What seemed to be a memorable evening in a very famous restaurant turned into an ordinary evening in the blink of an eye... 1st service perfect (pizzas and salads), 2nd service perfect (we tested 3 choices of pasta), 3rd service we chose to order 2 dishes of tomato spaghetti after our pasta test..!Amazing more tomantes sauce…End of dinner ?Friendly and professional staff.
Solomon Mendonca
Best Italian in the city, hands downBut don't get the squid ink pasta. Yech!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Opentable Diner
The menu options were predominantly Pork dishes, offering only a limited selection to choose from. The wait time for the dish exceeded our expectations. I had high hopes for the Mille fuille dessert, but it fell short of my expectations. As for the cocktail, it was rather ordinary and lacking in originality. The overall cost of the place was quite steep, considering the underwhelming quality of the food.
The menu options were predominantly Pork dishes, offering only a limited selection to choose from. The wait time for the dish exceeded our expectations. I had high hopes for the Mille fuille dessert, but it fell short of my expectations. As for the cocktail, it was rather ordinary and lacking in originality. The overall cost of the place was quite steep, considering the underwhelming quality of the food.
EmmaT
To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I paid $55 for a truffle pasta that tasted bland and burnt. Our server barley checked on us and I had to reminder her multiple times to take glasses away and to get us refills on our drinks. I only took three bites of my truffle pasta but my server didn't ask if there was wrong till after the bill was given. Not to mention we were sat in a dark corner next to a DIRTY wall and to top it all off the bathroom toilets were ALL broken! Will not be back
KellyR
I have been to Buca several times and always enjoyed the experience, with the exception of last night. My meal was tasteless and our waiter gave 2 people in our party dirty looks. I've never in my life had such rude service.
Opentable Diner
Service was good but not great as was the food Eggplant Parmigiana was tasty enough but definitely nothing close to the real flavour of a real eggplant parmigiana
ZamirS
This place nerve disappoints. The service and food are some of the best in the city. Everything on the menu is worth coming back for.
Opentable Diner
We went there for our little date and everything was just perfect. The food is also great. definitely will back to Buca again.
AnaH
The salumis and cheeses were excellent! We really enjoyed the selection. The pizza 'salumi de buca' was one of the best pizzas I've had in Toronto. We also had the corzetti al tartufo and it was ok, nothing great, we thought it wasn't worth it. Service was going ok, but in middle of the dinner our waiter disappeared and nobody took her place. We overheard the table next to us complain about the same thing, and seems like our waitress had finished her shift and left. I understand that happens, but it was weird that nobody took over. We ordered dessert and asked for the bill to random waiters. The manager came at the end and apologized; he mentioned our dessert would be on the house and offered us some complementary limoncello. So even though serviced missed a bit, it was nice they tried to make up for it. I would recommend and return.
Really enjoyed a dinner at Buca on Feb 3, 2024. King Street location has a beautiful setting in a lofty, high-ceiling space. Pork blood pasta was delicious. Great selection of cocktails and wines. The entire team of servers and hosts/hostesses is wonderful - very professional and friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
ShamY
Great spot for authentic Italian food, super friendly staff and made our anniversary very special, thank you xo
My date and I ordered two pastas (the duck bigoli and the tartufo) and both came out cold, not even warm. The service was also exceptionally slow and not overly friendly. The tiramisu was the one saving grace. I have been to the Yorkville location and loved my experience, so was very much let down by this experience and probably would deter me from going back. It's too bad because I feel like the food and venue had a lot of potential to be good, if the dishes were presented to the table hot (or even somewhat warm).
LauraW
This Buca spot was a great choice even on a cold January night! Worth making the trip out. Staff were a cut above. So professional. Food was exactly the kind of rich but not too much so, good quality ingredients you want from an italien. Throughly recommend the sweetbreads. King West prices for what it is. But the little touches like the pasta dish to cook at home mean you don't mind if it's for a good occasion. Nice decor, but did feel a bit too big and echoey for a small party of two. Maybe better for bigger groups. So good you will need to stick to your 2 hour table slot though, as even in Jan it was busy. We weren't rushed as the staff timed so well, but pretty sure the people taking our table after us arrived just as they got our coats, so don't think you'll be staying there all night!
LisaCM
Dinner for 4. Friends arrived earlier and waited 10 minutes to be acknowledged by the server. No drinks offered. We arrived and again were not acknowledged. Was given water but no server acknowledgement. Was not asked whether we wanted still or sparkling water. Got water. Was almost 15 minutes from our arrival before we got attention and got a drink order in. We were stuck in the back room which lacks ambience with uncomfortable chairs. Very difficult to read the menu in the very low light. Server was very difficult to understand given her accent. We kept asking her to repeat. Choice of red wine by the glass was lacking. I tasted one wine and it was corked. Server seemed to think I just did not like Merlot blend. Charcuterie board was a bit shy or condiments and garnishes. Very tasty but meager for the price. Food arrived and staffers delivering did not offer pepper or parmesan cheese. No bread offered. we had to ask for charcuterie board. Spaghetti Limone with crab was delicious. Lamb ragu pasta good but a bit pastie. Flatbread was good. We dine out alot and have dined at this restaurant in the past. We spent $400 for 4 and by no means felt like it was a feast. Very disappointing.
