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Buona Sera, Champlin, MN

Buona Sera

4.6 (2344)
$30 and under
Italian
11949 West River Road, Champlin, MN 55316

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today

About this restaurant

  • Neighborhood gem
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
Buona Sera is a cozy neighborhood restaurant and wine bar featuring the wonderful and authentic Italian recipes of renowned chef, Raffaele Virgillo. When you walk in the door you're treated like family. Enjoy good food, good wine, good company and of course, a Good Night.

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner: Tuesday - Sunday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm; Closed Monday
  • Phone number
    (763) 421-1814
  • Website
    http://www.buonaserawinebar.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Executive chef
    Raffaele Virgillo
  • Location
    11949 West River Road, Champlin, MN 55316
  • Neighborhood
    Champlin
  • Cross street
    Douglas Drive
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Additional
    Banquet, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining

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Menu

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What 2,344 people are saying

Buona Sera reviews from people who’ve dined at this restaurant. Based on recent rating.

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.8Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Minneapolis - St. Paul

    Italian

  • Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs

    Best Overall

  • Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs

    Best Food

  • Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs

    Best Service

  • Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs

    Best Ambiance

  • Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs

    Best Value

  • Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs

    Neighborhood gem

  • Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs

    Good for special occasions

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Buona Sera offers a cozy, "homey atmosphere" with consistently "delicious food" and attentive service. While some aspects, like noise levels or decor, may vary, patrons appreciate the "authentic Italian" cuisine, including standout dishes like the "Penne Arribiatta" and specials. The owner's presence adds a personal touch, making it a "gem" worth visiting.
2,344 Reviews

  1. Patti

    San Francisco Bay Area7 reviews

    4.0

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    The restaurant is in a very unassuming building. Don’t be surprised if you drive by it several times without seeing it. I drove by it 3 times before I realized it was there. The walkway into the place (porch) had a strange smell, and a scented candle or something was working to try to mask it. Once inside, thankfully, there wasn’t a problem with any smell. The decor/ambience reminded me of the places you find up in and around lake country. It felt very old school. Kind of cozy. We were in the back room which I think was the best spot to be. The service was prompt and efficient but the server spoke in a very unusual cadence (??), which was a bit awkward. And how she handled the processing of the bill at the end was a bit off-putting. Our table ordered the rissoto & the Scampi all Calabrese. Both dishes were excellent. Dinner salads were also good. Right on point. The bread at table seemed a bit dry, but we gobbled it up nonetheless. We had one strawberry swirl cheesecake to split for dessert. It, too, was delicious. We each had one mini split of prosecco to drink. Our bill + tip (20%) came to $170. If I lived in the area, I would stop in for another try, but I’m not sure I’ll make the drive again. (30 minutes). 🤷‍♀️

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  2. Tonia

    Minneapolis - St. Paul3 reviews

    2.0

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 1
    I was really looking forward to celebrating a birthday at Bueno Será. Although the food was okay it wasn’t spectacular. The issue we had was with the noise level- it was SO loud that it was hard to hear people at my own table. It really made it hard to enjoy the evening and we couldn’t wait to get out. That was really unfortunate though because it should have been a fun night. The lasagna noodles were overcooked and mushy, but the salmon and NY strip were both good. Alfredo was good too. They had some sort of oven issue so one plate came out later than the rest- they did comp us a dessert for that problem.

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  3. jeanine

    Minneapolis - St. Paul4 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 19, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are repeat customers and come back for the delicious food and small, homey atmosphere. The service is always good.

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  4. Tim

    Minneapolis - St. Paul2 reviews

    2.0

    Dined on July 19, 2025

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 2
    Use to love going here but their food quality has dropped. The shrimp was over cooked and the pasta was chewy. There is no longer any flavor to the food. They make you feel rushed to get you out and turn the tables. We went last year and thought maybe it was an off day so we went back and now have decided after this experience we would not be going back.

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  5. Kathy

    New York City4 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on July 15, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    The bartender/hostess (she was doing both) ignored us for 5 minutes upon our arrival she was making drinks but could have said (pleasantly) hi I’ll be right with you. Instead she acted like we were a bother finally took us to our table in a huff and left without a word. Maybe she shouldn’t do both or act like she likes her job! BTW our server was great!

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  6. Jessica

    Caribbean1 review

    5.0

    Dined on July 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Love this restaurant - it’s locally owned and the staff is amazing. Owner is there often, talking to guests and sharing stories. I has spaghetti and meatballs, amazing homemade marinara!!

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  7. Emily

    Minneapolis - St. Paul8 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on July 12, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    We had a "date night" at Buona Sera. It was my 2nd time there because we are new to the area and people on social media said it was amazing. The first time I was there the experience was so-so but I thought we'd try it again. Any place can have an "off" night. I was pleased with how easy it was to make a reservation and get a table. The first table we were seated at was super small for 2 people and right in front of a return air vent (loud and windy). We were able to move to a larger table without any issues. The server was super. She was very nice and attentive. We ordered the calamari appetizer and it came out quickly and hot. The breading fell off the calamari once it was put into a dip and it was very rubbery. But, typically calamari is only as good as the sauces it is dipped in and both sauces were very tasty. We each had a salad. My husband had a cesar and he said it was very good. I had the side salad and it was less than meh. It was mainly iceberg lettuce with one slice of roma tomato, one slice of cucumber, one very small piece of green pepper and stale croutons. I had ranch dressing which was really bad (from a bottle, not homemade) and way too much. We each ordered based on recommendations from our server. The pastas were really delicious and both came out hot. My husband had the ravioli and added a sausage; I had the shrimp in lemon cream over spaghetti. There were no leftovers - very delicious. The decor is cheesy and super outdated, the staff is very friendly and helpful. We're still sort new to the area so maybe based on what is offered in the Maple Grove/Champlin area this is a home run but compared to places downtown Mpls. or in South Mpls. it was fine.

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  8. Jennifer

    Minneapolis - St. Paul8 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 12, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Everything was fantastic! From the moment we walked in the door we were greeted with friendly smiles and welcomes. Our server was very knowledgeable and made great suggestions. The food was phenomenal—order the mushroom appetizer, it’s delish! Can’t wait to come back!

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  9. Russ

    Southwest Florida15 reviews

    5.0

    Dined on July 9, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Staff was welcoming and food was delicious. Prices are very reasonable for dinners. Wine prices are a little high for a glass. Definitely will go back

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  10. Ben

    Minneapolis - St. Paul29 reviews

    3.0

    Dined on July 9, 2025

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our service was amazing, and the food was fine, just not what I was expecting. I ordered the gorgonzola steak medallions, and I was expecting to get 3 small thick cut medallions with the gorgonzola cheese on top with the sauce it comes with on the bottom....I got three thin pieces of meat covered in mushrooms, didn't see any cheese. The meat was fine and tender, just wasn't worth the value. The apps and pasta we got were all great. I think just stick the the pasta dishes and your be good to go

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FAQs

Buona Sera is rated 4.6 stars by 2344 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

  1. Home
  2. United States
  3. Minneapolis - St. Paul
  4. Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs
  5. Champlin

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 14 times today
Google Map for Buona Sera

11949 West River Road, Champlin, MN 55316

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Douglas Drive
  • Neighborhood
    Champlin
  • Hours of operation
    Dinner: Tuesday - Sunday: 5:00pm - 9:00pm; Closed Monday
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Private Lot
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive chef
    Raffaele Virgillo
  • Additional
    Banquet, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining

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