Giuseppe & Sons Reviews

My family planned a graduation celebration here and the food tasted good. The waiter ruined the evening for us. He was so condescending and rude! We saw him gesture toward us and roll his eyes at another staff member. Very unprofessional and unpleasant.

Could not have found better food. The hand pulled mozzarella was simply amazing and presentation was on point. There was always someone around to help and the kind man serving us was amazing! Really glad I came here.

We rolled in as a group of eight, and wow—what a night. Every single person at the table loved their meal. I went for the truffle tagliatelle, and let me tell you… fantastic doesn’t even begin to cover it. Rich, decadent, and served with a little tableside flair—dinner and a show. The service? Attentive, playful, and totally in on the fun. And the atmosphere felt like stepping through a time machine. You can practically see Frank Sinatra sauntering in, loosening his tie, and asking for his usual table. This place is 100% A_Wine_O approved. I make a point to go every time I’m in Philly—and you should too.

Arrived about 15min early for our reservation so went to the bar to wait ordered a wine an simple Amstel Light bartender gave me the wine right away but didn't get my beer till 10min later. Now he did comp the beer without me saying a word which satisfied me. We were seated about 15min past our reservation which wasn't bad they were packed. The atmosphere is awesome from the moment you start to walk in like Double Knot is perfect for a date night. Between the two of us we shared 5 plates an must say everything was outstanding meatballs, mussels, bolognese, gnocchi, & cheecks saltimbocca. One thing I like unlike a lot of new places is we were full now we still had room for cannoli.

Really cool vibes at this underground spot in Center City. Great happy hour with great prices and variety of food and drink options. Can get a drink with a couple of food items for $25 with tax and tip. And it's really good food and drink. I will definitely be back and want to also come back for actual dinner.

The first time we came here, when it had just opened, the waiters were hip and knowledgeable, the food was very good, and we were made to feel like the service went above and beyond, it was a truly special and particularly fab-feeling night out. Last night, when I went back for a special night out bringing friends who’d never been, the food was just okay (we sent something back but we could and should have sent more), the staff was below average and the service was just generally lackluster. We would have ordered more drinks, but it was never asked if is, there was no explanation of dishes and the servers seemed annoyed when we asked for one, and there was just absolutely no feeling of the fabulousness for which we came. At the end of our meal we were rushed out by a manager which only added insult to injury. Just, well, yikes. And it’s a shame! Because it’s a beautiful space! But if the experience isn’t as elevated as the decor, it feels more like the Cheesecake Factory than fine dining. Next!

It is one of the best Italian foods I have eaten in my life super recommended the RICOTTA TORTELLONI 10 out of 10 with a first-rate service from the waiters and bartenders

Pre-pandemic this place was great. Good portions, reasonable wines. Post-pandemic, this place SUCKS! $10 wines marked up 6x! No more Sunday gravy! I will NEVER come here again.

WOW, What a fantastic place! The service was excellent. The food is true Italian splendor! We got to meet Steven the manager and he was an amazing host. On a busy Saturday night he took the time to make us feel we were the only guests there. The Dover Sole and stuffed artichokes were the wife's selections and they were excellent. The veal chop parm was in the top three I have ever had. Well thought out wine list to add to the Italian experience. Deserts are primo as well. Wife loved the carrot cake. Steven and our server Casey were very welcoming and professional we cannot wait to return. After one visit we have made Giuseppe & Sons a favorite in Philly!

Working late, we missed the happy hour upstairs, our original intention, Instead, we went downstairs for dinner. There was nothing wrong with the appetizers, a bright broccoli rape, small arrancini balls, and a somewhat bland stuffed long pepper. The problem was the (almost indedible) "linguini with clams." The shape of the pasta was closer to spaghetti than linguini and the taste was that of pasta precooked and simply reheated, that is a taste that manages to be strangely mushy and firm at the same time but all wrong consistency wise. We were offered replacement dishes (the service is attentive and good) and also given the explanation that this was fresh pasta, made daily and dried. I have no reason to doubt that. Spaghetti (or linguini) alle vongole is a simple recipe (NO cheese please!). Here, the circle of clams around the pasta yielded very few clams, so aside from terrible pasta, there was not much else. Use good quality dried spaghetti and cook them freshly al dente - your dish will be 100% better.

It was Friday night in Philly, and in doing research on Google, this place got a few good reviews. First sign that this was going to be a long night was the entrance at the top had empty storefront (maybe restaurants that had closed during pandemic and were re-opening?) -- not sure. We figured out the restaurant was downstairs and when we got there, we stood around for a bit til a staffer finally seated us. The lighting is really, really dark. I get ambience, but there were people all around us using their iPhone flashlight apps to read the menu - even young people! Our waiter seemed unhappy to serve us. His spiel seemed very pretentious and odd. We got our drinks and when our apps arrived, he was not incorrect in saying they were smaller portions. They really were. By the time our dinner arrived, we were hungry again. Not huge portions -- saving grace was the basket of breads. Delish! The tiramisu was fantastic. The restaurant was not full, so not sure what was up with our server but rarely did they check in, ask if we wanted more beverages, etc. This is not a cheap restaurant. When we left, we were mad that we had eaten there. I do want to say that food was good, but the vibe, service and overall atmosphere I give a D. I would not recommend this place. There are other more delicious, fun restaurants that serve Italian in the same neighborhood.

