Another great find in a neighborhood located in northwest suburbs of Chicago. It was quite busy for the time I had reservations and unfortunately we had to wait another 30 mins before we could get seated - they are limited on space and only had dining for 17 tables so waiting at the front door was uncomfortable with folks going in/out and hostesses moving about. Other than that, we did get great entree recommendations from Jose at the bar while waiting. I had the chicken vesuvio (Jose style) super spicy but perfect for my taste buds. For appetizers, can't miss the shareable eggplant (stuffed with ricotta) and fried ravioli (circle shaped fritters). My husband ordered the chicken spidini (sp?) without the prosciutto and it was phenomenal. Along came a choice of salad or soup- we chose minestrone but I think next time it will be salad. Had to skip on dessert because we were already full by the time entrees came. :( will try next time. Overall we had an amazing time celebrating for our anniversary dinner even though no special mention of it came from the waitress or hostess (which would've been a nice touch). read more

I've been here countless times and I am never dissappinted. I went there with my team from work for lunch on Tuesday and everything was great. The waiter was friendly and attentive. He brought out some fresh bread that had a perfectly crunchy crust and soft on the inside. I had the spaghetti arrabbiata with meatballs. Noodles were a perfect al dente. The sauce had a nice touch if heat and the meatballs great flavor. We ended with an awesome tiramisu. I highly reccomend Gianni's for great Italian food! read more

This place is a great find! Super Italian atmosphere; service is great and the food extra good!

What a lousy meal; and cheap, low class experience I was victimized with at Gianni's Café!!! Let's explore several of the way's dining at Gianni's Café was far more disappointing and dissatisfying than a bad visit to the dentist.... The restaurant was extremely drafty and very cold no matter where you sat, so I was still cold wearing a warm sweater vest, and my girlfriend had to wear her winter coat through the entire meal. There was very insufficient heat and poor insulation there. Now, about the bad food: Our two bowls of Angel Hair Arrabbiata Pasta were served far too soft and starchy; and so mushy that it tasted more like it came from a rural elementary school cafeteria food line than any decent Italian restaurant's kitchen. They probably would have tried to correct it if I asked them too, but after being served that terrible mushy mush excuse for pasta, we just decided to eat the mess hall dishes and get through that lunch, so we would not delay our day any further. The icing on the cake or lack thereof, came when I was told that even though it was my birthday lunch, that I could order something BUT I HAD TO PAY FOR IT and it was AGAINST THEIR POLICY to provide any kind of complimentary birthday dessert. That's so cheap and not a nice position to put your servers or customers in. What a shame and what a pity! After paying $40 for a substandard lunch that can not complete with countless other better Italian restaurants in the area, while sitting in a cold restaurant not properly heated, I can not believe that Gianni's Café is that stingy and cheap to not even offer a complimentary slice of cake, cookie, or even scoop of ice cream on a guy's birthday. I will boldly remember how mediocre my disappointing $40 lunch for 2 was, and I will never forget how cheap and low class it was to completely stiff me and offer me NOTHING as a small token / dessert to support and recognize my birthday. That is really low... The service was average at best, the food was not enjoyable, there was nothing done to make my birthday meal there special, and it seemed like everything was an upsell making the overall value of lunch there very poor compared to many other restaurants. I thought about ordering a chicken dish in the low teens, but adding a salad was another upsell and for a side of pasta it was another $3.50 or more. We were also told that the only linguine and clam sauce that could be served at lunch was $21. I can not believe the prices they are asking for the mediocre experience being provided. There are so many better Italian restaurants with better atmosphere, service, food, and value in the NW Suburbs... I believe it is a big mistake to go here. I also will try to avoid the Palatine Gianni's Restaurant which I was told is also owned by the same people. I do not want to patronize a restaurant that is so cheap that after paying $40 for lunch, they stiff me and will not offer any small complimentary birthday dessert. Maybe there are other restaurants that do that poor practice, but that has never happened to me before in my life after many years of birthdays at many other far superior restaurants no matter what the price range. I asked to speak to the manager on duty when leaving to express some of my dissatisfaction and to let him know I would be sharing this bad experience on Yelp. He came from the back, and I did not see him earlier than when I requested to speak to him upon exiting (another bad sign). However, he was a very polite young man and at least empathetic about my disappointing experience, so I give him credit for that. However, just a few words of empathy could not fix such a poor lunch experience. They saw a completely dissatisfied customer leave to never come back... read more

