Osteria La Buca Reviews

Triple check your bill, all steps throughout!! Manager tried to scam me by initially bringing me my bill in the amount of $126 that included tax and a weird 5% gratuity, no complaints up to now, however I then gave him my credit card and brought me back a charge for $167, for which he was expecting me to add 20% tip and sign without noticing anything. Total sleaze ball manager that got all weird when I confronted him. Food decent, but not worth it for the risk of being scammed on your bill. Its too easy for them to do so cause it’s soo dark in that restaurant. It takes the dim table candle or your phone light to systematically read anything (menu or bill). Never going back.

We thoroughly enjoyed two different dishes of homemade pasta although the Nero seemed short on seafood. We liked the homemade ricotta. We also lost our servers attention as the night went on and had to literally flag her down.

Were greeted warmly, sat right away. The wait staff was prompt, efficient and friendly. The food was delicious. My husband had chicken parm which was so tasty. Despite so many places to choose during our short stay in LA, we will go back.

Great ambiance: the simple yet elegant loft suggests an industry hangout with a warm atmospere created by candle light. I enojed a good artisan beer served in an original glass jar!!! The pizza was pretty thin, perfumed and crunchy with above average sauce. Just a question: why the use GARLIC in the tomato sauce?!?!?! In Italy we don't use it!!!) Only valet parking.

Great place to have dinner or just drinks around happy hour! Service was good and the decoration of the place is warm and cosy. Order a glass of wine to relax and try the octopus!!

Food was ok but far from 5 star. Service fine until we were overcharged. Not by much but it was the principal in why that came about. Final straw was after leaving a 10% tip a different waiter was so rude he basically said he wanted 18% or nothing - they got nothing! Surely tipping is about the quality of food and service combined. If there is a set amount expected then add it on to the bill! This unpleasantness occurred due to a different member of staff stepping in and being very rude to the detriment of the poor young woman who missed out.

Great little place to eat. Ate here twice and both were delicious. Freshly cooked bread with beautiful tomato paste and olives and the mains are amazing. Pasta was perfect and the parmigiana was one of the best Ive had. I would definately advise it. Home cooked meals at a restaurant. Enjoy

Service was prompt and the healthy menu was so good. Brussel sprout appetizer could have been an entry for me. I had the steak frites entree which was also very good. I would highly recommend, except for noise level. Not the place for an inimate, first date outing. But very good otherwise.

My wife and I like to stay at a hotel close to this restaurant when we go to Dodger games because we can take a short walk to enjoy great food and service. We discovered OLB about 3-4 years ago and have been returning every chance we get as we think the front and back of the house do a great job as does the owner! The staff always makes my wife, grandkids and myself feel welcome and the remarkably remember us (could be the Dodger gear). I really enjoy the meatballs and the short rib ravioli 😋

Went to this restaurant while vacationing in Los Angeles. Most dishes on the menu are not the standard fares offered in the majority of italian restaurants you come across but the food is very good. Italian fusion?? We were three and ordered 5 dishes to share. We enjoyed the sautéed brussels sprouts, the tomato and water melon salad and the braised short rib with sautéed aragula. The octopus dish and the angel hair pasta with crab were so so. We could not finish everything because the portions are quite generous. The decor and ambiance is pleasant, the lighting however is very dim and you cannot see what you are eating. That is too bad because that's part of your eating pleasure. The food prices are fair but wine by the glass for a Pinot noir is $13 however.

Attended a function at the Paramount lot and decided to find something to eat within walking distance of the studio. That's how I found Osteria La Buca. The place was already thronging with late afternoon diners so I had to take a seat at the bar--something I rarely do, however, I was hungry. There's a lot to recommend. The food was well prepared, with original touches. I had a chicken parmesan dish, served on grilled asparagus, accompanied by a nice draft beer. Not too bad. The service was above average, especially the bartender who looked after my needs while constantly concocting mixed drinks efficiently and cheerfully. I only have one negative comment and it's the same complaint you'll hear from me for so many eateries: Noise. I would have stayed longer and enjoyed another beer after my meal but I had to depart due to the constant cacophony. Otherwise, I'd return for another meal--maybe when business is slower.

Way down Melrose towards downtown in a fairly dumpy neighborhood is la Buca. It's a modern interior with young servers and a young Hollywood crowd. The appetizers were very good. Pizzas, tartare and more. The pasta was great as was the chicken parm. I would go back.

Wow, what a great lunch today. The pasta was great although we couldn't eat it all! Above all our server. Ashlyn was attentive and delightful without the fawning obsequiousness that has become almost de rigeuer in Los Angeles. We will be back

We were at Hollywood historic and went to the pizza sign. One of the most amazing meals I've ever had - yes it's pricey but it's worth it the flavours were beautiful and they made us up some beautiful mock tails I got chilli and lime. Highly recommend.

I had traveled from Vegas to LA and was staying at the Hollywood Historic Hotel. Their restaurant was closed so they suggested I walk down to Osteria La Buca. The service was great and for a Monday night it was quite busy. I had a pizza which I know is pretty basic but it was fantastic. A couple of beers before the meal and a couple of recommended wines to wash the pizza down. Would highly recommend.

We visited here in September 2018 on the back of a very good Trip Adviser review. It's a long haul in the UBER to get there (it must be right on the border of West Hollywood) but it was worth the trek. Informal surroundings and a great atmosphere and some good muzak makes this a very enjoyable venue. A good if not extensive menu and some fine wines and beers. The Budina dessert is so good we had two!! Server Maddy couldn't have done any more to make our evening better. Happy to recommend!

We ate at the Sherman Oaks branch of this restaurant, on Ventura Blvd, which is not listed as a separate location on this site. I must agree with a previous reviewer that the food is great -- comparable to anything in the New York/New Jersey area -- but the sheer volume of conversation and loud music is just overwhelming. Try to get a table outside on the patio -- the traffic noise is much more acceptable than the din within. As for the food, the pork meatballs are a good appetizer, and the pasta dishes are well prepared and very flavorful. I had the short rib ravioli and my wife had the Nero spaghetti with seafood. Service was prompt and cordial. This is a very popular place, and the food is great, but they really need to work on reducing the indoor noise level.

Excellent lunchtime pizza with great fresh ingredients. Nice space. Friendly staff. Well located for the studios. Quick service.

The food is very good: we tried 3 different pastas and all are excellent, pizzas are great, very tasty meatballs, octopus. Good wine list. But ambience is not, tables and chairs are not comfortable, very dark - you can't read the menu. Mediocre service.

Osteria La Buca is a very cool eatery a few doors down from my hotel. I was dining alone on a Sunday evening and had to sit at the bar as they were fully booked - a good sign I thought! The service was great - everyone was attentive. The menu was interesting and varied Italian food. As a vegetarian, there were several options for me too. I opted for the "olive" pizza and it was delicious. The lemony/ herby bread served when i sat down was a lovely touch and very tasty. This is a fab place if you're looking for good food!

Good food and nice atmosphere but partly spoilt by staff trying to present the bill and rush us out after one drink and one course. Despite this, we ordered a dessert but it didn't feel very welcoming. A shame as we had still had a much of the evening to kill. May be better for larger groups

It has been a month since we visited in Italy, and this restaurant served food close to the real thing. We were impressed with the toasted bread that was served after we arrived. The Short Rib Ravioli was fantastic, and both the Guanciale Pizza and Classic Pizza tasted like the real thing from Italy. We were very pleased with the service and the quality of food at Osteria La Buca and are looking forward to our next visit.

This is a great spot for dinner. Had a good amount of people here on a Sunday night for an early dinner, so it might be best if you make a reservation. Food and service overall was very good, but not mind-blowing good. Prices here are especially fair, especially for fresh pasta, House Made Ricotta - Must try. The sweetness of the agave an the creaminess of the ricotta on toasted bread is texture heaven. Pork Meatballs - Ours came a little dry, but overall the flavor and seasoning was good. The tomato sauce was great. Pappardelle Bolognese - Pappardelle was cooked well, but it didn't come with enough sauce. If you get halfway through it and it's dry, what's the point? For what it was worth, the sauce had great flavor. Short Rib Ravioli - Just fantastic. You only get about seven of them, but the sauce and the filling went hand-in-hand. Bigoli en Brolo - Make note that this is actually a soup, and really ramen-like. The pork broth was full of flavor, and the onions, chilis, and pancetta brought it all together. Easily the best dish on the table. House Made Sausage Pizza - Crispy, creamy and delicious. The sausage itself was average, but the garlic really came through.

