Had lunch with my bf on Valentine's Day. Our reservations were at 11:30 and that's when they opened. Place was cute and open, we opted for indoor seating and sat right away with the friendly host. Our server Stefano was so kind, making sure everything was good from start to finish. We also met Filiberto and Soco, they brought over some of our dishes. Customer service here was superb! This dining experience was very pleasant and loving on Valentine's Day! They also had a cute custom menu for today as well. read more

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Snagged a last minute resy for my friend & I last meal in SD. This spot was amazing, the garlic bread was perfectly buttery and garlicy. The squash blossoms were my favorite - perfect with the apricot jam. my favorite pasta was the Funghi E Tartufo - the first bite was perfect truffle profile. Everything was shareable and we had leftovers to take home. The staff was friendly and our orders came out at a timely manner, would come back! read more

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Stop reading this and go order! Its the best place in San Diego and that is saying a lot!

We popped into Barbusa during a trip to SD to celebrate my toddler's 2nd birthday (because nothing says terrible twos like pasta and carpaccio, right?). Little Italy was packed and I was ready to mentally commit to a long wait but plot twist.. They sat us right away!! Immediate relief and a little "okay Barbusa, I see you." Our server was pure Italian-auntie energy: warm, sassy in the best way, and immediately suggested toddler pasta portions (butter or marinara). A server who cares about your baby's noods? Iconic. Food highlights: Carpaccio - salty, tangy, bitter, all in balance. Craving satisfied. Squash blossoms - my fave of the night. Crispy, cheesy, and then that apricot jam hits like a surprise remix you didn't know you needed. Granchio pasta - hubs and I shared and loved it. Sauce had a little kick, crab flavor still came through. We skipped cocktails (toddler in tow), but the outdoor seating was gorgeous. Ambient lighting, not too loud, and service still flawless. Overall: Barbusa gave us family-friendly AND date-night energy at the same time. Will absolutely be back, this time for cocktails in hand and zero high chairs at the table. read more

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First trip to San Diego and this place was recommended by a resident. Great, authentic food, good service, and really cool atmosphere. Was it worth the price? Eh, maybe ‍ My pollo parmigiana was great tasting and looked great. It was $34 which I know is probably reasonable for San Diego. The drinks were good, but again, worth $17? Probably not. read more

Barbusa - Bourbon, honey, lemon - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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On a San Diego short vacay I couldn't not hit a recommended restaurant in little italy. Even if being not on a super hungry mood the menu opened up my eyes and stomach. We tried couple of appetizers: burrata caprese and fiori di zucca (finally a version in US pretty authentic) and a pizza with burrata. Good service by our server, not pushy and informative and by a funny loud guy making the atmosphere very enjoyable. Plenty of seating outside and inside will fill up pretty quickly even if the space is remarkably big. read more

I didn't get to eat there but I definitely will not be back. The hostess at the front was very rude and dismissive. I hate to bring up race but it did make us feel that was the reason why we weren't seated. We were a group of 5 who did not look like everyone else sitting, specially the hostess. read more

Restaurants in Little Italy are Nirvana for foodies like me. This was my first time at Barbusa, but definitely not my last! I honestly don't know what took me so long to dine here! Since it was my first time, I relied on recommendations from our server. Silu was excellent! She had impeccable timing with serving the drinks/dishes and the right amount of check-ins. All her recommendations were perfectly delectable! We had the lamb chops, garlic bread (highly recommend!), and meatballs for our appetizers. The meatballs and lamb chops were cooked to perfection. For our entrees, the gnocchi and crab pasta were incredible and the spicy vodka sauce was spectacular! I'll be back! read more

Barbusa - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Man I cannot say enough good things about this place. The ambiance inside is relaxed, not super upscale, the perfect place to take your family. The service was good and the food was even better. We loved every single thing we ordered. Lollipop Chops 5/5 - The lamb was extremely tender to the point where you don't even need a fork and knife, just your teeth will do. It was well seasoned, and paired perfectly with the sauce. This was probably the highlight of my meal. Bolognese 5/5 - Pasta was perfectly Al dente, and the sauce was seasoned just right, not super acidic, but not bland either. Gnocchi 5/5 - This is my introduction to gnocchi and it truly showed me what I was missing out on. I loved the chewy yet soft texture of the gnocchi along with the pesto sauce it was paired with. Funghi e Tartufo 5/5 - for all my truffle lovers this is the dish for you, I really enjoyed the truffle oil that was in this dish. Polipo Puttanesca 10/5 - This was my favorite pasta dish, the squid ink pasta was delicious, the anchovies and olives added a nice depth of flavor, and the octopus was super tender. read more

