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Buca di Beppo
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
1442 2nd StSanta Monica, CA 90401
Neighborhood: Santa Monica
(310) 587-2782
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:
- Garage, Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Touristy, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
157 reviews for Buca di Beppo
Review Highlights
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"I can't help but love a family style restaurant." In 21 reviews -
"Spicy Chicken Rigatoni -- loved the flavor." In 4 reviews -
"I recommend all pasta, pizza, and desserts =D." In 29 reviews
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157 reviews in English
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Review from Rebecca P.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 12/28/2011
So, I gave in, and finally returned to Buca... and was pleasantly surprised. The venue was the same, loaded with fun pictures all over the wall within a somewhat rustic, homey place. And fortunately, I made good menu choices this time--hence the star upgrade. I got the prosciutto stuffed chicken, which for $21.95 (the "small"), you get three breasts of chicken with some prosciutto and cheese stuffed in the middle, the whole breast then breaded and fried, topped with some marinara (just enough to add a saucy kick without making the dish soggy), laid atop a bit of ultra creamy pesto sauce. Think a more Italian American version of chicken cordon bleu. Now, although the dish was quite heavy, I still would have added more prosciutto, for it definitely wasn't stuffed with much. Other than that, the dish is easily 3-star.
I also got a side of the meatballs (3 for $14.95), which are actually about half a pound each AFTER cooking (slightly smaller than a tennis ball). I would have preferred a bit more zest to them, but overall the meatballs are almost like my mom used to make including the marinara on top, so I was pleased with another 3-star dish.
Bottom line: The venue is fun and the food can be decent if you take care with what you order, but know that you do pay a premium even though you are ordering essentially in bulk. So, take a moment and see if they have any coupons on FB or elsewhere before heading over!2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/9/2011
I have yet to retry this place, but upon my review, the management wrote to apologize for my… Read more »
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Review from Dana W. D.
Upland, CA
1/12/2012
Poor service!!
Been to many of them, maybe it was the day, but service was lame.
Food is still the same. -
Review from Cassandra L.
Encino, CA
5/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I love buca. Maybe because of the memories. Maybe because of the amazing kitchen and cool bar or maybe because I am Italian and I think the pizza is amazing! The portions are big, and that's the downfall.. It's hard to go alone, but that just means you have leftovers ...
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Review from Katrina M.
Los Angeles, CA
5/2/2012
My husband and I generally don't do chain restaurants but I have to say, we had a great experience here! We are on a strict budget for the next month and wanted to celebrate our anniversary on a budget and someone had given us a gift certificate to Buca. Kristin was our server and she was FANTASTIC! We go to restaurants about 3 times a week and the last 2months it has been like pulling teeth to get the waiter to give us lemon in our water, we have to ask time and time again. She brought it on the first time!!!!!! She also made us feel very special once she found out we were celebrating our anniversary. The food was also delicious! We had a great time and will definitely go back. Kristin did a great job and I hope her bosses read this review!
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Review from Alex B.
Santa Monica, CA
3/28/2012
Family friendly restaurant with lots of space inside
The food however, is sub-par
Pasta and pizza are not great
Portions are large but it is not cheap
Seems pretty Americanized
This is a chain you should avoid -
Review from Rawhide W.
Los Angeles, CA
11/10/2011
Its commercial however a nice balance between seasoning and flavor.
Its' not as overpowering as some of the other Italian chain restaurants.
Large dishes and great place for a party or group dinner. -
Review from Nobutaka A.
Santa Monica, CA
11/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
Disclaimer: This review contains my most recent visit as well as a personal anecdote related to this restaurant.
Where do kids love to go? Can't be fancy because it'll make them feel uncomfortable unless they're Manny Delgado. Can't be too exotic because they're tastes palettes are probably in line with Luke Dunphy's. With that said Buca di Beppo would seem like a great restaurant for your parents to pick for your sister's birthday dinner. When I protested because of previous experience and what my friends have told me, I received the "shut-up-you-owe-us-for-raising-you" look and I promptly abandoned my protests.
