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Sotto Cincinnati Reviews
Enjoyed an exquisite meal with the vivacious and
Enjoyed an exquisite meal with the vivacious and knowledgeable, Leah at Sotto one recent weekday evening! The subterranean space is cool and dark, reminiscent an old wine cellar. Takes a bit too for the eyeballs to adjust. While you're waiting, sip a beautiful cocktail. Mine (pictured) was the lovely Lusso D'Arte with mezcal, lemon, lavender and italictus. I shamelessly recommend the kale Caesar. It's garlicky good! We split the good size chicken thigh entree as well, as a Chocolate Budino dessert. Beautiful finish!
Great Food, Ambiance & Wonderful Knowledgable Servers for
Great Food, Ambiance & Wonderful Knowledgable Servers for Wine, Cocktails and Food Recommendation. We were ALL sold on the cappellacci. Definitely Visit Again
I can't rave about this place enough.
The food and drinks were amazing, the service was great, ambiance was perfect. Just overall had the best time. It is worth the hype and the money! I can't remember our servers name, but he was so knowledgeable and patient with us walking us through everything. GET THE DONUTS!!!
Cozy Ambiance
My daughters took me to Sotto for my birthday. Cozy ambiance with great service. Nice mix of casual fine dining. Waiters wear jeans so it creates a comfortable atmosphere. We ordered family style and shared. In the Pane we ordered the goat cheese, hazelnut grilled bread. Excellent. Also the tortano with dinner. Also excellent. Antipasto we ordered primavera salad. Excellent. We ordered three Primi and did not select from the Secondi. Tortellini con formaggi was good but very very salty. The tagliatelle con porcini was excellent and our favorite. The linguini alle vongole was a huge disappointment with no flavor whatsoever. For the Dolce course we ordered the ricotta doughnuts and chocolate budino which were both very good. This is a great place for a date, family get together, or business dinner. Very grown up so not really a good place to bring children. Highly recommend.
We went back for a birthday dinner and just as wonderful as
We went back for a birthday dinner and just as wonderful as the first time! Set underground, once we stepped in, it felt like we were transported out of Cincinnati. Our server Max was very attentive and explained the menu in detail. The goat cheese and honey is a must order, it's a simple concept but they have perfected it. Loved the cappellacci and breaded pork loin. You can't leave without ordering the ricotta doughnuts. In the back of the restaurant, you can see the homemade pastas being made in house. One of the best in Cincinnati!
Very good food atmosphere is great.
Would recommend this place. Can't wait to go back.
Truly one of the greatest places in the city.
I'll always recommend this place for those special occasions. My favorite is the goat cheese bread and kale salad. I could eat it for the rest of my life! Service is incredible. Heather made us laugh and was highly attentive. The entire experience is hands down worth it.
Excellent cocktail bar, and everyone's right: those ricotta
Excellent cocktail bar, and everyone's right: those ricotta doughnuts are fantastic! If you take it home, make sure to put the pistachio sauce in the fridge. It might be the best non-traditional dipping sauce I've had, but it went bad--so bad--sitting on my hotel room dresser. My fault, not theirs, I know, but just wanted to send that caveat along. The apps were also wonderful, which might have contributed to the underwhelming entrees. Our bartender Alex was knowledgeable and fun to talk to (and super patient when my uncle got a little tipsy)! Great atmosphere, too! I will definitely be back!
The food was absolutely superb.
We got the goat cheese bread to start and then the insalata and then did the short rib pasta (which was probably some of the best pasta we've ever had). The ricotta donuts to finish off were delectable and so fluffy. The service was amazing, they were so attentive and constantly on the prowl to clear plates or refill your water. It's such a unique atmosphere, a little dark but once you adjust to the lighting it's gorgeous!
I have been here twice now.
The first time I had to wait 3 months for my reservations and the second time I had to wait another 3 months for my reservations. That's how in-demand this place is! I guess you can go to the bar and be seated without a reservation but you probably have to get there before 5:00. After 5:00 it starts to fill up so it would be difficult to get bar seating. So that is the key to going to this place if you don't want to wait for months with the reservations. Our service was awesome! Meg was great and she was very attentive to our needs. The food here is spectacular! I can't remember exactly what it's called but it's this pasta dish where all the little pasta half shells are filled with this meat mousse. It was just spectacularly delicious! I had it the second time as well. All of the other dishes are just as good. The appetizer with bread and different jellies was also really good. I think the pasta dish with the meat mousse is my favorite and I'm going to have to work to get some other stuff next time I go. I literally just made another reservation 3 months out right before we left. That's what you have to do in order to be able to get to this place! Ambiance is very underground and dark but really cool and romantic. Highly recommend it!