What seemed to be a memorable evening in a very famous restaurant turned into an ordinary evening in the blink of an eye... 1st service perfect (pizzas and salads), 2nd service perfect (we tested 3 choices of pasta), 3rd service we chose to order 2 dishes of tomato spaghetti after our pasta test..!Amazing more tomantes sauce…End of dinner ?Friendly and professional staff.
Best Italian in the city, hands downBut don't get the squid ink pasta. Yech!!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
The menu options were predominantly Pork dishes, offering only a limited selection to choose from. The wait time for the dish exceeded our expectations. I had high hopes for the Mille fuille dessert, but it fell short of my expectations. As for the cocktail, it was rather ordinary and lacking in originality. The overall cost of the place was quite steep, considering the underwhelming quality of the food.
The menu options were predominantly Pork dishes, offering only a limited selection to choose from. The wait time for the dish exceeded our expectations. I had high hopes for the Mille fuille dessert, but it fell short of my expectations. As for the cocktail, it was rather ordinary and lacking in originality. The overall cost of the place was quite steep, considering the underwhelming quality of the food.
To say I was disappointed is an understatement. I paid $55 for a truffle pasta that tasted bland and burnt. Our server barley checked on us and I had to reminder her multiple times to take glasses away and to get us refills on our drinks. I only took three bites of my truffle pasta but my server didn't ask if there was wrong till after the bill was given. Not to mention we were sat in a dark corner next to a DIRTY wall and to top it all off the bathroom toilets were ALL broken! Will not be back
I have been to Buca several times and always enjoyed the experience, with the exception of last night. My meal was tasteless and our waiter gave 2 people in our party dirty looks. I've never in my life had such rude service.
Service was good but not great as was the food Eggplant Parmigiana was tasty enough but definitely nothing close to the real flavour of a real eggplant parmigiana
This place nerve disappoints. The service and food are some of the best in the city. Everything on the menu is worth coming back for.
We went there for our little date and everything was just perfect. The food is also great. definitely will back to Buca again.
The salumis and cheeses were excellent! We really enjoyed the selection. The pizza 'salumi de buca' was one of the best pizzas I've had in Toronto. We also had the corzetti al tartufo and it was ok, nothing great, we thought it wasn't worth it. Service was going ok, but in middle of the dinner our waiter disappeared and nobody took her place. We overheard the table next to us complain about the same thing, and seems like our waitress had finished her shift and left. I understand that happens, but it was weird that nobody took over. We ordered dessert and asked for the bill to random waiters. The manager came at the end and apologized; he mentioned our dessert would be on the house and offered us some complementary limoncello. So even though serviced missed a bit, it was nice they tried to make up for it. I would recommend and return.
Restaurantji Recommends
Really enjoyed a dinner at Buca on Feb 3, 2024. King Street location has a beautiful setting in a lofty, high-ceiling space. Pork blood pasta was delicious. Great selection of cocktails and wines. The entire team of servers and hosts/hostesses is wonderful - very professional and friendly.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great spot for authentic Italian food, super friendly staff and made our anniversary very special, thank you xo
My date and I ordered two pastas (the duck bigoli and the tartufo) and both came out cold, not even warm. The service was also exceptionally slow and not overly friendly. The tiramisu was the one saving grace. I have been to the Yorkville location and loved my experience, so was very much let down by this experience and probably would deter me from going back. It's too bad because I feel like the food and venue had a lot of potential to be good, if the dishes were presented to the table hot (or even somewhat warm).
This Buca spot was a great choice even on a cold January night! Worth making the trip out. Staff were a cut above. So professional. Food was exactly the kind of rich but not too much so, good quality ingredients you want from an italien. Throughly recommend the sweetbreads. King West prices for what it is. But the little touches like the pasta dish to cook at home mean you don't mind if it's for a good occasion. Nice decor, but did feel a bit too big and echoey for a small party of two. Maybe better for bigger groups. So good you will need to stick to your 2 hour table slot though, as even in Jan it was busy. We weren't rushed as the staff timed so well, but pretty sure the people taking our table after us arrived just as they got our coats, so don't think you'll be staying there all night!
Dinner for 4. Friends arrived earlier and waited 10 minutes to be acknowledged by the server. No drinks offered. We arrived and again were not acknowledged. Was given water but no server acknowledgement. Was not asked whether we wanted still or sparkling water. Got water. Was almost 15 minutes from our arrival before we got attention and got a drink order in. We were stuck in the back room which lacks ambience with uncomfortable chairs. Very difficult to read the menu in the very low light. Server was very difficult to understand given her accent. We kept asking her to repeat. Choice of red wine by the glass was lacking. I tasted one wine and it was corked. Server seemed to think I just did not like Merlot blend. Charcuterie board was a bit shy or condiments and garnishes. Very tasty but meager for the price. Food arrived and staffers delivering did not offer pepper or parmesan cheese. No bread offered. we had to ask for charcuterie board. Spaghetti Limone with crab was delicious. Lamb ragu pasta good but a bit pastie. Flatbread was good. We dine out alot and have dined at this restaurant in the past. We spent $400 for 4 and by no means felt like it was a feast. Very disappointing.
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