My wife and I are always in search of "our little place" but living in Robinson it can be hard to find something not part of a chain and with delicious food. Then one day we stumbled upon Ciao 2. A great atmosphere paired with hospitality and legitimate homemade italian food. You know the type my mom would have made if i was italian. Our first visit was over happy hour which had great specials on apps and cocktails. the app of a breadstick came out and was a meal in and of itself. A giant homemade loaf with pepperoni and delicious side of their marinara. Dinner was a lucious steak salad and their veal parmagiano. Everything was perfect. sit at the bar and enjoy a great local restaurant in chain filled robinson
(5)
Pragna H.
Probably a good place if you like greasy food. Pasta with chock full of creamy, heavy sauce disguised as Italian food is far from my favorite, but the firsy time I ended up here was for a small work party. Antupasti has poor quality ingredients, the cheese pieces tasted not fresh and the zuchhini fritters had more oil than any other ingredient. I got some kind of seafood dish, which was a piece of fish drenched in ol with a side of pasta. Thats all. The redeeming thing about this place is the warm bread. I did go back for a work lunch when the scallop appetizer was decent. The salad I got this time was okay at its best. Not worth the free parking at Settlers Ridge.
(2)
Robert W.
1st time to Ciao! 2 was tonight service is very slow. The owner was crude when we told him a drink was made wrong, our food order is going on a half hr and still no arrival yet!! Also the waitress after telling me how good the wedding soup was lets me know after I place my order and she disappears for ten mins comes out to tell me they are out of soup....... Really you should know what you have an don't have. If I could give this place a negative star rating I would!! I would recommend anywhere else besides here!! Ahh and I almost forgot the chicken Marsala is fried so much it came out with a horrible burnt flavor I've never had Chicken Marsala with that much breading I think they they started making Chicken Parm and realized there mistake....
(1)
Ryan P.
I recently visited Ciao!2 for dinner and was quite unimpressed. From the moment we walked through the door service was rather slow and inattentive. When our group ordered drinks I ordered a classic mixed cocktail namely a mint julep a drink that hasn't changed in over a century. The waitress when I ordered the drink looked as if she had recently undergone a lobotomy, which is never a good sign. What the waitress brought back to the table was essentially a bourbon mojito minus muddled mint with a sprig of mint as a garnish so large it looked like a pine tree sticking out of my glass. I sent the drink back at which time the owner came over stating that he had personally made the drink himself and assured me that it was his version of a mint julep. I am quite curious how you are able to muddle fresh mint leaves with out having any mint in the glass. After the drink debacle I decided I would try the four cheese pizza thinking to myself that the description sounded appetizing. What arrived was the antithesis of what should be served at an Italian eatery. The pizza had a certain similarity to that of a "Freschetta Brick Oven" pizza with a bottle of olive oil dumped on top. The cheese was piled on so thick it was sickening. I would highly suggest steering clear of the pizza. To set the setting a little the table we were sitting at was located approximately four to six feet from the bar area. The bar had all of the stools, approximately 8-10, occupied with the owner/bartender sitting on the end. During dinner our table was subjected to over hearing his snobbish and aristocratic diatribe over his world travels. I don't care where you have been, I don't care how much it cost you, and I don't want to listen to this dribble while I try to choke down the slop served to me. Now I will give the manager or what I suppose is the manager credit as he took the undesirable food and drink off of the check and offered desert to attempt to make up for the bad experience. This was certainly a nice gesture however after we declined desert and simply requested the check he felt the need to pat me on the shoulder and ask again. I don't know this man, have never spoken to this man, have never seen this man before now, and would rather not be touched by someone I have no idea who the heck it is. If the manager happens to read this review I would like to suggest not touching customers. Please, save your money and eat at a decent Italian eatery.
(1)
Mark M.
We really enjoyed our meal Sunday night. Excellent tasty fare and nice atmosphere. Well run by an engaging family. Do stop in and give this new spot a good start.
(4)
Christopher B.
We went here for New Year's Eve dinner and the food was great. Service was spotty but I can understand because this is a new location and I think they might have been a little overwhelmed. Although we didn't get them, the risotto balls looked like an awesome appetizer. We didn't have time for dessert but the ones we saw passing by looked pretty good. If you like beer, you have to try the 412 ale that is brewed specifically for the restaurant.
(4)
Stevie W.
