Excellent restraunt. Food was good, service was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Fiona Makou
Great place and great service my friends and I came by and sat at the bar for Valentine’s Day. love coming here the food and drinks are always very good. Mahan was amazing. He great customer service and had positive attitude, thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Ricardes
First time visiting this part of San Diego and finding a spot to dine in on holiday was difficult with out having a reservation. Was hesitant at first with the wait time only being first come first serve, but after walking around and coming back was felt welcomed back to the restaurant and had to wait a short while before seating. We were seated outside by the heater with the view of the street/ front of the restaurant. Which had set up the vibe of the night for my spouse and I plus our good friend. The only thing I could say was the waiter giving us a rush but we had understood since it was Valentine’s Day. We had ordered the garlic bread which was amazing, the lasagna, lobster pasta, and the ribeye steak. Over all the food was memorable, the steak was definitely the show stopper of the night. Max the food was delicious and worth the wait but not much of a wait. For the drinks we had stuck to red wine, and some Shirley Temple. Barbusa is a spot that I would come back to and worth the price and made our first visit to San Diego on Valentine’s Day
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Kevin Ying
Went for lunch as a date on Valentine's weekend. I would AVOID around special occasions, since they brought out a special (read: pricier, more limited) menu. Okay, we couldn't get all the items we wanted but the Dungeness pasta was intriguing. Cue the surprise when they bring out whole legs and have no tools to crack or cut them. We struggled for twenty minutes with just forks and knives and the waiters were avoiding us because they didn't know what to do. The lobster in the lobster fusili was also a bit overdone. At least they offered a free dessert at the end, but I guess nobody tried to actually eat the special menu before they served it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Bing Anderson
Food was great!!!
Kg Hobday
While taking a trolly tour someone came on and said they had some of the best Italian food they'd ever had at Barbusa in Little Italy. We promptly got off to go try it. I'd have to agree, this authentic Italian restaurant served some of the best Italian food I've ever had. Even the wait staff was excellent. Our waiter Ryan, was the best. My mom was a bit confused on what she wanted so Ryan sat right down next to her & helped her decide. I had the gnocchi with a pistachio pesto sauce .... to die for! We added an order of garlic bread which was out of this world delicious. Know that the portions are large & you will be taking home leftovers. If you are in the San Diego area be sure to stop by Barbusa for some wonderfully authentic Italian food & atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alejandro Medina
The best pasta
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kevin Flynn
Excellent pasta and pizzas. Great appetizer big board. Fast service friendly wait staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Joshua Ding
January 2026
Came here for a group dinner. Great mussels and pizza. Brussels salad was a great choice. The pasta was ok. Part of the reason while offering patio seating on a chilling night, food got cold quick. Servers needed to hustle for delivery hot food quickly. Pizza was piping hot, but pasta not so.
Regardless, food was flavorful and I recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Christopher
Very good food as always, we had a great time celebrating our friends birthday and she loved it. The only slightly negative thing I could say is that the music is very loud but I knew the atmosphere going into it. Place is incredible, my favorite italian place in little Italy.
Barbusa is a fantastic Italian spot with great food and a fun, welcoming atmosphere. Everything we tried was fresh and full of flavor.
A special shoutout to the hostess, I believe her name was Isabelle, who truly elevated the experience. She was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and attentive, making us feel right at home from the start. Her positive energy set the tone for a fantastic meal.
Highly recommend and can’t wait to return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
George
The restaurant atmosphere was nice accept for the music was way too loud. It was hard to have a conversation at the table. Our food was cold upon arrival. Disappointed with our dinner option, as we were from out of state.
Blacksheep1223
I’ve been going to this restaurant for 8/9 years and it’s only gotten better. It’s very pricy though so be forewarned. I think the quality of food is exceptional. I’ve tried multiple items while here and it will always have a special place in my heart as it was one of my first restaurant loves in San Diego. Staff is very friendly and the ambiance of the restaurant is nice inside. Parking is not too bad outside but it is in the heart of little Italy. I would suggest an uber to the restaurant a $200 bill for two to each impeccable with drinks and appetizers and tips. Hope you enjoy it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pedro
Always enjoy Barbusa for great food and cocktails. People are friendly, good vibes. Service is excellent too.
