Ciao Baby!

Ciao Baby! reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

1. A

   Adventurous1551 VIP

   Chicago4 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on November 3, 2015

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 5

   The restaurant was cozy and cute. The service was rushed and annoying. We had a reservation that did not seem to mean anything and we were told to sit at one of 2 tables. It took 5 minutes to be acknowledged by a server or bus person. We wanted to order a bottle of wine and were told that not all wines on the list were available(per their web site they tout "a great selection of wines to complement your meal!" but managed to find one and it was pleasing. We ordered 3 appetizers - 2 were flavorful and enjoyable. The rolled stuffed eggplant and the stuffed melrose peppers were great, the stuffed artichoke not so much. However, enjoying them was an issue since the busboy came over every minute or so to ask if her could take a half eaten dishes out of our way. We repeatedly told him to please leave the dishes be because 1 - we were not finished and 2- we were taking out time. That busboy left us alone only to have another come and do the same thing as did our server. Efficiency is one thing - annoyance is another. Our main course was disappointing as it was tasteless - brandy cream fettuccine with beef tenderloin slices. Too bad. We told the server and she mumbled something and walked away. Ended up taking it home and eating the beef and throwing out the fettuccine. Closing time was 9:00 PM. Around 8:00 the server told us she was going home and handed us our check. We asked what time they closed and she said 9:00 but she was going home. We felt pressure to pay her because she keep coming back to take the check presenter when we had not even begun to get our payment together. We paid her and were finishing our wine and the busboys were cleaning up around us and mopping the floors, stacking chairs and generally waiting for our departure. We left by 8:40. We have heard nothing but fantastic feedback from friends that have dined at Ciao Baby and could not wait to try it. Unfortunately this was a very disappointing experience.
   

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2. L

   Ladybug070707

   Chicago12 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on October 6, 2015

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 3

   Had a wonderful birthday dinner with friends. Food and service were great. Definitely coming back.
   

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3. KD

   KDGG

   Orlando6 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on September 16, 2015

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   farm to table is always my favorite. I love supporting local farmers and Ciao Baby embraces this ideal. great service, wonderful Italian classic dishes done locally sourced. great family time, would definitely visit again for lunch or dinner.
   

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4. Q

   Quiltmom2557

   Chicago4 reviews

   2.0

   Dined on September 14, 2015

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 4

   We have eaten at this restaurant several times and it has always been good...until today. I went to lunch with a friend and we both ordered sandwiches. I ordered mine without mayo as I can't eat mayo for health reasons. I emphasized no mayo with the waitress. The sandwich arrived slathered with mayo that was not visible from the outside and I found out it was there when I got a mouthful of it. I gave it back to the waitress and nicely explained I couldn't eat it for medical reasons and she took it back. By the time I got another sandwich it was 15 minutes later and my friend had finished everything on her plate. I packed most of mine up to go. We ordered gelato which took inordinately long to get given the half full restaurant and which had what I think was a piece of glass in it. I did not tell the waitress as I didn't have a half day to wait for someone to scoop more and I didn't want it anyway by that time. What was disappointing was that there was no adjustment to the bill for the difficulties and apparently not enough sense of responsibility to fix things in a timely matter or care that service was poor. I have to say that this was an aberrant experience that has never previously happened at Ciao Baby. It will not keep me from returning for more dinners but I think I will go elsewhere for lunch. They don't seem to have their act together at midday.
   

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5. TS

   TedS

   Chicago138 reviews

   1.0

   Dined on September 10, 2015

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 2

   The service was slow and the dinners were not fully heated. We have eaten there several times but this time the service and food wasn't good.
   

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6. BR

   BillR

   Chicago3 reviews

   3.0

   Dined on August 25, 2015

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 1
   4. Ambience 4

   We have been to Ciao Baby a half dozen times for both lunch and dinner previously and the experience was excellent each time. Tuesday evening we were a group of 6 for dinner at 6:00pm. While we were seated at 6:00 we waited 30 minutes for our server to ask about drinks and twenty minutes later when we said we would like our wine our server replied " we are very busy - I would like a lot of things too - like money etc." the restaurant was busy and understaffed; however, that is no excuse for rude remarks to a group of previously regular customers. Perhaps he was still in his honeymoon mode but the attitude and comment did little to mitigate the long wait between courses
   

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7. T

   Trudy

   Chicago19 reviews

   5.0

   Dined on August 25, 2015

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great Italian food with a nice selection of specials. I recommend the thin crust pizza and baked clams. All the pastas are good and the chicken parmesan is outstanding.
   

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8. G

   Gourmetlover

   Chicago40 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on July 21, 2015

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   Came with friends for lunch. This is anItalian place. If you get the daily pasta dish you will be very happy. Great sauce and noodles We had shrimp wraps , just so so. Skip the tiramisu but do get their gelato. They will even mix two flavors for you in one dish.
   

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9. TC

   TC315

   Chicago40 reviews

   4.0

   Dined on June 4, 2015

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   This was my first time at ciao baby and I will definitely go back. It was very busy but we had excellent service. The noise level was rather loud when we first got there but after the large group next to us left we were able to have a conversation. We all enjoyed our food choices. They didn't have the wine we asked for but recommended a similar wine at a similar price point and it was very good.
   

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10. JC

    JaymeC

    New York City35 reviews

    4.0

    Dined on June 3, 2015

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4

    Found this on Open Table. What a find! Fresh ingredients with fantastic preparation. decent selection of wines reasonably priced. Took clients there for dinner, staff was great and we had a very successful evening. I will DEFINITELY return!
    

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