This absolute Portland must is a great place for a casual family dinner, a client lunch date, or a special intimate dinner. You will not be disappointed. The staff stand out- professional and personable. I have my stand by regular pasta dish and so does my son. He has practically been raised on the LaBuca menu. The bar is small and has separate seating from the main restaurant. The drinks and desserts are delicious! read more

We've been going to La Buca for years and really love the place. The service tends to be excellent, the food is really quite good and the prices are stunningly low. You can dine in the large open main room, or eat in the intimate bar. The menu items are very creative and well done, portions are just right. Casual and unpretentious. For me, La Buca is everything that is right about dining in Portland. read more

Overall: Craving pasta, went on Yelp - and this showed up - decided to try it - great choice. Food: I wish they had fresh bread out of the oven for us - but it was slices of bread out of a bag served with oil and vinegar and butter. Menu said that the bruschetta was only available for dinner - but i asked anyways - and they had it! and they made it for me! OMG - so damn good - with prosciutto... it was so crispy and fresh and so yummmo. i would have taken a picture - but it looked so good - i forgot. I had the special pasta - artichoke hearts, chicken penne with a garlic cream sauce - it was not bad. Service: Very nice people. read more

La Buca - Special of the day pasta - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Very good pasta! Came to celebrate my mother's birthday and the service was great. They gave a nice birthday treat at the end for everyone to share. Definitely will be back! Very filling! We all had leftovers! read more

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I have eaten many a lunch and dinner at La Buca. It's a little cozy joint on 28th, and we used to walk there from our house. We like all the pasta's and the panini's.I like the one with mushrooms, hubby likes the sausage and tomato cream sauce pasta. We also really like the kid's menu. It's basic, but it includes fruit ( apple) and you can add broccoli or peas to the pasta for a bit of extra dough ( those are our at home add ins, so it's perfect). Child eats and is quiet and happy, which is all we ask. I wouldn't drive across town to eat here, so we don't really, but if we're in the area and need a quick lunch or dinner, this fits the bill, and it's not a chain, so we're all good. read more

Food was good. Big portions, fresh food, small salad was huge! Clean, nice atmosphere.

Generally speaking this is a good place. I've eaten there for years. The menu doesn't really change so I've tried about everything. All good. However, tonight I decided to try the eggplant parm. Don't order this. Im not sure what I got, but it wasn't eggplant parm. Awful. Everything else is pretty good. read more

A definite go-to, can't miss spot when visiting Portland. We were on the look out for a good Italian restaurant and came upon this place during our search. I ordered the polenta con maiale which is deliciously slow roasted pork with fresh green peas, tender onions, and a big pile of soft cheesy polenta sitting in a flavorful light brown gravy. I also ordered a side of broccoli which had fresh garlic, red pepper, and was served with a lemon wedge. boyfriend ordered abituale which was penne pasta with a creamy tomato sauce and fresh sausage (no casing). usually I have a bone to pick with Italian sausage mainly because I don't like fennel seeds and I feel that it overwhelms the meat, but la buca's sausage was excellent: tender, flavorful, and oh so yummy. In short, forget about those ridiculously priced Italian eats in town, come to la buca where you pay half the price for exemplary food, a cozy atmosphere, and a chance to eat where the locals eat. read more

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This has to be one of my favorite restaurants I've stumbled upon in Oregon. Even when it's busy I haven't had to wait very long to get a table. I've tried several dishes from here and they are all delicious. read more

La Buca - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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I love La Buca! Simple, delicious, comforting Italian food at a reasonable price. The owners and staff are amazing. Takeout is a breeze! I really love their Pollo Marsala and Salmone Ubriaco, but everything I've tried here over the years has been excellent. If you're looking for some amazing Italian food, give La Buca your support during these trying times. read more

Customer service is fantastic! Christa was awesome, and she made it clear up front that you can substitute most everything on the menu, i.e. pasta, meat, sides, etc. Loved that! We ordered a bottle of anne amie amrita sparkling wine, fried chickpeas, Mediterranean olives, Caprese, lemonade, Al Forno, Alfredo with chicken (all meat costs extra), and salmone ubriaco (+ chicken and broccoli, both cost extra). All were not our favorite versions but definitely above average. What really impressed us were their desserts. We ordered the cheesecake, chocolate torte, and tiramisu, and all were amazing! The decor was a little lacking, so it feels like a small cafeteria, but its corner location makes for a lot of window seating. Bathroom was clean. Street parking only, so plan accordingly. read more

Wonderful service. I loved the chicken marsala over mashed potatoes. I sat outside with my mom. My mom can be pretty picky and require a lot....kinda high maintainence. However, the server kept a smile on her face and said no worries. read more

La Buca - Chicken marsala over mashed potatoes - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Great food with excellent service!! Outdoor seating area great during these strange times.

