Ciola’s

CIOLA’S IS NOT CLOSED. Its name has changed to Dominick’s last week. Just search for Dominick’s or point your browser to
. Thank you!

Having eaten here about fifteen to twenty different times over a 2 year period with my wife, I learned that there simply were too many problems with the consistency, execution and delivery of the food, service and even the environment to continue giving them my business (especially considering their prices). There are not a lot of good Italian dining options in the greater Austin area, I wish Ciola’s had turned out to be a 4 – 5 star experience but sorry to say, it’s much more on the low end of the scale than that.
What I liked:
— When executed properly, the food has been quite enjoyable, but this is rare.
— When you get the right waiter, on the right day, the service is memorable. Again, a rarity.
— A fantastic bar! They really know how to mix up your favorite cocktail.
— The environment in the front and middle dining rooms are nice. (but if you get stuck in the «back room», be prepared for a disappointment in every category [such has been my experience]).
What I disliked:
— Consistently Poor Execution of Food: I’ve had undercooked meats and seafood served to my wife and I, rendering them undesirable and not safely edible. When you’re paying $ 17-​$ 30 for a single entrée, it simply has to be done right. When you have to leave, uneaten, $ 17-​$ 30 entrees, that is a huge problem, especially when the wait staff does nothing to correct the kitchen’s failures. Their tomato broth sauce that they seem to use across *so many entrees* is not good and could use a rewritten recipe, but that’s minor criticism. They have served me their much-​touted Potato Croquettes — nice and golden on the outside, raw and cold on the inside. I note that they no longer serve Potato Croquettes, apparently they never did get it right and decided to remove it from the menu. They have served, on more than one occasion, ice cold mashed potatoes! I was shocked the first time, and just a little miffed the second time. When the waiter asked how everything was, and I told her about the mashed potatoes being nearly frozen they were so cold, she looked surprised, said she’d make sure they know about it in the kitchen, and left — she did not offer to fix the issue on my plate, or the bill. Sand/​Grit in the Clams is always a problem — little neck clams need to be *properly* cleaned, and Ciola’s does not do this. Sometimes things are fresher, other days they are not fresh (ranging from «this has seen better days», to, «this is weird», to, «if I eat this I *will get sick*» — and we have gotten ill from Ciola’s), and I mean in every category from appetizers, salads, entrees, sides and deserts. They even sent us home with a rancid Limoncello Cheesecake! On a couple of occasions we did end up getting ill after eating here. After so many problems this place became more of a source of annoyance than a source of pleasure and relaxation — that’s when it’s time to forget about them and move on, and that’s what we’ve done.
— Poor Service: If you get the right waiter, on the right day, you will have good service, but this is rare in my experience. And just because one waiter is good one visit, does not mean he will be up to the same standards on the following visits. I’ve had all types of waiters here, but that ideal, deeply professional and perfect waiter who looks out for your interest does *not* work at Ciola’s — they may give the initial impression that they care, but if anything is wrong with your order, don’t expect them to fix it. When they ask how everything is, and you tell them the problem (s), my experience has been that they smile, change the subject, and disappear until I flag them down to ask for my check. Considering I drop $ 100-​$ 150 every time I eat here, this low level of «service» is unacceptable.
— The «back room»: Horrible environment. And every time they’ve stashed us back here, the service and the food has been poor to horrible. Insist on sitting in the middle or the front dining rooms where you will be more likely to have a decent experience.
Ciola’s: Overrated, for sure.

Now Dominick’s, Father Ciola’s name.
The first time I ate at Ciola’s it was in Virginia Beach, VA and I was in the Navy in Oceana. I was sure surprised when I moved to Lakeway 12 years ago and there was a Ciolas here. My wife and I have eaten here for many anniversary dinners, many New Years Eve dinners. Always a great treat to find a nice east coast style Italian restaurant just down the street.
I think we have had almost every entrée on the menu, I love them all, but I am always happy to have a meatball, sauce and spaghetti.
Seafood and steak here is always fresh and tasty.
The wine list is excellent and they have wines you wont find anywhere else in town.
I love this place for its warm, at home atmosphere. Oh yea, the food is great! I love taking care of the local businesses and this one is special.

