We were told this was the best Italian around. I sure hope not! The service was fantastic, Kathy was great. The food was mediocre at best. We were served frozen vegetables with absolutely no seasoning. The pasta davinci was over seasoned with rosemary and the shrimp was crunchy. The pork chop was okay however the sauce was very watery. The gnocchi was okay. The calamari was only lightly breaded but way too oily. read more

Very good Italian food, authentic high end feel at modest prices. The staff was very professional. The price is at par with a national chain but the quality and service is well above. read more

We have been coming here for years. We typically go because the food, ambiance, and service is consistently good. The last two times we have gone the service has been extremely slow. Not sure if it is the wait staff or kitchen but it has taken two hours start to finish. I dont mind a leisurely dinner but I would like it to be my choice, not because Im held hostage. read more

I stopped by here early on a Sunday right when they opened. It was after a long run, so I was in sweaty workout clothes. But I wanted pasta! So I went to find pasta. I immediately felt WAY underdressed and like the wrong clientele for this place in my attire. Old-world Italian decor, nice cloth napkins and romantic booths... I was definitely out of place. But I was greeted immediately and warmly. I was ushered to a booth and my waiter didn't even seem to notice my frazzled hair and sweaty clothes. Definitely great service! I ordered the chicken parm with pasta on the side. It came with a soup or salad with bread. I got the salad and immediately devoured the bread (it's carbs!). The dipping dressing/oil was a nice touch. My meal was a bit slow, but the kitchen was likely still getting on their feet and my waiter kept me updated frequently. The food was delicious. The chicken of the dish was a bit soggy and not crisp, but everything was delicious and despite me having a "lunch" portion, I still went home with leftovers. The only downside was there was a baby shower on the other side of the restaurant full of screeching women. I wasn't a fan, but there wasn't much the restaurant could do, really. Especially since they DID book the space. It just made it hard to think. I'd give the food about a "3.5". The service was a full on 5, though, for accepting my stinky exercise clothes and messy hair. read more

Stopped in for lunch with a friend the other day. We both had the perch, which was very tasty. The minestrone soup was fresh tasting loaded with veggies. The hot fresh bread was a nice touch. Our waitress was very friendly and quick. I hope to return and try some of the other dishes read more

Our first visit was Friday night. The house was full when we arrived at 7:30. We liked the decor, with high ceilings and comfortable booths and tables. There were lots of staff bustling about, and they certainly met all our needs. After reading reviews, we ordered Shrimp Luca for appetizer ($11.99), and it did not disappoint. Deep flavor, crisp, perfectly cooked. For entrees I had the Pasta Davinci ($22.99), and my husband had the Lamb Shank Lombardia ($25.99). We both substituted the gorgonzola salad for the house salad, which cost an extra $3.29. It was worth it. The salads were large and generously packed with gorgonzola and dried cherries. The bread that comes with entrees is soft and warm and very good, with seasoned olive oil--delicious. We asked our waitress, Amber, what was in the oil: balsamic reduction and minced garlic. The Pasta Davinci creamy palomino tomato sauce on the capellini pasta was very delicious, the shrimp were large and perfectly cooked, and scallops plentiful. My husband's lamb shank was one of the best things I've ever tasted. It was huge. When our entrees arrived we were nearly full after the Shrimp Luca, salads and bread, but after a few bites of yumminess, we saved them for a wonderful leftover meal the next day, and it tasted even better then. We ordered tiramisu to go and the portion was huge, plenty for us to share at home the next day. Our waitress Amber was very friendly and attentive. She made sure to bring our entrees after salads were finished. For my taste she was almost over the top with talkativeness, but my husband enjoyed her. I really have no complaints about this restaurant, and we will definitely go back. Not sure why I'm not giving 5 stars, but it must be the waitress's exuberance, and the decor inside and out trying a little hard to be authentically Italian. Portraits of famous Italians on the walls. As for the taste of the food, the generosity of portions, and the menu offerings, those get 5 stars. read more

The Same ole same ole ! Average dishes! You'd think since they're from Italy, & many authentic dishes could be made they'd capitalize on that and do something true Italian not just the Americanized versions which don't even appear on a real Italian Ristorante menu. If you've been to Italy you know what I mean. read more

I drive from Lansing just to eat at this restaurant!! I'm a food guy ... I can tell you this is by far thee best Italian restaurant

Service was top notch although their food was lacking: house bread was pretty tasty, hot, crispy and flavorful. The salad and soup were subpar. Main course lacked flavor (chicken fettuccine with palamino sauce). My wife enjoyed her main dish (chicken penne with bacon and mushroom). Great patio scene right in downtown Brighton; shaded and cool. Would visit again and try another dish. read more

