Gianni’s Cafe
20505 Rand Rd, Kildeer, IL, 60047
Gianni’s Cafe Menu
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Appetizers
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Zuppa (soup)
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Insalate (salads)
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Pollo (chicken)
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House Specialties
Healthy Meal suggestions for Gianni’s Cafe
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Appetizers
-
Zuppa (soup)
-
Insalate (salads)
-
Pollo (chicken)
-
House Specialties
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Address :
20505 Rand Rd
Kildeer, IL, 60047 - Phone (847) 550-8872
- Website https://www.gianniscafe.com
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
- Mon :11:00 am - 11
Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : No
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Good For : Lunch, Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : Yes
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : No
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Alcohol : Full Bar
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : Free
Has TV : Yes
Dogs Allowed : No
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
Categories
Italian Cuisine
The immense popularity of Italian cuisine globally isn't unknown. You can find an Italian Pizzeria around every corner of almost every city in the United States. Not to forget that in every house, people enjoy mac and cheese as comfort food. But it would be wrong to believe that Italian food starts with pizza and ends with good pasta as this Mediterranean country has much more to offer other than these two dishes. In Italian Cuisine, there is a high use of fresh tomatoes, all kinds of herbs, great quality of cheese, all types of meat, seafood and fresh handmade pasta. Many find it hard to believe that Italians have been making noodles long back.
Italian and Greek cuisines are always mistaken to be same, but they are poles apart. The primary difference between the two cuisines is the use of cheese in most of the Italian dishes. Italians love to cultivate their own cheese and process them as per their food requirement. It is believed that some cheese is so expensive that cheese producers secure them in lockers.
If you are bored eating the same old pasta or pizza, you can try some of the authentic Italian dishes like Risotto, Polenta, Ribollita, Lasagna, Fiorentina Steak, Bottarga, Ossobuco, Carbonara, Focaccia, Arancini and Supplì. Another item which Italians love to relish every morning is a good cup of Italian Coffee. Once you taste a freshly brewed cup of Italian Coffee, you might not visit Starbucks ever again. Authentic Italian food is made with heart and soul, so go find a restaurant where you can relish Italian cuisine in your city.
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Eve A.
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.
(4)Basel T.
Great food, great service, and the prices are very reasonable. The bartender makes great martini's and she has a fantastic personality. The owner is very friendly and makes you feel just like home. I highly recommend this place.
(5)Ron S.
I'm a big fan of this place, it has great Italian food and a nice dining room with a small feel. I believe they opened up another location in Palatine, but am not sure this is the only location I have been too.
(4)Mathew K.
This place was a nice find. Tucked away in a nice shopping center, it really has a lot to offer. We had the oysters and the calamari Sicilian style. They were both recommended and they were both excellent. We would get both again. The wine selection is nice too. It is not huge, so get their early or make a reservation because people come from all over the NW suburbs to eat here.
(4)Dennis G.
I love this place. Been there a few times for lunch. It does get crowded in the evening, though.
(5)Philip S.
As a person of Italian descent, it is always tough to walk into an Italian restaurant that everyone is raving about. Why eat Italian out if you can make it better at home? Well, I found the food to be very bland. My braciole had no flavor. Where were the spices? The red sauce was a lovely color, but where was the flavor. My guest ordered lasagna and once again this was simply a ricotta bomb dressed in a bland tomato sauce. Lasagna needs to be a delicious multi-cheese affair that achieves a sum that far exceeds its parts. In fairness, I have been told that the fish and chicken dishes are outstanding, but we went the route with some traditional dishes on my first visit.
(2)Kat A.
Excellent food. My boyfriend ordered the seafood pasta special - light, lovely and scrumptious. I ordered Capellini primavera with chicken and was delighted with how fresh everything was. The service was incredibly friendly (especially for Deer Park / we think we're Lincoln Park) and the minus one is only because it was slightly pricey. Overall a fabulously unpretentious way to spend an evening - great date place too! (warning - the red and white awning might give some pause - but inside is a true gem!)
(4)Lucy D.
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..
(4)Susan S.
