Il Cibreo, Florence

This should be Cibreo's motto because that's what they do. The hype from so called experts and snotty critics simply is not matched by the actual experience. The food is ordinary, the service insincere, chaotic, distracted, unfriendly. Prices are simply unrelated to value, totally exploitative!

We (a family of four) have gone at least a dozen times to the trattoria and the bar (we can't afford the ristorante). The first thing to note is always go to the smaller trattoria and not the ristorante. The trattoria has the same food but at half the price. It is best to get there when it opens or you will end up standing in a queue. The yellow pepper soup is exquisite, and the main courses are always interesting and totally unexpected. If you are a high roller and particularly pretentious you won't like this place, but if you are prepared to accept the restaurant on its own terms you will have an unforgettably excellent dining experience. The neighborhood has been a working-class neighborhood for the last thousand years, and the trattoria side of this establishment makes no concessions to yuppies. This is an oasis of authenticity that so far is withstanding the global assault on excellence. It's an incredible amount of fun if you can get over yourselves once in a while.

We (a family of four) have gone at least a dozen times to the trattoria and the bar (we can't afford the ristorante). The first thing to note is always go to the smaller trattoria and not the ristorante. The trattoria has the same food but at half the price. It is best to get there when it opens or you will end up standing in a queue. The yellow pepper soup is exquisite, and the main courses are always interesting and totally unexpected. If you are a high roller and particularly pretentious you won't like this place, but if you are prepared to accept the restaurant on its own terms you will have an unforgettably excellent dining experience. The neighborhood has been a working-class neighborhood for the last thousand years, and the trattoria side of this establishment makes no concessions to yuppies. This is an oasis of authenticity that so far is withstanding the global assault on excellence. It's an incredible amount of fun if you can get over yourselves once in a while.

You have four choices to eat at the Cibreo: The Bar, which serves excellent food and snacks. The Trattoria, which is a small, casual Tuscan restaurant serving dishes of long family tradition in Florence, which you don't find just anywhere because these recipes have been passed from the grandmothers, and modern women don't have the time for the long preparation. The Cibreo, which is an elegant restaurant with incredible food and impeccable service. The Club, Teatro del Sale, where you must become a member in order to eat, serving yourself from an abundant buffet. (membership is a small fee). I think this is undoubtedly my favorite restaurant in the whole world.

very unique and delicious meals. a change of pace for someone with a short amount of time in the city. also charming how they sit with you to explain the menu and make suggestions

This trattoria uses only the freshest ingredients (it is next to an open market) based on old-fashioned Tuscan traditions. While originating in poverty, the menu choices have been well chosen to represent some of the outstanding flavors and specialties of the region. This is not a mass-market appeal establishment. It is its own experience and one well worth a special trip.

Our meal was perfectly prepared, and still was a great value. Highly recommend this wonderful restaurant! I went with my cousin in 2001 and the waiters and staff treated us like we were family.

Whenever my wife and I visit Florence - and we have been three times in four years - our first port of call is always Cibreo. We always go to the trattoria because we just love the ambience. Where have these people been who have rated it so poorly? The food is always excellent, the service relaxed, informal but always personnal and we love the experience of sitting wherever and with whomever. We have met Russians, Austrians and many other people from around the world and always enjoyed sharing the experience. We love food and we love Cibreo!!!!!!

despite some mixed reviewes, at the recomendation of two italian friends (sophisticated foodie types), my wife and i decided to concluded our month long vacation in italy with a final night dinner at il cibreo. without question, this was one of the worst meals, and dining experiences, i've ever had, and please believe me when i say that living in tokyo and traveling extensively for business, i've had the chance to eat at some truly exceptional restaurants around the world. up front: the captain who greeted us was just incredibly rude. he insisted that there was no way we could have a reservation because they were too full. when i repeated my name, and suggested he look at the reservation list, he saw our reservation (after giving him our name a third time), and simply pointed at our table before walking away. unfortunately this characterised the service throughout the meal; distracted, rushed, and indifferent. of course, when you're not actually listening, you dont hear what people are saying, which we found out as each course came out wrong. both my wife's primi and secondi were not what she had ordered. the first time they left the wrong dish as a "present from the kitchen", and the second time they simply told us that they ran out of what she had ordered and forgot to tell us. they left us whatever it was they had brought out, without giving us a chance to re-order, etc the food itself was appalling. the menu was intentially set up for minimal effort and assembly line configuration; room tempurature meatloaf, luke warm sausages over beans, purrees--i cannot imagine that each dish took more that 30 seconds to prepare--and the prices were absolutely ridiculous: 32 euro for a 10 centimeter plate with a spoonfull of beans and two sausages????? had it been done with love, interest, skill, etc, the money would not have been a consideration, but the food was so incredibly average, the i was shocked speechless when the bill came. there were countless small, irritating, inexcusable things that came into play during the meal that i could write a few chapters on the details alone (ex: i sent back a wine for the first time in my life, etc); in the end it became comical--almost--but i left angry, appalled and sad that this last night was wasted on nothing more than a reputation hiding what i consider one of the most overrated restaurants in the world please spare yourself the time, money and emotional distress and avoid il cibreo at all cost.

If you really love the food and history of Italy this is the spot for you. Everything about the place from the way the menu is presented to the cuisine itself is carefully thought out. Don't go if you are looking for pizza and pasta- DO go if you are open minded curious and a lover of the foods and flavors of the real Italy. My husband who is usually a picky eater said it was the best meal we had in the whole country - and there was HEAVY competition. Ciao!