I went here as a business dinner while traveling and it was the perfect choice. Although we were a party of 3 there was the option to sit at the bar for dinner which we all noted is a great option when traveling solo. The music was a bit loud but overall I couldn't recommend this restaurant enough. Possibly the best pasta I've ever had, which says something having been to Italy countless times.

fave little Italian place - best pastas

i enjoyed it. the cacio e pepe was wonderful. it was made with homemade pasta. the pizza is pretty good as well

We had dinner with my daughter and her husband before going to the Pantages Theater last Friday. I must say this place didn't disappoint! We ordered the house made ricotta to start (to DIE for!) and it was just amazing! For dinner we each tried something different-classic pizza, chicken parm, short rib ravioli & Buca farms squash fusilli. Service was excellent!

Beautiful restaurant!went in at around 8pm on a busy Friday expecting to be turned away as it was packed but were so polite had a five minute wait and were seated. Service was amazing, really friendly and helpful. The food was delicious, we ordered the carbonara and pizzas. Would definitely return here.

We got there just as it opened and by the time we finished our meal the place was packed. The music *is* loud but I'm a bit deaf and we could carry on a conversation. Besides, it's an osteria so what do you expect. I think any wine list with a Pinot Grigio is great so I was happy. The food is wonderful. The menu encourages over ordering but if we only had mains we would've missed out on the cold octopus salad. The pork chops were outstanding. The staff were terrific. A few blocks from Paramount studios, this is the other end of Melrose, which suited us in our little VRBO cottage.

Good times, good food... that is for sure here - every time! Delicious! Make sure to have a reservation, this place is tiny but really nice.

The food was great. Our Server Rosie was not pleasant at all. We had questions about the menu and her answers were not very detailed. When asked how a certain dish was prepared (Cacio è Pepe) she replied "exactly what it says". I found that rude. We asked her about several other dishes and she acted like she couldn't be bothered to describe them. It was our first time at the retardant and in LA. Quite a bad start.

I never thought that I'd be saying this, but the music was too loud. Otherwise, the atmosphere was great. The service was also very good, attentive and polite. We were all served together, despite one of our party making a late food choice after the rest of us had ordered. That, I think was very proper. The food was very fast, and interesting. I had read other recommendations for the brussels sprouts appie, and the fried octopus. The octopus was disappointing for the price, but the sprouts were to die for. We all had pastas, and none of us were unhappy with our food choices. This is a bit off the beaten path, but a good find, for sure!

my favorite italian restaurant in los angeles; hands down, bar-none. excellent. gone are the days of byob of wine, but the space has gotten a make-over / expansion. their wine card is good, but pricey. this is the best, most authentic osteria in los angeles (sorry mozza!).

Nice bar, casual atmosphere. friendly staff. reasonable prices - but really I just stayed for a glass of wine.

Awesome food and wine!!! Highly recommend Brussel sprouts, crab meat ravioli, and bake egg pizza!!!!!

Had dinner here on our way back from griffith. Was surpised by the nice modern decor. We started with the burssels sprouts and they where delicious. Would go back just to eat those again.

Stayed in a nearby hotel attending a conference. Osteria la buca seemed to be the only decent restaurant in the neighourhood and I gave it a shot. The food was very good. I ended up eating thrice in a row!

We were staying at the Hollywood Historic Hotel at Melrose Avenue, and across the street from our hotel was this little restaurant called Osteria La Buca. We passed it a couple of times, and thought we would give this little place a shot. Little did we know it would be a charming, well tasting, awesome experience. First of all - the space is gorgeous. Who'd guessed it'd have high cielings and be all pretty inside? Second, the waiter was really, really nice. He gave suggestions, own comments and served us with a smile, without being a suck up, just staying calm. Third, the food was really good. The bread was great, maybe even the highlight... Everything looked good aswell as tasted good. Fourth, if we had known about the place earlier we would have been back. It's a great date place, aswell as going out for dinner with your friends. The staff is pleasant and the food is tasty. The space is beautiful and the price isn't too high. It was way conveniant that is was just outside of our hotel, but you could still dress up a little and go out properly. We're happy!

We had no reservation but since we were past the ‘lunchtime prime time’ we walked in and were given a window table. The bar/counter was full with nearby studio personnel and the plates going by looked very interesting. We ordered crispy octopus, Farro Caesar salad and Nero Spaghetti with clams, shrimp & squid to share. The rest of the offerings included standards with a twist and All ingredients were very fresh and of high quality. We will return!

While staying close by we thought this was the easiest choice. But we were pleasantly surprised. Food was great and service as well!!!

Went here on good feed back from friends and family but was seriously "blown away" by the Amazing fresh, clean tasting food. Everything from the salads, to the sausages, pizzas and pasta's were absolutely outstanding and the service was top notch as well. I could eat here three times a week and highly recommend this place and probably one of the BEST meals I have ever eaten on either coast in any city.

I would have given this place 5 stars if it had more lighting. The food is excellent but we had to take out the flashlight on our phones to look at the menu. We saw other people using the candles to look at their menu. We sat by the window on the second floor and it was pretty dark. Every time our food came out we had to take out the flashlight so we could see what we were eating. we didn't want to bother the other customers so we couldn't keep the flashlight on. I think if they turned up the light just a bit to the point where you can read the menu, it would be a more pleasant experience. It really felt like I was eating in the dark which can be a bit frustrating..

Great food, lovely service staff and location is perfect for diners from Hollywood Historic Hotel. Pork chop is amazing - and huge! Ravioli was perfectly done. Only took. Rating star away because it took quite some time to be seated - it was a busy night though and that didn't take away from the experience as a whole

First, I think this is a great neighborhood restaurant. Destination restaurant, maybe not quite so much, but definitely a solid neighborhood restaurant. It's great for a nice night out close to home, for a friends get together, and for a date. It has slightly pricey innovative cocktails, and their standard bar offerings are good if not slightly overpriced as well ($13 gin and tonic for "level" gin?). The atmosphere is lively and modern but at the same time cozy and inviting. Normally we kinda sorta pick an app or 2, a salad, a pasta or a pizza or an entree and tend to share everything. The very first time we went here 3-4 years ago, a grilled octopus appetizer was to be found on the menu and it was amazing. Nowadays, that's a salad, and we ordered it this past Friday night, but the octopus was not good. It tasted old and fairly fishy. It was a bit of a disappointment. On the flip side, the Kamachi crudo was great. Wished the fish was larger sliced instead of chunked, but the flavors were excellent. We shared the sea bass entree this time around, and this was an excellent dish. I definitely recommend it, but be forwarned that this is not a large dish. It was, however, delicious, with a brodo sauce poured tableside around a very moist, lightly grilled sea bass with pearl onions, potatoes, and asparagus. Most people get a pasta dish for their main course, and / or share a pizza. The pastas all looked respectable enough; a couple of years back I had one with a delicious rabbit ragu and flat noodles. But I haven't had pasta out at a dinner for quite some time now so I cannot comment on how they are holding up these days. A pizza I can recommend however is the guanciale and fresno chili. The guanciale has a good flavor and the chilis add a nice little spicy kick. The pizza tries to be like a neopolitan pizza (puffy edges, soft middle), but the dough tastes more like whole wheat & is slightly grainy instead of the traditional neopolitan dough. But for a pizza in LA it's pretty good. Other items I can recommend from past visits: the brussel sprouts app, the meatballs app (I think this is my favorite item), the grilled lettuce, and if they have it, the chicken diavolo entree. This was an excellent dish. I haven't seen it for a while; it seems to have been replaced with a chicken parmesan which I have not tried. I'm not a wine snob, so i cannot comment on whether or not their wine list is good; it is not a large list, but I've always found things that I enjoyed. Once we ordered a bottle of Valpolicella that went remarkably well with our dinner. Not sure if they still offer this, but you could, during one of the weeknights, reserve the upstairs private room for a spagetti dinner for large groups. It came with bread, redsauce spagetti, meatballs, and salad and maybe table wine? It always sounded like a fun thing to do, but I haven't done it. So to sum up, I really like this place, even if we had a miss on one of our dishes the other night. It can add up quickly (1 app, 1 salad, 1 entree, 2 drinks = $90), but if you don't get the entrees, you can work a lower tab reasonably well. If you live nearby, check it out if you haven't yet done so. I much prefer the dishes here to Osteria Mama up the road.

The food was nothing special, not that great. The restaurant is very loud, and the service average. I was disappointed and probably won't go there again.

The food is good Italian with Hollywood hip. It's very noisy and crowded on the weekend, with a very eclectic, neighborhood crowd. The pastas and salads are market driven and unusually good. Many customers are obviously returning regularly.

Super italian Restaurant on Melrose Ave. Small place though better call booking a table in advance. Good quality, great service. Love this place and looking forward to come back soon.

WOW. From the cozy atmosphere and the smell of a wood-fired oven, you know you are in good hands. The menu is beautiful, the staff is kind, patient, and knowledgable on the cuisine and wine selection. Italian goodness that hits all the right spots. Even down to the cappuccino-every detail done with care and a smile. Cannot wait to go back (soon).

