Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant

Had the linguini with calms (small) great service and portions. If you order the large I recommend you have 3 people eating off the serving…

Over priced, food is not that tasty
They do not offer complimentary dessert for birthdays like WTH for the price u pay on the bland food one would think u would get. A dessert. Won’t be returning anytime soon even if it is a special occasion. I just won’t go

If you’ve never been to a Buca Di Beppo, it’s a fun time. Just don’t order too much food. For those of us that have been to a Buca, you know what to expect.
— food is decent.
— generous family style portions.
— service is so-​so.
— it’s kind of loud, but that’s okay. Lots of good times.
— B E E R is cold!
— better to go with 4+ people.

If you are hungry this a place to go. Their small entres are large enough to feed 2 to 4 people and the large portion is good enough for at least 8 people
I like the pasta with the spicy shrimp. We ordered tiramasu it was the size of a large bowel
The one in Pasadena is decorated with a lot of Italian memborillaia.
They take somr complentary pictures. You get a post card free but if you like the pictures you can purchase them
A good place to have special occasion you can signed up to receive special coupons through you email usually they are at least 20% of the meal.

Food is great.
I couldn’t stand the way leftovers are picked up and how the tables get cleaned up. DISGUSTING! Waitress bring to the table a trash bin and toss and clean the plates on it!

HOPA! This Italian restaurant is pretty awesome. The décor is awesome, just as it is with all the other Buca di Beppo’s. The atmosphere is loud and noisy which is great if you have a big party and/​or if you have kids (at least noisy kids, lol). When you are taken to your seat they walk you through the kitchen which is pretty cool cause most restaurants don’t want people seeing their kitchen, which ultimately means that the kitchen needs to stay nice and clean and no messy weird stuff going on. The pictures on the walls are always awesome because if God forbid, you guys don’t really have anything to talk about… well, talk about the nuns driving bumper cars! LOL The service is good (not exceptional, but good). The food has its ups and downs but todays dishes were actually fantastic! The stuffed mushrooms, the bruschetta, the cheese bread, the pasta dishes, everything was seriously tasty! The portions are ginormous, so by the time the actual main dishes come out, you are probably stuffed from the appetizers, but of course you need to take a leap of faith and try to eat the main course and feel sorry for it later in the day when your stomach is telling you that you filled it up just a LITTLE too much…
Overall, this place is a very cool place to go have dinner with friends, celebrate an occasion, etc, but dont come here looking for a romantic dinner. When you come here, look for fun, noise, and lots and lots of carbs that will make you feel fatter than a cow by the time you are done, but all in a good way of course!
Side note — When I come to Bucca, it always reminds me of how old I’m getting cause when I was 19 yrs old, I remember getting a spaghetti plate, which was in an about 9″ round and about 9″ tall bowl full of pasta and marinara sauce, and downing the whole thing. If I try that now, I may need an ambulance… lol
But try it out, I think you would have a good time!

I actually eat here all the time, I just never bothered to review Buca because it’s usually a five star meal. However today we were seated near the bathroom and the smell was horrendous. I couldn’t tell if it was their usual cheese odor or the proximity to the toilets but it kind of made me lose my appetite.
Food and service was still fantastic though, so four stars.

I just ate here with my family for Mother’s Day. The second we walked out the front door, my father realized he needed to use the restroom before the long drive home. However the door had locked behind us so we knocked — there were 2 female employees in the lobby standing a few feet from the door who completely pretended not to hear us. After a minute of knocking, they left the lobby without even a glance at us!
At this point I’m upset because we just spent hundreds of dollars for our party of 9 and all we needed was the restroom for my 63-​year-​old father. The least they could’ve done was turn around and acknowledge they heard us. A couple mins later someone walked by who finally said they were closed hence the locked door; however, we were obviously patrons as we’re all carrying takeout with Buca boxes and bags. We demanded to see a manager and only then did someone finally come to open the door for us.
I’m writing this review because this situation demonstrated their extremely poor customer service. Yes your policy is to lock the doors after business hours (it was 9:20pm) but those 2 employees in the lobby saw that we had JUST walked out, all holding Buca to-​go boxes! And I’m standing there with my entire family, including three 60+ citizens… and you’re going to tell me it was a security issue? My family and I are never eating here again.

Everything was my definition of okay. The food, service, and ambiance.
I came around 3 – 4 pm on a Sunday to check out whether or not I would have my graduation party here. The store manager was really nice and helped showcase which rooms they had to offer. The only thing was that I thought it was kind of cramped and not my ideal setting.
In addition, the food that we ordered was just too much. Everything we ordered seemed to be just thrown together and served. They were right about one thing though. Their portions are definitely at the right amount for the recommended amount. For example, if they say «oh it feeds for 3 – 4 people». Then, it really does mean it feeds for 3 – 4 people. But, they just failed to mention «oh it average tasting food». Just kidding. I’m probably a little too harsh, but it’s definitely very very VERY average, especially considering the fact that it’s right smack in the middle of old town Pasadena… you would think it’d taste better.

