Barbusa
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Came with a large party and was seated at a large high top table. Very attentive and friendly staff members always ensuring our needs were met. Was able to order what they call a Busa Board, which is a MASSIVE board of multiple selected appetizers and small plates. Between apps, small plates, and entrees, we ordered so much food, I cannot remember everything but a few standouts included: - fried stuffed zucchini blossoms - sicilian meatballs - sausage and peppers - lobster fusilli - short rub lasagna Definitely a restaurant you go to to see or been seen. Super vibey, completely packed, perfectly located downtown.
Barbusa, 1917 India Street, Little Italy, San Diego, CA92101. Italian, Seafood, Cocktail Bar. Located in Little Italy in San Diego. Nice ambiance. Service and food were excellent. Everything that we ordered were good, but my personal favourite was the Funghi E Tartufo, very rich, creamy mushroom pasta. The pasta was handmade and light in texture, blends perfectly with the creamy sauce. The portion did not appear large, but it was so filling. Very satisfying meal. Another item worth highlighting is the Lollipop Lamb which was very good too...tender, succulent, well seasoned and cooked perfectly. #Lollopop Lamb# #Funghi E Tartufo# #Rigatoni Salsiccia# #Bolognese Al Forno#
Came here on a Sunday around 7:30 pm. We got a cute table outside. Everything we ordered was delicious. Espresso martini was the only thing that was a little bland. We ordered: Lollipop chops (soo good) 9/10 Panzanella siciliano 9.5/10 Carpaccio 9/10 Prosciutto e tartufo 10/10 Cannot wait to come back and try more! Also our waiter Luca was very attentive and kind. Originally from Italy! Highly recommend this place.
Highlights: - came here for lunch but interior is cool and sleek, might be a vibe for dinner - still thinking about that lobster fusilli, it was INCREDIBLE - carpaccio and Caesar salad was status quo, very good - excellent service from our server from Brazil? Made good recommendations - would def come back to try the other pastas
Always busy always a good time! Indoor and outdoor seating are plentiful but would still recommend making a reservation if you want to be sat right away. On weekends it's a very boisterous atmosphere with loud music and vibes. Food is actually amazing. Can't go wrong with anything on the menu but recommend the seafood pasta. It comes with heaps of seafood that is all very well cooked. I've never had such tender calamari.
Loved our experience at Barbusa! Our waiter was fabulous and was super attentive to our large group. We started with drinks and a "Busa" board, AMAZING for groups. We got to select a variety of different appetizers and small plates that all came out on one board. We also got a variety of entrees to try. My favorite dishes overall were the meatballs, fried stuffed zucchini blossoms, yellowtail crudo, bolognese, and the lobster pasta.
Omg. The banana espresso martini. Will be thinking about this forever. You absolutely need to try. I only had 2 and regret not ordering 5 more. Miss it everyday lol
Came here recently on a Thursday (late) night. We were seated quickly and the staff were friendly and attentive. We ordered the 1. Fiori di zucca (Squash blossoms)- unique dish I would recommend trying. It was a good combination of flavors with a crunchy tempura outside +cheesy center+sweet and sour sauce on top 2.funghi e tartufo pasta- also good unique flavor but was very rich, I would recommend splitting this dish 3.palermitana- rigatoni pasta, I'd skip on this one The restaurant was only about half full at the time, but the music was so loud that I felt like I had to shout at my husband to hear him. Cute spot if you're looking for a fun night out with drinks but maybe wouldn't recommend for an intimate date night.
Service was slow, music was painfully loud and servers were polite. Sea bass was great specially the sauce, Caesar salad was okay and not fresh. Price was very high for the price.
Someone told me they once cried (of happiness) after eating here so I had to go check it out for myself. We got the: - Lollipop chops: lamb was good, sauce was AMAZING - Dolce e piccante pizza: crust was well baked and loved the sweet, spicy, and salty mixture, very heavy though. - Frutti di mare: seafood wasn't fresh unfortunately Overall came to a conclusion that this is an okay spot, not my first choice in Little Italy. Maybe if I try the pesto gnocchi i'll change my mind since that looked pretty good.