Giuseppe & Sons run a loud and busy restaurant, hoping to pass for lively and energetic. Perhaps a week night would seem less frantic. Drinks at the bar were followed by a a dinner reservation. There was a pretentious explanation of the upstairs/downstairs process and when seated in our loud, dark and cold banquet we were already a bit unhappy. Our server enthusiastically presented all the options for ordering ...from the Italian overloaded Sunday dinner for all - to sharing plates and a la carte. Why is this complexity considered a diner benefit and explained as if guests had never read a menu before? We all chose the basics of starters followed by pastas or osso buco. Of course we order too much food. It was well prepared, good, not exceptional. If fact not particularly memorable. In the end our disappointment stemmed primarily from an environment that dominated our meal and diminished our dining experience. It was, in fact, all about you. As we left, this very well traveled and frequent city diner said “there’s something about this place that makes me feel like a tourist.”

I haven’t dined here yet as a small party (4 or less) but I did reserve one of their private rooms and hosted a meal here for 12 during the holiday season. And I will give them props for running a very smooth operation as well as serving some delicious food. When you reserve a private room, you can choose from various menus at different price points. Our menu included appetizers of a house salad, clams in white sauce, meatballs in gravy and pizza bread. For entrees served family style we picked rigatoni alla matriciana, chicken Milanese, veal parmigiana and flounder in a lemon caper sauce. Because we had vegetarian guests, we also received a few orders of eggplant Parmesan and pasta without meat. Side dishes of garlic broccoli rabe & long hots were good but the peppers were very hot. Dessert consisted of scrumptious termini brothers cannolis and some other desserts for sharing. Service was warm affable and professional and we would highly recommend this venue for a group meal; whether for business or pleasure. With our menu including tax, tips and wine, cocktails and drinks it came out to roughly $100 per person.

Dined here Saturday the 6th of July. We had a late reservation (roughly 930pm). Our server was from Serbia I believe, he was so nice and professional. There was only two of us but we wanted to try so many of the items since we were visiting from Washington DC. We had the LOBSTER AGNOLOTTI, GNOCCHI POMODORO, veal parm and the WILD BOAR BOLOGNESE. They had a great wine list and all the portions were extremely generous. We can't wait to return to Philly as we will definitely return!

I love this place. It is beautiful and very good food. It is our second visit. This time we brought friends for pre-theater. started at happy hour. downstairs bar area is a show stopper visually. cocktails are great and wonderful happy hour deals. My only real beef this time is that our waiter suggested way too much food. Two pastas, large salad, four large meatballs ( they were fantastic) four huge entrees was double what we needed. We took half with us. That being said, bone in veal parms were great as was chicken parm. Not a fan of the kale salad. Too much of dark heavy leathery kale and nothing to break it up with. Baby kale would be better perhaps with something else tossed in like toasty artichokes or something. Gnocchi great. Crab spaghetti good. Great olives we ordered. they also have complimentary ones. They have complimentary pizza type focaccia bread. wish we had known. wouldn't have ordered both of those at bar during happy hour.

Evidently a new "in" place judging from the dressed-up, excited crowd of thirty somethings. Downstairs, a good looking decor with a big old school bar, and comfy banquettes lining the walls. Upstairs, a more utilitarian coffee bar, though with full drinks service, Italian-Style, made for a more peaceful place to have a drink and wait for our reserved table to be ready. Good professional service from the time the hostess came upstairs to get us through to Taylor, our (very) enthusiastic and efficient server. We shared apps of Shrimp Scampi and a Caesar Salad, then ordered Chicken Parm, and the "Wild Boar" Bolognese. Portions were generous but we both thought the general state of the offerings were ho-hum. We appreciated the carafe of Nebbiolo at a very reasonable $36.00 considering the rest of the wine list was what I considered over-priced. The food on the other hand was almost ridiculously inexpensive though, so everything balanced out. No real complaints but I don't think we'll try it again.

My wife had been to the establishment numerous times before i decided to give it a try. Nice trendy hip spot with good fare and hip drinks. Located in the happening spot of Center City! Gets busy during Happy Hour, the bar scene is cool.

My review is limited to the upstairs bar/luncheonette. I wanted very much to love this place but was underwhelmed. I had heard mixed reviews but had confidence in the Termini family. Pros - great space, ambience, fairly reasonable prices for Center City, good waitstaff . Cons - the food. Not that it is bad, it is just average. The rotolo was too bready and not enough stuffing, the charcuterie was good but the lonza was too dried out, the tomato pie lacked flavor and the porchetta must have been microwaved. While the concept of South Philly in Center City is great, the food (at least at the bar) failed to live up to expectations.

So-so. Very corporate. Beautiful space. The wait staff is attentive (maybe too much so.) Well trained to upsell the tasting menu. The food is mediocre. The menu says "old-fashioned Italian-American". But, the food says "no soul" and "mass produced". Not the fault of the kitchen staff. It's just too big and too formulaic. It all tastes like it was made somewhere else and flown in. Wine list is impressive. But, hard to find much that's less than $ 75 / bottle. Markup on the wine is at least 3 X on the least expensive wines. $ 85 for a nice Chianti Classico that sells for $ 15 or so retail is excessive. Honestly: You could have the same food at Olive Garden or Carraba's for half the price. Of course you might not get the same beautiful people clientele.

I have to say I was a bit skeptical of an italian spot in philly...being a New Yorker its in my nature. But I was running the RocknRock half marathon in philly so I figured I carbload up with some italian. So I decided to give Giuseppe &Sons a try. Sure glad I did. I had the gravy dish and it was amazing. Plus the service was great. I sat at the end of the bar and the host guy came around several times to see how Im doing! Five star service and even better food. I will be back! Thanks Giuseppe &sons!

