We cannot recommend Ciao Bella highly enough for an exceptional fine dining experience.This was our sixth visit in just two months, and each time the restaurant has surpassed our expectations. From the outstanding cuisine and thoughtful wine list to the warm, attentive service and inviting atmosphere, every element comes together beautifully. Stepping into Ciao Bella feels like a charming escape to Siena -- full of Italian warmth, effortless elegance, and genuine hospitality. Our most recent three visits were especially memorable. On the fourth, after a particularly demanding day, we sought comfort and consistency. Though I had intended to order the lobster ravioli, the salmon piccata proved irresistible -- perfectly prepared, bright, and deeply satisfying. We concluded with the evening's dessert special: an enormous slice of their house-made cheesecake that was nothing short of spectacular. The following evening we returned for the long-awaited lobster ravioli, paired with the pork osso buco. The osso buco was magnificently tender, melting like butter, and both dishes were outstanding. We finished with their excellent cannoli -- crisp shells filled with a perfectly balanced, not-too-sweet cream.On our third consecutive visit, we shared the veal parmigiana, which had been on my mind for weeks. It arrived exactly as hoped: golden, flavorful, and deeply comforting. Once again, we closed the meal with those delightful cannoli. With special guests arriving this weekend, Ciao Bella is our first choice for their first dinner. We know we can rely on them to deliver a relaxing, sumptuous evening every time. Thank you, Ciao Bella, for creating such a consistently wonderful place to celebrate good food, good company, and life's simple pleasures. read more

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If I could put no stars I would. This was the absolute worst dining experience I've ever had in my entire life! I would continue on, but I get angry every time I think about it and it was a couple months ago. It would also take up way too much of my time to do so... Bottom line is this, They should not have reopened under a different name.... The food was awful the over hour wait was awful, the drinks were awful, the meatballs weren't cooked and the management absolutely sucked! If you want true, authentic Italian there's plenty of other places just search here on Yelp! read more

First visit to Cia Bello-- definitely NOT my last! I enjoyed the atmosphere but the tables were a little tight. Everyone was constantly having to excuse past each other, but they did it effortlessly. The staff were attentive and worked well together. Their large portions don't sacrifice taste nor quality. The Osso Bucco was a show-stopper in appearance and taste. It was phenomenal. The alfredo had a nice lemony, garlic, wine flavor and wasn't too rich or over-powering. The grilled chicken parm was a nice substitute and allowed me to enjoy the meal as a gluten-free diner. read more

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10/10 EXPERIENCE. I have never been here before and I finally got to try it and I have to say it exceeded all of my expectations. Get a cozy seat at the bar with Kara because she made our whole experience what it was. Phenomenal service and attitude from her. I told the person I was with I wish every restaurant experience I had could be as pleasant and easy as with her. It would make the world a better place! The food...well it's just plain delicious. And it speaks for itself. Just plain good Italian food and a great vibe. Do not skip out on this hidden gem read more

Housed in the former site of La Fontana restaurant Ciao Bella has opened its doors with a fresh look and new menu featuring all the classic Italian favorites. The interior at Ciao Bella has been softly refreshed with small table lamps and fresh flowers. Promoting "martini bar" cocktails is the restaurant's aim and a good number of Italian fine wines are also offered. As a classic Italian meatball lover I am always in search for a good serving and they did not miss the mark. The marinara sauce was very good as well as the meatball mix. The meatballs were tender and nicely spiced. I also love a nice Pear and Gorgonzola salad but this salad did disappoint in terms of presentation and ingredients... I would have preferred a crumbled Gorgonzola cheese instead of cubes, the pear slices quartered and limited walnuts. I suggested Chef offer this salad with endive. The spring mix was fine but again I felt the salad could have been presented with a little more thought. I was looking forward to crispy Italian bread, focaccia or garlic bread and believe it would've added to my experience but instead very marginal and soft bread was what the bread basket contained. I asked for olive oil and was handed a thin watery oil ... I did observe a beautiful bottle of olive oil on display on the sideboard and asked if I could swap it. I didn't get the beautiful bottle of olive oil on display and instead got another type of mixture from the kitchen with some minimal herbs in it. At times I had to reiterate and chase the server as he was not very forthcoming with additions ( grated cheese, etc) so do not expect a higher level of attentive servers here. I wanted to try a dessert and ordered a slice of chocolate cake to go. It turned out to be a chocolate mousse cake and was smooth, dark and satisfying. Although I did not try any of the pastas, antipasti or secondi piatti dishes, I had a sense of this restaurant and would recommend to try. I would not rate Caio Bella as highly as others however. read more

