Ciao Ristorante

My boyfriend and I went here for date night after we saw a viral instagram post about this place, and we were very excited to try it. It wasn't busy at all yet service was slow. We ordered drinks which were delicious, and the canoli was amazing, but the entrees and appetizers were subpar despite how delicious it looked. The food was very plain. The meatball appetizer was just okay. You can get 28oz worth of delicious meatballs from Costco for the price of one from this place. Shockingly I would have rather had Olive Garden because my one plate of barely seasoned spaghetti was 30$, yet Olive Garden gives you endless salad, soup, and bread at least. Other than that, the ambiance was romantic.

Truly wonderful place to celebrate a birthday! As a matter of fact, there were at least 3 other birthday celebrations happening around us while we were there for our own birthday celebration. The choice of a birthday shot or birthday cannoli was nice. And of course every part of our meal was delicious. Theres so much food we had to pack up half of it in to go bags. There selection of wine was also great.

Our first outing at Ciao was back in February 2021 after Covid while on vacation in Louisville. It was amazing then and amazing tonight. We finished our vacation with a delicious, flavorful dinner at Ciao's.

This is the best Italian restaurant. Looked for a few days reading reviews for the best Italian restaurants to celebrate our 31st Anniversary. We had the eggplant Parmesan with linguine and gnocchi with vodka sauce. Blueberry lemon cake 10/10. Nothing disappointing I give this restaurant 100/100. The service was wonderful. I highly recommend. We will make this a place to revisit.

This Place is very cool. Me and my eighty two year old mother were sat in the back. I wish we were sat at a different table, because it was very wobbly, a noticeable during the entire dinner experience. That said, our dinner was a great experience. I highly recommend the pastonioki. The cake is definitely shareable. If I could say anything that would make this establishment that much better, it be to have better refurbish tables. Or a piece of cardboard or something in there to wedge. Also sanitize does not mean clean. Glasses were noticeably Fogged,smudged. Tables sat dirty, even for you for over ten fifteen minutes, not cleaned off.

Delicious food! Amazing happy hour! Such fun drinks and the food is delicious! 10/10 recommend for special occasions or just a casual Monday night! Can’t beat the $5 craft cocktails after 8pm and the half off bottles of wine when you sit at the bar!! A dream come true. Ciao forever!

I love Ciao!! There’s not a single bad thing on the menu and the service is always top tier. My favorite thing is the beet salad, I get it every time!

We had an amazing time at Ciao! Our server, Elise, was incredibly personable and kind. She gave us excellent food and drink recommendations—and she was absolutely spot on. We enjoyed a martini with the frutti di mare and a Chianti with the chicken parm, and everything was phenomenal. It was our anniversary, and she truly made the night feel extra special. I now recommend Ciao to everyone, and the toasted ravioli were absolutely to die for!

We live around the corner, and this has become somewhat of a staple for us. Their dinner has been great, and we had been hoping they'd start weekend brunch. So we were pleasantly surprised when they started offering Sunday brunch a few weeks ago. Today was our first experience, and it was very tasty -- interesting menu options like squash frittata and espresso soda with rosemary syrup. Also quite generous portions at reasonable prices. It's got a great vibe inside, too. They are still working out some kinks so the service was a little slower than other busy brunch spots but I appreciated being able to savor the experience and not feel rushed just so they could turn over the table. It's not super busy there yet so it's a great chance to try it out before everyone in the city finds out about it (the restaurant hasn't updated the new Sunday hours on their website or on Yelp yet so it's still a bit of an insider secret). We will most definitely be back!

I really like the atmosphere of Ciao. It has an old school feel. This was my second visit, waited 3+ hours for food to arrive.....They said there was a glitch with the computer?? Our server was terrific considering the circumstances beyond her control. The manager should have made a visit to the table...no show. The food was good, but certainly not worth the wait we experienced. They definitely need to add "spicy" to the Gnocchi Alla Vodka description. We have so many good Italian restaurants in Louisville, I will probably skip Ciao next time. The parking is not ideal, so if I make the effort, I expect a return.

