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W 4th St (A, C, E, B, D, F, V)
8th St-Broadway (R, W)
9th Street (PATH)
Mon-Sun. 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.
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did a prix-fixe dinner for 12 so we didn't get to try the full menu.
antipasti & baba ganoush bruschetta were both great. the bruschetta topping was delightfully airy & light. pizzas also very delish, with the classic margherita coming out on top. i personally liked the fungi & taleggio as well. we also tried the lardo & the proscuitto & arugula. lardo is good but perhaps not great for a group when they hear pig fat. lesson learned.
the only thing that brings otto from 4 stars to 3 is the service. while they were very attentive, it felt very rushed, especially for a seating of 12 people.
they brought out the food right away (great!) and were very good about refilling our wine (great!). however, the waiters took the plates away while there was still food out, without asking if anyone was done. even after i mentioned that we were still working on the antipasti, they took it away.
the waiter didn't explain what was in the antipasti selection, nor did they explain what the flavors were of the many many delicious gelato that were brought out. the flavors were spread sporadically through the table so we didn't know whether there were repeats or all unique flavors.
all in, could use a more informative waitstaff.
Otto Pizzeria continues to be on our "must dine" list when we visit New York City. We're longtime Mario Batali fans, and this has become our favorite Batali restaurant. It features a menu blending old standards with new innovations, a sensational wine list at reasonable prices, and great ambiance.
We always start our evening with a bottle of wine, some cheese and salumi in the bar, then migrate into the dining room. The Parmesan Reggiano Sformato is a must starter. In a recent visit, we had a great diversity of main courses - all of which were great.
This is a boisterous restaurant, so keep that in mind - get into the excitement.
When you eat dinner at Otto, you have to walk in with the right expectations. It is not your typical Mario Batali restaurant like Babbo, Del Posto or Esca. It is a pizzeria and wine bar at a moderate price. If you go into Otto with full knowledge of that, you will have an amazing time! Otherwise, you are sure to be disappointed.
Just walking in, you notice that the standing bar area where yuppies are drinking wine and cheese is substantially large. Clearly, this isn't the space for foodies and critics to enjoy their last Italian meal. It's a fun restaurant to have good Italian food, wine and company, where you don't break the bank.
I recommend the Napoletana and Prosciutto Arugula pizza! It's perfect for sharing with some antipasti, cheeses, and my favorite, the bruschetta.
This place was amazing. And, very vegan and vegetarian-friendly, which is not easy when you're a pizzeria. I have to admit, I was wary going to a Food Network star's restaurant... but clearly there is a reason Batali is so well-known. The food is top-notch. Everything was so flavorful and well-crafted, from the antipasti to the dessert. And, again, so many of the pizzas were cheeseless. And still loaded with flavor. Try the garlic and chili pizza and start with the white bean antipasto dish, and you wont be disappointed. I don't eat meat, but the prosciutto looked amazing, as did the seafood antipasti platter that my friends ordered.
The ambience in here was also great: lively, fun, crowded, and I love the train board notifying you when you're table is ready.
Been wanting to come here forever, finally had a chance last week. Friend and I split a 3-cheese plate, carbonara, and lardo pizza. Loved their cheese plate (forgot which three we got, but all three were good) served with brandied cherries, truffled honey, and apricot. And their carbonara was delicious too. I would totally get that again. I was disappointed with the lardo pizza though. Maybe my taste buds are not sensitive enough to appreciate the flavor? Seemed quite bland and like waste of calories to me. We had olive oil and black & white coppetta for dessert, and they were both good. Next time I'd like to try the olive oil gelato separately (supposedly served with sea salt and olive oil drizzled on top? Yum!) Service wasn't all that great, took us some time to flag down our waiter to give us the dessert menu or the check. The food came out relatively quickly, but the bus boy who brought us the cheese plate obviously didn't know much about the cheeses or the sides. I'd return for that carbonara and gelato, but it's not gonna be my favorite spot anytime soon.