I walked in to check it out and this old hag at the bar started laughing because we didn't have reservations. He continued to be very disrespectful so my group of seven and I left. Very unprofessional!
(1)
Zack R.
The service was typical Pittsburgh: short, curt, slightly gruff, if not entertaining. The food was typical Pittsburgh as well: tasty, and well-prepared. So why the two stars? Sloooooooow. We waited for everything. Waited to get menus. Waited to put in orders. Waited for orders to come out. Waited for the check. Waited to get check picked up. Waited for check to come back. And I get it that it's ok to wait. But the restaurant wasn't busy, and we waited an inordinate amount of time for all these things. Speed things up and I'd add two more stars. Seriously.
(2)
Money B.
I have eaten here twice, sometimes it can be hard to get a seat. It's small and loud. Most of the food is really good home made food, some things can be just ok. I had a seafood pasta once and a creamy pasta. It depends on what you order. The almond torte cake is good. The waiters tend to be a little pushy. I'm sure in an italian home it's ok to be loud and pushy but not as a server. Even more insulting was when the waitress took the flower and some olive oil off my table while I was eating and gave it to another table like I wasn't even there??? The owner likes to talk a lot. If he is going to get that close to you he should at least use a breathe mint.
(3)
Shelley S.
Amazing service and food!! Ciao 2 served lunch for my family (over thirty people) after my Grandmother's funeral on Saturday. We were served family style the most amazing appetizer, salad, chicken parm, pasta and tiramisu. Service was the perfect speed - every request was honored with a smile and we never felt rushed. I cannot say enough good things about the ciao 2 family - they made a very difficult experience into a family celebration. Thank you!!
As I always do whenever I go anywhere North East of Cincinnati I gotta find myself some Italian food. Because its always better. So I found this place. Now I liked it. I went at lunch and I saw they had a veal cutlet sandwich and a chicken parm sandwich but no veal parm sandwich. However, the guy that worked there was nice enough to make me a veal parm sandwich anyway. So you gotta give them some love for that, right? Also they served the sandwich with zucchini fritters and marinara. I never had a sandwich with zucchini fritters as a side but guess what? It worked! I really liked it. My only complaint is a style of veal. I really like veal cutlets when they are really thin and tender. Their veal was a little thick for my taste. Still good, but you don't get 5 stars with a thick veal
(4)
Nena U.
Food is good BUT the service is poor. I was surprised because I had great expectations about it and purposely didn't read the reviews before my visit. I shouldn't have to hunt the waiter down in order to pay my check so I can leave.. completely forgotten about .. I never even received my wine with my meal after asking for it twice. I think if you sat at the bar or were a regular you would receive better service no doubt. I can think of several restaurants that have good food INCLUDING better service.
(2)
Jack L.
My daughter and I had an impromptu date night so we ended up in Robinson looking for dinner after going grocery shopping at the Giant Eagle. We ended up there mostly because of the neon sign announcing that they are the home of the famous tomato basil sauce. Clever marketing - it got us through the door! I ordered the Veal Marsala. This was just so disappointing. It was breaded quite a bit with not a lot of the "Marsala wine reduction" promised in the menu. Or perhaps the reduction was just so effective that it was non-existent. I tried to ask my server but she was just nowhere to be found. Considering that this is one of the more expensive items on the menu, it just didn't deliver. Veal was bland, over breaded, not sauced and pasta was just a bit mushy. And sadly, the tomato basil sauce was just so-so. Such a bummer since the neon sign announcing the sauce was what got us into this place for dinner! Note to self: never trust neon signs unless it just says "OPEN." I had a glass of wine with my entree - a Nebbiolo suggested by the manager (maybe owner, too?). I didn't know that it would be just as much as my entree. The wine went well with my entree, but it just ballooned my dinner check. I think in order to get really good service, you must be a regular customer. Most of the tables there on the Saturday night we were there were known by our server. The other customers were so well known that she was engaged in so much catching up that it was tough getting our order in, drink refills, requesting our check, then once the check arrived getting her to get my credit card processed. With food and service on our first visit scoring so poorly in my book, there's not much reason to go back. It also didn't help that it wasn't a cheap meal.
Overpriced snobbish owner who is really impressed with himself. Food sucked to say the least. Avoid like the plague.
(1)
Carrie G.
