This place was such an awesome place to book for a small wedding party. They had everything set up and drinks ready and coloring for the kids. We enjoyed the pasta and the service. Everyone here was very friendly and refilled drinks right away. The servers were very attentive to a big party. Food was also very good. The fettuccine alfredo was a big hit and the chicken was very tasty as well. Parking was a little tough as it is street parking in the city. But we got a spot pretty close to the restaurant. Ill come back for more. read more

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Waited a long time for a table but the place was full so it couldn't have been that bad. It was. Even some guy told me to leave but our party waited so long already. The service was so slow and the food came out at different times. We got the salads at the end and when our pastas came out, we could tell they had been sitting under a lamp light because of the film that had formed and the hardness of the pasta. There were only 2 servers. That's not on them. That's on management to do better. Kind of unfortunate because I have never had a bad time at other Buca locations. If they can't keep up for SDCC, then they should schedule more people if possible. From start to end of service, my party was there for about 2.5 hrs. Maybe about for 1 hour we were sitting there with no food. Really terrible. read more

I came here last year and the service was phenomenal!! Unfortunately, I can't even fathom how terrible the manager is. She was standing around doing nothing while her servers were running, bussing, and everything in between. The service took 3 hours from waiting to end of service. At no fault of the servers, it was just a mess. Everyone at our table ate at different times and one person didn't get their food at all. The manager never came to apologize but the server did, many times. She was too busy doing I don't know what. We thought this was a slip up so we tried to do a reservation today but was told by the same manager that our reservation wasn't going to be honored because there were people waiting BUT this contradicted the other day when she sat people down with reservations. Just really bad all around. Yikes. read more

We visited with a large group, and the restaurant was very accommodating, even giving us a private room for our party. The large lazy Susan in the center of the table made sharing dishes easy and added to the experience. Service was attentive and fairly prompt, and the décor definitely sparked conversation with its unique style and atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food itself was underwhelming. While the portions were incredibly generous -- we left with several overflowing to-go boxes -- the dishes lacked the flavor and care we were hoping for. Overall, it felt like quantity was prioritized over quality. read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Family Style Meals - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food good Service good Ambiance good Good food good service good ambiance. It's good for groups on the budget side in this area of town. It's Buca di Beppo. I would comeback if I was in the area read more

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Anthony was amazing! Great service! Helped us when we didn't know what to order. Helped make it affordable. So great with the kids and genuine. Thanks Bucca SD and Anthony! read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Lasagna eaten - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Manger promised the $120 refund for their spoiled food and still has not refunded us. Repeated we are given the run around. Contact this number or email or submit receipt to this email and nothing has been done. No response, email shows as nonexistent. They've admitted to their food being spoiled and claimed fault for the issues. Said yes we are due a refund. Still nothing. How is this place still in business? Several have closed, for obvious reasons. With so many delicious options in San Diego why do ppl still dine here? Don't believe they will make issues right, all they do is gaslight. So disappointed. A lot of money wasted. And time wasted on this restaurant. read more

Buca di Beppo turned out to be a great choice before heading over to Petco Park. The location is incredibly convenient, and it was an easy walk to the stadium after dinner. Even with a big event happening nearby, the restaurant had plenty of open seating, which made for a relaxed start to the evening. The two servers working our section seemed to be covering a lot of ground, but they were friendly, attentive whenever they stopped by, and did a great job keeping everything moving. The food was delicious, and the family-style portions were absolutely massive, so come hungry or plan on taking some home. If you're looking for a reliable meal before an event at Petco Park, this is definitely a solid option. read more

My Son was craving for Italian food and since he was in Spring break he called his friends to dine in with us and of course whenever he brings his friends that meant that I was the one paying as always ;) So since it was not just me and my son dining out, I decided to bring them to BUCA DI BEPPO, it's a a good Italian restaurant with a mostly Family style foods to order. We have been to Buca de Beppo in the different locations they have and their portions are really good sizes. Here are what we agreed on to order: *LARGE ITALIAN SAUSAGE PAPPARDELLE *MARGHERITA  PIZZA *GARLIC ROASTED CHICKEN  & POTATOES *FETTUCCINE ALFREDO w / CHICKEN *CAESAR SALAD *MOZZARELLA GARLIC BREAD *VILLA GARDEN SPRITZ *COLOSSAL BROWNIE SUNDAE My VILLA GARDEN SPRITZ is very refreshing, and as always their mozzarella garlic bread and caesar salad were good. We had 2 sets of Pasta, the LARGE ITALIAN SAUSAGE PAPPARDELLE and the FETTUCCINE ALREDO with chicken. My Son and his friends liked the ITALIAN SAUSAGE pasta and I liked the FETTUCCINE ALFREDO Pasta more, maybe it's because I was craving for something cheesy that day. The MARGHERITA PIZZA was not my first choice, but one of my son's friends chose it. I didn't like it, it tasted like a regular Pizza. I liked the ROASTED GARLIC CHICKEN with potatoes, it's juicy, tasty, and had a good size. For the DESSERT I always choose their COLOSSAL BROWNIE SUNDAE, this is served in a huge Martini glass, this is actually a good one and it's a really a good size for sharing. The service was good. We found a parking space right away in front of their restaurant. read more

