The Orland Park location catered my birthday celebration. I was very pleased with the entire experience starting with the staff that assisted with the order to the delivery guy. The food was FANTASTIC! Thanks for making my birthday dinner a success. Referrals are in order :-)
(5)
Deb V.
If you like real authentic Italian food, don't go here. Chicken Marsala was sickly sweet, as was the Lasagna. Apple Walnut Gorgonzola salad was okay, although overly dressed. That said, our server was fantastic. Too bad that good service can't overcome bad food. I won't be back.
(1)
Justin S.
Wonderful place! Great food, service, and atmosphere. Was here for a birthday party, and it was just that good. Definitely need to return here.
(4)
Maricruz N.
The food is amazing. All the pastas I have tried have not disappointed. The sangria is great too. If you're looking for Italian food in the area, this is the place.
(5)
Alisa M.
I've only ordered to go from here but the service is very good. The portions are huge. Their small feeds at least 2 people. We ordered the spicy chicken rigatoni and I thought that it was prepared well. I would have preferred a little more sauce, but I can ask for that in the future. For the salad, we tried the apple gargonzola --- The pecans tasted a little funny and the mixed lettuce was a bit more on the bitter side. All in all, I haven't had a pasta dish from here that was a disappointment. The food 3 stars, the service brought up the rating to 4 stars.
(4)
Edwin H.
Amazing food and Donna gave amazing service. This place ricks great food great atmosphere. I love Bucca we even at at the one in Anaheim California. Baked ziti is amazing gorgonzola apple Saks us so yummy n their chicken Limon is great. Family oriented place and I love this place the servings are HUGEEEEEEEE ASK FOR DONNA OR DESI IF YOU WANT GREAT SERVICE. THE WHOLE PLACE IS GREAT......
(5)
A H.
Thoroughly disappointed this time we went there. Ordered one chopped antipasto salad and the whole dish was soggy with wilted, brown lettuce and mushy cucumbers and tomatoes. Tasted and felt like it was made the day before. This was rectified by bringing us a new salad of a different kind that had far too much dressing, but was much crisper and fresh tasting. The bread basket bread was cold and tasted like it was recently defrosted. We were starving so we ate it anyway. Baked ziti was ok (tough to determine if it was fresh since it's baked with cheese on it), as was the second pasta we had (one of the new ones-which didn't have a good flavor, but that was just us not liking it. May be someone else's cup of tea). Server was great, but overall truly disappointed in the quality of food. Disappointed as well in the menu changes. We had one of the new spicy chicken rigatoni pastas and it did not taste very good. If we return, maybe we'll just stick to take out...we'll see...
(2)
Robert S.
Amazing food. Great service Make sure you get a reservation in advance Try the Alfredo
(5)
Jay Ef Jai ..
I ordered the Veal Parmigiana. It was not seasoned, very bland for italian food. The spaghetti wasn't that great either, in a watery mariana sauce. And as I read the reviews here, I am NOT the only one that feels the way I do in regards to their food. Finally the calamari was very small and over fried. The T-Day meal seems ok, but can't you get what you specialize in right??? I won't go back. I'll stick with Maggiano's. (I think even Olive Garden is better than Buca)
(1)
Susan L.
Follow up review. Mike, the general manager called me, and seemed very genuinely concerned about our experience. He was very apologetic and polite. He wanted very much to make up for our "not-so-great" experience, which I politely declined, because it's not about getting something for free, but I appreciate his willingness to do so. Thank you Mike for addressing this issue and trying to make it right. All the best to you.
(5)
Bob S.
Server had an attitude. Not helpful at all. Dinner, just ok. Wine $10.00 a glass for nothing special. Ordered veal parmigiana. So for $27.00 you get 3 very thin pieces of veal with sauce and cheese. That's it. No salad, no side pasta, they don't even refill the bread when it's empty. And 4 people to share one small saucer of olive oil for the bread? Way too many better places to eat than here.
(1)
Taffy G.
Meh.... There were 12 in our party. They gave us one loooong table, instead of 2 6 tops Very hard to communicate with our group. I asked 3 different servers for a gluten free menu. .. I finally got up and went to the kitchen, and I had to ask for it myself. . There was a table of 12 in the same as we were, tha t were getting ready to leave when we arrived, so I don't know what the deal was.. I ordered the GF chicken limone. While it was good, I got 3 flat pcs of chicken. . No soup, no salad, no potatoes, no veggies.. Nothing else came with it. . $19.00!!?? Absolutely a rip off..they could throw in a side of GF pasta. Noodles are cheap. This place isn't. Our server told us we can't use more than one coupon per table, and no separate checks... What an inconvenience.
(2)
Claudia P.
The discount coupons are misleading. Yes, alcohol is usually not included, but that means you cannot just order alcohol at the bar. All other local places honor these types of coupons. So beware of their discounts. The food is good, but the bread is not great for an Italian place. The Buca wine is good. Be sure to note that the meatballs are 1/2 pound each. Overall, ho to Gattos in Tinley.
(2)
Karen B.
Good food, large portions. We had the Chicken Parmesan, Fettuccini Alfredo and Spaghetti Marinara, all of which were delicious. We left in a satisfied food coma. :)
(4)
Matt O.
I came to buca with a fairly large group(there were 11 of us) and I was the only one who had been to a buca before(never this location though). While we were there we had the pleasure of dealing with a manager named Matt. He was AWESOME!!!! He helped us out with all of our questions(what's in the food, how many people certain dishes would serve, etc.) and made sure everyone enjoyed themselves. Our whole group was raving about how great it was and I think it was mostly because of Matt making our experience more enjoyable! Will definitely return to this book because of this experience!!
(5)
Annie D.
I love everything I've had here. It is a favorite for date night too! Everything is family style and it's fun to share and get a taste of everything.
(5)
Allison K.
New Year's Eve, one of the busiest holidays of the year and being understaffed, the service was lousy. From the hostess who didn't have the mostest to the waitress who barely paid any attention to our table as we were not drinking alcohol and to the "manager" who really didn't seem like he cared. We waited an hour for food, which our waitress continued to apologize for the lack of speed in the kitchen. Funny, all the tables around us who ordered after us got their food first. Makes logical sense. She was too busy attending to the tables who were buying alcohol. It was not until we brought it to the mangers attention that our food came out and it was warm. You think it would be extremely hot, no? But you can bet she was quick with the check. If it was up to me, she won't have gotten a tip. This place has gone down the drain and this is why I go to Maggiano's. It's real Italian food with excellent service. I will never be back to Buca's.
(1)
Ana F.
Great food!! Excellent service! This weekend was our first time there and we're definitely going back!
(5)
Angela P.
I've attended two events at Buca de Beppo locations. The food was okay, and the service was very good. The waitresses kept the beverages and bread flowing. More sangria? Yes, please! I like the family style option for events here. We had the ravioli, penne with pesto and lemon chicken with capers. The pasta was okay, it's anything I could have made at home. But the lemon chicken was very good, I ate two pieces. The two ladies who organized the event did a wonderful job, but I can't review my friend's mom! So here's what's up with Buca: One thing about Buca's locations that drives me bonkers is the decor. There isn't an empty inch on the wall. The walls, painted red and green, have pictures/posters/photographs/artwork plastered all over the place. It's distracting and claustrophobic. I know that red, green, and white are the colors of the Italian flag, but I feel more like I'm taking a color blindness test at the optometrist than getting a taste of Italy. The lighting in the event room was poor. Some areas of the room cast poor lighting or shadows on people's faces. Some of my photos turned out bad, like people with glowing eyes. I want to say this place is great for events, especially for a family style menu, but the lighting and that "crammed in grandma's attic" feeling I'd have to go elsewhere.
(3)
Kelsey H.
This place is great for a group and for families with children. They give you a little tour and there's lots of fun things on the walls. Some of the stuff might not be fun if your kid points them (naked statues, etc) but I don't have kids, so what do I know! Everything is served "family-style" so you can order a small or large portion of everything. The waitstaff is great about letting you know if they think you're ordering too little to feed your party. They bring bread to the tables and fill a dish with olive oil (my one complaint is that they don't leave the bottle with you). My family usually orders calamari or cheese bread and either the antipasto salad or the apple walnut salad. Both are great! For dinners we have tried many items. Standing out is the chicken Marsala (OMG), the pasta sampler thing (comes with 3-4 different pasta items) and the gnocchi. For sides the mashed potatoes are heavenly. You can't go wrong with any of the desserts but my fave is the cannoli! The only disappointment I've had was with their pizza. I've ordered it twice and it just didn't stand out. It was also a little soggy.
(4)
Mary M.
Made reservations well over a week in advance and informed the staff that we had a birthday in our party. We were called the day before to confirm and again stated that we had a birthday in the party. When we arrived we had to wait for our table in the lobby, which was so cold we could see our breath. When we finally got seated, we got stuck in a dark corner that was so cold I couldn't remove my winter coat. Is that what you do with reservations? Cobwebs abound. As we waited to be greeted (about 15 minutes) I could see the two servers in our section arguing about who had to serve us. When they finally decided, the server we got seemed a bit abrasive and she really didn't take any time with us. Every time she approached our table it seemed like an afterthought. Guess it's easy to forget the ones stuck in the corner. Food runners were walking around the dining room yelling out food orders like they were up for auction. The food was not as good as it used to be, and the birthday was never acknowledged. Overall, none of our expectations were met. Don't go here unless you enjoy mediocre food and service.
(1)
Vince S.
This is our second time here and man disappointed twice!! We had the chicken parmigiana this time. The quality just wasn't there. The rosemary potatoes were dry. It placed me in the mind of our kids when they were learning how to cook. The smell coming from the carpet runners added to the disappointment. Glad we had a coupon but unfortunately we won't be back and that is too bad.
(1)
Tina R.
We liked the decorative atmosphere and the service was very good. We will go back again.
(5)
Riley S.
I love the food here so it killed me to give it just one star but I had to draw attention to the decline of this restaurant, the management and staff. Do not go here on weekends after 4pm, you'll never get seated. Overall seating in the different dining areas was dirty - sticky tables, chairs and booths. Dust on the pictures throughout. Crowded vestibule wait area, irritating especially if you're picking up food. Staff doesn't seem to care to upsell food or drinks, we actually had a wait staff person tell us they didn't like Italian food. No suggestions of wine with our dinners, basic elements of service are lacking here and have been on a steady decline for the past year or so. We've shared our concerns in the past, I think it's time to take this one out of the old stand by rotation. In desperate need of some tlc , a major remodel and housecleaning - staff too.
(1)
Paul F.
When they first opened they were good.Not so much anymore.The calamari was AWFUL!! Over cooked and greasy. Won't be going back. I will stick with Rosebud for good italian food
We went here with a group of 10 people. Made reservations first for an off time 11:15 am. Service was pretty good that's the reason for 2 stars . The oil il for dipping was the worst I ever had. We ordered the shrimp fra diavola, penne ala vodka, fettuccini alfredo in the buca size. I can honestly say I was very disappointed as this restaurant recommended by several people. I tried to be open minded but everything was bland. Portions were decent. Any leftovers we had no one wanted to take home. Wished it was better as good as Maggiano's but not even close. We have never been back since as it was over $200 for the bill
(2)
Danielle C.
I think they are over priced. We ordered a small size manicotti, the waitress said it would feed 2 to 4 people. There were 4 manicotti on the plate. We each had two and were still hungry. The flavor was ok, nothing to brag about. Our waitress was missing for about 15 minutes, we were waiting for our check. For my first time being here I was not impressed. I probably will not return.