They had me at pizza with fried egg on top. I don't know why I had never eaten pizza in this manner, as I love fried egg atop most everything else: burgers, kimchi fried rice, etc. But this was a revelation to me: one delicately fried egg atop a paper-thin, slightly charred pizza=heaven.
The olive oil gelato was a treat as well. All in all, a very enjoyable meal.
I've dined at Otto 3-4 times over the last few years and had I reviewed it then, my rating would have been an overly generous 3 stars. The scorecard breakdown:
(+3) because I have a soft spot for the orange clogged one that is batali
(-3) for food roadtripping with The Paltrow in my beloved spain. "i don't eat animals with four feet." what?
(- 2) for Otto's pita cardboard pizza
(+3) for the gelato (however, was NOT a fan of the famed olive oil and the hazelnut was cavity sweet)
(+ 3) for affordability
(- 1) for the awkwardly configured, loud dining room that breaks about 2,423 feng shui rules
But that score was prior to my meal last Saturday. It was a game changer, and I now happily tack on another star to Otto. Thanks to my dining partner who is somewhat of a regular there, I had a completely different experience this time around. My learnings:
1. Skip the dinner crowds and go for a late weekend lunch. Quiet. Relaxing. No reservations.
2. Sit counterside at the gorgeous marble top bar.
3. Skip the pizza, zero in on the (very affordable $9) pasta.
My dining partner warned me that their pastas are intentionally more al dente than normal and he was right; once our steaming plates of pasta arrived, conversation halted and for the next 30 minutes, we chewed (and chewed and chewed) like two happy little bovines. Net net, if you prefer a softer noodle, you'd be happy elsewhere.
4. Order the seasonal stuff which in our case was the SWEET CORN OF HEAVEN gelato. Act I: a rush of rich cream. Act II: farm fresh corn sugar magic! According to our bartender (who is the awesomest man at Otto), the corn has progressively gotten sweeter with the season, and what we experienced was peak / end gold.
5. Befriend the barkeep / waiter who simply charmed the pants off of us. Maybe the complimentary shots of limoncello had something to do with it, or was it the antecdotal gems which made us laugh out loud? When we were deadlocked in picking a 3rd gelato in our trio, we assigned him the responsibility with a "surprise us." 2 minutes later:
"Mmm, this is the best strawberry sorbetto ever."
"It's actually nectarine."
"This is the best nectarine sorbetto ever."
Conclusion: If I ever move into this hood, find me here every Saturday.
More like a 4.5*
Great location, right by Washington Sq Park; gorgeous!
Summary:
- Proscuitto Ham- yummy but it was just thin slices (6-7 slices) for $9. No decor, no sides, nothing. Hmmmm
- Mussel Salsa thingy- really yummy
- Vongole Pizza- My FAVE. It was VERY Very good and very unique, with the whole clams- in the shells on the pizza- *love*
- Margherita Pizza- Good, but not super unique
- Carbonara- Very flavorful.
- Sausage Rigatoni- pretty good but a tad rich and salty; the Carbonara was much better
- Tiramisu- was served in a glass, but flavorful
I promise to return to Otto for a 2nd review. But my first visit left me feelin a bit disappointed. Not because of the ambiance, which is tops. But the pizza.....man, i thought by ordering the Pizza Margharita I was playing it safe. How could you go wrong? Well - it did not live up to my expectations. It was all sauce, and very, very, very little cheese. The crust was superior, but the sauce was not sweet enough for me, and the limited amount of cheese was disappointing. If only i'd known - i'd have ordered the Spicy Pepperoni Pizza, which is what i'll get next time.
But - this is a GREAT place to take a date. The bar is beautiful, lots of wine and prosecco flowing. They give you some rustic bread after you sit down, and it missed the mark. There was no 'crustiness'. The pizza was disappointing. The fennel salad was actually refreshing and tasty. The dessert was very good - some kind of gelato mixture.
I'd like to go back, and try something different.
Came with a bachelorette party on a Saturday night.
Our service was good.
