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Buca di Beppo
Category: Restaurants Italian Italian [Edit]
604 N Milwaukee Ave(between Prairie View Ln & Astor Ln)
Wheeling, IL 60090
(847) 808-9898
Announcement
Holy Cannoli, You Graduated! Celebrate at Buca! http://www.bucadibeppo...
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 11 am - 10 pm
Fri-Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 9 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
55 reviews for Buca di Beppo
Review Highlights
-
"The dishes are designed to be served family style." In 12 reviews -
"...Saltimbocca and the Linguine Frutti Di Mare; these two..." In 3 reviews -
"If you love garlic-this is your place." In 3 reviews
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55 reviews in English
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Review from Yanyao N.
5/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
It's super kitschy, the portions are ridiculously large, and the cuisine is what some members of my family would call "eye"-talian... but Buca di Beppo really hit the spot for me this week. It was exactly what I wanted (a crazy large serving of spaghetti with some red sauce) and I got to sit at a booth next to a picture of a ginormous fat little boy stuffing his face with a giant donut. When I was leaving, I saw a picture of a cat with spaghetti on its head. Funny.
Our server was terrific and friendly. And their spicy chicken rigatoni is DELICIOUS. I had seen someone pin "Buca di Beppo's spicy chicken rigatoni" recipe on Pinterest the other day and was curious. I'll be ordering this again.
And, those half pound meatballs totally hit the spot. Who doesn't like a big meaty ball?
I only managed to take down half of one. Sad! -
Review from Nic Z.
4/1/2012
This Buca and another are essentially equidistant from us. Over the years, we gradually started leaning toward the other until we hadn't gone to this one in about 2-3 years. We opted for a "change of scenery" and came here a few weeks ago.
Long story short, we quickly realized why we don't come here anymore.
We were sat in a dining room all by ourselves where there was a woman mopping the floor with bleach... BLEACH! While we ate! The entire time.
When our main course came, we had finally had enough and asked if she could please stop mopping while we eat because the smell was nauseating. After 30-40 minutes of mopping, we all felt ill and ready to faint; there was no way we could enjoy our meal like that. Her reply? "Oh, I'm almost done." ...She mopped throughout our whole meal. We managed to swallow a slice of pizza each (the 2x2" paper-thin square) and asked to have the rest wrapped up.
We were disgusted and just wanted to get out of there as quickly as possible. That had to be in violation of some health codes. Who the hell mops with bleach while people are eating? -
Review from Dr. Catherine L.
Moreno Valley, CA
3/9/2012
I was in the area for a conference and was staying at the Westin Hotel.. so this place was within walking distance. Several colleagues and I came here because it was the only nice restaurant nearby to the hotel.
We were seated in a room where the ceilings were wine glasses and grape vines. How beautiful it was! Buca di Beppo never ceases to amaze me with their set up and ambiance!
We were a party of 15-16.. service was slow, but I don't think we cared very much because we were all so busy talking and eating. My favorite was the chicken marsala. The mushrooms and its sauce were so DELICIOUS! -
Review from Samantha L.
Arlington Heights, IL
12/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
What this boils down to is two things. The food is pretty good and the service sucks. Like, it really, sincerely, is a dreadful and awful experience due to service.
A "quick birthday lunch" ended up taking us almost two hours, because we were constantly waiting and looking for our waitress. And even when she was in the same room as us, it was really awkward and painful to get her attention.
The place was deserted too. We were seated towards the interior/back and there was only one other table there at the time. (Including the bar area and the other sections/rooms).
It got to the point where at the end of the meal, it took us 20 minutes (we timed it) for us to flag (literally flag) down our waitress so that we could get the bill.
P.S. Only one of us got a singular water refill while we were there. Two hours.
But really, the food is good, and we do like their lunch menu. I had a plate full of meatballs (off of their dinner menu) they were moist, flavorful, delightful, and a ridiculous size, and Andy had the Chicken Parm lunch meal - and while it was a little greasy, it was nonetheless good.
The next time we're craving Italian though, Biaggi's, Maggiano's or Francesca's will be our destination. -
Review from Adam S.
Buffalo Grove, IL
4/6/2012
Food is just ok. Fully agree with the statement that the service was horrible. The restaurant is everything else than clean, tiny, noisy. Won't come back.
-
Review from Phil R.
