If you're in the mood to stuff your face with piles and piles of not particularly great food, Buca is your place. It's loud, fun (if you like loud) and always busy. The food is, well, average. ... More

If you're in the mood to stuff your face with piles and piles of not particularly great food, Buca is your place. It's loud, fun (if you like loud) and always busy. The food is, well, average. Grocery store deli counter average. Shopping mall food court average. They should hand out pheasant feathers as you leave average. We started with a Caesar salad. Not an anchovy or a hint of egg or garlic to be found. Just a bowl of lettuce tossed with a bland, commercial dressing and covered with some sort of parmesan-like cheese. If you can't get a Caesar right, things aren't looking good for the rest of the meal. The Bruschetta was a greasy, uninteresting mess, and the first of the dishes to arrive with Buca's signature shredded basil garnish (I'm fairly certain this is created using one of those crosscut paper shredders you can buy at most office supplies). The Caprese was horrible, but it's wintertime so we knew what we were getting into. It's my suspicion Buca's summer Caprese is about the same. The Ravioli Al Pomodoro featured a huge pile of slightly overcooked ravioli covered with a bland, uninspired marinara. (Why marinara and not pomodoro? That's the way Buca rocks it, baby.) Next was the Gnocchi Al Telefono. A huge pile of chewy little gnocchi, covered in a vague, slightly sweet cream sauce and garnished with more basil from the paper shredder. The Linguine Frutti di Mare was the best dish we had, with a huge pile of slightly overcooked pasta, covered in clams, grease, garlic, more grease, shrimp and calamari, more grease and surrounded by mussels. And did I mention grease? All in all, an extremely huge pile of very, very average food. And it comes with screaming. Lots of screaming. Birthday people having more fun than you can possibly imagine and screaming like drunken fratboys. Fun. Chef Marco White once said, "We're in the business of selling fun, a night out. Food and wine are just a byproduct." Believe the chef. Buca is proof. Pros: Huge piles of food at reasonable prices. Decent service. Cons: If you think this is great Italian, you've never had great Italian. Noisy. Frathouse noisy.
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After many visits to Buca de Beppo in Minneapolis and suffering through the long, sometimes miscalcutated, wait times we decided to try eating at the bar. This is the way to go at this place. We... More

After many visits to Buca de Beppo in Minneapolis and suffering through the long, sometimes miscalcutated, wait times we decided to try eating at the bar. This is the way to go at this place. We have had two different bartenders and we can't decide who we enjoy having serve us more, both are fantastic! More personality in these two than the rest of the staff combined. Food is always what we expect, red sauce done well. Try the Quatro al Forno for the best variety. We will be back often.
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Buca's serves good food it just isn't authentic Italian. What they serve is immigrant food. There is nothing wrong with that, just don't expect Italian, expect Italian American. If you go into... More

Buca's serves good food it just isn't authentic Italian. What they serve is immigrant food. There is nothing wrong with that, just don't expect Italian, expect Italian American. If you go into the experience knowing what to expect you will have a great dining experience.
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Having been to Italy, I was not expecting authentic Italian food, nor was I dissappointed that Buca doesn't serve authentic Italian. However, the food is delicious! I took some friends who were... More

Having been to Italy, I was not expecting authentic Italian food, nor was I dissappointed that Buca doesn't serve authentic Italian. However, the food is delicious! I took some friends who were visiting me from out of town to Buca last night, and every single one of us loved it. When we first walked in the restaurant, we all noticed the amazing smelling food. The food lived up to that smell! The pizza (although really greasy) was yummy, as was the garlic bread, fettucinne, quatro al forno, and chocolate cake! The only thing that was so-so was the caesar salad. The portions are also huge - I have enough leftovers for a few days of meals. I will definitely be returning!
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I've been to Buca plenty of times, but this was the first time at this location. We made reservations for 18 people for a birthday. We weren't told that 18 people would have to be split between 2... More

I've been to Buca plenty of times, but this was the first time at this location. We made reservations for 18 people for a birthday. We weren't told that 18 people would have to be split between 2 tables - we would have gone elsewhere. So, our birthday party was split between 2 back-to-back tables....meaning 1/2 the guests couldn't talk to each other. The food came out at all different times. We always get dessert with singing and candles for birthdays at every other location, but not this time. With a bill upwards of $500, we really expected better service.
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If you are looking to get a huge plate for cheap, this is a place to be. If you are looking for fine Italian dining, Bucca isnt your place as it isnt mine. All servings are huge and all taste... More

If you are looking to get a huge plate for cheap, this is a place to be. If you are looking for fine Italian dining, Bucca isnt your place as it isnt mine. All servings are huge and all taste almost the same; it seems they use the same sauce for all their dishes. As for service, it wasnt as bad as many other reviewers noted.
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Buca di Beppo is a fantastic Italian restaurant located in Minneapolis, MN. This restaurant is a casual, traditional Italian (think red checkered tablecloths and kitchy figurines and old black and... More

Buca di Beppo is a fantastic Italian restaurant located in Minneapolis, MN. This restaurant is a casual, traditional Italian (think red checkered tablecloths and kitchy figurines and old black and white pictures of the fat lady down the street). Most of the entrees are all family style, so this a perfect place to bring crowds and each get to try a little of each dish. The portions are HUGE so you will not go hungry. Whether you are eating pizza, caprese salad, spagetti and meatballs, or chicken marsala...the food is all flavorfull and delicious. My favorite dessert is the cannoloni's...that are stuffed with creme cheese mixture and chocolate sauce. Also, do not order a meal without a portion of the garlic mashed potatoes..simply one of the best I've ever tried.
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I went there to eat and after i read these reviews and i was shocked!!! I had an exelent waiter he explained everything about family sizes and stuff and we asked for advice and ggave us exelent... More

I went there to eat and after i read these reviews and i was shocked!!! I had an exelent waiter he explained everything about family sizes and stuff and we asked for advice and ggave us exelent comments. We went there right at 5 when they opened and there was very few people there and was just a great atmosphere. The food was AMAZING! and it didn't take to long to get. The sizes were enough for 2 but i could easily eaten a whole one...It was also soo fresh. I got the ravioli with meat sauce and i was nurvous because i didn't want it to be too salty but it was the furthest thing from that with the same flavor! i thought it was amazing but after about 6 is when it gets very full..... i thought it was amazing and cannot wait to go again! Pros: FREE PARKING!, Delishous, Very fresh food Cons: small, not for 2 (date)
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i was very surprised by the authenticity of the food that this place offered. i went there with friends for a birthday and it was the most italian place ive been to, ever. they have great food and... More

i was very surprised by the authenticity of the food that this place offered. i went there with friends for a birthday and it was the most italian place ive been to, ever. they have great food and excellent people who work there and they do everything to make your stay there very good. nice rates are another added bonus.
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Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best place to go for authentice italian cuisine. The quantity is huge and the prices are excellent in relation to the quantity. The service is homey and... More

Without a shadow of a doubt, this is the best place to go for authentice italian cuisine. The quantity is huge and the prices are excellent in relation to the quantity. The service is homey and friendly. We always have a great time when we go here.
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