diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 1f6277adb91..883ebdd158f 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
     "@emotion/eslint-plugin": "^11.11.0",
     "@emotion/jest": "^11.11.0",
     "@emotion/react": "^11.11.0",
-    "@faker-js/faker": "^7.6.0",
+    "@faker-js/faker": "^8.0.2",
     "@pmmmwh/react-refresh-webpack-plugin": "^0.5.3",
     "@storybook/addon-essentials": "^7.3.1",
     "@storybook/addon-interactions": "^7.3.1",
diff --git a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.tsx b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.tsx
index 7d27f0e5c3a..f92b3558736 100644
--- a/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.tsx
+++ b/src-docs/src/views/tables/in_memory/in_memory_search.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import {
   EuiSpacer,
   EuiSwitch,
   EuiFlexGroup,
-  EuiFlexItem,
   EuiCallOut,
   EuiCode,
 } from '../../../../../src/components';
@@ -27,16 +26,23 @@ type User = {
 };
 
 const users: User[] = [];
+const usersWithSpecialCharacters: User[] = [];
 
 for (let i = 0; i < 20; i++) {
-  users.push({
+  const userData = {
     id: i + 1,
-    firstName: faker.name.firstName(),
-    lastName: faker.name.lastName(),
+    firstName: faker.person.firstName(),
+    lastName: faker.person.lastName(),
     github: faker.internet.userName(),
     dateOfBirth: faker.date.past(),
     online: faker.datatype.boolean(),
-    location: faker.address.country(),
+    location: faker.location.country(),
+  };
+  users.push(userData);
+  usersWithSpecialCharacters.push({
+    ...userData,
+    firstName: `${userData.firstName} "${faker.string.symbol(10)}"`,
+    lastName: `${userData.lastName} ${faker.internet.emoji()}`,
   });
 }
 
@@ -108,6 +114,7 @@ export default () => {
   const [incremental, setIncremental] = useState(false);
   const [filters, setFilters] = useState(false);
   const [contentBetween, setContentBetween] = useState(false);
+  const [textSearchFormat, setTextSearchFormat] = useState(false);
 
