered in brown gravy that was to die for. I hope they have this the next time I go because I will order this for sure. Best Italian in North Scottsdale.

Starting with the food this place is wonderful! For me the Mozzarella Caprese and the Linguine Carbonara actually made up for all of the weirdness we encountered on our visit.
You’re traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; at least that is what our visit felt like… Our waiter was obviously (or hopefully) new — we asked for a bottle of sparkling water for the table and one of us wanted a glass of still; the response was, «We only have large bottles of still water,» as other people were being served out of the familiar restaurant pitchers of water. One of us wanted one of the starters on the menu and a salad; I guess not being familiar with the menu they were asked several times if they wanted two salads. Then, when the requested starter did come the whole table got plates to share what one person wanted. Assuming this person is new, where is the shadow to train them?
If that was not enough on a rather empty night (maybe four other tables occupied) we were witness to one loud table across the room that was fighting with each other and another, more nearby, that I guess just got a new iPhone and was hoping to find a thesaurus app to spice up their emails.
So, back to the food which is really what it is all about… The food is excellent and well worth a visit. Hopefully the comedy show caliber of oddities that surrounded us was the result of some cosmic synchronicity and not a regular event!