Deerfield, IL
6/20/2011
I come here more often than I would like to mainly cause my relatives like it here. I'm not crazy about this place. I mean the environment is nice and the portion is large but they are inconsistent when it comes to some of their pasta dishes. More than half the times there's a least one pasta dish where the noodles are a bit undercooked. So it's kind of like eating warm soggy cereal with a bit of a crunch. For an Italian restaurant, you would think their pasta dishes would be on point but maybe it's because it's harder to cook larger amounts of noodles since you don't really want to over cook the noodles.
Maybe come here when you have a slightly smaller group and order the smaller dish size, it may minimize the undercooking issue. I will have to test this out myself the next time I go.
Their appetizers are good and their pizza is also good. -
Review from Jennifer S.
Bartlett, IL
10/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Friends of ours have been wanting to try Buca di Beppo for over a year. We tried it with them tonight. We had a reservation, so we didn't have to wait very long which was nice, but once we got back to the dining area, the hostess didn't know where to seat us. We stood in the middle of the restaurant while she tried to figure it out. There were two tables for four. My hubby asked for the one near the wall - not crammed in between two very full parties. When she came back, she wouldn't seat us near the wall. We were between two large birthday parties. NOTE: This does seem to be a birthday dinner location - we heard the Buca di Beppo birthday song about six times over the course of the evening. It's cute. But, these large parties make for a very loud restaurant.
The waitress was busy. So we waited a few minutes & she breezed by letting us know that she would be back in a minute. This was the first of many, many minutes. When she returned, we let her know that this was our first visit. She suggested a cocktail made with amaretto. I wasn't going to order a cocktail, but she stressed how great it was, so I ordered it. So, did my friend's husband. My friend opted for water & my husband ordered a Pepsi. We asked for a few suggestions & she pointed out three things. I'm trying to be a better patron these days, so we decided to order two of the three suggestions.
When the waitress brought the cocktails, she didn't bring the water or Pepsi. This took two more trips to the table. I tasted the recommended drink & it was a lukewarm, watered down margarita. I didn't even taste a hint of amaretto. So, I hunted down the waitress & asked for an iced tea. The manager came over, saw that I had only sipped the drink, removed it & agreed to bring an iced tea. Waiting. Waiting. Waiting. The manager even walked by again before the iced tea made it to the table. This was frustrating because the pitcher was on the counter within eye shot of our table.
We started with stuffed mushrooms with a pesto sauce & fried calamari. The mushrooms had a lot of cheese & the pesto sauce was a nice change of pace. The calamari came with a spicy arriabata sauce. The apps were hot & fresh. Things were looking up again.
The bread service here is weird. A basket of bread came out followed by one small plate for four people to share of olive oil that the waitress poured. She walked away with the olive oil. I'm going to pick on my hubby for a minute...he should go back to Kindergarten because he does not like to share with anyone other than me. I can't really blame him because some people like cheese, some like pepper, etc. So, we asked the manager for a second plate with olive oil. She brought it right away. Then, I found out that the bread was chewy and cold. Not what I was expecting. My very non-picky friends even commented on it. My friend wanted to have some bread with dinner, but unfortunately the waitress picked up the basket & crumpled the paper basket liner in front of us at the table & took it away. I guess we can't use any bread to soak up any sauce...
We ordered four small dishes. The portions are intended for sharing & when they say that it will feed two to three people, I would agree that it really does. No one cares about my opinion here, but they should really do a small, medium & large. Make the small, smaller & charge a little less per dish. I would have ordered more dishes if they had been just a bit more reasonable on their pricing. It might have been nice to try more options, but it was too expensive to justify. So, we ended up with lasagna, baked rigatoni, chicken Parmesan & some spicy chicken pasta. The chicken pasta & the parm were two of the waitress' suggestions & what my hubby & I decided to share. Our friend's lasagna was very cheesy. A huge portion, but not a lot of meat. Their baked rigatoni had fresh ricotta cheese on top & throughout, the sausage was nice and spicy & again the 'small' portion was huge. The spicy chicken pasta was lukewarm & dry. My husband asked for some of the sauce to put on top. This took soooo long that the pasta was even colder by the time the sauce arrived. The two chicken breasts were burnt with overdone cheese & had been sitting way too long as the breading on the underside of the chicken stayed on the plate because it had absorbed the sauce. Those were lukewarm as well.