We had prearranged a prefixe - antipasto salads (ehhh, okay - the olives were the only really delicious item), pizza (ehhh, not impressed at all), and gelatos (good - interesting flavors, liked the pear and olive oil the least).
Red and white wine selections.
$85 pp
Too loud.
The women's bathroom is unacceptable. Honestly, they should get an "F" or "0 stars" for their idiotic floor planning. The place is huge, yet they have the tiniest, 2 stall, disgusting bathroom to service its customers. Unacceptable.
Not likely to return.
LOVED my very leisurely late afternoon weekend lunch here. We had amazing service in this beautiful, cozy restaurant. Well, cozy not because its small, because it is actually very large. But cozy in the way that it feels warm, welcomes you, the way the olive oils are displayed, the way that when you walk in there are about a dozen marble standing tables where people are laughing while tasting fabulous wines and eating unbelievable cheese and meat plates, etc. etc. etc.
We were greeted by a really sweet and adorable hostess who showed us to what she said was one of her favorite tables, in the way back. It was so cute. We had a view of that charming private street that is just a block north of Washington Sq Park. That street where you wish you could live because it is gated off and has on-street easy parking and cobblestone streets. I digress. These 5 cute little kids came running up to the window and waved in at us while we were eating. Charming.
We ordered - HANDS DOWN - the best heirloom tomato caprese salad I have EVER eaten. So many beautiful colors, textures, shapes and sizes of heirlooms, with basil, fresh mozz, and just a sprinkle of sea salt. The cheese plate accompaniments were sent from Jesus himself. BLACK TRUFFLE oil, apricots, cherries. Lord almighty.
We ordered from the immense wine list - insane! Awesome. We found a light and crisp Pinot Nero - it was the last bottle in a far corner of their wine cellar but it was worth the wait.
The only reason I am not giving it 5 stars is that the pizza was really good but not wicked awesome. Definitely tasty and worth it and delicious. But not the best I have ever had.
The dessert list looked awesome - if I had just had one less of something else I would have indulged. Now I'm regretful that I didn't try the olive oil gelato that everyone raved about. I almost did.
Service was impeccable. All around. Seems like this place is REALLY well run. I liked everyone I met in this place.
This is a really strong 4. I will go back again and again.
It's strange to have to come to the defense of Mario Batali. If there's one thing that jolly, red-faced television personality and owner of twelve restaurants doesn't need, it's a helping hand. And yet. Why do the pizzas at his downtown eatery Otto never get mentioned in conversations about the city's best pies? That flavorful thin crust ringed with those charred bubbles. The salty fattiness of the prosciutto on one pie, the interplay of silken mushrooms and slightly bitter swiss chard on another. This may not be the stuff of Brooklyn favs Di Fara or Franny's, but surely Batali's offerings trump those at old institutions like Grimaldi's or Lombardi's, both of which continue to pack the house based on gastronomic triumphs long since past.
On second thought, Batali hardly needs anyone's help. Pizza accolades or not, Otto is jammed seven nights a week. And most of the people aren't there for the pizza. The real draw here is the scene. If you're looking for a quiet meal, head elsewhere. Up front in the cacophonous enoteca, pretty people crowd around marble tables, munching on the wide array of antipasti and sipping something from the massive list of wines offered by the quartino or bottle. You'll have to venture back to the sit-down dining room to get a taste of the pizza and the pasta and even more of the pretty people. And if you're interested in getting a taste at all, you'd either best make a reservation or, if you try to walk-in after 7.30 or so, be prepared for a sizable wait.
The pastas can be hit or miss--odd considering how perfect they are at sister restaurant Lupa. The bland bucatini with guanciale and sautéed onions tastes like the chef forgot to add the sauce. And a penne-style pasta with a rich tomato sauce and eggplant would be serviceable if not for the goopy mounds of ricotta plopped injudiciously on top. A much simpler dish of perfectly cooked linguine with a plum tomato sauce is a winner.
And, of course, those pizzas. You can get adventurous with a pie topped with cured fish roe and raw fennel, or go for something a little safer, such as a fragrant mix of mushrooms and taleggio.
