We just had the most amazing meal here, the service was beyond great (Thanks, Kai!), the food delish, great ambiance, we will be back! read more

Ciao Mambo - a plate of food and a glass of wine - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

Great Italian food and excellent service. Tomato basil with fried cheese ball - YUM!! The garlic bread is superb and the dessert donuts with raspberry and huckleberry dipping sauces is a must! read more

This was recommended to us by a local. We liked the idea of it being from scratch. The only feedback I would give is there is a ton of garlic in everything. I'm a garlic lover but it overwhelmed our dishes. Large thick slices throughout our sauce. Also the baked pasta bolognaise dish could have had more noodles. I would come back and give it another shot, but hopefully they can cut back on the garlic or at least warn customers that it has a very very strong presence in their dishes. read more

Great food, great service, reasonably priced! We tried this place for our first night out after having a kid and it was amazing. There was about a 15 min wait for a Friday night, but definitely worth the wait. read more

Far Exceeded our expectations for Italian food in Montana. Great garlic bread, pastas were excellent. Staff and service were solid.

Everything I have ever had to eat or drink here has been amazing. I find that I have so many favorite dishes that it's really hard to decide. Oh and the bread....yum! The only thing....sometimes the servers, and only a few, are a little less attentive then I would appreciate. But all in all....love this place. read more

Ordered togo. Superb food. Everything I ate was top notch 5 stars. I only come to Billings a few times a year and this will be a staple for me. Definitely recommend and will return. Togo packaging was done really nice that it didn't feel tofo read more

I really enjoyed eating here. The food and ingredients were very fresh. I like the authentic flare and food. Our waitress, Mattie, was such a doll and gave us excellent recommendations which we thoroughly enjoyed. I will come back. read more

Ciao Mambo - The fettuccine ala rustica was delicious Mattie was very impressive, she wrote her name upside down and backwards, great service as well. - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

Ciao Mambo never disappoints. It is by far my favorite restaurant! I highly recommend the bruschetta.

Food was delicious and portions were big! Plenty for at least two meals. We loved everything we got!

I was skeptical about our visit reading the widely varied reviews, thankfully we experienced none of the negative and only the positive! We were seated after only a 10-15 minute wait on a weekday evening. We enjoyed their calamari for an appetizer, and I had their chicken parmesan, hubby had the cioppino. My son said their mac n cheese was the best he's ever had. They also offer complimentary bread which comes topped with an insane, and amazing, amount of garlic and oil. So delicious!!! My chicken was good, and I loved how they put a good quality ricotta in between the two pieces of chicken- an interesting and tasty offering. Hubby was thrilled with his cioppino, but to be fair it's the first time he's ever had cioppino but he does know his seafood. We really liked the space and the decor as well. We didn't notice the noise level being too high, but I can see how some people might take issue. Our server was lovely as were many of the other staff including the hostesses. The price point was a little high, so it'll probably not be too regular in our rotation, but definitely, a great option when you've craving Italian in Billings! read more

Took my wife for her birthday. The staff was amazing as well as the food. Highly recommend the cioppino it was super.

We come here all the time for birthdays, anniversaries, and when family's in town. It's classy, tastes great and honestly pretty affordable. The garlic bread is delicious and as are the little donut balls! read more

Wonderful food, wine, atmosphere, one of my favorite places for a night out. I highly recommend any of the cream based sauce dishes, like the aged parmesan alfredo or the vodka cream sauce. Huge portions, great wine selection, always a great time going there. Oh and the garlic bread is amazing! read more

By far the best Italian food in downtown! A little too loud for my personal liking but the food is so worth it

You should go just for the table bread. Mattie has always given thoughtful and consistent service. Dope art on the wall and overall atmosphere. Food is obviously smacking. The boh is always yelling something which is cool for the vibes. My girl is from Italy and she makes fun of the fact that they have Italian Nachos but I get they gotta appeal to the cookie cutter crowd. If you don't come here you're missing out. Peace read more

