Solid review. The restaurant had created a limited menu for the Ironman event in town in order to accommodate all the guests. The food was solid, I'd say 4 stars. Great and friendly service. read more

Great food! Awesome service! Great price! Visiting my parents who live in Manchester and have been raving about Otto's, so we all stopped by for lunch. Everything we ordered was fantastic: I had the tuna melt (switched the sourdough out for good rye bread); my wife had the full crab bisque and full lobster roll; 8 year old had the fettuccine Alfredo and ate it all; Mom and Dad split a chicken wrap (they usually have the Reuben but wanted a new try). Wife had the blackberry smash which was really tasty and I had the Foundation NE Hazy IPA (to support animal rescue and adoption of course!). 8 year old asked about desert and was tempted by many, but in the end she ordered and shared the amazing blueberry pie! The unique decor is quirky and fun along with the great food. The owners stopped by to check on us often, so with the home cooked food, it felt like having a great meal at home with family! Highly recommend this restaurant! read more

Loved artsy atmosphere and fine dining experience with Linen Napkins & tableclothes...We loved the escargot app . I ordered the seafood casserole and my hubby had the filet mignon , it was excellent and Hot. Everyone was friendly and our server Mo was very attentive ..even homemade chocolates with our check. Thank you for All , the little touches , made a BIG Impression ! read more

This is one of the worst place I have visited, oh my ... how they run this establishment? Dirtiest place and awful service. Is there any other better restaurants in this town ? We were traveling and wanted to stop for lunch and unfortunately this restaurant came up, so I decided to try but food is not good and service is slow, very dirty bathrooms and there are 100s of dead flies everywhere. I know I will never comeback here again but this town really need a good upscale restaurant for travelers. read more

Ottos on the River - Dead flies - Seafood Near Me - Augusta, Maine

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Fabulous food and service. She had the wild salmon stuffed with spinach and I had the seafood casserole. This places is a gold mine!!!

Please eat here!! After a funeral home visit last week, I stopped into this restaurant as it was on my list to try for a place to eat after my father's funeral. We are not from Maine and had not been to this place or many places in the area. All I knew was I needed someplace great and comfortable for after the service. I stopped in and met the owner. He was warm and personable. Could not do enough for me. I really had no appetite as I had just lost my dad a few days before and just left the funeral home. But I wanted to stop in and try the food and see the place. I ordered the French onion soup and the half of lobster sandwich. The French onion soup was just awesome. It was super-hot; the cheese was melted perfectly right on the mug and the toast was perfect in the broth. I brought the sandwich home (that too was perfect) but like I said no appetite. I did however have a bite of the macaroni salad that they give you as a side. It was amazing. It was real macaroni salad, like my grandma made it in the kitchen. Fast forward to funeral day.. We arrived at the restaurant. The room that they gave us was perfect. The table was perfect. The view was perfect, the atmosphere was perfect. Even the artwork was perfect. I am firm believer that the devil is in the details. They have got it covered. Appetizers were perfect, the crab dip, bacon wrapped scallops, and homemade chips are to die for. The meals were great. Most had the haddock or scallop casserole which they raved about. Then we had dessert... My oh my. The creme brulee comes in flavors, vanilla, blueberry, mango... What!!!!!??-- speechless. On the dessert plates they placed the cutest little mice made from an oreo cookie, chocolate covered cherry and a hershey kiss. It rocked my granddaughter and nephew's world, the toothpicks in the Shirley temples or Roy Rogers were snow men. Adorable and thoughtful. I did read the parking comments on a review prior to going. There is free parking in 2 places right nearby. If you take a left right after the restaurant there is a lot right, there on the river. My family all took photos there because it is gorgeous. There is also another free lot past the restaurant on your right. I am horrible at parallel parking, so I was thankful for both. When you are looking for somewhere for dinner... Say yes to this place You will not be sorry. read more

Waitress was friendly. Apps took over 30 minutes and dinner another hour before the food arrived. The mushroom pasta was sitting in a sea of olive oil not a sauce. Very bizarre. The alfredo had to have sat under a lamp of a good hour. Bill was over $250 for 3 people, no one asked how our food was. We won't go back. read more

A warm welcoming by the staff, the food was incredible. Lobster Stew and a steak! outstanding customer service and dinner! Dont miss out!

