Buona — Restaurant in Valparaiso

Short Version: It's a better Italian beef than you can get anywhere else in Valpo but it's not better than Portillos.

Longer Version: I had Buona Beef about three weeks after it originally opened and I've been back several times since. I'd definitely recommend them but I have some hangups.

First was service. I've been there several times at various times of the day and no matter how many or how few people are there service is always pretty slow. We aren't talking big orders either, just two Italian beefs.

The Italian beef is definitely good but I've received inconsistent amounts of gravy on dunking. The beef is tender and flavorful and the gravy is pretty nice. It is definitely improved with peppers.

The Italian beef bites are good. The marinara sauce was also just watery tomato juice. It had hardly any flavor. The price for the 3 bites was also pretty whack for what you get. It's good to try once but unless you find them super amazing I wouldn't recommend them again at their price.

Speaking of price, charging .75 for hot peppers and .75 cents for sweet peppers brings the price of an already more expensive Italian beef to too high of a price. It's similar to what Portillos charges but Portillos also tastes better. I don't want to keep comparing them to Portillos but it's hard not to when that's your baseline for delicious Italian beef.

I still recommend them and I'm happy they're in town (even if they have possibly one of the worst parking lots and set ups to get through the drive through or storefront). If you are in Valpo and want Italian beef, I...

Today I ordered delivery service because I was hospitalized recently and I’m not allowed to drive yet. I put down with the atmosphere is nice because I have been a bonus several times and usually I think the atmosphere is lovely. I pick up my food and they have a nice clean table and I can sit and chat with my friend comfort comfortably.

Today I was ordering food for me and food for my friend and a couple things that we were sharing. Everything came exactly as it was ordered. These days I’m thrilled when that happens because too many times, that doesn’t happen. We both were very happy with our food.

He loves Chicago dogs, and they have an offering at Buona of a Chicago dog or a double dog. We weren’t sure double dog meant two separate hotdogs like two dogs two buns to everything or if it meant something else. Well, the answer is it means something else. He basically got a Chicago dog with an extra hotdog on the bun … so more meat, and he was very happy with his meal.

I was torn between getting their chicken sandwich and a salad. I love their chopped chicken salad. I do love their chicken sandwich and I got it and I ate it today and I shouldn’t have because I’m trying to eat less fried food. But I did eat it, and it was delicious.

I intended to have the chop salad as sort of something we could both have but honestly we’re both very satisfied and filled with our sandwiches and so that means I have a salad waiting for me as a treat later tonight.

I’m sorry there are no photos. I was asked to fill out this review after I’ve eaten… nothing...

I grew up eating Italian Beef on Pulaski in Chicago so I KNOW Italian beef PLUS my whole family are Sicilians we go back to Sicily to Chicago...(Wanted a cheesy beef, order one I was thinking the cheese sauce PLUS shredded would be too much so asked for only the cheese sauce--you want peppers too? Of course!! Look at my bill go back up to the front before my food arrives, when I tell the cashier I was charged $1 for cheese on my cheesy beef she snatched the receipt out of my hand mid-sentence then goes to the manager, she comes back tries to tell me they come plain everything else is extra! I said On the cheesy beef? Doesnt say anything, then I see the charge for the peppers Yea that's extra too- I said OK that's fine but if that's the case train your cashier to let me know bc I grew up in Chicago and sweet peppers are included on an....Italian Beef! She refunded me--handed me the money and didn't say a word, I said you didn't have to be so abrupt "I wasn't being abrupt"!! she snapped back--I told her try kindness its Free!! So get back to my table to my husband taking a bite of his beef and juice goes everywhere some on his phone, pick mine up--WAIT!! where's the cheese? there were no changes bc as you can see I still got the peppers and I PAID for a cheesy beef!! No cheese, beef WAY TOO SALTY, fries salty...my husband liked his strawberry shake said were real strawberries and my hot dog was good tasted like they did in Chicago ( I mean who can F up a Vienna hot dog?) Sounds like King Gyro has good Italian Beef...