Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant

Italian restaurant · Loring Park

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant

Italian restaurant · Loring Park

3

1204 Harmon Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55403

Photos

Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null
Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant by null

Highlights

Family-style Italian chain with kitschy decor and large portions.  

Featured in Eater
Featured on Bon Appetit

1204 Harmon Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Get directions

dineatbuca.com
@bucadibeppo

$$ · Menu

Reserve

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1204 Harmon Pl, Minneapolis, MN 55403 Get directions

+1 612 288 0138
dineatbuca.com
@bucadibeppo
𝕏
@bucadibeppo

$$ · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Aug 14, 2025

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@eater

A List of Minneapolis and St. Paul Restaurants that have reopened for Spring 2021 - Eater Twin Cities

"Issac Becker’s beloved pasta and small plates restaurants in the North Loop has been closed since the beginning of the pandemic began operations April 21." - Joy Summers

https://twincities.eater.com/2021/4/8/22373831/minneapolist-st-paul-restaurants-reopening-pandemic-spring-2021
View Postcard for Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant
@eater

Where to Eat Out in the Twin Cities on Thanksgiving - Eater Twin Cities

"Available for both dining in and ordering online, Buca di Beppo locations open at 11 a.m. on Thanksgiving and will be whipping up all of the Turkey Day classics alongside its regular Italian menu for those looking to take the Thanksgiving meal path less traveled." - Cinnamon Janzer

https://twincities.eater.com/maps/best-twin-cities-restaurants-open-thanksgiving-2019
View Postcard for Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant
@bonappetit

The Bizarre History of Buca di Beppo, America’s Most Postmodern Red Sauce Chain | Bon Appétit

"Founded in 1993 in a tiny Minneapolis basement by a non-Italian restaurateur, this chain intentionally amplified red-sauce–joint stereotypes with tacky, boisterous dining rooms crowded with black-and-white photos, Vatican paraphernalia and a theatrical “Pope Room,” Dean Martin crooning on loop, servers in tomato-patterned ties and enormous, family-style platters meant for sharing. The menu, developed by Milanese cook Vittorio Renda, leaned on hearty Italian-American classics—baseball-sized meatballs, gooey mozzarella-draped garlic bread and a memorable chicken Parmigiana served on a giant platter—anchored by a signature thick, fruity tomato sauce with a whisper of garlic that became many diners’ first introduction to dishes like frutti di mare and eggplant parm. Rapid expansion in the mid‑’90s turned it into a household name and cultural touchstone in parts of Middle America, but a later corporate shift to emphasize an immigrant-family origin story, cost-cutting in food prep and executive scandal in the 2000s eroded quality and reputation. Purchased in 2008 by Planet Hollywood’s founder, the brand was steered back toward its original kitschy identity, and with renewed culinary leadership that re-taught the chain’s marinara technique it stabilized into a privately held, profitable operation with dozens of locations across the country." - ByPriya Krishna

https://www.bonappetit.com/story/bizarre-history-buca-di-beppo
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Fabian Noble

Google
Oh my goodness!!! This place is awesome. I love the spaghetti that was served to me The atmosphere is like at-home type feeling. It is a family portioned servings. They do offer single servings till 3:00 p.m. but the waiter was nice to me insert me a single serving at 7:00 p.m. they have all kinds of Italian decorations and pictures of celebrities that have visited. They also have a bar to sit at serve alcohol and beer. A must and highly recommend. Don't miss out on this awesome experience! 😀

Stephanie Kanieski

Google
Family style Italian American restaurant. We got the spaghetti and meatballs it definitely would feed 3/4 people. At dinner time nothing is single portions everything is meant to share. The host was very nice. The meatballs were incredible, a must try

Emily Groebner

Google
Absolutely fabulous restaurant! With 3 hours notice they pulled out a stellar 3 course meal for 50 people - our champion youth hockey team! They were incredible! So accommodating and friendly! Food was tasty and hot! They even put up a handmade sign congratulating our hockey team and celebrating a player’s birthday! Wow!! So impressed! Highly recommend on all accounts! Thank you!

