Buca di Beppo

I came to Buca Di Beppo recently for the first time and was not impressed. First off, the prices are pretty ridiculous. They say that the "group" meals provide enough food to serve three, but I would disagree. The portion sizes are more suited to serve two, not three. I ordered two "small" portion sizes (the menu says that "small" will typically serve 3) and both items came in odd numbers - one of them included five servings of the food item, and the other one included two servings of the food item. These two plates cost a small fortune, too! I think Buca Di Beppo could at least afford to give customers an even number to split between three people! I admit, the food tasted good, although I was not all that impressed. For the price I paid, I would definitely not come back to this restaurant. On top of the food items I ordered, there was of course the extra 20% I had to pay to our server, who was not at all helpful. He seldom came by our table and we only got refills when we were almost finished. Bottom line - I do not recommend going here. I think it is overrated and overpriced. The food was good, but not by a longshot worth the prices they charge. Add on top of that the fact that your waiter/waitress expects a 20% tip, regardless of whether or not they made an effort to earn it. The atmosphere of Bucca Di Beppo is interesting and unique (I personally didn't enjoy it that much - loud/obnoxious colors, general claustrophobia, and extremely annoying music to go with), but not worth the price you will pay to eat there. Instead, I'd recommend the lunch menu at Olive Garden or Macaroni Grille - you'll pay less for it, and most likely get better food/service/atmosphere. more

3.5 Stars. I liked Buca di Beppo, I didn't love it. I would definitely recommend going with a large group, 7-10 people is about right. The boisterous atmosphere is great for a big party and there is less risk in ordering since you'll be having several family style dishes you can simply avoid the 'misses'. And there will be misses, the fettucine alfredo is quite bland for instance, but you'll also be pleasantly surprised at some dishes. Pros: lots of energy, lots of choices Cons: high volume kitchen means they have lots of quantity at the expense of some quality more

The bread wasn't bad, but I expect fantastic bread from an Italian restraunt. I didn't like the family style thing, I don't wanna share and we ordered way too much food for 2 adults 1 child. In the end I left everything for my sister to take home. It was over seasoned but bland underneath which I hate. The wait for our food was ridiculous and our waitress kept disapearing like she was doing the cooking. Pros: Good idea for large family who doesn't want to pay for individual meals Cons: Disapearing waitress, low quality food that was over seasoned but bland more

Anyway, this is a mediocre, middle-of-the-road Italian restaurant. The atmosphere is good for a group or party and kids love this place because they serve mid-scale standard fare for the bland palatte. more

My whole family loves Buca. Moving to Utah from the east coast - there are not too many places that serve good Italian food. Buca is great. Their caesar salad and chicken marsala are the best! more

If you need to feed a hoarde of people for a decent price, maybe try Bucca di Beppo, unless you mind not getting the best tasting food. Been there 3 times & each time the food was just not good. Its not horrible, just not anything I would want to pay for (luckily, every time I've been was for some group event, so I've never had to pay). Plus they walk you right through the kitchen on the way to your table - its so weird. I don't want random, dirty people anywhere near MY cooking food, but that's just me. It is decorated nicely, although it can be a bit of maze to get to the bathroom or the exit. Nice atmosphere. Bad food. Pros: Lots of food, rooms for large parties Cons: Food doesn't taste that great, small waiting area more

I really can't remember the last time I ate at a bad restaurant. I had heard this place was good and we live right across the street, so my wife and I took my brother and sister in law there for dinner. We had the calamari as an appetizer, an alfredo shrimp dish and a special, a wrapped meatball dish. Everything was very expensive and, quite honestly, very bad. The alfredo dish tasted salty and bland, like a base white sauce, and the shrimp tasted like it had been frozen for a long time. The meatball dish was bland and just didn't taste good. Their portions are huge, but the food was so bad we didn't even take anything home. The worst restaurant I have been to in recent memory. Pros: downtown Cons: food, amiance more

My husband & I love this place. Everything about it is top-notch. The staff has always been friendly and helpful and we have eaten there many times and have got take out also. I love the atmosphere. The food is the best ever-always consistent. The prices are good especially for how much food you do get! Pros: Ambiance, quality & quantity of food, great service with friendly staff Cons: non more

I was a cook at the Sundance Bar and Grill, just to qualify myself. I have been to Buca di Beppo twice, unfortunately. Tried to give it another chance. Both times I left hungry and knowing that the food wasnt close to good enough to warrant the cost. Ambience was alright but much better can be found for the price. It is a low quality eatery that tries to pass itself off as fine dining. I will never go again unless the portions and quality increase dramatically! Pros: fast seating Cons: , expensive for portion, low quality food more

Hello - Buca de Beppo is nothing more than a lower end low price chain place that serves less than appetizing food. Poor service and worse food. Nice ambience --- but certainly not worth the price. You're a fool to go here more than once. more