(1)
Joseph B.
It was Mother's Day, the day of my daughter"s college graduation and my birthday and we made the mistake of making reservations at Buca Di Beppo. We had a party of 11 and me in a wheel. Warning This establishment is not wheelchair friendly. From the poorly positioned entry doors which made it difficult to advance to the narrow hallways and passages. The killer is that we had to go through the kitchen to get to my seat because another wheelchair bound person was blocking the entry way into the dinning room. To make matters worse the waitress forgot to bring or check that we had our food while half of our table ate! The only reason why I rate them a star is that they comp us the meal and a brownie sundae.
(1)
Tina N.
Family visit for a birthday dinner. We made reservations and were sat right away but I would say that was the best part of the meal. Unfortunately, the service was not terrific and the food was just okay. This was my first visit here & I will not go out of my way to return.
(2)
Mike R.
Went with a party of 8 for New Year's Eve. The food was delicious, the Shrimp Diavlo was quite spicy, the rigatoni and sausage excellent as was the stuffed chicken. We had a cannoli for dessert which also was excellent. The wait staff was very accommodating and did not rush us even though we were the last to leave at 11:15PM to continue our celebration at a house party. Kudos for the accommodating staff!
(4)
Torrie S.
It's okay if you're in the area, nothing to rush out for. The chicken marsala...very disappointed it's SWEET and sticky not a hint of the marsala wine!
(1)
Emily R.
First, I want to say that the portions are FAMILY STYLE, therefore, of course they are going to be too big for one person. You are supposed to share. I love this idea because you can have a little bit of everything. However, this isn't the BEST Italian food I've had. The cannoli is very good, but the pasta sauce is a little watery. The staff was all right and made us feel comfortable while we waited to be seated. The ambiance is a little corny, but all in all created an intimate feel. I'd go back.
(4)
Linda N.
Pricey, but great service & great food. Bruschetta is awesome. Chicken Parmesan is good. Prosciutto stuffed chicken was excellent. I would go again.. But not any time soon. It's too expensive. $70-80 for 2 ppl (1 appetizer, 2 entree, 1 drink, 1 desert).
(4)
Nicole L.
I went to this place with my grandfather for lunch. We had the small lunch portions so I have not experienced the family style dining. I actually thought the lunch portion was kind of small. My grandfather really enjoyed his dish. I got the lemon chicken (one of my favorite dishes) and it was good. It wasn't incredible but it was worth the lunch price. The staff was also very friendly.
(4)
Christine F.
We had a reservation for 7:30 and were seated promptly. Waiter was very pleasant and food was plentiful, hot and delicious. Great place to bring a large group. Would definitely return.
(4)
Stephanie D.
I was very disappointed. I remember coming here years ago and the food was amazing. They've changed the menu though, got rid of the garlic mashed potatoes and our "reservation" simply meant we were seated 2 minutes before a couple who came in without a reservation. (That's not an exaggeration, they were seated next to us). Very disappointed and probably won't come back.
(1)
Sarah E.
I came here because I heard about the great size portions and I was hungry. I could have made more food in my house for cheaper. Everything was al la carte here. The food was not bad but nothing special. The prices need to be lowered and I expect bigger size portions.
(2)
Kelly M.
What happened to this place? It used to be fun and a great place to go for dinner. Now, not so much. My husband and I went here last night for New Years Eve, and the service was terrible. We made a reservation for 6:30pm, and got seated fairly quickly. After that, we ordered our food and a few drinks. We got the salad and some bread, but sat there waiting over an hour and a half for our entrees. We did not receive our dinner until well after 8pm after being told by our waiter that "Sorry, your order should be coming up soon...." Granted, it was not his fault by any means, but please don't tell us that it will be coming up soon after we had been sitting there for some time. Extremely disorganized for a holiday Eve and not very apologetic. Finally a manager came over to apologize, but we still paid a decent price for mediocre food. We finally got tired of waiting and told them to bag up our food to go. When we got home, my order was wrong, and it was not a very pleasant meal at all. I think we are going to steer clear from this place for awhile and I would advise not going here on a "busy" night. We were also not the only people complaining about the service. I understand there may have been other reasons as to the problems, short staff, etc., but please don't leave patrons sitting there for over an hour and half with no food. It was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have had in a long time. Epic Fail.
(1)
Joey D.
We made reservations for 6:15pm, and arrived at 6pm - we sat down and waited and were seated at pretty much 6:15pm. Staff was friendly and helpful, but our waitress did not seem to understand or know what they offered in the local beverage department. The menu said they had local and seasoning beers, but she listed off Bud Light and Coors when asked. Food portions are HUGE - so beware when ordering. I think a small would feed 2-3 people easily. We had a ton of leftovers. All the food was great - the real standout to me was the apple gorganzola salad. Little pricey, but worth a stop every once in awhile.
(4)
Mateusz K.
This is reasonably priced family restaurant. The trick is to get shared meal which is still plentiful and encouraged by waiters. Food is good overall and place although always packed will accommodate you reasonably fast. Prereserve and you're OK.
(4)
Trent C.
This place is your typical Buca Di Beppo. Large portions of Italian food at a good price. Salad and spaghetti are probably the best things on the menu. Service is always pretty good and food is fresh. Expect to take some home with you if you aren't a big eater. Can get busy for dinner.
(3)
D M.
Aside from the place being crowded and noisy at dinner time, I like this place a lot. The only time I really go here is for family gatherings because it's really made for at least a group of 4 people. The servings are pretty big and you do pay for what you get. I'm not saying it's over priced... just over priced if you're only going to have two or three people (though, you could take leftovers home if you wanted). Overall, the food is good. It is a chain. It's not top notch Italian food. But, it is good. I have no problem going here if I have a group and want some family style Italian food.
(4)
Jo G.
This place seems to be fairly busy, so if you're going with a group larger than 4 make sure to have reservations. Restaurant is VERY cramped & crowded. Not very much room between tables. As someone has already stated in their review, not handicap friendly at all. There were 8 of us in our party and we were placed at two tables combined which would normally be good for 6. A bit pricey for a chain restaurant. All food is a la carte, in large portions - small (food for 2 or 3) or large (4 or 5). A la carte would be fine if they had decent dishes to order along with the entree. Chicken Saltimbocca is just that - a chicken dish, no pasta or vegetables. Typically you would have a pasta or potato with it, but all there is are additional entres with more meat in them, Alfredo, or rosemary potatoes. For veg there is broccoli or beans. It would be nice to have a simple angel hair pasta with a bit of butter or olive oil and garlic. Something simple to eat along with the main dish. As for main dishes all 8 of us ordered one. There's plenty of food in all of them. Chicken was a bit overdone in all of the dishes that had it. Lemon Chicken was VERY similar to Chcken Saltimbocca but the Saltimboca had more to it. With nothing to eat the sauces with (ie plain pasta) it was a bit more disappointing. Bruschetta was good, calamari was excellent and very large portioned but a bit spicy. Service was pretty good, even if our waiter was a bit arrogant. If you asked for something, he wouldn't acknowledge he heard you, and just disappeared, he heard everything though and came back quickly. Drinks are VERY watered down. There no way I could drink 5 top shelf vodka/7's and not even be buzzed. And for what they charge, it's ridiculous the drinks aren't decent.
(2)
Marjorie F.
This is still a place where a group of long time friends, who love to laugh out loud (VERY loud), can enjoy good food and cocktails. We started with drinks in the bar area which was packed on a Saturday night. My friends who ordered the sangria sang its praises as they happily sucked it down. For dinner, we started with the fried calamari and bruschetta. This disappeared in a matter of 10 minutes. I guess we were hungry! The salad with green apples, pecans, cranberries and bleu cheese was tasty although on the sour side. I was expecting something sweeter. We ordered a few pasta dishes and a couple of meat dish for our main entrees. The butternut squash ravioli was sweet and savory (note to self: order again). The classic spaghetti and meatballs did not disappoint. Veal parmesan and braised brisket were tender and tasty. Finally, the fruitti de mare put our bellies over the edge. Crazy but true, I did not have the room, nor the energy to consume any dessert. Unbelievable, eh? A special thank you to our young server who had a great sense of humor and was not intimidated by this rowdy group of orthopaedic surgical nurses. Great job... :) We will definitely be back. Look out!
(4)
Natalie F.
Well I have been to this restaurant at a few different locations. I say the food is pretty good and they def give enough portions. It is a great place for groups but I would say it is too much food for just two people. UNLESS you go straight home with your leftovers because you will have some. Friendly work staff and I like how when you are brought to your table you get to pass through the kitchen. Kind of cool. They even have a booth in the kitchen for dining. All in all good experiences here. :)
(3)
Rose D.
When will restaurants learn that bigger portions doesn't equal better portions? The only reason I was here was for book club (every 3rd meeting is in a restaurant), as I've been here before and was not impressed. Things have not improved with time. In addiiton to having the blandest Italian food outside an Olive Garden, the portions are more than one person can eat -- even the small serving. Why not just lower the prices and give the food some flavor? The antipasto salad I had was basically a bag of romaine lettuce topped with 2 pepperocini, 4 black olives, a couple of clumps of some flavorless sausage and a couple small hunks of a nondescript cheese. I asked for the dressing to be served on the side and was brought a small soup bowl filled with a fairly flavorless vinagerette. The only reason I gave this place 2 stars is that the cabernet sauvignon was wonderful. They do have a fairly decent wine selection. There are a few good Italian restaurants in the south suburbs -- this is not one of them.
(2)
Critical Eater A.
Been to Buca Di Beppo four times- once each in a group, by myself for lunch and twice with another person. Each dinning experience has been different. Group dinning was good. Ordered a pre-selected menu which turned out very well. Apple Gorgonzola salad was a big hit along with the Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. In a party of 10 the bill was around 200.00 which is very good considering if we ordered Al a cart. Service was good and they made sure we had enough food and our drinks were filled constantly. Lunch by myself was another monster. Service was bad, waitress was inattentive and disappeared for over 20 mins. Another server dropped my food off and never said 2 words to me or asked how it was. Salad was ok. Chicken Parmigiana was a NIGHTMARE! First bite I thought the food was not cooked but couldn't see the color of the meat from the dim lighting. Sliced into center of meat... RAW! Outside cooked fine, but inside the chicken looked like pink smashed jello. Needless to say after getting someone to fetch my server I sent it back after telling her 3 times that it was raw. Chef came out and said it was underdone, which was an understatement. After having him admit that it was raw he offered to make something else. I declined and went home. Dinner dates were good. Server Kent did a pretty good job. Food came out timely. Mixed Green Salad was pretty good. Chicken with Penna pasta, cream sauce, artichokes, peas and sun dried tomatoes was a little lacking in the flavor department. Chicken tasted boiled and flavorless, sauce was bland... but some how the artichokes and tomatoes made it bearable. I would recommend to STAY AWAY AT LUNCH, Go and enjoy dinner, and consider it as an option for a large group dinning experience.
(2)
Stacey V.
Food was great, server was meh. Really my daughter is not an it, once you learn that kids are one of the reasons that we return to a restaurant you might make better tips. They take a picture of you and then try to sell it to you, not such a great thing when I have to wait an additional 10 mins to get my check.
(4)
Danielle B.
The Shrimp Diablo was a bit spicy but the taste was GREAT!
(5)
Sarah R.
Decided to check out this place with the parents. I got the veggie pizza it was good. My parents got sick from the Lemon Chicken do not eat it!! Not to many people were eating in this place pretty dead.