Shawna

Google
Ciao, I love lasagna. What more shall I say? My friend and I had visited a while back on one of our city rendezvous. We received friendly service, great wine (when I was into that), and a calm atmosphere. Pretty sure I was salivating over the bread and oil. I think I took home the spoon 🥄… God bless all on future endeavors.🤎 2/25/23

Jonathan Jones

Google
Man wow man that's done good food, good service. It's reasonably priced too. We all ordered separate meals so it was a bit price. That was our choice. In a time where many restaurants are charging if you want to split a mean, it's refreshing to see a place that's basicly saying come in we will feed the whole family.

Todd Bachamp

Google
I didn't realize this restaurant serves meals family style which means two to four or more people. Fortunately, the server let me order off of the lunch menu and get a single serving. The lasagna was a very large, delicious serving. The Caesar salad and garlic bread sticks were very tasty too. Troy was a great server and fun to visit with. I will definitely go here again on my next visit to Minneapolis.

Isabella Colbert

Google
I had an incredible experience at Bucca di Beppo! From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel welcome and taken care of. The service was impeccable — friendly, attentive, and genuinely caring without ever being intrusive.

Monica Ramos

Google
Lovely little basement restaurant. Wheelchair access was off to the side, but they were very nice and accommodating. Once we got inside, we were able to get to our table with no issues and were able to store the wheelchair nearby. Food was excellent. Beware, they are large portions made to share but oh so good! The garlic bread was wonderful with nice big pieces of garlic. Cannoli were tasty! They even comped them as it was our first visit. Servers were attentive, refilled glasses, and so nice.

Sleazy S.

Yelp
A little over priced and the lasagna was awful. Otherwise the vibe was nice service was good and the pizza was pretty nice

Dr. Klint W.

Yelp
The food was incredible during our recent visit to Buca di Beppo. The atmosphere was wonderful. Our server, Rosemary, was THE BEST! Very helpful and provided wonderful recommendations on the menu. this is a MUST stop for those who appreciate great cuisine and love a taste of Italy!!
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Crystalia D.

Yelp
We were visiting the Twin Cities, decided to take our discount to this Buca (trying to save money travelling) before attending the orchestra. This place was really nice, friendly, cute. You have to go down a few stairs to get in but I saw a customer in a wheelchair so they must have some accessibility. However, the bathroom was so small (but clean) that I don't know how anyone in a wheelchair could "go" there. The waitress was phenomenal (very friendly & helpful, wearing a mask like us)!!! My only complaint doesn't lie with this restaurant but with Buca. We've only gone for lunch but it was dinnertime so we ordered 2 sodas (we didn't know how much bc the menu doesn't say) & 1 family dinner of Chicken Limone. Now where on this planet will 3 small pieces of chicken breast feed a family? and it was $38. I heard that family portions were larger before but be forewarned this isn't valuable at all. We just had to eat & run, so we chalked it up to experience & we tipped well but... We will NEVER go to Buca again during dinnertime!
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Tony R.

Yelp
I really want to like this place [I like Buca] but this location always closes early. Ordered online again tonight but they called and said the Pizza oven was already off. Asked if I had a back-up plan I did-ordered from somewhere else. I find that places that keep closing early eventually shorten their hours and then just close for good. EDIT: Thank you Christina for reaching out. A response is always a sign of good management. I work in restaurants and so I hate leaving a poor review. There is nothing to add except that it was the Minneapolis location.
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John C.

Yelp
I've been here a dozen times and gotten takeout a couple dozen more. I come for the great deals they send me as part of the Buca club, the discounts are worth it. The food is pretty good, not great, but it's a pretty fun place, I'd check it out if you've never been. I like the Shells with sausage the best, and the brownie sundae is a good time.
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Andrew P.

