Ciao Baby

So, here. .visiting from New Jersey. This is a brick oven pizza place so I ordered a Margharita (sp) pizza. 20 minutes later I inquire as to where my order is and to my disappointment it was not even started. no one has come out to apologize other than a bartender that was JUST coming on duty. I sat at the bar nursing my drink not knowing when I’d have an opportunity to order another. .no food. anyway, overall a disappointing experience.

Went here for wifeys bday, probably the tenth time I’ve been here. Calamari was amazing although we were charged extra for a tiny cup of extra sauce. We ordered the rigatoni ala vodka with grilled chicken family style. After waiting half an hour which I didn’t mind BC gave us a chance to talk the runner brings out only one plate of pasta. Our waitress was very nice but the runner wearing a slutty dress made fun of my wife for using a cane and we heard. She just had surgery. The pasta was congealed and cold and undercooked beyond AL dente. Our table next to us saw all there mistakes and bought y wife a cappacino. The cheesecake was frozen. I was very surprised how bad the food was. We even got another extra charge BC we asked for more sauce BC the pasta had so little. Wish Leo the manager was there, he is a great manager but I guess he wasn’t working Saturday night. Still left a 25% tip but felt ripped off. I can cook better

Really good food! The Sangria is a bit watered down. They serve large portions so hubby and I shared an appetizer and an entrée. We ordered the Calamari and the Penne Pasta, both were really good.

The food was ok/​good. The portions are BANANAS! Their individual portions are enough for family style — do not opt for the share plate unless you came with a small army or Delaware. Also, I liked the grandma’s eggplant parm, but the big heap of cold ricotta on top could have been avoided.

I just had a fundraiser for my dad here. The staff was awesome. Everyone thought the food was amazing. The place is super clean and classy. You can tell the whole team acually cared about the cause. Frank, Lenny, Jo, and the whole team there really really went over and beyond for me and my family. I wish there was more I could do to show how much appreciate everything they did for us. Thank you again!!!

perhaps a bit overrated but still very good.

Wow, what a disappointment. We used to love this place but the service and food quality have gone way downhill. The fact they have added burgers and pizza on their menu is a sign that they are trying to cater to lower end and the service is reflecting that. It would be fine if that’s what they’re shooting for, but lower the prices for everything else also. The meat and cheese board was the biggest joke ever. 2 slices of salami and a block of one cheese chopped up with some grapes. It was embarrassing. We also ordered the seared tuna off the «healthy» section and it came with 6 thin slices of tuna (3 of them were poorly cut) and a wad of COLD spinach for ~$ 25. Seriously, eating healthy shouldn’t relate to «please rip me off!» I’d hold out for a sashimi deluxe at ANY Japanese restaurant before ordering that.
Anyway, this place might still be good for a drink and app at the bar but if you want a nice dinner, take this place off your list.

Great portions even at lunch time. Our server Bri was witty, friendly and knowledgeable. Loved the ambience and will definitely be back. Tomato caprese was enormous. Meatballs the size of softballs. Excellent. The Sinatra Skirt Steak sandwich was satisfying and enough for two meals. The music was fun to listen to. Overall delicioso!!!

We’ve been coming to Ciao Baby for the last couple of years, but I’ve never written a review. Why, you ask? (even if you didn’t ask, an answer is incoming) I’m prompted to write reviews under a few select circumstances: the food is outrageously good or bad, the service is phenomenal or horrific, or I found something in the food or establishment that is questionable and/​or gross.
Ciao Baby fulfilled ALL THREE circumstances this past Thursday. Here’s the jist of it all:
We ordered a couple of salads, an order of wings, and a gluten-​free penne Bolognese (don’t judge; this stuff is fabulous and less bloating than semolina).
The Maple Sriracha wings are outstanding. I love them. They’re so spicy that I regret biting into it at first, until that succulent sweet flavor engulfs your mouth. They’re not breaded, they’re not fried – they’re GRILLED. I’m sold! And they’re nice and juicy, because we all know that size DOES matter…
The Bolognese here is great. I feel like I’m having my grandmother’s Sunday meat sauce, with those tender pieces of meat that fell off of the bone to the bottom of the pot. Delicious. I can’t write about it any further or I’ll have to go and buy some more.
The Grilled Calamari and Arugula salad was tasty. Lightly dressed, decently cooked squid, and no complaints there. The Blueberry Mixed Greens salad was delicious too…
Until I cracked a filling in my mouth with a sharp piece of PLASTIC in the salad. Owww… no thank you.
Things happen, I get it. I let the waitress know and she promptly ran off to grab the manager. He acted completely indifferent to the situation, and stood quietly at our table whilst examining the piece of plastic. Awkward! Either he was so floored that it happened (understandable) or he didn’t care (also somewhat understandable; but come on. Fret over my pain that I could’ve avoided if I DIDN’T dine at the restaurant and make me feel like that will never happen again and that you care). After I explained to him that his reaction made us feel uncomfortable, he turned up the «express empathetic emotion» switch in his brain from 5% power, to 40% power. In short, he did the right thing and took care of the situation with some slight prompting.
We’ll be back. And if you’re hesitant to come here, don’t be. It really is delicious, the portions are generous, plated tastefully, and the waitstaff has always been great. Also, the manager does seem like a nice guy. Was it a full moon or something maybe? Who knows. Who cares. Just go eat here.

