Sometimes I look at the conglomerate reviews for a place and I question why they're generally low…read more I try to keep an open mind about a restaurant's purpose, size, cuisine, location etc. to establish a reasonable expectation of service, food and decor.
So I felt that for it's purpose, being an Italian restaurant, in the heart of Munich, during Oktoberfest, L'Osteria was hitting!
I saw a line when we first got there which made me nervous because we didn't have any reservations. So I quickly made an online reservation on the spot. It didn't end up being needed because the host sat us where we preferred, at a table just inside the establishment but close enough to the outdoor seating to get a little bit of both worlds. We had a nice view of the Famtain [Hotel] building as well as Karlsplatz Square. So it seemed that a 10 min.+ wait was worth it.
We immediately got drinks, specifically the Passionfruit Aperal Spritz which was so good. It's the perfect drink after a long day of walking in the heat. We also ordered a pizza, split with Spicy Pepperoni and Chicken Bacon Ranch. I wonder if we were type-cast as Americans when the Chicken Bacon Ranch part was suggested to us. Don't tell them that I told you it was good! We also had the most delicately sliced Carpaccio with just the right amount of parmesan on top. I loved all of it!
So listen, for the bad reviews, I don't know what happened. I think the place is solid. You might have to wait a few minutes to be seated but the turnover should be quick enough for you to get a nice spot. If you're visiting the city it's in a nice central location. Keep your expectations reasonable and you should have a great time!