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Buca di Beppo
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
7111 West Ray RdChandler, AZ 85226
(480) 785-7272
Announcement
Holy Cannoli, You Graduated! Celebrate at Buca! http://www.bucadibeppo...
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
36 reviews for Buca di Beppo
Review Highlights
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"Buca is a great place to host a large group of people." In 4 reviews -
"...their lasagna, baked ziti, chicken rigatoni, and arrabiata." In 2 reviews -
"The stuffed shells were OVERWHELMED by the amount of fennel..." In 2 reviews
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36 reviews in English
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Review from J G.
Stateline, NV
2/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
Buca is my absolute favorite chain Italian restaurant!
Everything is wonderful! -
Review from Laura L.
5/17/2012 3 Check-ins Here
We like Buca for informal family gatherings. Going to Buca means everyone will find SOMETHING they like. It means we will have leftovers. It means we won't have to clean up after ourselves.
The quality of Buca noticeably deteriorated after Planet Hollywood took over. We'd been going to Buca for years in various states and things we loved started to disappear. For example, Buca used to give you really good complimentary rosemary focaccia when you sat down. Now they give you a semi-crusty white bread with zero flavor. What do you want to bet they started selling more garlic bread and bruschetta when they stopped giving you the good free stuff?! The portion sizes also changed noticeably.
Still, you always have enough to eat (or more than enough).
You always also have a good time. How can you not? We always look forward to seeing the old pictures... especially of old Italian movie stars, The Pope and various mischievous children.
Is this the best, most authentic Italian food around? No.
But they do have a lot of Italian-American classics that your family will surely enjoy.
I can't give it a 4 stars due to commonly having received extra slow service (due to the kitchen) on busy nights and usually having a wait even with a reservation. But the food is definitely better than, say, Chili's or other like-priced places.
It's served family style for the most part, but you CAN get individual portions of most things at lunch.
Want a tip? If you're craving spaghetti but you don't want to order a full portion, you can order the SIDE of spaghetti for only $5.99! It is about 1/2 to 2/3 the size of the small spaghetti at a fraction of the price. -
Review from Chris K.
Phoenix, AZ
2/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
I only give it a second star because I like the atmosphere, seating and cozy/social feel. I also liked that the waitress walks you through the kitchen to get to your table.
That was the upside. Here is the downside. As you can tell from other reviews it is very pricey. If you are looking for good Italian kitchen family style food you must go to Maggiano's, 5 star and you get a ton more food for the same price as this joint. The service tonight was slow and I didn't expect that since we came in after the rush. The waitress seem experienced but she only pretended to care. She seem as if she could not be bothered by us even after we introduced ourselves as first time customers.
We ordered the Chicken Limone and it was very dry. Enough said. The spicy chicken (insert your favorite little Italian pasta name here) was pretty good.
My wife asked what I thought and I said it was okay but I wouldn't exactly come running back. -
Review from Joseph P.
Phoenix, AZ
I had driven by this spot many times I did not hear good things... But I was moving out of town and a coworker want to hit it up for lunch so I was like let's do it... I found it strange we were guided through the kitchen to our table... I went with the lunch special Baked Rigatoni - Rich meat sauce and spicy Italian sausage tossed with imported Italian rigatoni and lots of mozzarella. Topped with Parmesan and dollops of ricotta cheese then baked to golden perfection with a Caesar Side salad... I rate the experience as followed.
Baked Rigatoni - C
Caesar Side Salad - B
Staff - B+
The food was nothing to write home about... As I was leaving I still felt weird walking in the kitchen but that could just be me. -
Review from Johnny L.
Lafayette, CA
It's a chain.
Chicken Parm isn't bad, especially when you aren't paying for it.
Ya feel me? -
Review from Monica J.
11/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place is just ok. Really not my top choice for Italian in the area but its not bad. I really only thing its worth the price if you are with a large group since their portions are so huge and they serve family style. I had taking home leftovers so if its just me an my husband then we won't usually go here.
You can also place an order online and pick it up very easily so they get an extra star for that. -
Review from Eric L.
Maricopa, AZ
11/18/2011
I have been to a number of Buca's across Phoenix. I am a fan of the food and the unique atmosphere. Perfect place to have a party, in fact I had my college graduation party here a few years back and it was a blast. Place was designed for family sized gatherings.
