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Girasole Grill
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants Steakhouses Restaurants Seafood Italian, Steakhouses, Seafood [Edit]
3180 Santa Rita Rd(at Navajo Ct)
Pleasanton, CA 94566
(925) 484-1001
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 2 pm
Mon-Thu, Sun 4:30 pm - 8 pm
Fri-Sat 4:30 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
92 reviews for Girasole Grill
Review Highlights
"...fusilli in a sun-dried tomato, hot pepper vodka cream sauce."
(in 4 reviews)
"I will say that the Scoozzi bread was DELICIOUS."
(in 17 reviews)
"...field greens, Gorgonzola, honey roasted walnuts, balsamic..."
(in 3 reviews)
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92 reviews in English
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Review from Tricia W.
Pleasanton, CA
10/8/2011 1 Check-in Here
Definitely a fan! Went here tonight with my husband not sure what to expect based upon Yelp reviews but was pleasantly surprised. We had the following:
Appetizers-
Scozzi bread: Delicious! Hot, filled with a very unique Gorgonzola green onion spread inside a pocket with a tomato basil fresh garlic salsa. Be careful as it is extremely filling. If you aren't a big garlic fan, I would recommend passing on this.
Blackberry & Bacon Salad: Amazing. Fresh, full of flavor and I enjoyed the delicious sugared pecans and the raspberry vinaigrette. A true wining choice.
Main Entree-
Zebra on the rocks: Hubby ordered this and it was very good. Delicious black and white lemon ricotta ravioli shells. The shrimp was plump, flavorful and mixed with a white wine sauce. The salmon was tender however I wasn't a huge fan with the spices on the top of the fish. Personal preference. Overall- great dish to order.
Absolut! Prawns- Mouthwateringly delicious. I was a bit worried the hot pepper vodka cream sauce would be spicy but instead, it had a flavorful mild kick to it that made the whole dish very satisfying. I love sun-dried tomatoes and prawns so this dish was a winner for me. When I come back here again, I will make sure to order this again.
Our server, Pablo, was very friendly, responsive and the service overall was impressive. Whenever we needed water, there he was. The server came with hot fresh baked bread (always a nice touch). My hubby and I came here because we had a gift certificate. Glad we came here. We both agreed that this is a restaurant we will definitely plan to return to and recommend to friends in the future. I only give this restaurant 4 stars because we were placed in the bar section. There was some private event going on and as a result, there was little room for any other customers to dine-in (not well-planned by management...come on, it's a Saturday night where most families/couples go out to eat). Oh well- still a great experience! Highly recommend! -
Review from Charlene K.
San Francisco, CA
11/12/2011
Large food portions. Clean cloth napkins and white table paper with crayons says family friendly. Considerate staff.
Au Ju sauce too salty so stick to the salads that look amazing. Complementary warm bread rolls. They brewed a fresh cup of coffee for me, I greatly appreciated that, but no soy milk... oh well.
I saw a full bar, seating of both tables and booths. Interior is kinda on the older side, not trendy, loud or bold, more like a "Shari's" in the 90's. A nice place for family dinning that doesn't include paper napkins, or plastic wear. -
Review from Harry E.
Pleasanton, CA
1/18/2012
We had not been to Girasole in quite a while but a discount coupon got us back recently.
Overall I would say that the experience was completely unremarkable. Not bad but certainly not something I will likely remember after I write this review. I ordered the Zebra on the Rocks with the Salmon on top. Without the Salmon this pasta dish would have been completely bland. The small rock shrimp were tough and over cooked.
My wife ordered the Mexican White Shrimp with Risotto which was much better.
Drinks are a little pricey given the decor / menu. The service was competent.
Without the discount coupon this would have been a real waste of time and appetite.
I get the feeling that this restaurant has just given up and decided that average is ok. -
Review from Dana W.
Dublin, CA
12/19/2011
Very disappointing.
I like supporting local restaurants, so we went back to give them a chance after a mediocre first visit.
Service was terrible. With only 4 other tables, it took us 20 minutes to get drinks and 2 tries to get them right.
My dinner either had goat cheese substituted for ricotta, or there was something very wrong with the ricotta. My wife's shrimp & pesto pasta was at least palatable if unremarkable.