This place was AMAZING! All pasta can be made gluten free. We were in town passing thru and got a recommendation from a lady on our flight in. Hands down the best Italian food I have ever had! read more

Awful. Gross. Don't go! Waited around on a slow night for 10 minutes to have my order taken. The server had to serve the couple that was seated after us first. When I asked him why he did it. He said someone told him to do it. So he blamed someone else and didn't offer anything to make up for it. I just sat down. I haven't even eaten yet. With that said...The food sucked! The caesar salad was covered in mountains of different cheeses and drowned in dressing. The pizza was soggy. We couldn't even eat the salad. When we told the waiter we didn't want to pay for it he said "You should have told me." and he offered a 30% discount. He already messed up by serving someone who came in after me now I "should" have done something. Why don't you do your diligence and make this right? I highly recommend you go anywhere else on the block. Wild Ginger, Walkers, Dickeys are all great with great people who call out their own mistakes and offer compensation. This restaurant made a HUGE MISTAKE and compounded with awful food and a waiter who didn't care. I hope this place burns down. read more

we were travelling through Billings and stayed one night. found this wonderful spot right near our hotel. the service was outstanding and the food even better! we had a ten year old with us and she loved it. read more

Totally NOT impressed. Like, totally. I think I fell into 1983 when Julie from Valley Girl says: Like, it's all this stuff that tastes like nothing and it's supposed to be so good for you. Why couldn't they, like, open a Pizza Hut or something? We called ahead to make a reservation since there were 7 of us. "Oh, we only, like take reservations for parties of 8 or more. But it's not busy so the wait shouldn't be long." We get down there and of course, there is a 45-minute wait. But my pansy brother wanted to eat there so we went and had a drink nearby while we waited. The aroma from our garlic bread appetizers has probably killed vampires three countries away. I couldn't wash the stench off me for days (one star for keeping vampires away from me). My caprese was not impressive. The tomatoes were quite flavorless. Like, no flavor. My main course was the Gamberi al Burro e Limone (Shrimp scampi, roasted peppers and linguini tossed in a lemon herb butter broth). I will give them one star for that. It had a nice flavor but it didn't knock my socks off. Like, our server was all like taking forever to refill beverages. You'd think if my parents ordered three bottles of (very good) wine a server would actually make a point to ensure they had enough glasses. My mom was drinking out of her water glass like she was drinking boxed wine or something. Tip it, mom!! A $300 bill for dinner in Billings should get better service than this. $60 for a tip (which my dad was gracious enough to leave because I would've left her $10 and a nasty note) was not worth the gum-chomping, hair-in-her-eyes server. Like hire some real servers. read more

Four star food, one star service. We come here very frequently for dinner, and in the last year the service has been abysmal. Having worked in the restaurant/hospitality industry for fourteen years, I know how it works. When the restaurant is less than 1/3 full, at no time should the hostess say it's going to be a 25 min wait! Ever. There are servers with waist length hair not tied back, another server wearing gym shorts so short that her butt cheeks are hanging out, and the list goes on. Once a quality restaurant, not anymore. The poor service isn't worth the wait. read more

The service was sorely lacking & we were seated next to the wait station, forcing us to endure the entire wait staff talking about their tables, other servers, etc. The music was so loud everyone in the restaurant had to practically shout to be heard. For starters, we ordered the calamari as an appetizer, disgusting. It was tough, rubbery, and lacking in flavor. When our entrees finally arrived, they too were less than palatable. The lasagna was burned and the pesto was almost as flavorless as the calamari. We were very disappointed. If you like bland, over-Americanized, "Italian" food, then you might enjoy this place. Otherwise, avoid it. read more

I've eaten at pasta places and Italian food across the country and I have to say that this is probably some of the best pasta I've ever eaten read more

See all

This place is ridiculous. How do you offer a gift certificate through restaurant.com and not honor it because you didn't provide a printed version. Nowhere in the terms and conditions does it say you need a printed version, the mobile version should be just fine! I went there only because I had this certificate and they couldn't help us and TURNED US AWAY! I called restaurant.com because that's ridiculous and they agreed that restaurants are not allowed to turn customers away for having the online certificate. Complete waste of my time! read more

Ciao Mambo - The mobile version even says show this to your server. - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

Amazing, freshly made customizable food. It is our favorite place in town, and the best Italian food I've ever had!