I'm not a huge Italian fan so please take my review with a grain of salt. My husband, however, loves Italian and it's all he ever wants to eat. I was so desperate to go out to eat tonight I caved and offered an Italian place to get him on board :). I have to say I was pleasantly surprised, both service and food wise. We went with our young son for dinner tonight and had a lovely time. Our sever was very pleasant and even got a Thomas train for our son from the lost and found for him to play while we waited for our food. We ordered an appetizer (caprese salad) and the waiter also brought us some bread and dipping oil. The bread is pretty sinful, nice delicious white bread, soaked in butter...yum! For dinner I got the french onion soup which was delish and the gorgonzola salad. The salad came a little overdressed but otherwise was very delicious. The TC cherries really made the whole salad. My hubby started with gazpacho and then got the gnocchi which is just drenched in cheesy cream sauce. Not for the faint of heart. Yummy, but sooooo rich. And for our son we were able to get plain buttered ziti which he lapped up, plus some of my TC cherries off my salad :) Like I said I'm not a huge Italian fan, but this place was great and when my hubby has a craving we will be back. Far better than BG down the street! read more

Very nice for a special event...Food was nice (though I had fish and bones we in). This was my first time and I will give it another try but just can't give it a 5 star. And I felt the prices were a bit high end for what you get... read more

Big city high quality Italian cuisine in Brighton can be found here. Tasty fresh calamari, huge flavorful salads and delicious pastas. Service was also outstanding. We will definitely come back next time we are in Ann Arbor area. read more

Ciao Amici's - Italian Near Me - Brighton, Michigan

Wonderful food, nice atmosphere, and excellent service! This is what I would classify as a really nice restaurant.

I go here often. I got carryout the other night and to my surprise, it wasn't great. I got the scallops and the risotto was very dry. For an appetizer we got the steak bites and they were also very dry. The ravioli was good. Overall, Definitely not the standard. read more

I love Italian food. I think Ciao Amici's does it justice, however I'm not a huge fan of their tomato-based sauces. Maybe it's a regional thing within Italian families, but I've noticed families make their sauces differently... some are basil-based, some are oregano-based, some are both, and some can be acidic, while others add sugar to base-it-out. Some are creamy, while others are more natural. I prefer the natural, non-acidic oregano based sauces... so I'm not a fan of Ciao Amici's. Still the service is good and the ambiance is very romantic. There's plenty on the menu that would appeal to many people. It is kind of pricy though. read more

I love this place! I used to come with my friends a lot.. I haven't been in a hot minute! It's on the pricey side but they give you a lot of food and it's always really good and worth it. The bread with oil is my fav read more

The atmosphere was that of what you would imagine a supper club was like in the 50's or 60's. I could imagine the 'Rat Pack' frequenting a restaurant like Ciao Amici's. They had a very good selection of everything from their appetizers, entrees and desserts. Our table of five thoroughly enjoyed their meal and portions were more than adequate. I felt the value was excellent, especially for the quality of the food. Salad or soup is not an extra with entrees. Excellent service was provided by very professional staff. I loved it all! read more

I got an order to go, a cheese pizza for the kids and a Salmon BLT sandwich for me. The kids loved their pizza and the sandwich was one of the best I've ever had. The person who took our order was very nice and friendly. We will definitely be back to eat here again when we are visiting town. read more

First time there and sat inside. We felt very comfortable and all servers and staff had mask on. We will be back. The calamari and veal piccata were delicious Martinis were perfect made read more

If you enjoy quite, classy, dinning this is the place. This fine dinning is below reasonable pricing. The menu is unique and varied Italian. While the service is top notch. Ciao Amici's offers a great choice of wines. I like to visit on Wednesday which is 1/2 off wine by the bottle. Real table cloths, cloth napkins, good silver, and Dean Crosby in the back ground really add to the ambiance. This is my favorite Brighton restaurant. Try the pot roast with a bottle of Marquee de Caracas 2009. read more

Service = 5 Food = 3.5 Atmosphere = 4 Prices = 3.5 Food was so / so.....I guess if you like their sauce then you like their food. I thought it was a bit "chef boyardee" and therefor overpriced. Portions were healthy and service was good. Thanks Kim ! read more

If your looking for a salty meal... then this is your place. We ordered the mussels which was supposed to have a white wine broth, more a less came with gravy. The chicken and rice soup was so salty it was not even eatable. We probably won't be coming back unless we are in need of a salty over cooked meals. read more

I was in Brighton for work, and checked this place out for lunch. Very good experience! Service was great, food was delicious, and loved the "old world" Italian feel of the restaurant. I'll have to come back for dinner some time! I tried the butternut squash ravioli, and it was off the hook delicious. My co-workers got the lasagna which was HUGE. I've got to come back and try it! read more