The reservation was at 7:30 and to their credit we were seated right on time. The waiter seemed friendly enough and walked us through the specials. Since we were in a party of eight, we ordered one pizza, one spaghetti with meat sauce, one linguini with shrimp and a apple walnut salad.
The food came out in bursts and in a order that made sense. The salad was overdressed but the ingredients stood on their own. Thumbs up. The pizza was next and it was uninspired but it didn't dampen my spirits. Thumbs up. From there the meal went downhill. The pasta was overcooked in both meals even though we had specifically requested al dente. The shrimp had a aftertaste that screamed that it was fresh ages ago. The meat sauce had so much salt that I feared that I would be diagnosed with hypertension upon completion of the meal.
After our meal, our server asked us if we wanted any dessert and we kindly declined. However as we finished off the wine and the pizza, we were surrounded by servers who began to sing a Buca di Beppo version of Happy Birthday. This was accompanied with a brownie covered in ice cream and topped with whipped cream and sprinkles. My sister being the young child she is, dug in.
When our bill came it wasn't too bad but we had been charged for the birthday dessert! I don't want to seem too cheap but a restaurant that charges for a single birthday dessert is begging people to take their birthday dinner business elsewhere.
All in all, Bucca di Beppo is terrible. Absolutely terrible.
PS: I have several friends who refuse to go to Bucca di Beppo because they swear that they stomach troubles every time they go. And not stomach troubles that can be cured by a drink of seltzer. -
Review from Nic Z.
8/23/2011
I came here once, and it was hands-down the worst Buca I've ever been to. Parking was a nightmare, and service was even worse. The wait took forever, and the hostess kept changing the wait time each time the last "wait time" she said passed. Once we were finally seated, we didn't get bread even after we asked for it. We waited ages just to have our orders taken and at that point were just dying to get it all over with.
The location is really awkward for a Buca. It doesn't have the typical giant, spread-out layout and is incredibly cramped. This is understandable, as it's Santa Monica and there probably aren't many properties available which would allow them to sprawl out (without spending a fortune for rent), but this location could really benefit from removing even a couple tables. But that would mean lost profit... let's make the customers feel like they're eating in a sardine tin, instead!
1-star out of all the Buca's I've visited, 1.5 or maybe a 2 if it were any other restaurant. -
Review from Monkey G.
Los Angeles, CA
10/24/2011
Horrible food!
Called for a pickup order. Ordered alfredo pasta and G bread, crap crap crap! Pasta was hard, undercooked. The alfredo sauce was parm and water, formed clumps on pasta was more of a powder then sauce. Garlic bread smelled so bad like wet cardboard (i love garlic) tasted worse! Ive been to other states buca's and they are awesome. This one is a joke with rude staff, wanted me to tip on pickup order after standing for ten min before she even looked up. -
Review from Tati R.
11/15/2011
This place is super whatever. I would go to Olive Garden over Buca di Beppo any day.
Listed in: Where NOT to take a date
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Review from Kim J.
Los Angeles, CA
9/2/2011
Oh boy!
Where do I start? First of all, the waiter, Craig was very nice and helpful. And I don't believe there was anything he could have done to make the food show up quicker.
Me and M ordered from the lunch express menu, but it was still slow as hell. There was a table of people there before us and we got our food before them.
I have managed to avoid Buca di Beppo for years, but I had a coupon and I thought I'd give it a shot. Have you ever been eating something and find yourself missing the same dish but from somewhere else? Kinda like being on a date with a good looking jerk and missing the nice guy.
The food is okay and the large portions make for some okay leftovers. -
Review from Michelle O.
Los Angeles, CA
12/31/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
It's Buca - cheap italian food with flare. We had a problem with one of our dishes and they took care of it right away. But it's definitely not my first choice when I want Italian. It's great for groups.
