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Categories: Italian, Steakhouses, Seafood [Edit]
3180 Santa Rita RdMon-Thu. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Mon-Thu. 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Fri. 4:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 4:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sun. 4:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
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I came here with my boyfriend craving for seafood, so we used yelp and it brought us here. YUM, this place is nice and elegant with great service. And the food is spectacular! We ordered the Pesto Grilled Shrimp Skewers for our appetizer, and for our main entrees we ordered the Crab Ravioli 'crab ravs' and the Scampesi (fettuccine pasta with white shrimp in some type of wine.) Everyhting was so delicious, my boyfriend loved the pasta because it had so much flavor and my ravioli was so fresh. I think it was home made ravioli and they used fresh Dungeness crab.
This place is awesome! It was a little romantic too. And they had crayons on the side so you could draw on the tables, which I thought was pretty cute especially for a restaurant like this. 5 stars! Next time we come back, we'll try the Scoozi.
MMMM. I went in Friday for their Prime Rib special, oh so good! I had had it before, but don't remember it being so good. Probably close to the best Prime Rib I've had in a long time. And the asiago potatoes are sooo good and creamed spinach...wow a meal fit for a queen!
This place is so close to my house, and I haven't had a bad meal there yet. And of course the happy hour is awesome!! You can fill up for only a few bucks...can't beat it!
I like this place for a casual dinner. Everyone has always been friendly and it's comfortable just… Read more »
YAY for Happy hour!
Go here if you want some really great food and drink for just a few bucks.
Get a plate of scoozi (to die for - you must like garlic though) and
White Castle' Sliders with Sun-dried tomato aioli (these are only $2!!! )I'd eat this meal everyday if I could.
The restaurant is fab too. I have attended many parties in their banquet room (had my rehearsal dinner here too). The food is great and service always exceptional.
Scoozi bread and Mista salad are what it's all about to get you ready for the main course! They also make a perfect martini the way it should be...liberally pouring the Bombay Sapphire while looking at a bottle of Vermouth and splashing in 3 jalapeno stuffed olives!
Mista salad with chicken was the perfect lunch!
The food here is fantastic! The service is amazing, and the atmosphere is delightful.
We came here for a tasting, and the food was delicious! The Scoozi bread is so good, and the ASIAGO POTATOES... OMG! I kid you not, all of my family and friends are still talking about how good those potatoes are! I have yet to try something on the menu that I did not enjoy....
Overall, our experience with Girasole grill has be amazing!
Definitely check this place out, you'll be just as pleased!!!
Found this place while looking for pre-drive-in movie dinner that was around the Solano Drive-in in the Pleasanton/Concord.
Date: November 8, 2008 @ 5:35 PM
Decor: Homey like an Italian Grandma's Kitchen. Slightly outdated.
Ambiance: Quiet. Mature.Conservative.
Social Scene: 3 generational families.
Grandparents, parents and young children.
Couples dressed nice casual for a date.
Lots of senior citizens.
All white except the restaurant staff
Me (Asian)
Boyfriend (Latino)
Service: Friendly. Attentive. Forgot boyfriend's iced tea but it got refilled every 5 minutes.
Salud!: A glass of merlot for me
Iced tea for boyfriend
Taste: 1 Shrimp Cocktail
2-10 oz prime rib with scalloped potatoes and creamed spinach
for $19.99 each.
Dessert: None. Too full! I only finished half of my dinner and to take it
home to go.
Tab: $75.09 (tax and tip included)
Prime-rib were good value for the money, although the meat was not so tender but not tough either. The sides of potatoes and creamed spinach were actually very tasty and flavorful.
Since we are not familiar with the Pleasanton area, we will go back to eat at Girasole's if we are in the area. Otherwise, I will not drive the extra mile.
Good Italian food, I prefer the chicken gorgi and a scozzi bread! If you like garlic...you will love this scozzi bread.
Some people really love this place so maybe my expectations are set too high when I go there but I have never found this to be as good as Fontina or Barones but has similar prices.
Scoozi bread is good though.
I use to come here about 10 years ago and the food was always awesome! The Scozzi bread is scrumpious!
So came here again to take my Mom and Grandma for an early Mother's Day dinner. It was only okay...not super impressed. My Mom and Grandma had the Linguini and Clams and it was typical and I had the Absolut Prawns. My dish was dissapointing....the "prawns" were teeny tiny! It's like something out of a shrimp TV dinner. The pasta dish was okay....I could have made something at home comprable. Plus the shredded cheese they had on top had already stuck together so it was pretty much one big glob mess of cheese on top of my pasta. I couldn't seperate it to save my life...so it sat to the side.
