In Billings and elected to try Ciao Mambo for good Italian cuisine according to reviews. Most of the restaurants were closed on a Sunday evening and on the 5th of July. We arrived and were quickly seated. We started with a broth of mussels with peppers, tomatoes, basil, sausage and onions. The mussels were decent but the blending of flavor was more like several ingredients dumped into a boiling brew. The pizza with onions, red sauce, pepperoni and chunks of meatballs were hot but again, not flavors complementing each other. The complimentory 1/2 loaf of baked bread with cheese, butter and garlic was addictive and quickly consumed. The food was average at best. While we were eating inside this nicely decorated establishment, a homeless person presented to our table twice asking us to give her food. It appeared that she was going to grab food off our table. I was finally able to waive down a waitress and inform of the situation. Finally, the kitchen staff and management were able to escort her out of the restaurant. Our experience at Ciao Mambo was indeed an adventure. The food needs some real attention for flavor, melding of combinations and more development. While the staff hustled all night, I feel that they need better kitchen support to vastly improve the dining experience at Ciao Mambo. read more

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Amazing Italian food! The best in Montana! The bread is delectable, nachos amazing and entrees' over the top! read more

Ciao Mambo - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

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If carbs are wrong, I don't want to be right. Stopped into Ciao Mambo in Billings and let me just say... I'm still thinking about that garlic ciabatta. "Off the hook" doesn't even cover it. I would've happily built a small house out of that bread and lived there forever. The ambiance was warm and inviting -- nice enough for a date night, but comfortable enough that you don't feel weird aggressively dunking bread into sauce (which I absolutely did). The Caesar salad was spot on -- crisp, flavorful, perfectly dressed. You know it's good when you're not just eating it out of obligation before the "real food" shows up. And then... the linguini and clams in white sauce. Absolutely delish. Not one of those sad "where are the clams?" situations either -- they loaded it up. Every bite had pasta, sauce, and plenty of clams. The white sauce was rich without being heavy, which is a dangerous combination because suddenly your plate is empty and you're contemplating ordering it again. Staff was friendly, attentive, and kept everything moving without hovering. 10/10 would carb-load here again. Highly recommend. Bring your appetite... and maybe stretchy pants. read more

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The bread you're served when you sit down was honestly the best part. The crust was toasted perfectly, the middle was warm and soft and the amount of fresh garlic and olive oil drizzled over the top, SO GOOD! We ended up ordering 2 pizzas, 2 pastas and an appetizer. Appetizer - Tootsie Rolls 9/10! Pasta 1 - Alla Carbonara 10/10! Pasta 2 - Penne Isabella 2/10 Pizza - Da Vinci 8/10! Pizza - Margherita 3/10 Staff 10/10 Note: they serve beer/wine and will likely have to wait if you go on a weekend. It's worth the wait. read more

Ambiance was excellent- eggplant Parmigiana perfect, kids meals spot on. Fresh, cooked correctly. Garlic bread was cooked as my grandfather used to make it. Service was good checked in with us several times. Really enjoyed and we will be back! Thank you for making our experience one to remember read more

The pasta dishes my family received were very good. The portions can feed a person 2 or 3 times. The service was great. You have a server and people topping off drinks. The atmosphere is cozy and quaint. Great for a family or romantic dinner. The restaurant is willing to accommodate vegetarian diets. CAUTION: Take cash. They charge a 2.5% surcharge if you use a card. We had a $400 birthday and the manager wouldn't waive or comp the surcharge. Final bill with the tip $500. read more

Ciao Mambo - Italian Nachos - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

We put our name in for a table of four, and after forty minutes of waiting we found out they forgot to put us on the list!! Luckily they were able to squeeze us in relatively quickly. However, our food took another 45 minutes, part of our order was wrong, and was unfortunately not worth such a long wait. read more

Great food and professional staff. Truly loved our meals, drinks, and the service. Two of our guests had fajitas and one had chicken en mole and we were all satisfied and well fed. Our leftovers made a great breakfast! read more

Space and atmosphere is nice. Bustling for a Friday evening. Service tonight was fine. Food was totally average. Garlic bread was lukewarm and very oily. Better in the past. Pasta cabornara was... meh. Cabornara should have pieces of guanciale fried and seared in a pan and then have pasta added. What they served seemed like pasta with onion strings on top. Not really sure this counts as a cabornara. Question for staff and management: are solo diners generally treated as a nuisance? Because my tab isn't as high as a couple or 4 top, does that affect things? I'm in and out; I tip well; and get the stress and craziness of the business. Don't dismiss me because I'm a party of one. Thanks read more