Hadn't been to Ciao in 4-5 years and thought we would give it a try for our date night. Walked in and told it would be a 30 minute wait. No big deal. So we sat at the bar and had a glass of wine while we waited. I had a nice Malbec that tasted great. After 20-25 minutes the hostess asked if we wanted to sit at the pizza bar instead of a table. The pizza bar was empty the entire time while we were waiting and said we would have sat there if asked before waiting so long for a table and this seemed to bother her. A few minutes later we were seated at a table and our waitress was friendly but seemed to be rushing us. I just ordered a pepperoni pizza and another glass of wine while my date ordered minestrone soup and chicken Alfredo. Soup was tasty but lukewarm. After my pizza and glass of wine arrived I noticed the wine seemed to taste different. I asked the server if she had poured the Malbec because of the different taste and she said it was indeed Malbec. So I cleansed my palette and realized she was right. I informed her it was my mistake and left it at that. She then brought another glass with a sample of the Malbec to settle "the situation". I told her I wasn't upset and had said I was wrong but she wanted to prove to me I was wrong. Whatever. She then brought boxes to go even though I wasn't eating and the check arrived before I was done as well. I would eat here again but it'll probably be another 4-5 years before I do. read more

Ciao Mambo - Italian Near Me - Billings, Montana

I was pretty excited when they opened that we had our first fine Italian dining spot. The decor is quite nice but the service is slow and the food is not even as good as Olive Garden which is odd since unlike the garden they actually make it there. If you don't get your expectations too high.. you wont be too disappointed.. Also.. they so ripped off the writing upside down on the table in crayon thing from Macaroni Grill. read more

Had dinner with a local customer. Had veal scaloppini with side of pasta and marinara..it was spot on!! Great wine selection with an entire section dedicated to Italian varsities. Atmosphere was great and it was busy on a Monday night. read more

We love Ciao Mambo, but we will not return any time soon. The food was the best, as it always is. We think it is one of the best Italian restaurants in Billings. However, I agree with earlier reviews about the lack of following COVID-19 protocol consistently. About 70-80% of wait staff were wearing masks to protect patrons. Of course, our waitress didn't. The largest majority of the cooks preparing the food were also unmasked, totally in view of the patrons. Management should understand this tells many of us patrons that the management and workers do not care about their customers. We will not be back until the pandemic is over. Because of the lack of care, I am not sure we will return after the pandemic. Trust is as important as the food. read more

So, this place is fairly good. I think I'd like it better had I ordered something different. A bonus? They give you crayons to draw on the table covers. LOL. Don't let that fool you though - the inside is very upscale and has a lot of ambiance. It is NOT a kid friendly establishment, meaning its not a cafeteria type place - despite the paper table covers and crayons (which was quite fun, btw). My date ordered lasagna, which is made to order. The waitress warned us that it would take longer for this reason. I don't think it took too long, and it was delicious when he got it, I ordered ravioli, which I believe were NOT homemade and lacked a lot of flavor. The sauce was pretty good. I probably wouldn't get the ravioli again, but we will definitely visit here again. read more