Apparently my review is too many characters, so I will cut this short. Getting drinks refilled was like pulling teeth-we couldn't even find the waitress half the time. I'll bring it in a minute, means ten minutes. After a frustrating meal & less than satisfactory meal, I talked with the manager in the bar & she was gracious enough to take care of a portion of the bill. Can't say I'll be back especially considering the distance for us. But, I still appreciated the manager's gesture and hope the waitress gets some more training. -
Review from S A.
Highland Park, IL
10/16/2011
I have had two ABSOLUTELY miserable experiences in less than two months at this location.
We walk in the restaurant and the manager is standing on her little podium and there are whining, complaining, loud, immature waitresses standing around whining about their jobs and their night and their customers. There are SIX PEOPLE waiting to be seated in that very foyer.
Nothing says welcome to our restaurant like a bunch of classless waitresses bi*$&#ing about customers!!
We are generally pretty nice to waitstaff who show up to work. That's mostly what it takes.
When our waiter came to the table we asked how he was.
"Terrible!" He whined. Something about making mistakes and needing a beer and not wanting to be at work.
"Sorry to keep you here!" I said with a smile - hoping to lighten the mood.
However, the night just kept getting WORSE and WORSE.
First my husband asked for a beer. The waiter - let's call him "T", told him that there was Peroni on draft. Brian is easy to please - SOLD.
Then he brings a bottle. He said the bottle is $6.00.
Brian said he ordered a draft beer. The guy LIES and says they're 'out'. That's weird - I said. You run out of Peroni at an Italian restaurant this early on a Saturday night? (It was about 8 p.m.) Pretty poor planning.
Then the brat tells us he lied. He entered the wrong thing in the computer and he then WHINED about how they changed from their old POS System to Aloha and there's no 'wiggle room'. So he's telling us that he didn't bring the right beer because he basically entered in the wrong thing - the bartender was obligated to make it and T doesn't want to go to a manager to ring it in right.
THEN after several minutes he brings our Peroni draft - in a WATER CUP. A legitimate short octogon-shaped F-ING WATER CUP. For $6.00 you give us SIX OUNCES of beer?!?!
He tells us he can't frost the glass because their freezer is 'broke'.
t's Wheeling, not the Loop dude.
I ended up with the Ravenswood Zin for 7.99 which was decent but still.
On to the appetizer - the next DISASTER.
We ask T for Garlic Cheesy Bread and ask him to make sure there's cheese - last time they were SUPER SKIMPY with the cheese.
"Sorry but I can't do that. Sometimes it comes out skimpy and sometimes it comes out burnt and there's nothing I can do."
He brings the bread and it's cheesy - but we asked for marinara - just a little bit to dip the bread in.
This is how we ALWAYS have had this dish.
FOR NINE F-ING DOLLARS that we paid for bread with cheese that cost the restaurant TWO FZ-ING CENTS the dude REFUSES to bring us a dollop of marinara!
The bread was dry and tasteless and they try to compensate by pouring a half an ounce of oil on the table.
This place won't even leave the olive oil on your table for the bread?!
THEN we order the main course.
This is another HUMILIATING FAIL.
The waiter almost has me in tears over the salad I ordered.
I said please add a raw vegetable to the salad.
It's NOT HARD to throw a half a handful of broccoli or a few carrot slices on the salad.
The salad was plain - just spinach and tomato and fried prosciutto. I told him that I was not going to fill up on the spinach and hoped he'd add a vegetable for me. For a twelve dollar salad he could have suffered me a piece of broccoli, right?!
I told him that last time I was there they humiliated me and had the manager come talk to me over adding RAW BROCCOLI to a SALAD. FOOLS. Salads should have veggies, morons!
Guess what brainiac did? HE BROUGHT A MANAGER TO MY TABLE because I asked for A PIECE OF VEGGIE on my overpriced salad. UGGHHHHH!!!!!!
I can't even continue to review because this place SUCKS SUCKS SUCKS. I'm usually so much more eloquent - I know.
But today I need to VENT.
THIS PLACE HAS GONE TO CRAP.
I asked for dressing on the SIDE of my salad and he brought it LOADED WITH DRESSING.
I asked him to bring one without dressing and it took THIRTEEN minutes. Brian's food was ice cold by the time he came back.
Then I DIDN'T EAT because I'm livid.
I ask for a box and he grabs my plate.
NO! - I say politely (the whole time Brian and I are smiling and laughing but CRYING on the inside)... "I prefer to wrap it myself".