Salads were ok and the tiramisu was fine but not great.
Frankly expected a lot more for a $75 meal, but the deal killer for me was the lousy service. -
Review from June G.
Brentwood, CA
1/2/2012 Seated via OpenTable
It had been a couple of years since we had been to Girasole and we were definetley looking forward to a meal there. The Scoozi bread is to die for! As Tricia stated, very garlicy, yet delicious. If you bring a Livermore Valley wine there is no corking fee. The Absolute Prawns have always been my first choice and I was pleased that they were just as delicious as I remembered. It seemed as if the prices were more reasonable than I expected. I would definetly go back fo a nice dinner for two or a small group.
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Review from Carrie L.
Hayward, CA
8/3/2011
I have been wanting to give this place a try for years and finally made it there this weekend, but sadly it was a huge disappointment. We looked at their website before heading out and had our minds set on the beef wellington. I've never had it and had been seeing it prepared on Hell's Kitchen so much I've been dying to try it. Took a look at their menu and they didn't have it - they change their menu but don't update their website unfortunately.
We decided on a shrimp appetizer - which was okay, but just tasted like grilled shrimp and the sauce had no flavor. The bread they served seemed stale - like it had been sitting out all day, which was too bad. I had a beet salad which was okay, but my mom's caesar salad was full of sun dried tomatoes (which weren't mentioned on the menu), and didn't taste like a caesar salad at all.
Entress: My mom ended up ordering a salmon wellington which she loved. She was the only one in our party of 4 who was happy with their dinner. I ordered the braised short ribs with garlic mashed potatoes and got a dish of cold mashed potatoes with three big hunks of what appeared to be (and taste like) pot roast with brown gravy all over. There were no carmelized onions as the menu promised, no garlic in the mashed potatoes and I swear that was not short ribs. I have had short ribs many times in many places and they don't look or taste like that did. I could have made pot roast at home. My kids didn't like their meals either - cold, dry,and bland. The only good thing I can say about this place (aside from the wine) is that the french fries on my son's meal were homemade and were pretty darn good, lol.
Never again! -
Review from david s.
Fremont, CA
12/9/2011
Great Prime Rib. Excellent choices of sides. Bread is scrumptious.
If you're eighteen or eighty, this is the hidden restaurant for you. I think this would also be an excellent place to take a date if I was young again. Needs more young patrons. Hey, old guys...tell your kids about this place. Don't just keep it all for yourself. We'd come here before a chain restaurant. Affordable and elegant meals and Skip, the on-site, on-hand, hands-on Owner, will come to your table to check out how you are doing with your meal choice. They will cork your wine for you for a reasonable fee. So bring good wine.
I would give Girasole another star but...I always leave room for improvement and new and excciting changes to a menu. Comfortable seating, nice bar. Early-bird drink prices. Tantalizing desserts. We'll be back! Thanks for a really good meal. Remember me Skip: Remind the Kitchen: Peel any large asparagus stalks before blanching and everything is fine. More Livermore wine too please.
We will refer our friends and acquaintences and listen for our own feedback. -
Review from Tim B.
Dublin, CA
10/19/2011
Would be 5 stars, but the service could be better. Don't get me wrong, it's not bad, but it's not great. The food and ambience, in my opinion, are both superb. One of the handful of places in the Trivalley that we choose for special occasions.
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Review from Rice B.
Pleasanton, CA
5/30/2011
It is OK, just OK. Not great, but not bad either. It is a little on the expensive side, though.
I won a $25 dollar gift certificate for this place, but they require you to reach a minimum of $50 check in order to redeem it so we had stuffed mushrooms, Eggplant Parmesian, Spaghetti with Meatballs and Fetuccini Alfredo. I didn't care much for their tomato sauce and all the rest was just OK. -
Review from Sam A.
Alamo, CA
8/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
I came here and after being underwhelmed by their lunch specials, settled on the Spaghetti and Meatballs. It was not very good, and quite pricey. I was not a fan and most likely wont be returning.
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Review from Beth H.
Sonoma, CA
8/12/2011
For many years, my husband and I were regulars at Girasole. It used to be our go to place for date night. We have also used Pamperd Palate ( Catering side of Girasole) for several events.