   const search: EuiSearchBarProps = {
     box: {
@@ -138,34 +145,34 @@ export default () => {
   return (
     <>
       <EuiFlexGroup>
-        <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
-          <EuiSwitch
-            label="Incremental"
-            checked={incremental}
-            onChange={() => setIncremental(!incremental)}
-          />
-        </EuiFlexItem>
-        <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
-          <EuiSwitch
-            label="With Filters"
-            checked={filters}
-            onChange={() => setFilters(!filters)}
-          />
-        </EuiFlexItem>
-        <EuiFlexItem grow={false}>
-          <EuiSwitch
-            label="Content between"
-            checked={contentBetween}
-            onChange={() => setContentBetween(!contentBetween)}
-          />
-        </EuiFlexItem>
+        <EuiSwitch
+          label="Incremental"
+          checked={incremental}
+          onChange={() => setIncremental(!incremental)}
+        />
+        <EuiSwitch
+          label="With Filters"
+          checked={filters}
+          onChange={() => setFilters(!filters)}
+        />
+        <EuiSwitch
+          label="Content between"
+          checked={contentBetween}
+          onChange={() => setContentBetween(!contentBetween)}
+        />
+        <EuiSwitch
+          label="Plain text search"
+          checked={textSearchFormat}
+          onChange={() => setTextSearchFormat(!textSearchFormat)}
+        />
       </EuiFlexGroup>
       <EuiSpacer size="l" />
       <EuiInMemoryTable
         tableCaption="Demo of EuiInMemoryTable with search"
-        items={users}
+        items={textSearchFormat ? usersWithSpecialCharacters : users}
         columns={columns}
         search={search}
+        searchFormat={textSearchFormat ? 'text' : 'eql'}
         pagination={true}
         sorting={true}
         childrenBetween={
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.test.tsx b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.test.tsx
index 96a46d1d607..e15294c9eb4 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.test.tsx
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.test.tsx
@@ -1437,4 +1437,34 @@ describe('EuiInMemoryTable', () => {
       expect(tableContent.at(2).text()).toBe('baz');
     });
   });
+
+  describe('text search format', () => {
+    it('allows searching for any text with special characters in it', () => {
+      const specialCharacterSearch =
+        '!@#$%^&*(){}+=-_hello:world"`<>?/👋~.,;|\\';
+      const items = [
+        { title: specialCharacterSearch },
+        { title: 'no special characters' },
+      ];
+      const columns = [{ field: 'title', name: 'Title' }];
+
+      const { getByTestSubject, container } = render(
+        <EuiInMemoryTable
+          items={items}
+          searchFormat="text"
+          search={{ box: { incremental: true, 'data-test-subj': 'searchbox' } }}
+          columns={columns}
+        />
+      );
+      fireEvent.keyUp(getByTestSubject('searchbox'), {
+        target: { value: specialCharacterSearch },
+      });
+
+      const tableContent = container.querySelectorAll(
+        '.euiTableRowCell .euiTableCellContent'
+      );
+      expect(tableContent).toHaveLength(1); // only 1 match
+      expect(tableContent[0]).toHaveTextContent(specialCharacterSearch);
+    });
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx
index dd606fd58d2..e146bcfe704 100644
--- a/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx
+++ b/src/components/basic_table/in_memory_table.tsx
@@ -23,11 +23,15 @@ import { PropertySort } from '../../services';
 import { Pagination as PaginationBarType } from './pagination_bar';
 import { isString } from '../../services/predicate';
 import { Comparators, Direction } from '../../services/sort';
-import { EuiSearchBar, Query } from '../search_bar';
+import {
+  EuiSearchBar,
+  EuiSearchBarProps,
+  Query,
+  SchemaType,
+} from '../search_bar/search_bar';
+import { EuiSearchBox } from '../search_bar/search_box';
 import { EuiSpacer } from '../spacer';
 import { CommonProps } from '../common';
-import { EuiSearchBarProps } from '../search_bar/search_bar';
-import { SchemaType } from '../search_bar/search_box';
 import {
   EuiTablePaginationProps,
   euiTablePaginationDefaults,
@@ -76,6 +80,18 @@ type InMemoryTableProps<T> = Omit<
    * Configures #Search.
    */
   search?: Search;
+  /**
+   * By default, tables use `eql` format for search which allows using advanced filters.
+   *
+   * However, certain special characters (such as quotes, parentheses, and colons)
+   * are reserved for EQL syntax and will error if used.
+   * If your table does not require filter search and instead requires searching for certain
+   * symbols, use a plain `text` search format instead (note that filters will be ignored
+   * in this format).
+   *
+   * @default "eql"
+   */
+  searchFormat?: 'eql' | 'text';
   /**
    * Configures #Pagination
    */
@@ -285,6 +301,7 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable<T> extends Component<
   static defaultProps = {
     responsive: true,
     tableLayout: 'fixed',
+    searchFormat: 'eql',
   };
   tableRef: React.RefObject<EuiBasicTable>;
 
@@ -521,9 +538,34 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable<T> extends Component<
     }));
   };
 
+  // Alternative to onQueryChange - allows consumers to specify they want the
+  // search bar to ignore EQL syntax and only use the searchbar for plain text
+  onPlainTextSearch = (searchValue: string) => {
+    const escapedQueryText = searchValue.replace(/["\\]/g, '\\$&');
+    const finalQuery = `"${escapedQueryText}"`;
+    this.setState({
+      query: EuiSearchBar.Query.parse(finalQuery),
+    });
+  };
+
   renderSearchBar() {
-    const { search } = this.props;
-    if (search) {
+    const { search, searchFormat } = this.props;
+    if (!search) return;
+
+    let searchBar: ReactNode;
+
+    if (searchFormat === 'text') {
+      const _searchBoxProps = (search as EuiSearchBarProps)?.box || {}; // Work around | boolean type
+      const { schema, ...searchBoxProps } = _searchBoxProps; // Destructure `schema` so it doesn't get rendered to DOM
+
+      searchBar = (
+        <EuiSearchBox
+          query="" // Unused, passed to satisfy Typescript
+          {...searchBoxProps}
+          onSearch={this.onPlainTextSearch}
+        />
+      );
+    } else {
       let searchBarProps: Omit<EuiSearchBarProps, 'onChange'> = {};
 
       if (isEuiSearchBarProps(search)) {
@@ -538,13 +580,17 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable<T> extends Component<
         }
       }
 
