Food was good. Service was incredibly slow. Even during a slow lunch hour. Our server made a mistake with one of our entrees and when the correct entree came out 20 minutes later it was cold.
(2)
Jacelyn C.
Good reason to go to Buca? Large family style servings good for a whole group! Prices are decent enough and with coupons what can go wrong???
(3)
Richard A.
Overall as expected with the food, the linguini Frutti De Mare ( seafood pasta) great flavor, Stuffed Chicken with Prosciutto was slightly over cooked but still juicy, baked ziti is still one of our favorites. But the highlights of our meal was the Fried Calamari & the Bianca ( delicious white cheese pizza on a thin crust ), my kids just loved it. Family style eating is always great portions and this was the first time at a "kitchen table". The experience was loud, but different. Major benefit was there was always someone there if you needed something. Very friendly team, see you again soon. Warning, your eyes may get bigger than your mouth resulting in leftovers, immobility & food coma. Enjoy!
(4)
Joyce D.
Food overload. If you need a place for 25+ people to gather, this is the place to do it, but make sure you have reservations! Family style meals at it's best. I love Buca di Beppo because they really know how to encompass family style, plus the decorations on the walls are entertaining and great conversation starters! Anyway, we ordered a plethora of dishes because...well, when in Rome! We got the mozerrella caprese, baked ziti, margherita pizza, chicken cannelloni, baked rigatoni, cheese manicotti & bread! We love our carbs! For 9 people, that was a lot of food, but you know what, when you're out celebrating with family, food is a wonderful way of saying "thank you for the support & I love you guys!". Our waiter was friendly and gave good recommendations. I bet he was surprised that 9 people were able to finish a major portion of the dishes! Love buca di beppo! Family parties all the way!
(4)
David L.
Very pedestrian....apple, gorgonzola salad was the highlight, sent veal saltimbocca back as it was tough....sad, I was yearning for some tasty veal Costco offers $100 (2 x $50) gift certificates for $75 so that makes it worth trying Edie, our server, was excellent and paced the meal, perfectly
(3)
Jennifer C.
Took my parents here on a Sunday morning for early lunch. I booked an online reservation through open table, 4 people for 11:15 am. We arrived on time, the restaurant barely had any patrons, yet we still waited about 10 minutes to be seated. Our server, Jose, was very friendly. We asked him to turn down the a/c a bit because it was freezing in our section and he politely obliged. The 4 of us ordered the following: 1. Mozzeralla garlic bread, small $7.99 2. Mixed green salad, small $12.99 3. Spicy Cicken Rigatoni (chicken breast, crushed red pepper, peas in spicy rosa sauce), small $21.99. This was just okay. Expensive for what it was. I wouldn't get it again. 4. Linguine Fruitti de Mare (shrimp, baby clams, mussels, and calamari in spicy red clam sauce), small $25.98. This one was our favorite and my all-time favorite bucca di beppo menu item. This was plenty of food for 4 people. We ended up taking a small portion of the chicken rigatoni home. Bill was around $74 after tax and before tip. We had a 20% off coupon that we found googling online so that dropped our bill to $60 ish. Protip: Google for coupons or look on their facebook page. They always have specials.
(3)
Justin B.
Family style Italian food that delivers a great atmosphere ( if there are not really loud kids that don't behave behind you) Service was 2/5 stars, our waiter was around to refill drinks and get our order at first but when 2 more tables came in she was overwhelmed and we never got refills and took us 20 min to get our check Atmosphere : 5/5, it feels like a clutter Fu** in here but while you eat your huge dinners the walls are a great way to distract you and start some pretty cool conversations. Food : 5/5, although I am not a Italian food lover I came here and was surprisingly satisfied. Our spicy pizza was absolutely delicious and filling and the spicy chicken. Pasta was pretty good too. Although the service sucked I will not bring down the good times and good food we encountered here at Bucca De Peppo.
(4)
Tiffany L.
Buca di Beppo is a tall building located right next to 24 Hour FItness on Center Ave, across from the back of Bella Terra. If you come at night, expect to wait at least 30 minutes for 2 people. If you come during the day, before say... 4, you will probably get to go in with little to no wait. I found the inside to be really interesting! As they were taking me and my boyfriend upstairs to our table, they walked us through the kitchen area and showed us a dining table there, and told us we could ask to eat there. My boyfriend and I found that to be really random, and a bit awkward, but pretty cool. Buca di Beppo is a big building but the dining rooms downstairs and upstairs don't seem as big as they do on the outside. The interior is smaller than expected, and there are portraits everywhere to give it an Italian feel. The service here is great also -- the waiters and waitresses are super friendly! I love the unlimited soft bread that they serve -- dip it in their olive oil mixed with vinegar because it tastes AMAZING. My boyfriend and I have tried their Fettucine Alfredo (extra charge for chicken), their famous meatballs, and their Baked Ziti pasta. They serve their food in family sized portions, so for two people, just one dish is more than enough. Their Fettucine Alfredo with chicken was good, but I think this dish is more flavorful and more creamy at Olive Garden and other Italian restaurants. Their Baked Ziti pasta is reeeally good, much better than the Fettucine Alfredo. My boyfriend and I both thought the meatballs had a strange taste so we did not enjoy the meatballs very much.
(4)
Morgan H.
I love when a business takes reviews and feedback seriously. Buca did just that. I was contacted in regard to my review, and provided my phone number and email because they wanted to follow up with me. Today, I received a phone call from the Divisional VP. He was kind and pleasant, and provided some key information to make my next Buca experience as good as it can be. They make all of their food in-house; none is frozen. An exception are the cakes, as they don't have a bakery on premises. To receive a free birthday dessert, you can sign up for their e-club online and bring in your coupon. The photography company is contracted with the restaurant, so Buca cannot give input on the photo pricing. Taking this into consideration, I will give them another chance because I do feel that the food is appetizing. Mostly, I appreciate the genuine consideration that the VP put into the phone call. I ended the call with a new realization that they care about their customers.
(3)
Chin S.
Linguine with white clam sauce is terrific. Wife had the egg plant, also delicious. Portions are enormous even from the lunch menu. Raspberry lemon aid is the best around, nice strong flavor. Bartender is a great waiter and Greg the manager came to our table for a chat. Nice place and nice food. Chin Sing
(5)
Vanessa P.
This is the Best Buca di Beppo in SoCal! I ordered food for delivery for my little sisters birthday. Greg the manager brought all the food up to my apartment he even brought extra marinera sauce, parmesan cheese peppers extra pasta sauce, oil & viniger for bread dipping, serving utensils (really nice ones too) plates forks & napkins. When I dine in I only go to this location because it's #1
(5)
Maianh H.
SPICY ROSA SAUCE! My best friend and I came here for dinner tonight for our friendship anniversary dinner LOL. We had a Groupon: $20 worth of food for $12. Hell ya! With the voucher, we ended up paying $1.07. SCORE!! Ambience I haven't been to this Buca location in over a year but I do remember the REALLY BAD SMELL of old or wet carpet. Surprisingly, today it didn't smell that bad...but it still smelled unpleasant. I don't know why this location hasn't renovated yet. Sure, the loud atmosphere consisting of excessive trinkets and quirky pictures are fun but the restaurant gives off an abandoned, dusty and dingy vibe. Not really my cup of tea. Kinda turned me off to be honest. Also, their old menus used to be SUPER STICKY but they got new menus (Thank goodness) Service The hostess working tonight had absolutely ZERO PERSONALITY. She didn't smile once or ask us how we were doing. Also, why is there only 1 hostess? Oh yeah, because this place is usually super dead. I wonder why. Our waitress was very friendly but I think we saw her about 2 times total until we asked for the bill. We had to grab our own extra plates, parmesan cheese and olive oil/balsamic from other tables. As it seemed like our waiter vanished, we had to holler at another waiter to beg for butter. We basically served ourselves lol. I wouldn't say the service is awful, it's just non-existent. Food House Bread (free) This bread did not come out warm, boo. We were sooo hungry so we ate 3 loaves of this before our food came out which was a huge mistake. We were only able to eat 1/3 of our pasta :'( Our waitress only gave us one loaf. Our food runner Juan was the best! He brought out more bread for us immediately. Yay ~Intermission: An eternity passed by before our food was brought to our table ~ Macaroni Rosa (no broccoli, add garlic and spicy Rosa sauce) This pasta dish is one of Buca's specialty pastas and is made with cavatappi (corkscrew) pasta, chicken, mushrooms, and peas. We added garlic and spicy Rosa sauce. This Rosa sauce tastes JUST LIKE MAMA D's pink sauce but double the portion size. Yay, I found my knockoff Mama D's except this sauce is more tomato-y than creamy. This spicy Rosa sauce is much better than the regular Rosa sauce; the spice adds much more depth into the dish. This pasta was very well made; all the ingredients married together very well. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the veggies tasted fresh. I would definitely recommend this dish but next time I'll get it with penne or rigatoni pasta. We ordered the small portion but I totally think that a small can easily feed 3 people. For $21, it was a total bargain! Buca di Beppo serves solid food but this location's service is extremely lackluster. Although Buca di Beppo is meant to give off a festive, Italian-American vibe, this location fails to execute this concept as it is incredibly outdated and not well tended to. Next time, I think I'll order to-go. The mediocre service and dingy/smelly/dead atmosphere really kills my vibe. The food rocks though! This restaurant is a total butterface if you asked me.
(3)
Adriana M.
We had a great birthday lunch served by a super waiter, Dana. Family style antipasto could serve a large family and is delicious!
(5)
Katie N.
Food: Good, I got the linguine frutti de mare. Service: No good. Reservation at 9pm. Checked in at 8:30pm. The hostess 1 said "yes, we found you". We stood at the podium (about one foot away from the hostess) waiting to be seated. Two parties were seated and we were still standing there. We asked if it was gonna take long. The hostess 1 asked if we had checked in and asked for our names. We told her again that we made reservation and she said oh, it said you were seated. Uh.... Clearly we were not. Another hostess 2 said upstairs to the left. Ok, are we walking ourselves to the table? Hostess 1 said, "someone" marked that you were seated. Really hostess 1???? Really??? You checked us in and you were the only one touching the computer screen. It must be you who marked us as seated. Cleanliness: Unacceptable. First set of plates we received had 3 out of 4 with sticky stuff on them and were dirty. My fork had food stuck on there. Second set of plates had 1 with food or brownie stuck on there. I've been here two times in 2 months, and each time the plates were dirty without fail. While I enjoyed the linguine frutti de mare and the seafood tasted good, I will not return due to poor service and dirty utensils/plates.
(1)
David G.
Came here on a Friday afternoon because we had a free pasta coupon place was kinda empty but nice and cozy. I ordered mozzarella sticks which were delicious. Finally our pasta came but disappointing it was missing more sauce overall not a bad place and I was glad it was free.
(4)
Nate A.
I drove here with family from west Long Beach, I called ahead asking for for wait time for a table telling the guy who answered I had a party of 13. He said an hour and a half. Upon arriving the young lady at the front told me there would not be a table available for my party at until after 730pm, right now it is 3pm. This is upsetting and inconvenient to myself and my family. I asked this girl for the managers name, so Greg this is directed to you: Please make sure in the future your employees are knowledgeable that big parties choosing to dine at your restaurant know that table times for regular walk ins do not apply to them. Also that when a customer asks for a managers name, they do not answer with an attitude.
(1)
Melloninja C.
Can't go wrong with their service and food. Food was great and the atmosphere is always inviting. I love their seafood pasta and family portions. I just wish parking was a little less stressful here.
(4)
Christina D.
Came here for my aunts dinner in the pope room! Kyle the food runner really saved the experience. Our garlic bread got lost in the Italian food forest, and he brought us a cannoli. Kyle is my cannoli Pope now.
(5)
Mary M.
I went here this week to celebrate someone birthday. I did enjoy the concept of family style food dishes, however the food was poor quality. I was disappointed that the dishes lack flavor and the food did not taste fresh. The bread served cold and doesn't taste fresh. The Pena vodka I've had better tasting sauce from a can. Eggplant was good however I prefer juicy thick pieces. Chicken Parmesan seemed like it was prepackaged.
(2)
Diana T.
Not a big fan of italian food but this seems to be a good place to eat. There is a huge variety in food to choose from. Lots of food to make you feel light and refreshed to omg food coma you want to kill yourself! We had a group of 13 people and had reservations at 6:30pm. When we got there, we had to wait about 5 minutes to get seated. We were taken all the way upstairs to sit. We ordered a couple of appetizers and some main entrees to share family style. Linguini and Clams with White Sauce: This was part of their 4 for $40 menu. This is a very light dish to eat. There are bits of clams in it which I feel should have had more in it. It just tasted like I was eating linguini pasta. Fried Calamari ($19.99 Large)- I love calamari and this was pretty decent. It is served with their homemade spicy marinara sauce. They pretty much fried this to perfection! I wanted more! Garlic Bread ($6.99)- italian loaf brushed with garlic-infused olive oil, then baked with parmesan cheese and lots of fresh garlic. This was just okay. Seemed very little for $7. Just stuff yourself with the free bread they give complimentary in the beginning of your meal. Mozzarella Caprese ($19.99 Large)- vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and basil-infused olive oil. I am not a big fan of raw tomatoes, but one bit of this, it was amazingly delicious! I think it was something with the oil that made it taste awesome! Supremo Italiano ($25.99 Large)- Spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, bell peppers, onions, mozzarella, provolone, and meat sauce. It is a thin crust pizza with lots of flavors! Very mouth watering but I was so stuffed I only had one slice:( Chicken Parmigiana ($13.99 Large)- topped with homemade marinara sauce and mozzarella. You can't go wrong with chicken parmigiana. Such a familiar taste that it would be hard for it to not taste wrong! Veal Saltimbocca ($36.99 Large)- Lemon butter sauce, sage, prosciutto, artichoke hearts, lemon, and capers. The veal I heard was a little tough. It is suppose to be very soft and tender. Not a big fan of capers so this was not a good dish, in my opinion We were celebrating two birthdays and the waiters were nice enough to put our cake in the fridge. When it was time for the cake, they took it out and brought it to our table with extra plates. Their little entourage came with them, brought giant candles and sang happy birthday in Italian! It was great!!! Overall, great place for a family gathering! Lots of food to share and that is always the best! NOTE: -Two stories
(4)
Julie A.
I loved coming to this particular location. I received the WORST customer service ever!! I was really looking forward to their fried Calamari we ordered our dish, garlic bread, and calamari. Our waitress was very kind. But our food took forever to come out. We finally got our dish but our Galicia bread and calamari never came out. The waitress only checked up on us 2 times. We got our garlic bread and calamari free. The manager was a jerk as we walked away from the restaurant he said "thank you" but did not acknowledge he was looking at his seating chart. NEVER coming back to this location!
(1)
Ãmbar R.
This place must have been bad in the past but I like this place. Been to the one on City Walk and I had to come back to a closer location! As for the food itself, it was amazing and yeah they're aren't kidding when they say its huge portions. Went on a Saturday night and made a reservation and was seated and served quickly right before the rush. Definitely recommend, particularly if you're just going for the food and not the service...who cares if that person didn't smile. As long as your food is delivered and made well. You're there to EAT.
(5)
Connie C.
Dana is fantastic. He is the most personable, friendly, and loveable bartender I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I dropped in on a whim, unsure of whether or not my friend and I would start. We're both happy beyond words that we stayed. And Dana is the reason. His personality is unmatched and his service flawless. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon.
(5)
P S.
Had a great date night here yesterday. Got there around 6pm before the Friday night rush; which was nice. The food was delicious. We got the prosciutto stuffed chicken and the chicken and sausage pasta. So yummy! Our waitress Tayler was outstanding. She was friendly and attentive. The bartender Richie was great too! Our drinks were so good! We'll be back soon. :)
(5)
Tyler T.
We got an Amazon Local coupon for $10 off $20 here. I think I've seen quite a few of these coupons in the mail though, so it must be a pretty often occurrence (or maybe I'm just misremembering). The place is located near Bella Terra, and there is plenty of parking around the place, though I think it shares some parking with a gym so depending on the time it might be crowded. For drinks I tried their Italian Sodas, and the two flavors that I tried were pretty good (Pear and Raspberry). There was an option to get it creamed but I didn't do that. My friend ordered the Chicken Parmigiana and it tasted okay. The chicken didn't really have much character or anything interesting to it and the tomato sauce was okay. I ordered the Shrimp Diavoli, extra spicy with linguini, and that tasted better but not quite outstanding. The flavoring was missing something, and the linguini tasted just alright. Overall it's a nice kind of place to eat and I find it a good value with the coupon, but I don't know if the food would be worth it without the coupon.
(3)
Derrick B.
I've only been to one other Buca so figured lets do it again. It was really overpriced for two people. I reserved via opentable and put in a note that i would NOT like to be sat near an exit or by the bathroom.... I was sat right by the upstairs exit by the elevators. I had to politely ask the server to control the kids that would go up and down up and down which was insane.. it bother our table and the people behind me. I'll never really go back here again because of my experience. The only good thing was the server which was really nice.. everything else was aweful.
(2)
Steven L.
Service: Below average as someone from food industry. Made reservations at 8PM for a date night with the lady (weekday). Got there on the dot. Hostess told us it would be 5-10 minutes since they were cleaning the table. She then resumed conversing with an older gentleman the remaining time which appeared to be a manager if not supervisor. We were announced, "Party with the reservation right this way", since another walk-in entered. We were led up the stairs to a deuce table, hostess put down menus, no eye contact the whole time, and walked away. A little irritating since I didn't get the normal "How are you this evening?" or "Enjoy". We had a coupon for a free fettuccine alfredo that was honored that evening. Normally you can add $5 for chicken or more for shrimp on pastas as stated on menu. I'm sure we couldn't do that since we had a coupon. We were gonna get a free entree. I inquired if I could order a piece of chicken, or a side of, or add-in; I didn't care the price; just some meat to complement the dish. We were denied this because no substitutions or add-ins for a free coupon. Our only option the server said would be to order a chicken entree, which was a ridiculous amount of additional food. So we opted for just the fettuccine and dessert. More on the food below. Server was attentive throughout the evening AFTER she realized she forgot our plates. Prices: For italian cuisine, the prices are fair for the big portions. Our fettuccine alfredo "buca small" was a big bowl that could feed 3-4 servings. Our $10 Tiramisu was in a large bowl, NOT a slice. I was surprised I was paying a good price for a large italian dessert. Food: We both had strawberry italian soda and cream soda, both were delish. However, when we got our fettuccine alfredo with room temperature "house bread"...he server was supposed to bring us plates since we were sharing it. It took her more than 5 minutes to come back only to realize we didn't have plates. Once received and we started eating, the fettuccine was lukewarm, and towards the bottom of the plate, the sauce was bland, cold, and terrible, as if it came from a can and set on a stove with low-heat. I can only say that because I've done that before first time making it at home. But it was free, so as long as I wasn't sick afterwards, my standards were lowered. Tiramisu was good, and huge. Was only able to finish not even 1/4 of the whole thing and the rest to go. Environment: Upstairs, small deuce table, with a larger party in the corner, and a screaming kid. Wouldn't really call it a romantic date evening. More family oriented and a few couples near us. Bottom Line: I wouldn't come back. I already have other italian restaurants in mind in Newport Beach to take my lady. Mainly for the service and quality of food. One star for the tiramisu. One star for the photographer who got us a free postcard of cutesy pictures of us, and we purchased an individual framed photo for $10.
(2)
Celeste L.
Loved the atmosphere and generous portions...I enjoyed my blanca pizza dinner but for dessert we had the brownie sundae (small size ) and it was pretty hard and relatively tasteless ...
(3)
Cynthia D.
Great service! Went here for a birthday and they gave us the VIP Kitchen table where we got to see all of the magic happen and boy did it smell soooo good! Best Italian food aroma you could imagine ;)
(5)
Candace W.
I love the food!! Good ole family sized portions ! All the salads are amazing ! All the pastas are awesome! Servers are great!! And the photographers are the best part, don't leave without your complimentary post card!! You may get lost in the restaurant, just remember where your party is seated
(4)
Nahid D.
Really want to give 3.5 but the service tonight was great, so they get 4 from me! The staff here was really happy tonight! No waiting for our table as we got there at 7:30pm on a Friday night. This was a great place to go to for a family of 6 getting together for a birthday celebration. We might have overdone it but order only came out to $140 (awesome including tip). We got the large portions of: Mixed Green Salad, Mini meatball appetizer, Buca Italiano Pizza, and the Penne Arrabiatta. All pretty good! Ended the celebrations with the colossal brownie sundae... amazing and definitely enough for everyone! They even sang my daddy a lovely little birthday song with a candelabra as his candles! Thank you BdB!
(4)
Chris S.
Service was chill. Not the best. Chicken was flavorless. Bread seemed old. Only thing that saved it was the spaghetti with meat sauce. Pasta was on point. Overall I'd say way over priced food and over hyped by the big portions of food. Will not be coming back again.
(2)
Jen S.
Love the atmosphere and decor. Good food and generous portions. Nice selection of wine by the bottle.
(4)
Season G.
I'm pregnant, needed pasta, nuff said. A grrlfriend and I stopped in for lunch today. Yummy lasagna, great lunch deals, but really I gotta gush about our server... Dana, a big beautiful bald man with great facial hair. He was super attentive but not up our assess. He checked in with us often but realized we were catching up and wasn't cutting us off. Friendly, funny, and professional...great service deserves 5 stars too y'all!
(5)
Catherine P.
The food here is more for groups. It's a family style dinner so if you go with just 2 people for a date or something you're going to have too much food and it will be expensive. If you have a lot of people it would be worth it though. The food is alright. It's always made fresh, but it lacks love or something. The flavor is just not there. Some things are good and some things are mediocre. They don't have consistency. I feel like they're trying to be a really authentic Italian style restaurant, but first if all they don't serve authentic Italian food. They just serve huge portions of under-seasoned spaghetti and lasagna. They would definitely need to update their menu before I would go back. If they started to serve things I couldn't make myself at home I would feel more compelled to come back.
(2)
Fanny K.
Came here with my boyfriend for lunch on Tuesday, December 9th, had the best server! Adorable personality. Food: small chicken rigatoni. Pasta was a little hard but tasted great all the same. (: portion size was enough to feed the both of us. I also loved the complementary bread with vinegar and olive oil dip! Enjoyed my experience here, will come again!
(5)
Annie C.
Came here on a Sunday at around 12:45 pm and there was a 5-10 minute wait. Not so bad. We ordered the pasta with the chicken and pesto cream sauce (sorry forgot the name) and it was okay. Not bad but I got tired of it really quick. The bread came out at the same time as the pasta (which I thought was a little weird because aren't we supposed to have the bread first while waiting for the food?). We spent a lot of time waiting for first the to go box and then the bill. I honestly think we spent more time waiting than actually eating. Taking two stars off because food was okay and service was kinda off
(3)
Elian C.
Came here with my family tonight. Have been a few times already and every time is a very pleasant experience. The service is good and the decor is interesting in the best way possible, totally enjoy looking at all the interesting pics and art on the walls. Love the whole family style dinning we order a few things and we all dig in. Tonight we got Spicy Chicken Rigatoni witch had just the right amount of heat and one of our favorites Fettuccine Alfredo, also the salad and bread is always awesome. Everything was scrumptious and hit the spot just right like always.
(5)
Hong H.
I usually get the Chicken Carbonera (super thick sauce) with a side order of cheesy garlic bread. My girl friend gets the Meatball Spaghetti. Stuffed mushrooms were good, but I don't think I'll get them again. Sharing portions for one small plate if you're on a date. The larger size is for family size obviously. I couldn't even finished my own food let alone my girlfriends spaghetti.
(4)
Ryan R.
If you're looking to escape the typical disappointment of Olive Garden and have a large party, this is a great place to come. Atmosphere: No frills, fun stuff on the wall type of place but of course more classy than a TGIF. If it's you're first time there ask for a tour of the kitchen which they'll gladly do if they're not completely in the weeds busy. This has the feel of a small genuine Italian eatery in a much larger space. They have a lovely bar with nothing out of the ordinary, small down stairs bar seating area and a large upstairs dining room. The Food: I can't speak for the entire menu yet but will be looking for excuses to go back. The Baked Ziti is some of the best I've had. It was a perfect combination of savory tomato with creamy ricotta cheese. . .absolutely heavenly. The chicken Marsala was a little on the sweet side for my taste but delicious nonetheless and those rosemary potatoes. . .that ladies and gentleman is what dreams are made of. The chicken parmesean and spaghetti were fairly typical but delicious. I would like to try many other things on the menu, but I gotta start with the basics first. One thing I will most certainly be back for will be the veal saltimboca. I haven't had a good one in years and if the food I've had so far is any indicator, I'm sure it will be amazing. The Service: By the book service with very professional attitudes, friendliness, and a hint of individual personalities. Every one I had interactions with were courteous and professional and seemed to have a decent sense of humor. All in all it makes for a fun experience. Verdict: I like this place, the food is not over the top or grandiose but it is delicious and fresh it tastes authentically homemade. You won't find any surprises here and everything about it was probably modeled in mid-west america for the lowest common denominator. However, it is good and will not serve you a plate of disappointment.
(4)
Christine L.
The restraunt is decorated in so many crazy frames and pictures. More Greek & Roman paintings. The service was amazing. The kindest people in the world. The reason I give only 3 stars however is because of the price and food. The price, it's a bit expensive tbh. This restraunt is family style which means everything is meant to be shared. The portion size is a lot bigger. But I got a chicken carbonara, and a baked ziti. They were delicious but I've tried similar dishes in other restraunts for way cheaper. I wouldn't come back here because I know I can get the same food in other places for a lot cheaper.
(3)
Calvary D.
Always sign up for newsletter or online club. Periodically they send you $10 coupon. Chicken marsala is not that bad.plump fresh sliced mushroom and sauce is more on sweet side.
(3)
Marcum K.
Ate here after a long day at the mall and was really excited to show my husband how authentic the place is, as he had never been there before. Disappointed to say the least, wasn't told about the bread and oil they brought to the table until after we were done with our meal. Waitress brought another tables dirty dishes to our table when checking on us the 1 time that she did. Food took over 30 minutes and we only ordered 1 pasta dish. Waitress didn't refill our drinks until after dinner was over. The service was disappointing and the food was mediocre.
(2)
Shannon M.
After this review was posted and I did the online survey, I was contacted almost immediately (next day by management) and was able to let them know about our experience. I had been to this location several times so I was able to speak honestly about my last experiences there that were positive. Gregg was very kind and listened and was very apologetic. I was very impressed at how serious they took this. I told Gregg next time I'm in town we will try them out again.
(4)
Dee D.
Came here last night with the boo it was a really last minute decision between KBBQ and this place (shoulda went with KBBQ). First off, the short-haired-blonde hostess was terrible. Before I had even stepped foot into the restaurant we locked eyes through the window and she immediately rolled her eyes WOW. I thought whatever maybe she got something stuck in her eyes (giving her the benefit of the doubt). When she half-assed greeted us and asked how many and which name to put down I said my bf's name and then she gave a quick hard breath and enlarged her eyes. Really?! She was so lucky she was working I would've thrown a fork at her head. When she called my bf's name she didn't even wait for us she just proceeded to walk to the table! Didn't look at us once- didn't make a single peep just grabbed the extra place settings and walked off. My bf and I have both worked in the restaurant industry as host/ hostess. We know the drill and she was rude from beginning to end. Our waiter, Nick (Matt Dillon/ Ethan Hawke lookalike), was awesome! He was sooo sweet and really took care of us. He came to check on us frequently and even carried a conversation with us about things other than the food, which was fun. The food was really good. We got the Artichoke Florentine Dip, Proscuitto Stuffed Chicken, and the Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. Everything was hot, soft, and full of flavor. 3 stars for Nick and the food -2 stars for the hostess
(3)
Larry F.
Average food. Had to order dishes for 2 or 4. Luckily, girlfriend and I share a lot. Started with calamari appetizer. A little heavy on breeding. Definitely overpriced at $15 for two. No larger serving than anyplace else. Most places are around $10. Then we shared the linguini frutti di mare. I'd give it a 6. Lot of clams. Small shrimp and a few mussels. Lots of noodles. Sauce was a little thin. Good flavor. $25 is about what I'd spend for this dish at a fine Italian restaurant. Peroni beer on tap was a plus . $7.50 for a 22 oz. glass was reasonable , but second one was $5.75 for 12 oz, gf's sangria was good. She printed a coupon for $10 off which she received today, but it expired yesterday and they refused it. Would I go back? Maybe with a group that included kids.
(2)
Eric N.
Buca di Beppo, fun name to say. I went here with my family and it was well played. The food tasted fresh and the environment was very modern Italy. The only reason I was giving this place a 3 is because everything was Family sized. We all wanted different things, but the family size was to big and overly priced. So we all had to compromise on 1 appetizer and 2 plates of food. (Spaghetti and meatball/ Chicken Alfredo). The food was well prepared and brought freshness towards every bite. The service was okay though, host was polite, but didn't seem so happy as we walked, same towards the waiter (polite, but not so happy). Come on, Lighten up the room a little with a smile! Food 4 and service 3
(3)
James G.
I went here talking this girl on my first date! The food was absolutely amazing! Customer service was a little over our average! Everybody is really nice and funny and joking about How I had taken here on her first date!!!:) coming back as always:)
(5)
D R.
We specifically come to this location because Dana Morris provides the best service and hospitality you could ask for Ask for his section.. You will not regret it
(5)
Christina P.
Bucca de Beppo is great for large parties. We had my dad's 70th birthday party there with all of our family and the service was great and so was the food. They have a friendly atmosphere and good prices. Oh yeah, they are kid friendly too.
(4)
Heather A.
My boyfriend and I decided to do take out for Valentine's Day. We preordered our food the day before to make sure we didn't have to wait too long for it. When we arrived at Buca all 15 "to go" spaces were taken, although when we got inside were 2 people waiting for food. So the first issue is that they need to enforce their parking because it is horribly inconvenient. The worst part of it was I ordered Penne San Remo, the chicken was so unbelievably dry! Including my bf's entree we paid $47 dollars for ultimately a box of boiled penne pasta. I was so disappointed. This place is so expensive, I had been looking forward to it all week. What a let down. The customer service leaves something to be desired. I will definitely never ever come back here again. Cheesecake Factory is less expensive and on another level. They actually care about their customers. Peace out Buca di Crappo.
(1)
Heather N.
After I wrote my review, I received a phone call right away from the Divisional VP, Sven. He is kind and has a great sense of humor! He also apologized profusely about my Buca experience and gave me a gift certificate to come back. My family and I decided to try another Buca and had a much better experience. It's nice to see that the company really does care about its customers having a good dining experience.
(3)
Laurie C.
We came here tonight because we had a Groupon and it was our first time. Food was pretty good but the service was not. The basis for our dissatisfaction is that we were never offered bread with our meal when it seemed that all of the other customers had bread on their table. We asked for some and once it was brought to us, we were basically done with our meal. She offered us butter and oil & vinegar with it and brought the butter packets and tossed them in the basket. I guess she must still be looking for the oil & vinegar since we never got it. Needless to say, we never even bothered eating our bread. You might want to put in a little more effort to make a better first impression.
(2)
Liz W.
Came for lunch with my mom. Our server/ bartender was great and it was so nice to have the general manager drop what he was doing to lend a hand. Awesome staff. Great food!!!
(5)
Abbe W.
I have dined at other location of Buca di Beppo just never thought it was spectacular. The only thing that I really enjoyed was the cheese bread but it could be because I was overly hungry so a hot bread was like the most delicious thing ever. Overall, the food was not good at all. Their marinara sauce was pretty spicy and basically that was it, just spicy and it's pretty bland. We had following: Appetizers: cheese bread - pretty good but maybe I was overly hungry calamari fritti - the sauce was spicy. Main course: Lasagna - tasteless Quattro al Forno - the pasta was a bit dried, not enough sauce and the sauce was spicy. Linguine Fruitti Di Mare - was ok, again the sauce was a bit bland. We were celebrating my friends' birthday and was glad that they gave us a complimentary postcard of many pictures but each of the pictures is $11 each, but it comes with a nice cover. Overall, my husband and I weren't impressed with the food at all. Portion wasn't as big and overall, we thought it cost more than Maggiano's family style, which was basically unlimited.
(3)
LuCy t.
What happened Bucca???? You used to be so good and now you reek of cheap... frozen small shrimp. Ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavlo which is one of their Bucca Favorites and was shocked to see that the dish came with small frozen shrimp instead of some nice large shrimp that you would expect when you order a dish where shrimp is the star ingredient. Instead, we got a dish that was 90% pasta and 10% of dinky frozen shrimp. So disappointed... the pasta sauce actually tasted good but the lack of quality ingredients could not salvage nor justify the $25 price tag.
(2)
Karen G.
Went to a Buca di Beppo's a few years ago and never went back. Food did not impress me the first time around. We received a gift card for Christmas and for this reason ended up here. Appetizer was delicious! We got the calamari, stuffed mushrooms and fried mozzarella. For the main entree we got the baked chicken rigatoni. I was not impressed with this dish. I prefer my pasta on the softer side and this rigatoni was a bit on the firmer side. Husband was ok with the pasta and did not complain. Portions are huge!
(3)
Tina N.
Would have been 5 stars but our server lagged on everything he did for us. Such as take our order and give us our breadsticks. He would disappear for long periods of time leaving us hungry and impatient... Other than that food is delicious and portions were super huge. I came with a party of 4 and we order the chicken parmigiana and baked ziti. The baked ziti was so good. Pasta was al dente, the spicy sausage was on point and the marinara sauce brought the whole dish together. I recommend putting crush red pepper and cracked black pepper on this. As for the chicken, you have to eat it when it comes out otherwise the chicken will lose it's crunchiness from the sauce. We had plenty of leftovers .. So I would say if you have a party of 4 stick with the small portions of entrees and pastas.
(4)
Roger J.
Bucca de Beppo doesn't care about their customers. I was enjoying some delicious hazel nut cheesecake right up until the point I broke my tooth. What followed was a lot of pain and big dentist bills. My dentist said Bucca should pay. I had contacted the manager on duty right when it happened. He basically just gave me a corp contact. What followed was me chasing my tail for 8 months with the run around Bucca and their legal staff gave me. Bucca blamed Sysco, Sysco blamed Azar Nut, Azar Nut blamed Bucca and so forth and so on and on and on and on. My advice? Don't go to Bucca if you slip and fall, or anything at all their crack team of lawyers will send you into the Twighlight Zone.
(1)
Gracy L.
I hadn't been to this restaurant in about 10 years because it just seemed like average quality food. I went with a group of people who brought wine they had previously purchased from this location. They still charged a corking fee even tho it was THE HOUSE WINE which I thought was a little odd. The food as I remembered wasn't over the top good, it was just so so. The pictures and ambience was fun. It'll probably be another 10 years before I come back only because there are so many other quality authentic Italian restaurants in the area that I think are better.
(3)
Selena R.
The best service. Dana was incredible made me feel welcome. Made me laugh I truly enjoyed my time here at buca. The short cubby bald man is has the best service ever. If you ever go to Buca during the week sit in the bar and Dana will give you the service of a lifetime!!!!!!!
(5)
Linda L.
Horrible service, horrible food. Bread, no bread plates, apps, no plates ...salad... You guessed it no plates...food runner seem to busy to even out the food in front of us... Waitress never checked on our order ( that was wrong!) besides being wrong it was cold... Horrible food, horrible service ... Will NEVER go back.
(1)
Christina E.
The food here is good. The setting is relaxing. It does get noisy. Just check your utensils to make sure it's actually clean.
(3)
Monica P.
We had a wonderful birthday dinner here. they let us bring our own cake. They sliced and served it for us at no additional cost. our server Jamie was delightful. We definitely will be back soon.
(4)
Christin H.
Service was poor and the ambiance was less than charming. Food was good. But I just love food...
(2)
Ji T.
excellently average service great for groups and big parties, takes rsvp if you want a family style italian food, i'd say maggiano's over this place hands down...the only saving grace was the food, which was 4stars worthy except the lack of attention during service was 2stars so avg is 3stars
(3)
Barry h.
The food was inedible plain and simple. Will never be back. 1 star for the good service.
This place is amazing. I love eating here all the time. usually bring my family with me :} great portions for groups as well.
(3)
SL W.
Had a unpleasant night here. Came here for dinner today as my husband like their pasta. This is not our first time to Buca but this is the first we come to this location. The server was ok at first but she only talked to us twice which was taking our order and asking if we are done. No bread was served, didn't help us to change to pasta plates, never checking with us if we are doing ok. She has been walking around back and ford talking to other customers. Checking with them if they are doing ok, need any refill, offer to change to pasta plates when pasta is served. It is too obvious that I can't ignore that we have been treated differently or not being welcomed. She passed by our table many times since all the tables she served were at the same row. If she is really busy, I can totally understand but the table behind us receiving diff kind of service. No eye contact with us even I was trying to look at her. Totally ruin our day. At first my husband and I were thinking just pay the bill and walk away and never come back. But at the end I decided pay but talk to the manager there to let him know how we felt. He was sincerely accepting our feedback and apologized for the customer service we received which I really appreciated. He keep on telling us that they treat everyone equally and agreed that we had bad customer service today. He insisted to take care the bill even we said it is not needed as we are not here to ask for free food or discount. I can't said she has bad waitress skill, because I can tell she was friendly and attentive to others :( no sure why... Maybe just because we r Asian? Maybe we just ordered one pasta and one appetizer? Totally no clue...
(2)
Stephanie D.
Customer service is great. The waitress was helpful and had a smile on her face. However, once I saw the prices for the food being served, we wanted to leave. The food was bland- we had ordered a chicken carbonara to share. The dish had no flavor at all. We had that plus 2 kids meals and 2 drinks. All for $63.00 I think the food is over-priced. Not a fan and not returning.
(2)
Liz M.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is the length of time it took my food to arrive. My waiter, Dana, was delightful and efficient, and the food and ambiance were terrific. Go upstairs and catch the Dana Show! He is a doll!
(4)
Bosun O.
Came here for lunch. I was assisted by the bartender. His name was Dana. Not only was his mustache the most incredible I've seen in my 24 years...But his service was the most pleasant ever!
(5)
Carolyn H.
Had a great experience with using Buca for catering for dinner at the office this week. I called and spoke to Jocelyn on their sales team and she was able to get everything priced out for me very quickly. I tend to get a little stressed out about having enough food (and staying within budget) so I asked for some ideas and she was able to answer most of my questions. The only thing I would suggest is that she could have been slightly better about entree suggestions...I don't eat pasta myself, and I like to know what their best sellers are so that hopefully I am making everyone happy with something they enjoy eating. The cookies and brownies that I ordered with the meal were SO good. They tasted freshly baked and they were soft and gooey.
(4)
Christina L.
Great lunch specials. I'll get the Antipasto Salad w Chicken or Penne Rosa w Chicken and for under $12 (food plus $2 for chicken + tax/tip) the food will last me 3 days. Thanks goodness for a fridge in the break room! Oh, you get bread too, don't forget to ask for butter! I am a takeout regular here and I gotta say that service has always been friendly and the food is always tasty. My latest discovery there? Chicken Cannelloni. Chicken and Cheese stuffed in Spinach manicotti with a freaking fantastic Rosa sauce. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
(4)
Omar L.
I know this is a chain or whatever but I think this place is way better than many out there. I've been noticing a lot of consistency on the plates too and I love knowing that I'll be getting the same portion all the time. Staff is always super friendly.
(5)
Jane N.
Buca di Beppo....this place is a hit or miss with their service and food. I got the spaghetti with meatball as usual and a rigatoni dish. The meatballs were very flavorful as expected and the sauce was pretty good but the rigatoni dish was a big fail. There was barely any sauce, very bland, overloaded with cheese.. it was just not tasty at all. Our server/bartender was slow as a snail..the whole experience was not very memorable. I don't think I will be going back to this location.
(2)
Kelvin C.
I think the euphoric feelings I used to have for this place are now dead. As a kid, my parents always took me to a Buca chain and I ate until my stomach was about to explode. I remember the good food, the good times, and awesome service. I guess times have changed for big chain restaurants, especially Buca. The food has become increasingly expensive and also tastes like crap. $20 for a bowl of crap is not my ideal meal. If you've ever heard quantity over quality, this place is the epitome of that. $20 - Frutti De Mari - one of the WORSE pasta dishes I've ever had. Seafood was dry and the noodles were soggy. $22 - Chicken parm - Wasn't bad, but it sure is expensive. I only visited this place because they run quite a bit of promos and I happened to have a coupon for $20 off (must order at least 2 small entrees/pastas). The total bill after coupon was around $35 after tax and tip. RIP OFF.
(1)
Carolina N.
So four of us were here on a Monday night to celebrate my friend's birthday. Never had we EVER experienced such bad service at any Buca! It was very disappointing. Like I said, it was a Monday night, so it was VERY empty, and maybe that is why our drinks and our food took so long to get to us...because there were few chefs? MAYbe?? I see no reason for drinks to take so long to be delivered, and as for the food, we only ordered two dishes (one small, one large), and chicken on the side. The food, of course, was good, except for the side of chicken, which was very simple and cold. My friend took it home for her dog since everyone refused to eat it. We were here last year, and we were pretty excited about the free dessert they give to birthday people (especially since she received one the year before), but all they did was sing the song and bring the candles! Like, why. I thought it was a little ridiculous and kind of mocking even when, a while after the candles had been delivered, the server saw that she still hadn't blown them out and asked, "aren't you going to blow out the candles? make a wish!" I am thinking maybe the fact that we said we were not going to order a dessert sort of translated to "don't bring us any kind of dessert, even if it's complimentary and customary to do so at this restaurant." Julio was our server, and all he mentioned was the tipping, and he was even courteous enough to circle the tip percentages at the bottom of the bill to remind us what to tip, and after we paid, he mentioned how we hadn't tipped yet, etc etc. He didn't deserve a good tip to begin with, and his constant reminders only turned us off on tipping him the full amount. Was that wrong of us? I think NOT. Seriously, we should have looked at the 3 stars this place had and heeded the warning. But every previous experience at any Buca location had been only good things. I don't think we'll be coming back here again, and we'll probably opt to go to the (further) Brea location....but I just now looked up reviews for that one, and it seems all Buca locations have an average of 3 stars. So hmmm...
(2)
Karina G.
I am updating my review today because I had recently wrote a review and had given this place 2 stars. After receiving a phone call from someone from corporate about my experience and was sent a gift card inviting me to return on the house. Todays experience was honestly the best! Our servers name was Daniel and he was extremely friendly, fast and checked on us every 15min. He was nothing like our last server from our previous visit. Our food was amazing and came out so fast! This place has some of the best italian food out there! Im in love! Definitely will be returning and recommending it to friends and family.
(5)
Michelle B.
Had a great time with my birthday dinner here. Able to make reservation carefree for a party of 20. Which then turned into 30 people last minute. Thanks so much to the graceful staff and maneuvering to get us all seated together without a hassle. The food was good. Large family size portions. . Even a small could feed a party of 3. Food was great as always. Thanks to our waitress and waiters for making our celebration special. Only sad part didn't get to eat any of my bday cake didn't know celebration cake had coconut on the outside. I'm allergic hope everyone else enjoyed it
It was pretty good, not great, just pretty good. Sort of expensive for what you get though. We got a "family deal" with the coupon. Good thing my kids are only 10 and 12, because as it was, there was barely enough pasta for everyone. Sort of disappointed in the portions. : ( The salad was good, bread had a little too much garlic, and the cheese ravioli pasta was adequate. But only 20 pieces of ravioli? That's only 5 per person. Kind of skimpy on the portions I'd say. The service was fine, not great, not good, just fine. So average food, skimpy portions, mediocre service, and sort of expensive for what you get. No wonder they have to get business through coupons and mailers.
(3)
ReBecki P.
Great for big parties, reservations recommended, love the kitschy decor on the walls, and the staff are super friendly. Parking lot gets full because of the gym, so there is a parking structure available for a bit of a stroll. The appetizers bruschetta and calamari were excellent! The dipping sauce had a bit of a kick to it. Big pieces of mozzarella, for some reason my sister thought it looked and tasted like chicken. The Italian sodas were delicious, served in a large glass, I didn't know about the refills, but one glass was enough. So, bigger platter, less flavor? The large spaghetti and meatballs were bland and I didn't like how the meatball tasted. Too much filler of bread crumbs, not enough meat. We also had a large chicken carbonara, which was better, but had a weak Alfredo sauce.
(3)
Victoria R.
Food took about an hour to receive. When asked to speak to mgr., mgr. Dennis came over & explained appetizer would be comp'd. Explained to him that 2 other parties after us got their food & left. Also our waiter said our order was just placed. Mgr. Dennis proceed to say, " what more do you want me to do?".. like he was doing us a favor. We came to this Buca to celebrate a birthday & a friend of his that never been to a buca. Totally lousy experience. Never again to this buca.
(1)
Lupita H.
Love this place!!! Best lunch deals /menu ever! The food is SO good (anytime/always)!! Service is always great! Friendly staff! Try their 'Buca Blue' (21 and over) drink! Y-u-m-m-y!!! In all the times I've been here I've never had a bad experience! Will definitely be coming back!
(5)
Jenna R.
Was here about a month ago when we went to Disneyland with the new BF and his kids. Had the chicken carbonara a salad and oh yesss...the cheezy bread!!!... I actually prefer them over olive garden, great food, fast service and plenty to take home...great place!!! Keep up the good work.
(5)
L A.
Ordered Shrimp Diavolo to go. The penne was undercooked. I stood in the waiting area for 10 minutes before "Joanna" came out. She did not ask how long I had been there or apologize. The service is declining here with all the young employees and the prices keep going up.
(2)
Lena D.
We came here on a Saturday night (party of two people) around 7:30 PM for dinner. It wasn't that crowded in the waiting area, yet customer service was absolutely horrible from the hostesses. The hostess, a blonde girl with curly hair, was completely useless. We walked in and went up to the hostess and she said absolutely nothing to us. Not even a greeting or asking us for how many our party had. She just stared at us from the platform without saying a word. I asked her, "How long is the wait?" and she continued to not say anything and stare at us for about another 15 seconds and then she said "About 15 minutes." She then once again didn't say anything and just stared at us. I waited for another minute looking at her waiting for her to ask for my name so she could call us when we could be seated. She never said anything. I had to be the one to prompt her and ask her, "Excuse me? Don't you need a name for my party?" And then she replies, "Oh yeah, can I have a name?" COMPLETELY USELESS WOMAN. How can you be a hostess when you have no idea how to greet customers???? From the way she kept on staring at us and not saying anything I thought she might be high. Once we were seated though, our waiter was much better and quite attentive. As far as the food goes, we ordered Penne a la Vodka, calamari, and a dessert. The calamari was quite good; it was lightly battered and very crispy. The pasta was also quite delicious, cooked just right to al dente. I was overall satisfied with the food, but in all honestly the only reason I came here is because I had a giftcard from Christmas which I had never used. Since it is family style, portions are huge, which in turn means prices are high. The bill came close to $65 including tax and tip, which I would never pay for completely out of my pocket. Having said that, I would not come back here again unless somebody gave me a giftcard.
(3)
Josh J.
This place was amazing!!! The hostess was very friendly and walked us to our table. Within a few seconds, the waiter stopped by and asked if we were here for a special occasion. We told him no and he proceeded to take our drinks and food order. He was very friendly and offered recommendation. He made us feel very welcome and it felt like we were fine dining at a $$$$. :) The food was amazing as well. The portion was huge which we ordered just one and shared. We ordered the Linguine Frutti di Mare. Absolutely delicious. I will definitely come back here again.
(5)
brian m.
I've been to a handful of Bucas and this one was definitely not one of the better ones. We had a group of six adults and two babies but we were seated in a small table. Please note that we had made a reservation in advance and we were not satisfied with our seats since it was very uncomfortable for all of us. We requested multiple times to be seated in a larger table and they finally moved us to a slightly larger table (why couldn't they have done it earlier?). And then they said they have a big group coming in so wanted us to move us to another room with a larger table. We didn't appreciate their attitude and the lack of sincerity. Dining was okay and the dishes were decent. The bill seemed a little expensive for what it is. We probably won't be back here, so adios...
(2)
Lauren B.
I received a gift card to Buca di Beppo so that was the only reason we went here. We had their mixed green salad which has a deceiving name because they just use romaine. The salad was just alright, but for 12.99 I expected more flavor and ingredients. We shared a small eggplant Parmesan for $19.99. I was pleasantly surprised that the dish wasn't soaking in oil. The eggplant was sliced thinly, lightly battered, and fried perfectly. The service was pretty good despite the fact that we ordered a small wine and he brought the large and we didn't know until we got the check. However, I don't think I would go back just for the eggplant dish.
(3)
Krystle G.
The ambiance and the overwhelming feeling of family is felt right when you enter the restaurant. Which is really nice, but the food was bland. However, our waitress was really nice and attentive for a party of 16.
Delicious food, awesome service!!! You have to sit in the bar area and ask for Dana! He kept us laughing throughout the meal. Really great time! Thanks Dana.
(5)
Sandra H.
I come here often and I'm always greeted with a big smile. The staff is really friendly and the food is good and cheap. It's family style so you can share with more people and split the bill. I really like their spicy chicken rigatoni and recommend it. I dont give it full stars because its not a wow place its decent for what you pay
(3)
Melanie N.
Fantastic food and service. Dana was a wonderful server and made a great impression. There was enough food to last us days but we managed to save room for the brownie sundae. The place was loud and busy so be sure to make a reservation. If it is your first time there they take you on a tour of the kitchen. Be sure to come hungry and expect the most energetic and fun staff.
(5)
Matt E.
I love Italian Food. That being said, this place screams Italian! The food, the ambiance, the pictures on the walls. The only thing missing is your mother telling you that you're too skinny and you need to eat more. The portions are perfect for sharing with everyone and the food just tastes terrific. I love to Buca!
(5)
Gage S.
We were given a quick tour and history of the resturant by a friendly hostess. There was no wait. Food came quickly. Decent prices. Ridiculous portions, i had lunch for the week from the leftovers. I got the spicy/buffalo chicken pasta. It was delicious. Awseome service and we got our picture taken for some good memories. Love it. It was my first time at this chain and i would recommend it to anyone.
(5)
Antoinette B.
The food was great. I love the family style portions. Our server was polite and attentive. I will definitely be back!
(5)
Brooke B.
Never coming here to celebrate a birthday again. Guess they changed their policy and don't offer complimentary dessert. We ordered the dessert anyway, our server couldn't even rally anyone else to sing, she brings the candles over and points to where the song is on the menu saying we can do it ourselves or sing the traditional bday song. Giving two stars for the food and ambiance. Pasta was ok, salad was great.
(2)
Jan S.
We are foodies.....and we love Buca....even though some people mark it rather low! We used to go to the Tustin restaurant before it closed. Went to Huntington Beach location last night (Christmas Eve). Arrived at 4:30PM to beat the rush. All tables/booths seem private in these restaurants which is nice. Our server was great.....very attentive.....and when we requested not have our courses rushed.......he accomodated us. Food was delicious..... and plentiful. Chicken Saltimbucca, Chicken w/ Prosciutto, and spaghetti with sauce as a side....along with a chopped salad, and Bruschetta. We're originally from Chicago.....so we think we know Italian foods pretty well. Overall delightful experience.
(5)
Crystal T.
Everything was exceptional, I need to remember to remember my servers names. But it was pretty slow when I came in, our server was a really nice guy! We (my family),got the stuffed shells (which was the favorite), spicy chicken rigatoni, and the fettuccine supremo. We also bought the mozzarella garlic bread which was decent.
(5)
stephanie f.
My friend and I came here on Friday afternoon. They sat us at the bar, why I don;'t know. Server was excellent. Food okay. New menus with higher prices (to be expeced). This used to be my favorite place to eat. The food was okay, not like before. It appeared to be microwaved, the pasta was dry like when you microwave it and the other pasta dish was kind of runny. Spent a lot of money on 2 dishes that were just okay. Should have gone to Spaghetti Factory like our original plan or Olive Garden. Will not go back.
(3)
Night P.
I wonder why they are advertising through Groupon. Maybe they are going under...? Maybe new Mgmnt.? Doesn't matter, we prob will not return for a long while. The place tends to stay with you, if you know what I mean. In the memory, in the bowels, in your dreams....or nightmares. Ok, it's not that bad, but forgettable? Yes. Even with a Groupon. Weird, but after we said we only wanted water to drink the server's mood seemed to change, there was a strange hesitation- and that was a different server. We usually have just water with our meals. Wifey and I had seafood linguini, and spaghetti for the kids. Spaghetti wasn't too bad, but it was under flavored as was the linguini -but I did change the sauce to a Rosa Vodka sauce (that should have gone very well with that dish, try it at Rosti). So partly my fault? Not the lack of flavor, but trying to be fair here. There was also one dead Mussel (unopened shell) in the linguini and not all the shells had mussels in them. The clams were minced, definitely not fresh. When our server thought it was OK to wipe her finger across a small salad plate to get a black speck off, (and the plate was dirty anyway) I looked from the plate to her and then she said oh maybe I should replace that... yep, you should. The rest of the meal had me salting my food, we didn't get bread till our salad came, and the Ceasar salad was good BTW, and the regular server seemed to lose interest in us after the bread. Later, she gave us the check without asking if we wanted anything else, like she wanted to rent our table out, and for once Wifey really wanted some dessert (Tiramisu). Go figure. I tried to order some, but Wifey insisted we just pay and go. Thought I would give some feedback to the Mgr. on our way out. She was shocked about the swipe on the plate and the lack of care for our wanting anything else, said please wait, and came back with a monster sized Tiramisu to go, and made us take it. So, 1 Star for the service, 3 for the food, and applause for the efforts of the Mgr.
(3)
Robert R.
Great service on a Friday night. Ari did such a great job serving us and managing all her other guests. Thanks for such an awesome experience!
(4)
John N.
Basic service, basic food quality, prices reasonable for larger portions for larger groups. Works for me. WHY COME TO BUCA: 1. Good for large groups and hosting small parties. 2. American friendly pasta dishes and varieties. 3. Nice decor and environment. WHY NOT COME TO BUCA: 1. If you are craving high quality Italian food. 2. If you are on a tighter budget. 3. If the idea of being original on a first date involves eating spaghetti at a franchise. Overall, A-OK.
(3)
Patricia S.
I wanted to give no star at all! First I made a reservation on line and when I got there it took them a while to see my reservation. There were not much people to be confused. Our order took 40 minutes to come out. And as I mentioned earlier! They were slow. We were celebrating my brother's birthday and nothing was special! Not even a whipped cream with a candle to blow. Our server Julio was not attentive at all. Very traumatic experience! Probably the last time I will be eating at that place. Not worth it to dine in this place. The baked ziti was dry. Just a big sigh that I wasted our money here and our time and the celebration that should have been better.
(1)
Sitha I.
So I haven't explore the Italian cuisine in Orange County that much. But for a franchise Buca di Beppo really works for me. Besides, its very convenient to where I work. I do hate the fact that all their portions are family style so trying to figure out if you ordered enough food for your party gets challenging. So far I love everything I've tried apple salad, greek salad, veal parm, penne, chicken marsala (and I dont even like chicken marsala), best thing: Spaghetti and meatballs - the meatballs are huge and filled with lots of garlic. That's what I love the most. When I order to go, I don't get enough marinara sauce on my pasta but when I dine-in its just perfect.