Been wanting to try this place as its across from the Paramount Studios lot which I'm at often these days. Met friends visiting from out of town and we all found the varied dishes very tasty and unique. Like everywhere, it's pricey but I thought the originality of their dishes at least justified it, as well as helping them stand apart from other Italian styled restaurants in the area. Good wine as well and they even let you try it before you decide. Went for lunch at 13:00 and had no problem getting a table but I think if you come earlier, you may have to wait a bit. Enjoy!

When at LAX, eat the meatballs, they are fantastic. Nice atmosphere in the Alaska Airlines terminal.

fresh homemade pasta, sauces are just ok. very cozy atmosphere but somewhat unusual location.

recently expanded and raised their prices. small mom and pop and the cheese is wonderful.

At first glance (location) you might think that this Italian restaurant is out of the way. And you're somewhat correct. But it's definitely worth the extra trek. It is refreshing to find an Italian restaurant that doesn't seem to fall into all the Hollywood hype! I really enjoyed the dishes. Yes, they were not perfect...but definitely had great taste and value. FYI - I'm only writing reviews on restaurants at feel noteworthy. So give it a try....But please don't expect the world, cause you didn't end up paying for it! Enjoy!

I went to this restaurant at the suggestion of my daughter's boyfriend's sister. I will return again. Just the night before, I had Italian food so I probably would not have choosen the venue on my own and what a mistake. I have tried many supposedly "authentic pizzas de Napoli", but this is the first time I have hit the mark. I could have closed my eyes when I bit into my first bite of my spicy Italian salami pizza and opened them to find my self back at a street cafe in Roma. It was that good. The service is great and fast.

I liked the staff and atmosphere but I think I ordered poorly. I had a Calzone which was mediocre but my wife enjoyed her salad and there food on the next tables looked delicious.

Very particular restaurant, nice and nice. The staff very nice and kind. We had dinner, we had pasta and I must say .. beyond expectations! Very good, as in Italy!! Super recommended

We were there for an early Saturday evening dinner. There was only one other table of patrons. There were 3 of us and they brought out the smallest piece of bread for the whole table it was almost laughable. When we asked for more the waiter balked. One of the people in our party was a vegetarian and was asking for adjustments to her meal to accommodate that. We were told in no uncertain terms that the chef does not allow substitutions. The food was fine, the price a little high for what we got but bottom line, not a welcoming atmosphere. With all the choices in L.A. I won't bother to go back.

We were staying in the area and arrived quite late Friday evening. We quickly checked what was nearby on trip advisor and came across this place. Firstly, the service is really very good, the staff are so attentive! The food is delicious and the atmosphere is great. Very impressed :)

We have been visiting this restaurant after our Dodger games for the last three years. We have never been disappointed with the food, staff or atmosphere they have always welcomed my wife and grandkids even in their Dodger gear! FYI the short rib ravioli is fantastic!

I ate way too much because it was all so good!! The food is really tasty and there's options you won't get anywhere else - highly recommend it. It's not the cheapest place in town - but it's Los Angeles - most places are not cheap - it's also not horribly expensive as far as that goes.

The service and pizza were good but the wine selection and the remainder of our food were just fair. It's not a bad place, and to be fair, we were upstairs which is not the ideal place in this restaurant, but LA has so many options, you can do better.

Overall I was very satisfied with Osteria La Buca because across the board it was delicious, affordable, in a great setting, and with incredible service. Our waiter gave very thorough answers to all our menu questions and offered recommendations that proved to be amazing! The restaurant itself is gorgeous and even on a Wednesday night late it was packed. They offer complimentary bread that comes out warm and is the best bread (complimentary--) that I have had in Los Angeles. Another great factor is that the portions were actually entrees. Typically at a restaurant like this in LA you would have to order 4-5 dishes for 2 people because they are so small. For a great price we had a full pizza and 2 entree pastas (with leftovers!). I highly recommend checking this place out!

Best Italian I've had outside of my family's cooking. Even the pasta is made from scratch.

Great for family reunion in Los Angeles, our service a lovely woman could not have been more efficient, almost read our minds in what we needed, while being busy in a very crowded space.

the food was great the service was courteous and attentive. Real awesome Italian cuisine. the atmosphere was just right relaxing and unique fresh bread made with. Rosemary and a course grain bread but good. pappardelle Bolognese was delicious and servings servings were plentiful.

mamma makes the best fresh pasta in LA

Would never return to this restaurant. Instead of raising prices, they list a 5% employee health fee on their receipts Instead. This says to me that they're going to make sure their customers hate their staff for...God forbid...healthcare! Because they should be hated for wanting something every other 1st world nation provides to their citizens as a benefit from taxes they pay. This BS says more about the company than citizens who don't want to have their healthcare tethered to employment! SHAME!

So, having misunderstood just where on Melrose this is, and being at the end farthest from our hotel we almost gave up ...so glad we didn't because the food was fantastic and we were so well looked after by Maddy. Apparently people don't order two budinas but we did (maybe we were tired ot by the journey!).. Lovely spot with great food and equally great music-make the trip and plan a return visit

The food is the reason to go here but the place is comfortable and there are many who sit and relax after dinner. While this place is not technically in the "Westside" area it is definitely worth the slight detour. Close to Paramount Studios, in the heart of Hollywood's studio district. It's a little lonely after office hours but once you are inside you don' t care. Everything on the menu is first rate. The steak is the best I have had and the squid ink seafood pasta is really great. I have been here half a dozen times and plan to return whenever I can.

Fabulous italian, pasta is freshly made daily. Ate here for 2 nights, and the food was amazing both nights. The service is brilliant l, really attentive staff. Would definitely recommend it.

Found this place on a whim and it ended up being one of our best meals of the trip. Not fussy (most things aren't in Cali), unassuming with great pasta, pizza and apps. GO!! It was terrific.

[This review applies to the Sherman Oaks location of Osteria La Buca at 14235 Ventura Blvd. Trip Adviser does not yet list this new location.) We thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated the outstanding food preparation of Osteria La Buca's Italian dishes, but would not subject ourselves again to the dangerous, preventable and conversation-stifling sound levels in this establishment. The stars of the show at La Buca for us were dishes like their pappardelle bolognese ($24), very traditional but superbly prepared and served... and their Nero spaghetti ($25), a sumptuous bowl of ink-black, thick pasta embellished with shellfish and a delicious, not-too-spicy sauce. And, honestly, perhaps the best chocolate mousse ($12) recipe we've ever tasted; the warm mousse is loosely surrounded in a bowl by a generous array of rich, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate lava-like chunks (better than "chocolate chips"). Our warm artichoke appetizer salad ($17) was excellent, as was our cold root vegetable salad ($16), beautifully presented with shaved carrots and parsnips and orange beets and served with a refreshing, citrus-y dressing. Our server was warm, prompt and very attentive throughout our meal, and did an excellent job of timing our food without rushing us or leaving us languishing. The restaurant accepts reservations through "Resy," which worked perfectly in our case. Regrettably, that's where the good news ends. We (and another couple at the next table) separately measured the sound levels several times during our meal, because none of us could hear our dinner partners even across our small 2-top tables. Our measurements revealed dangerous sound levels exceeding 80db and frequently peaking at 85-86db. The restaurant is completely designed with hard, reflective surfaces from ceiling to floors. But the architectural problem was exacerbated on the Thursday evening we visited by the staff choosing to blast (that's a carefully-chosen word) loud, unrelenting, pulsating music into the already unhealthy aural atmosphere. Naturally, these conscious choices by the restaurant forced diners - and servers - to raise their voices. La Buca's reservation confirmation message includes a plainly worded warning that diners should not expect to "hang out all night" to make room for other guests. They needn't worry; cranking the din (another carefully chosen word) to unhealthy levels ensures that guests depart as quickly as they can - maybe never to return.

A great place to eat italian food. Nice ambiente. The service lady Brittiany was a very lovely and gave us good recommendations from the chef. We order to start homemade ricotta and steak tartar crostini. For the mainfood nero spaghetti and bucatini alla carbonara and for the dessert budino with caramel. The food was excellent and delicious. We was really happy and we can only recommend it. Thank to the staff for the great experience. We come back soon.

We walked by this restaurant earlier and didn't realize it was a restaurant. From the outside it doesn't look like much but on the inside it's elegant dining at its finest! No need to dress up it's a casual yet elegant atmosphere. The staff is absolutely Charming as is the decor. But the food and drinks are what really shine! We had the arancini as a starter , which was delicious! My daughter had soppseta Pizza and it was very good. My husband and I had the burrata which was out of this world! While I love burrata, it was the accoutrements that really made the dish! Crunchy lemony pea that just burst in your mouth with flavor. We all had cocktails three different kinds, the Catalina, the sitting around the fire and The Werewolf Bar Mitzvah. They were all delicious. We finished the evening off with vanilla gelato on a veritable cloud of warm chocolate mousse sprinkled with cookie crumbs! Absolutely stunning!

