We came upon this place serendipitously. Changing our plans for another restaurant because we had decided to see a movie, and scanned Yelp for a place nearer the theater. We consider this quite a find. Quiet, beautifully decorated (but not overly so), back room with brick walls and "windows" that appeared to look out in an Italian neighborhood. Just nice, nice. To the food: crusty bread served with an EVOO based dip to start. We ordered a baked clams starter (delicious and decent sized clams), a lovely small mixed salad. Lovely wife ordered the double stuffed eggplant, I opted for the short rib ravioli with vodka sauce. Both excellent and enough to take some home to enjoy. We skipped dessert, but the selection we saw on the way out looked very appealing. By the way, the service was excellent, and our waitress made an excellent suggestion regarding the sauce for my dish. Afterwards, I asked aforementioned Lovely Wife when we recall the last restaurant meal we had that was any better. We had to think a bit. Based on one visit, this earns an enthusiastic Five stars. We'll be back. Soon, I hope. read more

Arrived mid day. One table was just settling up. We were the only other patrons. Server didn't provide silverware. We just took some from another table. Ordered food and asked for water. At least 10 minutes go by. I go up to counter and ask, do they do bread and butter there? "Yes" at no charge. Ok can you bring some over. And asked for water again. 3 rolls provided with a bowl of butter. A bowl full of odds and ends butter chunks. No way two people could use that on three rolls. What do they do, just throw it back in the fridge and give it to the next customer? Ordered coffee. Added their creamer, which was spoiled. Went back to the counter to ask for water again. Food came. Pretty good. When I asked for the bill, they were having computer issues. It would just be a few minutes. After another 10 minutes, I go back to the counter and ask if I can just pay cash. "Sure, you even get a cash discount". So they couldn't tell me that 10 minutes ago? First and last time. read more

excellent food. Great service. Waitress suggested that we try their specials. She was right delicious.

I've been to ciao baby three or four times before, and my wife has been another 6 or 7 times, so we're pretty familiar with how good this restaurant can be. We went for dinner with my wife's brother and our sister-in-law on Saturday 6/21 for 6:30 reservation. Right from the get-go we knew something wasn't right. We walked in the door at the same time as two other couples , and we all stood there for five minutes, waiting for a hostess to greet us. That never happened, so after another few minutes, we figured that our guests were already seated in the back room, so we walked through the front of the restaurant and there they were. Kind of odd that there was no hostess. We had a good waitress, but unfortunately, the only waitress working in the back room. Three or four bus boys hustling around water and bread, but she was all by herself taking orders and checking on customers. Placed our drink orders which were promptly delivered and then five minutes later placed our food orders. We were literally served at 8:50, two hours after placing our food order! The waitress was very apologetic, kept coming back and telling us that she was checking on her order and they were working on it, but obviously that wasn't the case unless they ruined the meal over and over again. When the orders were finally delivered, she comped us a free drink which I didn't want, so she took a drink off my tab. The meal itself was fine. Everybody enjoyed what they had but the night was a travesty because of this awful service from the kitchen. No visits from the chef no visits from the manager, no discount for the terrible experience. Just this poor waitress left to fend for herself. It was really weird, because after we served our dinner, out comes three or four more table's food all at the same time. I don't know what the problem was, but the night was ruined. You don't expect this for a $200+ dinner for four. read more

This place is great. Great atmosphere, really good food, nice size portions. Warm inviting dining area in both spaces. Family owned feel... so nice instead of that cold chain style. Only complaint is the crushed ice in cocktails.... They need the large cube maker. Minor detail... this is a gem. read more

Just had dinner at this restaurant tonight as we often do. Dinner was lovely and the staff as ever delightful. Now to the issue at hand the restaurant was only accepting cash due to a computer cash. This comes on the heals of an issue with the liquor license a few months. This restaurant is wonderful place in our town thanks to the team there under the Manager (Nancy i Think is her name) and her team they are delightful , however it is my observation that the ownership is not supporting this wonderful group of people read more

This is one of our favorite local restaurants in Barrington. It's feels like you're family when you go there. The entire staff is always really friendly and fun when we go there. They have a great menu, we've tried almost everything on the menu and there hasn't been a dish that wasn't good. We always get their house salad and cheese bread sticks as a starter. The restaurant looks small from the outside, but they have a large rear dining area that adds a lot of tables to the restaurant. The restaurant is great for groups and kids. Highly recommend going to try this out read more