I had always enjoyed the food but will never return due to poor management and staff. I ordered a gift certificate online to be sent directly to the recipient and it was never sent. I had to send countless emails which all by one of them was ignored to address the issue. The one response I did get back stated I would receive a phone call that next Monday to resolve. No call. I then called and spoke to a staff member about the issue was told I would get a call back and never did. I finally called and asked to speak to the manager, who actually happened to answer the phone. I explained the situation and he seemed to be aware. He told me he would call me the next morning as soon as he opened the store and send out the gift certificate. Do you think he did that?? No!! Making your customers chase you to even get a response let alone their money back is not a way to do business! I will NEVER step foot in there again as a result of poor management.
(1)
Jessica B.
This is one of my favorite 'home-cooked' Italian restaurants . I love the family who owns the place, they all seem to work there and they are so sweet. The desserts are actually out of this world as is the rest of their food. They are a bit pricey but I pay more for the experience. I love the atmosphere and always enjoy myself when we make it out. They have an extensive knowledge on the wine they serve, their hand selected beer's and all of the food they make. If you make it there don't leave without trying the crab dip appetizer and arancini balls. Any of their soups or sandwiches that we've tried have not disappointed. The dinner's area always good but not my favorite for the money. You really can't go wrong when you eat here.
(5)
Shazeena T.
I met some friends here for a friend's birthday dinner. I saw calamari and gnocchi on the menu and was excited to try it. It was a huge mistake the calamari was overcooked to the point that it was chewy and rubbery. The gnocchi was awful. It wasn't the soft gnocchi that I am so fond of! Their version was hard and the red sauce they are famous for was tasteless. Who messes up gnocchi!! If you're looking for great italian food go anywhere but here!
(1)
Laura H.
Ciao 2 had been recommended to us by some friends. After checking the web site and reading the reviews, we decided to give it a try. The atmosphere was nice and we received a warm friendly greeting -so far so good. After being seated and greeted by our server, we learned that Nick (the owner) would be over in a few minutes to tell us about the evening's specials and the featured wines not on the wine list. Since we were planning to order a bottle of wine we decided to wait for Nick before placing our drink order. Unfortunately a few minutes turned into about 20 minutes while Nick went from table to table regaling diners with the evening's specials. When he finally got to our table and we told him what we were interested in - he recommended a bottle of wine that was completely not what we wanted. We had to stop him and point him in our direction. We settled on a Super Tuscan which was disappointing at best. We had to wait again for Nick to return to tell us about the dinner specials. The whole thing was just odd. It had the potential to be quaint, but it really was just annoying. We ended up not ordering any of the specials. We started with the Crab & Tomato Bisque which was the highlight of the evening. The flavor was wonderful, there was plentiful, large pieces of crab meat, and the soup was light for a bisque. Next was the Caprese salad. The tomatoes were decent (for March) and it was made with "buffalo" (bufala) mozzarella. But the basil either got too close to the oven or was intentionally "crispy". Fresh basil is available all the time so this did not make sense to us. The menu on the web site had "your choice pasta & sauce" but this was not on the actual menu. Instead there was a selection of pasta dishes. I had the totellini and my husband had the chicken parmesan. Both were truly disappointing. The Tortellini was litterally sitting in a lake of olive oil. The chicken parm was heavily breaded and over-cooked. Furthermore, both dishes were sprinkled with dry oregano. We assumed this was for presentation, but since neither of us car for oregano - the effect was totally lost on us. Neither entree had the "fresh" taste that we are accustomed to getting at other great Italian Restaurants in the area. After we received our dinner, we saw a plate of gnocchi being served tot he table next to us. That was not on the menu. When we asked the waitress about it, she said if we didn't see something on the menu just ask if they can make it. That would have been nice to know BEFORE we ordered. Overall we were both disappointed with Ciao2. Between the quality fo the food and the price, we probably will not return.
(2)
Dorothy H.
Visit and enjoy friendly conversation and wonderful food.
(5)
Carmen R.
At first I had high hopes of a good Italian restaurant that is void of that Pittsburgh take on Italian that can be found at so many run of the mill places. However my high hopes were quickly diminished. The owner likes to talk a good game, uses a lot of Italian words that aren't related to the food that he is serving and talk about wines that he servers and then never tells you the name. The food, outside the meatballs is bad. The thin crust pizza tastes like it came out of a box, the fried zucchini was dripping in grease, and my dinner, "paddled" veal cutlet was bland and boring. The pasta served with dinner was over cooked and mush. On the food side, the sauce wasn't bad and the Tuscan bean soup was good. I won't be back and stay away!