Came here after little Italy farmers market shopping. Everything in little Italy is walkable but parking is horrible. My friend and I walk in without a reservation and got seated right away. Drinks : Bianca sangria -very light and refreshing, just the right hint of sweetness. Unsweetened ice tea with lemon Food : bolognese pasta - horrible, don't get it. My friend was the one who ordered it and only took two bites. We pack to go and my boyfriend ate it and he didn't even like it as well. It was dry and pasta is like spaghetti -Os . Even the serving bowl seems like it's a kids meal Frutti di Mare pasta - this pasta was so much better. Light sauce, flavors of the seafood was perfect with a hint of tart and not overly fishy. The pasta cooked perfect à la dente. Burrata pizza 1000/10 - amazing pizza I have ever tried in CA. Thin slice, they make it perfect amount of dough and crust. The Red sauce is what made the pizza so amazing. This pizza was so light not a hint of oiliness which two girls finish the whole pizza! It was that good! Overall I would definitely come back for the pizza again!! And I would definitely try their other dishes but Avoid the Bolognese. Total price was about $120 price is definitely steep but their pizza was so worth it. Service was good at the beginning but towards the end when it was time to pack up food and get the bill it took forever.
Legit Italian restaurant right in the heart of little Italy in San Diego. We came on a weekday night but it was already bustling around early on. We were fortunate to be seated within a few minutes at their outside patio. Overall plenty of seating and good ambiance inside and outside the restaurant. Excellent service. We ordered the garlic bread, pollo parmigiana, and frutti di mare. All were exquisite! He garlic bread was perfect. The parmigiana was a good blend of chicken and pasta. The frutti di mare had a generous portion of seafood. Would definitely come again!
Ambiance is good, clean and well kept, Their crab pasta was unique and flavourful . You dont see many crab pasta in other restaurants usually. Beet salad was great too. The food came on time. It wasnt crowded for an afternoon
Barbusa is a great, clean restaurant at the northern end of India street. The service is really fun and friendly, and they give you 5 hours of valet parking for $12. We got the bolognese pasta which was absolutely delicious. The noodles are, yes, shaped like spaghetti Os but they taste great. The sauce is excellent with a generous amount of cheese and meat. The dolce e piccante pizza was also great. The crust was perfectly cooked and it had a generous amount of meat and cheese. I enjoyed the experience and I highly recommend this little Italy gem. read more
26 days ago
Came here for a date night celebration and for a weekday it was still quite busy. Luckily we had reservations so we were seated immediately. We ordered the lollipop lamb chops which were tiny and exquisite, and the prosciutto. My honey found the balsamic glaze on the prosciutto divine and asked if we can do that always from now on. For the main course, I ordered the clams and pasta, and my honey ordered the lasagna with the beef in a shredded style which left it finger licking good. We will totally be back for another date night, great Italian spot! read more
Absolutely loved the food here! The garlic bread is a must have. I really enjoyed the honey & spice combo for the pizza that we ordered. The ravioli was a bit too al dente for my liking, but the taste was great! Our server was very sweet and we got in quickly with a reservation. The only note I'd leave is that tables were a bit too close together where we were seated & the music was a bit too loud at times, so if you're trying to have a conversation over dinner maybe try a seat outside! read more
1 year ago
Love this place. Had an amazing time visiting this establishment for lunch on a Friday afternoon. Service was great, we sat outside on the patio and everything was lovely. I had a squid ink pasta with octopus, very fresh and amazing. My partner had a short rib lasagna, which was very hearty and amazing. Would love to try their salad or pizza next time I come here. read more
On New Years Eve I went to my favorite restaurant in Little Italy San Diego and had another great experience. The restaurant is always busy and you should book ahead to ensure a table for your party. The service is always great and they make great recommendations. My favorite dish this visit was the lasagna which is packed with delicious tender short rib and a lot mozzarella. You won't regret ordering this classic dish with a Barbusa twist! The Gnocchi is very different than any other gnocchi I have had, the gnocchi are larger and more of a puffy consistency. With that said, they are amazing and the pesto is one of my favorites. Can't wait to come back and try more of their dishes! read more
6 months ago
Our server was amazing and sitting outside was nice. The Shirley temple had something wrong which I found weird for such an easy drink and the Cesar salad was good besides the lettuce being a little wilted. The fubghi e tartufo was absolutely delicious actually the best pasta I've ever had. read more
1 year ago
Barbusa was suggested to us from some friends and it did not disappoint. We made a reservation which I'm glad we had because it was busy. Modern interior. The squash blossoms filled with cheese and deep friend were delicious and so was the funghi e tartufo. Pasta was a perfect el dente. Great restaurant with great food. read more
