Mr Ciao

I love this place, great bar staff, pizza that can stand up against any other authentic pizza place in the city and prices that are really reasonable. For anybody living in the Riverside Leslieville area that hasn’t been I highly recommend it.
If it’s your first time I would say hands down get a pizza, it’s the best thing on the menu. I’ve tried them all now except for the Peking Duck because the idea of Chinese flavors on a pizza just seems wrong to me. Saying that though the Duck Rigatoni is very rich and they don’t hold back on the amount of duck tossed in the salad. The beef carpaccio melts in your mouth, the grilled calamari is always done to perfection and the giant meatball is smothered in delicios sauce. My only negative about the food would be the actual pasta. It would be nice if they used fresh, it’s always a little too el dante or overdone and starchy.
The main reason why they only get a 4 out of five is because on numerous occasions they seem to let the young kitchen staff get wasted at the bar when they finish their shifts. Drunk to the point where they throw up outside the door. I’m all for letting staff unwind and even have a drink or two after work but if it’s going to be at your own bar do it responsibly. Again it’s only the kitchen staff not the great servers or bartenders that I’ve witnessed on occasion getting smashed.

Note: this review is for the food only as we ordered take-​out.
I really wanted to like this place, as I’ve heard it’s a great restaurant for families with small children. But my first impression of the food wasn’t the greatest.
We ordered the involtini (eggplant rolls stuffed with mozzarella, bread crumbs & basil over tomato sauce — $ 8) to start, the Penne (spicy sausage, rapini, onion, smoked pork drippings — $ 17), and the Risotto Verde (parsley pesto, crispy shrimp and scallop — $ 19).
First off, the portions were very small considering the price point. The involtini was three small, somewhat limp pieces and not very flavourful. The penne was definitely spicy, almost too spicy, and I can usually tolerate a lot of spice. It seemed as though they had dumped a lot of red chili flakes into the dish.
The risotto was the biggest disappointment of all. The parsley pesto was just too bland and the shrimp and scallops were not even remotely «crispy». The scallops didn’t even have any colour (sear) to them, they were just small and anemic looking.
I may give this place another shot if I feel the need to have an evening out with toddler in tow, but I definitely wouldn’t order take-​out from here again — the food just wasn’t worth the price.

What a disappointment!
Had been a few times before, spotty food but decent wine options and service — until today.
Today, popped in for drink. Requested a glass of wine I’d previously had — not available anymore, ok, np; then asked for something else, they don’t offer it by the glass– prosecco — only by the bottle? Stupid. Bartenders drinking behind the bar, other server is doing some task.
No one offers me a menu or suggests another glass of wine. Guy behind the bar actually walks away. It’s like some restaurants in this city think they’re doing you the favour?! These two workers couldn’t entice a person lost in the desert with a free glass of water if their life depended on it.
I can see this establishment being closed within the year! Let’s hope so and they make way for an establishment with just a touch of class and respect for the previously ready-​to-​buy patrons.
Avoid!

Ordered the spicy sausage pizza. The sausage wasn’t spicy at all and it was quite salty. The dough was good though.
Also ordered the lemon sparkling drink which was refreshing.
Service was good. Friendly and attentive staff.

it’s expensive for what you get, and not the best. The salads are small and way over priced, lacking in any interesting ingredients that would warrant the price they charge. The pizza is decent, but considering the toppings again, it’s quite over priced. The octopus was cold and a very small serving. I’ve been a few times, but wouldn’t go back again. It’s a shame they have such a nice patio, but they don’t open till late. Having a lunch time prefix would probably up the business.