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Arturo was an amazing waiter. Took care of us since the phone call before we came in! He made sure we felt at home and offered the best options to make our dinner unforgettable! Thank you for having us! read more

Very welcoming and homely environment. Great catering Waiter Arthur very friendly Authentic Italian cuisine Come here to enjoy a cozy feel The pictures on the wall added bonus read more

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Holy cow, it is a lot of food......3 grown men barely put a dent in it. I did not know it was a chain. The salad was great. The lasagna was meh...come hungry read more

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This is a new location for Bucca di Beppo. Parking was hard to find, so we had to park in a paid lot nearby. They have great family style options and service was very attentive. We started with their complimentary bread and olive oil/vinegar. I got a mocktail and he chose a cocktail. For apps, we shared the meatballs, calamari, bruschetta, mushroom bites, and Caesar salad. I was getting full already! For our entrees, we chose the chicken carbonara and lasagna. We couldn't pass on the chocolate cake! At the end of our meal, they gave us complimentary shots of limoncello! read more

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We came in before the dinner rush, and were seated right away and a big table. The ambiance is fun Italian art, photos and memorabilia on the walls. We all decided to get pizza, fettuccine and ravioli. All of the food was delicious. We didn't have to wait too long for the food. The waiter was very nice and attentive. read more

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Arturo was a fire waiter he did us RIGHT. 10/10 recommend this place the food was fire too.

Was craving chicken parmigiana and fettuccine alfredo, Buca didn't disappoint. Came in on a hopping Saturday night, we sat at the bar so we could order from them lunch menu (smaller portions). Kyle our bartender/server was awesome. Was so much fun chatting with him as he did his good work. We were probably annoying but if he we was he never let on. Drinks and dinner were fantastic with plenty of leftovers for breakfast. Yes, I love cold pasta. So happy we have such a laid back place close to here we live. read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Fried Mozzarella - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

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Javier, is just a amazing server/bartender!!! We had such a great experience,I highly recommend asking for him , he made sure the food came out on time, due to how busy it was he was very prestige in his service. We will definitely be coming back here in the next week or two to bring our grandparents that are from the East Coast. We are definitely looking forward to coming back to Javier. Thank you again for the great service and experience. read more

Used a gift card to order pickup after work. The decor was adorable and the hostess was genuinely kind, though parking downtown made me work for it. I really wanted to like this place, but the food felt like it was made without much love. The "large" pizza that claims to feed 3-4 was surprisingly small for $27.99, and the taste was... giving Chuck E. Cheese with a hint of romano. My sons were not impressed and amazingly refused to eat because it smelled like socks. The mozzarella garlic bread was undercooked and needed a trip to our oven. Once it was actually cooked it was tasty after adding some seasoning. The meatball was a little too pink for my daughter and had to be cooked more. The rigatoni arrived cold, dry, and needed extra sauce and seasoning. Overall, everything was bland and missing that extra love. Even with the nice staff and cute atmosphere, the meal just wasn't good. Maybe just a bad day for the cook and my bad luck since some people left pretty good reviews. Unfortunately, I won't be back and happy the bulk of the cost was covered by a gift card. read more

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Ordered alfredo. Portion was very small so ordered margarita pizza to go. Disaster. Was near closing time but still. Service was good at least. read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Margarita pizza - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

The shrimp scampi fettuccine was delicious and a very generous portion of tender shrimp! It was the perfect blend of butter, olive oil, lemon and garlic for the sauce. I will definitely order this again when I get back to San Diego! read more