The servers don't have much of a personality. We were the only ones here at about 4:30pm.
I am dissapointed....its not as good as it use to be. For $80 for 3 people, I could have probably had a better dinner elsewhere.
This is a great place for private parties. The back room reserved for such events is private and big enough for most moderate gatherings. We ended up having my sister's baby shower here and the staff was very helpful and accommodating (even though we did have one very uncouth and subsequently embarrassing guest). The staff set up tables as we requested, provided specially printed menus for us and our guests (we limited the menu choices to make it easier for everyone), and they were attentive to our needs during the party as well. The downside was the "cake cutting/serving fee" of $4 per person, which was charged even though we didn't have cake, we had individual desserts. But since they still required forks and plates, we had to pay the fee. All in all, cost was around $325 for 25 people. Not too shabby!
My favorite meal is the Absolut Chicken (yum!). It is so flavorful and just tastes great. Everyone that ordered it at the shower loved it, too. The prices are good here, especially for the quality and amount of food you get. And try the Scoozi bread; I think it's overrated, but a lot of people I've been here with for lunch think it's the best thing ever.
I don't know why I don't come here more often ....
I came here about a month ago with my old supervisor for lunch after i left the company.. i would have liked to check out their wine list, but was in a hurry and felt it might be inappropriate...
the scoozi was definitely very tasty and i would go back again just for that.. i had pasta with sundried tomatoes, olive oil, and some other stuff i can't remember off the top of my head.. while it wasn't bad or anything, it wasn't amazing either.. i could have created the same exact meal at home for less, and to me, i want the food i pay for at a restaurant to be more than "just as good" as i can make at home...
next time i will try something else, because i did really like that signature appetizer, so i'm hoping there will be other things i like on the menu to justify coming back again.
this place is good.
i hate to risk sounding snobby here, but the location of this place BEYOND sucks, and doesn't really do the food any justice. it's in a strip mall, and that's an overstatement.
once you walk in the immediate vibe is "upscale olive garden." the place is small but does have its charm.
the food is impressive compared to the location. I had the prime rib (fri & sat. nights only) and it was thick, juicy, and came with decadent creamed spinach to die for. My better half ordered a ribeye steak, which he enjoyed but said it wasn't anything to write home about. then again, he's a steak connoisseur.
4 stars for food quality, 3 for the location and overall value for your money. good, but not great or memorable.
the scoozi bread is fried dough with cheese and chives inside. good, but heavy for an appetizer, especially if you order prime rib for dinner, ha! not easy on the palate, and definitely not easy on the arteries.
3.5 stars
The food was delicious, but the place just didn't pop out at me. As the husband says, nothing really stood out enough to compel him to want to go back.
I will say that the Scoozzi bread was DELICIOUS! I had the prime rib (was part of the evening's specials). The potatoes were yummy and so was the cream spinach.
Desert was tiramisu. Three of us ordered it. The menu didn't say so, but the desert came with a strawberry sauce, which meant one tiramisu went back because consumption would mean a severe allergic reaction (not me, I love strawberries). Perhaps something they should have added to the desert description?
A decent dining experience. The menu seems to lean more towards the "grill" than the Italian. Ah well!
Would I recommend? Hmm, not sure.
EVER BEEN PICK POCKETED BY A RESTAURANT? I haven't either till last Saturday night at Girasole Grill.
Story
We went there with 12 people for a joint birthday dinner for my mom, brother and myself. My cousin brought a Chinese birthday cake (something they do not make). After appetizers, drinks and entrees (over $300 for dinner), the server, Michelle, asked if we would like them to bring out the cake. Little did I know there would be a charge or how BIG a charge this would be, $23.95.
How did they come up with $23.95 to serve cake to 12 people? Well, we used two Entertainment cards that gave us a discount of $24 on the dinner, so after the $1.995833/per person "Cakage Fee" our discount was 5 cents. Coincidence...don't think so. I also believe they put the price under $24, so that with a large bill, I would not notice, which I didn't until I got home. $2 per person to serve cake on plates is over the top!! Especially for a dessert they cannot make nor have on the menu.
The server did not inform us of a "Cakage Fee" nor inform us that there would be a 18% gratuity added to the bill. Just inform me and then let me decide if I want to have the cake there or at home.
