Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant

Love Buca in general — entire family loves it! One of the best features of the Buca in TO is Autumn Hurst! Great service, friendly and made our overall experience very pleasant! We will go back and we will be sure to ask to sit in Autumn’s section! Thanks!

Have not been to Buca in over 10 years and I will NEVER go again!!!
This is NOT authentic Italian food. It is highly processed, full of sugar and salt; (my husbands blood sugar went to 168 when we got home) to get your tastebuds confused into thinking the food is flavorful, and the prices are exorbitant for a «fast food» type of Italian restaurant. $ 35 for the large baked ziti!!! Come on, noodles don’t cost that much, and the little bit of cheese in it as well as «some» sauce was not a plate worth the price. The chicken saltimbuco was OK, but could have used more sauce and artichokes to make it presentable as a worthwhile meal. Each of us got 2 small halves of artichoke!!! Cheapo cheapo !!!
Then to top it off the bathroom were discussing. One stall in The women’s restroom looked like the toilet hadn’t been cleaned in MONTHS!!! Filthy back of toilet covered with urine stains and old hairs and dust!!!
Absolutely disgusting and this shows that they just don’t care about the small things. The men’s room doors are covered with graffiti!!! Unbelievable.
I told the manager and his response was… Ill have it taken care of.
Well, manager of a restaurant, your customers are not supposed to inform you when your restrooms need attention

Well, I was disappointed, I used to love this place. I’ve been to their restaurants all over CA, and Las Vegas.
I told my friend their Calamari is so good. They usually have two different dips for them. We ordered the small one, it was such a smaller quantity than it used to be, and they didn’t have the tarter sauce like they used to have. A few bites and it was gone.
I ordered their house Chianti wine, that I always loved, they used to fill up the glass, now they have a much smaller glass, and fill it only half way, they even have two sizes of glasses of wine now.
The pasta dish we had was good, but quite expensive.
Then I thought let’s splurge, because I always loved their Tiramisu. It was served differently than other places, they served it in a bowl, and it was always moist, and had a nice strong taste of the liquor that they used. Well, we dipped our spoon into it, and it was so dry, and no taste of the liquor like before.
I used to go with lots of people for their birthday, because they served it family style, and we loved it, but the place has really changed… It’s not the same. :(
I was so upset, the place is overly priced, and you get much less for the money, and the quality has really changed.
Think they lost my business.

Decided to do take out. Ordered on-​line. Food not ready. 10 mins past promised time. Be ware.
So after I waited a total of 30 mins to get my order, I made it home and realized that in the midst of making my food in a hurry, they used the wrong pasta. Gave me spaghetti instead of linguini.
Avoid this place at all costs.
Miserable place.

Buca in Thousand Oaks is a great looking place but… We will NEVER EVER go back again!!!
It is definitely NOT a place to go without a crowd. We hadn’t gone to Buca in a long time because it can get very expensive for very ordinary food.
However Since We had just received a $ 15. off $ 30. Coupon on line Last weekend four of us decide to try it again.
The other couple decided to order separately… so we ordered just for us… Spaghetti, Pizza & a Salad, ran about $ 60. for two. We went to pay and handed the coupon & money to the waitress… she returned to say They Couldn’t accept the coupon because there was NO bar code showing??? We asked for the manager & showed him that the coupon was complete just the way it has appeared on line.
He said he needed a barcode on the coupon? I said there wasn’t any! He asked if we could show it to him on our phones. I brought it up on my phone and sure enough there was no barcode there. He apologized but still refused to honor it because the coupon says…
«It must have a barcode»…even though THERE WASN’T ANY as part of the E-​Mail!
I can’t believe a large chain like Buca can send out a Promotion & then refuse to honor it…
what a Scam!!!