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I stopped in for dinner this past Saturday night (March 29) and had an absolutely fantastic meal. This is a new restaurant, and in fact, they were doing their soft opening this past week. Soft openings are done to help improve processes and eliminate glitches. I experienced neither. What I did experience was an exceptional meal, a very cool vibe, and superb service. I wish I had remembered the name of my server because she was exceptional in demeanor and execution. My wife and I tried two dishes recommended by our server, and her recommendations were on the money. Two items are not pictured. We shared a salad with an exceptional house-made dressing--in fact, everything was house-made. We finished our dinner with a light and flavorful Limoncello Cake (from scratch). We didn't have any cocktails or wine, but the cocktails being served around us looked good, and people's expressions as they consumed them indicated they were excellent. The value and quality make this new establishment a must-visit. read more

Ciao Bella - Carbonara - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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This place is loud and chaotic. It's Italian American fare. The carpaccio and burrata appetizers were delicious. The carpaccio was served room temperature under a topping of arugula and capers. The burrata was served room temperature ed with pesto and roasted tomatoes. and two thick pieces of their toasted bread. The gnocchi was smothered in red sauce. The sauce was good but there was just too much of it. It overpowered the gnocchi. Adding some fresh basil may sweeten it up. Great cocktails too. I had a peach martini. read more

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This is my first time ever trying this Italian place. I wanted to choose something different for my birthday celebration and this was on my list. This place did not disappoint. Now the parking is very small but if you get there early, you can get good parking. It's a very quaint and ambience place. I would say it's still family friendly, but it does have some romance to it. When we got there the waitress was very accommodating. She was able to tell us the specials of the day. She was open and made suggestions when we asked. For starters, we had the bread and olive oil, truffle fries, and meatballs on fire. I had the Pollo Piccata. Everything was delicious. I especially like the meatballs in fire. That was my favorite and MacDougal back. I will definitely get that again. I would say it was a great experience and everyone should try. read more

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Family is the foundation of Ciao Bella Restaurant & Martini Bar. Chef Gary Langevin has always been a force in Lowcountry Italian with Bella Napoli; Badda Bing Pizza and La Fontana all being spearheaded by him. He moved to Florida and was going to sell La Fontana when his daughters Sarina and Maria offered to run the restaurant. He spent two weeks remodeling and reworking the menu then he handed them the keys. The restaurant went from almost empty to packed every night in no time. The place is small but warm and inviting and the staff goes out of their way to treat you like family. We were brought warm bread and a wonderfully spiced oil for dipping. People have said they had to pay for bread or only got two pieces which is untrue. Being a martini bar a martini had to be sampled. My wife got the "Gettin' Filthy" a classic dirty martini. The martini was excellent and the stuffed olives overflowing with blue cheese an absolute delight. I tried the "Feelin' Peachie" which was rich and definitely peachy no doubt. Very refreshing after a hot Charleston summer day. For our starter we ordered the Bruschetta which had four big pieces. We were worried it would be too filling, but the toasty bread was light as air and the tomatoes sweet and fresh. A great start! My wife ordered the Ravioli Di Aragosta with lobster stuffed ravioli and shrimp swimming in a pink creamy sauce. The shrimp were large, and you definitely tasted the lobster with each bite, The sauce was light and zesty and complimented the entire dish. I ordered the Pork Osso Buco, a slow roasted pork shank on the bone with demi glaze port wine and portabella mushrooms served over pasta. I am glad I skipped lunch as the portion was huge! The pork was extremely tender literally falling off the bone and the red wine demi glaze was so good I could have licked the plate. For our next round of drinks my wife tried the Smoked Old Fashioned which was unique in that this is the first establishment I have eaten at that offered a choice of smoke. They had apple and cherry, but she decided on pecan. Nice and boozy and full of bold flavor. I tried the Tiramisu martini, which I believe was a special. It was full of coffee flavor, and it was fun dunking the lady finger into the drink and eating it. We decided to get a meat lovers pizza to go and were taken back on the nice sized cuts of meat on top. The pizza was chewy in the right way and for only $15 an absolute steal! They don't have open table up and running yet so you need to make reservations by phone and believe me you have to because walk in seating is rare and a long wait. Excellent food, great service and two sisters hitting it out of the park is all the reason you need to go here! read more