(1)
Traycee C.
After having a less than par issue at Valentine's Day, the GM Stephanie, was able to bring us in for an opportunity to redeem themselves...so glad she was such a pleasant manager to deal with because we went in for Mother's Day dinner and it was exceptional! Great food, great service and great ambiance! I actually feel so bad that I do not remember our servers name (we sat in the bar area) as he deserves so much for all he had going on this super busy holiday....we will be going back again for Father's Day and cannot wait! Thank You Stephanie for being such a GREAT GM and persuading us to return! The reason for only 4 stars is because we were originally seated at a table that was literally up against a wall and we had to climb on our chairs to get into the seats...and there was something hanging on the wall behind my head that had drapery on it and it was literally resting on my head so I had to lean forward to avoid hitting my head :( when we asked the assigned waitress to reseat us, she was visibly quite upset about it. Once we were reseated, the new server made us so happy, we forgot about the first seating ;)
(4)
Steven M.
We started with the chopped antipasto salad. It was good, but a bit bland. I had the braised beef ravioli and my bud had the veal parm. The ravs were good as well. They gave you plenty and lots of sauce. I scanned the menu twice to make sure about the raspberry cream soda that I ordered. It was under the soda column and did not say anything about no refills. But when I got the check it was on there twice. One star off for not clairifing. One more off for having the picture look awsome and the actual plate I got was a mess.
(3)
Erin L.
Hallelujah! My husbands' family decided to leave their staple of Red Lobster and try something new! No one in our party had been here before and we were pleasantly surprised by the delicious food, fantastic service and cute quirky decor. We were seated in the Pope Room, which was a bit ironic and a little on the creepy side. There was a huge pope head in the middle of the table. The food was delicious and our drinks were always filled. The manager even stopped by to check in on us and give us coupons to come back again. We were surprised to get a bill under $200 to feed 8 people with appetizers, entree and dessert! I think we found our new staple dinner restaurant!
(4)
Denise J.
I had been wanting to try Buca Di Beppo for a long time and was excited when friends picked it for a Saturday night out. We had an appointment for 7:30 and I would HIGHLY recommend making an appointment for this place. The walk in wait was an hour and a half! While we were waiting for our table they hostess gave us some of the cheesy garlic bread to sample, I thought that was really nice of her. When we were seated we had already looked at the menu. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms, these were probably the best stuffed mushrooms I have ever had. They were not just stuffed with breading, these had cheese, pesto cream sauce and proshiutto. We also ordered the chopped antipesto salad, I did not have any of this but my friends all said how amazing it was. As our Entree we ordered the chicken glorioso. The chicken had white wine and an alfredo sauce with sun-dried tamatoes. The chicken had a really good flavor without being heavy in the alfredo sauce, which I liked. As our pasta we ordered Penne Arrabbiata, this by far was my favorite part of the dinner. the italian sausage in it had just the right amount of spice and the sauce on it had crushed red peppers. I would say if you do not like spicy food this is not for you. My one friend is iffy on it and thought it was way to spicy. There were four people in our party and we still had left overs to take home with ordering the small of each size. They really load you up with food, amazing food at that. Cant wait to go back and try something else. **If you sign up for their e-mail club you get a free appitizer or bread on your next visit.
(5)
Zach M.
Comedically bad. I'll withold my snobby comparison to city restaurants, but this is what I get for not planning ahead for a Saturday dinner in the burbs. There were warning signs from the moment we walked in. Pissed off people leaving, managers running around in a frenzy, hostess ignoring us, a jam packed waiting area. The optimist in me chose to ignore these potential issues. One table near us was livid, freaking out, because of how rude their server was to them. Our server, Tim, started off by telling us all of his other tables hated him. This will end well. Food came out fine. But Tim was such a smart ass with a bad attitude, spilling stuff, asking for us to pile and hand him plates, that the food didn't matter. Top it off with a hassle and a fight when we tried to use a Yelp coupon on an iPhone, where they desperately fought us saying the coupon was "missing a code", that now they went from bad to just plain pathetic. They outright refused to try to use it, we called a manager who just looked confused, and said he had no idea what to do because it was missing this code. After rounds and rounds of BS, good ole Tim threw the check at us and continued his smart assery as we were trying to pay and take leftovers. I have never ran from a restaurant faster in my life. If you find yourself without a reservation on a Saturday night in Orland, do yourself a favor and eat a few dirty needles wrapped in poopy diapers and you'd still be coming out ahead as opposed to dealing with this place.
(1)
Dakota B.
One and a stars at best. My kid graduated eigth grade. The graduation started at 7pm. The kid loves italian and we would have headed downtown normally, but with such a late starting ceremony (weekday) I figured we would never make it downtown before things closed. To be on the safe side, I made reservations for this sad, bizarre place. My first cue to abandon the reservation should have been the lack of patrons. Its prom/graduation season. My kids school is local...relatively. Yet when we arrived we were the only ones there. At a restaurant 15 minutes from a graduation ceremony with almost 400 graduates? Not one other family chose this place for their celebratory dinner. We were seated in the Pope room. It has seen better days. Essentially its a bunch of tacky stuff related to the Pope. Think cheezy 3D pics, hologram pics and a kinda creepy statue of his head. It really needed a good dusting and the plastic case containing the statue was clean, but clearly smeared with...something. the case was foggy and hazy. There were 15 in our party. We ordered 5 large dishes and one small dish. We also ordered one salad. Huge huge rip off. Essentially this is the problem. Yes. The large PASTA dishes feed 4-6. However, the meat/veggies in the pasta are portioned for a single portion. So a chicken and pasta dish is probably one sliced chicken breast dispersed through a ginormous dish. The meat dishes are a joke. For 30.00 we got 5 chicken parm pieces, no pasta. We ended up only having a small piece of chicken breast each. The pasta dishes are extremely bland and in need of salt. The lasagna was sour and tangy. The pasta bowls were completely devoid of sauce towards the bottom but the waitress informed us that the kitchen was closed. No extra sauce for us. Soooo....for 267.00 we ate ice burg lettuce (nowhere near enough salad fixins to go around), unsauced cooked pasta(no sauce at all most of it) and a one inch strip of chicken breast. Wow. Very expensive lesson on mine and my husbands part. Learn from our mistake.
(1)
Patrice G.
Unfortunately, tonight was one more reason that we will be retiring Bucca from our rotation. It's just too inconsistent for the money you spend. When they are on their game, it's delicious. But again, tonight, the food and service was very subpar. The normally scrumptious antipasto salad was watery and missing a lot if the yummy ingredients. The entrees were not hot, but warm. Too many other great Italian restaurants out there.
(2)
Renee T.
Great Food!! Amazing service and atmosphere! Be prepared to take home leftovers!
(4)
Julie O.
Buca Orland is always consistent. The menu if pretty friendly for fussy eaters and the portions are almost always huge, We have had a few parties here and they always do a good job. It is fun to call ahead and get a reservation for the kitchen table on a weekend. Food is served hot and we almost always have some take home. The garlic bread is real garlicky and the chocolate cake dessert is decadent. I have used Buca to Go, it is quite convenient and the carryout server and my dog seems to dog each other, so that is a plus.
(4)
Guy C.
Absolutely the worst family dining experience we have ever had. Had reservations for 6:00PM for 7 people, Waited till 6:30 to be seated. Not because there were people still sitting where we were to be seated, but because the table couldn't be cleaned for over 30min! Chrissy our server seemed uninterested in our party, As we were not attended to at all. The table of 6 seated behind us arrived 10 minutes after us, ordered 10min after us and got their food before us, they had some sort of gaff with their order, and half of our dinner was seemingly forgotten. Only to arrive 10 more minutes after asking Chrissy about it. And to add insult to injury. The table with the gaff next to us, received comp'ed dessert and the portion of their meal that was late. We did nit even receive an apology.. Fail! Also the table next to us that was emptied 5 minutes after we left remained filthy and un-bussed the entire time we dining. Fail #2!
(1)
Michael M.
Arrival at this location allows for a charming set of decor as you walk in. A bit of a drift into a Martin Scorsese knock off film. Photographs of Italian families adorn the walls. The owners feel that playing stereotypical Italian music is the way to offer their patrons a "classic Italian" feel. This Italian-American reviewer finds it pretentious but typical. The organization of the greeting staff leaves something to be desired. It appears as if my party arrived during a shift change. The staff appeared confused to say the least. I found the female staff member who was putting on her tie in public rather amusing. Donna, our waitress was a breath of fresh air! Polite, knowledgeable, and eager! Just how waiting staff should be! The thing to know about this location...FAMILY STYLE PORTIONS! We had the Ceasar salad and Shrimp Diablo! It was fantastic! But that isn't the secret of the place.... ...Order the chocolate cake!!!!! I'm not what you would call a chocolate lover, but WOW is this FANTASTIC! Final conclusion: For the reasonable price, outstanding service and wonderful food, I'll deal with the textbook concept of what Americans think Italian dining should be! Overall, worthy dining experience!
(4)
Patrick J.
Authentic home cooked Italian food!!
(5)
Alison V.
I haven't been to Buca in years. Had a great lunch yesterday, eggplant parm with spaghetti on the side. The sauce is chunky with tomatoes. The portion size was huge for a single lunch-sized serving. The service by Kelly was phenomenal. Tip: go at the end of lunch/beginning of dinner and it will be quiet and relaxing. Other times of the day can be very energetic (loud).
(4)
Cerene P.
One of my favorite spots!! The food is very authentic and fresh. They serve large portions so that you can share with each other. But what i love most about this place is that they love garlic just as much as i do :) We started off with some Bruschetta, the best i've ever had, heavy on the garlic, bread and tomatoes cooked perfectly. It was at least 6 of us so we had a lot of food, eggplant parm, lasgna, chicken carbonara, some type of sea food dish. We had all kinds of stuff and no complaints! My sister however isn't a fan of garlic so she vows never to return, that's her loss :)
(4)
Baroness D.
My boyfriend and I went to this Buca di Beppo location last year for lunch, since he lives in Orland, and I didn't want to take him out of his wonderful suburb so we can have lunch at somewhere we've never dined at before. Would've made me feel bad. I'm glad we ate here, even though I didn't have the money to tip the waitress (I forgot all about tipping a waitress, and I felt sooooo bad about that-and still do as a matter of fact). We ate pepperoni pizza which was nice and hot and delicious, and square instead of triangular. We had chocolate chip cannoli to share, which was sprinkled with chocolate sauce, and was delicious. I ordered a bowl of minestrone soup and we both ate sourdough bread rolls. And both dishes were freakin' delicious! Lol. The restrooms were clean and customer service was outstanding. I'd really recommend this place for anyone interested in dining at a well-known Italian restaurant. The music played on the restaurant's sound system was like 40s and 50s Italian pop music such as Dean Martin songs, which I thought was very sweet. Many photographs were on the walls of people and objects I don't know and unfortunately, never got to know. There is also a statue in this place, before you arrive at the restrooms, that, if you look at him, at his crotch rather, he has a spout shooting out water constantly, all day and all night. When my boyfriend saw that, he couldn't help but find it as funny as something on Comedy Central. I didn't know anything about it until he told me about it, and after I exited the restroom, I finally saw it, and I was like "What the?!" Nice for someone to look at after they ate. I have a strong stomach, so it didn't bother me, but my concerns were, and still are, for those with sensitive stomachs. Can they handle watching a simulated urination after eating a very scrumptious meal? LMAO.
(5)
G C.