I don't do reviews often, but this place was great. I walked past it while working and it looked so warm, cozy and welcoming. The staff were charming and kind. The food was great. It's the best experience I've had in a long time. The biscuits are the best I've ever had read more

Fabulous restaurant Intimate atmosphere Be sure to make reservations Service is awesome too We sat in front of the fireplace at the window .... read more

Absolutely Amazing! Almost nonexistent that an owner would be at his own restaurant seating, serving and actually being the face of the restaurant but he was. One server on one side and one server on the lounge side. They all work their butts off and the food is delectable. The cheesecake was some of the best I've ever eaten. The inside was beautiful and I appreciated the nice soothing music whereas other places blare music. I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. What a jewel. If I lived here I'd be a frequent customer. Well done Ottos! Thank you for a wonderful night out. It was perfection. read more

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Great food. Amazing specials . The waiter was a great guy. First time having escargot and it was great read more

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Longest wait-time for food that I have ever experienced! Our family of 4 had 7:30 reservations and were seated promptly; however, it took 45 minutes for them to take our order, 30 minutes to even get waters, and then 1.5 hours to receive our food that we ordered. We did not leave the establishment until 10pm. When we sat, they did mentioned that they were understaffed because of COVID, but that just seems like an excuse to me because there were only 2 other tables in the place. We didn't have any appetizers or drinks, so I'm not sure why it would take 2.5 hours from start to finish to get a meal that should of had us in and out in an hour. To add insult to injury, the menu items were very pricy and the food was sub par. I ordered the seafood scampi and the seafood was ok, but the pasta with garlic sauce just tasted like watered down pasta. My dad had the stuffed haddock and it was supposed to be jammed pack with seafood but the entire thing was mostly bread stuffing and the haddock was dry and flavorless. My brother had the steak and he was the only one that enjoyed his meal but it wasn't worth the over 2-hour wait for it. The inside is very interesting looking but honestly, I wouldn't step foot in this place again. I should have listed to all Of the other reviews that said they had to wait FOREVER for their food, but it was a last-minute pick and I hadn't read the Yelp reviews yet. read more

Ottos on the River - Seafood scampi. Good seafood but pasta was bland. - Seafood Near Me - Augusta, Maine

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Where to begin. From the minute I called for our anniversary dinner we were treated so kindly. Honestly, this place is all about personality, delivering hugely generous kindness. That's a fact, and it cannot be overlooked. From our incredibly attentive server, Luke, to his companion worker, who were each so detail oriented and on point in their work, I was utterly impressed with how gracious each were. Easily some of the best wait staff I've come across. My wife and I mentioned over and over just how happy each seemed to be working there, so much so that we heard another table commenting how kind the staff is. Such a treat to be treated so kindly. To the food... Well, it was just so solid from start to finish. Each dish was flawless, as you should be able to see from the attached photos. Seasoned perfectly, cooked just right, and executed magnificently. On top of that, the prices are more than fair. My bill, which came to $155 without tip, was easily $50 less than I expected. It's obvious that the owners are kind people, looking out for the happiness of their clientele, giving the patrons incredible food without breaking our bank. Thanks for the generosity. In closing, our server Luke was as good as it gets. He's so genuine and it's quite apparent he cares for his job. He was so exuberant detailing the menu and what he suggested. If I needed something he was there, when I forgot I needed something he was there. It's as if he knew the restaurant forwards and backwards. Such a great individual who has such potential. Please go here citizens of Maine and those on vacation, as it will not disappoint. Whether it's a quick bite, or a stop for a cocktail, the staff, food, and gorgeous atmosphere are more than worthwhile. Wonderful.... read more

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The food was really bad. I mean really bad, it was inedible basically. The pasta was so over cooked it was mushy and the fresh seared tuna was a frozen mess. The ambience was fine when the staff wasn't arguing. The waitress was amazing and super nice but everything else here was so off. The appetizers we ordered were really bad too but we ate one and asked the other to go trying to be nice but not knowing what was to come. To make the matters worse the cook came out of the kitchen and yelled at us why we didn't like the food! The craziest hostility and worst food I ever had! To say this could be a five star resuturaunt or anything close to fine dining would be unbelievable. Nothing was even seasoned and tasted so off. Absolute bummer and I never been more sick from a sit down meal before. Don't go here. read more

Giving this restaurant two stars only for the two chocolate covered strawberries they gave at the end. Ordered bacon wrapped scallops. They were rubbery and over cooked. Main course Maine Seafood and husband ordered steak. After an hour wait had to ask about the food. Magically 3 mins later she brought it like warm and her snippy attitude. Lobster sauce was not smooth and creamy it was super textured and the angel hair was soggy. Steak dinner unmentionable with a lack of juice, potato's was average and asparagus resembled thin green beans. Had to even ask for salt and pepper because it was not on the table. Had to ask for a water refill and never came back with a soda refill. Too bad to even take photos My advice is you mess up, own up don't cop an attitude and act like it's some how the customers fault. Not recommended!!!! Photos are not representative of taste read more

