"Very disappointed in our experience at Cloud 9 (the bar at the restaurant) prior to dining in the restaurant. The waiter was very unpleasant,; we felt as if we were bothering him by just being there. The dining experience in the restaurant was much better. Good food, adequate service. All in all, we probably would not return due to the bad experience in the bar."
Dined on 5/18/2013
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"Loved the ambiance and setting. It takes no time across the Sanibel bridge and it's right around the corner. We split an appetizer, a spinach salad, a special & the lemon pie. All very nice. Definitely recommended."
Dined on 04/23/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"In our opinion there needs to be a dramatic improvement in the taste and quality of the food. Virtually everything we had was bland and tasteless. In addition the wine selection, although some good choices, was very over priced for the glass size."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2012
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"Wow! What a terrific find on Sanibel. We come down to South Seas Resort on Captiva every year. Often we cross the bridge to the larger island to gain access to fine dining options. El Celio is a welcome addition. Not far from the bridge to Ft. Myers so accessible to those folks as well. My wife found Il Celio on Open Table. She chose it for my birthday dinner and the staff jumped in enthusiastically; even signing to me at one point. We saw the young executive chef several times and raved about the seafood (grouper with crusted crab topping),steak (excellent cut of filet cooked to perfection)and ________. The carrot soup was excellent as were the oysters. Desserts (mine with candle)were freshly made and yummy. Service was the true highlight"
Dined on 04/12/2013
2007
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"Everything was excellent with the exception of a table that had several small children in attendance. These children were running through the restaurant and screaming. I love kids but for the price and ambience of this place the manager should have dealt with it for the sale of the other diners. Dined there on 4/14/13"
Dined on 04/14/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"Our last night in sanibel and the best restaurant of the trip. Service was excellant, food was fresh and well prepared. The manager took the time to stop at the table. Recommended it to two other couples that same evening"
Dined on 04/13/2013
2006
Special Features: neighborhood gem
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"We have been here several times and the experiences have all been the same outstanding. The service, food and wine were exceptional and it pleases us to have a restaurant like this open on Sanibel. We highly recommend this restaurant to all vistors and residents to Sanibel."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2011
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, scenic view, hot spot
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"Didn't know what to expect on Sanibel as many of the places offer Grouper 5 ways. Was verh pleasanty surprised by the all it had to offer. The space is a beautiful room with a very nice bar. Table was nicely set. Service was very attentive without hovering. Ordered an app, the daily special and an entree off of the menu for two of us. All three were excellently executed but all needed a touch of salt and I rarely if ever salt my food. We ordered a bottle of wine which had sold out. The server came to the table to tell us that while it was sold out he would happily substitute an upgrade for the same price. BRAVO!!! Running out of a wine or not updating the list comes the customers expense. All in all very positive experience"
Dined on 03/19/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"If the evening is warm enough you can sit out on the porch which is nice.Delicious meal and leslie. our server was awesome!"
Dined on 03/15/2013
2010
Special Features: great for outdoor dining
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Review 15 for Il Cielo - Sanibel
Overall rating
(Good)3/5
A little disappointing this time
OpenTable Diner
Food
(Very Good)4/5
Service
(Fair)2/5
Ambiance
(Very Good)4/5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We will give this restaurant another chance, but were very disappointed that most fish entrees were not available and that our request to celebrate an 80th birthday was not communicated to wait staff. We did not want to deal with it at our table because we knew our birthday girl would not want it mentioned. Our food was delicious - albeit not what we would have selected as entrees."
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"Il Cielo is an undiscovered gem on Sanibel, where the restaurant choices are notoriously thin to poor. The ambiance was warm and welcoming, the food was delightfully fresh and new, and presented artfully. Service was personable and friendly, but not intrusive. Sorry we weren't early in arriving, because the bar setting was exceptionally attractive, and we wouldn't have minded lounging there a bit. To top off a wonderful evening, the chef came out and chatted with us, and was most articulate and engaging. The only "surprise"was that although the menu was varied and had good choices, there was too few Italian options i.e. Il Cielo would lead you to expect Italian. Overall, a most tasteful and satisfying evening. Can't wait to return !"
Dined on 03/09/2013
2008
Special Features: neighborhood gem, romantic
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"This was our third dinner at Il Cielo this season and we took friends from Canada with us. The food was excellent - our friends raved about the seafood special and my starter of local clams and main meal of perfectly grilled salmon and polenta was as good as it gets. Service was good and we came upon a great Itallian wine at a very reasonable price. Certainly some of the best food on the island in a very nice atmosphere."