I was looking forward to dinner here as I heard from my son
I was looking forward to dinner here as I heard from my son it was a highly rated Italian restaurant in Cincinnati. It started out great with warm bread and warm olive oil but after that, not so much. The beef tartar had breadcrumbs mixed in with it, no egg and no crostini or any sort of bread to have with the dish. No beefy taste as well. The pasta with the short rib was disappointing - the meat wasn't flavorful and the sauce more watery. We ordered desserts - the ricotta donuts were pretty dense - the caramel sauce was good. The pistachio gelato was sparse in flavor. So while in town to spend time with family and have a great dinner- this food was so disappointing. How it's so highly rated- I have no clue
Fabulous
This place is amazing. Have gone several times and every single time the food was amazing. Can't wait until our next dinner.
A dark stinky place to be overcharged.
This place is a dank dark basement that real smells of sewer gas. You would thing you would smell the food but no you get poop smell. Its real dark in there I bet there is a reason. And lets not forget way over priced. They think they are super upscale but it smells like poop.
Every visit I've had here has been an EXPERIENCE.
The amount of information these servers have to retain is incredible. I've had an amazing time every time I've been here. Much love to the staff
The food was delicious, the staff were very friendly and
The food was delicious, the staff were very friendly and knowledgeable about the entire menu. Cute scenery and fun experience!
Excellent food.
among the best in Cincinnati. Pricey, but worth it, although extremely busy and very noisy. Conversation can be difficult. Tough to get in. Make Reservations far in advance.
When you leave Cincinnati behind and walk down the stairs
When you leave Cincinnati behind and walk down the stairs into Sotto, expect everything after that to be absolute class. Every dish I ordered was exceptional. My only regret is not calling over the sommelier before ordering my wine, because I wasn't a big fan of my pick.
Absolutely amazing experience!! We were treated like
Absolutely amazing experience!! We were treated like princesses and can't thank the staff enough for making us feel so special
Best Italian food in town.
Great "underground" atmosphere... reminiscent of many European fine restaurants. We have had several fantastic family multi-course dinners... best in the city!
When I first heard about this place I was excited, let me
When I first heard about this place I was excited, let me tell you.. did NoT disappoint me, from the wine collection, to menu to service to ambience.. it's a must try! My favorite in the menu was quails- I never even try quail and now it's my favorite.
I realize the first thought when most people go to Sotto is
I realize the first thought when most people go to Sotto is not the steak, but I stand by the statement that this is the best steak in the City. Ordering the steak for the table, then splitting some pasta dishes makes for a great experience! You have to know walking in that it is dim lighting, and can be loud. We find that part of the fun ambience, if that may impact your experience consider asking to sit in the bar area.
Booked without realizing it was during Oktoberfest.
I do not recommend going then. Restaurant was packed. Hostesses were overrun. The noise was approaching a roar, took 20 min to place our drink order once seated and nothing like the ambience described by other reviewers. We ended up leaving before drinks came back.
The food and service are excellent.
I've enjoyed going there for years. However, this past time that I went they had really loud, awful bar music playing. It was really out of place and ruined the feel. We had to yell at the table to hear each other. I felt like an old person to ask if they could turn it down. They said they did, but it was still jarring.
Book early!
Make your reservations early for this outstanding Cincy restaurant. We were a group of 5 well-traveled ladies who aren’t afraid to pay for fine food and superb service. First the food: every dish knocked our socks off. Perfectly prepared Octopus, polenta on toast. The small salami and cheese board is much larger than we expected. I ordered the truffle pasta which was delightfully smothered in shaved black truffles. Two of my friends enjoyed gluten free pasta and couldn’t believe how great it was. Best branzino they ever had as well. The finale was a salted hazelnut mousse, which in its simplicity was devine. Adriana was our server who earned every penny of generous gratuity. She took a keen interest in our group, our preferences and exceeded all expectations. In short Sotto is not to be missed when in Cincy!
Tantalize your taste buds
The vibe awesome. The service amazing. The food out of this world. I chose the spot with my boyfriend, and I were traveling to Cincinnati, because I was in the mood for some Italian food. I didn’t realize this was a SPOT! There was good music, playing, candlelight and dim lights. Making it very romantic. we sat at the bar, and enjoyed several delicious cocktails. Our bartender made several recommendations from the menu, and we were not disappointed. We were blown away will definitely come back.