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Review from Alodie D.
Riverside, CA
7/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Where did me and my sister go to eat when all of the food places at the Third Street Promenade were busy/full?
Buca di Beppo!!!!
Pros:
-Customer service was excellent! Our waiter was patient (since it was our first time here) and suggested a few items on the menu when we hadn't decided what to get.
-I got the eggplant parmigiana (suggested by the waiter) and it was soooooo delicious! :) Since we went during lunch time it was only $8.99 (Deal!) (Usual price is $17.95)
-The decor here is really nice! Of course being an italian restaurant there were many pictures of Italian singers, actors, sports players, and of course,duh, the Popes!
-When your with the family this place is a great spot to eat at! It has this very homely family vibe. Besides the usual celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries) this place is good to celebrate after any religious event (First Communion, Confirmation).
Cons:
-The free bread is okay. Nothing too special. I would rather prefer Olive Garden's garlic breadsticks.
Lastly, this was the first time ever that a manager has come to my table to ask how my experience was. (I always hear friends stories where managers come by and offer something free (at the moment or later when they come back). He had a great personality and offered me and my sis the next time we come back there free dessert. Were going to take him up on his word because of course the next time we go to Santa Monica we're going to eat there for sure! -
Review from toan v.
Stanton, CA
5/18/2011
Buca di Peppo is not the worst Italian Restaurant. Olive Garden is the worst.
1. If you like Buca di Peppo because they have big portions, STOP, there are numerous Italian restaurants that do the same.
2. The bread is one of the worst among all the restaurants I have been to.
3. Many other Italian are better than Buca di Peppo and Olive Garden.
4. Tiramisu is bad compared to other restaurants and bakeries.
5. The food is sub-par. If you have Italian often at different restaurants, you can tell the food is not authentic enough.
If you want good Italian on the Westside, go to C&O Tratorria and La Bottega Marino.
Mi Piace in Pasadena and Calabasas is also a good choice.
Stay away from the chained Italian! -
Review from Juan F.
5/23/2011 2 photos
Came here after a long day of beach and shopping. We got here around 5pm and the restaurant was pretty much empty. However, we had to wait around 15 minutes to get seated for no apparent reason....
The food is good though. I ordered the pesto chicken pizza. As usual, small portion is enough to feed 2 to 3 people. The pizza was delicious although I would've liked more pesto on it.
Good food, below average service. -
Review from Mimi L.
4/14/2011 3 photos
We've been to a few locations of Buca de Beppo, Brea, universal Studio city walk, Pasadena, and this Santa Monica location. they used to have their menu on the wall, which was ridiculous, I am glad they have real menu now. it was very hard to read menu on a wall!
we were very hungry after a shopping day, we got sitting right away, there weren't so many ppl. I 'v always liked the decor of this restaurant, so many things to look at, makes dinner more fun. out waitress was friendly, took my martini order and brought us waters fast.
everybody knows the portion is big at this restaurant, but I like to order a few things, its always too much for 2 ppl. I like seafood pasta so much, thats my usual order. and calamari, salmon , pretty much all seafood dishes are good to me.
we usually go to this restaurant when we are really hungry, but still hard to finish all the food. I am not a big fan of Italian food, but its nice to go there once in a long while -
Review from Joe M.
Redondo Beach, CA
7/24/2011
Clean restaurant and if you like Italian fare served family style, this is your place.
To me, you can do better in Santa Monica. This is just a step up from Olive Garden and I just don't love the generic italian pastas that get served.
maybe its just me. this place is touristy and the food isn't good enough to compensate for it. -
Review from Brittany T.
Stanton, CA
2/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I went here yesterday with my boyfriend it was sort of like our valentines day dinner because he had to work all day and I had to work as well. Well originally we were going to go to the one in Redondo Beach but apparently they do not open until 4pm and we were hungry. So we drove to the Santa Monica location.
