If you have a large order I would plan on ordering ahead over the phone especially during the summer. It's extremely hot in the waiting area no circulating air. The chicken parm sandwich was delicious! The chicken is cut into strips and added to a toasted sub roll with marinara sauce. There were zero complaints about the meatball subs. My family devoured them. I had to go back in for my garlic toast that comes with the mac n cheese but the garlic toast was worth it. The Mac n cheese wasn't my favorite. The flavor kind of reminded me of prego Alfredo cheese sauce in a way. I'll be ordering my chicken parm again in the future. read more

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Good service too, not too busy as I was there early In the afternoon. Meatball subs are selling like crazy! read more

By The Bucket - This is the stretch which had 4 meatballs, so yummy it has to be eaten on a plate with knife and fork. Lol lol - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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I was craving spaghetti and decided to give this place a try. I ordered it to go on their website. It was easy to navigate. The portions were generous. I couldn't finish everything myself. I feel it's good for two people. The taste was better than I had expected. I'll definitely come here again in the future. A little pricey if you're eating just for one, but you do get a lot of food, enough for two meals. read more

By The Bucket - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

The food was amazing! A nice Italian dinner without any hassle. It was a great last minute dinner with a great amount of leftovers It was our first time going there and Tommy, the young man working the counter gave us an excellent presentation about what was available with a few recommendations. I chose the Alfredo Chicken Penne and my husband tried the Pasta Marinara bake. We were both pleased! We will definitely eat here again! read more

They accepted an online order at 3:45pm and said it would be ready in 20 minutes. We showed up at 4pm to pick it up, but there was no one there and there was a sign saying that they weren't open until 4:45pm. When we tried to call, a computer said the number wasn't available. I guess I'm going to have to dispute the charges with my credit card company. Really disappointed. read more

Absolutely delicious spaghetti and meatballs! Very reasonable prices, delicious garlic bread too! Anxious to try the chicken parm next! Highly recommend. read more

Just moved back to Tucson and drove past the restaurant and their signs peaked my interest. Tonight while unpacking my kitchen I wanted spaghetti without cooking or spending a ton and recalled this place. The website was clear and ordering online and picking up was quick and easy. It was good, really enjoyed it, my toddler ate it up. Will definitely be a return customer for some good affordable pasta I didn't have to make. Only not 5 stars because I can't claim it's the best pasta I've ever had but I liked it. read more

By The Bucket - Spaghetti with meat sauce - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Great to go spaghetti. Fast and friendly service. Great if you're on the go. Clean and inviting atmosphere. Love this place read more

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this was so gross. the pasta was so mushy. the sauces were limp and tasteless. the chicken was like eating fatty sponges. two thumbs wayyyy wayyy down. it's not worth it if it were free. read more

Super cute little place! The food was honestly amazing if you just need some home cooked spaghetti vibes. The meatballs are a must and the garlic bread was buttery and delicious. We didn't wait long at all and I wish there was a drive thru but it kind of makes sense why they don't. read more

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Well I went back like I said I would. I was greeted by a different staff member who was also very helpful and kind. I ordered the large Mac and cheese and a meatball sub. I was shocked when I got home to find that the container for my Mac & cheese was barely past half full (I was already wishing the container was a little bigger). I'm not sure if this is their regular practice, but I definitely felt slighted like when you buy a bag of chips and only get half the bag! I will say it still tasted amazing. However, I will say the leftovers the next day did not taste as flavorful. The meatball sub was good. read more

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I'm not gonna lie the name the location the food spaghetti by the bucket sounds really weird but then one day. I'm like just give it a try and I got a meatball sandwich with some extra bread and OMG it was delicious. I highly recommend it. Prices are not bad and the food was ready in five minutes Next time I'll take a picture. read more

It's clean. The staff is friendly. It's just a weird vibe with a TV on in one corner and everyone sitting silently waiting for a bucket of pasta. It's not clear how much to order and the woman taking orders was not helping. "I don't know how you eat" she says. It's just awkward. But I could get past that if the food was better. The spaghetti was watery with sauce on top. The sauce lacks flavor. The garlic bread is good because garlic and butter make anything taste good. The bread itself is nothing to get excited about. Deserts are way overpriced for what you get. I love pasta, and I was not excited to eat a second bite. It wasn't a horrible experience, but nothing about it really made me want to come back. read more

