Small Italian restaurant right downtown. Was Mother's Day and didn't have a reservation but they had room at the bar. Small issue with daughter's food but was rectified and we LOVED the food! Service was excellent and we'd go back next time we are in the area.
Jim R.
Read in a social media site that this place has good tiramisu. The misses loves tiramisu so a road trip was in order. Went on a Saturday night and had reservations- was a couple empty spots but with it being a small place I would probably recommend. Here is what we liked: * The tiramisu- ordered it as our appetizer as we wanted to make sure we had room. As an appetizer it was delicious, seriously as a dessert it is one of the best I've had. Really good. * Our waiter Donavan was a solid good guy. Attentive, sense of humor and made the visit fun. * the Limoncello was absolutely like a lemon meringue pie in a shot glass. Have had many store bought versions that were eh, this is house made an a delight to the taste buds. * We shared a couple small plates that were plenty for serving size. * Chicken Parmesan had a good size chicken patty with a light coating and crisp however let's talk about the angel hair pasta and sauce that comes with it. We literally had to paper, rock, scissors to determine who got to lick the plate clean. * Mushroom Gnocchi small plate was perfect to sample and it had a good amount of mushroom pieces and it looked like it was pan fried. Super good. * Carrot cake also one of our favorites. This however is served warm and they add icing as you order. Game changer Here's what we thought could be better: * Just a little chilly when we arrived. Misses was reluctant to take her jacket off. Thermostat on the wall said 64. By the end of dinner it was fine. Overall this place is now our favorite Italian restaurant and we want to make the hour drive back to try most of the dishes. Good service and great food makes for a definite repeat visit.
Chris Lucier
Probably in the top two in the Brighton/Howell/Hartland area for the combination of really great food, fantastic service, and ambiance, with superb value. We love that they offer a small and large size on all entrees, and they allow you to substitute any protein. So if you want scallops (which are a great size) with your Lemon Pasta (one of our favorites), just ask. I am very partial to their spaghetti and meatballs - pasta made in-house, a fantastic red sauce, and the best meatballs around. The servers are attentive and you can tell they like working there and they work as a team.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ciara Hines
first time at cello and i’ll definitely be back. here’s some takeaways…do make a reservationask for donovan as your serverorder everything that sounds appealingdo try the lemoncello, because it’s made in-house and takes two months to mature.enjoy the experienceorder all the desserts and i do mean all 4
I enjoyed my dinner at Cello very much. I got the ravioli, and my sister got the chicken alfredo. We split crispy mozzarella as an appetizer. I had the carrot cake for dessert, and it was amazing. The piece of carrot cake was large enough that my sister and I shared it and I still had some to bring home. Everything I just listed was delicious. The service was Top Notch.
We went there for dinner and everything was amazing. The food was authentic and top notch. Our Server Thomas was great, very knowledgeable about the menu and made awesome suggestions. He was patient and had no problem answering all my questions. The Lemon cello was out of this world! We’ll definitely be back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Melisa Burnett
Cello used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Livingston county. Their Eggplant parm was always great. Unfortunately the last few times I have been there it hasn't been good. Last dinner Eggplant parm was undercooked and hard (small portion had 2 pieces, large had 3 for double the price), Salmon (large) was 2 super small portions and way overdone, shrimp and scallop arrabbiata was completely flavorless and not even a hint of spiciness. Likewise we waited almost an hour between salads and our main course to come and then another long wait for cappuccinos. Not sure if this is a staff issue or a management issue....but either way it is now off my favorite list.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Christina Slade
This is hands down the BEST meal I have had in a VERY long time. We came back a second day in a row, since we were visiting from out of town to show our other son who wasn't with us the first visit. It was THAT good. You will NOT regret eating here! Also, Sherry C was our server both times, and she was AMAZING!