Yelp
Family style Italian chain with traditional decor. Stopped by here with a group (4) of friends after hanging out for the day. Ordered the trio for appetizer with ravioli and stuffed chicken as an entree. We arrived here around 8 on a Saturday and did wait for a bit since there was a conference. The staff were friendly and the atmosphere of the restaurant was jovial. The food was consistent, and expected of a chain. I haven't heard of the brand before and I understand how it was able to spread. The restaurant's vibe is very much American Italian heritage. It was funny, when you took a closer look at the pictures, you'll see that the location is not Minneapolis. Buca Trio Platter: a good fried ensemble. Mozzarella sticks, calamari, and shrimp. The shrimp was a fan favorite in the group and would be worth ordering by itself. The calamari was crunchy, not as tender as I would've liked. The sticks get chowed down super fast; fried cheese is an irresistible combo. Ravioli with Meatsauce Iconic and delicious. The base tomato sauce has a nice texture and fruity flavor. Adding meat and smothering ravioli over it is icing on a delicious cake. The ravioli was tasty, the meat sauce does overwhelm the filling. But honestly I'm not mad. Prosciutto stuffed chicken The pesto cream sauce was the favorite aspect of the meal. The chicken had a nice crunchy breading and the sauce tempered the heaviness. Would recommend getting a large since 3 pieces in the small might just be enough for an adult male.
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Annie D.

Yelp
I picked this place for my birthday celebration and it did not disappoint! I had a group of 10 and made a reservation online ahead of time. This place is close to my apartment so I walked but parking on the street wasn't too bad for my friends and is free on the weekends. We got sat at the pope table which was a large round table with a lazy susan in the middle featuring the pope's head, which I thought was fun! It was my first time at a Buca, and I knew that it was family style so we quickly decided on apps and pasta to share. We got the (large) Caesar salad, trio appetizer, spaghetti and meatballs, penne a la vodka and chicken fettuccini Alfredo & then for dessert, I got the huge birthday sundae. This was plenty of food for everyone and we even had some leftover. The food was good and the environment was a great way to celebrate. Prices were reasonable but this isn't a place I would go to regularly, just for special occasions.
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Lucy N.

Yelp
I was invited to a birthday celebration at buca and was excited to be back! I think this place is super fun for a birthday with a big group. The portions are huge and great for shareables. For 9 people, we got the (large) Caesar salad, trio appetizer, spaghetti and meatballs, penne a la vodka and chicken fettuccini Alfredo & the birthday Sunday. The price per person was reasonable and the environment was fun and service was ok. We were at the popes table and it's such a fun quirky place to celebrate!
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Tiana D.

Yelp
Came to Buca on a Friday night to celebrate a birthday and had an excellent time! We had a group of 10 and made a reservation a week in advance. Our server was fantastic, providing great recommendations and bringing everything out promptly. The cocktails were fine - either too sugary, or too watered down. But the Chianti was fantastic! The food was also better than I expected. Buca's food as always been adequate, but this time it was great! Gigantic portions, good for splitting. We had the chopped antipasti salad, fettuccine alfredo, chicken limone, chicken saltimbocca, and the ravioli with meat sauce. The pastas were slightly over cooked past al dente, but the flavors were great!
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Josh D.

Yelp
I understand that Buca's model is to try and appear very Italian and family meal oriented. I've eaten at various locations for graduation parties, fraternity gatherings, and annually for my grandmother's birthday. What can I say? It is fine for what it is, but it is not a favorite. I've had MUCH better pasta at other Italian restaurants and even "American" restaurants. It may come with the large batches of cooking that they do - but I've ran into some varying consistency in the cooking of the noodles in their dishes. Also - I HATE peas... And somehow, even when asking to avoid them, it seems they sneak into the dishes. All in all, my favorite dishes are the spicy chicken rigatoni or the shrimp fra diavolo. I've probably tried 5-10 of the entries over my numerous visits and I can't say any others have really stood out. If you like Italian food and have a large party - Buca might be great. You better hope that everyone likes similar dishes with the family style environment though!
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Jason K.

Yelp
Every time I've been there, it's been nothing but good. Last time we got take out for the first time and it was excellent and ready on time. Even though it was packed with a huge wedding party, the guy (didn't get his name) getting the take out orders from the kitchen was very friendly. Portions were massive and the food was great as always.
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Ben J.