(4)
Allison Z.
The service was OUTSTANDING!!!! Got there for a lunch meeting Friday afternoon and sat in the bar. Dana took care of us and was AWESOME!!!! He has a fantastic personality and delivers the best service I have had in YEARS!!! It was by accident that we ended up at Buca di Beppo, but it won't be an accident again! I didn't know this restaurant had a bar, but most importantly, I didn't know it had DANA!!! He is HANDS DOWN the BEST bartender I have come across and I will definitely be headed back with friends in the future!!! I was really impressed and would highly recommend this place for top-notch service to anyone!!!!
(5)
Steve H.
Buca di Beppo--an Italian restaurant of giant portions, extensive dishes, schlocky design, and top-heavy prices. B d B's environment could be described as guady, Italian, and papal. Not to say that is bad. While you're waiting for your garlic bread to arrive, you can observe the lineage of a variety of popes, movies & music stars, as well as Italianos engaging in various activities. Statues, paintings, and kitsches cover the walls, ceilings and tables. Now to the food. Our family always focuses on their spaghetti, salad, and breads. Believe me, the portions are so large that when the cardinals are choosing a new pope about two or three servings of each would cover the appetites of those involved. The salad has a wonderful dressing, the pasta is good (sometimes a bit dry) but the bread is just average (took so long to serve it.) Had a wonderful brownie ice cream sundae for dessert that they cut in half because we didn't want the large portion they offered. Our waitress, Cindi, was very nice and attentive. But it did take a bit long for the bread and main dishes to be served (not her fault). For pasta, salad, bread, one cup of coffee, and a small dessert we paid almost $50.00 (if we made them at home, it would have cost no more than $10.00.) All-in-all, B d B get a B+ for food, service and environment.
(4)
Amy F.
My kids love this place. We seem to celebrate every milestone there with them. They love to sit in the kitchen and every time they are treated like Bucca royalty . Dennis (manager) is always so great bringing them pizza dough and stopping to chat with them. Huge portions, foods always consistent, great place to take kids.
(5)
Danielle D.
Great customer service and got to customize the sandwich just how I wanted it. I even got a sample of the bread with the "secret sauce" to make sure I liked it. Definitely going to be returning to this place again soon
(4)
Tracie L.
So it was my little sister's bday and her choice for dinner was Buca. I was trying so hard to make her change her mind because I HATE pasta (everyone knows i'm anti-carb). Thankfully I was able to look at their menu online beforehand and found that they serve chicken/meat dishes w/out pasta! As we arrived the hostess greeted our family and I let them know it was my little sister's bday. I was hopin we'd get the King's Table, but someone already took it. It's pretty cute here for special occasions like bdays/weddings/anniversaries/etc. They will place a sign on your table saying it's your bday/etc. They start you off w/ regular bread and oil/vinegar. The bread was bland and not yummy like the ones at cheesecake factory! Mixed green salad - Supposedly it's their specialty, but it was just average for me. Way too expensive for a salad, I'd rather go get those packaged ones at Albertson's. My parents didn't like the dressing either. Chicken Saltimbocca - I ordered this and substituted the lemon butter sauce for marinara. Also this dish comes w/ mozzarella cheese, but I ordered it to be put on the side which ended up being better. I'd say 4/5 for this chicken dish. It wasn't dry and I loved the artichokes/red peppers that came with it. My parents enjoyed this dish as well. We actually mixed some of this w/ the spaghetti and it tasted bomb! Spaghetti with Meatballs - We HAD to order this 'cause people rave about their giant meatballs all the time. The dish came and I was expecting to get my protein on by eating the meatballs, but it only comes w/ 2 big meatballs :( It's a big bowl of spaghetti and the Marinara sauce was good, but I feel like I can just make this at home. Nothing too special. The meatballs however did taste very fresh and everyone enjoyed it. and now the best for last.....DESSERT!! Since it was my sister's bday she got a free dessert. It was the colossal brownie sundae and omg it was probably the highlight of the dinner. The servers bring it out and sing their version of happy birthday which was cute. The brownie was soft, warm, ooey and gooey just the way I like it. It was a big slice and we shared it with the family (5 people total) and couldn't finish it. The ice cream was really good and everything was fresh yum! Overall, great service, but pricey average food.
(3)
Mike W.
It started off bad when we "interrupted" the person at the front. It wasn't even busy! Then we were seated in the booth next to the family of eight with screaming kids...asked to move, and then were seated across from a burping and swearing bunch of trash. Then it got bad when our server was overwhelmed and the host took the order.spread some quick oil and too much balsamic vinegar on a plate. Then we were served the..wrong pizza....no refills....overwhelmed server, which we were reminded of throughout our meal...Service was terrible food was okay, but the service was terrible and isn't that what we pay for. Never going back.
(1)
Sabrina D.
celebrated my birthday here wit a group of friends laat year & everything went great so I decided to come back again this year. BOY WAS THAT A MISTAKE. I called to make reservations for a party of 15 at 7 about 4-5 days ahead, they called me back twice to confirm. well when my friends and I got there we werent seated 'till 7:45-7:50 WHEN I MADE SERVATIONS DAYS AHEAD. this didnt happen last year, our table was ready right on time last year so I was taken back. everytime we asked they would say "we're cleaning your table." it takes u 45-50 min to clean a table? they kept saying 5 min, but we ended up waiting for 45-50min. I wouldnt mind waiting that long if I just walked in with a big group, BUT I MADE RESERVATIONS AHEAD. & they couldn't even be forward with how long we really had to wait. I give it 2 stars bc our server was great, & the food came out quite fast. OH! & last year they gave me a small slice of brownie w/ ice cream and a candle but this year they just brought a stand w/ 5 candles on it... DOWNGRADE MUCH? I most deff wont be celebrating my birthday next year here... smh
(2)
Charles W.
Great Family fun restaurant and great food. Large portions and lots of flavor. Great pictures on the wall with great Italian themes. Desert is not as good as I wish it would be but the drinks and food are wonderful.
(5)
Ann G.
I ve been to Buca many times. This time its okay. The garlic bread was overcooked and dry. The fried calamary was also overcooked, its a good thing it's not too rubbery. baked ziti was dry and its more like dry ziti dish rather there than baked ziti with cheese. spaghetti meatballs needed more sauce and Matt obligedly gave us a bowl of marinara sauce to make it more tasty .and the only good thing was the lasagna it came out perfect and yummy . Our server Matt was awesome. so overall its okay
(3)
Josie T.
Dennis (the Manager), Jaynee and Tayler took extra care with our group (4o) celebrating for our Couples' Valentine's gathering. Dennis took time to customize it to our needs needing space for photographs. Both Jaynee and Tayler were very attentive to ALL of our needs. When anyone needed anything, they were there and delivering. Excellent customer service and we will certainly recommend Bucca again because of them. Food was the icing on the cake of 'course. Fit to what we expected and more! Price was packaged well to fit our budget with Katie too. Thank you for a great experience and we shall return!!!
(4)
Marilou A.
Went on a Sunday evening after a day at the beach. Got seated right away for a party of 12. Nice, clean, and spacious bathrooms. Great place for a big group including kids. Even better with the 20 percent off coupon that comes in the weekly mail. Atmosphere is quite eccentric but adds charm. We ordered the Mozarella garlic bread, antipasto salad, pizza, San Remo, and the chicken and sausage penne. Everything tasted great. Servings were good and my family left satisfied. We will be back.
(4)
Anthony B.
They give you so much food. Everything tastes straight forward. You will need a doggy bag.
(3)
Nicky C.
Visited: Sunday December 1 with 2 bros, dad and the bf We came here for my littlest bros bday lunch/dinner. The decor inside really surprised me. I had never been to Buca's before. There were tons of things to look at it was so cool! including a few naked art pics which I wasnt expecting for a 'family' restaurant. Also, as we were walking to our seats I noticed there was a table in the kitchen! so cool. Id like to sit there one day. Ordering: I was not happy with the fact that everything is family style. I appreciate the idea but my family and I do not have the same tastes. and its hard for my bf and I to agree also. So this was a let down for me. I would like to order my own plate without paying $20! Price: everything is served family style 2 ways: 1. Small, feeds about 2 people = ~$20. 2. Large, feeds about 4 = ~$30-40 Food: My bf and I shared an order of Quattro Al Forno: cheese manicotti, chicken cannelloni, cheese ravioli and stuffed shells. I loved the manicotti and cannelloni. LOVED THOSE. The ravioli was ok (Maggiano's has the best ravioli hands down) and I didnt like the stuffed shell. I gave that to my bf. who loved everything. my dad and bro shared Spicy Chicken Rigatoni: They said it was good. I dont eat spicy so I didnt taste it. littlest bro: Vegetable Lasagna: he really liked it. I was too full to taste. He saved the other half and ate it for dinner later that night. The free bread is delicious!!!! so nice and soft!! All the staff was really nice and our picture guy was pretty funny. Pictures: They come around and take pictures with a professional (semi-pro, idk) camera. They switch you around and take different shots which I thought was really cool and unique. They then bring you a Buca post card with all your pictures on it and then each individual picture either in color, sepia or b&w. The postcard is free, each additional photo is $10. The additional pics come in a nice little black cardboard frame. My dad bought 5 for $40. A little pricey if you ask me but oh well. Overall: If your family can all agree on what to eat then no worries, If you cant then I would not suggest this place at all. There are no individual plates served. Service was great. Price is adequate for what you get and the atmosphere/experience. Good food.
(4)
Ali S.
I have eaten at this Buca a few times. When they sit us upstairs we get good service. When I get seated in the bar it sucks. The bar at lunch and dinner is the same. The servers are overloaded. They really need backup. The room is loud. Major sad face
(2)
Dustin B.
After a conversation with the manager my wife and I gave them another try. This time our experience was excellent. Food was as amazing as before, but the service and atmosphere changed for the best. Have to give some love to our waiter Julio he was absolutely amazing. Best service I've had in a long time.
(5)
Lauren H.
My first time going to this place was great, I didn't like the idea of sharing my food or figuring out what we wanted to share. Not my deal. The waiters/waitresses were great. And we even got pictures done and they were printed and everything by the time we left. It was definitely fun, I just don't like the idea of sharing food. But I did get a delicious peach Bellini! So refreshing!
(4)
Billy K.
This was less than a mediocre experience I will not repeat, our dinning parlor is adorned with pope memorbellia, both corney and eerily creepy. We had a large party and so this small room increased to sweltering, our voices echoing so its hard to even hear your neighbors. Neglectful service, taking longer than it should. The spaghetti was good the Alfredo was tastless. My white sangria drinks were amazing. Soon after our meal I wish to depart while the remainder of my party continues there merriment. I cant wait any longer for the waitress, I would simply like to pay my tab and leave, walked down stairs asked the hostess if I can pay my tab with her, she replied only my waitress can, ok I replied then please have the waitress close my tab. Apparently shes busy so I ask to speak to the manager, and again stated my request to pay my tab and leave, sorry only my waitress can!? Now im getting perturbed , I find my waitress she has the receipt I hand her my card and she goes upstairs to what i thought was to tender my tab, I got the hint when members of my party were walking down stairs to leave. So knowing my concern I was ignored, I had to track her down again to get my card and leave. I dont like to complain I really am an easy going guy yet I dont like being fucked with. I will never visit this restaurant nor would I suggest anyone else. despite the server being incompetent, I am more disappointed with management, this could have be resolved easily had she taken the time.
(1)
Really S.
wow i hadn't had food this good for years feels like a little italy trip in the mind and a friendly atmosphere with a homely touch love the photos and the well kept relics of golden times i can still feel the grand food wow i was so full from eating a samples of the 4 small sized meals the 2 of us and we still didn't finish all in our plate great selection of wine a treasure of a secret in huntington beach
(5)
Lisa C.
We went on Mother's Day this year since my mom was actually in town. I'd say the food is by far much better than any of those other chain places out there. Everything we ordered was very good, and it all seemed to come out pretty quickly considering there were 11 of us. The service was great and the food was yummy. The only bad thing that happened was that another party was very rude, but that is obviously not something that Buca is responsible for.
(4)
Michelle R.
I've been to many Buca's, and this one is just ok. The parking is a pain, and I had to park across the street at Bella Terra. I booked the kitchen for 6:30, and we were seated promptly. In most Buca's, the staff parades the food in front of you before taking it out to their tables. Only 1 waitstaff did that. We were ignored most of the time. I guess not too many people sit in the kitchen. One of the waitress was massaging her male counterpart's back and shoulder as they were waiting for the food. It was a bit awkward for my date and I, as we weren't sure if we should be watching that sort of (in)appropriate touching. Our silverware and plates had to be sent back, as they were not clean. Crusts of food particles were still on it. Food was good. Our waiter wasn't very attentive. Took our order, brought us bread, and disappeared til the check came. Maybe cuz we gave him the $10 off coupon our service went down?? My date was generous and still tipped 25% on the prediscount price... I thought our waiter deserved much less.
(3)
Jeff R.
Let's talk about Buca di Beppo. First off, WE MADE A RESERVATION and still took forever to be seated. So that was a little frustrating because we were very hungry. We finally were sat down at a pretty nice table and started looking at the menu. Our server was pretty good. You order in a family style servings of 2 people or 4 people. My wife and I ordered spaghetti and meatballs. It was delicious! we got 4lbs of pasta and 3 huge meatballs. A guy came around our table and took pictures of our group for free, so that was really nice. But unless I am with a group or it's a special occassion, I probably won't be coming back here. It's was too busy for my taste and if I am going to a bust place then BJ's or Chili's is perfect.
(3)
Sam R.
the service and wait times can be hit or miss, but I have never been disappointed with the menu. This is a great place to explore new Italian foods and try a new take and some that you're used to.
(4)
Laine H.
I placed an order last week for delivery today at work for a party. I was able to use a 15%off coupon online with my order. I am impressed by the customer service I experienced today. I requested an 11:15amdelivery, and it was delivered right on the dot. The delivery guy was so nice and had to make 2 trips to his car to deliver all the food and had a great attitude the whole time. The order was perfect. I will definitely be using this location for all future catering needs. The food was so good, everyone had nothing but good comments about today's lunch.
(5)
Christina G.
My first time eating here was today, The food portions are so large! small is enough for 2, I sat in the back inside the kitchen area who know you could even do that! I had an amazing time, probely one of the better tasting pastas and pizzas iv had in a while, food is priced average, took great pictures and will def return back. people were all very friendly! food was hot, and tasty. I was in good company and had an all around excellent experience here! Thanks BUCA.
(5)
James V.
So disappointed.... Took my 2 children to have great meal from the first order of drinks were wrong and it just snowballed from there major confusion wrong orders, excuses, sorries, what a joke never again will I go here food mediocre, service confused, excuses for bad service what a waste of 175.00 for 2 adults and 2 kids!!
(1)
Danielle A.
All you need to know is that this is the best Italian food in the west. I originally went in Salt Lake City and about died when I found out they were in Cali too. Do yourself a favor and order the penne arrabiata.
(5)
Dan H.
Any self respecting Yelpitarian will enthusiastically dismiss BDB as most chains deserve. Was invited here by a friend and her massive crew, otherwise known as family. I was looking forward to the visit and was relishing the thought of writing a scathing 1 or 2 star review. But BDB out does the Ra's, TGIF's, El Torito's etc with superior customer service. Its not cheap so they can attract restaurant vets with personality, as my recent visit confirmed. Waited at the bar for my friends and the btender was great. Friendly, funny, and acted more like a concierge than a btender. Pleasure doing business maam! Our first table stop was not gonna cut it, we started to complain but our hostess immediately picked up on our hesitation to try and squeeze in. She and multiple support troops smoothly moved us in prime Sat night crunch to accommodate our expanded party of 10. These ppl were waaaaay on top of it. Seriously, great CS ppl. The food is A-OK, overpriced, but the portions are huge. I liked the pizza the best of all that we tried. Not too thick crust, fresh liberally dosed ingredients. Not bad. Chicken Limone was worthy as well, nice and tangy. The bruschetta however was the most boring version ever. Bland bread as the vehicle for bland toppings. All I tasted was tomato, nothing else. Pass on this. The salads were A-Ok, would have been better with out the heavy handed dressing bath. Ok, this is a family place right? Then WTF is with all the penis and boobage pix every where (see my pix)? Not sure what to make of it..?? Sure, its food corporate style in a manufactured Disney kinda environment, but if you have a large posse that includes kids this is one of the better options out there. The kids had fun, the adults were happy with the A-OK food, the free flowing wine and the awesome service. No major complaints here, absolutely........A-OK.
(3)
Rayne L.
Dana is the best. He's funny, fast, and friendly. It was like having dinner with a comedian as our server :-D
(5)
Mark L.
Came by to reunite w/my 89 year old grandmother & disabled father whom suffers from Alzheimer's. At first the server was excellent, then he disappeared & our drinks (non alcoholic) were empty. We literally had to go search for people to help us. The expediter whom delivered our chow was in a big hurry & RUDE. The lasagna was almost lukewarm & when I asked the GM for a refill, my Icet was WAY too sweet. I hadn't seen my grandmother for years & this was our experience. As a culinary professional I cannot rationalize this. Terrible shame for a well known place like this.
(1)
Joe T.
Always come here when I gets the 10 off 20. This place brings back fond memories of high school proms tons of pictures on the wall and junky looking decor. All in all with the 10 off 20 deal I can't really complain. The food is decent and won't kill you. However, if you were paying full price I really think there are better options out there than this. I usually go with lasagna, big meatball, or spicy chicken rigatoni. Happy eats!
(3)
Kevin T.
Came here with a group of friends a couple of times, never got the chance to review this place. Food: the food here is superb. i like it all from the noodle/pasta to the desserts. Everything here is share-able and by that i mean the small feeds like 4 while the large feeds like 6-8. so don't expect to eat a small bowl by yourselves cause even i couldn't do that i have a huge appetite. I would recommend getting the appetizer combo plate, forgot the name. its pretty huge for what you pay for. All the pastas here are delectable. i enjoyed everyone of them even the spicy one and im not a spicy fan. Their pizzas here are pretty big too. all thin crust but super crunchy. The desserts are huge especially the colossal brownie. *its a bit on the pricey side but that's why i said that everything here is share-able so split it amongst your date or with friends* Service: the service here depends on how busy the place gets. If its super busy then the service is still good but there are times where you cant get their attention as quickly as you want but remember they are busy. other time when they aren't my god their service is excellent. very attentive. very nice. very helpful Location: the location is good the only thing that i don't like about where this place is at is that there is a 24 fitness right next to it so parking can get troublesome even if the parking spots are marked for the restaurant. Other than that its a good location. on the plus side its across the street from bella terra so its a walk/drive away from yogurt, movies, or books, and chocolates :D
(4)
Kelly C.
Really fun! We had a private room for a friend's birthday, I think it was the Pope room if I remember correctly. It's been a couple years. Great family style food. I'll likely go to their Irvine location because it's closer, but I'm sure any of their locations would be a great place to hit up.
(5)
Adrian G.
Great Food, Great Service, hefty portions.... I really have no complaints about this place. Specially considering Olive Garden had a 90+min wait for my party of 8, when Buca only made me wait 4min.
(5)
Isabel S.
Took Mom their yesterday for Mothers Day! She loooooved it! and Our waiter Richie was amazing!!!
(5)
Marlene M.
Excellent..love the kitchen table! Great food, great servers and great birthday celebration & song! Always leftovers for the next day!
(5)
Michelle M.
It came as a shock to my bf when I told him last weekend that I have never had Buca di Beppo. Well, that led him to placing me in the car and driving me straight to the restaurant later that night so that I can at least check it off my list of "restaurants to try". We arrived at around 9:30 pm on Sunday night and the place was quiet, parking was easy to find and there were still other diners in the restaurant leisurely eating their meal. We were brought to the second floor dining area and it was nice. AMBIANCE: Buca di Beppo feels very cozy and it is probably decorated so colorfully. Frank Sinatra and loyal customers' pictures lined the walls. Wine bottles were used as decoration for a portion of the ceiling we were sitting under. Tables were big and you can tell this would be a perfect spot for a party or a family dinner outing. QUALITY OF FOOD: Andrew D. and I eat. A LOT. Most restaurants we visit, we get some sort of comment from the waiter(s)/owner(s) of how much we are able to put away. So, portions here at Buca are family style which means that they come big! Prices will also match the quantity of food. We got a Spicy Chicken Rigatoni for I believe just under $19 and our Bruschetta appetizer came in at about $10- both dishes easily able to be shared by 2 people. Buca is where you go if you are crashing from your Atkins diet and need carbs STAT! Now, although the portions are huge, the taste quality is just okay. The pasta we got seemed a bit undercooked and was a bit hard to chew- the temperature of the pasta was also lukewarm...was it lying out somewhere? Bruschetta was also alright and I have definitely had better. It was just basically a whole half loaf of bread sprinkled with a bunch of cubed tomatoes and lacked flavor...definitely not worth the $10 we paid for it. SERVICE: *sigh* Service is what is knocking down this place another star. Although I know we arrived at around 9:30 pm (restaurant closes at 10pm), I did not get the warm fuzzy feeling that I was welcomed- don't list closing time at 10pm then! Also, we felt very rushed through our meal. It didn't help that our waiter could barely keep it together when checking up on us...exhausted from a long shift? anxious to get out? I don't know...but I don't need to know that you are "about 20 minutes from getting drunk"...Lovely (-_-). OVERALL: Meh...mediocore Italian food, but it is a big enough venue to entertain a party. Just don't think about coming in if they are about 30 mins to an hour to closing. Service is shakey.
(3)
Priscilla C.
I'm surprised the ratings aren't higher than they are! I went here on Valentines Day which was also my very first time at Buca. The wait wasn't long b/c we had decided to come for an early supper. We were led to the upstairs dining area which was fun for me :] Our server was nice and not too overbearing or chatty like the one that the other couple next to us had. Thank God. My honey ordered for the both of us bc I didn't know what was good here. We started off with the caesar salad which I really liked, but he didn't bc there weren't any anchovies in the salad. I didn't really like the bread with the oil&balsamic they gave us... the bread itself was good, but the olive oil was so bitter! No, I wasn't mistaking it for the balsamic, bc I dipped my bread in each separately to find out what was so bitter. (But I suppose it was for the best b/c I ALWAYS get full off of the bread they serve in the beginning, and Lord knows I need to cut down on carbs as much as possible!) We then had the small order of Linguine Frutti Di Mare which was really really yummy!!!! I was pleasantly surprised to find the calamari in the dish was very soft, b/c chain restaurants majority of the time have it super rubbery. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the pool of oil in the pasta bowl, but I figured it was okay just for today since it was Vday. [Yes, I am my own worst enemy -__- ] My date had also ordered a small pepperoni pizza, but I was busy eating the pasta I didn't try it till later on when I was stuffed and wasn't able to appreciate it fully. The pizza was good, nice stinky cheese :] just a tad oily. However the pasta was deelish..if he had put more onto my plate I would have kept on eating it even though I was about to pop. At the end they gave us chocolate covered strawberries which was nice. This is def better than Macaroni Grill and Johnny Carinos. I cant say better than Olive Garden bc I've never been there. I'd like to come back and try some more of their dishes, but I'll have to wait a while after dieting off of bunny food to reload on sinfully caloric carbohydrates again. :P
(4)
Kathy T.
Great place to eat an Italian meal family style. Service is hit or miss. The wait can be long on the weekends. Parking is horrific on the weekends, especially with the gym crowd. Just walk a bit and park in the structure (great way to walk off the carbo loaded meal riiight??). Mozzarella garlic bread - deliciously garlicky and cheesy. A must order Mozzarella Caprese - Big slices of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil seasoned with olive oil, salt and peppers. Good to share Apple Gorgonzola Salad - granny smith apples, walnuts, cranberries and gorgonzola and a tasty vinaigrette to go with it. refreshing side to the heavy pastas Garlic mashed potatoes - great garlic flavor and creamy Spaghetti marinara - blahh.. the sauce was so underseasoned and not flavorful. Shrimp fra diavolo - mildly spicy and not too creamy. One of my favorites. Remember portions are meant to share! Great decor. I love looking at the photos and decor. Entertainment in and of itself. Look for coupons! They often have a $10 off $20+.
(3)
Jin L.
the food was seriously mediocre. it was a monday, the boyfriend and i were craving italian food, and all the good italian places in hb closed on monday. so the next closest place buca. stuffed mushrooms are a joke. super tiny, super dinky, and all you really taste is the pesto sauce which isn't that great. caesar salad. SALTY. SALTY and SOGGY. Linguine Frutti di Mare was actually good. shrimp, baby clams, mussels, and calarmari in red sauce. in the end i just picked all the seafood out and threw out the rest. my biggest gripe about this place was the SLOW ASS SERVICE on a monday at like 4:30PM. he would bring one thing and then disappear for ever. it took us a good while for us to order because he disappeared. keep in mind, were the only two in there. bread didn't come until after the appetizer came and he said it was because it was fresh out of the oven -____- service is NOT good.
(2)
Brandilynn V.
This is the kind of restaurant where you find the best things on the menu and order them every time you go: antipasto salad and margharita pizza!!! The antipasto salad is consistently yummy with good size pieces of cheese and meat. However, the best thing here is the margharita pizza! It reminds me of pizza I ate in Italy --- super thin crust, chunks of mozarrella cheese, and basil. The only thing that's missing is the tomato slice. It's one of those pizzas that is not for everone (several people in my family don't like it), but it's legit and you don't feel too guilty after eating it (light on grease and dough). If your favorite pizza is Pizza Hut, this pizza is not for you. We usually order a spaghetti and meat sauce too, but it's not on the same level as the antipasto and margharita. The best thing about the spaghetti is the noodles are like soaked in the sauce (or something) so they are very flavorful. I've also tried the warm spinach salad it's pretty good. The biggest complaint I have about this restaurant is how salty their food is! On more than one occassion I have walked out full and satisfied, but with puffy lips. Also, the (dinner) menu doesn't work for people who want to order their own individual plate. Most of the time, servers are friendly and helpful. Overall, a good Italian restaurant for family outings with nice decor. *Don't forget the coupon! You can almost always find a $10 off coupon (as long as you order more than $20) and this makes a big difference on the bill!
(4)
Kevin M.
My wife and I came here for our "date night" dinner. We got here at 6:30 and were seated immediately. We ordered calamari, chicken saltimboca, and pasta. The calamari came out first. Cooked perfectly! The sauce was a perfect level of spicy. Next came the chicken. Chicken Saltimboca is chicken wrapped in prosciutto (bacon!) then fried and covered with a delicious tart sauce. How can you NOT love this? After our chicken dish came out we were informed that they ran out of pasta for our pasta dish but that they would sub a different type of pasta. I asked the waiter how long it would take to make more of what we ordered. He informed us it would take an additional 15 mins, to which we said we would wait. 10 mins later our pasta came out cooked perfectly! Well worth the wait. Great wait staff, great food!
(5)
Cody C.
Waste of life coming here. Waiters are a lag in coming to the table. Food was alright. Service is slow and food takes forever to come out considering I went at a slow time. Most likely will not be back. I prefer Cheesecake Factory, not limited to Italian Food.
(2)
Mo P.
Came to Buca for the first time last night. It was for a birthday dinner. Walked in and loved the crazy, eclectic decor. Thought it would be a fun night. Then it started. Had a reservation for 7:00, seated by 7:30. While the group was waiting in the bar, I overheard a woman in the dining area ask a worker if he could get her something. He told her "that's not my job", and walked away. It was shocking that was how he responded, but it would only be the first of four times I heard those words last night. Got seated and after 15 minutes we still had no one come to our table. When trying to get the attention of someone, one girl said it was not "her job", she is only a photographer. We didn't want her to serve us, just find our server. So trying to get the attention of anyone, about three people looked at us and walked away without a word. No "just a moment" or "I'll get someone for you". The only way we ever got anyone's attention is because the table next to us was talking to the manager and when he was trying to walk away, we called him over. He was nice and explained how busy they were (no excuse for unprofessional behavior). He did get us a server who ended up being great (Daniel?), he is the only reason for the stars. To take over a table of five hungry and slightly agitated women and turn a bad into a good, kudos to you, good job. Maybe you should train the rest of the staff. If I could give a half star for the food, I would. It was good, but not worth the hassle. By then we felt better about the evening. Then they told us they had a special birthday treat for the birthday girl. Again, we waited for about 10 minutes, just so they could bring us a three tiered candelabra that used to have candles in it, but now just candle nubs and a wick. They did sing, and walked away, no birthday treat. Not that we needed it, but why do this at all. We we're ready to go by then. As we left, no thank you or I'm sorry for the service, except from our server, who was as I see it, the only one of the people I came in contact with that was worth the visit.
(2)
Fernanda P.
I love their meatballs, the food was ok..it's recommended to go with more than 2 people since they do a la carte so there's a lot of food and pasta and meatballs are good size. Great music and atmosphere
(4)
Raymond P.
This place is pretty wacky in the fact that the place looks like a new York Italian restaurant and there's random stuff all over the walls. Now on to the food. The portions are big enough for 2-3 ppl even ordering the small plate of everything. Truthfully I was full with the huge appetizer plate, but just like any true glutton I pushed on. We ordered the bake ziti and lasagna and 3 meatballs. We didn't finish even a quarter of both and not to mention the meatballs were the biggest I've seen. Overall not bad food wise, ambiance and serve staff was great and definitely a great place for groups and family gatherings
(4)
Mariah T.
I spent $42 on two skimpy entrees and two desserts. I normally wouldnt mind paying that much for a lunch for two expecting that the lunch would be filling and yummy. However, I ordered the shrimp scampi. The shrimp were tiny... Possibly the smallest I'd ever seen. The shrimp sat in a liquid sauce with NO noodles. I did take this to go. The chicken parmagane was thin with a small helping of noodles. The desserts couldn't make up for my distaste of the entrees. For $14.95 I expected some noodles. Not going again.
(2)
Brian T.
The enviroment of this place is very upbeat, just like the employees that work here. They asked us if it was our first time. Anwering no, they gave us a small tour around their kitchen and leading us to our table on the second floor (yes it's a 2 story restaurant) When ordering italian sodas, I recommend with no cream. Although cream has it's own good taste, I think the cream is a bit too overpowering to the drink, so I would prefer with no cream. The portions here are veryyyy large, their large plate can serve up to 4 people! One of the dishes we ordered was the spicy chicken rigatoni and the lasagna and I have to say it's one of my favorite dishes here! The spicyness to the rigatoni is ideal because you can make out it's distinct tastes like the cheese and the pasta they use. The lasagna is very thick and layered and it matches well against its competators. For dessert, we decided to order the tirimisu. Buca hand makes their tirimusu and I have to say it really is delicious. You can really taste the dark rum they and the coffee taste is not too much on the dark side, it's very balanced. Service was great, cheerful employees and great service to its customers and the food here was great as well. Spicy chicken rigatoni is really good here, even when it sits and becomes more on the cold side, it feels as though it becomes a new dish; very delicious
I used to love eating at Buca, but the last time I went...it was a disaster. I decided to take my parents to Buca for my brother's birthday. They were in awe of the decoration inside the restaurant and my parents absolutely loved the tour that they gave through the kitchen. I don't know if it was because of the day that we went to the restaurant, but it seemed like they had new trainees/staff members. Some of the servers were a bit rude and there were three moments that night when we were given the wrong order or our order was given to another table. The wait for the food took a while, but it was worth the wait as the food was pretty darn good. I can't give it more than 3 stars as I know I have had better Italian food with better service elsewhere.
(3)
Chris N.
The parking is terrible and there is a slight, musty, mildewy smell to the restaurant. Is that so you will get the authentic basement feel? Well at least the food is tasty. And the portions are big. They come wtih big price tags too. Most things are served family style, in the aforementioned big portions. So it is best to eat here in a big group. And make sure the group has similar tastes to you, because you will be ordering together and sharing. Overall, a good option for Italian food (that is geared towards Fat Americans like me). Just not the greatest food or the cheapest prices.
(3)
Tyler H.
Been going here for years, always a good time, always a good meal. In the past their salmon with pesto used to be to die for, things have changed a bit since then, not sure if it is even on the menu but they made it for us last time and it was very mediocre and slightly overcooked. Needless to say it and everything else was all still delicious and a very good place for family sized meals. They even have 1 table in the kitchen where you can watch the chefs cook while you eat.
(4)
Stacy D.
I give this 3 stars only for the fact that the poor service soured our otherwise wonderful experience. The hostess, the To Go cashier, and everyone at the door were sweet and had excellent manners. Our server didn't show up at our table until 20 mins after we were seated and our plates were still cluttered and drinks refilled at the end of the meal. The check took forever to arrive and if it weren't for the delicious food that mellowed my mood I would have left less than a 15% tip. Pros: This location doesn't have a long wait. Plenty of parking. Prices are excellent for portion sizes. This place is about HUGE sizes. Small is appropriate for two people. Recommendations: Shrimp Fra Davolo Spicy Chicken Ragatoni Side Garden Salad Get to go they tend to have more coupons online for your online order.
(3)
Tona H.
Our family has been going to Bucca for years and it never disappoints. The food is always excellent ad the service is friendly and great. Occasionally when our server is really busy we may have to wait a couple of minutes but we go there to relax so we are not in a hurry. I wonder if the people who write the negative reviews have worked in a restaurant. I doubt it as they don't take in to consideration that there are a lot of variables. We will continue to choose Bucca for special occasions and other times as well.
(5)
Dan R.
Good place, good food, and don't forget the $10 coupon. I'm not a fan of italian food but my wife is. I often order the eggplant, recommended.
(5)
Severiana S.
I love buca's! Been to this location a few times. This place is usually very busy and its not a very big location, so the people congestion can be kind of overwhelming! Its a place, I think, that is only for family dining...family dining as in more than 10 people. The portions are huge and there is always left overs to take home. I come from a very strong Italian background. My grandmother was born and raised in Italy. Her food was the best! And she loved this place! Its was an exciting adventure for her! :) There prices are good for the amount of food that you get. They have lots of variety and their food has lots of flavor! I enjoy the atmosphere since I have not had the chance to go to Italy and experience it for myself! Two thumbs up for Buca!!!!
(4)
SM G.
DO NOT EAT HERE!!! Staff is awful they have horrible customer service. When you request a manager to speak with he is to busy! The wait staff gave me the card of the manager and said to give him a call which when you call is the main line for the restaraunt They will tow your car as well, so if you want to pay 200.00 plus a horrible meal then go at it. I highly recommend going to the Olive Garden down the street on Beach.
This really might be the worst restaurant ever. Utter chaos, manufactured kitsch, servers who have to yell over the din of the obnoxious table next to you, and huge, expensive portions of bad food that will, undoubtedly, relegate you to the toilet for the better part of the next day. Egh. The best friend talked me into this one, even though I usually try to avoid most chain restaurants, and I knew we made a mistake the moment we walked through the front door. Every square inch of the shiny, red walls are covered in tchotchkes, blinking lights, and sequins (literally). I think the theme is "migraine". I suspect that a cocaine and/or speed addiction is a pre-requisite to working here. Every server, host, and busser appeared to be tweaking, and our server did his very best to rush us out of the restaurant, coming by about 5 minutes after we got our food to ask us if we needed boxes or dessert or the check. But as bad as all of these things were, the food was what really sucked. We ordered a pizza and lemon chicken. The pizza was cold, and the crust was burnt, and tasted like a day-old DiGiorno. The chicken was dry and incredibly, incredibly salty. I didn't think it was possible to make a dish too salty (I have a serious salt addiction), but I have been proven wrong. There were two chicken breasts on the plate, which we shelled out $20 for. I left this place with a headache, a stomachache, an anxiety attack, and a $50 deficit in my wallet. Never again.
(1)
Jeraldine G.
This is a VERY casual, family-friendly place with ALOT of chotchkies on the walls, which makes for good start up conversation. The service is friendly, personable, and attentive. They have multiple locations, and the ones I've been to, have all been pleasant experiences. If you don't want to eat inside, you can call ahead and they'll have your food ready for you when you get there. They serve your food family-style, unless you decide you want to order per plate. Mind you, if you do order family-style, the small is still ALOT of food, so you might want to ask them how many people your order will serve. And just so you know, it gets pretty LOUD in there when they're busy. The prices are reasonable considering your portions are massive! I especially like their Chicken Parmesan...YUM! Crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside, just the way I like my Chicken Parmesan! :) Quirky ambience, yummy food, and good service, this place is a definite must try if you've never been. cheers! :)
(4)
Colin T.
Nice ambiance. Food was OK. Good place for large group.
(3)
Bani M.
We usually go to Buca for dinner. We have tried several Buca restaurants in different locations so far. One of the best thing which is a plus is they are very coupon friendly-you will easily find coupons for a $10 off $20+ in most Sunday papers. We have ordered several dishes :Some of our all time favorites are : Spicy Chicken Rigatoni-it a little spicy and I love it!! Fettuccine Supremo Penne San Remo Fettuccine Alfredo I would agree with other reviewers that they are short staffed and slow on attending customers, but i have not had such experiences as I always decide the menu before even before i get there and so when the server comes with drinks/bread we are always ready with our menu/orders. Also they allow me to order from Lunch menu during dinner -which is good because dinner menu's have huge portions and its kind of monotonous/boring to finish the same pasta even with a group-we rather go for the lunch menu with different varieties and flavors and have more pasta varieties at the table. I have been there in smaller and larger groups and didnt have a bad experience so and if I do I will come back and update my review ;-) ;-)
(4)
Hawaiian K.
Went and ate here with my brothers when they came into town and I wanted to take them here because we were wanting Italian,(though not too authentic) ... the food is really good. My brothers and I shared the Family Appetizer plater, Antipasto Salad, Lobster Spaghetti, Braised Beef Ravioli, garlic bread x2 and tiramisu for dessert. The food was awesome! The server was nice, and the empoyees over all were all smiling from the time we walked in and walked out, so they get 4 stars.
(4)
sheri s.
Things have really changed at Buca Di Beppo. My mom took me out to lunch for my birthday and we were placed in the bar area, normally I wouldn't complain about that but the bartender had to make drinks for everyone as well as attend to four or five tables, he was stretched thin. They no longer give you garlic bread served in a pan with slices of garlic on top...what we got was a basket of tough, dry bread that had a garlicky powder sprinkled on top. It was so dry we asked for the waiter to bring olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip and even that was disappointing!! He poured a puddle of olive oil and sprinkled a few drops of balsamic vinegar into it. The restaurant no longer leaves Parmesan cheese on the table for you to help yourself to...they will bring it to you if you ask. This new policy just might be my fault. I used to sprinkle the cheese on EVERYTHING (well, except my cocktails). So if you are mad about this change, you can feel free to blame me. On the lunch menu, you can order a side Caesar salad. I did. The salad was delicious as always, I love their dressing because it's not TOO anchovy-ish. The problem I had with the salad was that at four bites it totally left me wanting more and at $2.99, I couldn't really afford to keep ordering the salad until I got my fill. I love Buca Di Beppo. When I go I still order the Chicken Saltimbocca or the Chicken Limon...their lemon sauce is to die for. You will have it dripping down your chin it's so good. I was bummed with the lack of "more" that I am used to at Buca Di Beppo. This is the first time I have gone and the only thing I took home was my birthday cupcake. There wasn't a leafy crumb left of my four-bite salad, the garlic bread(?) was deemed too much of a dental nightmare and was left behind, and my lunch was a perfect portion (not complaining about the size of the entree I ordered). I will continue going to Buca Di Beppo...they use an insane amount of garlic in their dishes and it suits me just fine. I just may go at a time when they are serving family style.
(2)
Julie L.
Ewwwie. If you're looking for portions.. sure come here but for quality? BLEH! I only dined at this place because I had the $10 off of $20 or more and I regretted it. My sister and I shared a small fried calamari and the penne sausage pasta. Calamari didn't taste like fresh squid. More of a chewy rubbery mabobber calamari. As for the free bread that come with Italian restaurants, it was cold. (Macaroni Grill has great warm free bread!) Now, with the pasta that we ate. Talk about ruining a pasta! I'm not a great cook but I can make pasta that tasted better than this! It was all spicy from all of the chili flakes that they dumped into the pile of goop. Pasta should've been cooked more. The lack of sauce made the pasta dry tasting also. The first couple of sausage bits were good until you realize that they are weird hard chunks in them. Well, that was my experience. I'm giving them a 2 because the 2 waitresses were nice but did look awfully tired.
(2)
Nicole W.
My husband and I decided to eat here before seeing a movie at Bella Terra. We were seated rather quickly to a table right by the service station and back stairs. The table was sticky and the place has an old musty smell to it. We ordered our drinks and I do have to admit that the Mixed Berry Mojito was very tasty. Our waitress brought out the bread which was just alright, nothing special. We ordered the bruschetta which was yummy! The tomatoes were very fresh (not mushy...blech) and the flavors in the bruschetta were delicious. We decided to share our main course, so we got the Fettuccine Supremo with broccoli, red bell peppers and chicken and it was just so so. We both felt that the dish was along the lines of something we could get in a frozen store bought meal. I remember this place being a lot better years ago than it was.
(2)
James T.
Prepare to share and call ahead. The calamari's aiite, mostly rings and not enough heads. Can't go wrong with Lasagna, Chicken Cannelloni or Stuffed Shells. The Dolce Platter for dessert says it's good for 6 or more peeps but I think they left out the zero..
(3)
Jennifer P.
The hostess was completely rude and made us wait for a table for 20 minutes even though the restaurant was completely empty. The service was incredibly slow and the food was just ok. I will NOT be returning.
(1)
Cat N.
i love this place because of the awesome decorations and the envirnoment (when it is packed). its a great place for large parties. the way it is set up makes it easy to talk to everybody. however, their servers may need some more help. they have been getting things wrong for my orders lately. the last time i went they charged us for a tea that i did not order. also, that server was very awkward. he did not introduce himself and would come back almost every 2 minutes. the food was alright. i always like to have my pasta my way. for example, instead of chicken i like to replace it with shrimp. but.............. they charge you an extra 4 bucks for shrimp. what the hell man?! places usually just charge 2. anyway, i recommend going somewhere else, such as Basilico's on Magnolia and garfield
(3)
Jax L.
i only come here for take out and order their tiramisu. one size only, about $11 total, pretty good portion, service was mediocre and food is blahh only good for groups, if youre craving italian- to go olive garden. oh, and its usually busy, not with the wait.
(2)
Kate K.
Listen, if you don't like Italian food (or you really enjoy "Italian" food), then go here. If you actually want Italian food that tastes like, oh I don't know, it's from Italy, then head further North on Center Street and go to Paolo's. You'll impress your friends/date/parents/whoever with knowing such a badass hole in the wall type place. Sorry Buca, you're just not up to the standards of a Polish girl who has been to Italy and dated an Italian for three years. Better luck next time.
(1)
Melissa C.
We waited 10-15 minutes despite there being many open tables both when we arrived and once we were seated. This was at 5:30 PM on a Sunday. A little weird. Servers were Danielle, Julio, and Chris. Didn't get much time with any of them. Drink refills happened only once, after drinks were well past empty and meal was mostly finished. We started with the fried mozzarella which was delicious! We were originally only going to eat half and take the rest to go, but we couldn't resist finishing them before our meal came. My boyfriend and I split the baked rigatoni for our meal. The sausage in it was really spicy, otherwise the dish was good. People say this place is really bland and boring, but most pasta dishes are pretty standard and straightforward. I could always have used more garlic in the dish but I don't think any restaurant has come close to the level of garlic I prefer in my dishes... maybe the Olde Spaghetti Factory. Our meal was $30 or so, but with a $10 off coupon, it was only $20, obviously. Pretty good deal. As far as chain Italian restaurants go, this place is pretty good. It'll never beat an Italian home-cooked meal, but it's not half bad!
(3)
dan s.
We went there on Saturday around 1 and the place was pretty much empty.... the service was ok nothing extraordinary... employees were talking to each other very loud. The food was just average nothing to remember about.
(2)
SucraM G.
There's no such thing as a small dish here. When the meal says serves 4 people. They aren't joking around. These dishes are abundant like no other. Great place to have a huge party because this is a 2 story joint. So far I've always been brought to the 2nd floor, now I wonder if there are seating for the 1st floor.
(5)
Mi-Tom P.
Suck suck. Eveything is so bad!!!!!
(1)
Nina B.
I love Buca di Beppo. I always order the fried calamari and seafood linguini. Always a hit, never a miss. Order it, you'll love it!!!
(5)
Trisha S.
Second time eating there and love it. Friendly staff! Took the kitchen tour which I thought was neat. I wish there was one closer to my house so I could go more often. I've only ever been to the one located in Huntington Beach. I would recommend making reservations if possible because they are always busy.
(5)
Steven W.
Long wait! Should make reservation before coming to eat at Buca. Food is good though :)
(3)
Jessica J.
This place has some great family appeal. The whole schtick is a bit much for me but fun for families, large groups and parties. Our server was so amazingly sweet and nice. Servings are just f-ing ridiculous. It was good food- not out of my mind amazing.
(4)
Holly W.
The nice thing about corporate restaurants is - you always have the ability to manage up. When the corporate lackeys don't budge, in BDB's case, appealing to the corporate minions will truly show that justice can prevail in situations such as..... "A half eaten pizza?!" --- Dear Holly, I am very sorry to hear about the dissatisfaction with the service we provided you and under no circumstance is the pizza we served to you acceptable to our standards. I would be happy to issue you a refund. It takes 3-5 business days and it will begin processing tomorrow. I am very sorry for the inconvenience and I will be placing the order to corporate to get your credit card refunded. Again this is not the service we want to provide here and I do hope you reconsider dining with us in the future. --- Overall, when it comes to corporate restaurants, managing up the corporate chain is key - especially when you've got serious complaints that don't get resolved at the point of sale. Don't you dare allow "the man" to serve you a half eaten pizza without taking full responsibility. 1.5 stars.
(1)
Lulu H.
This place is soooooooo yummy. The portions are large . The environment is fun. I would have given it a 5 star however, there is usually a wait, it takes forever to get your bread and sometimes the service can be slow. Overall we love it there!,,,,
(4)
Ben F.
Upon walking to Buca, we noticed how ridiculously dead the place was. It was quiet enough to hear one of the guys next to us say that he needed to go take a dump or listen to the waitress talk about her life story to another table. The fucking free bread was cold! WTF!? Crumbs on the booth and the table cloth looked like it needed to be switched. I ordered a overpriced Angelo pizza which was just a cheese pizza with mushrooms and ridiculous looking potato chip. Minus the potato chip and the pizza was pretty good. But for the price? No fucking way.
(2)
Heina D.
Buca is always high on flavor as long as you get the right things. I've been to various locations and tried enough things to have this down to a science. This is what you should order: - mozarella garlic bread -- it's like a mini pizza but better - anything with the word "arrabbiata " in the title, as it's made with a lovely and spicy marinara sauce - the new baked rigatoni - chicken saltimbocca The cannolis are pretty awesome, too, for dessert .... if you have room. Seriously, only order one main dish for two people. Seriously. The server we had here was very sweet and helpful, and though we had a coupon from UCI, we tipped her on the full bill.
(4)
T C.
Thank goodness for good friends and family because this restaurant doesn't provide much more than water and bread. The food is okay here, if you like turning yourself into a giant walking carbohydrate. We ordered three appetizers, three pastas and a pizza. First, the appetizers. I was little disappointed in the bruschetta...not much flavor. The tomatoes they used were nice and red and fresh, but the bread was not good. It was a heaping mess with like two sprigs of basil. C'mon! The basil is the best part! The calamari and fried mozzarella probably would've been good had they not come out lukewarm. Note to Buca: putting really hot marinara sauce on top of lukewarm fried mozzarella doesn't reheat the dish. The one saving grace (albeit small) was the spicy sauce that comes with the calamari. Second, the pasta. I don't know what is up with the lukewarm serving temperatures, but for my tastes, I like my food blazing saddles hot. I want to know that the food is straight from the pan into my mouth. But given the TWENTY FIVE minutes between our appetizers and our main course, I suppose the food would have chilled slightly. Sidenote: my pet peeve at restaurants is watching food come out to tables who de facto arrived after our party did and de facto ordered after our party did. As for the taste of the food, it probably tasted worse to me due to the bitter taste left in my mouth from the service. It would be unfair for me to really comment on the food here. But, all in all, I didn't want to gag when I ate it, so it wasn't a wasted "eats" but I don't think I would characterize it as "good eats". As for the pizza, one word: "bleh". Go to Round Table or Papa John's...you'd probably be better served.
(2)
Danster L.
Great food, great portions but bad service. We had to wait 15 minutes before our server came to take our order and then our waiter never came back to give us the bill. We had to ask another server for our bill because he was nowhere in sight for a mere 15 minutes again. The baked pastas sampler and alfredo were all good but we would have enjoyed our meal more if we had better service. The wait itself to get in was quick and loved the atmosphere and decor.
(4)
Andrew C.
we went in for a date dinner after i had been talking it up to my girlfriend. we were seated at a table with dirty booth seats, not a huge deal, so we asked for napkins to clean that off/wipe off our pants. waiter didn't seem to care. next we're handed menus which are so full of crumbs and dried soda that the pages won't OPEN, and the ones that do get sticky stuff all over my hands. next, the water glasses come and they're dirty looking! tried to stay positive but after needing a trip to wash hands in order to look through the menu....we were over it. we debated our options for ten minutes before the server returned and promptly left. management...where are you??! i feel so stupid for talking Buca up...i have a place in my heart for it but totally turned off and let down. i forgive many things as a restaurant veteran but when i feel i can't EAT?! i'm out.
(1)
Kent D.
Came here after the gym because it was right next door. I've only been to this place a handful of times, but from my experience, it seems very mainstream family style Italian food. Nothing special, but satiates the appetite when you're hungry. It was quite slow when I came, yet our waiter took forever to serve us and get our check! The margherita pizza was alright. The crust was light and flaky, and the sauce was also quite light, which was nice for a margherita pizza. However, our waiter took so long to bring the pizza out, by the time it came to us, it was slightly cold on top! buzzkill! The giant meatballs seemed to have been mixed with a whole lot of breadcrumbs. They lacked the texture and density you would expect from a good meatball. It tasted very doughy, but the marinara sauce was tasty. To recap: OK food, bad service. Nuff said.
(2)
Jennifer L.
So I have hit up Bucca Di Beppo in the past in high school for a friends bday..my graduation & my bro's grad. last year in anaheim....Well on friday I went to rekindle the flame after the homie C dog graduated form college...her fam. invited me to eat a free meal & since I was rushing all day to get to her grad. at UCI parking far & treking the hills that are not so kind to heels to get to the Brenn Center I was quite famished & delirious for food..free food why the hell not?...So we arrived & we ordered the salad...spaghetti & meatballs...cannelloni pasta..stuffed shells..raviolis...mozarella bread...& magherita pizza.... also being of age we still could not order any booze cause Cdog's parents arent into that sort of thing so a round of shirley temples were the closest things to a cocktail we could get haha....anyways being so hungry everything tasted so damn delicious!!!! Shortly after realizing I should have worn a dress that stretches & feeling overly bloated I realized the food was actually bland & my taste buds had decieved me.... basically the only thing poppin was the salad & everything else either had no flavor or tasted the same filled with the same boring ricotta cheese which usually has no flavor..whatever I fell into a pasta coma & knew I would have to run on the treadmill for 3 hours to get rid of all the pasta fat in my body....would I go again..not if I had to pay but if the desperate time came that I was starving & someone offered ..hey can't say no to FREE..
(3)
Vixen B.
Amazing food excellent service! Kevin was great!! Ill definitely return!
(5)
Christina B.
Hadn't been here in a long time, but we had a coupon. Kinda says it all, eh? We were seated in the bar area, which was actually quite nice because we didn't have any kids birthday parties or the like screaming in our ears. Our server was also the bartender, and though we felt she shorted the drinks a little, she had a great attitude and sense of humor, so all was forgiven. The food...well, we agreed that they may be tweaking it ahead of the coming nutritional labeling laws. Often undersalted, lighter coatings on the calamari and chicken parm, less white sauce on the shells, and so forth. Still tasted fine, just not as yumlicious. We ended with the tiramisu. What a mistake. I love tiramisu, but this was a BRICK. So heavy. I swear they used cream cheese instead of marscapone, the cheese was so damn dense. Decent flavor, but choking it down was a chore If we had another coupon, and a bajillion calories to spare, maybe we'd go back. But we'd probably not bother, not with the cost to both wallet and waistline.
(3)
Connor H.
Food was ok. Came here with my family and my sister who is lactose ordered the spaghetti. I don't eat spaghetti so I ordered the chicken Parmesan. The chicken was ok but didn't come with any pastas. After we finished the chicken my parents started eating the spaghetti and the water came back asking if we were ok so my mom ordered some garlic bread. The garlic bread was excellent compared to the chicken. Even if the plate of food serves 2 people I would never go back because its 20 bucks for a plate that serves 2 people. Way too expensive
(2)
A Y.
I really heart this place. Service is always spot on and the food never disappoints. I just wish the dishes can come in smaller sizes, but that defeats the purpose of family meals, right? But then not everyone has huge families that can share multiple dishes. =( The decor is absolutely awesome and gives it the historical landmark feel. Beautiful ambience and plenty of things to see. I'll strive to be the octo-mom just so I can come here more often and actually try multiple dishes.
(4)
Bob E.
Large portions to share. Food is average quality. Not fancy or gourmet. Good value for a big group.
(3)
Rowena G.
Decent food but not great. I just wanted to try it once since my brother in law said it good but I believe I could have gotten a better deal at East Side Mario's. The prices, portions, and quality did not meet my expectations.
(3)
Oinkster P.
In all fairness, I would like to update my initial review. If I can post a negative review from a subpar experience, then I should be man enough to post a positive review to admit that I could be wrong. I was convinced to return for a family engagement. This time, I decided to stay away from the pizza. We ordered a caprese salad, which my wife loved. I have to admit that it was good. We also ordered the linguine frutti di mare. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. The calamari was not overcooked. It was perfect and just as good the next day as leftovers. Some others ordered the gnocchi which was pretty decent as well. I would have preferred other sauce options though. I have to commend them on their service, which was attentive despite the crowds. I think the prices are actually quite reasonable, especially if you go with a large group.
(4)
K. J.
Made reservation and was seated exactly at the time of my reservation. Love the atmosphere. it very fun and family oriented. The pizza was really good. Overall great food and great service.
(5)
Lawrence C.
Well, for the amount of food that they give you per order, you'd better be going in large numbers, cause you're probably not going to be able to finish it. The only occasions I've been here were for graduations, birthdays, and dinners before other events. So indeed, this further supports the idea that you want to go here with a lot of people, since everyone's had their said celebration here. But that's irrelevant information. The food itself, it's really just not that good. Flavors leave a lot to be desired is how I would describe it. Their garlic bread was okay for me. I've tried the spaghetti in 2 different forms, the fettucine (the one with broccoli and chicken I think), lasagna, and I came to the conclusion that their sauces are kind of plain. The atmosphere, again, kind of dark, and I'm not so sure why places do that, make the walls a dark color and the lights dim, when families are comin in frequently. I never really understood that....oh well, maybe I never will since so many places do it. Overall, this place isn't anywhere near the top of my list whenever I'm deciding to eat out, but I guess I wouldn't be too opposed towards having to go there.