Great dinner with high quality ingredients and great service
One of the best meals I've had in a long time. Snagged a seat at the bar, had the tartare di fassone to start, followed by the short rib cappellacci, and then the branzino for the main course. everything was awesome.
Not good
Charging $50 for corkage fee is super greedy, especially since we got our food before the bartender even asked about the wine. Except for the initial pour, our glasses were never refilled. I dine at some of the best restaurants in the world, in the US,$50 corkage is the most I ever paid, and that comes with appropriate service Shame on you.
Good Italian restaurant!
Really good ambiance and service. The food was very good but not excellent. The salad dressing just made it very sour, the alio olio was alright. Truffle pasta was indeed excellent. Homemade pasta makes it a good culinary experience.
Fabulous food
Fabulous meal! The flavors for each course were amazing. Our only criticism- the music was way too loud, and some Italian would have been more appropriate. The menu and decor were very Italian, but not the music.
In my opinion the #1 Restaurant in Cincinnati. Better than you Nonna's cooking! (Don't tell Nonna)
OMG! We missed our reservation when we first arrived (late flight) and unfortunately there were no other reservations available. We thought we'd have to miss this one but on our last night decided to wait in line and get added to wait list. Let me tell you it was worth the wait! We were seated at a group table next to two lovely couples. Our waiter (Brandon) was fabulous and explained the menu and dishes in detail while encouraging a truly familial atmosphere. Pasta is made fresh in house and everything is made with quality ingredients. I am married to an Italian whose family pride themselves on their cuisine and cooking skills but I have to say (quietly so she doesn't kill me) that Soto's food is even more outstanding than Nonna's (if she reads this I'm a dead man). The breads are fresh baked, simple, yet flavorful. The pasta (my mouth salivates even thinking about it) is divine! Fresh, light, and cooked to perfection, with just the right amount of sauce and filling. It's heaven on earth! Each dish is the perfect size. Salads are amazing and the broccolini is divine. We ended up sharing with the two couples beside us so we all got to experience different dishes. One thing for certain, you CAN NOT leave without having the ricotta filled doughnuts for dessert!!!! HEAVEN ON EARTH!!!!!! Surprisingly the price is extremely reasonable for what you get. Dining at Soto is an experience. If you go in October definitely try the white truffles. They are only available once a year. SOTO definitely is my #1 place and must see restaurant for Cincinnati. If you don't have a reservation it is definitely worth the wait!
Worth the hype!
Expensive but 100% worth it! Drinks, apps, entrees all perfection! Atmosphere was wonderful! Our waiter was very attentive and friendly!
Outstanding food and staff!
My husband and I had dined at Sotto two nights ago with his business colleagues. We had a fantastic dinner. Corrin was our server that night; she was knowledgeable, personable, and passionate about her job. We returned tonight and were able to be seated at the bar, and,had another enjoyable dining experience with Kelly K. The rigatoni con pomodoro dish was phenomenal. as was the pesto dish. Corrin was working in a different section but remembered us, and made sure we were taken care of at dessert time. We were very impressed with the attentiveness and quality of the staff at Sotto. We will definitely be back next time we are in Cincinnati!
Cacio e Pepe
Sotto, tucked into a brick walled basement lair, has the best Cacio e Pepe in the country. That’s a fact, no doubt. I’ve tried many, as my belly proves. Sotto is a wonderful restaurant, with a great bar. Service is efficient, if not particularly warm. This was a return visit to Cincinnati after eight years. Sotto was a must visit.
It's simple .
.... it's perfection. (not easy to get a reservation though)
Way too dimly lit for my liking, menu descriptions DO NOT
Way too dimly lit for my liking, menu descriptions DO NOT match the energy or lack thereof , the food...over priced for the quality
I love the fresh pasta! and the complimentary dessert donut
I love the fresh pasta! and the complimentary dessert donut :)
Service and food is amazing.
The manager made sure that we were happy. Me and my friend got free birthday dessert which was the pistachio gelato and donuts and they were AMAZING. Server was very knowledgeable.
Nothing beats Sotto.
Probably my favorite restaurant in Cincy. Reservations are very hard to come by though. I've actually never been able to get reservations and have had to walk in to get a table. They do take walk ins pending availability.All the meals I've had at Sotto have been fantastic. Ask the servers what's most popular and they'll be able to direct you to some amazing options. The ambiance is equally amazing. The restaurant is located below ground level and is dimly lit. Would recommend!