Yelp
Probably the most expensive dinner for two my wife and I have had in Minneapolis. I know it's family style but price wise OMG. We only ordered baked rigatoni with sausage $37, small fried calamari for appetizer $25, two sodas $4 each. With the new 11% sales tax and our tip, total was $91 for the least amount of food. Oh we did get a small loaf of bread too. The calamari seemed fresh but it was a small order. The baked rigatoni was cheesy and had bits of sliced sausage but it was something we could have done at home for $15. Lesson learned.
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Diane D.

Yelp
10 family members ate here on a Friday night. It was surprisingly good. Really good! The best part was our server Gigi. She was very attentive never missing a beat. We had the antipasti salad, garlic bread, fettuccine Alfredo, meat ravioli, chicken limone and chicken saltimbocca. All were good. Yeah, I've had better, but for the price, and this not being fine dining, totally acceptable. We were too stuffed for dessert. We had a bottle of their Chianti which had a DOCG label! The manager stopped by to check on us which was nice.I always love the kitschy Italian decor. Parking was easy. Nice $5 ramp a block away.
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J P.

Yelp
Service was good. Very nice waiter. Ordered the fettuccine Alfredo chicken with a splash of shrimp. Very delightful and delicious. Server knee I couldn't possibly eat a dinner plate so she was nice enough to let me order out of the lunch menu since I was alone and those plates are much smaller.
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Hoa N.

Yelp
Came here to night to celebrate my daughter's birthday and my nephew's new job. I don't usually like to come to the downtown location because I don't like the street parking situation. Our server at first was very attentive until there was a big group that came into her section and then all of sudden the restaurant got really busy. Then, we had to filled our water glasses on our own because our server got busy. The mac and cheese seemed a little runny with the cheese, I didn't have any because the runny cheese sauce deterred me. The antipasti salad was super salty for some reason. The kids spaghetti and meatballs was so dry that it didn't taste like spaghetti but just noodles with mashed up tomatoes. My first time trying the chicken marsala. It was surprisingly sweet as I was expecting for the entree to savory rather than sweet. The collosal brownie sundae was refreshing from all the savory/salty entrees. It was nice to have a little sweet to balance out the saltiness. My daughter got a free vanilla scoop of ice cream and got the staff to sing to her and blow out a candle. Overall, we had a nice family visit and enjoyed each other's company.

Backup K.

Yelp
Service was fine and food tasted alright. That is of course until a fellow table member of mine found a hair over a foot long cooked INTO her fettuccine noodle. Also while it is an older themed restaurant, there are quite a large amount of photographs containing nudity.
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John G.

Yelp
We were in town for business recently. Tony was our waiter. He was GREAT. Just awesome service and rapport with the guest. The place has charm as you'll see as soon as you go in. It felt good to be normal again and eat without having to worry about mask, etc. We were seated right away. Full disclosure, this place is not cheap, but nothing is these days. Enjoy the moment is what we said, plus we were on government per diem ;-) There were four full size guys. We did the family style with Lasagna, Eggplant Parmesan, and one other dish that had a variety of offerings that I can't remember + Calamari and Toasted Bread. We could barely eat half of everything. In fact, my co-worker and I killed the left overs a day later. Just as good then. I would highly recommend this place and would definitely go back. Stop and smell the roses at this place and take it in. You won't be disappointed.

Kaitlyn R.

Yelp
the food was over priced (18.50 fir a slice of cheesecake). I ordered lasagna and bit into it, and a sharp piece of plastic garbage cut into my gums. I called the restaurant and they were not helpful at all. I paid 70.00 total for a meal that wasn't good, and that had garbage in it.

Haley S.

Yelp
Great food, service was really good and staff is very helpful. The location was very decorated and fun.
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Kaci B.