I want to love Ciao as my neighborhood restaurant but it is very hit or miss each time. We've been in twice for dinner and once for brunch, here's our takeaways: We love the walkability/location and ambiance, they have an interesting variety of private cubby-type tables for date night, high tops and larger tables for groups, lounge tables near the front bar and a nice patio. A reservation would probably be recommended for a larger group. We love the drinks and appetizers here. They offer half price wine bottles which makes for an affordable and appealing Italian dining experience. The pre-fix dinner offered Monday- Wednesday can be a really good option too although they recently quit including wine with it and took off a few of our favorites such as the eggplant parm. We have had 10/10 appetizers each time, including the calamari, crab arancini (crab cakes), bruschetta, Caesar salad, panzanella. However, they started to miss when it comes to the entrees. I enjoyed the gnocchi Al pesto but found the sausage to be very fatty making the meal overall very heavy. The lemon picatta that they recently added to their pre-fix menu was way too lemony and way too salty for me. My friend got the same meal and considered it inedible but the service took so long she didn't bother trying to order anything else. The pre-fix included dessert but somehow the chocolate and pistachio ice cream was also too heavy to eat. Our brunch experience was the most recent. We saw a billboard advertising bottomless mimosas but unfortunately learned they had to stop offering this due to the local laws. We instead got a few pitchers of sangria and mimosas which were decent. The roasted potatoes and tiramisu pancakes really stole the show, they were phenomenal. I enjoyed my eggs Benedict and my friend enjoyed her cacio egg Pepe but found it light on the pepper and no condiments on the table to help. Unfortunately my friend found her frittata sandwich to be inedible, it was an interesting choice to put that on a large bun. The server was very kind about it and they really tried to make it right. The service here is very hit or miss as well. While they are polite, everything takes a very long time. I'm not sure if they are understaffed or if the kitchen is slow, but as the only customers there for lunch it still was a long wait for both drinks and food. Overall, I would give this place a try if you haven't! The drink deals and delicious appetizers make it worth it. But be careful with what you order and don't come if you're expecting a quick meal!

My fella took me here on a date night and it was surprisingly my first visit to Ciao. I am usually not big on Italian food as I tend not to eat much in the way of pasta and steer away from tomato-based sauces, for personal preferences. But I love trying new places to me, and there were plenty of things to choose from that aligned with my personal gustatory preferences. He had made reservations for a Friday evening, but we were either there early enough that it wasn't necessary, or they really just aren't that busy these days. But they do take reservations if you want to ensure seating at a certain time. My cocktail was tasty but was a secondary choice, because my first option couldn't be made since they were out of prosecco? They were actually out of a couple things that made our ordering process and options tedious... For my food I wanted the crab cakes appetizer but with pesto. I thought that would be an easy swap. They came back and told me they could only do that for the meal-sized option. Which...seemed weird. But I did really want the crab cakes so my guy encouraged me to just get the meal-size serving and have leftovers. My dish and his dish were really good though! Good in that I am already excited to maybe go back another time to try more! Hopefully they are stocked on all the ingredients needed for the things on the menu...

Ciao is a trendy Italian spot in Louisville where the food falls short. The oil with the bread was not the best quality and was not seasoned at all. The bruschetta was extremely over toasted to the point of being nearly burnt. The vegetable lasagna was not the biggest portion and was very bland. The shrimp alfredo had a good flavor, but used frozen shrimp instead of satisfying juicy pieces of seasoned grilles shrimp. Additionally, each entree is about $30 for very mediocre ingredients. It is at best, a slightly elevated olive Garden executed poorly. The fountain diet coke, oddly enough was fantastic and the service was prompt.

Just gets better with each visit. The service, food, and atmosphere are just phenomenal. The service has picked up here and was not as paced as it has been on my previous visits. Their ability to rotate new menu items in and keep solid dishes is truly beyond me. The variety on the menu just keeps me coming back to try new things! We sat on the patio and honestly I didn't know they had a patio so large. It feels private even though it's on a pretty popular street. The Neopolitan lasagna was super cheesy and fresh. The pasta sauce is just a tasty hit. It is not super acidic like some tomato sauces tend to be. The pasta alla bolognese was a great take on a classic dish. The sauce was thick and stuck to the noodles, and you got the perfect balance with every bite.