Gosh darn the portions are huge
It’s great for huge parties
Or family dinners
A pasta dish feeds like 4 people
Good priced
Not fancy
Chill

3.5 stars. Pricey. Long wait. Service was good. Food’s not bad. This pretty much sums it up.
Waited a good 15−20mins despite having reservation. We decided to go for the chef’s table ‘cuz the dining room/​table we were assign to was crowded with people, seat was dirty and it was rather warm in there. Thought it was interesting to watch the kitchen with ample lighting and air (could feel the A/​C). Then, later on we realize the hostess takes all the customers on a tour through the kitchen. So, we have all these people watching us eat as they walk by in front of us. I felt like a monkey in the zoo. Ok, maybe the chef’s table was a bad choice.
Anyways, moving on. Service was quite good all the way around. We have several people (other than our server) stopped by to check in on us. It was attentive without being too much. (Sometimes when it’s not much, it gets annoying).
Food was good. Complimentary bread was soft. Got the Chopped antipasto salad. Liked that one. It was tasty and refreshing. Had the Spaghetti with Meatball. Kinda pricey $ 23.99 for a small. Yes, I know the portion is huge and meant for sharing (family style). Still expensive in my opinion. Also ordered a Shrimp something (forgot the name) spaghetti with spinach. Enjoyed that one. It was garlicky, liked shrimp & spinach, so overall a good dish. The spaghetti with meatball, on the other hand, was a little bit dry. Not enough sauce, maybe?
Didn’t have room to try their cannoli. Oh well~

I don’t know if I came in expecting to much but I left a bit disappointed. Valet parking is the best way to go
since street parking is hard to come by. Had a reservation and we waited less than ten minutes. The staff and servers where very welcoming and attentive. I loved that they give you a tour of the kitchen before you are seated. My disappointed came with the food. I found the food lacking in flavor and really nothing to remember. The pizza was just not for me. The only enjoyable thing was the pear soda.

This place needs to have smaller portions of food! Everything is just humongous. A friend and I went to have lunch there a couple days ago and we order some chicken pasta, a side of steamed broccoli, and a lemonade. All of it came out to be about $ 55! I think that the price is reasonable if only we could have order more!
Though the food and service was up to point, they should consider adding smaller portions of food.
Big families should definitely try it out.

Usually only came here on special occasions like someone’s birthday (excellent place to go for that btw) but decided to come here just to eat some dinner.
I was scared there wasn’t gonna be a table bc there was a ton of people outside so I made a reservation for 9 at around 8:40 lol. Turns out it was just a huge party and we were seated pretty promptly at 9.
The menu has a bunch of options and it’s hard to decide when one option is ginormous and in the $ 20 range. This day we decided to get the Spaghetti w Meatballs (Penne substitution) and the Chicken Parmigiana. I would say both options were really tasty and fresh. The meatballs were huge and the chicken was crispy and delicious. We weren’t able to finish it and took the rest home. I blame this on how long the food took to came out so we ordered bread twice and regretted it after the food came.
I’ve come on other occasions and the Bruschetta is really good as well as some of the other pastas. I would recommend trying all of them. Service is also very nice and quick.
The ambiance is great and you have to appreciate the amount of effort they took to decorate this place-​photos on every inch of the wall and the roof of wine bottles.
I came with a $ 15 off a $ 30 purchase which I got in an email because I subscribed to Buca! With the email suggestions I get coupons constantly. The check was a lot cheaper after using this coupon.
Will be back if I’m craving Italian food.

Make a reservation! Okay, you have been warned. Yes, this is a big restaurant, but there are lots of things to do in the neighborhood and it does get packed. You can make a reservation online and save yourself the headache of not getting a table or having a long wait.
For larger groups I would recommend asking to be sat in the Pope Room. Always a fun time. There is also a table in the kitchen I have yet to sit at. Kinda hard with kids, but someday I will.
Food here was better than other locations I’ve been to. Our waiter Andrew was attentive as were other staff members who passed by our table. My only gripe was that my son’s pizza came out so quickly. He ate all his food before our food was delivered. I had him share with my younger son who at 2 doesn’t understand having to wait. Other than that everything was good.
The prosciutto stuffed chicken was cooked perfectly. The breading was great. We also had the Penne al Forno which came with spicy Italian sausage, prosciutto and pepperoni. The kid’s spaghetti and meatballs was a good portion for my 10-​year-​old. My little one had the mac and cheese. I would probably come back to this location since it’s so close to the Huntington Library.

