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✔️Breakfast ✔️Brunch ✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out
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Stylish Italian restaurant with Pop Art decor & a marble-topped bar serving modern Sicilian fare.
Hours
| Friday | 11:30 AM–11 PM |
| Saturday | 11:30 AM–11 PM |
| Sunday | 11:30 AM–10 PM |
| Monday | 11:30 AM–10 PM |
| Tuesday | 11:30 AM–10 PM |
| Wednesday | 11:30 AM–10 PM |
| Thursday | 11:30 AM–10 PM |
Address and Contact Information
Address: 1917 India St, San Diego, CA 92101
Phone: (619) 238-1917
Website: http://www.barbusa.com/
Menu Photos
Photo Gallery
Related Web Results
Barbusa: San Diego Italian Restaurant | Little Italy Restaurant
The newest culinary project by the Busalacchi family in Little Italy, Barbusa offers authentic Modern Sicilian Cuisine with a flare. From artisan pizzas, …
Barbusa Restaurant – San Diego, CA | OpenTable
Local Modern Sicilian Restaurant. Lively atmosphere with our craft cocktails, handmade pastas, freshest seafood, delicate pizza, and our famous Sicilian Ribeye.
Barbusa | San Diego CA – Facebook
Busalacchi Restaurants introduces its latest concept, Barbusa, a modern Sicilian culinary venture!
Reviews
Joshua Ding
January 2026
Came here for a group dinner. Great mussels and pizza. Brussels salad was a great choice. The pasta was ok. Part of the reason while offering patio seating on a chilling night, food got cold quick. Servers needed to hustle for delivery hot food quickly. Pizza was piping hot, but pasta not so.
Regardless, food was flavorful and I recommend this restaurant.
… moreCame here for a group dinner. Great mussels and pizza. Brussels salad was a great choice. The pasta was ok. Part of the reason while offering patio seating on a chilling night, food got cold quick. Servers needed to hustle for delivery hot food quickly. Pizza was piping hot, but pasta not so.
Regardless, food was flavorful and I recommend this restaurant.
Kg Hobday
While taking a trolly tour someone came on and said they had some of the best Italian food they’d ever had at Barbusa in Little Italy. We promptly got off to go try it. I’d have to agree, this authentic Italian restaurant served some of the best Italian food I’ve ever had. Even the wait staff was excellent. Our waiter Ryan, was the best. My mom was a bit confused on what she wanted so Ryan sat right down next to her & helped her decide. I had the gnocchi with a pistachio pesto sauce …. to die for! We added an order of garlic bread which was out of this world delicious. Know that the portions are large & you will be taking home leftovers. If you are in the San Diego area be sure to stop by Barbusa for some wonderfully authentic Italian food & atmosphere.
… moreJesús Manuel De La Torre Zamora
Decent food, nice place to hang out, and affordable prices. Not sure if it was just my taste, but the banana espresso martini was the only thing I didn’t like. Everything else we tried was definitely recommended!
… moreRicardes
First time visiting this part of San Diego and finding a spot to dine in on holiday was difficult with out having a reservation. Was hesitant at first with the wait time only being first come first serve, but after walking around and coming back was felt welcomed back to the restaurant and had to wait a short while before seating.
We were seated outside by the heater with the view of the street/ front of the restaurant. Which had set up the vibe of the night for my spouse and I plus our good friend. The only thing I could say was the waiter giving us a rush but we had understood since it was Valentine’s Day. We had ordered the garlic bread which was amazing, the lasagna, lobster pasta, and the ribeye steak. Over all the food was memorable, the steak was definitely the show stopper of the night. Max the food was delicious and worth the wait but not much of a wait.
For the drinks we had stuck to red wine, and some Shirley Temple. Barbusa is a spot that I would come back to and worth the price and made our first visit to San Diego on Valentine’s Day
… moreWe were seated outside by the heater with the view of the street/ front of the restaurant. Which had set up the vibe of the night for my spouse and I plus our good friend. The only thing I could say was the waiter giving us a rush but we had understood since it was Valentine’s Day. We had ordered the garlic bread which was amazing, the lasagna, lobster pasta, and the ribeye steak. Over all the food was memorable, the steak was definitely the show stopper of the night. Max the food was delicious and worth the wait but not much of a wait.
For the drinks we had stuck to red wine, and some Shirley Temple. Barbusa is a spot that I would come back to and worth the price and made our first visit to San Diego on Valentine’s Day
Mercedes
Definitely recommend making a reservation and arriving WITH your full party or else you will not get sat. Traffic can be a bit hectic around the area but they offer valet.