Dined on 03/06/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, special occasion
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"we enjoyed the restaurant very much. The food was innovative and delicious. Our waiter was very friendly and helpful. The tab was hefty, but worth it. Ideal place for a special occasion."
Dined on 02/26/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"Il Cielo was a magnificent experience. Contained in a stately mansion in Sanibel, the feeling was warm and homey. As a martini lover, my basil-infused vodka martini with caper and olive juice was over the top. The wine choices were wide and varied. The menu was imaginative, and our simple openers of tomato bisque and Caesar salad were on target. Our entrees, shrimp and grits, and crab encrusted blackened grouper were amazing! The service was ideal, and a return trip is definitely in order! There is also a Cloud 9 bar menu for lighter fare. A fabulous dinner!!"
Dined on 03/02/2013
2002
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"Excellent food and very attentive service. Not inexpensive, but not significantly higher than Sanibel's other better restaurants. Relatively quiet, perhaps somewhat due to a slow night, but, at least at our table, conversation was easier than at most restaurants."
Dined on 03/03/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, special occasion
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"The food and service were good, not GREAT! The atmosphere was perfect to celebrate a special occasion with your special someone. I would have loved to eat outside but unfortunately the weather was chilly."
Dined on 03/03/2013
2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, special occasion
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"The staff could not be friendlier or more attentive. The wine list is extensive and the restaurant beautifully decorated. The food, however, was somewhat disappointing. The green salads definitely needed more dressing and the main courses (snapper and grouper) were bland. The highlight of the meal was the dessert, a lemon tart that was truly outstanding. Will we go back? Absolutely because the overall experience was lovely, but we will order something different."
Dined on 02/26/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"Dined at the restaurant on a Sunday nite and was rewarded with a wonderful and romantic evening, eating out on their veranda. Their heat lamps were romantic looking as well as providing a warmth without too much heat, and the stringed lights added ambiance lighting. The food was superb with offerings that were fresh, unique, and also let you create your own dish, to a point. Had their special, a grilled Wahoo on top of 2 lobster ravioli with 2 large gulf shrimp on top of the wahoo with the most awesome orange/lemon/liqueur cream sauce ever. My husband had their scallops seared and served with the sauce of his choice, and he stated that he thinks that this was probably the best scallop dish in 30 years. Service was excellent."
Dined on 02/24/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"We tried Cielo on Valentines Day . We had a reservation which was goos as they had a full crowd all night . We were seated shortly after our reserved time. The waiter was great, friendly and knowledgeable. My husband had the special veal chop which he loved andi had snapper encrusted with crab delicious. The bat sections, Cloud Nine, had a lighter menu which looked very good. We will definitely be back."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2012
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"Great outdoor veranda dining. Very visual with the nice heaters. Food was excellent and got our vacation in the area off to a great start. This is a nice place - not a beach bar - and the menu and service back it up."
Dined on 02/08/2013
2002
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"The waiter was very friendly at first, until we asked to see the "Cloud 9" menu. It was not offered until we asked for it, although it is clearly advertised on the website. When asked about one of the dishes on it, he said, "it is what it is," brushing it off as not as good as items on the pricier menu. Explanations of specials were given. Service was good; drinks and appetizers were served in a timely fashion. When our entrees arrived and were sampled, we all agreed that they were adequate but nothing special. The grouper was found to be dry. The free-range chicken was also very plain and slightly over-cooked. with so many other restaurants on Sanibel to try, I don't think we will be rushing back to Il Cielo."
Dined on 02/10/2013
2004
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, late-night find, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"Yes, it's expensive, but not crazy expensive; for us the total experience was worth it. Everything we ate here was REALLY good, and the atmosphere was conducive to a lovely evening. The only negative was a too long wait between appetizers and entrees without an explanation. (Our wonderful waiter made it clear it wasn't his fault but seemed to be covering for the kitchen). All in all, this is a restaurant I hardily recommend."
Dined on 02/07/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"An attractive restaurant with a good menu. Our waiter was rather pompous and neglected to explain what came with the entree, and informed us that we needed to order vegetables as an extra. We ended up with far too much food, and extra cost. When it came to dessert, he turned his attention to a larger group, and did not come back to us. Fortunately, another server noticed our dilemma and took over. We cannot fault a restaurant on one poor server, but we suggest that visitors study the menu more carefully than we did and ask questions about accompaniments. There are so many good restaurants on Sanibel that we may not return to this one."