(2)
Rae F.
I got the Lobster Spaghetti for lunch (take-out). I had a $10 off coupon and the serving was large enough to share w/ a friend. It was sooooo yummy. The host was super sweet and personable. I'll definitely be back. :o)
(4)
Karey R.
Who knew Buca was open EVERYDAY?! I had no idea! What a pleasant surprise on Christmas Day! My family and I had plans for breakfast and plans for a late dinner, but come 2pm, we were getting hungry! My sis in law, niece and I went on a mission to find anything open. We were willing to go to Taco Bell if need be, however the bright neon OPEN sign at Buca was like heaven on earth! We walked up to the take out window and ordered Salad, Pizza, Stuffed shells and Chicken Marsala. Our total was around $69. We were shocked when they said "10 minutes". Are you kidding?! So we brought the piping hot deliciousness home and everyone was satisfied. We fed 5 adults and 3 kids and there was even some left over. My husband raved over the Chicken Marsala, but the Stuffed Shells with Spicy Sausage won my heart and tummy. My sister brought out a bottle of red wine and bam, I do believe we have a new Christmas tradition. Thank you Buca!
(5)
Merrill M.
Love the large portion for family dining...esp with all 6 of my kids. Fav is the frutti di mare. LOVE IT!!
(4)
Ms.Kitty S.
Stopped by after a movie with my honey on 8/9. I felt like we were seated in a closet or one very cramped apartment with all kinds of second hand crap cluttering the place. The acoustics were terrible. Maybe it was the crying baby in our "closet". Server took forever despite only 4 tables in our "closet". The salad was warm and limp. Spaghetti sauce didn't stick to the pastas and dribbled down to the bottom of the bowl. I make better meatballs at home.. And No fresh parmesan (like Olive Garden has) but a jar on the table like you would find at any local pizza place. Meh!...wont be back. Never been so glad to be out of the "closet" and I'm not even gay.
(2)
Maria T.
This location has the undeniable scent of fishiness from the moment you arrive, but if you can get over that, then its a decent experience. Great for large groups... although a word of warning: we had reservations for my niece's 8th birthday--and they definitely seated us in a booth surrounded by pictures and statues of boobies, va-jay-jays, and wieners. Not exactly the most kid-friendly seating arrangement to say the least! The service was... interesting. I asked the waiter if they had a house wine and he said in a very surly tone "Yep. They all are house wines. The wine menu is in the back and you can look at that." Well THANKS for your helpful suggestions dude! BE FOREWARNED: WORST RED VELVET CAKE EVER! Just add red food dye to white cake and slap some white frosting on it. Not even cream cheese frosting! Awful, awful, awful stuff. The only consolation was that it was the complimentary birthday dessert, so we didn't have to pay for it. The gelato was just as bad. Is gelato supposed to have icy chunks it in? Or was that just the freezer burn? Yuck! To be fair, I really love their Chicken Piccata. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but for a chain restaurant they really mastered the art of getting the crispy chicken just right and the sauce just lemon-capery enough. The chicken parmigiana was also executed well. I want to end on a positive note, but I have to ask... who in the world would give this place five stars???? Really? Really? Get yourself to Mama D's in Newport Beach for some real Italian food, stat! yelp.com/biz/mama-ds-ita…
(2)
Kevin V.
Been here twice. They make sure you get full lol, insane portion sizes, kinda on the expensive side like 16-18$ a dish I think.... Still good. Great for groups.
(4)
Jackie P.
Solid 3.5 in my book. Where do you go when the whole family clan is in town? Buca Di Beppo sure fits the bill. I know it's a chain and some of the food is meh, but it sure does accommodate big parties and gives out of towners a good time. Wait? Made a reservation for 13 at 8:00. We came from the Getty and miscalculated and actually ended up getting there around 7:00. They got us seated around 7:45. Some of us got some drinks in the bar to kill some time. Service? Waitress was really nice. They ran out of mashed potatoes so they let us substitute for some items of equal value, all gratis - NICE! Bus boys, kitchen staff, and everyone really attentive with getting dishes out of our way and items to our table. Food? Always get the Frutti Di Mare which is actually pretty tasty here. The pasta has a great seafoody flavor and is chock full of mussels, calamari, and shrimp. Pizza is nice and thin. The chicken (prosciutto stuffed chicken) is like a salt lick as some others have commented. Atmosphere? If it's your first time, walk through the kitchen and say hi. It gets pretty loud, but everyone seems like they are having a good time. Walls are decorated pretty loudly with many eclectic pictures. Make a reservation ahead of time and you can reserve the Pope room, it looks like a shrine to the pope. Lowdown: Decent place to take a big party for a good price (we paid about $150 including tax and tip for a party of 12 with leftovers)! Not the greatest food, but stick with the pasta and stay away from the proteins. You'll be eating good!
(3)
Joanne L.
Food is alright here. The review is mainly for the service. It was a bit crowded as it was a Sunday night, but the service was unbelievably slow and incompetent. We waited 30 minutes to be seated and when they finally called us, turned out our table wasn't actually ready. After we ordered we got the salad fast enough but no bread or drinks or the rest of our food came for another 25 minutes. My sister asked for a lemon wedge and the waitress came back 20 minutes later to tell her that they were cutting the lemons but it was more like they were growing the lemons because even by the end of our meal an hour and a half later, there still was no lemon. I used to work at restaurants so I know how much the job can suck so i NEVER tip less than 20% but this girl was lucky she even got 11%. Won't soon be going back. Unless I had about 5 hours to kill and didn't want any lemon in my water.
(2)
Food L.
Ordered the lasagna and some mozzarella bread for take out. Got a 4" x 8" piece of lasagna to split between two people, so, no seconds, no leftovers, no sides besides the order of mozzarella bread and the bill was $31. Seriously? I was still hungry. Quality of food was good, no complaint there, but wish I'd spent my money elsewhere and gotten something closer to a full meal.
(2)
Mike M.
I'm not a big fan of chain eateries. They are usually the production of marketing studies, interior decorators, corporate chefs, etc. But I gotta tell you, this place is just plain fun and food and service were terrific. We took a big group of 10 for dinner and we were treated like kings. Great enthusiastic service, helpful with keeping the drinks topped off and bread basket full. Huge portions and food that was quite tasty. At the end you ask your self, are you full? did you get value? was it good? was it fun? are you glad you picked this place. You bet.
(4)
Augusta S.
I've only been once and once was enough... It was for the birthday party of a former friend... I can see why she chose the joint... it is perfect for accommodating large parties... and ours was definitely bigger than a bakers dozen... and the service isn't overbearing, which is perfect when you are accommodating the motley crew that WAS our party (complete with token asshole....God, that guy killed...it is NOT punk rock to act like a douche without table manners in public places!!!) The food is standard fare Italian... unimpressive to the point that I couldn't even tell you everything that was ordered. I vaguely remember the bruschetta... bland and expected. The spinach salad is aiight... but eh, how can that go wrong...? It's spinach...salad. The Linguine Frutti di Mare is just Alright, as well...but possibly that's just me being picky... I'm not partial to ordering "seafood" from non-seafood restaurants. Especially non-seafood Italian chain restaurants. The one saving grace of the meal was the Tiramisu... which got the otherwise blandness outta my mouth... and that's all she wrote on Buca di Beppo.
(2)
Matt K.
I like this place. It has large portions so you can try different kinds of pastas. We started with cheese garlic bread and a dinner salad with the best Italian dressing. If everyone likes olives, ask for extra on the salad so as to avoid an angry competition. We had clams and linguini, shrimp diablo, and chicken carbonara. Tasty, great Italian food!
(4)
Josh S.
You've been to one Buca, you've been to all of them I think. This place was created for parties although they finally listened to their customers and now have "smaller sizes" to with the family size for their dishes. This place has a special place in my stomach though. My wife and I ordered take out from here one night, got home and our order was incorrect (not fatal but just not what we ordered). Anyway, somehow we talked to the manager and he was sorry for the screw up so he told us to come in with some friends or family and he'd "make it right." Ok dude, game on then. So we brought a couple we're friends with, was seated promptly, and the manager came over. He apologized again and told us to enjoy ourselves on him and he let our waitress know. Let the drinks flow! We had several rounds of cocktails, apps, then the main courses and even dessert. Far more than our takeout order. Anyway, an act like that deserves props so thank you! We abused it but now we'll gladly come back because you did your job. Some food comments - Love the pizza, they are all very tasty My wife would like to plant her foot in the nuts of whomever decided to remove the rigatoni positano from the menu. It was her favorite. Why oh why on Chicken Parm do you cover it with bruschetta topping and barely any cheese? Come on, get back to the roots of this dish - sauce and cheese! Love the toasted ravioli. Anyway, great place for groups and/or celebrations.
(4)
Charlene P.
Large portions of generic Italian food. You will be filled up in no time, but it is kind of a better version of Olive Garden. I would recommend for a large family party or kid's bday.
(2)
Nora M.
The seasonal spinach, prosciutto, & tomato salad is very good, you have to try it.
(4)
Quynh tram T.
This place sounds so fancy and everyone seems to know it's name, but nothing about it stands out. I've only been here twice and one was for a work event and another was for a friend's graduation. Needless to say, I would come come here because it wouldn't be considered a choice; this place is just not memorable.
(3)
oakley b.
I have to agree with others here that the service can be slow and the food can be average. However, if you do a big-group thing as much as I do, Buca di Beppo is a godsend. That's why they get the one extra from me. I took a group of 14 there a few months ago. We ordered the sampler appetizer, 2 salads, sampler pasta platter, eggplant parmigiana (DELICIOUS!), a veggie pasta and maybe one other thing I don't quite remember, and dessert. A few people had wine and we decided that the one kid at the table eat free, and we ended up paying about $15-$18 per person, including tips. Another kudos is the fact that Buca takes reservations, especially for big group. Thinking that we'll go for something different tonight, I called the Cheesecake Factory one door down. They had a no-reservation policy after 5 p.m. which is fine, but they won't even do it for a big group. Forget it. I'm taking my big crowd to Buca from this point on.
(4)
Dirk D.
Great service. Awesome takeout. Gets crowded and loud but it's all in the atmosphere. The food is great, Italian classics abound. Some of the best Italian around.
(4)
Kianna C.
If QUANTITY is more important to you than QUALITY, then this place is for you! I'd rather have QUALITY than Quantity... I'm giving them 1 Star just for their Service! I've been to many Bucca's because of gatherings w/friends & families, and parties for B-Days. But never once was I impressed with their food~ but their waitors are very nice & outgoing~ I COOK BETTER ITALIAN THAN BUCCA~
(1)
Brooke E.
Went here for our company dinner at Christmas last year and had a great time. It was incredibly less expensive than expected and everything was delicious. Overall great experience for a large group.
(5)
Edgar G.
Good food, large shareable portions, nice environment, price is reasonable but not cheap, parking a hassle
(4)
Vince F.
You know how at the end of writing review, there's a question asking "good for groups"? well, yeah, this place is definitely good for groups - but that's about it. It's family style dining, which is fine, but if it's just two people, the portions are way too big and the price doesn't match the quality of the food. The atmosphere is nice and the service isn't too bad, but if the food is mediocre, raising the quantity won't improve my dining experience.
(3)
Rachelle B.
My family and I recently held a surprise lunch for my cousin's birthday and the staff at Buca was very accomodating and actually went along with our surprise. The rest of our party arrived before my cousins and I did (the last of our group, including the birthday boy), so once we got there we told them we were with Rachelle's Party and the hostess grabbed just 3 menus just so she wouldn't ruin it. She took us upstairs and SURPRISE! He was shocked and he thought it was awesome. Props to HB Buca for doing that for us. They were AMAZING about it. The food. WOW. I'm not big on chain restaurants. I've been to Buca only once before in Irvine and hated it. Maybe because I didn't have their 3 dishes that are AWESOME. We had the calamari to start, frutti di Mare (Linguine with seafood), chicken cacciatore and the ravioli with meat sauce. Calamari was so yummy, it's my favorite appetizer ever, and it's made well here. It wasn't overcooked one bit... hard to do at chain restaurants. The linguine was perfect. Seafood was cooked nicely and the pasta was cooked well also. Chicken cacciatore was a bit salty for me, and had too many onions for my liking, but it was still very good. I'll eat anything with capers in it :) I loooved the ravioli because I thought they were cooked amazingly well. The pasta held the filling, and wasn't over or undercooked one bit. The meat sauce was great, and we had just enough. We ordered all the dishes large and it fed 9 of us (well, 6 adults and 2 small kids) with PLENTY of leftovers. We each ended up paying $30 which is a steal considering we had drinks, and all that food. Lisa, the waitress is great, as well as the other staff. Locations great, and it wasn't too crowded on a Sunday. Service was quick and we never had any issues. I rarely give 5 star reviews, but this one is well deserved!
(5)
Harold R.
Been to this place a few times in the past. my first time was in pasadena when i didn't have kids and life was good. lol, i gave that experience about 10yrs ago 5 stars the food was so flavorful. but now, times are tough for everyone and i think it's showing in there food. not even close to the flavor it once had. that being said, i always enjoy my time here. the atmosphere is something special. all the photos of different italian people some famous some not, little kids eating sphagetti and making a mess, i like that italian family feel this place provides. the service is always nice and the portions are huge wich is good too. come with like 8 peeps and there will still be plenty of food to bring home. the pizza is good, not great. the pasta is good not great. we had the spaghetti and meatballs and the baked rigatoni. the rigatoni had a nice meat sauce a lil spicy but good. the meat balls are huge, but lack flavor. ceaser salad was not the best ever we also shared the calmari and stuffed mushrooms wich were good. like i said, the food is just o.k. the livelyness of the restaurant makes up for it tho. i especially like when the y sing happy b'day, and get everyone involved.
(3)
Fritz D.
Ravioli with meat sauce was very good, but definitely does not feed 3 people. Went with two 10YO girls on 5/27. Menu said the small feeds 3 so I figured it would be enough for one adult and two kids. I got 2 ravioli pieces and the kids had 3 each. Had to fill up on bread. :o(
(2)
James M.
Good food, Good quanity, good service, 4 stars because they are always trying to sell you more stuff and taking pictures of you.
(4)
Arnold E.
Apparently, "Buca di Beppo" is Italian for "Joe's Hole" (see for yourself: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bu… ). Okay. I confess. It's supposed to be a loose translation for "Joe's Basement." Sounds much better, don't it? I mean, who wants to eat food out of Joe's Hole? Wait, don't answer that... I've actually been to this Buca several times. Each time has been with 8+ people. I'm not sure about some of the other reviewers, but I've never had any major problems with the service here. My last meal went by without a hitch and it was on a Saturday night. Yes, parking can be problematic, but the new nearby parking structure helps alleviate the congestion in the small outdoor parking areas. Once you get inside, kitsch consumes you. C'mon! A room dedicated to the Pope? Photos of urinating children hanging above the urinals in the men's bathroom? Italian flags on every wall? It's unavoidable. The food's decent. I wouldn't say it's phenomenal, but it's better than Olive Garden, that's for sure (is that saying much?). For our last meal, I think we ordered fried calamari and Caesar salad for appetizers (which both came out well before any entrees), pepperoni and sausage pizza, linguine frutti di mare, ravioli al pomodoro, and some stuffed pasta I didn't have room for. The bottom line is that Buca is great for family-style dining. The wife and I made the mistake of attempting to have dinner here once (for two) and we ordered enough food for at least four (in order to try a few different entrees). They now have smaller orders on the menu so couples won't have the same problem (thank goodness!). If you've got a large group of hungry diners and are looking for a place to accommodate you, Buca di Beppo is a good choice.
(3)
Ron H.
Food has always been mediocre, even outright bad at times. I've been here a few times for various gatherings unfortunately, and they seem to have a knack for boring red sauces. I don't understand why people like it so much. Pretty much what Kianna said, quantity over quality here. But if you want to subsidize the pretentious ambiance, come on down! Eh one more star. I felt bad. 1 star should be reserved for the Ninth Circle of Hell of foods.
(2)
VY N.
I always imagine the first review I would write for any place is a positive experience. This is anything but...for me to log in, write a review, it has to be bad. Bad. Horrible. No, wait...no words to describe. I've been here quite a few times, yet today was just bad. Yikes! We had reservation, was there on time and was seated by the hostess. She was nice. Right when we were seated, a waitress came to take our order. Amazing, right? We haven't even warm up the seats yet! She took our drinks (sangria) as we were still debating on what to order. Here comes the kicker...she informed us there will be, not 1but 2 people waiting on our table. Herself and Rachel. Holy smokes. What did we do to deserve such amazing service....our drinks came along with 2glasses of water. Proceed to say she (or Rachel) will come back to take our order. Ok, no worries, we replied. (we have our drinks AND 2 waitresses. Awesome....right??? NOT. We sipped, and sipped...and sipped some more. This is no longer cool...or awesome. 30 minutes went by...yep, our drinks were empty, Rachel walked by...not even an acknowledgment. "hello!!!!" "**waving**oh look, the table next to us just sat down and their order was put in. Seriously. I mean, SERIOuSLY!?!! At this point, I'm so upset...and hungry that I just have no words. I asked a busboy for a manager and a check. The manager came and his wise words were "oh, I'm sorry. They must be in the process of switching shifts." Right, sir but umm, Rachel is right there. We were even told she was going to be helping us. "oh, come back next time and ask for me and we"ll comp your meal." No, thanks. I'll be going elsewhere. I'm paying for my food, not a beggar. Like previous reviewers, we went to Cheesecake Factory. Had the best service...fast and sufficient. P.S. I'm usually not this negative as i like to see the best in things and people but to take 10 minutes of my time writing this review, it has to be a bad experience.
(1)
Phil M.
If you make it past the constant up-selling and get your food, be prepared for bland. Yes, the pastas are huge, but walking out for $75 (not including tip) and you ordered a large pasta, a small pasta and a small salad doesn't leave one yearning to come back...Albeit, I would come back, if my food had any taste. What it was: fatty, bland; what it wasn't: good...and I understand up-selling,but this place makes it uncomfortable. And the new, let me take your picture and sell it to you gig....Really? The girl who took ours, brought out 3 and snapped them up in disgust when we said we were not interested....There are much better values out there...Anyone without kids, over the age of 23 shouldn't be caught dead in this place...
(2)
Gstar K.
Came w/2really good friends, way back when the food & service was not as bad as most reported. But haven't returned since either. Only b/c not easy to find large groups of pals craving for Italian at the same time. Guess circle of buds prefer something different than so-so tasting, piled on portions, chain eateries. If family-style hangout, sharing or leftovers is your thang, go for it! Kitschy decor is charming but generically strategic like their other locations too.
(3)
Andy N.
This place is a pretty well known spot. It's good for large parties and family style eating. The quality of the food is all just okay. It is really heavy but nothing that really stands out. They have pretty good service. It's also a two story restaurant right next to the 24 hour fitness. That makes me wanna get some running in after I eat this stuff. It's just regular italian food in giant portions. Not a big fan of this place and am never the one to suggest coming here. I only go if it's for someone's bday.
(3)
Dgs S.
I like the big portions! The funky room with the pope is cool, would like to eat there sometime.
(4)
Richard M.
Mama Mia! This place is a real throw back to the days of old. A great place for groups. Buca really makes me feel at home. The food is excellent. Everything has that fresh home made taste. I like the Shrimp fra diavolo, Penne Arrabbiata, and let's not forget the Spaghetti and meatballs. I like to enjoy these with a couple glasses of Bucca's fine Chianti. Dessert is never forgotten. A nice tiramisu awaits and maybe a Campari and Seven with a twist to further satisfy the palette. You simply must try this place. Remember, to take a few people. Dishes are served family style. Aside from lunch where there are some individual dishes. Ciao Bella!
(5)
Brianne S.
I think people are being a lil rough. I went the other night with my hubby and mom. The food was good, and we didnt have to wait long for a table on a SATURDAY! That gets a star all on its own. I love lemon-cello, and theirs was good at a low price. Check this place out, its fun, the service was good enough, and food was plentiful (ya, i just said that)! Just be ready to share, since it is family style dining.
(5)
Jenna N.
i went by this restaurant a lot but never went in idk if it's good or not but it seems really good cause i saw a lot of people go there. should i try it, what is the best thing they have inside ???
(2)
Ted R.
Lots of pasta, very little sauce and incredibly tasteless. Slow service, high prices. I was taken here as a treat by a friend and I don't like to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I think this one had hoof and mouth disease. Decor interesting, but you can't eat decor. Ridiculous price for appetizers, my benefactor's cocktail was obviously missing some key ingredients.
(1)
Eileen R.
Not bad, but overpriced. Dinner for two came to 80 for pasta, chicken, salad and wine. Better food and half the price at Buon Gusto......
(3)
Jeff P.
Service sucks and the hostess needs to learn some customer service. Nothing is worse when you get mediocre food with bad customer service. Will not be coming back.
(1)
Ellie L.
overpriced but large portions of food. don't go alone, you need to bring a pack of hungry people. because i brought only me& my bf, and we couldn't finish. sadly. D:
(3)
Peter L.
One word, "AMAZING"! I was with my date and it was my first time here so my date was doing all the ordering. Our server Mike was very helpful and friendly, he told me wsup about this place and what they are known for etc. Food was amazing an appetizer and pasta filled me and my date up, I also tried their strawberry iced tea it was a bit on the sweet side like syrup but its fine! Amazing food and services i had a great experiences here.
(5)
Danielle B.
I LOVE THE CREAM SODAS!!!!!!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOVE THE CREAM SODAS!!!!!!!!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE THE CREAM SODAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get it?.. Good. Now, the food.... Bucca Di Beppo may not be the best Italian food I've ever tasted, but it's flavourful and pretty darn good. The "Salmon with Pesto" is SO TASTY. Fresh salmon topped with sun-dried tomatoes, pesto cream sauce and pine nuts, served with Italian Broccoli Romano. (The single portion is small, but if you're having a side, it's perfect. I always get this size, unless sharing with a huge group of people) Mio $14.49 Small $17.99 Large $31.99 ...... Please eat the mashed potatoes here.. they are so yummy. The dishes come in different sizes.. certain ones come in the smaller sizes (like I was saying about the salmon, earlier) but the idea of the restaurant is to order a few things and share. The large portions are GIGANTIC. I like the staff at the Brea location much better. The last 2 waitresses I had at this location, basically ignored us, both times!
(3)
J V.
I love this place! The food is more than enough and the prices are very reasonable. Go during the weekday and you never have to wait for a table. The staff there are very nice and accommodating with excellent service.
(5)
Andy P.
The only problem I have with this Buca is the service! Don't get me wrong, the waitress was very nice and always asking if we needed anything. My main issue is with the host(s). I was at the nearby gym, and stopped by in the afternoon to make a reservation for my family. They said they weren't taking any more for dinner...in a very rude and pompous way of course. So we get there, and they told us the wait would be 30 minutes. We finally got seated in an hour! Whatever, I think I'd prefer to go for the curb-side service instead of dining in. Oh yeah, the food was okay, not great.
(2)
Steven R.
I often go to the Buca di Beppos in Brea and Irvine. This was my first visit to the HB location. Very nice interior and decor, but the staff lacked the friendliness and enthsiasm of the other locations. Also, food came out late and was not hot... I like my pasta hot with steam, not warm where the cream sauce just sticks to the food. We ordered a meatball on the side and had the waitress take it back and give us another one that was the proper temperature. The replacement was hot and delicious. Our entrees were also not the right temperature, but we didn't have the heart to have her take those back as well. Hopefully it was just a bad day for them. Will probably go back someday and give them another chance, as my experiences with Buca's are usually very good..
(3)
Jeremy H.
Always a hotspot. Favorites include the pesto salmon and lasagna.
(3)
Bill C.
They just opened this Buca Di Beppo in Huntington Beach. Man, it's good. The real way to judge an American-styled Italian restaurant is to see how good it's meatballs are. Wow! These monstrous meatballs are flavorful and fluffy! That's just right! This chain serves food family style. That means come hungry or be prepared to take a lot home with you for leftovers. The spaghetti and meatballs are awesome. A big surprise was the stuffed shells. I usually like them, but I was hesitant about the spicy sausage stuffing. Wow! It was a really good. The best part of this meal was the garlic bread. It was real roasted garlic on bread with a touch of cheese. I swear, the garlic was roasted to perfection, strong with a touch of sweetness. I don't think I'll have to worry about vampires for a week or so! If you find yourself with some friends near a Buca Di Beppo, go there! It's awesome!
(5)
Ellie D.
Well the service was nice that's really the only reason why they got 2 stars. I'm usually very easy going when it comes to food but this was just not a good meal. My boyfriend and I wanted some Italian and I recommended bucca. First we ordered their special cheesy bread with spinach, tomato and garlic. Couldn't really taste anything but the cheese and a hint of garlic. And also their meals are for family sized groups so the prices are some what expensive. When the bread arrived at the table I was disappointed. 4 pieces of bread for $11.50... Not such a big portion. Two slices each for my boyfriend and I. What also sucks is if you just go with one other person you basically have to share something unless you want to pay over $20 per meal. We ordered their penne pasta with artichoke hearts, peas, sun dried tomatoes and white wine sauce. Not only did we wait forever to get our food but it wasn't even hot when it was brought to the table. The pasta was pretty bland. Three artichoke hearts... Not something I would pay $20 for. Over all i don't plan on going back. I can make a better meal for half the price and feed twice as many people at home.
(2)
Hazel Q.
I can't say it any better than Yuki - "Italian Claim Jumper," it's right on the money. So, since I can't say it better...I'll skip straight to the pros and cons. Thumbs Up: -Large, giant portions. -Nice service. -Fun, kitchy pictures all around. -Delish-mostly. I prefer the meat dishes here to the pasta dishes - except for the lasagna - that's good stuff. Thumbs Down: -Some of the pasta dishes are very mediocre - nothing special at all. -Service can be very slow. -Parking can be a problem. Overall, as far as chain Italian restaurants go, I prefer Macaroni Grill.
(3)
Troy H.
Sloowww. The service here is terrible. The idea of ordering appetizers and salads is to have something before the entrees come. Nope. Not here! We orderd calamari, and the spinach salad. First it took forever for the dishes to come out, but our entrees followed right after. The service was mediocre. The food was blah, at best. I actually used to like this place better than Maggiano's. Guess I was wrong. All of our food was bland and lacked flavor: The spaghetti and meatballs, the chicken parmisagna, the gnocchi, and the finochio something pizza all lacked flavor.
(1)
Jim P.
Had a great meal....enjoyed the fun atmosphere! We will definitely come back!
(4)
James G.
First of all, I have only had lunch at Buca and therefore this is a lunch review. Looking for dinner? take a hike, I got nothing for you chump. Hers is how it works. Walk in. Ignore the person standing upfront. Go right to the bar and sit down at a booth. The server in the bar area is named Gina and she is gonna take care of you. The bar area also ensures no children will be hanging over the seat next to you swinging spagetti over their heads. I enjoy the barely tasteful italian pictures hanging on the walls in the bar area too. Food wise I have the following insight for ya: best free bread great chicken parm great meatballs great stuffed shells, careful they have spicy sausage inside I m not listing anymore stuff b/c this place is pretty standard in terms of the menu. The penne arrabiato is spicy. Everything else I had was as expected. Why is this place a regular lunch spot for you Brian? First of all my name is Jim, but I guess since I always leave fully satisfied with a delicious meal in my belly and I don't spend a fortune. Afterall, we are talking lunch here which means I don't want a $20 bill to show up after the meal. Value, ya know? I also enjoy the ability to relax in a comfortable booth and Buca throws down a nice relaxing lunch break for me, the working class professional. My final recommendation is not for everyone, especially the light-hearted. When you get your bread and they do the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in the little dish, I take it to the next level. I take the parmesean and empty it into the dish. Maybe about half of one of those parm shakers. I know it sounds awful ok, I didn't write this review to be judged. But, oh boy is that a good slurry of flavor. Now you may need to build up to this level with some dashes at first. Keep in mind, I'm varsity league when it comes to the Buca scene. You gotta walk before you run. OK, your ready now. Go to Buca. Get some lunch. You have all the info you need to thoroughly enjoy your visit. After this review... it will be like seeing the movie after reading the book. Except lunch.
(4)
Angela B.
So we went there for our banquet ....it was alright. Service kinda was eh... I dunno why, but the banquet started at 6:52 officially..we probably got our food at like 7:3x or something. The fettuccine was just..fettuccine. It was really bland though :/ Like dude I don't even know if it had pepper/salt in it. They gave out garlic bread which was on the 'ehh' side too. Like it was good with the sauce I suppose, but..yeah. *shrug* The parmesean chicken was okay. :D I think that was the only thing though. It was a wee bit overcooked though. But it gave the fettuccine some flavor that it lacked. My friend ordered the eggplant lasagna or something, eggplant something. Dude it just seriously tasted like fried dough :/ The whole healthiness aspect was all gone. The spumoni we had was ...okay. There was strawberry, chocolate, coconut? or was it vanilla? then some green thing that wasn't pistachio, and then some yellow thing. Seriously, I have no idea why but the yellow and green flavors tasted 'spicy'. Por que man! o_O Hella weird. But I liked the creaminess of it :D Yeah the food was 'meh'. Service is on the slow side...but huge portions. -- Ooh so after that we went over to Barnes and Noble, and we saw the dude with the long hair from the Black Eyed Peas..so that was interesting. Then we also saw one of chem teachers at my school..yeaaah.
(3)
fran d.
Okay, what the hell is the appeal to this place? Fine Italian dinning this isn't either. I think los angeles lacks a serious Italian cuisine culture. There is not even a little italy in the county and there is just about a little -insert country name here- for about every part in the world! Yes, there are a few good Italian restaurants but they're few, far and in between oh, and bucca isn't one of them. I am beginning to think there is a big misconception between Italian restaurants and noise. This is yet another noisy quasi Italian establishment with portions larger than life. Too bad the portions isn't anything to write the italy ministry of culinary arts about. If we did, the whole country would declare war on California. The kitsch factor is HIGH at this place. There is even a booth "in the kitchen" for those interested enough in seeing how the food gets royally screwed up. I will say, I give them points for exposing their weaknesses for all the public to see. Still, this place is too crowded for my taste and the food per value isn't all that great. Ka-ching for yet another soulless chain restaurant.
(2)
Tina L.
I remember this place. Went here with a large group of people from GWC to celebrate a Student Body event. Very loud, almost defeaning, and the food wasn't that great. The patrons here are so rude and the service isn't much better. There are better places for "Italian" food in HB. Try and find them.
(2)
Benjo L.
The Facts: Dinner was about $15+tax+tip per person. had a party of 8. We got stuck in a long corner table. Was fussy because the server could only approach 8 of us from the open side where two of us sat. Food is fresh and servings are generous, but lots of pasta, little meat. Family-style servings. Servers were good, almost too attentive. It almost seemed like we were being rushed. Ambiance is commercial italian (pictures of sophia loren, tony bennett, frank, etc.). We requested the "pope" table but didn't get it as it's reserved for parties of 12+. it went empty though. Parking is free, but tight. Ambiance: B Food: B- Fun Factor: B+ Menu/variety: B Parking: free lot Service: B Value: B Conclusion: overall experience was pretty good. Although at this level we prefer macaroni grill.
(3)
Carolyn C.
lets make this quick before some other smartass yelper jumps on my ass for reviewing a chain (ahem...u kno who u people are..lol =P ) 5 STAR : 2pm Thursday still Lunch Menu in EFFECT! 3 STAR: slow ass service for an empty place 2 STAR: forgot our waters to busy talkin to other workers/customers 1 STAR: no bread left so they brought us 2 slices of the smallest bread around...btw it was cold 5 STAR: Pizza Angelo is some sick ass pizza i mean the BEST ive had in awhile...very different...extreemly thin crusted, cheese, mushroom, potato chip....etc yummmay its a must have! 2 STAR: Lemon Chicken w Fettucini..theres no excuse for nasty pasta here that was stuck together and in the most gross lemon butter sauce 1 STAR: she brought some FRESH bread for us which was COLD...whatt??? freshh??? freshly FOUND off someones table!! still the pizza balances this meal out to a 3star omg that pizza....
(3)
Dimitri T.
I came here for the first time with my mom and Nichole last night. It was easy to find and the food wasn't bad. We ordered the garlic bread and the veal saltimbocca with spaghetti marinara. We all ordered a glass of wine. Everything was very nice. The spaghetti got cold really quickly, but that wasn't a big deal. The best thing about this restaurant is the very cool ambiance. Pictures of random Italian thing everywhere, statues, ornate decorative carpet. This lady came up to our table and told us that the people that sit at that table receive a free gift so they took a picture and brought us back a post card with a $10 coupon, we already had one so the bill was totally affordable. Overall, good experience. I'd go again.
(3)
Cliff B.
Went around 2pm. Seated next to the only other group in the room, they had little kids that liked to walk up to me. Fine, its for the waiters i understand. The waitress looked very sweaty and sick. Its ok, sometimes I gotta come to work no matter what too. The Italian Soda tasted like carbonation with pink coloring. The linguini alfredo was very dry, like a sip of water (since the italian soda was poor) between each bite. The three cannoli ordered, crispy shells were rock hard, the filling was alright but not great since i couldn't bite the whole thing together on account of the shell being so hard. Friendly staff, from the two I interacted with. Overall not my favorite Italian experience. I probably will never be going back.
(1)
Tin N.
For some reason Buca and Maggiano's always seem to find each other in comparisons. Its probably because they're both Italian and both promote stuffing your faces till you can't move anymore. Personally I like Buca more, but only if you have a large group. With the large group you can get a huge variety of food (I love variety) because the plates here are HUGE. At first it seems a bit expensive at 15 or 20 dollars just for pasta, but when you realize that one plate of pasta could comfortable feed (but not fill) 4 people, the economy of this place soon comes into light. I like this place because its fun, great for groups, and not as pretentious an environment as Maggiano's. You can get a lot of pretty good food, of different types, and not spend that much money.
(4)
Judy S.
A friend asked us to go to dinner with him and his girlfriend to this place. I had never heard of it so I looked it up...on Yelp of course... and read alot of the reviews. Man I love this site, it helped alot. We went on a Saturday and the place was packed!! People stuff inside, outside. Our friend made a reservation and we still had to wait an additional twenty min. Thats where the 4 stars comes from. Otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. The food was AMAZING. My husband and I shared a Baked Rigatoni dish. That was gooood! And the portions are so big, like everyone else said. If you think about it, this place is cheaper than Mac Grill and Olive Garden because our dish was $15.99 and we shared it. At the other eateries I'd spend $13.00 on a plate of pasta for myself and my husband would get his own dish. So this place is awesome!! The flavor of the food is WAY better than Olive Garden too! In my opinion, that place has went downhill....its sad. Anyway we didnt have room for dessert, but I plan on getting it next time...because there WILL be a next time ;)
(4)
Nick S.
place was dead quiet for a Monday night foodtball evening. Parking lot was packed but of course that was for 24 hour fitness. Great place though....the staff was full of energy and helpful. our server really wasn't digging my sense of humor but that's okay the food was still orgasmic. i got the fried calamari.. order of chicken Parmesan and side of mash potatoes. ahhhh thank goodness for leftovers!!
(5)
Shara N.
hmmmms. . I went here for a birthday party, it was pretty interesting. The meatballs were the size of our waiter's fist, that's how he explained it. I really liked how one plate can well fill up me and my husband, but I do mind you that well he eats a lot. There was a lot of things that I wanted to try on the menu, but after eating our food.. we both began to have stomachaches. So I give this place a three out of five stars. Atmosphere being great but . . food that will sit in your stomach like a brick. :[
(3)
Mike V.
This is a great place for a casual meal... the decor is a bit different and not the most comfortable seats but overall I have to rate this place 4 stars. The food and service has always been great... and the pricing is very affordable. Only once was I a little bit disappointed and that was because they were out of fresh bread and we didn't get any until we were half way through our meal... supply and demand can be a bit tricky.
(4)
Munir S.
I usually stop by for take-out dinner every once in a while, but sometimes we come here for dinner. Portions are good for the price. The spaghetti is flavorful, the gnocchi comes bathed in a nice tomato sauce, and the stuffed ravioli is quite tasty. The salmon pesto dish is a standout, with lots of garlic and sundried tomatoes.
(4)
John B.
TERRIBLE TERRIBLE PARKING! It's a WAR with the bar/nightclub next door. Very Good: Chicken Parm Fried Calamari Cheese Ravioli with pomodoro Caesar Salad Pepperoni Pizza with pepperoncini Sometimes good: Tiramisu - often far too boozy, otherwise good Pretty Mediocre: Plain spaghetti - overcooked, watery, bad choice Lasagna - bland, mushy, dull Meatballs - hunk of bland stretched beef, doesn't taste good Be prepared for a wait on weekends. NOT a good place for quiet conversation, can be very loud, particularly with kids and parties.
(4)
Fresnedy R.
My first time at Buca's and the food was ok the portions is what made it worth while. Went with a big group so tons of food all around:)
(4)
Maribel R.
This place needs to really evaluate the type of employees they have there. As were pulling up one of servers was giving our party dirty looks. When we walked in and announced to the hostess there were 4 people in our party. We sat. Noticed that the server walked up to the hostess, exchanged some words. Another party of 4 walked in 5 minutes later. A few minutes go by and the other party of 4 that also didn't have reservations were called before us. While we were completely ignored. ...that's not good service at all. Definately not going to that place again.
(1)
Natassia C.
I just had the worst experience here! The staff was so unprofessional, the hostess wasn't friendly, and the waitresses were just rude, do not come here if you care about service. I came with my 4 year old daughter and the were standing around our booth cursing, talking about sex and complaining about mexicans and Catholics! In was so inappropriate, and i normally enjoy going to this urestaurant but i will NEVER go back there, those waitresses either need to have some serious training on how to conduct themselves around customers or find a new job.
(1)
Rob W.
Went to Buca Di Beppo and enjoyed their pepperoni pizza. It took awhile to come out, but it was worth the wait. The pizza was loaded with lots of crispy pepperoni. We used to order their shrimp pizza, but they took it off the menu and it's no longer available. They are constantly changing their menu and sometimes it's a bit frustrating as they replace popular, tasty items with with items I would never want to try. Management told me it was a corporate decision and had no control over it.
(3)
Tiffany N.
Stuffed shells (6 huge pasta shells stuffed with 2 types of cheese, spinach, spicy italian) is not worth it! Not much bang for your bucks! I was indeed stuffed.....with cheese, but not with satisfaction :) never ordering that again. I still like this place and the free bread though!
(3)
Chloe K.
This place is a 3.5 star I have tried their gnocci which is pretty good. I love their chicken parmigiana. And their garlic bread is awesome. It sucks that their portions are so huge that it has to be shared. What if I wanted to eat alone?
(3)
Mimi P.
Considering we had a not-so-favorable experience at another location, we were hoping the Huntington Beach location would not be just as disappointing. Well, they were far from disappointing. The eggplant parmeseana, baked ziti and linguini in white clam sauce were heavenly. They weren't overcooked or bland. The salads were fresh and the mozzarella garlic bread was hot and delicious. Our server, Matthew, was phenomenal. This is by far the best experience I've had at a Bucca di Beppo restaurant. Thumbs up!
(5)
Nhi Thao N.
I visited this Buca di Beppo for dinner last night with my boyfriend. It was nice to get out of the rain and enjoy a warm meal inside :) My boyfriend had a buy 1 pasta, get 1 pasta 50% off coupon, so we ordered a small spaghetti with meat sauce and a small linguine frutti di mare. We also shared a glass of sangria. The portions at Buca are really large! My boyfriend and I only finished the linguine frutti di mare (it was delicious!); we didn't even touch the spaghetti, which we ended up taking to-go. The sangria was refreshing (we chose the one that contained white wine instead of red wine - I prefer white wine and dessert wine over red wine). All in all, we had a good experience. I've eaten at this Buca di Beppo several times before, and I'll most likely return!
(4)
Christine N.
This place serves huge portions for a "small" and is great to order a couple of dishes and share with a group of friends. The most recent dish we tried was their ravioli dish, which was outstanding. Or maybe we were just hungry. Their bread comes with dipping sauce and is free. Waiter takes forever to serve though.
(3)
Jennifer B.
Been here a ton of times with the boyfriend's fambam and they always make reservations for the Pope's table, which is the large circular table at the top of the stars with the pope's head in the center of the lazy susan turntable. Buca is a loud, fun Italian restaurant with HUGE portions, so it's great for large families and little kiddies! It definitely has a cozy old school Italian feel to it. I have always had a decent experience and servers are always friendly. We usually have Matt as our server and he's always great especially since we can be overwhelming and a lot of handle (2 screaming kiddies, 13 Italians shouting and talking over each other, and me :)). Sometimes service may be a little slow and we have to ask a couple of times for another wine glass or extra water, so that's something they could improve on. Everyone always enjoys the food here. Although it's not the greatest Italian food I've ever had, I still think it's good! We always start off with the antipasto chopped salad (the large can serve about 12-14), which is light and refreshing. Then comes the margherita pizza. It's thin, crispy, cheesy, and it's just a classic! For pasta, we get the baked rigatoni which comes with a meat sauce and spicy Italian sausages. These sausages are actually pretty spicy! I love the baked ricotta cheese that lays on top of all that pasta too. We also get the spaghetti with meatballs. MY OH MY, those MEATBALLS ARE GIGANTIC. Each meatball can probably be split between 4 people. The balls are that big! Nothing too special about the spaghetti to me, it's just average. For entrees, we have both the eggplant and chicken parmigiana. I think both are baked perfectly and are super tasty (I don't like eggplant, but I like this dish). Lastly, we always order the chicken limone which is your standard chicken dish topped with a lemony, creamy butter sauce and capers. The chicken is super juicy and tender and the capers add great flavor to the dish. Since we always had a huge party, we order about 3-4 desserts. At our last visit, we got the DOLCE PLATTER. It pretty much covers all your desserts: apple crostata, double chocolate cake, cheesecake with raspberry sauce, and of course, the tiramisu. Each dessert is pretty good. They don't disappoint after a hearty Italian meal!
(4)
Tyler S.
The service and ambience were exceptional but I wish I could say the same for the food. Had lasagna, spaghetti, fettuccini alfredo and frutti di mare with an ice cold Peroni. Nothing wrong with the food, but nothing right. I feel bad saying it but the spaghetti and lasagna reminded me of what was served out of my high school cafeteria- bland tomato sauce, overcooked pasta, and dryish underseasoned meat. You might say "But Tyler, spaghetti with meatballs and lasagna is a totally American uninteresting thing to order, what did you expect?", to which I would respond "Touche". However, the frutti di mare was better, and the shrimp was actually cooked and seasoned quite nicely. Based on this and past experiences here, I would definitely recommend ordering a seafood item. Not a bad place for a cold beverage and some mild, generously portioned food.
(3)
Richard L.
Love the decor. It remind me when i was in Italy. Love those pictures.Foods is good if you like pasta and pizza.Their thin bread pizza remind me when i ate pizza in Italy except weight by the pound part(In Italy, they sell pizza by the weight). They have the best Tiramisu. Even better than i had in Italy. Just warning there is alot of rum in it.
(4)
Jenny C.
I mean it is a chain so i dont know what to write for them... Their food is decent... very nice atmosphere though... if you can... try and get the kitchen table! its a must !
(3)
Jovan R.
This place is good, but the portions and pricing are very odd. The PERONI beer on draft is excellent. Just about everything on this menu is great. The stuffed shells are a great choice. The meatballs are massive here. The APPLE GORGONZOLA SALAD is superb. A must try.
(4)
Candace W.
Lazy days are a rarity for us but every once in a while, it's an absolute must. We had nothing but trees, trash t.v. and food on the schedule and my boy insisted on Buca when I suggested bottomless soup and salad at OG. Anyway, talk about Italian explosion up in this joint. I'm a sucker for photos; old and new so I was pretty occupied while waiting for our food. I found comfort in all the authentic Italian soccer team scarves hanging on the wall, which reminded me of my father. FORZA MILAN! Gina was our server and she is an absolute doll. Took care of our needs, sparked up light conversation and made us feel right at home... We started off with stuffed mushrooms as the antipasto, of course. I would have loved a plateful but there were only five pcs. of mushrooms stuffed with prosciutto and cheese. These little gems were baked and drowned in a bed of pesto cream sauce *wipes drool* The portions were beyond my expectations so we had a lot of food to bring home. We only ate half of the eggplant parmesan which I thought was pretty tasty. However, there was a little too much sauce for my liking, I thought it masked the actual taste of the eggplant. The baked rigatoni was downright delish. Sausage chunks, ricotta, melted mozzarella, baked sauce crust - a fat man's dream. We barely put a dent it in before we called it quits. We won't be back regularly as this place is not for the faint of wallets and waistlines but the experience was a must.
(3)
Ozzy C.
large portions and good food. Simple, classic Italian food. come here with others so u can share. it is best to get your food family style as portions are large. spaghetti and meatballs. simple and tasty. pastas are cooked just right and not heavily sauced. all the chicken dishes are a safe bet. this place is good for large parties and for kids. it gets loud here at times. this location can get busy and parking may require some patience at nite.
(4)
Andrea R.
Went there last night and had a nice dinner and great service. When we got to the car, we discovered our gift packages had been stolen out of our car!! Be careful where you park, we parked by the street, out of range of the security cameras. Don't leave anything valuable in your car. They got into our locked car, stole our stuff, then locked it again. The police said they do that so you don't notice right away that you've been broken into. This is happening at Bella Terra and CostCo also. Just a warning...tell your friends!
(3)
My M.
If you know how to throw olive oil, garlic, onions and a can of tomatoes in a pan and cook it for 20 minutes you are a better cook than the people at this restaurant. I believe the Italian words on their menu secretly mean "this is how you trick Americans into believing we are Italian." Everything is overly salted and you can hardly tell if you're eating tomatoes, pasta or cheese much less Italian. I vowed never to come back but they fooled me with their $10 off $20 coupon. You will be too, but don't do it. This stuff was good back when you first moved out of your parents' house and had to rely on that sugar laden stuff that comes out of a Prego jar but you've grown up now and you deserve better.
(1)
Laura R.
Just incase you may have forgot (because I did) - let me recap what this Buca location has: 1) Good Service 2) Boring italian food 3) High prices 4) Room for big groups 5) A table with the pope's head in the middle staring at you 5) Room for kids to run around and flail their arms 6) Bread that is mehhh and not warm 7) Schmeg on the menus or tablecloth or booths or all 8) I forget what 8 was for... 9) Their new "spicy rigatoni" isn't spicy and was undercooked. 10)My booth had duct tape in two places I couldn't help but comment to my friend that maybe we should have just grabbed a seat at the bar downstairs. I'd say Buca gets 1.5 stars.
(2)
Joe D.
Food was good, portions huge and the google coupon sweetened the bill. The service however was very slow and I was annoyed to watch as one server served all tables in the bar while two employees just chatted behind the bar doing nothing the whole time. Bring a jacket, all Bucas seem to be on the cold side like you're sitting in their fridge.
(3)
Jonathan L.
This place serves huge portions for a "small" and is great to order a couple of dishes and share with a group of friends. The most recent dish we tried was their ravioli dish, which was not bad. Or maybe we were just hungry. Their bread comes with dipping sauce and is free. Waiter takes forever to serve though.
(3)
Rachael K.
I won't give Buca 5 stars, just cuz it's a chain, and well...it's a chain and the foodie in me just can't. That said, The fact is, I love and by love, I mean that I would possibly give up my yet-to-be-conceived first born child for their veal limone. It's served over white beans and escarole with this amazing sauce. They also make a kick-ass salad or two. My favorite is the plain old Mixed Green Salad with Prosciutto and Gorgonzola. It's simple, but it's damn good. Oh - and the small will feed a small army. Keep that in mind. I also totally dig their spaghetti and I'm really not a red sauce girl. Oh - and before I forget, you have to try their Chicken Parm at least once. It's my favorite. You don't get the previously frozen chicken patties, deep fried and topped with mozzerella with some red sauce dumped on top. This is actual, real chicken boobies. They bake Prosciutto top with big chunks of tomato and then the cheese. It's so good. So yeah. Screw it. I'm giving Buca five stars. The foodie in me says it's ok to have one guilty pleasure.
(5)
Angel Q.
the wait was long, but we got a little tour of the kitchen when we were about to be seated. the waitress who took care of our orders had an air of a manager. she memorized our orders without writing them down just like that. its crazy. when the food came, i barely touched my food. why? the food is filling! my friend got some kind of spicey pasta, and i love it. my dish was pretty good too. it was some kind of chicken wine cream pasta with peas. over all the service was not bad, and the food is good. just know that the wait is long and that the portions are huge. if you are a girl, split one dish with a friend. gelato here is cute and yummy. cute, because of the little cones they serve with. over all i had good experience here.
(5)
Mark M.
I don't understand the fuss of giving this place bad reviews? If you want the Cloth table covers, you want the waiters to be in Tux's, and you want only the best wines, cheeses and a staff that will cater to your every whim, then Buca Di Beppo is not the place, that is why it is not wise to take your KIDS to those HIGH END restaurant for and to places like good ol' Buca! This place is designed for the family dining, at a fair and reasonable price. And with these times we are going through, we need more places like this to go to once in a while, so take another look at what you are saying, and please rate the establishment on the level it was intended to be rated at. If you go to a 5 star, fancy joint, and you really expect only the best of the best on all levels, then rate it as such, not all of the business deserve the bashing that have been handed out by some thinking that they should be treated as if they were in a place that will charge $100.00 per person, and that is not the case here! So,, when in Paris..... Now I can step off my soap box and get down to how I felt on Buca Di Beppo's on the level it was meant to be reviewed! On this night, (Friday, 11/21) we entered and were greeted by the hostess right a way and was told it will be a couple of moments and we will be seated. In about 5 minutes, we were at our seats, and right a way the server gave us a basket of bread with the oil and vinegar to dip it into. He fetched our drinks, and by the time he came back, the wife and I were ready to order. Served family style, we enjoyed the Chicken Marsala along with Side of Fettuccine Alfredo, The Chicken was cooked PERFECTLY along with the pasta! We had a glass of wine and as long as it was a birthday for one of us, they gave us a Cake and a $10.00 gift card to use on another visit in the future! Thinking back, This was a great meal we had with Decent (As expected from this level of dining) and we were very pleased in the whole aspect and value we received here at Buca Di Beppo's. So, for those of you who feel that Denny's Review should be help on the same Standards as Ruth's Crisp, they maybe you should rethink your reviews. Bottom line, you get what you pay for! If our meal were to cost $100.00 or there about, this review would be totally different with way less stars, but because of the level of dining this is, I gave it all FIVE stars for QUALITY, VALUE, SERVICE, Being clean and Friendly Staff. Enjoy Buca Di Beppo's, you will glad you did!
(4)
Steve C.
Was unimpressed when I tried it with a friend. We shared chicken parmesan and a ravioli dish. Maybe we just chose poorly, I see lots of posters talking about the huge portions, but we barely had enough. The ravioli seemed particularly skimpy. And neither dish was anything special. Maggianos it ain't, but it's better than Macaroni Grill. How's that for a lukewarm endorsement?
(2)
Teresa N.
They call this italian? The food we got here was gross. Our waiter didn't even tell us about the free housebread or offered us any until we asked if our garlic bread came with refills. We ordered the fettucine which was...whatever. My home cooking was better! We also got the stuffed shells which didn't even look appetizing and claimed to be topped with alfredo sauce but we couldn't find any until we realized the little white speck on top of the shells were alfredo... About 45$ later, we weren't happy...and I really wanted to like it.
(2)
Tina M.
Came here for a birthday party and I was VERY surprised. I loved all the food here. I loved it even more for the simple fact that the oiliness of this Italian food was just right... it was the first time in a LONG time that I didn't get heartburn from Italian food (which is usually brought on by oiliness or creaminess). This place is 100x better than stupid Olive Garden (BLEGH... I think I even got sick there once too).
(5)
Dr D.
While the food isn't bad, and its great for large parties (It is a family style restaurant)...the elevator makes me want to hurl...(literally). It smells like bad dog fur and vomit. I think someone either had a severe accident in it at some point, or the waiters must constantly spill food. In any event the rancid puke smell of the elevator makes me NOT want to eat here again. The food is alright... I am Italian, it gets my semi- approval. I think they drench stuff in sauce a bit much to my liking. But avoid the elevator at all costs. Their Pasadena location is much better.
(3)
Reiney P.
I used to enjoy my experience at Buca but lately it's been going majorly downhill. The carb content is the same...excessive, but the flavors have been lacking. The dishes were all pasta and bread and no sauce. So we got our bread about 15 minutes after being seated, and part of our drinks didn't come until about 10 minutes after. I got my water but my friend didn't get his margarita until after entrees arrived. Entrees...that's another chapter... Remembering how much sauce was in the spaghetti the last time we were there, we made sure to ask for extra sauce this time. So when entrees arrived, I got my pizza and he got a bowl of sauce, LoL. We asked our server "where's the pasta?" and she said "oh it's coming, it comes from a different kitchen." So now we're thinking: pasta and sauce are made in separate kitchens? that don't make sense. The pizza was all bread with a thin layer of dried up sauce and huge glob of cheese on each cut square. I ended up picking off the cheese glob and eating the pizza bread by dipping it into the extra bowl of spaghetti sauce. So I guess my dinner was a basket of bread with a $10 platter of pizza bread. My friend's spaghetti didn't arrive until we asked the manager who was at the table next to us trying to make better another patron's problem. Who would've thought that pizza was quicker to make than spaghetti??? When the pasta finally came, of course there was barely any sauce on it but the pasta was also swimming in water. Oh that just reminded us of "Kitchen Nightmares". We happen to have an extra bowl on the table to we poured all the water out of the dish and when the manager came by to ask us how our dinner was, we showed her how much water we poured out of the dish. Service was horrible and the food wasn't special either. On our next round of coupon redemption, we'll probably order to-go because the to-go window was moving so much faster.
(2)
CJ M.
I love the food here. The dishes are gigantic, great seasonings and sauces, and amazing pasta. The only thing I don't like about this place is the corny decor. There is all these pics of naked kids inside the bath room. I don't know if they wanted it to be authentic or if they are just pervs.
(4)
Alex N.
Portion are hughe.. its designed to shared with friends and loved ones.. nice evironment.. good pizza and Pasta place.......... Calamari is pretty good.. comparable to BJ's CPKs
(3)
Susie P.
delicious food! great ambiance! big portions!
(4)
Pink P.
I love Buca...but...........This place had an upstairs. I had 3 elderly people with us...they put us in a back dining room that was VERY tight and very crowded and I was extremely clostrophobic...I kept panicking the whole time, thinking "what if there was a fire?" I felt like it was a fire trap...did NOT like that feeling AT ALL...(and Im not even clostrophobic...nor do I have any phobias!) So, choose your table carefully...if the location bothers you, tell the waitress you want another table...I won't go back unless Im downstairs near an exit.
