Ciao Bella

A kind local suggested this spot. We loved the fresh calamari, the crab ravioli w/ prawns, veal picatta, and mushroom calzone. Service was outstanding.

We were pleasantly surprised to find this a very good Italian restaurant. I had the spaghetti vongole, and it was superb. My wife had lasagna, and loved it. Another at our table had a cheese pizza, which was good but not like an Italian wood-fired pizza. The place was full, the waters were busy, and we enjoyed ourselves.

There are not enough words to say how ABSOLUTELY AMAZING this place is!! From the time you step in you feel welcomed being greeted by the cute and bubbly hostess. My husband and I were seated promptly and had a very pleasant and attentive server. The food was EXCEPTIONAL with very authentic homemade flavors… and OMG!! The Martinis are to die for. I had the Peach Martini and my husband had the Tiramisu Martini. From the presentation to the taste there was nothing but EXCELLENCE!! If you are looking for a place where EVERYTHING is TOP NOTCH I would advise not to sleep on this GEM of a restaurant!! We will be visiting again very soon 😊

The chefs special braised rib was fantastic wish I could have picked it up and eaten caveman style. I tip my hat to the chef. The olive oil dipping sauce was perfectly seasoned. Our server was the best.... give her a raise. I do have one suggestion. There are too many tables in the middle of the restaurant hindering a positive flow for the servers entering/exiting the kitchen area. Hope to be regular dinning customers. Thank You Chef

My family and I came out to find a new Italian restaurant to enjoy and I think we found the one! Erin was an amazing server. She was super knowledgeable about the specials, asked us if we would like to start with appetizers and just made our dining experience superb. The food was amazing and very flavorful.

Food is always great and the staff are kind. We have been several times. They did a wonderful job serving 14 of us for our Dad’s 70th birthday this last time. Highly recommend!

Tried it for the fist time after living in the area for the last two years—celebrated our two year anniversary tonight. Food was fantastic. Atmosphere was great. Cannot say enough of how good the bruschetta was and the lasagna! Chefs kiss! You don’t want to miss this place. You won’t be disappointed. A+++++ The absolute BEST Italian food I’ve ever had.

Cute, cozy restaurant with great food at a reasonable price. Started with the Aranchini appetizer, had the eggplant dish for dinner and a cannoli for dessert. Everything was fresh and very good. The cannoli was one of the best I've had. We'll be back.

We were in town for a concert and wanted an Italian dinner during our visit. We were beyond impressed with the cozy feel of the restaurant, attentive wait staff and amazing food. Ordered a green salad- large enough to share, Penni vodka- added meatballs and eggplant rotini. My daughter and I loved every bite. Portions were very good and prices were reasonable with the portion served. We would give it a 10/10 MUST TRY!

Went here for date night & we absolutely loved it the food was fantastic we got the veal Chop special lobster ravioli & the carpaccio as an appetizer . The service was great erin was our server & the ambiance topped it off . Definitely our new date night spot .

It was great to be an authentic Italian atmosphere in Charleston again. I haven't had this sort of feeling since Tom Pateros (spelling?), back in the day. It's small and snug. Friendly service and great food. The veal picatta and the veal parmigiana was amazing. Littlenick clams are on point! I will be back again and again! I'm in love! It was Christmas and it was slammed! The team ran that place like a champ. Highly impressed.

Absolutely fabulous! A reasonably priced old school red sauce pasta joint with first rate cocktails. The carpaccio, gnocchi and the bread w/ their signature dipping oil was fantastic and the service was second to none. We will be back ( maybe tomorrow)!! Great wine selection too.

I've never finished a whole appetizer ( little neck clams) and my entire meal (carbonara). My husband had a veal chop with braised short rib ravioli. Everything was perfect, including the service. Kiara brought kindness, Smiles and professionalism to the table.

Very welcoming place, my bartender Katlin was really awesome, drinks was top tier. The food was really good. I got the Salmon alfredo, really good, very tasty and the presentation was amazing. Highly recommended this modern style restaurant.

