Good food and great ambience.

The best Woodfired Pizza in Ithaca! We love this place. One of the best pizzas in the Finger Lakes area.

I rarely give 5 stars for an establishment, but Ciao knocked it out of the park for our family. From walking in and being greeted by the hostess who told us it would be a 15-minute wait. To notice, we had a baby and seated us within 5 minutes. From the waitress bringing out milk for our little one and food. To the restaurant serving the most amazing pasta dishes. It was quick service and everyone was so friendly. We ordered the Calamari, Caprese Ravioli, Rigatoni, Penne with tomato sauce (for a kids menu item, the sauce was amazing),and the bread pudding also amazing. Thank you so much!

Great food and great service at a reasonable price. And their gelato ice cream is out of this world. If you’d like Italian food, you can’t go wrong at this restaurant.

Great food and service. Good prices..awesome pizza..great ambiance

For being our first ever visit I must say we were very impressed and will definitely be coming back. The second we arrived we were joyfully greeted by a hostess who placed us at a nearby table and ensured that our waiter would check in shortly. As an Italian I must say the menu was very overwhelming (in a very positive way) due to the many comforting food options available. The more cultural dishes that are available just meant that there are plenty of more reasons to come back! Our waiter, Brandon, was absolutely fantastic. For him having to manage the bar and wait on tables at the same time I must say the attention he devoted to both areas was unmatched with any other dining experience in the region. It’s as if any second you needed something he knew in advance and was right there when you needed him. The food was fantastic as well. We started off with some wine, a Caesar salad on pizza crust and the platter of chicken wings. Our main course consisted of a mushroom and cheese pizza along with an Italian styled burger with fries. They were both cooked to perfection. Due to the generous portions we decided to opt out on dessert but everything they had to offer for dessert sounded delicious. We also very much enjoyed the warm and professional atmosphere and I must say the Christmas decorations were a fantastic and welcoming sight. Thank you everybody. Can’t wait to come back!

There arent many italian places in this area so i am very thankful Ciao is around. Arancini is always delicious and the lobster ravioli is always a favorite. Recently tried the carbonara with salmon and that was delicious as well.

We wanted a simple and quick meal before our concert and Ciao delivered on all counts. Besides, it was central to meet up with the friends. Sometimes it was hard to hear conversation but good for them, to have a busy dinner hour!

We were a party of seven and all of our dishes were delicious! Our server, Dustin, was great! Very friendly staff! I'm gluten-free and highly recommend!!!

Absolutely the best service I've ever had from anywhere ever from our waitress, Sarah. The food was out of this world! The atmosphere was just perfect, too. It's now my new favorite Italian restaurant and I can't wait to go back to try something new!!

We love the white clam pizza and wood fired chicken wings, had a wonderful Sunday dinner here! Highly recommend!

Fantastic meal! Our first time there and we had a great experience. Our delightful server whose name I unfortunately can't recall told us it was her first night there, but if she hadn't told us that I never would have guessed. Very attentive and kept checking back to make sure our visit was perfect. We don't get to Ithaca too often anymore, but when we do we'll be sure to return.

A-MAZING! I'm not sure what more I can possibly say about this place. The food is absolutely incredible. The red sauce simply amazing. Better than Nana used to make. The fresh basil ... chef's kiss. Treat yourself and start with Arancini. There's only 3 and you'll want more, but it's absolutely amazing. Portions are huge and everything was done to perfection. No cold spots, nothing over-done on one side. Simply the most amazing restaurant in the area, bar-none. Date night will never be the same.

+1

I had dinner at Ciao’s tonight and it was delicious! I highly recommend the lasagna and the wood fired chicken wings. Ohh by the way mojitos come in a big pint glass! Our waitress was awesome as well. I can hardly wait till I eat here again.

Solid HH spot. Usually busy but service and food is quick and welcoming!

I had dinner at Ciao's with my three teenage granddaughters on Sunday and the food was absolutely delicious! One of the girls had the Salmon Carbonara, another the Lasagne. Another granddaughter and I split a lovely house salad and a pizza! This review is mainly about our server David, however. I worked as a server and floor manager for fourteen years in a very popular Irish restaurant/bar in NYC, and while I am usually very satisfied with the service I receive in most restaurants, I was so impressed by David's attentiveness, courtesy, and professionalism that I simply had to take the time to write this review. The girls and I loved the food, and David made the whole dining experience a true pleasure!

Lovely atmosphere, delicious food and sweet, courteous wait staff. We had our Valentine's dinner here and everything was wonderful!

Stopped in for an early dinner on a Saturday evening. Our timing was good as the restaurant quickly filled up. Or server was prompt and attentive and she and the manager, Erica, went out of their way to make sure my birthday dinner was exactly what I’d hoped for. Erica clearly had everything running smoothly, checking in with customers, assisting servers and creating what seemed to be a cohesive, collaborative work environment. Our meal was, as always, delicious and Ciao continues to be my favorite, local restaurant.