(3)
M T.
within 24 hours of writing my first review i was contacted by corporate and they are sending me a gift card for a future visit. the gc is a nice touch but i really am not after that, i'm really impressed with how quickly they responded. that is refreshing as most places just don't seem to care. i'm still not happy with the way i was treated by the server and her gossiping, but i will add 1 star to the previous review because of corporates concern...or at least them pretending to care. i just wish that they would train their employees to keep it professional in front of customers, even if it is only two of us.
(3)
CA Sunshine S.
Chicken Marsala had good fresh mushrooms, but was drowned in strange thick maple-syrup-like sauce. Green & antipasto salads were so-so. Carbonara pasta had salt-lick chicken -- to the point of being nearly inedible. Service ho-hum. We had to beg for water and waited a long time for food. Loud. Overstimulating fake nostalgia covering every spare inch of wall space. Pricey considering how mediocre. This is no Carmine's.
(2)
Jessica V.
Love this place! Plenty of food for 2 people and left with leftovers. Prices seem a little expensive but when you split it per person you usually end up paying only $7.00 each. Excellent service as well and very clean!
(4)
Erin L.
Never really understood the fuss over this place. Sure they serve huge portions, but the food is really not that great. I can make it for you from my kitchen. I guess it'd be a good place if u'd like to have family styles italian atmosphere.
(3)
Becca N.
a bit trendy. we go the Pope's table. a lazy susan with enough room for 14 people - we crammed. the food came and was amazing! rich and delicious. would go again with a group. it's definitely more of a group or family place. (dessert could have been better but the meal(s) were great!) try the pasta dishes all are worth trying.
(3)
Melvin G.
imma be honest lots of people love it but i just dont seem to click with this place. its a nice setting when u walk in because it feels old fashio at the same time though u r creeped out by the pictures. the food is alright i mean they base most of the food off quantity instead of quality. other then that not bad if u must ask though this is juat a casual thing
(4)
Jennifer V.
The inside of the restaurant is like a maze and the decor is really cute. It reminds me a lot of Melting Pot for some reason but aside from that, the food is not good. I have been here a few times for large group gatherings and I never finished half of what I ordered. It's too bland and the flavors do not tie together well at all.
(2)
Peter N.
The food my significant other and I ordered was good but the service was HORRIBLE! We told the waiter to give us a few more minutes to look over the menu and decide what to get. After that, he never really came back to us until several minutes later. We got our orders down and our food came minutes later. The waiter never came back. We had to ask another waitress for our bill and we paid and left. One of the crappiest services ever!
(3)
jason t.
i love going to bucca! me and the family are very itanlian so the atmosphere is perfect!!! loud, artsy, and lots of vino... we are there once a week... if you went home from bucca saying wow... that sure was a nice "quiet" italian family sitting behind us minding their own business and not having fun... it wasnt us!!!
(4)
Natsu H.
For a restaurant that serves non fancy and mediocre Italian food, it's pretty damn pricey. I went with two others on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm so it wasn't yet crowded. The waiter talked a little bit too much but was nice. I'd come back if I'm invited to any events hosted here, but if it were up to me I'd dine elsewhere with food worth the price.
(3)
Alex L.
The food was either too sweet or too salty. The service was definately slow. The other Buca Di Beppo I went to was much tastier.
(2)
Kelly L.
This place has absolutely earned a place as one of my favorite chain restaurants. Amazing food!!! I always order the seafood linguine which is a must for seafood lovers. Their pizzas are decent with thin crusts, non oily, and very large toppings. Food is a bit pricey but there are a lot of $10 off coupons you can find or receive. Having birthdays here is always fun and for a free dessert, it's possible to get a large cupcake, red velvet slice, or the BEST Vesuvia chocolate. It's kinda random depending on the season. This place is great for large groups since the portions and servings are big. Service here is amazing and the waiters and waitresses are always available and friendly. The worst service we've ever received was when a waiter accidentally spilled our water and then he offered us a free dessert of our choice on the house.
(4)
Killer B.
I love Italian food. Something about it is so comforting and it's probably the only food I could eat every day and not get sick of. I've heard some great things about Buca Di Beppo so I was very anxious to try this place out. After trying it I don't see what the hype is about. Maybe it's just this location, but the food was nothing special. This chicken parmesan is good, and the lasagna is average. They serve the dishes family style, which is nice and the way Italian food was meant to be eaten. The service is very slow, partly due to the fact that this is in Bella Terra which gets very crowded. They seriously need to get some more servers. The parking here sucks too, it takes forever to get a space unless you want to park far away up in a parking structure. For me it's not worth putting up with these problems for marginal food.
(3)
irene m.
I wish there were a zero star rating. I agree with one of the reviewers 100%, Tammye. The food at buca in general is good. It is greasier than some other Italian restaurants but it is tasty. The problem with this restaurant is with this particular location. The service and preparation of the food is awful. I placed on online order hours in advance for it to be ready at 5:15 and even paid for it online. At 5:40 when I inquired if the food was almost ready, the lady told me that they had to remake one of the orders because it had turned out "crispy." The problem was I had a child who was supposed to be picked up. I stupidly assumed that ordering food to be ready at 5:15 meant that it would be ready by 5:30. When I did receive my food at almost 6 pm, it was all lukewarm. I asked for the calamari to be remade because reheated calamari does not taste good. I could hear the "chef" throw my order back in the oil and the cashier brought it out to me 2 minutes later almost burned and dripping with oil. I had to reheat the rest of the food when I arrived home. To go food is supposed to be just that. To go. You should not have enough time to read 20 pages of a book while waiting for your food! The cashier was the only one who apologized to me. The "chef" came out multiple times to look at us but never apologized even though it was his mistake. I guess he didn't know we could see him. The problems with this place are the service and the food. In most places at least one of the components is done right. So if you do go here, have a sense of humor, plan nothing afterwards and bring a very big book to read. You might also want to bring a snack for while you are waiting. Just a thought
(1)
Benjamin M.
I love Bucca: but something has changed... It's more expensive, it's smaller portions of good food. I must say it was a little disappointing. This location is a bit hard to get to, and at the moment they're doing construction next door, which means there Valet is working overtime to get you a place to park. This place is stil lpretty good for a large crowd, though not AS good.
(4)
Cathy E.
Bad service+bad food = won't go back.
(1)
Steven H.
Well, the company I work for decided to eat here to celebrate a major milestone for us which hopefully will get us a lot of business. We had 21 people but they arranged the "pope" room which holds only 18. It's kind of weird sitting in a room with a bust of the pope and people are rotating a huge lazy Susan so the pope would not be staring at them. They offered to move us to a larger room but we asked to have a table set alongside of the one which we were already sitting. Okay, it was a little awkward but it worked. They have a very friendly staff but hey, no one else was there as it was lunchtime. They had bread and water waiting for us when we were seated. Eighteen people in that room is kind of crowded in my opinion and after eating, you need even more room if you know what I mean. The bread was good, fresh and served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The only problem is that people tend to dip and dip again and the others are waiting to rotate the lazy Susan to their area. We had pre-ordered garlic cheese bread, Caesar salad and some Gorgonzola salad, lemon chicken, spaghetti with meat sauce and lasagna. Most of these items are pretty good. I did not care much for the spaghetti as I am one of those people that likes lots of sauce. No, I am definitely not Italian. I know they use very little sauce but I am who I am. The salads were good but nothing to write home about. The chicken was very good. I'd buy that. The lasagna, I really liked. It was different from what I have experienced before. It wasn't as heavy as I am used to having with a very good taste. They really underestimated the amount of food for the number of people so if you are ever there with a large crowd, be prepared to either order more food or eat sparingly. I cannot say much about the price as I did not see the check but I understand that when we eat at Claim Jumper, it costs about 1/3 more to feed the same number of people. I'd go back and try this place again for myself.
(3)
Sophia N.
A cute italian restaurant with great food. we had a little tour of the kitchen before we were seated, everyone there was friendly. A small on their menu looked like a large on mine. There was more food than i expected but it was a great experience, with good pasta and cheese bread :D
(4)
Matt R.
I really like this place, but I just really don't love it. I've visited four different locations in various cities over the years. Every time I visit another time, it seems to get worse and worse. At first, the food is exciting, the atmosphere interesting and the staff's demeanor is sarcastic enough to make you smile. Then you realize you're eating in a theme park and it quickly wears off. There are just too many Italian restaurants with much better food and much better prices and service. I think dinner should be an event, long and enjoyable. Instead, it just seems to drag here, because the staff cannot keep any pace. Regardless of whether or not you have reservations or what time of day/week you are there, you'll wait, and wait and wait. Why would I wait, do you not want my business? Everything is served 'family style' which is a term I cannot stand in the least, to begin with. What it means: we'll serve you 2 portions at the cost of 3 or 4. Trying to eat here as a couple is impossible. We went once for Valentine's day, because someone told us they'd have a special menu and that during lunch they do smaller portions. BS. I even asked the waiter "what do you recommend for two people?" his response was "The menu is on the wall." No kidding, dipshit, is that what I asked? Their 'friendly-sarcastic' demeanor wears off really fast, not that anyone (minus above Cupid) is ever rude, but you feel like you're being served by a Haunted Mansion employee from DisneyLand. The food is great here. It's a lot of rich red sauces, which are pretty easy to find anywhere, but it's still good. I prefer something a little lighter, with more cream type sauces, but it's good. The stuffed shells have spicy sausage in them, which is to die for. The chicken parmesan is also very good. In fact, this is the first place I ever enjoyed it at. They try to convince you that the dash through the kitchen is a 'tour.' I think they try a little too hard here. I prefer Maggiano's, not that they are very different, but I think their food is better. I wish they'd just tone it down a bit in here. It feels crowded, even when you are with a large group (which usually gets you more space.) I'd recommend this place to everyone, to try, once, especially in a large group. Romantic dinner for two? Absolutely not. It's like a theme park for young kids, it's fun once or twice, but you soon get tired of the same act. I wish I had better to say, but I just don't.
(3)
Gabe B.
I am a huge fan of Buca di Beppo. This place is only good for either a few fat people or a lot of skinny people; so basically, groups. The food here is really wholesome, filling, and comforting. Every time I go there I ALWAYS get the Italian Cream Berry Soda when I go there, it's amazing, I assure you. Also the parmesan chicken there is to die for. I've gone her a number of times one for family, and a lot for business; I highly suggest YOU BOOK IN ADVANCE O: The waits get pretty bad.
(5)
Hale N.
My boyfriend and I decided to try a new restraunt and we had an amazing experience!!!! Uuuugghhhhh 2 words Mouth watering. I loved their chicken with the lemon sauce. I thought the little pea like vegetables were plain but I tasted it by itself and it was bursting with flavor. Artichoke was amazing and so was the fettichine.Amazing atmosphere makes you feel like ur in Italy and makes u feel like ur at home. Play tasteful music and service was amazing. I would definetly go back!!!
(5)
Suzy S.
This place was described to me as a Maggianos like restaurant. What an insult to Maggianos. This place is awful! The interior is all worn with broken junk on the walls which look like someone picked up at a yard sale. Bathrooms are filthy. The food is even worse than the decor if you can imagine that. The chicken spinach cannelloni came with one piece of chicken smaller than my pinky fingernail and contained no spinach (unless you count the green dyed noodle...fairly certain it was imitation). I looked at what my friends got and their items looked just as bad. Virtually no meat. Why would anyone pay $20 for a big bowl of subpar noodles and sauce?! Even the bread was bleh. I've received far more enjoyment out of a $3 lean cuisine pasta dish than what Buca had to offer.
(1)
Bea R.
ummm thisplace was just BAD! one star to the service I guess...
(1)
T K.
Horrible service. Hands down some of the worst service I've seen in a while. A restaurant can be great but with bad service it'll go downhill in no time, franchise or no franchise I've seen it happen. We went in there around 12ish, walked in and no one greeted us for a long time. Then when someone finally came out from behind the take out area she said " oh we'll seat you in a moment"... That, once again, took a long time as well. Finally seated us and much to our surprise there were only 3 tables seated... Which means you didn't seat us out of laziness or she was on an off day. Once we were seated, not even an apology for the wait. So were sitting there and again, no one to take our drink order. We finally decided to get up and go, I suggested The Cheesecake Factory and I am so glad we went there instead. Such a change in service, it was a relief to eat there. My bf used to go to Buca di Beppo in Cleveland and was excited about taking me there to experience it. It was disappointing for him and especially for me considering it was my first time there. Fix it people, it's not my problem you hate your job. With the job market the way it is there's a couple hundred people willing to replace you and do your work with a smile. Ps. Check you grease trap, something smelled disgusting in the exterior portion of the building.
(1)
Nic Z.
My mom flew out to California to help me move out from school, and it coincided with Mother's Day. We've been long-time diners of Buca back home, so I decided to take her here. Both of us were thrilled. It was the first two-story Buca we've ever seen, and I believe our waitress said it was the only one in the country. It was a good experience, standard Buca fair, I just felt bad because the kitchen was downstairs, so all the waiters kept running up and down, and the stairway is really not made for it. It curves in the middle to go up the next flight and just isn't wide enough for waiters with trays and people trying to go up/down as well.
(4)
Val A.
So since our son is super picky, and we were getting tired of the typical chain restaurants, I turned to my trusty Yelp and stumbled across this gem. Not exactly sure what to expect and I know I've driven past it multiple times but never thought to go in. The atmosphere was really neat with random photos on the walls and crazy decor (not like the staged decorations at Chilis) this place was way better and more homey. On a Saturday night I was expecting it to be more busy but the location is sort of hidden behind the mall tucked under the freeway behind a gym. Dana was our server and absolutely amazing. He was honest, knowledgable, made great suggestions and made us feel super welcome. I ordered the mozzarella caprese w/cup of minestrone.... So yummy!!! The hubs had his fav chicken carbonara (btw he said it was absolutely to die for) our daughter had spaghetti and meatball, which she almost ate the whole thing and our son was happy with his cheese pizza. Everything was fresh and didn't taste like it came from a bag. We will definitely be going back.
(5)
Carly B.
Very mediocre food, pasta you could cook at home. If you are looking for a gigantic restaurant covered in decorations with gigantic tables and huge portion sizes then you will find it here. If you are looking for quality Italian food or an intimate eating environment... Go somewhere else.
(2)
Rose E.
It was really good and I like the scenery...
(5)
Kelly L.
I ordered the classic spaghetti+meatballs with the marinara sauce. It was alright, not amazing or mouth watering but alright. I thought it was a little too sweet for me. Personally I love my spaghetti tomato-ey and the noodles to almost stick together. Meatballs were great, however. They give you one large meatball and you have to cut it.
(3)
Brian B.
We were treated to a dinner here last week and it is just lousy. I remembered why I hate Buca di Beppos. First we ate in the Pope Room, as a Catholic I can say it is kinda weird... I mean I can appreciate all of it. But since I am guessing most people are not Catholic dedicating a room to the Pope is odd. In fact we were among the last to arrive in the party and the poor protestants we were supping with had already had the bust of Pope John Paul II removed from the room. I have seen it before, and having the Pope's head in the middle of a lazy Susan is kind of creepy. We were a large party, but that doesn't excuse the slow service, it is not like we didn't have reservations. Or that since there is a room constantly booked for large parties, they should be properly staffed for it. Especially if when it gets close to the time for the next party they are rushing you out. Come on, if it didn't take forever to bring the order we'd be gone naturally. Food was poor to mediocre at best. The selections were Spaghetti and demolished meatball pieces, Chicken Parmesan and Pasta Alfredo. The Alfredo was simply inedible, how can you go wrong with pouring a box of Spaghetti into boiling water and the Chicken was actually edible. There was also a salad and horrible cheesecake type something. It didn't taste like any cheesecake I have ever had. There was no crust, and tasted like it was missing salt and other ingredients that bring out the flavor. Maybe it was some kind of healthy, sugar free, salt free, gluten free dessert substitute. So I was seated near the host so I saw the bill, so for 3 bowls of salad, 3 bowls of each of the 3 entrees, and 18 slices of wannabe cheesecake it was $568 including tax and tip with soft drinks for some of the people. No alcohol that I saw was served. That's more than $31 per person!!! Sorry I would've come a little unglued if I were paying for that... For $50 I could go to Costco and buy a lot more and better frozen Italian food that could be thrown in the oven and taste 100x better. Even pick up a $6 box of garlic bread with 27 slices. Yeah I would have to work a little to cook it, but for $500 it would be worth it. Parking was awful, we circled twice and were late to the dinner, so we just parked in the "to go" spot, nobody said anything. One last humorous event, before the kicked us out, someone stopped by with a digital camera and had everyone bunch up on the far side of the dirty table and took a picture. Then came back with 4 pictures with a Buca di Beppo's border around them and said we could buy the pictures (which are going in the trash if we didn't anyway) for $10 each. Really??? We took pictures at the event ourselves and for a couple dollars I could print everyone at the table 8x10 photos if they wanted.
(1)
Julie V.
I like to go here when I want to do family dinner. I took both of my sister with my son and bf here on thanksgiving. I love the champaign with peach and peach syrup. The dish side is perfect for family size and they're delicious. There picture of people back then are kinda creepy and unique in werid way. Lol!
(4)
Raymond H.
Not as great as I remember years ago but this place is super clean and service is great. I'd say it's just ok and a tad better than olive garden.
(3)
Briana A.
So I am here to write to you guys an amazing review! I was a first timer about a week ago and my service sucked! The bread was cold and the waiter BRIAN sucked! He was not helpful and when we asked for bread, he grabbed it off the counter behind my friend and threw it on our table. I was later informed by the manager that the bread could be heated up, but our waiter never let us know. On top of that the sprite was flat and my friend and I more less looked at the ceiling the whole time. It was not a great atmosphere. Talked to the manager Dennis and complained about the food quality (which was cold) I ordered the chicken fettuccine and my friend ordered spaghetti and meat sauce with meat balls. The manager was nice and gave us a free dinner for two next time we came in. I came back in about a week later on a week day. The manager let me try the chicken Parmesana and my friend actually got the meat sauce on her pasta this time. Everything was wonderful and we had a different server. Overall everything was great, until I saw that they had left out wine glasses that were filled with wine from another party(dirty dishes) and then actual dirty dishes in sight. I was there for about an hour and a half, they were slow and no one could take care of them?! Gross! At the end of our meal we both had to use the ladies restroom and the restrooms were okay. All toilets in there needed to be flushed or were backed up. Overall this experience sucked even the second time. Will not be going back!
(2)
Tammye M.
I am so disappointed. I have been to Buca di Beppo twice before in two other locations with pleasant experiences both times. But last night was such a bad experience, I will never eat at this restaurant again. Anywhere. 1. We place our order for drinks and an appetizers. the drinks came. the appetizer arrived 20 minutes later. 2. We had to ask for water. 3. We had to ask for the house bread. 4. Not once during the 2 1/2 hours we were there, was the water or tea refilled. 5. We had to wait 56 minutes for our dinner to arrive. and when it did: a. the linguine was dry. b. the ravioli stuck to each other c. both veal entrees were cold. At this point i got up to speak to the manager. told her how long we had to wait and the condition of the food once it arrive. The waitress came running up and interrupted our conversation, with an obvious attempt to explain the horrible service away. After my confrontation with the manager, our service became tolerable. But only after my complaint. The manager tried to appease the evening with free desserts. jokingly we said, we are going to order the most expensive dessert you have, what is it. the waitress looked at us and said that is was a quadruple dessert tray, but that they didn't have any that evening. My response was if it is on the menu, and a customer orders it, you have to serve it. The restaurant was not full, we were only a party of 5, and we did not order anything that required a long period of preparation. This restaurant now has five less clients. Tammye Dunn Editor-in-Chief Bellflower Bulletin
(1)
Lola B.
Okay the food has always been excellent here but today my coworker and I went for a much needed lunch break and our waiter, Dana, made our day. He's got this awesome personality and he was cracking us both up. We didn't want to leave. He's the type of person you want to kick it with and have a few drinks. We will be back to see him again soon!
(5)
Alissa D.
Food, great! Served family style, lunch specials are individual though. Things to get here: Spicy Chicken Rigatoni (creamy, spicy from red pepper flakes, and sweet from the green peas that pop in your mouth!) Shrimp Fra Diavoli (perfectly cooked shrimp - more perfect than many higher end restaurants I've tried, spicy with red pepper flakes & I like to get it with peas and mushrooms but you can choose served penne) Chicken Parm (deep fried juicy chicken cutlets, smothered in tomato sauce and finished with a melty / crusty Mozerella crust, served with spaghetti) Chicken Carbonara (spaghetti noodles, cream sauce, crispy fried prosciutto, sweet peas, and tender sliced chicken.. One of my first loves at Buca) Specialty pizza.. I forget what it's called (thin dough, ricotta cheese, thick pepperoni, and all that other good stuff.. Ricotta really makes it stand out and after trying it, I just have to get ricotta on all my pizzas!) These are all of my favorite dishes and one day I will get like ten people and just order everything!!! Service: A little tired at times but everyone is still nice. A lot of people are assholes to the servers, I noticed. Look, you are at Buca Di Beppo, not a freakin' high end restaurant so gather yourself and don't be rude! You get what you pay for & Buca is very affordable! Decor: Generic because all Bucas are the same but it's so dark and dusty looking.. Very busy but I'm sure that's the idea... I hope for their sake. Overall: I would come back and I often suggest it to people as well. It's great for families and they accommodate to big parties very well, just make sure you call for a reservation and possibly order ahead of time too if your party doesn't wanna wait too long for all of your food.. Not sure if you can do that but I'd give it a try because I hate hate hate waiting but what can anybody do, unless you call ahead.
(4)
Emily Y.
This is like the TGI Fridays of Italian food. You walk in and there are tchotkis glued every which way to the wall with christmas lights. All the waiters seem to be in high school or college, so guess how good your service will be? I was here for a group birthday. If you have a gigantic group, don't care about food taste or quality or are under 21, this might be the place for you. The entire upstairs was devoted to large groups with tables spanning up to 20-25 seats. Food is served family style in huge portions. Our table had the pasta carbonara with chicken, chicken parmigiana, and another pasta dish. The pasta, while in large portions, came barely coated in sauce (which was bland), wit little peas or chicken in it. I thought it was worse than Olive Garden, which I didn't think was possible. One thing that is interesting for birthdays is that they will take a big group picture of your group, show you the printout and sell it back to you for $10. Just like Disneyland! In the area we were at upstairs we saw families, teen birthdays and the like. I also felt the prices were really high for what you got: $25-$30 per person for not that much food. Watered down strawberry mojitos for $10 - yikes. Environment is pretty loud. It's alot of carbs but no quality. And again, the service is a good as it possibly can be with 16-20 year olds taking your order.
(2)
W M.
Made a reservation for the Pope room over a week ahead of time fort sons birthday. Called at least twice prior to the reservation asking questions about the menu and the size of our party. At no time did anyone tell me that they didn't see my reservation (I have them my name, date and time every time I called). When I put in our order the day before, I was told that they didn't have my reservation. Luckily (I thought) the room was still open but the manager (I guess?) didn't want to give us the room because we needed at least 12 people. This was a question I specifically asked about because I was worried that we might get a cancellation or two. Our party of 12 was now a party of 9. Not good enough. No Pope room. General incompetence paired with incorrect information (either from the people I spoke to during the week or the manager that day) along with a total lack of old fashioned customer service. The manager seemed totally unaware that anything was wrong. We took our business and money elsewhere.
(2)
Misha K.
Was craving veal last night so my girl and I stopped by for a late dinner. Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted by a VERY up-beat hostess who offered to give us a tour of the kitchen before seating us without any wait. We have been to many Buca's before and were both hungry so we opted out of the tour and she took us upstairs straight to our table. The place wasn't packed, but still was relatively busy (there were a few parties of at least 15 or so people amoung 5 or so couples). Our server came out to take our drink orders immediately. We ordered a bottle of their house "Ciao" red wine which was kind of pricey for what it was (~$23). We ordered the large portion of Veal Parmesan (~$32) - came with 4 decently sized cutlets & a small Chopped Antipasto salad (~$13). The food was amazing. The Veal was perfectly prepared and the salad is by far my favorite salad ever. The fresh Gorgonzola and feta cheese set it off perfectly. The waiter was very prompt and attentive to bus our table and brought several refills of bread with a side of oil & vinegar. We were too stuffed to try any desert and decided to head home after devouring our meal. Summary: Super fast and professional service, amazing food, overpriced wine, and the typical Buca atmosphere (i.e. large noisy parties celebrating birthdays with random crazy Italian decor all over the walls and ceiling). Would recommend it if you are dining with a large group, but its not the best spot for a quiet Italian dinner.
(4)
Scott A.
This was my 2nd visit to Buca....Good thing the 1st time I didnt understand the family style and ended up w/ food for a week. This time I was prepared. My wife and I went with the small lasagna and my son had the kids alfredo. We added a side of sausage. Still lots of quality food $25.00 with out $10 coupon. That was the good news. The bad news. We sent back a dirty bread plate (real dirty). Parking is not ideal at this location, it is right next to a crazy busy 24 hour fitness location. The promotions were never ending, "do you want a picture?, do you want to sign up for email promotions?" "Are you sure that you don't want a sangria cosmo?" The waiter was solid, but you could tell mgt was behind this onslaught of promos. I will be back to Buca, but I may lean towards other locations. Don't go w/out a 10 coupon, they seem to be everywhere.
(3)
Kira B.
This review is based on an event my mom and I had here. We booked the Pope's room in advance for my sister's baby shower last weekend. Everything went incredibly smoothly. The girl who brought us up to the room and got everything situated (don't know her name unfortunately) was very professional and accommodating. Our server was Michael and he did a fantastic job. They gave us adequate time in the room to set up and didn't rush us out at the end. Food was delicious and service was great. Absolutely nothing went wrong. I was kind of iffy when my mom said she wanted to have the shower here but I'm glad we did because everyone had a great time and I feel we really got our moneys worth. Good job Buca! I'd recommend your private parties to anyone.
(5)
Dominique T.
I took my assistant here for his first time. I ordered the chicken parmesan and substituted out the spaghetti with marinara with fettuccine alfredo. "A" for being accommodating. However, the food fell short. It wasn't very busy but the waiter must have forgotten our food because he brought us soup to hold us over. My food came out lukewarm. The alfredo sauce was already jellying. The chicken was very dry and no juice at all; the cheese curd up; it must have sat under the heating light for a while. It was disappointing; especially when I wanted my assistant to have a good first experience at a cool Italian restaurant.
(2)
Audrey L.
I think this location is kind of in a weird place- a bit awkward to get to and a constant marketing opportunity for the surgery center across the way. I always leave here thinking, wow, we ate a lot, maybe I should get a surgery consultation tomorrow! 4 adults, 2 kids 1 small margarita pizza 1 large salad 1 large rib thing...not a big fan 1 small baked rigatoni 1 large spagetti and meatballs- the meatballs remind me of that old lady in the Wedding Singer that pays Adam Sandler for piano lessons in meatballs.. Anyway- good spot for kid's birthdays, my niecey turned 3 and we went here for dinner to celebrate. Family style and huge portions we left with 4 boxes of left overs and good service. I tried a taste of everything, but the only things I would order here would be the pizza and salad. They did away with the spumoni ice cream for dessert...seriously?! This is supposed to be an Italian restaurant. I'm definitely OK that we come here 1x a year.
(3)
J Smith A.
This is your standard Bucca restaurant. If you've been to one then you know what to expect.
(4)
Nick P.
The waiter was great. He always filled my water without me having to ask. The food was good. The serving size is alot. The one bad thing I noticed was that it was very hot in there.
(4)
Sadia C.
This place has some great Italian food for a chain. It depends on what you order, because i have had food that was deliciousss and some just sucked. The good stuff: -garlic bread -pizzas (margherita is delicious) but most are good from what ive had. -shrimp fra diavolo -chicken and eggplant parmigiana -chicken canelloni I love that this place is family style food, so its always fun to come here in groups. Customer service is awesome every time i've been here. Prices are very reasonable.
(4)
Rob D.
My first visit the other day. Good food, really large portions and not outrageously priced. They make this poor lady go around with a camera and take everyone's pictures than try to sell them to them. She was nice but it was kind of lame. It's not Universal Studios ! Otherwise, it's a nice place for dinner.
(4)
Janey Y.
Wow, I haven't been to Buca in so many years and am so surprised by its changes. When I came by, the host and the waitress both asked me when was the last time I was here and after I told them 4 years, they told me how much they have changed in terms of price, menu, portions, etc; I was pretty scared since I remember my naive high school self loving it. They also asked me if I wanted a tour of the kitchen and my friend declined. :( Come college, I've noticed that in the mail, Buca seems to send out plenty of coupons, and so when I went, I was able to score a 10$ off 20$ coupon. It sounds like a really good deal, but with every good deal, you would expect something wrong to happen.... We were sat in a large room upstairs with no one really there, and they used the words "private room" to make it sound great. I thought it was too quiet almost! I guess they love making people wait to make it feel that they must be a busy restaurant. There were two chubby lil girls that decided to walk around, talk to the waitress, demand that their ice cream be placed at a different table (okay, this is probably why obesity is so common), and I think they really needed to be kept chained to their parents as they were jumping to reach for the hanging lights (literally). When it was time to close the check, the waitress asked us if we wanted to try any desserts, and both my friend and I didn't want any, until she suggested the idea of gelato. I haven't had gelato in soooo long, but why not, right? The small cones came out to be 2$ each which I don't know if it is a great deal since it was bite-size. Was expecting more choices and for it to be a bit more sorbet-ish. We also had pizza that was "featured" with pictures on the menu, but it came out to be alright, wished it had some tomatoes in it (man, I should have asked her what pizza had the most tomatoes!). Don't like the bread concept because it should also be served with salad too. Oh well, Olive Garden next time!
(3)
Tiffany W.
Our waitress seemed nice, but a little short with us AND she forgot our order. It's family style and there's two of us! How do you manage to forget one dish (out of two)! She was nice, but seemed incredibly ditzy -- which is, by the way, not cute on girls. Okay, I'm off my soapbox. Food was okay. We ordered some lobster spaghetti and a salad. (Waitress forgot the former.) Salad was fine, if not a little dry. Spaghetti in of itself was fine, if you magically forget that there's rubbery lobster in the dish as well. I felt like I was munching on a chew toy. Would I come back... possibly. Oh wait scratch that. Nope! Because the next day, at work, my coworker comes back from lunch extremely peeved that one of the waitresses from THIS location billed their table incorrectly, was extremely rude about it (she threw the original receipt away omg) and was shown to have included a 18% tip for herself. What the eff. AVOID. :/
(2)
Sharon W.
We've always enjoyed Buca's family-style dining and it was especially perfect for our son & new daughter-in-law's recent wedding rehearsal dinner. Thank you to Joscelyn for explaining everything to us and working with us on the menu. The room they had set up for us was exactly what I had hoped for. The service was excellent---food came out quickly and was delicious! We especially enjoyed the pizza (which I ordered for the kids but the adults loved as well) and the chicken limone. The portions were generous and everyone left more than satisfied! So happy that we decided on Buca! Thank you for a great experience!
(5)
Pete S.
I am reviewing the To-Go service here. I called. Placed a order for cake. They asked me what kind of car I have. I arrived but finding the2 stalls for to-go order (located in the back, in between 24 hour fitness and buca.....who would've thunk?) took 5 minutes. Someone came out and confirmed the order. I gave her $. She came out with change and cake. What a piece of cake to order cake....Haha.. Update: special $10 off $30 from 2/1/08-2/3/08...if you can copy and paste and print out the below, I'm sure they'll take off some $$.... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Get Buca To Go for the Big Game and Everyone Wins! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Take $10 off a purchase of $30 or more.* *Valid for Dine In or Buca To Go only 2/1/08 through 2/3/08. You will be the big winner with your family and friends with Buca favorites like pizza, lasagna and our famous garlic mashed potatoes. Our full menu is available to go so you won't miss a single play. Try Buca To Go bucadibeppo.com/togo Curb Service available at most locations. For Reservations, Locations and To Go Orders Call 1-866-EAT-BUCA *Please bring a printed copy of this email to any Buca di Beppo restaurant in order to receive discount at time of purchase. Certificate good for $10 off any purchase of $30 or more. Offer valid on dine in or take out 2/1/08 through 2/3/08. Not valid with any other discounts/offers. One per visit. Tax/gift cards/alcoholic beverages and gratuity excluded. Code: eClub$off
(4)
Mia W.
The dessert is amazing. I had the chocolate cake and it was one of the best chocolate cakes I have had. The pictures on the wall are entertaining. So are the pictures inside the bathroom stall. I have never had so much fun sitting on the toilet. The food is delicious as well, when you just feel like having good ol' carbs and spaghetti. The servers are upbeat and happy, which makes your food taste better. I would definitely recommend this place for a family and friends dinner.
(4)
Julie L.
I'm mainly going to gripe about the terrible service we got here and make it a point to let you all know that I don't plan to come back to this place. First of all, we come in on a Wednesday evening and were told it would be a 15 minute wait. We put down our name and the hostess said there was another party ahead of us with the same name. Anyhow, time passes and we see a BUNCH of empty tables but we're not being seated, so we are forgiving and assume they are short staffed. 30 minutes rollls by still no table, and THEN, the hostess seats a party of 8 who came AFTER us in front of us. I'm assuming the clueless hostess cancelled out our name after calling the other party by the same name, but by this time I'm completely irritated because I'm freakin hungry and you dont mess with me when I'm hungry. I go up to a new hostess and tell her what just happened, and then she apologizes and says we'll be seated shortly. Damn right we should be! We were seated shortly after I complained. Anyways, we get to our table upstairs and the waiter comes by (btw, has anyone heard of service with a smile around this place?) and rushes to take our orders. Throughout our meal, our glasses were empty and we were never asked if we wanted refills, we actually had to ask. We also noticed that we were never offered the complimentary bread either, as other tables around us had. There was actually only one other huge family table next to us that the waiter was serving so there should have been no reason that he was as careless as he was with our table. Not to mention, he had a completely different attitude serving them than he did with us. He was much more enthusiastic with them as opposed to his flat affect with us. Anyway, we ordered the Shrimp fra diavolo (really delicious but kinda spicy) and the spaghetti and meatballs. While the food came out rather promptly and was delicious, we had to ask for more spaghetti sauce because there wasnt enough for the large pasta bowl. We also had the Bucca trio appetizer but was sadly disappointed at the portion size. Even though most of portions are quite big, this trio came with 5 small mushrooms, 2 slices of fried cheese, and a small portion of calamari which didn't even taste fresh. This was $20! Waste of money. The waiter came by at the last moment to bring us our bill and cracked some lame joke about buying him a drink after work. UHh, no, especially after our experience here. One point off for long wait (on a wednesday!? really!?), one point off for bad service, and one point off for no complimentary bread! What a shame Bucca, what a shame. Judging from the multiple complaints of this joint being with terrible service and dirty tables, I highly recommend a manager take note of this and adequately train your staff to provide better customer service and clean up your restaurant better!
(2)
Nguyen D.
Parking isn't that great seeing as how it's near a 24 Hr Fitness and in the Bella Terra vicinity. I usually use the parking structure though, so it's not that bad. I had a reservation and that work out for well us. We came in a little bit earlier than the reserved time though, about 10 minutes earlier. I figured that would give them a little time to look around. For the reservation I requested an area that had more light. They have areas that have low light. I could see how that soft glow can be good for romantic settings, but most occasions for me are just group celebrations or just general dining. I have noticed they do things like singing or cheering for people that request something special for special occasions like birthdays and the like. The decor is nice in my opinion, and I suppose it fits with the Italian theme. I also do not notice the music and any other ambient sounds, which for me is great. This place is more for a group setting, and if I can't hear the other people in my group, I would I find that disappointing. Fortunately, there is no issue with this unless you are surrounded by other loud groups, which can be the case for any restaurant. The servings they specified seem to be good. Small for 2, large for 4. Want 2 meals to share for 3-4 people? Then get 2 large meals. They allow takeout, so anything left over can be taken home. Prices are rather high, and the only way to alleviate it a bit is to go as a group where each person chips in. Or in my case, the use of coupons. The food itself is okay to good. Nothing real special aside from the fact that there are large servings. I haven't tried the dessert seeing as how we usually are full by the time we got close to that stage. No comments on the drinks either since I don't drink. Service is extremely hard to gauge in general because it will just depend, but for my recent stop it was good service. Seems friendly, looks friendly, checks on the group on occasion, easy to talk to, etc. I liked it. Food takes forever to come out, but it is expected in any restaurant setting. I think for us it was bad because we were all hungry hahaha The only reason it is not a 4 star for me is the price. I can deal with parking, but the price is is pretty steep. If you are only going to this place for special occasions, in a group of 4 or so, and have a coupon you can use, I say this place is pretty good.
(3)
Annika O.
They start by taking you on a tour through the kitchen and show you the "Pope Room". Pretty cool idea and it makes you feel like you're eating in someones home, not just a restaurant. Mixed green salad with really good vinegrette, garlic cheese bread and pizza with chicken, garlic cloves and chips. OMG! I cannot believe the portion sizes here. I would not suggest eating alone unless you are carb-loading for a marathon or you want a few days worth of leftovers. I couldn't eat until afternoon the next day. The place is decorated in a very eclectic Italian theme. Really cool! It looks like the Pope had an estate sale. Lots and lots of color. Great place for really large groups. I ended up sitting alone in a booth that seats 12 people.
(4)
Juice D.
This place is gross. They would be better suited serving this food in a diaper so at least this way you have a better idea of what you're getting. The place is obnoxiously loud, the wait staff is awful, and the food stinks. The night I went I swear there must have been 15 birthday parties and they sat me and my friends right in the middle of all of them. Try eating disgusting food and every 2 minutes a gaggle of inept servers show up singing some awful version of happy birthday. Not to mention the one male server with the skinny jeans and awful over gelled haircut doing his solo act trying to impress one of the female servers that is clearly never going to sleep with him. When we first got there we waited almost 30 minutes for a table, and watched 3 parties that showed up after us be seated first. The food was overpriced, under cooked, and the sauce tasted terrible. I would never eat here again. Is there an option to give no stars??
(1)
Ryan S.
Good Italian style food, but unless you have a group sharing an entree it's just to much food for one or two people.
(3)
Paul B.
Service: Very slow and terrible service. I was seated immediately but waited over 10 minutes before being greeted by the server. By that time I knew what I wanted and the order was placed. 10 minutes later the drink order was brought to the table and from there I didn't see our server for at least 25 minutes when our food was brought out. This wasn't a large order, just a meal for my date and myself. The server was not only unfriendly and slow but quite rude. Seemed annoyed at the fact that we didn't want dessert but god only knows how long we would have had to wait for that. Dinner took so much longer than expected we were late for our following plans. Food: Worst part, when the food was served it was not even close to hot... slightly warm at best. It wasn't terrible but it certainly was not good. I know you can't expect much from chain restaurants like this but I feel like I've had comparable Italian food from a frozen dinner. Giving it 2 stars because despite the poor service and dinning experience, I do still like the take-out.
(2)
Orian R.
This place is great for families or if it's just you and your girl/guy. Food servings are huge so you can share...share...share without going home hungry. It's also not bad for work functions. Great service with a friendly smile.
(4)
Chau N.
Good place for big parties with decent Italian food and friendly waiters/waitresses. 3 stars because the food was "A-OK". Nothing extravagant or dreadfully to die for. But enjoyable nonetheless. Try their Fried Mozzarella, Mozzarella Caprese, Margherita Pizza, Stuffed Shells, and of course the Colossal Brownie Sundae for dessert :) I hate the parking. It's next to a big 24 hour fitness, so good luck after 5 or 6P.
(3)
Lan V.
We love you, Buca di Beppo! Kevin's an awesome manager...so friendly & funny! Julio is a great waiter...so attentive & friendly! We're having an awesome time celebrating two best friends bdays with yummy food-fried calamari, lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs & colossal brownie sundae! Best bday dinner ever!!!
(5)
Beth H.
A-OK is a pretty much, dead on description of BDB. I usually only come here if it is a family/friend related event, work lunch or in the case of my last visit, I was attending a seminar at the HB hotel and needed a close, quick place to grub in my 50 minute time allotment. Most everyone agrees, pricing is high but portions are huge. Since my friend and I were attending the same seminar we were happy to see that there is now a lunch/single portion menu. Maybe it has been like this for a while but like I said, as with most chain restaurants I don't come here very often. I had the Chicken Limone that came with Fettuccine Alfredo. This was pretty darn good and a decent portion. My friend had the Eggplant Parmigiana and the portion was HUGE! She couldn't even eat half of it. While still a bit high, the pricing was OK for what we got. My one big complaint? There were several empty tables in the bar area and we were immediately asked if we'd wait a few minutes for a table. We both looked at the empty talbes, stated we had less than an hour and for some reason she immediately said she'd seat us...upstairs. My friend has a bad knee and we were half way up the stairs when she then said we needed to now go downstairs instead/ WTF? I though this was kind of lame and my friend had to hobble around needlessly on a bum knee. Did we get seated at a table close by? Nope. All the way in the back of the restaurant. I just don't get it. Other than that, service was fine and we made it back to the seminar right on time.
(3)
G C.
I have to take some stars off due to how the evening ended. It started out mostly good...One of our plates was dirty still so we had to send that back. Yuck! Our server was very nice and attentive. We were there celebrating my mom's 69th birthday...had a table of 7. Ordered calamari to start. The table loved it...I'm not a fan, but I tasted it, and it had a nice coating. Dipping sauce was too spicy for bday girl. We ordered all pastas...Spagetti and Meatballs, Lasagna and Fettucini Alfredo. This came with bread (another big hit). Pastas were good...not great. Lasagna was too dry, couldn't find any meat in it at all. Spagetti had nice flavor but the meatballs were too dense..needed some breadcrumbs. Seemed as if they just rolled hamburger, cooked it and served it. No flavors of onions or seasoning really. Fettucine was nice consistency, but not cheesy at all. More like a white sauce. Pasta was cooked nicely. My biggest complaint is that for my mom's bday, they brought a lit candelabra and sang their Buca song, but no piece of cake or ice cream sccop or anything. Wow! We were so shocked. We'd already done our bill and were thinking, should we add a sweet for her to celebrate, but still kept thinking...naaaa..they're going to bring her some little thing, right? Nope! Buca, you let us down!
(2)
Marian B.
Years and years ago when I was not yet an experienced foodie, Buca di Beppo used to taste so great! I don't know if it's me getting pickier, Buca's quality going down or the combo of both, but I am not coming back here. The pasta was just too heavy and tasted bland! I was full but not satisfied! I felt like I wasted a meal. I felt full leaving but a "bad" full. Like I should not have eaten there at all. My friend and I questioned why we decided to there in the first place. I think it was our hunger taking a hold of our brains and we saw Buca so we went. Yeah... I know better. The pictures on the walls are still classic though. Funny, perverted, weird but still pretty awesome haha!
(2)
Melissa G.
We went on New Year's Eve. It seemed pretty crowded but we were seated quickly. The service was fine, the food was good enough. Honestly, I feel it's overpriced for what it is. And because it's "family style" it is much better to go with a large group, definitely not a date type restaurant. It was nothing special. I would probably go back but not anytime soon.
(3)
Bryan N.
The thing I like most about Buca is the family style dining and there huge portions. Italian food like many asian food is traditionally eaten family style. Think about it. You don't see a grandmother in Tuscany making 5 individual dishes for her family. "When in Rome" right? I'm a big fan of family dining because you get to try a little of everything. As for the food, there salads and the pizzas are my favorite. The Apple Gorganzola Salad, Warm Spinach Salad and Traditional Mixed Green Salad with the tangy Italian dressing are all delicious. The Magherita Pizza is my favorite. There thin crust, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil topping reminds me of NY pizzas. They are absolutely spectacular. There pizzas and salad are worth the trip. There pastas are not half bad either. Don't get me wrong. They're not a Michelin Star restaurant. They are good food for casual family style dining. I did have there lobster ravioli special yesterday though. They were horrible. Avoid that. Their only other negatives would be their service. The waitresses are kind of unfriendly and have that kind of fake hospitality personality that doesn't hide their obvious hatred for work and maybe life altogether. They take forever too. Management is great though on the other hand. They will regularly come around to check on you and your evening and genuinely converse with you. If it wasn't for there waitresses (I've eaten here a few times and most of the waitresses are like that there), Buca would get 4 stars in my book for casual Italian dining. They definitely have Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill beat in my book.
(3)
Cali S.
This place is great! I have been multiple times and have never had a bad expierence but this last time was our best experience. If you have the chance to have Rochelle as your server I would. Its "family style" so unless you plan on sharing or having left overs this place isnt for you. (except I was told by rochelle that during lunch time there are indiviual portions you can order). I was just there last friday night with 2 of my girlfriends. We just ordered the small Speghetti and meatballs. The Meatballs are HUGE!! So delicious! We had a $10 off coupon that we used. So for 2 soft drinks 1 water and a small spaghetti meatballs and free bread it only cost $15.65. Can really beat that for 3 people eating and we were stuffed. Rochelle was a great server. She always had refills ready at the right time and was very friendly. When chatting with her we laughed because her new puppy has the same name as me, It was nice to have someone talk to you a little, other then just dropping stuff off and walking away. Makes you feel very wlecome. My girlsfriends and I had a great time. Next time I will be trying the Chicken Parm. (suggested from the server)! I think i will go again this weekend :-)
(5)
Frankie T.
Puke-a di Beppo Service slow! Garlic bread is not how it used to be! Sangria; too much ice and watered down. Linguini sucked!! No flavor at all! Calamari was greasy and not good! The salad was the only thing that was decent. Lame, Lame, Lame!!!!!
(1)
Nelle R.
Ordered fettuccine Alfredo, tasted bland. Needed to put some parm/salt on it for some taste. Garlic bread was good, but a bit hard to chew. Margarita pizza was bland as well. It was a thin crust with Mozzarella, basil and tomato sauce. The only good items that we ordered were Caesar salad (which I added Parmesan (parm) on it) and the sangria drink. (2 stars) All portions are huge, we had a coupon for 4 people pay $40, instead we had 7 hungry girls and did not finish any of the food, just the first round of bread with butter because we were a bit hungry after finals. Don't be fooled, portions are huge! :) The server was awesome and very friendly which added another star. Most likely will not go here again.
(3)
Lillian L.
Came here for father's day. I booked a reservation at 2:15, checked in at 1:50, & wasn't called in until almost 2:30.... sigh. My dad, brother, & I were so, so hungry. As soon as we entered, the hostess informed us that we weren't allowed to bring outside beverages (WHAT THE HECK?) apparently, it's a new policy (at this location?) anyway, that was a huge turnoff. Again, the complimentary bread was really bland. It's terrible compared to their old, aromatic, soft & warm herb bread. We ordered: 1. Chopped antipasto salad (small) 2. Chicken carbonara (small) 3. Oven roasted salmon (small) 1. The chopped salad was delicious as always. 2. It was our first time ordering the chicken carbonara. It was decent. But I must admit, it was very, very filling & rich. 3. The oven roasted salmon was decent as well. The small portion includes 2 salmon steaks while the "large" comes with 3 salmon steaks... wow... not worth it. I'd suggest just sticking to small & ordering something else for your buck. Service was alright - I have no idea why it took them so long to seat us when there were clearly about 5 or 6 empty tables around us. The waitress forgot to give us the summer specials menu as well. Although we gave them that $10 off $20+ purchase, the bill came up to be $50.....Sigh. Buca di beppo, I hate to admit as much I thought I'd always love you, you're slipping away from my heart.
(3)
Ravi M.
Excellent spaghetti and meatballs, and a good place for groups. I'll give them an extra star for being really nice. However, the service was lacking a bit and they did take a while to bring the food out. All in all, an 'ok' place to take a large group - get the spaghetti.
(3)
Marcia W.
Buca Di Beppos what has happened to you ? I went there today and was shocked. The server was good but the food was lousy. I tried to explain that the sauce on the spaghetti marinara tasted nothing like what I have always had there. It was tasteless, no seasonings, and tasted like it was diced up tomatoes and half pureed and warmed up NOT cooked and simmered. I am Italian and have always had the greatest respect for Buca's. That is gone. Then I read the reviews OMG not good at all. I don't know if they hired a new cook or what was wrong. After we left we didn't feel good at all. Neither of us have been able to eat anything since .. We are both very nauseous. I tried to tell our waiter and the manger and they offered to bring us some oregano but I explain that needs to e cooked and simmered in the sauce.. Come on guys what has happened to that old Buca Di Beppos flair. I am proud to say I WILL NOT BE GOING BACK ....EVER !!! The bread with oil and vinegar was one inch by one inch square and I had to eat that as the dinner I had was horrible.
(1)
Kat V.
Not only does the food here suck, the prices are high. I gave it 2 stars because our service was good. Sure, the portions here are large enough to feed a small country but that still doesn't justify $8 for dry, flavorless garlic bread or $19 for half-ass spaghetti. Then again, I have high standards for Italian food so if you don't mind getting ripped off for food that's mediocre at best, welcome to Buca.
(2)
Vicki M.
I have to say Buca Di Beppo cares about their reviews. The manager called me after I posted a very negative review on their restaurant. After taking the time to find out what all happened, he urged me to make a return visit. So glad he did-- EXCELLENT SERVICE, GREAT FOOD !!!!' They have earned my redemption and will definately go back. THANK YOU BUCA DI BEPPO AT BELLA TERRA MALL!!
(5)
Brandon K.
A great dining experience is all about the customer service. I made a reservation in advance and expected my table to be ready. I get there with my group and they walk us upstairs to find our table was not set. Quickly, the workers had to combine some tables while my group stood there. Then, a busser dropped all these dishes. Some food and liquid splashed on someone in my group. They didn't handle the situation very pleasantly. I was contacted by the general manager and he provided me with a sincere apology. It's nice to know that some companies still care about their guests after the situation has passed. Thank you, Frank!
(4)
Soloman G.
Right next to the 405 Freeway, remember that. On the north side of Center. Server was fantastic. We were the 16-person party yesterday afternoon 3/22 that was upstairs, celebrating an 80th birthday. Server was very friendly, she did exactly what she had to do as a server and even cutting up the meatballs to smaller portions. This server is a keeper, give her a raise ! Plates were good and heavy., as they should be. I really enjoyed the salad, especially marveling how the apple slices stayed green and did not turn brown. A nice secret, I bet ! Big, huge bowls of food arrived. Fresh and hot food. Just at the right time, after we had eaten the salad. I loved the meatballs- only wish I was bigger, so I could have eaten more. Haha- bet I gained a few pounds anyways. Nice pizza - now I realize what those big cans sitting there were for. Flat pizza, a good concept, with lots of veggies. Photos all over the place. Reminds me of what my mother told me about Italy when she lived there in the early1950s. Lots of stories, for another time, though. Thanks so much for a truly enjoyable eating experience. If I could give six stars, I would.l
(5)
Mark C.
I'm not a fan. The name of the place even reminds me of a yaoi called Boku no Pico. Maybe that's why my mouth felt like it was ravaged after my stay here... Most of the pasta is as prosaic as studying for midterms. In stark contrast to the food, the restaurant decor is quite vibrant and fun to look at.
(1)
Caitlin C.
I just had Buca Di Beppo and it was the best. The food came out so fast and it was well prepared. The service was great and asked me if I needed anything right away. The blond hostess found me my table right away, and was excellent. Buca di Beppo really made me feel like I was apart of their Buca family.
(5)
Tiffany H.
I love this place and the decor!! Came here on a weekend for dinner and we were immediately seated. Very homey. The selection of food was great and also tasty! The servings are HUGE though. I would suggest splitting or sharing meals. The server and managers constantly come by to check on us which made my experience more enjoyable. Thanks so much! I will definitely be by again! :)
(4)
Gigi M.
Food's still yummy! Love the Penne Arrabbiata for lunch, with the wheat pasta option! My only complaint is while the server downstairs is extra nice and friendly, a litte less yap and more rush on our food and bill please!!! Other than that, no other complaints! Oh wait, I hate that the ladies room is upstairs!! Ok, now that's it! I'm done . . . for now!
(4)
Wendy H.
I drive by this place countless of times when going to Bella Terra. I finally got a chance to try it out this past weekend for a friend's birthday. The food wasn't up to par at all. :( Service was great though. Note that this place is great for families or a large group because the portions are big and meant to be shared. We started off with the garlic bread. It was actually very good! It's my favorite throughout the whole meal. Amongst the 6 of us, each couple ordered one plate to be shared with others. My boyfriend and I ordered the fettucine alfredo, which came out to be a lot more creamy than I expected and with no meat! When asked, the waiter said that is how it is supposed to be and with extra charge, we can add chicken. The price isn't a big deal, but I just thought the waiter could at least let us know it doesn't come with any meat so we can at least know to order some prior to the dish coming out. I guess I can let that go since he's a nice guy and really did try to be attentive. Another couple ordered the linguine fruitti de mare. Ehhhh, not so great. The seafood wasn't fresh, leaving a fishy smell on the pasta. Mid chew, I realized I am chewing on pieces of broken clam shells. Sigh. The last couple ordered the pizza. I forgot which one they ordered but it was good! The second thing I liked besides the garlic bread. The crust was thin n crunchy. Very tasty. For dessert, we ordered a birthday cake from the restaurant which was big enough to feed a whole village! The cake wasn't good either. I think it was a peppermint flavor and too sweet for my taste. Overall, I dont think I will ever come back. Love the service. Hate the food.
(2)
Roy G.
Ok
(2)
Peter K.
Let me warn you now.. Its a lot of food. I'd have to say the food is pretty ok (NOT AMAZING) just ok! Its great for families and big parties! I've tried many different pasta's and pizza's they have on their menu and they are all fulfilling. The decoration is pretty interesting also! Lots of pictures, paintings, sculptures, hats, socks (yes socks...), and other things to look at! Your eyes never get bored! Service is a-ok not the best! They really need to check up on their customers more when its a slow day!
(3)
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Address :7979 Center Ave
Huntington Beach, CA, 92647
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet, Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Loud Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : No Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
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.
Sara B.
Food was good. Service was incredibly slow. Even during a slow lunch hour. Our server made a mistake with one of our entrees and when the correct entree came out 20 minutes later it was cold.
(2)Jacelyn C.
Good reason to go to Buca? Large family style servings good for a whole group! Prices are decent enough and with coupons what can go wrong???
(3)Richard A.
Overall as expected with the food, the linguini Frutti De Mare ( seafood pasta) great flavor, Stuffed Chicken with Prosciutto was slightly over cooked but still juicy, baked ziti is still one of our favorites. But the highlights of our meal was the Fried Calamari & the Bianca ( delicious white cheese pizza on a thin crust ), my kids just loved it. Family style eating is always great portions and this was the first time at a "kitchen table". The experience was loud, but different. Major benefit was there was always someone there if you needed something. Very friendly team, see you again soon. Warning, your eyes may get bigger than your mouth resulting in leftovers, immobility & food coma. Enjoy!
(4)Joyce D.