We had the most amazing Happy Hour experience here!. Great prices, fabulous service and really fresh, tasty food! Honestly, we didn't expect to like it so much. We sat at the bar, which isn't our favorite, but it was great! I would definitely go back again. It was hard to pick a favorite appetizer, the calamari was great but so was the shrimp, mussels, and clams! The ceasar salad was very fresh and delicious. We left happy and full!

Great food, great atmosphere and great customer service!! Look forward to returning soon! We went for a birthday, and the food was amazing. The service was the best we've experienced in some time. HIGHLY RECOMMEND.

The room below has a wonderful feel to it. It is visually stimulating. It is dark and you will need your phone to see the menu. The menu was small - but that is good for this type of spot. The service was fantastic and very friendly. Prices were fair as well. Glad we stopped by for dinner.

Visited this place for dinner - it was all good except for my dish Chicken Scarpariello - way, way too oily, 3 small pieces of potato (one of the reasons I picked the dish) & too many peppers which overwhelmed what could be a very good entree! If I were to visit again I would pick a different entree! Partner’s veal marsala was very good. Good customer service!

Dined at Giuseppe on the 4th of July. It boasts lovely decor and has a great ambiance. We ate at the bar and were served by Claudia, a personable, lovely young lady who was also a great bartender! Based on her recommendations, the food we had was delicious. For appetizer, the calamari with fried pepperoncini was delicious! The highlight, however, was the cheesesteak Stromboli, which was crispy and stuffed full with savory steak, sautéed onions, and cheese! Yum! Ricotta tortelloni was excellent as well and was a very large portion. Spicy rigatoni was great too! Ended our scrumptious meal with a decadent piece of chocolate cake.

Not sure what was worse, the food or the service. Appetizers took 45 minutes, server was never around, and our entrees were bland. Also, avoid the chocolate cake at all costs. I’ve had better at my local acme.

Went here with a group of colleagues (9 people). Service was a bit slow initially. Asked waitperson about splitting check and she said it wasn't possible which we understood. However, she said she could take different credit cards to split. Took some time to actually get our food order in; it was a Friday night but it was quite early. Food was very good as was the wine selection. However, it took forever to get our check. We arrived at 6:00ish and didn't leave until after 9:00! We had to hunt down the waitress; finally, asked another hostess to get us our check. When the waitress finally showed up with it, she said it would take 30 minutes to split it among various credit cards. We were quite upset so I paid the check and we managed to get it all sorted out. Bad experience. Moral of the story...if you have a large party don't go on a Friday night and expect to divide the check. Venmo is your friend. :-)

It’s in the middle of Center City Philly This was my 2 Nd time there and it was even better. The chicken parm was one of the best that we ever had. It’s a nice atmosphere on the lower level. We sat in a nice booth together so I think it’s a great place to go on a date. The Sunday gravy was delicious but was really filling. We also loved the Caesar salad. There were more things that we wanted to order but were too full to try.

It’s a sharing (or not) Italian place. The Caesar was enough for four people (yes, really) and then we all chose to have our own entrees and do a little sharing. Lasagne was 5e most delicious...freshly made, thin noodles are the highlight with delicious sauce. Pork chop got new reviews. Chicken Marsala had a chunk of skin or some5hing that my husband said was hard to cut. Also had the pasta with vodka sauce. Wasn’t a fan of this style pasta...it was on the thick side and tough. Tables are too small for sharing. Had to ask for bread - does it come with the meal? Not sure! They honored our reservation in a timely manner. They have a big bar on the 1st floor that was very loud and a big bar downstairs that was cool have to put your entire order in at once. The restaurant is in the basement so be aware if that concerns you. Exits clearly marked.

As you walk down the steps to the true entrance of the restaurant, you feel like you are transported in time to the past (in a good way). A large bar is in front, with a marvelous multi level dining area in the back. You immediately feel the positive energy from its patrons ... and know you are about to have a great time ... and we did! The service was excellent and so was the food. We tasted several appetizers of which I really enjoyed the Fried Calamari. On to the entrée for a serving of Veal Marsala ... on point! I wish I had room for dessert, but maybe next time.

Had a 4:30 reservation on a Saturday. Walked down the steps and felt like going into a speak easy. There were people at the bar. We were seated right away as the restaurant was not crowded Told it gets busy around 7. Waiter was friendly and anwered all our many questions about the menu and boy was he right on point about everything. Had the pulled mozzarella and clams for appetizers. Also had the artichoke app and couldn't eat it all, so have that for tomorrow. Delicious! I had Veal Marsala and it was tender and very tasty. My wife had Veal Parm, tasted great and we brought 1/2 of it home. No room for dessert. I had the Hotel Nacional a rum, pineapple and apricot drink. Very refreshing. Bread was very good. Did not get pasta because we were told, quite correctly, the entrees were big. Well worth the price. We will be going back again. Only drawback was it was dark and I needed to use my phone flashlight to read the menu.

We had a wonderful dinner at Giuseppe & Sons on a quiet Monday evening. We shared various plates; among my favorites were the artichokes, the orecchiette and sausage, and the veal parmigiana (we also tried the spaghetti and clams, gnocchi, and rigatoni pomodoro). We enjoyed glasses of the Montepulciano and Barbera as well. The service was impeccable, and the manager stopped by at least twice to make sure everything was fine. The dining rooms was lovely, although the lighting was kept a bit too low. There is no elevator, so those with mobility issues might find it difficult to navigate the stairs.