Sotto restaurant has always been reliably incredible.
The atmosphere is lovely, the staff is friendly, and the food... well... the food is just amazing. Cappellacci, am I right? A couple of weeks ago, my friend and I had a great experience with Mitchell as our server and Kelly as our bartender. However, we also got to meet Korrie and She Is A GEM! You know those people who just wow you with their genuine charisma and thoughtfulness? She's like that, but on a totally different did-that-really-just-happen level :)I'm just so thankful I was able to bring a friend in from out of town to one of my favorite restaurants, and the experience actually exceeded all my hype :) Thanks, Sotto!
If you're looking for a romantic Italian restaurant
If you're looking for a romantic Italian restaurant downtown, Sotto is definitely worth checking out. With a rustic ambiance, the restaurant offers a comfortable atmosphere, although it can be a bit loud. We enjoyed the sempre soleggiato cocktail, which was well-made and refreshing.we also tried the piccolo fiore, which was good. The goat cheese, hazelnut honey, and grilled bread appetizer was amazing and a great way to start the meal. The black kale Caesar salad with parmigiano was also delicious and had a good balance of flavors. For our main course, we tried the cappellacci with short rib, shallot, and thyme, and were blown away by the simplicity yet amazing flavor. Finally, we had the breaded pork loin with caper and lemon, which was decent.we also had a side of the patate, which was also full of flavorFor dessert, we ended with the ricotta doughnuts and salted-vanilla gelato, bothnwere delicious. The service was top-notch and very friendly, which added to our overall experience. Overall, Sotto is a fantastic Italian restaurant that offers great food and a romantic vibe.
Like a mothers hug
Simple looking dishes that wander through the flavors of family, friends and childhood. Nothing is as simple as it seems. The short rib pasta rests in a light, elegant sauce that we ordered extra bread to finish off as we didn’t want it to waste. The pasta pomodoro dissolves into layers of subtle tomato, spice and warmth. The fig Old Fashioneds are familiar yet exotic. Desserts were equally simple looking yet not what they seem; complex textures and flavors in donut holes? Seriously? Art. I just spent a week in Florence and a week in Rome and didn’t have food of this caliber. Michelin, are you listening?
This was my second time in, the first time was 2019 so I
This was my second time in, the first time was 2019 so I was exited to be back. My sister took my as a belated Christmas gift. I love the vibe of the basement restaurant. It feels exclusive and luxurious. It can feel a tad dark but I don't mind that. It makes for a romantic/dramatic feel. We enjoyed drinks, pasta, apps, and dessert. Everything was 10/10. It was just as delicious as I remembered and lived up to the hype. If you want to try this place a reservation is the way to go and tends to need to be made a few months in advance. The service was also 10/10 I believe out sever was named Adriana or Ariana and she was the <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbomb.com&s=bb4f996415a9c2f21137e27cfb68f439a48cec2652b53e9b50dd7e766dbe177e" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">bomb.com</a>. She made us feel special. She didn't rush us at all even with how packed and busy the restaurant was. We really got to enjoy a wonderful evening. She even took a photo of us which was so nice because my sister and I are bad at getting pictures together. Bonus: the pasta making room near the bathroom is so fun.
Most incredible meal.
The short rib melts in your mouth. Would go back for the donuts alone. Expensive but WORTH it. Call to get a reservation, don't listen to their online availability. Great place to go on a date or with girlfriends
I met the best bartender Kelly here.
She went above and beyond and made a first time Cincy visitor feel warm She wrote me a list of places she recommends after I told her it's my first time here in Cincy, the dessert Budino is also a gift from herThe chicken liver mousse is so good, the pistachio on the liver mousse create the crunchy texture on top of the smooth liver mousse. Budino, the dessert, is so rich and so chocolaty! I'd recommend it to any chocolate lovers!
As always amazing service.