The bread and olive oil with a Chiffonade basil and shredded parm is amazing could have had that for dinner alone. Nice presentation . Good chewy bread . Had mussel appetizer was cooked in chicken stock in a white sauce, way to salty. Had chicken Vesuvius tasted like the same stock the mussels were cooked in. A lot of added salt. Was very tender all breast . Potatoes were perfect. Blue cheese was excellent in the salad.
(3)Michael D.
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.
(5)Bob N.
We had heard great things about Gianni's Cafe but it was a real disappointment. Food was bland and over priced. Calamari was really bad.
(2)Steve K.
I have dined at Gianni's about 24 times over the past 4 or 5 years. Unfortunately, something happened over the past few years that has seen this once great gem deteriorate. I was there last night (granted at the end of a long Mother's Day). Kitchen was incredibly slow. We ordered Pasta and it took over an hour. One of the dishes was not even cooked! The sauces were very watery and the vegetables were old Then the waitress went MIA, we saw her working on her checks and her tips and ignoring us. To make matters worse, they delivered a piece of cake to our table with the world's longest hair inside. Disgusting... We used to really look forward to coming here, not I realize it is overpriced, very cramped and ownership doesn't prioritize customer service the way the need to Too many other options out there to have to settle for expensive mediocrity sorry, that was my last visit.
(1)Harley P.
I have only been to Gianni's for lunch as it is right near the office. There only great meals and experiences here. For the lunch rush, it can be busy, but if you a 1sy or a 2fer, you can sit at the bar and order your meal. The pastas and sandwiches are great. However, the Spinach Salad is nearly always my first choice. I may talk myself out of it after a review of the specials, but, I have never been disappointed, nor my guests and colleagues.
(4)Mike O.
I made reservations through the Yelp app. It worked perfectly. Thank you very much. Arrived on a weeknight about 6:00 pm. and it was not very busy at all. I had been there before but this time I was with my wife and son who had not been. The hostess sat us immediately. The waitress was prompt and very pleasant. Knowledgeable of the menu and specials. We started off with cocktails, my martini was perfect, my son ordered a craft beer which the waitress had difficulties pouring. A little too much head. My wife had a Miller Lite. My wife and I both love muscles. So when I saw that they made them, we had to have them. We were very disappointed, way to salty. Not sure what happened there but this restaurant would have gotten 5 stars if they were good. All of the entrees were delicious. Gnocchi with vodka sauce, Roasted Boar shank, and Moonfish. My son ordered the tiramisu for desert. Not the best but above average. Overall a very good suburban restaurant. By the way, by the time we were getting ready to leave, the place was packed.
(4)Tom S.
Good local restaurant. Food is always good. Decent wine selections. Sometimes hard to get a seat at the bar, but can't blame them for having a crowd. Went there with party of 6 for v-day. Appreciated that we weren't hurried to turn the table again. Good service. I had the butterfish which was excellent.
(4)J J.
Great bread. Very subpar meals. Lasagna was plain cheese without meat or much ricotta. Slower wait service. Cramped dining room.
(1)Howard B.
We will never consider going back. The food looks good, but is very bland. I put tabasco on everything. However, the staff is so unsanitary we thought we were on an episode of Restaurant Impossible or Restaurant Stakeout. We ate dinner at the bar. The first thing we saw was an employee sticking her fingers in beer glasses coming from the dishwasher when she put them in the refrigerator. Then she lined up all the liquor bottles on the bar where we were eating so she could wipe them off. I must have looked incredulous because she asked me "if I was tempted by the liquor". I wanted to ask if our having dinner was interfering with her cleaning up? FYI, the restaurant was still 25% full. Next, she and and the bartender ate dinner (partly with their fingers) behind the bar. Then she filled up a container with straws. That's right, she didn't wash her hands and put her fingers all over the straws. Bottom line, whoever has a beer, glass of water or soft drink is getting whatever is on her fingers, e. g. food, saliva from her mouth, product from her hair that she never stopped touching. Needless to say, we skipped dessert and coffee and couldn't leave fast enough.
(1)Lynn B.
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
(5)Joann H.