Julie was such a pleasure to have as a waitress. The staff, food and service are top notch here.

This place is awesome. The pizza choices are fantastic, I had the steak and Gorgonzola fettuccine and it was great. I’ve been here several times and everything is always good. Will definitely be back.

Definitely recommend this place and would suggest calling a head the day you plan to dine here - it was quite busy! Service was great and our waiter Zachariah was exceptional in service and awareness of the dietary restrictions of our group (gluten free/Celiacs, dairy free, and vegetarian). He was attentive and it was a great experience. The food was great and you should absolutely give this place a try.

My food did not come out how I had expected. My waitress (Molly) was very fast to fix it, she went to get her manager (Erika) so I could ask some questions about the steak being changed from what they previously serve, she said yes. I told her what I wanted and she made sure that I got it. The attention to detail she has is amazing and if my business was big enough that I needed a manager I would have tried to snag her. She is the type of manger that business owners look for. She helps bus tables to save time to get more people seated. I see that she is an asset to the way that Ciao is run!! She deserves to be recognized!

Can I just say Spettacolare!!! Imagine this: a group of a dozen touristy types show up 15 minutes before closing time and all want to seat together... and they accommodate all of us. And the waitress obviously had superpowers as she handled all of us ... did I mention there were six tweens? What about the food Mr. Reviewer? you must be asking... can I say Spettacolare again! Tasty, good Italian food at really decent prices... especially in somewhat pricey Ithaca area, where I've been dropping some mint eating, I affirm that this joint has really good food for really decent prices. I saw a lot of different dishes being scarfed up at the speed of good food, and good wine being consumed. At the end, incredibly enough, the super hero waitress gave us individual checks! I most highly recommended this place!

Best Pizza and Chicken Piccata, service is great and food is ready really fast.

Great food and atmosphere. You can sit and watch the pizza chefs throw the dough in the air and put it in the wood fire oven.

+2

Great pizzas and pastas. My go-to place for italian food in Ithaca. The prices are reasonable and the service is always good! The woodfired pizzas are phenomenal and the desserts are great too. I tried the lemon mascarpone cake and the tiramisu--both incredible!

Great restaurant with fast, welcoming service. The food was delicious, and I especially recommend the arancini.

Absolutely love their wings, brusheta, Roma pizza and their lemoncello. Never had a bad meal there.

I loved this place. The food was great. I had a salad on pizza dough. It had a good vibe and our server, Jessica, was very friendly and attentive. Would definitely go back.

We ate there earlier this week for the first time in a while and the food was incredible and the service was outstanding. Dustin was our waiter and the drinks never went dry! I am particularly fond of the polenta fries!

Nice bar, tasty food and friendly staff. A nice place for a tasty sit down meal.

Hidden Gems of Ithaca and Cornell university area , best Italian restaurant. Food and service A+ .

The atmosphere and food was amazing. Whats worth mentioning is the service. Our waiter was nothing short of amazing which stood out.

Been coming to Ciao for years, and have never had a bad meal. Today for the first time, our order came back very incorrectly and cold. The manager was very quick to make up for the mistake, having our meal entirely remade instead of thrown under a heat lamp, and comped that part of our meal as well. Mistakes happen, but to have been coming for years and only ever experienced 1 mistake is hard to come by, and the customer service that followed is even harder to come by.

Excellent place for a meal especially pizza snd pasta!! The pizza was cooked deliciously!! I highly recommend the Ciao Special Chicken Marsala!! It was so yummy!! The service was very friendly and very efficient! I highly recommend this place! Definitely check it out!!

+5

Food was really and good! Service was great for a holiday night and the food was served fresh! We had the appetizer, 2 pastas and a pizza and a kids meal. The tuscan really stood as the sauce was impeccable

+4

One of my favorite places to eat when I want a special meal out. You can see the oven where they cook all the pizzas, and it's a lot of fun to watch for your own order to get popped in and out! They're not too big, so you can order one for yourself and take the leftovers home easily, but still big enough to share with a friend. I also love the arancini and their desserts are wonderful.