Heads up--get there a little early! We showed up around 4:45 p.m., just before opening, and there was already a line forming. As soon as the doors opened, we were seated right away. The service was great, our waitress was super friendly, made us feel welcome, and even helped us choose a few things from the menu. The atmosphere was really nice. You can see the cooks in the kitchen, which adds a fun energy to the place, and it's easy to have a good conversation without it being too loud or crowded. The inside is cozy but still feels modern and put-together. Now, about the food... it was okay. Honestly, I had really high hopes because so many people recommended this place. I ordered the penne alla vodka with grilled chicken. The sauce was tasty, but the chicken was overcooked and kind of tough, it didn't really work well with the pasta. I didn't say anything, just ate it, but it was a bit disappointing. My husband, who's definitely a foodie, had the Lulubella and made a similar comment-- he said it reminded him of a slightly upgraded Olive Garden. But the dessert? Amazing! We shared the Cannoli di Bacche and it was honestly the best part of the night. The huckleberry sauce was so good. I'd definitely come back just for dessert and a bottle of wine. It would be a perfect way to end the evening. read more

Ciao Mambo - Cannoli Di Bacche - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

The food here is delicious. Atmosphere and service is amazing. The food was so good we went a second time. When we went the second time we realized that with how busy they get, they do prefer you to make a reservation. They were happy to see us there again and made accommodations for us so that we can still have a great night out. I recommend the hot spot 100%. read more

They accommodated our last minute group of 16 on a Su day night. The waitress was outstanding as she took all of our orders without a notepad or device. She got all of our orders correct. The food had great flavor, was hot (cold night) and was plentiful. If I am ever in Billings again, would not think twice about stopping there again. read more

FOOD WAS AMAZING! best chicken parmesan I ever had! Mozzarella balls were delicious and the lemon cake was perfect! I cant rave about this place enough! Not only was food spot on, but service was exceptional as well; shout out to amber! Definitely will be back. Only Pic I had was soft the cake. read more

Ciao Mambo - Lemon marcaspone cake with Huckleberry amarone sauce. - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

Whenever my family and I decided to eat at Ciao Mambo, we would always go like 15 minutes before opening to wait in line. The food was always absolutely incredible. I don't remember what I would get as I moved away 2 years ago, but I am drooling rn thinking about it. The chocolate torte is amazing and so is the bread!! The vibe was always so warm and welcoming. I really liked the plates they served stuff on read more

Love this spot. Great food. Good service. Unlike any other restaurant in town. U can see the kitchen which makes a diner feel at ease

Don't do take out. Lousy wait time. Food is very good. When you offer take you should have person devoted to that service.

Unreal. Restaurant was 3/4 empty and the only place they wanted to sit us was by the LOUD open kitchen. Other diners were sitting elsewhere, but child hostess bumbled thru some excuses. We later called up and adult hostess "said" she would have sat us almost anywhere else. Child hostess should have checked with her boss before us leaving disappointed. read more

I went and took my mother and aunt to Ciao Mambo the day before Mother's Day, as I was enjoying my food, my enjoyment turned into disgust as I found a hair embedded in my Pasta Ravenna dish. I told the waiter and she was kind enough to take the meal off my receipt, But I would not come back again. read more

Great Italian food and very good service. It's a very popular place and they don't take reservations so getting in between 5 and 8:00 is nearly impossible if you don't arrive be 4:30 and a line always forms outside. I wish they would use a better system because I'm not one to want to show up early to be hopeful to get a table before the later evening times. This is more of a problem on Friday and Saturday nights but I've seen it happen on week nights too. My wife and I went there last Friday at 5:15 pm and the wait time was nearly 2 hours. Needless to say we didn't stay and people were waiting outside on a chilly winter evening because the waiting area is rather small. As far as conversation during dinner, it gets a little noisy when they're at their busiest times but that wouldn't keep me from dining there. The quality of the food and good service is well worth it. read more

My wife and I recently visited Ciao Mambo for our 11th anniversary. Love the decor and our entrees and dessert were excellent!!!! Our server, Piper, was very informative and knowledgeable about the menu when we asked any questions. Wasn't super expensive either compared to other Italian restaurants I have dined at. 10 out of 10 would recommend. read more

Ciao Mambo - Sun dried tomato penne, and a penne Isabella with chicken added and also creamy pesto sauce! - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

Went on a Wednesday night and not many people there. Food was good though over priced. Extra charges for additional bread which amazed me something started not long ago. Service was very slow and very disappointing. I doubt if I would go back anytime soon. There are too many restaurants just as good with better prices. read more