What do you think I'm going to do? Punk-a$$ waiter slime asked me.
"SPIT IN IT?!"
He basically told me he's going to spit in my food - I'm positive.
This was like being ABUSED. I felt BEATEN UP by this place. The managers. The chefs, the waiter, the overpriced CRAP FOOD.
TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE. -
Review from Kathy B.
Chicago, IL
10/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
The food is phenomenal- HUGE portions to feed large crowds, they offer lots of coupons and offers to make your visit as affordable as possible. The wine list is ok for a chain- not too many choices. Great for groups and birthday outings!
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Review from Dave J.
Wheeling, IL
12/3/2011 9 Check-ins Here
For a national chain restaurant, this is one of the best. Sorry Olive Garden. I like the food, the decor, and the vibe at Buca. I like that I signed up on their e-mail list and they send coupons. I like that they gave me a birthday card, signed by the staff, and didn't do any obnoxious singing ritual (upon my request) on my birthday. I like that they have LARGE and small portions, depending on how many of us are at the table. I like the variety of choices on the menu. Simple, fun, unpretentious, party rooms, great service, and always consistently great food.
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Review from Jeka M.
Love the Bepp. I've always had friendly service, food comes quickly, and it's pretty delicious. The food can be typical Italian or extra-super-delicious Italian depending on what you order (mozzarella garlic bread = okay, Chicken Artichoke Rigatoni = delish) and how into Italian food you are.
It's gets pricey quickly if you start adding beverages of the alcoholic persuasion. Excellent for groups~ it's like tapas, but you get more of fewer items. I still like sharing multiple options, though. They've got a great vibe. -
Review from Luiza R.
Chicago, IL
12/25/2011
We had a Christmas party at a friends house this weekend and catered from Buca. Everything tasted fresh and delicious. I personally loved the calamari, it was perfect. The pasta was spicy and had a particular zest to it, it was great. Definitely will cater from them again :)
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Review from Becky F.
Vernon Hills, IL
3/11/2012
expensive but at least the service is better than most places, therefore the reason we go back, kinda loud atmosphere but overall not bad
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Review from Kelly E.
Minneapolis, MN
4/3/2011
Oh Mamma Mia!!! I think I love this place for its crazy decor, themed rooms, tour of the kitchen, loud and liveliness, family style food selections, cramped seating, and its joy. It has tons of joy.
5 stars for all the bells and whistles.
but the food...gets 3 stars. The food doesn't hold a candle to some of the Chicago greats (RoSal's, Sabatino's, etc.). Though they try really hard and are decent, despite being a franchise. -
Review from Piotr T.
Prospect Heights, IL
2/26/2012
Food is just ok. Service was horrible.
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Review from Demetrio P.
Chicago, IL
1/20/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Whenever we're in the mood for Italian and want family style offerings, Buca is our place to go. My fave dishes here are Frutti de Mare, Chicken Carbonara, and the Lemon Chicken. The Lemon Chicken is my favorite of the 3, as it comes out golden brown on top, with a lemon butter sauce that is finger licking good! Their deserts are good as well, especially their chocolate cake. This place is also great for group gatherings.
Overall, good food, okay service, okay prices. -
Review from Jennifer L.
Buffalo Grove, IL
11/6/2010 4 Check-ins Here
LOVE this place! Yay for their fabuloso garlic bread and spicy chicken rigatoni... mmm mmmmm gooood!!
Great service, large location... If you have less than 4 people you can request the special table in the kitchen which is kinda fun! All the servers have to stop and show you the food they're bringing out to their tables... So you can see all the delish food they have.
I like this place. A wee bit expensive for a chain restaurant, but this is one of those places where I actually bring the leftovers home cuz I want to keep eating!!!
Recommended! -
Review from Justin W.
Chicago, IL
2/6/2007
Absolutely one of the best Italian restaurants in the suburbs. I have always loved the wait staff, who go above and beyond to provide helpful, friendly, and courteous conversations, while the food has never let me down.
If I could, I would give Buca six stars and cuddle afterwards.
If you have not gone here, you have to go immediately. Right now. I'm serious.
STOP READING, CALL ME, AND LETS GO!Listed in: Best of the Best Eats
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Review from Jack P.
8/24/2010
I have been to other locations of this chain, and always had a decent time and a decent meal. But looking at the value aspect of what a recent lunch cost, I would have to say I had a mediocre experience at best here.