My only gripe is that this place is not really designed for one or two people. In smaller groups the bill seems very high and the portions seem to be a bit lacking, your wallet can take a real beating if you want to have a diverse experience.
Still I give this place a big thumbs up, just make sure you book a party and visit the pope room. -
Review from susan p.
Twentynine Palms, CA
1/30/2012
Two experiences both good.
The first was a Party pan-to-go event after my daughter's wedding while many people were still in town. The meal was hosted by the in-laws and everyone enjoyed the cheese bread, penne ala vodka and my favorite penne arrabbita.
Fast forward several months.... looking for a place to pick up dinner and thought of Buca. Only the two of us but Italian holds for left-overs better than almost any other cuisine. Same daughter....both loved the Arrabbita previously so that's what we ordered along with a small Chopped Antipasto Salad.
The portion of 2+ is an understatement, if you're not gluttonous it probably feeds 4 easily. The zesty sauce was as good as I remembered and plenty of sausage. They also do not skimp on the sauce which is key if you plan on reheating it another day as we did.
The Antipasto Salad was excellent and HUGE. This very large salad was choked with various cheeses, vegetables and lots of pepperoni. At home I was thinking what a $9 salad looks like at other establishments and this salad is more than double or perhaps triple the size. Great value, lots of goodies and for that alone I'll return.
I have no personal experience for eating in the restaurant but get that if you're not keen on sharing someone else's choice it could be a drag. The pricing for two may seem high but not really as you've got food for days. UNLESS I can't kill the salad before it turns brown and needs tossed.
Food was good and absolutely would recommend for a big outing, large group or party. I see good value in their shared portions. YMMV.
Oh, side note - Terrific service at the front. Order was taken quickly, offered a drink while I waited, offered to help me out to my car, held the door, thanked me, etc etc. Very plesant staff at Chandler! -
Review from Nicole C.
Chandler, AZ
1/31/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is awesome for traditional Italian food. This is a great place for a large group or a couple, all of their dishes come family style in a small or large portion. I have had their baked rigatoni with meatballs, spaghetti with meatballs, and their rigatoni with spicy Italian sausage. All of these dishes were cooked perfectly using just the right amount of sauce and cheese. The meatballs are super moist and have great flavor. Now when it comes to desserts I am always a sucker for their Tiramisu which is amazing and is great even as left overs. Overall I love coming to Buca di Beppo for a great Italian meal, they are light on the wallet even with having portions so large you are almost certain to bring home some left overs :-)
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Review from Lori C.
6/8/2011
Maybe it is cultural, but I do not like the food here. I want my own food and not have to eat what everyone else wants.
We had a chicken dish last time with capers that was so dry that drinking water with it at the same time was a necessity. I felt like a raccoon.
It was too loud for us to have a real conversation and I didn't want to yell. -
Review from Ann W.
Phoenix, AZ
3/22/2011
After experiencing Buca's in California, we were excited to see one here! The atmosphere was wonderful, as was the food. Huge portions never disappoint for lunch the next day.
The welcoming staff was wonderful to hold the door open for us. We were given the "tour" through the kitchen enroute our table. Our waiter was a bit overwhelmed as he was solo in our area. We were the only table at 4, but 3 other tables filled soon thereafter. He served us well and didn't miss anything; even keeping our glasses full...albeit a bit slow.
The only reason for 4 stars was the lack of wait staff. We'll go again! -
Review from Leslie F.
Tucson, AZ
7/24/2011
Good food, unique atmosphere, every one of these I've been to is good....
Yeah, it's a chain, but I haven't found a decent Italian place that's this consistent in my neck of the woods. -
Review from Andy G.
1/10/2010
Something about this place always told me to stay far, far away. But by all rights, all of us should try every Italian restaurant around, because someone, somewhere, must be nailing "Italian Restaurant", the triple-Axel of the culinary business. I just haven't found them yet.
I should have listened to my impulse to stay away, but my wife has been wanting to try this place for years. For some reason we thought we would forgo some risk by using the To Go service and ordering online. Nay, the problems this place has pervade all its crevices. all the way out to the parking lot.
I ordered some junk online: A small Caesar Salad, a Small Quattro al Forno, and a Small Eggplant Parmesan. It would be ready from 5:00-5:15pm. I got there at about 4:50 and a friendly lady came out right away and gave me the bill to sign. She said my food was "not quite done". Fine, cool, whatever. I was early. I could wait a few.