Came here for Fathers Day. The food was outstanding. Our waitress, Samantha, provided excellent service. It has an old world ambience. This was our first time here. I can’t wait to return.

Wait staff was top notch who gave me a number of recommendations for dinner. Ordered the Osso Bucco which was fantastic. Included with a dinner entree was bread, olives, 18 year parmesan, and old fashioned pizza.

We were really looking forward to dining here, as we booked our reservation 3 or 4 weeks in advance. Walked down the steps to a beautiful basement restaurant. Gorgeous bar and ambiance. We were told our table was not ready that it would be a little while, no problem we’d order a drink and wait at the bar. Hostess was the perfect combination of snarky and clueless, and before our drinks were served our table was magically ready. The hostess seemed annoyed that she now had to wait for us the get our drinks. She did not offer to bring them to our table so that we could be seated immediately. We were seated in a lovely booth and also appreciated the overall volume of the restaurant was low. We could easily talk without having the to scream across the table. We ordered and had high hopes. One hour and 45 minutes later, we had only received one salad and one appetizer. A nicely dressed woman, we assumed was the restaurant manager, came over and told us on several occasions. That our food was being plated and it would be right out. We asked her if she knew how much longer it would be to which she replied that didn’t have knowledge of how long it takes to cook things at a restaurant!! Wait!! What?? Aren’t you the manager? Our frustration continued as boredom set in, and finally after continuing to wait the same nicely dressed woman (Who doesn’t know how long things take to cook at a restaurant) comes over with two entrées, only one of which we had ordered! She proceeded to tell us that this was all the food that had been ordered for our table. We told her there was five of us and we had all ordered an entrée . She said this is all that was on the “ticket”. So at this point, we waited nearly 2 hours for two entrées to be delivered to our table, only one of them we had actually ordered and we were missing four other meals that she said was never put on our “ticket”. It was at that point that we got up and left. She genuinely seemed clueless about why we were leaving and frustrated. I would give this place a zero if I could based on the staff alone. They are inexperienced and inept, a terrible combination for the overall longevity of any restaurant. This place was a bust!

I have been looking forward to trying Giuseppe and Sons for a year now. I would agree with the avg. score rating of 3.5 stars. It was solidly good on all fronts. Ambience, Food, Service, acceptable noise level. But came up short on the food front. We had: - Burrata: served a bit too cold, and was not very flavorful - Caesar salad: this was the best Caesar I've ever had. So 5 stars alone. - Octopus grilled: probably the best grilled octopus I've eaten as well! - Crab pasta: definitely a bit too sweet. Some may like this. We did not. - Sweet breads: ok, not an aficionado of sweet breads, so full disclosure on that front. We were eating off the restaurant week menu, which gave us the opportunity to delve beyond our comfort zone. Which is why those deals are so good for all. I've only ever had sweetbreads prepared French fashion which were more crispy. So, kind of a meh on the sweetbreads, but glad we tried them. - Sauteed broccoli rabe with garlic. Very good garlic and olive oil flavor but wayyyyy too salty. Could happen to anyone and is easily fixed by the kitchen. Service was stellar. Definitely up to NYC and San Francisco waitstaff standards. The 'don't call him the Sommelier' considered our multiple culinary choices and offered a nice northern Italian wine to pair with our full menu choices. We gave him a ceiling of $90, and he came in at $85. It was a bit sweet, but definitely opened up throughout the course of the meal. I guess my biggest beef is their use of bathroom attendants and the expectation that I will tip them. I have always found this to be pretentious at a minimum and definitely off putting. I'm embarrassed for some guy hanging out in the bathroom peddling unneeded stuff such as mouthwash, mints, etc. and turning the water on, and handing me a towel, etc. I'll accept the argument that if that is his choice on how to make a living so be it, and leave it at that. But wanted to log my impressions for management. I would definitely go back. The bar scene is lively even if the martini's are shy of a 2 oz pour.

The lower level room is very attractive. Unlike Double Knot(another Shoulson restaurant) the lighting was dim but sufficient. The food was good. Sea bass, scallops and veal parmigiana were all tasty. There was a definite lack of attention to detail, which leads me to the ‘ not great ‘ evaluation. For example, no fresh pepper offered with the Caesar salad, no grated cheese offered with the pasta dish, no serving utensil with the shared sides, and no offer of additional bread. With so many options, in Philadelphia, not sure I would rush back here.

We arrived early for a 6pm reservation, were seated prompt, and were given menus. Our server gave us the info on ordering but we chose 1 appetizer and entrees. A bit dark downstairs so phone/flashlight came out to read menu. I chose the gnocchi and chicken piccata and my bf ordered Sunday Gravy. I loved my choice, but my bf thought his was good, but he preferred his own meatballs. We were in and out before the Saturday night dinner crowd. Very cozy atmosphere, tiny tables so the family style serving would have been interesting. And, we brought our leftovers home!

Finally got to eat here and we were not disappointed. The food is great as is the staff. The space looks great. Highly recommend. Try the chicken parm!

Dined here after a show on Broad Street. Just a few blocks walk, super close to the area. Love loved this restaurant and can’t wait to come back! The decor was beautiful (stone walls, elegant but modern) beautiful lighting (could have been slightly brighter but matched the decor). Our server was one of the nicest and most knowledgeable I’ve ever had. Every server should love their job that much. She knew everything about everything on the menu. I wish I remembered her name, began with an S, young girl. We ate the ceasar, calamari and their complimentary bread basket could have been an item on the menu. Very authentic pepperoni bread and tomato bread that tasted just like my Italian grandmother’s. I had the shrimp fra diavlo and tasted the totelloni, gnocchi and vodka penne, all very delicious. Next time I head into the city, definitely coming back!

