Enjoyed our unplanned dinner. Very friendly staff and nice ambience.
Superb food and drinks.
Must try the cocktails and the pizza.
Thank you.
Friendly staff and amazing food.. cherry on the top was the drink.. best martini ever!! Its a must visit for anyone who has love for Italian food.. how about the chef asking you personally how was the food?? 🥰🥰
Lovely ambiance and the quality of food is good too. However, still cannot rate it as 5/5 mainly for its service.
We sat in the outdoor space, which is perfect for the weather at this time of the year.
The staff was not very friendly and the service was disappointing and slow. It took at an average of requesting 3 employees to get a response from one of them.
Lovely dinner this evening, food was fantastic and the desert divine. Wagu beef was very good, a bit more done than I prefer but I tend to go one level over because it can be hit or miss depending on the restaurant and the chef, still i did enjoy the meal. Excellent staff, great location, and a great price.
Staff 5/5
Food 5/5
Ambience 5/5
Price 💷 💷 💷 /💵 💵 💵
The staffs were generous and kind, the food was just awesome we had lamb racks, spaghetti, and much more, the view was just amazing, looking out to the harbour where the boats parked, really a great view, the price was expected to be a little high the food took a little bit longer than I expected but everything else was just perfect 😋👌💯💯 I would love to come here again.
Well a table had to be booked and we took a corner in the well spaced out restaurant.. the waiter was polite and made small conversation while we ordered.. the food though was served couple of minutes later than estimated but was compensated... the veal shank siroti was perfect and the pizza was very nice .. and the burrata a delight ... good to go .. !!!
First time that we had tried this place and we were very pleased with outcome. The place itself is well decked out with lots of seating choice. Food was fantastic....the highlight for me was the octopus starter...really tasty. My wife had beef carpaccio and was very happy. Rack of lamb was nice but not as good as my wife's ribeye. Rounded off with creme brulee and pannacotta. Service was great..attentive but not over the top. We will be back.
The location is fantastic if you can sit outside by the marina. The design inside is modern but a bit heavy to my taste. The service is great and you get different types of delicious warm bread with butter to wait for your plate. The menu looks nice but the plates lack the little touch that could make them truly italian.
Beautiful place with great outdoor seating. We ordered 3 pizzas and one pesto pasta that were good.
The staff was friendly and the service was fast enough.
As an Italian I must say this place is amazing!
The gnocchi Gorgonzola are litterally Devine, and so is the bread and most of the main courses!
I love the buttata is so fresh !!
The location is amazing and so is the venue !
I love the fact that the general manager is Italian ? This is really rare to find here in AD , it makes the place more authentic!
Celebrated my birthday here. We enjoyed every dish we ordered, the restaurant has many special dishes which taste so different but definitely amazing! Staff were friendly, manager Gianluca was so attentive to us, we felt as if we were VIP customers :) loved absolutely everything about that dinner!
Visited in April. Seated outside. The menu options were limited however the waiter offered us couple of items that were not in it!! Overall experience was positive like the place outside with the view of the towers.
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Circo requires little introduction. The sister restaurant of New York’s iconic Le Cirque from entrepreneur Sirio Maccioni, has pitched its big top at Abu Dhabi’s Intercontinental Hotel, impressing an audience of regular guests for a number of years now. Circo offers a menu of Italian fare in which the majority of dishes hail from Tuscany and the recipes are straight from the kitchen of Maccioni matriarch Egidiana. The restaurant utilizes multi-coloured glass, mirrored columns and subtle circus influences, in a bid to recreate the dazzling thrills of a European Circus tent. A red velvet curtain marks the entranceway and having not visited a circus in over two decades, provides a nostalgic image we remember all to well. Light fixtures are hung to resemble the peak of said tent and the carpet is like an explosion of fireworks, providing a contrast against the icy blue glassware. A design of concentric circles completes the elaborate theming of a circus ring and charismatic Chef Matteo Fontana is our ringmaster for the day.