Barbusa - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Our reservation was at 7:30pm and was told our table was taken up by a party that had been sitting there for almost 3 hours and they couldn't ask them to leave. They tried to find us another option, but by that time it had already been 20 min and our original table finally got up to leave. Our server came over and introduced himself and answered a few questions. We got the calamari and it was honestly more than I thought we were going to get, my son loved it. I did like the salt added to it, it definitely brought out the calamari taste to another level. We also got the bolognese pasta, carbonate and a pizza. All three were excellent as well and I am not a pizza fan at all. The atmosphere was very loud and "hip", I myself was not expecting such a modern place when I think little Italy lol Place was altogether pretty great, our server could have been a little better but that's all I can complain about. read more

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Little Italy is a must-visit whenever in San Diego, and Barbusa is one of their best restaurants. The ambiance of the restaurant is lively, and the servers are so attentive. I highly recommend booking a reservation! We started off strong with the lollipop chops, so good. We then ordered: gnocchi, bolognese al forno, funghi e tartufo, dolce e piccante, polipo puttanesca. This gnocchi dish made my partner understand why people love gnocchi, and will now be something he looks in every restaurant. Honestly, everything was delicious, but if i had to choose my favorite, it had to be the polipo puttanesca. The polipo puttanesca is great if you love seafood, especially octopus, and if you're looking to try a red sauce pasta. If you're a fan of mushrooms, you won't regret ordering the funghi e tartufo. The bolognese al forno reminded me of spaghettios, but trust me, it tastes way better. read more

Barbusa - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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As soon as we got to the restaurant, we were greeted by Tiffany who sat us immediately on a surprisingly busy Thursday night. She was so kind. Katie was extremely knowledgeable on the menu and even helped me pick which wine to get. The food was incredible! Love that they have dairy free cheese as an option. Very nice restaurant, can't wait to come back! read more

We came here pretty late at 10 PM and it was still popping! People were ordering tequila bottles with sparklers and having a great time. The place is classy casual and has a full bar. The server recommended us some wine that the table liked - I didn't partake because I can't drink wine. Service was great and also interesting that everyone had Italian accents? I ordered the Funghi E Tartufo and it was soooooooooo delicious, probably one of my fave mushroom pasta I've had recently. I also tried my girlfriend's gnocchi and it was really tasty (I liked mines better though). read more

Barbusa - Funghi E Tartufo - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Wonderful location and great atmosphere Prosciutto e stracchino 10/10. We had reservations and were seated very promptly the waitress offered us water while we took the time to browse at the menu. The food was exquisite freshly served, would come back with a smaller party. read more

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My girlfriends and I made last min reservations for the last available 10pm. We saw that they had a 9:45pm available as we were headed to SD so we were able to change our res when we called to confirm. We got in around 9:10pm. Checked in. The hostess informed it will be close to 9:45pm when the table would be ready. We were hoping to get a drink at the bar prior to dinner however it was packed and the aisle was tight thus not really comfortable to stand around with a drink with the staff walking in and out with plates of food. We got seated and our server greeted us immediately with a gorgeous smile ready to take drink orders. We were starving by then so put in a calamari and bone marrow appetizer. Appetizers- Calamari - delish! Loved that it came with green beans as well. Never seen it served that way before. Bone marrow - delish! The bone marrow came with fresh bread with a nice spicy kick! Yellowtail- delish! Came with green onions and a potato to pair? Interesting pair but it worked well! We ordered entrees: The squid ink spaghetti- amazing , the octopus in the pasta was the best I've ever had--Perfectly cooked. Lobster pasta- good but not wowed Prosciutto pizza with arugula with white truffle-- good! Salads: Panzanello siciliano -- so good!! Tomatoes, green beans, olives, with ginormous croutons I have ever seen in my life. It made us laugh so hard. Bietole- arugula, red beets, goat cheese, carmelized pecans, with a vinaigrette. Drinks: Sicilian mule was amazing came in a beautiful rose gold glass. It's a Vodka, aperol, bitters, ginger beer. Nice strong drink. Diavola --strong tequila cocktail. Just right. Fresco- nice & refreshing, strong It was a very happening place! Very loud, plenty of people who were here for bachelorette parties. Everyone is partying. The street is happening. Difficult to find parking however there were a couple of lots. $35 for 10 hours or $25 for 2 hours. Valet was "full." read more