Don't trust the delicious looking, well plated pictures you see here and on other review sites. Maybe that was once Otto's, but it isn't now. I am not sure if they lost their chef, or have just gone downhill. Not worth your time or money. If you are looking at the photos of their food, just compare the plating and quality of other pictures to the ones I've posted here. Felt like a bait and switch. read more

Ottos on the River - Lamb shank, smothered in gravy, nothing like pictures of this dish previously posted by patrons. Compare for yourself. Disappointing. - Seafood Near Me - Augusta, Maine

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This place was just ok for me. I've only been here the one time, so I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, I could have just caught them on a bad day. But, there were a few things worth mentioning that made the experience overall just meh. I'll start with the positives: Deck seating, view of the river, decor is beautiful inside, nice bar, clean bathrooms. I also got a free dessert for checking in on yelp which was delightful. Now onto the not so positive: I ordered the Kennebec steak sandwich on a wrap. It was supposed to come with steak, blue cheese, Dijon dressing, watercress, and onion. My wrap did not have Dijon dressing or onion on it at all, and while I love blue cheese it was SO overpowering on this sandwich. The Dijon could have balanced it out, but I did not have any on my sandwich. Also, there were a couple pieces of steak on this sandwich that were straight up raw, like steak tartar. I like medium rare steak, but this was legit raw, no sear or anything. I didn't realize it until I was chewing it because it was covered in blue cheese. I spared you the picture of the chewed up portions, by I do have a picture of a piece I pulled out that I posted along with this review. Gross. The service was SO SLOW. Usually when I'm solo I can get in and out of places for a quick sandwich I'm about 30 minutes. Even for a sit down meal. I was here for OVER AN HOUR. I asked for my check a couple times, I even politely mentioned that I was on a schedule and needed to leave by a certain time, which was 50 minutes after I actually ordered. It doesn't take me 50 minutes to eat a sandwich. I was done relatively quickly and actually almost fell asleep waiting for the waiter to return. I think the waiter might have been the only one staffed, it's the only reason I can guess as to why he was taking so long. Overall I wasn't impressed. I'm only up in the Augusta area for work sporadically, and the only way that I'll give this place a shot again is if I happen to be in the area. However, it's not very likely that I'm going to want to come back here to be honest. read more

Ottos on the River - Deck seating - Seafood Near Me - Augusta, Maine

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I should have just gotten the Alfredo and nothing else. I had it delivered super nice but once I put the Frutti Di Mare in my mouth something wasn't right. Something tasted spoiled and did not have a great taste. Tasted old and spoiled. I would like to get my money back for that part of my meal as it really bad. read more

As you can see from the pictures I've posted, this was not a happy experience for us. It seemed as if the lobster roll was made entirely of the tiny leg meat and nothing substantial so it was very disappointing and not as tasty as it should have been. The philly cheese steak I ordered was essentially a tray of grease with a little bit of meat on top , So much so that after one bite I had to put it in the trash it was 100% inedible. Never again. read more

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I too wanted to like this place. First of all, when I entered, there was this cleaning product smell which put me off. We sat down and looked over the menu. The waiter was very attentive. We ordered a blueberry salad to share since I love blueberries. Wouldn't you know - the salad arrived with not one blueberry in it! How could you make a mistake like that?? I told the kitchen and they brought it back and put some blueberries on it. It really should've been comped. I ordered the duck, which was overcooked, and my husband ordered the fruitti de mare which he liked. The chocolate torte was OK but extremely sweet and heavy. The owner came over to make jokes about the fact that there were not any blueberries in the salad and then he said he also told the waiter that there was no duck on my plate. An ill-fated attempted humor. I did not find this humorous. The food was expensive and below par. We will not return. read more

I enjoy the service the food and ambiance. The best small town establishment in Augusta.