Sunday night with the family, enjoyed the drinks previously and wanted to come back for dinner. We were disappointed that they couldn't cater for vegetarians, they couldn't substitute broccoli rabe or spinach for shrimp for one of our dishes. They could take out the shrimp but would charge us the same price. Price wasn't the issue, but why would I pay for the protein option of the plate if I'm not eating it, it was principle. Terrible corporate rules, the manager or assistant couldn't do anything because of the 'rules'. Honestly any decent place would cater or accommodate. What do they do if someone has an shellfish allergy? Charge them for shrimp? Just stupid!! Given that more people are vegetarian, it's a shame, asking your customers to try the tomato sauce with pasta is just boring and rude, we were a party 4. Olive garden can and will accommodate, perhaps Giuseppe and sons can learn and take notes. Thanks but no thanks, friends and I will not be giving you our business ever again.

We ate at the downstairs restaurant and everything was incredible. The Hostess Erin Martin was so helpful. She moved our table to a more romantic table and they were so accommodating. The drinks, food and atmosphere were way above our expectations. The meatballs and Veal Saltimbocca were incredible. Best cannoli we ever had. We suggest arriving early to enjoy the very lively bar and great drinks. Also, we we found great street parking on 17th street between Chestnut & Walnut Streets.

The food generally is fairly good, the main restaurant is spacious and high end. Our visit was last minute and we were placed in one of the adjoining rooms. Mistake. Even our waitress apologised for the noise in the room. Next to us were three couples from Brooklyn and jeez did we know it. I thought we were part of their conversation out was so loud and intrusive. It wasn't even that interesting to ear wig. The food was well cooked though portion control really imbalanced. I had a sea food linguine that was tasty but salty and my wife had meatballs which was three times the volume of mine (literally) so I had finished well before my wife. The waitress was pleasant and i thought she could have asked the other table to tone it down.

Booked 10 people here for a business dinner and it was terrible! I will never host here again as I was so embarrassed!!! The service sucked and management was zero help…. Let me bullet point - - whole experience was over 3 hours and solely because the drinks, apps and food took forever - we sat there for about 20 minutes without any service at all - First round of drinks took another 20 minutes. - Apps were delivered and plates not cleared until the entrees were being delivered - No clean silverware or linens with entrees - Delivering the entrees was a disaster as the folks running the food had no idea where each entree went Not sure what happened to this place, but there are plenty of other restaurants in Philadelphia to go to!!!

Early reservation so the place nearly empty yet we were seated on top of the busy noisy server station. Water dispenser literally a foot from my face. We immediately asked to change location but were told it was not possible, yet the place was mostly empty! We stuck it out and got to listen to all the server chatter about partying and drunken nights, water glasses clanging, etc. That was horrible. Our server was rushed and clearly was interested in turning over our table. The table side pulled mozzarella was fun and tasty, the pasta dishes were right sized and very good. The veal parm was over cooked but the additionally added side of pasta made up for it. This place is expensive for the level of service. While the food was decent I likely will not return.

Lots of good people watching here in this fun space. Food was good; desert was spectacular. Service was quite good.

We were very pleasantly surprised how well put together the restaurant is for being open less that two weeks. Service was outstanding from the greeting to the 7 people who visited our table through out the meal. Kyle our server was funny, personable and knowledgeable. The decor is absolutely gorgeous set in the basement of the building We shared clams oreganata which were meh. Not enough clams for my liking. We shared the Giuseppe Salad -loved the vinegarette dressing. A very nice lite salad and plenty big enough to share. I had the flounder sorrentino which was light and nicely flavored. My wife had the chicken piccata which equally delicious. And desserts- hey it’s Terminis. The ricotta cannoli is just the best. Definitely returning!

We dropped by after a Flyers game for our first visit to Giuseppe's. After getting past the initial surprise of the restaurant being in a basement, we were very favorably impressed. Great decor and lots of seating in a very large space. The table-side mozzarella feels like a gimmick when you see it on the menu, but it is actually awesome! Fantastic service (thanks Isabella) and great food all around.

The Vibe and design of the space was amazing. The food was good overall. Some dishes like Chicken Parm and asparagus were fantastic. Chicken Piccata was good but missed expectations. Service was a bit disjointed as we had to ask multiple times for certain items. Everyone polite and professional. I would try again as the place has a unique and vibrant feel and an amazing appearance.

It was Valentine’s Day. My husband and I were visiting Philadelphia as a romantic getaway. We saw all the amazing reviews on this place and decided to book. After sitting at our table which was literally the size of a snack table we order the wine that everyone raved about and that was phenomenal our waitress Brittney was amazing! . I’ve been in this industry for a very long time and as a manager, She would definitely be someone I would hire. However, we got the lobster special. It was suppose to be a full for $58. I have to say it was god awful. There wasn’t even a quarter cup of anything in it and absolutely no lobster meat. It was like brown mush. We ordered the cheese tortellini pasta. And it was ice cold. I also got the chicken marsala which I have always loved and I’ve been eating it forever. The chicken tasted rubbery, and it was extremely salty. Very disappointing. I don’t mind paying the price for great food but this was beyond disappointing and I would never go back I would recommend no one else to either. We did order the tiramisu for two and that was very good. For the price no matter the reservation numbers and/or holiday your food should never suffer. Again I must emphasize I am not cheap in anyway and enjoy good food.Once again being in the industry I know better than to send the food back. Extremely disappointed especially spending over $240 on dinner and leaving still very hungry due to the food being so awful. Save yourself the trouble don’t bother going it’s not worth the money or time.