There was a time when I would have given 5 stars to Girasole, no argument. But the last time we were there, it was disappointing. Slow service, mediocre food. I am hoping Skip reads these reviews and is able to pull the restaurant back up to its previous level. We would love to start coming back on a regular basis. -
Review from David S.
Danville, CA
9/15/2011
The service is excellent as well as the food. I highly recommend Girasole Grill
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Review from Rachelle H.
Pleasanton, CA
6/5/2011
I looked up this place a while back and read the menu and it looked like a traditional Italian-American joint. Been looking forward to trying out this place since I find this part of the east bay really lacking in above average restaurants.
Finally tried it tonight. I should have known driving up to this joint that 12 cars in the whole parking lot on a Saturday night at 8:45 pm was not a good sign. I was wondering about the staff to patron ratio inside, but would do my best to be fair as I've been surprised before.
CRITICISM #1: This place screams "We serve banquet/cafeteria food" with the decals on the front door that state "Best Place To Have a Wedding" by The Knot for 2010 and 2011. Inside the joint, they even promote the catering side of the business with a computer, business cards and indoor signage. The problem with most banquet food is that it's almost never GREAT restaurant quality food.
CRITICISM #2: Menus. We were presented 2 legal-sized menus on very thin paper. You couldn't hold it up to read it without it flopping over. So you had to lay it down on the table in order to read it.
CRITICISM #3: Menu items. Is this place supposed to be Italian or not? Butternut Squash soup? Where's the minestrone or the Italian Wedding Soup? Baja Chicken breaded in panko with chipotle sauce? Teriyaki appetizers?
CRITICISM #4: Bread. The hot rolls were great....if you were at Marie Callendar's or some other "homestyle" kind of joint. They served butter with them, but also had balsamic vinegar and oil on the table. These tasted like warmed up rolls from Costco to me. They were better off serving cold french bread from Safeway.
CRITICISM #5: The Grilled Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto. Over-done. Parts of the prosciutto was actually burnt to a crisp in some places even though the asparagus was perfectly done. They should have taken it off the grill earlier or fired it at a lower temperature. Also the balsamic reduction was not necessary to me as it tended to mask the taste of the prosciutto which would have been fine on it's own to balance the asparagus.
CRITICISM #6: "The Fresh Catch" SHOULD be FRESH! I ordered the "Fresh Catch of the Day" which was petrale sole. I love this fish. I get it whenever a place offers it. Lightly dusted with flour, pan-fried, and served with a light lemon sauce and capers. I've had this dish so many times, I KNOW what this SHOULD taste like.
When the waiter brought it out, I smelled "fishiness" coming off the plate when it was held out about 8 inches away from me. After the waiter left, I sniffed my plate. It smelled fishy. I brought the plate to my face and sniffed. It smelled fishy. I put it down on the table, looked away, took a deep breath and sniffed from several inches away and I still smelled fishiness. I took a bite out of it anyways to see if it was really bad. It didn't taste too bad, but the threat of food poisoning brought back flashbacks of the time I spent in the hospital after a bad experience at a Denny's where about 10 people all keeled over, spewing bodily fluids from multiple orifices begging hospital personnel relief. The waiter returned, I asked him to sniff it. He declined, but offered to take it back to the kitchen. He asked me if I'd like to order something else.
CRITICISM #7: Cost to Value ratio. Terrible. 2 diet cokes, 1 small Scoozi appetizer, 1 grilled asparagus/prosciutto, 1 salad, 1 prime rib meal, & one pasta meal for $75. You'd have a better dinner going to Macaroni Grill.
MEDIOCRE NOTE #1: I ordered a linguini with pesto replacement. Pesto should be simple. It's basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, pine nuts, salt, and pepper. There were large chunks of basil in this and I've never seen pesto that looked like this. It reminded me of Green Goddess dressing with hand-chopped pieces of basil thrown in to make it look like it was "hand-made". Plus, it had a lemon-y bite to it, which was not bad, but different.