Ciao! rhymes with Wow! WOW will be the word used to describe this restaurant. A spectacular treat of harmonious taste tantalizes the palate from every angle... First, the restaurant is tastefully arranged. Allowing for both camaraderie and an intimate feel. We were politely greeted upon entry and seated quickly for this festive Saturday night. Having recently left our friend's engagement party, we were surprised to be seated quickly. Fret not; the restaurant was undoubtedly bustling that evening. Happy faces abounded. For an appetizer - I ordered the Arancini. The order comes with three good-sized balls of risotto and the perfect mozzarella ratio. The sauce the appetizer basks in is, dare I say, drinkable?! Wow-the Pomodoro and pesto should be bottled and sold in 20oz. options! I ordered a pizza for my main course - not just any pizza! A wood-fired, well charred, pear and gorgonzola pizza. Wow, the taste! Wow, the yummy chewy wood-fired crust! Wow, the toppings; bacon-wow, caramelized onions-wow, thinly sliced pears-wow, salty gorgonzola that pairs well, well, with the pear-wow! Not to outdo this fantastic review of party palate fare, but the star of the show, at least for this evening, and at least for me, was my Long Island Tea. WOW - The absolute best Long Island I've ever had. And I might know a thing or two about Long Island's. These were so good; I ordered two! The service was excellent. The ambiance and atmosphere were great. The energy from the staff and the patrons were great. Everything had that WOW factor.

Wow, great surprise. The arancini was some of the best I've had outside Sicily and artfully plated. The Shrimp Savona was magical, garloc shrimp linguini in pesto sauce with chopped tomatoes, sprinkled woth bacon and covered with bread crumbs and deep fried greens. AWESOME! The tiramisu and limoncello cake were both excellent (yes, I ate both, myself). At first glance inside, you'll think it's a chain because it's so clean, well laid out, decorated, and managed. But this is a family run establishment.

+1

Quality food. Fast efficient service. Management checked in to assure quality. Joe administered excellent customer service and has made great recommendations for food selections. Could have not asked for better. Thank you!

Our 4th visit here. Food outstanding as always. Especially good is the shrimp scampi pasta. You might even see a doppelgänger of Emily Blunt (our server Sara who was absolutely awesome). Service has drastically improved since the pandemic, when they were understaffed. Even so, come early!!!! This place gets very busy.

Quick service and friendly staff. My husband and I were honeymooning in the Finger Lakes and just wanted a pasta meal since we had been eating out a ton (we'd been getting a lot of sandwiches) and this hit the spot. He got pasta with pomodoro sauce and I got spaghetti with pesto. Good prices and generous portions (I think they gave me a whole box of spaghetti!).

The food was absolutely delicious and the service was amazing! Amy was our server and she was so kind, high-energy, and genuinely sweet. She made the whole experience even better. We ordered pizza and it was incredible. Highly recommend!

G T

Nice restaurant. Great atmosphere, with good quality dishes and generous portions. The waitstaff was wonderful and the atmosphere was classy and family friendly.

Derek Brown

Great food, great service. Had a little bit of a wait but get here before 5 youll be good. Amalfi pizza, chicken wings and a Lansing chiller hit the spot tonight. Thank you for never disappointing. Ciao!

Angelo Garcia

I have visited Ithaca several times and every time I am in town I eat here!!! Prices are modest and the food is delicious!!! Service is friendly and courteous!! Facilities are kept clean and orderly! Plenty parking and plenty to choose from!!! Bring your friends, family and colleagues you will love it!!!

+13

TheRed Hill

We have only done takeout… Lobster ravioli was great… enough that I am torn between repeating that each time , but guessing the other options would have to also be that good. We have ordered their baked wings a few times. They are not buffalo wings-they’re an Italian restaurant, but they are a very tangy caramelized onion sauce. They taste great and are VERY moist and plenty meaty! (It’d be nice if there were an option to add Calabrian peppers for heat, but they are really good as is!) They were super busy with takeout orders, a lot because people were not ready with their payment, but the staff remained pleasant, helpful and all hands on deck.

Dwight Short

This is a hidden gem with really good food and a staff that really tries hard for good service. The pizza is so good and the specials fresh and delicious. The salad choices could be improved but I highly recommend. Try the house multipciono Italian wine 🍷

Lbyor

Found Ciao on Trip Advisor under “best gluten-free restaurants in Ithaca.” Lived up to the hype. Love the stylish yet casual environment. It was busy when we arrived but it still took less than 5 minutes to sit. The host gave us a booth with a view of the wood-fired pizza oven, which was greatly appreciated. I’m glad my girlfriend was in the mood for gluten-free Italian, which is what prompted my search in the first place. We wanted to try something new in the Ithaca area. Service was excellent from start to finish. Our waitress was great. She was very attentive without coming across as overbearing. She did a great job of staying one step ahead at every opportunity. The house bread dipped in the garlic-infused, seasoned oil was amazing. It set the right tone for our taste buds. Our entrees arrived before our appetizer. Although we didn’t mind, management apologized and didn’t hesitate to deduct the appetizer from the bill. They proceeded to serve the appetizer a few minutes after that. This made quite the impression on us because they did not have to do that. And I love a business that acts in good faith. The meatball appetizer is highly recommended. I had a pasta dish that was similar to Utica’s chicken riggies. Every dish we had that involved red sauce tasted amazing. My only constructive criticism is regarding the pear and gorgonzola pizza. I think this pizza could use more pear slices to help balance the dominant flavor of the gorgonzola. The tastiest bites included the pear. And perhaps this pizza could benefit from a drizzle (the aforementioned garlic oil, pesto, or balsamic would be perfect). I should have asked about adding a drizzle, given that this pizza was a bit on the dry side. It still tasted great and we were super happy with our food. We wanted to try dessert and we opted for the chocolate mousse. It was the perfect dessert because you don’t need much room to eat it. And the chocolate mousse had a rich flavor without being too sweet. Overall, Ciao left a great impression on us. I would highly recommend this place. And next time I’m in the Ithaca area, I can’t wait to return to Ciao.

