Ciro Italian Kitchen & Bar

4.5 ( 310 reviews )
$20–30
120 W Union St, Athens, OH 45701, United States
+1 740-447-5121
Ciro Italian Kitchen & Bar, nestled on the vibrant W Union St in Athens, OH, offers an inviting ambiance combined with a diverse menu that champions both traditional and contemporary Italian cuisine. Diners rave about the freshness of the dishes, often highlighted by the open kitchen concept. The bruschetta, featuring grilled crostini topped with a medley of tomatoes, basil, and a drizzle of aged balsamic, sets a delightful tone. Patrons consistently praise the hand-cut fettuccini, customizable with a choice of sauces, alongside delectable offerings like the chicken parmesan and rigatoni alla vodka, the latter noted for its perfect spice level. For seafood lovers, the polenta-crusted cod and risotto create a harmonious blend, further accentuated by fresh, tender broccoli. The drink selection complements the meal beautifully, and desserts like cannoli and lemon mascarpone cake deliver a sweet conclusion to a satisfying experience. While some reviews suggest improvements could be made with their bread selection, the overall service and quality leave a lasting impression. For anyone in Athens seeking authentic Italian fare, Ciro Italian Kitchen & Bar is a must-visit destination, promising an excellent dining experience that feels both special and personal.

Amenities and More

  • Accessibility
    • Has wheelchair-accessible car park
    • Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
    • Has wheelchair-accessible seating
    • Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
  • From the business
    • Identifies as veteran-owned
    • Identifies as women-owned
  • Service options
    • Has outdoor seating
    • Offers takeaway
    • Serves dine-in
    • No delivery
  • Highlights
    • Has fireplace
  • Offerings
    • Serves alcohol
    • Serves beer
    • Serves cocktails
    • Serves coffee
    • Serves comfort food
    • Serves food
    • Serves halal food
    • Serves happy-hour drinks
    • Serves happy-hour food
    • Serves late-night food
    • Serves organic dishes
    • Serves small plates
    • Serves spirits
    • Serves vegetarian dishes
    • Serves wine
  • Dining options
    • Serves brunch
    • Serves lunch
    • Serves dinner
    • Serves dessert
    • Has seating
  • Amenities
    • Has bar on site
    • Has gender-neutral toilets
    • Has toilet
    • Has Wi-Fi
    • Free Wi-Fi
  • Crowd
    • Family friendly
    • LGBTQ+ friendly
    • Transgender safe space
  • Planning
    • Accepts reservations
  • Payments
    • Accepts debit cards
    • Accepts NFC mobile payments
  • Children
    • High chairs available
    • Has kids' menu

Reviews For Ciro Italian Kitchen & Bar

Paul Wittkopf
May 25,2025
Fantastic Italian restaurant. Great drink menu, food is outstanding service is very good, price is right on. The only thing I would change is the bread they serve, they could do much better here. Other than that will definitely be coming back often.
Chloe Musick
May 24,2025
Tucked away on the fringe of Ohio University's campus happenings, you will find Ciro, an Italian restaurant featuring both traditional eats and at-home favorites. With a window into the kitchen, you can see your order being made fresh and the freshness is only further highlighted by the taste of the actual meal. Most notably, I ordered the special which featured a polenta crusted cod, risotto and broccoli. The fish tasted fresh and was cooked well. The risotto was the perfect consistency and the broccoli was vibrant, green and tender. The service was excellent and we were able to get a table on a Friday night without a reservation.
Bailey Davis
May 20,2025
First time trying this quaint restaurant in Athens. Definitely recommend reservations due to size but the food was one the best Italian dinners I've had in a long time. The rigatoni alla vodka was perfect with a nice kick of spice. Great selection of wine and the dinner ended with a perfect slice of lemon mascrapone with raspberry drizzle. Tartness of raspberry drizzle paired perfectly. I definitely recommend everyone to try this Italian restaurant. We will definitely visit again soon.
Kiran Raj
May 13,2025
One of the best Italian dinner I had in a while. Or probably even the best. It was that good. Our waiter Mark was really kind and gave us good suggestions for what to order. And everything we ordered was really good. We had calamari for appetizer, lasagna with bolognese sauce and grilled chicken with mashed potatoes and broccoli. For dessert, we had cannoli. The warm apple Manhattan drink would definitely warm you up in this cold.
Steven Burke
Apr 25,2025
My wife and I brought our daughter and son in law to dinner the other night. When I saw they had Osso Bucco, I knew what I was getting. I also got a small side of Fettuccine Alfredo. My son in law got the same. My wife and daughter both got Spaghetti. Dessert was Cannolis, Creme Brule and Affogato. First we got bread with Olive Oil and Balsamic. It was so good we got a refill. All the meals were excellent. The Osso Bucco was perfectly tender and delicious. It's a good portion as well. The desserts were great. My wife did not like the Afgogato, BUT I told her she wouldn't like it. She doesn't like Espresso or Frangelico which are the main ingredients. The service was excellent as well. One more thing... the side of Fettuccine Alfredo. It was great to have some real, authentic Alfredo made with Butter and Cheese instead of what passes for Alfredo at cheap Italian places.
Krissy Imel
Apr 4,2025
My wife and I had dinner here the other night, we are from out of state and we will happily come back sometime and refer others to dine here. Our food, drinks and dessert was incredible, the restaurant was beautiful and the staff were so friendly and helpful. We really enjoyed our evening there. The owner made us feel so welcome and the bartender Maddie took great care of us and brought us the most delicious drinks that perfectly fit our style!
Rob Delach
Apr 3,2025
I had been waiting for a full service Italian Restaurant in Athens since I moved here several years ago... and not to be disappointed. Ciro is regularly updating their menu. An amazing new item is Osso Bucco, pork shank with polenta and vegetables (pictured below). They are also doing Chop House night on Wednesdays, with prime rib or steaks from The Local Butcher. Over the last couple of years since opening, I've sampled many of Ciro's dishes, and I've yet to find one that wasn't perfectly executed. Tomato sauces, an important indicator of any Italian restaurant, are nicely seasoned and flavorful. The food is a definite winner, but they also have a full service bar with a good wine selection and excellent cocktails. The atmosphere is also perfectly done. I'll be continuing to come back regularly, and genuinely enjoy having Ciro as an option for good Italian cuisine and even just a place to stop in for drinks on occasion.
Samantha Brown
Mar 1,2025
Everything was delicious! I got the Baked Caprese Portobello, grant it, it didn't look appetizing but was delicious! I also tried the Mushroom Ravioli and Lasagna from our family at the table. The lemon mascarpone was so light, fluffly, flavourful, and amazing! Staff was friendly. All around, good time!

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