Let me start with the good stuff: Bruschetta appetizer. Although it was large, and the bread was delicious, $10.00 for Brushcetta? It's not as if they had to make a pizza, or anything. I mean it's just bread, tomatoes and basil. But that was the best part of the meal.
I ordered Chicken Parmigiana, because I love it, and I don't have it too often. Well, I violated my own never-order-chicken-in-a-restaurant rule, and was sorry I did. The chicken cutlet was thin, over-cooked, and not unlike a frozen Aldi entree. The accompanying spaghetti was pretty bad, too. I could have found better Chicken Parm at one of my neighborhood fast-food Italian spots.
My lunch companion had baked Salmon, with a pesto sauce, whole pine nuts, and broccoli. I believe it was not accompanied by pasta. He did eat it all up and appeared to enjoy it.
I do enjoy the over-the-top, whimsical art and photos everywhere, especially the vintage Italian ones. But I don't know that I will be rushing back here for the food, or the just a little too over-friendly and invasive service. It just was not worth the price. Lunch for two: about $60.00 tax and tip. -
Review from San T.
Palatine, IL
8/19/2009
One word to describe this place, DELICIOUS!
Be prepared to eat alot of food! Even the small portions are huge!
I ordered the Chicken Carbonara and the Anti Pasto Salad shared with another person and we still had left overs!
The place could get very loud but it has a cozy atmosphere!
We are already planning our next visit this coming weekend.
By far Buca is one of my top favorite restaurants!
If you sign up for the email up dates, you will receive coupons for $10.00 off or free desserts!
You must visit this place! -
Review from Bruce N.
Wheeling, IL
2/7/2007
Carried out from here last night for the umpteenth time. I usually prefer to carry out,as the place is loud and I have to be in the mood for the noise. I wasn't last night.
We had the usual chopped antipasto salad (tremendous, with iceberg lettuce, assorted meats & cheeses, peppers and olives with the house vinaigrette). The small order of spaghetti and meat sauce with a couple of softball sized meatballs. I especially like that the meat sauce is very generous in the meat department and there's NEVER any water under the pasta (A HUGE PET PEEVE OF MINE... WHY CAN'T A RESTAURANT PROPERLY DRAIN PASTA??). As always, the food was very good. There's a goodly amount of garlic in everything, which I love! They also throw in a whole loaf of fresh bread. Spent around $40 and have leftovers for a couple of meals, too!
Oh...and try the cannoli with warm chocolate sauce. It's DE-licious!!
Certainly a good Italian meal. A great place for both families and dates. I actually had a holiday party there, in December at the Pope's table, and it was a perfect room at a very reasonable price for a party of 14. (A warning though... the "throne" has springs that I can still feel in my ass!) -
Review from Jay N.
Lombard, IL
12/20/2010
Parking lot is a little small and not easy to get out of if you're going north on Milwaukee to get to Lake Cook. Since this is family style service, the tables are relatively small considering you're ordering a few dishes, have drinks, and need room for the plates.
The decor, service, and environment are pretty standard for Buca. The food is still quite salty and nothing was quite distinctive. My friends liked the Shrimp Fra Diavolo but it seemed like it was only because they put red peppers in there so you could actually taste the spice. I can't believe I said yes to my friends choosing this place. Maybe I need new friends. -
Review from lisa a.
Northbrook, IL
7/19/2011
Horrible food. The pasta was gummy and tasteless. Chicken Marsala was so sweet no one wanted to eat it. We were told the kitchen would be closed by the time our dinner would be served so we had to order dessert right away. Bad choice.
My family loves Italian food and no one wanted to take home the left overs. Try Tuscany down the road instead.
To give them credit the calamari was very good. -
Review from Jon J.
Chicago, IL
8/27/2007
Yeah, it's a chain, but it's my favorite Italian chain. They execute well on just about everything, from perfectly fried calamari, to a delicious salad, to tender veal parmigian.
Everything's good, and if you're with a group, price is quite reasonable.
The decor makes it kind of cool... so over the top that it's not annoying, just funny.
Service is friendly and food comes out well paced.
Excellent! -
Review from Julie O.
7/11/2011
I was here for a graduation party. We had a private room and plenty of attention from the servers. The food was tasty, not too salty and served hot. Portions were large. The bruschetta appetizer rocked!
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Review from Rachel C.