Relative newcomer to the center city dining experience provides attentive service and excellent food. Philly has many Italian restaurants but Giuseppe & Sons is a welcome addition. Portions were appropriate for the pricing and the quality was high. Bone-in veal parmigiana featured tender veal covered with the right amount of tasty marinara sauce and mozzarella (why does ___ parmigiana not feature parmigiana?) while chicken parmigiana was a huge slab of flattened chicken breast that tasted equally good. The selector of that entree, an expert in chicken parmigiana, rated this version as very good but deducted points because the sauce, as is commonly done, was placed on top of the chicken and then covered with the cheese producing a beautiful looking dish but resulting in soggy chicken crust as the meal is slowly savored. Only a few restaurants in the city place the cheese on first, followed by the sauce but to this connoisseur, that technique separates the outstanding chicken parmigiana from the merely very good. Halibut in a caper, parsley sauce rounded out our entree selections and it was excellent, with a 6 oz portion of halibut - just the right amount for eating and for the price. Sides were fairly priced and included creamy, cheesy polenta, bitter broccoli rabe, and house made spaghetti with pomodoro sauce. Service was enthusiastic, friendly, and attentive. Although the setting is a very large space, the tables are arranged to ensure enough quiet for easy conversation. Overall an outstanding addition to our Italian food scene and definitely worth a trip back.

Had heard good things. Made an early reservation before a show. Like another reviewer’s experience, place was almost empty but we were placed in back room clearly left for those with children or family members over 50, to be kept out of sight of younger patrons. Staff was polite but inexperienced . Food was just ok. Wouldn’t return

There were 6 of us. We all loved the food we got. I only remember some of the entrees - Short Ribs (2 of us), Chicken Francaise. Scallops, and Penne Vodka (spicy!). The servers and others were very attentive and cordial. We are going back and taking our friends for their 50th Anniversary (in June sometime).

Food is really good. I'll give them that. Why does a restaurant like this put a multimillion dollar investment into the hands of clueless arrogant hostesses?? If I owned this place and saw my crew- all finance guys that like to eat and drink, tell us there's no tables when I counted 8 when we walked in and 6 one our later. Making us wait for what????? See ya. Never agsin.

Our daughter lives in Philly and insisted that on our visit this past Thanksgiving that we all go to this restaurant for dinner. It was a great choice! The food, the ambiance, the crowd, the waitperson (Brittany) and the staff were terrific. We're sure that our daughter will be a frequent patron and we can't wait 'til our next visit.

The service overall was very good. Attention to detail by wait staff was impressive. We sat at the bar while waiting for our table. The bartender told me they didn't have unsweetened iced tea but when we sat at the table the waiter said they did in fact have the unsweetened Iced Tea and brought it to me immediately. Wait staff was very informative as well. The decor in the downstairs dining area was retro- dim lighting and interesting fabric couch booths. The space downstair is very large & was crowded. The food was decent -good but with the selection of authentic Italian fare in Philadelphia we wouldn't go out of our way to go back. It was worth trying. We had good company & had a nice evening.

I think this restaurant has potential but right now, it needs work. The dishes are family style and come out whenever they are ready so it may be a little disjointed. We had appetizers, a main dish and desert. Appetizers included at our table, mussels, clams, tripe, meatballs, two different salads and then for the main, veal belly, pasta with clams, chicken parm. Certainly , considering there were four of us, we could have stopped at the appetizer small plates. Desert was banana creme pie and lemon pie...no great shakes..would i go back? The setting was nice, the service good, the meal , eh...so yes, but not in the short run would i return; it would have to be a few months before i would give it a try again and i would be much more selective.

This place is so good The restaurant is cool looking. We had good service. The food was really good. The meatballs and sauce were a tad bit too salty but good. We also had the house salad, Stromboli, artichokes and cannolis and lemon sorbet (fabulous)

As a total Schulson fan girl, I'd been awaiting Giuseppe & Sons opening. My boyfriend and I went here to celebrate our 3rd anniversary. The space is beautiful, absolutely gorgeous. The bar is large, and the lighting is perfect and soft. The music does a great job to buffer out nearby conversations, though people are likely seated close to you. Our service was great, and we were treated to a cannoli with a sparkler in it! Truly awesome hospitality and what a fun surprise! Food was magnificent - I'm going again for drinks in the next few days because I need to have my own Old Fashioned just like the one my BF ordered. Delicious.

The 3 of us had a delicious dinner here. Our waiter was very good & gave us good advice on ordering. Dinners are served family style so we split our selections. We started with an arancini appetizer, there were 4 to the order, in a tomato sauce, we enjoyed them very much. We then had the broccoli rabe, lots of garlic, but in a good way. We also really liked their gnocchi in tomato sauce, really, really good, light & melt in your mouth delicious. We rounded out our dinner with the halibut, it was perfectly cooked. For dessert we had the banana cream pie & cappuccino ice cream. I would definitely eat here again.