4 stars you say for a chain?
Well I had to do a last minute lunch mtg for 7 people and this was close to my account. Went in at 11:00 am when they opened and the manager showed me a part of the restaurant where they would not fill during lunch. End of story my mtg went very well thanks to buca and their staff.
–im not from TO so this worked very well for me in a pinch!
We had a great friendly and efficient server Sam. Thanks sam great job!
Food was typical buca. Pasta tons of it :)
–nice that there is a lunch menu so that you arent buried in carb overload. And folks could order what they wanted … It came out quick. Maybe 15 min? Tops. Drinks were kept filled etc.
–got some desert to go
–had the delish garlic cheesy bread and the antipasta salad to share for the table for apps.
Do i think macaroni grill has better tasting food? Yup but again considering i had 30 min to make my mtg happen this worked great! Based on location.
We were in/​out in about an hour no problem.
No complaints re: food, service for my experience here
The only thing (and its pretty much all bucas) is the smelly carpet… It just makes the place smell damp, old and strange.
–Would do this place some good to just yank the carpet and do tile or wood floors. It would for Sure help with the overall dining experience!
Either that or spray a ton of febreeze before you open ;)

Yuck. I was craving Italian food and this was the only place open– I wish I would’ve waited to eat elsewhere. The food quality was very poor and tasteless. WAY overpriced and dirty. The menus on our table were covered in marinara sauce. We will never return.

The food was not very good, unfortunately. We ordered the manicotti and it was just not great. We love manicotti! But this one was just not great. Our waitress was superb so I gave 2 stars instead of 1.

Like most say, this place is OK. Generic Italian food, doesn’t taste like home cooking, it’s the most Americanized Italian food I’ve ever eaten. Overall this place is a solid 2 but service here was great when I came last Wednesday so for that I bumped them up a star.
Service: as said above service was good. Again on a Wednesday night we were the 3^rd table filled at the restaurant but regardless service was still good, friendly, and food came out at a good pace.
Décor: probably 4 stars. I like the cheesy overdone décor, our table area had many Marilyn Monroe paintings it was fun and an eyeful. Comfortable booths & clean.
What it really boils down to is the price and food. Hands down this is a family style restaurant so pricing is to feed a large group. Unfortunately it its just two of you dining the prices are a little much, for my co worker and myself our bill came to $ 40 plus for a simple pasta dinner and appetizer. Not a bargain.
Also the food to me has always been pretty meh. The only dish that’s «good» that I’ve tried is the spaghetti with meat sauce, but then again you can get that anywhere. Just one of those places that doesn’t wow me & there are plenty of great Italian restaurants in the area.
Good service but just not worth the money.

There are few restaurants opening on Thanksgiving; therefore, Buca di Beppo became our choice this year. The calamari looked overcooked but it was actually pretty good (it’s just the color). The Supremo Italiano pizza was ok. The baked ziti was pretty good but a little bit too oily. All the dishes we ordered are not too authentic but more like American style. Our server was pretty nice. Overall, it’s an average.

This place is ok.
The location here is nice and the service is great as well. Our waitress was very helpful and did a great job. The rest of the staff was friendly as well. No complaints there.
As far as the food goes, it is good but not great. The prices are a bit high as well, you can spend the same amount and get better food quality other places.
I came here for dinner recently with a few friends. I ordered the lasagna and stuffed ravioli. When the food was served, it looked great! However the food lacked flavor.
The portions are very large here, which would make this an ideal spot to come with a family or for a small get together. This is where this Buca Di Beppo has value, in larger parties.
For a smaller group or a meal for two, I would recommend another place. You will spend the same or less, and get a better tasting meal.
Overall it wasnt terrible, I would come back with a larger party.

Was so excited to use my Groupon here. I had only been one other time and LOVED it.
Our waitress was great! She was friendly and made sure we had everything we needed. I just mentioned having the Groupon and she just noted down the info from my phone. Super easy!
Food was fabulous of course! It was just two of us so we got a small baked ziti and went home with leftovers. Yummmm! The complimentary bread with oil and vinegar was good enough. Then ordered a tiramisu to share, but unfortunately it wasn’t prepared yet??? Sure that they would have had it if we had come for dinner instead of lunch. So we chose the italian cream cake instead and was also great!
The only downside to this visit was the hostess. Normally, when you enter a restaurant you expect to be greeted in some type of friendly way. The hostess, on the day we came in, greeted us with «Hi…are you here to eat?»
Uh…not sure if Buca Di Beppo does tours? Or maybe she expected that me, my 17 year old sister, and my 7 month old wanted to sit at the bar and have a few drinks? Not sure what else we’d be there for… She also made me laugh when she asked if my baby needed crayons.