Lake Zurich, IL
2/20/2007
My family and I have been going to Buca Di Beppo for ages. They have amazing, authentic Italian food. Fair prices, humongous portions and an extremely catering to large parties and group events.
My favorites are the Chicken (and Veal) Parmigiana with Prosciutto and their Garlic Mashed Potatoes. They have some to die for deserts, particulary the Chocolate Cannoli and the Tiramisu.
Always a good time and great meal at Buca Di Beppo! -
Review from Sam W.
Chicago, IL
8/29/2007
Gross. There was no one here at 6:00pm on a Wednesday night. That would've been enough of a warning, but instead my family and I still walked in and decided to eat. That was our second mistake.
We ordered the small portion of bruschetta as an appetizer, and somehow this was the best dish of everything we had. It was served in a hot skillet with fresh tomatoes and basil on top. However, as we soon learned would be a reoccurring theme in all of the dishes, there was a huge puddle of oil on the bottom of the skillet.
For dinner, I ordered the Buca Mio (individual portion) of Salmon with Pesto. This was disgustingly oily and made me feel sick. It was served with butter and oil soaked potatoes and veges, and the salmon filet itself was covered, and I mean covered in creamy pesto sauce. Nasty! The other two with me ordered the Buca Mio Eggplant Parmigian (this seemed as if it were fried twice!) and the small order of Shrimp and Scallop Orzo (this thing was even worse than the salmon, with seriously no less than a half cup of buttery oil on the bottom of the plate). How can people serve this junk and expect anyone to come back?!
Of course, to insure we all had a heart-attack, we ordered dessert. The piece of apple pie mush they call an "Apple Crostada" was actually good. This is nothing what a Crostada should be (just ask Maggianos and Osteria di Tramonto) but I guess if you just wanted a huge piece of apple pie and ice cream then this hit the spot.
I am never returning to this sick place again. What a complete waste, and I was really looking forward to it the entire week. The only reason I gave it one star is because our server tried hard to make the experience feel authentic, even though there were more employees than people in the restaurant. Come to think of it, once we finished dinner, the server took his sweet time coming over to clear our plates, so he's lucky he even got that star! -
Review from Ian M.
Davis, CA
11/27/2008
The food here was pretty mediocre. Due to the nature of our group, we ended up leaving a large tip for the server and I'm not really sure if this was warranted or not because, despite the quality of service, the food was only so-so.
All of the dishes came in huge portions and, while some were bursting with flavor, others, such as the alfredo, were quite lacking. The dishes were not innovative. They were all very plain.
The food also proved to be more oily than average. This presents a big problem if you're about to throw on a big, full-body costume and go dancing right afterward. I felt a bit queasy after dining and that's never a good thing.
If I were to get quality Italian food, I would walk across the street for Osteria di Tramonto (although, considering that we were staying in the Westin North Shore, we could have just saved ourselves the walk in the cold weather). Buca is great for big parties and for good conversation, though. -
Review from Chris W.
Chicago, IL
4/17/2009
This is a FANTASTIC establishment for family get togethers. We had a birthday dinner for my grandpa here a long time ago with like 15 of us and we had this adorable table with a bust of the pope in the middle. It was one of those tables where you could turn part of it and then be able to grab what you need family style.
Yay to pasta dishes.
nEh to pretty much anything meaty. I can see how a lot of people would be like "this place is just ehh" because it's not Sabatino's after all hehe. However, it's good food and it's more than that a fun time. Service isn't 5 star high end quality but the staff is friendly.
It's got a nostalgic air about the restaurant and just a very cute italian mood with the music and the lighting. Prices are reasonable so I would recommend it for big or small groups, and have dessert too! -
Review from George V.
Skokie, IL
5/29/2007
Much like going to a fish restaurant and trying to order a hamburger, don't go to Buca if you don't want pasta. You're simply setting foot in the wrong establishment if you want something that's not semolina based!
While delivering pasta, he Wheeling BDB is in competent hands. The three pasta dishes that we shared family style (yes, we had a ton of leftovers, even with four people!) were all done well. None were done excellently, but none were complete air-balls, either. They were accommodating to my food allergy (allergic to octopus, unfortunate!) and were able to make a frutti-di-mare sauce sans calamari.
As others mentioned, the place is loud so be prepared. The decor is similarly loud to match. If you're on a date and it's not going well, you can always spend a few minutes reading the walls. Though the decor is not so loud that if you're on a bad date that you can simply claim not to hear anything your date says. :)
I really wish Yelp would allow me to give a half star, as this place deserves three and a half! -
Review from Oxa L.