We both yelped it for the reviews saw it had 3 stars but we took into consideration that it did have several reviews so some of them could be mixed reviews.
I love looking at all the photos the wall I could do that for hours!
Well about the service let's see we got seated right away had to wait 2 minutes for the waiter to clean off our table but that was not bad. He took our drink orders right away and brought them to us and let us look to see what we wanted we got the trio platter and a Caesar salad to start off with.
The free bread was right out of the oven it was fresh and yummy, I have been to a few other buca's and the free bread was like a brick and very dry but this wasn't at all.
He had came back around and asked us had we decided on what entrees we wanted and my boyfriend got the limon chicken and I got the frutti di mare but instead of the red clam sauce I got the white. I was so good! My boyfriend loved the chicken.
The problems that happen was before we ordered our entrees he came to our table to tell us that he closed out the check and he wanted to know how we were paying. My boyfriend had bought a gift card. So it was a small problem but he had to talk to his manager and fix it. That wasn't to much of an issue.
Our waiter had maybe 4 tables and later on it came to be 6 but he wasn't to busy. I only got one refill which was disappointing but nothing to big. Another problem was we waited over 30 minutes for our entrees and when they came mine had red clam sauce and I told him I wanted white. He said no problem and he went to get it fixed.
I would have liked to eat with my boyfriend but it was worth the wait the pasta was amazing!
I loved that when the waiter brought my fixed entree he told me to look over the dessert menu and pick a dessert of our choice and he would pay for it for all the hassle we went through. That was so sweet because most places do not even say sorry let know give you a free dessert. Plus desserts are not cheap at buca but they are YUMMMY!
Overall I would return here! -
Review from Sid D.
San Jose, CA
12/24/2011
Christmas Eve. 7 adults and a child. Service was terrible. No limes, no meatballs. Gave us plates and forks to eat ice cream. When we asked for spoons and a bowl the waitress all of 18 looked at us like we were crazy for even suggesting it. Newsflash for all business owners. You must have great service today in addition to your whatever product is. Buca, your main product isn't stellar to start with.
For the money Olive Garden is a much better. -
Review from Amy K.
3/23/2011
This place was adequate. I've heard other better things, yet I did not really see that yesterday. They were fairly prompt about seating even though we moved our reservation to 9pm instead of 8:30pm.
Our waiter was nice enough and though it didn't even seem that busy, he largely left us alone after serving us our entrees. It was kind of frustrating because my friend and I wanted to order dessert but we never even got the chance because they just brought the check. It was around 10:20 so maybe they wanted to close up shop at 11?
The Baked Ziti that I shared with my friend could have definitely been more flavorful, and I was not impressed by the portions. It could feed up to three but my friend and I pretty much killed it.
It was my friend's birthday so they brought out a slice of cake and candles, those large dinner candles, not the teeny ones, anyways it was whatever.
Despite my Ok review the reason why it's only two stars is I have taken a star off for is the weird offering of pictures. In the middle of dinner (literally while we were eating) a waitress came over and she said free picture? and we were like okay. So we all got together to take the picture, and then after a little while she came back with two enlarged developed photos of us and one small postcard with a $5.00 off coupon with it. Each enlarged photo was 10 dollars? I expect this kind of behavior at a cheap cheesy pirate dinner (see my other review), but in the middle of dinner? I don't know, this was definitely not fun, but took away from my dining experience and just...seriously cheapened everything. -
Review from Katherine S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here for a group dinner. We were running late, so we didn't make it in time for our reservation, but when we got there they were still able to seat us relatively quickly since it was less crowded.
Free bread! Yum...soft on the inside. Eat it with vinegar and olive oil.
Appetizer: Large Calamari -- crispy, not too oily, served with marinara sauce. This item went really fast among the 8 of us.
Pastas: Small Spicy Chicken Rigatoni, Small Gnocchi al Telefono, Large Chicken Carbonara
Spicy Chicken Rigatoni -- loved the flavor. If you can't eat spicy food, you might want to order something else. One of my friends who can't eat spicy food said it was too spicy for her, although I didn't think it was.
