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Giusti's
Categories: Restaurants Italian Restaurants American (Traditional) Italian, American (Traditional)
14743 Walnut Grove-Thornton RdWalnut Grove, CA 95690
(916) 776-1808
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Lunch, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
52 reviews for Giusti's
Review Highlights
"Great little hide out on the Delta."
(in 22 reviews)
"The dinners are served family-style."
(in 5 reviews)
"Guisti's (pronounced Juice-Tee's), is the definition of..."
(in 4 reviews)
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52 reviews in English
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Review from Hai D.
Folsom, CA
10/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was surprised how much i liked this place. The service was excellent and the food was delicious. I had the St Luis Style ribs at lunch time and it we had the bowl of soup that was amazingly good. Was offered complementary red or white wine, but since I had to go back to work I had to sadly decline. I will definitely come back here when i am around the area again.
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Review from Corinne L.
Sacramento, CA
12/31/2011
(from early December 2011)
I came to Giusti's for an early dinner after wandering around Locke a little bit with a friend. It was 2 for 1 lobster night, and although I don't eat lobster it was such a good deal that I briefly considered ordering it.
Instead I got the pesto pasta and my friend got the fried chicken. The meals are done family style, which I like: communal bowls of soup, salad, along with bread, a salame plate and antipasti. The minestrone was delicious and the antipasti (chickpeas and kidney beans in herbs and olive oil) was tasty. I could have filled up on the soup and salad and been happy.
The pesto sauce was too finely processed for my liking and the pasta was swimming in it, which wasn't very appealing. Tried a bite of the fried chicken and thought it was pretty good - not too greasy or heavy on the breading. If I go back there I will have a steak or the chicken, as I think I'd enjoy that much more than the pasta.
The ambiance is true classic family owned restaurant where the servers have worked there for over 20 years and the bartender teases the regulars about their wine order. (See my review of the Prospector in Long Beach to find out more about my love of an old school family restaurant.) We were told the building was over 100 years old and had once been a boarding house.
If you love a great lobster deal, head to Giusti's for dinner on a Wednesday night with a friend. -
Review from Jason G.
11/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bartenders a 5, food a 3
I have never done the 2-4-1- lobster on wednesdays but I have done the prime rib fridays. The prime rib is ok. Not bad. I do love the salad bowls and clam chowder before dinner. I almost filled up on those. The clam chowder is the best thing around. The salad is good too. But everything else i have ever had there is average.
I love the bartenders, great people and there is always a great crowd around.
If you are on the delta, come here, its an institution, the experience will wow you more than the food. -
Review from Austin E.
Walnut Grove, CA
9/5/2011
As a local, I eat here a lot. However, with a gluten intolerance, restaurants don't usually take good care of you consistently. Mark, Rick and Sammy all prepare dishes for me that are safe, and have steered me away from some of my old favorites that would cause me harm. I love that Lamb!
The bar is top notch, with experienced staff. The place is always safe and riff-raff free. Drinks are poured and priced fair.
Ambiance is pure Giustis. Cool and open on the deck, dark and private at the bar, and a everyone's welcome feeling in the dining room.
A true jewel down here that we locals love. -
Review from Grayson C.
Sacramento, CA
7/7/2011 9 Check-ins Here
Giusti's has been my neighbor for over 10 years now. The family style is something that I do not see often anymore. The soup is always something I look forward too. Lobster Night, is a must. I went with my ex a year ago, and we asked to substitute out her baked potato for some of their pasta. The chef had no problem doing so, and got a HUGE plate of pasta which was enough for a family in itself. It made excellent leftovers.
I cannot count how many times I have eaten here, and have had no complaints. -
Review from Steve B.
Lodi, CA
9/18/2011
I recommended Giusti's to one of my wine club members who returned to rave about the Lobster on Wed. night.
So next wed. Bev and I drove to Giustis for lobster. We started at the bar w/ oysters and a martini "always great". Then on to dinner and as usual the soup,salad was delicious and the Lobster dish also great. If you enjoy non-chain, slo food, family run restaurants.Guistis is for you! -
Review from Michelle S.
Roseville, CA
7/24/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a cool place to check out, if just to grab a drink and check out the hundreds of baseball caps hanging from the ceiling!
We had lunch there, and it was no-frills and yummy! They bring the minestrone out in a big bowl to ladle out amongst yourselves, and are happy to bring refills and more bread too! The minestrone tastes more like a beef barley soup than classic minestrone (there IS meat in it, so beware if you're expecting a veggie-only soup), but still good! It is included with your entree, so you won't see it on the menu. Upon a previous yelpers recommendation, we asked for pesto sauce for dipping the bread---yum!!
