Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant

​I recently stopped by the Buca di Beppo at Universal City, and while I usually have a blast at this chain, this specific visit was a bit of a mixed bag. Here is the breakdown of the experience: ​The Atmosphere ​The decor was fantastic. As expected, the kitschy, maximalist Italian-American aesthetic was in full force. The walls are packed with photos and memorabilia, making it a fun, high-energy environment—perfect for the Universal CityWalk vibe. ​The Food ​Unfortunately, the kitchen didn't quite live up to the surroundings: ​The Pizza: To be honest, it was not that good. The crust and toppings lacked the punch I’ve come to expect from their ovens. ​Lemon Chicken: This is usually my go-to favorite dish, but this time it fell flat. It was surprisingly bland, lacking that bright, zesty citrus kick that usually makes it a standout. ​The Service ​Our server was incredibly nice and clearly trying their best, but communication was a struggle. They were very hard to understand, which made ordering and asking about the menu a bit of a challenge throughout the night. ​The Verdict: I’ve had much better experiences at other Buca di Beppo locations. While the atmosphere is great for people-watching at Universal, the food quality at this specific spot didn't match the standards of the brand.

Stopped for dinner here after our visit to Universal Studios Hollywood. Great Atmosphere and great service, no doubt. The portions? Hearty. We ordered the Lasagna, Chicken Carbonara and a Sampler trio with Shrimp, Calamari and Cheese Sticks. Everything was delicious but I couldn't help but notice the Lasagna to be way too salty. Not sure if it was the sauce itself but it was very noticeable indeed as that was the one dish that everyone had less of. Anyhow, great restaurant and great vibe.

This is the second Buca di Beppo location I have been to and it did not disappoint at all. Honestly one of the best value restaurants ever, they are known for their huge potions served family style. The $40 deal was more than enough for 3 people. The garlic bread sticks were heavenly. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and as always the interior decorations are wild and wacky.

Buca di Beppo gave us that authentic Italian family vibe right from the start. We were led through the kitchen on our way to the table upstairs, which was such a fun and unique touch. Our group of five had plenty of space, and the cozy, lively atmosphere really made it feel like a big family dinner. The food came out family-style, and the portions were huge! Their “regular” size for 3–4 people easily fed all five of us, with leftovers to spare. We tried the chicken parmesan, Alfredo with chicken and shrimp, and a big loaf of garlic bread—everything was fresh, flavorful, and so satisfying. Our server Julio was fantastic—so kind, attentive, and welcoming, which made the whole experience even better. If you’re looking for a spot that combines delicious Italian comfort food, a warm atmosphere, and great service, Buca di Beppo is a must!

Buca di Beppo at Universal CityWalk was such a fun experience! We loved it. The portions are huge and perfect for sharing, and the food tasted amazing. They also have a kids’ menu, which was a big plus for our family. On top of that, the servers were so nice and very attentive, making the whole experience even better. Definitely a place we’ll come back to whenever we’re in the area!

Moises was phenomenal! He was super friendly, great with our kids, quick service, extremely thorough, extremely personable, and incredibly clean. He absolutely made our lunch super easy!

Family style was great for our group ❤️. Garden salad was perfect: crispy and delicious. The chicken was so good it was devour before it could be photographed. The bread was scrumptious. The lasagna was a bit dry with a slight tartness, I wasn't used too. Everything was so good so I think it's how it made so if you want it different, suggested it while ordering. Overall, great experience!

This family-style Italian restaurant serves some really good food. The portions are large, which can result in leftovers if dining as a couple, this could be an issue especially before heading to Universal Studios Hollywood. You don't want to be walking with a big box of leftovers. The waiter that helped us that day was very kind and very helpful. I will definitely be back with a group of four next time.

great customer service, Fast paced. Food taste good including the ice cream dessert

Haven't visited Buca for many years but we were glad we stopped by Portions of the food was enormous made with fresh ingredients Our little ones loved it also What made our visit extra special was our server Enrique! He went above and beyond to make our experience great for our sons bday during our visit Amazing server!