This was my first restaurant experience in Billings, recommended to me by the woman who runs the bead shop a few blocks away. They started me off with a diet soda and a chunk of their (hopefully) homemade garlic bread. SO GOOD. Ask for a knife with it. I started out with their Bocconcini Fritti (fried mozzarella balls in spicy maranara sauce). The dish had such potential, but they missed one major thing. Setting crispy food in maranara sauce makes for soggy food. If I went again I'd ask for the sauce to be on the side as a dipping sauce instead of a crispy-killer. Great flavors though. My main dish was the basic Spaghetti and Meatballs. I was already stuffed at this point so I didn't enjoy it as much as I may have otherwise. The meatballs were great. They put too much pasta sauce on the linguini noodles. I would've prefered something like Angel Hair pasta. Ambience is really nice. I was in jeans and a hoodie and only felt slightly underdressed. Lights are down low in most of the diningroom. You can also sit while watching the chefs. I'd give them a 3.5 if it was possible. Not quite a 4 but 3 seems too low. I'd give them a second chance. Appetizer + Pasta + Soda + Tip = $29. read more

Covid disaster waiting to happen. Though permitted to have indoor dining this restaurant failed many basic health protocols. For example, many of the staff were not wearing masks and our server, Derrick, wore his beneath the nose (which is essentially not wearing it at all). Food preparation staff was not masked. No disposable paper menus. Social distancing was iffy. Basically a D grade on Covid precautions (I did see them spray tables after use). Food quality? For Billings, good. For a half-Italian guy from a town where Italian food is usually made by real Italians it was pricey and OK but not great. Kind of watery sauce. The service was find and the staff really works hard. Constantly running back and forth, cleaning and clearing tables, etc. All of that gets wiped out by the lack of adequate health safety. read more

Everything was good. Really enjoyed the desert. Little donuts with sticks to dip in different syrups. It was fun for everyone and very tasty. All the food was great and looking forward to going back. read more

Excellent food and service!!! I highly recommend this Itailin restaurant. I was craving just basic Itailin food tonight. We went here and ordered lasagna and penne pasta with meat sauce. Both were outstanding! Then I have to mention the garlic bread and the dinner salad, both were very good and hit the spot. Then came dessert... We couldn't decide so we went with the flourless chocolate cake which was very good AND the Zeppole with powdered sugar, chocolate and carmel dipping sauces. Needless to say we left very full and very happy. We highly recommend Ciao Mambo and we'll probably go back this week for more yummy Italian food read more

See all

With only one night to try a restaurant in Billings, MT, we hoped we tried the right one. We did! Ciao Mambo was a delicious choice. The salads were fresh and tasty. I had the linguini arrabbiata which included spicy sausage and fire roasted peppers in a marinara sauce that could be ordered mild, medium and spicy - the medium was amazing. The bread was delicious. The wine perfect. I would definitely return. read more

Good red sauce. Fabulous caprese salad. Hospitality lacking upon entry; delayed seating with empty tables. Our 2nd visit. Bill was confusing. read more

I always get the penne pasta alla vodka, it's so amazing!!! Love the garlic bread. Desserts aren't my favorite, but still pretty good. Staff is super friendly, and it has a great downtown atmosphere read more

I was in last night with my family to enjoy a night out and we had a good time. We come in every so often and I always enjoy the atmosphere and the food is always good but that is not why I am giving you 5 stars. Every time I am in there, you have an employee who clearly loves her job, she is always smiling and engaging in conversation with your guests and makes sure they are well taken care of. I pay a lot of attention to restaurants and their staff and this employee, Brianna, always is working hard, harder than most I've seen in any restaurant I've been to or worked in. If she is not a manager I do think y'all should look into making her one! She appears to have the drive to be one and any business would be lucky to have an employee like her. Her spirit and love for her job and making sure everybody is having a good time every time I am in there is the reason I am giving you a 5 star rating. I hope you share this with her and recognize the great employee you have! read more

My daughter chose Ciao Mambo for her graduation dinner. Derick was our server, he was absolutely wonderful. The food was great and moderately priced. This was my first time dining there and I would definitely go again read more

Ciao Mambo is the best Italian restaurant around! They are heavy on the garlic and have a great wine selection! The tootsie rolls are to die for. I recommend this place to everyone and take people who come to visit. read more