The pastas here are famed by Mama in the back! Overall it's a bit rich for my taste, therefore I would only indulge once in a while. Getting a table use to be a drag, but it's newly expanded, so it could be easier.

We hadn't been here for awhile but stopped on a Sunday evening returning from a movie and it turned out to be wonderful. I ordered spaghetti cacio pepe and thought I was in Rome--truly sensational and just 9 bucks. By the way, you can't get pasta at Olive Garden for this price. My wife had a fuselli with lentils, oven dried cherry tomatoes and aged ricotto which was gorgeous. But an equal thrill was that on Sunday evening, all wines are half off by the bottle. We enjoyed a bottle of Brunello di Montalcino for $40 which was the best bottle of wine we've ever had at a Los Angeles restaurant. Their wine list of California and Italian varieties is stellar, including many regions of Italy not just the usual Tuscan and Piemontese. Did I mention that all their pasta is house made? Try this place, it has a great atmosphere, full bar and good service.

A girlfriend and I tried Osteria La Buca for the first time this past weekend. There is street parking but also valet for $5. We were shown to a table on the upper floor. It is an enclosed space with about 10 to 12 tables. It's cozy but the noise level is on the loud side because the area is enclosed. We started with a salad and the cauliflower appetizer. The cauliflower also came with broccoli. When it was served, I found a strand of hair fortunately before I started eating. Once I informed the wait staff, she took the plate away and replaced it. We also ordered the spaghetti neri, carbonara and tiramisu. The highlight of the night were the carbonara and tiramisu. If not for the strand of hair, this place would have been close to excellent.

Visited Osteria because of a good Yelp review and it's proximity to The Pantages Theater in Hollywood. Very good food and the service was excellent. We will definitely return soon!

We walked to this restaurant from our hotel without a booking and almost missed out. It seems to be busy every night of the week so book ahead if you're in the area. We ended up sitting at a bar which was fine. There were plenty of options and we selected a few dishes to share. The food was all fresh and tasty and judging by the crowd, that's why it's popular. From memory it was a little above average in price, but there are no complaints.

Very friendly and very knowledgeable waitress Maddie, knew every wine on the menu and directed us to the perfect bottle. We shared a pizza for our first. It was a delicious wood fire, thin crust more than enough for the two of us For the main course my husband had the short rib ravioli. This is a masterpice. Not like some ravioli with miscule shreds of meat, each of these ravioli had a tasty and generous portions of short ribs in a very delicious sauce. He did not want it to end. I chose the speghetti with peper and pecorino cheese. I had to ask if there was a misprint of the price, $9 ??? It was so good I wanted to order another plate of it. For dessert I had the salted butterscotch pudding with whipped cream and 2 spoon. That was a mistake. My husband and I were sharing. I wish I had it all to myself. The pasta was home made, the pizza was cooked in a wood fire oven. Valet parking $5. Abiance "Melrose", music didn't suit the food. It was all over the place, from country to rock. Friendly staff. Reservations recommended. .

Osteria La Buca was recommended by a friend who told us about the brussels sprouts. I always hated brussels sprouts as a kid but these were a whole different animal. (actually vegetable) - I'm not sure how they make the dish so crispy and tender at the same time but the sprouts had a sweet and nutty flavour, topped with pecorino, a lightly poached egg and anchovy vinaigrette - this dish was beautifully balanced and quite rich. I've already been back for more.

We hosted a group of 7 people at Osteria La Buca in December 2018. the manager and staff made sure our group was seated in a perfect spot upstairs. The wait staff is terrific. The food is Amazing! The bar is a great stop as well. We started with a cocktail as everyone arrived. The bartender was fun and provided bread to munch. the wine list is nice! Try a Pizza! We had a 10 year old that wasn't sure and the staff figured out a wonderful pasta solution for him! You can't go wrong with a pasta dish.

This was Saturday night and it was loud, loud, loud, which dovetailed nicely with the rows of motorcycle helmets lining one wall of this concrete and glass establishment. (The upper floor is quieter I am told). Started with meatballs and their phenomenal brussels sprouts, then on to bucatini carbonara. Our server was over the top pleasant and efficient. The wine offerings are wide ranging, both domestic and Italian options, and fairly priced (we had a Santa Ynez Gruner at $56). As an occasional visitor to this town in which I grew up, I prefer Angelini because of the dish options: La Buca is about hearty Italian cuisine and it does this sort of thing very well. Very efficient valet parking added to a fun evening here.

Nice friendly bar where drinks are served in mason jars. We had already eaten but the menu offer fresh organic ingredient entrees in decent potions. The food smelled and looked delicious. Bartenders were pleasant and service-minded. The decor is open airy and a little industrial looking. Prices were moderate.

While vacationing in LA we were caught in the Hollywood area. We searched for an Italian restaurant and came across Osteria do Buca, what luck! We walked in without a reservation and were greeted by their great staff. We were seated in less than 30 minutes, time we enjoyed at the bar enjoying cocktails. The food was awesome and the dessert was spectacular. You have to try the butterscotch budino. Prices are very reasonable.

The food here was exceptional.......a bit pricey...but well worth it...It also has a well stocked bar and friendly staff. But again, the food was out of this world....oh and the waiters were super attentive and friendly...tip big...they deserve it

This is an amazing restaurant and staff go out of their way to welcome you and make you feel at home. The food was awesome, everything very fresh and homemade. Don't miss this charming place if you are in the area.

I have to say this place is not in my favorite area in LA and the welcome from the valet parking was less than warm but once inside the welcoming feel of Italian hospitality and good food started to take over. We were shown up to our table and the waitress who served us was excellent. Good knowledge of the food, the wine list and was attentive without being overbearing. The starters arrived and were delicious only to be followed up by even more delicious mains and desserts. Great rustic food, great quality and I thought very well priced. A real taste of Italy in LA.

The pizza at this restaurant was EXCELLENT! The Osteria La Buca was convenient to our hotel and a great place to have some good Italian food. We enjoyed the food alot although the ambiance was a bit too noisy on a Saturday night for us senior travellers. We enjoyed it more on Superbowl evening as it was much quieter. The food is very good and the restaurant takes pride in their homemade items which are TASTY!

The restaurant was recommended by the receptionist of our hotel, so we decided to try it.... .... and it was great!! The food is very good (we had the pizzas) and the staff is really very friendly and attentive!!! The only taint is that the food and drinks are a little but pricy..... But all in all everything was awesome, definitely a place to have dinner!!!

Recommended last time we were here, by Michael at the Hollwood Historic Hotel, we had a great meal. Returning to LA in November - we just had to come back to the Osteria La Buca! And we weren't disappointed. Very friendly staff, pleasant decor, and wonderful food. The Lamb Rigatone - and the Lasagne - wonderful! We'll be back.... again! Dave from Oz :)

Without reservation we got a nice table upstairs next to the fire place. Very good wine and the starter steak tartar was super. Pizza light and tastefull.

So much was very good but I could not put my finger on what I did not like, which I finally found the words, the place lacks heart. I am spoiled by growing up with no money but when my parents took us to restaurants it was special from the minute you walked in the door. I got more spoiled by spending lots of time in Europe where the managers and wait persons in restaurants, especially restaurants at the caliber of Osteria La Buca, treat you like you are special. Here, the manager was too busy tasting new dishes - right in front of me with no other patrons around, the wait people being too untrained to really treat a guest in any special manner, and just overall ho-hum. Even the wine glasses in what is decently expensive wines by the glass is in glasses I expect in Applebees. I came to this restaurant several years ago, when it was a tiny place. I remember it feeling like small family restaurants in Italy. Now, i guess it is too hip for old guys like me and the emphasis is that it is great because it is in the heart of Paramount studios land. But I don't want to ding the food; it was really good and the value seemed there - price versus quality.

Been wanting to come here for several years and glad I finally did! Good atmosphere. Perfect for a lowkey dinner. They're pretty busy on a Saturday night (which is a good sign) so it took us a bit. We got some drinks up at the bar and lounged around there for a bit. Drinks were very good. Also, we tried to get a couple of bar seats when they became available and a drunken customer was very belligerent toward us because they wanted the seats (which we were happy to give up for some crazy folks). Anyways, the management stepped in and apologized to us while de-escalating the belligerent folks. I thought they did an amazingly skillful job and were overly apologetic toward a situation that was of no fault of their own. We then moved a a bit later to another high-top table area where we then decided we'd plop down for a bit and eat before our table was ready. We each got a different pizza. All were very tasty and very good- a solid 4 out of 5. We also got a brussels sprouts side that was good as well. For dessert we shared the budino. It was solid but not great. Overall, this was a great experience and I'd definitely return b/c I'd like to try some of their pastas, too!!

