Buca di Beppo/Chain restaurant review

[Aces McGee]

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Hooters: Personally I really like their food. Great wings

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Am I the only one who doesn't like Hooters' wings? They make me sick to my stomach. I generally like breaded and fried items, but one thing I'd prefer unbreaded are my chicken wings.

As for the other stuff, I'm sure this will earn me flames (although maybe minimal, since this is the Lounge), but I hate eating at Hooters. Everything is set up so you basically have no choice but to stare at the waitress' chest. I'm not saying I never sneak a glance on the sly in the course of my day to day life, but I'm uncomfortable with her being so upfront about it. I usually like to look the waitress in the eye and use their name when I speak to them, but I always look straight ahead at the person sitting across from me when I'm at Hooters.

-McGee

[Reef]

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Maybe I run well, but I've always liked this place, and I've been pretty pleased with the food I get there. World's finest Italian it is not, but I've never left dissatisfied.

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[bernie]

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I would love to find someone out there who would discuss Maggiano's with me. Now there's a good Italian restaurant! Anyone else tried it?

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I tried the one up in Washington(by bell-square).

Eh... It's ok. Nothing really special, imo. A bit overpriced, iirc.

b

[JJNJustin]

I tried Maggianos for the first time tonight. Despite my expectations of it being pricey, it really wasnt bad at all. My mom and I split Chicken Farfalle, and we still had some left over. Then we had a chocolate profiterole. The bill came to $18.00 and we were stuffed. The food was very good, my only complaint was that the parmigian cheese was that powdered gunk I hate that. I wish somone came around with the grinder and real parmigian-reggiano. However, the service was excellent, the decor very nice, and free valet parking (P.F. Changs is $5.00). I will be going back to Maggianos very often to try other dishes.

It beat the tar out of Buca di Beppo (I am convinced this means Pile of Poop in Italian)

-J

[Hey_Porter]

Love me the PF Chang's. Lettuce wraps, mmmm. Everyone knocks Olive Garden, and I would never call it an exceptional eatery, but I like it for lunch, as I like their soup, and the bread steaks are beyond tasty. I guess it's all relative.

[bernie]

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Everyone knocks Olive Garden, and I would never call it an exceptional eatery, but I like it for lunch, as I like their soup, and the bread steaks are beyond tasty.

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So far they have the best Pasta Fagioli(soup) I've tasted anywhere.

b

[Skoob]

I'm somewhat surprised to see so many knocks on Buca. I wonder if it's a franchise thing.

The original Buca (in Minneapolis) and the second (in St. Paul) were family owned and for a very long time there was only these two.

They are tremendously popular in the metro. I live within a few blocks of the St. Paul Buca and there are always folks lined up outside to eat there.

I and my friends have eaten there often. Back in the day, they didn't have anything on the menu for one or two people. It was only the family style dishes.

And then recently they went public and started selling franchises yada yada...

Either us folks in MN have no idea what good Italian food is supposed to taste like, or the franchises out there around the country are just bad.

I laugh when I see people rating Olive Garden above Buca, but maybe that's because the original, family owned Buca spots are much better than the franchise locations?

Anyone who has eaten at either of the original Buca resturants care to chime in here?

[bonds]

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Anyone who has eaten at either of the original Buca resturants care to chime in here?

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I've eaten at both, although I haven't been to either (or the cities) in years. My recollection is that they were always packed and that the food was pretty good. I've never been to one of the franchised versions, though, so I have no way to compare.

On another subject, here are my rankings of chains for breakfast:

A: Cracker Barrel. Hands down winner, it's not close.

A-/B+: Bob Evans. Always been good, great biscuits and gravy.

B: Perkins. Always servicable. Good pancakes.
B/B-: Denny's. Small ding for mediocre sausage.
B-/C+: Big Boy. Okay, just not quite as good as the others.

I'm more critical of Denny's/Perkins/Big Boy after having a run of good meals at Cracker Barrel/Bob Evans/ local places - you really notice the quality difference. Less critical when it's bar time and breakfast sounds good. 2 eggs up extra bacon plz.

[Acein8ter]

It's OK, nothing to crave for. If your in your 20's and out with a bunch of friends it's OK.

[Stellastarr]

Cheesecake Factory is the best chain, hands down.