Who knew that you can attend Opera in Abu Dhabi?? AND the best part is that this Opera won't force you into in a dark seat in the middle of a large auditorium. Instead this is A Night at the Opera at the chic but whimsical Circo at the Intercontinental Abu Dhabi...
I was here a year ago for my birthday and had an incredibly delicious gluten free pizza. There was live music and the night time ambience was warm and intimate, perfect for Italian food.
I returned this afternoon for brunch and many suggested that Circo is the best place to sit for the brunch. I was very happy I sat in this section. It was the most pleasant and bright and you could still hear the music but not too loudly and we were still a part of the vibe with some of our own space. The food was good and there's a HUGE selection. The management was also good and friendly (the manager came to chat to us and make a personal connection which is great) but the servers weren't attentive, we had to go to the effort to hunt down and find servers in order to get something to drink. In their defence it was busy, but when they walked by they didn't look our way at all ever. All in all it was a great afternoon though.
Nice Italian spot, cute interiors, great food and beverage selection on their menu and well priced for the location. Lots of weekly and daily specials and offers too!
Staff are well trained, which makes the dining experience far more pleasant and a good reason to go back.
Beautiful outdoor setting. The only down part is the smoking area inside where the bar is, which negatively effects all of the the indoor dining space. They say the spaces are assigned as smoking & non smoking...but really, how can you stop the smoke from travelling from the one part of the room to the other!?!
Review 2: A great experience at this great venue. We sat at the bar and luckily no one was smoking! We were served by Chris who made our experience a very good one! Thank you! We can't wait to come back.
As a starter we tried the Salt cured tuna, and the mains were the Gulf sole filet and the gnocchis with tiger prawns.
The tuna dish was nicely presented but it was not our taste. All the components accompanied the cured tuna were of soury bitter taste and didn't match with the tuna at all. The mains however were great, very delicious.
I loved the presentation and the taste of the dessert. The apple wal ut cake was great. Perfect with some tea.
Thank you Circo for the nice dinnerand time we had two days back.
We went there to celebrate my sister birthday and absolutely everything was great the food, the atmosphere and the service.
The staff is super excellent and friendly and we loved the live music at the outdoor sitting area.
Now will tell you about the food we had, starter was bruschetta which was served very nicely as chopped tomates and some herbs greens over crispy tender bread.
We had some vegetrian rissotto which we really loved, and some alfredo penne pasta which was super good.
And we tried raviolle with stuffed with spanich and ricotta cheese I guess and off course that dish was so good so tasty.
We also had one pizza.
Dessert was a fruit cake we ordered for the birthday which was very good and moist.
Over the weekend, I went to the Friday Marina Brunch at the Intercontinental Hotel. This brunch consisted of an all you can eat buffet featuring various restaurants at the Hotel. We were seated at Circo (Italian) but we were able to go to the other restaurants nearby for their specialty cuisine (ie Chamas (Brazilian Meat) & Belgian Cafe (Mussels). There were also several other outdoor kitchens open offering dim sum, a noodle bar, tacos, ice cream and more! The highlight for me were fresh oysters and crab legs!
Absolutely five star service with exceptional food. Loved the fresh and funky decoration too. Try their bolognaise. It is truly worth it. Will surely be back
3 days ago, I dined at Circo with my family.
The environment of the restaurant along with its beautiful vibes were definitely on point. I have heard a lot of good reviews about the restaurant and actually, it was excellent.
I had some difficulties with choosing my food since the seafood was dominant in the menu and I am allergic to seafood. I would recommend people to give it a try!
Welcoming guest blogger, The New Glitterati, to the team! The fact I was invited to this dinner (and instead went to Social) makes me super sad — it clearly would have been worth the trip. And a warning, do not read while hungry!!. Abu Dhabi is not particularly known for its Italian food, and it’s certainly not a go-to for us. Circo is tucked down in the InterContinental next to the Belgian Cafe and the first thing we saw, aside from the well-executed circus-themed decor, was the gleaming “Time Out Abu Dhabi – Best Italian, 2015” plaque proudly placed by the entrance. It’s been awhile since I’ve had a legit Italian meal and we were excited to try something new and see what the ‘Dhabs had on offer.