Delicious food, high prices, dark atmosphere, crowded tables.THE GOOD THINGS:•The food is good! Well made, well thought out, and quite tasty. Pretty good variety.•The Limoncello is UNBELIEVABLE. My favorite thing on Earth. Love it.•The service is ALWAYS incredible. Every server I've ever had has been just the best server. Bar drinks take FOREVER though.THE QUESTIONABLE THINGS:•Host/Hostesses are a little green and bewildered, but they're young and learning.•I keep seeing the little window in the room in back that says "fresh pasta made daily" but I have never once seen anyone making pasta. The giant mixer in there is just there, like decor. The pasta doesn't taste like fresh made pasta, it tastes like freshly boiled pasta. When you have freshly made pasta, you can taste and SEE the difference. This is a highly suspicious situation.•The prices are honestly really high, even for Howell. Obviously I go and I buy because it's yummy and usually a special occasion, but it's not THAT good. The last time has made us rethink where we go on special occasions, though.•The waiting area in back is uncomfortable, dark, and bizarre. It's weird to have to walk through a crowded restaurant to the back. It's weird to have to walk through a crowded restaurant to the front host desk! I think this is a Livingston County problem, though, not a Cello problem.•If you are having an event, consider taking photos for people. It's a nice detail that makes the cost more worth it. But I guess that leads me to the following.THE BAD THINGS:•I genuinely hate how close the tables are to each other. Out of the 10+ times I've been to Cello, only one time was I not grazed by someone's bum, belly, or front, or whacked by a coat or purse, and that's because we were sat at a booth. Every other time, it's a struggle for people to get in and out. I really hate that part of it. If it's supposed to be an intimate night out, but the tables on either side of you are listening in, is it really that intimate? The last time we went, I was quietly talking with my husband about the menu, and the person at the table next to us gave her input. Honestly she shouldn't have even heard me.•On that note, the tables are also TINY. I don't understand why restaurants do this. I mean, I know why, to get more butts in seats, but I still don't understand why businesses like making customers uncomfortable. If you want your customer to order a starter or two, water, a drink, a salad, a main course, and a desert, can you please provide more room for these things?? Please?•The music is wildly inconsistent. You get modern pop (like Ed Sheeran), soft rock love songs (like Whitney Houston), and 40s-50s crooners (like Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra). Choose a style and stick to it. Retro Italian place? Stick with the crooners! It's atmospheric and fun. Also, please choose a volume. Whatever you choose, go sit in each and every seat and see how it sounds. Because WOW is it LOUD when you're next to a speaker.•The pictures on the walls are campy and distracting. A few cute "famous people eating spaghetti" pics are fine, but the Marilyn Monroe head w/hair made of spaghetti? Super distracting. And when that's the only thing to look at, it's almost invasive. Get some living plants, get some light features, do anything.It's super dark in here!! So dark. I get the idea of trying to be romantic, but it's not executed quite right, especially with close tables and loud music and weird art. A space can be romantic and intimate without dull, lifeless colors.•Between all of these things, the whole atmosphere is super overstimulating. It's honestly a sensory overload. Not really the right idea for a quiet, romantic, intimate night out, right?OVERALL:•We like it enough to be a repeat customer, but might not like it enough to keep coming back. We love supporting local, but there are plenty of local places that can earn our patronage without spending a fortune for a hellaciou
Such a lovely restaurant! My boyfriend and I had a fantastic experience, and will be back!
Christina S.
This is hands down the BEST meal I have had in a VERY long time. We came back a second day in a row, since we were visiting from out of town to show our other son who wasn't with us the first visit. It was THAT good. You will NOT regret eating here! Also, Sherry C was our server both times, and she was AMAZING!
Alec Johnson
Good food and service but they 3% upcharge on everything is kinda weird. Just raise the prices on the menu instead of bait and switching us on the receipt.
Johnnie Johnson
I wish I could give this place 6 stars. Impeccable service, food and atmosphere. Easily one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Emily was a phenomenal server. Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carbonara, Arancini
Matt Switney
I love Cellos. From the food to the small plates that we can share and taste more. The best thing is the service. They always make you feel welcomed and our waitress was great.
Small Italian restaurant right downtown. Was Mother's Day and didn't have a reservation but they had room at the bar. Small issue with daughter's food but was rectified and we LOVED the food! Service was excellent and we'd go back next time we are in the area.
