01/14/09

BEST tiramasu and wonderful atmosphere

by rebk424

I am so disgusted with the negative reviews about Ciao. Yes, the owner is curt, but I prefer my waiter to just refill my glass and bring my food, not try to become my friend. At other restaurants I get so annoyed because I will be in the middle of a conversation and my waiter will just interrupt and start talking. I just think to myself "Excuse me, but I came here to spend time with my friends... not my waiter." Secondly, I hate that everytime I go out to a mainstream restaurant, the minute I finish my food, they bring the bill, basically saying "You can leave now." If you want a place to run in and shove food down your mouth and leave then Ciao isn't right for you. Go to Mcdonald's for that. They don't rush service because dining in Europe is about socializing and savoring your food. I am glad that there are people who actually appreciate this taste of European culture and the negativity surrounding it only proves that Cary needs MORE of these places so people can start to see outside their world of fast food chains.

As for the food, I am not a huge fan of Italian so I usually just get a simple salad. I go to Ciao more for the atmosphere. However, they do have the BEST tiramasu I have every had! My boyfriend and I were planning on going there for our anniversary just for the tiramasu but found out it had closed. Does anyone know if they moved or closed for good? I hope not because it was such a disappointment not being able to go there. It's perfect for dates but you can also go casual with friends.

10/13/08

Awful customer experience

by sonoken

We experienced Ciao on a Friday night recently with another couple who seem to like it, and go fairly regularly. I had been warned by my fiancee, who had been there previously with a girlfriend, that the owner was a bit cantankerous, but I thought since we were going with 'regulars', our experience might be different. Boy, was I wrong! The food was overpriced and the quality was poor (the bread had the faint odor and flavor of mold). We like to patronize independent, hometown businesses, so these things can be overlooked and remedied. What can't be overlooked, however, is the attitude of the owner toward his customers...it's very close to contempt...I really felt as if we were inconveniencing him, and if it hadn't been 7:00 pm on a Friday night, I would have thought he was trying to close up. If you are as selective in how you spend your entertainment dollars as we are, I would recommend you pass this place by.

• Pros: Location in downtown Cary
• Cons: Service is angry and awful

03/03/07

Average food overshadowed by terrible service

by dedratermi

The other reviews complaining about terrible service are spot-on. From the moment we walked in, until the moment we left, the waiter (who I believe is also the owner) acted as if we were inconveniencing him simply by being there - in spite of us being the only people in the restaurant! For example, my wife noticed there was a gnat or something swimming in her wine glass ? no big deal, this sort of thing happens ? so we asked the waiter to replace it. He quipped ?we can?t be responsible for that? and begrudgingly got her another glass. The food was average, but the poor service can't be overlooked. Maybe that's why we were the only customers at 7pm on a Saturday night. There are too many great restaurants around here to waste your time at this one.