What a shame! After years of frequenting the restaurant and having so-so service but pretty good food, just had the worst meal ever and they charged us automatic gratuity of 18% because we had a table of six. We were one of 2 tables eating lunch for a long time and still waited over 40 minutes for lunch - pastas and chicken sandwiches. The pastas were swimming in a ketchup-like marinara sauce and the meatballs were mealy and sticky. I looked for the manager and of course, there was none to be found. There used to be an older Italian gentleman who made sure the place was running correctly. Unfortunately, with his absence, things have really gone downhill. Don't waste your time here- Go Roma's food has more flavor and you'll be served more quickly.
(1)Bill A.
Definitely one of my favorite Italian restaurants ever! The food is excellent. The service is outstanding and the atmosphere is lively yet quaint. A family owned gem.
(5)Janice L.
We went to celebrate my birthday and Father's Day. What a disappointment. We were seated at a table that was so close to the other table you couldn't even pull out your chair to sit down. Asked the hostess and the table was moved a few inches away. Food was fair, service was mediocre, but we had to pay an 18% service charge on everything including the drinks. The final straw came when we asked for ice cream for the kids. My granddaughter does not like chocolate which was generously poured over her vanilla ice cream. We were told that they had run out of vanilla ice cream. We won't be going back there again.
(1)Tammy M.
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.
(4)Trey M.
Apparently, Gianni's has been at Deer Park for like 6 years, but this was my first visit. Wow! What a find! You don't expect to find a quaint, little Italian cafe in a strip center in Deer Park, but that's exactly what you'll find at Gianni's. I took my wife out to dinner and it turned into a romantic evening for two with some excellent Italian food. She had the "create your pasta" with Aglio Olio sauce and shrimp. I went with the chicken parm. Both were excellent and the portions were sizable. We will definitely be back and might even become regulars. Too bad that I didn't find Gianni's sooner.
(4)Jon S.
Tasty food, will make it any way you like! Pricey pasta and wine. Crowded on Friday nights. Make a revs
(4)Deanna C.
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.
(4)Jason B.
Gianni's i has a nice cozy family style atmosphere, but that is where I think the positives end outside of a couple of the more expensive dishes on the food side. The prices for dinner are high for the area, the red sauce is very greasy, the corkage fee for wine is $25/bottle and if you have to get up to go to the bathroom or leave and it is near impossible on a busy night because the tables are right on top of each other so there are no private conversations. Both times I have been there the wait staff pushed the most expensive appetizers, entrees, wines, etc...
(2)Jack T.
Nothing out of the ordinary. It's not bad but it's not great or creative.
(2)Faith D.
We've been to this Gianni's location several times before and have always enjoyed. Last night (Sunday) was a disappointment. Restaurant was not crowded at all. We arrived about 5:15. Our tablecloth was not "fresh" looking and we had to "ask" our server cover the icky wine spot with a napkin. My husband's napkin looked like someone blew their nose in it and it didn't quite make it through the laundry. The waitress spilled my lemondrop martini on me. Someone is not paying attention to the details. On other visits, food has been terrific. Last night it was so-so. My husband's baked mostaccoli with meat sauce was way too dry. (I tasted it and agreed with him). My chicken spiddini sounded better than it tasted -- it was okay; not great. One friend said her eggplant parm was excellent; her husband's lasagna ... "eh". Service was spotty although after the icky tablecloth and napkin -- the husbands were a little cranky. I understand the Palatine location is doing better. Too bad. We will probably cross this place off our list after last night.
(2)Meatdowntown C.
Not bad for being at a street mall. Nice and clean suburban place with "City prices". Very good service and decent food. The salads are very ordinary...they could be served in different presentations with a grilled crostini on the side or something! The food is above average but again, prices are a little high for what you get. Definitely MUCH BETTER than NiccusBaccus which is very close and has become pretty dumpy.
(3)Denise L.
Not very appealing pictures. Food is great but a bit pricey for pasta.