We absolutely love this restaurant and the staff. It was where my girlfriend and I had our first date and it was on the night of their soft opening. We go back every month for our anniversary!! I proposed to her tonight there and the staff took our pics. Amazing food!! Try their specials. ❤️

We had such an amazing experience at Ciao Bella Restaurant, Pizzeria & Martini Bar! From the moment I first called to reserve a large dinner for 18 adults, the staff was incredibly pleasant and accommodating. I even called multiple times to confirm, and each time they reassured me with patience and kindness. When we arrived, the tables were already arranged and reserved for our group, which made everything seamless. Maria and the entire staff went above and beyond to take care of us. The drink selection was spectacular—especially the Lychee and Feelin’ Peachie martinis, along with their flavorful wine selections. Our group ordered a variety of dishes—wings, salads, truffle fries, calamari, octopus, shrimp scampi, gnocchi, lamb chops, lasagna, salmon piccata, alfredo and everything was absolutely delicious. What made this dinner even more special is that the majority of us grew up in West Ashley, so it was important to support a local restaurant in the area. Ciao Bella truly delivered on every level: service, food, drinks, and atmosphere. Highly recommend for both small dinners and large gatherings!

Second time back since the reopening. Both times the food was delicious and the service was very good. We went on Sunday nights at 6. Both times place was full with diners;seating can get a little tight. We plan on dining there at least once a month,probably during the week.

Was pleasantly surprised. The staff are polished and friendly. Best ceasar salad, beef carpaccio, and alfredo I have had in a long time. Looking forward to experiencing more of the menu.

There isn’t enough room in this little box to express how AMAZING my experience was. From the food, the service and the environment .. EVERYTHING was TOP TIER! Tonight we started with the truffle fries as an appetizer which was TO DIE FOR … following with the Lobster ravioli for myself and the Penne Alfredo with added vegetable for my significant other who doesn’t eat meat. He was so impressed with the dish he took a menu home and is already planning his next meal for our next outing which he has stated will be VERY SOON!!! Thank you again to the the staff and owners of Ciao Bella for such an amazing meal and experience ♥️

I took my daughter there for dinner to experience a little bit of Italy & the ambiance was on point. The service & food was amazing, portions ample. We shared the spaghetti & meatballs, penne alla vodka, canolli & tiramisu. For the full Italian experience ask for Sal, so fun, attentive and friendly. We are definitely going back.

Everything was excellent. The appetizer, aranchini, was amazing. We had the veal parmigiana, eggplant and red snapper. All were fantastic. Our server, Sal, was very responsive and helpful with recommendations. Definitely will come back and recommend Ciao Bella to everyone

My sister and I shared a quick bite, a delicious salad and the fried calamari.Our server Sol recommended a glass Of Sauvignon Blanc, which was delicious. We weren’t rushed, even though we got there late and the restaurant itself was small and charming. If you’re in the Neighbourhood, I recommend you stopping by.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely AMAZING experience! I visited my friend’s Italian restaurant and everything was beyond delicious. I had the lobster ravioli special, mussels, and the meatballs—every single dish was full of flavor and cooked perfectly. The lobster ravioli was rich and fresh, the mussels were seasoned so well, and the meatballs were tender and flavorful. You can truly taste the quality and care put into the food. If you’re looking for authentic Italian food that’s fresh, satisfying, and made with love, this is it.

I would rate this a 4.2. The food and service were excellent, but the room was on the noisy side as the room is small and the tables were close together. I thought the prices were a little on the high side. We each enjoyed the Ciao Salad and the Ravioli Di Aragosta (Lobster Ravioli with large shrimp, In pink creamy sauce). We had no beverage and split a slice of the Limoncello cake. The bill was about $100.00 before tax and tip. All-in-all because of the quality of the food, I will return. Ample parking.