Our son and his girlfriend were in town visiting Universal so we drove up from San Diego to see them. They suggested Buca di Beppo for dinner so I made reservations. The restaurant is way in the back of the City Walk so fighting the crowds to get there was not fun but that's no fault of the restaurant. We were seated at our reservation time in a comfortable booth in the back (we got to walk through the kitchen!) Our waitress was excellent! We ordered a Caesar salad and the baked ziti. The food was just okay. The salad was warm and wilted and tasted like bagged lettuce and the ziti was bland and boring. It's a touristy restaurant in a touristy area...maybe the feel there's no need to try because they know we won't be back?

Having dinner here tonight and your table is by the kitchen. I have to say a big thank you to the kitchen staff who make everything possible from preparing your food and to have it at your table. It was a nonstop of craziness! These men in the kitchen deserve the best. Thank you! Management...these men deserve a raise!

This is inside Universal Studios in Los Angeles, CA. We arrived early weekday evening and surprisingly we were seated immediately. No lines no waiting. Inside is tight & elevated noise level. Food serving portions are family style which means it's a huge serving. The food quality & taste is not what it used to be. Even the price is much higher than before. Well, it's LA and it's inside Universal Studios lot! Parking will also set you back a few dollars.

Went here for dinner. The place was okay and lighting was just right. The food was good. I ordered the spaghetti with meat sauce and garlic bread enjoyed it. The service was okay as well. Overall, a decent dinner spot.

Food was great and had great service from MOISES. Give that man a raise! Super friendly and kind.

Just had a fantastic luncheon in the Pope room. The accustics in the room is great for hearing everyone speak. Food was great and large portions. Highly recommend for large parties. Moises did a great job with our group and needs.

Moises was wonderful! Food and drinks are delicious! Would come back again to this location.

10 out of 10 food, and even better service from the bartender Moises. The vodka penne pasta was great. Best pasta I've had in a while.

Celebrated my daughter's 13th birthday here. Requested for the Pope Room and we got it! We take turns between Pasadena and this City Walk location. The energy's awesome - perfect for any type of occasion. We've celebrated birthdays and graduations with Buca. It's family style and the portions are HUGE - most importantly- they've stayed consistent. Consistent with quality, taste, portions and service. (When I say we've celebrated many milestones here, I'm talking for atleast the last 15+ years and it's always awesome.) This time I decided to get 3 orders of the 4 for $49 deal that came with 3x garlic bread, salad, pasta, and entree. Plus 2 pizzas and Trio Appetizer - Enough for all 13 of us PLUS a leftover take home container for everyone. *I definitely recommend their specials when they have them- wonderful deal for half the price. 10 out of 10 for me!!

After a long hot day at Universal Studios, this place hits the spot!! Around 7pm on a Wednesday mid-June, we were able to easily get a table upstairs without a reservation. Portions are HUGEEE and are def meant to be shared. Everything was tasty, especially the Eggplant Parmigiana and the Baked rigatoni. I would also get the Buca Trio Platter again for the shrimp and calamari. Pizza wasn't memorable... everything came out to $28, split between 7-ish people! Service was a wee bit slow, but the guy was friendly. It's cute that they take DSLR photos and come back with the print for sale (i think for $5 each?) at the end. Would def come back.

This is the second Buca di Beppo location I have been to and it did not disappoint at all. Honestly one of the best value restaurants ever, they are known for their huge potions served family style. The $40 deal was more than enough for 3 people. The garlic bread sticks were heavenly. The staff are very friendly and helpful, and as always the interior decorations are wild and wacky.

Everything was good. The portions were great. Although tasty, the pricing is a bit much especially for appetizers , $27 for fried mozzarella is insane. I paid that for their pepperoni pizza. I recommend just getting a family meal instead of piecing together entrees. The ambiance of the restaurant creates a perfect environment for family and friends to dine and get-together. Service was good and our server was very helpful. This is the City walk location so you might want to make reservations if you plan on going on a weekend. The house bread is amazing!