Received the worst service I ever experienced. Waited for food for a very long time (30 minutes). Our night was ruined because of the long wait. The excuse was because there was a large party before us. We were only waiting for spaghetti/​meat balls and why did it take so long. We will never go to your restaurant again and I will add comments/​reviews to multiple websites because of the long wait.
This was a Tuesday night, between 6pm and 7:45pm. NO reason why the service would be slow. Absolutely terrible that we had to wait a long time to get our food. We are VERY DISAPPOINTED and will NEVER go to this restaurant or chain again!

Clearly from recent reviews, as well as our experience on Monday night (¼/​16), the T.O. location is going through a rough patch. We went in Monday with a coupon for half off spaghetti.
Greeted at the lobby by the hostess and a manager stating that two servers had called out sick, so they were going to be slower than normal, and not able to give the level of service they expect to provide under usual circumstances.
There was a «now hiring» sign on the door, and the manager kept saying that she’s looking for good help.
I think it’s appropriate that they got out in front of the situation before guests had to wait and not understand the circumstances. That being said, the staff that was on hand was there to work, and to make money for themselves and the restaurant. We ordered with the bartender — giving him our food order along with the drink order so he could get it going as quickly as possible.
The pasta, green beans, and garlic bread actually came out quickly from the kitchen. What was missing is the little things — checking in to see how the meals were tasting, asking if we needed anything else. Yes — more napkins! Thought it was busy in the bar, it wasn’t packed. I could see that a quick check in could have been achieved.
It felt like they got themselves into a self-​fulfilling prophecy of, «It’s going to be a bad night because two people aren’t here», and then turned it into reality.
Meal-​wise, it was great comfort food. The spaghetti was a perfect al dente texture, the sauce seasoned with flavors married to the tomatoes successfully.
Sorry that they let their staffing issues affect the way they handled their guest relations that evening.

Tonight was a complete mess at Buca Di Beppo in Thousand Oaks. When we arrived, we were greeted and told there was a 25 – 30 minute wait for a table of two. The hostess (looked like the manager) was stuck at the hostess stand and my guess is if she was able to walk away for a few minutes she could have been effective. My best guess is they were under staffed, which is why they were on a fake wait. There were at least 2 dozen tables that were open waiting to be sat, on top of full areas of the dining room that were empty. We were called within 10 minutes (glad we didn’t listen to the manager) and was asked to follow someone who would seat us. The guy walked us to the table with not a smile, a word or a welcome. Dropped the menus on the table and we stood there as he grabbed the extra place settings from the table and then walked away. No hospitality whatsoever. Our waiter walked over and said, «Hi, ready to order?» We had just sat down.
Bread was delivered to the table and we were asked if we wanted oil and vinegar. We should have specifically said we wanted it for the bread because it was delivered after the bread was already eaten. Ten minutes after we ordered the waiter came back to make sure he knew what we ordered because he wanted to «double check». When our meal came it was hot and tasted good but the waiter would have never known that because the next time we saw him he asked us if we wanted a refill on our empty drinks or a box for the food since we were done.
I remember when Buca stood for quality food and quality service. It’s shameful that it’s been reduced to just another overpriced, neglected concept.

Great place for a lunch or dinner. The prices are decent and will not break your wallet, and the pastas as well as their other food choices will not leave you disappointed. The portions are huge, as they can accommodate two to four people and will leave you full to satisfy your hunger craving. If your going for a lunch or dinner with the size of their portions there are definitely opportunities to share.
Service is great as the staff will make sure your needs are met.
Parking is in the mall lot so it’s a non issue.