Elk Grove Village, IL
5/23/2011
well, i used to adore this place until this evening ,:((((
All shames on its service!!!.
OK: we came on a Monday night around 8 pmish..( its open till 10pm on Mondays - Great!)
the reason we came to Buca it is on the way to our home and my husband was so hungry after late shift. Due to their huge portions that the place to fill ups!
me?- i trying very hard to stick with a diet, no late nights dinner...so came just for drinks ( very delicious get 5 stars just for raspberry lemon drop martini).
the waitress did her job well but with mean attitude, kind of you can feel that she doesn't like you for some you never discover reason.. For example: 1st - she took away bread and oil from me when i still have peace of it ready to deep in that oil... its rude! ..
2nd. when i tell her I'm not ordering a dinner only drinks for me tonight(smily face) she said:" aah, ofcorse.." what's up with that? I'm trying not to it late, came only to companion my hungry hubby...
and 3rd overall her ignorance and "looks"... sorry, dont want to come back :(
Another is a manager came over to ask hows everything as usual, and we said everything is perfect, and i asked one question about a cheese on a pasta,; she replies:" its Risottos!" and immidiatly went away.... i know its an a Risottos but with what?and how? i can feel garlic and chives very strongly. anyway the cheese was Delicious i just want to give a compliment to a kitchen. Didn't expect that it would bather someone...
Well, sometimes little can ruin everything, becouse this "little" ment a lot. too bad i used to keep very pleasant memories with this place for a good 5 years.! not anymore, not anymore :((((((((
P.S. pardon me for mistakes.. -
Review from Anna K.
5/14/2011
chopped antipasto salad
margherita pizza
fried calamari
lasagna
spicy chicken rigatoni
linguine frutti di mare
eggplant parmigiana
cabernet sauvignon, louis m. martini
malbec, gascon
riesling, chateau ste. michelle
16 people.
2 community tables.
large-size servings of family style italian dishes.
bottles of wine (per usual)
good food but the laid back atmosphere
for lively groups and conversing
makes it an ideal place for groups.
3 for the food, 4 for the service
solid 3.5 -
Review from Dave S.
Charlotte, NC
7/30/2009
This is a great family oriented Italian comfort food restaurant. The dishes are designed to be served family style. Small dishes serve 2-3 people, and the larger versions 4-5. Dining by myself on a business trip, I was sitting at the bar.
I mentioned to the cute, young bartender that I was staying in a hotel and didn't have a refrigerator for leftovers, and she said to order off the lunch menu, even though it was dinner time.... And they would take care of me.
I ended up ordering the stuffed shells. I've only ever had them cheese stuffed, but these were stuffed with a hot Italian sausage, spinach and cheese filling. Spicy, but excellent, served on a plate of marinara. I also ordered a meatball. These meatballs are a whopping half-pound... about the size of a baseball!
Even with the reduced order, I was still unable to finish all the food. It was delicious, and I continued to try and eat more until I just couldn't eat another bite. Thankfully there is a BUCA di BEPPO across town in my home town of Charlotte... so I can repeat the experience. At least I have a fridge there to save the leftovers! -
Review from Dana M.
Chicago, IL
5/4/2009 4 Check-ins Here
This restaurant has been my family favorite for many years now. We love to come here with a large party because it's easy to make reservations, the food is fairly inexpensive, and it's family style. My favorites are the Chicken Saltimbocca and the Linguine Frutti Di Mare; these two dishes must be ordered every time! I forget how good they are until I take a bite of these two dishes!
The service is not that great and I don't know if it's because they're always busy on a Sunday night or what. They give you your food and you never see the waiter again! But apparently, that hasn't stopped me from going back! -
Review from Jean K.
Wheeling, IL
7/28/2010
3 stars: Good food for a chain restaurant and great for groups, but bad for entree takeout.
I go to Buca Di Beppo fairly often - the pasta is consistently good, and one of my favorite dishes is the Linguine Frutti Di Mare, a seafood tomato sauce pasta. The Fried Calamari is also pretty good. I'm not a fan of their pizzas though, I've had better frozen pizzas.
The servers seem prepared for large groups and I've never had a bad experience with their service. The atmosphere is family friendly and the decor is a bit quirky, which I like!
