Outstanding, rustic Italian restaurant. Excellent waiter Patrick said the first pasta was one that had three ingredients but most chefs don't try to make it as it must be perfect with so little to hide behind. Boy, Sotto's chefs were up to the challenge. One of the best pasta dishes I've ever tasted. Beef short rib tortellini was great and the goat cheese bruschetta melted in my mouth. Must get the Italian donuts for dessert. Like the best carnival elephant ear you've ever had. Service from Patrick amazing. Highly recommended read more

I really enjoyed Sotto. Great ambience and friendly, attentive service. The food was outstanding. Bruschettas (goat cheese and chicken liver) and the polenta were very memorable. All of the pastas were excellent, especially the linguine con cavolfiore and the short rib. The only things I might not order again would be the kale salad and the dessert. Decent wine list. Overall an excellent experience and very good value. Will return. read more

So this is another place that really does live up to the hype. Went there for my partners birthday. Love that it's under ground! The liver mouse was super good as a starter Polenta with fried egg ass super good! The short rib & pesto tortellini were great as well. The only thing on the menu that no one like was the pork cut. It didn't even seem to fit on the menu as well. It was very thin & breaded with a lemon sauce. If your in the mood for this the pork schnitzel sandwich @ hoffbrauhause is much better. Get the ricotta doughnut for desert! read more

Had a great dinner at Sotto. Very cool ambience inside the underground restaurant. The pasta was very good but the grilled octopus appetizer and kale Caesar salad were exceptional. Only downsides are that it is very dark and can get noisy. read more

The most delicious food we have ever had! If you go here be sure to get the ricotta donuts for dessert. You will not regret it!

WamBam its all about the Ricotta Doughnuts Maaaan! Ok I'm skipping ahead, but seriously, if there is one thing you take away from this post, it's this: order the Ricotta Doughnuts! I'm not the typical sot to frequent a place like Sotto, but despite my rather depraved nature the staff welcomed me and my friends with open arms. Plus, they were game for a last minute birthday surprise and even devised an overwrought plan to make the suprise extra surprise-ie. I dont think that you can go wrong with anything on the menu, but yes the Short Rib Cappellaci, Hazelnut Goat Cheese Bruschetta, the Polenta with Fried Egg and Branzino are superb. For dessert we ordered the Gelato and the infamous Ricotta Doughnuts. To our surprise our waiter brought out 9 desserts, yes 9--It was pretty spectacular to have nine desserts on the table for a party of 7! We of course finished them all, paying particular attention to the Chocolate Terrine, the Pistachio Gelato and you guessed it, the Ricotta Doughnuts. read more

*edit: our second trip was leagues above the first so I'm updating my review from 3 to 5 stars. The first time around we had a negative experience at the hands of our waiter, but this time soooo much better. Everything was fantastic. The crudo di fassone was the best appetizer. The quail was cooked to perfection for our main course. I loved the food. Everything we ordered was delicious. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and attentive. He made some excellent suggestions, which was nice since it was my first time here and I felt a little lost in the menu. Despite all of the positives though, I couldn't shake the feeling that our waiter wanted to flip our table pretty quickly. The SO and I were celebrating our anniversary. It was a Monday night, not terribly busy, so I figured we could take our time and enjoy ourselves...have a bottle of wine, a few courses of food, and then finish up with dessert. We managed to squeeze all that in, but not with out a few frustrated sighs and subtle encouragement to speed up from the waiter. Its not like we were trying to stay for hours and hours and waste everyone's time. We just wanted to go at our own pace. I think we were in and out in under an hour. A bit too quick for a night of fine dining. I'm probably making it out worse than it was, but a restaurant of this caliber (and price) should make a little extra effort to make people feel welcome, let them soak up the atmosphere, rather than pushing them through the dining process until they're back out the door. read more

Amazing! This is the second time I have been to Sotto and it is one of the best Italian meals I have had. I encourage everyone to visit! Delicious read more

Sotto - Cappellacci. Amazing - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Love so much here. My favorite in Cincinnati. Pop in after 9 and eat at bar if reservations are tough to get.

It's my favorite lunch spot. The service and food quality never disappoint! Everything on the menu is great, and the food is always consistent. read more

I don't know where to start. Seriously. Do yourself a favor and check it out. Don't think twice. Best food in town for your money.

Sotti lived up to the hype. I went alone for lunch and sat at the bar. Servers were very polite and food didn't take overly long at all. I got the goat cheese app, it is really very good, so much so I bought goat cheese this weekend and the hazelnuts. Entree was the short rib pasta. It was good but not great. I am a lover of salt but this had too much, not sure if the pasta water was over salted or it was the cheese sprinkled on top. All in all I will absolutely go back but I will try another pasta. Be prepared it is a bit pricey for lunch 27.00 including tip, I also drank water so add more if you're having soda or wine. read more

(SIGH.......) If only it wasn't so LOUD in that grotto-esque cavern of a basement... in what used to be La Normandie Restaurant in ages past, the food is good and I am nuts over their ricotta donuts, and don't even mind being seated at their "community table" where you and your dining companions are forced to hear the adjacent diners'' conversations and vice versa. It baffles me that the place is still not handicap accessible, and even for the temporarily able-bodied, the uneven stairs down from the sidewalk pavement level takes some mindful negotiating. read more

Incredible service, ambiance, and food. It is no wonder you have to book months in advance to get in here. Would certainly recommend for any upscale occasion, but start looking a few months in advance if you want a reservation! It is well worth the wait! read more

Great food, lovely ambiance, excellent service. Difficult to get a reservation...and now I understand why.