(3)Brad M.
i was looking for a place i had never been to take a first date. it is always risky to take someone where i had never been, but i liked the reviews on here and went for it. it turned out to be a truly inspired choice. the food was excellent. there was a buzz about the place. it had great energy. we split appetizers of scallops wrapped in bacon and mussels. for the main course we had spaghetti with marinara sauce and lobster asiago. the pasta was perfect. the sauce was quite tasty. i took some home and ate it today. it was spectacular even as leftovers. look past the unassuming store front in a strip mall and check it out. i can't wait to go back.
(5)Jen O.
One of my favorite places for lunch. Consistantly a great meal and great atmosphere.
(5)Carol B.
Very cozy with delicious food. Love the Palatine Gianni's too.
(5)Steve W.
Not impressed. Had the "homemade gnocchi". Which was one of their specialties. It was the worst I have ever had. It was heavy as a lead balloon and very tough. I have never said this before but maybe they should buy frozen gnocchi. The braciola was tender but very bland. In my humble opinion it was overpriced mediocre at best Italian-american food. I will not be returning.
(2)Ross P.
Excellent intimate Italian dining experience. I love the carbonara, but all the dishes I've had have been wonderful. The dining room can get cramped on weekends but its worth the wait. I love the atmosphere, the portions are generous and the food is delicious. Highly recommended.
(5)Michael G.
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...
(1)Sherwin C.
I went here for lunch with high expectations due to the good prices and quality of food at Gianni's Deli next door but I didn't have an excellent experience. Compared to many other Italian Restaurants I've been to, the seating was a bit cramped and service slow (especially for the lunch hour). The best part of the meal was the bread with olive oil and the mussels appetizer which used PEI mussels in a white wine broth that was tasty but not overly salty. The chicken parmigiana was crispy on the outside and cooked well on the inside but the portions were rather small. The pasta sauce was also a little too sour for me. The Italian beef sandwich was executed decently but the beef was a bit too salty and the fries were a bit soggy. The aglio olio pasta was a bit too much on the oily side without enough garlic and cheese in my opinion. Although it's literally supposed to be tossed in oil, I think it's better to try to keep it lighter and extract more garlic flavor. The food wasn't bad at all, but for a restaurant of this caliber I expected more attention to detail of the different elements of the dishes. Due to the high ratings from others on Yelp, I may have gone on an off-day and will probably try this again soon.
(3)Tom M.
If you ever want to treat yourself or impress anyone whether a client, friend or loved one, I would very much suggest trying out Gianni's Cafe. Don't pass up their stuffed artichoke appetizer and try out their Chicken Piccata. They will give your mouth a party! As far as pricing, let's say you get what you pay for and more.
(5)Harry P.
Eat here if you have the time. Why this comment and a 2-star review? Allow me to explain. First off, I've eaten here twice, simply because I give places with bad food a second shot in the event the first time was a fluke. In this case, it was no fluke. The first time, I ordered some chicken saltimbocca wrap, and it was oily, way too salty, and way too sloppy, drippy, nasty to be "wrap suitable". I chocked this one up to a bad choice on my part and tried Gianni's tonight for a second time. I got the "Gianni's Pescadores", a $35 seafood soup (not to be confused, apparently, with their $65 zuppa de pesce, which is chock full of even more not-very-good seafood!) Now, to my "if you have the time" comment... My seafood arrived in a broth that could be best described not as broth but instead as molten pomodoro tomato magma. The intense heat of this edible magma not only made the soup largely inedible for quite some time but also by its very nature managed to turn the seafood melange into a potpourri of rubber trinkets. In addition to being virtually unsalted and devoid of flavor even after copious salt was added, the seafood that was in there was near inedible. The calamari rings made me feel like I was chewing on fake rubber fingers. The scallops were so over-cooked, they looked more like withered, shrunken, senior citizen artichokes than scallops. There were three small clams, one of which was empty, and three mussels (again, one of which was empty). I would suggest that if you plan to try this dish, you leave a two-day window for yourself -- one day for the molten broth to drop 800 degrees to room temperature and one day to chew the seafood thoroughly well to spare your stomach the trouble of trying to break it down. Ultimately, I would not suggest ordering this dish, and I would probably suggest trying somewhere else to eat altogether. I won't be back a third time.