Ciao Baby - New York strip - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

This place is great food ambiance and value. The portions are generous. The free bread and then live oil w/seasonings is reason enough to go. My Chicken parm recipe as so good and I got two more meals from the left overs. Highly recommend. read more

Today I hosted lunch for a group of 28 women from Lake County Women's Club - Garden Goddesses in Ciao Baby's party room - Barrington, IL. I worked with Tami on a wonderful spread of Very Chopped Salad, Ciao Baby Ravioloi, Pasta Primavera, Garlic Bread and Tiramisu. The women LOVED it! Tami - restaurant manager - was a JOY to work with, helping me plan the event. Service was superb! I wish I knew the name of our server, but she was beyond excellent getting beverages for 28 women in a very timely manner and making sure everyone had what they needed. Tami and her server got the buffet out on time followed by individual servings of dessert. Ciao Baby was a very positive, memorable experience thanks to Tami and her crew. Cheryl - Event Coordinator read more

Ciao Baby, was ciao-licious. This place was jam-packed on a Saturday, so get your reservations! The dining area consisted of chairs and tables (no booths) and a small serving/bar area. I would categorize this place as classy, but not too fancy... and nice neighborhood restaurant. There are chalkboards on the wall, informing you of the specials. The specific night we went, the special was Shrimp Puttanesca, which I had no idea what it was, so google "Puttanesca", and tell me what you think. We ordered for appetizer Burnt Pasta -- it sounded interesting. It was fried angel hair pasta sauteed in butter and marinara so it's crispy and well done. I'm a fan of angel hair pasta, and this dish was great. Double Stuffed Eggplant -- Homemade eggplant cutlets, stuffed generously with ricotta, mozzarella and herbs. I ordered the Zuppa Di Pesce. There is also a red sauce version, but I got the white sauce version. This was a great seafood dish and had clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp in a red broth served over linguini. Others enjoyed their dishes as well, such as the linguini with clams There was only one server when we dined, with what I'm assuming was the manager/owner helping out. Nonetheless, service was good, although somewhat understandably slow. For example, we gave our card for the bill, and waited over 10-minutes to get it back. read more

Ciao Baby - Zuppa De Mare - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

They actually serve day old bread and they refused to serve my children more bread after they served such a small loaf for 5 people. When I asked the waiter again he said they had to save the rest of the bread for tomorrow. What real Italian restaurant would ever deny bread to any customer, and our bill was a few hundred dollars. Never going back mainly because the food was really blah. read more

The food is absolutely fantastic and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming. The staff very gracious and friendly and professional. We had a wonderful time 5and will most definitely be there again and bring our friends. read more

The hospitality of the staff was wonderful. Kira is simply an incredible person. Kind, sweet, and always looking out for her customers. I really appreciated the attention eating alone. Everything I saw come from the kitchen looked and smelled wonderful. I have a passion for pesto, and Ciao Baby's creamy pesto was awesome! I had it topped with a bit of chicken and sun-dried tomatoes to round the color and taste pallet. I really want to know what all of the herbs and spices were on the oil plate for dipping with the bread, yum! Everything was paired with a subtle chianti from Italy. Exquisite! read more

Ciao Baby - Ruffilo Reserve Chanti from Italy and the amazing oil plate to bread dipping! - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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Great place for an engagement party. Highly recommend. Nice ambiance, food, and service. read more

Ciao Baby - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

Carrot Cake Review. Growing up my dad's favorite was carrot cake. I've eaten many, with the old Marshall Fields recipe being in the current #1 spot. My family was raving about this spot. I flew home to Chicagoland from Phoenix yesterday and had to get a slice to set what all the fuss is about. Best carrot CAKE ever. Very close to Marshall Fields recipe, but since ya can't get that anymore, this takes #1. The FROSTING however ranks much lower. Disappointing!! And such an easy fix! Carrot Cake has a distinct tart cream cheese frosting and there is zero zing to this. It's just a good white frosting and that, my friends, is not good enough. If this cake had a strong, tangy cream cheese frosting I would have lost my mind. The cake is to die for. Please, please, please get the frosting right. I will return and hope to have my mind blown. read more