Very busy place but because I came here alone was able to sit at the bar immediately. Bartender friendly and helpful with food and drink selection. Had the pineapple infused Tito's martini that was excellent!! Barramundi Picatta for dinner and brownie lava cake for dessert. A little pricey but well worth it!!!! read more

Food ranges from very good to great. Service ranges from below average to very good. Very popular and crowded. Much much better than a chain. For those who have not read my reviews - stop reading reviews from those who only post several times. Stop posting one bad service experience. Give it 3 try's before you slam them. We're human. Stop complaining about the price. Fresh well prepared food will cost you a lot more and it's worth it. Stop serving us unimaginative bland food in the suburbs. We want the same food you serve in the city. read more

Simple, great food. I love the croissant egg sandwich and their soups are fantastic. Also, if you're in the mood for sit down, their full fledged restaurant is next door and has killer pesto and vodka sauce! Just don't eat all the warm bread with garlic and olive oil!! read more

Good food reasonable prices. We have been eating here for years and would consider ourselves "regular customers". We have always had good food (I would recommend pretty much anything on the menu) and service at reasonable prices. We recently had a private party that took the entire restaurant. The food was as good and plentiful as always but the service was somewhat lacking. Even though we had the entire interior of the restaurant they still seated outside tables and once the outside tables were full the servers were too busy to properly handle our party inside. They should have had staff dedicated separately. There was also a mix up regarding desserts that were supposed to be provided. FAIL - Don't know if we will be back. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in the Deer Park mall area. I have yet to be disappointed with their food. They are prepared very well and are delicious. The portions are big and prices are reasonable. Their grated garlic and oil dip is phenomenal! They also have a good selection of wines. Although the space is quite small, they have a great atmosphere. They do tend to get busy but I never experienced long waits. The service staff is polite and attentive. I highly recommend Gianni's read more

Simply excellent place to eat. The ravioli is the best I ever had, It is a small place, only 17 tables crammed into small dining area. Eat here when you have the chance read more

Gianni's Cafe - Full view of Gianni's - Italian Near Me - Kildeer, Illinois

I'm giving this restaurant 5 stars because the service, wine & food truly earned it! I enjoyed the house Chardonnay & the country rigatoni. The sausage & peppers were also delicious! I look forward to returning to this quaint neighborhood gathering place. read more

My wife and I went to Gianni's Cafe this week for our anniversary. It was appealling to us because of the outdoor seating option. The meal was great. In fact, the portion sizes are such that we could have easily split an entree. But I have to say, the service was marginal (thus the rating). I'm not sure I saw any of the servers smile once. We mentioned in passing to our server that we were there for our anniversary and he gave a look that didn't exude any sense of congratulations or warmth. Refills on the coffee were slow. If I'm going to spend this much, I'd greatly prefer to go across the street to Stoney River and get notably better service. read more

Excellent restaurant. Excellent service. Love this place. Looks like they recently remodeled. Dina and Leanne were so nice to us and the food was great. I ordered the Gianni's Broccoli and Leanne recommended chick peas and giardiniera mixed in with it. Was awesome. Thanks. I'll be back soon. read more

Gianni's Cafe - Italian Near Me - Kildeer, Illinois

We love this place. Husband had the seafood suprema with scallops, lobster & shrimp. His favorite dish. Tonight I had the chicken franchese.. it's heavenly- I could lick the gravy off my plate! My son (who has terrible food allergies) had the gluten free pasta with alfredo. He almost ate 3/4 of a full order and he's 5. He loved it. And my sweet daughter tore apart steamed clams. It's crazy because in Disney she had 6 trips of all you can eat clams one night, and tonight she said these were the best. She also helped her dad and bother out with some meals... next time she says she wants 2 appetizers. Girl loves her clams. This place is phenomenal! read more

Gianni's Cafe - Mmmmmm clams. - Italian Near Me - Kildeer, Illinois

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Came in here for the first time for lunch on a saturday, and I fell in love with this place! The patio is beautiful, the food is amazing, and the service is wonderful. My waitress suggested that I try something off the daily specials, so I had an arugula salad with endive, lemon, olive oil, cajun calamari, and creamy garlic drizzle! Yes, was as good as it sounds. Also, I discovered that they do $10 of bottles of wine at lunch, and i just found my new favorite red: Trabuch. Delish. I can't wait to bring my friends to this hidden gem read more

Gianni's Cafe - Arugula salad with Cajun calamari, endive, lemon, olive oil, and creamy garlic drizzle, off the lunch specials. Yum. - Italian Near Me - Kildeer, Illinois