We love this restaurant. They do such a nice job. It's a fun, nice restaurant that is kid friendly and always delicious. They start you off with a lovely loaf of bread that just came out of the oven. Our waitress last night was Amber and she was very good. We never felt like we were being rushed and it did take us a while to decide what we wanted. I really recommend this restaurant if you're in the mood for Italian food. Thanks Ciao Mambo read more

The food was amazing and the service - after a difficult manner - was great. That's not where my issue lies. The Hostess was absolutely vile and rude to my family when we tried to be seated. She informed us that the we would be waiting 20-25 minutes for a table when we first walked in. She didn't ask us for a phone number and the restaurant didn't look full so we decided to walk around for 15 minutes before coming back. During this point when arriving at the restaurant I had a notification on my phone as we entered. It was time stamped when we asked the hostess for the wait time. We walked around and came back 18 minutes later - as according to the time stamp on my phone. When we arrived back at the restaurant the Hostess said that she gave our table away because we were late. Keep in mind again, she told us 20-25 minutes. We didn't even hit the expected time she told us. At this point the entire front room of the restaurant is empty. There is no one sitting at any of the tables there, there are only people in the middle section. She then proceeds to tell us that if we had given her a phone number like she asked she could have texted us. We inform her that she never asked for a phone number and we did not think this was an issue because we came back sooner than 20 minutes. She then leaves to talk to a waitress to 'see what she can do' and when she comes back she leads us to a secluded room in the back of the restaurant where we are not served for 15 minutes - these 15 minutes were timed as her attitude towards us was very rude and it felt weird that we were in an empty dining room after being told that she would try to 'squeeze us in'. After 15 minutes my mom goes to the hostess and asks if we can move as not only is no one serving us. but no one gave us water or bread and we were left alone in an empty room, the hostess informs her that it was our fault for not giving a phone number and that we should have come back on time. We did come back on time and we were never asked for a phone number. The hostess finally agrees to move us and she moves us to a table in the main room where we can clearly see that there were tables available, the Hostess was just being vindictive in placing us in that secluded room. When the Hostess comes over to give us our utensils and glasses she angrily threw them on the table and walked away. During this time I can visibly see the Hostess walking around to other wait staff and sneering while glancing and pointing at our table in what I can only assume is her way of letting the other wait staff know how much she does not like us. At this point I voiced my concern to my family about leaving. Never have I felt so cast out in this town as I did sitting at that table and watching the sneers and the bad looks from the Hostess and the wait staff she was talking to. We only decided to stay because my mom was visiting from out of town and had good experiences here beforehand as well as our new waitress who was so kind to us. Our new waitress was so kind and friendly with us. She was truly amazing. She even gave us an appetizer on the house as an apology. My issue is with the Hostess. To not only be malicious in seating us in an empty room but taking such a negative attitude with us for something that wasn't our fault is beyond me. And to top it off to see her so blatantly bad-mouthing us to other staff was abhorrent. I work a service job myself (7 years) and never have I taken such a rude attitude with a customer over a simple mistake such as forgetting to get a customers phone number. Like I said, the food was amazing. The waitress that was later assigned to our table was so sweet and understanding. But that hostess needs to learn some basic manners and etiquette for customer service. This was yesterday, 2/16 at 7 pm. read more

Having a Sicilian heritage I was really looking forward to eating here. The reviews were good and I was really excited to check this place out. Upon arrival I parked in the lot next to the building. You walk past a small theater to get to the restaurant. It seemed very much like bing downtown Tacoma/Seattle, without all the homeless people and drugs. A good vibe. Walking in the place the smells were amazing. You can almost taste the sauce. The hostess took us to our table and seated us. The place was packed. Lots of large parties. The waitresses were definitely dressed to be attractive. The decor was fantastic. Lots of wine paintings and full bottles all around. Our waitress came back and took our order. She wrote her name upside down on the paper table mat. Reminded me of a Cucina! Cucina! She was super friendly and gave some good recommendations. I got the manicotti with the additional meatballs ($9). My wife got a pasta dish. She brought out some really bread and butter with sauce on the side. Dipping the bread in the sauce was like being at home. When the food came out I was a bit surprised. The manicotti shells were really small, maybe an inch in diameter and 4 inches long. The meatballs were about 2" wide. Overall the plate looked dismal and messy. There was parsley dusted all over. My first bite of the manicotti was actually good. The ricotta was creamy and had good flavor. The meatballs on the other hand were clearly frozen and super dense. I asked the waitress if they were fresh and she said they were made daily. I'll disagree with that statement. My wife really enjoyed her pasta and took the leftovers home. Overall it was a good meal. It was hard to hold a conversation with how loud everyone was. They need something on the walls to absorb the sound. I'd like to go back and give them another try if I'm back in town, but I'll probably find somewhere else to go. read more