MEDIOCRE NOTE #2: Hubby ordered a caesar salad. I don't understand why people complicate very simple things. His came with hearts of palm which were soggy (so I assume the were canned or jarred) and sun-dried tomatoes. Personally, I think sun-dried tomatoes should stayed in the 80's along with florescent clothing, jelly shoes and leg warmers, but I digress...
MEDIOCRE NOTE #3: The Scoozi. Deep-fried bread with cheese sounds good. Like a comfort food. Like pizza or mac and cheese. It was okay. I'm not a HUGE fan of gorgonzola, but would have preferred if it was filled with mozzarella instead. But if you're a huge fan of gorgonzola, you'd probably love this.
RAVE #1: The wait staff. The waiter was prompt and checked on us often. Our drinks never reached the bottom of the glass. Kudos here.
We won't be coming here again. Not worth it. -
Review from Endre S.
Livermore, CA
2/27/2011
Outstanding food and service. Great place to host small size events.
Endre Selmeczy D.M.D. -
Review from BENN T.
Oakland, CA
1/10/2011 2 photos
We Went here for a late lunch, it's actually after attending a service from a
Church (for a co-workers husband who passed away)
It's a nice Italian atmosphere. The people are nice and they guide you.
The Food they serve to us are like a buffet style and they're very very good esp. the
Chicken with batter and with salsa sauce, the pasta is good too al though a little cold.
The Drinks you have to order it yourself in the bar, my over all experience is okay. -
Review from Leah K.
Clovis, CA
8/20/2011
Despite some of the previous bad reviews, I actually really like this place. Though not casual and on the pricey side, their food was unique and delicious. Tons of options to choose from and my aunt loved the wine she ordered as well. Our server was extremely friendly and able to answer all questions accurately and the food quality was good as well. I forgot what I had ordered but it was a black and white ravioli looking dish. Reminded me of a zebra, just less stripes and it was highly delicious.
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Review from Alena M.
6/1/2010
GREAT happy hour! Half off appetizers and $3 drinks from 4:30-6:30pm every day.
The hubby and I enjoyed a small order of Scoozi Bread (good but not as amazing as I imagined), Sliders (really small), Stuffed Mushrooms, Calamari (plentiful), two martinis and two beers. With tax and tip, our bill was under $35.
Zephyr still has the best happy hour around, but Girasole is a winner, too. -
Review from Sheila P.
Tracy, CA
Last week Dave and I had the pleasure of meeting with Skip Hinsley, owner of Girasole Grill.
I made an appointment to meet with him after work to do a taste testing of some of his items for a Corporate Business Meeting that I am in the process of planning. Skip was a most delightful host and welcomed us warmly as we entered the restaurant.
He sat us at a quiet table and had the waiters bring us waters and "scoozzi". The scoozi is a legend and he is well known for this dish. A warm Gorgonzola and green onion filled pocket bread, rubbed with fresh garlic, served with a tomato basil fresco, the Scoozzi was an immediate hit, I could eat these all day!
While I chatted away with skip on what I was looking for, he was very attentive and had a wealth of information to share with me, including a variety of great menu options. All the while we were talking his waitstaff were taking care of us to bring us a variety of his signature dishes. What we tasted:
'Insalata Mista' - Organic field greens, Gorgonzola, honey roasted walnuts, balsamic vinaigrette...very nice, I loved how the greens were crisp and not wilted and the honey roasted walnuts were a good pairing with the Gorgonzola.
Asparagus & Orange Salad - Organic field greens & Romaine, orange slices, avocado, jalapeño-mango vinaigrette, tortilla confetti...the jalapeño-mango vinaigrette was absolutely delish and packed a hint of a spice kick.
Gorgi (we had the vegetairan version but this dish is made with Chicken) - Penne in a Gorgonzola cream sauce, grapes and honey roasted walnuts...the perfect bite was having a bit of sauce, grape and walnut all together. The sauce was very creamy and if you like cheese then this is your dish!
Salmon - Oven roasted, pesto cream sauce, with roasted garlic mashed potatoes - I liked this dish, but it was my least fave- however this was a solid 3.5 star dish.
Salmon with Jalapeno Mango Salsa - now you're talking this was very very good. The fish was fresh, the mango fresh, the sauce fresh - fresh spice kick - this dish screamed fresh all around!
