By Dusty Lloyd on May 26, 2026 Verified by Google

We love BF. My wife has celiac and they have great Pizza and Pasta that she loves eating.
Tonight we got the artichoke appetizer with the gluten free Focacia bread. A great combo.
I had the Puttanesca noodles and it was good. It was missing the anchovies, but it was still flavorful and great.
My wife had the Cacio e Pepe with gluten free noodles and the noodle have an interesting shape and good texture. She loved it.
We will he back

By Dustin Davis on April 27, 2026 Verified by Google

We came for the calamari and boy did it deliver. Once I tried the first bite (which was tender, and perfectly breaded, & just the right amount of crispy) I knew that they know what they’re doing here.
Lee was a fantastic server and gave a great recommendation for the artichoke hearts, which unique and beautifully presented, and I enjoyed it very much.
Joe, the manager, came to greet our table and was a pleasure

Looking forward to visiting on my next trip to San Clemente.

By Audrey Stites on April 19, 2026 Verified by Google

Finally found a go-to spot for tasty and fresh wood fire pizza in SC! The dough was perfect. The arugula and EVOO on it had me feeling like I was having a big ole salad while I smashed almost a whole pizza to myself. LOL. It was that good. My husband enjoyed his pasta dish too. Our server Alex was the coolest. Super fun and just down to earth. We sat on the patio and it wasn’t too noisy either. 10/10.

By Derlin Cisneros on February 13, 2026 Verified by Google

Second time visiting this place. The first time was about four months ago, and honestly I didn’t leave with a great impression the service was fine, but the food left a lot to be desired. However, I’m the kind of person who likes to give second chances, so I decided to come back, and what a surprise it was. The pasta was cooked perfectly, creamy, and delicious. The artichokes were completely different from the last time I was here this time they looked much more presentable and had so much more flavor, simply magnificent. This is where you realize that it’s always worth giving second chances. Very good service from Kevin, and my compliments to the chef, who knew exactly how to change my perspective of this place. Without a doubt, I will be back..

By Daniela Taylor on February 1, 2026 Verified by Google

Nice ambiance, great service, amazing food! The artichoke appetizer is the best I’ve ever had. Also the pizza crust is out of this world. Feels like I’m in Italy! We will be back!

By T R Ross on November 8, 2025 Verified by Google

Buona is one of the best italian franchises. We love the food, we love the service. It really cannot be beat. We have tried all but Newport beach and truly enjoy the fresh pasta, the wood fire pizzas and the beverages. San Clemente is one of the top two of the franchisees. Must try this place

By Taye on September 30, 2025 Verified by Google

The pizza was amazing! Tasted just like the pizza I had in Italy. I ordered the Martina and my friend ordered the Regina Margherita

By Donald Lehr on September 15, 2025 Verified by Google

The good: food was great, as was the atmosphere. My experience of dining at this restaurant quickly went downhill when I had to use the restroom. There is only one. I had to cross the street and use theirs. Also...
The wait staff is not lazy, but the kitchen is understaffed. We got our entrees very quickly, but the place got busy and we had to wait a crazy amount of time for our waitress to return, take our dessert order, and finally, get our dessert delivered to our table! I have never left less than an 18% tip, but tonight, I left 10%. The other $10.00 went to the nice, young man across the street who let me use the restroom without being a customer. The manager was very unsympathetic as well which also contributed to my leaving a crappy tip. To the owners - take some of your profit money so you have two restrooms for your customers/staff, and hire another person in the kitchen on those busy evenings.

By Paul Genser on April 21, 2025 Verified by Google

Had our first visit just recently as a party of three and the experience was excellent in every respect. We had reservations for 6P on a beautiful San Clemente Saturday evening, so it was no surprise that they were busy and the informal atmosphere included a noisy buzz of happy patrons. The star of the show is the food, chosen from a right-sized menu and a decently priced wine and beverage list. It would be remiss to not mention our very friendly, prompt and helpful server, a lovely Italian-American woman whose name I regrettably didn’t take note of. Her husband, who provided some of our service, was equally gracious. We will be in Italy this fall and it may be hard to find food this fine. We will be back many times. Highly recommend.

By CritDicks on March 4, 2025 Verified by Google

WOW!!! “an authentic experience of Italian cuisine and atmosphere”. Did they hit this nail on the head? Such an identical look, feel, taste, smell and sound of the mother land. Even the servers were Italian or they had a really good impersonation accent.

My son had recently visited several Italian cities. We had visited numerous areas of the Italian countryside and all of the tourist cities as well, back in 2018. We also have Italian in-laws and recently had an Italian student living with us for the last three months. He had just returned home to Molfetta just a few days ago. He would’ve thought this place to be a truly authentic Italian experience as well.

The food was excellent for what we tasted. The pizza is identical to what you get in Italy; of course, the pies in Italy are regional as well but mostly the crusts are the lightest in the world. Unbelievably similar here at Buona Forchetta. Really great stuff.

Buona Forchetta says it right on their menu, “ “an authentic experience of Italian cuisine and atmosphere”.

An excellent customer experience.

Dicks

By Kyle Tucker on October 3, 2024 Verified by Google

Lunch at Buona was a taste sensation! Warm welcome? Check! Friendly employees? Double check! Fresh ingredients? Triple check!
We sampled a bunch of goodies, and everything was ridiculously delicious. Think Italian nonna-approved flavors, minus the nonna nagging you to eat more.
Highlights:
• Fresh ingredients that shouted, "I'm authentic!"
• Flavors that danced the tarantella on our taste buds
• Staff so friendly, we wanted to hug them (but didn't, because, boundaries) Buona is the real deal. Go. Eat. Repeat.

By Paprika Meow on August 27, 2024 Verified by Google

Taste :4.3/5
Environment: 4.3/5
🕴
Service：4.4/5

Buona Forchetta's new San Clemente location is quickly becoming a beloved neighborhood gem, offering a slice of Italy in the heart of California. The sixth addition to their family of restaurants has been met with enthusiasm and rave reviews from diners who have experienced their authentic Italian cuisine.

The ambiance of the restaurant is lively and inviting, with a decor that complements the dining experience. Service is attentive and personable, adding to the overall warmth of the establishment.

By LeftEyeBlind on June 27, 2024 Verified by Google

Buona is legit. Food is amazing, great wine selection and the WCIPA was on point. Got the for cheese raviolis and lobster and prawn pasta, both delicious, got the chef special appetizer it was perfect. Focaccia bread was outstanding. Can’t wait to try more of the menu. Servers were great and everyone was so friendly.
Only thing is it was loud inside the restaurant, there was a large part of 12 so guessing that’s why it was loud. Next time going to get an outside seat.