Ciola Italian Restaurant

I live in Lakeway and am familiar with the quality of your food. I have lived in NY and Chicago and love good Italian food. So my sister just passed her real estate test and I could think of no better place to celebrate. My brother in-law came too. They loved it, great food, atmosphere and service. I knew that that is why I brought them there in the first place. Keep it up! David (Customer for life) more

On behalf of my entire team, please accept and extend my gratitude for a fantastic evening hosted by you and your team. And on such short notice, fantastic work. If you would please, let the entire staff and management team know that that type of service is what makes the experience! Great food and great people. We will be doing upcoming outings with you all.\r more

On behalf of my entire team, please accept and extend my gratitude for a fantastic evening hosted by you and your team. And on such short notice, fantastic work. If you would please, let the entire staff and management team know that that type of service is what makes the experience! Great food and great people. We will be doing upcoming outings with you all.\r more

i totally agree with the previous reviewer - averge food and the smoke really turns me off just like all the other lakeway area restaurants that still allow smoking. Pros: just ok Cons: mediogre, overpriced, smokie more

i totally agree with the previous reviewer - averge food and the smoke really turns me off just like all the other lakeway area restaurants that still allow smoking. Pros: just ok Cons: mediogre, overpriced, smokie more

After living in the area for 3 years, we finally made it to Ciola's. Being a Northeast transplant who desperately misses good Italian food, I was excited to try it. But I have to say I was a little disappointed. It was OK, but not great. The calamari we had to start was really good, but the rest of the food was mediocre. The bread was laden in oil, as was my linguini with red clam sauce, which wasn't very ""red."" It was mostly olive oil and garlic, with very little tomato.\r \r The service was good, but it took a while for our food to come out. And I HATE the fact that you can still smoke in restaurants in Lakeway. It would be much more appealing if you walked in and smelled the food rather than the smoke (the bar is right by the front door). \r \r I also think it is overpriced. Dinner for 2 with an inexpensive bottle of wine was $98. And we only had pasta dishes and one appetizer. $10 for an appetizer of basically fried calamari is a little steep, especially considering this is not an upscale restaurant. Pros: Extensive menue Cons: overpriced, mediocre food, smoke more

After living in the area for 3 years, we finally made it to Ciola's. Being a Northeast transplant who desperately misses good Italian food, I was excited to try it. But I have to say I was a little disappointed. It was OK, but not great. The calamari we had to start was really good, but the rest of the food was mediocre. The bread was laden in oil, as was my linguini with red clam sauce, which wasn't very ""red."" It was mostly olive oil and garlic, with very little tomato.\r \r The service was good, but it took a while for our food to come out. And I HATE the fact that you can still smoke in restaurants in Lakeway. It would be much more appealing if you walked in and smelled the food rather than the smoke (the bar is right by the front door). \r \r I also think it is overpriced. Dinner for 2 with an inexpensive bottle of wine was $98. And we only had pasta dishes and one appetizer. $10 for an appetizer of basically fried calamari is a little steep, especially considering this is not an upscale restaurant. Pros: Extensive menue Cons: overpriced, mediocre food, smoke more

We go to Ciola's at least once a week and consider ourselves resident ""regulars""... we don't go for the food, although we do eat a lot of the time we come in. (best cesear salad in town, hands down.) Sit at the bar- we have fantastic service at the tables, but the bar staff is the reason we chose to go there half the time. Lonnie, the sarcastic, and Chanel, the sweet girl-behind-the bar will take good care of you! Drinks are great, atmosphere is dark wooded, velvet curtained, and fantastically tavern-like. Baseball memoribila lines the walls, and in the late afternoons/early evenings, the bar is filled with the ""boys club"" of the local golf courses emptying out 12:00 tee time players. They all seem to gather at Ciola's at the end of the day, to have a cocktail or share an appetizer. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin crone in the background, and you get the feeling you are in another time. The seated portion of the restaurant is non-smoking, and if you prefer it, I recommend the c-shaped seating or the grotto-esque booths in the back corners. Call ahead for a weekend reservation or you'll get one of the more public walkway tables, not quite as nice. We hosted a special event at Ciola's last spring- and reserved the private room. It was wonderfiul. Food was great, service was awesome, and they made us feel wonderful about having our event there. The room is totally off to itself, perfect for large groups and private service. Highly recommended. Have even had drinks after hours with the owner, who even in his slightly drunken arrogance, was friendly, hospitable, and proud of his establishment. A Lakeway Landmark.\r more