California 'Cordon Blu' - Boneless breast stuffed with prosciutto, spinach, herb chevre, rolled in Panko Bread crumb, served with a
Sage Marsala sauce, Asiago potatoes, seasonal vegetable...The chicken breast was juicy, the spinach, herb chevre and prosciutto stuffing was a perfect compliment together with the sage marsala sauce. Asiago potatoes -the best scallop potatoes in town!
Absolut! (we had the vegetarian version but you can add prawns or chicken to this dish) - fusilli in a sun-dried tomato, hot pepper vodka cream sauce...This is probably one of my faves, the best sun dried tomato I ever tasted! The sauce was rich and creamy and very flavorful - I could eat this with the scoozzi anyday!
We were completely stuffed and left with happy bellies - we left a good tip for the wait staf for being so attentive.
I enjoyed Skips hospitality and being able to talk to him about my business needs, which he understood and made great recommendations and suggestions.
He is a very friendly guy who knows his food and care to serve his customers good food with fresh ingredients. His wait staff are polite and attentive.
If you want good food, nice ambience and wait staff that are attentive go to Girasole!
If you want to cater a private party, business event or meeting, wedding, reception or a birthday - TALK TO SKIP!
Thanks Skip and Girasole for a great taste testing meal!Listed in: Tri Valley Caterers
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Review from Jim L.
Copperopolis, CA
7/15/2011
Took my work associate from NY there for dinner. We are both Italian and are well traveled. For this restaurant to call itself Italian is a sorry excuse. We ordered a pasta dish with meatballs. The pasta was not drained well leaving the sauce watered down. The meatballs could have been tennis balls. The meatballs are covered with sauce not cooked in sauce. Over priced for the quality of food. Terrible food! I would never go back.
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Review from Tanya T.
Livermore, CA
7/13/2011
The scoozzi bread is to die for!
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Review from Lori R.
Pleasanton, CA
10/28/2010
The chicken Gorgi and scoozi bread are to die for ! Love the atmosphere, but, now that we have kids, we order take out a lot, and its always hot and ready within 10 mintues!
SO DELISH! -
Review from Alex L.
Pleasanton, CA
11/3/2011
Service was mediocre, food not bad. Prices a bit high at dinner time. This is a reasonable place to have lunch, but make sure you have time. It is not your fast lunch! I have tried it a few times and will again at lunch time only.
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Review from andrea m.
Danville, CA
10/9/2011
I love this place. We eat here all the time. I often bring a http://restaurant.com coupon for 50 bucks, which requires us to spend 50. So we just try tons of food, and take home what we don't eat. That 16 oz prime rib is wonderful sauteed with eggs the next morning. Aside from the prime rib (which is fantastic, as are the asiago potatoes that come with it), the strip steak is awesome, the pork chops are amazing (that apricot relish they serve with it is out of this world), and I'm addicted to the pasta Gorgi (without the chicken)- the pasta is in a gorgonzola white sauce with grapes and walnuts. I've tried recreating the sauce at home, that's how much I love it. The salads are great (try the beet), and if they have a weak spot, it's the desserts. They aren't bad- but I wish they had zabbiaone, or just about anything interesting. But hey, the desserts are fine- they just bore me a little. I can't really ding them, because I think most restaurants have pretty predictable desserts- maybe that's what people want, so maybe it's a good thing.
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Review from Ivy R.
1/26/2010 2 photos
For my moms birthday I took her out to lunch. She got to choose and this year she chose here. (Last year was sushi, it was terrible and I made her pay)
This year much better. Of course this is where my mom told me she used to take the dates of dudes she met on line. Nice mom, classy.
Anyway, for lunch it was pretty quiet in here. I got front row parking even!
My mom also had a free Scoozi Bread appetizer coupon. If you're going to cheat on your diet, this is the golden prize of what you should eat to cheat with.
A Gorgonzola and green onion filled pocket bread, rubbed with fresh garlic, served with a tomato basil fresco. Its just a bready, crispy, cheesy mess of deliciousness.
For my entree I had Blackberry Spinach Salad. Hickory smoked bacon, fresh blackberries, sugared pecans, raspberry vinaigrette. This is the perfect entree salad. Its just the right size and extremely fresh ingredients.