A half hour later, it would dawn on me that "not quite done" in restaurant parlance actually means "We haven't started cooking your food." After I watched numerous people park at the To Go window and leave with their food, the harried lady finally came back out with my stuff, explaining that "they had to cut more eggplant". Ah, the mysterious "they" and their lack of kitchen management skills. An order for eggplant comes in online at 4:30.. why cut up any eggplant? Silly.
I got home and discovered that the rest of my order had apparently been sitting around while the eggplant dish was prepared. The eggplant was moderately hot -- however, the Quattro al Forno was room temperature and so was the salad. The eggplant was way too thin and not seasoned well, and featured chunks of uneven Parmesan that had clearly been cut instead of grated. The Quattro al Forno might have been good when it was designed to be served, but its temperature made me quesy.
When all was said and done, I realized that I'd consumed passable Italian food at quite a premium price with poor service to go with it. I felt full of lukewarm food and disappointed, which is really a strange sensation. I'm sure this place has its moments when it's hitting on all cylinders, but it ain't Sunday at 5pm. -
Review from Chuck K.
Phoenix, AZ
11/20/2009
The Costco of Italian restaurants.
Terrible food and service.
Listen, I get Italian family style dining. In fact I am a fan of it, especially being from NY. But what you serve I wouldn't feed my dog.
Please leave.
Thank you and good day. -
Review from Susan M.
12/22/2010
Pretty darn good lunch! Good fresh food, excellent service so I was pleasantly surprised. The only thing is that by the time you pay for each little individual thing, I think the value of the family dinners at Maggiano's far exceed the value here. I will return again for lunch but would do family dinners at Maggiano's for sure.
We split a Garlic Bread with cheese, had two drinks and split the Quattro something plate (one Cannelloni, One Manicotti, two shells and some ravioli) and the check with a $10 off $20 was still about thirty bucks with tip. -
Review from Melissa H.
Arlington, VA
2/11/2009
I have a confession to make before I go any further with this review: My husband and I occasionally visit chain restaurants when we really don't want to put much effort into going out to eat.
OK now that is out of my system, I can continue. We've been to Buca before (visited the location in Columbus probably about 8-10 times with friends for group dinners) so we know the concept and that it's about sharing and all that jazz. We ended up at this location on Sunday night when we were trying to find *gasp* TGI Fridays. Well let me save you a drive to this part of town and tell you that Fridays is no longer there. Anyway, we saw Buca and decided to suck it up and eat there. We had about a five minute wait and then were led back through the kitchen (as you are at any Buca) to our table. We had some confusion with our service because at one point we were told our waitress got a big party and wouldn't be handling our table anymore, and then she did for the rest of our night. Weird.
Unfortunately the food was not as good as we remembered. The cheese garlic bread was cut into squares and wasn't served in a pie shaped. The caesar salad was under-dressed, but as a plus it held up nicely as a leftover for me to have the next night for dinner. Chris thought the chicken parm was not as good as it used to be (we think they changed the recipe or something). My side of fettucini alfredo was good thankfully and heated up nicely on Tuesday night as my dinner. All and all, the food was a major disappointment even for chain restaurant standards!
The bright spot was that for $69 (includes tip) we got four meals out of the food we ordered. Buca was a 2.5 star experience for us, but I'm rounding down to 2 due to not living up to our standards. -
Review from Ian M.
Davis, CA
5/28/2008
This was my first time at a Buca di Beppo and I have to say that I was impressed. The food wasn't the best Italian food (and probably not the most authentic, either), but I enjoyed the aspect of sharing that the restaurant promotes.
Between eight people, we shared four small dishes and two salads, much less than the waitress-suggested four large dishes and two salads. The entire party was quite full at the end of it, so I'm glad we got the small sizes. One of our party had a birthday and they made an effort to make it fun for her.
The interior was a bit confusing and I got seriously lost on the way to the bathroom, but that's okay. It's also a little intense on the eyes (read: gaudy). -
Review from Kevin U.
5/21/2008
Buca di Beppo is know for its great culture and large plates. Chandler Buca offers personal attention to its customers with a positive attitude. Joe the Paisano has produced a restaurant that reflects his easy going attitude and dedication to high service and food quality.
Buca is a great place to host a large group of people. For small events rent out a room with no extra charge, what is better than that.
If you like chocolate try the cake or treat yourself and a few friends to Buca's Tiramisu. -
Review from T W.
