| Philadelphia |
|
| |
Gianna's Grille 
 based on 19 member reviews
507 S 6th Street, Philadelphia Pennsylvania
19147
215-829-4448
Type: Lacto, Delivery, Not 100% Vegetarian
Info: Serves meat, veg options available. Has lacto-veg food like calzones, cheese fries, pizza by the slice, soft serve ice cream, cakes. The vegetarian Philly steak sandwich can be made with dairy cheese, soy cheese (with casein), or vegan cheese. Open daily for lunch and dinner, closed Monday. Price: Moderate.
|
|
|
|
| "NOT VEGAN."
|
My Rating |
 |
|
|
 2 |
|
|
Posted on: Thursday, December 17, 2009 |
Review: Gianna's has been caught in the past for using "vegan cheese" that wasn't vegan and the same goes for their ice cream. Now I'm convinced their buns aren't vegan, either.
Aside from the fact that half of their "vegan" food probably ISN'T vegan, the food isn't even good. The cheesesteak is terrible, the pizza is disgusting, and their cakes aren't even palatable.
If you eat here, there's a good chance it's not vegan. Skip this shithole and just go to Govinda's.. At least you know the food is vegan when you want it to be and it's tasty.
And no matter how hard they try, Gianna's version of the peanut butter bomb has absolutely nothing on Vegan Treats.
Pros: * *
Cons: NOT VEGAN * NOT GOOD * TERRIBLE SERVICE |
|
|
|
| "vegan comfort food"
|
My Rating |
 |
|
|
 7 |
|
|
Posted on: Monday, November 09, 2009 |
Review: Great vegan specials like mac 'n "cheese" and lasagna. Great chili "cheese" fries. Terrific as "comfort food" and great with a piece of vegan red velvet cake for desert. Vegan "cheesesteak" less successful and they were out of vegan cheese needed for stromboli and calzones. We will definitely give these a try next visit.
Pros: comfort food * portions * deserts
Cons: out of vegan cheese for calzones * * |
|
|
|
| "Good food, hopefully all vegan..."
|
My Rating |
 |
|
|
 12 |
|
|
Posted on: Sunday, October 18, 2009 |
Review: I was pleased with my vegan cheesesteak and cheese fries, but now am concerned since reading these reviews. I hope the cheese was vegan! I'm not sure I will go back after reading they were serving non-vegan cheese to vegans for a period of time.
Anyway, provided it was in fact all vegan, the food was really good and I had a slice of cake with pb mousse to go. Fabulous.
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
|
|
|
| "Greasy and salty junk food"
|
My Rating |
 |
|
|
3 |
|
|
Posted on: Monday, June 15, 2009 |
Review: I'm not a fan of the Gianna's sandwiches. They are really greasy and give me serious digestive issues. And the "meat" if often rubbery. The pizza is fine, but the cheese gives me the runs. I suspect it's not vegan.
The desserts are delicious, but after reading all of the other reviews, I'm wondering if they are, in fact, actually vegan. I've never had a stomach ache after, so I'm hopeing they are ok. But still, I'd rather get a falafel sandwich right down the street at Maoz than risk a greasy rubber sandwich at Gianna's. Also, the bathroom is gross!
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
|
|
|
| "Decent"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
Posted on: Wednesday, June 10, 2009 |
Review: I'm glad that I had an idea of the type of place this was before I came. VERY hole-in-the-wall.
My husband and I, who are vegan, took my in-laws there, who are not vegan or vegetarian. They shared a regular steak sandwich with fries and said it was good. My husband ordered some kind of steak sandwich and as a new vegan, was tripped up when they asked him what kind of cheese he wanted (he ordered soy cheese, but I explained and he fixed it). They ask you if you want mozzarella, provolone, soy, or vegan cheese. The impression I get is that they were passing off soy cheese with casein as vegan cheese for a long time, and so now they offer both.
Anyway, my husband really liked his "steak" sandwich. I wanted the meatball sub, but they were out of meatballs. Now that I think of it, the steak sandwich was my husband's second choice also (the eggplant is NOT vegan, there is whey in it). I got a vegan "chicken" sandwich and thought it was horrifically salty. I like the atmosphere of the place, but the food won't really make me fun back. It wasn't bad enough that I will never *try* it again, but with so many other vegan places in Philly to try, it'll probably take awhile if I do make my way back there.
Oh, and there were no desserts in the case when we got there. I would like to say there were none *left*, but it was so sparkly clean it really didn't look like they had any that day.