Garlic Bread to die for! Great service and good food. Bring an appetite huge portions. Anna, our waitress, was very personable. read more

Ciao Mambo - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

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We saw good reviews to decided to try this restaurant on our road trip through Billings. The food was delicious. Nice salad and the pasta dishes my husband and I had were very good. We each had one glass of wine and the total was $70. Reasonable for a good meal. read more

Excellent Ciopinno! Great service and atmosphere. Cocktails are very well prepared. Check out the wonderful art inside. Did takeout once before dining in, the taste is better freshly prepared and served with a smile. So get off the couch and get your butt in there! read more

The service was great and the starters are very good but the rest of the food wasn't amazing but it was good. The bread is really good! It is very busy and you probably need a reservation. read more

Have been here numerous times throughout the past 10 years and have never walked away disappointed. Last visit was February 25th with my friend for a fun ladies shopping weekend. I had the penne pasta a la vodka with chicken. Wine selection & food were so delicious! read more

Ciao Mambo - Penne Pasta Alla Vodka - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

High quality Italian food with extensive menu. Casual atmosphere, consistent with the culinary culture. Service was attentive but expect taking time for this meal as everything is prepared fresh. No reservations except for parties 8 or more; often a line forms before their opening time of 5 pm. read more

Amazing service and excellent food! Our drinks were never empty, the food was absolutely delicious! We even left after dinner walked around then decided to come back to have dessert! read more

I like Ciao Mambo! Located in downtown Billings, there is plenty of parking available. We ordered a few things; the Italian nachos, spring rolls and I had a full on plate of farfalle (bow ties) with sun dried tomato, and mushrooms with chicken. Solid dish. Service was great as well - she was very hospitable and attentive. Ambiance was pretty chill for it being busy! read more

Great food with good portion sizes as well. If you're in town it's worth the stop. Love the desserts and appetizers.

This is a great place when you can get in. It's popular because of the great food. Loud though! Food delicious and any white or red sauce can be substituted in any dish. But it's so difficult to get into even if you are there on time. I've been disappointed a few times because we couldn't get in and had to go somewhere else. read more

There's nothing wrong with the service at Ciao Mambo. The wait staff are down-to-earth and ready to give advice. For me, the service was truly exceptional. The atmosphere is a combination of upscale and homey. It can either be a family-friendly place or a date-night spot depending on the time of day or the place you're seated. The kitchen staff keeps the food coming and the chef ensures consistency with the plates that come out of the kitchen. How do I know that? I had a front-row seat to watch the kitchen work its magic. The wine list has a nice mix of imported and domestic options available by the glass and by the bottle. There are price points for every budget. Food was somewhat disappointing given the buildup. Not to say that it as bad, it just wasn't as outstanding as the other elements of this place. The fettuccine all lulubella was good. The sauce was creamy and heavy and it was easy to taste the different flavors. After the first few bites though, the sauce became too heavy and started to congeal on the otherwise nicely cooked noodles. The leftovers didn't re-heat well. The tootsie roll appetizers were not what I was expecting, but they were very good. Expecting a roll, I received something closer to a crepe. The thin egg-roll wrapper barely contained the cheese filling. It was different and good. Definitely a fork-food. One of these is more filling than it appears and probably could be a meal in itself. Overall, Ciao Mambo did fine. It's an okay spot for satisfying an Italian food craving. read more

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Came here after gettung stuck in Billings. Food is tasty pasta was really good. I got the spicy pasta with italian sausage. It was not very spicy but great flavor and lots of italian sauage. read more

Ciao Mambo - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

Beautiful spot in downtown. Service was sharp and quickly provided us our eats Food was top shelf. I recommend the eggplant with linguine and red sauce. read more

Ciao Mambo - Eggplant with linguine, is so delicious - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

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I love the garlic bread... so great dipped in marinara sauce. I had the eggplant parm several times over my week-long stay in Billings. I loved sitting at the bar watching the pizza makers throw the pizza dough. One of my favorite restaurants in Billings. read more

This place has really stepped up its game and one of the best meals I've had in Billings outside of my own kitchen. Wonderful service and great food. My family has a wonderful experience here and will be back! read more

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Been there twice , one year apart. Quality still there. Had GF pasta and regular Both great and these little "thin rolls of cheese as appetizer ". Really good. Good Italian wine selection. read more