(1)
James M.
Ok, let's start with this...I am not from the Western PA area. So, my palate is NOT like the home crowd. I lived several years in New England, Texas, and Asia. So, my tastes lean toward original, authentic and bold flavors. Noticed from a lot of reviews that the tastes of the food was the biggest complaint. If, you enjoy most food from this area, you're probably not going to like Ciao. The couple next to us lived in Italy and said that this is the first place since moving to the Pittsburgh area that they found almost "authentic." Fresh ingredients, mouth-watering flavors. Forget it being Italian food, it is the best FOOD I have had since moving to Pittsburgh in 2008....BTW, as for Mexican food...don't even try to mention a place in this side of the state...it doesn't exist. So, basically, I'm saying...if you want as close to authentic as possible while being in Pittsburgh, this may be your place, but, if you like bocca di beppo or some other traditional "Pittsburgh" hot spot...this food may come as a shock to your pallet.
(4)
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Address :289 Settlers Ridge Dr
Pittsburgh, PA, 15205
Sorry, Store hours have not been updated. If you are the owner of this restaurants. Please update the store hours.
Specialities
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : No Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Has TV : Yes Waiter Service : Yes
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
John H.
My wife and I are always in search of "our little place" but living in Robinson it can be hard to find something not part of a chain and with delicious food. Then one day we stumbled upon Ciao 2. A great atmosphere paired with hospitality and legitimate homemade italian food. You know the type my mom would have made if i was italian. Our first visit was over happy hour which had great specials on apps and cocktails. the app of a breadstick came out and was a meal in and of itself. A giant homemade loaf with pepperoni and delicious side of their marinara. Dinner was a lucious steak salad and their veal parmagiano. Everything was perfect. sit at the bar and enjoy a great local restaurant in chain filled robinson
(5)Pragna H.
Probably a good place if you like greasy food. Pasta with chock full of creamy, heavy sauce disguised as Italian food is far from my favorite, but the firsy time I ended up here was for a small work party. Antupasti has poor quality ingredients, the cheese pieces tasted not fresh and the zuchhini fritters had more oil than any other ingredient. I got some kind of seafood dish, which was a piece of fish drenched in ol with a side of pasta. Thats all. The redeeming thing about this place is the warm bread. I did go back for a work lunch when the scallop appetizer was decent. The salad I got this time was okay at its best. Not worth the free parking at Settlers Ridge.
(2)Robert W.
1st time to Ciao! 2 was tonight service is very slow. The owner was crude when we told him a drink was made wrong, our food order is going on a half hr and still no arrival yet!! Also the waitress after telling me how good the wedding soup was lets me know after I place my order and she disappears for ten mins comes out to tell me they are out of soup....... Really you should know what you have an don't have. If I could give this place a negative star rating I would!! I would recommend anywhere else besides here!! Ahh and I almost forgot the chicken Marsala is fried so much it came out with a horrible burnt flavor I've never had Chicken Marsala with that much breading I think they they started making Chicken Parm and realized there mistake....
(1)Ryan P.
I recently visited Ciao!2 for dinner and was quite unimpressed. From the moment we walked through the door service was rather slow and inattentive. When our group ordered drinks I ordered a classic mixed cocktail namely a mint julep a drink that hasn't changed in over a century. The waitress when I ordered the drink looked as if she had recently undergone a lobotomy, which is never a good sign. What the waitress brought back to the table was essentially a bourbon mojito minus muddled mint with a sprig of mint as a garnish so large it looked like a pine tree sticking out of my glass. I sent the drink back at which time the owner came over stating that he had personally made the drink himself and assured me that it was his version of a mint julep. I am quite curious how you are able to muddle fresh mint leaves with out having any mint in the glass. After the drink debacle I decided I would try the four cheese pizza thinking to myself that the description sounded appetizing. What arrived was the antithesis of what should be served at an Italian eatery. The pizza had a certain similarity to that of a "Freschetta Brick Oven" pizza with a bottle of olive oil dumped on top. The cheese was piled on so thick it was sickening. I would highly suggest steering clear of the pizza. To set the setting a little the table we were sitting at was located approximately four to six feet from the bar area. The bar had all of the stools, approximately 8-10, occupied with the owner/bartender sitting on the end. During dinner our table was subjected to over hearing his snobbish and aristocratic diatribe over his world travels. I don't care where you have been, I don't care how much it cost you, and I don't want to listen to this dribble while I try to choke down the slop served to me. Now I will give the manager or what I suppose is the manager credit as he took the undesirable food and drink off of the check and offered desert to attempt to make up for the bad experience. This was certainly a nice gesture however after we declined desert and simply requested the check he felt the need to pat me on the shoulder and ask again. I don't know this man, have never spoken to this man, have never seen this man before now, and would rather not be touched by someone I have no idea who the heck it is. If the manager happens to read this review I would like to suggest not touching customers. Please, save your money and eat at a decent Italian eatery.