This review is solely for the amazing pizza pie- that is the truffle and ham with fresh arugula. With the entertainer you get a whole lot of truffle for 80 dirham- if you get two that is. Thin, crispy, fresh, and superbly flavoured. A masterpiece if there ever was one in the form of pizza. Bellissimo! 🍕🍕🍕
Official UAE Food & Beverage Guide (krossproali@gmail.com)
+5
Thank you Circo for the wonderful experience last night!!! My wife and I ended up at Circo Restaurant for my wife's birthday and we had a great evening. My wife and I are both gluten intolerant and we had the best gluten free pizzas we have ever eaten. Thank you Circo for making my wife's birthday so special and unforgettable. The restaurant even went out of their way to organise my wife a birthday cake with a candle. 😊
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We were party of 4 and the welcome received could not be bettered by a circus clown beckoning us into the big top. That is the secret of circo. The staff were all clowns in previous lives and their job description includes infection of their pleasant demeanor on their customers. A very enjoyable wait for the food.
The complimentary focacio and olive bread , after placing our orders, were warm , fresh and barring the slight extra salt (my taste only) required a warning reminder of the ordered food still to come.
We decided to split the gnocchi and sea food risotto so each of us could try these pasta main courses as starters. The gnocchi was not vegetarian and had more perfectly cooked prawns and lobster under the oodles of pesto than a shrimp cocktail or a lobster claw would contain. Aside from the quantity the gnocchi and pesto (a previous personal favorite) balanced perfectly with the crustaceans meat.
The seafood risotto did not scrimp on the prawns and the calamari or the lobster or the shelled mussels and clams. They were all a plenty and cooked perfectly which means no leathery chew and no stale feel in the rice cooked risotto style.
So when the osso buco (2 of the orders) and the pan fried sea bass with mussel , razor clams , with a saffron cream reduction or sauce and the herb encrusted lamb rack with divine eggplant and herb topped baked tomato came and everyone managed to wipe clean the humongous portions no one need have asked (and none did) "how was your meal". The wiped clean plates with the last remnant of sauce , gravy , left over liquid , whatever, with some olive bread ( reordered and happily brought again) said it all.
Finally when it came time to settle the account , the real value for money became our sign off with a mutual "must return" promise. The trip to Abu Dhabi was worth it.
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MY REVIEW IS UNBIASED AND NOT DEPENDENT ON MY MOOD AT THE TIME FOOD QUALITY ....... 4 / 5
FOOD QUANTITY ...... 4 / 5
AMBIENCE ............... 4 / 5
SERVICE ............... 5 / 5
I was told, , this is the best Italian restaurant in abudhabi .. and boy Ő boy ... were they right about that .. very chic in ambience .. shouted contemporary ,,, splashed all over their furniture. . Dim lit .. candle light dinner sort of a feel to it . Amazing experience. .. with a choice to sit outside in the cold December evening and smell the flavours of the sea while u sip on prosecu or get tucked inside into their warm and cosy dining area and smell the baking of fresh bread .. we kept it uncomplicated with our order and called for pasta with alfredo sauce .. pasta was al dente exactly like the stuff ,, Italian food doctors must hv precribed .. with crunchy broccoli which seeked attention .. cherry tomatoes bursting out with their soury tinge flavour. . ( Not as saucy as I wud hv liked . ) but I am not complaining. . Next up .. MARGHERITA PIZZA with a veggie twist .. we had requested for slivers of onions and capsicum .. and they graciously obliged .. the oozing .. yet not overdone ,, cheese ( parmesan ) .. with a hint of basil leaves and crunchy on the sides made this visit a true worthy Italian experience ... I M GOING BACK FOR SURE .. happy eating
Spent a very pleasant evening at CIRCO - Intercontinental Hotel Abu Dhabi. Seated outside under the stars and the festive lights of the 44th UAE's national week. Warmly welcomed by Gianluca in Italian, of course, it felt like being home in my home town in the north of Italy at the base of the Alps. Not only is the hospitality exellent and friendly, but the food that Matteo the Italian chef presents is certainly something to write home to 'mamma' about. Try it - you will not be disappointed. The Quail Risotto with a glass of chilled prosecco and the Tiramisu ( a signature dish) are truely something to write home to 'mamma' about. Its a taste sensation which conjures up images of casa, famiglia and Italia. Buon appetitio e Ciao
Diary Of A Lifestyle Mommy
+4.5
it’s way to the Middle East, the third branch after NYC and Las Vegas. Circo’s. sophisticated atmosphere , old-style European circus tents has inspired the. restaurant’s name. Circo is the only restaurant in the UAE, exclusively at the. iconic, Intercontinental Abu Dhabi. This Family restaurant is
One of the Top Italian restaurant in the capital of UAE. For Lunch or Dinner, Circo's Menu is distinguished with a range if Italian dishes. Pasta, pizza is made with love, that you can taste the fresh ingredients flavor. The Aragosta Repiena (Canadian lobster stuffed with shrimps) is recommended.