(2)Julia P.
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
(5)Gary B.
I've been here four times and each time has been wonderful. The daily specials are excellent choices with a full menu to fall back on. Several times I ate at the bar without any issues. The seating area does get busy, crowded and kind of loud but that is expected.
(5)Dean K.
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.
(4)A K.
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.
(3)Steve S.
Visit here fairly often when in the area on business. Consistently good food, excellent choices on the menu all the time. Portions are big. Great drinks and friendly service. I have yet to have a bad experience here. Easy to recommend Gianni's to anyone looking for a good Italian meal in the area.
(4)Simple G.
The service was amazingly good. The waitress was very helpful, the food came out at a good pace, and our water glasses were always full. But, the food was not good. The mostaccioli tasted watery and most of the flavor came from the melted cheese. The eggplant parmigiana kind of was like uncooked bread. The best food was the bread and dipping sauce.
(2)Elina K.
Good italian food. Come in the summer...there is a lovely little patio that almost succeeds in making you feel like you are not in a strip mall. Service is friendly, wine selection is solid.
(3)Amy B.
Went here for the first time last night and it was a good experience. Yes, the place is small but I like the quaint cozy atmosphere. Our service was good, not great, but she was very nice and polite and checked on us often. Nothing to complain about with that. Our entrees were a generous portion, as I would expect at an Italian restaurant, but not overly large. The chicken picatta was very good but not the best I've had. I got Aglio Olio on my pasta and I was very happy that the garlic wasn't over powering and that it wasn't too oily. It was very light and just the right amount of sauce to give flavor but not overpower and saturate the pasta. The person I was with said the chicken parmigiana was amazing, but I don't know how much of a food critic he is, lol. Overall it was a good experience and I would definitely go back there again.
(4)Marshall S.
I have been to Gianni's about half a dozen times in the past five years and have always found the environment to be enjoyable (despite being located in a strip mall) and the food to be terrific. Most recently I had their veal saltimbocca and found it to be well prepared and very flavorful. That said, if you're looking for a real treat try the Sicilian calamari - the squid is flash fried and served in an amazing spicy butter sauce - it might be my all-time favorite preparation of this dish.
(4)Joe B.
I'd been meaning to try GIanni's for awhile, and once I saw they had a Groupon, I had to give it a shot. The food was decent, the service was great, and the prices were somewhat reasonable. The three of us agreed that dipping the warm and crusty bread into their olive oil with parmesan cheese and garlic at the beginning of the meal was definitely the most enjoyable item we had. After that, we ordered an eggplant parmigiana sandwich, steak gorgonzola wrap, and chicken roasted red pepper and cheese panini. The eggplant was above average, and the steak gorgonzola wrap was tasty, though totally lacking in steak for the price. The only real downside were the chicken, roasted red pepper, and cheese panini (very bland), and the pasta salad that came on the side (even more bland). I'd recommend the bruschetta tomatoes instead, because they were at least edible. In the end, the meal tasted slightly better knowing I had the Groupon, but I could see myself coming back regardless.
(3)Amy W.
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.
(4)Therese D.
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.
(4)Sean M.
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.
(4)Alan N.
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.
(3)Ryan B.
Quaint, cozy atmosphere with great service. Get the country rigatoni...it'll change your life. Kinda pricey, but the food rocks.
(4)Rajini J.
The food is quite good but the portions are HUGE!! One meal can easily be shared if you like small portions or do not fancy taking a doggy bag home. Service could have been better...it was a slow Monday night but the waitress was in great hurry. Before we sat down and opened the menu, she was there to take our orders. Besides that, the food was decent. Space is really tight as well...the tables are laid really close to one another. The ambiance is mediocre.
(2)Kate H.
My best friend had Gianni's food at her baby shower. I had never heard of the place before then. After I tried the gnocchi with vodka sauce at her shower, I knew I HAD to go there. I've never had gnocchi or vodka sauce that good. My mom and I went there for a little girl's dinner out while Grandpa babysat. We had such a lovely evening. The wine, the salad, the pasta, the tiramisu, the service and the cute Italian cafe atmosphere were just perfect. It's in an unassuming location, by Old Navy, across from Deer Park Mall, so I guess I just never noticed it there. I hope this review brings more attention to it's location! Okay, now that I wrote all of that, I really want to go back!