My sister and a group of women had dined at this restaurant on Thursday December 17, 2015, each and every one of these women were sick. One of the ladies had to immediately leave the restaurant after eating the calamari. My sister barely made it home at which time she was violently throwing up and had terrible intestinal distress all evening until the next afternoon. The food was horrible, but for each woman to be sick adds insult to injury. To imagine the filth and uncleanliness that had to have transpired before the food even arrived at the table is in fact a very sad and scary thought… a truly sickening experience.

Ciao Baby doesn’t disappoint! Whether it’s the Massapequa or Commack location, the food is amazing wherever you go.
The must have items in my opinion are the rice ball and the lobster tortellini. The rice ball as an appetizer is enough to feed about 5 people and it is the best rice ball I have ever had. The lobster tortellini is out of this world, and I don’t say that often. Very creamy and rich, but not too overwhelming. The one thing that Ciao Baby has that is hard to achieve is consistency. I have eaten at this restaurant for years now and every time I go the food is as good if not better than last.
Aside from the food, the ambiance in the Commack location is totally different than the Massapequa location. While Massapequa is more of a date night spot, the Commack location feels more like a spot to take your family for an amazing Italian dinner. Service is also great on both locations, always friendly and welcoming.
Overall, Ciao Baby is one of those places that will never get old. It never disappoints and it always serves great food!

Amazing food, ambiance, and staff– we had the stuffed artichoke tonight along with the chicken scarpiello! We’ve eaten there several times before and had the shortens and the tuna tar tar– loved !! Lee the manager will go above and beyond to accommodate u!!!

Been here quite a few times but what makes it enjoyable is the bartender CJ very nice friendly and attentive… the skirt steak is a must!

This place it the best. Love the food, drinks, the environment and people who work there. Always feel welcome. Owner Sam always says hello. Mgr. Lee goes out of his way to make sure everything is as it should be. Any problems (they have happened) are fixed immediate and make sure you leave happy. I recommend this place to everyone.

Plenty of food and I love that they now offer smaller portions. The manager really cared about our experience. They recently redid the menu and the new choices are excellent. They also kept some of the great items off the older menu.

Food — ⁶⁄₁₀ — Preparation was good. The skirt stake recommended here and by the waiter was tough to cut and eat.
Service: ⁶⁄₁₀ — Waitress would disappear for long stretches. Manager was trying to make sure the guests were ok. I saw the manager more than the waitress. Trying to sit small couples at the bar when there are plenty of tables is not a good first play.
Cleanliness — ⁸⁄₁₀ — No obvious problems.
Ambiance — ⁷⁄₁₀ — Nice restaurant. The music was a bit loud and they don’t have a lot of seating for small groups (couples, etc.) They tried to sit us at the bar.
Wifi — ¹⁄₁₀ — You have to register your email (and verify it) to use their wifi. Verizon coverage in the restaurant is terrible (1x speed).
Parking — ⁹⁄₁₀ — Big lot outside. Parking is not an issue.
Value — ⁶⁄₁₀ — Prices are kind of expensive. You get huge portions but frankly, I don’t want huge portions. I would rather have a cheaper menu and smaller portions. You wind up taking food home.
Restrooms — n/​a — did not visit.
Overall ⁶⁄₁₀ — The menu is interesting but I was not wow’ed with flavors. Service could be more attentive.
7÷24÷15 Update: Note: After writing this review the owner messaged me privately thanking me for the constructive critique’s. This is consistent with my experience in the restaurant. I felt the manager was really trying to make the experience nice. My suggestions would be, drop the registration on wifi (I don’t want you to have my email while I’m your guest), shrink the portions — which should allow you to trim the prices. Some may love humongous portions but I suspect that the lion share of people are content with a decent sized meal that is delicious. That would raise the value of the experience.

My favorite Italian restaurant by far! Live music, great drinks and delicious food!

Overall: One of my family’s favorite go-​to restaurants. We go a lot. Some experiences were less than others, but the majority are 5 star plus.
Food: 5 stars
Service: 5 stars
Atmosphere: 3 – 4 stars
Value: 5 stars:
Will I go back? Absolutely.
Food:
Everything i’ve ordered is excellent. Highlight is definitely the skirt steak. Also Chicken chicken scarpariello. Desserts are fantastic: cannoli and 7 layer chocolate cake especially.
Service:
Very attentive service, very helpful also. They go over and above to help.
Atmosphere:
Only knock, and that’s because it can get very loud, depending on the time you go.
Value:
Portion sizes are huge. Prices are reasonable.
Will I go back? Absolutely, like I mentioned one of my family’s favorites.

I had been here a few times and the food was delicious. Not only that, but they served it in a huge pasta bowl. I ordered Chicken Fettucine and was not able to finish it. In fact I brought the rest home and could have fed my three children! The meal was fine, but the only irritating part was when the singer, yes, they had a singer come around to the tables and serenade the lady at the table.
I’m not one who is looking for attention and asked him not to. He was insistent and all I will write was that my comeback (not nasty) made him pass me by. Otherwise it was a nice Italian restaurant in an Italian dominated neighborhood.

We went with a large party and nobody enjoyed their dinners. The sauce was bland and mostly everything that was served was lacking flavor and proper seasoning (heavy on the cheese and light on the flavor). This was surprising because Italian food is so simple and easy to make. My Eggplant Parmesan was bland and greasy and my calamari was very tough.
The service was very slow and unfriendly. It was also extremely loud and the tables were too close together. I would not go back to this place even if the meal was free.
As an Italian-​American, I also resent the fact that this place exploits every Italian stereotype known to man. There is nothing subtle about this place.