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Carne Griglia, I ordered medium rare, was medium well and fatty. Truffle fries were soggy fries (like frozen) with parmesan. Didn't taste any truffle. $44.00 for overcooked steak. Im hoping to be compensated for steak. I ordered thru grubhub, and their service was great. On the other hand - the veal Marsala was very good, two small thin patties of veal though. Less than I've ever had with that dish. Pizza was good. Don't recommend the carne griglia, truffle fries or calamari. They have some tasty items, maybe they offer too many items and should concentrate on a smaller menu? Good food but an off night? read more

Ciao Bella - Carne Alla Griglia ordered medium rare, arrived medium well. Delivery was not to blame. Everything hot! - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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

Ciao Bella - Lychee Martini - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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We were driving by at dinner time and decided to stop. Dinner was delicious. The hot bread and dipping oil were the best. We had the lamb special and it was something special. The truffle pizza was yummy and the chicken parm and burrata were good as well. Portions are large and staff are nice. Definitely worth a stop. read more

I've been trying to find some good Italian in the Charleston area for nearly two years and finally hit jackpot! Tried Ciao Bella and it was insanely good! The prices are right in line for a high end Italian restaurant and the quality delivered. I started with the caprese salad and the mozzarella was super fresh and it wasn't drowning in oil and vinegar like a lot of places do, and the basil was very bright. Great choice! I had the fruiti di mari for my entree which is a typical pick for me at Italian restaurants because it's on the lighter side. The seafood was all perfectly cooked, even the squid, which is hard to find. The inclusion of fish was a nice touch, it doesn't always have that. And there was a ton of seafood on here too. The pasta itself is clearly made in-house and was not overcooked despite being thin spaghetti. I finished with a crème brûlée. Usually these come out pre-caramelized but this one came out with the sprinkle of caster sugar was torched right there at my table which was fun to see. It was very creamy without being sticky sweet, it was just right! My server was Brittani and she was super friendly and had great recommendations for me (she suggested the caprese salad), and made sure to ask if I wanted time between the appetizer and the main meal, which was a nice attention to detail. Food came out at a good speed. This place is really hiding in this area, I am glad I came out, and I am thrilled that I have found some great Italian around Charleston! J.Ja read more

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Finally had a chance to try under new management. Very crowded. Our table was one of many wobbly tables. Never an excuse for this. Bread was awesome Bruschetta was ok Food was good but not great. Wife had the fruiti de mar I had the penne vodka. Dessert was awesome, had the cheesecake special, and the reason this is a 4 instead of 3. Service was ok, could have been more attentive. Bottom line is I wouldn't go out of way to eat here but wouldn't say no if some wanted to go.. read more

Went there 2 different days, once at 12:15 other at 2:30. Both times closed. Web site says open at 12:00 noon. Someone drove in said open at 4:00. Told him about web site, apologized, said would look into it. There was also another customer there at same time. We both drove away. I know they revamped, but how many times must a customer be disappointed? Frank G Ok, finally went at proper time. New place new owners, nice. Spaghetti/meatballs, great, eggplant rollatini very good. Place is all new inside. Although plates are a little small, Having said that, food is really good. I will go back for other dishes. Frank G read more

We were headed to downtown Charleston. We actually had reservations downtown. Spited this place driving in and decided to cancel our reservations and stop here. I am certainly glad we did. Great service. Very friendly staff and very relaxed. I had lasagna and my wife had pollo marsala. Both were spot on. Drinks are great and the desserts top of off perfectly. This place is now on our go to for Italian. Thank you guys read more

My new spot when in town! The entrees and wine selection is really good. Decent pricing for the dishes. The best part of the restaurant is the people that work there ... friendly and engaging. Shout out to Sarah for a fabulous job managing a needy group of people. Make reservations directly (not currently on Open table) , open at 4pm. Parking available in back with a few spots in front , on Savannah Hwy. read more

