Ciao BellaGreat food and serviceSometimes, we say that you can tell how a restaurant will be based on their bread. It fits, in this case. Their bread, and all of their food, was delicious. The small size pasta, with the bread and oil, was just the right size. And, the service was very professional and approachable.6/14/2013 12:00:00 AMSo pleasant outdoor lunchst Paul may have WA Frost for outdoor dining, but Bloomington has Ciao Bella! The outdoor ambiance is quiet and ever so pleasant. I met an old friend there and we had a lot of catching up to do. we were there from 11:30 until 4:00. (we tried to compensate the wait staff with a nice tip.) They were very nice and accommodating. Service was prompt but not intrusive.
The halibut with raspberry salsa and mixed green salad was perfect for the first outdoor lunch of the season. I can't wait to do it again.6/13/2013 12:00:00 AMNever does Ciao disappointOn a rainy weekday for lunch I never expected it to be so busy and was glad I made a reservation. The service was a tiny bit slower than usual and I thought that the bruschetta was average but nothing special. On the flip side, the Copper River Salmon special was delicious and the brussels sprouts were wonderful as well. Despite my having to share the sprouts with my friend I still had about a cup to bring home. It was a generous serving. LOVE their food!6/12/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall was a great evening..Overall was a great evening.. Food and service were great...6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMThe atmosphere was excellentThe atmosphere was excellent and enjoyed the food very much! Thanks so much. Gene6/8/2013 12:00:00 AMUtah comes to MNI brought two friends from Utah to Ciao Bella. We had a great meal and, while there was a very rowdy table next to us on the patio, we still had a very enjoyable experience. The overhead heaters made it possible for us to sit outside and that was a real advantage. One friend who ordered the lasgna said that's what he always orders at Italian restaurants and this one was maybe the best he has ever had. I and my other friend had the sea bass which was very good. We ordered three desserts and passed them around. The unanimous decision was that the rhubarb huckleberry cobbler was the best!6/7/2013 12:00:00 AMThis was my first visit, andThis was my first visit, and I took an out of state relative. We were seated quickly, and service was prompt. Both of us ordered small salads with a cup of soup. She enjoyed hers, but my salad was not great (Ciao Baby) and soup was ok (hearty chicken). My cousin said her salad and soup were good (Brasilian and tomato basil).
The food would not bring me back. What was outstanding here was our server, Kirsten. My cousin was having trouble debating between a salad with goat cheese and one without. She opted for the one without, and Kersten brought a plate with goat cheese on the side for her....a very nice gesture. At the end of our meal, Kersten brough us a Creme Brulee on the house. Amazing service...food not so good, in my opinion6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMSpecial placeWe chose Ciao Bella to celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary and were very happy with the evening. The place was busy and the noise level was a bit high but still would not hesitate to go back for any occasion. We plan on returning for an outdoor lunch. The service was outstanding with all service folks pitching to make sure we were well served. A definite gem. When I made the reservation we were asked if this was a special occasion and said it waas our wedding anniversary and it never was mentioned during our visit. Why ask that question?6/6/2013 12:00:00 AMincredible serviceThe service was incredible!! We had a range of ages at our table and the waiter was incredibly patient with everyone.6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMOur waiter was wonderful!!Our waiter was wonderful!! Great Fish dishes and wine!!6/1/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat food/wine but noisyI met a friend for lunch at 12:45. We both ordered the crabcake sandwich and fries -- wonderful! The crabcakes were of lump crabmeat with little binder or filler and the condiments were delicious. The fries were crispy without being greasy and seasoned just right. The wine by the glass list offered a good variety in both taste and budget. However, the noise level was high until the other diners began to leave. I like energetic but it could sometimes be hard to here across the table due to the accoustics. This restaurant would be perfect if they could be improved.5/30/2013 12:00:00 AMStill now quite 100%This is a great spot for lunch and I come here often. I wish they could fix the problem they have with seating guests. They usually have 3 or 4 hosts greeting you but it always seems like mass confusion. Even when I arrived after the lunch rush they still had issues seating us in a timely manner and new arrivals were confused as to who was in line and waiting. Service was fair this time was fair but is usually very good.5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMSo nice to be back!It had been too long since my last visit. Such a beautiful and comfortable restaurant. Love the Heirloom grain salad - maybe one of my all time favorite salads! Paired that with a wild mushroom flatbread and and a nice glass of ZD chardonnay - life was great! Perfect level of energy and attentive service along with limoncello topped off a great evening. Time between visits will not be nearly as long!5/29/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistencyWe look forward to our favorite meal, shared on special occasions. Our most recent visit was our 52nd Wedding Anniv.. We live closely, and consider Ciao Bella a neighborhood asset.5/25/2013 12:00:00 AMCheck it out.Food and service people. That is what this establishment is all about. Upscale without being pretentious. Had a fantastic time & well worth the money spent.5/24/2013 12:00:00 AMWhat a fabulous time!I went to Ciao Bella with some girlfriends for happy hour/dinner. Our server was awesome. He didn't hurry us along but made us feel really welcome and always taking care of our needs. The food was outstanding!! We shared the shrimp flatbread which was yummy, their carmelized brussel sprouts are worth every bite, and the halibut special was out of this world!! Make a reservation because I think they are always busy. They are a fabulous restaurant.5/22/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dinnerLove it here. Been many times. Food is amazing, bestt ahi in town. Noise level/din is high though.5/21/2013 12:00:00 AMVery Good ItalianWide variety and everything we had was good. Meatballs, Scallops & Salads. Much better than any chain italian.5/19/2013 12:00:00 AMBest Overall Dining In Twin CitiesOnce again, superb dining experience at Ciao Bella. The food, ambience and last but not least the service is impeccable. Consistency is key, NEVER, ever any disappointment here.