For takeout, be cautious about ordering entrees. I ordered the Oven-roasted Salmon once and the portion size was ridiculously small, just enough for one person (which was overcooked and dry, cost $22 and was supposed to feed up to 3 people). -
Review from Peter S.
Deerfield, IL
6/1/2010
One of my favorite places to eat! I'm actually not wild about the busy atmosphere (every square inch of wall is covered with decoration, and it can get pretty loud), but the food is so good, I don't even notice. Everything is delicious, the portions are very generous, the servers have always been friendly & attentive, and it's a very good value when you've got a group or are particularly hungry (I can polish off a full serving of pasta on my own, if suitably hungry). I always look forward to an opportunity to eat at Buca Di Beppo!
Something to remember, is that they have additional parking to the south, in case the main lot is full (and it usually is on a weekend night). -
Review from kaya s.
Niles, IL
1/12/2010
I've been here twice. Once for a large family gathering and once with a girlfriend. Both times I was not overly impressed. The large party experience, grandparents 50th anniversary, was almost disastrous. Service was ok throughout but not really good. Many of us had to wait quite a while for drink refills. The first course was good, antipasto trays and salads. The pasta came out next and it was god awful. The sauce was so burnt that it smelled like someone ashed their cigars in our food, no joke. It took over the whole room and even when we sent it back the smell still lingered. It killed the whole mood.
I went again a few months later to give it another try and it was better overall but again nothing too great. The service was fine and the house wine was at a good value but our calamari was on the warm side not hot, and the Alfredo on the pasta was kinda bland. Huge portions are a plus but overall not the best Italian around by far. -
Review from Kasia R.
Chicago, IL
8/30/2006
This place is great!!!!! I loved the food, especially the garlic potatoes, they are to die for. Mmm.... making me hungry already. The meatballs are delicious and HUGE!!!!!!!!
Don't pass this place up, so much food and great prices.
Edit: 4/13/08
Visited this restaurant last month for our nieces birthday party! Seemed like everyone else was celebrating their birthday that day.
We couldn't pick our own food since it was a party and we were not paying, which was disappointing.. i was looking forward to those big meatballs and those garlic potatoes. We had pizza instead and it was not good at all... very greasy and not enough ingredients. My husband was sick the next day from all that grease. We both ordered the ice tea and it didn't taste all that great. We also had a side order of garlic bread and cheesy bread, which was actually pretty tasty. We were also served salad which was also good and so was the bread, which they brought out right before the pizza arrived ... pretty odd.
The other thing I didn't like was that they brought everyone that was celebrating their birthday this big silver candle stick (3 joined together) I can't remember what it was called ... and sang happy birthday to you. It was ugly... and looked weird.
Since the last time I was here was about 5 years ago I completely forgot about the odd decorations they have. We sat at a round table and had the pope in the center in a glass case on a table turning thingy.. he he There was also a couple paintings of the pope around us. Weird... -
Review from Emerson C.
Chicago, IL
5/21/2008
The food here is exceptionally delicious. Decided to take a date here since we were both coming from her place in Buffalo Grove. Not a big place, but a very homey feel.
They serve you garlic bread as you wait. When I say garlic bread, it actually has garlic on top of the bread. Very delicious, but I tried to lay away since I didn't want my breathe kicking like bruce lee. =P
We ordered a couple pasta dishes and shared them. The first one we had was the Penne Arrabbiata. The sauce was out of this world. Very tasty and the sausage had some spice that kicked in after you ate it. I love spices. The second dish was a Cheese Manicotti. The mix of cheeses inside was very subtle, very creamy. It actually made me feel full after eating just one. I would definitely recommend the manicotti.
After our entrees, we had the tirimasu which was delicious. The lady fingers were topped with the cheese cream and fudge syrup. MMMMM... they also give you mini cones at the end.
Overall a great experience. Wouldn't mind going here for lunch since it's fairly close to work. -
Review from Patty V.
10/28/2006
If you love garlic-this is your place. Garlic is the star here!!It is in everything and plentiful(there are some who do not care for garlic-so this is not your place).We also left with plenty of food for another meal! This is not a place to go to if you are not hungry and you are watching calories.If you can't eat like you are going to the chair-go to some chi-chi nouvelle cuisine place that serves two pea pods and a slice of carrot along a frothy foam of whatever. This is a place for people who eat!!!
Listed in: Atsa nice!!