Meldina Muminovic

It was really nice family dinner. Staff were very nice and friendly. Our waiter was super sweet. I highly recommend Ciao. 10/10

Ronald Almanzar

I went to Ciao in Ithaca for my birthday and had the chicken parm. It was delicious! I’ve tried it at other places before, but this one was way better. Crispy, flavorful, and perfectly done. It was also cool that you can choose any type of pasta with your entrée. The menu has a lot of other good options too. Highly recommend!!

Shelby Shultz

Visited on a busy Saturday evening and was seated in roughly 10 minutes. Service was prompt and friendly. My server AB was very pleasant and attentive. I ordered the pizza Giordano, polenta fries, and a cannoli of course. Pizza was fresh and tasty as always and the polenta fries were hot and crisp. I definitely could not finish everything, yay for leftovers. Will be visiting again.

Alisa Castillo

The food here is so, so good! I love a good Italian place and this is definitely it. The atmosphere is intimate and the lights add to the restaurant for sure. I went there on a date and there was so many other couples there too so it’s for sure a nice place to take your significant other. The only thing I didn’t like as much was the service. We’re both in our early 20s so I guess we looked young but I didn’t like how the waiter called us “kiddos” and attended us a lot less than the other tables around us. Two tables left before us that got there at the same time. We had to wait a while to get refills and when we did it wasn’t even from our waiter for another worker who saw us looking for our waiter. Overall though, Ciao is a gorgeous place and it has great food. Finding parking was also really easy when we went.

+2

Theresa Block

Our server was wonderful and the experience was really nice. The food was homemade and amazing! I had the Gnocchi which was homemade, soft and amazing. My husband got something with steak and shrimp. It was cooked well and full of flavor. My mom had the lasagna that I brought home to her which was also really good.

+1

David Gow

They started us with some bread and dipping oil. It was good. Then we ordered the chicken wing appetizer. They were cooked differently then any other chicken wings i have had before but very good. I ordered the Roma Special Pizza as an entrée It was cooked in a wood fired oven and was very good. I also saw pizzas flying out the door for takeout. My wife had the CIAO Fettuccine Alfredo and she liked that. Staff was friendly and place was clean.

+3

Quick trip to Ithaca to thrift and stopped by here again, started off a little rocky because they were absolutely packed. The waitress was super polite and apologized for late food and pizza havi…

Quick trip to Ithaca to thrift and stopped by here again, started off a little rocky because they were absolutely packed. The waitress was super polite and apologized for late food and pizza having…

5 stars so delicious, from the start with the bread and oil , I had lobster ravioli, yummy !!!! My wife always gets pizza . I would say my favorite pizza !!

Nice choice of Italian American food in cozy atmosphere and excellent service . Had baked meatballs as appetizer and lobster ravioli- absolutely delicious. Busy most times but worth the wait even i…

Nice choice of Italian American food in cozy atmosphere and excellent service . Had baked meatballs as appetizer and lobster ravioli- absolutely delicious. Busy most times but worth the wait even…

Nice choice of Italian American food in cozy atmosphere and excellent service . Had baked meatballs as appetizer and lobster ravioli- absolutely delicious. Busy most times but worth the wait even i…

Great pizza, great drinks, and great vegan options! Since a recent food allergy in my family, it has been harder to find restaurants that work for everyone. Ciao was very accommodating and the food…

Great pizza, great drinks, and great vegan options! Since a recent food allergy in my family, it has been harder to find restaurants that work for everyone. Ciao was very accommodating and the food…

This is one of the best Italian restaurants I have ever been to. We had Orancini, gnocchi, chicken parm, and lasagna. Service was excellent as well. Their "blush sauce" is amazing- creamy and del…

Great service, friendly atmosphere, tasty food! It was BUSY on a Saturday night before a comedy show, but so good.