The service was great. The food was amazing. The grouper was cooked perfectly The prices were reasonable read more

Fine service but still Disappointed! Not a taste of real Italian that I expected and a website menu with prices that have to be years old. Very limited lunch menu. read more

Food, service and ambiance. Small place but mighty. Highly recommend. The house salad a must (definitely shareable) and the meatballs...delicious read more

Love Ciao Baby!! I have been several times and I have never been disappointed. The stuffed meatloaf is the best I have ever had!! Beautiful presentation with wonderful grilled vegetables. Loved it so much I went back and had it a second time. This most recent time was with a group of 10. The service was great. Plenty of room for us. Everyone enjoyed their meal. Split the lemoncella cake three ways. Huge piece and so good. The tiramisu is also delicious. Ciao Baby is cozy and welcoming. The staff is so sweet, friendly and helpful. Loved the ambiance. They want to make your dining experience perfect. Check it out, you won't be disappointed!! read more

Love this place! Food is always excellent and reasonably priced. Great ambiance. Very cozy. Service is always top notch. Desserts are out of this world! read more

Great Italian fare! Tremendous staff and servers! Purse pockets are fabulous! Burnt pasta appetizer!

My family dinner plans fell through (new propane tank wasn't working) so last minute we called ciao baby. It was so fast (for carry out) and it was delicious, reasonably priced, and they gave something that pleases everyone in my family. (Hard to do!) The portions are large. My family of 5 had the grouper, chicken parmigiana, and linguine with meatballs, plus fried calamari. It was more than enough and we were all very hungry and I have two teenage boy athletes. Thank you ciao baby for saving me tonight with a quick delicious dinner! read more

Went there for the first time last week it was amazing. Burnt pasta and the pasta suprema was amazing ! Definately will be back. And Kelly our server was very friendly read more

We came here on a Saturday night at 7 PM with a reservation for six people. We were seated immediately. The inside is very nice and inviting. I've driven past this place many times, so I was really excited to try it out. We got the calamari as an appetizer, & the umbriago salad, which was humongous. Everyone really enjoyed their entree dishes. The portions are huge! Many of us split dishes, and they brought the dishes pre-split for us. The service was a little bit slow, but we weren't in a rush, so it was fine. The owner (Nancy) even came and spoke to us! I look forward to coming back and trying a new dish read more

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Been meaning to go forever & met some friends who go here often... so glad we made early reservations for a Fri cause by the time we left, the place was hopping. We had super service ... our service was great & the owner/manager, Nancy, is a treat .. checking on our table & everyone else's too! The food was fabulous .... house wines are all you need cause they are great too & yes, you'll feel like you are in Italy cause the ambiance & garlic smells are perfect. We had a bunch of appetizers to share & all left with enough food for the next day. We shall return Next time we will have the Carrot Cake ... cause I've now read the reviews about that! read more

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Food: 5 Drink: 5 Stars Order Accuracy: 5 Stars Service/Friendliness: 5 stars Atmosphere: 5 Stars Bathroom: 5 Stars Total: 5Stars Outside: The Restaurant is next to a couple other retail offices/shops. From the outside, it looks small, don't let that fool you. Inside: When you first walk in, you're greeted with a friendly 'Hello.' the decor gives off a nice calm romantic ambiance. There is a nice wine rack up on the back wall of the front dining area. Yes, there is also a back are as well, for private parties as well overflow on busy nights. Taste of Product: The products are fresh. Their chopped salad is a must! Noodles are fresh, steak was great, fish was awesome, and can't forget about their dessert (yummy). They have a an awesome olive oil dip for their bread which is a mixture of different. Price: Price is on point point compared to other Italian restaurants. Portion size are huge and worth it! Staff: They are awesome! Our server was Cher and the manager was Nancy. They made sure we were taken care of and helped us with any questions we had. Overall: If you're looking for an Italian Restaurant that makes you feel part of their family, this is the place to go. Trust me, you won't be disappointed. read more

Ciao Baby - Braciole - Rolled flank steak, slow-cooked and stuffed with herbs, spices, parmesan, raisins and pine nuts. (Fettuccini & red sauce) - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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Great food, had lots of local word of mouth good reviews! No online menu, that certainly needs to be updated.