Gilbert, AZ
9/10/2011 3 Check-ins Here
This is our favorite Buca, and our favorite Italian restaurant. The food here is always really good, and the service has always been attentive. Their pizza (especially the supremo) is the best we've had outside of Italy. They have numerous pasta dishes that are very good, including their lasagna, baked ziti, chicken rigatoni, and arrabiata. My wife loves their San Remo too, but I'm not a huge fan (not fond of artichokes).
The decor is a tad obnoxious, but it does give you something to look at while you're waiting for the food.
We will keep coming back to this place as long as the food and service are this good. -
Review from Shannon W.
Chandler, AZ
7/20/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Third time here and still a huge fan. Would be 5 stars but the sangria was awful, watered down and just plain blah. The Calamari was under cooked as well. Server again was Rhys and he as always was very helpful.
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Review from Emily R.
Chandler, AZ
4/6/2010
My boyfriend and I came here on St. Patrick's Day hoping to escape the crowds and definitely found it at Buca. When we came into the restaurant, they took us through the kitchen first and all of the cooks greeted us warmly. There were a variety of "rooms" each with a different theme, and the host explained them to us on a short tour on the way to our seats. It was really neat!
We really liked that the meals were served family style, and they were well-priced. We ordered the stuffed mushrooms and the Quattro al Forno platter along with a couple of beers (because it was St. Paddy's Day, not because beer really seems to go with Italian food at all). I loved the food, especially the creamy pesto sauce that came with the stuffed mushrooms. The service was phenomenal; the waiter checked on us frequently to fill our waters and was prompt with serving our food and giving us the bill when we asked.
We came in with a $10 off a $20 meal coupon, and they'd given us two more before we left. We would have come back anyway paying full price. I highly recommend this restaurant! -
Review from Jose T.
Chandler, AZ
8/26/2010
I absolutely HATE chain restaurants!
Although in this case, I have to make an exception. I'm really into the food at Buca.
I used to live in the SF Bay Area, and I had to wait damn near 2 hours to eat at the Buca located at downtown SF. I now live in Chandler, AZ and the first time I visited a Buca here, I didn't have to wait any longer than 30 seconds.
I usually have a standard list of items that I order for the entire table when my family goes to Buca:
Bruschetta
Linguine Frutti DiMare
Margherita Pizza
Pepperoni Pizza
Chicken Marsala
I also frequent other independently owned Italian restaurants, but Buca holds a special place in my heart, and my stomach. They have a signature flavor to their dishes.
The best waiter in the world, Lee works at this particular one. Request to be seated at his station and give him a big tip! -
Review from Kelly R.
Middleton, WI
2/24/2009
Meh.
This is okay. Interesting kitchy atmosphere, but the food is lacking. I think Buca thrives on the "quantity versus quality" philosophy of most Americans when it comes to food. We ordered two large salads(antipasti and apple walnut) and a small entree for two couples. The waiter made sure we meant "small" and not "large" and seemed to be taken aback by our lack of need to gorge. The salads were good, but nothing you can't do at home...although we ALL know even a mediocre salad is better when someone ELSE makes it! The entre was sub-par. It was a "sampler" of a few things...that all tasted relatively the same. The stuffed shells were OVERWHELMED by the amount of fennel in the sausage.
I would have to say that the best part was the bread. The iced tea was also good.
An okay place if you want massive amounts of "Olive Garden"y Italian. -
Review from Jeff K.
Chandler, AZ
5/9/2011
It's good for a chain.
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Review from Sylvia M.
3/9/2011
I've been wanting to try this place and it f wasn't too bad! I got the veal saltimbocca and it started off tasting good but then it seemed to be a bit greasy! The service was good and I did enjoy the Frank Sinatra music!
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Review from Sean S.
11/11/2009
Scale of 1-10 (multiple visits):
7 Food
8 Service
8 Atmosphere
7 Value -
Review from Jonathan S.
Laveen, AZ
7/24/2011
No go for a couple but family's and groups will have a good time. Family style food is consistently good.
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Review from Sean E.
Phoenix, AZ
1/8/2011
Our experience on New Year's Eve was perfect. The gentleman who held the door for us upon entering the restaurant was extremely polite and welcoming. We later found out he was the general manager. He ensured we had a fantastic evening. It is easy to see he cares about his guests and his business, and takes pride in what he does. Both the food and the service kicked off our night the right way. Thank you.