By The Bucket - Beverages and desserts - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This spaghetti place is to go only. No drive thru and no dine in. My hubby and I went after his buddy spoke highly of Spaghetti by the Bucket. We upgraded from garlic bread to a half loaf of cheesy bread and got three meatballs with our order ($2 each), quickly got our meal and went home. We were given napkins, forks, and lots of Parmesan cheese ( in packets). The place was clean with a bench to sit and wait at. The food is very basic and exactly what one makes at home. A novelty that gets you exactly what's its advertising. I think pricey for what you get. Fun to try, but the food wasn't hot, and was not cooked to order. We came at 7:15pm, near closing. There was one employee, who had to answer the phone, take and get the orders together, and hand out orders. So this a step up from a food truck, but in a modest building. The food was cafeteria quality, okay. I'm thinking there are be folks who want plain food, who will enjoy predictable spaghetti with red sauce or Alfredo. May they find success. read more

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Was really hoping to like this place but honestly it's Not good! I just paid $24 for a bucket of spaghetti noodles with a small amount of mediocre tasting (my whole family's opinion) spaghetti meat sauce poured over the top. Dear owner, Not enough meat sauce... Price$$ too high seriously... from someone who is very aware of today's food costs. read more

It's better than Olive Garden and cheaper! If ur single and lazy like me, u can't beat it and good prices. If ur fat like me u'll wanna add an extra meatball and let me tell u what its time for a nap for this happy camper read more

By The Bucket - Lunch special spaghetti, meatball and toast - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

This was probably the worst meal I've had in quite some time. I ordered the small bucket with meat sauce, three meatballs and ¼ garlic bread. The bread was soggy and the sauce was overwhelmingly bad, over seasoned and the noodles were congealed together and sticky. The meatballs were ok. I ate one, but they were drenched in marinara sauce. Next time I want spaghetti, I'll just make it myself. read more

It is spaghetti, sauce, and meatballs in the bucket size of tour choice, served with garlic bread. Pasta was perfect consistency/density. Sauce was a mild marinara style. Meatballs were large and moist. Six dollar lunch deal geta you 1/3lb of pasta with sauce, meatball and slice of bread. Try it! read more

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I needed to find a quick food dish to contribute to a last minute work party. I decided to order three buckets of spaghetti, garlic bread, and meatballs. The spaghetti was prepared correctly. The spaghetti sauce wasn't thick in consistency like I like, but it did have a decent flavor. Do add salt to your desired taste as I found the sauce lacked salt. They do give you a large amount of garlic bread, but you may have to cut the bread in smaller pieces for a office party. The meat balls are sold separately and are pricey. Average about $2.00 a meat ball, but are a decent size. The meatball taste was average. This place takes the spaghetti prep and kitchen cleaning out of play so try this place for a quick meal, but know you will need to add your salt, pepper, Parmesan when you get home. read more

What a disappointment ! First time here and the spaghetti was doughy and mushy-- gross. Never heard of Al dente. Too bad because the sauce is good. Won't be back. read more

Meat n sauce is good but it doesn't have any different qualities to make it stand out. Wish there was some uniqueness to the meal to make me want more when I return to Tucson. The bread is tasty and delivery was a snap. Nacho's stretchy pants may not be so stretchy if they don't make the sauce unique! read more

By The Bucket - Pasta n meat sauce - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Probably a fun meal for kids, but not much to offer adults. I'd always been curious as this place as I live on the Eastside and often pass it. A bucket o' spaghetti? I'm in. Unfortunately the food didn't live up to the fun. The sauce is the standard sweet sauce that mass produced places make. Same with the pasta. Overcooked and soft. I got the meat sauce and the pieces of meat were soft as well, which I didn't mind. The garlic toast was nice and buttery. I ordered through Door Dash so I couldn't get a feel for the staff, service, or restaurant area. They do delivery well with strong containers that keep the food hot and fresh. Very convenient. Like I said it would be a fun place to drive thru with the kids on the way home, but as a single adult the taste just didn't appeal to me. To each his own. read more

