When we arrived for our reservation, we were immediately seated. There were five of us and, according to one of our group who went to look at other seating possibilities, there wasn't anything more comfortable than where we were. And where we were was a booth comprised of seating on hard wood at a tabletop that was not adjustable. Each of us commented on how "tight" the fit was between the table and the back of our seat. Once we surrendered to the seating arrangement, we perused the menu and the extensive drink menu. Two of us had bourbon on the rocks and found that to be a very generous pour. And two of us had a glass of wine from a short wine list almost none of which I was familiar with. (That happens often to me at Italian restaurants where the winelist is primarily Italian wine) When our young but cheerful server came to the table, I asked her if the fish was fresh. She said she didn't think so. When pressed, she said she was sure it was "farmed". That turned my attention to the "pasta" part of the menu. Two of us ordered the beet salad. It was good although the beets involved were the largest (in diameter) yet thinnest sliced beets I've ever seen. The salad was tasty but took a bit of time to eat given every mouthful had to be cut down to size. In fact, neither of us who had salad was done with it when the entrees were brought out. That made the tabletop very crowded and the entrees a chance to cool off slightly before we got to them. I felt rushed and got the impression the restaurant did this to "move us along" so they could seat the next patron. Our group seemed to enjoy the food. But, at least three of us took a portion of our meal home in a "to-go" box. One of the three had the foresight to ask for a circular container that could be sealed more tightly. Definitely better than the Styrofoam box that does little to keep the food fresh. Dessert was offered but we declined. And then the checks (individual) were brought. My Baseciola was priced at $22 on the menu but charged at $25 on the tab. When brought to the attention of our server, she promptly took it saying she'd correct it. And, she did. But, if left me wondering if it was somehow an oversight or if, because of rising costs, they simply charged more in the hope the diner wouldn't notice. This diner did. The whole vibe at Ciao is that of a relaxed neighborhood spot. If one's expectations bear that in mind, you'll have a decent meal. If you're a "foodie", the experience will leave you wanting more.
Excellent waiter, especially considering we were a group of 12. Food good, prices reasonable. Place laid out nicely.
I live near Ciao and since it has opened I am sure I have eaten here more than 30 times. And I have also ordered take out especially during the pandemic.To me the food is delicious and unique. Serving sizes are large and I often take some home.I particularly love to come for lunch. It is a little quieter and less crowded. I often come with friends and we can have a great visit without being rushed. Server Carl and owner Bridget are very kind and accommodating.My favorites are their soups, salads, and the savory monkey bread.I always know that if I have guests at my home and I can bring them to Ciao and we will not be disappointed.
I just don’t get how their rating is so high! This place was horrible. My family went here on the night of the 16th of March to celebrate my birthday, and it was a complete disaster. While the service was good and the food came out of the kitchen in a timely manner, I would have waited twice as long if it had guaranteed that our food tasted like it looked. Italian food is supposed to be hearty with intense flavor and passion. Italian chefs are renowned for their culinary skill, their preparation of the cuisine, and their focus on the flavor.However, this is not the case for this establishment. The food here literally tasted like disappointment and regret! My husband and son ordered the Risotto Truffle and the Flounder and Lemon Risotto Special, and they completely lacked flavor. Seriously, it was inedible. My lasagna, on the other hand, was decent, so I am thinking that it must be made ahead of time. Don’t get it wrong; the water was amazingly refreshing, and the bar sent out an excellent martini, so they have those things going for them. Nonetheless, the risotto dishes and ciao wings that we had as an appetizer were so bad, that I honestly must believe that sending those dishes out was the owner’s way of asking us not to return and the message was received. This place ruined my birthday dinner. If I could give them a zero-star rating, I would!
Made reservations for my wife and I and our son. The hostess and check in was smooth and she was so friendly. The place itself is nice, ambiance suitable for small parties or date nights. The waiter was not friendly to be honest. Nebbish service. The food was also nothing to rave about and served luke warm instead of hot. I think the price was a bit high for the offerings overall. Especially the beer which was local but priced like a rare Belgian quadrupple or something similar. The one saving grace, desserts. The desserts were really good, made in house. I would not return here but if you want to stop by for one of their desserts I think thats about all I can recommend. This is somewhat an average place with average offerings for higher than normal prices.
Ciao Ristorante was a very nice place for a date night. My wife and I decided to have an early Valentines Day dinner here. The atmosphere is very nice. The food was delicious and the service was great. We had the toasted raviolis for an appetizer that we could not get enough of. My wife had the gnocchi alla Vodka and I had the Pappardelle Duck Ragu. We both enjoyed our meals. We will definitely plan on coming back again.
Appetizers were great. The fried ravioli and meatball were amazing. My only concern is that food did not came hot (but the hot that you can actually eat, not burnt yourself). However, if you love italian food, you'll love this place.Sorry for the photos.
Very nice place! The calamari was different and VERY DELICIOUS! Definitely will order that again. Portions were ample and very tasty. Good atmosphere and great service.
You could really tell the quality ingredients in the food. The price of the food was about average but there flavor and combination of ingredients were far better than most Italian places in Louisville. I can't wait to come back!
How do I even start to describe Ciao Risorante? Words that come to mind include sickening, nauseating, and repulsive. That’s putting it nicely. This is the worst Italian restaurant I have ever had the displeasure of dinning at. Right off the bat, service was faulty. Upon entering the establishment, we waited at the door. Another couple entered right behind. The host came and we’re preparing to take us to our table. We were literally walking with the host, and suddenly a waitress appears and claims the couple who entered behind us MUST be sat first, which I thought was very rude and odd. We soon discovered that this couple was said waitresses parents. We had gotten to the restaurant first and had been waiting at least fifteen minutes for a table. This is unacceptable. Nevertheless, the waitress ensured her parents were seated first at the table we were about to sit down at.What a way to start off what should have been a very pleasant dinner. Unfortunately, it only gets worse from here. This said waitress ended up being our server for the evening. Upon walking to our table, she refused to make eye contact with me at all. She would only make eye contact with my partner. Every time she came to the table, she would position herself to not look in my direction. When she finally (ten minutes after being seated) brought our drinks they were in dirty glasses. Black crud was all around the rims of the glasses. There is no possible way she couldn’t see the glasses were dirty.Forty five minutes later our food is brought out. As you can see from the picture below my partner ordered the chicken parmesan. The picture shows the back side of the chicken. Obviously, this chicken was brought out knowingly burnt to a crisp. The waitress was disgruntled from the beginning to have to serve my partner and I. She obviously wanted to focus all her time on waiting on her parents. Completely understandable if she wasn’t at work with other customers to attend to. She then refused to acknowledge that the chicken was in fact burnt. This was a very costly meal and the fact that the waitress was so rude is unacceptable. I HIGHLY recommend NEVER eating at Ciao unless of course you enjoy food poisoning. Then, by all means, eat there to your heart’s content. If I could give a zero star rating, I absolutely would!