(1)Mark M.
We really enjoyed our meal Sunday night. Excellent tasty fare and nice atmosphere. Well run by an engaging family. Do stop in and give this new spot a good start.
(4)Christopher B.
We went here for New Year's Eve dinner and the food was great. Service was spotty but I can understand because this is a new location and I think they might have been a little overwhelmed. Although we didn't get them, the risotto balls looked like an awesome appetizer. We didn't have time for dessert but the ones we saw passing by looked pretty good. If you like beer, you have to try the 412 ale that is brewed specifically for the restaurant.
(4)Stevie W.
I walked in to check it out and this old hag at the bar started laughing because we didn't have reservations. He continued to be very disrespectful so my group of seven and I left. Very unprofessional!
(1)Zack R.
The service was typical Pittsburgh: short, curt, slightly gruff, if not entertaining. The food was typical Pittsburgh as well: tasty, and well-prepared. So why the two stars? Sloooooooow. We waited for everything. Waited to get menus. Waited to put in orders. Waited for orders to come out. Waited for the check. Waited to get check picked up. Waited for check to come back. And I get it that it's ok to wait. But the restaurant wasn't busy, and we waited an inordinate amount of time for all these things. Speed things up and I'd add two more stars. Seriously.
(2)Money B.
I have eaten here twice, sometimes it can be hard to get a seat. It's small and loud. Most of the food is really good home made food, some things can be just ok. I had a seafood pasta once and a creamy pasta. It depends on what you order. The almond torte cake is good. The waiters tend to be a little pushy. I'm sure in an italian home it's ok to be loud and pushy but not as a server. Even more insulting was when the waitress took the flower and some olive oil off my table while I was eating and gave it to another table like I wasn't even there??? The owner likes to talk a lot. If he is going to get that close to you he should at least use a breathe mint.
(3)Shelley S.
Amazing service and food!! Ciao 2 served lunch for my family (over thirty people) after my Grandmother's funeral on Saturday. We were served family style the most amazing appetizer, salad, chicken parm, pasta and tiramisu. Service was the perfect speed - every request was honored with a smile and we never felt rushed. I cannot say enough good things about the ciao 2 family - they made a very difficult experience into a family celebration. Thank you!!
(5)Rebecca M.
Good food, good wine, and good company - a girl can't ask for much more than that. With the prominent Italian population in Pittsburgh, I have always been surprised that there aren't more authentic, family-owned Italian restaurants. Apparently I just wasn't looking in the right places! Not sure why the reviews are so mixed - I thought Ciao! 2 was great. I will start with the wine. I was flustered after a long day at work (and was also on my first first-date in years), so I was in desperate need of a good class of wine. Being at an Italian restaurant, I foolishly ordered an Argentinian wine, at which point they made an alternative recommendation which was fabulous. To eat, we started with the crab dip which was mixed with mascarpone cheese and Italian seasoning. It was delicious - I could have skipped the pitas and eaten this with a spoon. The tortellini soup was a bit wonton-esque, not in a bad way, and quite filling. I had ordered the gnocchi special as my entrée, and despite how much I had already eaten, I managed to clean my plate. I know that was probably not good "date etiquette", but I couldn't help it - it was so good! All in all, I am so happy to have found my new go-to Italian restaurant. It is conveniently right on my way home, so I hope they do takeout orders!
(4)Mike K.