Fast food spaghetti? Yep! Good stuff? Yep! It's just me baching it for a couple of nights. $8.95 for a small bucket? Yes, please. Plus two meatballs for $2 each. Thought I would get two meals out of it. Well....yes and no. I think I could've eaten 3/4 of the bucket in one sitting. I chose to eat half and have a bowl of cereal. But then, my post-covid body has these hunger pains that are weird. Still, I think pre-covid I could definitely have had 3/4 of the bucket. ***EDIT The next day, I had plenty for leftovers. The amount of sauce is good, I don't think you need to order more unless you want a lot of sauce, which I might do next time. It's a tasty sauce. It tastes fresh. I'm puzzled over the few reviews that say it was flavorless. Tasted great to me. The meat balls are GREAT! Worth it alone to come here and eat. Tender, with a hint of Parmesan cheese. So good. Do not order without them. They are bigger than a golf ball, maybe 2" in diameter. Easily the best meatballs I've had in Tucson. The garlic bread was tasty, too. So, OK, this is not Tavalinos or some other high end Italian restaurant. But everything was good. The marinara was good, pasta cooked absolutely fine, garlic bread was good, the meatballs were superb. Yeah, you get it in a KFC style bucket, so what? I think the food was just as good as a nice restaurant, so this gets 5 stars from me. And for the price? I think it's a good deal. It's too bad they can't have a drive-through like their Phoenix locations do. 5* = A top favorite. Mind-blowing good. I will definitely return and I will go out of my way to go here. Worth every dime of my money. 4* = Outstanding. Top-tier. Some elements not quite as good as it gets, but it still is worthy of my regular business. 3* = Good experience. I might do repeat business if it is convenient, the only option, the only one in its category, or on a whim, but would not be among the first thing to come to mind. Would definitely recommend you trying it to get your own take on it. 2* = Not so good. Would not recommend at all. Waste of money. 1* = How are they still in business? Stay away at all costs! read more

Ok this is a genius idea. I wish they had a drive thru. However, it's simple and the idea is amazing. A bowl of spaghetti and meatballs to go. OMG. Cashier was friendly, she explained the menu. I got a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread to go. It's a to go only place, so that's why I mentioned a drive thru. That said, it is barren inside, no tables, and it has been crowded a few times when we are all waiting for our orders. That said it's clean and has friendly employees. The only issue is truly the food quality. The spaghetti sauce is literally just tomato sauce. I mean, use Prego at least....noodles were fine and meatballs seem to be the ones you can buy frozen and put in a crock pot. Just a tad more effort would make this place fantastic. I realize you are trying to keep costs low, but just a tad more butter on the garlic bread would have been bomb, or a less watery sauce. That said, solid 3 star. read more

By The Bucket - Take out only - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread, cheesecake. That's it. That's the menu! Simple and easy. I came with my niece and we got the middle bucket, 1/2 loaf, and 2 meatballs. The bread was very good! Garlicky with some cheese. The meatballs were not bad. I would suggest getting extra sauce if you like your noodles covered. We got about 3-4 meals out of the middle bucket. The staff was nice and there was only one person ahead of us. Our wait was about 5 minutes. Would be cool if they could add a drive thru. Parmesan cheese and pepper packets offered are optional read more

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Our first time yesterday we did Togo We had the Spaghetti Bucket with 4 Meatballs Cheese bread Garlic bread For anyone who is going to give this place a hard time and say they expected more out of it. Do you not realize you're literally Ordering spaghetti in a bucket with meatballs and garlic bread ? It is your most average food. However for it being average food. They deserve 5 stars because, meatballs are fresh, red sauce is fresh, spaghetti is perfectly cooked, bread is cooked crisp to perfection. Nothing about this place is bad. You just need to be ready to drive Far East for this place. Otherwise don't give them a hard time and say you expect more when it's literally spaghetti with meatballs in a bucket for you served togo. It's meant to be fast easy food, with great quality of food! Support this place instead of giving them bad reviews. They are doing just fantastic ! read more

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This restaurant really intrigued me by only offering spaghetti so I decided to try it. Really clean inside and fast service. I got the bucket of spaghetti, meatballs and decided to try the cheesecake. The spaghetti is ok.. it's nothing to call home about. Basic noodles and sauce, not a ton of flavor my fiancé compared it to Ragu sauce in the store. The cheesecake seemed bought and not made there. I wasn't impressed, I definitely made better spaghetti at home. read more

I absolutely love this concept ("By the Bucket")! It's a big meal for two people, and hits the spot when you're in need of some comfort food. It reminded me of coming home to a big pot of my grandmother's spaghetti. You can tell the ladies who run this place make it with love. The highlight is definitely the meatballs, which taste like they have lots of seasoning and Parmesan cheese in them, and the big buttery piece of garlic bread that comes with it. Check this place out next time you want to treat your family to a hot meal that doesn't feel like fast food! read more

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This is a cute concept, but I think it falls short of what it could be. The building used to be an Enterprise car rental, years ago. It was vacant for a long time, so I was interested to see a new tenant. I agree with another reviewer here, in the sense that both the marinara sauce and the garlic bread are bland. Definitely get some of the red chili flakes for the sauce. The meatballs were excellent. I thought that $2 was pricey for a meatball, but they are about the size of oranges. That was my favorite part. All in all, it's pricey for what you get, and it's just okay spaghetti. read more

I ONLY ordered 6 meatballs and Xtra Marinara sauce to take home to add to MY homemade Eggplant Parmesan to save me the time preparing my own since I had heard a lot of good reviews about this place. I shall go again and order one dozen balls to go !! read more