Dined on 02/09/2013
2009
Special Features: notable wine list, special occasion
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"Based on other reviews we were expecting an unbelievable meal but unfortunately we were disappointed. My scallops were extremely salty which overwhelmed the taste. Our waiter was pleasant but didn't know how to pronounce words on menu. We had to ask for bread and it took awhile to get the food. We will not return."
Dined on 02/02/2013
2011
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"The food, serive and experience was outstanding. The dishes that we had were prepared were right on target. The service is always extremely attentive Great experience overall"
Dined on 02/02/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, great for outdoor dining, late-night find, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, hot spot
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"For a special occasion we chose Il Cielo. We dined on the terrace enjoying the balmy Florida evening. Our three entrees were superb. Everyone commented on how delicious the fish and pork were, as we tasted each others dishes. Our waiter was attentive, but not obtrusive and was genuinely pleased that we enjoyed our meal. I would highly recommend Il Cielo as a Sanibel dinner destination."
Dined on 01/29/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, notable wine list, romantic, special occasion
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"This was the second time this season that we have eaten at Il Cielo and both have been excellent experiences. The ambience is great - it is a good blend of being upmarket and genuinely the place for a special occasion but also does not make you uncomfortable to be dressed island casual. The food for each of our party (we had guests each time) was terrific and service was very good. I had the wild caught salmon which was fantastic and my wife raved about the grouper with blue crab."
Dined on 01/30/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion
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"We booked the night with high hopes and even though there wasn't an Open Table link to the website we found the website online and checked it out. Some in our party of six women liked the fact that the site said you could order from El Cielo or from their more casual side, Cloud 9. One of the women is a huge fan of Lobster Mac 'n Cheese but we were told the website was in error so no dice. The atmosphere (music and decor) and our waiter were great. Entrees were good to great too. The salads were delicious but three of them were low on or missing key ingredients (one sixteenth of an inch sliver of pear on one, one small piece of red onion in another, and no pignolis in the salad special.) Not a major big deal, but for the price, a let down."
Dined on 01/27/2013
2008
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"Food was very good. I had the escargot and the lamb. Both excellent. My wife had the Filet, cooked to perfection. Great place for a date. Definitely recommend it. Angela took very good care of us."
Dined on 01/26/2013
2013
Special Features: romantic
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"We went to Il Cielo as a party of 8 on a Sunday night. It was our first time at the restaurant and we were struck by how pretty it is, both inside and out. The service was very good and so was the food, but not memorable. Most of the restaurants on Sanibel are mediocre at best, so this was a step above all the other ones where we ate on the island, with the exception of Melissa's Cafe."
Dined on 01/20/2013
2006
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, special occasion
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"Nice atmosphere, very nice staff, good food...but beware wine drinkers! I was shocked when I received a 5 oz pour of wine. Be prepared to order a bottle. I was the only one drinking wine, so the remainder of the bottle went home with me. Not a good first impression. Most of us are not even acclimated to the 6 oz pour."
Dined on 01/21/2013
2007
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"We had a lovely meal here, everything was fresh and well prepared and pretty. I had a mushroom starter that was divine. The grouper, which is popular in that neck of Florida, was well prepared and stood apart from that served at other area restaurants. Shrimp and grits (polenta) was excellent.
The room was nicely decorated but the acoustics were a bit rough. The wine list was decent and we enjoyed the bottle of French white we ordered. The waiter was friendly but didn't hover. Dessert was very good.
We went to Il Cielo on a night when the grandparents offered to babysit, but saw lots of tots there. They also have a more low-key sister restaurant in the same building, so some of the families may have been headed there."
Dined on 12/28/2012
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, romantic
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"Been here before, and wanted to celebrate wife's birthday. An italian restaurant has vegetarian dishes, not this one. Spouse had macaroni and cheese for birthday dinner (the chef 'created' this, but it also comes as a side) and mashed potatoes. We're easy going people, but the owner/hostess had to come over to open our bottle of wine since the waiter had no had this experience (it was a 'popper', no bottle opener required). Not what it used to be, I hope that we were there on a bad night, my filet mignon was good."
Dined on 01/20/2013
2013
Special Features: romantic, special occasion
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