I don't live in the Ithaca area but when we do go /ciao is a must for the margarita pizza! Love it

Don't understand the bad reviews- we come here every month for a margarita pizza and it hits the spot and the drinks are good too (get the pina colada). the pasta is ok- kind of small portions.…

made csll ahead on wait list. we were seated as soon as we arrived. STELLAR service. attentive without intruding. it was my granddaughters 18th birthday and made her feel even more special. all s…

made csll ahead on wait list. we were seated as soon as we arrived. STELLAR service. attentive without intruding. it was my granddaughters 18th birthday and made her feel even more special. all…

made csll ahead on wait list. we were seated as soon as we arrived. STELLAR service. attentive without intruding. it was my granddaughters 18th birthday and made her feel even more special. all…

made csll ahead on wait list. we were seated as soon as we arrived. STELLAR service. attentive without intruding. it was my granddaughters 18th birthday and made her feel even more special. all…

I am from Florida I have dined at this restaurant five times. There food is yummy and delicious. Tonight ( Sunday) I had the bread, salad and pasta shells. The red sauce was delicious. I wish they wo…

I am from Florida I have dined at this restaurant five times. There food is yummy and delicious. Tonight ( Sunday) I had the bread, salad and pasta shells. The red sauce was delicious. I wi…

I am from Florida I have dined at this restaurant five times. There food is yummy and delicious. Tonight ( Sunday) I had the bread, salad and pasta shells. The red sauce was delicious. I wish they …

Ciao was one of the best dining experiences my husband and I ever had. The restaurant was clean, the staff friendly and the food was EXCELLENT!! My husband had the chicken parm (which was a very …

Ciao was one of the best dining experiences my husband and I ever had. The restaurant was clean, the staff friendly and the food was EXCELLENT!! My husband had the chicken parm (which was a ver…

Ciao was one of the best dining experiences my husband and I ever had. The restaurant was clean, the staff friendly and the food was EXCELLENT!! My husband had the Chicken Parm (which was a very ge…

Ciao was one of the best dining experiences my husband and I ever had. The restaurant was clean, the staff friendly and the food was EXCELLENT!! My husband had the Chicken Parm (which was a very ge…

I am not a big fan of Italian cuisine I have been to Italy numerous times a man suggested I try this Ciao Restaurants. Last week I had the bread, side salad stuffed shells and sausage. The bread …

We decided on Italian food near our hotel and landed at Ciao. The restaurant was clean and very busy. We were seated immediately and served by an exceptional young man. He bent over backward to ens…

This restaurant should not be missed. It has high-quality ingredients with very fair pricing. The restaurant is spotless clean with a very courteous staff. All fresh homemade items. Strongly recom…

This restaurant should not be missed. It has high-quality ingredients with very fair pricing. The restaurant is spotless clean with a very courteous staff. All fresh homemade items. Strongly recom…

We wanted Italian and this got the best and most reviews. I almost don’t want to tell anyone so it won’t be a long wait. Lol. Pizza was good. One of the best chicken Parmagiana I’ve ever had. So …

We wanted Italian and this got the best and most reviews. I almost don’t want to tell anyone so it won’t be a long wait. Lol. Pizza was good. One of the best chicken Parmagiana I’ve ever had. So so…

The Arancini are worth making the trip! Highly recommend the chicken parm too!!! The service was excellent. It was great!

Our party of 8 was seated at a long rectangular table in the back which was great. Everyone seemed happy with their meal-huge portion of chicken par., gnocchi disappeared, salmon was small but good, cheese pizza was devoured. My tenderloin steak sandwich was far from tender and impossible to eat as a sandwich. The flair was good but it was very difficult to cut with a table knife.

Sarah, our server, is fantastic, very kind, and attentive. She constantly checked in on us without going overboard about it, and was overall excellent at her job. Anyone who has her as their server will be very fortunate. The food, while not the most amazing thing in the world, is still very good. I would highly recommend it for a casual outing. I want to give high praise to the appetizer wings, as they're very tasty. They also serve a very good piña colada. Overall, it was a pleasant experience with a nice ambience. Definitely not a bad choice for casual fare.

I ordered take out spaghetti- and learned the only spaghetti dish was a white sauce(?). I was given angel hair pasta- way too much for the label of sauce and frankly, the plain pasta didn't taste great. Very disappointing. I'll try again, but what Italian restaurant can't serve spaghetti with a red meat sauce?! I'm hoping the Hostess was just uninformed. Also, $27 for an excess of angel hair and small salad, seems expensive.

Very tasty pizza, and ready quickly. But...when ordering by phone, make sure you confirm the price to avoid surprises. We ordered a pizza for takeout, and the price charged was 33% more than the menu price ($16, advertised as $12).

We arrived as a very large group without a reservation. It did not take long to get seated and attended to by our waitress. She was very attentive to us, getting drinks and appetizers to our table in no time. I have never been at a restaurant that actually served our large group so quickly. The food was better than expected. I would definitely recommend this restaurant to friends and family.

Good service, good food. Large portions, loved the sauce.

Nice service, good food, big portions with reasonable price, best place to go before or after movie.

The food is mouth watering and well seasoned. The drinks were amazing. The waiter was very helpful and had great suggestions.