The wine list is massive, and unless you've spent a lifetime traveling the Italian countryside, it might leave you more than a little confused. But there's always someone on hand to steer you in the right direction without emptying your wallet.
The service up front in the enoteca is attentive, but oddly the sit-down area is less so. A waiter might rush to take your order, then when you ask for more time, he might disappear for 20 minutes.
The Scene is modeled after an Italian train station, and as busy as one at rush hour. Instead of sweaty travelers, though, you have packs of high-heeled ladies, big groups on celebratory, drunken evenings, local foodies, and more.
I'm giving this place 5 stars for a specific reason.
Not because of the food--Babbo is 5 star.
Not because of the decor--it's good but not great.
Not because it's a great place to sit and talk--it is loud as all hell.
Otto gets five stars for the ability to deliver damn good food for adults, and a world class wine list, yet you can bring your kids. Hard to find a place that straddles that wish list. I had a very nice bowl of pasta, split two excellent pizzas with my buddies (the cured ham and arugula was outstanding), shared a great bottle of old chianti, while our 9-year-olds were happy with plain and pepperoni pizzas and could squawk and each other and no one cared.
Excellent for the dads, excellent for the sons.
Great service too, by a waitress who was very kind to the boys.
And that gets a 5 star rating--in a specific category.
Wine? Pizza? Pasta? Gelato? Consider me happy. And full.
Reasonable prices - $9 pastas, $4+ apps, most pizzas $10-15, bottles of wine starting at $30
I liked, but didn't LOVE my pizza. Not exactly sure why, but it was still pretty darn good. And olive oil gelato? You heard me right. After reading the reviews I knew I just had to try it. It took some convincing on my part to talk my friend into it...then it turned out to be her fav.
The atmosphere is the best. Cute bar area for drinks beforehand (and you will be waiting...we waited 30 min past our reservation on a Monday night) and a nice, cozy dining area. Mario does it again!
I came here with 5 others on a saturday night at 8 without a reservation. Expecting not to be seated for awhile, we waited in the front-area bar. it was crowded, noisy, but we managed to snag our own standing-room table and it served as an oasis for us as we ordered a bottle, a cheese plate and 2 antipasti (the eggplant caponatina and the cauliflower siciliana). the antipasti were fantastic and i overall liked the bar area but the service was surly (i don't blame the waiter though, it's packed like sardines and he was trying to balance plates of food in one hand and glasses of wine with the other) and they don't let you order pizza or pasta unless you're seated in the restaurant.
Onto the dinner portion: miraculously, our table came up on the train station sign they have after only an hour, and we got a table in the front area. amazingly, the noise from the bar area is hushed in this area so we were able to hear our own conversation. we decided to go with 4 pizzas for the 6 of us, which after a cheese plate and antipasti was more than enough. the plate-sized pizzas were all solid--the tangy red sauce on the margherita dop was great, the mushroom/taleggio was rich, oily, but delicious, and we got the marinara (and followed the secret to order it with cheese).
we ended the meal with 3 scoops of gelato: the salty caramel, ricotta/honey, and the famous olive oil gelato. and as many of the reviewers vouch, the olive oil was weird but strangely addictive. you taste olive oil, cream, sugar, and it all just comes together.
what i like about otto is its affordable menu and its pretty solid food. you have nyu'ers, young professionals, and families coming here, and it reminds me of an olive garden (in a good way) if it were trendy and had batali's stamp on it. but you will have to wait awhile, and the food, unlike in some of batali's other restaurants, is not to die for.
After a third visit, I can't say I'm compelled to come back. If you're not a wine drinker, there's not too much to this place. And it's run like a corporation (i.e. the staff is incapable of bending the rules or making seating decisions without consulting the computer).
FOOD
SALTED CARMEL GELATO! How the F is this so good? It is so good I felt sadness and slight panic while eating it, that it was going to end... the gelato would soon be gone. The OLIVE OIL GELATO is also very delicious.