It’s a pretty loud restaurant but the vibes were great. The food was incredible. You can order an appetizer board for a large table which was fun. Their zucchini blossoms were INCREDIBLE. They offer gluten free pasta and it’s actually really good. Little Italy is a fun area, this restaurant is phenomenal. Just try!
… moreIt’s a pretty loud restaurant but the vibes were great. The food was incredible. You can order an appetizer board for a large table which was fun. Their zucchini blossoms were INCREDIBLE. They offer gluten free pasta and it’s actually really good. Little Italy is a fun area, this restaurant is phenomenal. Just try!
Victoria
Service was incredible
Outdoor patio was warm and cozy
Fried zucchini blossoms appetizer was good but I prefer a lighter batter
The lobster pasta was completely flavorless and dry. Tiny bits of lobster that don’t match the price
The pizza dough was a bit wet and soggy from the oil, and was very bland by itself
For the price, the food was not memorable. Maybe this place is better for light appetizers and drinks
… moreOutdoor patio was warm and cozy
Fried zucchini blossoms appetizer was good but I prefer a lighter batter
The lobster pasta was completely flavorless and dry. Tiny bits of lobster that don’t match the price
The pizza dough was a bit wet and soggy from the oil, and was very bland by itself
For the price, the food was not memorable. Maybe this place is better for light appetizers and drinks
Kateryna
We came to this restaurant without a reservation and were seated very quickly, which we truly appreciated. The table wasn’t the most comfortable one, but considering we didn’t have a booking, we were grateful to be accommodated.
The hostess introduced herself as Ella. Unfortunately, her behavior stood out in a negative way. She was constantly chewing gum and came across as rather arrogant. In my opinion, this kind of appearance and attitude feels unprofessional and doesn’t create a welcoming first impression.
Our server, Michael, was friendly and happy to give recommendations from the menu. At the same time, I constantly felt a sense of rush during the service. The restaurant was very busy that evening, so we completely understand that he had many tables to take care of, and we don’t hold that against him.
However, there was a small moment worth mentioning. When clearing our dirty plates and replacing them, some food remnants from the previous plates dripped onto our table and onto the clean napkins. He simply turned around and walked away. I attached a photo. It wasn’t something critical – I just wiped the table myself – but the situation was a bit surprising in the moment.
The absolute highlight of our evening was Billy – the gentleman who brings out and presents the dishes. He truly felt like the heart and soul of the place. His energy, warmth, and genuine connection with guests created a wonderful atmosphere. A big thank you to him – he made the experience better.
We ordered gnocchi, burrata Caprese, arancini, and tomato bruschetta. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the food overall. It felt rushed – as if it had been prepared in a hurry or without much care.
The tomatoes were cut into huge, uneven chunks – some pieces wider than my finger – as if they had been chopped in wild haste without even looking at the plate. It genuinely gave the impression that no attention was paid to presentation or basic kitchen standards.
The pasta was overcooked. The arancini were the most disappointing dish – soft and soggy instead of crispy, with an unclear and unpleasant flavor. I would absolutely not recommend them. The most enjoyable dish turned out to be the tomato bruschetta. Simple bread with tomato and parmesan ended up being the most satisfying item on the table.
Our total bill was around 150 dollars. For that amount of money, there are many restaurants offering significantly better quality food, more attention to detail, and a much higher level of service overall.
I also want to give credit to the Aperol – it was excellent. Honestly, the Aperol and Billy are the reason I’m giving three stars instead of one.
Overall, the experience was very disappointing. In my opinion, this restaurant does not live up to its 4.4 Google rating. I wouldn’t recommend it, and I won’t be returning.
… moreThe hostess introduced herself as Ella. Unfortunately, her behavior stood out in a negative way. She was constantly chewing gum and came across as rather arrogant. In my opinion, this kind of appearance and attitude feels unprofessional and doesn’t create a welcoming first impression.
Our server, Michael, was friendly and happy to give recommendations from the menu. At the same time, I constantly felt a sense of rush during the service. The restaurant was very busy that evening, so we completely understand that he had many tables to take care of, and we don’t hold that against him.
However, there was a small moment worth mentioning. When clearing our dirty plates and replacing them, some food remnants from the previous plates dripped onto our table and onto the clean napkins. He simply turned around and walked away. I attached a photo. It wasn’t something critical – I just wiped the table myself – but the situation was a bit surprising in the moment.
The absolute highlight of our evening was Billy – the gentleman who brings out and presents the dishes. He truly felt like the heart and soul of the place. His energy, warmth, and genuine connection with guests created a wonderful atmosphere. A big thank you to him – he made the experience better.