We go to Ciola's at least once a week and consider ourselves resident ""regulars""... we don't go for the food, although we do eat a lot of the time we come in. (best cesear salad in town, hands down.) Sit at the bar- we have fantastic service at the tables, but the bar staff is the reason we chose to go there half the time. Lonnie, the sarcastic, and Chanel, the sweet girl-behind-the bar will take good care of you! Drinks are great, atmosphere is dark wooded, velvet curtained, and fantastically tavern-like. Baseball memoribila lines the walls, and in the late afternoons/early evenings, the bar is filled with the ""boys club"" of the local golf courses emptying out 12:00 tee time players. They all seem to gather at Ciola's at the end of the day, to have a cocktail or share an appetizer. Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin crone in the background, and you get the feeling you are in another time. The seated portion of the restaurant is non-smoking, and if you prefer it, I recommend the c-shaped seating or the grotto-esque booths in the back corners. Call ahead for a weekend reservation or you'll get one of the more public walkway tables, not quite as nice. We hosted a special event at Ciola's last spring- and reserved the private room. It was wonderfiul. Food was great, service was awesome, and they made us feel wonderful about having our event there. The room is totally off to itself, perfect for large groups and private service. Highly recommended. Have even had drinks after hours with the owner, who even in his slightly drunken arrogance, was friendly, hospitable, and proud of his establishment. A Lakeway Landmark.\r more

Born and raised in the Province of Siena (Regione Toscana), I know true Italian cuisine. It is shame that restaurants like this try to pass this over to the average American. Take my word, you will be disappointed if you eat here. The waiter successfully sold me on the caprese salad which was ok, but the mozzarella was too soft, mushy as if it had been pre-cut the day before, waiting for a ignorant dame like me to order it. The penna alla vodka was interesting with the addition of shrimp. Unfortunately the smell of the shrimp was so strong that it overpowered the vodka aroma and gave the dish a soured after-taste. My question to the family is- Who checks the quality of your food products? Who is your supplier? Is there a system of checks-and-balances? Obviously not. Extremely disappointed. Ciao. Pros: easy parking, with lots of open spaces Cons: strong shrimp smell, bad mozzarella more

Born and raised in the Province of Siena (Regione Toscana), I know true Italian cuisine. It is shame that restaurants like this try to pass this over to the average American. Take my word, you will be disappointed if you eat here. The waiter successfully sold me on the caprese salad which was ok, but the mozzarella was too soft, mushy as if it had been pre-cut the day before, waiting for a ignorant dame like me to order it. The penna alla vodka was interesting with the addition of shrimp. Unfortunately the smell of the shrimp was so strong that it overpowered the vodka aroma and gave the dish a soured after-taste. My question to the family is- Who checks the quality of your food products? Who is your supplier? Is there a system of checks-and-balances? Obviously not. Extremely disappointed. Ciao. Pros: easy parking, with lots of open spaces Cons: strong shrimp smell, bad mozzarella more

Amazing place. Once you visit this place you won't want to leave! From gourmet coffee to finest wines, imported dessert & gelato to great Italian food. You can't go wrong. more

Amazing place. Once you visit this place you won't want to leave! From gourmet coffee to finest wines, imported dessert & gelato to great Italian food. You can't go wrong. more

This is a wonderful, family-owned restaurant that still exudes that close, ?everybody knows your name? atmosphere while still maintaining a elegant, yet warm, dining atmosphere. Everything from the bread basket to their main dishes and homemade desserts are top-notch. Ciola?s has a full bar and a wide variety of wines by the glass. I have too many favorites to count. I haven?t had anything that I wouldn?t have again.\r Pros: menu, atmosphere, price more

This is a wonderful, family-owned restaurant that still exudes that close, ?everybody knows your name? atmosphere while still maintaining a elegant, yet warm, dining atmosphere. Everything from the bread basket to their main dishes and homemade desserts are top-notch. Ciola?s has a full bar and a wide variety of wines by the glass. I have too many favorites to count. I haven?t had anything that I wouldn?t have again.\r Pros: menu, atmosphere, price more

Ciolas is one of my favorite local finds. The lasagna is a ""brick"" of cheesy goodness and the service is top notch. I always leave with a full belly and a smile on my face (sometimes with a to-go box too because the portion sizes are so generous.) The wine selection is nice as well making this a great place for both families and a nice night for two. more

Ciolas is one of my favorite local finds. The lasagna is a ""brick"" of cheesy goodness and the service is top notch. I always leave with a full belly and a smile on my face (sometimes with a to-go box too because the portion sizes are so generous.) The wine selection is nice as well making this a great place for both families and a nice night for two. more

Odd mix of people, unfamiliar staff, bland menu items, and boring wine list. I was told to come here for its 5 star rating on citysearch as advertised. Confused as to why this place has received high marks. Surprised and disappointed with my experience. Cons: false ads more

Odd mix of people, unfamiliar staff, bland menu items, and boring wine list. I was told to come here for its 5 star rating on citysearch as advertised. Confused as to why this place has received high marks. Surprised and disappointed with my experience. Cons: false ads more

Had dinner there this past week. Nice manager/owner, but didn't seem to know a lot about the restaurant or recipes. Piccata was terrible. No flavor. Had a side of garlic mash potatoes which were dry. May try it again, but will give them a few months to work on their menu items. Service was ok. Pros: server was nice. Cons: food needs work. more