Good food and wine and the cake portions were huge. My personal preference was that I didn't like the chicken in the build your own pasta. Service was excellent. The whole Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. The exposed brick made for a cool room and back drop for eating. read more

Hands down the best Italian restaurant in McHenry County...and easily our go-to for date nights. We've been here multiple times, and I can honestly say we've never had a bad dish. The food is consistently incredible, and the portions are huge...you'll definitely be taking some home for lunch the next day. One thing that really sets Cucina Bella apart is the layout and atmosphere. They have three distinct seating areas, and each gives you a totally different experience. If you're looking for a more upbeat, lively vibe, grab a table near the bar. For a quieter, more romantic date night, the main dining room is perfect. They also have an overflow dining area, which is great when they're busy (and they usually are for a reason). The wine selection is excellent, and the bar staff can make just about any cocktail you're in the mood for. Whether you're celebrating something special, going out on a first date, or just want a great Italian meal, this place delivers every time. If you're anywhere near Algonquin and craving Italian, this spot is an absolute must! read more

Everything was AWESOME. Bread is warm, homemade and delicious - flavorful and fulfilling even without any oil etc.. Salad was fresh and tasty. Snapper special was outstanding. Note to restaurant: Please advertise when you have the snapper - we will come back every time! Husband had chicken parm and ordered meatballs as well bc he was concerned it wouldn't be enough food. Portions are extremely generous though - he brought home leftovers. Service is good and the ambiance is very nice too. We were sat quickly. read more

I had been excited to try this place ever since we moved to the area late last year, especially after seeing so many recommendations in our local Facebook community group. We finally visited during Father's Day weekend on a Saturday evening. The service was a bit slow, especially when it came to taking our order. The food was served warm, but it felt like some dishes may have been sitting for a little while before reaching our table. We ordered the fried calamari, stuffed mushrooms, and chicken parmigiano. The calamari was good but nothing particularly memorable. The stuffed mushrooms were really good and probably my favorite item we ordered. The marinara sauce on the chicken parmigiano was tasty, but the chicken itself was soggy and bland. The minestrone soup was served lukewarm. For dessert, we had the carrot cake, which was huge and definitely enough for sharing, and the cannoli was good too. Overall, it wasn't a bad experience, but I expected a little more because of all the hype and recommendations I had heard. We spent over two hours there, which felt longer than expected for dinner. I'd still be open to trying takeout in the future to sample some of their other pasta dishes, but for now, nothing really stood out enough to make me want to return for dine-in. read more

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Excellent food and very good service. Everyone at the table enjoyed their food and the atmosphere was relaxed and not too noisy. Highly recommend and will return. read more

For those who are particular about Italian cuisine, Cucina Bella checks all the right boxes. The kitchen strikes a rare balance -- delivering authentic, thoughtfully prepared dishes without the kind of pricing that often accompanies traditional Italian dining. The flavors feel genuine and comforting, exactly as they should. Service is warm and attentive, and the cozy atmosphere evokes the feeling of a relaxed Sunday dinner at Nonna's. A subtle but tasteful show of blue line appreciation throughout the restaurant adds a thoughtful touch that doesn't go unnoticed. read more

Great menu! Staff were friendly and accommodating with service and menu. Ambience was great - felt like I was in 1940s, Chicago tavern/restaurant. Safe bet for elegant, delicious dinner with friends/family. read more

Food is very good. The service is very good. But the ambiance inside was so LOUD that I could barely have a conversation with my partner sitting right next to me without shouting! They desperately need some sound dampening material hung from the ceiling! Sit outside instead! read more

Large portions with good food, the place is huge inside which isn't normal for the restaurants in downtown algonquin. I will say, the service is slow and the kids meals are pricey but I would definitely recommend. read more

Loving the food here! We ordered their special. The pork is so tender and tasty. The sauce is perfect not too salty nor bland. The salmon is perfectly cooked and live the creamy sauce with pasta. The tenderloin is very tasty. You could tell it has wine. The carrot cake is divine! So moist and flavorful. The place is not that huge and always full but the service is good. The servers are very attentive. It has a relaxing feel inside. A good place to have friends date! read more