The beef brisket was sooo smoky, tender, and delicious! They bring out a knife with the food, but you will not need it!
I would really like to try this place on pasta night! -
Review from john a.
Corte Madera, CA
10/12/2011
Guisti's is...Guisti's. Period. Critics stay home. It is a classic Delta spot, untouched by time, unswayed by trends. Yes, the water smells like sulfur. Yes, they take cash only (or use their little ATM and pay the $1.50 fee + your bank's non-native ATM fee = ~$4.00 tot)...and Yes, the docks have no rubber cushion, just bare wood. Not cheap, never has been.
But its Guisti's. Thank God some things remain the same, decade after decade. Snooty types stay home, there are other places to eat. Your absence will open up a table for others who appreciate Guisti's for what is is and hopefully will always be....GUISTI's -A Place to Eat -
Review from Nye T.
San Mateo, CA
6/28/2011
The atmosphere is probably one of my favorite things about Giusti. Waterfront restaurant, and the ambiance inside has a good feel to it.
I have not been there for a while, but I remember their buy one get one free lobster days. The Lobster tail was not enormous like what you see at some steak or seafood houses, however for buy one get one free, it totally makes up for it.
Lobster is cooked to perfection, and I enjoy their simple salads and bread. I want to try their other items when I return. -
Review from Brandy D.
Herald, CA
9/4/2011
We saw Giusti's on a drive up the delta and decided to stop and eat. So they started us off with a family style bowl of minestrone soup which was amazing =) (and i don't even like minestrone very much) the rest was not worth reporting...just average ( i think i had the filet mignon). We then decided to come back to giusti's just for the soup...turned out that the soup was clam chowder that night, and it was better than the minestrone! the only thing that could have made it better was if it was thicker... again the actual meal wasn't anything special...but AWESOME SOUPS!!
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Review from Maureen G.
Stockton, CA
Updated - 8/5/2011
Stopped by Guisti's after a fairly uneventful afternoon on the Delta. Does the hub dropping an anchor in the 30+ foot murky depth count as uneventful? Oh,and did I mention he didn't anchor the rope that held the anchor? Hubs dives in fully clothed to save the anchor and instead loses his $100 current value cell phone....priceless! Did anyone get a pic, sadly, no!
Dropped the boat in at New Hope Marina. Spending the afternoon with the son visiting the west coast and his female friend from SF. We were cold after getting off the river....it's been a mild summer on the Delta, what can I say? I'd packed some Podesto's sammy's made on dutch crunch but now it was 9pm and we were hungry. Was Giusti's closed? No! The bar was open and offered us some hot drinks. Some in our party prefered hot tea, some preferred coffee, and Bob...something more 80+ proof. Ephiphany; they still had some Italian minestrone....I love minestrone....3 bowls and 4 spoons and we got the chill off. By the way, the bartender, very funny! I'd have to say, stand up comedian quality. He's a keeper Mr. Guisti's! Really!
Sad goodbyes and a teary eye as we bid our son farewell....to be continued on the next visit to CA by our son Cody!Listed in: Local Yocal, Rollin' on the River!, Diners, Drive-ins & Dives
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/13/2010
Totally a 5 for the fun, celebratory feel, river venue"I feel like I've come home", atmosphere.
… Read more »
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Review from Tabatha V.
Lathrop, CA
11/1/2010
I was excited to visit Giusti's after seeing a solid review on Food Network. However, my visit turned into major disappointment.
What was great:
1) The atmosphere. Giusti's sits right on the Delta and is tucked away in a not so apparent spot. It was awesome.
2) The décor. Baseball caps of all sorts hanging from the ceiling.
3) Cleanliness. The restaurant and restroom were very clean.
4) The homemade soup. Very tasty. Perfect for a cold/wintery day.
What was not so great:
1) The service. The hostess did not great us. She counted the people in my party, grabbed some menus and attempted to seat us at a table that was too close to another party. When we asked to be seated at another table, she sighed, but sat us down without another word. (Strike one).
2) The menu / the food. Giusti's has a limited menu and completely over-priced. With family-style servings, you have to pay an additional $7.50 to share a plate. ????? Really???? There are no free re-fills. You must pay for each can of soda. (Very expensive.) Oh... and don't drink the water. It tastes as if it comes out of the river. The bread was chewy - it didn't appear to be fresh. (Strike two).