I dined in last night since my last visit June 2023! This dinner was even better! I had 2 appetizers: the Melrose Peppers and Lamb Chops Vesuvio (both were DELICIOUS)! I was going to have their world famous Meatloaf, but the very cool gentleman at the table next to me, got the last one -- LOL. (Oh well...great excuse to come back! Anyway, I actually I had it in my last visit!) So, I had the Grouper with angel hair pasta (my other favorite entree), which was also SPECTACULARLY DELICIOUS! For dessert, I had the chocolate cake! It was the size of Greenland and HEAVENLY DELICIOUS!!! The restaurant was very relaxing to be in that night and had some really good chill music playing overhead (unlike the obnoxiously loud club music at Lago in Lake Zurich--where I no longer dine at) and had 1 other (later, 2 other) tables of customers dining near me--Wednesday night is definitely a great night to dine here! My server, Kelly, did a fantastic job taking care of me-- she was very upbeat, personable, knowledgeable and efficient! I will definitely be back!! read more

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A little gem in Barrington. If you can't park in front then park around the back and walk around the building. I have no idea why we have not come here before but we will sure come back. The food was delicious and the service Was prompt. Our server was wonderful and helped with suggestions. We both had pasta with marinara and bolognese sauce. The sauces were excellent. It smelled and tasted so good we forgot to take pictures. Definitely do the olive oil, basil, balsamic vinegar dipping sauce for your bread. If you have already eaten, go there anyway for a dessert like thè carrot cake. We are going back for more. Yum read more

Came here for lunch - great food and price. Tried the burnt pasta everyone recommended. It's not a lunch menu item but the restaurant made it for us. Super delicious. Would definitely come back. Parking is a little tricky due to the busy street. read more

Ciao Baby - a close up of a plate of food - Italian Near Me - Barrington, Illinois

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We get take out from here on a regular basis. Great Food , great price and fresh. Rich Robertaccio read more

Burnt pasta. This is an appetizer on the dinner menu. Delish. I have had it before and return for it. Today was a luncheon with 16 people. We were seated in a private room which was great. Kira was our server got her steps in. Nancy, the manager was always checking on us. No one had a bad meal. The half salad looked like a large. I had the meatballs for the first time. Great. read more

Once again the food and service were exceptional, I had the Stuffed lasagna which was outstanding, my wife had the Grouper which she always gets and that was awesome as usual, our friend had the mussels (or clams) and he said they were perfect. I'm just Bummed that I didn't have room for their phenomenal tasting Carrot cake . i will have to swing on by on my way home from wok to get that cake read more

We went to this restaurant back in April-of 2024. there were 14 of us who are in a dining group and overall the food quality was pretty good. Unfortunately, the service was pretty bad. You cannot be in a hurry if you come here to eat. Beware! read more

Wonderful restaurant, very authentic and a hidden gem in Barrington. Not sure what took us so long to come eat here but we are sold. Everything we had was fresh and high quality. Husband had the braciole and I had the grouper francese on angel hair, chopped salad to start and ended with a cappuccino and limoncello cake. Great prices, friendly staff. This could our regular spot. Excited to come back and try more of their food. Check out my pics, this place doesn't disappoint. read more

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Dined here for the first time last night. Everything was delicious! Wine, food, ambience and service all excellent!

I met the owner through another institution I work at in a previous date ; I went in her restaurant and had some Carrot cake , the Owner and her colleague had been raving about . I must admit the best dang carrot I've ever had ; and I don't even care for carrot cake. This cake is ridiculously amazing moist , delicate, flavorful and the bread just pops with ingredients that I'd have to admit , nothing that I'd ever have before in my life ! read more

We've been frequenting this establishment since they opened their doors and continue to this day. Love the many selections of dishes, desserts and wine. Never disappointed, always pleased. Service is top notch. Courteous, engaging and considerate. We love this place! read more

Food is always amazing. Took my picky parents here and they loved it. Lunchtime is walk up ordering and dinner has a wait staff. Ambiance is cozy and white tablecloth nice. Don't forget to get the carrot cake! Make sure you give yourselves enough time to eat as the entrees take a bit to come out from the kitchen. read more

Love the food here. Just feels like a place where I shouldn't be ordering at the counter. Really wish they would upgrade on service but the food was delicious! read more