My review is for happy hour drinks on the patio. The patio is so cozy and the perfect spot to meet with friends. The late night happy hour starts at 8 and goes till close. I had the rhubarb spritz and sunshine spritz, they were both tasty and only $5! Our waiter was so sweet and made sure we didn't feel rushed. I can't wait to come back and try the food.

Super disappointed once again. It really seems like they are trying to be an Italian restaurant but keep missing the mark. I wanted to order the Pre Fixe but couldn't get the servers attention in order to do so with enough time to have it delivered before we had to leave for the Headliners show. So much for that! No, they weren't busy (see photo of inside). Meatball was so-so. Bruschetta was not good. Server was nice but kind of clueless. I told 2 other servers that I wanted to order the Pre Fixe meal and they said they had to get MY server. OK but she never came and I ran out time. Still gave a 15+% tip because you just should. (20% goes to good service and 30+% goes to great service.) To sum up: Disappointed.

Chef's kiss! They have a Monday through Wed prefixed menu and you get wine, a pasta, and a salad. Say less. I got the Cabernet, gnocchi (which was good but a little heavy), and the wedge salad. I forgot to take pic of the cannoli which was also so good! I'll be coming back!

Sincerely enjoyed my experience at Ciao. Excellent service and the vibe is very good. Tried the vodka pasta which was fantastic and also has some bruschetta. Would recommend the baked pasta. Will be back!

We popped into Ciao on cold and snowy day, it's was nice a toasty inside and we sat in a cozy booth. We had beet salad (pictured here), fried squash blossoms, prosciutto fig pizza, and spaghetti and meatballs. The staff was friendly and our server stopped by to check on us a few times. We really enjoyed this neighborhood restaurant and plan on going back in the future!

The meatball was beyond amazing but the rest was just mediocre. Totally disappointed with the cannoli.

They had a good dinner deal where you get an appetizer entree and a glass of wine so I ordered that but I felt the food matched up with the price of that. The bread in the bruschetta basket was cold and the texture felt like it had been sitting for a while. The chicken alfredo was really the let down for me, the chicken tasted like it was boiled completely unseasoned and the sauce tasted like jar alfredo sauce. The servers were all teenagers so not very attentive either. One plus was it was at least a cool modern look inside.

Had an overall good experience here. The staff were attentive. We were seated quickly. The environment was very casual and seemed to be a good place for families. We ordered drinks which were fine. We had the meatball appetizer which was good. My husband and I ordered 2 entrees to share. The Gnocchi alla vodka and the Short Rib Ravioli. The gnocchi was good. The ravioli was so bad we each ate one bite before deciding we would just share the gnocchi. The sauce was flavorless as well as the filling. Our waiter did ask if we wanted something else to take home since we did not like one of the entrees but we declined.

Service was great. Ambience was fantastic. Portions were huge. I had Bibb wedge salad and it was so good. Perfect amount of blue cheese and the tomatoes were the perfect touch. Also had eggplant Parmesan and it was perfect. Crispy and hot with a huge portion. Husband had the Ciao Yall-- their take on a shrimp and grits. Perfect spice, creamy polenta. A great dinner!

I came here for a girls dinner. They serve some sliced bread with olive oil (not the best bread but it was nice to have that little touch). The inside is decorated well. They have some outdoor seating in the front and I believe elsewhere although I'm not sure where that is. We sat inside and the AC was blowing pretty hard. We initially asked to move outside but once the AC was turned off, it was comfortable. I shared the Ciao salad with my friend- it was a nice portion and good salad. I'm really here with my review for the eggplant parm. It was so huge. Like- I'm actually making it into 4 servings, huge. It was delicious and crispy. I had an espresso martini that was okay- it was pretty strong so if that's what you want then you'll probably be happy with it. My friends ordered the lasagna and then the shrimp scampi; both of them were happy with their food. I can't wait to come back!