I’m debating how many stars I should give to them.
2 stars because the service is so slow. I waited for 40 Minutes to get my entrée after the appetizer. I was totally bored.
4 stars because the food quality is not bad. I had sauteed shrimp and pickled artichoke as appetizer. Mixed seafood with tomato sauce as the entrée. Both of them have jumbo shrimps and delicious.
So average 3 stars

Quite delicious cuisine with a New Orleans flare on the delicious sauces. My compliments to the Sous Chef! Another hidden jewel in Lakeway! Great place for date night or just meet a group of friends.

Pros:
Nice, cozy atmosphere that feels relaxed and yet ‘date nighty’
Super strong cocktails.
Great bread basket.
Good selection of pasta and fish and meat.
Nice staff that handled a glass of spilled milk like it was no big deal.
Good value.
Cons:
Braised short rib with risotto was way too salty
Booth was too small, we both felt like the table was too high and too close to us the whole time. We’re not especially big people.
Waiter seemed spread a little too thin on our visit.

My friend and I discovered this gem by chance when we were in the area last week. After a quick search on gluten-​free options in the area, Ciola’s sprang up and I am so glad.
The hostess was a young charming woman who made us feel at home from the moment we arrived. After she informed us it would be just a moment for our table, we headed to the bar area. Even though it was only a week night, it bustling with life. The bar tender threw together a couple of well made martinis for us and just then, our table was ready.
We started with the mussels in a savory wine sauce. The sauce was not to overpowering and allowed the flavor of the mussels to take center stage. I ordered a creamy, vegetarian risotto for dinner and I was surprised at how incredibly satisfying it was to my pallet. My friend sampled my dish and said he could not tell it was gluten-​free.
For a classy date night with a gluten sensitive individual, I would strongly recommend you give Ciola’s Italian-​American Restaurant.

I won’t try to repeat the other great reviews of this place, but allow me to throw in a couple of things.
One, Ciola’s is a hidden gem locally for STEAK. The steaks are high quality (albeit not Morton’s or Pappas Brothers) and well seasoned.
Two, the atmosphere is primo! Feels like something out of old Vegas… You can almost imagine the members of the «legitimate businessmen’s association» walking out of one of the back rooms.
Extra pluses for a great bread basket and being one of the few Italian places that doesn’t rely on food-​service fried cheese and makes their own!

Wowza, I was not expecting such a great experience from a strip-​mall italian restaurant in the outskirts of Austin.
But everything was just delightful. The service was excellent, and they even gave us free desert because it was our first time at the restaurant. I had the wild mushroom ravioli with black truffles entrée which came highly, and truthfully, recommended. They even let us cork up the unfinished wine and bring it home. Five stars for such a gem.

My family and I tried out Ciola’s last night and were very impressed. First off, the atmosphere is so warm and inviting. The lighting is darker and the décor takes you back in time. The cushy booths are inviting and cozy.
They start the table off with homemade bread (so tasty!) and olive oil dipping sauce made with fresh garlic. After we ordered, they brought a tasting of homemade marinated mozzarella and olives. Homemade cheese has a creamier rustic flavor that cannot be duplicated by store-​bought, and this was no exception. I then had a perfect simple caesar salad. My mom and sister tried the caprese salad and could not stop raving. It was made with the homemade mozzarella, green heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, and drizzled with thick aged balsamic. Simple and beautiful.
I ordered the Ravioli al Tartufo. These perfectly cooked pasta pillows stuffed with a medley of mushrooms were tasty on their own, but then they top them with a truffle cream sauce. Simply heavenly! Plus they weren’t skimpy with the black truffle shavings. The other entrees that we ordered were: Flounder Limone, which my dad raved about and he’s a hard sell; Shrimp Fra Diavolo which my sister claimed she’s never tasted better, and the Salmone alla Griglia which was perfect for my mom who limits her carbs (asparagus instead of pasta). I also had a taste of the salmon and really liked the smoky flavor of the fish.
Overall, this was a great dining experience with good food, service and atmosphere. I’ll have to go back just for dessert next time. Their dessert list looked delicious touting a limoncello cheesecake and several chocolate treats. A+, I’ll definitely be back!