Diary Of A Lifestyle Mommy
+3.5
The first time I saw Circo was with my friend Jo, we had just finished a dinner event at the intercontinental Abu Dhabi and she wanted to show me the interior of the restaurant, as I walked in I couldn’t help but notice how colorful and vibrant this place was, at the door was the restaurant manager, Gianluca Maglianella welcomed us in and poured us a mix he had created a cherry infused fruit based amaretto concoction I absolutely loved it ! as he poured us another glass and started telling me about how Circo started and showed us around I could see the passion he had for this place, we said we would come back again and we did a week after for the Aperitivo night organized by my friend and fellow blogger Jo -an expat abroad.
Osteria del Circo by New York’s famous Maccioni Group has made it’s way to the Middle East, the third branch after NYC and Las Vegas. Circo’s sophisticated atmosphere , old-style European circus tents has inspired the restaurant’s name. Circo is the only restaurant in the UAE, exclusively at the iconic, Intercontinental Abu Dhabi. This Family restaurant is not your typical Italian restaurant, be prepared to be amazed and in aw the food is exquisite, unusual yet traditional with a twist.
Born in the US, Chef Luca Banfi comes from a multicultural family with Italian and Iraqi parents, a family where good food has always been at the heart of every meal and gathering. It’s thanks to these experiences he realized at a young age that the culinary world was the right place to follow his passion. Over the years he was able to work around the globe, from Milano to San Diego, from the Dominican Republic to the UAE and these experiences helped him to further shape his own creative approach by incorporating influences from each of the places visited.
As the canapés were passed around we got a taste of what Chef Luca creates in his kitchen, we started off with the Involtini di Bresaola - Goat Cheese, Ricotta and Walnut Stuffed Bresaola, Balsamic Glazed Pear and the Insalata di Verdure alla Griglia Salad of White Asparagus and Grilled Vegetables, Grana Padano, Toasted Pine Nuts, Mini Croutons, Tomato Vinaigrette, then came the Rissotto ai Funghi di Bosco - wild mushroom and pumpkin risotto with baked goat cheese I wanted more and more of this, so rich and decadent this is a main that can’t be missed.
The Gnocchi just melts in your mouth light and had the perfect texture, we had two different ones , a pesto based gnocchi and another one with meat and tomato sauce I just couldn’t choose which one I preferred both were absolutely delicious. Chef Luca’s pizza is made fresh, the dough is prepared 24 hours before baking to ensure that it rises to give you that fluffy texture, light and crispy we had two of the Classic Pizza’s at Circo, the Margherita topped with cherry tomatoes, oregano, baby buffalo mozzarella and fresh basil leaves and the Toscana topped with tomato, fresh mozzarella wild mushrooms , beef sausage which I loved, Ricotta cheese and fresh chili, baked perfectly with just enough crisp, from eight pizzas to choose from , there is a pizza for everyone.