1 year ago
AMBIANCE We came in with a reservation and were incredibly glad we had the chance to switch to outdoor seating. The ambiance at Barbusa was absolutely overwhelming (and not in a good way, at least in our opinion). As we walked up to the counter to let the desk know we arrived, the noise level was so intense that you could hear it half a block down. It's clear that holding a regular conversation would be impossible, and there were even moments when the ground and walls were actually vibrating from the sheer volume when we went to the restroom. The only saving grace was the option for outdoor seating, which was a bit quieter and at least let us escape the chaos. In my opinion, this spot is more about partying than dining... good for a rowdy night out, but not if you want to have a real talk or enjoy anyone's company seriously. SERVICE If the noise was overwhelming, the service was the complete opposite. It was incredibly lacking. Throughout the night, I interacted with at least two different servers, and it always seemed like my requests got lost in the shuffle for water or attention. Multiple times, I had to repeat myself and still didn't get what I needed. There was very little attention to the table, and it felt like my presence was more of a bother than anything else.... If you're looking for attentive or personal service, this definitely isn't the place. FOOD We decided to come here because our friends raved about the location and so we thought it would be a worth a try. We ordered the silician meatballs, which the wait staff, prompted to upsell us some bread because the "marinara sauce is too die for" and we wouldn't be able to enjoy it fully without. At a restaurant of this caliber, having bread not be for the table feels like a rip-off. The meatballs were tasty and definitely the highlight of the meal. We added calamari to our order and it was quite crispy but had NO substance after the top layer of 8-10 rings. If you're looking to have something fried, go for it. If you're looking for any semblance of squid, go somewhere else. This was basically fried air...only ever 5 pieces actually had anything in it. And for the $21.98 price, I'd advise you avoid. Given the menu's variety, we wanted to give the salad and pasta (as an Italian restaurant right) a fair shot. We ordered the Bietole greens for $13.92 which was a fair price, but very average plop of greens. Lastly, the supposed star of the show showed up. The Bolognese Al Forno was an average portion and was merely okay... it didn't have any particularly star flavor. Overall, while the food showed promise and had one enjoyable moment, the service issue combined with the overwhelming price points and ridiculously loud ambiance made it hard to fully appreciate the experience. I wouldn't return if you prioritize attentive service, solid food, or a calm atmosphere. You're honestly better off getting a more satisfactory meal at the pizza shop next door. read more
If you're looking for a relaxed, savor-every-bite dinner this is not it. The vibe here is more "nightclub with pasta" than "cozy Italian meal." Dim lighting, loud music, and the distinct feeling that half the crowd is auditioning for a dating reality show. If you enjoy yelling your appetizer order over you'll feel right at home. Food wise, it was good, not "write home to Nonna" good. The menu isn't particularly groundbreaking, so I played it safe with a pizza and meatballs. Big points for them not serving pork on the meatball because I don't eat it, and it's nice to not have to interrogate my dinner before eating it. The margarita was... fine. Not bad, not great just there. Overall: perfect spot if you want dinner and to scout the local singles scene. If you're like me and just wanted to eat in peace, you might leave feeling like you accidentally wandered into someone's first date. read more
8 months ago
Catching some quick lunch date and first of all busy area and hard to find parking lots! We were doing outdoor seating which is lovely. Waiter was super nice and handful. Food was good. Minus one star because I need to come back again and give another try to make it 5! read more
7 months ago
Walked in during Valentine's Day with my friends, got seated immediately! Service was great and the food as well. I ordered a crab pasta and did not realize it would be a whole crab! I wish they would've told me but I thoroughly enjoyed my meal! Honestly one of the best cooked crabs I've had! read more
Our group of 11 went to Barbusa in San Diego's Little Italy for a traditional Family Sunday Dinner. This restaurant was featured on the Jersey Shore: Family Vacation TV show a few years ago, so we decided to check it out. The food was great. The kids had pizza, and I ordered the Carbonara, which was very good and came recommended by our Italian server, Manuele. He spoke Italian and English with an Italian accent, which added to the authentic feel of the evening. The hostesses were friendly and welcoming. The server assistants were quick to clear used plates and utensils, keeping the table clean and the service smooth. It was a fun night with a good vibe in a stylish, low-lit restaurant. Definitely worth a visit if you're in the area. read more
