Buona Sera

Name: Buona Sera
Address: 11949 West River Road, Champlin, MN, United States, 55316
Telephone: (763) 421-1814
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.7

4.7

2151 Reviews

$30 and under

Italian

Top tags:

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.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 3, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 19 times today

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Dining
Cuisines
Italian
Hours of Operation
Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
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
Neighbourhood
Champlin
Cross Street
Douglas Drive
Parking Details
Private Lot
Additional
Banquet, Full Bar, Indoor Fireplace, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining

Featured in

50 Minneapolis Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

What 2,151 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
4.8Service
4.5Ambience
4.5Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Minneapolis - St. Paul
Great for fine wines
Minneapolis - St. Paul
Good for special occasions
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 Ambience
Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs
Best Value
Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs
Neighbourhood gem
Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs
Great for fine wines
Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs
Romantic
Twin Cities / Northern Suburbs
Good for special occasions

2,151 Reviews

DT
DaveT
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 3 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience4
The service was excellent! The food was excellent. Pricing was very reasonable! I would suggest a reservation as the restaurant is not really big but, that part of why I liked it. The owner comes out and talks to you! He even helps clear off the tables if need be.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
7 reviews
3.0
7 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall3food3service4ambience2
Some of the worst calamari we ever had.....Rubber bands with a light coating....Service was good.....Ambiance was mediocre... They really need an upgrade on furniture and wall coverings.....Wine was good...
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MS
MattS
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall5food5service5ambience5
A+ experience. Will go back again for sure. Wonderful place to eat. Fantastic food. The Owner's are the nicest people you will ever meet. Nice clean restaurant, beautifully decorated with a wonderful garden out front. Well run business that others could take note from. I've never been disappointed here.
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NB
NicoleB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Absolutely amazing food, service and experience. The only downfall was the noise and being put in the back room. The food was amazing. Looking forward to going back!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 23, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We had a fabulous anniversary dinner! The Chicken Parm was really, really good!
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LS
LynnS
Minneapolis
5 reviews
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on September 22, 2023
overall2food2service4ambience4
The owner? Stopped to ask us how we enjoyed our food. My friend said fine but I told him what we really thought. Our app was a special stuffed egg rolls and very good and our creamy tomato soup was tasty but we shared a Caesar salad that was dripping with dressing. We shared spaghetti and meatballs. We were told there would be a $5 plating fee. No problem. Our dinner came in on large bowl. We waited for our server who seemed very busy. Instead of returning the dish to kitchen for proper plating she gave us two bowls and spoons. We couldn’t really serve it up. The sauce was at the bottom of the bowl. Our spoons didn’t work well. They left off the plating charge. Thank you. I told the owner the pasta was mushy the sauce had no flavor and the meatball boring. His response was to say hill will not comment on that. I said it’s personal choice. He said yes and walked away. My take is he didn’t care if we were happy or not.
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SL
ScottL
Minneapolis
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on September 21, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience3
My husband ordered french fries with his steak; but the cook forgot about them. My husband was almost done with his steak before he got his french fries. But, they were fresh and hot. I had Chicken Marsala and Fettuccini Alfredo. The food came out hot and I got what I expected. The waitress was attentive.
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NB
NicoleB
Minneapolis
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on September 14, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We absolutely love this place, the food is amazing and the staff is always very friendly. Highly recommend the Salmon Special, I get it every time I go!
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J
Jerry
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and service. The best food in the Twin Cities!
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JP
JohnP
New York Area
9 reviews
vip
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on September 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
My wife and I enjoyed a great meal at Buona Sera for our anniversary. The ambience has an old-school feel, but in a good way - it's a cute restaurant and has a cozy feel. Our server and the rest of the wait staff were very attentive and accommodating. The food was prepared very well, from the pasta to the steak to the seafood - excellent quality! Great selection of items on the menu with specials, and the deserts with cappuccino capped off the night perfectly. Looking forward to coming back and would recommend Buona Sera to anyone.
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RO
ROGERH
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Simply the best. Outstanding food, attentive and friendly service all served (inside or outside) in a quaint and clean atmosphere. Only caveat is that it gets crazy noisy after about 6:30.
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AV
AmyV
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on September 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We celebrated our anniversary at Bueno Sera for the 2nd year in a row. Delicious food and friendly staff. It was truly a treat. I am sure we will be back next year for our 34th!
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on September 2, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Awesome place, great service. The steaks are amazing. Absolutely in love!
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F
randyF
Minneapolis
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on September 1, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing service and always great food. Have been going here for years!
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JD
JimD
Minneapolis
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
This venue is the star of the north Metro. Authentic Italian cuisine and great, welcoming staff.
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k
karenk
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing 4 star restaurant with wonderful food & great service that brings back memories of being in Italy
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T
Timmer
Minneapolis
11 reviews
5.0
11 reviews
Dined on August 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
It was excellent! My first experience and I will definitely be back!! Everything was awesome. Food, service, all excellent!
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NV
NancyV
Minneapolis
6 reviews
4.0
6 reviews
Dined on August 25, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience4
Other than it being loud and at times difficult to hear, it was a wonderful meal and evening.
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MK
MikeK
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Outstanding experience. Everything was great, especially our server.
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O
Ozzy89