Big hype, hard to get in, promises to bring back red gravy Italian to CC. Alas it doesn't deliver on that one. It's just another formulaic restaurant that boasts that the food will come out when it's ready! As if this is great for everyone. it isn't. You don't want your main course while you're still eating your appetizer! All this tells me is that you have kids/amateurs in the kitchen and you can't adequately pace a table's meal. Or, even worse, you have no desire to pace a meal - you're a production company and you're going to make it and the diner will eat it. But even if you're okay with getting food delivered to you moments after you've ordered it and barely a breath between the last dish....don't you want them to actually taste good? If you're looking for homely good Italian food, this isn't your place. Homestyle food isn't rushed and it isn't punctuated with a swirl of servers constantly asking you if you're done. In summary, this is not an Italian restaurant. This is a concept restaurant that rushes you in and out and doesn't pause to consider what memorable dining means.

Our waiter was incredible and super helpful. There were decent GF options, which can be hard at a pasta place! This was the first time I had ever tried oysters (??) and it left a good impression. The only downside is that we felt sort of crammed next to our table neighbors, but besides that, I would definitely recommend stopping here.

First, there are way too many staff. We were a party of six at a large round table and throughout our visit there were arms and elbows everywhere. Arms to refill water, to deliver drinks. Our waiter had a shadow trainee. The bus people seemed to have shadow trainees. There was someone taking silverware, and someone else "crumbing" the table, and another person bringing new silverware. One bus person was refilling water, while a different bus person was leaving a water carafe in the middle of an already crowded table. Three different people asked if we wanted more bread (we did.) Zero people ever delivered more bread. It was distracting and uncomfortable and serious staffing overkill. One person even delivered a single entree to the table before we even had apps. Just the one entree, not the other five. He was super confused when we asked why he was delivering this before the apps and none of the other entrees... We had to get our main waiter to come take it away. There is also a lurking floor manager who kept getting in the way of the too many wait staff and bus staff. I love when a restaurant runs so smoothly that you almost don't notice the staff. This is not the case at Giuseppi & Sons The food was fine. A few stand outs, a few misses. The clams oreganata were superb. Just enough tart lemon and savory herbal oregano to highlight the sweetness of the clams. The pastas were all terrific (in particular the gnocchi) but all of them were seriously oversauced. The pasta in the wild boar bolognese was almost an afterthought. Imagine a thick meaty bowl of sauce with half as much pasta. I always understood that in traditional Italian cuisine, sauce, sugo, ragu was a condiment to the pasta - not at Guiseppi & Sons. One of our party ordered the Sunday Sauce which came with meatballs and sausage. The meatballs are terrific! But again, where was the pasta? A small portion of spaghetti drowning in a huge bowl of sauce. That would have been a great time to have the additional bread that never materialized.... Swordfish was excellent (if not a small portion) and the lamb chops were outstanding (if not a massive portion.) The chicken cutlets were quite dry in both the marsala and the parmigiana. VERY IMPORTANT NOTE: It is simply too dim. The lighting is speakeasy, basement, cavern. It is a cool place with a cool atmosphere. That said, the menus are unreadable in that light. The 8 point font is a problem. The super-dim lighting makes it impossible for even the most talented squinter to read the menu. In our section alone there were at least a half a dozen customers passing around iPhone flash lights just to read the menu. Those flash lights were distractingly flashing other diners. Your guests should not have to work so hard to read your menu. Either increase the lumens, or increase the font size, or both. In all, G&S is a decent Italian restaurant in an interesting space. The food is good, not great. The prices are on the high end, but fair in the Center City market. The staff is overkill. The ambiance is just too dark.

I was truly surprised by my visit to Giuseppe’s. It is something new and awesome. I’m tired of the same old restaurant themes with packed tables, no room to move, too loud to have a conversation, and nothing but people in jeans with cell phones. This is a great dining experience. Enter on the first floor to see a massive bar, go downstairs to a modern, bright dining room with comfortable seating and space to move about. Then add in some of the best food and service you’ll find anywhere. It’s an exceptional experience. Guests were enjoying conversations and laughter, everyone seemed to have even made an extra effort when dressing for the evening. A beautiful crowd. I have to mention I’m walking with a cane at the moment. As I approached the staircase the hostess offered me an elevator, she escorted me to the hidden elevator, when I reached the lower level another hostess was waiting for me and escorted me to the table. The waiter was attentive and informative, the manager checked in on a couple of occasions. WOW! This is how it should always be done. Great atmosphere, great food, great service. Oh, the bar tender can create magic. ENJOY!

