Top of the shelf Italian restaurant best in the area Gotta go soon Good food good service read more

Good food, good service and nice clientele. Like eating at what you imagined would be a great Italian restaurant.

I really enjoyed my meal at Cucina Bella! I have been here before, but haven't been in years, and I was pleased with my most recent experience! I had the minestrone soup to start and ordered gluten free noodles with aglio olio sauce with added tomatoes and goat cheese for my entree. The soup was good and I loved my pasta! The aglio olio sauce is like an olive oil and garlic sauce, and I think it may have white wine in it as well. I highly recommend! The only downside for me is that they don't have gluten free bread. I love dipping bread into the olive oil and shredded cheese. However, everyone else at the table enjoyed their bread. Everyone enjoyed their salads and meals as well! Our server was very kind. Overall, great dining experience! read more

Cucina Bella - gluten free noodles with aglio olio sauce and added tomatoes and goat cheese - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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Fabulous, authentic Italian cuisine. I loved the service and ambiance too. Try it today and order a bunch of dishes and eat family style

Beautiful atmosphere and delicious food & cocktails! Service was great-will definitely visit again!

Servings are HUGE. You'll have at least 3 meals out of your order. Everything is amazing here. I'm already coming back next week. read more

Cucina Bella - Shrimp portofino - sun dried tomatoes, mushrooms, and sherry wine sauce over linguine. Delicious! - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

This has been our favorite restaurant for the past several years - our go-to place for special occasions and at least a couple of times per months. During the Covid lockdowns we were so concerned about these guys that we ordered take-out at least once a week in the hope they would stay in business. Unfortunately, we will never go there again. For my husband's birthday we ordered take-out. The person who took the order on the phone was very rushed and did not read the order back to my husband. There was also a lot of background noise. When we arrived to pick up the order, it was wrong. Instead of the Gorgonzola Steak, we got Risotto. When the mistake was pointed out, the person who took the order insisted that we ordered Risotto and that he read the order back to my husband. My husband told him that he did NOT read the order back to him and that he would never have ordered Risotto since he is diabetic. He offered to put in the correct order if we would wait 20 minutes. What? Sit in the car for 20 minutes, while everything else got cold? Could he maybe have offered a free drink while we waited since it was his mistake? No thanks, we just paid for the other meal and left. I called the restaurant to let them know how disappointed I was since it is my husband's birthday and that we are frequent visitors. We have also recommend Cucina to countless friends. But this person who claimed he was the manager continued to insist we ordered the wrong item. When I told him his customer service stinks, he hung up on me. As much as I loved this place, I will never go there again. There are too many other good restaurants to put up with this kind of treatment. read more

Good food but small tables, no room for your plate , drink and bread basket. Maybe put the bread basket on my lap. Frustrating read more

We met friends for dinner here tonight! We each had different dishes and they were all amazing. The highlight of our great dinners was our server Lyndsay. She was full of energy and very helpful in explaining dishes! Best of all for her young age this young woman has mastered the art of a very sweet and sassy personality. This is a great tool to have in dealing with the public. All four of us spent 40 years in customer service and we all agreed Lyndsay had all the tools to serve people yet have fun with them while doing her job! Hope to be back again soon and will ask to be seated in her stations. Keep up the great customer service Lyndsay read more

On a very busy Friday Night, the kitchen was very slow and the quality was much less than expected. The drinks were strong. The picatta was bland and watery. The pasta was good. read more

We have been coming to Cucina Bella for years and it has always been good. The last few times, however, this was not the case. Food quality is generally good, but inconsistent. The place is cosy but super loud. Our most recent visit lasted over two hours and not because we lingered. Water wasn't refreshed, requested drinks were not delivered. A table close by took their food to go because they had been sitting so long. We were told that the AC was out, the kitchen was hot and was running behind, and the servers were running behind, too. When our entrees finally came it was after 8:00. By this time the place was thinning out, still the table next to us received their entrees before they were served their salads and soups. A restaurant that has been open this long should know by now how to time tables. Don't sit diners if you can't properly serve them. The sad thing is that this was not been a one off, it has happened several times now. Whomever runs this place needs to take a stronger accountability for what happens to guests on the floor. read more

We had a reservation on a Friday night, when we arrived we still waited 45 minutes for a table. The bread that is complimentary was very dry and we only received 2 small pieces in our basket. Since it took so long to be seated, we were in a rush. The server we had was great and tried to expedite our meal as best she could. I ordered a create your own pasta meal with angle hair, vodka sauce, and a meatball. The portion was comically enormous but sadly flavorless. My husband ordered a seafood pasta, he also thought the same. The best thing we ate was the cream of zucchini soup and a Caesar salad. This place was so busy though, we don't see the appeal and will not be returning. read more

It was mostly average. No decent beer waitress was ok. They certainly have good smelling burgers during art festival but they were not selling. read more

Always great food. Big portions, great quality and great service. We even buy their sauces to use at home. I highly recommend this place.

