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Buona Forchetta, San Diego, CA

Buona Forchetta

4.7
4.7
616 Reviews
$30 and under
Italian
Top Tags:
Buona Forchetta started in 2011 as a craving of Matteo’s to bring some of his native Italy to our adopted home of South Park. We found the perfect corner and built the perfect oven. Since then, we’ve strived to deliver an exceptional and authentic Italian experience to our customers keeping our focus on the simple recipes that Matteo grew up on. We owe a huge “grazie” to our neighbors who have joined us on this awesome journey, and we hope that you will continue to be part of our story.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 72 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Lunch/Dinner Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (619) 381-4844
  • Website
    https://buonaforchettasd.com/buona-forchetta-south-park/
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Location
    3001 Beech St, San Diego, CA 92102
  • Neighborhood
    South Park
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Beer, Dog Friendly, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

What 616 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

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

4.7
4.7 based on recent ratings
  • 4.7Food
  • 4.6Service
  • 4.5Ambience
  • 4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

616 Reviews

  1. Brian

    San Diego

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    overall3food5service1ambience3
    Good food, but put dairy in my vegan girlfriend's dish. Great if you're not vegan, maybe be careful if you are.

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  2. MarkC

    Los Angeles

    5 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    5 reviews

    Dined 2 days ago

    overall5food4service5ambience5
    Great service and tasty food for our group of 8. We were in the unconnected dining room and it was really nice - not too loud, spacious. We’ve enjoyed our experiences at both north county locations as well as liberty station. South Park kept it going

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  3. mereditha

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 7 days ago

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    I took my bf there for his birthday. It was his first time and he loved it. Buona Forchetta is one of my favorite little hideaways. It has amazing food. I have never been disappointed. My daughter and I take each other there for our birthdays every year. Really a special place, especially for an intimate meal. It’s very busy but they take reservations now which was a nice addition. Love this place.

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  4. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 20, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was wonderful and the service was excellent.

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  5. ricdine007

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 18, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great Italian food! in a best ambient, great casual family & friends dinning,

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  6. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 13, 2023

    overall3food4service5ambience2
    We tried this new (to us) place tonight, and really wanted to love it. But even for an early 5:30’reservation, the place was packed and the noise was unbearable in both the inside and outside dining rooms. The waiter was friendly and service was attentive, but between the noise and the rushed service, hardly a relaxing dinner. The burrata caprese was excellent, with creamy cheese and tasty tomatoes, but within 3 minutes both large pasta bowls were set down on the tiny 2-top so the meal was crowded, rushed, and NOISY! Both pasta dishes were excellent (lasagna bolognese and bucatini carbonara), and generous portions. The house wine was fine, and we opted to get cheesecake for takeout, which looked great with berries, but was pretty dry and grainy (not creamy at all). We’d love to try again including their pizza, as we now live nearby, but this will definitely be a take-out option only!

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  7. SeanD

    Phoenix

    8 reviews

    5.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great service, fast food delivery. Excellent options, too.

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  8. Evan

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Best gluten free pizza crust and gf focaccia ever. Probably best gf Italian place in the state. The broccolini side was also incredibly well seasoned!!!

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  9. OpenTable Diner

    Omaha

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We never miss an opportunity when we’re in San Diego to get here. You can’t get any better food short of being in Italy. We love this place.

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Our favorite San Diego restaurant!! All the food is amazing and the service is always friendly and attentive. The beet & lentil salad with goat cheese was heavenly. The gnocchi never disappoint. Excellent wine selection and reasonable prices.

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  11. OpenTable Diner

    Washington DC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was the closest thing I’ve had to good Italian food since I lived in Italy! Great experience:)

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  12. Johann

    San Diego

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 9, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Service was great and the food excellent! We will be back

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  13. OpenTable Diner

    Chicago

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 8, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great vibe, excellent service, tasty food! Will absolutely come back again!

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  14. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Had a delicious dinner with family. We all ordered something and it’s enough for everyone to pass around and try. Our waiter was excellent! Attentive- able give recommendations- the service is quick you are not waiting for your food! And it comes out HOT and FRESH!!! Dessert!!! We basically had one of everything and it was worth it! I love this place! Good service delicious food! And even some pasta to go! It was $300 with food/drinks/dessert for 6ppl - and it was all worth it!!!

