Disclaimer: This restaurant serves Pepsi products!
Whenever I walk past the Christmas-light draped Venus di Milo statue that adorns the front walk of the Buca di Beppo in Mayfield, a small part of my sensibilities dies. I mean, seriously, it's like a bad frat party exploded near Venice. Lamp shade hats and togas do not seem far off. Then, I think about the wonderful food that awaits me inside, and I don't care anymore. I mean, that statue was created hundreds of years ago, right? Not like the sculptor is alive to care!
Each time you eat in this restaurant, you will find yourself immersed in smells, sights, and tastes that are wonderful. The waiters are ALWAYS funny and energetic, and the food is to die for. If you are willing to sit around a table and pull food from a communal plate to gnaw on, this is the experience for you.
Also, let me point out that if you think Olive Garden is the epitome of Italian restaurants, this place will blow your senses away. Olive Garden is now the McDonald's of Italian cuisine.
When you are greeted at the door, the maitre d' will ask if you have ever been there before. If not, you will be given the grand tour through the maze of rooms that makes up the deceptively small building. Pictures on every square inch of wall, tacky statuettes and peeing fountains will greet your steps, as will the amazing smells of the kitchen when you walk past the chefs whirring around in a strange, tantalizing dance of cuisine.
Eventually, you will be led to your destination: one of the many themed rooms. Most are named for something famous related to Italy, such as the Frank Sinatra room, which is of course, decorated in all things Frankie. There is the Pope Table, which can seat up to 16 and requires a reservation, and has a lovely bust of John Paul in the middle. And many more, which I cannot remember.
The menus are on the wall. Every room has a large display of all the standard fixin's: pasta a la carte, salads, breads, etc. What may catch you is the pricing: $12.95 for spaghetti? Well, that is the catch to Buca: you want to come with 4 hungry friends. Who are willing to split the bill.
The pricing represents either enough food to feed 2 or 4, and two columns are listed. You order your food as follows: meat (entree), pasta, salad, dessert, etc. Each component is separate. For instance, the last time we went, we ordered penne, chicken cacciatore (which wasn't on the menu but the chef made it anyway), the meat platter, spaghetti and a meatball (the size of a baseball), beverages, and another meat plate. The meats came on a bed of mashed potatoes or veggies. However, each plate was a separate bill. And each plate came with enough food to feed at least 3 people, if not more.
Of course, quantity for the price is fine, but how does it taste? Divine. This is Italian food made from scratch. It is delicious, wonderful, yummy, delicioso! You will find yourself gorged and still wanting more. However, no matter how faithfully we try, we always end up walking out with take out containers.
If you want to drink alcohol, however, I would recommend staying away. The pricing for booze here is a bit high. You get a lot of food for the money, but it appears they make up for the generous amounts through the pricing on the booze.
If you like family style eating, good food, and a fun atmosphere (the chefs will parade your food around their rooms, showing it to the other diners to encourage them to buy that too), then this is the place. It will sink you back more than say, Red Lobster, but as long as you remember to bring another couple and split the tab, it is not too painful. And there will always be leftovers.
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