One of my favorite Italian places in the suburbs. The lasagna is meatless and so delicious. I'm Italian and make all dishes from scratch! I would say their sauces and gravy rock. The salmon is delicious as well. Love sitting at the bar as it has that old school Italian restaurant vibe. Been there several times and it never disappoints!! read more

Great food and friendly service. I bought some pasta sauce to take home. My only complaint is that there is a changing table in the handicapped bathroom stall. It makes it very difficult for a wheelchair to actually fit in the accessible bathroom. read more

We have been coming to Cucina Bella for years. Love the food and drinks but the people are the reason for coming back. Angelo , Tony and Brittany are so friendly. Angelo always comes over and treats us like family. If you have not been here your missing a great dining experience. read more

Occasion was just dinner with 80 year parents!!! Our waitress Dawn was excellent. She rolled with our various requests and she "got" us.. We warned her that we maybe trouble makers tonight. She tolerated my dad's jokes and bottom line she was great! Food selections for the evening: Halibut special, Chicken Marsala, Chicken Francese and last but not least the Braciola. My dad does not love the red sauce and they were able to make it in the aglio e olio. He was very please and happy! Thank you for making that accommodation. Great night of food and service! Shout out to Dawn, thanks for making our night fun! read more

Food has always been very good 95% of the time. The only complaint is the risotto was way to gluey for my like. Other than that the service has been excellent as well as the food. read more

Bruschetta Bella Pasta good food good atmosphere and service a real neighborhood gem.

I'm going to make this short and sweet. We were in there tonight for my father in laws 70th birthday and it was disappointing. Bread was stale and cold. Drinks were meh. We ordered bruschetta and it had potential but the cold stale bread killed it. The grilled calamari flavor was good but I've had better. GUYS LISTEN UP HERE IS THE KILLER... I ordered spaghetti aglio e olio. For those that don't know what this is - it's basically spaghetti tossed in olive oil with some garlic, crushed red pepper, and maybe some parsley and parmigiana. 1. The spaghetti was over cooked 2. It was sitting in a bowl of water with no oil or seasoning 3. I got shrimp and scallops as a topper and they were so small you'd miss em if you didn't look hard enough. I basically got a bowl of plain bland boxed noodles in water with some micro specs of frozen seafood. Owners listen - there was zero effort put into this, I cannot believe you let the kitchen send this out. I was legit embarrassed when I saw the scallops. They were the size of a nickel. read more