Have any of you been impressed with the anti pasti? My sister and I tried 5 anti pasti before our main courses and weren't particulars impressed with any of them. We enjoyed the mussels but the others went almost untouched.
The escarole & sunchoke salad was good. Next time we are sticking to salad, pizza, and gelato.
ATMOSPHERE, ETC.
Adorable, dark, has a very hip feel in the front room, the back is classic. I would take a date here even though it gets very loud... almost too loud.
The prices are very reasonable.
It was easy to get a reservation via open table a couple of hours before we went to dine on a Saturday night.
The hosts of this restaurant act as if they are doing you a favor by letting you eat there. I have been there enough times and heard the same comments from enough people to know that mine were not unique experiences.
Other than that, the food, the service and the wine list is great.
If you go (or order delivery so you don't have to deal with those lovely women at the entrance), do not forget to order the Gorgonzola Dolce as an appetizer and the Caprese salad and the pepperoni pizza.
I thought the food is pretty good. Antipasti, particularly shrimp and chickpeas, was very tasty. Probably not the best or creative pizzas in the City, but pretty good for the price ($9-14/pie). The wine selection is huge, and has many reasonable but good wines. The dessert was very good - olive oil and sweet corn gelato was excellent.
We had a reservation for Tuesday night at 7:45 but they made us wait for 45 minutes for a table. What's the point of making a reservation?? The restaurant is pretty noisy but it has some pretty people working there...
"Bring on the wine and I'm ready to eat like a cow!"
That was the text from my friend hours before our dinner at Otto the other night and that was the theme of the dinner. And good thing.
The wine list is enormous and 80% in Italian so we asked our lovely waiter for some help. We chose a bottle of Pinot Noir that was absolutely fantastic. (Thank you)
For dinner we decided a three cheese (chef's choice) appetizer sampler, the spaghetti and meatball special (only on Wednesdays) and the 4 Cheese pizza.
I wish I brought the elastic waist band pants because BOY was I stuffed. Everything was beyond fantastic.
We didn't get the Olive Oil Gelato that everyone recommended (I KNOW THE HORROR) but went with the salty caramel and milk chocolate instead. Again---fantastic.
Go on a Wednesday. Get the meat-a-balls (yepp say that in a fake Italian accent) and enjoy.
Granted, I went to this place about a year ago...but ugh. It was like a roller coaster. At times it was a very pleasant experience, and at others it kind of...sucked.
First, we got there and didn't have a reservation and the place looked packed. This wasn't a real problem, though, because there are tons of places to stand around and share a bottle of wine and some appetizers while you wait for your name to come up on their little board.
When we were finally seated, myself and the three other people that I was with carefully selected some items from the olive bar type menu. This can quickly add up, so be mindful. Although, when it arrived it was delicious, it ended up being costly.
We ordered another bottle of wine for the table, and the wait staff seemed knowledgeable and helpful, but a little condescending. Finally, after a notable wait, our food came. Unfortunately, my friend's date was not satisfied with her meal - the pasta was more than al dente. She sent the order back and by the time she received her meal, the rest of us had finished ours. She was very upset, and even sort of acted like a bitch, but the waitress was very rude to us and didn't comp the meal or anything.
The one redeeming factor about Otto was that one of the waitresses had long dreadlocks that were beautiful. Kudos to Otto for diversity. Other than that, I think there are much better Italian restaurants in New York.
This is the best pizza I have had since returning from a semester in Italy- the crust was thin and the toppings were heavy and greasy.
The menu is a bit limited, however everything my friends and I tried was delicious.
As delicious as the food is, the service was sub-par.
I had high hopes for this restaurant. Prices are reasonable and the options are fairly interesting. Amazing wine list.
However, while I enjoyed the food (hearty, flavorful and satisfying), the abysmal service marred my experience.
Our waitress didn't write down an order, and when we said "oh, we're still waiting for the pizza", she immediately went on the defensive attack. She accused us of not ordering it, and then switched gears to "I didn't hear a order for pizza." Then she said "Well, the kitchen's completely closed so there's nothing I can do", and walked away. This is unacceptable.