Rising from the ashes, Buca di Beppo has not only emerged from corporate bankruptcy, but they have opened at a new address within the Gaslamp Quarter. The former site was on the edge of East Village and began to look dilapidated. This spot took over the space of a LA-based 24-hour diner in the southwest corner of the Quarter that had been closed for years. The exterior of the suite was rather muted except for an unusual sidewalk sign. Upon entering, the inside was exactly how I remembered this business when I first dined at an out-of-state Buca di Beppo some two decades ago. Red and white tablecloths adorned each table. There were plenty of black and white photographs on the walls along with gaudy decor. I noticed at least two private dining rooms that each had a theme, one of which was in "honor" of the pope. This chain is known for family-style Italian food in HUGE portion sizes. On the top left corner of the menu, it stated that a small order could feed three while a large order could feed five. The most significant difference nowadays was the higher prices due to inflation and labor costs. Spaghetti with Meatballs was one dish we always ordered. I chose a small serving which set me back $39.99! Two of their famous half-pound meatballs adorned a bed of spaghetti served with marinara sauce. I sprinkled a lot of parmesan cheese on top of the dish when it arrived at my table. It was pretty basic and filling, especially the meatballs. I think I consumed about 1/3 of the order before packaging the rest as leftovers. I even took home some of the complimentary bread that was served with a side dish of balsamic vinegar in olive oil for dipping. The worker who was staffing the outside hostess stand also double as my server because they were not busy on the night of my visit. I had no issue with the service I received as other staff members assisted as needed. I gave a four star rating for my dinner at the new downtown Buca di Beppo. read more

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Mira Mesa location. Dinner for 4 adults. Took 1 hour, 45 minutes from being seated until bill arrived. Waiter disappeared for 15 minutes at a time. Food arrived lukewarm and we figured out why later. When we asked for our check, the waiter put down another meal and it sitfor 5 minutes while he got our check. Bill was $200 for an ordinary meal, partly because the selection of sides is limited and we ordered plain pasta as side dishes, which were charged as full meals. Been there many times before. Not going back. read more

The inside looks fantastic and I love the vibe but the food was well below mediocre. The chicken canneloni didn't have much flavor too it and it was extremely greasy. The cheese tortellini was also extremely flavorless and I would not recommend. The portions are large and enough for 2-3 people if you have an appetite. The waitress was very nice and understanding because we waiting for about 30 mins before the last person in our party arrived and she didn't rush us. read more

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The service was HORRIBLE. We've never had this bad of an experience ever, and we travel a lot. We didn't get our drink order until 20 minutes in, and THEN didn't get them until our food arrived...there was one waitress for the entire place and she was in no hurry. We had the bartender get our drinks because she never came back. Do NOT RECOMMEND. read more

As always, it was a pleasure dining in for a quick bite, our server Jeff definitely made an amazing first impression by greetings us soon as we walked in & sat us down and made the most refreshing Moscow Mule of the evening as well as the Roman Tiki drink, looking forward to returning and seeing Jeff! Thanks! read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Milan Mule & Roman Tiki - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Service was great, our waiter was very attentive when we first walked in and quickly took our order. Our food tasted great and came out quick. The portion sizes are also adequate for a small party, we had gotten a single bowl of Caesar Salad and Lasagna that was able to feed all 4 of us! We saw that if you signed up on the website you could get a free Brownie Sundae Dessert if it was your birthday and so we did, we had 2 birthdays. We were having trouble with it so we asked someone close by which happened to be the head chef. We couldn't find the email that would be sent so instead he was kind enough to let us have it anyways! The Sundae was huge and we all barely finished it LOL. Overall great experience, great servers and service, would definitely go again! read more

Jeff our waiter provided excellent service. We came to this location looking for Frutti Di Mare and it was delicious. Food was all fresh, and very tasty. Awesome customer service. Perfect lunch for celebrating my mother's birthday! Highly recommend this location! read more

We recently moved to the area and are still trying new spots nearby. We came here for my husband's birthday lunch and I'm really glad we did. The restaurant is cozy and has a really nice atmosphere. We ordered the chicken rigatoni and spaghetti and meatballs ! both were delicious. I love pasta and this was honestly one of the better ones I've had. The drinks were out of this world Service was soo great. Arturo and the chef were very welcoming and made us feel taken care of without being over the top. Overall just a really good experience. We'll definitely be coming back. read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Pricey but if you come for lunch it's reasonable with the same quality of food. Nice dinner date of friend gathering. The service was good considering they were a little busy but it is near the convention center. The appearance of my food was good but I had to grab and run so I don't know how it taste just yet but looks delicious. read more

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Such great customer service from Arturo I've never been offered warm water for my baby before at any restaurant!!! I highly recommend the $40 bundle it was plenty of food for my husband and 3 kids!! The restaurant was very clean and such a great vibe definitely coming back! read more

Mmmm. Maybe I'd pass if given the choice to do this again. My friend and I stopped in for lunch. Neither of us had been to a Buca's before so we trusted our waiter for recommendations. I ordered the chicken carbonara, and my friend had the Italian meatball sub. Both of us were underwhelmed. If it's the only place open, I imagine it might be worth stopping by, but if not, I'd pass. read more

Arturo was AMAZING!! The place is so pretty the decorations are amazing too look at and the food is so INCREDIBLE!!! Arturo made this experience so special as well. I can't wait to come back again! AND THE DESSERT WAS THE BEST! Those brownies deserve to be savored read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - The Colossal brownie Sunday - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Food was very good! Had the pink sauce pasta with some garlic bread. Would recommend the place.

