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Amazing food and ambiance, but terrible service. Came in with a friend for a late dinner at 10:15pm on a Friday night. We were told the wait would be about 20 minutes so we decided to have a drink at the bar. The bar tender immediately gave us drink menus but then did not acknowledge us again for at least 15 minutes. By this time our table was ready and we decided to order a drink there. Our waitress was very friendly and took our drink order promptly. She returned with bread and we ordered. Our food was brought out by members of the kitchen staff and we never saw our waitress again, having to ask a bus boy for a second glass of wine. No one ever came over to check on us or our food again until a different waiter came over to offer us a dessert menu. After we asked to speak with a manager he apologized profusely, saying our waitress had left in the middle of our meal but didn't offer an explanation why. He did offer us two complimentary drinks though. The food however, was out of this world. The handmade pasta is truly divine and the atmosphere is that of rustic Italia.

I attended a birthday party at Il Buco in the downstairs area last evening. They set up a beautiful long table in a cavernous wine cellar by candelight. The food was delicious, the staff attentive, and a great time for all. Recommend the risotto, it was lovely.

Il Buco has been one of our favorite restaurants, and one to which we looked forward to returning. That is, until the very unpleasant experience of last night. Our reservation was for 9:15. We were jostled around in the noisy bar area until we were seated at 9:45. We were presented with menus and offered water and given bread. Good thing, since our order was not taken and bread and water were the only things that arrived at our table for the next half hour. Request of the waiter for butter was met with a look of annoyance and disdain. Perhaps he was annoyed that I had previously asked him to find us a medium bodied red wine at a reasonable price, which he had difficulty doing. I might add that the couple who were seated next to us, a few minutes after we arrived, had finished desert, paid their bill and left, while we were still waiting for our main course to arrive. My “anatra”, by the way, was cold and since the waiter had never bothered to ask my choice of “doneness”, arrived overdone to my taste. I would have sent it back¸ but by then, it was 11:30. We shared a desert, quickly paid the bill, and left at 11:45.

Il Buco is one of those places that stays under the radar, but whenever I mention it to one of my foodie friends, they get all gushy and swoon a bit and say "I LOVE il Buco!" I am starting to figure out what they mean. The food is exceptional - great ingredients - treated with integrity. And the service is like a big warm hug from Nonna. Really warm and friendly. I see there aren't any reviews from the past 2 years here, but I can tell you my experiences in the last 6 months have been a dream!

Went here last night for a bday dinner. Made an advance reservation was seated at a cramped table right by the entrance (which is drafty). Thought some of the food was good but not great. Appetizers took a very long time to come and then my main dish was the risotto had way too much salt added. Great food should not need a ridiculous amount of salt. Others enjoyed their food, and I liked my appetizer but thought it was good not great-and pricey for what it was. Don't think I would return.

Before my table was ready I had a drink at the bar with a friend. The bartender was aloof and somewhat rude, even moving the breadsticks away from us at one point for no apparent reason. Most of the staff was friendly except when we were told to leave the table when finishing up our drinks and desserts (not cool). However, this was all worth it because the food was outstanding. The 26 Zagat rating for food was well deserved. This is what real authentic Italian should be, not spaghetti and meatballs. The asmosphere is very nice as well, rustic and cute, although the wooden benches are TERRIBLY uncomfortable, I actually have bruises on my backside from them and it hurts! Maybe some cushions would help.

We had to wait forever to get seated despite having a reservation, and then had to wait for a while to order. The service is really slow. I thought my food was too saltyand the same was true of my friends' dishes that I got to try. The space is beautiful, though.