Kids wanted spaghetti before heading home so here we are. Parked at the structure for free cause we have season passes but I think you get 2 hours for free with validation? Don't quote me lol We got in at 5-6pm on a Sunday and got seated right away. They have their own restroom but you have to cross by the kitchen which was weird to me. They have bar seating but not sure if you have to still wait for those seats but since we had the kids, we sat at the first booth inside. The wait staff has someone going around taking pictures so it's really cute if you want a picture to take home, but it'll cost ya so you've been warned. We shared the bruschetta which comes out in a HUGE martini glass, not your typical bruschetta so don't be alarmed but it was super fresh, not overly seasoned, and very shareable. Focusing on not overly seasoned, the kids spaghetti is bland, the one inside the park at Toadstool Cafe is very bland but this is a tiny bit better but still bland but I guess that's good since it's for kids. It is a large portion but it's also for kids under 10 and our little one is 6 so it was a huge portion for him. We shared a pizza since the 2nd kiddo wanted pizza from the kids menu, our little one is 8 so she just had a slice and the adults were on a diet so one slice each with the appetizer made a nice light dinner. The pizza is rectangles shaped with about 6 slices. I would say it looks more like a medium or large so if you typically have a medium alone, I'd suggest not to share.

Despite having to wait about a half hour after our reservation time, the food and drinks were delicious! It's a unique restaurant that is way bigger inside than it looks. Service was overall good, besides that fact that there was a photographer taking photos of us without warning us that it costs money, prompting us to awkwardly deny the photos after they were printed. Many restaurants take and print photos for free, so this is another money grab opportunity directed toward tourists. All their dishes are family style. We ordered four dishes: Shrimp Fra Diavolo, Buca Trio Platter, Chicken Saltimbocca, and Margherita Pizza. We also ordered several drinks as well including a Red Sangria and Italian Primo Margarita. The food were all great, but I personally felt the Margherita Pizza was a bit lacking in flavor. I really enjoyed the spiciness and creaminess of the Shrimp Fra Diavolo though. And the different apps in the Buca Trio Platter were delicious too, especially the Fried Mozzarella. Overall, I do recommend this place despite the long wait and money grabbing business model.

Find Moises, he'll treat you like the baddie you are. You'll have a blast and end up in the most spontaneous food coma.

Wonderful service and attention. Will come back. Very Happy with the experience. Moises helped us and was a wonderful attendent.

My friends and I were in town to visit Universal Studios and decided to grab some food as we got hungry nearby. There was no wait for us, and we were seated right away. The inside was a cozy and family oriented restaurant. As for food, we got the buca trio platter for appetizers. I loved the fried mozzarella triangles! They were delicious with the combo of marinara sauce. For entrees, we shared a fettucine alfredo and sausage and mushroom pizza. T The chicken alfredo was creamy and it was huge! As for the pizza, it was good for the size and price! Food was good but have had better, though great for sharing and price.

Staff were nice so I don't feel like it's them but we have been getting the thanksgiving meal for years. This year the portions were much smaller and I don't know how we are going to feed our family. Just wanted to let people know, do not get thanksgiving catering or you will be disappointed. We spoke with the manager and she stated the portions were the same size but the containers changed to smaller containers, which doesn't make sense but again friendly interaction, just very disappointing.

We started to worry when they walked us past the kitchen to take us to our table. But our table was upstairs. The restaurant is huge and the portions are also huge. Our family of five ordered the trio appetizer: spicy shrimp, Mozerella triangles, and calamari. It was a hit with my family. We had Cesar salad that was a regular Cesar salad. We had fettuccine Alfredo, cannoli, ravioli, and pasta with beef. Everything was good. The wait staff was attentive and nice. The memorabilia on the wall made it feel like a real old time Italian restaurant.

DONT GO!!! The Food BAD! Service was decent. Host was nice! The place itself is SO DIRTY! It should be illegal to have carpet that dirty in a restaurant!!! But the food was awful and overpriced! We paid $45 for a Caesar salad and the lettuce was soggy !!! The chicken Parm was stiff! The spaghetti had zero sauce on it!! The lasagna with meat sauce, they forgot to put the meat in it!! The self parking is $35 and they don't validate!! Please close this place down !!

Moises is the best. Milan mules was the move for a stellar lunch. Choose the pope room. Thank you!!!

Food was absolutely delicious and service was friendly ! Definitely recommend for a family or a date night(: lunch is the best time to go! Thank you very much to Moises for your service definitely coming back again (:

After a long day at Universal we ended our day at Buca di Beppo! It was crowded so I'm glad we were prepared with a reservation. We ordered the baked rigatoni, spicy arrabiata, and chicken Parmesan. All the portions were hefty even for the regular size. The only thing I would say needed some work was how soggy the parmigiana was. 3/5 The baked rigatoni was amply served with the sauce tasting pretty good. 3.5/5 Spicy arrabiata wouldn't be my first choice but the crust was good somewhat lacking flavor but serviceable, undercarriage needed some work. 3/5 But what made our night was the service, we had a great waiter who had our corner well attended.