We loved this restaurant and our dining experience! The restaurant is very spacious, and the employees are very friendly.
We got the Bianca Pizza and a free order of their Bucannoli (with coupon). Our waitress was very attentive and even packed our leftovers for us. Our over all experience was as expected and we are definitely going to return in the near future since we pass by the area on the way to Camarillo Outlets! :D

Went to buca last night and I’ve been going there for many years. I’ve been to about 4 locations in California and a location in Texas. The food has stayed consistent and good across all locations I’ve been to. It’s definitely the best Italian chain restaurant. I’ve liked pretty much everything I’ve tried there especially the stuffed shells, penne a la vodka, mussels marinara, cheesy garlic bread, calamari, stuffed mushrooms, baked rigatoni, and caprese salad just to name a few. But I’m not a big fan of the pizza or lasagna. The free bread with olive oil and vinegar is actually good and free makes it even better!
The manager Gerardo is very nice and always helpful. The wait staff is generally pretty good but of course they have off days. Everything is family style so bring your appetite and several people to help you eat everything. otherwise you may have leftovers ;) Last night Ronaldo was our waiter he was super attentive and remembered us from last time lol and even knew what we wanted to drink. The prices are not too bad and the atmosphere is nice. It can get pretty cold in there and can be a little loud but hasn’t stopped us from going.
Only warning I have is you might want to make reservations unless you go close to closing and if you go on a holiday definitely expect to wait even with reservations. I did also want to say since I read several negative reviews that I do agree the cannoli recipe isn’t better than the bakeries I’ve had in NY but it’s not bad. Also, I’ve eaten at Italian restaurants throughout the U.S., I lived in NY for several years and lived in Italy while I studied abroad. I’ve had my fair share of different Italian food so I think I have a pretty good handle on good Italian food and I have to say the food at Buca is good and better than what some people have given it credit for.

A place to come for families, parties with kids, or if you’ve been given a gift card — like me! It might even be a place for a teenage date. It’s decorated to the max with Italian photos, posters, the Vatican room, and even a table or two in the kitchen for a unique experience. It can be quite fun and lively.
In the vein of chain Italian eateries, this is by far has the best food among the Olive Garden’s, Macaroni Grills’, Carino’s, Maggiano’s, Carrabba’s, and the like. The food is great, but l don’t come here often because of the overrun of kids and it’s very touristic.
I’ve been several times to get their shells & meat sauce ($ 18.99); it’s good for 4 – 6 meals, and I really like it. You can order online easily.
But the other night when I had a gift card, I took my gal for dinner and the food really could not have been any better. Chicken Saltimbocca ($ 23.99, 3 breasts), side of Fettuccine ($ 8.99), and a side of Broccoli ($ 9.99), we both said each could not be any better. The service was nothing short of spectacular: fun waiter, knowledgeable, responsive, efficient. Ottimo lavoro!
Really, if it’s wasn’t for the family type atmosphere (not that there’s anything wrong with that), this elitefoodie would be coming here much more often.

Buca is one of my favorite chain restaurants. I like to come here for birthday dinners and other celebrations. The family style food makes it easy to celebrate with lots of family members and it is easy to order a few different entrees that will please everyone.
The food at this location is always good. Everything is cooked well and to our liking. I particularly enjoy the Chopped Antipasto Salad and the Mixed Green Salad (add the prosciutto and Gorgonzola for the extra $ 2, it is a nice addition). For the entrees, I love the Stuffed Shells and any of the Parmigiana entrees (all three of them are equally delicious). Spaghetti and meatballs are always a good choice. The meatballs are huge and feed at least two or three people! Desserts are always a good end to the meal. They are all good. The Mt. Vesuvius (cake topped with ice cream and chocolate sauce), the Double Dark Chocolate Cake, and the Chocolate Chip Cannolis are my faves.
This location is very nice. It is clean and well kept. The servers are nice and friendly. They are helpful and will offer suggestions from the menu or if you are ordering too much or too little food. They are always attentive with refilling drinks and making sure we have clean plates and napkins. Parking can get crowded since there are a few different restaurants and shops at this location.
Sign up for their emails. They are always sending really good coupons and special deals. The newest deal, The Winter Warm Up Special, is a particularly good value at $ 12.50 per person for a four course meal. They also send birthday and anniversary specials.
We will definitely be back soon!
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