Beautiful restaurant tucked away in a residential area of Louisville. The atmosphere is inviting and intimate with beautiful, rustic decor. Both the drink and food menus were extensive and stunningly designed. Their Aperol Spritz was highly boasted, and rightfully so. Meatballs were also roughly the size of a newborn baby (hand for scale). Delicious food, great for a date night or bringing friends to town.

This was our first time to this restaurant. I thought it was fantastic. Their bread is really soft but did toast upon request. The calamari was delicious. Their crab cakes had a great flavor. Their fried raviolis were great. I would recommend all three of those appetizers. I got the gnocchi with pesto sauce. The edible bowl it comes in taste like pizza crust. Great dish and they give you plenty. The short rib raviolis were scrumptious with a tasty sauce. The lobster raviolis were filled with succulent lobster meat. They only give you four; I wish they gave more. The Ceasar salad used another type of lettuce vs. Romaine. It was equally good. No military discount which was the only negative. For birthdays they give a birthday shot and a canoli. This place was delicious!! Our waiter Jack and his trainee, jasmine, were both great and did a great job.

I went here for dinner and was seated quickly, which was a great start. I decided to try their prefixed menu that included an appetizer, entrée and a glass of wine, with proceeds going to a great cause. Our server was very friendly and made the experience even better. I ordered the bruschetta as my appetizer, the gnocchi for my entrée, and a Chardonnay to pair with it all. Everything was delicious, especially the gnocchi, I would definitely come back just for that dish!

I can't believe I never knew about Ciao! An adorable little spot on Payne Street, offering delicious Mediterranean Italian fare in a rustic, comfy setting. Our waitress, Grace, was lovely. Attentive, friendly, and helpful. The service was beyond reproach, from seating to table clearing to REALLY FAST food delivery, I didn't have a single complaint. The food was delicious. We got the chips and dip appetizer: warm bread, meats and a cheesy dip. House bread with oil for dipping is standard, which was great because we had a lot of extra dip to scoop up! For entrees, we got the gnocchi alla vodka and the warm brussels sprouts salad. DELICIOUS The wine list is carefully curated, and the drink menu is massive and fun. As full as we were, we knew we had to end the evening with cannoli, so we packed up some of each entree to take home. The espresso martini was a lovely accompaniment. We will be back, now that we know it's there!

Had a reservation and were cash only because of a power outage. Really should have tried to be notified. Just went somewhere else since we only had about 20 dollars in cash. Pretty annoyed/disappointed since I really like this place

On our visit, we were looking to get away from the downtown area. In search of a good plate of pasta, we took a shot on Ciao, and we were happy we did. Mezcal cocktail was lovely, as was the Italian margarita. The plates of Alfredo and Bolognese were delicious! The only hiccup was the table - we were sat in a small... almost stable like room which was cute, but it was a tight fit and our plates had to be offset to fit. When in town again, we would definitely go back.

First time here since new ownership. Inside has a nice vibe to it, but be careful of the steps inside, they can use an overhaul they are dark and well-worn looking. I liked the way water was presented not the usual pitcher but in wine bottles - a nice touch. There was a varied menu. The food was okay nothing outstanding in my opinion.m The wait staff was attentive and pleasant. We left through the side door and those steps were scary dark brown with a tiny orange strip in the center. I couldn't see where the step started or ended the dark color blended each step into the other. There needs to be proper lighting and the color of the steps should be easier to see. I was uncomfortable using them. All in all the meal was good the place was clean and charming. Would I go again, probably not.

The new patio outback is great but they should probably not do brunch. We walked in at 11 am and there was no one there. The food took forever because they were "understaffed in the kitchen" the menu included 6 breakfast items... everything except for the breakfast pizza was bland and lacked flavor. Very disappointed.

You probably want to reconsider if you are in the mood for Italian. A party of six we waited four hours for our food and it's really not that good.

