Buca - Toronto

This is a spot underground that has been put together really stylishly, if a little dark for my taste. No attention to detail has been spared. However, service was slow and although knowledgable lacked something to make you feel comfortable. The food menu is traditional Italian but quite narrow if pork is an issue for you. Food was fine but really nothing to write home about. The carbonara was all about the style of presentation but if you then don't leave any cutlery for me to eat with and the actual food is amongst the most bland I have ever had then the $30+ price is a joke. With so many great restaurants and Italians in the city I would not go back.

An early arrival allowed us to have a drink at out table before dinner. However, twenty minutes passed before we were asked for a drink order. My husbands beer arrived while it took another ten minutes to provide a sample of the $24, 5 ounce glass of wine on the waiters recommendation. It wasn't to my liking, so another was ordered. The wine, a white, was served not at the appropriate temperature. I told the waiter it was not cold and he told me first to touch the bottle and second asked if I want ice ! Any fine restaurant would never add ice to a premiere wine. Dinner finally arrived and we had no cutlery. We had to ask. The food was quite average and nothing like the authentic plates I have been fortunate to eat in Italy. If you charge me $27 for a flat bread size pizza it better be delicious. The meal ended with coffee which again, I had to ask for the cream and sugar. Buca is a wanna be fine restaurant. The service is nothing like the restaurant it is hoping to be. In addition, I emailed them the next day because I had a guest from out of town and was quite embarrassed. And no reply. Don't go here. It is not a class act nor is the food worth it.

Great atmosphere...had homemade pasta...appetizer was great and tiramisu was the best I ever had!! Had made reservations and we were seated right away. I liked the high ceilings and brick walls!! It is in the fashion district!! Our waitress was very nice and helped us with ordering special appetizers- fiori di zucca! It was fun and will go back!!

Reservation recommended. Took my girlfriend here for her birthday. It was $200 for 2 people:1 starter, 1 main, 1 dessert and a bottle of wine. Beautiful space with exposed brick, very noisy, but to be expected with the vaulted space, I didn't feel it took away from conversation. The seasonal duck dish was prepared to perfection. We savored every bite. Our main server was o.k, adding slightly to a pretentious atmosphere, but a highlight of the meal was when the manager gifted my girlfriend with a box of ingredients to prepare a pasta dish at home as a thank you for choosing Buca for her celebration. It was such a definite highlight and made her feel special. I won't be visiting Buca for on a regular basis, but would consider it for another special occasion.

The food was amazing. The pasta were delicious. The restaurant is very beautiful. CONS : small portions, almost like a tapas style, but it's 30$ for a plate so... Also, the service was TERRIBLE. We recieved our plates before our wine...