Definitely a great addition to the neighborhood. Went for late Saturday night dinner and had the meatball and garlic rosemary bread to start. Meatball was a little mushy for my liking — boyfriend enjoyed it though. The bread was delicious, but expect a naan type bread, not typical italian.
For drinks, the menu for some reason did not list the $ 1/​ounce house wine or beer options. We had to ask our sever about both. House red was a good bet. Main courses were the duck peking pizza (tasty, but very salty!) and the penne. Boyfriend loved the pasta. The pizza crust was very tasty, I’d prefer to try a different topping combination next time because of the saltiness.
Service was decent — had to flag our waitress down a few times, but no big complaints. We agreed owner’s other restaurant, Triple A, is still our favourite but this is definitely worth a drop in!

Love the food & the vibe. they have monthly social paint events with me Paint The Masters — super fun times and lovely people!
Great spot to chill any night of the week. Free parking on the street or in the lot beside the Patio, great patio oh and cool music and excellent selection of drinks!
See you there!

Mr Ciao is one of the first new restaurants to arrive in Chinatown East. As the old restaurants move out, new places looking for bargain rents move in. Fortunately, one of them is this wonderful Northern Italian restaurant serving pan fried pizzas. I started with fried polenta squares accompanied by an excellent Italian salsa, and they were delicious. My wife, who doesn’t like polenta, had two. This was followed by individual pizzas (though two could share one with appies.) Di’s was soppresata and mine was the deluxe and both were first rate. The northern style is different with a fresh crispy taste and crust you actually enjoy eating.
The ambiance is very nice in a charming reno sort of way, though they need to watch small a like burned out bulbs. The service is prompt and friendly and warm. There’s even parking. We WILL be back

This was our fourth visit to Mr. Ciao… Love the atmosphere and food! Perfect spot for families as they have a little play area at the back that our one year old absolutely loves! The authentic Italian waiter adds to the experience too. A free main course for the moms on Mother’s Day was a great touch! Always great service and the pizzas (and calamari appetizer that we tried today) are delicious. An amazing addition to the neighbourhood.

Cozy and fun! That’s how I would describe this bar. My friends and I had a great time hanging out her. A very friendly staff and seating is surprisingly comfortable for a small downtown bar. They have a kids play area at the very back of the bar in case you need a drink bad but you have babysitting duties! :) $ 1 per ounce wine and delicious pizza. I had the Spicy sausage pizza which was yum. The seafood past my friend had was very tasty. They also have a patio which I can’t wait to try this summer. Just a great bar in the neighbourhood!

A great neighbourhood bar and restaurant that brings a splash of Italy — and a dose of the Queen East/​Leslieville vibe to Gerrard Chinatown.
Terrific team and some truly unique takes on pizza.
Plenty of choice on the menu beyond the signature pizzas and house wine that comes at $ 1 an ounce (you can’t beat that!).
Definitely check it out

Great staff, good food and cozy atmosphere. The servers make a real effort to make sure you are looked after. They have wine on tap at $ 1/​oz and it’s actually quite good. My only issue (which is probably more of a personal preference) is I’m not a big fan of the deep fried pizza crust. Pastas looked great and my friend loved his spaghetti.

Fantastic service. We got a reserved table the server was awesome about getting us to sit there.
Prix fixe menu 25 bones for salad pizza Tartuffe. Good price! Bottle of Chianti for 40

We met at this venue for a book club meeting and they managed to sit all 10 of us at the back.
The venue is casual with a nice feel to it and had a small play area for children at the back.
The service was prompt with the waitress coming around to get our drink orders as we all sat down.
We ordered beef carpaccio to share as a starter and the seafood linguini. Both were pretty good. The beef carpaccio was served with a bed of baby arugula, a wedge of lemon and sprinkled with dried rosemary. It tasted decent. The seafood linguini was served in a rose sauce and came with 3 giant prawns, some small scallops, 5 mussels and some squid. Portion was decent. We were still hungry after so we ordered the deep fried polenta which was served with blue cheese sauce. Someone at our table ordered a pizza and it looked very delicious.
The service was excellent, friendly, and food/​drinks came promptly. The food was good but not the best I have ever had. Decent place overall.