Overall good food and service. Recommend the - Chopped Antipasto Salad, Ov en-Roasted Salmon and the Linguine Frutti di Mare.
(4)
Barbara I.
Well, I made it all the way out to God's country...my mom flew in from Florida and we drove out to Buca Di Beppo in Orland Park for my mom's cousing's 90th birthday luncheon. Served family style, we had a good salad, delicious spaghetti and enormous meatballs and really delicious lemon chicken. Everything was good, I had seconds on all. I was surprised when we walked in that the host took us thru the kitchen...it was hot and clean. I guess this is part of their service - to show off their kitchen. The best part of this excursion was the service - excellent - 4 star. constant checking on us and immediate response to our requests...It made the luncheon a delight.
(3)
Lauren T.
I had went here for a friend's birthday dinner. I had been here before. Then, I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, it was pretty okay. Not the selection of Italian flavors that I have experienced at other Italian restaurants, but satisfactory. Tonight was one of the worst. We had a group of 8, so we had a reservation at 6:30. I was running late (got pulled over) and got there at 6:45-6:50 and my party was just being seated. We ordered and waited 30-45 minutes for our food. I ordered the Shrimp Florentine. When we got the food, it did not look appetizing. It wasn't. It looked watered down and it was supposed to be in garlic butter SAUCE. It tasted like ramen noodles in yellow water with shrimp and spinach. There were no tomatoes (mind you it said Roma tomatoes in the description) and it was so bland. I tried my friends Chicken Fettucini. The chicken pieces were so small compared to the pasta. I think focus so much on the bigger portions that they don't focus on the flavor. They only got 2 stars because the prices aren't bad (I didn't buy that crap though) and the bread was good (but don't expect herbs in your dipping oil).
(2)
M. T.
We dine at this location on a regular basis, and even some occasional carry out. Last night (11/7/2010) was the worst experience I've ever had in any restaurant anywhere. The place was oversold or they took way too many reservations, or perhaps something was going on with the staff, but they really blew it with the wait times. Saturday night without any reservations is risky, but to have to wait over an hour and 45 minutes is absurd. We never got seated, we left. We arrived at 6:30 pm and were told it would be a 50 minute wait. We had an 11 year old with us. The number of parties in front of us changed twice, they told us differing stories. We approached the manager who was not interested in helping our complaint. We took a walk through the restaurant and saw quite a few open tables, but nobody was getting seated. I've dined around the world and only encountered a wait time like this once before. The staff was immature and misjudged the wait times. They put their happy face on and their standard "I'm sorry, have an nice night". So after one hour and 45 minutes, with more parties in front of us we left, and headed to our local favorite: Gatto's. We won't be returning to Buca di Beppo's in Orland again.
(1)
K A.
We preordered some food yesterday 2 be picked up today @ 5pm. Very inefficient. There's about 12 people here waiting for orders that were preordered & paid for in advance. We've been waiting for an hour now. Yes, it is busy during the holidays but that's a given...they should've prepared for it.
(1)
Emma K.
So, my Husband told me to pick a place to celebrate our 11 yr. Anniversary. We had never been here so I choose Bucca's. I was amazed they wished ua a Happy Anniversary the minute we walked in and told them who we were. The food was AMAZING!!! Ambiance AWESOME. Im a huge fan of Sophia Loren...she was everywhere. I was very very Impressed with this place. I will go back for sure!
(5)
S P.
The only reason I gave this place one star is because Yelp doesn't allow zero stars! Buca Di Beppo has really turned for the worse in the last year, horrible food and horrible service. One of the dishes we ordered was Chicken Rigatoni. Well the chicken was "warm" and the pasta was cold. The waitress said they could make the dish again "fresh". No thanks, I don't feel like having my food microwaved and made "fresh". Not even a sorry! After seeing a couple be seated and leave because no one bothered to take there order, I just wanted to get the hell out of there. My waitress? Nowhere to be found. I ended up going to the bar and the bartender took care of the bill instead. Oh and god forbid you want to take your food to go, an extra minute to put the food in the container is going to kill you? AVOID LIKE THE PLAUGE!
(1)
Paul S.
The good part. They give large portions and it has a nice ambiance. The rest of it. The tables are very crowded in most sections of the restaurant. The food is decent but nothing special. But - the main reason that I will not return is how they treated my 79 year old mother with arthritis. Although we had 15 of our group of 16 ready to be seated - and the table was ready - they refused to let us sit down. Even after I told them of my mom's poor health they refused to seat us. A very sad statement for any business!!!
(1)
Angelique K.
The food was pretty good. The cocktails were weak. My boyfriend and his friend ordered a long island thinking they would get the party started right, it was larger than a pint glass and sparked their excitement. The taste was off, too much Coke and perhaps Triple Sec. I ordered a mint and berry something that was too sweet and syrupy. Save your money and get a nice glass of wine. It was a fairly large party of about 20, I understand it would take a minute for them to get drinks to all of us let alone alcoholic. For some reason we couldn't get a straight answer out of anyone who entered our nook regarding how checks could/couldn't be split up. A simple, "no more than one card per table/check" would do. After we ordered alcohol from our server, a nice older lady, she said that she would, "get us rolling" but was busy with other tables also. Uh...ok. From experience, I would never say that I was too busy to help customers, let alone a large, auto-grat party. We asked if it would be easier just to go to the bar rather than order drinks through her since she was so busy, no answer. After one round of drinks she brought all separate checks. It took a while to get her to hear us calling out to her to order another round. All in all, the food was great and the service was alright. I probably will not be going there and wouldn't bring large parties there since they need to get it together.
(2)
Linh L.
I didn't like the way the menus were. The setup was cute. The food was okay. They do not have a lot to choose from. The food is made to share and I'm willing to go back and try it again.
(3)
Don M.
I have never been here and finally decided to go. What a great idea. Arrived on a Saturday evening with no reservation and was told about 30-35 minutes the place was packed. The hostess was great she apologized for the long wait but then she got us table in about 15 minutes. After being seated the waitress asked if I had been here before, I said no and she explained the menu and that everything is served family style. Cool, I had the lemon chicken and after the first bite I was not sharing. This is all mine get away. Very delicious the chicken was fresh and lemon was not overpowering. We also had ravioli in meat sauce. I tried the meat sauce and it was equally as good. No leftovers here. This place would be great for groups. The service, atmosphere, set up and the food is right on. I will be back.
(4)
Greg L.
This is one of the chains that we love and it is for the quality and consistency. Highly recommend the Antipasta salad which is chock full of salami, peperoni, red onions, gorgonzola cheese, and a wonderful dressing. Entree wise, we really enjoy the Chicken Saltimbocca and the Penne Arriabata (spicy) with a really terrific italian sausage---we usually ask for extra sauce and an additional side order of the sausage since we know there will be leftovers going home. We also love their spaghetti and meatballs and highly recommend it. As a side, we are big fans of the broccoli with garlic and red pepper. Make sure your significant other eats the same or they will not be able to stand you later due to the garlic. It is outstanding though. We are big fans of Italian food, and visit a number of great Italian restaurants in the area and in Chicago, and yet we really like this place. Great for carry outs! They will even bring the food out to your car if the weather is lousy! If you want to try something different, ask for seating at the kitchen table which is a table located in the kitchen. The kids will love it!
(4)
Jennifer M.
This place has come along way. Their menu has really expanded the past few years. There food is excellent. I'm not a fan of their ravoli, it's not the tradtional kind (and is too spicy) though I wish they offered the cheese ravioli. When we want Italian take out nearby, this is the place. If you are going to dine in, I highly recommend Buca since their ambiance is super charming (Frank Sinatra music, dimly lit, antiquey decor).
(5)
ELLIE M.
Came here yesterday for a B-day party and was really impressed with the service we were seated right away had our own room (The Cardinal Room). The menu was already pre-ordered so we started off with A punch bowl of the Sangria and it was very good. and then are salad , and Bruschetta came out hand I think we devoured that pretty quickly and then the are entrees came out we had the Penne Arrabbiata, Raviolli, And the Lemon Chicken first of all that has to be the best fricken lemon chicken I've ever had. The pastas where very good to. And for Desert we had cheesecake which was fabulous and the double chocolate cake yum. I am definitely going back. Ok I'm updating because I threw my mom's 69th b-day party here and I have to say. I loved it we had about 33 people who attended and everyone was so pleased about the food, service and desserts.
(4)
Jef B.
Love this place. We have been here somewhere between 6-10 times. We just love the food. We have always found the serving staff excellent, friendly and well informed. I *wish* there was authentic locally owned Italian food available in greater frequency here in the southlands, but it's just not happening. This may be a chain, but it's one that really nails their cuisine and at an affordable price. And the food is so plentiful! We always end up with leftovers. It's a pretty noisy place so perhaps not the best place to take a group of friends when you want to talk. But this is one of the coolest places to eat in Orland Park, assuming you get in before the madhouse rush descends upon the place. It is relatively easy to get seated without reservation before 6 PM. Furthermore, they take reservations, which some of the other more heavily hounded restaurants in Orland Park do not offer.
(4)
Rachel K.
I loved the atmosphere here...great for a family to come and relax, talk and be a little loud without it being a problem. Nice, but not fancy. The decorations may be too much for some people, but I loved it. Fun to check everything out while enjoying a good meal. Our service was great. It was a slow night and we came a little late, so our server did not seem busy and we had everything we needed with perfect timing. We had the calamari which was pretty good. I had the Chicken & Sausage Ziti which I liked ok, but honestly felt it was a little bland. It could have used a little kick to it...maybe some more of the sausage too. We also had the Chicken Marsala which was tasty - I would definitely order it again. We followed it up with a huge piece of Tiramisu. I have had better, but it was good. I really liked this place and was hoping to give it a better rating, but the food just didn't meet my expectations even though it was good and well presented. I will give it another shot, but wasn't overly impressed.
(3)
Vanessa L.
I'm probably going to be a bit bias since Buca is my favorite restaurant. Pasta here is delicious. The garlic break with mozzarella cheese is good, but it used to be better when it wasn't all cut up for you already. The salad is very good. Bruschetta is ok. The pizza is pretty good. The spicy sausage pasta is good along with the spicy shrimp one. Mmmm. My favorite out of everything has to be the spaghetti with marinara. yummy. One time I didn't even think we waited that long and they apologized and gave us a free desert. Nice and friendly staff. Chicken Parmesan is good also but you might want to take some tums after eating it. Overall of course one of the best.
(5)
Michelle H.
Amusing to say the least. Located behind Orland Square mall, this restaurant specializes in large quantities of family style Italian food. The food is a step above other chain Italian restaurants, and the Bruchetta and Calamari are very tasty. But the most redeeming aspect of this place is the Pope room. I am not totally clear on why this is so well sought after, but it is a special table set out of the main flow of the restaurant. It is full of Pope memorabilia, and the "Pope" chair is almost like a throne. And in the middle of the table is a Pope head encased in glass (Sacrilegious yes, but morbidly amusing even more so.) They also have a special table that is located directly in the kitchen of the restaurant. The service here is great, and if you go there for your birthday, you get a free desert ( Get the Triramisu- you won't be let down.)
(4)
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Address :Place Mall Shopping Ctr,15350 South 94th Ave
Orland Park, IL, 60462
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : Yes Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Private Lot Bike Parking : Yes Wheelchair Accessible : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Casual Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes 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.
Chelsea E.
The Orland Park location catered my birthday celebration. I was very pleased with the entire experience starting with the staff that assisted with the order to the delivery guy. The food was FANTASTIC! Thanks for making my birthday dinner a success. Referrals are in order :-)
(5)Deb V.