Very nice place, clean and gives you the feeling of a very upscale restaurant but its casual dress to be comfortable and bring the kids with a wide range of food for everyone. The only thing I would say that was not great is it was busy and understaffed took 15 minutes to place order and then another 40 minutes to get food. The food was not hot but luke worm when arrived. Other then that was a pleasant experience.

We went to ciao for our anniversary and my husband's birthday on Sept 11 just outside ithaca NY and we were beyond pleased to say the least. The wait stage was precise but not pushy. They were elegant but not black tie. Very clean and staffed very well. The atmosphere was nice enough for a couple first day plus soft toned enough to bring your kids for family night. As my husband and I both work in food and beverage industry it was nice to find a restaurant that takes the time, energy, and respect to stay up to date with old school and new school techniques with there business. Can not wait to come back..

+6

We ate here twice and quite like the vibe here, warm enough for small groups or family gathering. I like sangria here and will come back for trying it again.

+6

Ciao is delicious and consistent. The staff are over the top nice and professional. My only reason for giving a four star is it's so dark in there! I know it's part of the vibe but it would be nice to see the menu. I also think a great update would be a patio.

The food was phenomenal, the bolognese was perfection. The service was great, our server was amazing. It is nicely decorated but the day we went in it was extremely hot inside. They brought us water and the ice was mostly melted and glasses sweating. We ordered some drinks and it was so warm in the building they became watered down quick. Things happen and the ac may have been struggling that day. Overall I would definitely go again, just might would not stay long if it is still that warm in there.

Decent spot, loved the arancini. The pizza was delicious too, I ordered the chicken cordon bleu. Would love if they had gluten free or cauliflower crust but the wood fired pizza was delish

+2

The staff here is always very accommodating and friendly. Nothing but good things to say about the people here. The food is not exceptional, but there are some shining stars on the menu. If you get a pasta dish, it will always, without question, be swimming in olive oil. Chicken Marsala? Oil. Pesto? Oil. I don't understand why every dish is drowning in oil. I mean, I'm not the world's greatest critic, but other Italian restaurants I've been to across the country don't have this problem with their dishes. I'd like to think it was a one-time deal, but it's been that way on numerous dishes we've tried over the years. Oh well. Where Ciao really shines is their pizzas. The crust is crispy and light, the toppings are fresh, and the overall meal you get with a pizza is pretty decent. There are some personal preference factors here, though. The red sauce is on the sweeter side, which personally isn't my favorite. I prefer a bold and savory red sauce with more robust tomato flavor, but I understand this is just my opinion. Continuing my opinion, the best pizza available is their Quattro Forrmagio pizza, which I usually add mushrooms to. It's the perfect combination of their spectacular crust with a garlic sauce and cheese, and the mushrooms and a little truffle oil if you have it at home, make this a home run of a pizza. The other pizzas I've tried were the spicy sausage pizza which a strange mix between the heat from the sausage and the sweet sauce, and the pear and gorgonzola pizza which, nah. Just. Nah. You tried, and I'm sure some people find it appealing, but nah. You do you, Ciao. Ciao is always busy as one of the only Italian options on this side of the lake. Or anywhere around Ithaca, really. The restaurant itself has a gorgeous dining room and feels very homey and comfortable, even on busy nights. The bar is sleek and dark and feels like you're walking into a private room with a personal bartender. If you're looking for Italian on this side of the lake, Ciao is still a relatively decent option, especially if you're really looking for some olive oil.

close to the shopping area. Very fresh and authentic pizza, savory pasta, affordable menus, and nice atmosphere. The only thing is that it took a bit too long to get the food, probably due to the amount of guests during dinner.

Amanda Gorges

Palento fries were lacking flavor and I was expecting way more from them. The sacchetti pasta and ravioli were good but the lobster ravioli was on the sweeter side wheras the sacchetti was very rich with cheese. Portion sizes for both were on the smaller side.

Nikoli's Kitchen

Phenomenal food. I ordered the margherita wood fired pizza, the chicken parm, and an espresso martini. The pizza was note-perfect. Excellent crust, the tomatos had a touch of spice to them, maybe from a Calabrian chili oil or something. Wonderfully cooked. My chicken parm was crispy and juicy and extremely well-cooked. The espresso martini I had was wonderful, with a nice chocolate & coffee flavor. Our waitress was incredible through & through, but I'm docking service points because it took well over 20 minutes for our drink order to be done from the bar. We ordered food several minutes after our drinks and still got our pizza before the drinks. Not sure if they were understaffed that night or not. The atmosphere is great and clean but it was also absurdly dark. Like, REALLY dark. Will absolutely be eating here or getting pizza for dinner again. Fantastic place, don't miss it if you're in Ithaca.

The pizza at Ciao is very good! Definitely a place to visit again with family and friends.

The pizza at Ciao is very good! Definitely a place to visit again with family and friends.