As I always do whenever I go anywhere North East of Cincinnati I gotta find myself some Italian food. Because its always better. So I found this place. Now I liked it. I went at lunch and I saw they had a veal cutlet sandwich and a chicken parm sandwich but no veal parm sandwich. However, the guy that worked there was nice enough to make me a veal parm sandwich anyway. So you gotta give them some love for that, right? Also they served the sandwich with zucchini fritters and marinara. I never had a sandwich with zucchini fritters as a side but guess what? It worked! I really liked it. My only complaint is a style of veal. I really like veal cutlets when they are really thin and tender. Their veal was a little thick for my taste. Still good, but you don't get 5 stars with a thick veal
(4)Nena U.
Food is good BUT the service is poor. I was surprised because I had great expectations about it and purposely didn't read the reviews before my visit. I shouldn't have to hunt the waiter down in order to pay my check so I can leave.. completely forgotten about .. I never even received my wine with my meal after asking for it twice. I think if you sat at the bar or were a regular you would receive better service no doubt. I can think of several restaurants that have good food INCLUDING better service.
(2)Jack L.
My daughter and I had an impromptu date night so we ended up in Robinson looking for dinner after going grocery shopping at the Giant Eagle. We ended up there mostly because of the neon sign announcing that they are the home of the famous tomato basil sauce. Clever marketing - it got us through the door! I ordered the Veal Marsala. This was just so disappointing. It was breaded quite a bit with not a lot of the "Marsala wine reduction" promised in the menu. Or perhaps the reduction was just so effective that it was non-existent. I tried to ask my server but she was just nowhere to be found. Considering that this is one of the more expensive items on the menu, it just didn't deliver. Veal was bland, over breaded, not sauced and pasta was just a bit mushy. And sadly, the tomato basil sauce was just so-so. Such a bummer since the neon sign announcing the sauce was what got us into this place for dinner! Note to self: never trust neon signs unless it just says "OPEN." I had a glass of wine with my entree - a Nebbiolo suggested by the manager (maybe owner, too?). I didn't know that it would be just as much as my entree. The wine went well with my entree, but it just ballooned my dinner check. I think in order to get really good service, you must be a regular customer. Most of the tables there on the Saturday night we were there were known by our server. The other customers were so well known that she was engaged in so much catching up that it was tough getting our order in, drink refills, requesting our check, then once the check arrived getting her to get my credit card processed. With food and service on our first visit scoring so poorly in my book, there's not much reason to go back. It also didn't help that it wasn't a cheap meal.
(2)Mindy L.
Just getting back from vacation, the holiday inn airport van driver recommended this place when we mentioned going to Bravos. Wanting to try new places we went. I wish we would of went to Bravos. I had rigatoni and meatballs. $18. The sauce was terrible way too thick and did not taste good. The meatballs just fell apart and were mushy. My mom had lasagna, it was served in a bowl. It was covered on cheese that it did not look like lasagna. Could not of had many layers. She said it was ok. The owner was buzzing around catering to the people spending money on alcohol, from reading the other reviews is quite expensive. The plate for the dipping oil for the bread had se red pepper purée and adding the olive oil did not make it any easier for dipping and did not taste good. Go to bravos. Better food and prices.
(1)Don P.
Overpriced snobbish owner who is really impressed with himself. Food sucked to say the least. Avoid like the plague.
(1)Carrie G.
I had always enjoyed the food but will never return due to poor management and staff. I ordered a gift certificate online to be sent directly to the recipient and it was never sent. I had to send countless emails which all by one of them was ignored to address the issue. The one response I did get back stated I would receive a phone call that next Monday to resolve. No call. I then called and spoke to a staff member about the issue was told I would get a call back and never did. I finally called and asked to speak to the manager, who actually happened to answer the phone. I explained the situation and he seemed to be aware. He told me he would call me the next morning as soon as he opened the store and send out the gift certificate. Do you think he did that?? No!! Making your customers chase you to even get a response let alone their money back is not a way to do business! I will NEVER step foot in there again as a result of poor management.
(1)Jessica B.
This is one of my favorite 'home-cooked' Italian restaurants . I love the family who owns the place, they all seem to work there and they are so sweet. The desserts are actually out of this world as is the rest of their food. They are a bit pricey but I pay more for the experience. I love the atmosphere and always enjoy myself when we make it out. They have an extensive knowledge on the wine they serve, their hand selected beer's and all of the food they make. If you make it there don't leave without trying the crab dip appetizer and arancini balls. Any of their soups or sandwiches that we've tried have not disappointed. The dinner's area always good but not my favorite for the money. You really can't go wrong when you eat here.