Unlike, many American children, I wasn’t ever made to eat Chef Boyardee products. Instead, I was usually treated to homemade marinara sauce, pasta, etc. Ah the joys of having someone Italian in your family. The drawback to all of this excellent home-​cooked food of course is that I’m never satisfied at Italian restaurants. Ciola’s was the exception to that. I’m a pretty laid-​back person, so fancy restaurants make me more uncomfortable than excited. I thought Ciola’s is a good mix of both: fancy enough to spend time on their fare and casual enough to not make me feel embarrassed if I forget to keep my water glass and wine glass in their proper places. The waitstaff is cordial and professional (I was never a fan of hearing the waiter or waitress’ life story while I’m trying to go into an overdramatized account of my own). And the bread is to die for! I usually don’t snack before my meal because I usually can’t finish the entrée as it is. However, I would eat the entire breadbasket by myself if it weren’t for the fact that I never eat out alone and so I’m forced against my will to share. The point is, I cannot emphasize enough how deliciously perfect the bread is. And as for the entrees, I’ve had rigatoni dishes both times I’ve eaten here: once the rigatoni genovese and once the rigatoni bolognese. I liked the genovese style better. I think just because I’m not a huge fan of ground meat (which by definition, bolognese has). As for price, if you’re like me and you have a very cheap boyfriend, you may feel slightly bad about suggesting this restaurant. The pasta dishes are around $ 20 per plate and seafood around $ 35. If that sounds small time for you, then you’re golden. Becuase I don’t think there’s too much more expensive than that unless you go for a three-​course meal or something.
My only criticism would be that the pasta is cooked slightly longer than I would cook it. Of course, I like my pasta perfectly al dente, so if it is completely soft, then I’m disappointed. My pickiness with the cook time is also why I steer towards shorter, thicker pasta noodles instead of choosing, say capellini. I figure there’s a longer grace period for noodles that aren’t paper thin, so I have a better liklihood of getting noodles that aren’t waterlogged.

Around 2002 — 2004, Ciola’s was my go-​to Italian place for birthdays, anniversaries, etc. They had fine bread, sauces, a homemade sausage packed with fennel like at Mangia, and fine Cannoli. But then I bought a house way to the south, and there wasn’t a lot of motivation to drive up to Lakeway. Until this weekend, when I did a little staycation thing at Vintage Villas. So I went last night, and it was even better than I remembered.
So how did a good Italian place get even better in a time when rising prices often lead to the temptation to cut corners? By working on service and presentation. The waiter had perfect timing, and a way of describing the specials that made you want all of them at once. The bruschetta was artfully stacked in a bowl, and the caprese salad used yellow tomatoes instead of red so there was more contrast with the balsamic. My favorite dish then and now, the light and subtle chicken oreganata, also got a more vertical treatment.
Forgive me for forgetting you, Ciola’s. I won’t let it happen again!

We decided to go to this restaurant because (1) we had a gift certificate from
, and (2) it was my birthday. I love Italian food so I knew I would like this place, but didn’t realize how much I would like it.
First off, we made a reservation there, and since it was a weekday, it wasn’t busy and we got the private room all to ourselves. The server was great and very helpful in explaining all the dishes, and was very friendly, even when my niece (who is 10 months old) was making a mess on the table.
The food was amazing. I ordered risotto with crab, applewood bacon, and corn, which is one of their seasonal specialities. It was delicious, as was the side Caesar salad.
In addition, he brought us a chocolate mousse martini for dessert since it was my birthday, and it was free. And of course, it was delicious.
Overall, Ciola’s is definitely a restaurant that I’m keeping in mind for the future. Even though it was a 45-​minute drive from Round Rock to Lakeway, it was completely worth it.