Great food - fresh salads, pastas, pizzas and one of the best chicken parms. Excellent staff, from the door to the bartender.

My husband rarely eats Italian so when visiting our daughter in LA she suggested one of her favorites places for a bowl of pasta. We shared the ricotta starter, which was very good, as well as the Brussels sprouts. These were the best that we've had...ever. My daughter and I shared a bowl of carbonara, as well as the pasta with lamb. The latter was very rich...and was our favorite of the two. My husband ordered the pasta with seafood and the gluten free penne was great. We shared a butterscotch desert as well as a scoop of ice cream in cold coffee. The butterscotch was good, the coffee desert fell flat. We had a good bottle of red...decent wine list. Service was just right. I liked the decor...the brick interior walls were very inviting on a rainy night.

Pizza was great, the place was clean, nicely lit and had a good ambience. Service was attentive and welcoming. I'd eat here again.

During a recent trip to LA I found this gem. The staff was great, the food was delicious, and the drinks were perfectly made. I have zero complaints about our meal and would definitely recommend it to friends.

My wife and I were staying at the Hollywood Historic Hotel on the next block during a museum hunting trip. We were looking for a decent, inexpensive hotel and ended up here. I saw the unassuming "PIZZA" sign from down the block and asked the front desk if there was decent Italian food there. He said it was great, so, that evening, off we went, expecting a decent, no-frills Italian diner considering the area and innocuous appearance from down the street. When a doorman/valet opened the door for us and we went inside, we were blown away. I suddenly felt under-dressed as I spied the candle-lit tables with white tablecloths. We were seated and were soon met by one of the best waiters I have had the pleasure of dining with - Sora (sorry if I spelled it wrong...). Sora was charming, attentive and had the poise and demeanor one would expect in a 5-star bistro. He presented our food and drinks with flourish and care and made us feel as if we were dining with a good friend. All of these things would bring me back even if the food was just mediocre, but, on the contrary, the food was phenomenal. The hand made pasta and bold, robust flavors of the sauces were unbelievable. We had a a salad made from arugula and fresh Parmesan cheese slices. The arugula was so zesty, it tasted as if they had pulled it from the ground back in the kitchen. The Parmesan was rich and dry - perfection! My wife had a pizza and I had the Tagliatelle Bolognese (a pork and beef sauce tossed with handmade pasta). The pizza was very large considering the price and quality, as we had assumed it would be a small personal pie. I don't know how they had it cooked by master cooking monks in Italy and flown to our table in 20 minutes, but they seem to have pulled it off. That was fine, as it was great back in the hotel room later the next morning! The Tagliatelle was so good, I wanted to bronze it. If frozen lasagna and chain-Italian restaurants are what you crave, you may or may not like this place. But if you like rustic and authentic Italian cuisine and enjoy being surprised with every bite, you just cannot miss this place. I would drive 30-45 minutes from a different part of town to eat here... but I would call ahead and make sure our good friend Sora was working first!!!

The food tasted nothing. The prices were expensive, small portions. The waiter was nice, but that was it. The beer tasted baad. I'd rather pay NOT to eat there.

This was a short walk from our hotel, walked in and were so accommodating without a booking, needed to be out by a certain time but that was absolutely fine. Short rib pasta was delicious, and the sausage white pizza was amazing! Felt like I was in Italy, not the USA! Only here for 4 nights, want to return every night!

OVERRATED BY FAR! Actually this place is not only TERRIBLY NOISY but you can FEEL the vibrations of the music and chatter through your body. That is not a way to enjoy a meal! There's an upstairs and I foolishly thought it would be better there - nope! It's worse! This dumpy place tries too hard to be sheik with "raw", exposed decor but the sound bounces off everything and it looks unclean and needs a face lift and lots of help with acoustics! They are also way, way over priced and have an inflated idea of how much pasta should be! I mean after all it's flour, water and eggs! They also feel that their bread must be made out of gold as we had to ask twice for it and when "it" came, they serve a minuscule amount for a table of 6. It was 4 small 2-bite pieces, placed in a piece of paper on the table - no bread plates (guess they knew they wouldn't be serving more) and you really need it if you go their hungry as they make you wait and wait and wait for your food! Also should you make an attempt to get more bread, forget it. Two servers completely ignored the request. Ok, now we finally got our wine, and tried to carry on a conversation. Nope...no-can-do!!! You can't even speak with the person sitting next to you! You can't hear them, they cant hear you and totally forget about talking with the person across the table from you. Its so ridiculous that two of us tried asking someone to turn down the music so that we could talk and a manager came over and said "I understand the music is too loud for you." We agreed. Then he replied in a loud voice "That's the way we like it. That's the way it stays. Sorry if you don't like it." and he walked away. Wow...sweet! Boy do they have a heavy handed attitude. Guess their business got too big to be humble and appreciate customers, but heck, we will never be back and I'm sure many others experience the same. Honestly this place is such a disaster that it makes me wonder how many friends and family they put-up to writing comments for them! Italian food restaurants are a dime a dozen. Half the reason to enjoy a dinner out is to have a relaxing time and good conversation - neither of which is possible here. They rush you too which is very interesting. I read that on Yelp and then experienced it. If you are running late - even 10 minutes because of traffic, even call them and let them know, they informed us that they take that time off your allotted time at their table and they make no bones about getting you out! GEEZ!!! The food is "ok" - not amazing if you are familiar with Italian recipes you can find much better- plus its impossible to digest from all the chaos there. Believe me, you will be doing yourself a favor by finding another Italian place because this lousy place is not a pleasant dining experience. There are so many other places - save your evening and yourself from indigestion. Go somewhere else! One person was sick after dinner -- don't know if it was the food or the chaos in there -- but what if it was the food...just saying! We all ordered different things....

Our steady place to go. The food is always consistent and good with fresh from garden vegetables and the best fish , meat, fish ,pasta and delicious pizza. The hostess and waiters always remembers us each time we come in. Great value and ambience fun place to go and brunch also.

This is a good spot for a casual but interesting meal. Service is good, but the food, particularly the Italian pastas are excellent. Many of the pastas are house made. The appetizers and desserts are tasty too.

We had just arrived late last night after a 6 hour flight delay, we checked into our hotel and asked the guy at the desk if he could recommend any where to eat as we hadn't had much he says this place as its a 2 minute walk away. Upon entering you could see that it was going to be a good place to eat tables all full and people waiting for tables, we got seated and server was really quick to get our food and drinks order's. The food was 10 out of 10 we both had pizzas and they were absolutely beautiful. Would definitely be back here and would recommend this place to everyone. Keep it up.

Great staff, great design, great location and great food. We loved this spot and went there based on a recommendation from friends in NYC. The food is very interesting and loaded with so much flavor interesting. A must do.

My nephew recommended this restaurant when we visited several days ago. I was so impressed with every detail. Our bread and cheese appetizer was delightful. The salad was so creative and delicious, very fresh organic ingredients. There were many drinks to choose from so every person could find something suited for them. The highlight was our main dish, so many great flavors with homemade pasta! We each had something different and couldn’t have been happier. Our waitress and the manager were both nicely involved in our dining experience in this quaint, fun environment. Finally our dessert was decadent. We truly had an experience that rivaled those we had in Italy when we visited. Thanks for authentic recipes and fresh ingredients. We only wish we lived closer and could experience this food again! Thanks for a great dining experience and stellar menu.

such a great place. food was amazing and the staff accommodated our elderly guest who could not walk upstairs (seated us on main level). Food was outstanding. Bread is melt in your mouth good. every vegetable item was top notch. Dessert spectacular.

Osteria was recommended to us by the concierge at our hotel. It was delicious farm to table Italian food. I read a review about the short rib ravioli and had that my wife had the Bolognese. We were so happy with both of these dishes as well as the janelle number five cocktails. We both highly recommend this as a really great experience for a nice Italian meal. Fresh ingredients, great service

We walked past by chance while waiting to check in at the hotel. Friendly staff and one of the best pizzas we've ever had. If you're in LA, definitely stop by here.

Everything was simply delicious. Portions are the perfect size. Price is typical for house made Italian from scratch in LA. I'm a vegetarian and found the Spaghetti Cacio Pepe completely satisfying. My friends raved about the short rib ravioli and the meat balls. I recommend this restaurant for a travelers or for locals looking for a treat.