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat dining experience sans serverOverall my wife and I had a good time. When we first walked in the decor looked very fitting and well done and we were promptly greeted by two smiling, friendly hosts. The server was able to answer all the questions we had about the menu, but he came back to check on our appetizer 10minutes after it came out and then to drop off our food. He only had 2 other tables and seemed much more interested in schmoozing the older table of four right next to us. I am unsure if he profiled us as sub-par tippers because we are in our mid twenties, regardless of his reasoning he did a poor job serving us. The two interactions we did get with him after our food came out seemed rushed and uncomfortable. The rest of the staff was great though.5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing!My mom, grandmother, sister, and I ate at Ciao Bella during a recent girl's trip to Minneapolis. After our meal, we all said it was one of the best meals we all had ever had. From the ambience, to the service, to the food...it was perfect!5/18/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat ExperienceThe food was fantastic! Genuinely Italian. Amazing dessert. Service was exceptional. Just a bit noisy. Great for a fancy night out with prices that ate reasonable.5/17/2013 12:00:00 AMFirst time dining experienceOverall this was a great pic compared to the other tired restaurant standby in Bloomington - Kincaid's - that we'd been going to for 20+ years. Most notable was the fact that this place has a "scratch kitchen." All you foodies will know what that means. Everything is made fresh each day and tossed out at end of each night. Even the croutons! The Halibut we had was prepared blackened (and a bit overcooked) - something we missed in the audible description given to us due to the very loud dining room. Tough to carry a conversation. Grade #1 Ahi tuna had a band of gristle running through it. Personally, I would have trimmed that out. So many good choices on menu. We will be back to try more. Big portions so plan to take home leftovers.5/14/2013 12:00:00 AMCiao Bella a FavoriteWe go back to Ciao Bella time and time again because the food is always good, the ambiance and decor are warm and lovely, and the wait staff are among the best in the Twin Cities. Always an excellent dining experience!5/13/2013 12:00:00 AMYou will want to Go BackWent to Ciao Bella on Mother's Day for dinner. It was fantastic. Got a couple small plates to share. Then had dinner afterwards. The food was really good, and the service was excellent. All the waitresses recommendations were great and wouldn't have changed a thing. The menu was very attractive and there are a lot of things I would like to try. Definitely going back.5/12/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Special OccasionWe took my mother to Ciao Bella for Mother's Day dinner, and everything was lovely. Attentive staff, great food, nice atmosphere. I would definitely go again.5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMWe eat out every weekend,We eat out every weekend, but haven't been to Ciao Bella in 2 years. Lately I had heard friends talking they had been there and liked the food. Everything we had and mind you we were with another couple was excellent, from Steak, Chicken Parmesan Chops and Sea Bass we all loved our pics. The tomato soup and brussel sprouts, excellent. Was surprised though that the salads were more expensive then Bacio!! Great evening!!5/11/2013 12:00:00 AMConsistently WonderfulOnce again Ciao Bella doesn't disappoint. Our server, David was knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the food. We decided to split their grain salad and special of the day , which was a porcini rubbed halibut. The fish was flavorful and cooked perfectly. Halibut is easily overcooked but this was not. We were not in a hurry and it was so nice to not be rushed!5/9/2013 12:00:00 AMA GREAT startI have always wanted to dine at an organic restaurant that supported local suppliers. The ciabatta bread served before the meal was a perfect start. I decided to go with the filet mignon sandwich with the house cut fries because I thought that if it was good, I knew I would be back later for an entree. It was FENOMENAL!!!!! The flavor of the sandwich was explosive and amazingly rewarding. I slightly expected the filet to be less tender than I would have gotten if I ordered it as an entree. I was able to bite right through it as if it was a burger. The fries were also great - I LOVE it when they're fresh cut. The lemon dessert was also wonderful. I will definitely be back!!!5/8/2013 12:00:00 AMoustanding serviceThe wait staff is always amazing. Denise was our server on our last visit. Attentive and personable. She made it an even more enjoyable experience. We always enjoy ourselves at Ciao.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMEnjoyed a delicious lunchEnjoyed a delicious lunch but found it difficult to converse over the noise.5/7/2013 12:00:00 AMOverall good Italian FoodGood Food, Good Service, Gormet Italian, a little noisy5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMThe Perfect NightThe food is fabulous. The waiter manhandled our raucous crowd. He was masterful and made the night perfect. We were never rushed, we were pampered and the food was wonderful. There were 8 of us and it was great.