I give Ciola’s two stars because the atmosphere was pleasant and clean, our waitress was efficient and knowledgeable [all service, overall, was very good]. They have a great wine list, and the bottle of wine that we chose was availalbe, and the bread & flavored oil served before our meal was quite good. Othewise, I’d give Ciola’s an «Eek!»
Beyond that, yuck! Our bacon-​wrapped prawns appetizer. What happened? What we could taste of the prawns past the way overcharred bacon tasted fishy. I’m not sure that the prawns were particulalry fresh, and the combination of fish & char left in my mouth after this appetizer was… well, fish & char. Enough said.
The tomato basil soup was a strange combination of tasteless and that rather sharp taste that comes from the preservatives in canned food. I’d guess it was a canned soup with some fresh, snipped basil added, and [maybe] a splash of cream.
The pasta in the Penne alla Vodka was cooked well. And, of course, here comes the «but.» The overall flavor of the dish (outside of the proscuitto which more tasted like & resembled smoked bacon) was one note, and not a good note at that. A salty, baking soda sort of note. The shrimp were overcooked to the point of tasteless and rubbery. Half of it I did not eat, and the other half that I ate left an unpleasant aftertaste stuck on the back of my tongue.
The Veal Rollatini was overcooked and chewy. Really folks, I had to work at chewing the veal, which makes me wonder if it was not only overcooked, but also not too fresh. We are still guessing whether the spinach in the veal rolls was fresh and just very finely chopped/​julienned and the mushrooms in the reduction looked and felt very canned to me. The pasta served with dish was a bit overcooked, but was, at least, not unpleasant to eat.
This will come as a suprise, but we did not stay for dessert or coffee.
I enjoyed Ciola’s ambiance, and I’d give the service four stars. Because all of our food choices were a taste and [mostly] texture fiasco, we will not return.

A website labeled this cuisine as «Italian» and… «African.» For real? I was thinking back to history class, wondering if there had been an Italian commonwealth or occupation or something in Africa before checking Unilocal and realizing they must have meant… «American.» Oh. Okay. [See:
. However, a little googling did turn up info on Italy’s occupation of Ethiopia.]
I took the birthday boy. The drive there was lovely, and we were anticipating what sounded like fine Italian dining. They were kind enough to seat us earlier than the reservation, and in a booth. We ordered: eggplant rolls, wedge salad, penne della dario, and seasonal gnocchi.
Ciola’s did not disappoint. The eggplant appetizer was savory and yummalicious, and the fresh bread they’d brought out helped sop up some of the sauce and cheese. We commented it would have been nice to fry the eggplant more so it would add to the texture, but it was still great. While we were eating this (and bear in mind, we’re lightweight eaters) SO saw a wedge salad come out, and thought why not? Order it we did; like it we did not, really. The blue cheese dressing was overwhelming, but then again neither of us is a creamy dressings fan. It was worth a shot.
We modified our entrees to contain different sauces: I went with marsala on the penne, and SO tried out the vodka sauce on his gnocchi. Mine was outstanding: pleasant flavors, perfectly cooked chicken, wonderful sauce. SO enjoyed his gnocchi, but by this point we were pretty full, and the heaviness of the cream sauce plus the gnocchi was a bit much. Still yummy, but I won this round.
As we were contemplating dessert, the fabulous server warned us that birthday boy would be getting a comped dessert. A few minutes later we sat up from our food-​overdose-​napping positions and tried out the birthday chocolate mousse. I had food coming out of my eyes but I’m pretty sure it was delightful.
For what tasted like fresh, thoughtfully prepared homestyle food, we were satisfied. I haven’t found Italian food like it in Austin yet.

Nevermind it’s in a strip mall, really… it’s excecllent. They’ve been around forever and have been a local Lakeway fave for some time.
Lonnie the bartender makes a kickin’ Cosmo, or martini… really whatever you want, make sure Lonnie’s slingin’ the sauce!
The Sea Bass… ooooh, it’s like butter! melts in your mouth good!
I am not a fan of the poached peaches served with it, but it does make for a nice light dish — really good. Plus, I think they change up the sides so you may not have the same ones I did.
The waiter was attentive and very helpful, the ambience is perfect and the wine selection extensive. I knew it would be when I walked in and saw 3 ft tall bottles of Roca della Macie Chianti in the entry! ;)
Cheers and Ciao!

The best Italian food I have had in Texas came from Ciola’s…repeatedly. This place is fantastic!
I am a creature of habit and tend to want to order the same thing when I come here… penne pasta with vodka sauce. It is my absolute favorite, and I am not a big fan of pasta. This is really the only place I order pasta, whether in Texas or not.
On the past few visits, I have tried the specials. I had a steak one night that was delicious. I also had a salmon dish that was really special. All in all, I have never tasted anything here that wasn’t well above average.
Now, let me tell you about the spumoni! They make it here, and it is a house specialty. I had never eaten spumoni before, and now I hunt it down anywhere I go. It never compares to Ciolas. Try it for yourself!
The service at this restaurant is really good. They truly provide service with a smile. You will not wait for water here, nor will they let your beer/​wine glass get to the bottom without topping you off or asking if you would like another drink. The staff is also very friendly and I enjoy talking with them.
There is a bar just inside the door, but I have never sat there. There are always people talking and smiling when you enter/leave…it reminds me a bit of Cheers the way everybody seems to know everybody else.