Bucca di Beppo is a real nice Italian restaurant, in the heart of the Gaslamp District in Downtown San Diego. The spaghetti, lasagna, garlic bread, and tiramisu are so delicious! Bucca di Beppo not only has a great atmosphere, they also have great music to listen to. Our server, Sophia, was amazing! She was very nice, and accommodating, and always had a smile on her face. You could tell she loves what she does! I'll definitely be going back again! read more

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Used to go here all the time. They have some new manager that speaks only in Spanish. Everything has gone down hill. Service, management, food . The guy manager they had before kept this place running smoothly. Now it's a joke. Don't waste your time or money here. read more

Amazing food and service from Arty for my daughter's first birthday in the "pope room". We were a large party with multiple babies and toddlers and Arty was attentive, friendly and made the experience so special with a giant birthday dessert at the end of our meal. read more

Buca di Beppo is Italian that translates to Joe's small place. This Italian restaurant is part of a national chain of over 44 currently open locations since 1993. This location in the Gaslamp Quarters of San Diego opened recently. Limited metered street parking and private parking lots for a fee throughout. Have only dined here during midweek lunch hours and luckily found parking every time. I've seen BDB in the Santa Monica and LA area and never had a chance to dine. My dining friend wanted to dine here as BDB first opened in Minneapolis Minnesota, Vikings state. The restaurant only has indoor seating, no outdoor seating. Upon entry, the bar lounge, and the dining area towards the back with smaller private dining rooms with themes..like the cardinal room and the pope room, each with kitchy( humorous and a bit tacky) decor of all things cardinal and pope. Due to the recent illness of the current day Pope Frances, I preferred seating in the dining room which had the dark red tufted booths, and red and white checkered table cloths, and portraits of notable Italian celebrities and characters on the walls. The menu offers nearly all the usual Italian recipes. We've ordered the signature dishes: spaghetti and meatball, Alfredo sauce with chicken, antipasti salad, garlic cheese bread and Chianti. Every dish was nicely presented, looked appealing and portions were generous. Taste wise, I was unimpressed and disappointed. The spaghetti and meatball dish, specifically the meatball was not great, seems like too much filler was used, the beefy taste was lost. The marinara sauce was surprisingly delish, and I would order just the sauce with pasta, sans meatball. The Alfredo sauce was good but the rich tasting, it needs more cheese! The antipasti salad looked better than it tasted, just add more olive oil and vinaigrette to enhance the taste. The most disappointing was the garlic cheese bread which lacked substance, lacked flavor and not worth it, as you can order another entree for the same cost. The lunch specials are a good value for those who want a pasta and a salad/soup, but don't expect Italian gourmet. It's probably great for families and or a group who want to share a meal. My dining friend who has a bland palate for taste is not too particular liked it all, and since it's his birthday, I'll be generous and genteel in my review and rating. There are so many restaurant choices in the Gaslamp quarters, Little Italy San Diego area and I hope my review will help management my some adjustments. Otherwise, this restaurant will be subject to Bankruptcy Chapter 11, as many of its other locations closed. Service from the staff was always cordial, accommodating and nice from the host, waitress and manager. The food was not terrible but not great. I did enjoy the ambiance of the old school decor with the Italian songs in the background, which is nostalgic of classic Italian. If you want generous service and Hugh portions, this place is for you, Abbondanza! read more

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Nostalgic Italian food! Shared a lunch combo for under $20. Great service from Jeff during lunch hour. He pours a stiff Hendricks Tonic. Excellent, central Gaslamp location in DTSD. read more

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant - Italian Near Me - San Diego, California

Javi was the best! Excellent customer service and always checked up on us. Also was super friendly and explained the menu to us, was worth the experience! read more

The fact that they could accommodate my large family and were attentive made our experience extremely memorable. They made sure our food was up to our standards, which can be very tedious but never once was there any indication that it was. All in all, the environment/experience and our food were everything we could have hoped for. read more

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