Took a day trip to Ithaca with the family and was a great outing. I was researching restaurants that are family friendly and this was one of the top spots open today. The service was great not push…

So I have to give Props where props are due. The chicken parm is the best I've had! Our waitperson was lovely and attentive. Now for the bad news... This past week Ithaca, NY has seen some record…

Very disappointed. We have been wanting to eat here for a long time. Finally found ourselves in ithaca after 4:00 pm. \nThe atmosphere was nice, the waitress was great ! \nThe wings were different …

This is a great local place for a pizza and salad near Triphammer hotels where there aren't many options these days. Lively crowd. Service was quite good for a casual meal.

This is a large neighborhood type Italian restaurant. Fast friendly service. Clean carpet, booths, 1970s vibe and decor. Sadly the items we had were just OK. No better or worse than one would get from a frozen meal in the grocery store. My chicken Marsala had nicely flattened chicken cutlets, lightly breaded, but a bit soggy. The broth had no mushroom nor Marsala wine flavor and seemed as if it came from a premade beef broth gravy packet. The linguine served with if was ok but a little undercooked. My partner’s Lasagna was also just OK. No hint of flavoring spices (oregano, basil, onion, etc) in the tomato sauce and the ground meat in the lasagna was bland. These two dishes can be made much better

Erin Karpich

It's an okay experience. If I wasn't vegan I'm sure it would be better. I did enjoy the Bruschetta. The dish I ordered for my entrée was just okay, the gnocchi.

Bhushan Sonaje

At Ciao restaurant, the staff was friendly and attentive. Being a vegetarian, I placed my order based on my preferences. I was excited to start with the complimentary bread with oil, which was tasty. However, I couldn't help but notice that I received a noticeably smaller portion of bread on my table compared to other tables. It left me puzzled as to why this happened, especially since I was dining with my kid and spouse. Despite this, all the other dishes tasted fairly nice, except for the Margarita Pizza, which was a disappointment. It lacked the cheese taste I was expecting and was mostly dominated by tomato paste. Though the place is popular and crowded, finding a parking slot with a little extra effort is possible. Nonetheless, I did appreciate the restaurant's cooking style, but the portion size discrepancy and taste of the Margarita pizza left me unsatisfied. Next time, I might consider trying a different vegetarian pizza option.

+6

Stopped with friends, had reservations for 14. After a lengthy wait, they could only seat is in smaller groups at different tables. Drink order and food came in no apparent order, with much time …

Stopped with friends, had reservations for 14. After a lengthy wait, they could only seat is in smaller groups at different tables. Drink order and food came in no apparent order, with much time …

Based on reviews we were expecting really great wood fired pizza. The pizza was good, but not great. The crust was pretty average and did not have any char or bubbling, it siding look or taste wood fired. Slow service as well, definitely did not meet our expectations.

Always liked it there, but tonight they fell short. Got 2 pizza's. Both lacking sauce. Too dry. Only 1 water came for 2 people. Waitress had us clearing the table for her. $6 for a domestic beer. Noone asked if we wanted dessert or anything else. Not the greatest visit tonight, 8/31/24.

The food was decent, except pizza was cold when we got home because they forgot to put the wings we bought in the bag so we had to turn around. Our biggest issue was the price though. $18 for half a plate of pasta? $15 for 6 wings? The pizza was an okay price at $15 for a 11” pizza. But the rest is awful. $15 is expensive for a dozen wings. Half a dozen is ridiculous. We got 3 dishes for two people and we were still hungry after because the portion we’re so small.

Very disappointing. Shrimp scampi. $17 for four medium shrimp, three lemon slices, 2 cups of broth and a few chopped up tomatoes and half cup of pasta. The waiter never asked how our meal was. Then I asked to speak to the manager. She said their shrimp scampi comes with just four shrimp. And lots of broth. She did offer to bring me more noodles satisfaction but no other considerations were offered. I said I would never order that again. That's not how shrimp scampi should be. There were a few garlic slices, but no flavor to the broth.

Staff tries to keep up on a weekend . Food was ok, some meal portions are small depending on what is ordered. Would not drive the hour and a half to go again.

I took my family here tonight. We don't eat out very often, and it's because of experiences like the one we had. Our waitress was kind, and our appetizers were promising. Unfortunately, it went downhill after that. Our bill was $150 for five adults and one kid to eat. We arrived around 5:40, and a little after 6:30, we received four of our six meals. Ten minutes later, the other two in our group got their food. The fries on two of the plates were cold, my pasta was cold, and my husband's Caprese burger had a thin piece of sliced mozzarella and no tomato and if there was basil he didn't taste it. The chicken in my son's sandwich looked silly for how small it was in the middle of the bread. After all of this, I asked to speak to a manager, hoping that they'd understand how disappointing of a meal this was. Instead, they made excuses about how it was normal to bring two plates ten minutes after the rest of our table was eating. I very obviously wanted to recoup some of the money we were out for the meal, but instead, I was offered free dessert that I tried to decline because it wasn't the resolution I'd hoped for. For the sake of my oldest daughter, I dropped it before getting more upset about the situation. It will be the first and last time we go there. I really wish the whole evening was handled better. It might not be a high-end restaurant, but it's not a cheap one either, and the experience we had was not remotely worth the price.