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Review from Cadence C.
Phoenix, AZ
Updated - 8/10/2010
Aww sh*t,... food poisoning.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/8/2010
The only reason I'm not giving it a one star is because of our wonderful server Cheryl.
She totally… Read more »
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Review from Crystal H.
Phoenix, AZ
12/16/2010
Buca used to be one of our favorite restaurants, but the quality has gone downhill fast. After our visit this evening, we will not return.
Garlic bread was bland/favor-less. Not worth the price. Caesar salad was also bland, small and wilted. Totally not worth the $11. (It used to be my favorite thing at Buca, but clearly the dressing is not the same nor is the overall quality). The meatballs were "okay" but not the normal spectacular-ness. The quatro al forno/stuffed pasta combo plate was also okay, but nothing like it used to be. We also got some wine, a Buca Chianti, and it was also not worth the price tag. Overall the $100 price tag of this meal was a complete rip off. It was worth more like $40. We should have gone to Olive Garden -- at least you get what you pay for there.
Also the waitress didn't really seem to have any idea about the menu or current offers even though she had worked there for "years." She was nice, but not very attentive. And to top it off the guests at the table next to us proceeded to yell and use tons of profanity and it was clear the employees noticed but did nothing. I don't particularly enjoy going to any restaurant and having to listen to that - nor do I want my young daughter to listen to it. And I certainly don't want to pay that much for that kind of experience.
Buca has become one of those bad cookie cutter chain restaurants. They are overpriced and the food isn't that good. You are better off choosing a chain restaurant with average or bad food and paying at least half as much. -
Review from Jasen S.
Tempe, AZ
1/1/2011
Not the best Italian I ate, which would have gotten a 3. But I got sick. Some of it was over cooked and I think they mixed old food with new because some was cold.
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Review from Max R.
3/22/2010 4 Check-ins Here
The place is kind of weird inside but different. We where taken to our table by walking thru the kitchen! And there's actually a table you can seat at INSIDE the kitchen! Weird but funny!! I don't agree with the big portion sizes. You have to order for two or more. So coming here with a group is better than a couple. Food was good. I would return with a group again.
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Review from Evy O.
Chandler, AZ
I was craving for Italian food the other day and what's better version of Italian than having a perfectly good spaghetti. This food has been my most favorite since my sis in law always took me to this place and order the linguine de mare (seafood spaghetti that has the black mussels, clams, squids, and delicious spicy marinara sauce). It's the bomb! So I went there and order one along with black mussels. The place was really crowded on Friday nights and there's a lot of people having birthdays so we got waiters and waitress singing and clapping for birthdays songs the whole night. The free appetizer comes, bread with olive oil and vinegars. I tried to ask for butter but my waiter was kinda forgetting my request cause the poor waiter had to take order and sing the birthday songs in three tables. And finally the black mussels was arrived and its totally become my favorite food of the day. The sweetness and freshness of the mussels along with white wine, garlic and butter just gave the superb flavor away. I immediately felt in love with this food. Finally after the appetizer was gone and the black mussels too we waited again for 20 minutes until our spaghetti is coming and we already full cause of the long waiting and the appetizer. Luckily the taste of the spaghetti was still great so i don't regret my decision to wait in this place. Overall I learned my lessons to have carry out anytime I'm cracking that black mussels and seafood spaghetti.
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Review from Jillian J.
Mesa, AZ
2/25/2009
I used to really like it here, but now everytime I go I end up dissapointed. Its really not that good and so overpriced. I do love the decor and the family dinning they support it allows you to really spend time with the people you came with.
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Review from Alexis C.
Chandler, AZ
8/4/2011
We had a special occasion that we were celebrating with the whole family. It was easy to make the reservation- this place is the BEST if you have a large group. The service was great, tons of delicious food, which is perfect for sharing family-style. We had a wonderful dinner celebration. Very pleased with the experience and will be back either with just my husband or the whole family!
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Review from madstop m.
Phoenix, AZ
10/3/2008
The ambiance of buca di beppo is quirky and fun. The food was good - not the most amazing Italian food but it was fine for the price. We shared a vegetable pasta dish and started with garlic bread. The garlic bread was ok (even better the next day when heated up at home). The chocolate gelato was a nice end to the meal - though again not the best I've had. This would be a fun place to go with a large group - especially since the meals are mostly made family style for sharing. Our waiter was great.