Service was HORRIBLE! When I say HORRIBLE I mean that literally. Server didn't come to table till about 10 minutes after being sat As a chef and former restaurant owner ( Vesuvios Italian Bistro woodridge Illinois) as well as growing up in the business, father owned Washington Square in Naperville for 32 year until retirement Fine Dinning, Rule 1, no matter how busy you are as a server, you get to the table within 2 minutes to acknowledge your guest. We didn't see "Susan" for 10 minutes They where not under staffed, there were servers everywhere and if they where under staffed , then you seat folks accordingly to the staff you have You can't just fill the house with 2-3 servers short and expect customers to be okey with that? We ordered chicken Vesuvio, chicken Marsala, chicken Parm & pasta Carbonara with chicken Appetizers sausage & peppers, grilled & fried calamari Bread hit the table it was cold & dry...almost stale I asked for hot bread It came and it was like warm ans definitely stale. If you read some of the reviews, I'm not the only one complaining about the stale bread ! I don't think the owner reads reviews..... if they did, the stale bread would no longer be a issue ! Apps came .... Grilled calamari was good, but swimming in sauce, fried calamari was very rubbery and breading was falling off, literally falling off.... I had 3 pieces and was done. Sausage and peppers was good but again swimming in gravy. Not impressed Susan never came back to the table to ask if we liked the apps. Again, seat guest accordingly, if your under staffed Yes they where busy .... But so was dad & myself and our guest didn't suffer incompetent service because of it ! We had to ask the host, a young gentleman for more parm cheese because our server was no where to be found.... He was very prompt ! Salads came .... Best part of the meal so far, only thing, each salad was a different size they were not equal portions and very noticeable ??? Server was gone again .... We had to ask the hostess for more water.... Again prompt Dinners came, Susan dropped them on the table & Susan was gone again.... Like gone gone She never once came back to the table to ask if everything was okey ... not once ! Very disappointed My carbonara was by far the worse I have ever put in my mouth ... Bland the sauce dried, which meant it sat in the "window" the chicken wasn't grilled but sautéed, I asked for grilled The chicken Vesuvio was two breast, it didn't say that on the menu my sister was expecting a half chicken bone in. It was bland as well, no garlic just bla Chicken parm was okey Chicken Marsala was good... Still waiting on server to come by ..... nope ! Tiramisu was free due to two bdays mine & brother in laws It was okey tasted stale... had a refrigerator taste to it If your a restaurant person, you know what I'm saying. I ordered the carrot cake .... it was Delicious! It not made there, it's bought from a bakery .. that speaks volume ! The best part of the experience was a desert that isn't made in house ??? Portions were YUGE .... Guess that the gimmick? . Place was packed .... That's no excuse for HORRIBLE SERVICE .... HORRIBLE! Everyone had a doggy bag, everyone in the restaurant ..... just because you try to wow your guest with ginormous portions doesn't change the fake the food is bla .... I would rather have a smaller portion that was great then a big bowl of pasta that tasted like it was made a day or two ago We took a 45 minute ride to come try the food I was not impressed at all & a waste of time to be honest I give the place 1 star because they you don't have the Option for a 1/2 star Wasted gas coming, wasted money eating that slop We will never go back, solely based on the HORRIBLE service ...... Did I mention the service was HORRIBLE? I was looking forward to finding and supporting a new ma & pa Italian restaurant ..... unfortunately this isn't for me My personal opinion.... They are packing then in with the portion size .... Everyone gets a doggie bag. You get a doggie bag ... you get a doggie bag .... Everyone gets a doggie bag! Lol I won't be getting any more doggie bags ! Best thing we had was the carrot cake & it's brought in from a bakery not made there ..... that my friends says it all ! I give the place a 2 out of 10 Never again ! Sorry guys just keeping it real ! Also if I was paying the bill .... I would have left Susan a $5 dollar bill for showing up with the check not a penny more She didn't deserve the $21 dollars my spouse left her, out bill was $109 so he gave her 20% I was actually furious about that You did not earn that tip Susan. You could have gotten $40-$50 bucks if you would have paid attention to us ! read more

The food was great as was the service and ambiance! I was really impressed with the calamari! Huge pieces cooked to perfection!

We love this place! Their food is amazing and we love the staff! The best stuffed mushrooms in town.

What a great Italian restaurant. Food was delicious and the portions were huge. Brought home a shopping bag full of leftovers. Rachel was our server; she was very attentive and friendly. Going back soon. read more

Came here for date night, the drinks (martinis) were very yummy. The cesar salad was surprisingly not great-not a great dressing-very plain. Portion size for pasta is great. Love the environment. read more

Other than the current construction on the Main Street which we were not told about when we were making reservations, a truly outstanding resturant. Usually we do the foodie thing but we were so intrigued by the environment we forgot. Our waitress, Lisa, was extremely good attending our table! We had the fried calamari which was extremely tender. I had the stuffed egg plant and my wife had the rigatoni with marinara and ricotta. Very nice portions and delicious! Tiramisu desert was enough to share and was in our opinion perfect. Definitely a Resturant to keep on file for dinner and special occasions. read more

Cucina Bella - Bar area - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

I love this restaurant. Eat in or pick up, it is always perfect. My gurl friend and I like to have grilled calamari at the bar and my family likes to pick up food and gather for a casual dinner at home. Pairs well with The Godfather! read more

This place is unbelievably amazing!!!!! Make a point of checking it out. Best Italian food hands down!!! read more

Cucina Bella - Salmon on a bed of angel hair pasta and fresh spinach with a lemon caper cream sauce.... AMAZING!!!!!! That sauce should be a soup. - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

The food is great and the ambiance as well. The bartender Sarah was so friendly, professional, and kind. Unfortunately she was being trained by another bartender who was very unprofessional to her in front of clients at the bar and it made the experience strained. I hope Sarah gets more respect in the future. We have been coming here for 5 years and expect the best. read more

