05/08/09

Excellent Food and Kids Eat Free

by RTL

Excellent Food with nice food and beverage menu. Ample parking at the back with back door entry.

Servers were patient and friendly! Would go there back again.

• Pros: Service, Menu, Design, Decor, seating
• Cons: Service was bit slow but not bad, bit pricey

08/03/07

Incredible Cioppino!

by hdelgros

My husband and I have been frequenting BtB for over a decade, and we have yet to be disappointed. It's a wee bit pricey for us (otherwise we'd eat there every week), but the portions do measure up to the prices, and the food is just wonderful. We've taken out-of-town friends for their heavenly cioppino, and even the native San Franciscans have to admit they do something to the broth that sets it apart from other "good" versions; in ten years, my husband has only ordered something other than the cioppino one time, and even our younger daughter has been slurping it up since she was two years old. Both our kids have always loved it there (the cheerful wait staff brings crayons in a tiny bucket, which they find hilarious), and we rarely have any boxes to take home, which translates into clean plates and happy parents! The atmosphere is pleasantly dim, cozy and friendly, and the noise level can rise a bit as the room fills - but that's exactly why we like it. How often do you hear about a "nice" restaurant, with great food on a huge menu, romantic enough for a man to propose, where people also feel comfortable bringing their kids and celebrating in large, exuberant groups?!

• Pros: Excellent food, friendly service, relaxed atmosphere, never a problem parking
• Cons: Long wait for table without reservations, can get crowded

01/12/07

Steak, seafood, good drinks

by coog78

I met some friends here while on a business trip and totally loved it. The steak was cooked to meet a Texan's standards. We had drinks, appetizers, and shut the restaurant down well after closing. The service here was fantastic and the waitstaff very friendly and accomodating. I have no idea how to get back here, but would if I could, hehe.

• Pros: food, service

10/11/06

Cool late night discovery.

by yomi

Being a visitor to the area I decided to try out a few places that caught my fancy. I was drawn by their catfish promo, thus last night I had dinner there. Parking was no problem, street or onsite. Getting seated was easy. I ordered the catfish and jumbalaya rice. Maybe it's just me, but I have something going for oven-warm toasty bread, so I get disappointed when I'm served cold bread hard as stone. The waiter quickly offered to place it in the pizza oven, and I was a happy camper once again. The entree arrived. I wasn't stuck on the rice, but the single green pepper adornment did something for me, it's center dug out and filled with cheese. The catfish was as tasty as it looked, no problem there. Overall, I had good value for money.

• Pros: Parking, ambience, food
• Cons: Not for the uppity among us

06/17/06

Satisifed my Craving for Steamed Clams

by fkh

I recently moved into the area and was in the mood for steamed clams. I found this place on Citysearch with several positive reviews and decided to give it a try.

Atmosphere was like a family restaurant, similar to The Fish Market. Nothing spectacular. It's a good casual restaurant for a family of four to six. Good for small or large groups.

We were promptly served bread to start off. It was fresh, chewy, and went well with the meal. We started off with the clam chowder, which had a good dose of clam meat and was very tasty and creamy. I ordered a bucket of clams and mussels, while my wife had the Catfish Meuniere. The clams and mussels were fantastic. The sauce was so good that I was drinking it with a spoon and dipping the bread into it. I was very satisified. The catfish was very tender and tasty.

The service was fast, attentive, and excellent. We got our food promptly. After that, it seemed like the servers were checking on us every 5 minutes. Our water glasses were never empty.

Overall, a good place to go for a casual dinner. I have now found my place to eat steamed clams.

• Pros: Great catfish, clams, and mussels.Excellent service.Great for a family
• Cons: None yet. Plan on returning.

01/08/06

chef's specials

by 6xy5126

We kept coming back. All of their Chef's Speicals are really superb. Extra ordinary, tasteful, delicious meals everytime. I seldom cook fish at home. And I would say that if I crave for fish, this is the place. You could tell it is fresh.

• Pros: good price, good parking, good coupon
• Cons: addicting

01/04/06

Not just a family restaurant!

by canear

I love this place. I have to admit, my first trip I thought it was going to be a fast food place....I was sooooo wrong!! The catfish is the best, and my favorite, but the variety of dishes will please everyone. It's not just a family place, (although it is very welcoming of kids.....) and I think its the most romantic restaurant in Silicon Valley. Maybe because my husband proposed to me there? The staff is a lot of fun, and we always get outstanding service.

• Pros: Staff, Food, Parking

10/12/03

A very decent place

by epark

Been there a couple of times and was very satisfied overall with the service and quality of food. The large menu selection will be sure to satisfy fussy diners.

08/18/03

Simply put, a dining institution.

by Contributor

The Food

The name is unfortunate, evocative of KFC, or worse. But after you've managed to persevere for 40 years, you don't go changing the name just to suit the young upstarts. By-Th-Bucket was here back when Stevens Creek was a two-lane road. People would stop in to get a literal bucket of steamed clams or ravioli along with a pint of beer. The menu has grown year by year, so that now families or date-night warriors can find just about everything their heart desires at Th-Bucket. More than a dozen seafood dishes, twice as many pastas, pizzas, and lots of steaks, appetizers, and salads make reading the menu a long process. Catfish is one of the specialties, the tomato bruschetta are bright and flavorful, and the pizzas bear lots of toothsome Italian toppings.

The Scene

It's a big, bustling place that is good for families or couples.

12/29/02

BUCKETS OF FUN

by DrDMV

Need reservations most weekend evenings otherwise expect 20 minute wait. Large portions, nice menu selection. Nice sports bar...Reasonably priced.. CASUAL

• Pros: Good Parking, Casual, Large Portions
• Cons: Crowded, Loud