Ciao Amici's - Butternut Squash ravioli! Amazingly delicious! - Italian Near Me - Brighton, Michigan

I've had a few business lunches here; enjoyed light, tasty fare - the eggplant parm is above average. Dinner, however, for the first time was not so hot. Ordered chicken marsala- server brought me veal. Had a bite or two - found the marsala gravy to be way salty. They quickly replaced the veal with what I wanted - it was an average dinner. The tiramisu is homemade and was very good :-) read more

Ciao Amici's - Ciao Amici Christmas 2014 - Italian Near Me - Brighton, Michigan

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First time here, had a dinner with my sister and sister-in-law! We had no problem getting a table on this Wednesday night, and were offered drinks off the bat. Our waitress was very pleasant and checked on us (and not in an overly annoying kind of way either). We ordered a bottle of wine to share which was half off. Delish!! The bread basket was good and warm, seemed slightly smoothed, but still tasty... Although I was not a fan of the dipping oil. French onion soup was yummy! I got the Chicken Alfredo, the noodles and sauce were great, but the chicken was just meh. The other meals were well reviewed (chicken piccata and eggplant parm). We got dessert! Happy with the overall experience! Would return def! read more

Ciao Amici's - My after dinner Port! So strong but so good! - Italian Near Me - Brighton, Michigan

Very good Italian restaurant in Brighton. Excellent for work meetings or date nights. Much larger inside than I thought and the bar tends to have a lovely selection of wine and craft beer on tap read more

What an incredible Italian restaurant. Met a friend here, just Google Italian in Brighton, neither of us had been there before. Lovely atmosphere, our waitress, Dani was perfect, knowledgeable, very friendly. Best service I've had in quite awhile, AND the food and dessert was phenomenal will definitely go back. read more

We just moved to Brighton and thought we'd try Ciao Amici's. Extremely disappointed. Food was unimpressive, on par with your basic Olive Garden. My lasagna bolognese had nothing between the layers of pasta. The sauce was ok but overall basically pasta and sauce. The butternut ravioli was flavorless. $100 for two meals, drinks and an appetizer is ridiculous for the quality of good. Your money is better spent elsewhere. read more

This place runs hot and cold (not temperature-wise but in degree of service and satisfaction), and when it's hot, its screaming hot and when its cold you'd be better off just about anywhere (other than Coney Joes on Grand River, which is consistently the pits). So how to know when this is the place to be? Not sure - and the variation crosses all boundaries - food, service, interest. As I mentioned, there have been times when all 5 stars wouldn't tell the whole story; sometimes everyone cares a lot and shows it (a lot). Other times, like when they leave the bartender in charge of managing the place, OMG -steer clear - you'd be better off a couple of doors down at The Pound (which while its pretty much strictly bar food, is a very, very consistent 3.5 (4 if you count the beer selection) on a scale of 1 to 5. read more

Went to lunch there today and had a very pleasant experience. Very nice decor with a comfortable atmosphere. I had the shrimp Luca as an appetizer and ate all 4 pieces by myself. That was probably not the wisest thing to do because the were not small. The sauce was very good. I choose the French onion soup with my meal. It was just okay, the onions were a bit under cooked and the cheese should have been put under the broiler instead it was just sprinkled into the warm broth. My wife really enjoyed the Cesar salad. We both ordered the fillet with zip sauce off the dinner menu. I mist say it was a perfect steak cooked right with a very tasty zip sauce. The mashed potatoes were good except my wife's had a some very big unmasked pieces mixed in but this was a minor thing. I should note that I did add the the mushrooms and onions when the waitress asked if I would like them. I was a bit surprised that it was an additional 3.99 for what appeared to be canned mushrooms and 1.99 for for some sautéed mushrooms. It was still a darn good steak. The staff was great, we were seated right away by a cheerful hostess. Our waitress Patty was on point with drinks and overall service. Every time we finished a plate it was promptly removed from the table, small details make a big difference. All in all I would not hesitate recommending this place to a friend or family member. Nice job CA... read more

Had a nice meal Friday night. Tom was very attentive the whole meal. Food for all 5 of us was very good. Bolanaise sauce is outstanding. Add a couple of meatballs and you have food for two. read more

Very nice atmosphere and good food. We went on Mother's Day to celebrate my daughters 20th birthday (which fell on Mother's Day this year) and I was disappointed to see that the special "Mother's Day Menu" had inflated the cost of each item on the menu. I was also disappointed to realize that the coupon for from a local flyer that advertised Mother's Day (buy one entree get the second 1/2 off) was NOT valid on Mother's Day. What a scam. read more

Came here first time as a carry out. Great experience. I can't wait until I can sit here! Don't wait open now. I be first in line.