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  15. TTaylor

    Richmond

    13 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    13 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Delicious food and amazing service! Great place to celebrate our anniversary.

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  16. BrianR

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 5, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Amazing food as always. We’ve been to 3 of the other locations and this one was new to us. Came straight from sea world with family from out of town and was excited to share this local SD gem. Amazing food , gracious authentic service. Crowded bustling restaurant , worthy of the wait and line at the door. Keep it up !

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  17. Alphacat

    San Diego

    36 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    36 reviews

    Dined on October 31, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Nice, traditional Italian food in a pleasing outdoor setting. Good house white and red wines. Terrific pizza crust. Not super enthusiastic about the beet salad, but it was ok. We come here often. Great art on the bathroom walls!

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  18. DreaD

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 25, 2023

    overall4food4service4ambience4
    Foods very tasty and flavorful. Service was good. Parking can be a little difficult. Nice location. Will definitely be going back.

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  19. Wyatt

    Los Angeles

    2 reviews

    1.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 23, 2023

    overall1food4service1ambience1
    We had had this same birthday dinner at Buona Forchetta in 2019 and had a wonderful experience. The restaurant has slid downhill substantially since then. The staff ranged from indifferent to downright rude. We were put at a table in the street (though I had specifically requested inside) with commercial airliners noisily flying very close overhead every three to five minutes. Less than 5 minutes after our appetizers were served the main courses were served. Aside from the fact that there was no room for all the dishes on the tiny table (and I nearly knocked my dinner off the table twice) it meant we had to gulp down the appetisers so dinner didn't get cold. The food was OK, but not as good as in 2019 (my husband is Italian and it was his birthday so excellent food was expected). In 2019 the desert was served with a sparkler in it and the server sang "happy birthday". This time, though I had specifically requested some sort of birthday recognition in the reservation, not only was there none but also the server, clearly in a hurry, practically threw the deserts at us. We won't be coming back.

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  20. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 23, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Love it here everytime :D service is exceptional everyone knows the menu inside and out and it isn’t hard when everything is delicious everytime we come here

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  21. Elizabeth

    San Francisco

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Incredible food. Lots of gluten free options which was a plus for me. Super fun neighborhood vibe and crowd, busy but in a good lively way. We had an excellent time

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  22. MartiM

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    It’s always a pleasure to dine at Buona Forchetta. Their wood fired pizza is my favorite in San Diego. I’m so glad they take reservations now!

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  23. jmwilson

    San Diego

    10 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on October 21, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Absolutely phenomenal & delicious every time. If you enjoy Italian food, this is your place.

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  24. ShukuratS

    San Diego

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 17, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    One of the best Italian restaurants I’ve been to in San Diego. Everything just tasted so fresh and delicious. I will definitely be coming back!

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  25. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 17, 2023

    overall3food5service2ambience5
    Food and ambiance were good , service wasn’t very friendly or helpful. Our server didn’t introduce himself but the name on the check read “Pool Party P.” He didnt provide any sharing utensils or stop to check in on us at all very much, aside from taking our order in an annoyed manner. Our busser however, was outstanding and brought us everything we needed. Ended up taking our secondary orders and boxing up our food. I wish I caught his name, I wish the tip went to the busser instead of our absent server.

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  26. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 16, 2023

    overall4food5service4ambience2
    Very good food in general. One of us found the bucatini undercooked, way denser than al dente. Also, the bolognase sauce wasn’t delicious and complex as in the past (when we’ve placed an order to take home an extra portion.) The Sottoterra salad was not available. That was our main reason for for choosing this restaurant where I always order the Sottoterra salad. That said, the beet salad was very good. We should have taken the outdoor table offered, though even outside, the noise level is very high. It was so high inside that we ordered our desserts to go and enjoyed them at home.

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  27. CarlosG

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 15, 2023

    overall3food4service2ambience2
    Maybe y'all are coasting on your list success, but with all those irons you have in the fire you should know your gotta be in top of your business, or maybe it's because y'all are so busy you're neglecting what made for your initial success. Our waiter was terrible in every sense of the word. Luckily, it was a nice day and we sat outside right in front of the hostess stand; the food was very good, as usual. Besides the mediocrity of the wait staff, my trip to the restroom noted serious lack of attention to the cleanliness, maintenance, upkeep: dust, clutter and just lack of attention to detail. Oh, and what's up with the price of those meatballs? They're ok, but outrageous price!