We had the best dining experience at Barbusa! We were a group of four and all had a wonderful time and left full. I'm glad we made a reservation because the place was packed. Our server was fantastic. So friendly and proved some great recommendations. He seemed like he really loved his job and people. The food was amazing. We shared the garlic bread and burrata caprese. The heirloom tomatoes in the caprese were so good and fresh! For our main courses we got a variety of pasta and mains. I got the gnocchi which was so good especially if you like pesto. My husband had the biggest piece of lasagna and had to take home half for leftovers. We will absolutely come back here and look forward to dining again! read more
4 months ago
I can't believe I forgot to check into this place, but let's do this review anyway. A few weeks back my father in law was working in San Diego so my wife and I headed down to grab some lunch in Little Italy. We had no destination in mind, so when we walked by Barbusa we figured "why not?" and headed in. We got here around 1:00PM and were seated after a very short wait. This large, beautiful Italian restaurant has all the classics on the menu, a large beverage selection, and the staff was super friendly and kind during our entire visit. I was in the mood to try something new for lunch, so i ordered the Granchio! The Granchio is a pasta dish with Tagliatelle, Majestic Blue Crab, and Serrano Rossa Sauce. Now, since I love pasta and I love crab, I figured it was time to try a dish with both of those things mixed up, and let me tell you.....it was hands down the best pasta dish I have ever had. The pasta itself was absolutely delicious, the sauce was insanely flavourful and tasty, and the crab tasted fresh and amazing as well. Overall, Barbusa get's 5 stars and a big thumbs up from me. Little Italy has been one of my favourite neighborhoods in San Diego to get food in for years and this meal will just keep me coming back for more. If you want a good meal, this place is going to give you a top notch meal and I can't recommend the Granchio enough. read more
The ambience in little Italy is great. There's so many restaurants and things to do. The food here is good but nothing over the top. Busy days the servers sometimes just forget you or write down the wrong order because it can get pretty loud inside. The appetizers were the star of the night. The prosciutto was amazing, calamari was nice and crisp, and garlic bread was solid. Main course was mediocre at best. Pizza crust was dense like a loaf of bread with the "cold burrata" melted and warm, the bolognese was good but not great. Overall it's a decent restaurant to visit while you're exploring little Italy. read more
Made sure to get dinner here after it came highly recommended by a friend and it didn't disappoint. Right as we sat down our server welcomed us and was really friendly and helpful with the menu. I started off with the banana espresso martini and it was really good. I loved the banana added to the martini, but could only have one because it was really sweet. Then we got the garlic bread and the squash blossoms (fiori di zucca), both were really good, but the squash blossoms were amazing. I would definitely get those again and again! I went with the gnocchi for my main and it was also a great dish. read more
11 months ago
This place was lively and super loud on Wednesday night. We arrived 20 mins early for our reservation but we were seated right away, at the high tops next to the bar area. Kelly was our server and she was very friendly. I rarely drink nowadays but I wanted to try their own take on espresso martini (first ever made with oat milk). I like my espresso martinis strong but this wasn't my favorite. Their food was very good though - we started off with calamari and I enjoyed the carbonara and my husband, the ravioli. The server who dropped off food at our table was enthusiastic! But thought service overall was okay. The table next to us got their entrees before us and we ordered first - they did order similar items as us. Calamari was nicely fried and fresh, and that lemon really elevated the flavor. I found the sauce it was served with was a bit too sweet though. The carbonara was so good served with that fresh egg. I did ask someone for fresh cracked black pepper but was given pepper from a shaker instead. I prefer my carbonara extra peppery. My husband thought his ravioli was okay, I did have a bite and the sauce was definitely on the sweeter side. I thought this was a pretty good option for Italian food in the area. Just the vibes and ambiance alone are inviting enough! read more
1 year ago
Little Italy on a Sunday is a vibe! Establishment is clean inside and out. Items we ordered were good! Not pictured was the squid ink pasta, which tasted best in my opinion. The server was nice and on top of everything, always checking if we needed something. I'd come back and try different things on their menu. Recommend! read more
4 months ago
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4 months ago
The food was amazing, and so was the service. Their pizza is a must have. Would definitely come here again. read more
1 year ago
This is the only restaurant in San Diego we eat at regularly. Literally the only one. That's how picky we are. read more
7 months ago
Decent food, nice place to hang out, and affordable prices. Not sure if it was just my taste, but the banana espresso martini was the only thing I didn't like. Everything else we tried was definitely recommended! read more
1 month ago
10 months ago