Gnocchi al Telefono -- I love a gnocchi that isn't too starchy.
Chicken Carbonara -- tender chicken and the bacon added good flavor. The sauce was really creamy!
Dessert: Colossal Brownie Sunday -- this thing is HUGE! Vanilla and chocolate ice cream, lots of whipped cream and brownies. Perfect way to end the meal!
Our meal split 8 ways came out to $18 per person including tax and tip. Not bad. We finished off most of the food; as we were walking down the street to the parking garage we saw a couple homeless people and gave away the leftover Chicken Carbonara.
The only thing that was a little frustrating was the service. They could have checked on our table a little more often...
I usually only come here for large group gatherings, otherwise there's nothing really special about this place.Listed in: UCLA
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Review from Anna Y.
Santa Monica, CA
1/3/2011
My bf and I went here on xmas eve b/c it was one of few places open. We avoid chains as much as possible and this place contributes to that aversion.
Entrees are sized and priced for 3 or more - no single-serve dinner portions. We considered leaving at this point but our accommodating server allowed us to order from the lunch menu (same menu, normal portions).
The whole experience was too in my face: obligatory "what are you celebrating" intro question, amusement park style photography (offered at a price, in Buca Di Beppo matting), dining room comprised of large families with small children
If the above is your thing, you'll love it. However, this'll be my last visit. -
Review from Scott A.
Santa Monica, CA
Updated - 11/27/2010
3.5 stars because they dropped the spicy arrabbiata pizza from the menu...what were you thinking?! That was by far the best pizza you made and now you only have a pasta with similar ingredients? You should be ashamed of yourselves...
Penne San Remo was very good, but the chicken pesto pizza and caesar salad were just OK. I would drop this place to 3 stars, but at least the portions are big and I applaud the obese effort you put forth.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/24/2007
I waver between 3 & 4 stars because of the taste of some of the items. The Spicy Arrabbiata Pizza is… Read more »
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Review from Jane K.
Alhambra, CA
9/18/2010
It was my first time at this Buca Di Beppo location! I love Buca Di Beppo because of the large portions and you get to share family style!
They don't seat you until the entire party is there.
The waiters were friendly and service was prompt. The bread with olive oil & balsamic vinegar was good, maybe because we were all hungry though. There were five of us and we shared the Large Chicken Pesto pizza which was pretty good. We also had the small Spicy Chicken Rigatoni. It wasn't spicy at all, they lie. It tasted really good, minus the peas because I don't like veggies. DO NOT order the Fettuccine Alfredo. It tasted like bland mac & cheese. GROSS. I think we ordered TOO much for just 5 people, we had a lot left over!
Overall, I enjoyed the lively environment and would come again...and go shopping at the new mall :) -
Review from Shannon C.
Los Angeles, CA
8/12/2010
Service here is atrocious.
A busboy, who had cleared the table next to us, dropped a fork on my head. Anyone who's been to Buca di Beppo knows the fork I'm talking about... the industrial size fork... the forklift. Ouch. And no apology.
Then our waitress refills my soda without my asking, and charges it to our bill. What?
The whole evening was horrible. Service was nonexistent and the food tasted like store bought noodles with Ragu.
We didn't leave a tip, and our waitress CHASED us out the door and down the street to ask why we didn't leave her a tip.
WTF.Listed in: Sorry We're Open
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Review from Joshua B.
12/28/2010
I've eaten at the locations in Santa Monica and Phoenix, and both have the same fun atmosphere, delicious Italian food, and fun staff... but you have to pay the price for it.
The pastas are really filling without being too heavy, the calamari is always delicious, and the chicken parmigiana is perfect.