Yelp
I was craving pizza today and my husband suggested Buca for pizza... never had it but I'm always willing to try something new! It was delivered quickly and still tasted fresh. The sauce was amazing, kind of a thicker tomato sauce. The cheese was the perfect amount, maybe not for my lactose intolerant husband but I sure enjoyed it We got a kids pasta and that was a generous sized portion- one large chicken and an adult sized portion of spaghetti and sauce. I would absolutely order their pizza again and never would have expected it to be so good there, given they're more famous for their pastas!

Gabriel Y.

Yelp
Troy was so nice I came here with my class and he was so nice to everyone very joyful and help clean up my spill without any grudge and was very nice to be around the whole experience. I got the spaghetti and it was amazing.

Fernanda O.

Yelp
Had such a great time here! Our server was Gama and he was super nice. The food was delicious and the service was fast!
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Joshua G.

Yelp
Overall, I had a good experience here. I haven't tried everything on the menu yet. But I can vouch for their pasta. It does feel like the restaurant is trying to do everything/serve as a one stop shop for Italian cuisine. This is evidenced by the sheer volume of the menu. Having said that, their pasta is solid. My recommendation is to dine in or order takeaway because delivery is terrible. The delivery fees alone are utterly ridiculous.

Mikayla C.

Yelp
Yummy food and super great service!! Had a very large party, and they handled it beautifully! Definitely recommend!!
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Jessica S.

Yelp
Yea dint think I'll come back here place was dirty and dingy. Carpet walking from entrance to our table was disgusting. Upon arrival promptly greeted and sat at a table, asked if kitchen table was available and was ignored, put the menus down and walked away. Did not receive kids menus so I had to go up to front host stand and grab them myself. Server was prompt in taking orders and attentive. We asked for crayons for kids she forgot so I got up again to go get them Manager saw me looking around for them asks if she could help me being as she was just standing around. We Immediately ordered kids meals and 1 arrived before meals which was the point of ordering ahead of time, and others kids meal came AFTER we were half done with our main meals. Server admitted they made a mistake on kids meal and that's why it took so long: ordered sausage rigatoni and there was no sausage, I literally saw two halves of a slice of sausage for the entire $35 dish! Check came I had a coupon, after 5 minutes server comes back say that it was not working and asks Manager who says nothing I can do about it they can go online and spin a wheel. By this time my kids weee falling asleep on the table bench so I said no worries and manager goes and hides in her office. Server apologized and not her fault completely but she could have asked the manager to do something especially since the kids meal delivery issue; who lets a kid sit and wait while others get their food. For the price and lack of meat and terrible customer service Ny manager I won't be back unless I have too.

Alexis K.

Yelp
We came here for a trip for school before a musical and we had the best service. Our severs name was troy and he made the entire experience very fun even when dealing with 30+ teenagers in one room. The food was also amazing and we were so full after having a little bit.
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Vance H.

Yelp
Although well-prepared and well presented, the joyless, utilitarian food on Buca Di Beppo's menu is underwhelming, under-seasoned and overly expensive. The shrimp and chicken wing apps weren't bad, but no dish stood out as being something special worth recommending. I did notice an ad offering spaghetti and meat balls on Mondays at half price - which would still be $18 for a plain plate of food. However, my night at Buca was saved by my waitress, Edith. The personable, charming, attentive service she gave was priceless. Unlike the food, Edith was a unique, warm, spicy delight!
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Moe H.

Yelp
Christy was a fun, attentive server. Perfect balance of attention and respect of privacy. The prosciutto stuffed chicken was delicious with the pesto, the lasagna was its traditional yumminess, the Brussels sprouts that were fried with prosciutto strips were the best! Oh wait, maybe the chocolate cake was :) I love the quaintness of this location, we will be back.
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Stephen N.

Yelp
Fabulous Italian food from this great Italian restaurant in Minneapolis. As a 100-percent Italian (Naples and Calabria), this is the food I grew up eating. Fresh tomato sauce with chunks and basil. The eggplant parmesan was crisp and as light as a feather--and scrumptious.

J H.

Yelp
Ordered a large five piece chicken marsala from the Buca di Beppo in Eden Praire, MN. This the size of the chicken breast they served roughly 2" x 3". It took all five pieces to feed two of the five people. What a joke Buca!