If you like real authentic Italian food, don't go here. Chicken Marsala was sickly sweet, as was the Lasagna. Apple Walnut Gorgonzola salad was okay, although overly dressed. That said, our server was fantastic. Too bad that good service can't overcome bad food. I won't be back.
(1)Justin S.
Wonderful place! Great food, service, and atmosphere. Was here for a birthday party, and it was just that good. Definitely need to return here.
(4)Maricruz N.
The food is amazing. All the pastas I have tried have not disappointed. The sangria is great too. If you're looking for Italian food in the area, this is the place.
(5)Alisa M.
I've only ordered to go from here but the service is very good. The portions are huge. Their small feeds at least 2 people. We ordered the spicy chicken rigatoni and I thought that it was prepared well. I would have preferred a little more sauce, but I can ask for that in the future. For the salad, we tried the apple gargonzola --- The pecans tasted a little funny and the mixed lettuce was a bit more on the bitter side. All in all, I haven't had a pasta dish from here that was a disappointment. The food 3 stars, the service brought up the rating to 4 stars.
(4)Edwin H.
Amazing food and Donna gave amazing service. This place ricks great food great atmosphere. I love Bucca we even at at the one in Anaheim California. Baked ziti is amazing gorgonzola apple Saks us so yummy n their chicken Limon is great. Family oriented place and I love this place the servings are HUGEEEEEEEE ASK FOR DONNA OR DESI IF YOU WANT GREAT SERVICE. THE WHOLE PLACE IS GREAT......
(5)A H.
Thoroughly disappointed this time we went there. Ordered one chopped antipasto salad and the whole dish was soggy with wilted, brown lettuce and mushy cucumbers and tomatoes. Tasted and felt like it was made the day before. This was rectified by bringing us a new salad of a different kind that had far too much dressing, but was much crisper and fresh tasting. The bread basket bread was cold and tasted like it was recently defrosted. We were starving so we ate it anyway. Baked ziti was ok (tough to determine if it was fresh since it's baked with cheese on it), as was the second pasta we had (one of the new ones-which didn't have a good flavor, but that was just us not liking it. May be someone else's cup of tea). Server was great, but overall truly disappointed in the quality of food. Disappointed as well in the menu changes. We had one of the new spicy chicken rigatoni pastas and it did not taste very good. If we return, maybe we'll just stick to take out...we'll see...
(2)Robert S.
Amazing food. Great service Make sure you get a reservation in advance Try the Alfredo
(5)Jay Ef Jai ..
I ordered the Veal Parmigiana. It was not seasoned, very bland for italian food. The spaghetti wasn't that great either, in a watery mariana sauce. And as I read the reviews here, I am NOT the only one that feels the way I do in regards to their food. Finally the calamari was very small and over fried. The T-Day meal seems ok, but can't you get what you specialize in right??? I won't go back. I'll stick with Maggiano's. (I think even Olive Garden is better than Buca)
(1)Susan L.
Follow up review. Mike, the general manager called me, and seemed very genuinely concerned about our experience. He was very apologetic and polite. He wanted very much to make up for our "not-so-great" experience, which I politely declined, because it's not about getting something for free, but I appreciate his willingness to do so. Thank you Mike for addressing this issue and trying to make it right. All the best to you.
(5)Bob S.
Server had an attitude. Not helpful at all. Dinner, just ok. Wine $10.00 a glass for nothing special. Ordered veal parmigiana. So for $27.00 you get 3 very thin pieces of veal with sauce and cheese. That's it. No salad, no side pasta, they don't even refill the bread when it's empty. And 4 people to share one small saucer of olive oil for the bread? Way too many better places to eat than here.
(1)Taffy G.
Meh.... There were 12 in our party. They gave us one loooong table, instead of 2 6 tops Very hard to communicate with our group. I asked 3 different servers for a gluten free menu. .. I finally got up and went to the kitchen, and I had to ask for it myself. . There was a table of 12 in the same as we were, tha t were getting ready to leave when we arrived, so I don't know what the deal was.. I ordered the GF chicken limone. While it was good, I got 3 flat pcs of chicken. . No soup, no salad, no potatoes, no veggies.. Nothing else came with it. . $19.00!!?? Absolutely a rip off..they could throw in a side of GF pasta. Noodles are cheap. This place isn't. Our server told us we can't use more than one coupon per table, and no separate checks... What an inconvenience.
(2)Claudia P.
The discount coupons are misleading. Yes, alcohol is usually not included, but that means you cannot just order alcohol at the bar. All other local places honor these types of coupons. So beware of their discounts. The food is good, but the bread is not great for an Italian place. The Buca wine is good. Be sure to note that the meatballs are 1/2 pound each. Overall, ho to Gattos in Tinley.
(2)Karen B.
Good food, large portions. We had the Chicken Parmesan, Fettuccini Alfredo and Spaghetti Marinara, all of which were delicious. We left in a satisfied food coma. :)
(4)Matt O.
I came to buca with a fairly large group(there were 11 of us) and I was the only one who had been to a buca before(never this location though). While we were there we had the pleasure of dealing with a manager named Matt. He was AWESOME!!!! He helped us out with all of our questions(what's in the food, how many people certain dishes would serve, etc.) and made sure everyone enjoyed themselves. Our whole group was raving about how great it was and I think it was mostly because of Matt making our experience more enjoyable! Will definitely return to this book because of this experience!!
(5)Annie D.
I love everything I've had here. It is a favorite for date night too! Everything is family style and it's fun to share and get a taste of everything.
(5)Allison K.
New Year's Eve, one of the busiest holidays of the year and being understaffed, the service was lousy. From the hostess who didn't have the mostest to the waitress who barely paid any attention to our table as we were not drinking alcohol and to the "manager" who really didn't seem like he cared. We waited an hour for food, which our waitress continued to apologize for the lack of speed in the kitchen. Funny, all the tables around us who ordered after us got their food first. Makes logical sense. She was too busy attending to the tables who were buying alcohol. It was not until we brought it to the mangers attention that our food came out and it was warm. You think it would be extremely hot, no? But you can bet she was quick with the check. If it was up to me, she won't have gotten a tip. This place has gone down the drain and this is why I go to Maggiano's. It's real Italian food with excellent service. I will never be back to Buca's.
(1)Ana F.
Great food!! Excellent service! This weekend was our first time there and we're definitely going back!
(5)Angela P.
I've attended two events at Buca de Beppo locations. The food was okay, and the service was very good. The waitresses kept the beverages and bread flowing. More sangria? Yes, please! I like the family style option for events here. We had the ravioli, penne with pesto and lemon chicken with capers. The pasta was okay, it's anything I could have made at home. But the lemon chicken was very good, I ate two pieces. The two ladies who organized the event did a wonderful job, but I can't review my friend's mom! So here's what's up with Buca: One thing about Buca's locations that drives me bonkers is the decor. There isn't an empty inch on the wall. The walls, painted red and green, have pictures/posters/photographs/artwork plastered all over the place. It's distracting and claustrophobic. I know that red, green, and white are the colors of the Italian flag, but I feel more like I'm taking a color blindness test at the optometrist than getting a taste of Italy. The lighting in the event room was poor. Some areas of the room cast poor lighting or shadows on people's faces. Some of my photos turned out bad, like people with glowing eyes. I want to say this place is great for events, especially for a family style menu, but the lighting and that "crammed in grandma's attic" feeling I'd have to go elsewhere.
(3)Kelsey H.
This place is great for a group and for families with children. They give you a little tour and there's lots of fun things on the walls. Some of the stuff might not be fun if your kid points them (naked statues, etc) but I don't have kids, so what do I know! Everything is served "family-style" so you can order a small or large portion of everything. The waitstaff is great about letting you know if they think you're ordering too little to feed your party. They bring bread to the tables and fill a dish with olive oil (my one complaint is that they don't leave the bottle with you). My family usually orders calamari or cheese bread and either the antipasto salad or the apple walnut salad. Both are great! For dinners we have tried many items. Standing out is the chicken Marsala (OMG), the pasta sampler thing (comes with 3-4 different pasta items) and the gnocchi. For sides the mashed potatoes are heavenly. You can't go wrong with any of the desserts but my fave is the cannoli! The only disappointment I've had was with their pizza. I've ordered it twice and it just didn't stand out. It was also a little soggy.
(4)Mary M.
Made reservations well over a week in advance and informed the staff that we had a birthday in our party. We were called the day before to confirm and again stated that we had a birthday in the party. When we arrived we had to wait for our table in the lobby, which was so cold we could see our breath. When we finally got seated, we got stuck in a dark corner that was so cold I couldn't remove my winter coat. Is that what you do with reservations? Cobwebs abound. As we waited to be greeted (about 15 minutes) I could see the two servers in our section arguing about who had to serve us. When they finally decided, the server we got seemed a bit abrasive and she really didn't take any time with us. Every time she approached our table it seemed like an afterthought. Guess it's easy to forget the ones stuck in the corner. Food runners were walking around the dining room yelling out food orders like they were up for auction. The food was not as good as it used to be, and the birthday was never acknowledged. Overall, none of our expectations were met. Don't go here unless you enjoy mediocre food and service.
(1)Vince S.
This is our second time here and man disappointed twice!! We had the chicken parmigiana this time. The quality just wasn't there. The rosemary potatoes were dry. It placed me in the mind of our kids when they were learning how to cook. The smell coming from the carpet runners added to the disappointment. Glad we had a coupon but unfortunately we won't be back and that is too bad.
(1)Tina R.
We liked the decorative atmosphere and the service was very good. We will go back again.
(5)Riley S.
I love the food here so it killed me to give it just one star but I had to draw attention to the decline of this restaurant, the management and staff. Do not go here on weekends after 4pm, you'll never get seated. Overall seating in the different dining areas was dirty - sticky tables, chairs and booths. Dust on the pictures throughout. Crowded vestibule wait area, irritating especially if you're picking up food. Staff doesn't seem to care to upsell food or drinks, we actually had a wait staff person tell us they didn't like Italian food. No suggestions of wine with our dinners, basic elements of service are lacking here and have been on a steady decline for the past year or so. We've shared our concerns in the past, I think it's time to take this one out of the old stand by rotation. In desperate need of some tlc , a major remodel and housecleaning - staff too.
(1)Paul F.
When they first opened they were good.Not so much anymore.The calamari was AWFUL!! Over cooked and greasy. Won't be going back. I will stick with Rosebud for good italian food
(1)Amy P.
Buca di beppos is a family style restaurant so portions are quite large. I dined with my fiancé and my son who is 7. We were seated quickly and then promptly greeted by a friendly waitress (Amy). We ordered our drinks and she was great with my son. We received our drinks and she brought us fresh warm bread, butter and olive oil for dipping. We selected the small chicken & sausage ziti (20.99) and small spaghetti with meatballs (19.99) as our entrees. My son chose the pepperoni pizza (4.99) from the children's menu. We snacked on the delicious bread while waiting on our entrees. Amy came to check on us and brought refills without being asked. All of the food was great! We really enjoyed our meal. The only complaint I had was we couldn't find any chicken in the ziti. Overall a terrific dining experience, we'll definitely be back.
(4)Lisa L.
We went here with a group of 10 people. Made reservations first for an off time 11:15 am. Service was pretty good that's the reason for 2 stars . The oil il for dipping was the worst I ever had. We ordered the shrimp fra diavola, penne ala vodka, fettuccini alfredo in the buca size. I can honestly say I was very disappointed as this restaurant recommended by several people. I tried to be open minded but everything was bland. Portions were decent. Any leftovers we had no one wanted to take home. Wished it was better as good as Maggiano's but not even close. We have never been back since as it was over $200 for the bill
(2)Danielle C.