-      return (
-        <>
-          <EuiSearchBar onChange={this.onQueryChange} {...searchBarProps} />
-          <EuiSpacer size="l" />
-        </>
+      searchBar = (
+        <EuiSearchBar onChange={this.onQueryChange} {...searchBarProps} />
       );
     }
+
+    return (
+      <>
+        {searchBar}
+        <EuiSpacer size="l" />
+      </>
+    );
   }
 
   resolveSearchSchema(): SchemaType {
@@ -653,6 +699,7 @@ export class EuiInMemoryTable<T> extends Component<
       tableLayout,
       items: _unuseditems,
       search,
+      searchFormat,
       onTableChange,
       executeQueryOptions,
       allowNeutralSort,
diff --git a/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx b/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx
index a91f60c8b54..783440d90f0 100644
--- a/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx
+++ b/src/components/search_bar/search_bar.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import React, { Component, ReactElement } from 'react';
 import { htmlIdGenerator } from '../../services/accessibility';
 import { isString } from '../../services/predicate';
 import { EuiFlexGroup, EuiFlexItem } from '../flex';
-import { EuiSearchBox, SchemaType } from './search_box';
+import { EuiSearchBox } from './search_box';
 import { EuiSearchBarFilters, SearchFilterConfig } from './search_filters';
 import { Query } from './query';
 import { CommonProps } from '../common';
@@ -36,6 +36,12 @@ interface ArgsWithError {
   error: Error;
 }
 
+export interface SchemaType {
+  strict?: boolean;
+  fields?: any;
+  flags?: string[];
+}
+
 export type EuiSearchBarOnChangeArgs = ArgsWithQuery | ArgsWithError;
 
 type HintPopOverProps = Partial<
diff --git a/src/components/search_bar/search_box.tsx b/src/components/search_bar/search_box.tsx
index 85a78d3a726..403e9840da3 100644
--- a/src/components/search_bar/search_box.tsx
+++ b/src/components/search_bar/search_box.tsx
@@ -6,21 +6,23 @@
  * Side Public License, v 1.
  */
 
-import React, { Component } from 'react';
+import React, { FunctionComponent, useRef } from 'react';
+
+import { useUpdateEffect } from '../../services';
+import { useEuiI18n } from '../i18n';
 import { EuiFieldSearch, EuiFieldSearchProps } from '../form';
 import { EuiInputPopover } from '../popover';
-import { EuiSearchBarProps } from './search_bar';
 
-export interface SchemaType {
-  strict?: boolean;
-  fields?: any;
-  flags?: string[];
-}
+import { EuiSearchBarProps } from './search_bar';
 
 export interface EuiSearchBoxProps extends EuiFieldSearchProps {
   query: string;
   // This is optional in EuiFieldSearchProps
   onSearch: (queryText: string) => void;
+  /**
+   * @default Search...
+   */
+  placeholder?: string;
   hint?: {
     id: string;
     isVisible: boolean;
@@ -28,73 +30,73 @@ export interface EuiSearchBoxProps extends EuiFieldSearchProps {
   } & EuiSearchBarProps['hint'];
 }
 
-type DefaultProps = Pick<EuiSearchBoxProps, 'placeholder' | 'incremental'>;
+export const EuiSearchBox: FunctionComponent<EuiSearchBoxProps> = ({
+  query,
+  placeholder,
+  incremental,
+  hint,
+  ...rest
+}) => {
+  const inputRef = useRef<HTMLInputElement | null>(null);
 
-export class EuiSearchBox extends Component<EuiSearchBoxProps> {
-  static defaultProps: DefaultProps = {
-    placeholder: 'Search...',
-    incremental: false,
-  };
-
-  private inputElement: HTMLInputElement | null = null;
-
-  componentDidUpdate(oldProps: EuiSearchBoxProps) {
-    if (oldProps.query !== this.props.query && this.inputElement != null) {
-      this.inputElement.value = this.props.query;
-      this.inputElement.dispatchEvent(new Event('change'));
+  useUpdateEffect(() => {
+    if (inputRef.current) {
+      inputRef.current.value = query;
+      inputRef.current.dispatchEvent(new Event('change'));
     }
-  }
+  }, [query]);
 
-  render() {
-    const { query, incremental, hint, ...rest } = this.props;
+  const defaultPlaceholder = useEuiI18n(
+    'euiSearchBox.placeholder',
+    'Search...'
+  );
+  const ariaLabelIncremental = useEuiI18n(
+    'euiSearchBox.incrementalAriaLabel',
+    'This is a search bar. As you type, the results lower in the page will automatically filter.'
+  );
+  const ariaLabelEnter = useEuiI18n(
+    'euiSearchBox.ariaLabel',
+    'This is a search bar. After typing your query, hit enter to filter the results lower in the page.'
+  );
 