It also took me an hour and a half, and two requests to separate people, to get my water glass refilled once.
The only reason I didn't rate Otto Enoteca a one-star, is I really loved my pasta, the TACCOZETTE WITH SPICY CAULIFLOWER - $9 CHILI FLAKE, GARLIC, PECORINO. The cauliflower was pureed nicely into the sauce, and meshed well with the pecorino for a very satisfying, savory dish.
Skip the BIANCA - $7, OLIVE OIL, SEA SALT, which tastes like bad, salty naan drenched in olive oil. Also skip: the Squash & Pecorino; Roasted Peppers & Capers.
The Goods: Energetic vibe and reasonable price, suitable for all occasions, great for only desserts and wines or a full, all-out meal, love the assortment of meats, seafood, and veggies as appetizers.
The Bad: Uneven service, menus and wine list are not exactly user friendly, still don't love the pizza yet--even though the Lardo pizza is one of a kind., pastas are fine for the price but don't make me want to have more.
Ahhhh, Otto (pronounced properly, in Italiano "oht-toe")...you make my heart sing! Mario Batali, the restaurant giant, has really done well in his creation of this fine establishment.
My favorite thing to do here is go with a few people and order a number of their small plates for sharing. Salads, meats, cheeses (OH THE CHEESES!!!), pasta, fish, pizzas, and of course veggies of the day!
Let me digress and return to THE CHEESES...they are glorious. the only things better than their exquisite cheese selection are the sweet and savory pairings that come with them: truffle honey, lucious syrup-ey cherries, and the red peppered dried apricots, soaked in their own spicy-sweet syrup. Absolutely DIVINE. Enjoy it with their crusty Italian loaf, and just declare heaven on earth.
And don't forget their wine list - AGES long. A sommelier will be able to help you pick a perfect pairing if you get cold feet in that department.
Finish off your meal of the Roman gods with one of their brilliant gelatos - you will not regret it...the olive oil coppetta is just sublime.
Bottom line: new world Italian cuisine at it's very finest, with just the right amount of tradition, and a splash of the best wine in the world. Va bene!!
Enjoy!!
c
Great place to go with a large group of people. We went for my girlfriends bachlorette party and it couldnt have been more perfect. They have a huge selection of wine on the menu so if you're a wine drinker you may want to check out the wine list online prior because it is quite overwhelming.
When you first walk in they have a huge bar with small tables and seats, so you can go just to have some wine and apps which makes for a great night.
We sat in the back at a table for 8 and ordered the cheeses, salads, pastas, and pizzas. Everything was shared, which was fun because we got to try a little bit of everything and you know me I really like to try EVERYTHING ;).
The bill came out to $38 including drinks, so it really is a fun inexpensive place for a fun night out with friends or family.
On our way out we spotted Tom the top judge of Top Chef with his family. We said hello but he wasn't to friendly, made me feel like the food was even better because he is soo picky on the show!
It's a great place but I wouldnt give it 4 stars because it's very loud and crowded. I'd perfer a more low key type of place, but would definetly go back with a group.
The food is a well done and fresh. Busy dining area. Out of the whole meal, the olive oil gelato was most interesting to me.
Two hour wait for dinner? I figured they had to be exaggerating. They were. We waited an hour and 57 minutes. No lie.
A lovely walking tour of the 'hood and surrounding areas burned some time off rather than packing ourselves into the crowded bar.
An hour and a half later, we returned to snag a spot near the bar for a beverage and a few apps. The bruschetta di giorno? Lardo. As our server explained, and even wrote down on a piece of paper so that there was no confusion, that means "FAT". Ugh, no grazie, Mario. Caprese and some other cheese tart type dealy did the trick, along with a lovely prosecco-based cocktail with mini-strawberries. Mmmm.