(5)Shazeena T.
I met some friends here for a friend's birthday dinner. I saw calamari and gnocchi on the menu and was excited to try it. It was a huge mistake the calamari was overcooked to the point that it was chewy and rubbery. The gnocchi was awful. It wasn't the soft gnocchi that I am so fond of! Their version was hard and the red sauce they are famous for was tasteless. Who messes up gnocchi!! If you're looking for great italian food go anywhere but here!
(1)Laura H.
Ciao 2 had been recommended to us by some friends. After checking the web site and reading the reviews, we decided to give it a try. The atmosphere was nice and we received a warm friendly greeting -so far so good. After being seated and greeted by our server, we learned that Nick (the owner) would be over in a few minutes to tell us about the evening's specials and the featured wines not on the wine list. Since we were planning to order a bottle of wine we decided to wait for Nick before placing our drink order. Unfortunately a few minutes turned into about 20 minutes while Nick went from table to table regaling diners with the evening's specials. When he finally got to our table and we told him what we were interested in - he recommended a bottle of wine that was completely not what we wanted. We had to stop him and point him in our direction. We settled on a Super Tuscan which was disappointing at best. We had to wait again for Nick to return to tell us about the dinner specials. The whole thing was just odd. It had the potential to be quaint, but it really was just annoying. We ended up not ordering any of the specials. We started with the Crab & Tomato Bisque which was the highlight of the evening. The flavor was wonderful, there was plentiful, large pieces of crab meat, and the soup was light for a bisque. Next was the Caprese salad. The tomatoes were decent (for March) and it was made with "buffalo" (bufala) mozzarella. But the basil either got too close to the oven or was intentionally "crispy". Fresh basil is available all the time so this did not make sense to us. The menu on the web site had "your choice pasta & sauce" but this was not on the actual menu. Instead there was a selection of pasta dishes. I had the totellini and my husband had the chicken parmesan. Both were truly disappointing. The Tortellini was litterally sitting in a lake of olive oil. The chicken parm was heavily breaded and over-cooked. Furthermore, both dishes were sprinkled with dry oregano. We assumed this was for presentation, but since neither of us car for oregano - the effect was totally lost on us. Neither entree had the "fresh" taste that we are accustomed to getting at other great Italian Restaurants in the area. After we received our dinner, we saw a plate of gnocchi being served tot he table next to us. That was not on the menu. When we asked the waitress about it, she said if we didn't see something on the menu just ask if they can make it. That would have been nice to know BEFORE we ordered. Overall we were both disappointed with Ciao2. Between the quality fo the food and the price, we probably will not return.
(2)Dorothy H.
Visit and enjoy friendly conversation and wonderful food.
(5)Carmen R.
At first I had high hopes of a good Italian restaurant that is void of that Pittsburgh take on Italian that can be found at so many run of the mill places. However my high hopes were quickly diminished. The owner likes to talk a good game, uses a lot of Italian words that aren't related to the food that he is serving and talk about wines that he servers and then never tells you the name. The food, outside the meatballs is bad. The thin crust pizza tastes like it came out of a box, the fried zucchini was dripping in grease, and my dinner, "paddled" veal cutlet was bland and boring. The pasta served with dinner was over cooked and mush. On the food side, the sauce wasn't bad and the Tuscan bean soup was good. I won't be back and stay away!
(1)James M.
Ok, let's start with this...I am not from the Western PA area. So, my palate is NOT like the home crowd. I lived several years in New England, Texas, and Asia. So, my tastes lean toward original, authentic and bold flavors. Noticed from a lot of reviews that the tastes of the food was the biggest complaint. If, you enjoy most food from this area, you're probably not going to like Ciao. The couple next to us lived in Italy and said that this is the first place since moving to the Pittsburgh area that they found almost "authentic." Fresh ingredients, mouth-watering flavors. Forget it being Italian food, it is the best FOOD I have had since moving to Pittsburgh in 2008....BTW, as for Mexican food...don't even try to mention a place in this side of the state...it doesn't exist. So, basically, I'm saying...if you want as close to authentic as possible while being in Pittsburgh, this may be your place, but, if you like bocca di beppo or some other traditional "Pittsburgh" hot spot...this food may come as a shock to your pallet.
(4)