-    let ariaLabel;
-    if (incremental) {
-      ariaLabel =
-        'This is a search bar. As you type, the results lower in the page will automatically filter.';
-    } else {
-      ariaLabel =
-        'This is a search bar. After typing your query, hit enter to filter the results lower in the page.';
-    }
+  const search = (
+    <EuiFieldSearch
+      inputRef={(input) => (inputRef.current = input)}
+      fullWidth
+      defaultValue={query}
+      incremental={incremental}
+      aria-label={incremental ? ariaLabelIncremental : ariaLabelEnter}
+      placeholder={placeholder ?? defaultPlaceholder}
+      onFocus={() => {
+        hint?.setIsVisible(true);
+      }}
+      {...rest}
+    />
+  );
 
-    const search = (
-      <EuiFieldSearch
-        inputRef={(input) => (this.inputElement = input)}
+  if (hint) {
+    return (
+      <EuiInputPopover
+        disableFocusTrap
+        input={search}
+        isOpen={hint.isVisible}
         fullWidth
-        defaultValue={query}
-        incremental={incremental}
-        aria-label={ariaLabel}
-        onFocus={() => {
-          hint?.setIsVisible(true);
+        closePopover={() => {
+          hint.setIsVisible(false);
+        }}
+        panelProps={{
+          'aria-live': undefined,
+          'aria-modal': undefined,
+          role: undefined,
+          tabIndex: -1,
+          id: hint.id,
         }}
-        {...rest}
-      />
+        {...hint.popoverProps}
+      >
+        {hint.content}
+      </EuiInputPopover>
     );
-
-    if (hint) {
-      return (
-        <EuiInputPopover
-          disableFocusTrap
-          input={search}
-          isOpen={hint.isVisible}
-          fullWidth
-          closePopover={() => {
-            hint.setIsVisible(false);
-          }}
-          panelProps={{
-            'aria-live': undefined,
-            'aria-modal': undefined,
-            role: undefined,
-            tabIndex: -1,
-            id: hint.id,
-          }}
-          {...hint.popoverProps}
-        >
-          {hint.content}
-        </EuiInputPopover>
-      );
-    }
-
-    return search;
   }
-}
+
+  return search;
+};
diff --git a/upcoming_changelogs/7175.md b/upcoming_changelogs/7175.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..b570f6c3d93
--- /dev/null
+++ b/upcoming_changelogs/7175.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+- Updated `EuiInMemoryTable` with a new `searchFormat` prop (defaults to `eql`). When setting this prop to `text`, the built-in search bar will ignore EQL syntax and allow searching for plain strings with special characters and symbols.
+
+**Bug fixes**
+
+- Fixed missing i18n in `EuiSearchBar`'s default placeholder and aria-label text
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 6d603d1194b..8ef2aad9d05 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -2423,10 +2423,10 @@
   resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@eslint/js/-/js-8.43.0.tgz#559ca3d9ddbd6bf907ad524320a0d14b85586af0"
   integrity sha512-s2UHCoiXfxMvmfzqoN+vrQ84ahUSYde9qNO1MdxmoEhyHWsfmwOpFlwYV+ePJEVc7gFnATGUi376WowX1N7tFg==
 
-"@faker-js/faker@^7.6.0":
-  version "7.6.0"
-  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@faker-js/faker/-/faker-7.6.0.tgz#9ea331766084288634a9247fcd8b84f16ff4ba07"
-  integrity sha512-XK6BTq1NDMo9Xqw/YkYyGjSsg44fbNwYRx7QK2CuoQgyy+f1rrTDHoExVM5PsyXCtfl2vs2vVJ0MN0yN6LppRw==
+"@faker-js/faker@^8.0.2":
+  version "8.0.2"
+  resolved "https://registry.yarnpkg.com/@faker-js/faker/-/faker-8.0.2.tgz#bab698c5d3da9c52744e966e0e3eedb6c8b05c37"
+  integrity sha512-Uo3pGspElQW91PCvKSIAXoEgAUlRnH29sX2/p89kg7sP1m2PzCufHINd0FhTXQf6DYGiUlVncdSPa2F9wxed2A==
 
 "@fal-works/esbuild-plugin-global-externals@^2.1.2":
   version "2.1.2"