I ordered the Caesar salad and the eggplant Parmesan . The salad was good, but not cold. Large shavings of Parmesan cheese on top. The eggplant serving was small with a heavy glob of cheese on top, dish cane with a side of spaghetti which was not on menu. The spaghetti was very acidic, nothing note able. No bread was served with entree which I don't know if that was oversight or you have to order separately: the atmosphere was nice, but very The overhead fan was broken, and not enough air conditioning to cool the place off, so was hot inside at 4:30. read more

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Service was excellent Sarah was attentive and welcoming. With that said the food was ice cold. They reserved it and the second pork shank actually had ice crystals on the bone after I cut it. Much needed thermometers in the kitchen to take temp of meats!! The place is super small cramped if you will not relaxing or calming at all. We will not be returning and I'm sure this place won't be around very long.. not recommended read more

Ciao Bella - Pollo Marsala was very good my wife enjoyed it. - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

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Salvatore, our server and Maria, the owner, went above and beyond to ensure our Christmas was fantastic. Although we had dinner reservations, they accommodated our early arrival with open arms. The Prime Rib special was amazing!! We had a wonderful time and they put a bow on our fantastic holiday celebration. They also have a special appreciation for our military members and Veterans. Highly recommended, we will be back there again soon! read more

Ciao Bella - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

THIS IS MY NEW FAV ITALIAN PLACE!!!!! The lychee martini is the best drink I have ever tasted in my life. The bread and the garlic olive oil to dip was the most scrumptious thing I have ever put in my mouth. The lasagna and vodka sauce with penne was also amazing. My friends chicken piccata was lacking flavor, tasted like there was just a splash of lemon and nothing else. Overall amazing experience though. read more

Ciao Bella - Lychee martini - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

I am very happy to report that Ciao Bella was a huge improvement over the previous establishment. The food was delicious, we had the veal piccata and lasagna, both served at the proper temperature and adequate portions. Very nice wine list and a great drink menu. My two negatives are that the beef carpaccio appetizer was disappointing. Very meager portion of the beef covered with an arugula and Parmesan salad. When served this dish in Italy, the beef portion is substantial and the arugula is just a garnish on top. My other negative is that with the place less than half full, getting our martinis both the first and second time was very slow. They came out one at a time so it wasn't that they were waiting to bring them all at the same time Overall. The food was amazing , the wine list and martinis were great ( except the length of time to get them ) , the server was very attentive and pleasant , parking was easy, and the atmosphere didn't feel cramped as other reviews have stated. We will defiantly go back again and maybe skip martinis and carpaccio and go straight for the great bottle of Montepulciano wine ! read more

My first time here for my daughter's birthday and the food was amazing!! Everyone said their food was good and we had approximately 25 people who ordered various dishes and they raved about the food. All of the food was served piping hot and the service was excellent!! The chef came out and sang happy birthday to my daughter in Italian and we all felt so welcomed there!! Also a great place for a romantic dinner with your significant other. The ambiance is giving romantic vibes for sure! read more

Called for reservations Sunday around 12 for a seating @6 for three. We arrived @6 to be greeted with a very large Birthday party gathering of around 30 people. The party took up three quarters of the restaurant. They were beyond loud. Between everyone talking at once, noise makers, and caring on , the noise level was beyond bothersome. we could not hear our conversation or the waiter. it was deafening! Trying to enjoy a nice meal with out of town friends was impossible! Asked to speak to the owner to voice our discomfort and our inability to enjoy our meal. The response was, " sorry, these were regular customers that booked the party". We were comped three mini cannoli! I don't have a problem with having a large Celebration In the restaurant. The place is small and there was another Birthday party to the left of us. ( quiet and enjoying their get together) My issue is , when I booked the reservation I should have been told there would be a two Birthday parties ( one very large for the space) also going on. This would given me the option to continue or not. Although the food was good I am not sure I will return. Sad expensive evening for our first time there! read more