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The food has always been excellent, and the atmosphere is amazing -- that's why we keep coming back. Unfortunately, the service side has been frustrating. When you get your bill, check it carefully. We've had extra charges added or menu prices come out differently on the final bill more than once. When we questioned it, the response was usually either "oops" or an explanation that the charge was assumed to be understood as an add-on. We've experienced this three times over the past four years, and we've also overheard other customers having similar conversations with the staff. I really don't like leaving negative reviews because we genuinely enjoy the food and setting, but after repeated issues, it feels worth mentioning. read more

Went to the Algonquin location for a birthday. You definitely need reservations it was very crowded but the service was excellent. They serve you sun dried tomato bread on your table that was very good but you are charged if you want more. We tried some cocktails off the cocktails menu that were just OK nothing special. The food was delicious, we had the fried calamari it was very tender & not chewy. All of our main dishes were excellent with large portions. The only problem we experienced were that it's very very noisy and hard to have a conversation. read more

I am so sorry that this place is no longer our date night favorite. I really don't blame the waitress. The bus boys should be picking up dirty plates, filling up water, and bringing out olive oil and bread plates at beginning. Service was painfully slow which I blame the kitchen for. Food was ok at best. 3 yrs ago this place was a gem. Unfortunately no longer. read more

I have been to Cucina Bella in Algonquin many times. I was really happy to hear they just opened a location in the heart of downtown Galena. From the moment I walked in the door I was greeted with friendly, warm smiles. The decor is really nice and rustic. The 1/2 booth table was very comfortable. The tables are not overcrowded which is nice. The owner Tony was gracious and kind and he wanted to make sure everything was perfect. The waitress Mia was very nice, attentive and her service was on point from start to finish. The red sangria with raspberry was outstanding and the bartender was very sweet. The warm bread with sun-dried tomatoes was excellent! The grilled calamari with sun-dried tomatoes and asparagus, was outstanding, fresh, delicious and ample for two people. The chicken piccata with capers and lemon butter sauce was fantastic and also ample for two people. I will always be back next time I am in the Galena area. The restaurants around the Galena area have some tough competition! Cucina Bella definitely earned their five stars and they never disappoint! read more

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Since I'm local to the area, this is my go to Italian spot. They give very large portions,, and all of their meals are full of flavor and seasoning. What's most important to me in an Italian spot, is the sauce. This place, never misses. I also Enjoy getting a glass of red wine (A red blend specifically). read more

Went there for mother's day didn't know it was buffet the girl did not tell me when I made reservations then sat us all the way in the back knowing I had a senior who couldn't walk far then the prices were absolutely ridiculous we're not downtown people to think I order all my holiday food from you not anymore thanks for opening my eyes read more

Absolutely delicious and the ambiance is romantic. Lights are dimmed , Italian music in the background, topped with some fresh baked bread and you order a bottle of your fav wine. The food was amazing , I ordered the fettuccine Alfredo and also had a delicious minestrone soup, so good! We had the calamari and it was crispy and delicious! Let's talk about the service... our waitress was amazing! She liked our vibes so much she bought us dessert. Tiramisu on her.. she was the best! The whole meal was amazing, the night was perfect! That's all read more

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Well it's ok but it's not as good as it's been. First and foremost you go to an Italian restaurant they should have good crusty bread and not some funky dill bread and honestly The lasagna if nothing but ricotta - the service is good. We Made reservations for the back room and they said there was a private party when we got there and the dining room is noisy . Also you can only have two types of salad dressing which doesn't even make Sense . But not having the crusty bread was really a disappointment really Cucina its cheap no excuse! read more

Amazing start to finish! Our server Venus was so attentive and kind, when my food came out a bit cold she fixed it right away and it came out fantastic! Feels romantic, genuine, and homey! Highly recommend :) read more

Ordered take out and it was awful. food was cold. Wrong order. Ordered eggplant parmigiana and got chicken. One piece ,flat overcooked. Was gross. Stale bread. Throw it out don't give it to go. And soup cups were filled half way. What a disappointment. We order or go there all the time. Not any more. Called to talk to manager but she was too busy. Not good customer service. read more