I think they are over priced. We ordered a small size manicotti, the waitress said it would feed 2 to 4 people. There were 4 manicotti on the plate. We each had two and were still hungry. The flavor was ok, nothing to brag about. Our waitress was missing for about 15 minutes, we were waiting for our check. For my first time being here I was not impressed. I probably will not return.
(1)Joseph B.
It was Mother's Day, the day of my daughter"s college graduation and my birthday and we made the mistake of making reservations at Buca Di Beppo. We had a party of 11 and me in a wheel. Warning This establishment is not wheelchair friendly. From the poorly positioned entry doors which made it difficult to advance to the narrow hallways and passages. The killer is that we had to go through the kitchen to get to my seat because another wheelchair bound person was blocking the entry way into the dinning room. To make matters worse the waitress forgot to bring or check that we had our food while half of our table ate! The only reason why I rate them a star is that they comp us the meal and a brownie sundae.
(1)Tina N.
Family visit for a birthday dinner. We made reservations and were sat right away but I would say that was the best part of the meal. Unfortunately, the service was not terrific and the food was just okay. This was my first visit here & I will not go out of my way to return.
(2)Mike R.
Went with a party of 8 for New Year's Eve. The food was delicious, the Shrimp Diavlo was quite spicy, the rigatoni and sausage excellent as was the stuffed chicken. We had a cannoli for dessert which also was excellent. The wait staff was very accommodating and did not rush us even though we were the last to leave at 11:15PM to continue our celebration at a house party. Kudos for the accommodating staff!
(4)Torrie S.
It's okay if you're in the area, nothing to rush out for. The chicken marsala...very disappointed it's SWEET and sticky not a hint of the marsala wine!
(1)Emily R.
First, I want to say that the portions are FAMILY STYLE, therefore, of course they are going to be too big for one person. You are supposed to share. I love this idea because you can have a little bit of everything. However, this isn't the BEST Italian food I've had. The cannoli is very good, but the pasta sauce is a little watery. The staff was all right and made us feel comfortable while we waited to be seated. The ambiance is a little corny, but all in all created an intimate feel. I'd go back.
(4)Linda N.
Pricey, but great service & great food. Bruschetta is awesome. Chicken Parmesan is good. Prosciutto stuffed chicken was excellent. I would go again.. But not any time soon. It's too expensive. $70-80 for 2 ppl (1 appetizer, 2 entree, 1 drink, 1 desert).
(4)Nicole L.
I went to this place with my grandfather for lunch. We had the small lunch portions so I have not experienced the family style dining. I actually thought the lunch portion was kind of small. My grandfather really enjoyed his dish. I got the lemon chicken (one of my favorite dishes) and it was good. It wasn't incredible but it was worth the lunch price. The staff was also very friendly.
(4)Christine F.
We had a reservation for 7:30 and were seated promptly. Waiter was very pleasant and food was plentiful, hot and delicious. Great place to bring a large group. Would definitely return.
(4)Stephanie D.
I was very disappointed. I remember coming here years ago and the food was amazing. They've changed the menu though, got rid of the garlic mashed potatoes and our "reservation" simply meant we were seated 2 minutes before a couple who came in without a reservation. (That's not an exaggeration, they were seated next to us). Very disappointed and probably won't come back.
(1)Sarah E.
I came here because I heard about the great size portions and I was hungry. I could have made more food in my house for cheaper. Everything was al la carte here. The food was not bad but nothing special. The prices need to be lowered and I expect bigger size portions.
(2)Kelly M.
What happened to this place? It used to be fun and a great place to go for dinner. Now, not so much. My husband and I went here last night for New Years Eve, and the service was terrible. We made a reservation for 6:30pm, and got seated fairly quickly. After that, we ordered our food and a few drinks. We got the salad and some bread, but sat there waiting over an hour and a half for our entrees. We did not receive our dinner until well after 8pm after being told by our waiter that "Sorry, your order should be coming up soon...." Granted, it was not his fault by any means, but please don't tell us that it will be coming up soon after we had been sitting there for some time. Extremely disorganized for a holiday Eve and not very apologetic. Finally a manager came over to apologize, but we still paid a decent price for mediocre food. We finally got tired of waiting and told them to bag up our food to go. When we got home, my order was wrong, and it was not a very pleasant meal at all. I think we are going to steer clear from this place for awhile and I would advise not going here on a "busy" night. We were also not the only people complaining about the service. I understand there may have been other reasons as to the problems, short staff, etc., but please don't leave patrons sitting there for over an hour and half with no food. It was one of the worst restaurant experiences I have had in a long time. Epic Fail.
(1)Joey D.
We made reservations for 6:15pm, and arrived at 6pm - we sat down and waited and were seated at pretty much 6:15pm. Staff was friendly and helpful, but our waitress did not seem to understand or know what they offered in the local beverage department. The menu said they had local and seasoning beers, but she listed off Bud Light and Coors when asked. Food portions are HUGE - so beware when ordering. I think a small would feed 2-3 people easily. We had a ton of leftovers. All the food was great - the real standout to me was the apple gorganzola salad. Little pricey, but worth a stop every once in awhile.
(4)Mateusz K.
This is reasonably priced family restaurant. The trick is to get shared meal which is still plentiful and encouraged by waiters. Food is good overall and place although always packed will accommodate you reasonably fast. Prereserve and you're OK.
(4)Trent C.
This place is your typical Buca Di Beppo. Large portions of Italian food at a good price. Salad and spaghetti are probably the best things on the menu. Service is always pretty good and food is fresh. Expect to take some home with you if you aren't a big eater. Can get busy for dinner.
(3)D M.
Aside from the place being crowded and noisy at dinner time, I like this place a lot. The only time I really go here is for family gatherings because it's really made for at least a group of 4 people. The servings are pretty big and you do pay for what you get. I'm not saying it's over priced... just over priced if you're only going to have two or three people (though, you could take leftovers home if you wanted). Overall, the food is good. It is a chain. It's not top notch Italian food. But, it is good. I have no problem going here if I have a group and want some family style Italian food.
(4)Jo G.
This place seems to be fairly busy, so if you're going with a group larger than 4 make sure to have reservations. Restaurant is VERY cramped & crowded. Not very much room between tables. As someone has already stated in their review, not handicap friendly at all. There were 8 of us in our party and we were placed at two tables combined which would normally be good for 6. A bit pricey for a chain restaurant. All food is a la carte, in large portions - small (food for 2 or 3) or large (4 or 5). A la carte would be fine if they had decent dishes to order along with the entree. Chicken Saltimbocca is just that - a chicken dish, no pasta or vegetables. Typically you would have a pasta or potato with it, but all there is are additional entres with more meat in them, Alfredo, or rosemary potatoes. For veg there is broccoli or beans. It would be nice to have a simple angel hair pasta with a bit of butter or olive oil and garlic. Something simple to eat along with the main dish. As for main dishes all 8 of us ordered one. There's plenty of food in all of them. Chicken was a bit overdone in all of the dishes that had it. Lemon Chicken was VERY similar to Chcken Saltimbocca but the Saltimboca had more to it. With nothing to eat the sauces with (ie plain pasta) it was a bit more disappointing. Bruschetta was good, calamari was excellent and very large portioned but a bit spicy. Service was pretty good, even if our waiter was a bit arrogant. If you asked for something, he wouldn't acknowledge he heard you, and just disappeared, he heard everything though and came back quickly. Drinks are VERY watered down. There no way I could drink 5 top shelf vodka/7's and not even be buzzed. And for what they charge, it's ridiculous the drinks aren't decent.
(2)Marjorie F.
This is still a place where a group of long time friends, who love to laugh out loud (VERY loud), can enjoy good food and cocktails. We started with drinks in the bar area which was packed on a Saturday night. My friends who ordered the sangria sang its praises as they happily sucked it down. For dinner, we started with the fried calamari and bruschetta. This disappeared in a matter of 10 minutes. I guess we were hungry! The salad with green apples, pecans, cranberries and bleu cheese was tasty although on the sour side. I was expecting something sweeter. We ordered a few pasta dishes and a couple of meat dish for our main entrees. The butternut squash ravioli was sweet and savory (note to self: order again). The classic spaghetti and meatballs did not disappoint. Veal parmesan and braised brisket were tender and tasty. Finally, the fruitti de mare put our bellies over the edge. Crazy but true, I did not have the room, nor the energy to consume any dessert. Unbelievable, eh? A special thank you to our young server who had a great sense of humor and was not intimidated by this rowdy group of orthopaedic surgical nurses. Great job... :) We will definitely be back. Look out!
(4)Natalie F.
Well I have been to this restaurant at a few different locations. I say the food is pretty good and they def give enough portions. It is a great place for groups but I would say it is too much food for just two people. UNLESS you go straight home with your leftovers because you will have some. Friendly work staff and I like how when you are brought to your table you get to pass through the kitchen. Kind of cool. They even have a booth in the kitchen for dining. All in all good experiences here. :)
(3)Rose D.
When will restaurants learn that bigger portions doesn't equal better portions? The only reason I was here was for book club (every 3rd meeting is in a restaurant), as I've been here before and was not impressed. Things have not improved with time. In addiiton to having the blandest Italian food outside an Olive Garden, the portions are more than one person can eat -- even the small serving. Why not just lower the prices and give the food some flavor? The antipasto salad I had was basically a bag of romaine lettuce topped with 2 pepperocini, 4 black olives, a couple of clumps of some flavorless sausage and a couple small hunks of a nondescript cheese. I asked for the dressing to be served on the side and was brought a small soup bowl filled with a fairly flavorless vinagerette. The only reason I gave this place 2 stars is that the cabernet sauvignon was wonderful. They do have a fairly decent wine selection. There are a few good Italian restaurants in the south suburbs -- this is not one of them.
(2)Critical Eater A.
Been to Buca Di Beppo four times- once each in a group, by myself for lunch and twice with another person. Each dinning experience has been different. Group dinning was good. Ordered a pre-selected menu which turned out very well. Apple Gorgonzola salad was a big hit along with the Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. In a party of 10 the bill was around 200.00 which is very good considering if we ordered Al a cart. Service was good and they made sure we had enough food and our drinks were filled constantly. Lunch by myself was another monster. Service was bad, waitress was inattentive and disappeared for over 20 mins. Another server dropped my food off and never said 2 words to me or asked how it was. Salad was ok. Chicken Parmigiana was a NIGHTMARE! First bite I thought the food was not cooked but couldn't see the color of the meat from the dim lighting. Sliced into center of meat... RAW! Outside cooked fine, but inside the chicken looked like pink smashed jello. Needless to say after getting someone to fetch my server I sent it back after telling her 3 times that it was raw. Chef came out and said it was underdone, which was an understatement. After having him admit that it was raw he offered to make something else. I declined and went home. Dinner dates were good. Server Kent did a pretty good job. Food came out timely. Mixed Green Salad was pretty good. Chicken with Penna pasta, cream sauce, artichokes, peas and sun dried tomatoes was a little lacking in the flavor department. Chicken tasted boiled and flavorless, sauce was bland... but some how the artichokes and tomatoes made it bearable. I would recommend to STAY AWAY AT LUNCH, Go and enjoy dinner, and consider it as an option for a large group dinning experience.
(2)Stacey V.