Great food, especially for the price! Started with caprese, added prosciutto, which was pretty good. Then had puttanesca, added spicy meatballs: delicious! I didn't really taste spicy though so added red pepper flakes. Bf got pesto linguini, added spicy Italian sausage: not so good. Pesto was really bland and couldn't tell that the ground up sausage was even there. Would not recommend this particular dish. I thought it was missing salt but even adding some there was just no flavor to it. I liked that they had American wine because I usually don't like Italian. And sitting outside on a summer day was nice. Would definitely come back! read more

Incredible service and amazing food to match ! Must try !!! Server overheard me talking to my family about how much I wanted to try a piece of their tiramisu and brought me a slice on the house !! So considerate and generous ! Highly recommend this amazing delicious establishment ! Would give more stars if I could read more

La Buca - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Taste like home. Polenta was perfect, and im picky as hell. Slightly grainy and not soupy. Pork was sweet and paired perfect with the texture of the polenta a d peas. read more

La Buca - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Yummy scratch made food in a casual and non stuffy environment. Prices are very reasonable and service is always spot on. This is our Italian comfort food place and there hasn't been a single thing I have tried that I didn't like. read more

La La Loved La Buca! With a dozen dining options in the area (Burnside and 28th) this is definitely a top option if you're feeling Pasta. The options are somewhat limited to 3-4 types of pasta, or a handful of Paninis or salads but the flavors and quality ingredients are outstanding. We did not try the bruschetta because we thought "we're already eating pasta," but it looked delicious, and, sadly, we had no room for dessert which looked even more tantalizing. A Daily special board rotates limited and seasonal offerings. -Spinachi: divine combination of olives and feta, properly dressed in olive oil with fresh spinach and bright tomatoes 5.5$ half - Salmone Ubriaco: Phenomenal. The vodka cream sauce is mild and ties the dish together splendidly. A hefty portion or wild salmon delicate and moist and lightly seasoned,draped over spaghetti cooked to perfection. (Add Broccoli, just do it!) 16$ The prices are a smudge high, but comparable to the area, and my favorite part was our awesome Server, Jesse. Cool, nice, patient. Brought our meal in courses. Gave genuine insight to the menu and boxed our leftys (large portions) you can see the kitchen and chefs from your seat and they were also nice. It's maybe not ideal for a fancy or intimate dine, but definitely a spot when you want to pig out on quality pasta. Will be back. Cheers, folks. read more

La Buca - Salmone Ubriaco - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

The best of the entry level Italian eateries. If you factor in cost, it would be a 5 star experience. Dishes are created with solid ingredients and textbook preparation. It's sort of a volume joint where a quality dish is mass produced to lower cost. The place was packed on a Friday night with a heavy dose of couples (a few looked like first dates with the awkward in the air). Well worth a visit if you're trying to get solid Italian on a budget read more

To be honest, on first glance the place doesn't seem like much. I couldn't tell if there was waitservice, or whether we were supposed to order at the counter. There is (I think) a little dining area in the back that appears a bit more "restaurant-y", so the front area is likely for casual dining. I was surprised by the food prices (lower than expected), bread comes with the meal (bread is decent, but nothing stellar), portions are larger than they look (I had the pesto which seemed smallish, until I realized I couldn't finish - unheard of for me), Chocolate cake was wonderful. Wine list is decent, nothing spectacular, but some good stuff - with the obvious Chianti thrown in. read more

This is a great little spot for pasta. I tried it a few years back and keep coming. The prices are so affordable and the service is always so great. Get the Caprese Bruschetta and add prosciutto. The Gorgonzola Salad is also delicious. My favorite pastas are the Abuitale and the Pancetta E Funghi. So divine. We have had our get togethers there for the holidays as well and they have been so kind. If you're looking for a delicious and affordable spot for pasta, this is your place! read more

La Buca - all of my favorites from la buca. abuitale, pancetta e funghi, gorgonzola salad, soup, and caprese bruschetta with prosciutto. - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Got the pomodoro with spicy meatballs. Meatballs definitely had a kick so beware! But they're good. Chianti is not worth getting. Flour less cake was worth getting. read more

La Buca - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

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Corrin is the single best bartender I have ever experienced. They spun and flipped and worked MAGIC with the bottles. They were kind and funny and incredibly well dressed. I was particularly impressed with the length of their armpit hair, it made the Italian restaurant experience feel more authentic. As bartender of the year in 2016, I gotta say, Corrin is the real deal. read more

Great food and super fast service! Our waiter was attentive and got our food and drinks out to us quick. The food was great but my favorite was the lemon cheesecake and the whiskey sour read more

This little restaurant is beyond compare. The staff is friendly, accommodating and joyful. Cocktails are great and their Chicken Parmesan is out of this world - the best I have had in years. It's always what I order either for take out or an infrequent dine in. Congratulations on a job well done during this difficult time. I recommend you wholeheartedly! read more