Zachary C.

Yelp
Taylor and Phill were shutting it down at the pickup order area. They had big personalities and were really fun to chat with while they were prepping my order. It's always nice to feel like you're part of the family when you walk in. Phill was even pushing the cheese packets on me which I'll never complain about.
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Lindsey S.

Yelp
Ordered the Tuesday night takeout special of rigatoni for 2-3 (which is a very conservative estimate for the amount of food). It came with Caesar salad and bread and we had a coupon for a free cake for our anniversary. The food came out hot and there was a lot of pasta. The sausage in the rigatoni is amazing! Only change I would make is throw in another roll because there is so much food leftover! The cake was amazing as well. We heated the chocolate sauce for just a second on the plate then added the cake on top. And ice cream (ours). It made two solid desserts for two and possibly could make three. It's a HUGE piece. Great quarantine meal with everything done for you! Enough food to feed two adults and two kids easy.
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Caroline G.

Yelp
i went to bucca to celebrate my birthday and their food is amazing even the deserts too

Adrienne B.

Yelp
Had a great night at Buca Di Beppo! In Minneapolis. Fun atmosphere, good food and fantastic service - ask for Phil.

Mark S.

Yelp
A great place to get some food! While it's on the pricier end, the pasta and salad (and the great bruschetta!) made a great dinner.

Patti G.

Yelp
Visiting from Massachusetts and heard good things. Came for dinner with my husband. They definitely cater to larger groups and they mean it when they say the small portions are for 3+ people. The food was great, our waitress was very kind but the service is slow. It's almost like they'll seat a full restaurant eve though they're only staffed for 3/4 restaurant. I'd go back, just not in July. It's hot as anything in the restaurant, they need to work on their AC.
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Mitchell W.

Yelp
Very fun atmosphere and great food! When I looked at the menu I thought it was going to be an expensive meal for my girlfriend and I, but the waitress informed us that everything is family style and so we only had to get one entree to split between us, and we still had a good amount left over. It turned out to be a lot cheaper than I thought it was going to be. I'll definitely be coming back!
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Katherine B.

Yelp
Although we were not celebrating any kind of birthday, we ordered the birthday package to go and it was exactly what we needed to keep morale up during these Covid days of 2020. Buca food is so comforting, and a solid Alredo sauce and a nice big healthy salad and so yummy Chicken Parmesan and I cant wait to order this again. A very merry un birthday to you! We've got to drink to something...
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Matt G.

Yelp
We called to make a reservation for Thanksgiving and were placed on hold while they went to make it for us. They never picked back up. We ended up calling again a few minutes later and they then informed us they were all booked up. I explained we had just called and they said nothing they could do. Terrible experience and we didn't even get to go there.

Rachel S.

Yelp
Great family meal celebrating my daughters college graduation. Chosen for the location close to Minneapolis College. Our food was really great. Our server Gigi was great, offering suggestions with the menu and she was attentive throughout our meal. We had 4:00 reservations on a busy Saturday. The only negative was that we witnessed the host rudely asking another family to hurry up and leave so their table could be cleaned and used for others who are waiting. This happened while the family was already paying and just waiting for their server to return with their credit card. The other family had only been served a few minutes before us, so this made us feel uncomfortable and we too felt rushed to leave. Otherwise, we had really enjoyed the food and atmosphere.
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Trish S.

Yelp
The Hubster and I have lived near Buca for over 25 years, yet we don't come here too frequently. Reason # 1 - The family style portions. Most folks wouldn't complain, particularly since the food is so yummy, but were a mere army of two. Unless we were really a) really hungry and b) wanted to eat the same dish, that's way too much food for the two of us. Well, OK; that is pretty much the only reason. That's why we jumped at the chance to be part of a large group heading to the classic Italian food destination. The service was extremely friendly and attentive from beginning to end! We had a chance to preview a special menu in advance of World Pasta Month (November). The meal was utterly fabulous, the laughs were many and we left fat, dumb and happy. Highlights from the menu include the Riunite 'Rita (a terrific red wine cocktail with tequila and triple sec), Suppli (fried risotto balls with super stretchy mozzarella), Chicken Limone (my favorite!), Tortellini Bianca (The Hubster's favorite) and a beautiful dessert table. Bring your friends, family, neighbors, co-workers and be ready to feel like everyone is family. You'll eat well, be treated even better and remember the fun for a long while. Bravo, Buca!
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Sheri S.