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Literally wanting to eat here again as I'm writing this! Just wow! Another little Italy place that is SO GOOD! So so good! Truthfully it's probably a good thing I don't live in SD because the food scene slaps so hard! Went on Saturday night with a 8pm reservation! Our table wasn't ready when we arrived but they were very nice about it! When I tell you this place was packed... it was packed. So it was for sure worth the wait! Our server was very nice! I got an extra extra dirty Tito's martini with extra olives. Which they got right so that's major points in my book! I then got the seafood pasta recommend by my server. She said if I liked spicy things I would love this! It was no joke a 10/10 seasoned so well.. shrimp and crab and the perfect spice! We also had garlic bread tor the table but not your normal garlic bread! The bread was deff homemade and seasoned more than just a basic piece of bread! The ambiance of this place is setting the scene for a New York night- classy, mood lighting.. good decor. Everything! My only complaint was we got seated at a high top and those are my least favorite tables. If you are looking to try the hottest new spot in town... please come here. When I say you can search this place on TikTok and a million videos come up... it's for a reason!!! read more

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Fantastic meal for my birthday friend tonight!!! We tried so much food. The mussels were Soo Good, the lampchop pops were good. For dinner i tasted the gnocchi and funghi pasta and both were incredible, i honestly cant decide which i liked more. The banana espresso martini was amazing too. Service from Ryan was incredible, the whole staff was amazing but he really made the night for us. 10/10 experience all around read more

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Worth every single hype review that there is! After a relaxing day at the spa, all we wanted was carbs and this place did not disappoint. We kinda went here on a whim after looking through reviews and settled on Barbusa. We were able to snag 5pm reservations just 2 hours before so I'm glad too because by the time we were leaving, there was a bit of a wait for walk ups. We started with the burrata caprese and the waitress recommended the Fiori di Zuca, which are these stuffed fried squash blossoms and HOLY MOLY, those were absolutely delicious. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a delicious quick appetizer l! The burrata was fresh and the tomatoes were so good. I ordered the pesto gnocchi and added salmon and my friend had the carbonara and added chicken. We both had to add a dash of salt to our dishes but seasoning is subjective so can't fault anyone there. Overall the portions were hearty enough to enjoy at the table and not too much that you were packing up a whole meal at the end of the night to go. The servers were so friendly and welcoming! Such a pleasant first experience! read more

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Made a reservation over a month out for the friday after thanksgiving... thank goodness we did because it booked up FAST! Definitely need reservations to come here at peak times. Ordered the meatballs and garlic bread for apps. They were good! I really liked my carbonara. My FIL didn't love that the chicken parm came with gnocchi for the pasta... so just read the menu before you order that if you want to make a swap! Service was great. Only downside was that it was super loud in the restaurant. Almost yelling across the table. Food was awesome though! read more

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Little Italy has a ton of Italian spots that never disappoint. You can never pick a bad Italian spot. The vibes were energetic at Barbusa and the service was fast. However, it was hard to converse with my friend and we were pretty much yelling at each other across our table. We split the calamari and I the Funghi e tartufo. Both were delicious. Parking wise, there is valet specifically for Barbusa for $12, but they only take cash. read more

Barbusa - Calamari - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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The food was very typical southern Italian American cuisine. The portion sizes were also very American sized. I wouldn't recommend the pizza the dough was like Dominos cardboard like. The service was efficient The ambiance was pleasant except for the extremely loud music which made it impossible to carry on a conversation. I think I need a hearing aid now. ‍ Good luck! read more