Read in a social media site that this place has good tiramisu. The misses loves tiramisu so a road trip was in order. Went on a Saturday night and had reservations- was a couple empty spots but with it being a small place I would probably recommend. Here is what we liked: * The tiramisu- ordered it as our appetizer as we wanted to make sure we had room. As an appetizer it was delicious, seriously as a dessert it is one of the best I've had. Really good. * Our waiter Donavan was a solid good guy. Attentive, sense of humor and made the visit fun. * the Limoncello was absolutely like a lemon meringue pie in a shot glass. Have had many store bought versions that were eh, this is house made an a delight to the taste buds. * We shared a couple small plates that were plenty for serving size. * Chicken Parmesan had a good size chicken patty with a light coating and crisp however let's talk about the angel hair pasta and sauce that comes with it. We literally had to paper, rock, scissors to determine who got to lick the plate clean. * Mushroom Gnocchi small plate was perfect to sample and it had a good amount of mushroom pieces and it looked like it was pan fried. Super good. * Carrot cake also one of our favorites. This however is served warm and they add icing as you order. Game changer Here's what we thought could be better: * Just a little chilly when we arrived. Misses was reluctant to take her jacket off. Thermostat on the wall said 64. By the end of dinner it was fine. Overall this place is now our favorite Italian restaurant and we want to make the hour drive back to try most of the dishes. Good service and great food makes for a definite repeat visit.
Probably in the top two in the Brighton/Howell/Hartland area for the combination of really great food, fantastic service, and ambiance, with superb value. We love that they offer a small and large size on all entrees, and they allow you to substitute any protein. So if you want scallops (which are a great size) with your Lemon Pasta (one of our favorites), just ask. I am very partial to their spaghetti and meatballs - pasta made in-house, a fantastic red sauce, and the best meatballs around. The servers are attentive and you can tell they like working there and they work as a team.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
first time at cello and i’ll definitely be back. here’s some takeaways…do make a reservationask for donovan as your serverorder everything that sounds appealingdo try the lemoncello, because it’s made in-house and takes two months to mature.enjoy the experienceorder all the desserts and i do mean all 4
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Outstanding all around!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Rosie's Baked Ziti, Limoncello Crème Brulee, Wild Mushroom Gnocchi, Arancini
I enjoyed my dinner at Cello very much. I got the ravioli, and my sister got the chicken alfredo. We split crispy mozzarella as an appetizer. I had the carrot cake for dessert, and it was amazing. The piece of carrot cake was large enough that my sister and I shared it and I still had some to bring home. Everything I just listed was delicious. The service was Top Notch.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Fettuccine, Carrot Cake, Crispy Fresh Mozzarella, Arancini
We went there for dinner and everything was amazing. The food was authentic and top notch. Our Server Thomas was great, very knowledgeable about the menu and made awesome suggestions. He was patient and had no problem answering all my questions. The Lemon cello was out of this world! We’ll definitely be back
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Cello used to be one of my favorite restaurants in Livingston county. Their Eggplant parm was always great. Unfortunately the last few times I have been there it hasn't been good. Last dinner Eggplant parm was undercooked and hard (small portion had 2 pieces, large had 3 for double the price), Salmon (large) was 2 super small portions and way overdone, shrimp and scallop arrabbiata was completely flavorless and not even a hint of spiciness. Likewise we waited almost an hour between salads and our main course to come and then another long wait for cappuccinos. Not sure if this is a staff issue or a management issue....but either way it is now off my favorite list.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
This is hands down the BEST meal I have had in a VERY long time. We came back a second day in a row, since we were visiting from out of town to show our other son who wasn't with us the first visit. It was THAT good. You will NOT regret eating here! Also, Sherry C was our server both times, and she was AMAZING!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Limoncello Chicken, Fried Mozzarella, Fettuccine, Salad, Wild Mushroom Gnocchi, Carrot Cake