Victoria
Service was incredible Outdoor patio was warm and cozy
Fried zucchini blossoms appetizer was good but I prefer a lighter batter
The lobster pasta was completely flavorless and dry. Tiny bits of lobster that don’t match the price
The pizza dough was a bit wet and soggy from the oil, and was very bland by itself
For the price, the food was not memorable. Maybe this place is better for light appetizers and drinks
Excellent restraunt. Food was good, service was good.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great place and great service my friends and I came by and sat at the bar for Valentine’s Day. love coming here the food and drinks are always very good. Mahan was amazing. He great customer service and had positive attitude, thank you!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
First time visiting this part of San Diego and finding a spot to dine in on holiday was difficult with out having a reservation. Was hesitant at first with the wait time only being first come first serve, but after walking around and coming back was felt welcomed back to the restaurant and had to wait a short while before seating.
We were seated outside by the heater with the view of the street/ front of the restaurant. Which had set up the vibe of the night for my spouse and I plus our good friend. The only thing I could say was the waiter giving us a rush but we had understood since it was Valentine’s Day. We had ordered the garlic bread which was amazing, the lasagna, lobster pasta, and the ribeye steak. Over all the food was memorable, the steak was definitely the show stopper of the night. Max the food was delicious and worth the wait but not much of a wait.
For the drinks we had stuck to red wine, and some Shirley Temple. Barbusa is a spot that I would come back to and worth the price and made our first visit to San Diego on Valentine’s Day
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Went for lunch as a date on Valentine's weekend. I would AVOID around special occasions, since they brought out a special (read: pricier, more limited) menu. Okay, we couldn't get all the items we wanted but the Dungeness pasta was intriguing. Cue the surprise when they bring out whole legs and have no tools to crack or cut them. We struggled for twenty minutes with just forks and knives and the waiters were avoiding us because they didn't know what to do. The lobster in the lobster fusili was also a bit overdone. At least they offered a free dessert at the end, but I guess nobody tried to actually eat the special menu before they served it.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Food was great!!!
While taking a trolly tour someone came on and said they had some of the best Italian food they'd ever had at Barbusa in Little Italy. We promptly got off to go try it. I'd have to agree, this authentic Italian restaurant served some of the best Italian food I've ever had. Even the wait staff was excellent. Our waiter Ryan, was the best. My mom was a bit confused on what she wanted so Ryan sat right down next to her & helped her decide. I had the gnocchi with a pistachio pesto sauce .... to die for! We added an order of garlic bread which was out of this world delicious. Know that the portions are large & you will be taking home leftovers. If you are in the San Diego area be sure to stop by Barbusa for some wonderfully authentic Italian food & atmosphere.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The best pasta
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Excellent pasta and pizzas. Great appetizer big board. Fast service friendly wait staff.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
January 2026
Came here for a group dinner. Great mussels and pizza. Brussels salad was a great choice. The pasta was ok. Part of the reason while offering patio seating on a chilling night, food got cold quick. Servers needed to hustle for delivery hot food quickly. Pizza was piping hot, but pasta not so.
Regardless, food was flavorful and I recommend this restaurant.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Very good food as always, we had a great time celebrating our friends birthday and she loved it. The only slightly negative thing I could say is that the music is very loud but I knew the atmosphere going into it. Place is incredible, my favorite italian place in little Italy.
Restaurantji Recommends
Barbusa is a fantastic Italian spot with great food and a fun, welcoming atmosphere. Everything we tried was fresh and full of flavor.
A special shoutout to the hostess, I believe her name was Isabelle, who truly elevated the experience. She was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and attentive, making us feel right at home from the start. Her positive energy set the tone for a fantastic meal.
Highly recommend and can’t wait to return!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The restaurant atmosphere was nice accept for the music was way too loud. It was hard to have a conversation at the table. Our food was cold upon arrival. Disappointed with our dinner option, as we were from out of state.
I’ve been going to this restaurant for 8/9 years and it’s only gotten better. It’s very pricy though so be forewarned. I think the quality of food is exceptional. I’ve tried multiple items while here and it will always have a special place in my heart as it was one of my first restaurant loves in San Diego. Staff is very friendly and the ambiance of the restaurant is nice inside. Parking is not too bad outside but it is in the heart of little Italy. I would suggest an uber to the restaurant a $200 bill for two to each impeccable with drinks and appetizers and tips. Hope you enjoy it!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Always enjoy Barbusa for great food and cocktails. People are friendly, good vibes. Service is excellent too.
Service was incredible
Outdoor patio was warm and cozy
Fried zucchini blossoms appetizer was good but I prefer a lighter batter
The lobster pasta was completely flavorless and dry. Tiny bits of lobster that don’t match the price
The pizza dough was a bit wet and soggy from the oil, and was very bland by itself
For the price, the food was not memorable. Maybe this place is better for light appetizers and drinks
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 5
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