First, I’d like to point out very nice restaurant not really spacious. I will not lie, but the inside is very nice and the servers were very attentive. I will also point out that if it is a holiday and we have reservations it’s not OK to have to sit another 30+ minutes to wait on them but again it’s a holiday so I understand lastly onto the food I ordered the Caprese salad With some calamari for an appetizer, and that was the best calamari I’ve ever had as far as the main dishes I didn’t really have any problems, except for when it came to the chicken Parm very underseasoned was cooked very well, but just had no flavor and no amount of salt brought it back to life. I ended up having to use the oil for the bread to make it taste like something and that didn’t help. I will definitely come back and give another try. Maybe I’ll just stick to pizza this time.

Really amazing food! Everything tasted perfectly. The wait was very long though. Our reservation was at 7:30, we did not get seated until 8:10. It took forever for our orders to even get taken. But everyone was super nice and again, the food was very good. Just expect to wait a bit.

Service was great, confused about the authentic Italian reviews. While the food was okay ( Maybe a off day ) but truly tasted like it was prepped then microwave reheated based on consistency of meals. Coming from a New York family owned Italian restaurant to this there is a lot of room for improvement on quality of food, but overall service and atmosphere is nice

$70 dollars for 2 people. Not including tip.A salad, we split an entree, side of pasta, and 1 glass of wine. The food and service were good. Too expensive. Would recommend special occasions. Not a week night dinner.

Went for Valentine's Day. I expected busy, but it was cramped like sardines in there. Food was excellent, I would order for delivery, but not go in again. 1. Not a real issue, but for those who are not alcohol inclined they serve Pepsi products, sweet tea and lemonade. Not listed on any part of the website or menus. 2. Italian restaurant... Expected, readily available parmesan cheese...reality. I requested it, but never received. Expected spoon to keep mess down when twirling noodles... Made due with knife. 3. Bread .. we had two at our table, so an even number of bread slices would have been nice. 4. Was never offered a drink refil. Our serve met us, took our drink order, took our order, delivered our food and check. Did not check on us at all. I understand busy nights. But it's Valentine's day, pre-planning was an option. Parmesan should have been available at the table since it was not fresh from what I saw. And yes I'm very salty about the cheese. Set up was so very tight. No wheelchair could have been used here. So definitely not accessible. Partner and I discussed it could have been a fire hazard. It was so loud that the atmosphere was not romantic at all. I forewent dessert because of the service. I got a cone from McDonald's instead. Very disappointed.

The lights are too bright for a 8/9 pm dinner. The hostess was no where to be seen, waitress we had acted like we were inconveniencing her by being there. Was very rude when asked if they had gluten free options. Also I ordered a drink the rest of the table said no. She kept asking till I finally had to tell her she is saying no because she is a minor. She kept trying to get my 19 yr old to order a drink. Got very passive aggressive when we said we did not want our food boxed up. Made a comment about are yall tourists, we aren’t but that should that matter. Very disappointed experience we had seen such good reviews and it was not our experience. Other staff was friendly when passing by.

I am not sure where to start. The menu was lovely, everything was described well, a plethora of things for my palate to choose from. I was exceedingly excited to see Osso Bucco on the menu, especially paired with Risotto. Husband ordered Antipasto, Eggplant Rolitini and garlic oil noodles. We live less than a minute drive away, placed the order for pick up, received confirmation, and anticipated completion time window. Arrived just as the time window commenced. Parking lot was full, attributed this to a better possible outcome than the previous tenants of the building. Notification comes on the phone, "Your order is ready for pick-up!" Great! Staff was kind and attentive, but my cuisine was still in preparation, with a 15 minute delay, so back to my warm vehicle I went. 15 minutes later and back inside I ventured to collect my repast, which was fortuitous, as they were just boxing the last item. For what reason do I offer all of this information, you may ask? Why to illustrate my vast vexation upon arrival at my abode to find my Osso Bucco had spaghetti. I so was looking forward to the risotto. Now you may wonder if this was enough vexation to earn such a low rating? Alas, nay, this would have been a minor inconvenience had the Osso Bucco been fall of the bone tender, or dare I say, warm even. Or had the Antipasto been plated and not just layered into the tin like a lettuce-lacking salad that had been soaked in gobs of vinegar. Maybe the eggplant would be a redeeming element you ask? Perhaps, should anyone enjoy chilled eggplant, and generic tub ricotta, covered in jarred red sauce. And I would rather not talk about the spaghetti side that recalled memories of highschool lunchroom meals. 2 stars for the mushroom red-wine reduction sauce with the Osso Bucco and the realization that absent risotto was better than abhorent risotto. In short, the food did not outweight the heartburn illicited.