I dream of this restaurant every night because of how much I miss it. I went on a tuesday night and it wasn't too busy so the food came out pretty quick! My server was fast and so sweet. The decor really brought the whole place together and DANG that lobster pasta was delicious. I had a concert to go to right after so unfortunately I was in a rush but if I could've stayed there for the whole night I totally would've. read more

Barbusa - Lobster Fusili - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

The staff here is amazing. Shout out to Manu (sorry if I misspelled your name), he had my boyfriend and me cracking up in laughter. We ordered good cocktails. I would pass on the Caesar salad and Arancini, but my boyfriend liked the arancini, it was fried a little too hard for me. I ordered the lobster pasta which was so good. Supper flavorful. We also ordered the fungi pasta which was good, but I didn't like the texture of the chicken. I would recommend this restaurant. The ambiance was nice and chill. read more

Barbusa - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Came here in November with my cousin & fiancé! It was already decorated for Christmas and looked so beautiful inside. We ordered the espresso martinis, which were so good I actually ended up getting two. Afterwards for my meal I ordered the chicken parm gnocchi. The chicken was really good but I found myself tired of the gnocchi after a while. It was delicious but I think I prefer spaghetti noodles with chicken parm instead. Staff were wonderful and attentive. Overall it was a great experience for my first time, this spot is actually my cousins favorite restaurant. I'd love to come here again :) read more

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The food was amazing, and so was the service. Their pizza is a must have. Would definitely come here again. read more

Barbusa - Oysters - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Barbusa in Little Italy is definitely worth the visit. Parking was honestly a nightmare though, so plan ahead or expect a bit of a walk. Valet is available for twenty-something, I say just do it. That said, everything else made up for it. The food was incredible across the board, easily some of the best Italian I've had in San Diego. The service was top-notch, waiter was fun and lively making it fun for us as well as attentive, and on point the entire time. The atmosphere is stylish and lively, but it does get pretty loud, so not the best spot if you're looking for something quiet. Overall, great experience and I'd absolutely go back. read more

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I love the owners. Food is solid. Ambiance amazing. Service at 3pm on a Friday sucks!!! No customer service at all. You ask for something servers look busy and act as if burdened by requests. Probably last time I go in afternoon. read more

We tried this place for the first time and it did not disappoint. The vibes are immaculate in this restaurant. It's very pretty inside. The food was also good. I'm not the biggest fan of Italian food but I'm not picky. I tried their Pesto Gnocchi and it was good but I felt like I got tired of the taste as I kept eating my gnocchis. My fiancée tried their Chicken Parm with Gnocchi and that was also very delicious. Our servers were very kind. We were celebrating our cousins getting married and they gave them a free sweet treat! Which was awesome. The restaurant is located in Little Italy so parking will be a bit difficult. Although, we did come on a weekday so it was easy to find parking. read more

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Great quality Italian food in little Italy! The ambiance was fun and lively. They have a cute little martini espresso cart outside, a unique touch. Great music playing. Had such a good time here with my friends, it's a vibe! The service was outstanding as well. -Calamari: some of the best I've ever had!! -Meatballs: flavorful and fluffy -Squash blossoms: a must try! Delicious -Burrata pizza: some of the best pizza I've had! The crust was fluffy and the sauce wasn't overly tangy. -Ravioli: the pasta tasted so fresh and again the red sauce was super flavorful -Pesto gnocchi: fluffy little balls of heaven. Great portion too for sharing No complaints here. I can't wait to return when I'm in San Diego! read more

Barbusa - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

My husband made a reservation here for my birthday. We opted to sit outside since inside is pretty loud, and the tables are very close together, which I personally would want to hear our conversation. I ordered a rigatoni pasta with spicy sausage and a red sauce which was good. I guess I expected it to have more spice. My husband ordered the short rib lasagna, which I tried, and it was pretty good. The pasta doesn't leave you feeling heavy like some other places. Our waiter made the evening even more special by giving us each a glass of rosé on the house and brought Sicilian donuts to our table to celebrate. read more

