Buona Sera

Good food and great location for a sunny day, but like other reviewers' experiences, the service was surly and we had extras added onto our bill that we didn't order. It took two rounds of sending the bill back before we got the correct bill. Worth it for the food but keep an eye on the bill!
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 5
Tuesday, October 14, 2008

The food is nice, but the service is really really really terrible. My boyfriend and I went for lunch on Saturday. Service was slow from the start but after ordering and eating our starters we then waited 40 minutes before asking where our main course had got to. We were informed by a surly, un-apologetic waiter that our waitress had not ordered it yet! 15 minutes later (after a lot of deliberation over whether we should just get up and leave) it arrived. We weren't offered a free drink to compensate for our 55 minute wait.

We were pretty early and the restaurant was almost empty when we arrived so I dread to think what it would have been like by peak-time.

This used to be a favourite place when I was younger, but I wouldn't go back again now.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Monday, September 08, 2008

The food's lovely at this restaurant but I've stopped going as I was sick of the service and constantly having 'extras' I hadn't ordered pushed on me. Every time I have been I have had to send away unordered bottles of mineral water at least twice as different waiters tried to bring them, and once it came up on the bill even though we'd sent it away twice! And it wasn't just a mistake, I saw it happening to other tables too. And getting anything off the bill is an ordeal, as the manager is suspicious yet completely apathetic.
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Liz
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 3
Thursday, August 28, 2008

We go here every week, so we are biased. It's great. Simple, but great.

It is not expensive - for price comparison think Pizza Express, but that is where the comparison ends. The service at Buona Sera is excellent and the food can be outstanding. It is the nearest that the UK does to a local family eatery.
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Tony Parkes
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 10
Monday, August 04, 2008

I took my brother and his girlfriend here for an inpromtu lunch on Bank Holiday Monday, expecting a fairly standard meal after reading some of these reviews. On first glance the food looks a bit boring, but what it lacked in visual appeal, it more than made up for with taste. We were so impressed we all ordered pudding and these were also homemade and impressive.

The atmosphere's just right for a lazy lunch time over a bottle of wine, but I admit I'd avoid the place if it's too busy as the staff do have a tendency to be a bit off - bit not so much that it spoilt the meal.

Not necessarily one for a date or a saturday night out, but definitely a perfect lunch spot before/after a stroll around Clapham.
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Emma25
Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 7
Tuesday, May 06, 2008

Apart from the novelty of the seating arrangements this place really has nothing going for it. The food was average (although ok for the price), but the service was surly, rushed and generally poor. When we dared to mention this to the manager at the end of the night (even after paying the included service charge) we were treated with further contempt. Not a place to go if you want a pleasant dining experience where you feel valued as a customer.
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Schalk
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 4
Monday, April 28, 2008

A good, local restaurant. Yes, it's noisy but that's because it is hugely popular and twenty somethings are loud. Most dishes fine, occasionally outstanding. Managers and staff are lovely as are the owners, who keep a close eye on everything.
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mary holden
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 9
Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Terrible!

Service was slow (we didn't pay the service charge), and food was pretty bad. The place is really loud as well. Really don't recommend this place for a good night.
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Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 1 | Atmosphere 0 | Value for money 1
Thursday, August 30, 2007

If the words Fun, Innovative and Original tickle you fancy, then Buona Sera should definitely be of interest! With a combination of 10 foot high wooden bunk style tables and spirited waitresses that swing up to take your order, Buona Sera is anything but boring! However, with risk of sounding cliché one should never judge a book by its cover! Unfortunately, the food lacks the fun and energy that one expects! The Gnocchi was little better then a pre made supermarket dish! And there were debates to whether or not the pasta was properly cooked! And all this came to over £80 for 4 people. However, despite these fundamental flaws Buona Sera at the Jam still bears a great novelty charm! And for those looking for just a fun night out and who want to leave behind the conventions of a 'normal' restaurant, Buona Sera is a great a place to start!
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Nicholas
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 9 | Value for money 5
Thursday, August 09, 2007

I went mid-week with my boyfriend. I have been a few times before and always had a pleasant, if not amazing, meal. However this time the food was pretty bad. I had one of the specials - pasta with prawns, courgettes and oyster mushrooms. When it arrived the first aroma from the dish was not good, not tempting at all - in fact unpleasent. The taste was the same - and I did not finish the dish - the dish appeared to be a random collection of ingrediants that didn't really go together - maybe whatever the kitchen had leftover and needed to use up? My boyfriend had a beef stew/ casserole type dish, which he didn't finish - which is very unlike him. It felt like the restaurant knows it can get the Northcote masses in to eat - whatever quality it serves up - so it is not taking much pride in what it serves. dsisapointing - I won't return.
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Mini
Overall rating
Food 3 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 3
Wednesday, August 01, 2007