Delicious food, high prices, dark atmosphere, crowded tables.THE GOOD THINGS:•The food is good! Well made, well thought out, and quite tasty. Pretty good variety.•The Limoncello is UNBELIEVABLE. My favorite thing on Earth. Love it.•The service is ALWAYS incredible. Every server I've ever had has been just the best server. Bar drinks take FOREVER though.THE QUESTIONABLE THINGS:•Host/Hostesses are a little green and bewildered, but they're young and learning.•I keep seeing the little window in the room in back that says "fresh pasta made daily" but I have never once seen anyone making pasta. The giant mixer in there is just there, like decor. The pasta doesn't taste like fresh made pasta, it tastes like freshly boiled pasta. When you have freshly made pasta, you can taste and SEE the difference. This is a highly suspicious situation.•The prices are honestly really high, even for Howell. Obviously I go and I buy because it's yummy and usually a special occasion, but it's not THAT good. The last time has made us rethink where we go on special occasions, though.•The waiting area in back is uncomfortable, dark, and bizarre. It's weird to have to walk through a crowded restaurant to the back. It's weird to have to walk through a crowded restaurant to the front host desk! I think this is a Livingston County problem, though, not a Cello problem.•If you are having an event, consider taking photos for people. It's a nice detail that makes the cost more worth it. But I guess that leads me to the following.THE BAD THINGS:•I genuinely hate how close the tables are to each other. Out of the 10+ times I've been to Cello, only one time was I not grazed by someone's bum, belly, or front, or whacked by a coat or purse, and that's because we were sat at a booth. Every other time, it's a struggle for people to get in and out. I really hate that part of it. If it's supposed to be an intimate night out, but the tables on either side of you are listening in, is it really that intimate? The last time we went, I was quietly talking with my husband about the menu, and the person at the table next to us gave her input. Honestly she shouldn't have even heard me.•On that note, the tables are also TINY. I don't understand why restaurants do this. I mean, I know why, to get more butts in seats, but I still don't understand why businesses like making customers uncomfortable. If you want your customer to order a starter or two, water, a drink, a salad, a main course, and a desert, can you please provide more room for these things?? Please?•The music is wildly inconsistent. You get modern pop (like Ed Sheeran), soft rock love songs (like Whitney Houston), and 40s-50s crooners (like Dean Martin & Frank Sinatra). Choose a style and stick to it. Retro Italian place? Stick with the crooners! It's atmospheric and fun. Also, please choose a volume. Whatever you choose, go sit in each and every seat and see how it sounds. Because WOW is it LOUD when you're next to a speaker.•The pictures on the walls are campy and distracting. A few cute "famous people eating spaghetti" pics are fine, but the Marilyn Monroe head w/hair made of spaghetti? Super distracting. And when that's the only thing to look at, it's almost invasive. Get some living plants, get some light features, do anything.It's super dark in here!! So dark. I get the idea of trying to be romantic, but it's not executed quite right, especially with close tables and loud music and weird art. A space can be romantic and intimate without dull, lifeless colors.•Between all of these things, the whole atmosphere is super overstimulating. It's honestly a sensory overload. Not really the right idea for a quiet, romantic, intimate night out, right?OVERALL:•We like it enough to be a repeat customer, but might not like it enough to keep coming back. We love supporting local, but there are plenty of local places that can earn our patronage without spending a fortune for a hellaciou
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Garlic Bread, Limoncello Chicken, Fried Mozzarella, Rosie's Baked Ziti, Limoncello Crème Brulee, Fettuccine, Tiramisu, Salad, Roasted, Sausage, Carrot Cake, Crispy Fresh Mozzarella
Restaurantji Recommends
Such a lovely restaurant! My boyfriend and I had a fantastic experience, and will be back!
This is hands down the BEST meal I have had in a VERY long time. We came back a second day in a row, since we were visiting from out of town to show our other son who wasn't with us the first visit. It was THAT good. You will NOT regret eating here! Also, Sherry C was our server both times, and she was AMAZING!
Good food and service but they 3% upcharge on everything is kinda weird. Just raise the prices on the menu instead of bait and switching us on the receipt.
I wish I could give this place 6 stars. Impeccable service, food and atmosphere. Easily one of the best dining experiences I've ever had. Emily was a phenomenal server. Thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Carbonara, Arancini
I love Cellos. From the food to the small plates that we can share and taste more. The best thing is the service. They always make you feel welcomed and our waitress was great.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5