All my family is never going to go to Girasole Grill or their bastard sister establishment, Buckhorn Grill in San Ramon. They lost 12 customers for life and only gained $23.95. Was it worth it Girasole Grill?
Now, I know why the server couldn't even look me in the eye when I was leaving, because it is hard to say "Have a good night" when you have just screwed them!
Food
So, why two stars? The food was actually fairly good. Of the food I tasted, the calamari was good but not great. The Chicken Cordon Bleu was kinda bland. I had better from a frozen entree. My Veal Scaloppini was too sweet for my taste and the side Asiago potatoes were not cooked enough. My wife's Salmon Provencal was the very good with a nice white/brown sauce. Most others enjoyed their meal.
Too bad we are never going back. Be honest and don't slip in extra charges into a bill. That is not a way to do business, and I hope Yelping this loses them business.
One word: Scoozi.
Seriously. I would eat scoozi all day every day. The rest of the meals are pretty tasty, but nothing SPECIAL.
The pasta gorgi is good (Pasta, chicken, gorgonzola cheese, grapes and walnuts) but other than that it's nothing to write home about.
Scoozi is worth all 3 stars on its own :)
Went to Girasole for my birthday. Reservations were for 7pm. We arrived around 6:30. Went to the bar for a round of drinks, Scoozzi Bread and salsa. OMG..If you love garlic and cheese, you will love Scoozzi Bread.. It is a must! They were very accommodating and our table was waiting for us. The waitress enjoyable, lots of personality and very attentive. The food was delicious. If I wasn't so full, I could have eaten more! I had a wonderful birthday!!
Food was decent, good portions. Takes too long for a business lunch.
I am calling this review, "I only have myself to blame." First off, I broke my standing rule of not ordering from the day's specials (Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential" is a good read), but the butternut squash ravioli sounded too good to pass up. Then, ugh, the dish arrived with, like, four ravioli crowned gloriously with a slab of chicken. Thus, my second fault was not asking whether the dish came with meat. Being a veghead in the Bay Area and dining at a supposed fine restaurant, I guess I got complacent and forgot that I was dining in Pleasanton. I've been to other meat-lover establishments that bent over backwards to take care of their customers once they found out they were vegetarian. This place didn't even try, and I wasn't going to push it for fear of getting a loogee in a replacement dish.
All of the above notwithstanding, the food took a long time to arrive (and the place wasn't even busy) and the ravioli was overdone.
Obviously, this place has a loyal following and is able to please some palates... so, to each his/her own.
No corkage fee for Livermore wines! That totally earns the fifth star.
We went for a birthday dinner and the waiter was very nice and played along without being cheesy or surly. We went for an early dinner and had no problem being seated without a reservation. Everyone enjoyed their food, which was reasonably priced and filling.
I love this place. There's just something about a place that puts garlic in everything. I love eating here. My favorite is the scuzzi. It is to die for. It's an appetizer, but I could eat it as a meal!
The only problem with the place is that the accoustics are horrible. It gets loud in here.
The food was decent. Service was pretty good, too. It felt a bit on the pricey side for the food, but all-in-all I cannot complain.
We ordered the Scoozi Bread as our appetizer and it was really quite tasty. My veal piccata was delicious and cooked well. My husband's gnocchi was delicious as well.
I honestly think the only thing preventing me from giving this place the five stars is that it didn't feel like the quality of the food matched the price tag...
(This restaurant is run by the same people who run Big Horn Grill in San Ramon)
2009
Just had lunch with folks from lunch. YUCK! Nothing else to say. The two stars are for the Scoozi! Yum!
After eating lunch here, I'm no longer able to suggest lunch locations with coworkers. I've been banned!
***********
Had lunch there yesterday and just a few things to say ...
The atmosphere is so lacking great ambiance.
We were able to walk right in and be seated. Did not require a reservation.
The food was delicious. I had the Chicken Gorgi. Came with chicken, pasta in a Gorgonzola cream sauce, walnuts and grapes. It was really delicious. But the best part of the meal was the Scoozi of course. If you don't eat anything at all you have to just try the Scoozi. It comes with a combination of tomatoes, garlic, cilantro and I don't know what else but it is TO DIE FOR!!! The Scoozi is a bread that is filled with some type of cheese and topped off with garlic. YUMM!!!
I think it would be a different experience if the restaurant looked nicer. It's time for a remodel. Service was great!!!