We were here this afternoon for the grand opening and I can definitely say we will be regulars! There was a line that wrapped around the building but it was worth the wait. I was really happy to see they had such a crowd on opening day. We got the family bucket with 8 meatballs and a full loaf of garlic bread and tiramisu for dessert. There's only three of us and this was a lot of food. We have enough leftovers for us all to have at least another meal. Spaghetti was delicious. The sauce was tasty and there was plenty of sauce. You can order extra sauce so if you like your noodles extra saucey or want to dunk your garlic bread you could do that. I'll dream of the meatballs... moist and delicious. Not greasy. So very yummy. Garlic bread was well wrapped in foil so it stayed hot and fresh. Garlicky and delicious. The bread wasn't sliced so we just had to tear it apart since we didn't have a knife to cut it. The dessert options were tiramisu and cheesecake. We opted for the tiramisu. It was good but not quite what I was expecting. Much sweeter than what I like, but it was still good. Next time I'll try the cheesecake. There were a few opening day glitches, but everyone was great and the food was really good. The one thing missing from the menu was a green salad. That would have really rounded out the meal. A bagged Caesar salad kit with a little bucket to mix it up in would work perfectly with the restaurant concept. I hope By The Bucket sees a great success. What an awesome alternative to fast food! read more

By The Bucket - Cute picture in the restaurant. - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Ordered via UberEats. Took no time at all to receive my order. I got the Bambino Bucket with a side of meatballs. - the pictures on a Uber are misleading. The buckets don't come with meatballs. - it would have been nice to have some Parmesan cheese offered. The Bambino bucket is for 1-2 people. I'd agree with that one real hungry person or two people. The noodles were cooked well, the sauce was kinda bland (that parm would have added the needed salt) and the meatballs tasted like frozen premade. So why four stars? It was fast, inexpensive, the pasta wasn't mush, and free bread. read more

A few different sizes of buckets of spaghetti.. The medium is enough for 2 people. Considering it's just spaghetti and sauce it's very good. I recommend adding to meatballs. read more

By The Bucket - Medium bucket - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

Ordered a large to go order for 20-30 people. The staff was super friendly and helpful. The meatballs were a bit hit with everyone - approximately the size of a golf ball and incredibly well seasoned. The pasta was cooked well too. What a great find! read more

By The Bucket - Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Tucson, Arizona

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We Love BTB but sorry food falls short at this location. It's our go to when we need a fast bite. Cold food, tasted nothing like what we are used to, threw it out and normally we reheat and every bite is eaten. The entire Family agrees, tried it one more time and just as terrible. Yes btw it was Tucson location if it were just cold we could have heated it, all agreed that it tasted terrible. Sorry but true YES it was the Tucson location as I just said up there. We have had great luck at the Cottonwood and Phx locations. Our friend from FL had never eaten here and she said it was awful, ate no more than a few bites before we threw it out. read more

Tommy is great! The food is always bomb! Excellent customer service I love this place.

Good food. Good service. Friendly. Easy in and out. Recommend it to all who like spaghetti.

Finally decided to try since very close to where I live and I had heard a lot from others. We ordered a medium bucket with 4 meatballs. The spaghetti bucket comes with garlic bread. Fast, friendly service early on a Tuesday. We were probably the first ones of the day. Definitely has a good amount of pasta-to-sauce ratio. The sauce is on top of pasta and you just mix it up. The pasta was cooked nicely. Sauce was a good consistency a tad on the sweet side for my liking. The meatballs were great! Good size, moist and meaty! And, lastly, the garlic bread was very good as well, buttery and garlicky but not overdone. Im not a huge pasta eater but I most definitely will go back for those meatballs...yum! read more

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I had high hopes, but they were quickly dashed!! I had the rose sauce with spaghetti instead of the penne pasta, which was a huge mistake although I don't know if the penne would have been any better. But, the consistency of the pasta, I don't even know what that was. It was like sawdust. It was so gross, I spit it out, never took another bite. The garlic bread was mediocre at best and the meatballs, well they tasted like meat, but once again a consistency issue., I'd say all in all, this was the absolute worst spaghetti I have ever had in my entire life. I Would have taken it back if they had been open, to get my money back, and I never do that!! I think it is insulting that they served the quality of food they did and expected me to fork over $32 and a tip. It wasn't worth two dollars in my opinion... read more

It was our first time trying them and it was excellent. We got the family bucket that serves 4-5 people. The spaghetti, sauce, meatballs and garlic bread was plenty for our four. Everything was well prepared and the marinara sauce had just the right spice to it. We'll definitely be going back. Oh yeah...it was a very economical price for feeding four people. read more