This was a good italian restaurant. The calamari was very good. The Pasta con pollo dish was excellent and my wife enjoyed the chicken parm. The kids were happy with the pizza and spaghetti and meatball kid options. Wine and beer selection was also very good with some quality local crafts available. We will be back. read more

Lovely atmosphere and service. I had a great filet, perfectly medium rare. Superb wait staff. Great wine list. Busy on weekend evenings so recommend a reservation. Calamari, Caesar salad, lemon cake for dessert with yummy coffee. read more

First let me say the service was wonderful and that got this place two stars... the food OMG we ordered the Fettuccine (over cooked) special with chicken which tasted and had the consistency of beef jerky. The individual portions were enough for a family of four wonderful if it was a tasty option, but mostly adding insult to injury. Why anyone would even serve anything like this is beyond me. Possibly other items on the menu are much better as this was my only and hopefully last visit. Please taste the food you serve. read more

Stopped here on our way through town. I wasn't familiar with Brighton or this restaurant, but when your pregnant wife says that she wants pasta, then you find pasta. It was pretty empty being 4:00 on a Sunday, so service was pretty attentive. I never saw the bottom of a water glass. The wife started with a salad and said the ranch was delicious. I had chipotle chicken soup, which was good but didn't fit so well with the rest of dinner or the style of the restaurant (but I ordered it, so it's my own fault if I'd didn't fit with my meal). The bread and dipping oil was fresh and delicious. Her entree was the chicken piccata. She said that she liked piccata to be even more lemony, but she very much enjoyed it. I had the spaghetti bolognese with meatballs. The meatballs were luscious, firm, and tender. The pasta was perfectly cook and the sauce was very good. The menu was reasonably priced and there other items I would love to try. I'll definitely make another stop at Ciao Amigi's when we're in the area. read more

I've been here a few times and I'm always on the fence about this place. I'm Italian, I love the food and cooking it. Do I consider this the best.... No of course not. It's not the worst though. The one thing that is consistent is that everytime I'm here the service is between horribly slow/rude and subpar. The last time we stopped in we were greeted by the manager I believe (in a suit) and he was rude and made us feel uncomfortable and unwelcome When we asked to be seated in the bar area by the window. When we went to find out own seated as you can seat yourself there it took 10 minutes to get a glass of wine by a very rude older woman in the bar area. The other night, after a long girls night of shopping, we stopped in because we were in the area and starving. In my opinion there really aren't any great choices in Brighton so it's pretty much which is worse. Again, service was slow. I waited awhile for a drink and it wasn't really busy as it was later at night. One girl helped us and then we never saw her again. Bread came 20 minutes after we sat down and the dipping sauce arrived. My friend asked repeatedly for it as I don't eat it. The dipping sauce could really use improvement. The oil, vinegar and herbs are not emulsified. So you can't get all of the flavors onto your bread, and where is the parmesan? I ordered the Veal which was good. it came with mashed potatoes which was odd. Every Italian restaurant I've been to, which is a lot, always serves Veal and Chicken dishes with a pasta side. Not a huge issue since they were accommodating in letting me switch. It also came with a seasonal vegetable however it was literally 5 small slices of a zucchini squash mix. My friend had the Butternut Ravioli which she enjoyed. I thought it was good as well. Expected a little more sweetness which surprisingly it was more on the savory side. All in all the entrees we ordered and food I have gotten in the past has been decent. It definitely could be better. More original and fresher ingredients. Service and attitudes of staff really could use improvements especially with the front of house people as they are the first people customers deal with upon entering. read more

Italian isn't my favorite food yet we decided to try their steaks. Upon arriving, we were greeted quickly & seated in a booth as we requested. Our server Tiffany, approached us with a smile & when we asked about the specials, she was informative and answered all of our questions. We told her we were celebrating my birthday & our 51st wedding anniversary. We both started with shrimp appetizers that were done to perfection. Shrimp was large & very tasty. Our salads were cold, crisp with just the right amount of dressing. Our steaks .....absolutely phenomenal !! They have their own zip sauce which only added to the flavor & not overly seasoned as so many places do. Grilled as we requested. By this time we were stuffed but no, as Tiffany came by telling us the owner wanted to treat us to a dessert. Naturally, we couldn't say no & glad we didn't. Hubby had the lemon cream cake while I had their homemade creme brulee. Both were "to die for." We are already planning our next visit there as we want to try their veal dishes. Maybe for hubby's birthday ! read more

This used to be our special place in Brighton for anniversaries, celebrations. Tonight we made a reservation, arrived on time, and were told it would be just a few minutes while they bussed our table. We went into the bar and got a before-dinner drink while we were waiting. Suddenly the hostess came up to us, said that another group that was friends with the owner had arrived, and that the restaurant was bumping our reservation so the other group could have our table. 45 minutes later we got a table. Sadly, this is our last visit read more