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, another wonderfulAs always, another wonderful meal at Ciao Bella. The food was fabulous,the ambience great and the service-awesome! The hospitality at Ciao Bella from the moment you walk in the door-is perfect. Seth is the best waiter we have ever had, anywhere. Thank you Ciao Bella for another delightful experience.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Special Occasion DinnerWe booked a Saturday evening table for a special birthday dinner; all facets of the evening were perfect. Our waiter was outstanding to the point of going out of his way to provide the brand name of the unique steak knives, which we have now been able to order online. My husband had the pork chops which he compared to the pork chop served at Heartland and felt these were even superior. My daughter's filet was very flavorful, a definite "order again" item. The salads were exceptional ,the tomatoes surprisingly tasted like fresh seasonal tomatoes. And considering this was a prom night and they were full with prom couples, there was not a lag in either service or timing of the food, kudos to the staff, we will certainly return. Thank You.5/4/2013 12:00:00 AMOne f our FavoritesAlways great service, and awesome food selections. I'm a guy, and I selected the smaller portions of a pasta dish. I was completely satisfied! This is one of our favorites. A little pricey, but well worth it!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat Service - TOO NOISY!Love the restaurant food and the service is the best in TC - but the noise level - come on you have to shout to hear not great for a business lunch given the noise5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMGreat service, delicious foodOur server, Megan, was wonderful and our food was delicious!5/3/2013 12:00:00 AMReally outstanding food!Hadn't been here for a long time, but was very pleased with our dining experience. Service was excellent and prompt. Server was very helpful in making selections. The calamari was exceptional for Minnesota-very fresh with light and crispy breading. I had the salmon that was prepared to perfection. Very mild taste with an outstanding sauce of butter infused (lightly) with maple. It came with mashed butternut squash and sauted spinach. Molten chocolate lava cake capped the meal!4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMCiao Bella ReviewAlways good atmosphere. Food is great and reasonably priced. Service is very good.4/29/2013 12:00:00 AMAs always, a great experienceAs always, a great experience at Ciao Bella. They never dissapoint.4/27/2013 12:00:00 AMWow, what a great waiterWow, what a great waiter we had! Kudos to Ciao Bella.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMSeth is the best serverWe LOVE Ciao Bella and are frequent customers. My husband and I invited two friends from Woodbury to go with us last Friday, as they have heard us talk about it for years but have never been. I asked for table one and/or for Seth to be our server, and both my requests were granted, despite the fact that Seth's section did not include table 1. Still, he was very attentive and is amazing service, which is why we love having him and always ask for him. The food was great and so was the atmosphere. We cannot wait to come again soon. Thank you for another wonderful evening.4/26/2013 12:00:00 AMCiao BellaI love Ciao Bella, food is great but I continue to struggle with the noise level. It is nearly impossible to have a conversation without yelling across the table. We were in a booth and had to move to the area next to the windows because 4 men were sitting next to us on the other side of the open partition and I could not hear myself think because of one man speaking very loudly. I would never come there for a special occasion where ambiance is important. It's unfortunate because the food is great. Also we normally receive great service but this visit was just so-so. The waitress was very cute and cheerful but seemed stressed and was doing a lot of running around, most of which was not to our table.4/25/2013 12:00:00 AMI had the sea bass and itI had the sea bass and it was excellent. The salad had quiona in it and I don't recall the name but it was also very good. Warm bread was served right away. I arrived a little early because I wasn't sure how long it would take to get there from southeast of the cities. The hostess let me take a booth right away since they were not busy yet. I had a very good glass of white wine but rather expensive. I would go here again on a special occasion. Our waiter was very polite and helpful.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMReliable Cuisine and EnergeticCiao Bella is, as the staff will call it, "Lively!" (Meaning noisy!) If conversation is important, this may not be the place for you. There are heavy draperies in the porch, between the main dining rooms and the porch, but they are never drawn. If they could be closed, the porch space would be a lovely alternative space within this beautiful restaurant.
The wait staff is always attentive and friendly. The food is delicious. The entrées are on the expensive side. There may be a wait for a table, even with reservations.
We like Ciao Bella in the summer, for patio dining.4/23/2013 12:00:00 AMVery loud restaurant, anotherVery loud restaurant, another option should be included in Noise level Check off. Great selection of wines by the glass.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMFood tasted great. PresentationFood tasted great. Presentation of some dishes could be improved. Noise level was harsh.4/20/2013 12:00:00 AMAmazing Salmon special & serviceAfter having seafood last week at another restaurant with national locations and similar prices, I was pretty disappointed. I ordered the Salmon & Goat Cheese Mashed Potatoes with buerre blanc sauce, I couldn't believe the disparity. Where the other restaurant was bland, improperly cooked and generally lacked flavor, Ciao Bella was an abundance of flavor in every bite.
The disparity between the two experiences couldn't have been more abundant. All for about the same price...
I know where I'll be coming next time4/18/2013 12:00:00 AMCiao Bella Rocks!I had the pork chops and they were delicious. Great service, great food!4/17/2013 12:00:00 AM