Message: | Here's the deal with Buca--not great food, but a good choice for a large group. It's an old-fashioned, red tablecloth and red sauce Italian place of the kind that predominated in the 50s--pictures of Sinatra on the wall--very campy/kitschy. Portions are HUGE. The food is very unsophisticated compared to most Italian restaurants in LA these days--mostly staples like spagetti with meatballs, lasagna, eggplant parmesan, etc. It all tastes a bit too sweet, but, washed down with cheap red wine, is bearable.
Despite that less-than-enthusiastic review of the food, I would still recommend this place for a large group. I find that dining at most restaurants is a big pain in the butt--the wait staff feels overwhelmed, it's impossible to get a table of the right size, etc. Say what you will about the food, but Buca is great at accommodating large groups, and the size of the family-style orders makes sharing easy.
Bottom line: don't even think about going here if you want a quiet date place with subtle, interesting, sophisticated food. But if you your first priority is a fun place that won't flinch when you ask for a table for 15, Buca isn't a bad choice. |