We placed a pick up dinner order tonight through door dash. When we got home we discovered that our order of meatballs was missing. I called the restaurant and explained that part of the order was missing and that we would like a refund. I was informed that we would have to bring the entire order back to the restaurant to receive a refund for the missing food. When I explained that it was a long drive she insisted that we had to come back to the restaurant. We thought this policy was ridiculous and refused to make the drive to get our money back. We are very disappointed in their customer service.

Last night my husband and I and two friends dined at Caio Bella. It was our first and last . My husband ordered shrimp scampi. It was horrific. The shrimps were not peeled let alone cleaned. Since when isn’t the shrimp peeled and deveined and sauté in the butter, garlic and white wine sauce? My husband peeled 3 of the 6 and brought the rest home and cleaned them. I ordered an appetizer, calamari. It tasted like it was pulled out of the cardboard box from Aldi’s, placed on a cookie sheet, thrown in the oven and overcooked it to a nice rubber band. The other three ordered the eggplant. I have never tasted eggplant prepared like that. My first bite was so tough that I couldn’t chew it. The taste overall was very acidic, like the eggplant or the sauce was old. I didn’t eat it. I took it home to really take a look at the way it was prepared. I eventually threw it out. The pasta I took home, I thought I could doctor it up, and maybe be able to eat it. I threw it out as well. The bread was good. After we left the restaurant, we all agreed that the meal was horrible.

My lasagna and wives allavodka were over the top salty. We could not eat more than a few bites and that was enough. Told our server but she didn’t nothing to help us other than say she was sorry. Pretty much for us a $100.00 wasted. We would not return here.

We had family visit and took them out for Italian. The restaurant was cute and we were seated immediately. Tight quarters for sure and Only gave an 3 for atmosphere due to tightness and also noise level. Everything started well. The menu had many dishes we liked. I lived in Italy for 4 years. Southern Italy. And I traveled all over Italy and have eaten in back yard trattorias and fine dining restaurants. I was excited to see a couple dishes I particularly liked. We ordered appetizers to share. The Mozzarella was premade and frozen. The calamari was as tough as shoe leather and had no flavor. Premade and frozen. I called over the server and told her the calamari wasn’t good. She explained to me “ oh a lot of people say that. You probably are going to say it’s you that. It’s not tough. We hand cut it fresh and it’s different than a lot of other restaurants because of that. I started to say I have watched many chefs prepare fresh calamari and hand cut does not produce exactly the same thickness of each slice. Only a machine does that. And there were no tentacles or other parts that come with fresh And properly cooked and prepared calamari is as tender as butter. Much better then frozen. But I realized that it would fall on deaf ears. Service started to decline immediately after that. DIL ordered spaghetti and meatballs. The driest meatballs I have ever tasted. Served over noodles and hated sauce that was mediocre. Husbands veal parm was the driest, thinnest piece of some unrecognizable meat. And the same tomatoe sauce over it and spaghetti. My husband NEVER complains and will eat anything. He didn’t eat half and said he will never go back. My Carbonara was so over loaded with onions that that is all I tasted. I tried removing a lot of them but the taste was overwhelming. I cannot recall what my son ordered. But he also did not eat much of his. I know that they will say it was all fresh made. I don’t care. I can cook Italian better than anything we were served and I am not a chef. I do have a food background and can recognize premade frozen food. To be honest, it was the worst meal I have eaten in Charleston. And actually maybe anywhere except maybe McDonalds or 7-11! We all have different tastes and I am aware that I simply may not care for this food. But 4 of us, All from different states and different taste all agreed that this restaurant was not a place we would want to go back to.