Great service. The owner is so sweet. Love the ambiance and the low lighting! Makes for a cozy atmosphere. The pasta is incredible and tastes authentic. 10/10! read more

My wife and I had dinner here last night. Very casual here (too much so IMO, but that's just me). Arrival was a bit weird. We waited probably 10 minutes for a table, despite the facts that they were not busy and there were many empty tables. They waited until a couple left a 4 top so they could split it into 2 tables. We started off with the arancini, which was delicious. My wife had the al forno, which she really enjoyed. I had the pollo marsala and substituted gnocchi for the mashed potatoes. Really excellent food. Service was good until the food was there, then we didn't see our server again until it was time for the check. Overall not bad, but a little room for improvement. read more

I don't know why this place isn't slammed on a Saturday night. Food is spot on and consistent. Been coming here for over 20 years. Solid.

We have been fans of La Buca for MANY years and love the Abituale, fondly known as the #9. Delicious comfort food at a fair price!

I ordered lasagna from La Buca, and waited anxiously till it arrived. What a disappointment. Perhaps this wasn't their typical lasagne serving. The pasta was overdone and gummy. The sauce (bechamel and red sauce) tasted like Campbell's Tomato Soup (only, not as good). Save yourself a good deal of money and disappointment and buy a tray of Stauffer's from the frozen section at the grocery. It's MUCH better than what I choked down. read more

Yes, this place is reasonably priced for Italian food but my pasta was burnt as shown in the picture. It was pretty busy there but I find it unacceptable to serve burnt food. read more

La Buca - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Literally the worst Italian food I've had in Portland. Nothing had flavor-not even the dessert. For years, I have seen this place and always wanted to try it but was so so so disappointed. I would have been better off going to the Olive Garden and that is a place I despise. Bland, bland, bland! You would be better off going anywhere else. read more

Really good, will be coming back. It's a good change from Old Spaghetti Factory. It is small environment where eating is but it's nice. The service I had was very good and helped us with our food questions. Their specials were delicious. I had pesto pasta and buschetta and cherry spinach salad. All were soooo good. read more

La Buca - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

We just tried La Buca for the first time. We're always on the hunt for a great Italian restaurant in town and they certainly met the mark! The Abituale, pancetta e funghi and eggplant parm were all incredibly flavorful dishes that lasted for multiple meals given the large portions. We also tried a few salads and the special bruschetta (carmalized onions with goat cheese). All which I would highly recommend. Our least favorite was the pomodoro bruschetta due to the garlic "paste" on the bread, which did not travel well (as we called in the order for takeout.) Staff was very friendly, and we only had a 20 minute wait for our takeout order to be completed on a Saturday at 6pm. Overall I would highly recommend La Buca and will be coming back soon! read more

My sister and I walked by this restaurant and had heard great things about the food, we decided to go in. We were sat, and got a glass of wine, but our service from sitting, to ordering food was awful. We felt very unwelcome there. We asked for recommendations for a pairing of wine and pasta, and the bartender was very short and recommended two wines, telling us nothing about it and nothing to pair it with. we were sadly disappointed and ended up leaving shortly after. would not recommend for a full service meal. Meant to post 9/29/21 oops. read more

The food was delicious as well as the drinks! Staff was friendly and helpful. Plenty of street parking. We ordered the linguine with alfredo sauce. The drinks are the grapefruit margarita and attraversiamo. Highly recommend this place if you are in the mood for some pasta! read more

La Buca - Italian Near Me - Portland, Oregon

Uhm, La Buca is la bomb! I lived in this neighborhood years ago and walked passed La Buca every day. I am kicking myself for never stopping in! My partner, our 1 year old and myself just had the most delicious lunch there. Service was super fast & friendly- she even brought out kiddo cup & silverware for her our hangry child. I had a special pasta with roasted chicken and a vodka cream sauce, it is literally to die for. It's tough to find decent Italian food that's not completely over priced. La Buca is fantastic all around! We will definitely be back again. read more

Really disappointing. Service was good, food not so much. It's been a long time since I've eaten at Olive Garden, but I want to say the food there is better than this place. Just really bland, forgettable food. They offered us parmesan and brought out the shaker full of powder like we were at a pizza place. Won't be back. read more

We went here for my mother's 62nd birthday and I could not be more thrilled with the service, food, and all around atmosphere of this wonderful restaurant!! Melissa was our waitress and she was so sweet, patient, and beyond accommodating! Food, 5 stars. Services, 6 stars (if I could give 6 I could), and 6 stars all around. Go here, go here, go here!!!!!! read more

I heard good things about this place, but it was the worst meal I've ever eaten in Portland. I think the kitchen forgot to salt the dish, and the salad was completely drenched in dressing, the food was really bad. Would not recommend read more