If this place went out of business I would be sad that I could not get any more scoozi ANYWHERE!!!
since day one girasole has been a great hidden gem in pleasanton for some really good food. it's not the best location but that's what makes it so special. funny thing is it's right next to golden chopsticks which has the best chinese in pleasanton. i guess it just goes to show great things come in small packages or crappy strip malls.
everyone who has been to girasole knows that the scoozzi is so damn good but step it up a notch and get the grilled chicken doozi scoozi sandwich for lunch, wow! the meatloaf della nona is also a favorite of mine and it's quite the nice looking plate. you can even get a seared rib eye steak and a full pound of prime rib with all the fixings.
i'll admit over the years it has seen change and has it's ups and downs. if you want to experience something new with generous portions and competitive prices you gotta give girasole a try.
I agree that the location is blah, but the food is good.
Some of the best Italian food this side of the bay... definitely try the Scoozzi!
Yum, Yum, Yum!!!
There absolut chicken and Chicken Gordi are off the hook. You can't eat there without having the Scoozzi bread. So good.
Prices are good, so is service. My kids like going there too because the waiters treat them like adults and cater to them.
I hired them to cater my sister's bday, and the food was great. Everyone raved about it.
The scoozzi bread is....OMG food is olwes good so was the service
5 stars just for the scoozi-cheesy garlic goodness from what I remember but it's been a while since I've had some. I've tried to find it elsewhere but no luck.
Scoozi! Scoozi! Scoozi!
The only thing that sticks out in my mind when I think of Girasole is the Scoozzi bread. One, because that stuff is really good and two, because I had a friend who served here and that's all she could talk about. Unfortunately, no other dishes jump to mind. The food is decent but always felt like it was trying a little too hard. Still not a bad option if you are in the area. Try it out for lunch.
Make sure you order some Scoozi! to start. And my absolute favorite is the Absolut Prawns. I have also used them to cater parties...I found their prices for the catering to be really super reasonable for the amount of food we got. Less than $100 for my party. My daughter loves the Body Lines Salad. I really love Girasole and know many other people that do too!
WARNING: The Entertainment Card this year is only good for 15%, not BOGO. Learn from my mistake.
Pretty good food, but I have a thing about restaurants in strip malls. No patio and no atmosphere. However, it's a nice place to meet the girls for lunch. Usually not crowded. Try the Scoozzi! for an app or the Absolut! Prawns for your dinner.
My husband chose this place to have my birthday dinner, just 10 of us. We started with Scoozi bread and Calamari. The bread was decent. I wouldn't rave about it the way others do, but not bad. The calamari was terrible. For dinner, I chose their special for the evening a seafood pasta that included crab legs, scallops and prawns. The tomato-leek sauce was so so. The meal included only 3 scallops, which was disappointing. The worst part is, the crab legs were not split and they do not have crab crackers there! What kind of a place serves crab legs and nothing to crack them with?!? Still, I am not one to complain to the waiter. But when it was time to go, we signed our receipt for the over-priced bill, placed it back in the little folder with the pen, and attempted to leave. The waiter came back in a very rude manner and accused us of not signing/leaving him a receipt. We assured him we did and he must have dropped it and he wouldn't even take a look around for it. And when we asked him to double check their stack of folders, he threw them at my husband and told him to look for himself. We finally ended up signing the "customer copy" and leaving.
You could go to any random sports pub or chain establishment and have a better meal and a more enjoyable experience.
A consistent favorite. Food is always good. You HAVE to start your meal with their trademark Scoozzi bread. I usually get Absolut Prawns, Zebra Panzotti or the fish special of the day. The wait staff is always courteous and helpful - especially when the kids are a bit picky. They are always happy to accommodate.
I loved this place when I worked in Pleasanton and occasionally make the trek out when I'm craving Italian food with a California twist. Just about everything on their menu is good, but my favorites are the Absolut Prawns, Chicken Gorgi and Bodylines Spa Salad. They also serve Paradise Tea for their iced tea. As others have mentioned, it's a must to try the Scoozzi appetizer (make sure you have mints on hand!). It's a delicious flat bread stuffed with Gorgonzola and green onions, rubbed with garlic and served with a tomato-basil-garlic relish and the reason I'm giving Girasole 5 stars. Service is also prompt and friendly.
I have been here for several business events and it has been superior. The chef has been very accommodating. The food was good and so was the service.
Dublin, CA
Category: Steakhouses
Pleasanton, CA
Category: Italian
Pleasanton, CA
Category: Italian
Pleasanton, CA
Category: Italian
Pleasanton, CA
Category: Italian
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