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  28. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 15, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The calamari is outstanding and the pizza is consistently delicious!

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  29. KevinH

    San Diego

    8 reviews

    3.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on October 10, 2023

    overall3food3service5ambience5
    The pasta carbonara was very salty. The rest if the food was good.

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  30. allieoop

    Portland

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 10, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    My salad with a side of salmon was very good. Patio was crowded when we first arrived, so noise of many conversations was a little high, but it was nice and quiet when the crowd thinned out. Excellent choices for our vegan friend.

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  31. GregC

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    4.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on October 7, 2023

    overall4food5service2ambience3
    The food was absolutely amazing. Everything was fresh, cooked perfectly and delicious. Service was lackluster except for the back-waiter who seemed to care more than the server. Server seemed checked out and just wanted to be an order taker. When asking for recommendations, he simply said what he liked and no more or less. His favorites also seemed to oddly be the more expensive items we were trying to choose between. We sat down at 9:30 and ordered 3 items. We had hoped to course it out in 2 (salad then entrees). However we got the entrees within 3 min of the salad. If our server had been doing his job he should have recommended we just choose two entrees as coursing at 9:30 wasnt possible. But again, it seemed he just wanted to boost his check average. Overall, we’ll be back because the food was amazing. But we wont expect much from service

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  32. JohnB

    San Diego

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on October 7, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience4
    Food was great, service was good. Was very loud in the inside of the restaurant with the kitchen and large AC unit. We were sat right in front of the industrial air conditioner so it was a little bit cold but other than that everything was great.

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  33. HeatherB

    San Diego

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on October 4, 2023

    overall5food5service4ambience5
    Food was very fresh and delicious as always. Gnocchi with pesto was tasty & my husband enjoyed his pasta with the bueno forchetta sauce. My son ordered lasagna, but liked our pastas better- and said next time he will order that instead.

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  34. Suavemex

    San Diego

    11 reviews

    5.0

    11 reviews

    Dined on October 3, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    Great place to eat I would differently continue going to this restaurant and tell people about them. All the food tasted fresh and at a good price.

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  35. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 2, 2023

    overall4food4service5ambience5
    Fantastic, speedy service. Welcoming environment, great food, fair prices

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  36. DamianoI

    Sacramento

    8 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    8 reviews

    Dined on September 29, 2023

    overall4food5service5ambience4
    Pizza was very flavorful, pasta specials was excellent. The service was fantastic.

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  37. OpenTable Diner

    San Diego

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on September 29, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    The food was excellent & so was the service! Really loved the vibe here and how attentive the servers and staff were. The food is so delicious we tried a few of the pastas, some pizza and Chianti reserve wine. We had two toddlers in our group and multiple adults and it was a great experience for us all. Would recommend 10/10

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  38. FoodLover

    San Diego

    52 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    52 reviews

    Dined on September 28, 2023

    overall2food2service1ambience3
    Appetizers (eggplant tortino and calamari) were okay. Pizza entree was soggy and tasteless. Fettucine cacio e pepe was okay but after a few minutes was a gloppy mess. Chocolate mousse was more like Jello pudding than a light airy mousse. Tiramisu was the best item of the night. Main waiter was inattentive and disinterested, while supporting staff were helpful. My first, and last, time eating there.

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  39. Kiki

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 27, 2023

    overall4food3service5ambience5
    Food was cold as soon as we got it ordered the pasta

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  40. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 26, 2023

    overall5food5service5ambience5
    We went for my little brothers 29th birthday. He picked the location and we all absolutely love this place. We enjoyed all of the food, the drinks, &the atmosphere. The servers were very kind and attentive. Super cute restaurant very authentic Italian cuisine. I definitely will be returning!

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FAQs

Buona Forchetta offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (619) 381-4844.

Buona Forchetta is rated 4.7 stars by 616 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 72 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Buona Forchetta

3001 Beech St, San Diego, CA 92102

Additional information

  • Neighborhood
    South Park
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 12:00 pm–3:00 pm Lunch/Dinner Sat 12:00 pm–10:00 pm Sun 12:00 pm–9:30 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–9:30 pm Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    Italian, Pizzeria
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    None
  • Additional
    Beer, Dog Friendly, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
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