The servers go above and beyond, are right there for every need-clearing away plates and making sure you have fresh silverware for each course. They do well timing each course. Definitely my favorite restaurant in Cincinnati the food is always amazing! Not pictured-we also got the goat cheese honey grilled bread and the octopus-even if you have never had octopus I highly recommend you won't be disappointed! Such a neat environment in a basement with brick walls and candlelight. If you want to go make sure to make a reservation the day the reservations open up for the specific day you want to go months ahead-they book up quickly
If you are looking for a top tier dining experience this is
If you are looking for a top tier dining experience this is the place for you! The moment you walk through the door you are hit with a pleasing ambiance, with dimly lit lighting, immaculate exposed brick, it really gives you a a feeling of being at a speak easy back in prohibition times, or something from a Godfather type movie. I told my wife and friends it's really reminded me of the old country and I'm not even from or Italian but that's how authentic it is. We were seated in a corner bar table and I couldn't feel more like a mafioso boss, I even tucked my napkin in my shirt, which I was immediately corrected to put on my lap. The drink selection is top notch. On your way to the bathroom, if your lucky, you might be able to see a staff member tying off a raviolo or gnocchi in the pasta rolling station. The wait staff is fantastic and very professional! You might think you don't need their help but you do! Let them drive your dining experience and they won't steer you wrong! No matter what you get though it will fantastic! The steak was so smooth it just melts in your mouth, at one point I was almost certain it disintegrated the second it hit my tongue. The salads and pastas couldn't be more fresh and are topped with fresh cracker pepper to really give you that zing to get the night going right!
Cincinnati 23 trip
Arrived about 6:00 pm without a reservation. Only available seats were at the bar. Very noisy. The food (food tartare and insulate) was wonderful and served very quickly. I will return for different selection.
Perfect for a large family!
Wanted a family dinner for a special occasion and Sotto was definitely a good choice! Ordered two bistecca steaks and several large sides and it was like a gourmet, home cooked meal. The private room was icing on the cake and glad we reserved in advance, 8-10 people fit no problem. Their wine selections are exquisite with knowledgeable staff. A special occasion must!
Charles in Charge
Outstanding dinner. Fantastic, helpful, attentive servers (we loved Charles). Wonderful food. Great wine pairing. Dessert was so good. Order the tuna bread app! Absolutely delicious. The octopus was sublime. Short rib pasta melts in your mouth. Black truffle pasta was ridiculous. Homemade doughnuts were phenomenal. Even the manager was awesome (he spotted my OSU sweater vest, took my menu, and gave me a replacement with all of the “M”s crossed out). The attention to detail at Sotto was very impressive.
To Die For
Was in town on business and decided to try. Reservations were booked out so we got there right at open for bar seating. Drinks were fantastic. Tried the goat cheese honey grilled bread, fusilli, and salted caramel arrogate. All were excellent. Good atmosphere for an intimate, casual setting.
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If there is no user posting that fits your schedule, you can bid on your preferred time.
Let's say Peter has a great morning and decides to take his three friends to Sotto Cincinnati at 6 PM the same day.
He checks the restaurant's website and sees that no reservations are available. He then looks at the Sotto Cincinnati page on AppointmentTrader, but finds that there are no user postings either.
That's where the community-driven bid process comes in.
Peter can place a bid on AppointmentTrader, which serves as a reward for any community member who chooses to work on securing the reservation. AT then notifies experienced users who may be able to help.
Step-by-Step Process
1.) Setting a Reward (Bid)
* AppointmentTrader uses historical data to recommend a reasonable reward amount for securing a reservation - let's say $100.
* Peter really wants to go, so he increases the bid (or reward) to $200.
* At this stage, the reservation does not exist yet.
2.) A Community User Picks Up the Bid
* DistinguishedTree58, an experienced AT user, has a strong track record of successfully securing reservations and low refund requests, they receive a notification about Peter's bid.
* DistinguishedTree58 picks up the bid, meaning they will now work on securing the reservation.
* Peter can now talk to DistinguishedTree58 for any questions Peter may have as DistinguishedTree58 user fills the bid.
3.) Finding the Reservation
* DistinguishedTree58 now uses their connections at Sotto Cincinnati to secure the table.
* If they successfully get the 6 PM table for four, Peter receives a confirmation that the reservation has been secured.
* If DistinguishedTree58 fails to secure the reservation, the bid is returned to the pool so another user can try.
4.) Payment & Protection
* Once the reservation is secured, DistinguishedTree58 receives the $200 reward which is credited to DistinguishedTree58's AT balance, where users manage their own funds and can withdraw via available payout options such as bank transfer, PayPal, or Zelle.
* Peter can now enjoy the dinner with his friends at Sotto Cincinnati!
* As with all transactions on AT, disputes and no-show fees are handled through the platform's community-driven resolution system. Users with a strong track record are incentivized to fulfill bids successfully, and community members can report issues to maintain trust in the marketplace.
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