Nice ambiance, our server was very nice and helpful. We were two couples, 2 of us ordered Bonanza Cabernet “ which is not great to start with” but they brought us 2 glasses of incredibly cheap sweet wine, I went to the bar to ask for a taste of the Bonanza, the bartender immediately said I poured you the wrong wine, then she went to find a bottle of Bonanza which took her forever, then she only poured one new glass of the correct wine, I had to tell her that we ordered two glasses. They also didn’t put any liquor in one of the martinis. The Meatball appetizer would have been great except it was soaking in a very heavy salty cream sauce. All of our entrees were all too salty to eat. Even their Parmesan cheese was too salty, it tasted like they were buying some cheap cheese and adding salt to it. Very disappointed and would never go back. So Sad a nice night out was wasted at this place.

In my opinion, you could get much higher quality fresh, authentic Italian food downtown for the same price. You can tell this place does not use fresh ingredients. The gnocchi was absolutely terrible. I added chicken which made it out to be about a $40 entree and I could tell the chicken was just pulled from the freezer, microwaved and thrown into it. The chicken parm seemed microwaved as well. The chicken itself was tough and chewy while the breading was soggy and smothered in sauce from a jar, with a side of spaghetti. I can’t believe they charge $30 for this. If you’re going to spend this kind of money, go downtown where the chefs are passionate about what they are putting out, because you can tell they are not doing that here.

What an absolute disaster of a Valentine’s Day dinner at Ciao Bella in Charleston! My fiancée and I were excited for a romantic evening on February 14, 2026, but this place turned it into a nightmare we’ll never forget. Let’s start with the so-called “filet mignon”: Mine arrived lukewarm at best, with a cool, undercooked center that made me question if the kitchen even owns a thermometer. But my fiancée’s? It was literally COLD—like it had been yanked straight out of the refrigerator and slapped on a plate without a second thought. How do you mess up a steak that badly? It’s not rocket science; it’s basic cooking! And don’t get me started on the pasta. We ordered what was supposed to be their signature dish, but it tasted like absolutely nothing—zero flavor, zero effort. It was limp, dry and disgusting texture, and had that unmistakable reheated vibe, like it had been zapped in a microwave for 30 seconds and called “gourmet.” Who runs a kitchen like this? Are they even trying, or is this some kind of joke on paying customers? And for the prices they charge, it’s downright insulting—overpriced slop that wouldn’t pass muster at a fast-food joint. Ciao Bella desperately needs new management—stat! The current team is clearly out of their depth, turning what should be a special occasion into a comedy of errors. Avoid this place like the plague, especially on holidays. We won’t be back, and neither should you. Negative stars if I could!

Very disappointed ruined my Valentines Day dinner ! Meat was icy cold. They gave every female a rose except me and the girl that worked there kept touching my fiancée eww tacky and gross and rude !! Do not eat here! I added a pic of the trashiest employee I ever ran into at a restaurant! Not worth the money! Don’t waste time ! Fast food is better than this place !

The evening started as a very nice evening planned with friends. Read good reviews for this Italian restaurant and Martini bar. Unfortunately the experience was far from positive. We ordered drinks and wine. The incorrect wine was served. The bar tender seemed clearly put off by the fact that we realized it was incorrect. That was the start of the avalanche of bad service into food to come. She corrected the wine with an attitude (RBF). Ordered meatballs for appetizer. Meatball alone was ok- if you could wash the salty extremely rich tasting sauce off. Let’s talk about the dinners. Lasagna- salt was the main ingredient. Penne alla vodka again main ingredient was salt not creamy but dry. All of the food was so salty it was inedible. For me to not be able to eat my pasta - it’s a first. I am not one to complain about my food but this was NOT edible.