Now on to our desserts, as the trays came out I thought to myself ah these will definably be the typical Italian desserts we are used to…. I was wrong! Cannoli Siciliani Filled with Ricotta Cream, Candied Fruit, Prosecco Truffle Sorbet, I couldn’t believe there was cannoli in Abu Dhabi and I was eating it! I would so eat these for breakfast ! I mean the last time I had a great Cannoli like this was at an Italian resto café in a random alleyway in downtown Paris and I thought I will never get to eat this again unless I travel, I was like a kid in a candy store! I had four and Im not sorry! judge all you want these were amazing! Another tray arrived with the Torta Meneghina con Gelato al Balsamico Invecchiato Milano Style Apple and Almond Cake, Apple Compote, Aged Balsamic Gelato as I took a bite of this it immediately melted in my mouth and this was just a party on its own.
As we began to wind down the evening at Circo one last tray came out and I though this can’t get any better than what we already had. Trays of chocolate covered Tiramisu balls with Goji berries on top I mean seriously! These were the crème de la crème of the evening and what better way to end this night with such a delightful dessert made for the Aperitivo menu. Circo has amazed me with the food the ambiance the wonderful staff, Circo you defiantly won my heart.
If you are looking for a wonderful Italian dining experience then Circo is your place.
A pleasant experience in Abu Dhabi. The food was pretty good, compliments for the way to represent dishes - very colorful. We had a chance to taste fresh truffle with risotto, just arrived from Italy. The atmosphere was a bit down as there were very few people for the Thursday lunch. I would recommend to eat in this restaurant.
Fantastic pizza with beef sausage and truffles 5* ...............
Lamb chops ! 4*
Veal Carpaccio ! 4*
Service fantastic ! 5*
Ambiance ! 5*
I have been to this exquisite place two times and i have just enjoyed the awesome ambience, extra ordinary customer service and last but not the least the great food.
We ordered pizza margharita and spaghetti primavera both the time. However, the dessert section was just overwhelming as we enjoyed the tiramisu and the frozen ice cream.
Guys this place is just not worth a miss :)
Nice place, I loved the pasta
But I had to face a problem that they were not fully cooked :/
Some were cooked and some not. Had to eat everything rapidly cause I had an important meeting.
I was a bet disappointed especially with all the positive feedback.
For sure, it is a pricy place.
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Similar to the other restaurants located at the InterContinental Hotel, Abu Dhabi, the quality of food served at Circo, an Italian restaurant, is brilliant. However, prices at Circo are definitely high enough to make you question whether the food is really good value for money. Understandably, prices tend to be higher in 5-star hotels, but I personally found that this restaurant is a little overpriced.
Based on Circo's high prices, I would dine at the restaurant on occasions. However, given the option, I would spend a lot more time at Circo due to the excellent food served. The atmosphere is great and the decor is beautiful, with colours of red, blue and yellow as the theme.
Beginning with the delicious olive bread, served hot and fresh, the food is wonderful. As an appetizer, the three of us shared the Bruschetta, which was more than sufficient and was amazing. We then shared a pizza and a pasta between the three of us. The portions are excellent, giving us the chance to have some leftovers to indulge in the following day! (Mind you, we're small eaters!) The pizza might have been some of the best that I have ever tasted (...unless you've been to Italy, of course!) The dough was so soft, and the cheese so fresh that each bit of the pizza seemed to melt in the mouth. The pasta, which had a meat sauce, was so flavourful, it really was so difficult to stop eating!
With the staff being so friendly and welcoming, as is the staff usually at the InterCon, our experience was yet again a wonderful one. I definitely intend on visiting Circo again! (Perhaps after saving up a bit more $$!)
Anamika Gupta Priyadarshi
+4
Had a business lunch here the other day while at work in Abu Dhabi. The salad was nice though with a little too much of dressing. Mushroom risotto was a dream, perfectly creamy and very well made.. Loved every bite of it.
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