ciao bella italian grill

generic italian. ciao bella was recommended by a friend, but i don’t understand the fuss. therestaurantis in a good location, and the place is clean and casual. overall, the food was ok, but the meatballs were the worst i’ve ever tasted. they were just gross.
service was terrible. our waiter was pushy. he was constantly trying to shove wine down our throats. he constantly interrupted our diner conversation by demanding wine orders. we didn’t want wine. after saying “no” multiple times, he finally got the message. hands down, he was the most obnoxious waiter i’ve ever had. despite his insistence to push up our bill, he never brought out our appetizers. his efforts to generate sales were counterproductive.
other than pushy service and the horrible meatballs, the experience was so generic i really can’t say much more. and that’s sad. this is a mediocre establishment. if you’re hungry, visit huey’s next door.

great italian food!. we ate there for the first time last weekend and i was a little skeptical due to previous reviews. wow was i and my party surprised. everyone shared a bite of their food and it was all delicious. the meal was how arestaurantmeal should be, giving you time to finish your appetizers and salad before bringing the entree! we all enjoyed very much and will be coming back very soon!

not good. ordered the chicken piccatta. the chicken had a rubbery texture to it, i couldn't even finish it. my husband's pasta dish was fair at best. this is a typical crappy italianrestaurantfor the typical uneducated memphis palette.

ciao bella is my favoriterestaurantin memphis! i love the food and the atmosphere.....if you haven't been, you're missing out!

follow up review.... i have now been to ciao bella in person; my last review was of take out. the place is in a strip mall which i generally would be vehemently opposed to....but they managed to pull off a nice atmosphere with both the indoor and outdoor seating. beats me how because i was absolutely surprised. the service was awesome. i mean from the moment we walked in to the second we left they were johnny on the spot with seating us, taking drink and food orders, the timing and delivery of each course, on and on. couldn't say enough good things about the staff. the food was not the best italian i have ever had, but by memphis standards (sorry memphis chefs and cooks you just don't know good italian) it was very good.

i saw a complaint about the pizza and i haven't tried it so i can't comment. however it should be noted that the author of that complaint recommended carrabas...really? got any other good recommendations? like say olive garden or macaroni grill? seriously?

anyway i still don't get the greek foods on the menu but the tiropitakia and spanakopitakia are delicious. i guess southern italy is supposed to have come from mediterranean influnce or something...i don't know? anyway all in all really good place no complaints whatsoever.


-----09 jun, 2010-----

really good...italian?...restaurant.. so this is a combination review from myself and my wife. she actually went and ate there and was nice enough to bring me takeout. her review of actually visiting therestaurantwas that her server was great and therestaurantwas clean and nice. she said her food was very good and the prices were reasonable. prices be d@mned...she paid so i will just comment on the food. she lugged it all the way back to midtown and it was still warm and very good. i had the patistisio...probably spelled it wrong...yummy. so here is where i put the question mark behind the word italian in the title...half the menu here is greek food. good greek food but greek food nonetheless. so i guess if you are looking for a full italian menu well not here...but if you are looking for a very interesting selection of greek and italian this place is a good starting point! i will eat here again for sure.

i was not impressed. i ordered the pesto and it completely lacked flavor. it tasted like it was out of a jar. my date ordered the seafood manicotti and i thought the portions were small and again i was not impressed with the taste. i did order the caprese and the mozerella tasted pretty fresh. i do not know what the best italianrestaurantin memphis is but this place is not it. trust me.

the best italianrestaurantin memphis period. i don't know how i can make it any easier for you.

the place to be. the atmosphere makes you feel at home. the patio is perfect, like eating on your back porch with the benefit of seeing all your friends and neighbors. the menu is a combination of old greek memphis recipes and just good italian food. the thin crusted pizza, especially when ordered extra crispy is the best i have ever had. that includes a lot from a number of different cities and states.
whether you eat in the dining room, on the patio or in the bar the service is excellent.
the ownership/management never misses a chance to make sure your visit is enjoyed.
this is my favoriterestaurantin memphis


-----23 jun, 2009-----

good food excellent service