I've been here a few times east time a new favorite my latest is the egg plant! It's delish and a new addiction. Love the bread and oil for the appetizer. Service is always friendly and accommodating read more

Cucina Bella - Vino - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

First time here! Fabulous restaurant, food, servers and atmosphere! Ambiance is old world Italian. We came on a Sunday evening and it was busy! Glad we had reservations. I'm Italian so I'm rather selective about Italian restaurants. Cucina Bella exceeded our expectations! Great cocktail menu! Menu allows to create and add to your selected pasta, sauces and extras, shrimp, ricotta etc. With the entrees you can have a cup of soup, I had the minestrone and it was excellent! Or a salad, up charge for the Caesar and chopped salads. We had the gnocchi and chicken saltimbocca. Both were excellent and we had lots of leftovers to take home. Gabby was our server and though she had a lot of tables was personable, knowledgeable and had excellent customer service skills. Highly recommend! read more

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Cucina Bella is such a cute Italian spot located in downtown Algonquin. Our server, Rachel, was so cheerful, kind, and an absolute pleasure to be around. There is quite an extensive menu of different Italian classics (including a risotto of the day!). And if you are picky about your pasta, you can build your own pasta dish, with different sauces, pasta shapes, and add-ins! Of note, the meals come with choice of soup or salad. I decided on the eggplant parmesan this time. The dish was quite big for the price. Easily lasted me 3 meals total (though I'm not a big eater). The meal tasted homemade and had a nostalgic feeling to it, unlike those at chain restaurants around the area. I would easily come back here and take friends who come to visit. Highly recommend! read more

It was my favorite restaurant until our last visit. Made reservations for dining room but seated at the bar. Served stale foccaia bread, ordered anti pasta served without new plates or serving utensils. Dinner came with 3 entrees served cold, Zuppa di mare was more like soup di mare, and gluten free chicken saltimbocca was cold did not seem fresh, sub par. Wish it was better, not sure why the food is not the same, too bad. read more

I usually have liked it here but this time it was just ok. In our server's defense, it was a Saturday night and they were busy. However we had to ask repeatedly for silverware and forget about water refills. The goat cheese marinara appetizer was the best thing we ate. I had the rigatoni bolognese and it was just ok. The red sauce was better with the appetizer. Another person in my party had the carbonara which was mostly bland. The third person had vodka pasta which she did enjoy. We all went home with leftovers since the portions were so large. It's always super busy here which makes it loud and hard to hear. I do like the cozy atmosphere. It was probably just an off night but still disappointing. read more

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I'm sad to write this but this restaurant is slipping. Service is spotty and not consistent. Ambiance is fine but needs serious updating. The men's room is really awful, if that's not clean it makes me wonder about the rest of the place. Cucina Bella used to be special. Now it's tired. People used to wear button down shirts and jackets. Now it's hoodies and slides. It's more of an Osteria than a Risterante. The McDonald's of Italian food. read more

The last time my husband and I were there, he got the lobster bisque but it looked like tomato soup with no lobster. The entree was ok, warm not hot. We had been there several times but was really disappointed. read more

We stopped with a group of four ladies. I had the tortellini paglia fino and it might be the best pasta dish I have ever had. It was so good. I also upgraded the salad to the chopped salad which was a great decision. So good! Others had the lasagna, penne with bolognese, veggies and baked mozzarella, and risotto with sun dried tomatoes. Everyone loved their meals. Each one of us had enough leftovers for at least two more meals. You won't leave hungry. Then the dessert! We all had it to go because we were stuffed. The carrot cake is enough for four people and delicious (I have had it before)! The pumpkin cheesecake was like a quarter of a cheesecake and yummy according to my friend. My other friend really liked the tiramisu. I had the chocolate mousse cake and it was amazing. Again it was enough for multiple people. I can't wait to go back the next time I am in the area. read more

Cucina Bella - Tortellini paglia fino - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

Terrible first time and last time! Terrible acoustics the two of us were shouting just to try and hear one another. Tables on one side are way too tight and on top of each other I felt like I was dining with strangers. The chicken Parmesan was like eating a thick tough chicken breast from Jewel with spaghetti sauce on top no cheese broiled or melted on top. Chicken Marsala was the same but with broth poured over it. This is not Italian food. Take my truthful advice and pass! read more