Food overload. If you need a place for 25+ people to gather, this is the place to do it, but make sure you have reservations! Family style meals at it's best. I love Buca di Beppo because they really know how to encompass family style, plus the decorations on the walls are entertaining and great conversation starters! Anyway, we ordered a plethora of dishes because...well, when in Rome! We got the mozerrella caprese, baked ziti, margherita pizza, chicken cannelloni, baked rigatoni, cheese manicotti & bread! We love our carbs! For 9 people, that was a lot of food, but you know what, when you're out celebrating with family, food is a wonderful way of saying "thank you for the support & I love you guys!". Our waiter was friendly and gave good recommendations. I bet he was surprised that 9 people were able to finish a major portion of the dishes! Love buca di beppo! Family parties all the way!
(4)David L.
Very pedestrian....apple, gorgonzola salad was the highlight, sent veal saltimbocca back as it was tough....sad, I was yearning for some tasty veal Costco offers $100 (2 x $50) gift certificates for $75 so that makes it worth trying Edie, our server, was excellent and paced the meal, perfectly
(3)Jennifer C.
Took my parents here on a Sunday morning for early lunch. I booked an online reservation through open table, 4 people for 11:15 am. We arrived on time, the restaurant barely had any patrons, yet we still waited about 10 minutes to be seated. Our server, Jose, was very friendly. We asked him to turn down the a/c a bit because it was freezing in our section and he politely obliged. The 4 of us ordered the following: 1. Mozzeralla garlic bread, small $7.99 2. Mixed green salad, small $12.99 3. Spicy Cicken Rigatoni (chicken breast, crushed red pepper, peas in spicy rosa sauce), small $21.99. This was just okay. Expensive for what it was. I wouldn't get it again. 4. Linguine Fruitti de Mare (shrimp, baby clams, mussels, and calamari in spicy red clam sauce), small $25.98. This one was our favorite and my all-time favorite bucca di beppo menu item. This was plenty of food for 4 people. We ended up taking a small portion of the chicken rigatoni home. Bill was around $74 after tax and before tip. We had a 20% off coupon that we found googling online so that dropped our bill to $60 ish. Protip: Google for coupons or look on their facebook page. They always have specials.
(3)Justin B.
Family style Italian food that delivers a great atmosphere ( if there are not really loud kids that don't behave behind you) Service was 2/5 stars, our waiter was around to refill drinks and get our order at first but when 2 more tables came in she was overwhelmed and we never got refills and took us 20 min to get our check Atmosphere : 5/5, it feels like a clutter Fu** in here but while you eat your huge dinners the walls are a great way to distract you and start some pretty cool conversations. Food : 5/5, although I am not a Italian food lover I came here and was surprisingly satisfied. Our spicy pizza was absolutely delicious and filling and the spicy chicken. Pasta was pretty good too. Although the service sucked I will not bring down the good times and good food we encountered here at Bucca De Peppo.
(4)Tiffany L.
Buca di Beppo is a tall building located right next to 24 Hour FItness on Center Ave, across from the back of Bella Terra. If you come at night, expect to wait at least 30 minutes for 2 people. If you come during the day, before say... 4, you will probably get to go in with little to no wait. I found the inside to be really interesting! As they were taking me and my boyfriend upstairs to our table, they walked us through the kitchen area and showed us a dining table there, and told us we could ask to eat there. My boyfriend and I found that to be really random, and a bit awkward, but pretty cool. Buca di Beppo is a big building but the dining rooms downstairs and upstairs don't seem as big as they do on the outside. The interior is smaller than expected, and there are portraits everywhere to give it an Italian feel. The service here is great also -- the waiters and waitresses are super friendly! I love the unlimited soft bread that they serve -- dip it in their olive oil mixed with vinegar because it tastes AMAZING. My boyfriend and I have tried their Fettucine Alfredo (extra charge for chicken), their famous meatballs, and their Baked Ziti pasta. They serve their food in family sized portions, so for two people, just one dish is more than enough. Their Fettucine Alfredo with chicken was good, but I think this dish is more flavorful and more creamy at Olive Garden and other Italian restaurants. Their Baked Ziti pasta is reeeally good, much better than the Fettucine Alfredo. My boyfriend and I both thought the meatballs had a strange taste so we did not enjoy the meatballs very much.
(4)Morgan H.
I love when a business takes reviews and feedback seriously. Buca did just that. I was contacted in regard to my review, and provided my phone number and email because they wanted to follow up with me. Today, I received a phone call from the Divisional VP. He was kind and pleasant, and provided some key information to make my next Buca experience as good as it can be. They make all of their food in-house; none is frozen. An exception are the cakes, as they don't have a bakery on premises. To receive a free birthday dessert, you can sign up for their e-club online and bring in your coupon. The photography company is contracted with the restaurant, so Buca cannot give input on the photo pricing. Taking this into consideration, I will give them another chance because I do feel that the food is appetizing. Mostly, I appreciate the genuine consideration that the VP put into the phone call. I ended the call with a new realization that they care about their customers.
(3)Chin S.
Linguine with white clam sauce is terrific. Wife had the egg plant, also delicious. Portions are enormous even from the lunch menu. Raspberry lemon aid is the best around, nice strong flavor. Bartender is a great waiter and Greg the manager came to our table for a chat. Nice place and nice food. Chin Sing
(5)Vanessa P.
This is the Best Buca di Beppo in SoCal! I ordered food for delivery for my little sisters birthday. Greg the manager brought all the food up to my apartment he even brought extra marinera sauce, parmesan cheese peppers extra pasta sauce, oil & viniger for bread dipping, serving utensils (really nice ones too) plates forks & napkins. When I dine in I only go to this location because it's #1
(5)Maianh H.
SPICY ROSA SAUCE! My best friend and I came here for dinner tonight for our friendship anniversary dinner LOL. We had a Groupon: $20 worth of food for $12. Hell ya! With the voucher, we ended up paying $1.07. SCORE!! Ambience I haven't been to this Buca location in over a year but I do remember the REALLY BAD SMELL of old or wet carpet. Surprisingly, today it didn't smell that bad...but it still smelled unpleasant. I don't know why this location hasn't renovated yet. Sure, the loud atmosphere consisting of excessive trinkets and quirky pictures are fun but the restaurant gives off an abandoned, dusty and dingy vibe. Not really my cup of tea. Kinda turned me off to be honest. Also, their old menus used to be SUPER STICKY but they got new menus (Thank goodness) Service The hostess working tonight had absolutely ZERO PERSONALITY. She didn't smile once or ask us how we were doing. Also, why is there only 1 hostess? Oh yeah, because this place is usually super dead. I wonder why. Our waitress was very friendly but I think we saw her about 2 times total until we asked for the bill. We had to grab our own extra plates, parmesan cheese and olive oil/balsamic from other tables. As it seemed like our waiter vanished, we had to holler at another waiter to beg for butter. We basically served ourselves lol. I wouldn't say the service is awful, it's just non-existent. Food House Bread (free) This bread did not come out warm, boo. We were sooo hungry so we ate 3 loaves of this before our food came out which was a huge mistake. We were only able to eat 1/3 of our pasta :'( Our waitress only gave us one loaf. Our food runner Juan was the best! He brought out more bread for us immediately. Yay ~Intermission: An eternity passed by before our food was brought to our table ~ Macaroni Rosa (no broccoli, add garlic and spicy Rosa sauce) This pasta dish is one of Buca's specialty pastas and is made with cavatappi (corkscrew) pasta, chicken, mushrooms, and peas. We added garlic and spicy Rosa sauce. This Rosa sauce tastes JUST LIKE MAMA D's pink sauce but double the portion size. Yay, I found my knockoff Mama D's except this sauce is more tomato-y than creamy. This spicy Rosa sauce is much better than the regular Rosa sauce; the spice adds much more depth into the dish. This pasta was very well made; all the ingredients married together very well. The pasta was perfectly cooked and the veggies tasted fresh. I would definitely recommend this dish but next time I'll get it with penne or rigatoni pasta. We ordered the small portion but I totally think that a small can easily feed 3 people. For $21, it was a total bargain! Buca di Beppo serves solid food but this location's service is extremely lackluster. Although Buca di Beppo is meant to give off a festive, Italian-American vibe, this location fails to execute this concept as it is incredibly outdated and not well tended to. Next time, I think I'll order to-go. The mediocre service and dingy/smelly/dead atmosphere really kills my vibe. The food rocks though! This restaurant is a total butterface if you asked me.
(3)Adriana M.
We had a great birthday lunch served by a super waiter, Dana. Family style antipasto could serve a large family and is delicious!
(5)Katie N.
Food: Good, I got the linguine frutti de mare. Service: No good. Reservation at 9pm. Checked in at 8:30pm. The hostess 1 said "yes, we found you". We stood at the podium (about one foot away from the hostess) waiting to be seated. Two parties were seated and we were still standing there. We asked if it was gonna take long. The hostess 1 asked if we had checked in and asked for our names. We told her again that we made reservation and she said oh, it said you were seated. Uh.... Clearly we were not. Another hostess 2 said upstairs to the left. Ok, are we walking ourselves to the table? Hostess 1 said, "someone" marked that you were seated. Really hostess 1???? Really??? You checked us in and you were the only one touching the computer screen. It must be you who marked us as seated. Cleanliness: Unacceptable. First set of plates we received had 3 out of 4 with sticky stuff on them and were dirty. My fork had food stuck on there. Second set of plates had 1 with food or brownie stuck on there. I've been here two times in 2 months, and each time the plates were dirty without fail. While I enjoyed the linguine frutti de mare and the seafood tasted good, I will not return due to poor service and dirty utensils/plates.
(1)David G.
Came here on a Friday afternoon because we had a free pasta coupon place was kinda empty but nice and cozy. I ordered mozzarella sticks which were delicious. Finally our pasta came but disappointing it was missing more sauce overall not a bad place and I was glad it was free.
(4)Nate A.
I drove here with family from west Long Beach, I called ahead asking for for wait time for a table telling the guy who answered I had a party of 13. He said an hour and a half. Upon arriving the young lady at the front told me there would not be a table available for my party at until after 730pm, right now it is 3pm. This is upsetting and inconvenient to myself and my family. I asked this girl for the managers name, so Greg this is directed to you: Please make sure in the future your employees are knowledgeable that big parties choosing to dine at your restaurant know that table times for regular walk ins do not apply to them. Also that when a customer asks for a managers name, they do not answer with an attitude.
(1)Melloninja C.
Can't go wrong with their service and food. Food was great and the atmosphere is always inviting. I love their seafood pasta and family portions. I just wish parking was a little less stressful here.
(4)Christina D.
Came here for my aunts dinner in the pope room! Kyle the food runner really saved the experience. Our garlic bread got lost in the Italian food forest, and he brought us a cannoli. Kyle is my cannoli Pope now.
(5)Mary M.
I went here this week to celebrate someone birthday. I did enjoy the concept of family style food dishes, however the food was poor quality. I was disappointed that the dishes lack flavor and the food did not taste fresh. The bread served cold and doesn't taste fresh. The Pena vodka I've had better tasting sauce from a can. Eggplant was good however I prefer juicy thick pieces. Chicken Parmesan seemed like it was prepackaged.
(2)Diana T.
Not a big fan of italian food but this seems to be a good place to eat. There is a huge variety in food to choose from. Lots of food to make you feel light and refreshed to omg food coma you want to kill yourself! We had a group of 13 people and had reservations at 6:30pm. When we got there, we had to wait about 5 minutes to get seated. We were taken all the way upstairs to sit. We ordered a couple of appetizers and some main entrees to share family style. Linguini and Clams with White Sauce: This was part of their 4 for $40 menu. This is a very light dish to eat. There are bits of clams in it which I feel should have had more in it. It just tasted like I was eating linguini pasta. Fried Calamari ($19.99 Large)- I love calamari and this was pretty decent. It is served with their homemade spicy marinara sauce. They pretty much fried this to perfection! I wanted more! Garlic Bread ($6.99)- italian loaf brushed with garlic-infused olive oil, then baked with parmesan cheese and lots of fresh garlic. This was just okay. Seemed very little for $7. Just stuff yourself with the free bread they give complimentary in the beginning of your meal. Mozzarella Caprese ($19.99 Large)- vine-ripened tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil leaves and basil-infused olive oil. I am not a big fan of raw tomatoes, but one bit of this, it was amazingly delicious! I think it was something with the oil that made it taste awesome! Supremo Italiano ($25.99 Large)- Spicy Italian sausage, pepperoni, bell peppers, onions, mozzarella, provolone, and meat sauce. It is a thin crust pizza with lots of flavors! Very mouth watering but I was so stuffed I only had one slice:( Chicken Parmigiana ($13.99 Large)- topped with homemade marinara sauce and mozzarella. You can't go wrong with chicken parmigiana. Such a familiar taste that it would be hard for it to not taste wrong! Veal Saltimbocca ($36.99 Large)- Lemon butter sauce, sage, prosciutto, artichoke hearts, lemon, and capers. The veal I heard was a little tough. It is suppose to be very soft and tender. Not a big fan of capers so this was not a good dish, in my opinion We were celebrating two birthdays and the waiters were nice enough to put our cake in the fridge. When it was time for the cake, they took it out and brought it to our table with extra plates. Their little entourage came with them, brought giant candles and sang happy birthday in Italian! It was great!!! Overall, great place for a family gathering! Lots of food to share and that is always the best! NOTE: -Two stories
(4)Julie A.
I loved coming to this particular location. I received the WORST customer service ever!! I was really looking forward to their fried Calamari we ordered our dish, garlic bread, and calamari. Our waitress was very kind. But our food took forever to come out. We finally got our dish but our Galicia bread and calamari never came out. The waitress only checked up on us 2 times. We got our garlic bread and calamari free. The manager was a jerk as we walked away from the restaurant he said "thank you" but did not acknowledge he was looking at his seating chart. NEVER coming back to this location!
(1)Ãmbar R.
This place must have been bad in the past but I like this place. Been to the one on City Walk and I had to come back to a closer location! As for the food itself, it was amazing and yeah they're aren't kidding when they say its huge portions. Went on a Saturday night and made a reservation and was seated and served quickly right before the rush. Definitely recommend, particularly if you're just going for the food and not the service...who cares if that person didn't smile. As long as your food is delivered and made well. You're there to EAT.
(5)Connie C.
Dana is fantastic. He is the most personable, friendly, and loveable bartender I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. I dropped in on a whim, unsure of whether or not my friend and I would start. We're both happy beyond words that we stayed. And Dana is the reason. His personality is unmatched and his service flawless. Thank you for a wonderful afternoon.
(5)P S.
Had a great date night here yesterday. Got there around 6pm before the Friday night rush; which was nice. The food was delicious. We got the prosciutto stuffed chicken and the chicken and sausage pasta. So yummy! Our waitress Tayler was outstanding. She was friendly and attentive. The bartender Richie was great too! Our drinks were so good! We'll be back soon. :)
(5)Tyler T.
We got an Amazon Local coupon for $10 off $20 here. I think I've seen quite a few of these coupons in the mail though, so it must be a pretty often occurrence (or maybe I'm just misremembering). The place is located near Bella Terra, and there is plenty of parking around the place, though I think it shares some parking with a gym so depending on the time it might be crowded. For drinks I tried their Italian Sodas, and the two flavors that I tried were pretty good (Pear and Raspberry). There was an option to get it creamed but I didn't do that. My friend ordered the Chicken Parmigiana and it tasted okay. The chicken didn't really have much character or anything interesting to it and the tomato sauce was okay. I ordered the Shrimp Diavoli, extra spicy with linguini, and that tasted better but not quite outstanding. The flavoring was missing something, and the linguini tasted just alright. Overall it's a nice kind of place to eat and I find it a good value with the coupon, but I don't know if the food would be worth it without the coupon.
(3)Derrick B.
I've only been to one other Buca so figured lets do it again. It was really overpriced for two people. I reserved via opentable and put in a note that i would NOT like to be sat near an exit or by the bathroom.... I was sat right by the upstairs exit by the elevators. I had to politely ask the server to control the kids that would go up and down up and down which was insane.. it bother our table and the people behind me. I'll never really go back here again because of my experience. The only good thing was the server which was really nice.. everything else was aweful.
(2)Steven L.
Service: Below average as someone from food industry. Made reservations at 8PM for a date night with the lady (weekday). Got there on the dot. Hostess told us it would be 5-10 minutes since they were cleaning the table. She then resumed conversing with an older gentleman the remaining time which appeared to be a manager if not supervisor. We were announced, "Party with the reservation right this way", since another walk-in entered. We were led up the stairs to a deuce table, hostess put down menus, no eye contact the whole time, and walked away. A little irritating since I didn't get the normal "How are you this evening?" or "Enjoy". We had a coupon for a free fettuccine alfredo that was honored that evening. Normally you can add $5 for chicken or more for shrimp on pastas as stated on menu. I'm sure we couldn't do that since we had a coupon. We were gonna get a free entree. I inquired if I could order a piece of chicken, or a side of, or add-in; I didn't care the price; just some meat to complement the dish. We were denied this because no substitutions or add-ins for a free coupon. Our only option the server said would be to order a chicken entree, which was a ridiculous amount of additional food. So we opted for just the fettuccine and dessert. More on the food below. Server was attentive throughout the evening AFTER she realized she forgot our plates. Prices: For italian cuisine, the prices are fair for the big portions. Our fettuccine alfredo "buca small" was a big bowl that could feed 3-4 servings. Our $10 Tiramisu was in a large bowl, NOT a slice. I was surprised I was paying a good price for a large italian dessert. Food: We both had strawberry italian soda and cream soda, both were delish. However, when we got our fettuccine alfredo with room temperature "house bread"...he server was supposed to bring us plates since we were sharing it. It took her more than 5 minutes to come back only to realize we didn't have plates. Once received and we started eating, the fettuccine was lukewarm, and towards the bottom of the plate, the sauce was bland, cold, and terrible, as if it came from a can and set on a stove with low-heat. I can only say that because I've done that before first time making it at home. But it was free, so as long as I wasn't sick afterwards, my standards were lowered. Tiramisu was good, and huge. Was only able to finish not even 1/4 of the whole thing and the rest to go. Environment: Upstairs, small deuce table, with a larger party in the corner, and a screaming kid. Wouldn't really call it a romantic date evening. More family oriented and a few couples near us. Bottom Line: I wouldn't come back. I already have other italian restaurants in mind in Newport Beach to take my lady. Mainly for the service and quality of food. One star for the tiramisu. One star for the photographer who got us a free postcard of cutesy pictures of us, and we purchased an individual framed photo for $10.
(2)Celeste L.
Loved the atmosphere and generous portions...I enjoyed my blanca pizza dinner but for dessert we had the brownie sundae (small size ) and it was pretty hard and relatively tasteless ...
(3)Cynthia D.
Great service! Went here for a birthday and they gave us the VIP Kitchen table where we got to see all of the magic happen and boy did it smell soooo good! Best Italian food aroma you could imagine ;)
(5)Candace W.
I love the food!! Good ole family sized portions ! All the salads are amazing ! All the pastas are awesome! Servers are great!! And the photographers are the best part, don't leave without your complimentary post card!! You may get lost in the restaurant, just remember where your party is seated
(4)Nahid D.
Really want to give 3.5 but the service tonight was great, so they get 4 from me! The staff here was really happy tonight! No waiting for our table as we got there at 7:30pm on a Friday night. This was a great place to go to for a family of 6 getting together for a birthday celebration. We might have overdone it but order only came out to $140 (awesome including tip). We got the large portions of: Mixed Green Salad, Mini meatball appetizer, Buca Italiano Pizza, and the Penne Arrabiatta. All pretty good! Ended the celebrations with the colossal brownie sundae... amazing and definitely enough for everyone! They even sang my daddy a lovely little birthday song with a candelabra as his candles! Thank you BdB!
(4)Chris S.
Service was chill. Not the best. Chicken was flavorless. Bread seemed old. Only thing that saved it was the spaghetti with meat sauce. Pasta was on point. Overall I'd say way over priced food and over hyped by the big portions of food. Will not be coming back again.
(2)Jen S.
Love the atmosphere and decor. Good food and generous portions. Nice selection of wine by the bottle.
(4)Season G.
I'm pregnant, needed pasta, nuff said. A grrlfriend and I stopped in for lunch today. Yummy lasagna, great lunch deals, but really I gotta gush about our server... Dana, a big beautiful bald man with great facial hair. He was super attentive but not up our assess. He checked in with us often but realized we were catching up and wasn't cutting us off. Friendly, funny, and professional...great service deserves 5 stars too y'all!
(5)Catherine P.
The food here is more for groups. It's a family style dinner so if you go with just 2 people for a date or something you're going to have too much food and it will be expensive. If you have a lot of people it would be worth it though. The food is alright. It's always made fresh, but it lacks love or something. The flavor is just not there. Some things are good and some things are mediocre. They don't have consistency. I feel like they're trying to be a really authentic Italian style restaurant, but first if all they don't serve authentic Italian food. They just serve huge portions of under-seasoned spaghetti and lasagna. They would definitely need to update their menu before I would go back. If they started to serve things I couldn't make myself at home I would feel more compelled to come back.
(2)Fanny K.
Came here with my boyfriend for lunch on Tuesday, December 9th, had the best server! Adorable personality. Food: small chicken rigatoni. Pasta was a little hard but tasted great all the same. (: portion size was enough to feed the both of us. I also loved the complementary bread with vinegar and olive oil dip! Enjoyed my experience here, will come again!
(5)Annie C.
Came here on a Sunday at around 12:45 pm and there was a 5-10 minute wait. Not so bad. We ordered the pasta with the chicken and pesto cream sauce (sorry forgot the name) and it was okay. Not bad but I got tired of it really quick. The bread came out at the same time as the pasta (which I thought was a little weird because aren't we supposed to have the bread first while waiting for the food?). We spent a lot of time waiting for first the to go box and then the bill. I honestly think we spent more time waiting than actually eating. Taking two stars off because food was okay and service was kinda off
(3)Elian C.
Came here with my family tonight. Have been a few times already and every time is a very pleasant experience. The service is good and the decor is interesting in the best way possible, totally enjoy looking at all the interesting pics and art on the walls. Love the whole family style dinning we order a few things and we all dig in. Tonight we got Spicy Chicken Rigatoni witch had just the right amount of heat and one of our favorites Fettuccine Alfredo, also the salad and bread is always awesome. Everything was scrumptious and hit the spot just right like always.
(5)Hong H.
I usually get the Chicken Carbonera (super thick sauce) with a side order of cheesy garlic bread. My girl friend gets the Meatball Spaghetti. Stuffed mushrooms were good, but I don't think I'll get them again. Sharing portions for one small plate if you're on a date. The larger size is for family size obviously. I couldn't even finished my own food let alone my girlfriends spaghetti.
(4)Ryan R.
If you're looking to escape the typical disappointment of Olive Garden and have a large party, this is a great place to come. Atmosphere: No frills, fun stuff on the wall type of place but of course more classy than a TGIF. If it's you're first time there ask for a tour of the kitchen which they'll gladly do if they're not completely in the weeds busy. This has the feel of a small genuine Italian eatery in a much larger space. They have a lovely bar with nothing out of the ordinary, small down stairs bar seating area and a large upstairs dining room. The Food: I can't speak for the entire menu yet but will be looking for excuses to go back. The Baked Ziti is some of the best I've had. It was a perfect combination of savory tomato with creamy ricotta cheese. . .absolutely heavenly. The chicken Marsala was a little on the sweet side for my taste but delicious nonetheless and those rosemary potatoes. . .that ladies and gentleman is what dreams are made of. The chicken parmesean and spaghetti were fairly typical but delicious. I would like to try many other things on the menu, but I gotta start with the basics first. One thing I will most certainly be back for will be the veal saltimboca. I haven't had a good one in years and if the food I've had so far is any indicator, I'm sure it will be amazing. The Service: By the book service with very professional attitudes, friendliness, and a hint of individual personalities. Every one I had interactions with were courteous and professional and seemed to have a decent sense of humor. All in all it makes for a fun experience. Verdict: I like this place, the food is not over the top or grandiose but it is delicious and fresh it tastes authentically homemade. You won't find any surprises here and everything about it was probably modeled in mid-west america for the lowest common denominator. However, it is good and will not serve you a plate of disappointment.
(4)Christine L.
The restraunt is decorated in so many crazy frames and pictures. More Greek & Roman paintings. The service was amazing. The kindest people in the world. The reason I give only 3 stars however is because of the price and food. The price, it's a bit expensive tbh. This restraunt is family style which means everything is meant to be shared. The portion size is a lot bigger. But I got a chicken carbonara, and a baked ziti. They were delicious but I've tried similar dishes in other restraunts for way cheaper. I wouldn't come back here because I know I can get the same food in other places for a lot cheaper.
(3)Calvary D.
Always sign up for newsletter or online club. Periodically they send you $10 coupon. Chicken marsala is not that bad.plump fresh sliced mushroom and sauce is more on sweet side.
(3)Marcum K.
Ate here after a long day at the mall and was really excited to show my husband how authentic the place is, as he had never been there before. Disappointed to say the least, wasn't told about the bread and oil they brought to the table until after we were done with our meal. Waitress brought another tables dirty dishes to our table when checking on us the 1 time that she did. Food took over 30 minutes and we only ordered 1 pasta dish. Waitress didn't refill our drinks until after dinner was over. The service was disappointing and the food was mediocre.
(2)Shannon M.
After this review was posted and I did the online survey, I was contacted almost immediately (next day by management) and was able to let them know about our experience. I had been to this location several times so I was able to speak honestly about my last experiences there that were positive. Gregg was very kind and listened and was very apologetic. I was very impressed at how serious they took this. I told Gregg next time I'm in town we will try them out again.
(4)Dee D.
Came here last night with the boo it was a really last minute decision between KBBQ and this place (shoulda went with KBBQ). First off, the short-haired-blonde hostess was terrible. Before I had even stepped foot into the restaurant we locked eyes through the window and she immediately rolled her eyes WOW. I thought whatever maybe she got something stuck in her eyes (giving her the benefit of the doubt). When she half-assed greeted us and asked how many and which name to put down I said my bf's name and then she gave a quick hard breath and enlarged her eyes. Really?! She was so lucky she was working I would've thrown a fork at her head. When she called my bf's name she didn't even wait for us she just proceeded to walk to the table! Didn't look at us once- didn't make a single peep just grabbed the extra place settings and walked off. My bf and I have both worked in the restaurant industry as host/ hostess. We know the drill and she was rude from beginning to end. Our waiter, Nick (Matt Dillon/ Ethan Hawke lookalike), was awesome! He was sooo sweet and really took care of us. He came to check on us frequently and even carried a conversation with us about things other than the food, which was fun. The food was really good. We got the Artichoke Florentine Dip, Proscuitto Stuffed Chicken, and the Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. Everything was hot, soft, and full of flavor. 3 stars for Nick and the food -2 stars for the hostess
(3)Larry F.
Average food. Had to order dishes for 2 or 4. Luckily, girlfriend and I share a lot. Started with calamari appetizer. A little heavy on breeding. Definitely overpriced at $15 for two. No larger serving than anyplace else. Most places are around $10. Then we shared the linguini frutti di mare. I'd give it a 6. Lot of clams. Small shrimp and a few mussels. Lots of noodles. Sauce was a little thin. Good flavor. $25 is about what I'd spend for this dish at a fine Italian restaurant. Peroni beer on tap was a plus . $7.50 for a 22 oz. glass was reasonable , but second one was $5.75 for 12 oz, gf's sangria was good. She printed a coupon for $10 off which she received today, but it expired yesterday and they refused it. Would I go back? Maybe with a group that included kids.
(2)Eric N.
Buca di Beppo, fun name to say. I went here with my family and it was well played. The food tasted fresh and the environment was very modern Italy. The only reason I was giving this place a 3 is because everything was Family sized. We all wanted different things, but the family size was to big and overly priced. So we all had to compromise on 1 appetizer and 2 plates of food. (Spaghetti and meatball/ Chicken Alfredo). The food was well prepared and brought freshness towards every bite. The service was okay though, host was polite, but didn't seem so happy as we walked, same towards the waiter (polite, but not so happy). Come on, Lighten up the room a little with a smile! Food 4 and service 3
(3)James G.
I went here talking this girl on my first date! The food was absolutely amazing! Customer service was a little over our average! Everybody is really nice and funny and joking about How I had taken here on her first date!!!:) coming back as always:)
(5)D R.
We specifically come to this location because Dana Morris provides the best service and hospitality you could ask for Ask for his section.. You will not regret it
(5)Christina P.
Bucca de Beppo is great for large parties. We had my dad's 70th birthday party there with all of our family and the service was great and so was the food. They have a friendly atmosphere and good prices. Oh yeah, they are kid friendly too.
(4)Heather A.
My boyfriend and I decided to do take out for Valentine's Day. We preordered our food the day before to make sure we didn't have to wait too long for it. When we arrived at Buca all 15 "to go" spaces were taken, although when we got inside were 2 people waiting for food. So the first issue is that they need to enforce their parking because it is horribly inconvenient. The worst part of it was I ordered Penne San Remo, the chicken was so unbelievably dry! Including my bf's entree we paid $47 dollars for ultimately a box of boiled penne pasta. I was so disappointed. This place is so expensive, I had been looking forward to it all week. What a let down. The customer service leaves something to be desired. I will definitely never ever come back here again. Cheesecake Factory is less expensive and on another level. They actually care about their customers. Peace out Buca di Crappo.
(1)Heather N.
After I wrote my review, I received a phone call right away from the Divisional VP, Sven. He is kind and has a great sense of humor! He also apologized profusely about my Buca experience and gave me a gift certificate to come back. My family and I decided to try another Buca and had a much better experience. It's nice to see that the company really does care about its customers having a good dining experience.
(3)Laurie C.
We came here tonight because we had a Groupon and it was our first time. Food was pretty good but the service was not. The basis for our dissatisfaction is that we were never offered bread with our meal when it seemed that all of the other customers had bread on their table. We asked for some and once it was brought to us, we were basically done with our meal. She offered us butter and oil & vinegar with it and brought the butter packets and tossed them in the basket. I guess she must still be looking for the oil & vinegar since we never got it. Needless to say, we never even bothered eating our bread. You might want to put in a little more effort to make a better first impression.
(2)Liz W.
Came for lunch with my mom. Our server/ bartender was great and it was so nice to have the general manager drop what he was doing to lend a hand. Awesome staff. Great food!!!
(5)Abbe W.
I have dined at other location of Buca di Beppo just never thought it was spectacular. The only thing that I really enjoyed was the cheese bread but it could be because I was overly hungry so a hot bread was like the most delicious thing ever. Overall, the food was not good at all. Their marinara sauce was pretty spicy and basically that was it, just spicy and it's pretty bland. We had following: Appetizers: cheese bread - pretty good but maybe I was overly hungry calamari fritti - the sauce was spicy. Main course: Lasagna - tasteless Quattro al Forno - the pasta was a bit dried, not enough sauce and the sauce was spicy. Linguine Fruitti Di Mare - was ok, again the sauce was a bit bland. We were celebrating my friends' birthday and was glad that they gave us a complimentary postcard of many pictures but each of the pictures is $11 each, but it comes with a nice cover. Overall, my husband and I weren't impressed with the food at all. Portion wasn't as big and overall, we thought it cost more than Maggiano's family style, which was basically unlimited.
(3)LuCy t.
What happened Bucca???? You used to be so good and now you reek of cheap... frozen small shrimp. Ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavlo which is one of their Bucca Favorites and was shocked to see that the dish came with small frozen shrimp instead of some nice large shrimp that you would expect when you order a dish where shrimp is the star ingredient. Instead, we got a dish that was 90% pasta and 10% of dinky frozen shrimp. So disappointed... the pasta sauce actually tasted good but the lack of quality ingredients could not salvage nor justify the $25 price tag.
(2)Karen G.
Went to a Buca di Beppo's a few years ago and never went back. Food did not impress me the first time around. We received a gift card for Christmas and for this reason ended up here. Appetizer was delicious! We got the calamari, stuffed mushrooms and fried mozzarella. For the main entree we got the baked chicken rigatoni. I was not impressed with this dish. I prefer my pasta on the softer side and this rigatoni was a bit on the firmer side. Husband was ok with the pasta and did not complain. Portions are huge!
(3)Tina N.
Would have been 5 stars but our server lagged on everything he did for us. Such as take our order and give us our breadsticks. He would disappear for long periods of time leaving us hungry and impatient... Other than that food is delicious and portions were super huge. I came with a party of 4 and we order the chicken parmigiana and baked ziti. The baked ziti was so good. Pasta was al dente, the spicy sausage was on point and the marinara sauce brought the whole dish together. I recommend putting crush red pepper and cracked black pepper on this. As for the chicken, you have to eat it when it comes out otherwise the chicken will lose it's crunchiness from the sauce. We had plenty of leftovers .. So I would say if you have a party of 4 stick with the small portions of entrees and pastas.
(4)Roger J.
Bucca de Beppo doesn't care about their customers. I was enjoying some delicious hazel nut cheesecake right up until the point I broke my tooth. What followed was a lot of pain and big dentist bills. My dentist said Bucca should pay. I had contacted the manager on duty right when it happened. He basically just gave me a corp contact. What followed was me chasing my tail for 8 months with the run around Bucca and their legal staff gave me. Bucca blamed Sysco, Sysco blamed Azar Nut, Azar Nut blamed Bucca and so forth and so on and on and on and on. My advice? Don't go to Bucca if you slip and fall, or anything at all their crack team of lawyers will send you into the Twighlight Zone.
(1)Gracy L.
I hadn't been to this restaurant in about 10 years because it just seemed like average quality food. I went with a group of people who brought wine they had previously purchased from this location. They still charged a corking fee even tho it was THE HOUSE WINE which I thought was a little odd. The food as I remembered wasn't over the top good, it was just so so. The pictures and ambience was fun. It'll probably be another 10 years before I come back only because there are so many other quality authentic Italian restaurants in the area that I think are better.
(3)Selena R.
The best service. Dana was incredible made me feel welcome. Made me laugh I truly enjoyed my time here at buca. The short cubby bald man is has the best service ever. If you ever go to Buca during the week sit in the bar and Dana will give you the service of a lifetime!!!!!!!
(5)Linda L.
Horrible service, horrible food. Bread, no bread plates, apps, no plates ...salad... You guessed it no plates...food runner seem to busy to even out the food in front of us... Waitress never checked on our order ( that was wrong!) besides being wrong it was cold... Horrible food, horrible service ... Will NEVER go back.
(1)Christina E.
The food here is good. The setting is relaxing. It does get noisy. Just check your utensils to make sure it's actually clean.
(3)Monica P.
We had a wonderful birthday dinner here. they let us bring our own cake. They sliced and served it for us at no additional cost. our server Jamie was delightful. We definitely will be back soon.
(4)Christin H.
Service was poor and the ambiance was less than charming. Food was good. But I just love food...
(2)Ji T.
excellently average service great for groups and big parties, takes rsvp if you want a family style italian food, i'd say maggiano's over this place hands down...the only saving grace was the food, which was 4stars worthy except the lack of attention during service was 2stars so avg is 3stars
(3)Barry h.
The food was inedible plain and simple. Will never be back. 1 star for the good service.
(1)Stephi S.
I love spicy sauce. Buca di Beppos marinara/meat sauce has a light kick that was delightfully unexpected. Family style servings, so make sure you are ready to be nice and share. The walls and surrounding areas are busy with interesting décor and pictures. Unfortunately our server had no idea what any of them meant. Complimentary "house bread" is always a plus. The menu offered what most Italian restaurants offer, and the food was A-OK. Service was smiles and attentive, however parking tests your patience. Prices are set for that "family style" servings so be prepared. Its best to make reservations, as there can be a wait and there is no "bar" to hang out at.
(3)Patty P.
This place is amazing. I love eating here all the time. usually bring my family with me :} great portions for groups as well.
(3)SL W.
Had a unpleasant night here. Came here for dinner today as my husband like their pasta. This is not our first time to Buca but this is the first we come to this location. The server was ok at first but she only talked to us twice which was taking our order and asking if we are done. No bread was served, didn't help us to change to pasta plates, never checking with us if we are doing ok. She has been walking around back and ford talking to other customers. Checking with them if they are doing ok, need any refill, offer to change to pasta plates when pasta is served. It is too obvious that I can't ignore that we have been treated differently or not being welcomed. She passed by our table many times since all the tables she served were at the same row. If she is really busy, I can totally understand but the table behind us receiving diff kind of service. No eye contact with us even I was trying to look at her. Totally ruin our day. At first my husband and I were thinking just pay the bill and walk away and never come back. But at the end I decided pay but talk to the manager there to let him know how we felt. He was sincerely accepting our feedback and apologized for the customer service we received which I really appreciated. He keep on telling us that they treat everyone equally and agreed that we had bad customer service today. He insisted to take care the bill even we said it is not needed as we are not here to ask for free food or discount. I can't said she has bad waitress skill, because I can tell she was friendly and attentive to others :( no sure why... Maybe just because we r Asian? Maybe we just ordered one pasta and one appetizer? Totally no clue...
(2)Stephanie D.
Customer service is great. The waitress was helpful and had a smile on her face. However, once I saw the prices for the food being served, we wanted to leave. The food was bland- we had ordered a chicken carbonara to share. The dish had no flavor at all. We had that plus 2 kids meals and 2 drinks. All for $63.00 I think the food is over-priced. Not a fan and not returning.
(2)Liz M.
The only reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is the length of time it took my food to arrive. My waiter, Dana, was delightful and efficient, and the food and ambiance were terrific. Go upstairs and catch the Dana Show! He is a doll!
(4)Bosun O.
Came here for lunch. I was assisted by the bartender. His name was Dana. Not only was his mustache the most incredible I've seen in my 24 years...But his service was the most pleasant ever!
(5)Carolyn H.
Had a great experience with using Buca for catering for dinner at the office this week. I called and spoke to Jocelyn on their sales team and she was able to get everything priced out for me very quickly. I tend to get a little stressed out about having enough food (and staying within budget) so I asked for some ideas and she was able to answer most of my questions. The only thing I would suggest is that she could have been slightly better about entree suggestions...I don't eat pasta myself, and I like to know what their best sellers are so that hopefully I am making everyone happy with something they enjoy eating. The cookies and brownies that I ordered with the meal were SO good. They tasted freshly baked and they were soft and gooey.
(4)Christina L.
Great lunch specials. I'll get the Antipasto Salad w Chicken or Penne Rosa w Chicken and for under $12 (food plus $2 for chicken + tax/tip) the food will last me 3 days. Thanks goodness for a fridge in the break room! Oh, you get bread too, don't forget to ask for butter! I am a takeout regular here and I gotta say that service has always been friendly and the food is always tasty. My latest discovery there? Chicken Cannelloni. Chicken and Cheese stuffed in Spinach manicotti with a freaking fantastic Rosa sauce. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
(4)Omar L.
I know this is a chain or whatever but I think this place is way better than many out there. I've been noticing a lot of consistency on the plates too and I love knowing that I'll be getting the same portion all the time. Staff is always super friendly.
(5)Jane N.
Buca di Beppo....this place is a hit or miss with their service and food. I got the spaghetti with meatball as usual and a rigatoni dish. The meatballs were very flavorful as expected and the sauce was pretty good but the rigatoni dish was a big fail. There was barely any sauce, very bland, overloaded with cheese.. it was just not tasty at all. Our server/bartender was slow as a snail..the whole experience was not very memorable. I don't think I will be going back to this location.
(2)Kelvin C.
I think the euphoric feelings I used to have for this place are now dead. As a kid, my parents always took me to a Buca chain and I ate until my stomach was about to explode. I remember the good food, the good times, and awesome service. I guess times have changed for big chain restaurants, especially Buca. The food has become increasingly expensive and also tastes like crap. $20 for a bowl of crap is not my ideal meal. If you've ever heard quantity over quality, this place is the epitome of that. $20 - Frutti De Mari - one of the WORSE pasta dishes I've ever had. Seafood was dry and the noodles were soggy. $22 - Chicken parm - Wasn't bad, but it sure is expensive. I only visited this place because they run quite a bit of promos and I happened to have a coupon for $20 off (must order at least 2 small entrees/pastas). The total bill after coupon was around $35 after tax and tip. RIP OFF.
(1)Carolina N.
So four of us were here on a Monday night to celebrate my friend's birthday. Never had we EVER experienced such bad service at any Buca! It was very disappointing. Like I said, it was a Monday night, so it was VERY empty, and maybe that is why our drinks and our food took so long to get to us...because there were few chefs? MAYbe?? I see no reason for drinks to take so long to be delivered, and as for the food, we only ordered two dishes (one small, one large), and chicken on the side. The food, of course, was good, except for the side of chicken, which was very simple and cold. My friend took it home for her dog since everyone refused to eat it. We were here last year, and we were pretty excited about the free dessert they give to birthday people (especially since she received one the year before), but all they did was sing the song and bring the candles! Like, why. I thought it was a little ridiculous and kind of mocking even when, a while after the candles had been delivered, the server saw that she still hadn't blown them out and asked, "aren't you going to blow out the candles? make a wish!" I am thinking maybe the fact that we said we were not going to order a dessert sort of translated to "don't bring us any kind of dessert, even if it's complimentary and customary to do so at this restaurant." Julio was our server, and all he mentioned was the tipping, and he was even courteous enough to circle the tip percentages at the bottom of the bill to remind us what to tip, and after we paid, he mentioned how we hadn't tipped yet, etc etc. He didn't deserve a good tip to begin with, and his constant reminders only turned us off on tipping him the full amount. Was that wrong of us? I think NOT. Seriously, we should have looked at the 3 stars this place had and heeded the warning. But every previous experience at any Buca location had been only good things. I don't think we'll be coming back here again, and we'll probably opt to go to the (further) Brea location....but I just now looked up reviews for that one, and it seems all Buca locations have an average of 3 stars. So hmmm...
(2)Karina G.
I am updating my review today because I had recently wrote a review and had given this place 2 stars. After receiving a phone call from someone from corporate about my experience and was sent a gift card inviting me to return on the house. Todays experience was honestly the best! Our servers name was Daniel and he was extremely friendly, fast and checked on us every 15min. He was nothing like our last server from our previous visit. Our food was amazing and came out so fast! This place has some of the best italian food out there! Im in love! Definitely will be returning and recommending it to friends and family.
(5)Michelle B.
Had a great time with my birthday dinner here. Able to make reservation carefree for a party of 20. Which then turned into 30 people last minute. Thanks so much to the graceful staff and maneuvering to get us all seated together without a hassle. The food was good. Large family size portions. . Even a small could feed a party of 3. Food was great as always. Thanks to our waitress and waiters for making our celebration special. Only sad part didn't get to eat any of my bday cake didn't know celebration cake had coconut on the outside. I'm allergic hope everyone else enjoyed it
(4)Aleks P.
I see all the reviews about bad service, and went in ready for it. Never ate here before, and decide today is the day. The ambiance screamed little Italia. From the decorations of random oldies pic, to the table cloth, I was digging it. Our server was very laid back and friendly. Explained the menu a little, and gave me his favorite dishes. Every entrée comes in "S" small or "L" large portion. Let me tell you, I can EAT. The two of us ordered delicious calamari appetizer, and a "S" entrée. We ended up with leftovers form that "S" portion. I will deff become a regular here.. maybe dukedom!?
(4)Sam W.
It was pretty good, not great, just pretty good. Sort of expensive for what you get though. We got a "family deal" with the coupon. Good thing my kids are only 10 and 12, because as it was, there was barely enough pasta for everyone. Sort of disappointed in the portions. : ( The salad was good, bread had a little too much garlic, and the cheese ravioli pasta was adequate. But only 20 pieces of ravioli? That's only 5 per person. Kind of skimpy on the portions I'd say. The service was fine, not great, not good, just fine. So average food, skimpy portions, mediocre service, and sort of expensive for what you get. No wonder they have to get business through coupons and mailers.
(3)ReBecki P.
Great for big parties, reservations recommended, love the kitschy decor on the walls, and the staff are super friendly. Parking lot gets full because of the gym, so there is a parking structure available for a bit of a stroll. The appetizers bruschetta and calamari were excellent! The dipping sauce had a bit of a kick to it. Big pieces of mozzarella, for some reason my sister thought it looked and tasted like chicken. The Italian sodas were delicious, served in a large glass, I didn't know about the refills, but one glass was enough. So, bigger platter, less flavor? The large spaghetti and meatballs were bland and I didn't like how the meatball tasted. Too much filler of bread crumbs, not enough meat. We also had a large chicken carbonara, which was better, but had a weak Alfredo sauce.
(3)Victoria R.
Food took about an hour to receive. When asked to speak to mgr., mgr. Dennis came over & explained appetizer would be comp'd. Explained to him that 2 other parties after us got their food & left. Also our waiter said our order was just placed. Mgr. Dennis proceed to say, " what more do you want me to do?".. like he was doing us a favor. We came to this Buca to celebrate a birthday & a friend of his that never been to a buca. Totally lousy experience. Never again to this buca.
(1)Lupita H.
Love this place!!! Best lunch deals /menu ever! The food is SO good (anytime/always)!! Service is always great! Friendly staff! Try their 'Buca Blue' (21 and over) drink! Y-u-m-m-y!!! In all the times I've been here I've never had a bad experience! Will definitely be coming back!
(5)Jenna R.
Was here about a month ago when we went to Disneyland with the new BF and his kids. Had the chicken carbonara a salad and oh yesss...the cheezy bread!!!... I actually prefer them over olive garden, great food, fast service and plenty to take home...great place!!! Keep up the good work.
(5)L A.
Ordered Shrimp Diavolo to go. The penne was undercooked. I stood in the waiting area for 10 minutes before "Joanna" came out. She did not ask how long I had been there or apologize. The service is declining here with all the young employees and the prices keep going up.
(2)Lena D.
We came here on a Saturday night (party of two people) around 7:30 PM for dinner. It wasn't that crowded in the waiting area, yet customer service was absolutely horrible from the hostesses. The hostess, a blonde girl with curly hair, was completely useless. We walked in and went up to the hostess and she said absolutely nothing to us. Not even a greeting or asking us for how many our party had. She just stared at us from the platform without saying a word. I asked her, "How long is the wait?" and she continued to not say anything and stare at us for about another 15 seconds and then she said "About 15 minutes." She then once again didn't say anything and just stared at us. I waited for another minute looking at her waiting for her to ask for my name so she could call us when we could be seated. She never said anything. I had to be the one to prompt her and ask her, "Excuse me? Don't you need a name for my party?" And then she replies, "Oh yeah, can I have a name?" COMPLETELY USELESS WOMAN. How can you be a hostess when you have no idea how to greet customers???? From the way she kept on staring at us and not saying anything I thought she might be high. Once we were seated though, our waiter was much better and quite attentive. As far as the food goes, we ordered Penne a la Vodka, calamari, and a dessert. The calamari was quite good; it was lightly battered and very crispy. The pasta was also quite delicious, cooked just right to al dente. I was overall satisfied with the food, but in all honestly the only reason I came here is because I had a giftcard from Christmas which I had never used. Since it is family style, portions are huge, which in turn means prices are high. The bill came close to $65 including tax and tip, which I would never pay for completely out of my pocket. Having said that, I would not come back here again unless somebody gave me a giftcard.
(3)Josh J.
This place was amazing!!! The hostess was very friendly and walked us to our table. Within a few seconds, the waiter stopped by and asked if we were here for a special occasion. We told him no and he proceeded to take our drinks and food order. He was very friendly and offered recommendation. He made us feel very welcome and it felt like we were fine dining at a $$$$. :) The food was amazing as well. The portion was huge which we ordered just one and shared. We ordered the Linguine Frutti di Mare. Absolutely delicious. I will definitely come back here again.
(5)brian m.
I've been to a handful of Bucas and this one was definitely not one of the better ones. We had a group of six adults and two babies but we were seated in a small table. Please note that we had made a reservation in advance and we were not satisfied with our seats since it was very uncomfortable for all of us. We requested multiple times to be seated in a larger table and they finally moved us to a slightly larger table (why couldn't they have done it earlier?). And then they said they have a big group coming in so wanted us to move us to another room with a larger table. We didn't appreciate their attitude and the lack of sincerity. Dining was okay and the dishes were decent. The bill seemed a little expensive for what it is. We probably won't be back here, so adios...
(2)Lauren B.
I received a gift card to Buca di Beppo so that was the only reason we went here. We had their mixed green salad which has a deceiving name because they just use romaine. The salad was just alright, but for 12.99 I expected more flavor and ingredients. We shared a small eggplant Parmesan for $19.99. I was pleasantly surprised that the dish wasn't soaking in oil. The eggplant was sliced thinly, lightly battered, and fried perfectly. The service was pretty good despite the fact that we ordered a small wine and he brought the large and we didn't know until we got the check. However, I don't think I would go back just for the eggplant dish.
(3)Krystle G.
The ambiance and the overwhelming feeling of family is felt right when you enter the restaurant. Which is really nice, but the food was bland. However, our waitress was really nice and attentive for a party of 16.
(3)Ryan D.
Better to go here with a group of friends as pricing is 16 and up for full entrée and full size servings. Ask for a separate lunch or dinner menu for individual orders. I highly recommend their mozzarella garlic bread as your appetizer. Their pizzas are true Italian style with thin crust and are a must to order!
(3)Michael D.
Delicious food, awesome service!!! You have to sit in the bar area and ask for Dana! He kept us laughing throughout the meal. Really great time! Thanks Dana.
(5)Sandra H.
I come here often and I'm always greeted with a big smile. The staff is really friendly and the food is good and cheap. It's family style so you can share with more people and split the bill. I really like their spicy chicken rigatoni and recommend it. I dont give it full stars because its not a wow place its decent for what you pay
(3)Melanie N.
Fantastic food and service. Dana was a wonderful server and made a great impression. There was enough food to last us days but we managed to save room for the brownie sundae. The place was loud and busy so be sure to make a reservation. If it is your first time there they take you on a tour of the kitchen. Be sure to come hungry and expect the most energetic and fun staff.
(5)Matt E.
I love Italian Food. That being said, this place screams Italian! The food, the ambiance, the pictures on the walls. The only thing missing is your mother telling you that you're too skinny and you need to eat more. The portions are perfect for sharing with everyone and the food just tastes terrific. I love to Buca!
(5)Gage S.
We were given a quick tour and history of the resturant by a friendly hostess. There was no wait. Food came quickly. Decent prices. Ridiculous portions, i had lunch for the week from the leftovers. I got the spicy/buffalo chicken pasta. It was delicious. Awseome service and we got our picture taken for some good memories. Love it. It was my first time at this chain and i would recommend it to anyone.
(5)Antoinette B.
The food was great. I love the family style portions. Our server was polite and attentive. I will definitely be back!
(5)Brooke B.
Never coming here to celebrate a birthday again. Guess they changed their policy and don't offer complimentary dessert. We ordered the dessert anyway, our server couldn't even rally anyone else to sing, she brings the candles over and points to where the song is on the menu saying we can do it ourselves or sing the traditional bday song. Giving two stars for the food and ambiance. Pasta was ok, salad was great.
(2)Jan S.
We are foodies.....and we love Buca....even though some people mark it rather low! We used to go to the Tustin restaurant before it closed. Went to Huntington Beach location last night (Christmas Eve). Arrived at 4:30PM to beat the rush. All tables/booths seem private in these restaurants which is nice. Our server was great.....very attentive.....and when we requested not have our courses rushed.......he accomodated us. Food was delicious..... and plentiful. Chicken Saltimbucca, Chicken w/ Prosciutto, and spaghetti with sauce as a side....along with a chopped salad, and Bruschetta. We're originally from Chicago.....so we think we know Italian foods pretty well. Overall delightful experience.
(5)Crystal T.
Everything was exceptional, I need to remember to remember my servers names. But it was pretty slow when I came in, our server was a really nice guy! We (my family),got the stuffed shells (which was the favorite), spicy chicken rigatoni, and the fettuccine supremo. We also bought the mozzarella garlic bread which was decent.
(5)stephanie f.
My friend and I came here on Friday afternoon. They sat us at the bar, why I don;'t know. Server was excellent. Food okay. New menus with higher prices (to be expeced). This used to be my favorite place to eat. The food was okay, not like before. It appeared to be microwaved, the pasta was dry like when you microwave it and the other pasta dish was kind of runny. Spent a lot of money on 2 dishes that were just okay. Should have gone to Spaghetti Factory like our original plan or Olive Garden. Will not go back.
(3)Night P.
I wonder why they are advertising through Groupon. Maybe they are going under...? Maybe new Mgmnt.? Doesn't matter, we prob will not return for a long while. The place tends to stay with you, if you know what I mean. In the memory, in the bowels, in your dreams....or nightmares. Ok, it's not that bad, but forgettable? Yes. Even with a Groupon. Weird, but after we said we only wanted water to drink the server's mood seemed to change, there was a strange hesitation- and that was a different server. We usually have just water with our meals. Wifey and I had seafood linguini, and spaghetti for the kids. Spaghetti wasn't too bad, but it was under flavored as was the linguini -but I did change the sauce to a Rosa Vodka sauce (that should have gone very well with that dish, try it at Rosti). So partly my fault? Not the lack of flavor, but trying to be fair here. There was also one dead Mussel (unopened shell) in the linguini and not all the shells had mussels in them. The clams were minced, definitely not fresh. When our server thought it was OK to wipe her finger across a small salad plate to get a black speck off, (and the plate was dirty anyway) I looked from the plate to her and then she said oh maybe I should replace that... yep, you should. The rest of the meal had me salting my food, we didn't get bread till our salad came, and the Ceasar salad was good BTW, and the regular server seemed to lose interest in us after the bread. Later, she gave us the check without asking if we wanted anything else, like she wanted to rent our table out, and for once Wifey really wanted some dessert (Tiramisu). Go figure. I tried to order some, but Wifey insisted we just pay and go. Thought I would give some feedback to the Mgr. on our way out. She was shocked about the swipe on the plate and the lack of care for our wanting anything else, said please wait, and came back with a monster sized Tiramisu to go, and made us take it. So, 1 Star for the service, 3 for the food, and applause for the efforts of the Mgr.
(3)Robert R.
Great service on a Friday night. Ari did such a great job serving us and managing all her other guests. Thanks for such an awesome experience!
(4)John N.
Basic service, basic food quality, prices reasonable for larger portions for larger groups. Works for me. WHY COME TO BUCA: 1. Good for large groups and hosting small parties. 2. American friendly pasta dishes and varieties. 3. Nice decor and environment. WHY NOT COME TO BUCA: 1. If you are craving high quality Italian food. 2. If you are on a tighter budget. 3. If the idea of being original on a first date involves eating spaghetti at a franchise. Overall, A-OK.
(3)Patricia S.
I wanted to give no star at all! First I made a reservation on line and when I got there it took them a while to see my reservation. There were not much people to be confused. Our order took 40 minutes to come out. And as I mentioned earlier! They were slow. We were celebrating my brother's birthday and nothing was special! Not even a whipped cream with a candle to blow. Our server Julio was not attentive at all. Very traumatic experience! Probably the last time I will be eating at that place. Not worth it to dine in this place. The baked ziti was dry. Just a big sigh that I wasted our money here and our time and the celebration that should have been better.
(1)Sitha I.