First time here after new mngt. ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL Had Veal Piccata. EXCELLENT Wife had Grouper special. PHENOMENAL! Son had Lasagna Bolenese. Wonderful Head Chef Argentinian, Worked in Italy cooking. Here Sarah was our waitress and was OUTSTANDING! Try it folks Blessings read more

the tomato sauce is like ketchup . I have had better sauce from a jar . I had egg plant my husband had veal parm , the waiter mixed up the dishes and we could not tell till halfway through because of heavy breading and cheese. Just thought you should know so you wont be disappointed like we were. Un attentive service read more

We were excited to try Caio Bella. We drove from John's Island on Saturday at 5:00. We walked in and the snooty hostess said they did not take walk ins. There were two tables occupied. We left and went somewhere else that appreciated our business. For a restaurant that is trying to overcome the poor reputation of the previous establishment, this is not the way to do it. There are so many other Italian restaurants to choose from in Charleston who welcome our business. We will not be back. read more

You had me at Bella Napoli! I am Sicilian, this is an authentic Italian restaurant. Pizza is just as good as John's on Bleeker! read more

good food, but very overwhelmed and did not know how to manage the dinner rush... hoping it's just growing pains. also, $3 extra for 3 slices of table bread is just sad. read more

Great food! Very busy but the staff were great. Definitely coming back for the carbonara with chicken!! read more

Ciao Bella - Carbonara with chicken - Italian Near Me - Charleston, South Carolina

Ordered takeout; a margarita pizza and chicken wings. Both were horrible. The pizza tasted NOTHING like a margarita pizza. It had a VERY thick crust with heavy, dark red sauce. The wings looked like they were from the a minature chicken. Will definitely not be back. read more

Food and service was excellent. Afternoon sunlight is an issue. Blinding sunlight makes certain tables too bright with sunlight. Otherwise we will likely return. read more

Abundance of good Italian food and great service! Loved the Gnocchi and Limoncello cake

Our hostess walked off to "set up a table for us" which meant she went to run credit cards instead. The restaurant itself was fine, music wasn't too loud. The server was very attentive almost to the point of too much. The food was all served quickly and hot. Portion size was good. As for taste, the spaghetti and clams needed salt and were over peppered. The penne Alfredo was so overpowering it was not finished. The marinara sauce served with the calamari was very nice. read more

I loved my experience here at ciao Bella. I had the shrimp scamp. which came out to me in great timing. My server name was Maria. Beautiful smile! She informed me about the martin's for the season. Between the pumpkin spice and the smores martini. I went with the smores. The presentation. O MY!!!! Would definitely do again!!! read more

The first time I ate at Ciao Bella I loved it. The service and food were excellent, they actually had eggplant rollatini. Tonight was a different story. We were barely greeted by the hosted who told us to follow her, turned a light on at a table then ran past it to talk to a server without indicating that we should sit there. When we asked, we got a look and told yes and were given menus. We sat, looked at the menu and waited for water, bread, acknowledgement of any kind for 15-20 minutes. No server came close enough to flag down. Meanwhile I saw two other groups get seated and served bread and water. When the hostess was flagged down, we informed her about the lack of service and got a strange look. At that point, we decided to leave.On exiting a server said thank you and hoped we enjoyed it. We enjoyed nothing. Maybe after a bit I will try again but not anytime soon. read more

Excellent chicken parm and lasagna bolenase; the linguini with clams needed a touch more garlic; lots of clam shells but not a lot of clams; the bruschetta and Cesear salad with anchovies were excellent; Ask for Sara for your waitress! read more

Don't get me wrong, the food is good. But they make you wait for 15 minutes to sit down when they have 3-4 open tables. They literally said the kitchen is backed up... not sure why they can't seat you, and at least allow you to have a drink!? Silly policy. If the kitchen can't staff the tables, remove some tables. Bad service model. read more

The food was all made fresh. It was so good. We are only in town for the next week, but we will be going back before we leave and our waitress Sarah Was the best. read more

One big disappointment after the next. Ordered a peach martini...was like drinking juice from a can of peaches. Had a canned peach as garnish. Served 2 slices of bread for 2 people. Never told about specials. Ordered chiopino in white wine & lemon w/cherry tomatoes then I was served pasta in dry red marinara sauce. I informed waiter of the difference, he didn't care. Later I told hostess & an owner about the discrepancy. No one thought it mattered. Cannoli...yuck. Tiny tables bunched together, no privacy. We loved the restaurant formerly at this location. We will never go back! read more