3) The price. The cheapest item on the menu was a bland fried chicken meal for $14.50. Although the chicken was a large serving, you had to pay an additional $7.50 to share a half chicken meal. Total price$ 22.00 for a chicken meal. NO THANK YOU! (Strike three).
Giusti's has potential to be a great "out of the way" place for dining. However, the unfriendly staff (except for Katie- the owner's daughter) and the over-priced menu will keep you from coming back. -
Review from Emily T.
11/8/2010
I've been wanting to go to Giusti's ever since I found out it was on the Food Network. It's like a subconscious goal of mine to go to those spots Guy Fieri has hit up. Yesterday, I finally decided to venture out into the middle of nowhere (aka Walnut Grove) just to try this "praised food."
Upon walking in, I noticed an extravagant display of baseball caps all over the ceiling. Pretty awesome. It was a little slow around 6pm, so we were immediately seated and immediately served. Our server was the sweetest woman. She was very attentive, bringing out new baskets of bread when ours was out and promptly bringing out each dish of food. The busboy was polite and relieved our over-filled table of any unnecessary plates.
The cute, tall server warned me that I'd be stuffed before the entrees come out. That was most definitely the case! We started off with a delicious basket of bread, in which my two friends and I killed fairly quickly. The bread was soft on the inside with just enough crisp on the outside. It was the perfect compliment to our soups that came out. Our server brought us two big bowls- one of minestrone and one of clam chowder. My two friends killed the minestrone & I killed the clam chowder (yes, all on my own :). The clam chowder had some large chunks of clam (though expected, it isn't always true of all clam chowders) and BACON.
By the way, did you know I love bacon??
The woman proceeded to bring out a big bowl of salad, a plate of salami, and a dish of beans. All delicious, but seriously, when are our entrees coming out? I'm already stuffed at this point. And then she brings out our entrees: one scampi, one crusted veal, and one fried chicken. I ordered the fried chicken and a large plate with four giant pieces of chicken came out. Delicious! I really could not finish more than 2 of the smallest pieces. The other two pieces I ate for lunch the following two days. My friend's veal was delicious and soft. And the scampi sauce was amazing and went well with bread. Overall, the food was amazing and we were all well-satisfied with our food.
Giusti's is a fun, family restaurant. And even though it's a good 30 minute drive away, I would most definitely consider driving back out to the middle of nowhere for a delicious meal! -
Review from Lisa C.
Navarre, FL
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
I was excited to try this restaurant after seeing it on Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives. We had to wait 45 minutes for a table, which wouldn't have bothered me if the food was as good as I was anticipating. The menu was very limited, but did come with bread, soup, and salad, which were ok, but nothing to brag about. Lobster was good, but its hard to scew up lobster. Rib-eye was over-cooked and tough. I'm told by the locals that this restaurant is inconsistent; I guess we visited on an off night....
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Review from Dave F.
8/7/2011
Can't believe i've lived here all my life, and never hit this place. Went Friday evening, a short ride up 5 from Stockton, then about 5 miles west on Walnut Grove Road.
Five of us, four adults and a 10 year old. Ambiance, old friends on the Delta, enjoying good food and drink. Seated quickly, offered drinks and orders taken , I suspect, by the Owner. Family style, great chowder, nicely dressed salad and a basket of crusty Italian style bread.
Then the main courses. Two Calamari steaks, a rack of lamb, a big Prawn dinner and a Baked Salmon dinner. all to perfection, The lamb awesome. I had one of the Calamari steaks, the lightest best prepared I have E V E R had! Tab for 5, north side of a bengy. Still when you're getting quality you don't mind paying for it.
Word, no plastic, though there is an atm machine. I see where they're going with that. Rather than paying the credit card a share of the tab, they make a little on the ATM. I call that smart. -
Review from Stewart B.
East Bay, CA
12/17/2010 6 Check-ins Here
Best Food on the Delta. Giusti's is always consistant. Great food, great place.
It looks like a dive on the outside, but that is part of its appeal! -
Review from Shannon L.
Livermore, CA
7/31/2011
Went on a Friday afternoon drive and tried this place. Service was definitely friendly - we arrived at the tail end of lunch but didn't have to wait too long - it was packed. The lunch offerings included beef and fish / seafood. . .no pasta which I would have liked. The minestrone came with the meal and it was good along with the bread. Had the calamari steak which was good and husband had the crab/prawn salad. Prawns were large and wonderful!!! Definitely a fun place to stop in what many Bay Area people would call the middle of nowhere.