CIAO!!! What an amazing atmosphere, I mean... seriously... the most PERFECT corner neighborhood Italian spot. Cocktails were fabulous. Service was attentive and kind. Got the calamari as an appetizer and it's 12/10. The peppers and aioli made the dish stand out from all the other calamari I've ever had (Hubby and I try it everywhere) BUT. The Caesar salad... 3/10. I love a good salad but this one was seriously nothing special. I mean, they didn't even use romaine lettuce. (Reference attached photo) Do better on the salad Ciao... but keep up the good work on everything else

Birthday dinner for the 22 year old. Variety of food options and servings are HUGE!! I ate off my leftovers for two days. The server was so attentive and made not only the birthday girl feel special, but our whole party. The restaurant had gorgeous woodwork that gives it a rustic look and large windows that keep it bright and airy. Definitely going to come here multiple tomes

Food. The food was very American rather than Italian. Our main waiter was very sweet but the waitress was very rude. Disappointed given the prices charged!

Service was almost nonexistent. We were there more than 5 minutes before being acknowledged as we were seated near the kitchen. Ravioli was bland. Lemon drop was awful. The only saving grace was the pizza. Just not enough to make us return. I can give grace but the server didn't even attempt to make a connection.

Such an amazing find located on a corner in a residential area. Quaint interior with lots of indoor and outdoor seating. Our waitress was polite, efficient and knowledgeable of the menu. The monkey bread was great as stated in other reviews. Definitely on my list of places to go again!

We went to Ciao on a Wednesday night and took advantage of their Pre Fixe menu. This includes an appetizer, entree, and two glasses of wine for just $25!!! I LOVED the bruschetta basket-- the balsamic glaze was mouth watering. It was so much food that we took some pasta home. We ate in the dining room decorated in rustic decor, but the covered patio with hanging baskets and large fans looked like a great option for a warm summer night. Our server was kind, quick, and knowledgeable. She even offered to take a picture of us in one of their private booths. We will DEFINITELY be back!

My husband and I went to Ciao for dinner and loved it. Highly recommend Nonna's Baked pasta! Calamari appetizer was really good - nice selection of wines and the Tiramisu was a great end. Service was friendly and quick. Loved the neighborhood feel of the restaurant and parking was super easy to find. We will be back again!

Service was inviting, informative and always with a smiling face. From the drinks, appetizer, salad and main course everything was exceptional! The quaint cozy booth and decor was a perfect date night!

I did not know this place was in Louisville. A friend put me on to this place and it's definitely a hidden gem. The atmosphere is upscale but yet casual as well. They serve everything from pizza to your main staple of Italian dishes. Service was on point and speedy. Everyone was very nice. Food was phenomenal. The back patio should be open soon. Great place to chill, have a drink and vibe with friends.

Its been a minute since I have been here and I am so glad to see it is still as good as the last time. My entree was the Linguine bolognese (slow cooked pork and beef bolognese finished with olive oil and parmigiano reggiano) but I also sampled the Ciao meatball (Freddy P's recipe, house marinara, 10oz, topped with mozzarella, served with grilled bread) and the Tagli de Formaggio (Cheese sticks, house blended selection, melted over our signature dough). Everything was wonderful and we left stuffed with ample leftovers. If I had any critique it would be that out server, while very prompt, never told us about the specials or what the fish of the day was, and that was a little disappointing, but I cant be too sad because what we ordered was fire on its own.

To start, our order was Carry out.. The food is average at best. I am embarrassed to say Olive Gardens eggplant Parmesan is better. The calamari was ok, but nothing great. My wife got the lasagna which had good flavor but was very dry. There are many better Italian options in Louisville. I will probably never return to Ciao.

Love this place! Our server was very helpful and friendly but I can't remember her name. The mussels are delicious. Our favorite part was the magic tricks! He was awesome! Definitely will be back here.

Ravioli lobster was great. Very well made and good service. Will be back. Only thing to note is the back was completely quiet, faint or background music would have been nice.

Every meal has been a pleasure. The past is fresh and the risotto flavorful. Our goto place for a great meal and enjoying friendship (Middle tables can be a little loud- but with people enjoying themselves!