So I haven't explore the Italian cuisine in Orange County that much. But for a franchise Buca di Beppo really works for me. Besides, its very convenient to where I work. I do hate the fact that all their portions are family style so trying to figure out if you ordered enough food for your party gets challenging. So far I love everything I've tried apple salad, greek salad, veal parm, penne, chicken marsala (and I dont even like chicken marsala), best thing: Spaghetti and meatballs - the meatballs are huge and filled with lots of garlic. That's what I love the most. When I order to go, I don't get enough marinara sauce on my pasta but when I dine-in its just perfect.
(4)Allison Z.
The service was OUTSTANDING!!!! Got there for a lunch meeting Friday afternoon and sat in the bar. Dana took care of us and was AWESOME!!!! He has a fantastic personality and delivers the best service I have had in YEARS!!! It was by accident that we ended up at Buca di Beppo, but it won't be an accident again! I didn't know this restaurant had a bar, but most importantly, I didn't know it had DANA!!! He is HANDS DOWN the BEST bartender I have come across and I will definitely be headed back with friends in the future!!! I was really impressed and would highly recommend this place for top-notch service to anyone!!!!
(5)Steve H.
Buca di Beppo--an Italian restaurant of giant portions, extensive dishes, schlocky design, and top-heavy prices. B d B's environment could be described as guady, Italian, and papal. Not to say that is bad. While you're waiting for your garlic bread to arrive, you can observe the lineage of a variety of popes, movies & music stars, as well as Italianos engaging in various activities. Statues, paintings, and kitsches cover the walls, ceilings and tables. Now to the food. Our family always focuses on their spaghetti, salad, and breads. Believe me, the portions are so large that when the cardinals are choosing a new pope about two or three servings of each would cover the appetites of those involved. The salad has a wonderful dressing, the pasta is good (sometimes a bit dry) but the bread is just average (took so long to serve it.) Had a wonderful brownie ice cream sundae for dessert that they cut in half because we didn't want the large portion they offered. Our waitress, Cindi, was very nice and attentive. But it did take a bit long for the bread and main dishes to be served (not her fault). For pasta, salad, bread, one cup of coffee, and a small dessert we paid almost $50.00 (if we made them at home, it would have cost no more than $10.00.) All-in-all, B d B get a B+ for food, service and environment.
(4)Amy F.
My kids love this place. We seem to celebrate every milestone there with them. They love to sit in the kitchen and every time they are treated like Bucca royalty . Dennis (manager) is always so great bringing them pizza dough and stopping to chat with them. Huge portions, foods always consistent, great place to take kids.
(5)Danielle D.
Great customer service and got to customize the sandwich just how I wanted it. I even got a sample of the bread with the "secret sauce" to make sure I liked it. Definitely going to be returning to this place again soon
(4)Tracie L.
So it was my little sister's bday and her choice for dinner was Buca. I was trying so hard to make her change her mind because I HATE pasta (everyone knows i'm anti-carb). Thankfully I was able to look at their menu online beforehand and found that they serve chicken/meat dishes w/out pasta! As we arrived the hostess greeted our family and I let them know it was my little sister's bday. I was hopin we'd get the King's Table, but someone already took it. It's pretty cute here for special occasions like bdays/weddings/anniversaries/etc. They will place a sign on your table saying it's your bday/etc. They start you off w/ regular bread and oil/vinegar. The bread was bland and not yummy like the ones at cheesecake factory! Mixed green salad - Supposedly it's their specialty, but it was just average for me. Way too expensive for a salad, I'd rather go get those packaged ones at Albertson's. My parents didn't like the dressing either. Chicken Saltimbocca - I ordered this and substituted the lemon butter sauce for marinara. Also this dish comes w/ mozzarella cheese, but I ordered it to be put on the side which ended up being better. I'd say 4/5 for this chicken dish. It wasn't dry and I loved the artichokes/red peppers that came with it. My parents enjoyed this dish as well. We actually mixed some of this w/ the spaghetti and it tasted bomb! Spaghetti with Meatballs - We HAD to order this 'cause people rave about their giant meatballs all the time. The dish came and I was expecting to get my protein on by eating the meatballs, but it only comes w/ 2 big meatballs :( It's a big bowl of spaghetti and the Marinara sauce was good, but I feel like I can just make this at home. Nothing too special. The meatballs however did taste very fresh and everyone enjoyed it. and now the best for last.....DESSERT!! Since it was my sister's bday she got a free dessert. It was the colossal brownie sundae and omg it was probably the highlight of the dinner. The servers bring it out and sing their version of happy birthday which was cute. The brownie was soft, warm, ooey and gooey just the way I like it. It was a big slice and we shared it with the family (5 people total) and couldn't finish it. The ice cream was really good and everything was fresh yum! Overall, great service, but pricey average food.
(3)Mike W.
It started off bad when we "interrupted" the person at the front. It wasn't even busy! Then we were seated in the booth next to the family of eight with screaming kids...asked to move, and then were seated across from a burping and swearing bunch of trash. Then it got bad when our server was overwhelmed and the host took the order.spread some quick oil and too much balsamic vinegar on a plate. Then we were served the..wrong pizza....no refills....overwhelmed server, which we were reminded of throughout our meal...Service was terrible food was okay, but the service was terrible and isn't that what we pay for. Never going back.
(1)Sabrina D.
celebrated my birthday here wit a group of friends laat year & everything went great so I decided to come back again this year. BOY WAS THAT A MISTAKE. I called to make reservations for a party of 15 at 7 about 4-5 days ahead, they called me back twice to confirm. well when my friends and I got there we werent seated 'till 7:45-7:50 WHEN I MADE SERVATIONS DAYS AHEAD. this didnt happen last year, our table was ready right on time last year so I was taken back. everytime we asked they would say "we're cleaning your table." it takes u 45-50 min to clean a table? they kept saying 5 min, but we ended up waiting for 45-50min. I wouldnt mind waiting that long if I just walked in with a big group, BUT I MADE RESERVATIONS AHEAD. & they couldn't even be forward with how long we really had to wait. I give it 2 stars bc our server was great, & the food came out quite fast. OH! & last year they gave me a small slice of brownie w/ ice cream and a candle but this year they just brought a stand w/ 5 candles on it... DOWNGRADE MUCH? I most deff wont be celebrating my birthday next year here... smh
(2)Charles W.
Great Family fun restaurant and great food. Large portions and lots of flavor. Great pictures on the wall with great Italian themes. Desert is not as good as I wish it would be but the drinks and food are wonderful.
(5)Ann G.
I ve been to Buca many times. This time its okay. The garlic bread was overcooked and dry. The fried calamary was also overcooked, its a good thing it's not too rubbery. baked ziti was dry and its more like dry ziti dish rather there than baked ziti with cheese. spaghetti meatballs needed more sauce and Matt obligedly gave us a bowl of marinara sauce to make it more tasty .and the only good thing was the lasagna it came out perfect and yummy . Our server Matt was awesome. so overall its okay
(3)Josie T.
Dennis (the Manager), Jaynee and Tayler took extra care with our group (4o) celebrating for our Couples' Valentine's gathering. Dennis took time to customize it to our needs needing space for photographs. Both Jaynee and Tayler were very attentive to ALL of our needs. When anyone needed anything, they were there and delivering. Excellent customer service and we will certainly recommend Bucca again because of them. Food was the icing on the cake of 'course. Fit to what we expected and more! Price was packaged well to fit our budget with Katie too. Thank you for a great experience and we shall return!!!
(4)Marilou A.
Went on a Sunday evening after a day at the beach. Got seated right away for a party of 12. Nice, clean, and spacious bathrooms. Great place for a big group including kids. Even better with the 20 percent off coupon that comes in the weekly mail. Atmosphere is quite eccentric but adds charm. We ordered the Mozarella garlic bread, antipasto salad, pizza, San Remo, and the chicken and sausage penne. Everything tasted great. Servings were good and my family left satisfied. We will be back.
(4)Anthony B.
They give you so much food. Everything tastes straight forward. You will need a doggy bag.
(3)Nicky C.
Visited: Sunday December 1 with 2 bros, dad and the bf We came here for my littlest bros bday lunch/dinner. The decor inside really surprised me. I had never been to Buca's before. There were tons of things to look at it was so cool! including a few naked art pics which I wasnt expecting for a 'family' restaurant. Also, as we were walking to our seats I noticed there was a table in the kitchen! so cool. Id like to sit there one day. Ordering: I was not happy with the fact that everything is family style. I appreciate the idea but my family and I do not have the same tastes. and its hard for my bf and I to agree also. So this was a let down for me. I would like to order my own plate without paying $20! Price: everything is served family style 2 ways: 1. Small, feeds about 2 people = ~$20. 2. Large, feeds about 4 = ~$30-40 Food: My bf and I shared an order of Quattro Al Forno: cheese manicotti, chicken cannelloni, cheese ravioli and stuffed shells. I loved the manicotti and cannelloni. LOVED THOSE. The ravioli was ok (Maggiano's has the best ravioli hands down) and I didnt like the stuffed shell. I gave that to my bf. who loved everything. my dad and bro shared Spicy Chicken Rigatoni: They said it was good. I dont eat spicy so I didnt taste it. littlest bro: Vegetable Lasagna: he really liked it. I was too full to taste. He saved the other half and ate it for dinner later that night. The free bread is delicious!!!! so nice and soft!! All the staff was really nice and our picture guy was pretty funny. Pictures: They come around and take pictures with a professional (semi-pro, idk) camera. They switch you around and take different shots which I thought was really cool and unique. They then bring you a Buca post card with all your pictures on it and then each individual picture either in color, sepia or b&w. The postcard is free, each additional photo is $10. The additional pics come in a nice little black cardboard frame. My dad bought 5 for $40. A little pricey if you ask me but oh well. Overall: If your family can all agree on what to eat then no worries, If you cant then I would not suggest this place at all. There are no individual plates served. Service was great. Price is adequate for what you get and the atmosphere/experience. Good food.
(4)Ali S.
I have eaten at this Buca a few times. When they sit us upstairs we get good service. When I get seated in the bar it sucks. The bar at lunch and dinner is the same. The servers are overloaded. They really need backup. The room is loud. Major sad face
(2)Dustin B.
After a conversation with the manager my wife and I gave them another try. This time our experience was excellent. Food was as amazing as before, but the service and atmosphere changed for the best. Have to give some love to our waiter Julio he was absolutely amazing. Best service I've had in a long time.
(5)Lauren H.
My first time going to this place was great, I didn't like the idea of sharing my food or figuring out what we wanted to share. Not my deal. The waiters/waitresses were great. And we even got pictures done and they were printed and everything by the time we left. It was definitely fun, I just don't like the idea of sharing food. But I did get a delicious peach Bellini! So refreshing!
(4)Billy K.
This was less than a mediocre experience I will not repeat, our dinning parlor is adorned with pope memorbellia, both corney and eerily creepy. We had a large party and so this small room increased to sweltering, our voices echoing so its hard to even hear your neighbors. Neglectful service, taking longer than it should. The spaghetti was good the Alfredo was tastless. My white sangria drinks were amazing. Soon after our meal I wish to depart while the remainder of my party continues there merriment. I cant wait any longer for the waitress, I would simply like to pay my tab and leave, walked down stairs asked the hostess if I can pay my tab with her, she replied only my waitress can, ok I replied then please have the waitress close my tab. Apparently shes busy so I ask to speak to the manager, and again stated my request to pay my tab and leave, sorry only my waitress can!? Now im getting perturbed , I find my waitress she has the receipt I hand her my card and she goes upstairs to what i thought was to tender my tab, I got the hint when members of my party were walking down stairs to leave. So knowing my concern I was ignored, I had to track her down again to get my card and leave. I dont like to complain I really am an easy going guy yet I dont like being fucked with. I will never visit this restaurant nor would I suggest anyone else. despite the server being incompetent, I am more disappointed with management, this could have be resolved easily had she taken the time.
(1)Really S.
wow i hadn't had food this good for years feels like a little italy trip in the mind and a friendly atmosphere with a homely touch love the photos and the well kept relics of golden times i can still feel the grand food wow i was so full from eating a samples of the 4 small sized meals the 2 of us and we still didn't finish all in our plate great selection of wine a treasure of a secret in huntington beach
(5)Lisa C.
We went on Mother's Day this year since my mom was actually in town. I'd say the food is by far much better than any of those other chain places out there. Everything we ordered was very good, and it all seemed to come out pretty quickly considering there were 11 of us. The service was great and the food was yummy. The only bad thing that happened was that another party was very rude, but that is obviously not something that Buca is responsible for.
(4)Michelle R.
I've been to many Buca's, and this one is just ok. The parking is a pain, and I had to park across the street at Bella Terra. I booked the kitchen for 6:30, and we were seated promptly. In most Buca's, the staff parades the food in front of you before taking it out to their tables. Only 1 waitstaff did that. We were ignored most of the time. I guess not too many people sit in the kitchen. One of the waitress was massaging her male counterpart's back and shoulder as they were waiting for the food. It was a bit awkward for my date and I, as we weren't sure if we should be watching that sort of (in)appropriate touching. Our silverware and plates had to be sent back, as they were not clean. Crusts of food particles were still on it. Food was good. Our waiter wasn't very attentive. Took our order, brought us bread, and disappeared til the check came. Maybe cuz we gave him the $10 off coupon our service went down?? My date was generous and still tipped 25% on the prediscount price... I thought our waiter deserved much less.
(3)Jeff R.
Let's talk about Buca di Beppo. First off, WE MADE A RESERVATION and still took forever to be seated. So that was a little frustrating because we were very hungry. We finally were sat down at a pretty nice table and started looking at the menu. Our server was pretty good. You order in a family style servings of 2 people or 4 people. My wife and I ordered spaghetti and meatballs. It was delicious! we got 4lbs of pasta and 3 huge meatballs. A guy came around our table and took pictures of our group for free, so that was really nice. But unless I am with a group or it's a special occassion, I probably won't be coming back here. It's was too busy for my taste and if I am going to a bust place then BJ's or Chili's is perfect.
(3)Sam R.
the service and wait times can be hit or miss, but I have never been disappointed with the menu. This is a great place to explore new Italian foods and try a new take and some that you're used to.
(4)Laine H.
I placed an order last week for delivery today at work for a party. I was able to use a 15%off coupon online with my order. I am impressed by the customer service I experienced today. I requested an 11:15amdelivery, and it was delivered right on the dot. The delivery guy was so nice and had to make 2 trips to his car to deliver all the food and had a great attitude the whole time. The order was perfect. I will definitely be using this location for all future catering needs. The food was so good, everyone had nothing but good comments about today's lunch.
(5)Christina G.
My first time eating here was today, The food portions are so large! small is enough for 2, I sat in the back inside the kitchen area who know you could even do that! I had an amazing time, probely one of the better tasting pastas and pizzas iv had in a while, food is priced average, took great pictures and will def return back. people were all very friendly! food was hot, and tasty. I was in good company and had an all around excellent experience here! Thanks BUCA.
(5)James V.
So disappointed.... Took my 2 children to have great meal from the first order of drinks were wrong and it just snowballed from there major confusion wrong orders, excuses, sorries, what a joke never again will I go here food mediocre, service confused, excuses for bad service what a waste of 175.00 for 2 adults and 2 kids!!
(1)Danielle A.
All you need to know is that this is the best Italian food in the west. I originally went in Salt Lake City and about died when I found out they were in Cali too. Do yourself a favor and order the penne arrabiata.
(5)Dan H.
Any self respecting Yelpitarian will enthusiastically dismiss BDB as most chains deserve. Was invited here by a friend and her massive crew, otherwise known as family. I was looking forward to the visit and was relishing the thought of writing a scathing 1 or 2 star review. But BDB out does the Ra's, TGIF's, El Torito's etc with superior customer service. Its not cheap so they can attract restaurant vets with personality, as my recent visit confirmed. Waited at the bar for my friends and the btender was great. Friendly, funny, and acted more like a concierge than a btender. Pleasure doing business maam! Our first table stop was not gonna cut it, we started to complain but our hostess immediately picked up on our hesitation to try and squeeze in. She and multiple support troops smoothly moved us in prime Sat night crunch to accommodate our expanded party of 10. These ppl were waaaaay on top of it. Seriously, great CS ppl. The food is A-OK, overpriced, but the portions are huge. I liked the pizza the best of all that we tried. Not too thick crust, fresh liberally dosed ingredients. Not bad. Chicken Limone was worthy as well, nice and tangy. The bruschetta however was the most boring version ever. Bland bread as the vehicle for bland toppings. All I tasted was tomato, nothing else. Pass on this. The salads were A-Ok, would have been better with out the heavy handed dressing bath. Ok, this is a family place right? Then WTF is with all the penis and boobage pix every where (see my pix)? Not sure what to make of it..?? Sure, its food corporate style in a manufactured Disney kinda environment, but if you have a large posse that includes kids this is one of the better options out there. The kids had fun, the adults were happy with the A-OK food, the free flowing wine and the awesome service. No major complaints here, absolutely........A-OK.
(3)Rayne L.
Dana is the best. He's funny, fast, and friendly. It was like having dinner with a comedian as our server :-D
(5)Mark L.
Came by to reunite w/my 89 year old grandmother & disabled father whom suffers from Alzheimer's. At first the server was excellent, then he disappeared & our drinks (non alcoholic) were empty. We literally had to go search for people to help us. The expediter whom delivered our chow was in a big hurry & RUDE. The lasagna was almost lukewarm & when I asked the GM for a refill, my Icet was WAY too sweet. I hadn't seen my grandmother for years & this was our experience. As a culinary professional I cannot rationalize this. Terrible shame for a well known place like this.
(1)Joe T.
Always come here when I gets the 10 off 20. This place brings back fond memories of high school proms tons of pictures on the wall and junky looking decor. All in all with the 10 off 20 deal I can't really complain. The food is decent and won't kill you. However, if you were paying full price I really think there are better options out there than this. I usually go with lasagna, big meatball, or spicy chicken rigatoni. Happy eats!
(3)Kevin T.
Came here with a group of friends a couple of times, never got the chance to review this place. Food: the food here is superb. i like it all from the noodle/pasta to the desserts. Everything here is share-able and by that i mean the small feeds like 4 while the large feeds like 6-8. so don't expect to eat a small bowl by yourselves cause even i couldn't do that i have a huge appetite. I would recommend getting the appetizer combo plate, forgot the name. its pretty huge for what you pay for. All the pastas here are delectable. i enjoyed everyone of them even the spicy one and im not a spicy fan. Their pizzas here are pretty big too. all thin crust but super crunchy. The desserts are huge especially the colossal brownie. *its a bit on the pricey side but that's why i said that everything here is share-able so split it amongst your date or with friends* Service: the service here depends on how busy the place gets. If its super busy then the service is still good but there are times where you cant get their attention as quickly as you want but remember they are busy. other time when they aren't my god their service is excellent. very attentive. very nice. very helpful Location: the location is good the only thing that i don't like about where this place is at is that there is a 24 fitness right next to it so parking can get troublesome even if the parking spots are marked for the restaurant. Other than that its a good location. on the plus side its across the street from bella terra so its a walk/drive away from yogurt, movies, or books, and chocolates :D
(4)Kelly C.
Really fun! We had a private room for a friend's birthday, I think it was the Pope room if I remember correctly. It's been a couple years. Great family style food. I'll likely go to their Irvine location because it's closer, but I'm sure any of their locations would be a great place to hit up.
(5)Adrian G.
Great Food, Great Service, hefty portions.... I really have no complaints about this place. Specially considering Olive Garden had a 90+min wait for my party of 8, when Buca only made me wait 4min.
(5)Isabel S.
Took Mom their yesterday for Mothers Day! She loooooved it! and Our waiter Richie was amazing!!!
(5)Marlene M.
Excellent..love the kitchen table! Great food, great servers and great birthday celebration & song! Always leftovers for the next day!
(5)Michelle M.
It came as a shock to my bf when I told him last weekend that I have never had Buca di Beppo. Well, that led him to placing me in the car and driving me straight to the restaurant later that night so that I can at least check it off my list of "restaurants to try". We arrived at around 9:30 pm on Sunday night and the place was quiet, parking was easy to find and there were still other diners in the restaurant leisurely eating their meal. We were brought to the second floor dining area and it was nice. AMBIANCE: Buca di Beppo feels very cozy and it is probably decorated so colorfully. Frank Sinatra and loyal customers' pictures lined the walls. Wine bottles were used as decoration for a portion of the ceiling we were sitting under. Tables were big and you can tell this would be a perfect spot for a party or a family dinner outing. QUALITY OF FOOD: Andrew D. and I eat. A LOT. Most restaurants we visit, we get some sort of comment from the waiter(s)/owner(s) of how much we are able to put away. So, portions here at Buca are family style which means that they come big! Prices will also match the quantity of food. We got a Spicy Chicken Rigatoni for I believe just under $19 and our Bruschetta appetizer came in at about $10- both dishes easily able to be shared by 2 people. Buca is where you go if you are crashing from your Atkins diet and need carbs STAT! Now, although the portions are huge, the taste quality is just okay. The pasta we got seemed a bit undercooked and was a bit hard to chew- the temperature of the pasta was also lukewarm...was it lying out somewhere? Bruschetta was also alright and I have definitely had better. It was just basically a whole half loaf of bread sprinkled with a bunch of cubed tomatoes and lacked flavor...definitely not worth the $10 we paid for it. SERVICE: *sigh* Service is what is knocking down this place another star. Although I know we arrived at around 9:30 pm (restaurant closes at 10pm), I did not get the warm fuzzy feeling that I was welcomed- don't list closing time at 10pm then! Also, we felt very rushed through our meal. It didn't help that our waiter could barely keep it together when checking up on us...exhausted from a long shift? anxious to get out? I don't know...but I don't need to know that you are "about 20 minutes from getting drunk"...Lovely (-_-). OVERALL: Meh...mediocore Italian food, but it is a big enough venue to entertain a party. Just don't think about coming in if they are about 30 mins to an hour to closing. Service is shakey.
(3)Priscilla C.
I'm surprised the ratings aren't higher than they are! I went here on Valentines Day which was also my very first time at Buca. The wait wasn't long b/c we had decided to come for an early supper. We were led to the upstairs dining area which was fun for me :] Our server was nice and not too overbearing or chatty like the one that the other couple next to us had. Thank God. My honey ordered for the both of us bc I didn't know what was good here. We started off with the caesar salad which I really liked, but he didn't bc there weren't any anchovies in the salad. I didn't really like the bread with the oil&balsamic they gave us... the bread itself was good, but the olive oil was so bitter! No, I wasn't mistaking it for the balsamic, bc I dipped my bread in each separately to find out what was so bitter. (But I suppose it was for the best b/c I ALWAYS get full off of the bread they serve in the beginning, and Lord knows I need to cut down on carbs as much as possible!) We then had the small order of Linguine Frutti Di Mare which was really really yummy!!!! I was pleasantly surprised to find the calamari in the dish was very soft, b/c chain restaurants majority of the time have it super rubbery. The only thing I didn't enjoy was the pool of oil in the pasta bowl, but I figured it was okay just for today since it was Vday. [Yes, I am my own worst enemy -__- ] My date had also ordered a small pepperoni pizza, but I was busy eating the pasta I didn't try it till later on when I was stuffed and wasn't able to appreciate it fully. The pizza was good, nice stinky cheese :] just a tad oily. However the pasta was deelish..if he had put more onto my plate I would have kept on eating it even though I was about to pop. At the end they gave us chocolate covered strawberries which was nice. This is def better than Macaroni Grill and Johnny Carinos. I cant say better than Olive Garden bc I've never been there. I'd like to come back and try some more of their dishes, but I'll have to wait a while after dieting off of bunny food to reload on sinfully caloric carbohydrates again. :P
(4)Kathy T.
Great place to eat an Italian meal family style. Service is hit or miss. The wait can be long on the weekends. Parking is horrific on the weekends, especially with the gym crowd. Just walk a bit and park in the structure (great way to walk off the carbo loaded meal riiight??). Mozzarella garlic bread - deliciously garlicky and cheesy. A must order Mozzarella Caprese - Big slices of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil seasoned with olive oil, salt and peppers. Good to share Apple Gorgonzola Salad - granny smith apples, walnuts, cranberries and gorgonzola and a tasty vinaigrette to go with it. refreshing side to the heavy pastas Garlic mashed potatoes - great garlic flavor and creamy Spaghetti marinara - blahh.. the sauce was so underseasoned and not flavorful. Shrimp fra diavolo - mildly spicy and not too creamy. One of my favorites. Remember portions are meant to share! Great decor. I love looking at the photos and decor. Entertainment in and of itself. Look for coupons! They often have a $10 off $20+.
(3)Jin L.
the food was seriously mediocre. it was a monday, the boyfriend and i were craving italian food, and all the good italian places in hb closed on monday. so the next closest place buca. stuffed mushrooms are a joke. super tiny, super dinky, and all you really taste is the pesto sauce which isn't that great. caesar salad. SALTY. SALTY and SOGGY. Linguine Frutti di Mare was actually good. shrimp, baby clams, mussels, and calarmari in red sauce. in the end i just picked all the seafood out and threw out the rest. my biggest gripe about this place was the SLOW ASS SERVICE on a monday at like 4:30PM. he would bring one thing and then disappear for ever. it took us a good while for us to order because he disappeared. keep in mind, were the only two in there. bread didn't come until after the appetizer came and he said it was because it was fresh out of the oven -____- service is NOT good.
(2)Brandilynn V.
This is the kind of restaurant where you find the best things on the menu and order them every time you go: antipasto salad and margharita pizza!!! The antipasto salad is consistently yummy with good size pieces of cheese and meat. However, the best thing here is the margharita pizza! It reminds me of pizza I ate in Italy --- super thin crust, chunks of mozarrella cheese, and basil. The only thing that's missing is the tomato slice. It's one of those pizzas that is not for everone (several people in my family don't like it), but it's legit and you don't feel too guilty after eating it (light on grease and dough). If your favorite pizza is Pizza Hut, this pizza is not for you. We usually order a spaghetti and meat sauce too, but it's not on the same level as the antipasto and margharita. The best thing about the spaghetti is the noodles are like soaked in the sauce (or something) so they are very flavorful. I've also tried the warm spinach salad it's pretty good. The biggest complaint I have about this restaurant is how salty their food is! On more than one occassion I have walked out full and satisfied, but with puffy lips. Also, the (dinner) menu doesn't work for people who want to order their own individual plate. Most of the time, servers are friendly and helpful. Overall, a good Italian restaurant for family outings with nice decor. *Don't forget the coupon! You can almost always find a $10 off coupon (as long as you order more than $20) and this makes a big difference on the bill!
(4)Kevin M.
My wife and I came here for our "date night" dinner. We got here at 6:30 and were seated immediately. We ordered calamari, chicken saltimboca, and pasta. The calamari came out first. Cooked perfectly! The sauce was a perfect level of spicy. Next came the chicken. Chicken Saltimboca is chicken wrapped in prosciutto (bacon!) then fried and covered with a delicious tart sauce. How can you NOT love this? After our chicken dish came out we were informed that they ran out of pasta for our pasta dish but that they would sub a different type of pasta. I asked the waiter how long it would take to make more of what we ordered. He informed us it would take an additional 15 mins, to which we said we would wait. 10 mins later our pasta came out cooked perfectly! Well worth the wait. Great wait staff, great food!
(5)Cody C.
Waste of life coming here. Waiters are a lag in coming to the table. Food was alright. Service is slow and food takes forever to come out considering I went at a slow time. Most likely will not be back. I prefer Cheesecake Factory, not limited to Italian Food.
(2)Mo P.
Came to Buca for the first time last night. It was for a birthday dinner. Walked in and loved the crazy, eclectic decor. Thought it would be a fun night. Then it started. Had a reservation for 7:00, seated by 7:30. While the group was waiting in the bar, I overheard a woman in the dining area ask a worker if he could get her something. He told her "that's not my job", and walked away. It was shocking that was how he responded, but it would only be the first of four times I heard those words last night. Got seated and after 15 minutes we still had no one come to our table. When trying to get the attention of someone, one girl said it was not "her job", she is only a photographer. We didn't want her to serve us, just find our server. So trying to get the attention of anyone, about three people looked at us and walked away without a word. No "just a moment" or "I'll get someone for you". The only way we ever got anyone's attention is because the table next to us was talking to the manager and when he was trying to walk away, we called him over. He was nice and explained how busy they were (no excuse for unprofessional behavior). He did get us a server who ended up being great (Daniel?), he is the only reason for the stars. To take over a table of five hungry and slightly agitated women and turn a bad into a good, kudos to you, good job. Maybe you should train the rest of the staff. If I could give a half star for the food, I would. It was good, but not worth the hassle. By then we felt better about the evening. Then they told us they had a special birthday treat for the birthday girl. Again, we waited for about 10 minutes, just so they could bring us a three tiered candelabra that used to have candles in it, but now just candle nubs and a wick. They did sing, and walked away, no birthday treat. Not that we needed it, but why do this at all. We we're ready to go by then. As we left, no thank you or I'm sorry for the service, except from our server, who was as I see it, the only one of the people I came in contact with that was worth the visit.
(2)Fernanda P.
I love their meatballs, the food was ok..it's recommended to go with more than 2 people since they do a la carte so there's a lot of food and pasta and meatballs are good size. Great music and atmosphere
(4)Raymond P.
This place is pretty wacky in the fact that the place looks like a new York Italian restaurant and there's random stuff all over the walls. Now on to the food. The portions are big enough for 2-3 ppl even ordering the small plate of everything. Truthfully I was full with the huge appetizer plate, but just like any true glutton I pushed on. We ordered the bake ziti and lasagna and 3 meatballs. We didn't finish even a quarter of both and not to mention the meatballs were the biggest I've seen. Overall not bad food wise, ambiance and serve staff was great and definitely a great place for groups and family gatherings
(4)Mariah T.
I spent $42 on two skimpy entrees and two desserts. I normally wouldnt mind paying that much for a lunch for two expecting that the lunch would be filling and yummy. However, I ordered the shrimp scampi. The shrimp were tiny... Possibly the smallest I'd ever seen. The shrimp sat in a liquid sauce with NO noodles. I did take this to go. The chicken parmagane was thin with a small helping of noodles. The desserts couldn't make up for my distaste of the entrees. For $14.95 I expected some noodles. Not going again.
(2)Brian T.
The enviroment of this place is very upbeat, just like the employees that work here. They asked us if it was our first time. Anwering no, they gave us a small tour around their kitchen and leading us to our table on the second floor (yes it's a 2 story restaurant) When ordering italian sodas, I recommend with no cream. Although cream has it's own good taste, I think the cream is a bit too overpowering to the drink, so I would prefer with no cream. The portions here are veryyyy large, their large plate can serve up to 4 people! One of the dishes we ordered was the spicy chicken rigatoni and the lasagna and I have to say it's one of my favorite dishes here! The spicyness to the rigatoni is ideal because you can make out it's distinct tastes like the cheese and the pasta they use. The lasagna is very thick and layered and it matches well against its competators. For dessert, we decided to order the tirimisu. Buca hand makes their tirimusu and I have to say it really is delicious. You can really taste the dark rum they and the coffee taste is not too much on the dark side, it's very balanced. Service was great, cheerful employees and great service to its customers and the food here was great as well. Spicy chicken rigatoni is really good here, even when it sits and becomes more on the cold side, it feels as though it becomes a new dish; very delicious
(4)Eugénie G.
My boyfriend had an Amazon Local deal that was about to expire so we ate here tonight. We waited at the front desk for about five minutes--not long, but an eternity when you're standing around doing nothing. There were no servers around since everyone was upstairs tonight so we couldn't flag anyone down. The hostess finally comes back to her booth and doesn't apologize for the wait or for not being there, and takes us to a table in the most blasé mood ever. When we're seated, nobody comes to check on us for so long that a plain-clothes worker, probably a manager, takes our order. They got our order wrong, the appetizer alone took 45 minutes to come out, and the server promised bread and water refills, both of which never came. Took an entire 15 minutes to flag our server because she would just power walk past us without asking how we're doing or if the food is okay (we would have flagged someone else but she was the only one in our section), and when I asked for the check, she uttered a curt, "Yeah." and kept walking. As for the dinner itself: Meh lasagna and amazing stuffed mushrooms (which evens out to decent). One star for Roman, the busboy who was infinitely more attentive than our M.I.A. server.
(1)Michelle H.
I used to love eating at Buca, but the last time I went...it was a disaster. I decided to take my parents to Buca for my brother's birthday. They were in awe of the decoration inside the restaurant and my parents absolutely loved the tour that they gave through the kitchen. I don't know if it was because of the day that we went to the restaurant, but it seemed like they had new trainees/staff members. Some of the servers were a bit rude and there were three moments that night when we were given the wrong order or our order was given to another table. The wait for the food took a while, but it was worth the wait as the food was pretty darn good. I can't give it more than 3 stars as I know I have had better Italian food with better service elsewhere.
(3)Chris N.
The parking is terrible and there is a slight, musty, mildewy smell to the restaurant. Is that so you will get the authentic basement feel? Well at least the food is tasty. And the portions are big. They come wtih big price tags too. Most things are served family style, in the aforementioned big portions. So it is best to eat here in a big group. And make sure the group has similar tastes to you, because you will be ordering together and sharing. Overall, a good option for Italian food (that is geared towards Fat Americans like me). Just not the greatest food or the cheapest prices.
(3)Tyler H.
Been going here for years, always a good time, always a good meal. In the past their salmon with pesto used to be to die for, things have changed a bit since then, not sure if it is even on the menu but they made it for us last time and it was very mediocre and slightly overcooked. Needless to say it and everything else was all still delicious and a very good place for family sized meals. They even have 1 table in the kitchen where you can watch the chefs cook while you eat.
(4)Stacy D.
I give this 3 stars only for the fact that the poor service soured our otherwise wonderful experience. The hostess, the To Go cashier, and everyone at the door were sweet and had excellent manners. Our server didn't show up at our table until 20 mins after we were seated and our plates were still cluttered and drinks refilled at the end of the meal. The check took forever to arrive and if it weren't for the delicious food that mellowed my mood I would have left less than a 15% tip. Pros: This location doesn't have a long wait. Plenty of parking. Prices are excellent for portion sizes. This place is about HUGE sizes. Small is appropriate for two people. Recommendations: Shrimp Fra Davolo Spicy Chicken Ragatoni Side Garden Salad Get to go they tend to have more coupons online for your online order.
(3)Tona H.
Our family has been going to Bucca for years and it never disappoints. The food is always excellent ad the service is friendly and great. Occasionally when our server is really busy we may have to wait a couple of minutes but we go there to relax so we are not in a hurry. I wonder if the people who write the negative reviews have worked in a restaurant. I doubt it as they don't take in to consideration that there are a lot of variables. We will continue to choose Bucca for special occasions and other times as well.
(5)Dan R.
Good place, good food, and don't forget the $10 coupon. I'm not a fan of italian food but my wife is. I often order the eggplant, recommended.
(5)Severiana S.
I love buca's! Been to this location a few times. This place is usually very busy and its not a very big location, so the people congestion can be kind of overwhelming! Its a place, I think, that is only for family dining...family dining as in more than 10 people. The portions are huge and there is always left overs to take home. I come from a very strong Italian background. My grandmother was born and raised in Italy. Her food was the best! And she loved this place! Its was an exciting adventure for her! :) There prices are good for the amount of food that you get. They have lots of variety and their food has lots of flavor! I enjoy the atmosphere since I have not had the chance to go to Italy and experience it for myself! Two thumbs up for Buca!!!!
(4)SM G.
DO NOT EAT HERE!!! Staff is awful they have horrible customer service. When you request a manager to speak with he is to busy! The wait staff gave me the card of the manager and said to give him a call which when you call is the main line for the restaraunt They will tow your car as well, so if you want to pay 200.00 plus a horrible meal then go at it. I highly recommend going to the Olive Garden down the street on Beach.
(1)Elmer C.
Good food for the price! The environment is not too shabby either! Great place to go for family get togethers as their meal portions are huge. It's off the menu but we always get the Penne Cardinalé. the eggplant parm is bomb
(3)Jaime R.
This really might be the worst restaurant ever. Utter chaos, manufactured kitsch, servers who have to yell over the din of the obnoxious table next to you, and huge, expensive portions of bad food that will, undoubtedly, relegate you to the toilet for the better part of the next day. Egh. The best friend talked me into this one, even though I usually try to avoid most chain restaurants, and I knew we made a mistake the moment we walked through the front door. Every square inch of the shiny, red walls are covered in tchotchkes, blinking lights, and sequins (literally). I think the theme is "migraine". I suspect that a cocaine and/or speed addiction is a pre-requisite to working here. Every server, host, and busser appeared to be tweaking, and our server did his very best to rush us out of the restaurant, coming by about 5 minutes after we got our food to ask us if we needed boxes or dessert or the check. But as bad as all of these things were, the food was what really sucked. We ordered a pizza and lemon chicken. The pizza was cold, and the crust was burnt, and tasted like a day-old DiGiorno. The chicken was dry and incredibly, incredibly salty. I didn't think it was possible to make a dish too salty (I have a serious salt addiction), but I have been proven wrong. There were two chicken breasts on the plate, which we shelled out $20 for. I left this place with a headache, a stomachache, an anxiety attack, and a $50 deficit in my wallet. Never again.
(1)Jeraldine G.
This is a VERY casual, family-friendly place with ALOT of chotchkies on the walls, which makes for good start up conversation. The service is friendly, personable, and attentive. They have multiple locations, and the ones I've been to, have all been pleasant experiences. If you don't want to eat inside, you can call ahead and they'll have your food ready for you when you get there. They serve your food family-style, unless you decide you want to order per plate. Mind you, if you do order family-style, the small is still ALOT of food, so you might want to ask them how many people your order will serve. And just so you know, it gets pretty LOUD in there when they're busy. The prices are reasonable considering your portions are massive! I especially like their Chicken Parmesan...YUM! Crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside, just the way I like my Chicken Parmesan! :) Quirky ambience, yummy food, and good service, this place is a definite must try if you've never been. cheers! :)
(4)Colin T.
Nice ambiance. Food was OK. Good place for large group.
(3)Bani M.
We usually go to Buca for dinner. We have tried several Buca restaurants in different locations so far. One of the best thing which is a plus is they are very coupon friendly-you will easily find coupons for a $10 off $20+ in most Sunday papers. We have ordered several dishes :Some of our all time favorites are : Spicy Chicken Rigatoni-it a little spicy and I love it!! Fettuccine Supremo Penne San Remo Fettuccine Alfredo I would agree with other reviewers that they are short staffed and slow on attending customers, but i have not had such experiences as I always decide the menu before even before i get there and so when the server comes with drinks/bread we are always ready with our menu/orders. Also they allow me to order from Lunch menu during dinner -which is good because dinner menu's have huge portions and its kind of monotonous/boring to finish the same pasta even with a group-we rather go for the lunch menu with different varieties and flavors and have more pasta varieties at the table. I have been there in smaller and larger groups and didnt have a bad experience so and if I do I will come back and update my review ;-) ;-)
(4)Hawaiian K.
Went and ate here with my brothers when they came into town and I wanted to take them here because we were wanting Italian,(though not too authentic) ... the food is really good. My brothers and I shared the Family Appetizer plater, Antipasto Salad, Lobster Spaghetti, Braised Beef Ravioli, garlic bread x2 and tiramisu for dessert. The food was awesome! The server was nice, and the empoyees over all were all smiling from the time we walked in and walked out, so they get 4 stars.
(4)sheri s.
Things have really changed at Buca Di Beppo. My mom took me out to lunch for my birthday and we were placed in the bar area, normally I wouldn't complain about that but the bartender had to make drinks for everyone as well as attend to four or five tables, he was stretched thin. They no longer give you garlic bread served in a pan with slices of garlic on top...what we got was a basket of tough, dry bread that had a garlicky powder sprinkled on top. It was so dry we asked for the waiter to bring olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip and even that was disappointing!! He poured a puddle of olive oil and sprinkled a few drops of balsamic vinegar into it. The restaurant no longer leaves Parmesan cheese on the table for you to help yourself to...they will bring it to you if you ask. This new policy just might be my fault. I used to sprinkle the cheese on EVERYTHING (well, except my cocktails). So if you are mad about this change, you can feel free to blame me. On the lunch menu, you can order a side Caesar salad. I did. The salad was delicious as always, I love their dressing because it's not TOO anchovy-ish. The problem I had with the salad was that at four bites it totally left me wanting more and at $2.99, I couldn't really afford to keep ordering the salad until I got my fill. I love Buca Di Beppo. When I go I still order the Chicken Saltimbocca or the Chicken Limon...their lemon sauce is to die for. You will have it dripping down your chin it's so good. I was bummed with the lack of "more" that I am used to at Buca Di Beppo. This is the first time I have gone and the only thing I took home was my birthday cupcake. There wasn't a leafy crumb left of my four-bite salad, the garlic bread(?) was deemed too much of a dental nightmare and was left behind, and my lunch was a perfect portion (not complaining about the size of the entree I ordered). I will continue going to Buca Di Beppo...they use an insane amount of garlic in their dishes and it suits me just fine. I just may go at a time when they are serving family style.
(2)Julie L.
Ewwwie. If you're looking for portions.. sure come here but for quality? BLEH! I only dined at this place because I had the $10 off of $20 or more and I regretted it. My sister and I shared a small fried calamari and the penne sausage pasta. Calamari didn't taste like fresh squid. More of a chewy rubbery mabobber calamari. As for the free bread that come with Italian restaurants, it was cold. (Macaroni Grill has great warm free bread!) Now, with the pasta that we ate. Talk about ruining a pasta! I'm not a great cook but I can make pasta that tasted better than this! It was all spicy from all of the chili flakes that they dumped into the pile of goop. Pasta should've been cooked more. The lack of sauce made the pasta dry tasting also. The first couple of sausage bits were good until you realize that they are weird hard chunks in them. Well, that was my experience. I'm giving them a 2 because the 2 waitresses were nice but did look awfully tired.
(2)Nicole W.
My husband and I decided to eat here before seeing a movie at Bella Terra. We were seated rather quickly to a table right by the service station and back stairs. The table was sticky and the place has an old musty smell to it. We ordered our drinks and I do have to admit that the Mixed Berry Mojito was very tasty. Our waitress brought out the bread which was just alright, nothing special. We ordered the bruschetta which was yummy! The tomatoes were very fresh (not mushy...blech) and the flavors in the bruschetta were delicious. We decided to share our main course, so we got the Fettuccine Supremo with broccoli, red bell peppers and chicken and it was just so so. We both felt that the dish was along the lines of something we could get in a frozen store bought meal. I remember this place being a lot better years ago than it was.
(2)James T.
Prepare to share and call ahead. The calamari's aiite, mostly rings and not enough heads. Can't go wrong with Lasagna, Chicken Cannelloni or Stuffed Shells. The Dolce Platter for dessert says it's good for 6 or more peeps but I think they left out the zero..
(3)Jennifer P.
The hostess was completely rude and made us wait for a table for 20 minutes even though the restaurant was completely empty. The service was incredibly slow and the food was just ok. I will NOT be returning.
(1)Cat N.
i love this place because of the awesome decorations and the envirnoment (when it is packed). its a great place for large parties. the way it is set up makes it easy to talk to everybody. however, their servers may need some more help. they have been getting things wrong for my orders lately. the last time i went they charged us for a tea that i did not order. also, that server was very awkward. he did not introduce himself and would come back almost every 2 minutes. the food was alright. i always like to have my pasta my way. for example, instead of chicken i like to replace it with shrimp. but.............. they charge you an extra 4 bucks for shrimp. what the hell man?! places usually just charge 2. anyway, i recommend going somewhere else, such as Basilico's on Magnolia and garfield
(3)Jax L.
i only come here for take out and order their tiramisu. one size only, about $11 total, pretty good portion, service was mediocre and food is blahh only good for groups, if youre craving italian- to go olive garden. oh, and its usually busy, not with the wait.
(2)Kate K.
Listen, if you don't like Italian food (or you really enjoy "Italian" food), then go here. If you actually want Italian food that tastes like, oh I don't know, it's from Italy, then head further North on Center Street and go to Paolo's. You'll impress your friends/date/parents/whoever with knowing such a badass hole in the wall type place. Sorry Buca, you're just not up to the standards of a Polish girl who has been to Italy and dated an Italian for three years. Better luck next time.
(1)Melissa C.
We waited 10-15 minutes despite there being many open tables both when we arrived and once we were seated. This was at 5:30 PM on a Sunday. A little weird. Servers were Danielle, Julio, and Chris. Didn't get much time with any of them. Drink refills happened only once, after drinks were well past empty and meal was mostly finished. We started with the fried mozzarella which was delicious! We were originally only going to eat half and take the rest to go, but we couldn't resist finishing them before our meal came. My boyfriend and I split the baked rigatoni for our meal. The sausage in it was really spicy, otherwise the dish was good. People say this place is really bland and boring, but most pasta dishes are pretty standard and straightforward. I could always have used more garlic in the dish but I don't think any restaurant has come close to the level of garlic I prefer in my dishes... maybe the Olde Spaghetti Factory. Our meal was $30 or so, but with a $10 off coupon, it was only $20, obviously. Pretty good deal. As far as chain Italian restaurants go, this place is pretty good. It'll never beat an Italian home-cooked meal, but it's not half bad!
(3)dan s.
We went there on Saturday around 1 and the place was pretty much empty.... the service was ok nothing extraordinary... employees were talking to each other very loud. The food was just average nothing to remember about.
(2)SucraM G.
There's no such thing as a small dish here. When the meal says serves 4 people. They aren't joking around. These dishes are abundant like no other. Great place to have a huge party because this is a 2 story joint. So far I've always been brought to the 2nd floor, now I wonder if there are seating for the 1st floor.
(5)Mi-Tom P.
Suck suck. Eveything is so bad!!!!!
(1)Nina B.
I love Buca di Beppo. I always order the fried calamari and seafood linguini. Always a hit, never a miss. Order it, you'll love it!!!
(5)Trisha S.
Second time eating there and love it. Friendly staff! Took the kitchen tour which I thought was neat. I wish there was one closer to my house so I could go more often. I've only ever been to the one located in Huntington Beach. I would recommend making reservations if possible because they are always busy.
(5)Steven W.
Long wait! Should make reservation before coming to eat at Buca. Food is good though :)
(3)Jessica J.
This place has some great family appeal. The whole schtick is a bit much for me but fun for families, large groups and parties. Our server was so amazingly sweet and nice. Servings are just f-ing ridiculous. It was good food- not out of my mind amazing.
(4)Holly W.
The nice thing about corporate restaurants is - you always have the ability to manage up. When the corporate lackeys don't budge, in BDB's case, appealing to the corporate minions will truly show that justice can prevail in situations such as..... "A half eaten pizza?!" --- Dear Holly, I am very sorry to hear about the dissatisfaction with the service we provided you and under no circumstance is the pizza we served to you acceptable to our standards. I would be happy to issue you a refund. It takes 3-5 business days and it will begin processing tomorrow. I am very sorry for the inconvenience and I will be placing the order to corporate to get your credit card refunded. Again this is not the service we want to provide here and I do hope you reconsider dining with us in the future. --- Overall, when it comes to corporate restaurants, managing up the corporate chain is key - especially when you've got serious complaints that don't get resolved at the point of sale. Don't you dare allow "the man" to serve you a half eaten pizza without taking full responsibility. 1.5 stars.
(1)Lulu H.
This place is soooooooo yummy. The portions are large . The environment is fun. I would have given it a 5 star however, there is usually a wait, it takes forever to get your bread and sometimes the service can be slow. Overall we love it there!,,,,
(4)Ben F.
Upon walking to Buca, we noticed how ridiculously dead the place was. It was quiet enough to hear one of the guys next to us say that he needed to go take a dump or listen to the waitress talk about her life story to another table. The fucking free bread was cold! WTF!? Crumbs on the booth and the table cloth looked like it needed to be switched. I ordered a overpriced Angelo pizza which was just a cheese pizza with mushrooms and ridiculous looking potato chip. Minus the potato chip and the pizza was pretty good. But for the price? No fucking way.
(2)Heina D.
Buca is always high on flavor as long as you get the right things. I've been to various locations and tried enough things to have this down to a science. This is what you should order: - mozarella garlic bread -- it's like a mini pizza but better - anything with the word "arrabbiata " in the title, as it's made with a lovely and spicy marinara sauce - the new baked rigatoni - chicken saltimbocca The cannolis are pretty awesome, too, for dessert .... if you have room. Seriously, only order one main dish for two people. Seriously. The server we had here was very sweet and helpful, and though we had a coupon from UCI, we tipped her on the full bill.
(4)T C.
Thank goodness for good friends and family because this restaurant doesn't provide much more than water and bread. The food is okay here, if you like turning yourself into a giant walking carbohydrate. We ordered three appetizers, three pastas and a pizza. First, the appetizers. I was little disappointed in the bruschetta...not much flavor. The tomatoes they used were nice and red and fresh, but the bread was not good. It was a heaping mess with like two sprigs of basil. C'mon! The basil is the best part! The calamari and fried mozzarella probably would've been good had they not come out lukewarm. Note to Buca: putting really hot marinara sauce on top of lukewarm fried mozzarella doesn't reheat the dish. The one saving grace (albeit small) was the spicy sauce that comes with the calamari. Second, the pasta. I don't know what is up with the lukewarm serving temperatures, but for my tastes, I like my food blazing saddles hot. I want to know that the food is straight from the pan into my mouth. But given the TWENTY FIVE minutes between our appetizers and our main course, I suppose the food would have chilled slightly. Sidenote: my pet peeve at restaurants is watching food come out to tables who de facto arrived after our party did and de facto ordered after our party did. As for the taste of the food, it probably tasted worse to me due to the bitter taste left in my mouth from the service. It would be unfair for me to really comment on the food here. But, all in all, I didn't want to gag when I ate it, so it wasn't a wasted "eats" but I don't think I would characterize it as "good eats". As for the pizza, one word: "bleh". Go to Round Table or Papa John's...you'd probably be better served.
(2)Danster L.
Great food, great portions but bad service. We had to wait 15 minutes before our server came to take our order and then our waiter never came back to give us the bill. We had to ask another server for our bill because he was nowhere in sight for a mere 15 minutes again. The baked pastas sampler and alfredo were all good but we would have enjoyed our meal more if we had better service. The wait itself to get in was quick and loved the atmosphere and decor.
(4)Andrew C.
we went in for a date dinner after i had been talking it up to my girlfriend. we were seated at a table with dirty booth seats, not a huge deal, so we asked for napkins to clean that off/wipe off our pants. waiter didn't seem to care. next we're handed menus which are so full of crumbs and dried soda that the pages won't OPEN, and the ones that do get sticky stuff all over my hands. next, the water glasses come and they're dirty looking! tried to stay positive but after needing a trip to wash hands in order to look through the menu....we were over it. we debated our options for ten minutes before the server returned and promptly left. management...where are you??! i feel so stupid for talking Buca up...i have a place in my heart for it but totally turned off and let down. i forgive many things as a restaurant veteran but when i feel i can't EAT?! i'm out.
(1)Kent D.
Came here after the gym because it was right next door. I've only been to this place a handful of times, but from my experience, it seems very mainstream family style Italian food. Nothing special, but satiates the appetite when you're hungry. It was quite slow when I came, yet our waiter took forever to serve us and get our check! The margherita pizza was alright. The crust was light and flaky, and the sauce was also quite light, which was nice for a margherita pizza. However, our waiter took so long to bring the pizza out, by the time it came to us, it was slightly cold on top! buzzkill! The giant meatballs seemed to have been mixed with a whole lot of breadcrumbs. They lacked the texture and density you would expect from a good meatball. It tasted very doughy, but the marinara sauce was tasty. To recap: OK food, bad service. Nuff said.
(2)Jennifer L.
So I have hit up Bucca Di Beppo in the past in high school for a friends bday..my graduation & my bro's grad. last year in anaheim....Well on friday I went to rekindle the flame after the homie C dog graduated form college...her fam. invited me to eat a free meal & since I was rushing all day to get to her grad. at UCI parking far & treking the hills that are not so kind to heels to get to the Brenn Center I was quite famished & delirious for food..free food why the hell not?...So we arrived & we ordered the salad...spaghetti & meatballs...cannelloni pasta..stuffed shells..raviolis...mozarella bread...& magherita pizza.... also being of age we still could not order any booze cause Cdog's parents arent into that sort of thing so a round of shirley temples were the closest things to a cocktail we could get haha....anyways being so hungry everything tasted so damn delicious!!!! Shortly after realizing I should have worn a dress that stretches & feeling overly bloated I realized the food was actually bland & my taste buds had decieved me.... basically the only thing poppin was the salad & everything else either had no flavor or tasted the same filled with the same boring ricotta cheese which usually has no flavor..whatever I fell into a pasta coma & knew I would have to run on the treadmill for 3 hours to get rid of all the pasta fat in my body....would I go again..not if I had to pay but if the desperate time came that I was starving & someone offered ..hey can't say no to FREE..
(3)Vixen B.
Amazing food excellent service! Kevin was great!! Ill definitely return!
(5)Christina B.
Hadn't been here in a long time, but we had a coupon. Kinda says it all, eh? We were seated in the bar area, which was actually quite nice because we didn't have any kids birthday parties or the like screaming in our ears. Our server was also the bartender, and though we felt she shorted the drinks a little, she had a great attitude and sense of humor, so all was forgiven. The food...well, we agreed that they may be tweaking it ahead of the coming nutritional labeling laws. Often undersalted, lighter coatings on the calamari and chicken parm, less white sauce on the shells, and so forth. Still tasted fine, just not as yumlicious. We ended with the tiramisu. What a mistake. I love tiramisu, but this was a BRICK. So heavy. I swear they used cream cheese instead of marscapone, the cheese was so damn dense. Decent flavor, but choking it down was a chore If we had another coupon, and a bajillion calories to spare, maybe we'd go back. But we'd probably not bother, not with the cost to both wallet and waistline.
(3)Connor H.
Food was ok. Came here with my family and my sister who is lactose ordered the spaghetti. I don't eat spaghetti so I ordered the chicken Parmesan. The chicken was ok but didn't come with any pastas. After we finished the chicken my parents started eating the spaghetti and the water came back asking if we were ok so my mom ordered some garlic bread. The garlic bread was excellent compared to the chicken. Even if the plate of food serves 2 people I would never go back because its 20 bucks for a plate that serves 2 people. Way too expensive
(2)A Y.
I really heart this place. Service is always spot on and the food never disappoints. I just wish the dishes can come in smaller sizes, but that defeats the purpose of family meals, right? But then not everyone has huge families that can share multiple dishes. =( The decor is absolutely awesome and gives it the historical landmark feel. Beautiful ambience and plenty of things to see. I'll strive to be the octo-mom just so I can come here more often and actually try multiple dishes.
(4)Bob E.
Large portions to share. Food is average quality. Not fancy or gourmet. Good value for a big group.
(3)Rowena G.
Decent food but not great. I just wanted to try it once since my brother in law said it good but I believe I could have gotten a better deal at East Side Mario's. The prices, portions, and quality did not meet my expectations.