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Review from James K.
Stockton, CA
11/13/2011 1 Check-in Here
Had the lamb chops. Average. I've had better for the price.
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Review from David C.
Sacramento, CA
1/25/2010
Giusti's could be a four star eatery, but they seemingly choose to settle for three.
The atmosphere is great: you drive into the middle of nowhere and stumble upon this little shack next to the water. Once inside, the place just oozes character. The food, well it's pretty darn good too. But everything else about Giusti's is quite mediocre.
I've given Giusti's two tries...the first time I sat at the bar and enjoyed a couple of reasonably priced draft beers with my delicious rack of lamb. For the second visit, I sat in the dining room and gave the pasta with pesto and veal cutlet a try. Both times the food was solid, but both times the service was unfriendly and slow. Sure, it's apparent that if you visit this place often, you get great service; however, for the rest of us that don't spend our days fishing/hunting in the delta, good luck.
I tried to chat up the bartender during my first visit....but to no avail...and I really tried to be patient during my second visit when I wanted to pay the bill...but unfortunately the waitress was too busy sitting at the bar eating her own plate of food. Note to waitress: check down, check back. Anybody who's worked in a restaurant has heard this a hundred times.
And yes...like all of those in the other reviews, the pitcher of water on my table also tasted like it was pulled straight out of the river. And I too was surprised on my first visit by the no credit card policy. "There's an ATM by the bar." What is this, a strip club?
I won't rule out a return visit....Giusti's has its redeeming qualities. But it's just so frustrating when so much is done right, and you're still left disappointed. -
Review from Erinn L.
Sacramento, CA
4/25/2007
At first I couldn't find Giusti's on Yelp so I started my own Giusti's reviews, I'm just messin' Yelp all up. In any event, here's my review:
I LOVE GIUSTI'S!!!!!!
Before I got a life I spent a lot of time hanging down in the Delta with my 'rents. I just wrote a review of Al the Wops (which is the place to drink) while Giusti's is the place to eat. Ok, and drink too.
They usually have a couple of specials of the seafood or pork variety. With entres you get salad, soup, and bread. At lunch they'll serve you house wine too. I don't know about at night because we'd usually get a bottle. The salad isn't fancy, but it's good, with some sorta homemade thousand island-ish dressing that's never something I'd choose, but still love. The soup is minestrone and, it's, well, good minestrone. It's Old School fare done right.
My mom loves the fried chicken while my dad and I are all about the steak. It's just....an awesome filet with melt-y blue cheese and, like, ohmygod...I don't have the words. I just don't. I've never gotten it not cooked perfectly (for me that's rare to med rare.) Every time they're solid. The quality of the meat is outstanding. My mouth is seriously watering writing this because it's just that damn good. Blaaaaaaaw....sorry, that was drool.
Plus, a HEARTY dose of character at this place! Hats all over the ceiling, sassy staff, more wood plank floors that could swallow you. In the summer when the locks are open we can take the little boat over which is way cool because who doesn't love a cocktail cruise on the river. -
Review from Brian L.
San Bruno, CA
9/15/2009
After seeing Giusti's on Triple D, we decided to drive up there 4th of July weekend just to try it out. First, it is not the easiest place to get to as it is pretty far up in the Delta. If you are in the area, it's perfect. Second, it's off the beaten path which makes it even better. Third, it can get packed.
The ambience is laid back to me, many locals at the bar and the wine is flowing. Wine choices are plentiful here. The menu on the chalkboard for the day is great but hard to see if you aren't looking for it. Love the trucker hats on the ceiling too.
We ordered the calamari steak and the pesto pasta for the day and they were both awesome. The pesto was not over powering and just right and a decent portion too. The calamari steak was not rubbery and well breaded but not dried out. We decided to upgrade our cup of chowder to a bowl and if you are hungry, I suggest doing this. The chowder is hands down great. Large pieces of fresh seafood. The soup is not too thick and not too thin, so it won't fill you up. Be careful though, the bread they bring to you can fill you up. Don't foget your free glass of wine or other drink to go with the meal and for the price, it's not a bad deal at all. -
Review from Candace Y.
Elk Grove, CA
10/9/2007
Giusti's is this place that is out in the middle of nowhere. It's off the main road between Walnut Grove and Thornton in the Delta. You can arrive by car or by boat, since they have their own dock on the river for patrons.
