Buona Sera, with roots in Brooklyn, is a reliably good Italian restaurant: white tablecloths, attentive staff and delicious food. The two of us shared a house salad (apportioned in the kitchen) topped with an order of calamari. If you like calamari, try theirs. Nicely fried rings, tentacles and plenty of 'em. (I have to remember to ask them NOT to dress the salad. I don't really like their Italian vinaigrette.) While the photo of my chicken and T's veal look almost the same, they're not. The sauce on his "Caridinale" has more zing than what's on my "Bolognese." Both good, but his a bit better. If you prefer pasta, as we do, ask the server to swap out potatoes, which appear to be their usual side. In addition to the menu there are always specials, some of which are pricier than expected. (Be sure to check!) Dinner was pleasant and unhurried. We appeared to be one of the few without reservations but if you come later, you may want to make them. Metered street parking is free after 6:00 p.m. Like many Italian restaurants in the area, Buona Sera is BYOB, which is always my preference. read more

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Absolutely horrible customer service. Ordered 3 items. Only received entree. DoorDash blamed restaurant. Restaurant blamed DoorDash. Person was clueless and restaurant offered no apology of any kind. Will never EVER order from here again. Total embarrassing disaster for them. read more

Visited friends and wanted to give a new Italian place a try. This was a great spot! Being BYOB is also a plus for us. The restaurant itself is cute, as is the patio seating. The food was authentic, warm, and so yummy! We all tried a little bit of everything and we were not disappointed. read more

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We have been to Buona Sera in Havertown a few times lately and have enjoyed every visit. The service is excellent, the food is delicious, and although it can be loud when full of patrons, it's clean and well maintained. read more

Outstanding dinner at Buona Sera. The service was very impressive. I had the ravioli special and it was outstanding. Don't believe one star ratings from people who have only reviewed one establishment. This restaurant is a winner and definitely worth a try. We will be back! Thank you! read more

Buona Sera Ristorante - Chicken Pollo del Castelli - Italian Near Me - Havertown, Pennsylvania

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Excellent service in addition to just great food! Everyone in our group was impressed from the Caprese Di Bufala to start to each person's meals. Definitely a great spot for dinner! read more

Pasta was delicious but the Salmon was horrible, fishy and dry. When the waiters asked how everything was, I told them about the fish. They just ignored me! Very expensive, so I should have been reimbursed for the fish! read more

We've been satisfied customers of Buona Sera for a while, appreciating their good food and service in a convenient location. However, it is clear that the management is not up to serving a crowd on holidays. Last night, on New Year's Eve, our party of 15 sat down at a table reserved for us for more than a month in advance. It was 8 PM. Thank god for the BYOB wine and champagne we supplied, as our order wasn't taken for more than an hour, at which time we were informed that the Lobster bisque soup and the filet mignon surf and turf was no longer available. Ok - we'll sub out the ribeye... and order 15 asparagus soups, but wait.. 30 minutes later we're informed that their is no more soup, and 30 minutes later that their are no more ribeyes! After 10 PM we're served an appetizer, followed by "salads" 30 minutes later. The capresse salad had no basil, and the arugula salads were skimpy serving of arugula and onion-missing caramelized apple and walnuts described in the menu. Complaints brought small dishes of pistachio nuts and sliced raw green apple. Our complaints turned into arguments with the wait staff and manager- very unpleasant. It wasn't until close to 11:30 that the main courses were finally served. We could not eat it at that hour. We did not receive our champagne toast and one of our party became Ill with one look at her chicken dish. For our troubles, we received $20/pp off the prix fix price. Never going back. This is a reposting because the original was taken down!! Not cool!! read more

Back to our go-to BYOB. Always a great meal, great service and great people. 5 out of 5. read more

Buona Sera Ristorante - North Atlantic Salmon with scalloped potatoes and fresh vegetables - Italian Near Me - Havertown, Pennsylvania

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We were a group of 15 and had dinner at Springfield location! The food was delicious! Everyone was very happy with a meal. portion sizes are very generous. BYOB. Good variety of desserts. The homemade creme brulee was very good! The staff are very friendly and accommodating. We will definitely be back. read more

The food is very good. I'm so happy we had dinner here. If you're looking for good food, but want to avoid the city and parking, I recommend you come here. Service is excellent, and we will be coming back. read more