Definitely worth checking out! -
Review from Pichaya N.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 7/13/2010 15 photos
The service here is a bit hit-or-miss. Sometimes I'd have a very friendly and attentive server regardless of how busy the restaurant is, but sometimes I'd get an unfriendly server who barely makes an appearance at my table. The first time I noticed the lack of service was when my friends and I had dinner here, and we did not order any of the new overpriced appetizers. We understood that our waitress took the time to go over all of the limited-time summer specials on the menu, and we appreciated her effort. But we simply did not need that much food. As a result, we had a difficult time trying to get her attention throughout that evening.
The last time my apartment mates and I ate dinner here, we were more willing to tip our busboy than to tip our waitress. Like the other waitress mentioned earlier, this young lady made an effort to recommend the limited-time summer appetizers, especially the Fritto Misto, but we saw that it costs $17.95! We already had 2 entrees in mind, so we didn't want to have such a large (and expensive) appetizer. We wanted a small order of Fried Calamari, and sadly, the waitress' demeanor changed. The busboy was more attentive to us the whole time we were there. We ended up tipping him individually even though we knew that he might have to still share it with the rest of the staff. We just wanted to let him know that we really appreciated his service1 Previous Review: Show all »
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8/11/2009
I come here only when I have a $10 off a $30 purchase coupon or a $10 off a $20 purchase coupon.… Read more »
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Review from Matt C.
12/18/2010
Yeah, it's a chain restaurant. I went in with the notion it would be sub par at best. I shouldn't judge, so I found out.
I've gone to Buca a few times, at different locations. This one is similar enough, and at a great location. Parking is tough; just try to get the lot when it's free, or else try finding street parking.
I especially like the pizza here. It's very different from other pizza I've had. Their pepperoni is thick sliced in strips. Pizza is thin crust style, but not so thin it's flimsy. On the other end, the sausage is shaved thin.
They have a good bar, though I recommend their house wine.
I've only been here on weekdays, so I can't tell if it's busy. You can call in and they'll have it ready, though they have been late on their orders. Check coupons in the mail; you can get some good deals here. -
Review from Milan R.
Los Angeles, CA
11/27/2011
I like their food here. The service is pretty good, however it seems like you always have to wait for a table. Their portions are large and pretty flavorful. I prefer this place over the olive garden definitely.
"There's nothing I like more than an authentic Italian meal....but when I get a coupon...we go to Buca!" -
Review from Connie Q.
San Diego, CA
1/9/2011
Shooting star for the yummy small margherita pizza that serves two. Another star for the free postcard with our faces on it! The service=MEDIOCRE. Many servers were walking back and forth passing our table with their conscience up their A's. A family of six came it a little after us and they ordered right away. At least the photographer was nice. The lack of three stars is due to no one being there. It was not crowded whatsoever and the service was just down the drain. Both managers seem to be dogging this poor new member of the Bucca team.
At least the adornment was cracking us up in a good way. -
Review from Shelly J.
7/7/2010
So friendly =)
A very VERY LARGE serving portion.
You really have to go with a group to try out different things cuz one dish is enough to fill two adults--large, hunky, chunky, male adults.
I recommend all pasta, pizza, and desserts =D
Perfect for a loud, lively celebration.
OH, and you HAVE to get their Tiramisu! My God!! -
Review from Maria L.
Los Angeles, CA
3/27/2009
I've been here a few times and the food has never disappointed me.
The decorations are fun to look at and the staff is friendly.
I'm not sure why there are so many bad reviews on this place :(
It's really not bad, but hmm maybe it's just me :/ -
Review from Karen L.
11/15/2010 7 photos
I LOVE LOVE LOVE BUCA DI BEPPO!!!!!!!!! If you know anything about me, you'd know I love savory, hearty pastas! It's in Santa Monica, so parking is plentiful in the multiple parking garages. I love this place because it's super decorated with tons of pictures on the walls and random artifacts. There's one seating area with a bust of the pope too. The decoration is so kooky that I love it. A great place to share a meal with all your friends.