Food was great, server was meh. Really my daughter is not an it, once you learn that kids are one of the reasons that we return to a restaurant you might make better tips. They take a picture of you and then try to sell it to you, not such a great thing when I have to wait an additional 10 mins to get my check.
(4)Danielle B.
The Shrimp Diablo was a bit spicy but the taste was GREAT!
(5)Sarah R.
Decided to check out this place with the parents. I got the veggie pizza it was good. My parents got sick from the Lemon Chicken do not eat it!! Not to many people were eating in this place pretty dead.
(1)Traycee C.
After having a less than par issue at Valentine's Day, the GM Stephanie, was able to bring us in for an opportunity to redeem themselves...so glad she was such a pleasant manager to deal with because we went in for Mother's Day dinner and it was exceptional! Great food, great service and great ambiance! I actually feel so bad that I do not remember our servers name (we sat in the bar area) as he deserves so much for all he had going on this super busy holiday....we will be going back again for Father's Day and cannot wait! Thank You Stephanie for being such a GREAT GM and persuading us to return! The reason for only 4 stars is because we were originally seated at a table that was literally up against a wall and we had to climb on our chairs to get into the seats...and there was something hanging on the wall behind my head that had drapery on it and it was literally resting on my head so I had to lean forward to avoid hitting my head :( when we asked the assigned waitress to reseat us, she was visibly quite upset about it. Once we were reseated, the new server made us so happy, we forgot about the first seating ;)
(4)Steven M.
We started with the chopped antipasto salad. It was good, but a bit bland. I had the braised beef ravioli and my bud had the veal parm. The ravs were good as well. They gave you plenty and lots of sauce. I scanned the menu twice to make sure about the raspberry cream soda that I ordered. It was under the soda column and did not say anything about no refills. But when I got the check it was on there twice. One star off for not clairifing. One more off for having the picture look awsome and the actual plate I got was a mess.
(3)Erin L.
Hallelujah! My husbands' family decided to leave their staple of Red Lobster and try something new! No one in our party had been here before and we were pleasantly surprised by the delicious food, fantastic service and cute quirky decor. We were seated in the Pope Room, which was a bit ironic and a little on the creepy side. There was a huge pope head in the middle of the table. The food was delicious and our drinks were always filled. The manager even stopped by to check in on us and give us coupons to come back again. We were surprised to get a bill under $200 to feed 8 people with appetizers, entree and dessert! I think we found our new staple dinner restaurant!
(4)Denise J.
I had been wanting to try Buca Di Beppo for a long time and was excited when friends picked it for a Saturday night out. We had an appointment for 7:30 and I would HIGHLY recommend making an appointment for this place. The walk in wait was an hour and a half! While we were waiting for our table they hostess gave us some of the cheesy garlic bread to sample, I thought that was really nice of her. When we were seated we had already looked at the menu. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms, these were probably the best stuffed mushrooms I have ever had. They were not just stuffed with breading, these had cheese, pesto cream sauce and proshiutto. We also ordered the chopped antipesto salad, I did not have any of this but my friends all said how amazing it was. As our Entree we ordered the chicken glorioso. The chicken had white wine and an alfredo sauce with sun-dried tamatoes. The chicken had a really good flavor without being heavy in the alfredo sauce, which I liked. As our pasta we ordered Penne Arrabbiata, this by far was my favorite part of the dinner. the italian sausage in it had just the right amount of spice and the sauce on it had crushed red peppers. I would say if you do not like spicy food this is not for you. My one friend is iffy on it and thought it was way to spicy. There were four people in our party and we still had left overs to take home with ordering the small of each size. They really load you up with food, amazing food at that. Cant wait to go back and try something else. **If you sign up for their e-mail club you get a free appitizer or bread on your next visit.
(5)Zach M.
Comedically bad. I'll withold my snobby comparison to city restaurants, but this is what I get for not planning ahead for a Saturday dinner in the burbs. There were warning signs from the moment we walked in. Pissed off people leaving, managers running around in a frenzy, hostess ignoring us, a jam packed waiting area. The optimist in me chose to ignore these potential issues. One table near us was livid, freaking out, because of how rude their server was to them. Our server, Tim, started off by telling us all of his other tables hated him. This will end well. Food came out fine. But Tim was such a smart ass with a bad attitude, spilling stuff, asking for us to pile and hand him plates, that the food didn't matter. Top it off with a hassle and a fight when we tried to use a Yelp coupon on an iPhone, where they desperately fought us saying the coupon was "missing a code", that now they went from bad to just plain pathetic. They outright refused to try to use it, we called a manager who just looked confused, and said he had no idea what to do because it was missing this code. After rounds and rounds of BS, good ole Tim threw the check at us and continued his smart assery as we were trying to pay and take leftovers. I have never ran from a restaurant faster in my life. If you find yourself without a reservation on a Saturday night in Orland, do yourself a favor and eat a few dirty needles wrapped in poopy diapers and you'd still be coming out ahead as opposed to dealing with this place.
(1)Dakota B.
One and a stars at best. My kid graduated eigth grade. The graduation started at 7pm. The kid loves italian and we would have headed downtown normally, but with such a late starting ceremony (weekday) I figured we would never make it downtown before things closed. To be on the safe side, I made reservations for this sad, bizarre place. My first cue to abandon the reservation should have been the lack of patrons. Its prom/graduation season. My kids school is local...relatively. Yet when we arrived we were the only ones there. At a restaurant 15 minutes from a graduation ceremony with almost 400 graduates? Not one other family chose this place for their celebratory dinner. We were seated in the Pope room. It has seen better days. Essentially its a bunch of tacky stuff related to the Pope. Think cheezy 3D pics, hologram pics and a kinda creepy statue of his head. It really needed a good dusting and the plastic case containing the statue was clean, but clearly smeared with...something. the case was foggy and hazy. There were 15 in our party. We ordered 5 large dishes and one small dish. We also ordered one salad. Huge huge rip off. Essentially this is the problem. Yes. The large PASTA dishes feed 4-6. However, the meat/veggies in the pasta are portioned for a single portion. So a chicken and pasta dish is probably one sliced chicken breast dispersed through a ginormous dish. The meat dishes are a joke. For 30.00 we got 5 chicken parm pieces, no pasta. We ended up only having a small piece of chicken breast each. The pasta dishes are extremely bland and in need of salt. The lasagna was sour and tangy. The pasta bowls were completely devoid of sauce towards the bottom but the waitress informed us that the kitchen was closed. No extra sauce for us. Soooo....for 267.00 we ate ice burg lettuce (nowhere near enough salad fixins to go around), unsauced cooked pasta(no sauce at all most of it) and a one inch strip of chicken breast. Wow. Very expensive lesson on mine and my husbands part. Learn from our mistake.
(1)Patrice G.
Unfortunately, tonight was one more reason that we will be retiring Bucca from our rotation. It's just too inconsistent for the money you spend. When they are on their game, it's delicious. But again, tonight, the food and service was very subpar. The normally scrumptious antipasto salad was watery and missing a lot if the yummy ingredients. The entrees were not hot, but warm. Too many other great Italian restaurants out there.
(2)Renee T.
Great Food!! Amazing service and atmosphere! Be prepared to take home leftovers!
(4)Julie O.
Buca Orland is always consistent. The menu if pretty friendly for fussy eaters and the portions are almost always huge, We have had a few parties here and they always do a good job. It is fun to call ahead and get a reservation for the kitchen table on a weekend. Food is served hot and we almost always have some take home. The garlic bread is real garlicky and the chocolate cake dessert is decadent. I have used Buca to Go, it is quite convenient and the carryout server and my dog seems to dog each other, so that is a plus.
(4)Guy C.
Absolutely the worst family dining experience we have ever had. Had reservations for 6:00PM for 7 people, Waited till 6:30 to be seated. Not because there were people still sitting where we were to be seated, but because the table couldn't be cleaned for over 30min! Chrissy our server seemed uninterested in our party, As we were not attended to at all. The table of 6 seated behind us arrived 10 minutes after us, ordered 10min after us and got their food before us, they had some sort of gaff with their order, and half of our dinner was seemingly forgotten. Only to arrive 10 more minutes after asking Chrissy about it. And to add insult to injury. The table with the gaff next to us, received comp'ed dessert and the portion of their meal that was late. We did nit even receive an apology.. Fail! Also the table next to us that was emptied 5 minutes after we left remained filthy and un-bussed the entire time we dining. Fail #2!
(1)Michael M.
Arrival at this location allows for a charming set of decor as you walk in. A bit of a drift into a Martin Scorsese knock off film. Photographs of Italian families adorn the walls. The owners feel that playing stereotypical Italian music is the way to offer their patrons a "classic Italian" feel. This Italian-American reviewer finds it pretentious but typical. The organization of the greeting staff leaves something to be desired. It appears as if my party arrived during a shift change. The staff appeared confused to say the least. I found the female staff member who was putting on her tie in public rather amusing. Donna, our waitress was a breath of fresh air! Polite, knowledgeable, and eager! Just how waiting staff should be! The thing to know about this location...FAMILY STYLE PORTIONS! We had the Ceasar salad and Shrimp Diablo! It was fantastic! But that isn't the secret of the place.... ...Order the chocolate cake!!!!! I'm not what you would call a chocolate lover, but WOW is this FANTASTIC! Final conclusion: For the reasonable price, outstanding service and wonderful food, I'll deal with the textbook concept of what Americans think Italian dining should be! Overall, worthy dining experience!
(4)Patrick J.
Authentic home cooked Italian food!!
(5)Alison V.
I haven't been to Buca in years. Had a great lunch yesterday, eggplant parm with spaghetti on the side. The sauce is chunky with tomatoes. The portion size was huge for a single lunch-sized serving. The service by Kelly was phenomenal. Tip: go at the end of lunch/beginning of dinner and it will be quiet and relaxing. Other times of the day can be very energetic (loud).
(4)Cerene P.
One of my favorite spots!! The food is very authentic and fresh. They serve large portions so that you can share with each other. But what i love most about this place is that they love garlic just as much as i do :) We started off with some Bruschetta, the best i've ever had, heavy on the garlic, bread and tomatoes cooked perfectly. It was at least 6 of us so we had a lot of food, eggplant parm, lasgna, chicken carbonara, some type of sea food dish. We had all kinds of stuff and no complaints! My sister however isn't a fan of garlic so she vows never to return, that's her loss :)
(4)Baroness D.
My boyfriend and I went to this Buca di Beppo location last year for lunch, since he lives in Orland, and I didn't want to take him out of his wonderful suburb so we can have lunch at somewhere we've never dined at before. Would've made me feel bad. I'm glad we ate here, even though I didn't have the money to tip the waitress (I forgot all about tipping a waitress, and I felt sooooo bad about that-and still do as a matter of fact). We ate pepperoni pizza which was nice and hot and delicious, and square instead of triangular. We had chocolate chip cannoli to share, which was sprinkled with chocolate sauce, and was delicious. I ordered a bowl of minestrone soup and we both ate sourdough bread rolls. And both dishes were freakin' delicious! Lol. The restrooms were clean and customer service was outstanding. I'd really recommend this place for anyone interested in dining at a well-known Italian restaurant. The music played on the restaurant's sound system was like 40s and 50s Italian pop music such as Dean Martin songs, which I thought was very sweet. Many photographs were on the walls of people and objects I don't know and unfortunately, never got to know. There is also a statue in this place, before you arrive at the restrooms, that, if you look at him, at his crotch rather, he has a spout shooting out water constantly, all day and all night. When my boyfriend saw that, he couldn't help but find it as funny as something on Comedy Central. I didn't know anything about it until he told me about it, and after I exited the restroom, I finally saw it, and I was like "What the?!" Nice for someone to look at after they ate. I have a strong stomach, so it didn't bother me, but my concerns were, and still are, for those with sensitive stomachs. Can they handle watching a simulated urination after eating a very scrumptious meal? LMAO.
