Buca Di Beppo

Doesn't Recommend

Klatu58

Joined 2 years ago

Going Backwards. Our family has had many good experiences at Buca since the mid 90s. We visited the Maple Grove location tonight for an overpriced dissappointment. the Summary: Made reservation for 7:30, seated at almost 8. Maybe just tell us they havent changed their "no reservations" policy instead of pretending to hold a table. We missed our movie. Silverware all had scum on them...not bacterial scum but hard water scum. Plastic glasses, same scum. Keeping this stuff off your silverware is restaurant 101. Buca used to have fresh, warm bread. Not inspiring, but fresh passable. This Saturday night we had day old cold insipid bread. It was a bad omen. Ordered house salad, calamari and Frutta di Mari. Salad has been cheapened to exclude parmesan cheese and artichoke hearts it used to contain, not to mention olive oil of some flavor. New version of house salad is totally bland and overpriced. Anywhere else the same $10 salad would cost $4. And you would not order it. Calamari was soaked in oil...looking like maybe it had been fried, then re-fried to re heat. Nothing like previous experience, which delivered light, crisp calamari that would make seafood converts of Iowans. Seafood pasta was consistent with previous experiences...but lacking in mussels around the perimeter of the bowl, with lemon wedges as they used to do. Overall, it seemed clear the managing company has taken steps to cheapen the food, raise the price, and pocket the difference. We eat out quite a bit, are cooks at home, and are certainly willing to pay for a good meal. Tonight we paid about $30 a person for an experience we wont be repeating. Check the Buca website and Planet Hollywood (new owner) website. You wont find a "contact us" option. No way to provide feedback to them....it is telling.

Recommends

Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Get cozy with friends and family and enjoy an Italian feast at this loved-by-locals restaurant.. In Short
Homesick for your mother's Italian cooking? Grab your appetite and head to this restaurant, where the friendly wait staff will serve up portions of Colosseum-esque proportions, like spaghetti and meatballs loaded with savory tomato sauce and lots of pungent garlic. Dishes center on Southern Italian immigrant fare, and are meant to be shared family-style with a large goblet of wine-to enhance the taste, of course. The ornate décor with walls covered in vintage photos evokes a warm homey feel that welcomes customers to dine among the other families and loyal customers. Buon Appetito!

Doesn't Recommend

coolvigo

Joined 5 years ago

Poor food quality and worst service. I love Italian food and went to Buca twice to see if it can attract my taste buds. But food was hopeless. I was dissapointed both time. Service was awful....cannot be worst......Manager was trying to teach me why I dont know what authentic food is.....and she thought only Buca can made authentic italian food in world :-) Interiors of Buca are interesting.....not to my taste...but some ppl like traditional ones like the one they have....

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foodie2003x

Joined 10 years ago

Better than I expected. I went back to this Buca after tried it once at a different location many years ago and was pleasantly surprised. I guess the people I went with didn't know what good food to order. I had the Grande Tomato Salad, Shrimp Parmigiana, Green Beans, and they are all excellent. I ate so much I almost hurt myself. But I have to say the more ordinary italian dishes are not too interesting, like the spagetti and meatballs, beef tenderloin cacciatore, and the fried calamari was also disappointing. I've been to the Maple Grove location twice and both times the place is empty. If you hate crowds, you need to go during non-rush hours, such as early weekdays and weekend lunches.

Doesn't Recommend

hardy008

Joined 10 years ago

Not worth the trip. This place can best be described as tasteless and gawdy. The Menu where my group sat was on the wall over one of the tables. I would have hated to have that table with everyone stopping to stare. Buca does not have Lasagne on the menu. This is the only alleged Italian Restaurant to not have it. You order for a group instead of for yourself. We decided to agree on the Spaghetti and Meatballs. They were disgusting. The sauce tasted like it was water, corn starch, and red food coloring. The meatballs were huge, but like the sauce had no real taste. They could have been bread crumbs and saw dust rolled together for all I know. I will never try this awful place again.

Doesn't Recommend

SarWaldo

Joined 10 years ago

If you want to wait, try this location. I've been to the Buca di Beppo in St. Paul several times; all wonderful experiences. I called a week in advance to the Maple Grove locaiton to make a reservation for for 10 of us. They answered the telephone announcing, "now taking reservations." They accepted the reservation, but upon our arrival they did not honor it. First, they waited until the entire party arrived - perfectly acceptable. But once we announced we were all there, they gave us an estimated seating time between 45 minutes and an hour. We stood, the ten of us, in the most crowded and cold waiting area ever engineered. Great food, but what's the point of announcing your ability to take reservations if you're not going to honor them?

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gemayer2000

Joined 11 years ago

what did they decorate from. loved the food, cesar salad needed more croutons-asked and given more. the decor is very campy. liked to be able to walk into kitchen-ask for a reservation in there-i hear they put on quite the show.

Recommends

linda27_us

Joined 11 years ago

Interesting Atmosphere. Interesting to see everything with the walk through upon being seated. Good people watching. Excellent food. Convenient locations. Fun family style ordering and serving. The noise levels and be too loud and the wait for a table too long. Overall, a good place with great food for a large group event.

Recommends

Jennah17

Joined 11 years ago

This is the.... This place is great, whether you're going on a date, or out with family and friends. I highly recommend this place to everyone. It's great too with big groups, and if requested you may sit in the actual kitchen while the chefs prepare the food.