After writing a review of just about one week ago and not having a pleasant experience, we gave this restaurant another try.
We made reservations on Christmas Day for 7:30PM for a party of three and had a completely different experience than we did the first time.
The restaurant was practically to capacity and very busy; however, the service we had this time was great.
We were seated promptly upon arrival and our table was ready for us. We had a fantastic server, and I believe her name was Lola.
Our group shared several dishes including the Fried Mozzarella, Cheesy Bread Florentine, Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken, Shrimp Florentine and the Garlic Mashed Potatoes. After we ordered they did mention that they were out of Linguine and Spaghetti for the day; however, I understand that based on how busy they were.
All of our dishes were excellent, particularly the Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken… YUM!
We didn’t have dessert tonight; however, were very impressed with our entire dining experience. Thank you Buca for showing me great customer service the second time around.

My 300^th review! I wanted to save this milestone review for a place we enjoyed greatly. Right from the start, we had excellent service. Part of our group arrived on time, and the rest trickled in, with the last 2 people coming almost 30 minutes late. No problem! I was the first person to arrive and our reserved table was ready, but I wanted to wait for a few friends first. We had kind of funny request (that our table is near the Pope, whether it was photo, painting, etc; long story), and they accommodated us with enthusiasm. We got the quick little tour through the «kitchen,» and the whole restaurant had a fun, loud, family-​friendly feel.
Our group had 6 people. We started with a large apple and gorgonzola salad, which was massive. It was a nice refreshing starter. There was also pretty good bread. For our entrees, we ordered a large baked ziti and shrimp florentine. This was an enormous amount of food. We each took a full to-​go container home, and leftovers were delicious the next day (lunch and dinner for me). No complaints about the food, as everything was hot, fresh, and seasoned well. I didn’t think anything was too salty, which is the usual complaint wherever I go.
When our food arrived, we asked the server if he could take our photo, and of course, he obliged and joked with us. All the staff we interacted with was so friendly and happy. A bit after that, there was a lady who took our picture again but we knew that was for photos for purchase. We didn’t care for that because it almost felt almost like an amusement park.
Overall, we had a really fun time here, and enjoyed the food and atmosphere.

I came here with 4 other girls for a small birthday celebration on a Saturday night! It was around 9 but it was still pretty busy. Parking is easy. You can do street parking or there’s a structure just across Buca free for 90 minutes.
The food… because that’s whats the most important ^_​_​^
All tables get bread and olive oil w/​balsamic vinegar. I bread was warm and very soft in the center. It was very so good but I wanted to save my stomach for the very carby meal. I just had 2 pieces of bread with the oliveoil balsamic mixture and it was yummy! I like balsamic vinegar.
We also got spaghetti and meatballs (subbed for penne), green beans and the shrimp florentine. The spaghetti and meatballs were really good and even though it was a basic order, the taste was unique. The meatballs were also amazing! Super soft, not chewy at all. It was very tender and flavorful. It comes with two large meatballs on the side and dang, I probably ate one whole thing. And one meatball is bigger than my fist! The penne was a good substitution. This entrée wasn’t too heavy which I enjoyed!
The green beans were alright, I wouldn’t get it again though. It tasted a bit lemony but it was super oily. Super oily dishes are a no-​no for me.
We ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavolo but they gave us the shrimp florentine… but they took it back and gave us the right one when we told our server! The Shrimp Fra Diavolo was pretty spicy to me. But I can’t really take spicy foods so maybe that’s why! It was a good flavor though. I like the garlic shrimp, so yummy! I mostly had the penne with meatballs because I’m pretty basic haha! Good filling meal overall!
Our server was very nice! She came to check up on our table pretty often for water, how the food was tasting, etc. The portions here are huge so one order can serve 2 people. Or if it’s girls who don’t eat much. it can serve 4!
This is a great place for a birthday or celebration because they sing to you and there’s lots of big tables for bigger parties.

I came here on a date with my boyfriend and it was the perfect spot for not only a date but family outings or even friend’s night. It felt so Italian; the vibe went well with the crowd and the service was top notch. They try their best to make you feel at home!
Upon arrival, they give you a tour of the kitchen area and a few facts about the restaurant. The menu is huge! There are too many great items to choose from. It is made for sharing, so I would recommend getting an appetizer or two, and sharing the entrée since their portions are big.
I like the feel of the restaurant! The pictures on the wall and the red color reminds me of a 80s-​90s Italian café look. The service only complimented the atmosphere.

I came here around 5:30−6pm on a Friday. We got seated pretty quickly. I’ve only been to Buca one other time.
The meals here are served family style. Most dishes here start at a serving for 2 people. So, be wary about the amount of food you order. The portions are huge, but yeah, it’s still pretty expensive – around $ 15 – 20 for a small size.
I got the fried calamari, baked ziti, and the build your own pasta thing (we got it with penne pasta, alfredo, broccoli, mushrooms, spinach and … I’m missing something.) I enjoyed the fried calamari and the build your own pasta. As for the baked ziti, I have no idea why we even ordered it. It was okay, nothing too special about it. In general, the pasta is pretty mediocre.
Service here is friendly and efficient. Overall, food was decent and filling. There’s a hit or miss with some of the dishes.