Food was excellent... good size servings. Our waitress was very patient & explained everything to us when asked a question

We went in last night and 6 of us (2 kids) went in for my in-laws 46th wedding anniversary. We started with the baked clams which were phenomenal. We haven't had baked clams like these since our favorite place in Chicago closed! I would def recommend. I opted for the gnocchi with the vodka sauce and my mother in law had it with the marinara. The marinara sauce was good but the vodka sauce was even better (we all agreed). My father in law had the fish special services over angel hair and it was cooked perfectly with a great flavor. Lastly my husband had the clams posilippo in a white sauce which had clams and mussels and he loved the dish. I tried it and thought it had a very good light garlic flavor. The ambiance was inviting and casual. The service was wonderful. Rachel went above and beyond to make sure we were enjoying everything. My daughter has food allergies and she went above and beyond to find out if there was a safe food option. We will return! read more

Wonderful find! Will be our go to for Italian when we are in the area. Our server was friendly and so attentive. Brought us a little bit of balsamic to go with our caprese. My husband loves it with balsamic. Didn't even have to ask. Had the seafood risotto special and the hubby did a make your own dish. Both were delicious. So glad we decided to try. read more

Most of our food and drink order were good except for the Chicken Marsala that my son ordered (bland) and the house martini drink that my daughter ordered. It tasted like Nyquil. Yeesh. Our server was attentive and quick. The ambience was quite nice. Although it was packed, we were still seated quicly since it was already 8p. Acoustics was not bad either. We didnt have to yell across the table just so we can hear each other. I would go back. read more

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We have been coming here for years for great Italian food. We stopped in this past week for dinner. We asked for a refill on bread and our waitress responded no I would have to cut more and put it the oven. She seemed irritated that we were there. Food was great as usual but after dropping close to $200 a little disappointed. read more

Food has gone downhill. We had them cater our wedding and have been there many times. Use to love the lasagna. Ordered it a week ago and was so disappointed. Sauce tasted very acidity and was very much like tomatoe sauce without seasoning. Noodles were thicker and not homemade. Not much cheese and much smaller portion. Will be my last time. read more

The best pasta I've had. I wish this existed where I live. The portions are HUGE so come hungry and be prepared to take it home. The value is great. Their dessert is delicious and a big portion as well. read more

Cucina Bella - Caesar Salad - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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Went to pick up my order and found the price online for my dish was $23 on the menu however I was charged $27.50 for the dish that was listed as $23 online. When asked they told me they changed prices maybe an update on the menu online would help. False advertising would never go back beware read more

We went to Cucina Bella tonight for my birthday and everything was excellent!! Rachel was our server and she did a great job and was very attentive. My wife had the salman special and I had the chicken francese and both were really good. Cucina Bella's food is always consistent and a very good value for the price that we paid. We have been there several times and are never disappointed. read more

Excellent ambience. Great waitress and fantastic meal.fair prices as well You won't be disappointed read more

We came here to celebrate my wife's birthday. It had been 2 years since we ate here and we were "blown away." We wondered how much they had changed since COVID and we hoped their food was still good; hint, it might be better! We like Cucina Bella because we can take our son and not "break the bank" for a nice dinner. We encouraged our son to get the linguine and clams because it has been our favorite there. The pasta is well prepared and the white sauce is delicious! He liked it but ended up switching with me as I love it. The "star of the show" was the Chicken Parmesan. You might think, Why order such a common dish that isn't a great Italian dish? Whatever you think about Chicken Parmesan this will redefine the meal for you. Our server (Susan) suggested I get the Vodka sauce instead of Marinara so I listened. The chicken was very crispy and you had two nice pieces. The pasta was good and tender. That sauce made it go from good to amazing. My wife and son both kept asking for more until I switched plates with my son. I enjoy Chicken Parmesan but this was at a level I have never had. The joke after dinner was we are coming back next year and getting three Chicken Parmesans worth Vodka Sauce! Susan made the end extra special by bringing my wife some Tiramisu with candles. It was very thoughtful and we really appreciated her thoughtfulness. If you have wondered if Cucina Bella is still good, they are even better. read more

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