Add a grilled Chicken Breast and you're on your way to healthy, yummy, scrumptious, full tummy, heaven.
We didn't have dessert. The waiter in a heavy Latin accent said to my mom, "We have Ice Cream." He was so sweet she blushed even.
Great place and they do have a full bar. It was the middle of my work day so drinking was out of the question but I wouldn't mind coming back to add to my experience. -
Review from Amanda P.
Monterey, CA
10/16/2011
I just walked into a conversation about my wedding at work. It has been SEVEN months and people are still raving about the food. We had Girasole cater and the food was AMAZING. I had my maid of honor loosen my dress twice just so I could eat more :) I recommend this restaurant to anyone and as far as catering goes, look no further, this is your place!
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Review from Jen B.
Pleasanton, CA
7/30/2010
Scoozi bread appetizer! It's a crispy bread pocket filled with tomatoes and garlic. We always order it when we come.
Everything else is pretty much the standard pasta dishes. -
Review from Mona O.
Fremont, CA
11/27/2007
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. -
Review from Monica L.
5/10/2008
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. -
Review from Angie I.
Danville, CA
1/6/2010
When Bighorn closed down not too long ago, I was really depressed! Where was I going to go for my delicious sCoOzZi bread and absolute pasta!?!?
Luckily there was Girasole Grill, who has the same menu as Bighorn did....I believe it's the same owners.....
I have been to Girasole Grill a few times and am never disappointed!
I always enjoy walking into the cozy atmosphere of the restaurant....it's very warm and cute. This a a nice family owned restaurant where the service is always good and the owner or manager (regardless, always the same gentleman) seems to always be there to make sure things are running smoothly and you're happy with the food & service.
We were just here last weekend with another couple- they had not been to Girasole Grill so of course I took charge and ordered my fave, the ScOoZzi bread! Since there was 4 of us, the medium size plate was just enough. And of course, they loved it! ....Now for those reading this review and don't know what Scoozi is...it's a delicious fried bread filled with yummy Gorgonzola cheese and garlic! You can't go wrong with that!
As I mentioned for my entree- I always get the Absolute Pasta with either chicken or prawns, this time I opted for chicken, sooo good! My hubby and the other couple decided they'd all get the Prime Rib...I was tempted to also get Prime Rib but decided I wanted my Absolute Pasta- knowing for sure I couldnt go wrong with that...but I made my hubby get the larger oz prime rib so I could eat some of his and enjoy my pasta! I do agree that the prime rib and creamed spinach and the asiago potatoes are delicious! But I am glad I got my pasta....just love my absolute!
The prices are very reasonable and as I mentioned the service and ambiance is awesome! It's a great first date place- good food, good service and very cute decor!
....sigh....wishing I had a plate of some ScoOzZi right now! =)Listed in: Yummmmm.....
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Review from erica G.
Fremont, CA
6/29/2007
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.Listed in: Public Restrooms
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Review from Kristin G.
Palo Alto, CA
9/4/2007
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. -
Review from Keith L.
Pleasanton, CA
4/14/2008
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. -
Review from Valerie N.
CA
5/11/2008 2 photos
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. -
Review from Ron C.
Pleasanton, CA
4/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
Every now and again, my spouse has the hankering for happy hour. Being one to oblige my spouse, I'm game and away we go. We've been to a number of place in the Tri-Valley area and believe it or not one of the great places in town is Girasole! The prices are really good, the food plentiful and well made, and the crowd is nothing like some places (like Chevy's for instance)!
The spouse and I go ballistic in this place: White Castle Sliders, Asparagus wrapped in Prosciutto, Stuffed Mushrooms, French Dip Sliders, Calamari, just to name a few of the tempting treats....and all around two to four dollars a piece!
Better still is the price of the booze! Dig this: I had three martini's (I went over board), and the spouse had a glass of wine. Cost? Less than ten bucks! Whoa! I know some places that would charge me $50.00 just for that! As McDonald's would say: "Butt um, but, but, bum...I'm lovin it!"
The meals rock here too...and I enjoy taking either the family or friends to this fine establishment. I dig the owner who I can't say enough good things about (generous and kind). He even does a wine pairing that rocks!