Have gone to Gianni's many times and had always been over the top pleased. Just left there and I don't see myself returning. i always order the same dish and this time when I ordered it - it did not look right or taste right. When I questioned It my waitress took my plate back over to where they prepare food came back and said to me " it is right it must not look right because it is dark over here". WOW - I am a former waitress and would never say something like that. I barely touched it and not once did she come back to check on us. It is sad they are more worried about getting their take out orders done then serving the people sitting in the restaurant eating. read more

Great dinner experience this evening, on a low-key celebration with my Bestie of our Birthdays. We chose Gianni's Cafe because of the proximity to our work (: her Eco Salon .. & my Holistic & Organic Spa).- and cuz we felt like Italian. The food was good, delicious, actually -- but the primary reason I'm reviewing tonight (frankly the vast majority of the time I dine or enjoy services / experiences - I do not take the time to publish) is because of the unparalleled service of a Gentleman named MARK. He is the best (non- Proprietor) Server I've experienced, perhaps ever! Just so above good, even great - in every way. And I know service : I'm a small business owner in the Service Industry, .. my Parents owned a successful Restaurant / Bar Downtown Chicago for 12+ years, .. and I dine out often. .. I will also add that I suspect part of how Mark (Servers / Support Staff) can be so awesome is due to the kind of approval / guidance / fostering 'ok' of their Manager / Owner(s). The really special requests I often make when dining are often 'approved' by the line up of the Server.- so I'd like to share the credit, of sorts. The Gianni's Cafe really was on it.- and I loved the whole experience! :-) I took the time to gloat over Mark to the Owners. But the Yelp Community needs to hear it, too. .. Ask for Mark, and tell him the Holistic Esthetician & Educator / Integrative Nutritionist from Organically Gorgeous in Deer Park across the street sent you. Enjoy. :-) read more

Gianni's Cafe - This Ovo Pescatarian decided to be naughty tonight (for my Birthday) and eat the (cow milk) cheese. Yummy yum omg, yum.! - Italian Near Me - Kildeer, Illinois

I have a lot of positive Don'ts for Gianni's Cafe... Don't let the 'Cafe' in Gianni's Cafe fool you. This hidden gem is a top-notch Italian restaurant. Don't be intimidated by Gianni's small dining room. Its actually very inviting and romantic once you're seated. Don't be fooled by the high prices. Once your food arrives, you'll understand why - fresh, flavorful ingredients leaving you very satisfied. Don't skip on the dinner specials. I tried the zucchini lasagna and it was to-die-for! Don't worry about leaving hungry. The entrees could feed a family of four. Not to mention the fresh bread and choice of soup or salad that's served before dinner. In summary, DON'T pass up on Gianni's Cafe. But DO save it for an evening when you can fully appreciate the dining experience they offer. read more

Ordered takeout for my wife's bday. The food was ready for me when I arrived; no waiting and exact to the time they estimated. The chicken vesuvio, shrimp linguine, and roasted sprouts were all outstanding. read more

If they are not crowded or even when they are, the service and quality of food is alway enjoyable. Never disappointed with any of their faire or their recommendations. they truly listen to your feedback. Pours are good. Family friendly as well as a spot for friends to get together. Cheers! read more

Probably one of the best places to get pasta in the northwest suburbs! I'm melting just thinking about their pasta sauces, err, gravies. Tried a couple of their house pastas at a party once that had the food catered and really liked it. We also had been to the deli cafe next door (yummy panini!) owned by the same people. We went on a friday night and the place was packed. I almost want to say it's too crammed in there because the restaurant is so small. The prices and cloth tableskirts discouraged me, at first, because we weren't exactly dressed appropriately, but then I noticed most of the guests dining were also dressed casually. There is a bar along the wall when you first walk in and every seat at it was taken. We actually didn't have to wait at all; I think we just came in at the right moment. There isn't really a waiting area, so I would suggest calling ahead to make a reservation, if possible, or browsing one of the nearby stores in the same strip mall while waiting if you are not able to be seated right away. I ordered the cavatelli with crimossa sauce and it was excellent. The crimossa is a cream sauce with prosciutto and roasted peppers. I was tempted to order the vodka sauce, but I'm picky about vodka sauces and every place seems to make it different. My mom ordered just plain spaghetti with marinara. We both got a choice of soup or salad with our pasta. I ordered the manhattan clam chowder, thinking it was the creamy one, but failed to realize that that "manhattan" part means broth based. It was still pretty good. My mom chose the pasta fagioli soup. It seems some people complain about the service here, but our waitress was pretty attentive and available, even though she seemed busy. The thing that kept me from giving this place five stars is the prices; a bit too expensive for a suburban italian restaurant if you ask me, but the quality of the food really was good, so I guess that makes up for it. Maybe it's a good thing they're expensive, otherwise I would probably go into a carb coma from ordering their pasta all the time. read more