So amazing. The food was delicious, the owner sat us and checked in with us often. Our waitress, Ariel, was so kind and helpful. Inside was beautiful and clean. The whole experience made me myself and my family feel welcomed and comfortable. Again, the food and drinks were STELLAR. read more

The best overall meal we've had during our trip in Maine. Excellent food, atmosphere and service. Ariel was very helpful. The blueberry walnut salad was delicious. Only regret was finding Otto's on out last night here. read more

We really enjoyed the service, everyone was nice, the owner came out and talked to us. The appetizer was very good. However when it came to the main course, it was not so great. The ribeye was majority fat, which was not chewable. Sides were fine, the fish was okay but not worth $40. We again loved the service, it was quick and nice but were let down on the food. Not worth $100 for two people. read more

Poor experience, not kid friendly, priced too high for quality of food they put out. 1 hour wait for Luke warm dishes. Do not recommend read more

We were so excited to visit this restaurant. The menu looks fantastic. The vibe is wonderful, such a nicely decorated place. The oysters were good. The bacon scallops were good and the apple butter was a nice flavor. (but obviously reheated, not freshly prepared) The crab dip was nice and hot. The bakes brie was awful - this is where it ends for me- it wasn't even melted. The first bite I tasted "blue cheese"?!?!, in actuality it was mold. I unwrapped the brie and the bottom layer was covered in black mold. When I asked if there was blue cheese in the dish I was told we that the coloring was from blue berries and the taste was from the wrapper- incorrect! This was mold. They removed this from our bill but never even said they were sorry. We were so disgusted by this that none of us continued eating. We just paid the bill and left. The service was slow and our drinks were never refilled. This was a very disappointing experience and unacceptable to be served moldy food. Do not recommend due to the poor quality of the food and the service issues. read more

Ottos on the River - moldy brie - Seafood Near Me - Augusta, Maine

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Visited Otto's today for lunch and it was spectacular. The food was hot, fresh and delicious. Heidi was our waitress, she was very pleasant , and attentive. We were also lucky enough to meet the owners and truly enjoyed our time with them. The dining rooms are charming , and comfortable. The menu selections were plentiful, and it was difficult to make a choice because it all sounded amazing. My next trip to Maine will definitely include Otto's. Thank you Steven and Wyatt for a memorable experience on your restaurant ! read more

This is a first for me to write a review, but I have to post. My experience at Ottos was terrible! First of all, while still at the bar before our table was ready, my one (and only one) drink was taken from me while I was speaking to another patron. The waitress offered to bring me another but never did. Next came the dining room. We were "lucky" to get the owner as our server that evening. We sat down 10 minutes before our reservation at 6:20 so this was going to be wonderful. We were served our drinks (not me since I was going to be driving) and our orders were taken. An hour goes by, no 2nd drink was offered. Another half hour still nothing. Our server/owner does not make eye contact and we can't get his attention. Finally the hostess gives us some water and I ask if we're going to be fed at some point? Answer? We're pretty busy tonight. Now mind you, there are other guests that have arrived before us and have finished their meals before us. Finally our lovely owner comes by and says we're about to get our food (5 minutes shy of 2 hours). My response is that I'm leaving! His response is GOOD then leave. The rest of the party convinced me to stay, so I do. We are finally served 2 hours and 10 minutes after our sit down. I give two stars because the food was good but the service was nothing shy of horrible! I would not recommend eating here. read more

TL;DR: HORRIBLE Valentines Day experience. If you ever plan to go this restaurant, NEVER go on a holiday and DO NOT expect a high end atmosphere or good service. My wife and I set up a reservation a week or so in advance for 7:30PM on Valentines day. We arrive at 7:34PM with no one at front-of-house, by the time someone does arrive we are told it will be a few minutes before we are seated before they disappear. A few minutes slowly becomes 15 minutes, then into a half hour. As tables finally are ready the employee returns and seats a couple who arrived with an 8:00PM reservation before returning a few minutes later to seat my wife and I. It is now 8:10PM. After we are seated I am greeted by water stained IKEA silverware, an LED candle, fake rose petals, and a menu printed on office paper using a font I haven't seen since middle school. The atmosphere so far can be summarized as inconsistent, with no real vibe given off besides that of a antique store. Our waitress arrives and we order a drink, an appetizer (the brie), and our entrees (The salmon dish and the halibut dish). The drink arrives shortly after ordering but we are left waiting for the appetizer. It isn't until 8:45 PM, over an hour from our reservation time, that the appetizer arrives. It tastes good, no complaints with the food. As we wait for our entrees, I decide to head to the restrooms. After walking around past the bar I am greeted by two doors. Both include a painting of a person, though the style of the painting makes it difficult to understand I assume the one with the woman means that its the woman's room, and the one with the painting of the man is the men's room. No one in the restroom appears to follow this as its not very clear. Restroom is clean and bright. After using the restroom I return to my wife and we continue our wait for our entrees. Alas! at 9:35PM, 35 minutes after the restaurant is listed to close, and over 2 hours past our reservation, our food arrives! The food is good, well presented, and portion size is generous. In conclusion, it was an awful date night experience. The restaurant showed no remorse or apology for any of it, avoiding ever bringing up the long wait times. If you ever plan to go this restaurant, NEVER go on a holiday and DO NOT expect a high end atmosphere or good service. read more