Yelp
Oh yes I am a fan! Go big or go home and make sure to bring a healthy appetite! I had a lovely dinner here with a friend on a Friday around 6:30 pm without reservations. Luckily, we were seated within 5 mins but word to the wise I would advise on getting reservations in advance especially if you're a large party. AJ was our server and she was awesome. She was friendly, engaging, and super attentive. The complimentary bread and olive oil was delish. As a family style restaurant I knew we would have to take home some food. To start off we had the Chopped antipasto salad which was so fresh and well balanced. If I didn't anticipate my pasta coming I could have just eaten this and would have been satisfied. We took AJ's reccomendation and ordered the Chicken Carbanero since we both like white sauce. I was too busy talking and didn't read the details on the menu so when the dish came with pork on it, my friend and I started trying to divy up the pasta and chicken so I got portions without the pork. When AJ saw this she was like "don't do that we will make you a separate order without pork" I was super appreciative of that. While AJ was away a restaurant manager or someone in that capacity came by to let us know they were working on my fresh Chicken Carbonaro without pork. Props to them for great customer service and delicious food. I can't wait to go back and try more options with even a bigger group.
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Kaosong Y.

Yelp
As an Elite Yelper, I try never to post a negative review, but I made a catering order for my daughter's 11th birthday earlier this week. Her birthday happen to fall on the day of the Chauvin Trial verdict. My card was charged immediately and I received an email confirmation for pick up on her birthday at 5:30p. At about 4:30p, one hour before pick up was scheduled, I received an voicemail from Frank at Buca saying that they would not be fulfilling my order. I missed the call but called him back shortly afterwards telling him that I understand there may be unrest but that it was not very nice to have cancelled a catering order one hour before pickup. What was I supposed to do in one hour for people coming over to my house that warranted a catering (not takeaway)? He didn't seem to broken up about it but he did apologize though it didn't come across as sincere at all. Obviously, Buca gets enough business that they didn't value my business. Four days later, I still do not see a credit back to my bank account. After telling him I was going to post up reviews, he told me that he would be sending me an e-gift card. I have not seen the e-gift card either...not even in my junk mail. They are only getting one star because I have to choose a star and because in the past, I've enjoyed their food.
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Monique F.

Yelp
Yum family style and Italian food, what could make this a more desireable place to eat?! I've been to two other Bucas, so I knew what to expect but this place had an extra family/homey feel which made me even more excited to share a place I love so much with my loved ones! It was difficult to find parking which was a big draw back, but as long as you can find a spot, it's not too bad to walk in! We had a reservation so we did not wait and I would suggest this for others going forward. We only had a group of 4, so ordering was tough not knowing if we should do a small or a large order. I'd recommend coming with a larger group to avoid confusion and lower the per person cost of the meal overall. We ordered a salad to start (small) and there was some leftover, then we ordered a small Alfredo, a large lasagna, and a large order of chicken parm. There were plenty of leftovers which was a bonus having a full extra dinner for two of us when we left-- and it reheats very well! We finished the evening with canolis-- a must have here or the tiramisu which is my absolute favorite! The waitress was very friendly and helpful in offering suggestions on portions for us to order and overall comments to keep the mood light as we started to get full and cranky! Can't wait to have family back to enjoy another meal here.
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Connie D.