Stopped into this neighbourhood spot for a beer and a quick bite to eat. Beer selection is good: all local craft brews with a good variety of styles. I can’t speak for the wine or cocktails, but the back bar seemed extensive and I noticed that they have both red and white wine on tap.
Staff friendly and attentive. Check.
I ordered the calamari which was solid. Good texture, nice grill marks and the spicy oil on the side was perfect. Also had the rigatoni bolognese which came with a really chunky, hearty meat sauce. Pasta was cooked perfectly. Everything was solid.
To summarize: nice neighbourhood spot with friendly staff, good beer and good food. Not fine dining but a well-​tailored atmosphere. Seems as though they’ve worked out some of the early kinks some other reviews have pointed out. I’d definitely go back.

I was so excited for this restaurant to open in the neighbourhood! They do have gluten free pasta (quinoa free too). They are also working on a GF pizza dough — so we’ll be back!
The pizza dough is flash-​fried which means it is extra delicious (but kinda greasy). The salad was fresh and presented on a lovely plate. The squid was LOVELY — just right and presented well.
I am amazed by the transformation of the space more than anything. It was a dive restaurant before (that had delicious food BTW) — it is now a slick, sleek, sexy restaurant. Will await the GF pizza to try again.

Ciao! I guess in this day and age, every Chinatown needs to have an upscale yuppie-​grade Italian restaurant. Or rather, to frame it in frugal Asian terms, «The most expensive food in Tong Yen Guy, and it ain’t even Chinese food lah!»
Honestly, this is one of the oddest places to set up something like this. Whether Toronto’s little East Chinatown is being subjected to the gentrification that has usurped many other of the city’s ethnic neighborhoods and the nearby Leslieville/​Riverside areas is debatable. The presence of a place like Mr Ciao popping up in this furry neck of the urban woods only adds to the growing impression. In and of itself however, Mr Ciao (I wonder if this is meant to be an Italian pun of a stereotypical Chinese name like «Mr Chow” – you may notice a theme here as you keep reading this), does offer a closer-​by pizza option for those living in the wealthier Riverdale community north of Gerrard St, who otherwise have to trek far to the Danforth for their local Italian pie fix – I cannot think of any other way for this gentrified gwai-​lo establishment can justify surviving in this part of town, than perhaps the marketing factor of hoping to become a «destination restaurant» setting up shop in an unclaimed frontier of the city’s food scene. It kind of reeks of this hipster-​ironic, «we are cool cuz we’re in Chinatown» cultural appropriation vibe. A very jarring, radically different presence in the ‘hood indeed nonetheless.
Even though I am heavily addicted to Italian food, I had little reason to investigate this new (just opened July 2014) place that took over space last held by a Phở restaurant (if there is one thing East Chinatown has a lot of, it is Phở houses). That is, until I had out-​of-​town guests down, children in tow, and the idea of driving to a big-​box buffet or chain restaurant for a big dinner was inconvenient. So on a whim I chose to drag the whole extended family to Mr. Ciao instead, sight unseen, never bothering to read the menu nor knowing much else about it.
In addressing the got kids issue, I was surprised to see they have a kiddie play area in the very back of the place. Sure, it is very small and poorly lit, and stocked with a few toys and puzzles (and divided from the rest of the dining space with a salvaged «Old Spaghetti Factory» door), but at least they know the Riverdalians have kids that need to be accommodated.
Walking in however was confusing, with no host to lead the way. From the front door you could swing a left for the bar, or make a straight down toward being deep into the back dining area. I don’t know what interior designer came up with this idea whilst conceiving of the restaurant’s hipster «salvage chic» décor – complete with exposed ceiling joists – but to me, this corridor is a pointless waste of space that could be better utilized for something like more indoor tables.
«Pizza» screams from the overhead sign, and pizza is probably their strong suit. Unlike many of Toronto’s recent upscale gourmet pizza restaurants’ Neapolitanic wood-​oven-​baked pie approaches, Mr. Ciao flash-​fry their dough. It gives their pies a nice crunch, but makes it hard to handle with a knife and fork.
Their pizzas hover in the $ 14 – 18 range. While you can’t go wrong with the classic Margherita, they offer some interesting pizza choices. My favourite is the smoked salmon, which they claim they smoked on-​site (not that it really matters to me). One of the couple menu items that make «token gestures» to acknowledging they are located, incidentally or otherwise, in this odd place called East Chinatown, is the $ 17 Peking Duck pizza. An interesting choice to try out indeed; the toppings on that is obviously Asian-​influenced, like roast duck, char siu (Chinese BBQ pork) sauce, and wasabi peas. It’s quite savory and meaty-​tasting, but lacks a lot of meat. There’s also the «pizza egg rolls» on the apps menu that I didn’t go for.
My family were sampling their many pies and other things. But the prices, gee whiz! My teenage cousin had a rigatoni to himself, and whilst I am sure he enjoyed it, it in its small portion didn’t look like something I would pay $ 17 for. Like I said, the most expensive food in East Chinatown… and it is not Asian food at all. Maybe I need to be a bike-​riding left-​wing pinko millionaire northern Riverdalian or a downtown startup entrepreneur yuppie to feel like it’s worth it. (Then again, as a large party, this is much cheaper than doing a buffet dinner in a far away land.)
The service, while not snotty at all – actually it was very pleasant and accommodating; our server was even funny at times – is slow at best. Maybe it’s just opening month jitters, but waiting a long while for our lukewarm first order to arrive with little attention paid to our table, boy am I not getting any hungrier.
Joy geen Mr. Ciao! One thing I’ll finish with though is they sure know how to be witty with the space they are working out of.
{TTC: the 504, 505, or 506 to Gerrard

