[mwfunk]

I could almost tolerate it, might even enjoy it sometimes, but eating there is just excruciating to me. For some reason they all seem to be optimized for loudness. Buca di Beppo really wants you to feel like you’re always surrounded by huge groups of people having comically loud conversations, but that’s one of the last things I want from a restaurant, or any public place really.

[thfuran]

Loudness in restaurants seems to be hip right now. It also has been shown to correlate positively with both alcohol consumption and table turnover, so it might not be going anywhere soon.

[brandonmenc]

> Buca di Beppo really wants you to feel like you’re always surrounded by huge groups of people having comically loud conversations

Welcome to an Italian-American kitchen at dinner time. I think this is what they're aiming for.