Shocking Price Hike, Quality Drop! I’ve been coming to this place mostly for the convenience and reasonable prices — but sadly, this might be my last visit. The recent, shocking 25% price hike across the menu might be understandable if the restaurant had undergone a complete transformation. But it’s still the same mediocre spot — only now, it’s worse. The pasta was overcooked, as usual, the sauce tasted like it came straight out of a jar, and the chicken wings arrived cold and stale. It’s frustrating to see prices go up while quality continues to decline. At this point, the value just isn’t there anymore.

We did a pickup order and very disappointed. Core of romaine was in the Ceacer salad! No fresh Parm just grated out of the can on top. And, we asked for blue cheese for side salad and got vinaigrette. Sorry Ciao, do better. Check your order before paying and leaving!

Nina Libbey

Food was amazing, drinks were awesome, and servers were friendly! However the boss interrupted a server rather passive aggressively while in the middle of taking out order which made the overall experience extremely uncomfortable. Hopefully some better management is on the list in the near future. Great potential but cannot get over the overwhelming sense of a toxic work environment. also forgot to add: the rigatoni scarpiello was super yum aside from the gross management

David

Loud and crowded. Servers running around hurried trying to keep up. Friendly host upon entering with a wait of less than 10 minutes. My pasta and sausage dish arrived cold, and my SIL's salmon dish came with ice cold potatoes with warm salmon. If your looking for a cozy nice Italian restaurant to relax and enjoy an evening out, this is not the place to go to.

Not impressed food was terrible. Portions were small. Won't go back or recommend. Ordered the chicken parm was absolutely terrible. My friend ordered the lasagna. It was paper thin and it costs 24.00…

Not impressed food was terrible. Portions were small. Won't go back or recommend. Ordered the chicken parm was absolutely terrible. My friend ordered the lasagna. It was paper thin and it costs…

Not impressed food was terrible. Portions were small. Won't go back or recommend. Ordered the chicken parm was absolutely terrible. My friend ordered the lasagna. It was paper thin and it costs 2…

Very disappointing to see Ciao put up a political sign in support of the local republican candidate for our town board, but good to know (and to be able to tell others who care about community and sustainable growth) where their ownership (and that of their sister restaurant, the Boatyard Grill) stands. I have been a loyal guest and have brought so many others to both establishments over the years. No more!

I don’t even know where to begin with this. Saturday I came into eat with friends I live out of town now But when I used to live in the area and it use to be one of my favorite places to eat. Needless to say after coming in there on Saturday, I will not be returning and highly encourage others not to waste their time money or health by eating there. I should’ve known it was a red flag when all of the servers that I was familiar with seeing when I would come in were no longer present. The new staff seems to be Wildly under trained-and do not seem to know much about the dishes that they are serving when someone at my table asked if the lobster ravioli was made in house, We were informed that it was “premade”which I took to mean frozen not fresh. The whole environment is dark and dirty and unfriendly. We overheard the small little manager for rating of the servers publicly, which I I found to be wildly unprofessional, not to mention the same manager came up to our table and aggressively asked how everything was eating. We were kind of caught off guard so We didn’t even feel comfortable to express our concerns with how abrupt her demeanor was. But not only was the service questionable and the food not too far off from being the same I then when I went home I felt to my stomach. So anyone looking to visit or come into this alleged restaurant. Don’t waste your time. I also overheard that they don’t make their own sauce or pasta anymore. Really sad to see the quality goes so sparely downhill.

Streaming Iraq War Veteran

$20 for 4 lobster ravioli. Thats $5 each. In this economy that is just ridiculous. Not to mention the water they force on you is disgusting. Im not happy with the price and the staff was ok but a bit slow. I cant really recommend this place. If you do go I would definitely ask how many your getting of something before ordering

Carlos Morales

Nice atmosphere and nice looking place overall. Food and service were not up to the standard last night. Food: 0 ⭐️; Pizza was not good at all, worst pizza i’ve taste in the country. We order one pizza mushrooms/chicken and they use CANNED ingredients (mushrooms) and chicken felt like it was not fresh either maybe frozen or overcooked. The other one was Palermo pizza which supposedly has chicken but only came with 2 or 3 pieces of it, it was more like a sauce pizza not even cheese was visible on it. I think domino’s has better looking pizzas than this “italian pizza”. They offer us to try 2 different plates so I ordered a steak sandwich and they got me a salmon 😓. Service: -5 ⭐️