Bucca Di Beppo

Sadly, I was notified that Bucca Di Beppo is closing. It was good timing that I decided to eat there for the last time.
As always, the food there are pretty good.
Warm Spinach Salad– there was nothing warm about it, but still a really salad.
Appetizer Sampler– more than enough share between a group and be satisfied. The usual stuffed mushroom, fried mozzarella, and fried calamari.
Spicy chicken rigatoni-​my favorite, nice chicken and pea pasta with a kick in a creamy tomato sauce
Frutti de Mare– for the one who loves seafood, this is the entrée for you. Linguine in tomato sauce filled with calamari, mussels, and shrimp.
Veal-​least favorite, it was salty and a little tough. Not memorable.
The service was great! I don’t remember her name, but she was impeccable and the epitome of southern hospitality.
The location has to be one of the problem, previous businesses never really last here.

Good food. Huge portions a small fed me and my partner with leftovers to bring home. We got the chicken fettuccine and garlic bread. It was a slow afternoon for them but the service was great. I will definitely be visiting again.

Large portions of food meant for sharing. Tried the spaghetti and meatballs, and it was pretty generic. Sauce could have used more simmering.

Not a fan. This is real Italian food then the American version I guess. The only thing I was familiar with was spaghetti and meat sauce. The best thing about my visit was the Italian Margarita. That was amazing!!! Wait staff was good tho, and the manager also greater us to check on how things were going.

Spaghetti and meat sauce is proper. Fried Mozzarella is good and Gon. Apple Salad is fantastic. Chicken Parm is very big and flavorful. Favorite pasta may be the Penne alla Vodka (I sub for spaghetti). Stuffed shells are fantastic as well. Stay away from chicken stuffed pastas though.
Great for kids and large groups.

Everything is Fabulous

I was so excited when I found out we were getting Bucca in New Orleans. I used to go to the one in San Francisco and in Seattle. I always thought the atmosphere to be so quirky and fun and the food was always good if not very good. A group of friends went with me to the one here a few weeks after opening. The two items on the menu that one of my friends and I always ate, were not on the menu here. The service was atrocious. We got seated immediately, but it took over an hour to get our appetizers, then another hour for the main course. It was busy, but not at capacity. The food quality was much poorer than we ever had at previous locations (completely bland). All in all, the experience was very bad. It was right at 3 hours from the time we were seated until the time we left. Also, it was unbelievably expensive. One of the things I remember was how reasonable the prices were when a group of at least 4 or 5 went. The prices have gone up quite a bit apparently. I know it was fairly new, but some of the things couldn’t really be blamed on that. When speaking to the manager about how long everything was taking, she basically said «sorry» and didn’t seem to care otherwise. I know I probably should give it another chance later to see if it’s improved, but don’t think I have the time, patience, and budget to risk it again.

Food was good. The server was new and made a few mistakes but he was honest and polite about it.
I got a pizza (see photo) and a had a few bites of the stuffed shells. The best part was the stuffed mushroom appetizer. The pesto cream sauce on the plate was so good!
Portions are very large. They serve food family style (meant to be shared). The small feeds 2 people.
The atmosphere is very casual. Its a family place. Prices are resonable. Menu is diverse. Its not your typical Creole-​Italian food you see at most Italian restaurants in New Orleans.
I’m happy Bucca is here!

I’m a fan of the one in San Francisco, so you can imagine how ecstatic I was to see they opened up one by home. I found out they were opening up Dec. 17^th, but when we went for lunch we were told not til 4:30pm. We were hoping to catch lunch before heading out of town for a few days. That didn’t stop us from catching lunch as soon as we came back into town.
The parking lot was a little full due to the restaurant being located as a part of the mall. The hostess immediately recognized us from a few days before and seated us at a booth right by the bar. I love drinking their wild raspberry soda’s but sometimes it’s a bit too carbonated for me. So I opted for the wild raspberry cream soda instead.
My boyfriend loves their Caesar salad and wanted to compare if there was any difference from the one in SF. We got the small sized salad as usual to split. The lunch portions are decently priced and the size portions are quite fulfilling. I got my favorite the spicy chicken rigatoni and the bf got the penne san reno (something like that). My bf finished his pasta, while I took mine home with the leftover bread they served at the beginning.
The décor phenomenal to look at. The Bucca in SF is covered with all sorts of décor and the one here is no exception. From the moment you step in and all the way leading to the back is jam packed with portraits and items. The service was awesome because it was grand opening still. The workers were lively and tended to guests needs. The manager even came out to check if everything was okay. Which rarely happens when I dine out now. It’s always great to see a manager or owner checking up on guests.
Overall, our lunch was around 50+ with tip in there. It’s a bit much to spend on a midday meal but it’s a much try place! I will be back to try their other entrees and enjoy the great service they do offer.