Pros: atmosphere * staff is helpful * vegan
Cons: small * food is questionable * |
|
|
|
| "They say it's vegan to get your money"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
Posted on: Tuesday, March 31, 2009 |
Review: I had been going there since about 2000. I stopped about six years ago. I can't believe this place is even open still. Everyone was so, so psyched on this place. They had vegan cheesesteaks, vegan pizza and vegan desserts. Vegan, vegan, vegan. Yeah.
What was in their cheese? It was a family secret, they couldn't tell you! But don't worry, it's vegan. Anyone who asked, they guaranteed you it was vegan. Suddenly, there were whispers of Gianna's NOT being vegan. You said to yourself, \"That cheese DOES melt really easily...And it tastes so much like real cheese...\" But no, they always swore it was vegan. They wouldn't lie, would they? Oh, you see, it wasn't their fault. As they told on their website ever so briefly, their distributor was selling them goat cheese. I thought the cheese was homemade, a family secret? Not to worry, it was just a temporary issue with the cheese. It HAD been vegan, but something got messed up, and it wasn't vegan for a little bit. A few weeks later, they said that, no, it actually was never vegan, but they didn't realize it. They corrected the problem, and put your cares aside, because now it's REALLY vegan. Yeah, sure. Basically, we were all idiots who wanted to believe that some hole in the wall meathouse had created the most fantastic vegan cheese. We had been willingly had. That place got so much vegan money. The preponderance of their menu is not even vegetarian and it never was. The people who run it are not nice. They are rude and always have been. There is legit no reason to go here.
Pros: no * no * no
Cons: not vegan * * |
|
|
|
| "They sell non-vegan cheese to vegans"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
Posted on: Sunday, March 29, 2009 |
Review: Do not support this restaurant. They claimed to use homemade vegan cheese, while all along they used casienated soy cheese that they bought. They fully knew they were selling a non-vegan cheese but they continued to deceive people.
Pros: * *
Cons: * Sell non-vegan food to vegans. * |
|
• called the cafe, they said they have BOTH soy cheez and vegan cheez. soy for lactose intolerant and vegan for, well, vegans. While misleading if one was not to read carefully, and upsetting, perhaps they should opt to carry only the one. But its hard to call someone a scumbag when they do offer vegan cheez.. response by kindlizard
• pretty sure they use follow your heart, a soy cheez that is casein free. what brand do you think they use?. response by kindlizard
|
|
| "enjoyable"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
100 |
|
|
Posted on: Saturday, November 15, 2008 |
Review: I enjoyed my philly samich from here. They are very consistent with their menu as well, a huge plus in an often volatile market. The only thing I hear grumblings is that they may have ripped off Vegantreats recipes after selling them for years. Other desserts may have been copped too, which is unfortunate and somewhat dishonest. But they are well executed, though they should rename their items from the vegantreats items.
Good food, decent costs, good compromise for nonvegans too.
Pros: consistent * *
Cons: ripped off vegantreats * * |
|
|
|
| "So So Done with Gianna's"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Posted on: Tuesday, June 24, 2008 |
Review: I've been a Gianna's fan for over a year now, but have recently begun feeling overcharged. There are three places where I've been able to view prices of Gianna's food items: Gianna's website, Gianna's paper menu, and delivery.com. The prices for the same items vary between these three menus. For a BBQ GG, the website says they are $6.75, delivery.com and Gianna's paper menu both say $6.95. This is especially odd because when I received my food today, the receipt said I owed $7.50 for same sandwich.
Also, although Gianna's own menus say nothing about there being a delivery charge, I started noticing a $1.50 delivery fee being added to the bill. I asked the delivery guy today if they get that $1.50 delivery charge or if it goes to the company and he told me it goes to the company, not the delivery people. Just to double check, I called Gianna's and asked the manager myself. He confirmed that the charge does, indeed, go to the company, not the delivery person. When I asked him why, he said it's so that they can afford to pay their delivery drivers more, that the $1.50 delivery charge is like an "offset" (in his words) because even though it goes to the company at first, it goes back into the pockets of the delivery people when they get their paychecks. He then went on to inform me that the delivery people there get paid $4.00 and hour (as if I'm supposed to be impressed by that--it's not even minimum wage, and most of the delivery people I know get paid at least the min.)
This actually sounds more like the trickle down theory than
offsetting. And, personally, I'd rather just give the tip straight to
the delivery person than be forced to give it to the company where it get's filtered before the delivery person gets what's left. Not to
mention that it's very misleading; Most people probably think the
delivery charge is what it sounds like and that it's to compensate the delivery people instead of just being an additional charge to the company for no reason that I see as feasible. (The delivery charge was actually 19%. If they were really concerned with the delivery people making money, they would get rid of the delivery charge so people might tip more, or have it go directly to the delivery people to compensate for the losers who don't tip, or don't tip well.)