This is one of those places that has always been around for the locals, but itinerant fishermen and hunters have spread the word, and lots of non-locals have added it to their list of "must see" places to eat and drink at in the Delta during their motoring adventures.
I like the nice selection of local wines by the glass listed on the board at the bar. You wouldn't think that a rustic place like this would have a good wine selection, but that's one of the surprises that Giusti's has for the first-time visitor.
I was tempted by the Bogle petite syrah that I saw on the list, but decided instead, to try a glass of the Bensen Ferry Old Vine zinfandel.
Very nice!
It was a good choice to enjoy with dinner.
The restaurant has a very modest markup on their wines by the glass. You'll be pleasantly surprised. All too often, a place will offer pedestrian wines for a high markup. Here, you'll get nice local wines for maybe $5 per glass.
(I'm guessing that they offer the wine as a service to their customers and ~not~ as something to make money from.There are ~lots~ of good wines that are made in the area, and it's nice to find a local eatery that showcases some of the gems available.)
They serve lunch and dinner here. We were there early on a Saturday evening and made it in before the dinner rush. The dinners are served family-style. This means that you get a large bowl of minestrone soup with a ladle and a bowl for each diner. The tossed salad is served the same way, with a plate of marinated red and garbanzo beans, sliced fresh bread, and thin slices of salami.
(If you don't pace yourself, you can easily fill up on these dishes before the entree arrives!)
I had ordered the oysters while the bf got the steak. The oysters were pretty large and fresh from the grill. Each one was easily 3 bites worth.
Very tasty and filling. The bf said the steak was pretty good. Both entrees were served with a large baked potato with sour cream on the side.
Service was very good. The wait staff was friendly & attentive without hovering...somewhat difficult to do when the place is hopping. This is a great place to stop by for food or drink when you're in the area.
Giusti's is a local institution that I hope to drag friends to in the future, whether we arrive by boat, by bike, or by car.
(note: Bring cash. They don't take credit cards, but they do have an ATM near the bar.) -
Review from Jeremy W.
12/4/2009 2 photos
First off... Don't drink the water! (more on this later)!~
We strolled in around 8pm on a cold, foggy Thursday evening... There were two other tables seated and both were finishing their meals as we were seated.
Luckily for Giusti's, we had already started in on beer, wine, soup, and bread before we decided to pour a glass of water from the carafe they left us on the table. The water smelled like it was taken right out of the Delta, and thats the polite version... I believe swamp-butt was the term used by my fellow dinner guest!
The soup which comes out in a homestyle serving bowl and ladle, so you can serve youreslf was actually delicious. The bread was ok, the salad came with dressing already on it (some sort of thousand island type), also a plate of salami, and some sort of garbanzo beans/chickpea mix. Quite the pre-meal spread!
Its a Thursday, which is Italian night out at Giusti's -
Two of us got the rack of lamb, one got the lasagna. The lasagna had good flavor, but soggy noodles, I chalk this up to us strolling in on a cold foggy evening about an hour before close, but hey I'm a bit more forgiving than some folks! (re-read water comments above)!
The lamb was ordered medium, but came out medium well. Still had good flavor, I've never had rack of lamb, so I have nothing to compare this to. There was a baked potato, which was pretty standard as potatoes go.
Ummm... Thats it folks! And remember, don't drink the water! -
Review from mark s.
Santa Clara, CA
5/25/2009
Lovely Girlfriend and I rolled in here after an overly fierce afternoon at Al the Wop's, where we drank Gin and Beer and played Steely Dan on the Jukebox. Clearly, we needed a break, and Guisti's had everything we craved.
I stayed away from the jukebox here, as I'm sure if I played nine Steely Dan songs in a row, I would earn a legion of haters similar to the crew I left behind in Locke. Step One: a plate of Fried Oysters. Step Two: dos Sierra Nevada drafts.
Our bartenders were awesome. They created an environment where I wanted to get a room and stay the night. Thank God my Girlfriend talked some sense into me, reminding me of our bleak existence Monday thru Friday, when we go to our jobs and Make Money. Otherwise I'd still be at Giusti's bar, drinking Fernet Branca and cursing my enemies in Portuguese. -
Review from Lindsey Y.
Sacramento, CA
7/15/2009
MMmmmm Yummy!
EVERYTHING was delicious.
Lets see it's been about 2 months since I ate at Giusti's....
We had fried chicken (I'd eat it again)
Lamb Shank (omg to DIE FOR!)
and Veal (not my favorite ever, but it was not bad and damn good if you like Veal).