Searching for "Osteria", you will find many incredible restaurants with exceptional chefs and staffs who who know how to provide a superior dining experience. THIS IS NOT ONE OF THEM. Do not stop at Osteria La Buca... just keep driving. I came to this restaurant with high hopes, based on previous tripadvisor ratings and nearly walked out without ordering. I think it comes down to service... a gift that excellent restaurants know how to provide. OLB is like the Hollywood producer who keeps looking over your shoulder to see if someone famous has entered the room. OLB will take your money, (the prices are unreasonably high for the type of comfort food served) but they hesitate to offer you a seat at a table, just in case someone better shows up. Really? No wonder those tables stayed empty. I am actually hoping that this restaurant closes.

Met a friend for dinner and this simple neighborhood spot had a great wine menu,superb bar service and great comfort food. Domestic sangiovese,brussel sprouts to share and ink squid pasta with seafood filled me up. I only wish they'd email me back and give me the sprouts recipe.

Good Italian food and service, bit noisy ground floor - post industrial decor with a well stocked bar Food is very good, although the size of the ravioli serving was miserably small. Wine list was a bit limited but waiter had good recommendations. Food offering is varied all the way from pizzas to good fresh hand made pastas. Do drop in if in the area

The food is good enough, but not nearly good enough to withstand the awful service. We sat at the bar to have drinks while waiting for our table. I requested an Old Fashioned, and saw that the bartender did not muddle the drink. I asked him to muddle mine, he sneered and said that a) there was nothing to muddle, his way is the "right" way and b) he does not have a muddler. So I tried his version, just to give him the benefit of the doubt. I also saw him muddling a drink for another customer, so I asked for a muddled Old Fashioned. I got one, amidst the withering looks from both the bartender AND the wait staff. I also found out that I was charged twice later. I asked for the second Old Fashioned to be removed, and our waiter said the bartender, who also happens to be the manager, had specifically to put it there (to spite me, clearly). Wow. How petty, rude and disrespectful of the customer. I've been to Michelin starred places and always received great service, and this ain't no Michelin starred anything.

We are always a bit sceptical about Italian restaurants outside of Italy, however, this place did not disappoint! It was modern, relaxed, up market but not in anyway stuff, with fresh, simple Italian/Sicilian food... The staff were friendly and efficient.. we will definitely be back next time we visit CA! Thank you! :-) p.s My Husband is Sicilian and you impressed him, which is saying something! ;-)

Excellent menu choices gave each of our group something perfect and we enjoyed the evening. Our server was thoughtful and attentive, the food came out efficiently and was delicious. We all agreed that a return visit was in order and several of the dishes we had would be on the repeat list. Celebrated a birthday, and even though the restaurant filled up on Saturday night, we were not made to feel rushed.

We visited this restaurant after spending a busy day in Hollywood. We were able to call ahead and reserve a table right before we got there. The staff on the phone was very friendly while taking our reservations. Once seated we were brought home made bread which was very tasty and warm. The waitress was very knowledgeable about the wines that made the ordering very easy. We began our dinner with the home made ricotta and farm greens. The ricotta was served with a sweet centre preserve and a generous portion of bread. I've never tasted ricotta that was so creamy and delicious. The farm greens were served with no other vegetables and a lemon based dressing. For the main course we ordered the pappardelle pasta with meat sauce which was very tasty. We had the broccolini vegetables as an accompaniment which was so well cooked and seasoned. The meal was completed by their salted caramel desert which was delicious. Service is very good. Ambience was great in the upstairs dining room. Highly recommended.

Menu has a variety of good selections. Individual salads were pricey. I ordered a green salad for $11. Entrees were reasonable. My bolognese was $19 and very good. Gelato dessert was okay. A shared salad, shared dessert, 2 entrees and 2 glasses of wine came to $99, without tip. Very noisy and tables uncomfortably close together. First sat upstairs but it was cool and drafty with the roof window open. They happily accommodated my request to move downstairs where the temperature was more comfortable.

I was staying in the Historic Hollywood Hotel and needed a place to eat with visiting guests. This was a nice, relatively trendy eatery. The artisan bread was delicious and the pasta was also very nice. All our party enjoyed their meal and the waitstaff were also friendly and attentive. I recommend this place if you're staying at the HHH and want somewhere nice to eat out.

I don't even know where to begin about La Buca. This is literally the only place in LA that my Italian friend will eat Italian food, that's how authentic it is. If you've ever been to Italy, this restaurant will make you feel like you've returned to that amazing country. Mamma's food is absolutely fantastic. Everyone I've taken here says it lives up to my hype. I LOVE the arrabiatta sauce, but unfortunately they didn't have it on the menu the last couple of times I went. Thankfully, Mamma made it special for me though because I begged the waiter. Their gnocchi pesto melts in your mouth. I've been told the pizza is very good as well. Even their dipping sauce is more flavorful than most sauces around town. Talking about the food makes me need to go there now, lol. I'm telling you, this place is NOT to be missed. The only downside is that it's in an annoying location - on Melrose just west of Wilton.

Our favorite restaurant in LA! Superb service from a crew that seems to love their guests. Great basic Italian food.

This is a nice place in a area that is pretty bleak for food. If you're staying at the Historic Hollywood Hotel, then this is a great place to eat as it is across the road. I had the bolognese and the chocolate cake for dessert - both were delicious! I particularly enjoyed the complementary bread. It was reasonably priced for the quality of the food, but it wasn't 'cheap'.

The food was wonderful and deserves a 5. We had the branzino - perfect and mezzaluna - sublime. The crispy octopus was great - in a light batter - and came with cold fennel and a few hot peppers. I had the sausage pizza which came with a sweet garlic/onion confit. The crust was perfect and the base very thin. The only problem we had was the noise - loud music - which made it very difficult to converse at the table. Also it was so dark that we couldn't read the menu. Others didnt seem too disturbed by the noise however.

Was staying next door at the Hollywood historic and they recommended this place. What a GREAT choice. They make he pasta in the back. I had the short beef tortellini and it was delicious. I would love to go back and eat there again. The prices were reasonable as well. Service at the bar was good too.

Delicious food. Great atmosphere! Friendly staff!! The ravioli was amazing as were the other pasta dishes we had. And our desserts were more than amazing!

Excellent on all fronts. Warm ambiance, impeccable but friendly service, perfectly Al dente pasta, flavorful sauces, amazing Brussels sprouts starter, carbonara, short rib ravioli & bucatini Bolognese all outstanding. You will be too full for dessert, but the chocolate mousse is to die for. Well priced and far-reaching wine list, but don’t order a non-Italian wine!

Super good food and extremely friendly staff! I ordered the gnocchi and it was excellent and great and the food came out super hot! Also walking distance from paramount

Staff are super friendly and attentive but the food is average at best. I had a pizza but it tasted like I was eating a basil bush (even after I had picked all of the leaves off). My boyfriend had the lamb pasta dish and it was edible but just a bit bland, didn’t really taste like much, just a plate of stodgy grey looking food. The decor is trendy and modern and it’s got a nice atmosphere, the food is just a bit of a let down.

First of all LA within a mile of this location has plenty of choices for dinning. This was a last minute choice for us as our daughter hadn't made reservation down the street and the place was packed. So they gave us the "pasta room" which is an upstairs room with a prep table for rolling out pasta. It has a bluetooth device and a window that looks out over the restaurant. Perfect for our group. Our server was like talking to the chef herself. He could explain every detail of preparation. We had a vegan and everything we ordered had the option of meeting the Vegan requirements for her. The wine list was of course Italian heavy but my wife, who's family are Calibrese wanted to try a wine from this not know for wine region. Our server obliged with an outstanding pinot like offering which was repeated 3 times over the course of our stay! Service was brisk and each item was shared around the table. Fish was the only flesh that we ordered and was a special I believe. The menu changes by availability of local produce. The fish was a black cod and was amazing. The Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, all of the starters that didn't include meat, the pasta especially the Ravioli and finally the desert chocolate lava cake were all memorable and in flavor and presentation. This is a very relaxed and cool place without pretension that delivers execelent and surprising offerings for modest to moderate prices. This was a really great night for all in the Pasta room and I hope your experience there is as great as ours!

Elevated Italian fare in a lively room. Upstairs is a little more quiet, but I prefer to eat at the bar. The pastas are handmade and filling. They often have inspired specials. Floor to ceiling windows and brick walls give this place a nice feel. It's one of our go to spots for reasonable, albeit a little higher end, Italian.

From the moment you enter the door the pretty, friendly and gracious host seats you. The food is delish and the ambiance perfect. It was a great evening all around catching up with my friends and God Daughter. A neighborhood gem. I had not been here for a few years and it is was better than ever. We look forward to going back. Maybe a neighborhood hang out.. So many possibilities. I highly recommend this establishment. The food was so good and it not expensive. Very reasonable prices. D e l I s h !