By and large, I'm a fan! -
Review from Jason J.
Dublin, CA
3/23/2010
My girlfriend and I got a flyer from this place last year during the "Concert in the Park" series in downtown Pleasanton. We had never been here before, but the flyer said that one of their appetizers was "White Castle Sliders". My girlfriend and I love White Castle, and the entire family has fun stories about that place, so we made a mental note about this place...
A few months later (as in last week), we decided to go look for a new happy hour and wanted to go check Girasole out. We got there and the bar is a cozy little area, and the bartender and servers were very friendly. One thing we noticed right away is how affordable this place is! Although affordability usually raises red flags concerning quality, I have to say that this doesn't apply here. Their beer selection was good, they had a full bar, and their happy hour appetizers bordered on the gourmet side.
We ended up trying almost one of each of the appetizer items, and were pleased with each one. Here is my commentary on what we tried:
White Castle Sliders: Definately no where near what a white castle burger is, but VERY VERY tasty all the same! Would order these again in a heartbeat!
French Dip Sliders: Probably my favorite item so far... The Au Jus was excellent and the meat tasty. Perfect accompaniement for a cold beer :)
Fried Calamari: Perfectly prepared, not epic by any means, but definately meets the expectation of good quality.
Scozzi Bread: MMMmmmmmm (need I say more?)
While we didn't eat dinner there, the happy hour was excellent and we would definately go here again! I fully intend to come try their dinner menu at some point as it looks extremely tasty. (We saw some of the dishes coming out of the kitchen and they looked superb!)
Try this place out! I think it's a place that deserves a whole lot more accolades than I see!
Scozzi bread: Mmmmmmmmm (need I say more -
Review from Nikki B.
San Ramon, CA
1/29/2010
LOVE their 'Scoozzi!' (gorgonzola & green onion-filled pocket bread, rubbed w/ fresh garlic and tomato). Also yummmers: the 'Absolut! Prawns' (sautéed white shrimp & fusilli in a sun-dried tomato, hot pepper vodka cream sauce, and the 'Spinach for Veronica' (baby spinach wilted w/ brandy & smoked bacon, caramelized onions,
red bell peppers, tossed with penne, gorgonzola, and fontina cheeses). -
Review from Kristal K.
Concord, CA
1/3/2010
One of my favorite restaurants ever! In the past 15 years I've been eating at Girasole, their menu has rarely changed. Why should it- they have deliciosity down to a science. I admire change and variety, but also appreciate it when a restaurant knows that their dishes are perfect and leave them alone.
I love the Scoozzi- fried bread filled with Gorgonzola, garlic, and green onions. Love the crispy outer shell, the soft, pillowy inside, and the pungent, gooey filling. It's served with a tomato basil and garlic relish. Eat both together, and your breath will definitely be a force to be reckoned with. If you're on a date- make sure both of you eat it so you'll cancel each other out. Just sayin'. The amount of garlic is positively lethal.
The Insalata Mista is the perfect combination of spring greens, honey roasted walnuts, crumbled Gorgonzola cheese, served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Not terribly original, but definitely worth mentioning.
My favorite entree is the Absolut Prawns. A rich, creamy tomato vodka sauce with thinly slivered garlic cloves, fusilli pasta, sundried tomatoes, with tail-on shrimp. The fusilli is the perfect shape to hold the maximum amount of the fabulous sauce.
For dessert, I had the creme brulee, which is my favorite dessert anywhere. This time, it was kissed with a subtle orange flavor, with the delightful burnt sugar top. Chilled creme with the freshly burnt top is my idea of paradise in a ramekin. I've also had the tiramisu, which was as best as it comes.
Look for a decent selection of local wines as well. Nice restaurant for intimate dinners, and they have a back room for larger parties. -
Review from amy t.
Dublin, CA
5/23/2007
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) -
Review from Ash P.
Hayward, CA
2/12/2010
I have mixed feelings about this place. We both liked the place but we weren't thrilled with our personal experience.
All in all the place is nice but I don't plan on going back anytime soon, we weren't that impressed. -
Review from Patty W.
Livermore, CA
9/9/2008
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 ....