We split some pizzas when finally seated and thoroughly enjoyed them...goat cheese and asparagus and the pizza bianco were my favorite. I determined I still don't like olives (but had my semi-annual attempt) and enjoyed a big jammy red wine. Fabuloso.
Affordable food, lovely ambiance, and clearly popular. I should know, I waited for all the other peeps in the know to beat it before I could enjoy.
- Tables and wait staff in the bar so that people can order food/drink while waiting to be seated.
- Huge wine list.
- Lots of kinds of bruschetta, all very good.
- Really good starter salads.
- Good cheese.
- Al dente pasta - some people love it, some people hate it...I happen to love my pasta hard and slightly undercooked so Otto is perf.
- Thin pizza - not a huge fan, but not bad - my friends swear by it.
- Random music. Not Italian themed at all whatsoever. A-Ha Take On Me came on THREE different times from the beginning of our wait through the end of dinner. Among other 80's and 90's pop classics.
An average Italian place priced accordingly-- and that's fine with me.
There's a fairly wide selection of fairly good food here, and for $4 an app and $9 a pasta, I'll take it. The atmosphere here is lively and fun, and the service is fast if devoid of personality.
I enjoy getting delivery from Otto, although the food sometimes arrives needing to be microwaved.
Impossible to get last minute reservations on a weekend but if you are willing to wait an hour for your table I would recommend doing it. I promise it's worth the wait.. Plus the bar area where you wait is huge with cocktail tables and they will serve you wine and apps while you wait.
We arrived at 9.15 ona friday and were told it would be over an hour for the table. Starving, we Ordered up a bottle of wine and some cheeses and antipasto to tide us over. All delicious. Our table was ready in under an hour and by then we were sufficiently tipsy and half-full. The server was really nice and answered all our questions with patience. The pizza was delicious. For desert we got olive oil, salty caramel and fig gelatos. The olive oil was good and the fig was ok but the caramel was extremely bitter.. The server explained it was supposed to be burnt caramel.. But I couldn't eat it. However, the black and white is to diiiee for. Yum.
The food was reasonably priced, the wine was not. They play great music we heard everything from tool to eminem. Fun place.
The bar area of the house is superb! Great appetizers, excellent meats and cheeses, fantastic, fun and affordable wine list, good service...all while standing up and watching the train schedule tik away till our table was ready. Loved it! I was having a great, great time!
Then I tried the food in the restaurant itself. The heart of the beast, the moment I had been anticipating for the last hour with already satiated glee?!?! But then I ate their food. The pizza was like cracker (I'm talking the frozen pizza crusts you buy at Costco in bulk, but even more poorly cooked than you cook them in you're own oven. Like thick matzah. I would have been embarrassed to have served that to friends in my house even after I liquored them up), covered in what appeared and tasted like canned tomato paste. Ok, I like the sweetness of canned tomato paste, but I hardly think that constitutes a sauce. The cheeses were superb! So if you like cheese and couldn't give a fuck all about anything else, order a pizza. Then I tried the pasta...overtly salty, which is totally fine with me. But again the sauce was a joke. Would not be surprised to find out it was made predominantly from a can or jar.
All in all, don't get a table. Stay standing at the wonderful counters in the bar area. Loved it! I will definitely go back, but I will never have dinner in the dining room again.
Went here a couple of years ago and it was ok. My waitress was very helpful and the place looked nice enough and didn't break the bank. I had a penne and eggplant dish which was a mixed bag. The pasta was al dente, the sauce was decent, but for some reason it didn't gell together right with the eggplant. Regardless, I did finish it. My date loved her pizza, but then again she loves everything. I'm gonna go back soon to give it another shot as I'm much more experienced food-wise now, although I'll likely stick to the pizza this time.
Solid pizza with a great selection of small dishes and wines to complement your slice. Enjoy at the fun, boisterous wine bar or go sit down in the inviting dining room, undo your belt buckle, and get ready for a fat-fest. Whether you wanna hang out after work for a drink or come here for a family dinner it's all good baby. Eat here. Nothing amazing, but it's a good time. P.S. Mario Batali is my hero.