Was referred by a merchant in Hollywood. Very dark, loud, and not at all private. Other people practically on top of us. Music so loud and so dark could not see menus or what we were eating. Not my first choice but was running late to where we had planned.

Dined here while visiting L.A. over Thanksgiving weekend. Seating on the second level allows for more diners than would first appear possible. Near Paramount Studios. Food all freshly prepared and excellent. Wide assortment of entrees. Particularly enjoyed short rib ravioli and bucatini carbonara. Average pricing for similar restaurants, I would think. Would certainly recommend. http://www.osterialabuca.com/

My wife and I recently had dinner at Osteria La Buca on Melrose near Van Ness. We live nearby in Hancock Park so this is a spot we go to with some frequency for dinners, and I often meet business colleagues there for lunch. I don't know how they do it, but in the face of lots of competition for kitchen and serving resources, not to mention customers for Italian food in the area, the food and service have kept improving over the last several years. What was once a good, but not exceptional local Italian has now become what I think of as one of the best in a crowded field of Italian restaurants on or near Melrose, and clearly best in class in the vicinity east (or west) of Highland (the Mozza complex is, after all, in a class all its own and exceptional for any geography). Although we have surveyed the menu--which changes frequently--we were at the restaurant for a quick, light meal. In our case that included the lettuce salad from the restaurant's own farm, which is, I believe on the west side of Los Angeles. Also a faro salad made more interesting by the inclusion of avocado, mint and fennel. As always the dressings are the key to great salad, and the restaurant didn't disappoint. My wife had spaghetti cacio pepe which was good but lacked the kick we expected for this dish done well. But the guanciale pizza I ordered for the first time blew me away. The combination of cured pork cheek ("guancia" in Italian) bacon, castelvetrano olives and chilis over Mozzarella and tomatoes was exquisite. Without descending into the madness of "best pizza" I would simply say the crust is above average and the pizza choices are far more interesting than most. I would go back for this pizza. We didn't get anywhere near the meat, fish and vegetables on this the simple but carefully chosen menu, but our experience from past dinners has rarely disappointed. Our dinner was enhanced was enhanced by attentive, friendly but not cloying service, and a warm, almost rustic and decidedly not fancy, atmosphere. There is an upstairs and community tables near the entrance, but I prefer the action in the main room downstairs. There is also a full bar, a very thoughtful and fairly priced wine list with broad spectrum of excellent wines that will surprise you at well under $100. As an example, the restaurant offers three aglianicos--likely a record for a smallish neighborhood place. In short this is great straightforward, but subtly interesting Italian food, well sourced and well served in a simple comfortable setting. It definitely stands out from the herd and will keep you interested on return visits.

Ate dinner at this popular Italian restaurant in December 2014. Restaurant was very busy. Valet car parking was available but self-parked on a side street for free. Main course portion sizes were very, very small. Even the bread given to the table was tiny. Ended up ordering app's after the main course as were still hungry. C'mon La Bucca, give your custiomers a bit more food for their money. I feel like Oliver .... please sir may I have some more!

A friend and I went for dinner to catch up. We say upstairs and loved the open roof. Our pasta was delicious, but the tiramisu was incredible! It is a huge piece, easily split with two people. Make sure to save room for dessert!

Visited twice during our three day stay in LA. Italian cuisine done right with excellent ingredients. Nice selection of wines and beers. Seems to get a bit loud later in the evening. Friendly and well informed service staff. Highly recommended!

We had dinner here on Saturday night before our concert at the Wiltern Theater. We picked this restaurant based on the Trip Advisor reviews and they were right! We had fabulous Cesar salads and short rib entrees. One of us had the best chicken Parmesan she had had in years. Service was excellent. The only negative was the cocktails were very very strong, and they are skimpy with the bread...not that I should eat that much bread in any case. Should we find ourselves back in this part of town we will return. Great Italian food.

not worth the wait, the food is not extravagant

The food and service here were great. I had the gnocchi dish, and the gnocchi themselves were perfect. Light and fluffy, but still substantial. The sauce was flavorful and rich, but didn't over power the gnocchi themselves. The only warning I would give is: this place does lunch like dinner. Don't expect something cheap. But also don't expect skimpy portions, or worse service at lunch than you would get at dinner. The food portion was a normal, dinner sized portion, and the service was wonderful. Prompt, friendly, and hit every point of service that someone trained in fine dining would expect, without seeming stuffy. The manager even got up from a meeting near the door to open the door for me on the way out. Atmosphere is also classy without coming across as snobby or stuffy. Lots of natural light, high ceilings, light woods, and metal. Definitely will be back, although probably for dinner.

On a strange part of Melrose Avenue is the wonderful osteria. Had a great meal there of Spaghetti Nero and a grilled romaine salad. Both different and delicious. Nero was a mixture of seafood in a thick tomato sauce over black pasta. The salad was close to a wedge, but with a whole romaine bunch cut in half. Bacon bits and a creamy dressing made this salad really interesting as well as very tasty. Will be back for sure even though there is only valet paring thats a bit pricey.

This restaurant was recomended by a friend that lives in LA. Glad we went, as it was one of the better dinners we had on this trip to Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. It is a smallish restaurant, although plenty of room because of the seating upstairs. The upstairs was cozy, with a delightful fireplace making it feel very intimate. Beautiful bar to enjoy for a drink while you wait for a table, with some well made and different craft cocktails. The food was a surprise, with an interesting take on modern italian food. The meatball appetizer was a great starter, but the brussels sprout appetizer may have been the star of the night. The pork chop was large enough to share, and the pasta bolognese was delicious as well.

Teeny tiny portions of pretty good food. Pizza needed a little more cheese. The one size is enough for only one person. Broccoli Too lemony.

Such an amazing vibe! This place is not only great for catching up with friends and family but is a super romantic setting for date night. The staff are funny, friendly and provide a fantastic service! The food really is unreal, I never thought I’d fall in love with Brussel Sprouts the way I did! The Burata is creamy, fresh and addictive. For the Veggies and non Veggies our there you MUST try the Cacio Pepe- even if you’re full you will DEFINITELY find a way to finish the plate. For all the meat eaters the bolognese is divine! The pasta and meat are extremely fresh and the tomato sauce has just the right amount of tang. Favourite restaurant in LA- a MUST try 💞

My friend brought me here for my birthday dinner. It was absolutely amazing. I would definitely visit this place for my next trip to LA.

My sister in law that lives in LA recommended this place. Excellent! We started with the Crispy Brussels sprouts. Awesome with a poached egg on top. I had the rigatoni, my wife had the ravioli and my sister in law had the dunderri ricci. I tasted all of them and they were all the best (the rigatoni was really the best). The pasta was cooked to perfection. The meat was tender and spiced perfectly too. They also had a great wine list from which to choose from. We had dessert and it was great also. The only downer was that it was pouring outside water started dripping on the table next to us and I got a little bit of water on me. Still, the best Italian meal I've ever had, and that includes my trip to Florence.

Very good restaurant! Service is great 🤌🏻 Italian authentic 🇮🇹! Are in our 4 days stay in LA equal 2 times in this restaurant dinner and were both thrilled times!!

I recently had a business meeting and was looking for a spot nearby for lunch. Osteria La Buca was suggested by multiple people so we had to give it a try. The restaurant is a few blocks down from the front entrance of Paramount. It’s not fancy but instead has a fun almost hip vibe. The music was cool and not some nostalgic Italian classsics. We really loved the feel. Service was excellent and fit the vibe. We started with the chopped salad and it was delicious. Kale, other greens, olives, cucumber and more and we both just loved it. For pasta we tried the bolognese with parpardelle and it was really yummy and hearty. We also tried the short rib ravioli and it too was delicious but a lighter dish than the other. Our waitress was great about telling us which dishes were heavy/light so do ask depending on how big you want to go for lunch. We ended with a very nice cappuccino and were on our way. We did take up the suggestion to give this place a try and we were so glad we did! Double Yum!!!!

Visited on two occasions this week whilst staying in LA. The food was the best I have ever tasted. Good vibes, good decor, good service and staff. Well done everyone.

Popped into Osteria as we were really craving some pasta. Didn’t manage to make a booking thus were seated right at the door against the mirrors (not too bad considering we didn’t have to wait). Started with the burrata which was just amazing, we made sure to scoop up all remnants of the sauce that came along with it too. Next up were the carbonara & short rib ravioli, taste wise they were decent but horribly small portions considering the price. At this point i was actually searching for nearby places for more food. Ended off with a tiramisu which was good but nothing to shout about. Left promptly after eating with the place buzzing loudly & lines already formed.

We had a great dinner. Service was on point and the food was tasty. I wanted to write the review for awhile to say I had the best dessert I ever had there. Funny thing is, I don’t remember the name of it. It was out of this world!