Loved the vibe here! The outdoor seating is upscale and offers a nice view of street. Service is top-notch. Their drink mixes are fantastic, and the food is absolutely delicious. read more
Thursday dinner The food is mid. Tempura squash blossoms stuffed with creamy 4 cheese mix were unique but oily. $17 My vongole pasta was overcooked and flavors were muted but it did the job of filling up my belly. $29 Granchio tagliatelle pasta, comes with their famous serrano (pepper) sauce so it's spicy, just OK. $30 Garlic bread $12 Two mid beers $9 each Good spot if you have a large party and just need the hunger satisfied. They have a large dining area (in and out). Ambiance can be loud. Service was fine. read more
8 months ago
This is my families FAVORITE restaurant in all of San Diego. A must visit!!! The staff is sooooo friendly and gives great service the food is amazing and the location is perfect!! I recommend using the valet service for $12 it's a steal! We love starting at the sister location LALA for drinks and or bites! Our favorite apps are the lamb chop pops the garlic bread is to die for and the zucchini flowers! For pasta the short rib lasagna is my favorite my husband loves the carbonara, the Bolognese is great but the shining star is the bone in rib eye it has a perfect char and is cooked to perfection! Finish off your meal with the disassembled cannoli and an espresso martini! I seriously can't recommend enough! The place is lively energetic, beautiful super clean and in the heart of little Italy. Seriously just go. read more
8 months ago
The drinks were delicious and a great start to the night. We also really enjoyed the appetizers, ordered the lamb chops and garlic bread. However, the main entrées were quite underwhelming in both presentation and flavor. My partner ordered the bolognese, which was essentially upscale SpaghettiOs. I ordered the carbonara, and added chicken, which was bland and quite frankly a disappointment. The service was quick and excellent. The ambience was quite loud, but perhaps a good option if you want to get drinks and appetizers before getting your main course elsewhere. read more
10 months ago
2 years ago
If you're looking for a Sicilian spot this is it! Barbusa trades old world Italian Sophistication for lively social dining. Service was okay, our waiter was not very attentive. Their Italian cuisine was unlike any I'd ever experienced. The pasta was fresh and the sauces were deep with flavor. Eggplant Bruschetta 10/10 Prosciutto 10/10 Fried Calamari 8/10 Salmone with Pistachio Crust 9/10 Gnocchi with Pistachio Pesto 9/10 Short Rib Lasagna 9/10 Mushroom Pasta 8/10 Overall the food weren't as heavy as I thought. Decent quality and good flavor! read more
8 months ago
More info about Barbusa
1917 India St
San Diego, CA 92101
Little Italy
Directions
(619) 238-1917
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http://www.barbusa.com
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Ask the Community - Barbusa
Do they gave Gluten Free pasta or GF options?
Yes~ their pasta selections have gluten free available options.
I've heard this place is loud, just how loud is it?
Yes it's louder than needed. Food and decor makes it worth the visit. You can always dine outside.
Hi! Do they do anything for anniversaries/bdays?
You might have to contact them directly. I put in my OpenTable reservation that the occasion was an anniversary but they didn't do anything lol.…
Do they have a kids menu?
Doesn't seem like it but their garlic bread and bolognese Al forno (looks like spaghetti o's with traditional tasting red meat sauce) would be good options to share with kids!
Is the corkage fee still $20 or did it increase?
Corkage fee was insanely increased to the highest in Little Italy at $30/bottle as of 6/8/2022
Is there still a corkage fee? Can we still bring our own bottle?
HIGH Corkage fee. $30/bottle
How do I make a reservation for a large party? Opentable won't let me make a large party reservation. Party of 20
I think you need to call for a party of that size.
Are dogs allowed?
I'm sure they allow dogs at their outside tables, but I wouldn't recommend it. It gets crowded and there is lot's of hustle and bustle around the tables.
Do you they sell "cheese wheel pasta"?
I was just there this past Sunday and currently don't offer that
Are they taking phone calls for take out? I've tried calling for the past 2 days and nobody is answering.
They are taking phone calls for take out.
Does lunch menu have the same item as dinner menu? Thanks.
The lunch menu has the same items as the dinner menus.
Do they have a vegan menu?
There is no dedicated vegan menu but they do have a great vegan pizza. Call ahead to make sure they have the vegan sausage.
Do they still serve short rib stack during happy hour, and is happy hour served only at the bar?
I just went last week for HH and did not see that on their menu (I just posted the pic of the HH menu for you for your reference). And yes, HH is only served at the bar area.
Is parking tricky here?!
Yes pretty tricky to find street parking! There is a public parking garage down the street and it has an elevator that pops you up into the Little Italy Plaza. It costs $16 for 2 hours.
Hi I've small very well behaved pup. Are they dog friendly?
I would not think so, there is no outdoor seating and it's a fairly upscale Italian place.. also very busy, and loud which would not be good for a dog. It also states on the main page that they are not dog friendly.
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