Food was below average. One of the meals we had we could t even eat. Tasted as if the poured broccoli soup over som pasta. We spent 2 hours waiting on food and drinks for dinner. Waitress was slow and basically forgot we were here. My gnocchi aka vodka was good and only reason I'm giving this many stars. Ambiance was good, but don't recommend coming here for any reason

Very Very good! great service and even better food. the shrimp scampi was perfect very even balance of flavor and the nido was very well done with the bread bowl cooked to perfection!

Went here for a girls night and no one was impressed. The drinks were really good. We ordered the Kentucky Daisy, old fashioned and Italian margarita and everyone enjoyed their cocktails. For appetizers we got the toasted ravioli which ended up being our favorite part of the meal. We also ordered the bruschetta and it was lacking some serious flavor. It may be because it's hard to get fresh tomatoes and basil this time of year. We were anxious to try our entrees after reading numerous prior reviews and asking the waiter for recommendations, but it was mid at best. We also heard great reviews about the dessert and so we ordered a piece of the chocolate orange cake and I wish I would've taken a picture of the sad little slice of cake that came out for $13. We were hoping to be able to share but it was gone in 4 bites. The ladies in my party also kept complaining about one of the restrooms smelling like a port o pot so badly that we went somewhere else to have more drinks and use their amenities. I was so excited to try this place but it's a one and done for me. There was nothing I experienced that made me want to return unfortunately.

First off Ciao is a restaurant that I have been coming to for years. It used to be the best hidden spot for amazing Italian food. Tonight might be one of the saddest nights for my wife and I, when it comes to culinary happiness. Our party of six was extremely displeased with the quality of the food. Bland, tasteless, boring ... to be completely fair this was not our opinion before. I order my normal creamy chicken pesto : the "sauce" was food processor basil and literally nothing else. I felt like I was eating a plate of basil. I turned it away after tasting it for the chicken Alfredo, but just as before disappointed boring and bland. Service was fine as a whole but this is a death of an era of amazing Italian food, very sad.

One of my favorite places...great food at a great price...well, USED to be great price. I haven't been here in several months and the food prices have gone up astronomically. $28 for spaghetti and ONE meat ball (used to be $16), $32 for short rib ravioli (used to be $22), etc. I realize food prices have gone up but these prices reflect more than a 50% increase. Sorry, nope. These prices are now comparable to Porcinis and Volare which blow this place away as far as food quality, atmosphere and service. I'm just really sad, it used to be a great little neighborhood place. No more.

Everything about our experience was phenomenal. Loved the atmosphere/ambiance. The service was swift. The food was delicious. I had lobster ravioli, and my lady had the nido di gnocchi al pesto. Neither one of us could have complained about anything. PERFECTION! We aren't from the area (drove over 90 minutes to eat here and go to Lights Under Louisville). We will be back. Absolutely did not disappoint in the least bit.

Great italian restaurant! Arrived at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday evening. Perfect timing. We did not have a reservation but were promptly seated. Quaint and cozy booth. Great service and fabulous food! Rotating tap and casual vibe. Stop in. You won't be disappointed!

I was super excited to try this place but it was truly the worst food and service I've ever experienced :( it took us 30 minutes to get complimentary bread but we were unaware we were getting that so we got 12$ bruschetta - not worth the money whatsoever. Our server barely acknowledged us and didn't check up on us or anything. We unfortunately had to flag down another server to get her attention. We won't be back, which saddens me because I had high hopes! The place is not ran very well whatsoever

Prices raised on average $10 a plate over the course of a single year. That's not inflation, that's price gouging. One of the more extreme examples I've seen of it, especially in Louisville.

Everything was absolutely delicious. Great staff too! We ordered the focaccia and enjoyed it alongside the house bread. I had a white wine which was perfect. The drink menu felt a bit overwhelming though. I had the lobster ravioli and holy h*ck, it was DELIGHTFUL. The ravioli are made in-house, not frozen. Hubs had duck ragu which he loved, no complaints. The wait staff was very accommodating to our toddlers! Our only complaint was the seating, it was terribly uncomfortable. However, the overall ambiance was awesome!