Service: was good, friendly and attentive. Ambiance: is very Italian with lots of Italian decor along with some famous people that dine with this restaurant. No windows just like most of the other restaurants chain. Food: 3/5. Pizza was a tad doughy could have been cooked more, love it had tons of pepperoni though. The chicken Alfredo could have needed more sauce on it. The cosmo drink was really good nothing to complain. .

We came here to celebrate our friend's bday. It was also her first time here. It was super fun, server Bryan was really nice and attentive! He brought out some ice cream at the end and the staff sang happy birthday to our friend. Food was great! Loved the frutti di mare, garlic bread, meatballs with ricotta, calamari and cesar salad! It was all very delicious and filling. The ambiance was nice and lively! It was a busy evening but food came out quickly and our wait was only 10 min! Will definitely come back!

They took about 30 mins to get my pizza and they forgot my garlic bread. I wouldn't recommend this place! I feel like they should have sprite, they gave me starry, and I hate starry. It also took 30mins to get my salad and pasta.

Our waiter Enrique was amazing ! 10/10 super friendly and attentive! I highly recommended coming here with your family. The portions sizes are amazing to feed the whole family (:

Server Moises was awesome and very funny. We had lots of fun. Food was great. Will come back again!

I used to love this place! While the ambiance is still fun and lively, unfortunately the quality of the food has gone down and the prices have gone up...way up! I used to love the Chopped Antipasto Salad. A small size used to be large enough for two people, but now it's barely enough. The small size is nearly $30 and the menu says it's big enough for 2-3 people which isn't true. There's also barely any salami in it anymore. The portion of the salad has gotten a lot smaller. My friend and I also shared the stuff chicken dish and the portion size was small and it tasted bland. The service was friendly although the drinks took a while. I'm sad to say that I won't be back. There are better choices at the Citywalk with better food and more reasonable prices for the portion size.

Don't bother. The pasta was not fully cooked, the garlic bread was over priced and had barely any butter or crunch to it. It's only family style which is okay but for the amount of pasta it would be nice if it was fully cooked and had flavor. For the fettuccine and garlic brad total was $61 you can get a better deal and food at one of the other establishments on the walk.

It's finally happened. Prices have gone way up and portions have gotten way smaller. The small salads are smaller than what 1 person gets at olive garden and for just under $30... The chicken was $40 for 3 pieces...seems a little ridiculous to be honest. The tomato sauce is the same they use on every dish so our chicken was reminiscent of eating spaghetti but without the noodles. The pesto was the furthest thing from Italian I've seen to date. Barely green, looks like it's truly been Americanized. If this is what you call authentic Italian, you need a new CEO. The service was decent. Food and drinks too a while but that's expected for this location. Our server wanted us out asap so he could fill the table with new customers which was slightly rude butI get he needs tips. The atmosphere is classic buca di beppo. Italian feeling all throughout. It's a fun experience but for the inflated prices and deflated portions it's not a place I'll be coming back to anytime soon.

Always had a positive experience with this place. I've been here many many times. I love how the portions are shareable. The cocktails are good and the service is typically solid. I love how the restaurant is decorated. It's very fun. Whenever I go, I always see new things that I haven't seen before. It's got a romantic vibe perfect spot. Highly recommend making reservations. The place is always busy.

This review is in regards to a delivery order. Whenever I get Buca I don't expect the absolute best food, but I do expect portions to be sizable and have a good value for my money type of meal. The pastas I ordered were completely fine and the usual good portion. However the Chicken Caesar Salad that they were selling for $17 was pitiful. Container was barely even half full and the chicken looked dry and old. Would order again for filling decent pasta but never touching their salad section again.

Moises was amazing! Not only was he training another bartender Kara who was soooo sweet, but also recommended some really good drinks and the bolognese that was delicious! Me & my husband had a great experience & he even told us about another location closer to our hometown. Such a great experience, would def come back just for Moises and his delicious drinks :D

Moises was so kind and helpful! We love coming to Buca di Beppo City Walk and Moises always makes it a wonderful experience! Food was incredible as always! Service even better

Oh my, the atmosphere here is homey as soon as you walk in. It smells delish & Moises made the experience sooo much fun! Find him & share some fun laughs!