(5)G C.
Overall good food and service. Recommend the - Chopped Antipasto Salad, Ov en-Roasted Salmon and the Linguine Frutti di Mare.
(4)Barbara I.
Well, I made it all the way out to God's country...my mom flew in from Florida and we drove out to Buca Di Beppo in Orland Park for my mom's cousing's 90th birthday luncheon. Served family style, we had a good salad, delicious spaghetti and enormous meatballs and really delicious lemon chicken. Everything was good, I had seconds on all. I was surprised when we walked in that the host took us thru the kitchen...it was hot and clean. I guess this is part of their service - to show off their kitchen. The best part of this excursion was the service - excellent - 4 star. constant checking on us and immediate response to our requests...It made the luncheon a delight.
(3)Lauren T.
I had went here for a friend's birthday dinner. I had been here before. Then, I ordered the spaghetti and meatballs, it was pretty okay. Not the selection of Italian flavors that I have experienced at other Italian restaurants, but satisfactory. Tonight was one of the worst. We had a group of 8, so we had a reservation at 6:30. I was running late (got pulled over) and got there at 6:45-6:50 and my party was just being seated. We ordered and waited 30-45 minutes for our food. I ordered the Shrimp Florentine. When we got the food, it did not look appetizing. It wasn't. It looked watered down and it was supposed to be in garlic butter SAUCE. It tasted like ramen noodles in yellow water with shrimp and spinach. There were no tomatoes (mind you it said Roma tomatoes in the description) and it was so bland. I tried my friends Chicken Fettucini. The chicken pieces were so small compared to the pasta. I think focus so much on the bigger portions that they don't focus on the flavor. They only got 2 stars because the prices aren't bad (I didn't buy that crap though) and the bread was good (but don't expect herbs in your dipping oil).
(2)M. T.
We dine at this location on a regular basis, and even some occasional carry out. Last night (11/7/2010) was the worst experience I've ever had in any restaurant anywhere. The place was oversold or they took way too many reservations, or perhaps something was going on with the staff, but they really blew it with the wait times. Saturday night without any reservations is risky, but to have to wait over an hour and 45 minutes is absurd. We never got seated, we left. We arrived at 6:30 pm and were told it would be a 50 minute wait. We had an 11 year old with us. The number of parties in front of us changed twice, they told us differing stories. We approached the manager who was not interested in helping our complaint. We took a walk through the restaurant and saw quite a few open tables, but nobody was getting seated. I've dined around the world and only encountered a wait time like this once before. The staff was immature and misjudged the wait times. They put their happy face on and their standard "I'm sorry, have an nice night". So after one hour and 45 minutes, with more parties in front of us we left, and headed to our local favorite: Gatto's. We won't be returning to Buca di Beppo's in Orland again.
(1)K A.
We preordered some food yesterday 2 be picked up today @ 5pm. Very inefficient. There's about 12 people here waiting for orders that were preordered & paid for in advance. We've been waiting for an hour now. Yes, it is busy during the holidays but that's a given...they should've prepared for it.
(1)Emma K.
So, my Husband told me to pick a place to celebrate our 11 yr. Anniversary. We had never been here so I choose Bucca's. I was amazed they wished ua a Happy Anniversary the minute we walked in and told them who we were. The food was AMAZING!!! Ambiance AWESOME. Im a huge fan of Sophia Loren...she was everywhere. I was very very Impressed with this place. I will go back for sure!
(5)S P.
The only reason I gave this place one star is because Yelp doesn't allow zero stars! Buca Di Beppo has really turned for the worse in the last year, horrible food and horrible service. One of the dishes we ordered was Chicken Rigatoni. Well the chicken was "warm" and the pasta was cold. The waitress said they could make the dish again "fresh". No thanks, I don't feel like having my food microwaved and made "fresh". Not even a sorry! After seeing a couple be seated and leave because no one bothered to take there order, I just wanted to get the hell out of there. My waitress? Nowhere to be found. I ended up going to the bar and the bartender took care of the bill instead. Oh and god forbid you want to take your food to go, an extra minute to put the food in the container is going to kill you? AVOID LIKE THE PLAUGE!
(1)Paul S.
The good part. They give large portions and it has a nice ambiance. The rest of it. The tables are very crowded in most sections of the restaurant. The food is decent but nothing special. But - the main reason that I will not return is how they treated my 79 year old mother with arthritis. Although we had 15 of our group of 16 ready to be seated - and the table was ready - they refused to let us sit down. Even after I told them of my mom's poor health they refused to seat us. A very sad statement for any business!!!
(1)Angelique K.
The food was pretty good. The cocktails were weak. My boyfriend and his friend ordered a long island thinking they would get the party started right, it was larger than a pint glass and sparked their excitement. The taste was off, too much Coke and perhaps Triple Sec. I ordered a mint and berry something that was too sweet and syrupy. Save your money and get a nice glass of wine. It was a fairly large party of about 20, I understand it would take a minute for them to get drinks to all of us let alone alcoholic. For some reason we couldn't get a straight answer out of anyone who entered our nook regarding how checks could/couldn't be split up. A simple, "no more than one card per table/check" would do. After we ordered alcohol from our server, a nice older lady, she said that she would, "get us rolling" but was busy with other tables also. Uh...ok. From experience, I would never say that I was too busy to help customers, let alone a large, auto-grat party. We asked if it would be easier just to go to the bar rather than order drinks through her since she was so busy, no answer. After one round of drinks she brought all separate checks. It took a while to get her to hear us calling out to her to order another round. All in all, the food was great and the service was alright. I probably will not be going there and wouldn't bring large parties there since they need to get it together.
(2)Linh L.
I didn't like the way the menus were. The setup was cute. The food was okay. They do not have a lot to choose from. The food is made to share and I'm willing to go back and try it again.
(3)Don M.
I have never been here and finally decided to go. What a great idea. Arrived on a Saturday evening with no reservation and was told about 30-35 minutes the place was packed. The hostess was great she apologized for the long wait but then she got us table in about 15 minutes. After being seated the waitress asked if I had been here before, I said no and she explained the menu and that everything is served family style. Cool, I had the lemon chicken and after the first bite I was not sharing. This is all mine get away. Very delicious the chicken was fresh and lemon was not overpowering. We also had ravioli in meat sauce. I tried the meat sauce and it was equally as good. No leftovers here. This place would be great for groups. The service, atmosphere, set up and the food is right on. I will be back.
(4)Greg L.
This is one of the chains that we love and it is for the quality and consistency. Highly recommend the Antipasta salad which is chock full of salami, peperoni, red onions, gorgonzola cheese, and a wonderful dressing. Entree wise, we really enjoy the Chicken Saltimbocca and the Penne Arriabata (spicy) with a really terrific italian sausage---we usually ask for extra sauce and an additional side order of the sausage since we know there will be leftovers going home. We also love their spaghetti and meatballs and highly recommend it. As a side, we are big fans of the broccoli with garlic and red pepper. Make sure your significant other eats the same or they will not be able to stand you later due to the garlic. It is outstanding though. We are big fans of Italian food, and visit a number of great Italian restaurants in the area and in Chicago, and yet we really like this place. Great for carry outs! They will even bring the food out to your car if the weather is lousy! If you want to try something different, ask for seating at the kitchen table which is a table located in the kitchen. The kids will love it!
(4)Jennifer M.
This place has come along way. Their menu has really expanded the past few years. There food is excellent. I'm not a fan of their ravoli, it's not the tradtional kind (and is too spicy) though I wish they offered the cheese ravioli. When we want Italian take out nearby, this is the place. If you are going to dine in, I highly recommend Buca since their ambiance is super charming (Frank Sinatra music, dimly lit, antiquey decor).
(5)ELLIE M.
Came here yesterday for a B-day party and was really impressed with the service we were seated right away had our own room (The Cardinal Room). The menu was already pre-ordered so we started off with A punch bowl of the Sangria and it was very good. and then are salad , and Bruschetta came out hand I think we devoured that pretty quickly and then the are entrees came out we had the Penne Arrabbiata, Raviolli, And the Lemon Chicken first of all that has to be the best fricken lemon chicken I've ever had. The pastas where very good to. And for Desert we had cheesecake which was fabulous and the double chocolate cake yum. I am definitely going back. Ok I'm updating because I threw my mom's 69th b-day party here and I have to say. I loved it we had about 33 people who attended and everyone was so pleased about the food, service and desserts.
(4)Jef B.
Love this place. We have been here somewhere between 6-10 times. We just love the food. We have always found the serving staff excellent, friendly and well informed. I *wish* there was authentic locally owned Italian food available in greater frequency here in the southlands, but it's just not happening. This may be a chain, but it's one that really nails their cuisine and at an affordable price. And the food is so plentiful! We always end up with leftovers. It's a pretty noisy place so perhaps not the best place to take a group of friends when you want to talk. But this is one of the coolest places to eat in Orland Park, assuming you get in before the madhouse rush descends upon the place. It is relatively easy to get seated without reservation before 6 PM. Furthermore, they take reservations, which some of the other more heavily hounded restaurants in Orland Park do not offer.
(4)Rachel K.
I loved the atmosphere here...great for a family to come and relax, talk and be a little loud without it being a problem. Nice, but not fancy. The decorations may be too much for some people, but I loved it. Fun to check everything out while enjoying a good meal. Our service was great. It was a slow night and we came a little late, so our server did not seem busy and we had everything we needed with perfect timing. We had the calamari which was pretty good. I had the Chicken & Sausage Ziti which I liked ok, but honestly felt it was a little bland. It could have used a little kick to it...maybe some more of the sausage too. We also had the Chicken Marsala which was tasty - I would definitely order it again. We followed it up with a huge piece of Tiramisu. I have had better, but it was good. I really liked this place and was hoping to give it a better rating, but the food just didn't meet my expectations even though it was good and well presented. I will give it another shot, but wasn't overly impressed.
(3)Vanessa L.
I'm probably going to be a bit bias since Buca is my favorite restaurant. Pasta here is delicious. The garlic break with mozzarella cheese is good, but it used to be better when it wasn't all cut up for you already. The salad is very good. Bruschetta is ok. The pizza is pretty good. The spicy sausage pasta is good along with the spicy shrimp one. Mmmm. My favorite out of everything has to be the spaghetti with marinara. yummy. One time I didn't even think we waited that long and they apologized and gave us a free desert. Nice and friendly staff. Chicken Parmesan is good also but you might want to take some tums after eating it. Overall of course one of the best.
(5)Michelle H.
Amusing to say the least. Located behind Orland Square mall, this restaurant specializes in large quantities of family style Italian food. The food is a step above other chain Italian restaurants, and the Bruchetta and Calamari are very tasty. But the most redeeming aspect of this place is the Pope room. I am not totally clear on why this is so well sought after, but it is a special table set out of the main flow of the restaurant. It is full of Pope memorabilia, and the "Pope" chair is almost like a throne. And in the middle of the table is a Pope head encased in glass (Sacrilegious yes, but morbidly amusing even more so.) They also have a special table that is located directly in the kitchen of the restaurant. The service here is great, and if you go there for your birthday, you get a free desert ( Get the Triramisu- you won't be let down.)
(4)