When I first came here, it was with a large group, so we got to try a variety of dishes. There was quite a wait, so while we waited, they served us free pizza! Woot! We ordered the calamari and stuffed mushrooms for appetizer and both were pretty tasty. The calamari just tasted so delicious dipped in the marinara sauce. We also ordered a pizza, but I forgot which one!! It was super delicious though. We ordered lasagna, linguine frutti di mare, and penne san remo. All large portions, of course! Everything was so delicious!
I've also tried their chicken carbonara and spicy chicken rigatoni, and both are my absolute favorites!!! *salivates*
Prices are a bit high, but they always have $10 off coupons, and even the small portion of their entrees are enough to feed 2 people, so come ready to enjoy a hearty meal! -
Review from Andrew S.
Los Angeles, CA
1/30/2011
Yes they use cheap ingredients, every seat seems to be next to a bathroom or walkway, the raviolis are frozen and the same bullshit you buy as Costco but I love this place and can't get enough of it.
We always get the (1)Margarita pizza with extra sauce and add fresh mozzarella...that is some good pie. (2)SHRIMP FRA DIAVOLO Sautéed garlic shrimp and a spicy rosa sauce with imported Italian penne pasta...add a little parmesan and BOOM, POOF, POW!
I could look at the photos on those walls ALL DAY LONG!!
I haven't looked yet but I'm sure the fake ass food critics that inhabit YELP like herpes don't have anything nice to say about this place but I DON"T CARE - lighten up, this place is tasty, reasonably priced(for the huge portions) and tons of fun. A great place for large parties. -
Review from Gina m.
Bel Air, Los Angeles, CA
11/12/2011
Very festive, lots of fun , crazy atmosphere , friendly people and terrific authentic Italian food !! The Italian manager (very simpatico) goes out of his way to make everyone feel like family. All the staff are also friendly and very attentive.Truly a family restaurant. The paper thin pizza with fresh mozzarella is the best I have had since Rome. Everything is made with the finest ingredients. Portions are huge and you can depend on delicious leftovers. The wait is not bad, but try to make reservations for two or fifty people.
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Review from Julianne L.
West Los Angeles, CA
10/26/2009 1 photo
Today is World Pasta Day and Buca di Beppo is Celebrating by giving away a single serving size of their pasta w/ marinara or meat sauce and a package of dry pasta to take home. Plus, if you have those $10 off $20 coupons, you can use them with this promotion. So, being the deal lover that I am, I make it a point to give Buca a try today.
I just got back and I'm totally stuffed. The food was OK, but C&O's does a waaaay better job at the whole family style Italian food business.
- Complimentary Bread was served cold. Enough said.
- Caesar Salad was drenched in dressing and was overly salty.
- Pasta Carbonara was yummy but way too rich.
- Pasta with Meat Sauce was ok. I've made better at home.
Service was a little slow, but they were way understaffed. I only saw one waiter for the whole restaurant! I felt really bad for him too when this crazy women came in demanding beer and getting pissed because they didn't have sandwiches and pizza by the slice on the menu. *awkward turtle*
On the plus side, the bill came out super cheap! Lunch + leftovers for the next couple of days only ended up costing $12.05 (before tip). Overall it wasn't bad, but with so many better restaurants out there, I probably won't come back of my own accord. -
Review from Taylor G.
8/13/2011 Seated via OpenTable
This place is huge, I had to walk a county mile to get to the bathroom. I loved the atmosphere and seeing all the historic photos. The portions are larger than life, so bring a lot of people or be prepared for a lot of leftovers. I went here on a date and stuffed my face. Lemon pepper chicken, garlic mashed potatoes and spaghetti and meatballs. All small sizes (which feed up to 3) it was all amazing. The garlic mashed potatoes was the best part though, they leave the skin on em, so good. Great quality service I'd definitely come here again.
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Review from Amy S.
1/11/2009
Buca should only be utilized in large groups, otherwise youll walk out feeling cranky from hearing people sing happy birthday, and waiters rushing around with giant plates and beverages all night.