Pros: Space is clean, well maintained. Service is helpful and friendly. Food portions large. Cons: Bread did not seem fresh, did not have the bounce that we associate with fresh baked. Mozzarella on the caprese was grainy and lacking flavor; balsamic vinegar was watery. Calamare breading was too thick and grainy, soaked up too much oil; marinara sauce was too sweet, more like ketchup. Minestrone soup was full of chickpeas, with a single small piece of wilted cabbage, hardly any broth to be had. Chicken parmigiana was too thickly breaded, and soggy from the overlying marinara. Pasta was way overcooked, not al dente in the least. Overall, this restaurant is NOT recommended. read more

We went there for Easter brunch and the food was very good, tasty , lots of choices , right food temperature , Service excellent , ambience very conducive . This was our third year going there for Easter brunch . Never disappointed us . I would like going ther more often and I would recommend to my friends and other family members .. read more

Ossobuco is wonderful in a very large portion. Gnocchi was also ordered by someone at our table it was like mashed potatoes. It should have been sent back but was not. I have loved every thing else that has been ordered previously. I'm not giving up on this place. read more

Let me start by saying: the food is the attraction. This was the food my family had catered for my bridal shower luncheon and the food was excellent!! It was what attracted me to go to the restaurant for a visit on my own. So, here goes..... Perfectly cooked chicken -moist and succulent! I wish I could cook chicken this perfectly at home. Sausage and peppers app-delicious in flavor. Portion-pathetic. Not even a full link of sausage. Sliced thinly. A ton of peppers. I like the abundance of peppers. My family did not. What's the point, really? Call it "peppers with sausage" on the menu. Bread- average. Nothing fancy, but decent. Pasta- under cooked. Not al dente....under cooked. That was a little disappointing. Potatoes- cooked perfectly. Again, I wish I could make a potato so perfectly cooked at home. Shrimp scampi- smelled delicious! Not as tasty as it smelled. Dessert- FAN-freakin'-tastic!!! Skip the apps and go for dessert. Do this, you will not be disappointed. The mousse and gelato were both above average. Make sure to leave room for dessert. I'm tellin' ya! Salad- dressing was excellent. The salad needed croutons for a little crunch. This would have made all the difference. Refills- a bitch to get one. Actually flagged down a bus boy to get us all refills more than once. Paying the check- I literally felt like I was being held hostage. This is where things got really bad for us. Our server was kind enough to wrap up all the food/leftovers and left the table. He literally leaned up against the service station against the back right wall with his arms crossed chatting with the hostess and other servers. Oh man, that was frusterating!!! He then WANDERED to the bar. Chatted with the female bartender for about 5 minutes. Then saw him with an iced tea. I thought he was bringing it to a table..nope! He was drinking the iced tea out on the service floor. He then wandered into the kitchen. Disappeared for about 10 minutes. We finally asked the hostess to get our server so we could pay the check. Took her a few minutes of walking around glancing here and there to find him eventually in the kitchen. Finally, we got to pay the check and we're able to leave. I would go back in a heartbeat for the food....personally, I would rather eat in the car outside than have service like we did. Very disappointed by the level of service. A place with food like this, needs service to match! read more

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Food is outstanding! Have never once been disappointed in all the years I have been coming here! Best Italian restaurant in McHenry County & my absolute favorite!!!! read more

First time trying this place and loved their food, i had the chicken parm and fell in love with their espresso martini. Service was great busy place. read more

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Great food & services. Was a bit concerned over their lack of social distancing of customers in restaurant. read more

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

HUGE portions! Delicious portions! Half price bottles of wine on Thursday! This place is very nice inside with a nice size bar, dining tables, slot machines (kind of weird but it's nicely tucked away in the corner), and a friendly staff. The food was really good, I had the chicken parm and was very satisfied. The sauce was awesome on the chicken parm and you can even buy a bottle to go. read more

Cucina Bella - Make your own pasta with vodka sauce - Italian Near Me - Algonquin, Illinois

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I have been to Cucina Bella many times over the years - dinners for 2-8 people, sitting at the bar, and attending a private bridal shower. In every single case, the food and the service was exemplary. Because I have some hearing loss and am now in my sixties, I choose to go to dinner around 5 pm, before a full house gets too loud for me. I find the building, decor, layout, and lighting highly enjoyable, yet the noise does reverberate a bit too much for me to hear and understand voices clearly. I highly recommend! read more

The food was awful. I ordered chicken marsala. I was given a pasta and chicken with no seasoning. The marsala sauce was nothing but chicken broth. It had zero flavor. This is the worst I have had. The lemon orzo soup was overwhelming with smoked chicken, no lemon flavor. BUT our waiter Mark was amazing! He was efficient and super friendly. read more