Penne alla Vodka Pasta - Large
a pizza with pepperoni and cheese
Josh Cellars Cabernet - YUMMMMM
Nice and casual interior!
interior
interior
interior
Good wines
food, pizza
the outside of the restaurant
a family sitting at a table
Penne alla Vodka Pasta - Small
a plate of pasta with tomatoes and olives
Yummy. Lobster and steak !!
Welcoming entrance.
interior
outside
pizza, outside
First-time here
Angel hair pasta was extra garlic
outside
food
Pat C.
Feb 6, 2025
We went there as a large party of 21 including 11 children. We were offered choices of appetizers that were ready (and delicious) on the table when we arrived. Our amazing waitress then took orders for mains and drinks. Everything looked , and tasted so good. The children had their own table. Their left overs were boxed and labeled for them. I cannot praise enough this place.
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Halie M.
Dec 21, 2024
Hostess was a young blonde girl who made it seem like she didn't want to take our reservations because it was an hour wait and there were "many people ahead of us". She told us directly to our faces that she'll put our names down but our table was not guaranteed. Mind you this was around 5:40pm & the place doesn't close until 9pm. Lo and behold we got a phone call around 6:30pm letting us know our table was ready. Once we answered the phone, they hung up on us, so we had to call back. :( Luckily we got our table, and our waitress provided excellent customer service!! I think management could help train their hostess to be a little bit more welcoming and friendly. Had the hostess not written our names down, it would've been a loss for the business. I can't imagine how many other people she may have turned away! Food wise, their garlic bread was not the greatest, but what made up for it was their pasta and the special they had that night. Although the restaurant itself is small, the ambiance was nice.
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Serg M.
Nov 27, 2024
What a bad experience.First off, the maitre d' has no clue what he is doing. He is totally ignoring people, walks away, pretends he doesn't see you, communicates via mumbling. Once we were seated, we waited for good 10-15 mins for anyone to even appear and say hi. Then, straight to business "what do want?".After the food arrived, towards the end, we got the best surprise of the evening - a giant cockroach crawled on our table, running to my plate. Had I not seen it and jumped, it would've ended up in my plate.I immediately wanted to leave and to my surprise, the host presented the check (discounted, to be fair). Needless to say, I will not ve going to this place ever again.
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Cindy T.
Mar 9, 2024
Out to dinner with the hubs.. Nice little restaurant, they have a good amount of tables and a small bar area that you can sit and enjoy dinner too. Service is polite and attentive.I ordered the chicken marsala comes with linguine. My husband ordered the salmon piccata.. Great place at great location down in Balboa .
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Anthony F.
Dec 27, 2023
This is usually my stop when I visit Balboa.The place is easy to find, but good luck finding parking. That can be said for the whole island, though. Also, it can be a little cramped, and even the outdoor seating is tight next to the sidewalk. It's reminiscent of eateries in Italy, though. You have to grant a few concessions if you're going to enjoy a dine-in restaurant on Balboa Island.They have a variety of Italian food, and my +1 and i enjoy everything we order. Their calamari has always been perfectly cooked, their pastas are savory, their gnocci melts in your mouth, and their paninis are filling. They also have a decent selection of wines to enjoy with your meal.All things considered, for an Italian restaurant on the island, it's a great time, and I'd definitely recommend it.
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Tintin B.
May 28, 2024
Amazing Northern Italian cuisine here in Beautiful Balboa island Newport Beach. Alexandro is Absolutely Amazing today. Not too busy on a quiet Tuesday afternoon with Frank Sinatra on the radio. The Lamb Shank and pasta is marvelous darling. Bring the whole family cause it's a whole Lotta of food here. Big portions for easy take home for the Diet consciousness. Such a Beautiful day by the Bay next to the water and boats. Picture perfect location for your next Instagram portfolio. Enjoy and have a blessed day
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Heidi C.
Dec 31, 2024
Amazing food and amazing staff! Very Tasty come check it out if you are ever in Balboa!!!!!!!!
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Namrata M.
Feb 27, 2025
Such a nice and cozy place, their penne ala vodka was so good I'm still thinking about it. We went there for Valentine's dinner and had reservations for 845 but they sat us down earlier than our time. GREAT food over all.
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Mindy E.
Feb 26, 2025
One of very favorite places! Service is always excellent everyone is kind here. The food is so delicious and the bread is yummy also. They always make us feel like family here! I highly recommend Ciao's!
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Dyan W.
Feb 20, 2025
I'm a pizza lover and I always look forward to Ciao Restaurant and getting their margarita pizza and the raspberry salad with goat cheese. The pizza is thin crust and has lots of cheese. I highly recommend Ciao..
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