I've been to Barbusa a couple times in the past, but this time we just got some appetizers to share. We got the bone marrow, salad with beets, carpaccio, and lamb lollipops. For drinks I got the classic margarita. Everything was really good and was the perfect food to snack on. I've come on the weekends and it's pretty busy but if you come on a weeknight, it's not too loud and has a nice atmosphere. read more

Such a lively Italian restaurant in the heart of Little Italy! Be sure to make a reservation ahead of time as this place is always booked up! While it is very well known, I love the home-y mom and pop vibe of the inside. This place would be great for a family dinner, group celebration, or date. The servers are also very efficient and friendly. The star of the show were the apps (and the food came out super fast!). We got the squash blossoms and bruschetta di malazane. Both were incredible and super flavorful. Would get it again. Ravioli Norma (8/10): When I read fried eggplant, I thought there would be little crunchies on top but it looks like it was more like a stir fried eggplant garnish. Nonetheless, the ravioli was al denta and they loaded the plate with pasta sauce. The sauce had the perfect amount of sweetness and acidity. read more

Barbusa - pasta! - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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I want to give them 3.5 stars..but that's not an option. Had dinner here the other night and it was just OK. The atmosphere is nice..a bit loud but vibrant. Our server was nice and attentive for the most part and she gets 4.5 stars. The let down was the food... My pasta al forno was very reminiscent of the kid ravioli'os from back in the 90s. My husband's cabonara was mid. Maybe it's because I just came back from spending 2 weeks in Italy and I now know what this stuff is supposed to taste like, but definitely a let down. THE MEATBALLS and garlic bread were great! All in all a nice place to try. With so many good restaurants in Little Italy I can't say that id choose to run back here anytime soon. read more

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I had a wonderful lunch here! The vibe is great, the staff is friendly, and they have such fun personalities. We sat outside because it was a beautiful day. There was a steady stream of patrons coming into the restaurant, while we were there. That's always a great sign. The restaurant offers a variety of dishes from starters, salads, pastas, and protein dishes. We started with the stuffed squash blossoms and the bruschetta. The squash blossoms were great! I loved the lightly fried blossom and the soft cheese. The bruschetta was also great. It was a different twist with eggplant instead of just the regular tomato topping. For main dishes we got the pasta bolognese, the lobster pasta, the ahi tuna, and the ravioli. The dishes were of the right serving. We were all able to finish our dishes without being overly stuffed. The pasta was cooked well. My friend felt like the ahi could have done without the sweet sauce on top, but everything else was great. read more

Every time we go to San Diego we eat here and have their lamb lollipop and their meatballs. The service is always excellent!!! We tend to eat outside but the ambience inside is amazing. I highly recommend this place. read more

This is not what it used to be. So if someone told you how great it was and you should try it. maybe not anymore... super loud music food was ok but experience and ambiance is gone. read more

Service by Gianni was top notch! Nice guy. Parking was ok--street parking but you have to get lucky. Otherwise valet which idk how much it was. Had high expectations. Seemed like it would be something between authentic Italian and Italian places that are kind of trying to be Italian but are just for show. The funghi pasta was good but really rich. The lamb lollipops were good. Squash blossoms--like nothing I've tasted before! Yum. But the bolognese..... was like a can of chef boyardee. ??? Sad to waste carb intake on this. Also the place was so loud we couldn't even think or talk. Probably won't be coming back. read more

Barbusa - "Bolognese" - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Food is always delicious here there is not much on their menu I don't like I would some change maybe change out one or two entrees just for a variety service today was sloooow with restaurants half emptied we have gotten better service when the place is packed to the gills !! The pasta came out first then my riccola very disappointing I was introducing this place to a friend and now she thinks is so disorganized read more

Barbusa - Carbonara Con Piselli - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place was delicious. Excellent service and delicious food. Planning our next visit already. I took pictures but can not for the life of me I can't find them the restaurant itself is tastefully understaffed in decor nice but not so elevated that a casual lunch would be uncomfortable read more

Worst experience ever, my husband pasta had a piece of plastic bag in it that he almost swallowed. The owner said that was ok??? No Mr., it's not ok to serve food with trash on it. read more