Very disappointing. Ordered pasta primavera. Description said broccoli, red peppers , zucchini and peas. Was inundated with red, green and yellow peppers, actually filled my bread plate. No broccoli anywhere. Smothered in oil and too much cheese (which was not in the description on the menu) the pasta was clumped together. Server came over and saw the mound of peppers. Said there was no broccoli - he left without a word. Did not eat the meal , busboy took away and waiter never came back. Had to ask a bus boy to get our check. Dinner that was not eaten still on the bill. Very dissatisfied and probably won't be back. No one at the door to acknowledge our leaving. They say they are a "family" restaurant but does not feel that way. read more

I just saw a recent review of this place and decided to come back and check my last review. As I suspected, it was from my first visit. I have returned a few times since then and while I haven't experienced anything bad with the food, overall it is just a so-so experience. I usually sit at the bar and on my last visit, I experienced sub-par service. What I really didn't care for was that the bartender was talking to another customer, maybe someone she knew and when she went to place my napkin and silverware down, she just tossed it in front of me and let it sit like that. It was almost as if she was saying, "here ya go, deal with it" - actually pretty rude. The food varies a bit - sometimes it's spot on and other times it's fair at best. The last couple of times I've thought of going there, I said to myself, "For about the same price, I can go to Maggianos and get Lasagna that's just as good, PLUS I get one to take home." Why go to Gianni's when I can get better or more Italian food somewhere else? In fact, Biaggi's (another Italian chain restaurant) across the street has food that matched Gianni's with servers that pay attention to your needs. So I've changed my rating from 4 to 3 - and really it's 2 and a half! read more

I heard so many compliments about Gianni's but it took me awhile to finally try this place. It's a small & quaint place hidden near Bed Bath & Beyond. Of course, I love Italian food & I have my own favorite Italian dishes. Their Eggplant Parmesan was delicious. If you order their Lasagna, make sure you get it with their meat sauce ---- wow!!! Their meat sauce was so flavorful. While waiting for my food, I noticed the regulars coming in & the Gianni staff recognizing them. That was impressive. Since I got this via carry out, I want to go back & dine in their restaurant. Glad to find this Italian restaurant near my home. You should try it out. read more

Nice menu selection. Lots of variety and items you may not see elsewhere. The service was exceptional. The food was very good as well. I did not have dessert but did have some coffee afterwards and this was very good as well. The place is always packed when we have gone. We will definitely go back. The only drawback is their vestibule is not fully enclosed. It is a small restaurant and every time the door opened more cold air came in. We were sitting along a window and it was cold the whole evening. It got only partially better when the door was not opened for a period of time. read more

I am only going to offer reviews to the places I really like and this is one of them. The wait staff is great. The food is delicious. My wife and I go there whenever the mood strikes us. I have only been there for lunch. We seldom eat out because of the cost, so when we do, we like to go to worthwhile places and this is one of them. read more

Two pasta dishes here were prepared very well, fairly priced between $8 and $14 for some simple dishes...and how cool is it that you can customize a pasta entree just like a pizza, with a fine selection of noodles, sauces, meats, seafood, veg, and tasty extras like pine nuts, pesto, and cheeses including Asiago and Gorgonzola? The specials also looked intriguing, like red-checker-restaurant standards dressed up for the neighborhood. Think carbonara, marsala, milanese, etc. Wine list: nice and long, with an emphasis on big Italian reds. My boyfriend loved a Riesling, even with his sausage-and-marinara penne. I wasn't blown away by my white zin for the price...we'll stick to reds next time. The service was also unimpressive, but swift and acceptably cordial for the dinner-hour crowd. We didn't get to try coffee or dessert, but we will be back...maybe earlier in the evening for a less-harried server and a quieter ambience. The Lake County chinos-and-polo set were already shrieking drunk at 8 in the evening; watch out for drift-racing H3s in the parking lot. read more

Great food! A go to Italian resteraunt for my family. Food is fresh and tasty, generous portions and more importantly great bread and oil. The lake zurich location is very small and can be loud and cramped but it typically works. read more