I had no idea Buca was located right in the heart of downtown... (next to Chang's). I came in alone for lunch and two week's later brought in a group for dinner. The food was superb, comforting and fresh. The service was extremely helpful, well-informed and very professional. This restaurant has it nailed... on every level. In a word... IMPRESSIVE. Pros: service, cheap lunch menu, valet parking $3.00 Cons: few parking spaces more

My date and I had the "Buca for Two" special with a $5 off coupon. This is the way to go if there are only two in your party. The tomato salad was good and had cucumbers, tomatoes, and onions with garlic cracker bread. Next we had the Penne Romano and the Rigatoni with Meat Sauce. The pasta was cooked al dente and the sauces did not drown the pasta. The mushrooms and peas in the Penne Romano were fresh and tasted great. The meat sauce on the rigatoni had a very authentic taste to it. (I lived in Italy for two years). Next was the Shrimp Parmigiana. Very nice. Again, the portion was perfect for two of us. The best part, all of this was only $27 total including tax and tip. (We both drank water instead of sodas). Not bad for the amount of food we were offered. Pros: authentic tasting foo, good portions, atmosphere Cons: high prices more

What can I say... Go to Italy and you'll be suprised. Sure all the pictures on the wall are fun. But why stop there. Continue on to the food. Maybe it's all the Chef Boyardee out-of-the-can meals Utahnn's eat that make this place "good". I don't know. But a majority of the meals seemed tasteless and mass produced "family style". You be the judge. I think there's much better Italian along the Wasatch Front to bother with this out of state chain. Pros: Lot's of Pictures, Big Portions, Green Beans Cons: Frozen Quality, Chef Boyardee taste, Out of State owned more

First thing I must admit the concept for Buca di Beppo is a good one, big portions for the family. Yet, there is one thing lacking and that is good food. For the prices that your paying you except the food to be the best. When the food comes it's nothing more than a cheap interpretation of Naples. I believe on the whole that if you want to go to a good restaurant you mustn't go to a chain. What you should do is search for local restaurants that have been in business for sometime. more

some of the people reviewing are whacked! When I went to Buca it was FABULOUS! I went for homecoming and our group of 6 ordered a pizza and one of their "family sized" meals- more like army sized-but hey it was good for under a hundred bucks between all of us for even more food than we could imagine. It all tasted so good and our waitress was so fun. Going through the kitchen and touring the place was pretty awesome too. I wish more people had culture! The place was great and the decorations were sooo cool. Very lovable restaurant. Pros: GREAT FOOD, GREAT PEOPLE, GREAT ENVIRONMENT Cons: LITTLE POTTY ROOM more

This place would be great with a few exceptions, one is that it is in the middle of nowhere. Alos it is cramped, too many people are shoved into the restaurant at one time, making for uncomfortable eating when I have to bump elbows with other members of my party when 15 of us were sat at a table for 10 at best. The management is poor, not responding to customer complaints with solutions, but with bad excuses. The music is too damn loud, I am all for the music, but not at a volume comparable to the last concert I attended. Also the beer and wine prices are outrageous, $7 for a 24 OZ. Micro brew is too much, next time will bring own 6 pack, wine is too expensive as well, you are better off bringing your own and paying corkage fee ($10) Pros: Food is good Cons: Bad management, Crowded, EXPENISVE BOOZE more

I love Buca di Beppo, it is just like going to my friend's house and having her Sicilian mother cook for me. The food is excellent and the portions are huge. It is also just a fun place to be. It is informal dining, where you just enjoy the food. Pros: Serving Size, Good Food, Fun Cons: Semi expensive more

This is a chain, but you wouldn't know it. It seems like an old time Boston Italian American joint. There is nothing fancy and the portions are great big Southern Italian portions. It is what it is and even if the dish is not as great as your favorite hangout, the food is solid, decent tasting and BIG. The service is unobtrusive and decent. I was surprised that it was not packed on a weekend night, but I heard someone tell another that their prices were high, WHAT? Look at the portions each dish can feed 4 to 6 people, Only in UTAH. Pros: Big portions, familiar flavors, good service more

I don't see how this one can fit in the cheap eats category, It was fairly good food and a fun atmosphere but was not worth what we paid for it. I like the family style ordering arrangements but is that for a family of two? For over $20.00 a person in our group of 7 modest eaters we still were not fully satisfied with our meal. Is that considered cheap? Pros: Fun Servers, Happy atmosphere, Interactive Cons: Not enough variety, $$$$ for little food more

I don't really like chains at all, and especially not this one. Mediocre at best - but great big glasses of wine are a plus, and perhaps after a few, anything would taste great. Pros: cool atmosphere, cheap, big wine Cons: bad food, always crowded, chain more