Barbusa

Reviews

• Erik M.

  star star star star star 11 June 2026

  We arrived at Bar Busa with no reservations on a Friday night but luckily, we got a table at the bar. Thank God we did because we met the most amazing bartenders. Eric, Wendy and Nika who all made us feel welcome, comfortable, and laugh all night!
  
  Nika served us the drinks and also, greeted us very professionally. Eric hooked us up with yellowtail sashimi and octopus with pesto sauce yummmm! And the pizza was highly recommended by Wendy, the amazing and funny bartender and she said exactly what it would do to us...  I can't describe the epicness that our mouth tasted.. it was like "what kind of sorcery is this?" Carbonara Pizza... amazeballs x 3000!
  
  Overall, the experience was awesome and my girl and I haven't had a date night in a while so they made our night even more special.
  
  Thank you for the great evening! We will be back with the family!

• Alicia L.

  star star star_border star_border star_border 7 June 2026

  I had been wanting to check out Barbusa for some time after walking past it several times and noticing that it was always bustling with people and energy.  I have tried barbusa twice and both times I wasn't a huge fan of the food.  The first time we got the fiori di zucca, carbonar con piselli, and the funghi e tartufo. We both thought that the food was pretty bland.  I decided to give it a second try for my birthday and got the bone marrow cavataelli which I don't see on the menu anymore but I thought the pasta again was really tasteless and the bone marrow was overcooked, extremely salty, and had a coagulated consistency and was so bad that I was unable to finish it.  
  
  It's obviously a popular place and has great décor but I feel like they need to establish a better waiting area.  We had a party of 8 for my birthday and were on time but they took 30 minutes to seat us and we literally had no where to stand since the bar was packed and there was no space between the bar and dining area so we were awkwardly dispersed between dining tables and kept on getting bumped into by guests and waiters.  
  
  The service my first visit was fantastic but my second visit for my birthday was definitely subpar. He seemed really uninterested and unenthusiastic and it took forever to flag him down for extra silverware and more drinks.  My mom also had to remind him that it was my birthday at the end of the meal because we thought that he had completely forgot.  Overall, I did not have a good experience and I would not recommend it for a big party or for a celebration.

• Hannah H.

  star star star star star_border 25 May 2026

  Vibrant atmosphere and great food in Little Italy! Made a reservation for 7pm on a Wednesday and I'm sure glad we did; it was completely packed! We were seated within 15 minutes of arriving, even with a reservation.
  
  PARKING: In the heart of Little Italy, parking is a nightmare. I would suggest uber, but it appears there is also valet available.
  
  SERVICE: Honestly the service here was outstanding. The tables for 2 are kind of small, but the bussers were always clearing plates with perfect timing. Our waitress was super friendly and did not make us feel rushed at all.
  
  ATMOSPHERE: The environment here was very lively, but also cozy and elegant. It was very loud, so not ideal for talking with your party. I would describe the dress code as casual/nice; men were wearing jeans and button downs and women were wearing jeans and a nice top or casual dress. I did not see any kids
  
  FOOD: The food here was great! As with most Italian, our pasta dishes were incredibly rich. I got the Ravioli di Zucca, which was good but a little too sweet for me. My partner got the Gnocchi which was great! Their wine by the glass list has a little bit of everything, and they have some interesting cocktails on the menu. The standout dish of the night was the Burrata. The soft cheese, bright, juicy tomatoes, and bursts of balsamic vinegar made this appetizer unforgettable. Would highly recommend!
  
  I was looking for the perfect place to celebrate a special occasion, and Barbusa definitely lived up to my expectations. Check it out if you are in Little Italy, but don't forget to make a reservation!

• Agnes H.

  star star star star star_border 19 May 2026

  TLDR: more like a 3.5 star. I especially love the Polpo Fra Diavolo, but the other 2 dishes we ordered were not extraordinary. The service was alright, nothing outstanding or to complain about.
  
  We ordered the Polpo Fra Diavolo, Burrata, and Grancio.
  
  For the burrata: it was alright. It wasn't the best. I was hoping that the cream inside the burrata would ooze out, but it was your typical slightly soft-centered burrata. I am a sucker for burrata so I would probably still order it again. The tomato was very fresh!
  
  Polpo Fra Diavolo: I love bucatini. I am a lover of thick noodles; I love that thick noodles pick up just enough sauce so the sauce-to-pasta ratio is balanced. I am also a huge fan of texture, so thick noodle is totally my jam. This pasta has a nice balance of sauce, protein, veggies, and pasta, nothing overpowers the others. It was a very well balanced dish - I was very glad with my choice.
  
  Grancio: I did not like it but my friend loved it. I did not like it because 1) it was spaghettini 2) it had too much sauce. I do not like thin pastas because they tend to go soggy very easily (the heat of the pasta continues to cook the pasta even after it's been plated, I honestly don't think spaghettini should be used other than in cold pasta dishes). The sauce was nothing extraordinary, but crab sauce. This dish had no texture whatsoever, it was not for me.
  
  The Polpo Fra Diavolo was so amazing that I could overlook everything else and keep coming back for more if I lived in San Diego, but since I don't, I would like to try out other places next time. It did not make it to my "must repeat" list.

• Pierre-Gabriel M.

  star star star star star 15 May 2026

  Love at first sight with this restaurant in Little Italy. You really feel like you are in Italy. The food looks, tastes, smells amazing. You just wish you could try everything. We had an amazing time there. The cocktails are original and really good. The service is kind and professional. I would totally recommend this place and would definitely come back. Only one negative point: the restaurant was really noisy on a Saturday night.