(3)Oinkster P.
In all fairness, I would like to update my initial review. If I can post a negative review from a subpar experience, then I should be man enough to post a positive review to admit that I could be wrong. I was convinced to return for a family engagement. This time, I decided to stay away from the pizza. We ordered a caprese salad, which my wife loved. I have to admit that it was good. We also ordered the linguine frutti di mare. The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente. The calamari was not overcooked. It was perfect and just as good the next day as leftovers. Some others ordered the gnocchi which was pretty decent as well. I would have preferred other sauce options though. I have to commend them on their service, which was attentive despite the crowds. I think the prices are actually quite reasonable, especially if you go with a large group.
(4)K. J.
Made reservation and was seated exactly at the time of my reservation. Love the atmosphere. it very fun and family oriented. The pizza was really good. Overall great food and great service.
(5)Lawrence C.
Well, for the amount of food that they give you per order, you'd better be going in large numbers, cause you're probably not going to be able to finish it. The only occasions I've been here were for graduations, birthdays, and dinners before other events. So indeed, this further supports the idea that you want to go here with a lot of people, since everyone's had their said celebration here. But that's irrelevant information. The food itself, it's really just not that good. Flavors leave a lot to be desired is how I would describe it. Their garlic bread was okay for me. I've tried the spaghetti in 2 different forms, the fettucine (the one with broccoli and chicken I think), lasagna, and I came to the conclusion that their sauces are kind of plain. The atmosphere, again, kind of dark, and I'm not so sure why places do that, make the walls a dark color and the lights dim, when families are comin in frequently. I never really understood that....oh well, maybe I never will since so many places do it. Overall, this place isn't anywhere near the top of my list whenever I'm deciding to eat out, but I guess I wouldn't be too opposed towards having to go there.
(2)Rae F.
I got the Lobster Spaghetti for lunch (take-out). I had a $10 off coupon and the serving was large enough to share w/ a friend. It was sooooo yummy. The host was super sweet and personable. I'll definitely be back. :o)
(4)Karey R.
Who knew Buca was open EVERYDAY?! I had no idea! What a pleasant surprise on Christmas Day! My family and I had plans for breakfast and plans for a late dinner, but come 2pm, we were getting hungry! My sis in law, niece and I went on a mission to find anything open. We were willing to go to Taco Bell if need be, however the bright neon OPEN sign at Buca was like heaven on earth! We walked up to the take out window and ordered Salad, Pizza, Stuffed shells and Chicken Marsala. Our total was around $69. We were shocked when they said "10 minutes". Are you kidding?! So we brought the piping hot deliciousness home and everyone was satisfied. We fed 5 adults and 3 kids and there was even some left over. My husband raved over the Chicken Marsala, but the Stuffed Shells with Spicy Sausage won my heart and tummy. My sister brought out a bottle of red wine and bam, I do believe we have a new Christmas tradition. Thank you Buca!
(5)Merrill M.
Love the large portion for family dining...esp with all 6 of my kids. Fav is the frutti di mare. LOVE IT!!
(4)Ms.Kitty S.
Stopped by after a movie with my honey on 8/9. I felt like we were seated in a closet or one very cramped apartment with all kinds of second hand crap cluttering the place. The acoustics were terrible. Maybe it was the crying baby in our "closet". Server took forever despite only 4 tables in our "closet". The salad was warm and limp. Spaghetti sauce didn't stick to the pastas and dribbled down to the bottom of the bowl. I make better meatballs at home.. And No fresh parmesan (like Olive Garden has) but a jar on the table like you would find at any local pizza place. Meh!...wont be back. Never been so glad to be out of the "closet" and I'm not even gay.
(2)Maria T.
This location has the undeniable scent of fishiness from the moment you arrive, but if you can get over that, then its a decent experience. Great for large groups... although a word of warning: we had reservations for my niece's 8th birthday--and they definitely seated us in a booth surrounded by pictures and statues of boobies, va-jay-jays, and wieners. Not exactly the most kid-friendly seating arrangement to say the least! The service was... interesting. I asked the waiter if they had a house wine and he said in a very surly tone "Yep. They all are house wines. The wine menu is in the back and you can look at that." Well THANKS for your helpful suggestions dude! BE FOREWARNED: WORST RED VELVET CAKE EVER! Just add red food dye to white cake and slap some white frosting on it. Not even cream cheese frosting! Awful, awful, awful stuff. The only consolation was that it was the complimentary birthday dessert, so we didn't have to pay for it. The gelato was just as bad. Is gelato supposed to have icy chunks it in? Or was that just the freezer burn? Yuck! To be fair, I really love their Chicken Piccata. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but for a chain restaurant they really mastered the art of getting the crispy chicken just right and the sauce just lemon-capery enough. The chicken parmigiana was also executed well. I want to end on a positive note, but I have to ask... who in the world would give this place five stars???? Really? Really? Get yourself to Mama D's in Newport Beach for some real Italian food, stat! yelp.com/biz/mama-ds-ita…
(2)Kevin V.
Been here twice. They make sure you get full lol, insane portion sizes, kinda on the expensive side like 16-18$ a dish I think.... Still good. Great for groups.
(4)Jackie P.
Solid 3.5 in my book. Where do you go when the whole family clan is in town? Buca Di Beppo sure fits the bill. I know it's a chain and some of the food is meh, but it sure does accommodate big parties and gives out of towners a good time. Wait? Made a reservation for 13 at 8:00. We came from the Getty and miscalculated and actually ended up getting there around 7:00. They got us seated around 7:45. Some of us got some drinks in the bar to kill some time. Service? Waitress was really nice. They ran out of mashed potatoes so they let us substitute for some items of equal value, all gratis - NICE! Bus boys, kitchen staff, and everyone really attentive with getting dishes out of our way and items to our table. Food? Always get the Frutti Di Mare which is actually pretty tasty here. The pasta has a great seafoody flavor and is chock full of mussels, calamari, and shrimp. Pizza is nice and thin. The chicken (prosciutto stuffed chicken) is like a salt lick as some others have commented. Atmosphere? If it's your first time, walk through the kitchen and say hi. It gets pretty loud, but everyone seems like they are having a good time. Walls are decorated pretty loudly with many eclectic pictures. Make a reservation ahead of time and you can reserve the Pope room, it looks like a shrine to the pope. Lowdown: Decent place to take a big party for a good price (we paid about $150 including tax and tip for a party of 12 with leftovers)! Not the greatest food, but stick with the pasta and stay away from the proteins. You'll be eating good!
(3)Joanne L.
Food is alright here. The review is mainly for the service. It was a bit crowded as it was a Sunday night, but the service was unbelievably slow and incompetent. We waited 30 minutes to be seated and when they finally called us, turned out our table wasn't actually ready. After we ordered we got the salad fast enough but no bread or drinks or the rest of our food came for another 25 minutes. My sister asked for a lemon wedge and the waitress came back 20 minutes later to tell her that they were cutting the lemons but it was more like they were growing the lemons because even by the end of our meal an hour and a half later, there still was no lemon. I used to work at restaurants so I know how much the job can suck so i NEVER tip less than 20% but this girl was lucky she even got 11%. Won't soon be going back. Unless I had about 5 hours to kill and didn't want any lemon in my water.
(2)Food L.
Ordered the lasagna and some mozzarella bread for take out. Got a 4" x 8" piece of lasagna to split between two people, so, no seconds, no leftovers, no sides besides the order of mozzarella bread and the bill was $31. Seriously? I was still hungry. Quality of food was good, no complaint there, but wish I'd spent my money elsewhere and gotten something closer to a full meal.
(2)Mike M.
I'm not a big fan of chain eateries. They are usually the production of marketing studies, interior decorators, corporate chefs, etc. But I gotta tell you, this place is just plain fun and food and service were terrific. We took a big group of 10 for dinner and we were treated like kings. Great enthusiastic service, helpful with keeping the drinks topped off and bread basket full. Huge portions and food that was quite tasty. At the end you ask your self, are you full? did you get value? was it good? was it fun? are you glad you picked this place. You bet.
(4)Augusta S.
I've only been once and once was enough... It was for the birthday party of a former friend... I can see why she chose the joint... it is perfect for accommodating large parties... and ours was definitely bigger than a bakers dozen... and the service isn't overbearing, which is perfect when you are accommodating the motley crew that WAS our party (complete with token asshole....God, that guy killed...it is NOT punk rock to act like a douche without table manners in public places!!!) The food is standard fare Italian... unimpressive to the point that I couldn't even tell you everything that was ordered. I vaguely remember the bruschetta... bland and expected. The spinach salad is aiight... but eh, how can that go wrong...? It's spinach...salad. The Linguine Frutti di Mare is just Alright, as well...but possibly that's just me being picky... I'm not partial to ordering "seafood" from non-seafood restaurants. Especially non-seafood Italian chain restaurants. The one saving grace of the meal was the Tiramisu... which got the otherwise blandness outta my mouth... and that's all she wrote on Buca di Beppo.
(2)Matt K.
I like this place. It has large portions so you can try different kinds of pastas. We started with cheese garlic bread and a dinner salad with the best Italian dressing. If everyone likes olives, ask for extra on the salad so as to avoid an angry competition. We had clams and linguini, shrimp diablo, and chicken carbonara. Tasty, great Italian food!
(4)Josh S.
You've been to one Buca, you've been to all of them I think. This place was created for parties although they finally listened to their customers and now have "smaller sizes" to with the family size for their dishes. This place has a special place in my stomach though. My wife and I ordered take out from here one night, got home and our order was incorrect (not fatal but just not what we ordered). Anyway, somehow we talked to the manager and he was sorry for the screw up so he told us to come in with some friends or family and he'd "make it right." Ok dude, game on then. So we brought a couple we're friends with, was seated promptly, and the manager came over. He apologized again and told us to enjoy ourselves on him and he let our waitress know. Let the drinks flow! We had several rounds of cocktails, apps, then the main courses and even dessert. Far more than our takeout order. Anyway, an act like that deserves props so thank you! We abused it but now we'll gladly come back because you did your job. Some food comments - Love the pizza, they are all very tasty My wife would like to plant her foot in the nuts of whomever decided to remove the rigatoni positano from the menu. It was her favorite. Why oh why on Chicken Parm do you cover it with bruschetta topping and barely any cheese? Come on, get back to the roots of this dish - sauce and cheese! Love the toasted ravioli. Anyway, great place for groups and/or celebrations.
(4)Charlene P.
Large portions of generic Italian food. You will be filled up in no time, but it is kind of a better version of Olive Garden. I would recommend for a large family party or kid's bday.
(2)Nora M.
The seasonal spinach, prosciutto, & tomato salad is very good, you have to try it.
(4)Quynh tram T.
This place sounds so fancy and everyone seems to know it's name, but nothing about it stands out. I've only been here twice and one was for a work event and another was for a friend's graduation. Needless to say, I would come come here because it wouldn't be considered a choice; this place is just not memorable.
(3)oakley b.
I have to agree with others here that the service can be slow and the food can be average. However, if you do a big-group thing as much as I do, Buca di Beppo is a godsend. That's why they get the one extra from me. I took a group of 14 there a few months ago. We ordered the sampler appetizer, 2 salads, sampler pasta platter, eggplant parmigiana (DELICIOUS!), a veggie pasta and maybe one other thing I don't quite remember, and dessert. A few people had wine and we decided that the one kid at the table eat free, and we ended up paying about $15-$18 per person, including tips. Another kudos is the fact that Buca takes reservations, especially for big group. Thinking that we'll go for something different tonight, I called the Cheesecake Factory one door down. They had a no-reservation policy after 5 p.m. which is fine, but they won't even do it for a big group. Forget it. I'm taking my big crowd to Buca from this point on.
(4)Dirk D.
Great service. Awesome takeout. Gets crowded and loud but it's all in the atmosphere. The food is great, Italian classics abound. Some of the best Italian around.
(4)Kianna C.
If QUANTITY is more important to you than QUALITY, then this place is for you! I'd rather have QUALITY than Quantity... I'm giving them 1 Star just for their Service! I've been to many Bucca's because of gatherings w/friends & families, and parties for B-Days. But never once was I impressed with their food~ but their waitors are very nice & outgoing~ I COOK BETTER ITALIAN THAN BUCCA~
(1)Brooke E.
Went here for our company dinner at Christmas last year and had a great time. It was incredibly less expensive than expected and everything was delicious. Overall great experience for a large group.
(5)Edgar G.
Good food, large shareable portions, nice environment, price is reasonable but not cheap, parking a hassle
(4)Vince F.
You know how at the end of writing review, there's a question asking "good for groups"? well, yeah, this place is definitely good for groups - but that's about it. It's family style dining, which is fine, but if it's just two people, the portions are way too big and the price doesn't match the quality of the food. The atmosphere is nice and the service isn't too bad, but if the food is mediocre, raising the quantity won't improve my dining experience.
(3)Rachelle B.
My family and I recently held a surprise lunch for my cousin's birthday and the staff at Buca was very accomodating and actually went along with our surprise. The rest of our party arrived before my cousins and I did (the last of our group, including the birthday boy), so once we got there we told them we were with Rachelle's Party and the hostess grabbed just 3 menus just so she wouldn't ruin it. She took us upstairs and SURPRISE! He was shocked and he thought it was awesome. Props to HB Buca for doing that for us. They were AMAZING about it. The food. WOW. I'm not big on chain restaurants. I've been to Buca only once before in Irvine and hated it. Maybe because I didn't have their 3 dishes that are AWESOME. We had the calamari to start, frutti di Mare (Linguine with seafood), chicken cacciatore and the ravioli with meat sauce. Calamari was so yummy, it's my favorite appetizer ever, and it's made well here. It wasn't overcooked one bit... hard to do at chain restaurants. The linguine was perfect. Seafood was cooked nicely and the pasta was cooked well also. Chicken cacciatore was a bit salty for me, and had too many onions for my liking, but it was still very good. I'll eat anything with capers in it :) I loooved the ravioli because I thought they were cooked amazingly well. The pasta held the filling, and wasn't over or undercooked one bit. The meat sauce was great, and we had just enough. We ordered all the dishes large and it fed 9 of us (well, 6 adults and 2 small kids) with PLENTY of leftovers. We each ended up paying $30 which is a steal considering we had drinks, and all that food. Lisa, the waitress is great, as well as the other staff. Locations great, and it wasn't too crowded on a Sunday. Service was quick and we never had any issues. I rarely give 5 star reviews, but this one is well deserved!
(5)Harold R.
Been to this place a few times in the past. my first time was in pasadena when i didn't have kids and life was good. lol, i gave that experience about 10yrs ago 5 stars the food was so flavorful. but now, times are tough for everyone and i think it's showing in there food. not even close to the flavor it once had. that being said, i always enjoy my time here. the atmosphere is something special. all the photos of different italian people some famous some not, little kids eating sphagetti and making a mess, i like that italian family feel this place provides. the service is always nice and the portions are huge wich is good too. come with like 8 peeps and there will still be plenty of food to bring home. the pizza is good, not great. the pasta is good not great. we had the spaghetti and meatballs and the baked rigatoni. the rigatoni had a nice meat sauce a lil spicy but good. the meat balls are huge, but lack flavor. ceaser salad was not the best ever we also shared the calmari and stuffed mushrooms wich were good. like i said, the food is just o.k. the livelyness of the restaurant makes up for it tho. i especially like when the y sing happy b'day, and get everyone involved.
(3)Fritz D.
Ravioli with meat sauce was very good, but definitely does not feed 3 people. Went with two 10YO girls on 5/27. Menu said the small feeds 3 so I figured it would be enough for one adult and two kids. I got 2 ravioli pieces and the kids had 3 each. Had to fill up on bread. :o(
(2)James M.
Good food, Good quanity, good service, 4 stars because they are always trying to sell you more stuff and taking pictures of you.
(4)Arnold E.
Apparently, "Buca di Beppo" is Italian for "Joe's Hole" (see for yourself: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bu… ). Okay. I confess. It's supposed to be a loose translation for "Joe's Basement." Sounds much better, don't it? I mean, who wants to eat food out of Joe's Hole? Wait, don't answer that... I've actually been to this Buca several times. Each time has been with 8+ people. I'm not sure about some of the other reviewers, but I've never had any major problems with the service here. My last meal went by without a hitch and it was on a Saturday night. Yes, parking can be problematic, but the new nearby parking structure helps alleviate the congestion in the small outdoor parking areas. Once you get inside, kitsch consumes you. C'mon! A room dedicated to the Pope? Photos of urinating children hanging above the urinals in the men's bathroom? Italian flags on every wall? It's unavoidable. The food's decent. I wouldn't say it's phenomenal, but it's better than Olive Garden, that's for sure (is that saying much?). For our last meal, I think we ordered fried calamari and Caesar salad for appetizers (which both came out well before any entrees), pepperoni and sausage pizza, linguine frutti di mare, ravioli al pomodoro, and some stuffed pasta I didn't have room for. The bottom line is that Buca is great for family-style dining. The wife and I made the mistake of attempting to have dinner here once (for two) and we ordered enough food for at least four (in order to try a few different entrees). They now have smaller orders on the menu so couples won't have the same problem (thank goodness!). If you've got a large group of hungry diners and are looking for a place to accommodate you, Buca di Beppo is a good choice.
(3)Ron H.
Food has always been mediocre, even outright bad at times. I've been here a few times for various gatherings unfortunately, and they seem to have a knack for boring red sauces. I don't understand why people like it so much. Pretty much what Kianna said, quantity over quality here. But if you want to subsidize the pretentious ambiance, come on down! Eh one more star. I felt bad. 1 star should be reserved for the Ninth Circle of Hell of foods.
(2)VY N.
I always imagine the first review I would write for any place is a positive experience. This is anything but...for me to log in, write a review, it has to be bad. Bad. Horrible. No, wait...no words to describe. I've been here quite a few times, yet today was just bad. Yikes! We had reservation, was there on time and was seated by the hostess. She was nice. Right when we were seated, a waitress came to take our order. Amazing, right? We haven't even warm up the seats yet! She took our drinks (sangria) as we were still debating on what to order. Here comes the kicker...she informed us there will be, not 1but 2 people waiting on our table. Herself and Rachel. Holy smokes. What did we do to deserve such amazing service....our drinks came along with 2glasses of water. Proceed to say she (or Rachel) will come back to take our order. Ok, no worries, we replied. (we have our drinks AND 2 waitresses. Awesome....right??? NOT. We sipped, and sipped...and sipped some more. This is no longer cool...or awesome. 30 minutes went by...yep, our drinks were empty, Rachel walked by...not even an acknowledgment. "hello!!!!" "**waving**oh look, the table next to us just sat down and their order was put in. Seriously. I mean, SERIOuSLY!?!! At this point, I'm so upset...and hungry that I just have no words. I asked a busboy for a manager and a check. The manager came and his wise words were "oh, I'm sorry. They must be in the process of switching shifts." Right, sir but umm, Rachel is right there. We were even told she was going to be helping us. "oh, come back next time and ask for me and we"ll comp your meal." No, thanks. I'll be going elsewhere. I'm paying for my food, not a beggar. Like previous reviewers, we went to Cheesecake Factory. Had the best service...fast and sufficient. P.S. I'm usually not this negative as i like to see the best in things and people but to take 10 minutes of my time writing this review, it has to be a bad experience.
(1)Phil M.
If you make it past the constant up-selling and get your food, be prepared for bland. Yes, the pastas are huge, but walking out for $75 (not including tip) and you ordered a large pasta, a small pasta and a small salad doesn't leave one yearning to come back...Albeit, I would come back, if my food had any taste. What it was: fatty, bland; what it wasn't: good...and I understand up-selling,but this place makes it uncomfortable. And the new, let me take your picture and sell it to you gig....Really? The girl who took ours, brought out 3 and snapped them up in disgust when we said we were not interested....There are much better values out there...Anyone without kids, over the age of 23 shouldn't be caught dead in this place...
(2)Gstar K.
Came w/2really good friends, way back when the food & service was not as bad as most reported. But haven't returned since either. Only b/c not easy to find large groups of pals craving for Italian at the same time. Guess circle of buds prefer something different than so-so tasting, piled on portions, chain eateries. If family-style hangout, sharing or leftovers is your thang, go for it! Kitschy decor is charming but generically strategic like their other locations too.
(3)Andy N.
This place is a pretty well known spot. It's good for large parties and family style eating. The quality of the food is all just okay. It is really heavy but nothing that really stands out. They have pretty good service. It's also a two story restaurant right next to the 24 hour fitness. That makes me wanna get some running in after I eat this stuff. It's just regular italian food in giant portions. Not a big fan of this place and am never the one to suggest coming here. I only go if it's for someone's bday.
(3)Dgs S.
I like the big portions! The funky room with the pope is cool, would like to eat there sometime.
(4)Richard M.
Mama Mia! This place is a real throw back to the days of old. A great place for groups. Buca really makes me feel at home. The food is excellent. Everything has that fresh home made taste. I like the Shrimp fra diavolo, Penne Arrabbiata, and let's not forget the Spaghetti and meatballs. I like to enjoy these with a couple glasses of Bucca's fine Chianti. Dessert is never forgotten. A nice tiramisu awaits and maybe a Campari and Seven with a twist to further satisfy the palette. You simply must try this place. Remember, to take a few people. Dishes are served family style. Aside from lunch where there are some individual dishes. Ciao Bella!
(5)Brianne S.
I think people are being a lil rough. I went the other night with my hubby and mom. The food was good, and we didnt have to wait long for a table on a SATURDAY! That gets a star all on its own. I love lemon-cello, and theirs was good at a low price. Check this place out, its fun, the service was good enough, and food was plentiful (ya, i just said that)! Just be ready to share, since it is family style dining.
(5)Jenna N.
i went by this restaurant a lot but never went in idk if it's good or not but it seems really good cause i saw a lot of people go there. should i try it, what is the best thing they have inside ???
(2)Ted R.
Lots of pasta, very little sauce and incredibly tasteless. Slow service, high prices. I was taken here as a treat by a friend and I don't like to look a gift horse in the mouth, but I think this one had hoof and mouth disease. Decor interesting, but you can't eat decor. Ridiculous price for appetizers, my benefactor's cocktail was obviously missing some key ingredients.
(1)Eileen R.
Not bad, but overpriced. Dinner for two came to 80 for pasta, chicken, salad and wine. Better food and half the price at Buon Gusto......
(3)Jeff P.
Service sucks and the hostess needs to learn some customer service. Nothing is worse when you get mediocre food with bad customer service. Will not be coming back.
(1)Ellie L.
overpriced but large portions of food. don't go alone, you need to bring a pack of hungry people. because i brought only me& my bf, and we couldn't finish. sadly. D:
(3)Peter L.
One word, "AMAZING"! I was with my date and it was my first time here so my date was doing all the ordering. Our server Mike was very helpful and friendly, he told me wsup about this place and what they are known for etc. Food was amazing an appetizer and pasta filled me and my date up, I also tried their strawberry iced tea it was a bit on the sweet side like syrup but its fine! Amazing food and services i had a great experiences here.
(5)Danielle B.
I LOVE THE CREAM SODAS!!!!!!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOVE THE CREAM SODAS!!!!!!!!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE THE CREAM SODAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Get it?.. Good. Now, the food.... Bucca Di Beppo may not be the best Italian food I've ever tasted, but it's flavourful and pretty darn good. The "Salmon with Pesto" is SO TASTY. Fresh salmon topped with sun-dried tomatoes, pesto cream sauce and pine nuts, served with Italian Broccoli Romano. (The single portion is small, but if you're having a side, it's perfect. I always get this size, unless sharing with a huge group of people) Mio $14.49 Small $17.99 Large $31.99 ...... Please eat the mashed potatoes here.. they are so yummy. The dishes come in different sizes.. certain ones come in the smaller sizes (like I was saying about the salmon, earlier) but the idea of the restaurant is to order a few things and share. The large portions are GIGANTIC. I like the staff at the Brea location much better. The last 2 waitresses I had at this location, basically ignored us, both times!
(3)J V.
I love this place! The food is more than enough and the prices are very reasonable. Go during the weekday and you never have to wait for a table. The staff there are very nice and accommodating with excellent service.
(5)Andy P.
The only problem I have with this Buca is the service! Don't get me wrong, the waitress was very nice and always asking if we needed anything. My main issue is with the host(s). I was at the nearby gym, and stopped by in the afternoon to make a reservation for my family. They said they weren't taking any more for dinner...in a very rude and pompous way of course. So we get there, and they told us the wait would be 30 minutes. We finally got seated in an hour! Whatever, I think I'd prefer to go for the curb-side service instead of dining in. Oh yeah, the food was okay, not great.
(2)Steven R.
I often go to the Buca di Beppos in Brea and Irvine. This was my first visit to the HB location. Very nice interior and decor, but the staff lacked the friendliness and enthsiasm of the other locations. Also, food came out late and was not hot... I like my pasta hot with steam, not warm where the cream sauce just sticks to the food. We ordered a meatball on the side and had the waitress take it back and give us another one that was the proper temperature. The replacement was hot and delicious. Our entrees were also not the right temperature, but we didn't have the heart to have her take those back as well. Hopefully it was just a bad day for them. Will probably go back someday and give them another chance, as my experiences with Buca's are usually very good..
(3)Jeremy H.
Always a hotspot. Favorites include the pesto salmon and lasagna.
(3)Bill C.
They just opened this Buca Di Beppo in Huntington Beach. Man, it's good. The real way to judge an American-styled Italian restaurant is to see how good it's meatballs are. Wow! These monstrous meatballs are flavorful and fluffy! That's just right! This chain serves food family style. That means come hungry or be prepared to take a lot home with you for leftovers. The spaghetti and meatballs are awesome. A big surprise was the stuffed shells. I usually like them, but I was hesitant about the spicy sausage stuffing. Wow! It was a really good. The best part of this meal was the garlic bread. It was real roasted garlic on bread with a touch of cheese. I swear, the garlic was roasted to perfection, strong with a touch of sweetness. I don't think I'll have to worry about vampires for a week or so! If you find yourself with some friends near a Buca Di Beppo, go there! It's awesome!
(5)Ellie D.
Well the service was nice that's really the only reason why they got 2 stars. I'm usually very easy going when it comes to food but this was just not a good meal. My boyfriend and I wanted some Italian and I recommended bucca. First we ordered their special cheesy bread with spinach, tomato and garlic. Couldn't really taste anything but the cheese and a hint of garlic. And also their meals are for family sized groups so the prices are some what expensive. When the bread arrived at the table I was disappointed. 4 pieces of bread for $11.50... Not such a big portion. Two slices each for my boyfriend and I. What also sucks is if you just go with one other person you basically have to share something unless you want to pay over $20 per meal. We ordered their penne pasta with artichoke hearts, peas, sun dried tomatoes and white wine sauce. Not only did we wait forever to get our food but it wasn't even hot when it was brought to the table. The pasta was pretty bland. Three artichoke hearts... Not something I would pay $20 for. Over all i don't plan on going back. I can make a better meal for half the price and feed twice as many people at home.
(2)Hazel Q.
I can't say it any better than Yuki - "Italian Claim Jumper," it's right on the money. So, since I can't say it better...I'll skip straight to the pros and cons. Thumbs Up: -Large, giant portions. -Nice service. -Fun, kitchy pictures all around. -Delish-mostly. I prefer the meat dishes here to the pasta dishes - except for the lasagna - that's good stuff. Thumbs Down: -Some of the pasta dishes are very mediocre - nothing special at all. -Service can be very slow. -Parking can be a problem. Overall, as far as chain Italian restaurants go, I prefer Macaroni Grill.
(3)Troy H.
Sloowww. The service here is terrible. The idea of ordering appetizers and salads is to have something before the entrees come. Nope. Not here! We orderd calamari, and the spinach salad. First it took forever for the dishes to come out, but our entrees followed right after. The service was mediocre. The food was blah, at best. I actually used to like this place better than Maggiano's. Guess I was wrong. All of our food was bland and lacked flavor: The spaghetti and meatballs, the chicken parmisagna, the gnocchi, and the finochio something pizza all lacked flavor.
(1)Jim P.
Had a great meal....enjoyed the fun atmosphere! We will definitely come back!
(4)James G.
First of all, I have only had lunch at Buca and therefore this is a lunch review. Looking for dinner? take a hike, I got nothing for you chump. Hers is how it works. Walk in. Ignore the person standing upfront. Go right to the bar and sit down at a booth. The server in the bar area is named Gina and she is gonna take care of you. The bar area also ensures no children will be hanging over the seat next to you swinging spagetti over their heads. I enjoy the barely tasteful italian pictures hanging on the walls in the bar area too. Food wise I have the following insight for ya: best free bread great chicken parm great meatballs great stuffed shells, careful they have spicy sausage inside I m not listing anymore stuff b/c this place is pretty standard in terms of the menu. The penne arrabiato is spicy. Everything else I had was as expected. Why is this place a regular lunch spot for you Brian? First of all my name is Jim, but I guess since I always leave fully satisfied with a delicious meal in my belly and I don't spend a fortune. Afterall, we are talking lunch here which means I don't want a $20 bill to show up after the meal. Value, ya know? I also enjoy the ability to relax in a comfortable booth and Buca throws down a nice relaxing lunch break for me, the working class professional. My final recommendation is not for everyone, especially the light-hearted. When you get your bread and they do the olive oil and balsamic vinegar in the little dish, I take it to the next level. I take the parmesean and empty it into the dish. Maybe about half of one of those parm shakers. I know it sounds awful ok, I didn't write this review to be judged. But, oh boy is that a good slurry of flavor. Now you may need to build up to this level with some dashes at first. Keep in mind, I'm varsity league when it comes to the Buca scene. You gotta walk before you run. OK, your ready now. Go to Buca. Get some lunch. You have all the info you need to thoroughly enjoy your visit. After this review... it will be like seeing the movie after reading the book. Except lunch.
(4)Angela B.
So we went there for our banquet ....it was alright. Service kinda was eh... I dunno why, but the banquet started at 6:52 officially..we probably got our food at like 7:3x or something. The fettuccine was just..fettuccine. It was really bland though :/ Like dude I don't even know if it had pepper/salt in it. They gave out garlic bread which was on the 'ehh' side too. Like it was good with the sauce I suppose, but..yeah. *shrug* The parmesean chicken was okay. :D I think that was the only thing though. It was a wee bit overcooked though. But it gave the fettuccine some flavor that it lacked. My friend ordered the eggplant lasagna or something, eggplant something. Dude it just seriously tasted like fried dough :/ The whole healthiness aspect was all gone. The spumoni we had was ...okay. There was strawberry, chocolate, coconut? or was it vanilla? then some green thing that wasn't pistachio, and then some yellow thing. Seriously, I have no idea why but the yellow and green flavors tasted 'spicy'. Por que man! o_O Hella weird. But I liked the creaminess of it :D Yeah the food was 'meh'. Service is on the slow side...but huge portions. -- Ooh so after that we went over to Barnes and Noble, and we saw the dude with the long hair from the Black Eyed Peas..so that was interesting. Then we also saw one of chem teachers at my school..yeaaah.
(3)fran d.
Okay, what the hell is the appeal to this place? Fine Italian dinning this isn't either. I think los angeles lacks a serious Italian cuisine culture. There is not even a little italy in the county and there is just about a little -insert country name here- for about every part in the world! Yes, there are a few good Italian restaurants but they're few, far and in between oh, and bucca isn't one of them. I am beginning to think there is a big misconception between Italian restaurants and noise. This is yet another noisy quasi Italian establishment with portions larger than life. Too bad the portions isn't anything to write the italy ministry of culinary arts about. If we did, the whole country would declare war on California. The kitsch factor is HIGH at this place. There is even a booth "in the kitchen" for those interested enough in seeing how the food gets royally screwed up. I will say, I give them points for exposing their weaknesses for all the public to see. Still, this place is too crowded for my taste and the food per value isn't all that great. Ka-ching for yet another soulless chain restaurant.
(2)Tina L.
I remember this place. Went here with a large group of people from GWC to celebrate a Student Body event. Very loud, almost defeaning, and the food wasn't that great. The patrons here are so rude and the service isn't much better. There are better places for "Italian" food in HB. Try and find them.
(2)Benjo L.
The Facts: Dinner was about $15+tax+tip per person. had a party of 8. We got stuck in a long corner table. Was fussy because the server could only approach 8 of us from the open side where two of us sat. Food is fresh and servings are generous, but lots of pasta, little meat. Family-style servings. Servers were good, almost too attentive. It almost seemed like we were being rushed. Ambiance is commercial italian (pictures of sophia loren, tony bennett, frank, etc.). We requested the "pope" table but didn't get it as it's reserved for parties of 12+. it went empty though. Parking is free, but tight. Ambiance: B Food: B- Fun Factor: B+ Menu/variety: B Parking: free lot Service: B Value: B Conclusion: overall experience was pretty good. Although at this level we prefer macaroni grill.
(3)Carolyn C.
lets make this quick before some other smartass yelper jumps on my ass for reviewing a chain (ahem...u kno who u people are..lol =P ) 5 STAR : 2pm Thursday still Lunch Menu in EFFECT! 3 STAR: slow ass service for an empty place 2 STAR: forgot our waters to busy talkin to other workers/customers 1 STAR: no bread left so they brought us 2 slices of the smallest bread around...btw it was cold 5 STAR: Pizza Angelo is some sick ass pizza i mean the BEST ive had in awhile...very different...extreemly thin crusted, cheese, mushroom, potato chip....etc yummmay its a must have! 2 STAR: Lemon Chicken w Fettucini..theres no excuse for nasty pasta here that was stuck together and in the most gross lemon butter sauce 1 STAR: she brought some FRESH bread for us which was COLD...whatt??? freshh??? freshly FOUND off someones table!! still the pizza balances this meal out to a 3star omg that pizza....
(3)Dimitri T.
I came here for the first time with my mom and Nichole last night. It was easy to find and the food wasn't bad. We ordered the garlic bread and the veal saltimbocca with spaghetti marinara. We all ordered a glass of wine. Everything was very nice. The spaghetti got cold really quickly, but that wasn't a big deal. The best thing about this restaurant is the very cool ambiance. Pictures of random Italian thing everywhere, statues, ornate decorative carpet. This lady came up to our table and told us that the people that sit at that table receive a free gift so they took a picture and brought us back a post card with a $10 coupon, we already had one so the bill was totally affordable. Overall, good experience. I'd go again.
(3)Cliff B.
Went around 2pm. Seated next to the only other group in the room, they had little kids that liked to walk up to me. Fine, its for the waiters i understand. The waitress looked very sweaty and sick. Its ok, sometimes I gotta come to work no matter what too. The Italian Soda tasted like carbonation with pink coloring. The linguini alfredo was very dry, like a sip of water (since the italian soda was poor) between each bite. The three cannoli ordered, crispy shells were rock hard, the filling was alright but not great since i couldn't bite the whole thing together on account of the shell being so hard. Friendly staff, from the two I interacted with. Overall not my favorite Italian experience. I probably will never be going back.
(1)Tin N.
For some reason Buca and Maggiano's always seem to find each other in comparisons. Its probably because they're both Italian and both promote stuffing your faces till you can't move anymore. Personally I like Buca more, but only if you have a large group. With the large group you can get a huge variety of food (I love variety) because the plates here are HUGE. At first it seems a bit expensive at 15 or 20 dollars just for pasta, but when you realize that one plate of pasta could comfortable feed (but not fill) 4 people, the economy of this place soon comes into light. I like this place because its fun, great for groups, and not as pretentious an environment as Maggiano's. You can get a lot of pretty good food, of different types, and not spend that much money.
(4)Judy S.
A friend asked us to go to dinner with him and his girlfriend to this place. I had never heard of it so I looked it up...on Yelp of course... and read alot of the reviews. Man I love this site, it helped alot. We went on a Saturday and the place was packed!! People stuff inside, outside. Our friend made a reservation and we still had to wait an additional twenty min. Thats where the 4 stars comes from. Otherwise I would have given it 5 stars. The food was AMAZING. My husband and I shared a Baked Rigatoni dish. That was gooood! And the portions are so big, like everyone else said. If you think about it, this place is cheaper than Mac Grill and Olive Garden because our dish was $15.99 and we shared it. At the other eateries I'd spend $13.00 on a plate of pasta for myself and my husband would get his own dish. So this place is awesome!! The flavor of the food is WAY better than Olive Garden too! In my opinion, that place has went downhill....its sad. Anyway we didnt have room for dessert, but I plan on getting it next time...because there WILL be a next time ;)
(4)Nick S.
place was dead quiet for a Monday night foodtball evening. Parking lot was packed but of course that was for 24 hour fitness. Great place though....the staff was full of energy and helpful. our server really wasn't digging my sense of humor but that's okay the food was still orgasmic. i got the fried calamari.. order of chicken Parmesan and side of mash potatoes. ahhhh thank goodness for leftovers!!
(5)Shara N.
hmmmms. . I went here for a birthday party, it was pretty interesting. The meatballs were the size of our waiter's fist, that's how he explained it. I really liked how one plate can well fill up me and my husband, but I do mind you that well he eats a lot. There was a lot of things that I wanted to try on the menu, but after eating our food.. we both began to have stomachaches. So I give this place a three out of five stars. Atmosphere being great but . . food that will sit in your stomach like a brick. :[
(3)Mike V.
This is a great place for a casual meal... the decor is a bit different and not the most comfortable seats but overall I have to rate this place 4 stars. The food and service has always been great... and the pricing is very affordable. Only once was I a little bit disappointed and that was because they were out of fresh bread and we didn't get any until we were half way through our meal... supply and demand can be a bit tricky.
(4)Munir S.
I usually stop by for take-out dinner every once in a while, but sometimes we come here for dinner. Portions are good for the price. The spaghetti is flavorful, the gnocchi comes bathed in a nice tomato sauce, and the stuffed ravioli is quite tasty. The salmon pesto dish is a standout, with lots of garlic and sundried tomatoes.
(4)John B.
TERRIBLE TERRIBLE PARKING! It's a WAR with the bar/nightclub next door. Very Good: Chicken Parm Fried Calamari Cheese Ravioli with pomodoro Caesar Salad Pepperoni Pizza with pepperoncini Sometimes good: Tiramisu - often far too boozy, otherwise good Pretty Mediocre: Plain spaghetti - overcooked, watery, bad choice Lasagna - bland, mushy, dull Meatballs - hunk of bland stretched beef, doesn't taste good Be prepared for a wait on weekends. NOT a good place for quiet conversation, can be very loud, particularly with kids and parties.
(4)Fresnedy R.
My first time at Buca's and the food was ok the portions is what made it worth while. Went with a big group so tons of food all around:)
(4)Maribel R.
This place needs to really evaluate the type of employees they have there. As were pulling up one of servers was giving our party dirty looks. When we walked in and announced to the hostess there were 4 people in our party. We sat. Noticed that the server walked up to the hostess, exchanged some words. Another party of 4 walked in 5 minutes later. A few minutes go by and the other party of 4 that also didn't have reservations were called before us. While we were completely ignored. ...that's not good service at all. Definately not going to that place again.
(1)Natassia C.
I just had the worst experience here! The staff was so unprofessional, the hostess wasn't friendly, and the waitresses were just rude, do not come here if you care about service. I came with my 4 year old daughter and the were standing around our booth cursing, talking about sex and complaining about mexicans and Catholics! In was so inappropriate, and i normally enjoy going to this urestaurant but i will NEVER go back there, those waitresses either need to have some serious training on how to conduct themselves around customers or find a new job.
(1)Rob W.
Went to Buca Di Beppo and enjoyed their pepperoni pizza. It took awhile to come out, but it was worth the wait. The pizza was loaded with lots of crispy pepperoni. We used to order their shrimp pizza, but they took it off the menu and it's no longer available. They are constantly changing their menu and sometimes it's a bit frustrating as they replace popular, tasty items with with items I would never want to try. Management told me it was a corporate decision and had no control over it.
(3)Tiffany N.
Stuffed shells (6 huge pasta shells stuffed with 2 types of cheese, spinach, spicy italian) is not worth it! Not much bang for your bucks! I was indeed stuffed.....with cheese, but not with satisfaction :) never ordering that again. I still like this place and the free bread though!
(3)Chloe K.
This place is a 3.5 star I have tried their gnocci which is pretty good. I love their chicken parmigiana. And their garlic bread is awesome. It sucks that their portions are so huge that it has to be shared. What if I wanted to eat alone?
(3)Mimi P.
Considering we had a not-so-favorable experience at another location, we were hoping the Huntington Beach location would not be just as disappointing. Well, they were far from disappointing. The eggplant parmeseana, baked ziti and linguini in white clam sauce were heavenly. They weren't overcooked or bland. The salads were fresh and the mozzarella garlic bread was hot and delicious. Our server, Matthew, was phenomenal. This is by far the best experience I've had at a Bucca di Beppo restaurant. Thumbs up!
(5)Nhi Thao N.
I visited this Buca di Beppo for dinner last night with my boyfriend. It was nice to get out of the rain and enjoy a warm meal inside :) My boyfriend had a buy 1 pasta, get 1 pasta 50% off coupon, so we ordered a small spaghetti with meat sauce and a small linguine frutti di mare. We also shared a glass of sangria. The portions at Buca are really large! My boyfriend and I only finished the linguine frutti di mare (it was delicious!); we didn't even touch the spaghetti, which we ended up taking to-go. The sangria was refreshing (we chose the one that contained white wine instead of red wine - I prefer white wine and dessert wine over red wine). All in all, we had a good experience. I've eaten at this Buca di Beppo several times before, and I'll most likely return!
(4)Christine N.
This place serves huge portions for a "small" and is great to order a couple of dishes and share with a group of friends. The most recent dish we tried was their ravioli dish, which was outstanding. Or maybe we were just hungry. Their bread comes with dipping sauce and is free. Waiter takes forever to serve though.
(3)Jennifer B.
Been here a ton of times with the boyfriend's fambam and they always make reservations for the Pope's table, which is the large circular table at the top of the stars with the pope's head in the center of the lazy susan turntable. Buca is a loud, fun Italian restaurant with HUGE portions, so it's great for large families and little kiddies! It definitely has a cozy old school Italian feel to it. I have always had a decent experience and servers are always friendly. We usually have Matt as our server and he's always great especially since we can be overwhelming and a lot of handle (2 screaming kiddies, 13 Italians shouting and talking over each other, and me :)). Sometimes service may be a little slow and we have to ask a couple of times for another wine glass or extra water, so that's something they could improve on. Everyone always enjoys the food here. Although it's not the greatest Italian food I've ever had, I still think it's good! We always start off with the antipasto chopped salad (the large can serve about 12-14), which is light and refreshing. Then comes the margherita pizza. It's thin, crispy, cheesy, and it's just a classic! For pasta, we get the baked rigatoni which comes with a meat sauce and spicy Italian sausages. These sausages are actually pretty spicy! I love the baked ricotta cheese that lays on top of all that pasta too. We also get the spaghetti with meatballs. MY OH MY, those MEATBALLS ARE GIGANTIC. Each meatball can probably be split between 4 people. The balls are that big! Nothing too special about the spaghetti to me, it's just average. For entrees, we have both the eggplant and chicken parmigiana. I think both are baked perfectly and are super tasty (I don't like eggplant, but I like this dish). Lastly, we always order the chicken limone which is your standard chicken dish topped with a lemony, creamy butter sauce and capers. The chicken is super juicy and tender and the capers add great flavor to the dish. Since we always had a huge party, we order about 3-4 desserts. At our last visit, we got the DOLCE PLATTER. It pretty much covers all your desserts: apple crostata, double chocolate cake, cheesecake with raspberry sauce, and of course, the tiramisu. Each dessert is pretty good. They don't disappoint after a hearty Italian meal!
(4)Tyler S.
The service and ambience were exceptional but I wish I could say the same for the food. Had lasagna, spaghetti, fettuccini alfredo and frutti di mare with an ice cold Peroni. Nothing wrong with the food, but nothing right. I feel bad saying it but the spaghetti and lasagna reminded me of what was served out of my high school cafeteria- bland tomato sauce, overcooked pasta, and dryish underseasoned meat. You might say "But Tyler, spaghetti with meatballs and lasagna is a totally American uninteresting thing to order, what did you expect?", to which I would respond "Touche". However, the frutti di mare was better, and the shrimp was actually cooked and seasoned quite nicely. Based on this and past experiences here, I would definitely recommend ordering a seafood item. Not a bad place for a cold beverage and some mild, generously portioned food.
(3)Richard L.
Love the decor. It remind me when i was in Italy. Love those pictures.Foods is good if you like pasta and pizza.Their thin bread pizza remind me when i ate pizza in Italy except weight by the pound part(In Italy, they sell pizza by the weight). They have the best Tiramisu. Even better than i had in Italy. Just warning there is alot of rum in it.
(4)Jenny C.
I mean it is a chain so i dont know what to write for them... Their food is decent... very nice atmosphere though... if you can... try and get the kitchen table! its a must !
(3)Jovan R.
This place is good, but the portions and pricing are very odd. The PERONI beer on draft is excellent. Just about everything on this menu is great. The stuffed shells are a great choice. The meatballs are massive here. The APPLE GORGONZOLA SALAD is superb. A must try.
(4)Candace W.
Lazy days are a rarity for us but every once in a while, it's an absolute must. We had nothing but trees, trash t.v. and food on the schedule and my boy insisted on Buca when I suggested bottomless soup and salad at OG. Anyway, talk about Italian explosion up in this joint. I'm a sucker for photos; old and new so I was pretty occupied while waiting for our food. I found comfort in all the authentic Italian soccer team scarves hanging on the wall, which reminded me of my father. FORZA MILAN! Gina was our server and she is an absolute doll. Took care of our needs, sparked up light conversation and made us feel right at home... We started off with stuffed mushrooms as the antipasto, of course. I would have loved a plateful but there were only five pcs. of mushrooms stuffed with prosciutto and cheese. These little gems were baked and drowned in a bed of pesto cream sauce *wipes drool* The portions were beyond my expectations so we had a lot of food to bring home. We only ate half of the eggplant parmesan which I thought was pretty tasty. However, there was a little too much sauce for my liking, I thought it masked the actual taste of the eggplant. The baked rigatoni was downright delish. Sausage chunks, ricotta, melted mozzarella, baked sauce crust - a fat man's dream. We barely put a dent it in before we called it quits. We won't be back regularly as this place is not for the faint of wallets and waistlines but the experience was a must.
(3)Ozzy C.
large portions and good food. Simple, classic Italian food. come here with others so u can share. it is best to get your food family style as portions are large. spaghetti and meatballs. simple and tasty. pastas are cooked just right and not heavily sauced. all the chicken dishes are a safe bet. this place is good for large parties and for kids. it gets loud here at times. this location can get busy and parking may require some patience at nite.
(4)Andrea R.
Went there last night and had a nice dinner and great service. When we got to the car, we discovered our gift packages had been stolen out of our car!! Be careful where you park, we parked by the street, out of range of the security cameras. Don't leave anything valuable in your car. They got into our locked car, stole our stuff, then locked it again. The police said they do that so you don't notice right away that you've been broken into. This is happening at Bella Terra and CostCo also. Just a warning...tell your friends!
(3)My M.
If you know how to throw olive oil, garlic, onions and a can of tomatoes in a pan and cook it for 20 minutes you are a better cook than the people at this restaurant. I believe the Italian words on their menu secretly mean "this is how you trick Americans into believing we are Italian." Everything is overly salted and you can hardly tell if you're eating tomatoes, pasta or cheese much less Italian. I vowed never to come back but they fooled me with their $10 off $20 coupon. You will be too, but don't do it. This stuff was good back when you first moved out of your parents' house and had to rely on that sugar laden stuff that comes out of a Prego jar but you've grown up now and you deserve better.
(1)Laura R.
Just incase you may have forgot (because I did) - let me recap what this Buca location has: 1) Good Service 2) Boring italian food 3) High prices 4) Room for big groups 5) A table with the pope's head in the middle staring at you 5) Room for kids to run around and flail their arms 6) Bread that is mehhh and not warm 7) Schmeg on the menus or tablecloth or booths or all 8) I forget what 8 was for... 9) Their new "spicy rigatoni" isn't spicy and was undercooked. 10)My booth had duct tape in two places I couldn't help but comment to my friend that maybe we should have just grabbed a seat at the bar downstairs. I'd say Buca gets 1.5 stars.
(2)Joe D.
Food was good, portions huge and the google coupon sweetened the bill. The service however was very slow and I was annoyed to watch as one server served all tables in the bar while two employees just chatted behind the bar doing nothing the whole time. Bring a jacket, all Bucas seem to be on the cold side like you're sitting in their fridge.
(3)Jonathan L.
This place serves huge portions for a "small" and is great to order a couple of dishes and share with a group of friends. The most recent dish we tried was their ravioli dish, which was not bad. Or maybe we were just hungry. Their bread comes with dipping sauce and is free. Waiter takes forever to serve though.
(3)Rachael K.
I won't give Buca 5 stars, just cuz it's a chain, and well...it's a chain and the foodie in me just can't. That said, The fact is, I love and by love, I mean that I would possibly give up my yet-to-be-conceived first born child for their veal limone. It's served over white beans and escarole with this amazing sauce. They also make a kick-ass salad or two. My favorite is the plain old Mixed Green Salad with Prosciutto and Gorgonzola. It's simple, but it's damn good. Oh - and the small will feed a small army. Keep that in mind. I also totally dig their spaghetti and I'm really not a red sauce girl. Oh - and before I forget, you have to try their Chicken Parm at least once. It's my favorite. You don't get the previously frozen chicken patties, deep fried and topped with mozzerella with some red sauce dumped on top. This is actual, real chicken boobies. They bake Prosciutto top with big chunks of tomato and then the cheese. It's so good. So yeah. Screw it. I'm giving Buca five stars. The foodie in me says it's ok to have one guilty pleasure.
(5)Angel Q.
the wait was long, but we got a little tour of the kitchen when we were about to be seated. the waitress who took care of our orders had an air of a manager. she memorized our orders without writing them down just like that. its crazy. when the food came, i barely touched my food. why? the food is filling! my friend got some kind of spicey pasta, and i love it. my dish was pretty good too. it was some kind of chicken wine cream pasta with peas. over all the service was not bad, and the food is good. just know that the wait is long and that the portions are huge. if you are a girl, split one dish with a friend. gelato here is cute and yummy. cute, because of the little cones they serve with. over all i had good experience here.
(5)Mark M.
I don't understand the fuss of giving this place bad reviews? If you want the Cloth table covers, you want the waiters to be in Tux's, and you want only the best wines, cheeses and a staff that will cater to your every whim, then Buca Di Beppo is not the place, that is why it is not wise to take your KIDS to those HIGH END restaurant for and to places like good ol' Buca! This place is designed for the family dining, at a fair and reasonable price. And with these times we are going through, we need more places like this to go to once in a while, so take another look at what you are saying, and please rate the establishment on the level it was intended to be rated at. If you go to a 5 star, fancy joint, and you really expect only the best of the best on all levels, then rate it as such, not all of the business deserve the bashing that have been handed out by some thinking that they should be treated as if they were in a place that will charge $100.00 per person, and that is not the case here! So,, when in Paris..... Now I can step off my soap box and get down to how I felt on Buca Di Beppo's on the level it was meant to be reviewed! On this night, (Friday, 11/21) we entered and were greeted by the hostess right a way and was told it will be a couple of moments and we will be seated. In about 5 minutes, we were at our seats, and right a way the server gave us a basket of bread with the oil and vinegar to dip it into. He fetched our drinks, and by the time he came back, the wife and I were ready to order. Served family style, we enjoyed the Chicken Marsala along with Side of Fettuccine Alfredo, The Chicken was cooked PERFECTLY along with the pasta! We had a glass of wine and as long as it was a birthday for one of us, they gave us a Cake and a $10.00 gift card to use on another visit in the future! Thinking back, This was a great meal we had with Decent (As expected from this level of dining) and we were very pleased in the whole aspect and value we received here at Buca Di Beppo's. So, for those of you who feel that Denny's Review should be help on the same Standards as Ruth's Crisp, they maybe you should rethink your reviews. Bottom line, you get what you pay for! If our meal were to cost $100.00 or there about, this review would be totally different with way less stars, but because of the level of dining this is, I gave it all FIVE stars for QUALITY, VALUE, SERVICE, Being clean and Friendly Staff. Enjoy Buca Di Beppo's, you will glad you did!
(4)Steve C.
Was unimpressed when I tried it with a friend. We shared chicken parmesan and a ravioli dish. Maybe we just chose poorly, I see lots of posters talking about the huge portions, but we barely had enough. The ravioli seemed particularly skimpy. And neither dish was anything special. Maggianos it ain't, but it's better than Macaroni Grill. How's that for a lukewarm endorsement?
(2)Teresa N.
They call this italian? The food we got here was gross. Our waiter didn't even tell us about the free housebread or offered us any until we asked if our garlic bread came with refills. We ordered the fettucine which was...whatever. My home cooking was better! We also got the stuffed shells which didn't even look appetizing and claimed to be topped with alfredo sauce but we couldn't find any until we realized the little white speck on top of the shells were alfredo... About 45$ later, we weren't happy...and I really wanted to like it.
(2)Tina M.
Came here for a birthday party and I was VERY surprised. I loved all the food here. I loved it even more for the simple fact that the oiliness of this Italian food was just right... it was the first time in a LONG time that I didn't get heartburn from Italian food (which is usually brought on by oiliness or creaminess). This place is 100x better than stupid Olive Garden (BLEGH... I think I even got sick there once too).
(5)Dr D.
While the food isn't bad, and its great for large parties (It is a family style restaurant)...the elevator makes me want to hurl...(literally). It smells like bad dog fur and vomit. I think someone either had a severe accident in it at some point, or the waiters must constantly spill food. In any event the rancid puke smell of the elevator makes me NOT want to eat here again. The food is alright... I am Italian, it gets my semi- approval. I think they drench stuff in sauce a bit much to my liking. But avoid the elevator at all costs. Their Pasadena location is much better.
(3)Reiney P.
I used to enjoy my experience at Buca but lately it's been going majorly downhill. The carb content is the same...excessive, but the flavors have been lacking. The dishes were all pasta and bread and no sauce. So we got our bread about 15 minutes after being seated, and part of our drinks didn't come until about 10 minutes after. I got my water but my friend didn't get his margarita until after entrees arrived. Entrees...that's another chapter... Remembering how much sauce was in the spaghetti the last time we were there, we made sure to ask for extra sauce this time. So when entrees arrived, I got my pizza and he got a bowl of sauce, LoL. We asked our server "where's the pasta?" and she said "oh it's coming, it comes from a different kitchen." So now we're thinking: pasta and sauce are made in separate kitchens? that don't make sense. The pizza was all bread with a thin layer of dried up sauce and huge glob of cheese on each cut square. I ended up picking off the cheese glob and eating the pizza bread by dipping it into the extra bowl of spaghetti sauce. So I guess my dinner was a basket of bread with a $10 platter of pizza bread. My friend's spaghetti didn't arrive until we asked the manager who was at the table next to us trying to make better another patron's problem. Who would've thought that pizza was quicker to make than spaghetti??? When the pasta finally came, of course there was barely any sauce on it but the pasta was also swimming in water. Oh that just reminded us of "Kitchen Nightmares". We happen to have an extra bowl on the table to we poured all the water out of the dish and when the manager came by to ask us how our dinner was, we showed her how much water we poured out of the dish. Service was horrible and the food wasn't special either. On our next round of coupon redemption, we'll probably order to-go because the to-go window was moving so much faster.