Love the family style servings. Bread is fantastic! Soup is too delicious! It was cozy and intimate for a dive and really cool and chill despite the fact that we were eating in the back of a bar.
I can't remember the prices. But I remember it was pretty reasonable.
Now how do you get here? I have no clue!? GPS!!! LOL and when you're out in the pitch black country thinking you're lost there's a Giusti's sign at the end of the road!
I'll be back one day! -
Review from Susan M.
Sacramento, CA
10/10/2011
We always have a great meal there...for lunch this time, salads were fresh and tasty...small groups 6-8 would be fine...no reservations so you would have to wait for setup and table availability...there is always outside if good day.
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Review from Katie C.
Lodi, CA
7/11/2008
Candace is right...Giusti's is out in the middle of nowhere...which means it's right by me! It doesn't get more Delta than this: park your boat at the dock out front and walk right up to the bar. The bar itself features a bunch of pictures of celebrities I've never heard of (my fave: the actress from "Ropes of Flesh") and a nice collection of local wines, mostly from the Clarksburg and Lodi regions, as well as the usual alcoholic fare.
This place wowed my Italian father with its soup, a minestrone-like concoction, with greens, beans, rice, and chunks of delicious beef, made fresh every day. Both the soup and salad come out family-style, the salad accompanied by a marinated bean salad (beware if you don't like garlic, this one's a Dracula-killer) and plate of salami. I know, a little kooky, but delicious.
And speaking of delicious, every entree I've tried has been just that. My recent favorite: the veal cutlet, breaded and covered in a lemony, mushroomed gravy is so good, I can eat it all, even with a belly full of soup and salad. Some other good choices include the rack of lamb and lobster tail, which you can get two-for-one on Wednesday nights.
So bring cash and an empty belly, and let Giusti's do the rest.Listed in: Delta Living
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Review from Micah R.
3/1/2010
Amazing and I joined a couple friends here for Valentines Day dinner. The bar is a fair place to hang out when you have to wait for a table, which should be often given the recent fame given to this place by Guy Fieri's show Diners Drive-in's and Dives.
This place is certainly a Diner, and right on the Delta, about halfway between Stockton and Sacramento, and a little east.
The food is great. It flies out of the kitchen faster than you can blink. Just when you think maybe you shouldn't have another bite of soup, that it might make you too full to eat your entire main course, there comes your main course. I was lucky enough to order the last of their lamb, only because my friend let me have it. We both were going to get it. It was divine. One taste of it was a bit salty, and was probably the bit touching the bottom of the brine pot, nothing worthy of complaining about. It was all very very tasty. Yes, better than the lamb I had at The Firehouse.
You probably won't like the water. All water at the Delta has a bit of an odor to it. It's just the way it is, and you either are used to it and drink it, or you're like me, and make that a perfect excuse to order a martini.
Guisti's (pronounced Juice-Tee's), is the definition of rustic. Our minestrone soup was served family style in a big plastic bowl. We ate on a wooden table in wooden chairs that may or may not have matched. The décor in the bar is hundreds of hats on the ceiling and autographed photos of notable patrons of the past. Some whose popularity went out before I was born.
It truly feels like you eat here with a bunch of friends. This is how you are served at someone's house. When you eat there, you are treated like a friend. The food comes from that friend of yours who knows his family recipes like the back of his hand, and he wants to share them with everyone he can. Guisti's has been around for nearly 100 years, all with the same family: 4 generations now. It has earned its stay, and I'll likely be back. -
Review from Ted R.
Volcano, CA
5/25/2010
Great old time building with overall good food. I usually get the Salmon or Lamb and both are excellent. I like the soup best. Clam chowder Friday and minestrone other nights.
Best thing is that it is family owned and not a stupid chain.
In the summer beware it can get very crowded as all the boaters are out.
Not a fancy place so leave the tie at home. -
Review from susan b.
Sacramento, CA
8/7/2008
This restaurant is a wonderful hidden gem that you will only enjoy if you are either a river lover who will find it putting around the Delta, OR if you like cool old places that are a piece of local history and never really change.
Every time we come here we end up waiting at the bar for a while, drinking some yummy local wine, and chatting with the friendly patrons and bartenders, and looking at all the ball caps that line the ceiling (most bear agricultural product logos, appropriate for the area).
Then we are super-hungry by the time we are seated and order some delicious fish special, but are totally stuffed after the bread, salad, beans and salami are served. Not that that keeps us from finishing our fish, of course.