The service was superb. We had a short window before a movie. Our server made it happen and even Celebrated our birthdays. We had pizza and salad. With of course the famous huge brownie sundae. The noise level was loud at first but it was quiet later. We will definitely be back.

Always drop by Buca whenever coming to universal, the food is always good, a little pricy but decently big portions since family style over the weekend, week days lunch offer more regular size but overall it is worth it The service is always on par, beside a few scenarios being ignored by the waiter but mostly has been great and management always do well to address any issue The internal deco has been fantastic with many great paintings pictures and histories, very related ambiance, definitely recommend to check it out!

We have been coming to Buca since we got married in 2020 and absolutely loved the stuffed mushrooms appetizer, sadly they removed it from the menu,so we will have to find a new restaurant with a comparable appetizer!

Wow! This place is incredible! Amazing service and food! We waited less than 5 minutes to get a table and it was a busy Saturday evening. We were served by Alberto and he had the best customer service! We felt like we were at a super fancy restaurant because he was so proper and kind. Food came out quickly and the portions are huge. Very shareable/family style. It was inexpensive especially for what we get. We definitely will come back here when we get the chance. We might come back for dinner tomorrow!

Our first night in Hollywood we chose Buca di Beppo. I had fond memories of eating at their SF location before they closed. I immediately felt taken back to great family dinners. We ordered family style. The mixed green salad was fantastic. Great crunch and flavor, just like I remembered. The Fettuccine Alfredo with Chicken was good, but it needed a bit more salt to bring out the flavor. The Brussel sprouts were extremely flavorful and the salty crunch from the prosciutto was the perfect complement. The red wine was good, but not great. My friend liked her white wine. The reason they get three stars and not five is for two reasons. When we checked in and gave our name, the hostess said it would be 10 minutes. After 20 minutes I went back in they said they text the number but it didn't work. I'm not sure why they didn't call out our name, that would've made more sense than giving away our table. I saw them call out other names. Unfortunately we had to wait an additional 10 minutes for our table. The second issue is the photographer took our photo when we sat down and it seemed really sweet. As we were eating she came back to show us the photos and when my friend said we would take two, she then told us that the photos cost. There was no waiting until after our meal, but she wanted payment right then and there. I thought it was tacky and disruptive to our meal. It would've been more appropriate for her to wait until after we finished eating. The food was great, but the service brought down their rating.

Very nice and lovely place. The food was amazing and the service was great too. We are definitely coming back soon.

I always love Buca Di Beppo because of their good food with their big serving enough for the family feast! We ordered the mozzarella cheese garlic bread for appetizers - kids love it! And the absolute fresh Apple Gorgonzola Salad! We tried their new Osso Buco which was fall of the bones - a must try! And the best Creamy pasta Alfredo! Follow me on my social media Thyssen Channel.

We were here last Thanksgiving and we were fortunate that after watching a movie even without reservations for dinner, we were able to be seated with a reasonable amount of wait time. The food was alright and we were not that hungry too since we had popcorn and some snacks from the movie. We ordered chicken parmigiana and lasagna and the waiter assigned to our table was friendly and attentive to our needs. Buca still gives the nostalgic vibes in dining!

The food here at Buca is really good, very authentic Italian food. Judy was our server and she was wonderful. The restaurant has allot of great pictures to look at.

Food always good till the last peas lol great service and food way better than other Italian restaurants , thank u Enrique for the service and the food

We finally get to tried this Buca location in Universal Citywalk. However, it was a lackluster experience and we definitely won't be returning here. We ordered the Sausage & Mushroom Pizza, Penne Basilica, and Tiramisu. Each entree is made for 3 or more people so there were plenty of leftovers. The pasta dish wasn't flavorful and there was barely any chicken in it. The pizza was alright. The tiramisu was way smaller than before and did not have any rum flavor. The prices also went up and portion wise was smaller than before. Service was okay. They no longer offer the discount for Universal Studios pass holders, which is such a bummer. The establishment has 2 levels and the stairs to get up to the 2nd floor are kinda slippery and narrow. Restrooms were gross and stinky.