The food is mediocre, i felt like anything that had noodle involved came out all noodle! noodle di beppo they should call it! Where are the giant happy meatballs and the tomatos in teh sauce? Must still be in those giant cans they put the dishes on top of!
If you can ignore the food, the place is actually really fun and a delightfully loud place to go to. Lots of stuff on the wall (and ceiling!) to look at! -
Review from Vince S.
West Los Angeles, CA
8/12/2007
I am rubbing my eyes right now. Ok, couple of four-star reviews, one five-star. I rubbed my eyes again. Yep. Still the same count...
Today, after an afternoon of shopping at 3rd Street, I said to my lovely wife "Say...why don't we just dine in Santa Monica?"
We strolled under the sunsetting skies, enjoying the warmth of the summer, and the buzzing streets filled with shoppers, lovers, kids and tourists. And mama mia, we found Buca Di Peppo.
We were sat at a table fairly quickly. Server was polite and attentive. We looked at the menu and ordered calamari (small) and Fettuccine Supremo (small). The calamari came with tentacles and we love it. But the Fettuccine was....well, just an insult to our taste buds.
Ok...one thing I do recall is that this is not fine Italian dining and we ordered the food that mind. All we just wanted was something fun and hearty and filling. The decoration was interesting. Then and there we placed our appetite on the betting table.
Sure the Fettuccine Supremo can feed an army but where were the greens (broccoli), reds (bell pepper) and the carcass (chicken breasts)? Not to mention the gravy was so starchy that they stuck to my teeth, gums and side cheeks. I bet this joint just bought over Argo & Kingsford's. Don't get me started on the cheese. The dish is so cheezy that it makes BayWatch Cheez-O-Hasselhoff . (once filmed on the San Mo beaches) look plain and dull. Oh how about this...the dish is so repelling that it actually made Olive Garden's dishes look a little better. And we hate OG just as deep...
We ate two or three mouthfuls of Fettuccine Supreyuck, and we asked for the check right away. We paid $30 something dollars and we left right away.
Buca Di Crappo wasted our time like some cheap magazine. What a rip. -
Review from Lucy Y.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 2/21/2010 3 photos
Oof, can hardly breathe after tonight's dinner:
Chicken pesto pizza - creamy pesto sauce on a chewy and crispy-edged thin crust pizza topped with chicken chunks, sundried tomato strips, roasted garlic cloves, and parmesan cheese. YUM!
Chianti braised short ribs - 2 big pieces (this was the small) with braising gravy, tender, slow cooked to tenderness, slightly fatty (gooooood) and wonderful with that sauce
Prosciutto-Stuffed Chicken - 2 big pieces of chicken breast, stuffed with prosciutto and mozzarella, then breaded and served with marinara and pesto cream sauce. Tender, melted mozzarella oozed out, and the pesto cream sauce was AWESOME with it.
A meatball - one ginormous meatball on the side, because we just had to
Double Dark Chocolate Cake - SUPER dense and moist and chocolatey HUNK-Y-NORMOUS piece of 2-layer cake with ganache in the middle and on top, with a giant puddle of Sambuca sauce (actually like the oozy warm gooey part of a molten lava cake). This cake was an AWESOME deal - $11.99 on the menu but if you sign up for the club online, you get a coupon for a free dessert on your birthday.
Birthday cupcake - funfetti yellow cake with whipped cream (actually whipped "creme") icing and sprinkles on top - given to people within 7 days of your birthday for the small price of allowing the waiters to scream Happy Birthday wishes and sing to you in front of the whole restaurant : P
There's still no getting away from the decibels of this restaurant, but the food put me in a mild coma so I my little pocket of delirium buffered the noise around me!Listed in: Family Dinners, Short Rib Heaven
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2/2/2010
Bf and I were here earlier this month as part of a birthday group. We were in the middle of a… Read more »
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