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After driving by a few times on Darby Road, we decided we'd like to try this little place for our anniversary. I'm sad to say that they successfully managed to mangle our anniversary dinner. The very first off-putting thing was that they required a credit-card for a reservation, with a $15 no-show fee, but no clear cancellation policy. It should have been a red flag right there. Let's start with the ambiance. It was what you'd expect for a small mom & pop restaurant. The bar was pretty low, so they exceeded expectations with it being open and airy feeling. Alright, except it was a bit noisy. Maybe some decorative sound dampening material on the upper half of the walls would help. The service was what you'd expect. It was on the slower side, but I would have expected that for any Mom & Pop Italian restaurant that's going to make things from scratch. Due to the noise, we had to listen to the waitstaff at other tables repeat the specials about four times before either of us could hear the whole list. We're not hard of hearing and should have been able to hear it the first time. Other tables around us were also celebrating their anniversaries, so it kind of set the expectation that maybe we would also get the same level of service or recognition. Nope! Our server didn't even acknowledge it. On to the food - the part you're probably here for. It was okay, not good, not great, just okay. We ordered the appetizers - Grilled Calamari and Shrimp & Polenta with Mushrooms. The mushroom sauce with the polenta was amazing, and probably set the bar too high for the rest of the meal. The asparagus with the Grilled Shrimp and Calamari was also sweet and tender regardless of being 1/2 inch thick. Main course? The Risotto was definitely not risotto. It was on the dry side and most definitely not the correct rice. Not creamy, more like a cajun shrimp over rice. The Veal alla Cardinale? The combination of swimming in a sauce that was way too sweet, and very sweet roasted peppers really reminded me of a pizza. It was just too much sauce. I took it home but ended up tossing it because I didn't want to eat it again. Even dessert wasn't so great. I had a double shot of the bitterest espresso I've ever had. I ended up having to thin it with water to make it barely drinkable. The "Ricotta Cheesecake" was not. It was just a (still frozen) New York Cheesecake. The "homemade creme brulee" was either plain old vanilla pudding (think box from the grocery store) or a very poorly executed creme anglaise topped with some carmelized sugar. All this for the meager price of $142. (or $148 if you wanted to pay with a credit card). I won't get fooled again. read more

Everything was wonderful I usually like to cook at home but I honestly felt like how I'm at this place you tell your name is what drew me in but then everything else after that was wonderful read more

We were able to get reservations for a Friday night. When we walked in, the restaurant was packed and noisy. After being greeted and waiting a minute or two, we were seated in the back. So, what did we like? We appreciated that the restaurant seemed to be trying. The waitstaff was dressed professionally, the tables were covered with linens, and it was, most importantly, a BYOB. What didn't we like? The food was nothing special. The bread was cold with no butter or olive oil. The stracciatella soup with spinach, egg, and parmigiana was just ok. The red snapper with clams, shrimp, and garlic was good, but nothing special. We regretted not going to Fellini in Media. Once the tables changed next to us and an obnoxious man with a booming voice sat down, we knew it was time to go. read more

Buona Sera Ristorante - Red snapper with clams, shrimp, and garlic - Italian Near Me - Havertown, Pennsylvania

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We had a fantastic dinner at Buona Sera this evening! The appetizers: calamari, shrimp scampi, bruschetta and burrata - all very delicious! Entrees were timed perfectly, great portions, and all very very good! My dish had homemade pasta and a delicious cognac sauce. Coffee and desserts: pistachio gelato, lemon cake, tartufo - all very good! Service was perfect. Can't wait to go back! read more

Buona Sera Ristorante - Table of 8 very satisfied customers! - Italian Near Me - Havertown, Pennsylvania

Just had a lovely Valentine's Day date here with my wife. The service was great. Everyone who stopped by our table was very friendly. The food was delicious as well. Great portions on the Chicken Parm with Spaghetti. "The Bolognese was delicious," says my wife. Overall a great time. read more

We ordered take out, ravioli and meatballs. And both seemed to be a canned version. Not what you would expect. Four order at $165. The only good thing was the sauce was okay. I will never order from this restaurant. read more

Food is good (not amazing) Service is good,friendly people Ambiance is nice a tad on the noisy side Close seating Here's my beef with this restaurant Looked at menu online prior to making reservation because we got a courtesy call from another restaurant that they were having only fixed prices for New Year weekend So the misses calls and asked if they were doing the same and they said they weren't Got there looked at menu old side Went in got completely different prices Bad bad bad Pressed to return Principles rule always See ya Disappointed in your backyard Ps Couple sitting next to us first time visiting said same thing as we were leaving found out we frequented same BYO's read more

Very good food. My wife first got the soup and she said it was really good. I ordered the bruchette and that was really tasty. She got the meditation dish with shrimp and angel hair pasta. I got the chicken parm. Food was excellent and there was plenty to bring home. This is a byob so bring your drink. The whole experience was good the only thing to change would be to offer different types of sauces on the pasta like vodka sauce , Alfredo, Rosa. This is a smaller place so try to make a reservation. It's worth the money. read more

This is Italian fine dining at its very finest. The table service was crisp, efficient and professional. The meals were superb. We need more BYOBs like this one. read more

Food is consistently excellent. The service is great. On a busy night, the place is buzzing with chatter!