In all, I paid $13.06--including tax, delivery charge, and tip--for one sandwich. You tell me if that's worth it. My opinion is no. (Chicken salad is worst EVER. Vegan chz to vomit over)
Pros: okay food * vegetarian * nice staff
Cons: over-priced * unjustified charges * grossest "chicken salad" ever |
|
• delivery fees are not all that unusual, don't see why that should alter your view of a cafe on how they pay their staff. if you don't want to pay for delivery that is your own issue. also, you said you love the place, but you just realized that you didn't care for the vegan cheez? talk about delayed reaction.... response by kindlizard
|
|
| "Very Impressed!"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
164 |
|
|
Posted on: Monday, April 14, 2008 |
Review: I freaking love this place! I ate here twice and ended up getting the same thing twice, Veggie Hoagie vegan of course. The second time around I had the Vegan cherry cheese cake...it tasted like the real thing, I was so impressed! I can't wait to go back here again! [I give this place 5 cows, but it only allows 4]
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
|
|
|
| "GG Special"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
7 |
|
|
Posted on: Wednesday, March 26, 2008 |
Review: Is great if you have a craving for a steak-ish sandwich. I have only started going in the past year or two, and every time they have been very upfront that they have vegan cheese and soy cheese, I'm assuming this is the cheese in question. I have never had a problem and occassionally make trips out there JUST for a steak or some fries.
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
|
|
|
| "Hmmmm."
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
2 |
|
|
Posted on: Thursday, March 20, 2008 |
Review: I went to this place because I had read their website and it intrigued me. However the sandwich I ordered was just terrible. I thought, maybe if I go back to Philly I will try something else from the menu. But then I came home and looked Gianna's Grille up here and read the other reviews only to find some very unsettling news about their ethics and lack of honesty. I don't think I will ever go back. If you are vegan you should read on to see what the other folks have said. It's so hard to find restaurants that know what you're looking for when you ask about vegan options. It seems just plain evil to have a vegan menu as a gimmick and trick people when it would be so easy to just MAKE IT VEGAN!
Pros: * *
Cons: unfriendly staff * loitering unfriendly patrons * lousy food and pastries |
|
|
|
| "The Peanut Butter Bomb"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
Posted on: Sunday, January 13, 2008 |
Review: When I go to Gianna's, it's for the Peanut Butter Bomb. Yes, they make vegan junk food. If you are craving fried food and white bread, it's the place to get a meal. But, if you are craving a delicious dessert, go for the Peanut Butter Bomb.
Pros: * *
Cons: * * |
|
|
|
| "disguisting hole in the wall vegan mcdonalds"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
3 |
|
|
Posted on: Monday, December 17, 2007 |
Review: had vegan cheese steak with about a lb of salt. so nasty. had vegan pizza fries soaked in grease. All 3 of us were sick all night afterwards. Go there if u like to eat garbage and want to detox the day afterwards. If they sold stuff to make u vomit in the store I would have bought it. SOO gross
Pros: none * *
Cons: snotty service * salty grease food * pee overflowing bathroom |
|
|
|
| "Cheesesteak and pizza"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
4 |
|
|
Posted on: Friday, September 21, 2007 |
Review: Another vegan cheesesteak that bears no resemblance to its meaty counterpart. The fake meat texture is that of ground meat in two centimeter cubes. Plain, the thing is awful, but the menu contains a number of wacky sandwich topping combos that make 'em worth eating. Buffalo is pretty good without the cherry peppers, and barbecue is good without cheese. The chicken salad sandwich is a weird, salty, creamy creation, but it's pretty good once you get used to its unusualness. The only traditional component of the steak sandwich, the philly-style squishy sandwich roll they use doesn't hold up well with moist ingredients. Something crustier would be better.
I really like the pizza, probably because it's the only fake-cheese pizza in town that I know of. The crust is more....hmm, how to describe it?.. crackery than what I'm used to, and the sicilian-style is plain no good. Pizza sauce without a shroud of real mozzarella dries when it sits out, but I guess there's no way to remedy that. The best non-traditional pizza they make is vegan barbecue chicken...goes well with the light crust and Follow Your Heart mozzarella.
Pros: pizza! * fun sandwiches * follow your heart mozzarella
Cons: weird fake meat appearance * * |
|
|
|
| "Gianna's Grille"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
Posted on: Monday, July 02, 2007 |
Review: i spent years believing paul and babs to be my friends. i drove over an hour once a week to eat their food and they would lie straight to my face knowing that i am a vegan for ethical reasons, and tell me that their food was vegan. neither of them are vegan nor do they care. just ask them about what happened with their used to be vegan soy cheese and get the attitude in their response that is indicative of a guilty conscience.