Are there and was very disappointed. Duck was overdone and rubbery. Oysters were minute and disappointedly prepared. . Service was excellent but I left half the duck medallions. I could not finish the duck. The Owner was charming and the waitress was lovely. Very charming setting belied the mediocrity of the food read more

Super delicious, great portions, and excellent service!! Great location and accommodated our extra large party of 12. Thank you Raina

Soft Opening night. Beautiful restaurant with amazing service. The drinks are wonderful you have to try the espresso martini. menu is wonderful and all of the food is highly inventive! Have to try ossobucco! Great appetizers with beautiful food plates of shrimp and great salmon dishes. read more

Ottos on the River - Seafood Near Me - Augusta, Maine

Despicable. Dishonest and sloppy ownership. Ordered "fresh oysters", received canned oysters plated on dish-washed half shells. I am an oyster farmer, wish I was joking about this. Nearly vomited! Our server also pretended the oysters were shipped fresh in, told us they arrived that day. Dishonest establishment! Very disappointing and disheartening, a disgrace to the local area. read more

The owner should be ashamed of this scam circus of a restaurant. Nothing to say positive at all, an absolute disgrace to the Maine restaurant industry. Trust me. If you don't believe me, try ordering an appetizer first before your entrees. Once you see the appetizer you will walk out before ordering entrees. I do not exaggerate, the board had chocolate in a dipping cup that was actually cold and hard... to eat with meat/cheese that made lunchables seem gourmet. Oysters had gone bad and we couldn't swallow a single one despite oysters being one of our favorite foods in the world(I think they were canned because they didn't fit into the shells, which were porcelain white as if they were re-used and dish washed shells). This place is not worth a penny, stay far far away. read more

My two children and I were passing through Augusta on a road trip. We chose Otto's because it was the only place open at 2:45-3:00pm. We were the only customers in the place, which seems to be a common thing from reading other reviews. The dining room was closed off and we ate at the bar. The kids had burgers and I had the Reuben. The food was good but not outstanding. The bartender was our server and was personable and chatty. The owner came in and he was a different story. I was wearing a shirt with a phrase on it and he used it as an opening for his unwanted political commentary. I don't need a lecture on how my not-Republican political leanings are crap from the guy who is supposed to be serving me. It was inappropriate, especially in front of my kids. He tried to be 'witty' about it, which made it even worse. I'm not a fan of being belittled by sleazy bar owners in towns in the back end of nowhere. I'm glad this is the last I'll ever see of Otto's. I hope it closes sooner rather than later. The owner deserves it. read more

Terrible service. Sat and waited at our table, never received menus or water for 15 minutes. Got up and left and no servers noticed.

We made reservations for my parent's 50th anniversary. I must say, we were a bit nervous with the reviews here on Yelp, but the reviews on Facebook were much better so we took a chance. SO HAPPY WE DID! They had our table set for us with balloons and decorations for my parents as well as a few small gifts. The service was incredible. Our server was friendly and open and just a wonderful person to have on this special evening. The appitizers (crab dip and bacon wrapped scallops) were delicious. The meals were incredible. Perfect portions and cooked exactly how we liked them. The Seafood Scampi, Pork Chops and the Beef Tips (the special that night) were all delicious. Desert was the perfect end to the evening. Needless to say, we will be back and will be spending more lunches, dinners and special events with the people at Ottos on the River!!! read more

Wonderful service! The bar tender was so friendly and the owner was present and friendly! Food was AMAZING!!! Highly recommend! I wish lived closer so I could come more often! read more

We visited late Friday evening and soon were the only patrons in the dining room (though we were well within the open hours), so it was quiet and we were able to enjoy the ambience, food, and service without interruption. A beautiful room, great decor. A large round table under an awning is the central feature of the room, and we look forward to reserving it if we can ever assemble a large party (up to 12). We had the bacon-wrapped scallops as appetizer, very good. I had the seafood stuffed haddock accompanied by sauteed spinach and a veg mash, really enjoyed them all. My wife had filet mignon and pronounced it excellent. A fine selection of breads and oils was brought, too. The wine list is very respectable. Our server, Pear, was first class and we were able to have a delightful conversation because business was slow. (She mentioned a convention was in town the next day and they expected to be very busy that night.) We did look in at the bar before we left, and it was still populated. It, too, is beautifully decorated and we look forward to enjoying it as well sometime soon. We only moved to Augusta a year and a half ago and have been gradually trying all its dining venues. We are glad we arrived at Otto's. read more