We ordered gnocchi, burrata Caprese, arancini, and tomato bruschetta. Unfortunately, we were disappointed with the food overall. It felt rushed – as if it had been prepared in a hurry or without much care.
The tomatoes were cut into huge, uneven chunks – some pieces wider than my finger – as if they had been chopped in wild haste without even looking at the plate. It genuinely gave the impression that no attention was paid to presentation or basic kitchen standards.
The pasta was overcooked. The arancini were the most disappointing dish – soft and soggy instead of crispy, with an unclear and unpleasant flavor. I would absolutely not recommend them. The most enjoyable dish turned out to be the tomato bruschetta. Simple bread with tomato and parmesan ended up being the most satisfying item on the table.
Our total bill was around 150 dollars. For that amount of money, there are many restaurants offering significantly better quality food, more attention to detail, and a much higher level of service overall.
I also want to give credit to the Aperol – it was excellent. Honestly, the Aperol and Billy are the reason I’m giving three stars instead of one.
Overall, the experience was very disappointing. In my opinion, this restaurant does not live up to its 4.4 Google rating. I wouldn’t recommend it, and I won’t be returning.
Zan Lee
One of my favorite Italian restaurants in all of San Diego. They specialize in Sicilian cuisine and they are located in the busiest part of the Little Italy right on India Street. This area is extremely lively so it can be quite fun to sit outside and watch all the people walking by, which is where we sat for our Saturday dinner. Inside is also quite large and well done and it can get quite noisy and very lively. The dress code is casual, but I would go more with a business casual. The crowd here tends to skew on the younger side, and I would classify it as a hip and trendy spot. Parking is probably the most difficult part of dining here, they have a valet in front, but sometimes that can get full. There are paid garages and paid street parking in the area, but we were actually able to find a space right on the street a block away in front of Mona Lisa so we got very lucky. Just plan to come early and circle the block and if you can’t find anything after two trips, then just do valet or a pay lot. Our server was very polite however it took quite some time for him to come over and get our drink order when we first sat down. Aside from that everything that we ordered came out very fast.
We were a party of four so we ordered many different things for the table. One of the starters that we chose was the Polenta which was very good. The ragu with it really added to the flavors and was a light and tasty start to the meal. My second favorite was the Beef Carpaccio, which was very light and refreshing and perfectly thin like I like it. My favorite appetizer was the Roasted Bone Marrow and thought it was great with the peppers that they put on the bread that came with it. For my dinner I chose the Bolognese Al Forno and thought it was wonderful. It’s a very dense pasta with heavy meat flavors and you certainly won’t be hungry after finishing it. I wish there would’ve been a lighter component with it as it kind of started tasting the same once I got halfway through it, but still enjoyed it. We also ordered the Gnocchi for the table and it was a real hit. They were perfectly soft and the pesto flavor was wonderful with it.
Overall, a fantastic Sicilian option in San Diego in one of the most fun parts of the city. I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area or to anyone visiting San Diego. I have already been a few times and plan to be back many more in the future.
… moreWe were a party of four so we ordered many different things for the table. One of the starters that we chose was the Polenta which was very good. The ragu with it really added to the flavors and was a light and tasty start to the meal. My second favorite was the Beef Carpaccio, which was very light and refreshing and perfectly thin like I like it. My favorite appetizer was the Roasted Bone Marrow and thought it was great with the peppers that they put on the bread that came with it. For my dinner I chose the Bolognese Al Forno and thought it was wonderful. It’s a very dense pasta with heavy meat flavors and you certainly won’t be hungry after finishing it. I wish there would’ve been a lighter component with it as it kind of started tasting the same once I got halfway through it, but still enjoyed it. We also ordered the Gnocchi for the table and it was a real hit. They were perfectly soft and the pesto flavor was wonderful with it.
Overall, a fantastic Sicilian option in San Diego in one of the most fun parts of the city. I would definitely recommend to anyone in the area or to anyone visiting San Diego. I have already been a few times and plan to be back many more in the future.
Hannah G
The atmosphere sitting inside was lovely, super nice and friendly staff all the time as well as a creative and gorgeous interior. The food was incredible, good portion sizes filled with lots of flavours. Parking area a bit across from it making it easy to come, reservations are not needed. Would definitely come again or recommend to a friend, slightly pricey but definitely worth it
… moreKarina Bromberg
Perfect spot for what was the first stop on our girls night, first time in San Diego! The food was incredible, we got gluten free panne in pistachio penne sauce & the Caesar salad. Drinks were flowing too. Best part for me was the music and vibe of the restaurant definitely recommend!
… more