Went to Gianni's in Kildeer the other night a bit after 7pm. The place was jam packed and a 45 minute wait was in order for 2 people. We decided to take order to go. 20 minutes later we were out the door and enjoying one helluva good meal. I ordered Veal Saltimbuca and my daughter ordered the Country Rigatoni. Both of our meals were excellent and was plenty for us to enjoy the next day. If you haven't tried Gianni's you don't know what your missing out on and I highly recommend this location over the Palatine restaurant. read more

This is by far my favorite Italian restaurant in the suburbs. There are 2 locations but I find the food at the Kildeer location to be better. What I enjoy about Giannis is that in addition to a yummy Italian meal you also have great service. Giannis has a very attentive waitstaff whose competence would rival any 5 star restaurant in Chicago. Is this the best Italian food I've ever had in my life? No... But in my opinion it is the best in the Chicago area. Some personal favorites are Minestrone Soup Veal Marsala This lemon cake type thing that tastes like if a lemon meringue pie and a lemon bar had a baby And their marinara sauce on any noodle is refreshing read more

Okay - I look for all the good stuff about the food and service when I read reviews; very important information. And Gianni's is definitely worthy of great reviews on both. We had been there a couple years ago, talked about going back and it just happened to work out today -unplanned yet oh so rewarding. Food=great; service=very good; portions = ample and flavorful; atmosphere=small and quaint; overall experience = make a point to make time to enjoy this slightly hidden gem. After a wonderful meal we opted to have dessert. Gianni's tiramisu is absolutely wonderful! Homemade, moist-perfect balance of flavor and texture! The second best I have ever had... #1 will honor belongs to my husband- always will. Their tiramisu is truly worth giving up whatever you choose to give up to justify having such a guilty pleasure. read more

Love this restaurant. The outdoor patio is terrific, tables are far apart, no smoking allowed, comfy chairs, no bugs or bees and the service is just as good, if not better, than inside. Food is consistently good, service as well. read more

My husband and I end up at Gianni's a lot. The Italian cuisine is consistently good, particularly their sauces. The last two times we've been there I ordered the Shrimp Portofino with Sun Dried Tomatoes in a white wine and butter sauce. It is EXCELLENT! They are always busy, but not overly crowded so you can usually get a table. During the summer they have an outdoor patio next to a bubbling fountain, which makes up for the fact that the restaurant is located in a strip mall. We've been there for lunch and dinner and both are equally good, but their servings are pretty big, so bring your appetite. read more

We use to frequent this wonderful restaurant. We moved to Lake Geneva and hadn't been there in awhile. We dined in and felt very safe with all the Covid recommendations being met. Patrick took care of us like we were family. The food was as always amazing! Thank you Patrick & staff for an amazing dining experience. The Tiramisu was amazing too!! We'll be back!! read more

Great breakfast lunch spot quality food great soups and sandwiches Also love their berry tea

Great place for a Saturday night dinner. Food is fantastic. Unbeatable Cavatelli with peas in the suprema sauce. U have to get the scrimp parmigiana as an appetizer and don't forget the muscles in white wine sauce. read more

I haven't been there in awhile but can't wait to go back. Their food is always great. Very authentic and reasonably priced.

You must try the country rigatoni which is like a vodka sauce with chunks of chicken and ground Italian sausage absolutely delicious. They're chicken francese was really good also. Steph was prompt and courteous the water glasses never got to empty. Three entrees no liquor got us out of there $53. Great deal great food will definitely be back read more

Soooo good! Great service. Had a nice wine selection - I had a glass of J. Lohr Cab. Bread and olive oil with parm and garlic brought to the table right away. I thought the bread crust was too hard and interior too bubbly/holey. For the main dish I had the cavatelli Crimossa, it was excellent! Nice homemade tasting pasta with creamy buttery sauce, roasted red peppers and prosciutto added a sweet smoky flavor. My meal came with a nice salad (too many big purple onions) for only $14.95, wow, what a deal - took some home to share with my 9 year-old son who loved it. My date ordered a chicken dish that was delicious also - sausage with onions and peppers in a broth type sauce. I would recommend this place to friends and plan to go back. read more

Let me clear!!! I love their food But often cannot find my Favorite drink- pineapple infused vodka.. its fine,, but man it sucks to not have your drink of choice.. why have it on the menu if you cannot keep up- maybe feedback is for whoever orders supplies etc.. Other than this perennial problem .. its a great place.. love going there but will complain until its fixed.. read more