The three of us recently had dinner there on a Friday night. The place has a nice casual atmosphere, with both an upstairs and a downstairs seating area. Both are nice, but we prefer downstairs. We have been here a number of times, and the service has always been very friendly and efficient. The food is good but not exceptional. I had the bucatini carbonara, which was a bit on the bland side. I prefer the versions I have had at Osteria Mamma just down the street, as well as Locanda Veneta (on 3rd Street near Cedars-Sinai) and Loconda del Lago in Santa Monica. Another member of the party had the rigatoni, was was quite flavorful, but also quite salty. If you decide to go, I strongly recommend that you go after 6:30 p.m. We arrived when the restaurant opened at 6:00 p.m. (and when we had our reservation). However, the valet didn't show up until around 6:20 p.m. Since there is no street parking in front of the restaurant until after 7:00 p.m., and the surrounding neighborhood has a high demand for parking spaces, this was an annoying problem, and certainly was not a good start to what we hoped would be a relaxing Friday night dinner. All things considered, we'll stick with one of the places mentioned above.

This place gets busy!!! We had walked past a few times and decided to stop in one evening! It was really busy but they found us a table for 2. The food was great although a little pricey and the inside of the restaurant was lovely. Our only complaint was that the music was way too loud, so we couldn't really have a conversation, we couldn't even hear end waitress and she couldn't hear us. Also it's so dark in there I had to us my phone light to read the menu and I wasn't the only one.

Our last night in LA, I made 7:30 Monday night Resy dinner reservations for a party of 3. Good choice! Atmosphere, service and food were all excellent. If you are in a time bind, they offer valet parking. We were lucky to get a spot one street back in a residential neighborhood. When we arrived, we were greeted and seated in an upstairs room, cozy with a fireplace. As the night went on if you are seated upstairs, the ceiling shade opens and you can see the sky/stars. The down stairs had a very cozy earthy vibe. We all ordered their Craft Cocktails while looking over the menu. Food ordered that we all shared was the Steak Tartare, Pork Meatballs, Grilled Prawns, Pork Chop and Bucatini Carbonara. All the dished were presented nicely, hot, fresh and tasting delicious. I can't say I had a favorite dish because I loved them all. I would definitely recommend!

A pretty hip place but located waaaayyyy down Melrose Avenue, east of the studio lots. Large open floor format downstairs and a smaller, intimate setting upstairs. Unless you want to be completely away from the action, you DO NOT WANT TO BE UPSTAIRS so make sure you request downstairs seating when you book. We didn't and paid the price. Many people were marched upstairs and declined to sit up there and marched back down, preferring to wait for a table downstairs. There is a large fireplace upstairs; totally unneeded in LA and it was blasting as though you were sitting in the snow in the mountains. They turned it down for us which made it much more bearable. In my view, a fireplace in an LA restaurant..you are trying too hard... The food is pretty good. The bread is amazing. The ricotta spread is to die for as are the meatballs. I would pass on the octopus-it fell way short and would have been a better fit on a Caribbean menu if you get my drift. The pastas were excellent - in particular the Bolognese. The Caccio y Pepe was good, not great. I have never seen it done as well as in Italy. You need a parmigiana cheese bowl to really execute it first class. The pizza was eh. Great flavour and good size but was too much parmigiana cheese. The wine list is unimpressive and pretty shallow. Again, trying too hard to be "cool/hip". Italian wine should be from Italy, not Silverlake... So there you have it. Not a must go place but not horrible either. By the way, the service is excellent so no issues there.

This is a very nice italian restaurant. It don't look like much from the outside, but inside it was very nice.

Simple Italian food in a modern relaxed setting. The cocktails were finally crafted and the food was simple and well made. Nice place for night out or just a good dinner.

On a Wednesday evening, 6PM, with reservations made, we arrived for our first visit to Osteria. Recommended by friends who frequented often, we looked forward to our experience. Our server was very helpful with her suggestions. We opted for the pappardelle Bolognese ($19) & it was reported to be very good. The chicken parm ($21) with the side of spaghetti ($5). The chicken parm was huge & was served with broccolini. It was delicious but it was so big that nothing else was needed. I would have been grateful to have been told this up front so that I could have skipped the side of spaghetti. One reason - it wasn't needed. Second reason - it wasn't good. I had asked if I could have angel hair instead of spaghetti but was told no. The pasta was thick & doughy so I left most all of it. The short rib ravioli was TINY - perhaps only 3 pieces, for $19, there should have been more than that. Tiramisu $10. We asked for a corner table because we were meeting someone for the first time & wanted to be able to talk. Our server was honest enough to say that their place was loud, which I had read in reviews & thus my reason for asking for a corner table, which we were given. Sure enough by 6:30 & until we left about 8, it was so loud you could not hear the person across the table at all. So, if you like a quiet place or a place you can carry on a conversation, this is not the place for you. If you want a loud experience, go. If you are lucky, park on the street, otherwise valet parking is available for a fee.

Loved this little place on Melrose. I went with a European friend who was also pleasantly pleased. We both had pasta which was delicious and so were the salads and appetizers. We didn't have room for desert but next time we are going to try and have that too. I will go back soon!

We were in town visiting family who suggested diner at Buca as they live in the neighborhood and rave about the place. The homemade pasta was very good. Everyone in our party ordered different pasta entree along with a salad and they all loved their selections. Service is great with fair prices. Enjoy!

5 for decor

I'm Italian and picky, and this place passed with flying colors. The beautifully textured homemade pasta was cooked to perfection and the Bolognese was rich and flavorful. The service was low key and attentive. The star was the ricotta....divine!!! I'll definitely be back. (It's dark in the restaurant, hence why most of the pictures look dismal)

I used to love this place - not anymore. I've been a long time patron here as I do find the food here exceptional. Brussels sprouts - amazing. Carbonara - breathtaking. All the servers - lovely. The new General Manager - Miguel - rude. Consistently. Ever since he was a server. I have marveled over the years as to why he would be placed to interface with the public as his people skills are sorely lacking. This most recent visit was the worst. Upon walking in the door for our reservation we were greeted by him in a huff. Not even a hello, not a greeting, not a 'nice to see you again' - but him sternly muttering something about our needing to eat quickly and leave in 1.5 hours. I looked at him and the hostess quizzically, trying to make sense of his words as I was confused by this sort of welcome. Again, him insisting we will be required to leave after an hour and half - completely out of context as this was his way of welcoming us to dinner. After an awkward pause and many blank stares from all in my party, the hostess jumped in and tried to apologize for his behavior. Then the other girl at the hostess stand also tried to apologize. The girl that led us to our table apologized. Then our server apologized. Mind you - this happens often with Miguel. I also asked the hostess and she too said it's common feedback. When I asked her why he was so rude - she said he must get flustered easily as it's common feedback from customers and they regularly need to clean up for his rudeness. I've experienced this personally from him often so I know it to be true. So tell me - why is he GM? The past three visits have required that somebody apologize for his poor behavior - except himself? I do hope Steven or the other owner sees this as unfortunately, third time is the charm. As much as I love the food - this used to be my favorite restaurant in LA - I cannot imagine returning as I do not care to be treated like a nuisance. This is becoming part of the reputation and far too consistent. Oh - and when we were leaving I went to the restroom and my husband, trying to make light since it was such an awkward welcoming - joked with Miguel and asked if we got a discount since we left under 1.5 hrs. At this point, I walked up from behind Miguel and overheard him telling my husband that I was interrupting him earlier which is why he was rude! I could not believe my ears since I barely even said one word! It unfortunately overshadows the delicious food, how talented the chefs are and the formerly flawless legacy. Such a pity. Let me know when new management steps in as I would love to return.

Came here on a Friday night after a very long week and so happy I did. We live in the neighborhood and this is now our official spot. We didn't have reservations so had to sit at the bar, which will be our seat of choice in the future, especially if Wes the affable bartender is there. Menu is small but well thought out - something for everyone. I went for Trout with green beans and almonds and it was perfect. Luckily I enticed my husband to have the short rib ravioli so I could steal a bite. More meat than pasta which was also perfect. Rather than the usual salad (and they had some good looking ones) we went for the vegetable dishes they had as a side: mine was roasted carrots with salsa verde and he had the green beans with goat cheese, tomatoes and mint (it was like they designed that dish for him). We were also impressed with the wine list: a lagrein, aliglianico, and arneis by the glass - nice. Not your usual crappy supermarket brands. We were very impressed. I skipped the wine for a nice hot tea with scotch - which was just what the doctor ordered this Friday night. But next Friday....we'll see. The couple next to us were drinking a nice rose. And it may be my turn to get the short ribs, or the amazing looking pizza with taleggio cheese. I am intrigued and can't wait to go back. And it is walking distance to my house. Score one for living in Hollywood.