I am going with 3.5 stars.
Since this Buca doesn't take reservations I was a bit concerned. Thankfully, there was ample seating, probably because it was 6:30 pm on a Monday night!
It's quite a dark space, and the menus are printed in a tiny grey font on quite a flimsy piece of paper. My colleague and I squinted hard to read!
We ordered the stuffed focaccia, grilled cauliflower and brussel sprout skewers. The brussel sprout skewers were my favorite. The sprouts were slightly charred and crispy with what I thought were cushy mushroom bits in between but in fact was actually lard (I believe)! I enjoyed the smoky flavors and the contrasting textures. The cauliflower was a bit bland. My colleague and I are both suckers for spice, and were impressed by the hot sauce that our server brought to our table. The stuffed focaccia with peppers, onions, zucchini etc. was very filling.
I had two glasses of Chianti. They were out of my original choice.
Service was friendly and attentive.
Bar Buca has a fun atmosphere. It's a neat place for a casual meal.