Bring cash, a high tolerance for alcohol, and your appetite. But if you enjoy, say, The Olive Garden, don't bother, you'll hate Giusti's. -
Review from Rob R.
5/31/2009
Love the character here! We went on a Saturday for lunch and was a little disappointed at the limited lunch menu. We had the crab and prawn salad ($14.50) and the red snapper ($13.50). The salad was excellent with a decent amount of crab, but only came with three prawns and an abundance of iceberg. I enjoyed the house dressing - a russian type flavor to it. However, the snapper though was a little disappointing for the price. The minestrone was an awesome way to start the meal, but I was disappointed they were out of lasagna.
The tap water definitely has some sulfur in it, so try one of the very reasonably priced local wines, but if you drink tea, they only offer nutrasweet.
I definitely will be returning to try more of the traditional Italian recipes. -
Review from Laura B.
San Jose, CA
7/28/2008
Giusti's is a great little Italian place with that special Delta touch :). I actually had no idea where it was on the map until I read these reviews since we always go there by boat--I just knew it was in the Delta.
It's a nice little cruise over there in a ski boat. Take some wine and enjoy the ride! Better yet, once you get there, put in your name (because you'll have a long wait) and then hang out in your boat with your wine. The bar is pretty good too, though--lots of interesting people to watch here. It would be a good place to go just for that.
All the dinner meals come with minestrone soup, salad, salami, chickpeas and pugliese bread. The minestrone soup is authentic, not like the canned progresso-type stuff (and I like that too). It's not vegetarian, though, there are some good chunks of ham (I think) in there. Salad is just ok because it's in a dressing I don't care for. Maybe thousand island? The salami is nice to have before the meal, even though it's not any special kind, and I love the chickpeas in olive oil and garlic.
Makes you feel like you're at your little Italian grandma's house for Sunday dinner.
For appetizers, I recommend the grilled oysters and the calamari strips. You'll be happy with any of the entrees, but I recommend the rack of lamb if they have it. Make sure to order it medium rare, because ours was closer to medium even though we asked for that and you wouldn't want lamb cooked anymore than that. The flavor was really good.
We usually get so full from all the antipasti that my husband and I split. They usually split it for you and give you two baked potatoes instead of having to split one (they will charge you $8 for this, though).We brought our own wine and they didn't charge us for that, which is unusual at most places.
If you're at the Delta, you gotta give this place a try! -
Review from EyeLAshout E.
Santa Monica, CA
3/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Been going here my whole life, always good, always friendly. I love the Fried Chicken.
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Review from Jordan J.
Vacaville, CA
2/13/2011
Its out in the middle of no where but the environment is great,awsome bar to just sit at and have a few beers. Plus their food is pretty awsome. I had the Prime rib and it rocked
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Review from P S.
Sacramento, CA
8/29/2010
Great food in a beautiful area. We came here after going to Bogle winery in Clarksburg. It was a really fun day. I had the fried chicken which was quite good. The free wine they give you is a nice touch although you would not confuse it for Pouilly Fuissé... We plan to return.
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Review from Tebucky J.
Dixon, CA
2/13/2011
Great dive bar and restaurant on the delta! Good luck finding the place but if you do you won't be disappointed. Great food and a good place to throw back a few toties with the good ole boys. This place is usually packed for a rainy day lunch! And for good reason. Ask for some pesto dipping sauce with your bread. Food is served family style.
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Review from Pippi L.
Sacramento, CA
3/28/2010
I loved it here.
I still cannot believe my husband took me to Wimpy's one Mother's day instead of to this awesome place of secret yums.
Someone else said don't drink the water, and I have to agree. Even with a lemon in it, it had a taste that didn't agree with me. I did, however, love the strong iced tea.
I also had a glass of Bogle zin while waiting for our dinners.
We had fantastic service, people checked on us quite a few times, and we were in an "out of the way" table. Not to the point of being over solicitous, just great friendly service. Our waitress even gave me a little squeeze on my way out the door.
We told the server we wanted to share a prime rib dinner and a pasta dinner. That was so we could have soup and salad, because I hear the minestrone is amazing. And it is! It's orzo pasta, chunky beans, thick brothy herbal goodness, and hunkettes of potato, amongst other delicious bits. The bread was chewy and tasty, and perfect for dunking in the soup. Then we got the beans, greens, and salami. We went a little crazy. I ended up full. The first two courses are served family style.
