Part of a large chain, it may be surprising how tucked away Buca di Beppo is. This medium-sized restaurant is located on a basement level of a nondescript building. Buca is smushed between downtown Minneapolis and Loring Park, which makes it perfect for family travelers and celebrations alike.

Buca is a great place to visit with a large group, but be prepared for a wait! This family-style restaurant is always bustling with activity, and waits can be up to an hour. I made reservations for my group on a Sunday evening and still had to wait almost half an hour for our table. Since there is a full bar, the wait isn't unbearable.

The food here is good, hearty Italian dishes. Everything you expect at a traditional Italian eatery is here: pizza, garlic bread, salads, lasagna, alfredo, and every other pasta you can imagine. Buca also has fantastic desserts, from spumoni to tiramisu to cheesecake. The small portions will feed a single person, while the large portions come on huge platters and feed two to three. When Buca says "portions," they don't skimp. With ravioli, it is filled to near exploding and smothered in meat sauce. With chicken cacciatore, you get a full chicken over garlic mashed potatoes (perhaps their best dish!).

The only complaint I have about my visit is the wait staff. Our waitress was friendly but forgot things constantly. First it was our silverware, then a couple of our drinks, and then one dish came out later than the rest. Besides her forgetfulness, the trip was fantastic! You can visit the Buca di Beppo website for locations near you and menus with prices.

This place is a little more pricey because it is all family-style, though recently they released meals for two that have smaller portions. They offer very typical Italian food, but what really makes this place fun is the atmosphere. It's as kitschy as it gets! There are little alcoves with tables, so it may look large on the outside, but it is divided up, so there is some quiet and privacy. I am actually having my graduation party here. Food-wise, I like the chicken parm and calamari.

Yum yum yum.

Buca has wonderful food and gigantically huge portions at reasonable prices with great service.

You don't want to go alone, though, because when I say they have huge portions, I mean that one entree serves at least three people. And there will probably be enough leftovers that two of the three can eat lunch the next day. Not exaggerating, either.

The food is also good, which sometimes isn't the case when servings are so large.

This restaurant is always loud and crowded, and Sinatra is always playing in the background, so if you like what feels like an authentic Italian experience with delicious food, then try out Buca.