Buca di Beppo Italian Restaurant — Restaurant in West Hollywood

Please don't eat here!

Ate here today in the upstairs area, when visiting Universal.

The whole experience was soured by the "photographer" working upstairs this evening today. He was initially friendly and said he was required to take a photo of us for a complimentary post card. We didn't want to pay for it and he reassured us that the full experience would be free and we didn't have to worry.

That changed very quickly. He interrupted us while we were eating and forced into our hands 6 of poorly taken photographs in frames, demanding we pay $20 for at least one, or that we buy them all for a slight (undisclosed) discount. Please bare in mind we were eating pizza and our hands were full, yet he was forcing these pictures even into the children at our table who were very uncomfortable by this. This was about halfway through our meal.

We didn't want to buy anything. These prices were ridiculous for the photos and we never wanted a paid photography experience in the process. We said no thank you and he then got very upset and insulting, and kept shouting out "so you don't like them?!". I found this very rude and unprofessional, not to mention how disruptive this was for our meal. The "free postcard" that was marketed wasn't such, but rather a poorly edited collage that barely featurd our photo. It was cute, and obviously that specific element was free so we weren't complaining, but we found it disgusting that this free postcard idea was merely a rouse to tourist trap individuals and try and exploit people on their holidays for money.

We couldn't enjoy the rest of our meal, and wanted to eat as quickly as possible to leave. The photographer would glare at us whenever he walked past, which made us very uncomfortable and really upset the youngest of our party.

To top it all of, one member of pir party accidentally walked the wrong way upon leaving (down the corridor rather than down the stairs). Photographer decided to make a reappearance and shout at her which was very alarming and rude. Perhaps if they put signage up to tell people not to walk down the corridor rather than have the silly photographer intimidate people.

Ultimately, we came here for our first time after recommendations from friends and family who live in the area. We have spoken to them, and they won't be returning either. We understand that a photo experience might be reasonable for a tourist area like City Walk, but this was completely misrepresented to us by the photographer's lies. This is a shame as we love Italian food and frequent Los Angeles and wider California.

Please don't eat here unless you like falling victim to aggressive sales tactics from unprofessional and rude photographers, assuming they may all be like thean we spoke to. To the team at Buca di Beppo, I expect this to be addressed with me and for a resolution to be found. I am happy to provide a character description of the photographer if that...

I have no idea why this restaurant is so highly rated. It's probably some of the worst Italian food I've ever had. The portions are also just frankly ridiculous. I am absolutely not kidding when I tell you that one serving of pasta will feed your entire family of 3-4 people. I ordered the baked rigatoni and it was an entire standard-sized pasta pot of pasta heaped onto a plate. I hadn't eaten for 8 hours and had walked 4 miles and was starving and I still had so much pasta leftover that it literally would not fit in the to-go box. It's actually unhinged how much food they serve you and it's not even good! The food had very little flavor and it was very obvious they used low-quality cheese because it had next to no flavor even after adding a heap of salt and pepper. The fried mozzarella was so lukewarm that it felt like biting into a block of solid room-temperature cheese with a very thin layer of bread crumbs on the outside. The pizza tasted worse than some frozen pizzas I've had.

The restaurant is also just horribly laid out, like you have to walk through the kitchen to get to the dining room and then you have to squeeze through a bizarrely steep and narrow staircase up to the second floor. They have no elevator and I saw several older people and families with strollers/carriers struggling to navigate the stairs. The women's bathroom in a restaurant that seats like 300 people has 3 stalls and is also located in the kitchen. Why? They have only one set of bathrooms on the first floor, so a trip to the bathroom took me all the way across the massive place, down 3 flights of stairs, through the kitchen, and then back again. My quick trip to the bathroom took so long that the person I was eating with had already ordered and received an appetizer by the time I got back. I've never in my life complained about a restaurant layout, but this one is honestly just objectively insane and I have to talk about it.

Prices were also appalling. It was over $100 for two people to have an appetizer, a pizza, and a pasta, which I wouldn't have minded if the food wasn't terrible and so clearly made of the cheapest possible ingredients. I have eaten at authentic quality Italian restaurants that make their own pasta and it's costed less. I only dealt with it because of all the rave reviews, which are just confusing to me now. Service also sucked. The guy who brought my pasta nearly tipped it into my lap and would have done so if I hadn't caught it quickly. He didn't apologize, just...

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Buca di Beppo, and I must say, the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the exceptional service provided by Rick. From the moment we walked in, Rick greeted us with a warm smile and made us feel right at home. His attention to detail and impeccable timing ensured that our dining experience was nothing short of perfect.

Rick's knowledge of the menu was impressive, and he offered great recommendations that truly enhanced our meal. He was attentive without being intrusive, always there when we needed him but never hovering. His genuine enthusiasm for his job and his commitment to providing top-notch service were evident throughout our meal.

Not only was Rick efficient and professional, but he also went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable and satisfied. He anticipated our needs before we even had to ask, and his friendly demeanor made us feel like valued guests rather than just customers.

In addition to his excellent service, Rick's positive attitude and outgoing personality added an extra layer of enjoyment to our dining experience. He engaged with us in pleasant conversation, further enhancing the welcoming atmosphere of the restaurant.

Overall, Rick's exceptional service truly made our evening memorable, and I would highly recommend Buca di Beppo to anyone looking for a fantastic dining experience. If you have the pleasure of dining there, be sure to ask for Rick – he will undoubtedly exceed your expectations and leave you with a smile on your face. Five stars all...