Yelp
OG Buca does it again! I don't usually go to Italian restaurants because I'm the person that's always like "if I can make pasta at home, why would I got out and pay more money for someone else to make it for me?!" Well... I am wrong. The pasta at Buca is the epitome of delicious comfort food! The portion sizes are unbelievable! Bring your friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances, someone you met off the street- come one, come all, the more the merrier! Everything is served family style and there is plenty to go around. A small portion serves 3 (or more) and a large portion serves 5 (or more). I'm sure there will also be plenty of leftovers to take home. On my last visit, I went with two of my cousins. We ordered a large garlic bread (yes, we love bread, and yes, it was a mistake because we got an overwhelmingly large portion.) But are we complaining? No way! We also ordered the Shrimp Fra Diavolo and Chicken Carbonara. Wow wow wow this is for sure better than any pasta I can make at home. The aromas were mouth watering, I couldn't wait to dig in! The Shrimp Fra Diavolo consisted of garlic shrimp with penne, crushed red pepper all mixed with a spicy rosa sauce. Everything about this was SO GOOD! It is on the spicy side, so for those who can't handle spice, beware. It was also very garlicky, which I LOVE, so this was 5/5 for me. I normally cook with 5x the garlic a recipe calls for, but Buca definitely one-upped me in their garlic game. The Chicken Carbonara was also delicious. I normally stay away from white sauces (personal preference), but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked this. It was so creamy and savory and delicious! I am also ashamed to admit that this is the first time I've ever had Chicken Carbonara, but I am happy this is my baseline! The staff here are oh so friendly and happily packed our leftovers for us. I am hesitant to say that my leftovers of the Shrimp Fra Diavolo may have been better than the fresh dish, but it was SO fragrant with garlic aromas when I reheated it, I was in pasta heaven! It wasn't dry like leftovers can get, it was still PERFECT 2 days later. Can't get enough of Buca's pasta and I cannot wait to be back!
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Ruki R.

Yelp
The last time I was here was a number of years ago. Being full it was too noisy and when I asked if the music could be turned down just one point, they wouldn't do it. We decided to yank the cord for the speaker above our heads, but that didn't help very much. I've never cared for the overload of the tchotchkes on the wall either. It's overdone and such a cliché. The one thing I do like is the coziness provided by the low ceiling. Getting rid of the photos and maybe doing murals or other artworks would help. I sure don't care about what celebrities have been there. I used to like the food here but either it's gotten worse or my taste buds got more sophisticated, however you want to look at it. Tonight I met friends there and I had the eggplant parmigiana with a side of spaghetti and a salad. The eggplant skin was bitter and tougher than usual and the marinara sauce wasn't very good. Overall a bit of a burnt taste. Plenty of people like it here so, whatever, I'm just one old fart complaining.

Annie B.

Yelp
We came in a group of about 25, service was EXCELLENT!! They were constantly checking in on all 3 of our tables and making sure we had everything we needed and wanted. The food tasted excellent too!! Was very good! Not to mention we got our food in about 15 minutes if not less!

Saturn S.

Yelp
We went to this place for a family member's birthday, and oh my goodness it was delightful. HIGHLY recommend the cannoli and calamari. Our server, Troy, absolutely made our night. His energy and enthusiasm is simply unmatched.
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Jacob R.

Yelp
I picked up an order last night and the food was so good. I try not to eat a lot of carbs but love them with a passion. I had the caprese salad, shrimp farfalle, sausage rigatoni and the wild mushroom and pancetta tortellini. It came with bread and I also had the pumpkin cannoli. All of it was fresh and packaged nicely. I loved the shrimp farfalle and would for sure order that again. My least favorite was the rigatoni, I am not a fan of zucchini and it had large chunks but the flavor overall was wonderful. Pick-up was quick and easy and the amount of food is great. The prices are fair and they have daily specials.
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Vince G.

Yelp
I haven't been to a Buca in quite some time. Me and my friend ventured over while visiting MN and we sat down right away with Christy. She was lovely answering all of our questions and making sure our waters were always filled. We ordered the Saturday meal (spicy rigatoni) for 3 with a meatball appetizer. Plenty of food for the two of us and it was great. The pasta was a little spicy, but they quickly made an alternative sauce to help cool it down. The service was on par. The food is is a bit better than what you would expect and the experience was very cozy. Thanks Christy (I hope I heard your name right!)