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 25, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The waitress was really helpful and nice she had these cross earrings. I don’t remember her name but she was really really really nice.
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GB
GeorgeB
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I have been here a few times and I try something new every time this time I had the lamb porterhouse and it was phenomenal.
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AS
ArthurS
Minneapolis
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on August 24, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Eaten here many time. The menu is great and the food we ordered was perfectly prepared. The staff is great as always. Will continue to recommend thus to anyone.
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B
Barbiebarb
Minneapolis
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on August 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
I agree with others that said it was overly warm. The worst though was the noise. Very crowded that day and it was early on a Tuesday. Still worth it though.
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SS
ShannanSabby
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The Italian Eggroll appetizer special was INCREDIBLE and everything else was fantastic (as usual).
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 12, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Not my first time here so I wanted to try something a little different. The server said that they had “better steak than downtown”. I laughed and decided to roll the dice. Why not, it came with a side of pasta anyway. Perfection!
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SE
SheilaE
Minneapolis
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on August 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Always good here. Love to support our neighborhood independent restaurant. Great waitstaff and delicious food.
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JM
JMML
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on August 11, 2023
overall4food5service5ambience3
Very loud making it difficult to have a conversation. Also very warm inside. AC not efficient. Excellent food and service.
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EG
EdwardG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on August 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very good service and great food! Would definitely recommend!
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DS
DannyS
Minneapolis
10 reviews
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on July 30, 2023
overall4food4service3ambience4
My wife and I have always enjoyed Buona Sera. However, during our last visit our waitress seemed preoccupied and distracted. We have had the waitress before and she is usually pleasant but not on this visit. She would disappear for long periods of time while our drinks needed to be filled.
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DO
DaveO
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 29, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
We started our meal with the walleye cakes... so delicious! And then between the four of us we ordered steaks, scallops, pork medallions, and fettuccine alfredo as our main courses all were very good. We had soup and salad in-between and they were all very tasty as well. Rachel our server was knowledgeable and fun and confident and timed our different courses perfectly. We love the quaint atmosphere... the wall by our booth needs a little paint touch-up ; )
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NG
NickG
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 27, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Phenomenal hidden gem smack dab in the middle of a quiet residential area. Great food and service. 5/5
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OT
OpenTable Diner
Minneapolis
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on July 26, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience3
As usual, the food was excellent. The server knew the menu very well. The service was outstanding and take-home desert quite enjoyable the next day.
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PR
PaulR
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on July 23, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience3
It is a nice small Italian restaurant nestled in a quiet neighborhood but this time everything was just off. Unusually loud. Server had to basically yell to be heard. That ruined the small ambience this place typically provides offers. Food was just OK. Everything felt rushed except when asking for something then it was a wait and half for it. Prices have gone up like everything else. But almost $30 for chicken Alfredo is a bit much unless the portion was huge. It was not. Barely 3 oz of chicken that was dry. Noodles slightly over cooked. Bread that was offered was sliced way earlier and already had a dryness to it. It didn’t taste fresh. I’d prefer a good Italian bread that’s warm versus the rustic dry bread they served. Wine list is extensive and a good portion will be $100+ a bottle. If they had a sommelier the price may be justified But they don’t. Even the cheaper bottles are $40. Maybe it was a bad day there. Everything was just off. I’m too take a lot of prodding to go again.
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N
Nils
Dallas
1 review
2.0
1 review
Dined on July 13, 2023
overall2food1service3ambience2
A fine atmosphere worthy of $20 dishes and foot quality worthy of $15 dishes. Unfortunately, the dishes were more often in the $30s. Quite simply, not worth the price.
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SN
StevenN
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great service, great food, great deserts! Just a bit noisy, but people are enjoying themselves.
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OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on July 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We celebrated out 30th anniversary last night. Biomass Sera is always our special place!
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CC
CiCi
Phoenix
4 reviews
5.0
4 reviews
Dined on July 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Visiting family in MN my brother-in-law suggested this place he had been eyeing for a while. The service was outstanding and the food was phenomenal!
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SW
SueW
Minneapolis
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on July 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
excellent food and service - always a pleasure to dine there
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k
kglfldy
Nashville
3 reviews
3.0
3 reviews
Dined on June 30, 2023
overall3food4service1ambience3
Our server was not at all friendly or courteous. Given what we had heard, not at all professional.
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VC
VicC
Minneapolis
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on June 30, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely, simply lovely. We had the filet (done to perfection) and scallops, and the lobster ravioli. Delicious! Our server was wonderful.
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FAQs

Buona Sera is rated 4.7 stars by 2151 OpenTable diners.

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

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Oct 3, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 19 times today

11949 West River Road, Champlin, MN 55316

Additional information

Cross Street
Douglas Drive
Neighbourhood
Champlin
Hours of Operation
Dinner Tue–Sun 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
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

Website
http://www.buonaserawinebar.com/
Phone number
(763) 421-1814

Featured in

50 Minneapolis Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Buona Sera

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

50 Minneapolis Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day

Menu

What 2,151 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

FAQs

How is Buona Sera restaurant rated?

Is Buona Sera currently accepting bookings?

Make a reservation

Additional information

Featured in

50 Minneapolis Restaurants to Connect In For Mother's Day