Polenta was excellent. Caprese salad was decent but way overpriced for what you get. Pizza was a huge let down. Ingredients tasted low-​quality, and overall it was bland. Didn’t taste «restaurant grade.» Pasta was good but was served lukewarm and in small quantities. When I crave pasta I want a lot of it.
Also, there was guys in tool belts carrying wood and supplies through the restaurant the whole time we were there. I don’t want to see that while ordering $ 12 starters.
I was really excited about this place opening. Hoping they work through the growing pains.

As I write this review I hope the restaurant reads the comments objectively. I’m a big supporter of small business and do hope they succeed.
The good:
— Appetizers, specifically the polenta and the olive dish are great
— The décor
— The fact that it’s a nice change on Gerrard
The bad:
— Really poorly run service, we witnessed so many people walking in and waiting for an unacceptably long period of time to be seated, food took far too long to come to the table, we had empty cups for the entire dinner service and we witnessed several people get up to find staff to settle their bill
— Deep fried pizza is far too salty and oily! Someone else commented on the fact that it feels like the oil has just been sitting on the pizza for a while and I sadly have to agree
— Bringing your child to work when you clearly don’t know how to handle a busy restaurant, I’m hoping this was an emergency and that’s why they had their crying daughter at work but until they can serve customers in a timely fashion I would say it’s a bad idea to bring your kid to work — you have enough on your plate, why make this more difficult for yourself.
Finally, I do hope they address some of these issues and succeed as I feel the potential for something great is there.

Between two of us, we ordered the beef carpaccio, fried polenta, Peking duck pizza, 1 beer, and 1 water. All were tasty but I would describe the Peking duck pizza as more of a flatbread. There were no drinks or dessert menus. Service was fairly terrible and inattentive, but it might just be a teething issue… I would probably wait a few months before going back. Constant food mixups throughout the night even with our simple order and a waitress that seemed high really took away from the food which I would probably rank as a 3 – 4 star in any other situation. The service knocked the overall experience down to a 1 star for now.
For what they charge compared to a lot of the tasty and cheap neighborhood competitors, it really makes you think twice about paying a lot more just for some hipster to ignore you.