Buona Sera Ristorante — Restaurant in Champlin

Restaurant had good reviews so my husband and I decided to try, as we like to support local businesses. We had reserved seating in advanced and for outdoor seating for preference. Upon arriving and approaching the front door, my husband and I were practically stared down by the patrons who were seated outdoors as we entered the restaurant doors. Already this is setting me on edge, but thought hey, let’s try to enjoy our time. It’s not the first time we are stared down, being a gay interracial couple. Walking through the doors, it is chaotic, as expected, as it was nearing the end of a dinner rush. There was a couple ahead of us waiting to be seated, but the wait wasn’t too long before we were greeted. They said they didn’t have any outdoors available and we didn’t think much of it since it was busy, so we were seated inside instead. Which would have been fine, except we were seated in the side room, all the way in the back. And then just a few minutes go by as we are looking through the menu, another table is seated near us, but a table opened up outside (as I overheard the waiter saying) and they were able to move outside. Well, we had a reservation for outdoor, why were we not considered? We were literally just checking in with a preference for outdoors. Whatever, let’s try and enjoy the meal. With that table gone, it is literally just us, and a table that was ready to leave. Waiter comes by, sort of rushed through the specials and we order wine and apps. Apps and wine were fine. Apps were messy but tasty. Food comes, and it’s messy. My dish’s main portion was okay. The veal with a gravy. Nothing super offensive. Okay at best. However it came with a side of “daily vegetables.” The veggies tasted like it came out of a frozen $2.00 steam bag. Cool centered green beans. Baby carrots that had texture and taste of being previously frozen. I’m paying what, $25-30 for the dish to get bagged veggies on my plate. Come on… My husbands dish was okay at best. He ordered the manicotti dish. Honestly, we’ve had frozen dinners from the grocery store with more flavor in it. We didn’t order dessert to say the least. By the end of the night, we felt a little “forgotten” as we sat in the back of this side room (now completely empty besides us). Periodically, someone who was not our waitress, would pop their head in and peer around the corners as if “checking up” on us but not actually talking to us. It wasn’t very subtle. Overall, the food was sub par, and the experience was very poor. Took a chance at a new spot, and was sorely...

The food is about the only good thing here. We had dinner reservation for 6 at 6:30pm. We arrived 10 minutes early to see some people waiting at the door. They told us they had reservation at 6 and been waiting for half an hour. We wait along with them and the entire time, not a single staff bothered to acknowledge us nor even look our way. We have been going to restaurants of this price range for over 13 years and this is the first time ww had this bad of service. We were finally seated but it still took a while for our waitress to greet us. Normally we would.be asked for drinks and told.of the specials, but not here. We got nothing but a simple hello. I expect something like this at a Perkins or Applebee's. But for a restaurant in this price range, that's just horrible service. We ordered a bottle of Jordan. Sadly this bottle taste worse than a $9.99 bottle of Josh's. No offense to anyone that like Josh's. I drink it at home on a daily. But to go to a restaurant to order a bottle of cab that is supposed to taste better, but ended up tasting so much worse is unacceptable. We brought this up to the staff that the bottle might not be as good as it should, we were told the bottle taste fine. Obviously whoever is in charge of the wine selection here does not know his/her wine. The wine collector in our group tried to point out what's wrong with the bottle but was ignored. Other restaurants of the same caliber we have visited in the past would have switched out bottle without questions. Pther alcohol selection wwre just as bad. This bad tend to only stock rails. For a restaurant that cost about $100 a person, that's just horrible. Not sure how this restaurant currently sits at a 4.7 stars. Only reason this one got 2 star from me was for its food. Every food item we ordered was quite good. This would have been a 5 star experience had the service been better. Worse anniversary...

For my birthday I had the pleasure of dining at Buena Sera’s, a fantastic Italian restaurant located in Champlin. The classic Italian ambiance and warm atmosphere sets the stage for a memorable dining experience.

One of the highlights of my visit was the owner, Rafael. He truly embodies the role of the ultimate host, making sure every guest felt welcome and attended to. His passion for Italian cuisine was evident in every aspect of the restaurant, from the menu to the selection of wines.

Speaking of the menu, it was a delight to explore the variety of dishes available. We started our meal with the ribeye, and it was cooked to perfection. The meat was tender, juicy, and packed with flavor. It was accompanied by a delicious sauce that elevated the dish even further.

Next, we tried the fettuccine, and it was a true standout. The pasta was cooked al dente, and the creamy sauce was rich and indulgent. Every bite was a delight, and it left us craving for more.

We also had the pleasure of trying the mussels, and they were absolutely divine. The mussels were fresh and perfectly cooked, and the red sauce they were served in was bursting with flavor. It was a true taste of the sea and a dish I would highly recommend.

To complement our meal, we relied on Rafael's expertise in selecting the perfect wine. His recommendations were spot on! It was evident that he had a deep knowledge and appreciation for wine, and it added an extra layer of enjoyment to our dining experience.

Overall, my visit to Buena Sera for my birthday was nothing short of fantastic. The combination of classic Italian dishes, the warm hospitality of Rafael, and the impeccable wine selection made for an unforgettable evening. If you're in Champlin and looking for a top-notch restaurant, I highly recommend paying a visit to Buena Sera. You won't be...