(4)Debbie M.
This place was much better in the past. We sat outside which was lovely, but that was the only good thing about the meal. We ordered the artichoke appetizer but it was soggy and not very tasty. The bread was cold and Gianni's always serves warm and crusty bread. We told our waitress, (sorry, Marlene) and she stuck her finger in the bread!!! Didn't she believe me and what a distasteful thing to do! She brought another bread which was just as cold. I asked her not to waste it and just to please heat it up which she did. My husband and I shared the pasta with pesto. We ordered the extra ingredients of chicken and broccoli. The pesto sauce says it comes with pine nuts, but it doesn't. We ordered the same dish a month ago and it also didn't have pine nuts. If it isn't standard with the pesto sauce, then don't say it comes with it and change the description on the menu. Sorry this restaurant isn't as good as it used to be. Won't be returning anytime soon.
(2)Ron B.
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
(5)Kelsey B.
We went here for our anniversary and it was amazing. We each got pasta and the portions were way more than we could eat but made delicious leftovers. I would highly recommend this place for some amazing italian food.
(5)Yazi S.
I love this place! I've tried a variety of things and I've never been disappointed! This is a place the whole family enjoys.
(5)Ann B.
Been here quite a few times and always had a great meal. Went there thus past week and was extremely disappointed and felt ripped off, First off we ordered the stuffed mushrooms. They looked so good at the across from us. When the mushrooms arrived at our table, not only were they cold but half the size of the ones at the other table. the waitress took them back and when they came back they were still half the size, The pasta we split was average and runny for $16,95. Plus the have the nerve to charge $12 for a glass of sangria because as the waitress says they use bet good wine. Please give a break!!!! if u want to spend $55 for average pasta, drink and stuffed mushrooms and tip then by all means this is the place.
(2)Laurence K.
Great breakfast lunch spot quality food great soups and sandwiches Also love their berry tea
(4)Kurt W.
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!!
(5)Luna M.
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.
(4)Mike W.
Most recent visit was Mothers Day. Four people in our party of 6 was their first visit and still talk about what a great meal. This place quickly becoming our favorite restaurant. Good food. Good service. What more do you want.
(4)Ken U.
Great Italian spot in a smaller restaurant, very friendly staff and service, and consistent tasty food! Italian food definitely is a sweet spot for me and any meal I have gotten here has been great, and I have always left satisfied and recommending to others. Good stuff!
(5)Ashley A.
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.
(4)Rob W.
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!
(3)Bill S.
I have been here a couple of times. I guess I have to say. I like pretty much. The foods always good and the service is pleasant
(4)maggie c.
I went to Gianni's the first week they opened and I the food is still consistently as wonderful as my first bite. The service was a little shaky the first time I ate there, but now 4.5 years later the management has definitely found steady ground with their current staff. I normally try not to make any judgments about the suburbs vs. the city- but I can't help but think that this cozy cafe could belong in the Viagra triangle. As for what to order...anything. They are very open to customizing dishes, and offering a great wine selection to go with it. The only warning I have to give about this little gem is either make a reservation, or get their early. With not that many places with this standard in the area (that isn't a corporate chain at least) it gets packed. And let me tell you those regulars wait 1hr-2hr's for a table or specific staff member. I suggest grabbing a an early bite to eat and leaving when the crowd gets there. There is also a little outside patio that is open seasonally.
(5)Mark E.
My girlfriend and I ate here tonight. Right away, the price jumped out at me, but in my estimate, we may get a total of 6 meals out of the portions. Our Tab was 40 (that includes tips, we don't order drinks either, we like water). So 40/6 = like 7 bucks give or take, so at about 7 bucks per meal, its worth it. Plus, I wore shorts to this place and didn't feel out of place.As they say in itallian, 'Thisa place isa good!'
(4)