Pros: * *
Cons: not vegan * misrepresented food * dishonest |
9 of 10 visitors found the above review beneficial
 Respond | Was this review useful?  
|
|
| "Decent but more of a novelty"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
56 |
|
|
Posted on: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 |
Review: While it's great that this place offers vegan cheesesteaks, vegan pizzas, and vegan desserts, we kind of felt like people went there for the novelty of the place more than for the actual quality of the food. The cheesesteak was just okay, as were the vegan pizza slices. The counter help messed up our dessert order (vegan cannolis with chocolate sprinkles) twice and gave us attitude when we brought them back up for the second time. I know a lot of people love this place, but we just weren't feeling it.
Pros: Vegan cheesesteaks * All desserts are vegan *
Cons: Food is just okay * Small * |
|
|
|
| "punk rock"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Posted on: Friday, April 06, 2007 |
Review: I visited Gianna's Grille in April 2004 during my pilgrimage to see Kid Dynamite - I was advised to patronise this particular joint by native Philadelphians of my acquaintance and was intrigued by the promise of vegan cheesesteaks. My initial excitement was replaced by overwhelming joy when I witnessed the size of the sandwich and this was followed by unquestionable enjoyment of said delicacy. My friends and I made several repeat trips during our week-long stay and even wasted a full hour walking there on our last day only to find it shut. If you want a proper sit down meal then go to a restaurant, if you want proper filling food that won't make you look like a douchebag then go to Gianna's.
Pros: Dan Yemin goes there * *
Cons: * * |
|
|
|
| "Vegan?"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
1 |
|
|
Posted on: Wednesday, March 28, 2007 |
Review: So I was travelling the States in summer '06 and I found Gianna's Grille and thought it was awesome. Vegan cheesesteaks and all-vegan desserts. Yet still friendly towards the evil carnivores. Not 100% vegan sure, but truly Ghetto Vegan. So I came here to give it a glowing review. But now I find reviews talking about caseinated soy cheese and I am disappointed. They make a big deal about advertising vegan fare and so it should be vegan. Basically, if you can now guarantee that the cheese is vegan, go there, it's rad. If it's not vegan, well.. go in and tell them to fanny off.
Pros: Ghetto Vegan to the max * Dirty vibe * Vegan desserts
Cons: Lies to vegans * * |
|
|
|
| "Make the Carnivores Jealous"
|
My Rating |
|
|
|
Posted on: Monday, March 26, 2007 |
Review: Today I had the delightful prospect of chilling out with all my carnivorous friends while they stuffed their faces with burgers and home made cheesesteaks. This made me sad-- so I ordered in a vegan cheesesteak from Gianna's. Hear you me, it was sloppy and delicious, as a cheesesteak ought to be. The delivery guy was pretty hot too, but I digress. My sandwich looked 'real' and tasted amazing, in the past I've gotten their faux chicken salad which tastes good (even if it looks not so yummy). Basically, I have yet to be disappointed by Gianna's, I can't wait to try their vegan deserts in the future!
Pros: Great Food * Huge Portions * Hot delivery guy
Cons: Not health food * Takes a while to deliver * Looks a little "too real" |
0 of 0 visitors found the above review beneficial
Respond | Was this review useful?
|
|
| "great place"
|
My Rating |
 |
|
|
4 |
|
|
Posted on: Friday, November 03, 2006 |
Review: as you may have guessed from the reviews, this place caters to a lot of punk/hardcore kids and scenesters. this indeed means funny hair and clothes, and god awful music playing. this coming from someone who put out locust and party of helicopters records, so that is saying something, right?
understand two things-the food is delicious, and not at all healthy. the desserts are superb. the desserts are presented and made wonderfully. they are not wheat flour and agave nectar disasters, they are full bore vegan version of decadent, rich desserts that should be eaten in moderation.
the vegan pizza and vegan grinders are excellent. and horribly, horribly greasy and bad for you.
if you plan to eat here often, or are vegan strictly for health reasons, avoid this joint. if you are veggie or vegan for animal rights reasons, treat yourself. and try the fries with old bay seasoning.
Pros: delicious * huge portions * unique
Cons: greasy * scene kids working/dining * |
|
|
|
For Business Owners, if you see an unfair review- read this
Why was my review removed?- details
Reviews are not endorsed by HappyCow.net - review terms
Has Gianna's Grille closed, shut down, moved, or changed? Please use the Update Form.
|
|
Link to this page
|
|
|