AND THEN.... a mega platter of pasta, and the server had two full prime rib dinners on her arm. I was about to tell her "Oh yeah, don't forget, we're sharing ONE prime rib dinner", but before I could, she set a plate in front of both myself and my husband. I was flabbergasted. That there is a massive amount of meat and potato, and it was my last hurrah (I eat vegetarian most of the time, but I indulge in meat enough to make me non-veggie, and this was definitely going to be a huge splurge.) I swallowed my comment, our server looked at me like I was nuts, but then I told her "Well, I'm just amazed. I was going to tell you we were going to SPLIT a meal, and I just realized you HAD split the meal already, and this is going to be a fun night." She confirmed that yeah, you get even more meat when you split, because the cook is uber generous. Or maybe we were just there on a lucky night.
I indulged. I love meat with horseradish, and I went a bit nuts. I could only finish about .35 of my goodly 10 oz or so of meat. My husband made it through about .5 of his, plus, he somehow managed the potato. I had one single bite of the pasta, and deemed it delicious, but more than we could handle at that point. It sounds like we didn't go hungry, but it was after a long day at work where my lunch was a banana and some oatmeal, essentially a repeat of breakfast, and my husband had a microwaved burrito. We were STARVING.
I scraped everything else togo, and we made off like bandits in the night for about $47 for everything.
I loved it.
I cannot wait to take our boat out at Wimpy's and putter across the water to Giusti's some lovely summer night.
PS, they have a great looking friendly patio too. -
Review from Mitch H.
Martinez, CA
5/16/2010
I don't know were to start. This place was absolutely perfect! The best dining experience I have ever experienced...
Arriving by boat shortly after 4 PM on a Sat in mid May, me and my crew of 3 found available dock space without issue. Having to wait until 5 PM for dinner to be served, we were very happy to enjoy the bar for 40 minutes, attended by Mark 2 (for anyone that reads the Bay & Delta Yachtsman). Great drinks, better conversation, then we were finally seated....
As appetizers, we enjoyed fried oysters and shrimp cocktails. The fried oysters were absolutely fantastic! The shrimp were consumed quickly. Soup & salad came with their great minestrone soup, and house salad, plus the fantastic bread. Their great bread (buttered) went quickly with the fantastic soup, and they had to deliver more (without us even requesting it). We almost finished the second serving of bread by the end of our dinner, LOL... There might have been one single piece remaining.
After that comes an anti-pasta platter, with salami & a bean salad that was killer! That was gone quickly, and cleaned plates were picked up fast. I've always liked bean salad, having a "good" recipe from my Mom, but this stuff was even better! It didn't last long...
Main courses included prime rib, calamari steak, and lamb chops. I had the calamari, but also wanted some lamb, so they were gracious enough to provide the lamb chops on the side for $8.00! I tasted the prime rib of course...
Everything was absolutely fantastic! After sharing all dishes, here's were we stood. The prime rib was excellent, cooked to perfection, and the horseradish sauce was GREAT, but very spicy, use with caution! The calamari was the best we have all tasted. The seasoning was just perfect, and it was cooked to perfection, resulting in a tender delicious meal. The lamb was great too. The other person who had it claimed it was not tender, and a bit gamey - but the rack I got was NOT such. The other 2 guests even admitted mine was not gamey, and was much more tender. It's served with a mint jell, that was fantastic with the lamb.
PS Giusti's was on the Food Channel's "Diners, Dives and Drive ins" by Guy...but I have been coming here for well over 20 years, just felt the need to review it. -
Review from Doug E.
Elk Grove, CA
4/2/2010
Great little hide out on the Delta. Old family business that thinks they are doing you a favor by being there. They make too much money! Walked in there with a party of 4 right behind a party of 6 and the owner Mark (2 Marks) was eating lunch at the end of the bar and sat there and didn't say a word when we were all told they closed 10 minutes ago for lunch, come back at 5! There were several people still eating and I stood there and watched as one lady was getting her salad; so that tells me she had just got there too. It was in the middle of the season in the Delta and the other group had come from their boat. They are not interested in costumer service at all!
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Review from Jessica D.
Pacific Beach, CA
12/28/2009
This is the best food on the Delta, which isn't saying much. The drinks are stiff and the portions are plentiful. Make a reservation, because it fills up quickly (there are few tables.) The decor includes a bunch of dirty ball caps nailed to the ceiling and the building seems as though it may collapse any day but this is the "charm" of the Delta.