(2)CJ M.
I love the food here. The dishes are gigantic, great seasonings and sauces, and amazing pasta. The only thing I don't like about this place is the corny decor. There is all these pics of naked kids inside the bath room. I don't know if they wanted it to be authentic or if they are just pervs.
(4)Alex N.
Portion are hughe.. its designed to shared with friends and loved ones.. nice evironment.. good pizza and Pasta place.......... Calamari is pretty good.. comparable to BJ's CPKs
(3)Susie P.
delicious food! great ambiance! big portions!
(4)Pink P.
I love Buca...but...........This place had an upstairs. I had 3 elderly people with us...they put us in a back dining room that was VERY tight and very crowded and I was extremely clostrophobic...I kept panicking the whole time, thinking "what if there was a fire?" I felt like it was a fire trap...did NOT like that feeling AT ALL...(and Im not even clostrophobic...nor do I have any phobias!) So, choose your table carefully...if the location bothers you, tell the waitress you want another table...I won't go back unless Im downstairs near an exit.
(3)M T.
within 24 hours of writing my first review i was contacted by corporate and they are sending me a gift card for a future visit. the gc is a nice touch but i really am not after that, i'm really impressed with how quickly they responded. that is refreshing as most places just don't seem to care. i'm still not happy with the way i was treated by the server and her gossiping, but i will add 1 star to the previous review because of corporates concern...or at least them pretending to care. i just wish that they would train their employees to keep it professional in front of customers, even if it is only two of us.
(3)CA Sunshine S.
Chicken Marsala had good fresh mushrooms, but was drowned in strange thick maple-syrup-like sauce. Green & antipasto salads were so-so. Carbonara pasta had salt-lick chicken -- to the point of being nearly inedible. Service ho-hum. We had to beg for water and waited a long time for food. Loud. Overstimulating fake nostalgia covering every spare inch of wall space. Pricey considering how mediocre. This is no Carmine's.
(2)Jessica V.
Love this place! Plenty of food for 2 people and left with leftovers. Prices seem a little expensive but when you split it per person you usually end up paying only $7.00 each. Excellent service as well and very clean!
(4)Erin L.
Never really understood the fuss over this place. Sure they serve huge portions, but the food is really not that great. I can make it for you from my kitchen. I guess it'd be a good place if u'd like to have family styles italian atmosphere.
(3)Becca N.
a bit trendy. we go the Pope's table. a lazy susan with enough room for 14 people - we crammed. the food came and was amazing! rich and delicious. would go again with a group. it's definitely more of a group or family place. (dessert could have been better but the meal(s) were great!) try the pasta dishes all are worth trying.
(3)Melvin G.
imma be honest lots of people love it but i just dont seem to click with this place. its a nice setting when u walk in because it feels old fashio at the same time though u r creeped out by the pictures. the food is alright i mean they base most of the food off quantity instead of quality. other then that not bad if u must ask though this is juat a casual thing
(4)Jennifer V.
The inside of the restaurant is like a maze and the decor is really cute. It reminds me a lot of Melting Pot for some reason but aside from that, the food is not good. I have been here a few times for large group gatherings and I never finished half of what I ordered. It's too bland and the flavors do not tie together well at all.
(2)Peter N.
The food my significant other and I ordered was good but the service was HORRIBLE! We told the waiter to give us a few more minutes to look over the menu and decide what to get. After that, he never really came back to us until several minutes later. We got our orders down and our food came minutes later. The waiter never came back. We had to ask another waitress for our bill and we paid and left. One of the crappiest services ever!
(3)jason t.
i love going to bucca! me and the family are very itanlian so the atmosphere is perfect!!! loud, artsy, and lots of vino... we are there once a week... if you went home from bucca saying wow... that sure was a nice "quiet" italian family sitting behind us minding their own business and not having fun... it wasnt us!!!
(4)Natsu H.
For a restaurant that serves non fancy and mediocre Italian food, it's pretty damn pricey. I went with two others on a Saturday afternoon at 3pm so it wasn't yet crowded. The waiter talked a little bit too much but was nice. I'd come back if I'm invited to any events hosted here, but if it were up to me I'd dine elsewhere with food worth the price.
(3)Alex L.
The food was either too sweet or too salty. The service was definately slow. The other Buca Di Beppo I went to was much tastier.
(2)Kelly L.
This place has absolutely earned a place as one of my favorite chain restaurants. Amazing food!!! I always order the seafood linguine which is a must for seafood lovers. Their pizzas are decent with thin crusts, non oily, and very large toppings. Food is a bit pricey but there are a lot of $10 off coupons you can find or receive. Having birthdays here is always fun and for a free dessert, it's possible to get a large cupcake, red velvet slice, or the BEST Vesuvia chocolate. It's kinda random depending on the season. This place is great for large groups since the portions and servings are big. Service here is amazing and the waiters and waitresses are always available and friendly. The worst service we've ever received was when a waiter accidentally spilled our water and then he offered us a free dessert of our choice on the house.
(4)Killer B.
I love Italian food. Something about it is so comforting and it's probably the only food I could eat every day and not get sick of. I've heard some great things about Buca Di Beppo so I was very anxious to try this place out. After trying it I don't see what the hype is about. Maybe it's just this location, but the food was nothing special. This chicken parmesan is good, and the lasagna is average. They serve the dishes family style, which is nice and the way Italian food was meant to be eaten. The service is very slow, partly due to the fact that this is in Bella Terra which gets very crowded. They seriously need to get some more servers. The parking here sucks too, it takes forever to get a space unless you want to park far away up in a parking structure. For me it's not worth putting up with these problems for marginal food.
(3)irene m.
I wish there were a zero star rating. I agree with one of the reviewers 100%, Tammye. The food at buca in general is good. It is greasier than some other Italian restaurants but it is tasty. The problem with this restaurant is with this particular location. The service and preparation of the food is awful. I placed on online order hours in advance for it to be ready at 5:15 and even paid for it online. At 5:40 when I inquired if the food was almost ready, the lady told me that they had to remake one of the orders because it had turned out "crispy." The problem was I had a child who was supposed to be picked up. I stupidly assumed that ordering food to be ready at 5:15 meant that it would be ready by 5:30. When I did receive my food at almost 6 pm, it was all lukewarm. I asked for the calamari to be remade because reheated calamari does not taste good. I could hear the "chef" throw my order back in the oil and the cashier brought it out to me 2 minutes later almost burned and dripping with oil. I had to reheat the rest of the food when I arrived home. To go food is supposed to be just that. To go. You should not have enough time to read 20 pages of a book while waiting for your food! The cashier was the only one who apologized to me. The "chef" came out multiple times to look at us but never apologized even though it was his mistake. I guess he didn't know we could see him. The problems with this place are the service and the food. In most places at least one of the components is done right. So if you do go here, have a sense of humor, plan nothing afterwards and bring a very big book to read. You might also want to bring a snack for while you are waiting. Just a thought
(1)Benjamin M.
I love Bucca: but something has changed... It's more expensive, it's smaller portions of good food. I must say it was a little disappointing. This location is a bit hard to get to, and at the moment they're doing construction next door, which means there Valet is working overtime to get you a place to park. This place is stil lpretty good for a large crowd, though not AS good.
(4)Cathy E.
Bad service+bad food = won't go back.
(1)Steven H.
Well, the company I work for decided to eat here to celebrate a major milestone for us which hopefully will get us a lot of business. We had 21 people but they arranged the "pope" room which holds only 18. It's kind of weird sitting in a room with a bust of the pope and people are rotating a huge lazy Susan so the pope would not be staring at them. They offered to move us to a larger room but we asked to have a table set alongside of the one which we were already sitting. Okay, it was a little awkward but it worked. They have a very friendly staff but hey, no one else was there as it was lunchtime. They had bread and water waiting for us when we were seated. Eighteen people in that room is kind of crowded in my opinion and after eating, you need even more room if you know what I mean. The bread was good, fresh and served with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The only problem is that people tend to dip and dip again and the others are waiting to rotate the lazy Susan to their area. We had pre-ordered garlic cheese bread, Caesar salad and some Gorgonzola salad, lemon chicken, spaghetti with meat sauce and lasagna. Most of these items are pretty good. I did not care much for the spaghetti as I am one of those people that likes lots of sauce. No, I am definitely not Italian. I know they use very little sauce but I am who I am. The salads were good but nothing to write home about. The chicken was very good. I'd buy that. The lasagna, I really liked. It was different from what I have experienced before. It wasn't as heavy as I am used to having with a very good taste. They really underestimated the amount of food for the number of people so if you are ever there with a large crowd, be prepared to either order more food or eat sparingly. I cannot say much about the price as I did not see the check but I understand that when we eat at Claim Jumper, it costs about 1/3 more to feed the same number of people. I'd go back and try this place again for myself.
(3)Sophia N.
A cute italian restaurant with great food. we had a little tour of the kitchen before we were seated, everyone there was friendly. A small on their menu looked like a large on mine. There was more food than i expected but it was a great experience, with good pasta and cheese bread :D
(4)Matt R.
I really like this place, but I just really don't love it. I've visited four different locations in various cities over the years. Every time I visit another time, it seems to get worse and worse. At first, the food is exciting, the atmosphere interesting and the staff's demeanor is sarcastic enough to make you smile. Then you realize you're eating in a theme park and it quickly wears off. There are just too many Italian restaurants with much better food and much better prices and service. I think dinner should be an event, long and enjoyable. Instead, it just seems to drag here, because the staff cannot keep any pace. Regardless of whether or not you have reservations or what time of day/week you are there, you'll wait, and wait and wait. Why would I wait, do you not want my business? Everything is served 'family style' which is a term I cannot stand in the least, to begin with. What it means: we'll serve you 2 portions at the cost of 3 or 4. Trying to eat here as a couple is impossible. We went once for Valentine's day, because someone told us they'd have a special menu and that during lunch they do smaller portions. BS. I even asked the waiter "what do you recommend for two people?" his response was "The menu is on the wall." No kidding, dipshit, is that what I asked? Their 'friendly-sarcastic' demeanor wears off really fast, not that anyone (minus above Cupid) is ever rude, but you feel like you're being served by a Haunted Mansion employee from DisneyLand. The food is great here. It's a lot of rich red sauces, which are pretty easy to find anywhere, but it's still good. I prefer something a little lighter, with more cream type sauces, but it's good. The stuffed shells have spicy sausage in them, which is to die for. The chicken parmesan is also very good. In fact, this is the first place I ever enjoyed it at. They try to convince you that the dash through the kitchen is a 'tour.' I think they try a little too hard here. I prefer Maggiano's, not that they are very different, but I think their food is better. I wish they'd just tone it down a bit in here. It feels crowded, even when you are with a large group (which usually gets you more space.) I'd recommend this place to everyone, to try, once, especially in a large group. Romantic dinner for two? Absolutely not. It's like a theme park for young kids, it's fun once or twice, but you soon get tired of the same act. I wish I had better to say, but I just don't.
(3)Gabe B.
I am a huge fan of Buca di Beppo. This place is only good for either a few fat people or a lot of skinny people; so basically, groups. The food here is really wholesome, filling, and comforting. Every time I go there I ALWAYS get the Italian Cream Berry Soda when I go there, it's amazing, I assure you. Also the parmesan chicken there is to die for. I've gone her a number of times one for family, and a lot for business; I highly suggest YOU BOOK IN ADVANCE O: The waits get pretty bad.
(5)Hale N.
My boyfriend and I decided to try a new restraunt and we had an amazing experience!!!! Uuuugghhhhh 2 words Mouth watering. I loved their chicken with the lemon sauce. I thought the little pea like vegetables were plain but I tasted it by itself and it was bursting with flavor. Artichoke was amazing and so was the fettichine.Amazing atmosphere makes you feel like ur in Italy and makes u feel like ur at home. Play tasteful music and service was amazing. I would definetly go back!!!
(5)Suzy S.
This place was described to me as a Maggianos like restaurant. What an insult to Maggianos. This place is awful! The interior is all worn with broken junk on the walls which look like someone picked up at a yard sale. Bathrooms are filthy. The food is even worse than the decor if you can imagine that. The chicken spinach cannelloni came with one piece of chicken smaller than my pinky fingernail and contained no spinach (unless you count the green dyed noodle...fairly certain it was imitation). I looked at what my friends got and their items looked just as bad. Virtually no meat. Why would anyone pay $20 for a big bowl of subpar noodles and sauce?! Even the bread was bleh. I've received far more enjoyment out of a $3 lean cuisine pasta dish than what Buca had to offer.
(1)Bea R.
ummm thisplace was just BAD! one star to the service I guess...
(1)T K.
Horrible service. Hands down some of the worst service I've seen in a while. A restaurant can be great but with bad service it'll go downhill in no time, franchise or no franchise I've seen it happen. We went in there around 12ish, walked in and no one greeted us for a long time. Then when someone finally came out from behind the take out area she said " oh we'll seat you in a moment"... That, once again, took a long time as well. Finally seated us and much to our surprise there were only 3 tables seated... Which means you didn't seat us out of laziness or she was on an off day. Once we were seated, not even an apology for the wait. So were sitting there and again, no one to take our drink order. We finally decided to get up and go, I suggested The Cheesecake Factory and I am so glad we went there instead. Such a change in service, it was a relief to eat there. My bf used to go to Buca di Beppo in Cleveland and was excited about taking me there to experience it. It was disappointing for him and especially for me considering it was my first time there. Fix it people, it's not my problem you hate your job. With the job market the way it is there's a couple hundred people willing to replace you and do your work with a smile. Ps. Check you grease trap, something smelled disgusting in the exterior portion of the building.
(1)Nic Z.
My mom flew out to California to help me move out from school, and it coincided with Mother's Day. We've been long-time diners of Buca back home, so I decided to take her here. Both of us were thrilled. It was the first two-story Buca we've ever seen, and I believe our waitress said it was the only one in the country. It was a good experience, standard Buca fair, I just felt bad because the kitchen was downstairs, so all the waiters kept running up and down, and the stairway is really not made for it. It curves in the middle to go up the next flight and just isn't wide enough for waiters with trays and people trying to go up/down as well.
(4)Val A.
So since our son is super picky, and we were getting tired of the typical chain restaurants, I turned to my trusty Yelp and stumbled across this gem. Not exactly sure what to expect and I know I've driven past it multiple times but never thought to go in. The atmosphere was really neat with random photos on the walls and crazy decor (not like the staged decorations at Chilis) this place was way better and more homey. On a Saturday night I was expecting it to be more busy but the location is sort of hidden behind the mall tucked under the freeway behind a gym. Dana was our server and absolutely amazing. He was honest, knowledgable, made great suggestions and made us feel super welcome. I ordered the mozzarella caprese w/cup of minestrone.... So yummy!!! The hubs had his fav chicken carbonara (btw he said it was absolutely to die for) our daughter had spaghetti and meatball, which she almost ate the whole thing and our son was happy with his cheese pizza. Everything was fresh and didn't taste like it came from a bag. We will definitely be going back.
(5)Carly B.
Very mediocre food, pasta you could cook at home. If you are looking for a gigantic restaurant covered in decorations with gigantic tables and huge portion sizes then you will find it here. If you are looking for quality Italian food or an intimate eating environment... Go somewhere else.
(2)Rose E.
It was really good and I like the scenery...
(5)Kelly L.
I ordered the classic spaghetti+meatballs with the marinara sauce. It was alright, not amazing or mouth watering but alright. I thought it was a little too sweet for me. Personally I love my spaghetti tomato-ey and the noodles to almost stick together. Meatballs were great, however. They give you one large meatball and you have to cut it.
(3)Brian B.
We were treated to a dinner here last week and it is just lousy. I remembered why I hate Buca di Beppos. First we ate in the Pope Room, as a Catholic I can say it is kinda weird... I mean I can appreciate all of it. But since I am guessing most people are not Catholic dedicating a room to the Pope is odd. In fact we were among the last to arrive in the party and the poor protestants we were supping with had already had the bust of Pope John Paul II removed from the room. I have seen it before, and having the Pope's head in the middle of a lazy Susan is kind of creepy. We were a large party, but that doesn't excuse the slow service, it is not like we didn't have reservations. Or that since there is a room constantly booked for large parties, they should be properly staffed for it. Especially if when it gets close to the time for the next party they are rushing you out. Come on, if it didn't take forever to bring the order we'd be gone naturally. Food was poor to mediocre at best. The selections were Spaghetti and demolished meatball pieces, Chicken Parmesan and Pasta Alfredo. The Alfredo was simply inedible, how can you go wrong with pouring a box of Spaghetti into boiling water and the Chicken was actually edible. There was also a salad and horrible cheesecake type something. It didn't taste like any cheesecake I have ever had. There was no crust, and tasted like it was missing salt and other ingredients that bring out the flavor. Maybe it was some kind of healthy, sugar free, salt free, gluten free dessert substitute. So I was seated near the host so I saw the bill, so for 3 bowls of salad, 3 bowls of each of the 3 entrees, and 18 slices of wannabe cheesecake it was $568 including tax and tip with soft drinks for some of the people. No alcohol that I saw was served. That's more than $31 per person!!! Sorry I would've come a little unglued if I were paying for that... For $50 I could go to Costco and buy a lot more and better frozen Italian food that could be thrown in the oven and taste 100x better. Even pick up a $6 box of garlic bread with 27 slices. Yeah I would have to work a little to cook it, but for $500 it would be worth it. Parking was awful, we circled twice and were late to the dinner, so we just parked in the "to go" spot, nobody said anything. One last humorous event, before the kicked us out, someone stopped by with a digital camera and had everyone bunch up on the far side of the dirty table and took a picture. Then came back with 4 pictures with a Buca di Beppo's border around them and said we could buy the pictures (which are going in the trash if we didn't anyway) for $10 each. Really??? We took pictures at the event ourselves and for a couple dollars I could print everyone at the table 8x10 photos if they wanted.
(1)Julie V.
I like to go here when I want to do family dinner. I took both of my sister with my son and bf here on thanksgiving. I love the champaign with peach and peach syrup. The dish side is perfect for family size and they're delicious. There picture of people back then are kinda creepy and unique in werid way. Lol!
(4)Raymond H.
Not as great as I remember years ago but this place is super clean and service is great. I'd say it's just ok and a tad better than olive garden.
(3)Briana A.
So I am here to write to you guys an amazing review! I was a first timer about a week ago and my service sucked! The bread was cold and the waiter BRIAN sucked! He was not helpful and when we asked for bread, he grabbed it off the counter behind my friend and threw it on our table. I was later informed by the manager that the bread could be heated up, but our waiter never let us know. On top of that the sprite was flat and my friend and I more less looked at the ceiling the whole time. It was not a great atmosphere. Talked to the manager Dennis and complained about the food quality (which was cold) I ordered the chicken fettuccine and my friend ordered spaghetti and meat sauce with meat balls. The manager was nice and gave us a free dinner for two next time we came in. I came back in about a week later on a week day. The manager let me try the chicken Parmesana and my friend actually got the meat sauce on her pasta this time. Everything was wonderful and we had a different server. Overall everything was great, until I saw that they had left out wine glasses that were filled with wine from another party(dirty dishes) and then actual dirty dishes in sight. I was there for about an hour and a half, they were slow and no one could take care of them?! Gross! At the end of our meal we both had to use the ladies restroom and the restrooms were okay. All toilets in there needed to be flushed or were backed up. Overall this experience sucked even the second time. Will not be going back!
(2)Tammye M.
I am so disappointed. I have been to Buca di Beppo twice before in two other locations with pleasant experiences both times. But last night was such a bad experience, I will never eat at this restaurant again. Anywhere. 1. We place our order for drinks and an appetizers. the drinks came. the appetizer arrived 20 minutes later. 2. We had to ask for water. 3. We had to ask for the house bread. 4. Not once during the 2 1/2 hours we were there, was the water or tea refilled. 5. We had to wait 56 minutes for our dinner to arrive. and when it did: a. the linguine was dry. b. the ravioli stuck to each other c. both veal entrees were cold. At this point i got up to speak to the manager. told her how long we had to wait and the condition of the food once it arrive. The waitress came running up and interrupted our conversation, with an obvious attempt to explain the horrible service away. After my confrontation with the manager, our service became tolerable. But only after my complaint. The manager tried to appease the evening with free desserts. jokingly we said, we are going to order the most expensive dessert you have, what is it. the waitress looked at us and said that is was a quadruple dessert tray, but that they didn't have any that evening. My response was if it is on the menu, and a customer orders it, you have to serve it. The restaurant was not full, we were only a party of 5, and we did not order anything that required a long period of preparation. This restaurant now has five less clients. Tammye Dunn Editor-in-Chief Bellflower Bulletin
(1)Lola B.
Okay the food has always been excellent here but today my coworker and I went for a much needed lunch break and our waiter, Dana, made our day. He's got this awesome personality and he was cracking us both up. We didn't want to leave. He's the type of person you want to kick it with and have a few drinks. We will be back to see him again soon!
(5)Alissa D.
Food, great! Served family style, lunch specials are individual though. Things to get here: Spicy Chicken Rigatoni (creamy, spicy from red pepper flakes, and sweet from the green peas that pop in your mouth!) Shrimp Fra Diavoli (perfectly cooked shrimp - more perfect than many higher end restaurants I've tried, spicy with red pepper flakes & I like to get it with peas and mushrooms but you can choose served penne) Chicken Parm (deep fried juicy chicken cutlets, smothered in tomato sauce and finished with a melty / crusty Mozerella crust, served with spaghetti) Chicken Carbonara (spaghetti noodles, cream sauce, crispy fried prosciutto, sweet peas, and tender sliced chicken.. One of my first loves at Buca) Specialty pizza.. I forget what it's called (thin dough, ricotta cheese, thick pepperoni, and all that other good stuff.. Ricotta really makes it stand out and after trying it, I just have to get ricotta on all my pizzas!) These are all of my favorite dishes and one day I will get like ten people and just order everything!!! Service: A little tired at times but everyone is still nice. A lot of people are assholes to the servers, I noticed. Look, you are at Buca Di Beppo, not a freakin' high end restaurant so gather yourself and don't be rude! You get what you pay for & Buca is very affordable! Decor: Generic because all Bucas are the same but it's so dark and dusty looking.. Very busy but I'm sure that's the idea... I hope for their sake. Overall: I would come back and I often suggest it to people as well. It's great for families and they accommodate to big parties very well, just make sure you call for a reservation and possibly order ahead of time too if your party doesn't wanna wait too long for all of your food.. Not sure if you can do that but I'd give it a try because I hate hate hate waiting but what can anybody do, unless you call ahead.
(4)Emily Y.
This is like the TGI Fridays of Italian food. You walk in and there are tchotkis glued every which way to the wall with christmas lights. All the waiters seem to be in high school or college, so guess how good your service will be? I was here for a group birthday. If you have a gigantic group, don't care about food taste or quality or are under 21, this might be the place for you. The entire upstairs was devoted to large groups with tables spanning up to 20-25 seats. Food is served family style in huge portions. Our table had the pasta carbonara with chicken, chicken parmigiana, and another pasta dish. The pasta, while in large portions, came barely coated in sauce (which was bland), wit little peas or chicken in it. I thought it was worse than Olive Garden, which I didn't think was possible. One thing that is interesting for birthdays is that they will take a big group picture of your group, show you the printout and sell it back to you for $10. Just like Disneyland! In the area we were at upstairs we saw families, teen birthdays and the like. I also felt the prices were really high for what you got: $25-$30 per person for not that much food. Watered down strawberry mojitos for $10 - yikes. Environment is pretty loud. It's alot of carbs but no quality. And again, the service is a good as it possibly can be with 16-20 year olds taking your order.
(2)W M.
Made a reservation for the Pope room over a week ahead of time fort sons birthday. Called at least twice prior to the reservation asking questions about the menu and the size of our party. At no time did anyone tell me that they didn't see my reservation (I have them my name, date and time every time I called). When I put in our order the day before, I was told that they didn't have my reservation. Luckily (I thought) the room was still open but the manager (I guess?) didn't want to give us the room because we needed at least 12 people. This was a question I specifically asked about because I was worried that we might get a cancellation or two. Our party of 12 was now a party of 9. Not good enough. No Pope room. General incompetence paired with incorrect information (either from the people I spoke to during the week or the manager that day) along with a total lack of old fashioned customer service. The manager seemed totally unaware that anything was wrong. We took our business and money elsewhere.
(2)Misha K.
Was craving veal last night so my girl and I stopped by for a late dinner. Upon entering the restaurant, we were greeted by a VERY up-beat hostess who offered to give us a tour of the kitchen before seating us without any wait. We have been to many Buca's before and were both hungry so we opted out of the tour and she took us upstairs straight to our table. The place wasn't packed, but still was relatively busy (there were a few parties of at least 15 or so people amoung 5 or so couples). Our server came out to take our drink orders immediately. We ordered a bottle of their house "Ciao" red wine which was kind of pricey for what it was (~$23). We ordered the large portion of Veal Parmesan (~$32) - came with 4 decently sized cutlets & a small Chopped Antipasto salad (~$13). The food was amazing. The Veal was perfectly prepared and the salad is by far my favorite salad ever. The fresh Gorgonzola and feta cheese set it off perfectly. The waiter was very prompt and attentive to bus our table and brought several refills of bread with a side of oil & vinegar. We were too stuffed to try any desert and decided to head home after devouring our meal. Summary: Super fast and professional service, amazing food, overpriced wine, and the typical Buca atmosphere (i.e. large noisy parties celebrating birthdays with random crazy Italian decor all over the walls and ceiling). Would recommend it if you are dining with a large group, but its not the best spot for a quiet Italian dinner.
(4)Scott A.
This was my 2nd visit to Buca....Good thing the 1st time I didnt understand the family style and ended up w/ food for a week. This time I was prepared. My wife and I went with the small lasagna and my son had the kids alfredo. We added a side of sausage. Still lots of quality food $25.00 with out $10 coupon. That was the good news. The bad news. We sent back a dirty bread plate (real dirty). Parking is not ideal at this location, it is right next to a crazy busy 24 hour fitness location. The promotions were never ending, "do you want a picture?, do you want to sign up for email promotions?" "Are you sure that you don't want a sangria cosmo?" The waiter was solid, but you could tell mgt was behind this onslaught of promos. I will be back to Buca, but I may lean towards other locations. Don't go w/out a 10 coupon, they seem to be everywhere.
(3)Kira B.
This review is based on an event my mom and I had here. We booked the Pope's room in advance for my sister's baby shower last weekend. Everything went incredibly smoothly. The girl who brought us up to the room and got everything situated (don't know her name unfortunately) was very professional and accommodating. Our server was Michael and he did a fantastic job. They gave us adequate time in the room to set up and didn't rush us out at the end. Food was delicious and service was great. Absolutely nothing went wrong. I was kind of iffy when my mom said she wanted to have the shower here but I'm glad we did because everyone had a great time and I feel we really got our moneys worth. Good job Buca! I'd recommend your private parties to anyone.
(5)Dominique T.
I took my assistant here for his first time. I ordered the chicken parmesan and substituted out the spaghetti with marinara with fettuccine alfredo. "A" for being accommodating. However, the food fell short. It wasn't very busy but the waiter must have forgotten our food because he brought us soup to hold us over. My food came out lukewarm. The alfredo sauce was already jellying. The chicken was very dry and no juice at all; the cheese curd up; it must have sat under the heating light for a while. It was disappointing; especially when I wanted my assistant to have a good first experience at a cool Italian restaurant.
(2)Audrey L.
I think this location is kind of in a weird place- a bit awkward to get to and a constant marketing opportunity for the surgery center across the way. I always leave here thinking, wow, we ate a lot, maybe I should get a surgery consultation tomorrow! 4 adults, 2 kids 1 small margarita pizza 1 large salad 1 large rib thing...not a big fan 1 small baked rigatoni 1 large spagetti and meatballs- the meatballs remind me of that old lady in the Wedding Singer that pays Adam Sandler for piano lessons in meatballs.. Anyway- good spot for kid's birthdays, my niecey turned 3 and we went here for dinner to celebrate. Family style and huge portions we left with 4 boxes of left overs and good service. I tried a taste of everything, but the only things I would order here would be the pizza and salad. They did away with the spumoni ice cream for dessert...seriously?! This is supposed to be an Italian restaurant. I'm definitely OK that we come here 1x a year.
(3)J Smith A.
This is your standard Bucca restaurant. If you've been to one then you know what to expect.
(4)Nick P.
The waiter was great. He always filled my water without me having to ask. The food was good. The serving size is alot. The one bad thing I noticed was that it was very hot in there.
(4)Sadia C.
This place has some great Italian food for a chain. It depends on what you order, because i have had food that was deliciousss and some just sucked. The good stuff: -garlic bread -pizzas (margherita is delicious) but most are good from what ive had. -shrimp fra diavolo -chicken and eggplant parmigiana -chicken canelloni I love that this place is family style food, so its always fun to come here in groups. Customer service is awesome every time i've been here. Prices are very reasonable.
(4)Rob D.
My first visit the other day. Good food, really large portions and not outrageously priced. They make this poor lady go around with a camera and take everyone's pictures than try to sell them to them. She was nice but it was kind of lame. It's not Universal Studios ! Otherwise, it's a nice place for dinner.
(4)Janey Y.
Wow, I haven't been to Buca in so many years and am so surprised by its changes. When I came by, the host and the waitress both asked me when was the last time I was here and after I told them 4 years, they told me how much they have changed in terms of price, menu, portions, etc; I was pretty scared since I remember my naive high school self loving it. They also asked me if I wanted a tour of the kitchen and my friend declined. :( Come college, I've noticed that in the mail, Buca seems to send out plenty of coupons, and so when I went, I was able to score a 10$ off 20$ coupon. It sounds like a really good deal, but with every good deal, you would expect something wrong to happen.... We were sat in a large room upstairs with no one really there, and they used the words "private room" to make it sound great. I thought it was too quiet almost! I guess they love making people wait to make it feel that they must be a busy restaurant. There were two chubby lil girls that decided to walk around, talk to the waitress, demand that their ice cream be placed at a different table (okay, this is probably why obesity is so common), and I think they really needed to be kept chained to their parents as they were jumping to reach for the hanging lights (literally). When it was time to close the check, the waitress asked us if we wanted to try any desserts, and both my friend and I didn't want any, until she suggested the idea of gelato. I haven't had gelato in soooo long, but why not, right? The small cones came out to be 2$ each which I don't know if it is a great deal since it was bite-size. Was expecting more choices and for it to be a bit more sorbet-ish. We also had pizza that was "featured" with pictures on the menu, but it came out to be alright, wished it had some tomatoes in it (man, I should have asked her what pizza had the most tomatoes!). Don't like the bread concept because it should also be served with salad too. Oh well, Olive Garden next time!
(3)Tiffany W.
Our waitress seemed nice, but a little short with us AND she forgot our order. It's family style and there's two of us! How do you manage to forget one dish (out of two)! She was nice, but seemed incredibly ditzy -- which is, by the way, not cute on girls. Okay, I'm off my soapbox. Food was okay. We ordered some lobster spaghetti and a salad. (Waitress forgot the former.) Salad was fine, if not a little dry. Spaghetti in of itself was fine, if you magically forget that there's rubbery lobster in the dish as well. I felt like I was munching on a chew toy. Would I come back... possibly. Oh wait scratch that. Nope! Because the next day, at work, my coworker comes back from lunch extremely peeved that one of the waitresses from THIS location billed their table incorrectly, was extremely rude about it (she threw the original receipt away omg) and was shown to have included a 18% tip for herself. What the eff. AVOID. :/
(2)Sharon W.
We've always enjoyed Buca's family-style dining and it was especially perfect for our son & new daughter-in-law's recent wedding rehearsal dinner. Thank you to Joscelyn for explaining everything to us and working with us on the menu. The room they had set up for us was exactly what I had hoped for. The service was excellent---food came out quickly and was delicious! We especially enjoyed the pizza (which I ordered for the kids but the adults loved as well) and the chicken limone. The portions were generous and everyone left more than satisfied! So happy that we decided on Buca! Thank you for a great experience!
(5)Pete S.
I am reviewing the To-Go service here. I called. Placed a order for cake. They asked me what kind of car I have. I arrived but finding the2 stalls for to-go order (located in the back, in between 24 hour fitness and buca.....who would've thunk?) took 5 minutes. Someone came out and confirmed the order. I gave her $. She came out with change and cake. What a piece of cake to order cake....Haha.. Update: special $10 off $30 from 2/1/08-2/3/08...if you can copy and paste and print out the below, I'm sure they'll take off some $$.... * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Get Buca To Go for the Big Game and Everyone Wins! * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Take $10 off a purchase of $30 or more.* *Valid for Dine In or Buca To Go only 2/1/08 through 2/3/08. You will be the big winner with your family and friends with Buca favorites like pizza, lasagna and our famous garlic mashed potatoes. Our full menu is available to go so you won't miss a single play. Try Buca To Go bucadibeppo.com/togo Curb Service available at most locations. For Reservations, Locations and To Go Orders Call 1-866-EAT-BUCA *Please bring a printed copy of this email to any Buca di Beppo restaurant in order to receive discount at time of purchase. Certificate good for $10 off any purchase of $30 or more. Offer valid on dine in or take out 2/1/08 through 2/3/08. Not valid with any other discounts/offers. One per visit. Tax/gift cards/alcoholic beverages and gratuity excluded. Code: eClub$off
(4)Mia W.
The dessert is amazing. I had the chocolate cake and it was one of the best chocolate cakes I have had. The pictures on the wall are entertaining. So are the pictures inside the bathroom stall. I have never had so much fun sitting on the toilet. The food is delicious as well, when you just feel like having good ol' carbs and spaghetti. The servers are upbeat and happy, which makes your food taste better. I would definitely recommend this place for a family and friends dinner.
(4)Julie L.
I'm mainly going to gripe about the terrible service we got here and make it a point to let you all know that I don't plan to come back to this place. First of all, we come in on a Wednesday evening and were told it would be a 15 minute wait. We put down our name and the hostess said there was another party ahead of us with the same name. Anyhow, time passes and we see a BUNCH of empty tables but we're not being seated, so we are forgiving and assume they are short staffed. 30 minutes rollls by still no table, and THEN, the hostess seats a party of 8 who came AFTER us in front of us. I'm assuming the clueless hostess cancelled out our name after calling the other party by the same name, but by this time I'm completely irritated because I'm freakin hungry and you dont mess with me when I'm hungry. I go up to a new hostess and tell her what just happened, and then she apologizes and says we'll be seated shortly. Damn right we should be! We were seated shortly after I complained. Anyways, we get to our table upstairs and the waiter comes by (btw, has anyone heard of service with a smile around this place?) and rushes to take our orders. Throughout our meal, our glasses were empty and we were never asked if we wanted refills, we actually had to ask. We also noticed that we were never offered the complimentary bread either, as other tables around us had. There was actually only one other huge family table next to us that the waiter was serving so there should have been no reason that he was as careless as he was with our table. Not to mention, he had a completely different attitude serving them than he did with us. He was much more enthusiastic with them as opposed to his flat affect with us. Anyway, we ordered the Shrimp fra diavolo (really delicious but kinda spicy) and the spaghetti and meatballs. While the food came out rather promptly and was delicious, we had to ask for more spaghetti sauce because there wasnt enough for the large pasta bowl. We also had the Bucca trio appetizer but was sadly disappointed at the portion size. Even though most of portions are quite big, this trio came with 5 small mushrooms, 2 slices of fried cheese, and a small portion of calamari which didn't even taste fresh. This was $20! Waste of money. The waiter came by at the last moment to bring us our bill and cracked some lame joke about buying him a drink after work. UHh, no, especially after our experience here. One point off for long wait (on a wednesday!? really!?), one point off for bad service, and one point off for no complimentary bread! What a shame Bucca, what a shame. Judging from the multiple complaints of this joint being with terrible service and dirty tables, I highly recommend a manager take note of this and adequately train your staff to provide better customer service and clean up your restaurant better!
(2)Nguyen D.
Parking isn't that great seeing as how it's near a 24 Hr Fitness and in the Bella Terra vicinity. I usually use the parking structure though, so it's not that bad. I had a reservation and that work out for well us. We came in a little bit earlier than the reserved time though, about 10 minutes earlier. I figured that would give them a little time to look around. For the reservation I requested an area that had more light. They have areas that have low light. I could see how that soft glow can be good for romantic settings, but most occasions for me are just group celebrations or just general dining. I have noticed they do things like singing or cheering for people that request something special for special occasions like birthdays and the like. The decor is nice in my opinion, and I suppose it fits with the Italian theme. I also do not notice the music and any other ambient sounds, which for me is great. This place is more for a group setting, and if I can't hear the other people in my group, I would I find that disappointing. Fortunately, there is no issue with this unless you are surrounded by other loud groups, which can be the case for any restaurant. The servings they specified seem to be good. Small for 2, large for 4. Want 2 meals to share for 3-4 people? Then get 2 large meals. They allow takeout, so anything left over can be taken home. Prices are rather high, and the only way to alleviate it a bit is to go as a group where each person chips in. Or in my case, the use of coupons. The food itself is okay to good. Nothing real special aside from the fact that there are large servings. I haven't tried the dessert seeing as how we usually are full by the time we got close to that stage. No comments on the drinks either since I don't drink. Service is extremely hard to gauge in general because it will just depend, but for my recent stop it was good service. Seems friendly, looks friendly, checks on the group on occasion, easy to talk to, etc. I liked it. Food takes forever to come out, but it is expected in any restaurant setting. I think for us it was bad because we were all hungry hahaha The only reason it is not a 4 star for me is the price. I can deal with parking, but the price is is pretty steep. If you are only going to this place for special occasions, in a group of 4 or so, and have a coupon you can use, I say this place is pretty good.
(3)Annika O.
They start by taking you on a tour through the kitchen and show you the "Pope Room". Pretty cool idea and it makes you feel like you're eating in someones home, not just a restaurant. Mixed green salad with really good vinegrette, garlic cheese bread and pizza with chicken, garlic cloves and chips. OMG! I cannot believe the portion sizes here. I would not suggest eating alone unless you are carb-loading for a marathon or you want a few days worth of leftovers. I couldn't eat until afternoon the next day. The place is decorated in a very eclectic Italian theme. Really cool! It looks like the Pope had an estate sale. Lots and lots of color. Great place for really large groups. I ended up sitting alone in a booth that seats 12 people.
(4)Juice D.
This place is gross. They would be better suited serving this food in a diaper so at least this way you have a better idea of what you're getting. The place is obnoxiously loud, the wait staff is awful, and the food stinks. The night I went I swear there must have been 15 birthday parties and they sat me and my friends right in the middle of all of them. Try eating disgusting food and every 2 minutes a gaggle of inept servers show up singing some awful version of happy birthday. Not to mention the one male server with the skinny jeans and awful over gelled haircut doing his solo act trying to impress one of the female servers that is clearly never going to sleep with him. When we first got there we waited almost 30 minutes for a table, and watched 3 parties that showed up after us be seated first. The food was overpriced, under cooked, and the sauce tasted terrible. I would never eat here again. Is there an option to give no stars??
(1)Ryan S.
Good Italian style food, but unless you have a group sharing an entree it's just to much food for one or two people.
(3)Paul B.
Service: Very slow and terrible service. I was seated immediately but waited over 10 minutes before being greeted by the server. By that time I knew what I wanted and the order was placed. 10 minutes later the drink order was brought to the table and from there I didn't see our server for at least 25 minutes when our food was brought out. This wasn't a large order, just a meal for my date and myself. The server was not only unfriendly and slow but quite rude. Seemed annoyed at the fact that we didn't want dessert but god only knows how long we would have had to wait for that. Dinner took so much longer than expected we were late for our following plans. Food: Worst part, when the food was served it was not even close to hot... slightly warm at best. It wasn't terrible but it certainly was not good. I know you can't expect much from chain restaurants like this but I feel like I've had comparable Italian food from a frozen dinner. Giving it 2 stars because despite the poor service and dinning experience, I do still like the take-out.
(2)Orian R.
This place is great for families or if it's just you and your girl/guy. Food servings are huge so you can share...share...share without going home hungry. It's also not bad for work functions. Great service with a friendly smile.
(4)Chau N.
Good place for big parties with decent Italian food and friendly waiters/waitresses. 3 stars because the food was "A-OK". Nothing extravagant or dreadfully to die for. But enjoyable nonetheless. Try their Fried Mozzarella, Mozzarella Caprese, Margherita Pizza, Stuffed Shells, and of course the Colossal Brownie Sundae for dessert :) I hate the parking. It's next to a big 24 hour fitness, so good luck after 5 or 6P.
(3)Lan V.
We love you, Buca di Beppo! Kevin's an awesome manager...so friendly & funny! Julio is a great waiter...so attentive & friendly! We're having an awesome time celebrating two best friends bdays with yummy food-fried calamari, lasagna, spaghetti with meatballs & colossal brownie sundae! Best bday dinner ever!!!
(5)Beth H.
A-OK is a pretty much, dead on description of BDB. I usually only come here if it is a family/friend related event, work lunch or in the case of my last visit, I was attending a seminar at the HB hotel and needed a close, quick place to grub in my 50 minute time allotment. Most everyone agrees, pricing is high but portions are huge. Since my friend and I were attending the same seminar we were happy to see that there is now a lunch/single portion menu. Maybe it has been like this for a while but like I said, as with most chain restaurants I don't come here very often. I had the Chicken Limone that came with Fettuccine Alfredo. This was pretty darn good and a decent portion. My friend had the Eggplant Parmigiana and the portion was HUGE! She couldn't even eat half of it. While still a bit high, the pricing was OK for what we got. My one big complaint? There were several empty tables in the bar area and we were immediately asked if we'd wait a few minutes for a table. We both looked at the empty talbes, stated we had less than an hour and for some reason she immediately said she'd seat us...upstairs. My friend has a bad knee and we were half way up the stairs when she then said we needed to now go downstairs instead/ WTF? I though this was kind of lame and my friend had to hobble around needlessly on a bum knee. Did we get seated at a table close by? Nope. All the way in the back of the restaurant. I just don't get it. Other than that, service was fine and we made it back to the seminar right on time.
(3)G C.
I have to take some stars off due to how the evening ended. It started out mostly good...One of our plates was dirty still so we had to send that back. Yuck! Our server was very nice and attentive. We were there celebrating my mom's 69th birthday...had a table of 7. Ordered calamari to start. The table loved it...I'm not a fan, but I tasted it, and it had a nice coating. Dipping sauce was too spicy for bday girl. We ordered all pastas...Spagetti and Meatballs, Lasagna and Fettucini Alfredo. This came with bread (another big hit). Pastas were good...not great. Lasagna was too dry, couldn't find any meat in it at all. Spagetti had nice flavor but the meatballs were too dense..needed some breadcrumbs. Seemed as if they just rolled hamburger, cooked it and served it. No flavors of onions or seasoning really. Fettucine was nice consistency, but not cheesy at all. More like a white sauce. Pasta was cooked nicely. My biggest complaint is that for my mom's bday, they brought a lit candelabra and sang their Buca song, but no piece of cake or ice cream sccop or anything. Wow! We were so shocked. We'd already done our bill and were thinking, should we add a sweet for her to celebrate, but still kept thinking...naaaa..they're going to bring her some little thing, right? Nope! Buca, you let us down!
(2)Marian B.
Years and years ago when I was not yet an experienced foodie, Buca di Beppo used to taste so great! I don't know if it's me getting pickier, Buca's quality going down or the combo of both, but I am not coming back here. The pasta was just too heavy and tasted bland! I was full but not satisfied! I felt like I wasted a meal. I felt full leaving but a "bad" full. Like I should not have eaten there at all. My friend and I questioned why we decided to there in the first place. I think it was our hunger taking a hold of our brains and we saw Buca so we went. Yeah... I know better. The pictures on the walls are still classic though. Funny, perverted, weird but still pretty awesome haha!
(2)Melissa G.
We went on New Year's Eve. It seemed pretty crowded but we were seated quickly. The service was fine, the food was good enough. Honestly, I feel it's overpriced for what it is. And because it's "family style" it is much better to go with a large group, definitely not a date type restaurant. It was nothing special. I would probably go back but not anytime soon.
(3)Bryan N.
The thing I like most about Buca is the family style dining and there huge portions. Italian food like many asian food is traditionally eaten family style. Think about it. You don't see a grandmother in Tuscany making 5 individual dishes for her family. "When in Rome" right? I'm a big fan of family dining because you get to try a little of everything. As for the food, there salads and the pizzas are my favorite. The Apple Gorganzola Salad, Warm Spinach Salad and Traditional Mixed Green Salad with the tangy Italian dressing are all delicious. The Magherita Pizza is my favorite. There thin crust, fresh mozzarella cheese and basil topping reminds me of NY pizzas. They are absolutely spectacular. There pizzas and salad are worth the trip. There pastas are not half bad either. Don't get me wrong. They're not a Michelin Star restaurant. They are good food for casual family style dining. I did have there lobster ravioli special yesterday though. They were horrible. Avoid that. Their only other negatives would be their service. The waitresses are kind of unfriendly and have that kind of fake hospitality personality that doesn't hide their obvious hatred for work and maybe life altogether. They take forever too. Management is great though on the other hand. They will regularly come around to check on you and your evening and genuinely converse with you. If it wasn't for there waitresses (I've eaten here a few times and most of the waitresses are like that there), Buca would get 4 stars in my book for casual Italian dining. They definitely have Olive Garden and Macaroni Grill beat in my book.
(3)Cali S.
This place is great! I have been multiple times and have never had a bad expierence but this last time was our best experience. If you have the chance to have Rochelle as your server I would. Its "family style" so unless you plan on sharing or having left overs this place isnt for you. (except I was told by rochelle that during lunch time there are indiviual portions you can order). I was just there last friday night with 2 of my girlfriends. We just ordered the small Speghetti and meatballs. The Meatballs are HUGE!! So delicious! We had a $10 off coupon that we used. So for 2 soft drinks 1 water and a small spaghetti meatballs and free bread it only cost $15.65. Can really beat that for 3 people eating and we were stuffed. Rochelle was a great server. She always had refills ready at the right time and was very friendly. When chatting with her we laughed because her new puppy has the same name as me, It was nice to have someone talk to you a little, other then just dropping stuff off and walking away. Makes you feel very wlecome. My girlsfriends and I had a great time. Next time I will be trying the Chicken Parm. (suggested from the server)! I think i will go again this weekend :-)
(5)Frankie T.
Puke-a di Beppo Service slow! Garlic bread is not how it used to be! Sangria; too much ice and watered down. Linguini sucked!! No flavor at all! Calamari was greasy and not good! The salad was the only thing that was decent. Lame, Lame, Lame!!!!!
(1)Nelle R.
Ordered fettuccine Alfredo, tasted bland. Needed to put some parm/salt on it for some taste. Garlic bread was good, but a bit hard to chew. Margarita pizza was bland as well. It was a thin crust with Mozzarella, basil and tomato sauce. The only good items that we ordered were Caesar salad (which I added Parmesan (parm) on it) and the sangria drink. (2 stars) All portions are huge, we had a coupon for 4 people pay $40, instead we had 7 hungry girls and did not finish any of the food, just the first round of bread with butter because we were a bit hungry after finals. Don't be fooled, portions are huge! :) The server was awesome and very friendly which added another star. Most likely will not go here again.
(3)Lillian L.
Came here for father's day. I booked a reservation at 2:15, checked in at 1:50, & wasn't called in until almost 2:30.... sigh. My dad, brother, & I were so, so hungry. As soon as we entered, the hostess informed us that we weren't allowed to bring outside beverages (WHAT THE HECK?) apparently, it's a new policy (at this location?) anyway, that was a huge turnoff. Again, the complimentary bread was really bland. It's terrible compared to their old, aromatic, soft & warm herb bread. We ordered: 1. Chopped antipasto salad (small) 2. Chicken carbonara (small) 3. Oven roasted salmon (small) 1. The chopped salad was delicious as always. 2. It was our first time ordering the chicken carbonara. It was decent. But I must admit, it was very, very filling & rich. 3. The oven roasted salmon was decent as well. The small portion includes 2 salmon steaks while the "large" comes with 3 salmon steaks... wow... not worth it. I'd suggest just sticking to small & ordering something else for your buck. Service was alright - I have no idea why it took them so long to seat us when there were clearly about 5 or 6 empty tables around us. The waitress forgot to give us the summer specials menu as well. Although we gave them that $10 off $20+ purchase, the bill came up to be $50.....Sigh. Buca di beppo, I hate to admit as much I thought I'd always love you, you're slipping away from my heart.
(3)Ravi M.
Excellent spaghetti and meatballs, and a good place for groups. I'll give them an extra star for being really nice. However, the service was lacking a bit and they did take a while to bring the food out. All in all, an 'ok' place to take a large group - get the spaghetti.
(3)Marcia W.
Buca Di Beppos what has happened to you ? I went there today and was shocked. The server was good but the food was lousy. I tried to explain that the sauce on the spaghetti marinara tasted nothing like what I have always had there. It was tasteless, no seasonings, and tasted like it was diced up tomatoes and half pureed and warmed up NOT cooked and simmered. I am Italian and have always had the greatest respect for Buca's. That is gone. Then I read the reviews OMG not good at all. I don't know if they hired a new cook or what was wrong. After we left we didn't feel good at all. Neither of us have been able to eat anything since .. We are both very nauseous. I tried to tell our waiter and the manger and they offered to bring us some oregano but I explain that needs to e cooked and simmered in the sauce.. Come on guys what has happened to that old Buca Di Beppos flair. I am proud to say I WILL NOT BE GOING BACK ....EVER !!! The bread with oil and vinegar was one inch by one inch square and I had to eat that as the dinner I had was horrible.
(1)Kat V.
Not only does the food here suck, the prices are high. I gave it 2 stars because our service was good. Sure, the portions here are large enough to feed a small country but that still doesn't justify $8 for dry, flavorless garlic bread or $19 for half-ass spaghetti. Then again, I have high standards for Italian food so if you don't mind getting ripped off for food that's mediocre at best, welcome to Buca.
(2)Vicki M.
I have to say Buca Di Beppo cares about their reviews. The manager called me after I posted a very negative review on their restaurant. After taking the time to find out what all happened, he urged me to make a return visit. So glad he did-- EXCELLENT SERVICE, GREAT FOOD !!!!' They have earned my redemption and will definately go back. THANK YOU BUCA DI BEPPO AT BELLA TERRA MALL!!
(5)Brandon K.
A great dining experience is all about the customer service. I made a reservation in advance and expected my table to be ready. I get there with my group and they walk us upstairs to find our table was not set. Quickly, the workers had to combine some tables while my group stood there. Then, a busser dropped all these dishes. Some food and liquid splashed on someone in my group. They didn't handle the situation very pleasantly. I was contacted by the general manager and he provided me with a sincere apology. It's nice to know that some companies still care about their guests after the situation has passed. Thank you, Frank!
(4)Soloman G.
Right next to the 405 Freeway, remember that. On the north side of Center. Server was fantastic. We were the 16-person party yesterday afternoon 3/22 that was upstairs, celebrating an 80th birthday. Server was very friendly, she did exactly what she had to do as a server and even cutting up the meatballs to smaller portions. This server is a keeper, give her a raise ! Plates were good and heavy., as they should be. I really enjoyed the salad, especially marveling how the apple slices stayed green and did not turn brown. A nice secret, I bet ! Big, huge bowls of food arrived. Fresh and hot food. Just at the right time, after we had eaten the salad. I loved the meatballs- only wish I was bigger, so I could have eaten more. Haha- bet I gained a few pounds anyways. Nice pizza - now I realize what those big cans sitting there were for. Flat pizza, a good concept, with lots of veggies. Photos all over the place. Reminds me of what my mother told me about Italy when she lived there in the early1950s. Lots of stories, for another time, though. Thanks so much for a truly enjoyable eating experience. If I could give six stars, I would.l
(5)Mark C.
I'm not a fan. The name of the place even reminds me of a yaoi called Boku no Pico. Maybe that's why my mouth felt like it was ravaged after my stay here... Most of the pasta is as prosaic as studying for midterms. In stark contrast to the food, the restaurant decor is quite vibrant and fun to look at.
(1)Caitlin C.
I just had Buca Di Beppo and it was the best. The food came out so fast and it was well prepared. The service was great and asked me if I needed anything right away. The blond hostess found me my table right away, and was excellent. Buca di Beppo really made me feel like I was apart of their Buca family.
(5)Tiffany H.
I love this place and the decor!! Came here on a weekend for dinner and we were immediately seated. Very homey. The selection of food was great and also tasty! The servings are HUGE though. I would suggest splitting or sharing meals. The server and managers constantly come by to check on us which made my experience more enjoyable. Thanks so much! I will definitely be by again! :)
(4)Gigi M.
Food's still yummy! Love the Penne Arrabbiata for lunch, with the wheat pasta option! My only complaint is while the server downstairs is extra nice and friendly, a litte less yap and more rush on our food and bill please!!! Other than that, no other complaints! Oh wait, I hate that the ladies room is upstairs!! Ok, now that's it! I'm done . . . for now!
(4)Wendy H.
I drive by this place countless of times when going to Bella Terra. I finally got a chance to try it out this past weekend for a friend's birthday. The food wasn't up to par at all. :( Service was great though. Note that this place is great for families or a large group because the portions are big and meant to be shared. We started off with the garlic bread. It was actually very good! It's my favorite throughout the whole meal. Amongst the 6 of us, each couple ordered one plate to be shared with others. My boyfriend and I ordered the fettucine alfredo, which came out to be a lot more creamy than I expected and with no meat! When asked, the waiter said that is how it is supposed to be and with extra charge, we can add chicken. The price isn't a big deal, but I just thought the waiter could at least let us know it doesn't come with any meat so we can at least know to order some prior to the dish coming out. I guess I can let that go since he's a nice guy and really did try to be attentive. Another couple ordered the linguine fruitti de mare. Ehhhh, not so great. The seafood wasn't fresh, leaving a fishy smell on the pasta. Mid chew, I realized I am chewing on pieces of broken clam shells. Sigh. The last couple ordered the pizza. I forgot which one they ordered but it was good! The second thing I liked besides the garlic bread. The crust was thin n crunchy. Very tasty. For dessert, we ordered a birthday cake from the restaurant which was big enough to feed a whole village! The cake wasn't good either. I think it was a peppermint flavor and too sweet for my taste. Overall, I dont think I will ever come back. Love the service. Hate the food.
(2)Roy G.
Ok
(2)Peter K.
Let me warn you now.. Its a lot of food. I'd have to say the food is pretty ok (NOT AMAZING) just ok! Its great for families and big parties! I've tried many different pasta's and pizza's they have on their menu and they are all fulfilling. The decoration is pretty interesting also! Lots of pictures, paintings, sculptures, hats, socks (yes socks...), and other things to look at! Your eyes never get bored! Service is a-ok not the best! They really need to check up on their customers more when its a slow day!
(3)