DO NOT EAT HERE OR MAKE RESERVATIONS WITH THIS RESTAURANT! I booked a 12:30 pm lunch reservation for July 21st. My guests heard where I booked and did not want to dine there. I called prior to the reservation to cancel and double checked/ASKED if it was okay to cancel and to make sure I wouldn't be charged. She said "It is okay to cancel, you won't be charged. You were the only reservation anyway." THEY CHARGED ME $45 and will NOT refund my money despite telling me there wouldn't be any financial consequence for doing so. The owner said due to the "Open Table" policy, there was nothing he could do and would just "talk to the woman" about why she said this. Meanwhile, the owner and restaurant is the only one in control of the financial transaction and he tried to blame Open Table for the charge.This restaurant LIED to me, took my money, won't return it, and did nothing to fix the situation. I told the owner if she confirmed on the phone that I would be charged, my guests would have gone there to eat so I wouldn't lose money. They lied and won't return my money. This will be reported to the Better Business Bureau. DO NOT GO HERE!!!! read more

Buona Sera Ristorante - Italian Near Me - Havertown, Pennsylvania

This restaurant is not authentic Italian. For example captures salad was 3 pieces of tomao and 3 pieces of mozzarella cheese with a spiral carrot garnish - $14. Entrees come with some mashed potatoes concoction. If you want pasta it will cost $10 and mine was woefully undercooked. Polenta appetizer was not homemade and was cold. not one of the four of us enjoyed the meal. plus the waiter kept saying Buon appetite. As an Italian American the entire experience was best described as being offensive. read more

Rene was super kind and attentive even though they were very busy. The appetitizers were already filling and the entrees were huge! Such a cute little town; will definitely be back to try other foods. I think next time I will be ordering every appetizer on the menu because they were all so good and different in so many ways. read more

A flawless authentic Italian meal. The pasta dishes are all amazing. The veal and fish as well. Just as important is the excellent service. We will be back soon. read more

Buona Sera is a hidden gem in Havertown. I have become a regular there and have brought many family and friends. Everyone loves it. The food is excellent, all fresh ingredients and very flavorful. The key to Buona Sera is consistency and service. The food will taste and look the same time after time. The service is always excellent and very friendly. I am looking forward to my next dining experience at Buona Sera Havertown! This place is CAN'T MISS! read more

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Decided to give this place a try and ordered the chicken Parm for delivery. Became violently ill with food poisoning just a few hours after eating. Worst food poisoning of my life; what a nightmare. My wife had the exact same experience. read more

First time here. Had the most delicious lentil soup and hubby had the best shrimp scampi appetizer he ever tasted " His words". I had the Halibut special.. and he had the chicken parm . Delicious! Service was excellent. A lovely dining experience . Happy to have this gem in Havertown read more

Fabulous understated gem in Havertown. BYOB. Luscious and bountiful Italian food in an intimate setting with white tablecloths. Fabulous responsive and attentive service. Been twice and will be back. read more

Love this restaurant! Tried the polenta appetizer and the pork risotto special. Fantastic! And absolutely loved the pistachio gelato for dessert! The service was excellent. The servers are so pleasant and accommodating. Will definitely be back! read more

Absolutely appalled. My husband and I ordered the chicken parmesan through Uber Eats. There was a deal for specific dishes through them for whatever reason...I had a taste of my chicken knew there might be something wrong, it was rubbery and the taste of the sauce was "off". In the middle of the night, both my husband and I woke up violently ill in all ways you can imagine; the worst food poisoning I've ever had. My husband called the establishment to let them know. I am still recovering two days later. People get excited for new restaurants to open in this area and I know everyone is trying their hardest to make it in this economy but I have no sympathy for lazy behavior that puts their customers at risk like this. They need the health department to investigate their establishment. read more

Just moved back to the area after nine years in AZ. My best friend came with me to help me move. For our last dinner together I randomly came across this place while searching google for Italian. It was excellent. I had ravioli and she had rigatoni bolognese. The pastas were very good, as were the desserts. The salads were not bad, but nothing to writer home about. I definitely plan to return soon and bring my mother. Very large menu for such a small place. Pleasant inside and service was excellent. As a former server, I think good service makes or breaks the experience. read more

Buona Sera brings us back to the family-run Italian BYOBs we enjoyed in South Philly. This is a full service restaurant that runs smoothly despite being packed each time we have had dinner. Food is spectacular, service is impeccable! read more

The delicious food, the attentive service and the friendly waitstaff keep me coming back often!

Great food and service. Easy parking options as well. Also BYOB! Will definitely come back!

My husband and I had a fabulous meal! Appetizer, entrees, and dessert were perfect. Our server was excellent. We look forward to going back!

What a gem of an upscale Italian restaurant! Everyone's entrees and appetizers were outstanding, perfectly seasoned as well as beautifully presented. Service couldn't have been more accommodating. We will definitely be dinning here again. read more

Terrific new restaurant in Havertown featuring delicious Italian food. Had the 'shrimps' and scallops pasta special and lamb chops. Both were large portions and perfectly cooked. Service was super friendly and very quick despite being packed. The bread was the only disappointment, poor texture and served with a hard butter. More than made up for by the apps, entrees and dessert. The frozen Limoncello dessert was divine! We highly recommend! read more

Excellent new BYOB in Havertown! We were very happy with all of our pasta entrees. I particularly liked their bolognese sauce and my wife enjoyed the Amatriciana. Service was attentive and the ambiance was relaxing (although it was lunchtime and not too crowded). They also have some brunch items on the menu for lunch and they open early for breakfast as well! It's a welcome new addition to Havertown, where most new businesses seem to be pizza shops or nail salons. read more

Would definitely go back to try more foods, the service here was fantastic. Our server, Rene, was extremely attentive. The chicken parm was not the best but the other dishes were great. read more