Um wow. This place was such a great find (THANK YOU Unilocal!). I forgot what a difference a knowledgeable waiter can make in the dining experience. We were having trouble deciding on a wine, and he gave us a suggestion after asking some questions. The wine was fabulous and not over-​priced. He answered detailed questions about the way the steaks and meats are prepared (carefully selected by the chef, and aged for a specified number of weeks). He knew the areas of italian wines, the types of grapes used, the type of cut for each meat, and so much more. We ended up tipping over 20% because he took the time to write down the name of the wine when he could see that I was having trouble committing it to memory.
Anyway, onto the food! Based on the Unilocal reviews, for an appetizer, we decided to go for the calamari that was the house special. It was fried lightly and tossed in a slightly spicy sauce. What a delight this dish was! It left me hungry for more. There were 2 calamari dishes listed on the menu, this one and just a calamari fritti which was plain. I strongly recommend getting the special calamari dish because it was worth the drive in itself.
My husband ordered the special slow cooked beef rib with a demiglaze on top of vegetable risotto. I don’t care for peas at all, so when I tasted his risotto I did not really find it very pleasing since it had a lot of peas. The beef was melt in your mouth delicious. It had such a rich complexity of flavors, I had plate envy.
I ordered the pasta della dario with chicken. The pasta was soaked in a gorgonzala cream sauce and tossed with grilled chicken, portabello mushrooms, fresh asparagus, and cherry tomatoes. I happened to love the dish but it was very rich. One should really only order this dish if you are a fan of gorgonzola because the flavor is very strong. As I mentioned, I loved it because the depth of the flavor and how all the ingredients worked so well together.
One important thing is that my husband and I always salt our dishes. Especially the beef or pasta dishes. These dishes at Ciola did not need any additional seasoning. For me, this speaks of the chef’s ability when the seasoning can be delivered without needing modification. We were impressed that for 2 glasses of wine, an appetizer, and 1 entrée special and pasta entrée, that the bill was only 80.00. We have spent more on meals which fall short in comparison. I gave this 5 stars because we literately had no complaints, and let me tell you, I am a hard one to please!

I’m shocked this place isn’t in Unilocal yet!
A family owned Italian restaurant a little ways out on 620, you won’t regret the drive. We stopped in after watching the sunset at the Oasis. While they weren’t happy to have the late arrivals (they stop serving dinner at 10:30p, and it was around 9:45 or so) they still welcomed us and provided top-​notch service.
The food was great all around — flavorful salads (my table tried one of each) and fantastic plates both pasta and seafood. I opted for traditional spaghetti and meatballs and was quite pleased with the tennis ball sized balls I got. Made good leftovers too! The wine list is extensive and our waiter’s suggestion was spot-​on.
This restaurant is family owned and operated, and you can trust that you will get a genuine Italian dining experience there.

Yes, the people below are spot on. Ciola’s kicks a**. Their pasta is fresh and prepared perfectly al dente. The lasagna is fat and meaty and has peperoni in it which adds a kick. The sauce is zesty and fresh.
After several hours of slugging wine and munching on the gloriously crisp calamari, my friend and I decided to split a steak dinner to sober up before the drive home. we had a fillet with sauteed spinach in a demi glacé that was outstanding. The meat was center cut and devoid of any fat– absolutely succulent.
The only reason they got 4 stars is that I had ordered two pans of lasagna (at $ 125 a pan) for an office party. I called and confirmed the order the previous evening. When I went to pick up the lasagna, they had completely forgotten about it! I returned to the home where we were holding the party and we had to wait almost two hours for them to have the food ready. by this time most of the guests were pretty tipsy. I was understandably upset and even more so when they didn’t offer to give us a discount. I was so miffed that I didn’t return for a year.
But then I caved and I’m glad I did. It’s just so goooood.