I came for a happy hour at Giuseppe & Sons in Philadelphia, and I must say, it exceeded all of my expectations. The atmosphere was lively and inviting, with a bustling crowd and a warm, welcoming vibe. The happy hour specials were impressive and so inexpensive with a wide selection of discounted drinks and appetizers that were both delicious and reasonably priced. I particularly enjoyed the variety of cocktails available, each expertly crafted and bursting with flavor. The wine and beer options were also plentiful, catering to all tastes. The food offerings during happy hour were equally impressive. The small plates and appetizers were perfect for sharing, with a range of options to suit every palate. The shrimp scampi and Caesar salad were standout dishes, cooked to perfection and full of flavor. Outside of the happy hour we had to try the table side fresh buffalo mozzarella being a cheese monger it’s a must try. I highly recommend this experience. The service at Giuseppe & Sons was exceptional, with attentive and friendly staff who made sure that our glasses were never empty and that we had everything we needed to enjoy our evening. The overall experience was seamless and enjoyable, making for a fantastic happy hour experience actually I must say the happy hour I think is the best in the city. They also offer happy hour every single day which is great if visiting the city on the weekends. Upon entry there is a small hallway with framed pictures somewhat deceiving and you think the restaurant is going to be small walking through this hall, it’s huge and the attention detail with the interior decorating is just stunning the bathroom is decorated so beautiful and I absolutely love the sink. The decor is like a Victorian speak easy meets Italian mobster 1920’s feel. Overall, I highly recommend Giuseppe & Sons for their happy hour offerings. The combination of delicious food, expertly crafted drinks, and welcoming atmosphere make it a must-visit for anyone looking for a fun and flavorful happy hour in Philadelphia. I will definitely be returning to Giuseppe & Sons for more happy hour gatherings in the future. The attention to detail is impeccable to say the least. Looking forward to trying the chefs tasting menu. CAESAR SALAD | $6 romaine, parmigiano, breadcrumbs. I am definitely a Caesar snob and this is one of the best Caesar salads. Its harmonious blend of flavors and textures make it a delicious choice for any meal. The crispness of the romaine lettuce provides a refreshing crunch, while the salty and nutty flavor of the fresh parmigiana cheese adds depth to the salad. The croutons, add a delightful crunch and contrast to the crisp lettuce. The creamy Caesar dressing, ties everything together with its rich and tangy flavor. Rating: 5/5 SHRIMP SCAMPI $8 garlic, chili, breadcrumb Features succulent shrimp cooked in a flavorful sauce made from garlic, chili, and breadcrumbs. The garlic adds a robust and savory note to the dish, while the chili provides a subtle kick of heat that enhances the overall flavor profile. The breadcrumbs add a delightful crunch and texture to the dish, creating a contrast to the tender shrimp. Giuseppe Shrimp Scampi is sure to leave a lasting impression on your taste buds. Rating: 5/5 HAND PULLED MOZZARELLA $16 extra virgin olive oil, black pepper The table side hand pulled mozzarella at this restaurant is absolutely delicious. The mozzarella is incredibly fresh and creamy, and the fact that it is hand pulled right in front of you adds a special touch. The extra virgin olive oil and black pepper complement the mozzarella perfectly, adding a nice depth of flavor. This dish is a must-try for any cheese lover. Highly recommended. Rating: 5/5 FRIED CALAMARI $7 marinara, pepperoncino The fried calamari at this restaurant is a real treat. The calamari is perfectly cooked - crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. The marinara sauce adds a nice tangy flavor, while the pepperoncino adds a bit of heat. The combination of flavors and textures in this dish is fantastic. It's a great appetizer to share or enjoy on your own. Highly recommend giving it a try. Rating: 3/5 - due to portion size I would probably not order again. MUSSELS GIUSEPPE $6 tomato, white wine, basil The combination of tomato, white wine, and basil created a flavorful and aromatic broth which was great paired with the garlic bread. Rating: 3/5 I didn’t care for the actual mussels the broth was pretty delicious.

The food was amazing. The atmosphere was incredible and service was top notch. Definitely order the hand pulled mozzarella. Wow!

My wife & I have had several great meals at Giuseppe & Sons. So, we booked our office Holiday Dinner here. The food was a good as ever. The service, however, was not only incompetent, but also criminal. The forgotten items & bad pacing were forgivable, but I cannot accept that the server tried to steal from me four times! (I guess he thought that I had drank more than I had.) Bottom line: you need to be really careful here, or your meal could cost you a lot more than it should.

The venue is amazing. The food is good. The service was good. Here’s the thing. We were sat late for our reservation. The only delay we caused is that we needed a minute to order. Not long though. Our after dinner drinks took forever. They couldn’t make a cappuccino… their milk frother was broken- which is fine. 2 out of the 3 in our party have worked in the restaurant industry. We get it. However right after the manager explains the cappuccino situation… he then says..”We have people waiting for this table, I will comp you your dessert if you move to another table. It was the most bizarre experience I have ever had at a restaurant. We travel and eat out a lot. We politely declined and just asked for our bill and we would leave. He brought the bill and then we literally had to flag him down to take our payment because he didn’t come back for it. Just a very bizarre ending. With the money we spent. Which we don’t mind spending. The experience as a whole was eh’.

We were a group of six, and had a 6:30 pm reservation. First I have to say this place is beautiful! The upstairs was nice, but the downstairs was gorgeous! We were a little early so we sat at the bar, and had a cocktail. The bartenders could not have been nicer or more accommodating. Once we sat down, our waitress came right over to the table, and she was amazing the entire time we were there. We ordered a ton of food. We had everything from gnocchi, rigatoni, meatballs & gravy, scungilli, chicken parm, linguini with clams, veal milanese, and the list goes on. I tried everything, and loved everything! In fact, I couldn't get over how much I loved their "gravy," and this is coming from a very picky Italian. We shared a few bottles of wine during dinner. Afterwards, we shared several desserts, and again, loved everything I tried. Service throughout the meal was wonderful! All six of us left there very full and very happy. I will definitely be going back.

Happy hour tends to get crowded very quickly, so we were thrilled at the open space and seating upstairs at Giuseppe and Sons. We ordered a pizza and some other light bites. The drinks were "specialty cocktails" but when they were brought to the table, I thought there was a mistake. The drinks were in teeny tiny juice glasses - the kind you would drink your prune juice from so you didn't have to drink too much! Yes, the price was reduced - but why so cheap on the liquid refreshment? My recommendation is to shop around for a happy hour with a real drink.

We were a party of 4 and ate here on a Saturday night and were seated when we arrived. The room had a cool vibe. The waitstaff leaves a lot to be desired. An example being that we had to ask for bread about 4 times and waited 20 minutes at least for it to arrive. The food was good with generous portions. We ordered drinks and asked for our second drinks to come with our main meal. They came after we were finished. Desserts were good but the takeaway was bad service with rude waiters.