Everything we had was delicious. The wine was tasty. The bill was relatively small.
The problem? Cockroaches. Live. In the dining room during dinner.
And that's a problem. I know all restaurants have issues with pest control. But it's a really bad sign when there's a cockroach crawling around in the dining room - I can only imagine what the non-customer areas look like.
Ugh, thinking about it makes me squeamish. I wish we saw it before the end of our meal.
This placed rocked. The atmosphere is very upbeat and the place was packed, but the ambiance is great.
The wine list is endless!! The cheese plate is the way to go along with a few other apps and the pizza was delicious! Very inexpensive as well.
One of the most horrific experiences I've had in a restaurant. I honestly don't understand why this place was so packed.
My impressions (and I will NOT be going back there) are:
- the food is mediocre - stale anchovies, not that fresh of a salad, bland pasta
- service is absolutely horrible
- we had a truly maniac waiter -- he was either drunk or acting like it
- very disorganized staff
- we were overcharged close to $100 on wine ("oh! sorry!" was the answer)
- restaurant is very loud -- when we complained, we were just told 'no, can't do anything'
- it was freezing in there! -- when we complained, we were told our spot in the restaurant was a cold one, and that they couldn't do anything (again)
- disgusting toilets
The wine list is extensive and impressive so 2 stars for that I guess... The fact that the 4 page menu is 3 pages wine and one page food is a little telling. After the meal you won't be surprised since the emphasis is definitely not placed on the pizza.
I'm actually shocked at how awful the pizza I had was at Otto. In fact, I'm also kind of bothered by the number of 4 and 5 star reviews this place has gotten. Yes, it's trendy, nice interior and has lots of wine and cheeses and the bar area looks awesome and lively. Unfortunately the actual pizza is awful.
Our server was good, so thats a plus. I really expected more from a place with owners so well known as Mario Batali and Joseph Bastianich. I think the entire country of Italy would be offended by what they put on the plate at Otto.
I really don't like giving bad reviews like this but really thats how disappointed i was.
One of my favorite places to come back to again and again!
I can't count the number of times I've been here but they have all been delicious. I've been here with small groups of friends, large groups, family, dates, just to the bar, just for dessert, etc. Needless to say, I've been here for any occasions with different people and they have all been great.
It's great new, modern italian food that is always fresh tasting. The rustic twist on classic dishes makes the flavors really come alive.
TRY A CHEESE PLATE! If you do nothing else, get the cheese! The dipping sauces that accompany the cheese plate are heavenly and by creating so many different flavor combinations between the sauces and cheese types, you'll be on a flavor adventure.
The pastas and pizzas are all great, with many options. My personal fav is the penne con escarole and sausage, mmmmmm. Great flavors!
The dessert menu is also a highlight since it changes frequently to flavors of the season. I always get to try something new and that's a plus. The gelato flavors are amazing. If you're adventurous go for the olive oil coppetta. The name is much more intimidating than the actual dish. If you can get past the olive oil part you'll be in a wondrous dessert experience. It is really light and something new for the palette.
Recently, I had the Figs and Red Wine. OMG, heaven! The lemon lavender gelato may just be one of my favorite things I've ever tasted. Particularly in the summer time when you want a really refreshing way to end the meal.
All in all, just go there and be impressed by what Mr. Mario Batali has to offer.
**Deal Seeking Diva tip** Make reservations for Friday and Saturday nights or you could be waiting upwards to 2 hours for a table. http://Opentable.com is a great way to make a reservation. Otherwise, just hang out in the bar area, enjoy some wine and that cheese plate while waiting for your table and you'll still love you life : )
Love it! You NEED to make reservations or if you are dropping in eat at the bar, because the line is way too long to deal with! Great wine list and pizzas are great! The only pizza I wouldn't ever touch is the clam pizza... it was so salty the time I ordered it that I couldn't eat more than one bite because it was soooo salty! But the olive oil gelato is AMAZING!!
This is a great date night place for me and my husband!
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Category: Italian
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