Sotto does a good job of delivering the type of quality experience that it boasts. I feel many fine dining restaurants, while perhaps delivering on the ambience or even service, fall short when it comes to food - and Sotto does not. The blood sausage is a great choice, and it's true the doughnuts are a must for dessert. With attentive but not intrusive service, a modern atmosphere, and tapas style options that are great for a group wanting to try different dishes - I believe Sotto lives up to its reputation as a fine experience delivering great food. read more

Stopped in for dinner the other night. They are reservations only and you have to give a credit card just in case. You can either call in or use the website's link to open table. The atmosphere of the restaurant is absolutely beautiful. It's lowly lit with candles at every table, exposed red brick and red floor to ceiling linens make this restaurant the perfect romantic restaurant everyone dreams of. Every single staff member are friendly and extremely knowledgeable. We sat at the chef's table over looking the grill. What amazing table... absolutely the best table. I love watching chefs cook in an open kitchen. The original Amalfi drink is to die for. Extremely refreshing and the perfect balance of sweet to tart mix. The best thing about the restaurant is the breaded pork loin with a lemon caper sauce. It's the best dish I've ever eaten at a restaurant. It's very tart and lemony but that's exactly how I love it. It works well together with the arugula. The short rib stuffed pasta was amazing as well. I doubt that there is anything on the menu that is sub-par. Hands down the best restaurant in Ohio and maybe the country with the perfect combination of incredible food, amazing staff and memorable atmosphere. read more

As good as it gets, without a doubt. Superb. Same owners as Nada and Boca. I basically made my way down the street over a couple weeks. Nada provided such high expectations while Boca I found to be just a bit above average. Sotto however is absolutely superb. Atmosphere - I rarely comment on atmosphere because I focus on the food, but you have to with Sotto. It's located in the basement and it has this very cool, almost secretive atmosphere with the slightly low ceilings and dark environment. But the place is actually huge, it stretches out in seemingly every direction and has a very open feel somehow. They also offer chef's counter seats so you can sit right in front of the fire and see your food cooked up right in front of you - great experience. Appetizers - We started with the honey & feta bruschetta which, as good as it was, I would probably not get again just because I'd rather eat/try other options. Again, it's very good, the honey and feta combine excellently on a just slightly crunchy piece of bread. Also started with the polenta with egg. This on the other hand is totally worth it and I would get every time. Truly fantastic combination of flavors. The egg and polenta combine with a light dusting of cheese into this sort of creamy mix which melts in your mouth. Entrees - If you're going with a couple people, plan to share entrees. We shared the short rib cappellacci, penne vodka, and tortelloni con formaggio. The short rib cappellacci (ravioli) were sublime, perfectly done and the short rib is heavenly, so smooth. The penne vodka was one of the best I've ever had, they definitely elevated the dish by adding a spicy tomato sauce which made it a bit thicker and left plenty of parmesan on top. The tortelloni was maybe the biggest surprise. I like pesto but I wasn't totally sure what to expect and was the least excited about this dish, but it was great, the dollop of pesto on top was really clever. The "sauce" for the short rib and tortelloni was really just a liquidy buttery leftover from cooking which was only disappointing in comparison to the vodka sauce. Lastly we also had the branzino. wonderfully cooked, fantastic flavor. Overly acidic couscous, but the fish itself couldn't have been better. Massive review, but it's rare to order so many dishes that are so excellent. read more

I can't tell you how much I loved this place so you will have to take my word on the 5 star rating. Living in NY I feel like I get spoiled with the amazing and wonderful food and when I travel I'm often disappointed. I was so impressed with the look and feel of the place, knowledgeable and attentive service and of course the food. I had the goat cheese to start, kale salad and the short rib pasta and all of them were wonderful. The ricotta donuts were highly recommended on yelp and I concur that you should save room. read more

Amazing!! Beautiful environment, but a little loud. Food was fantastic!! Short rib pasta was tender and crazy delicious. I could eat it forever!! The chicken was amazing and you probably get half a bird. If I could make chicken this tender, juicy, and flavorful, I'd have chicken every day! Underwhelmed with dessert, which seems par for the course these days. Chocolate pudding dessert was fine but not on par with dinner. Staff was attractive and attentive. I only mention attractive because, well, they really were. read more

Food was fabulous! The location is a little hard to find. It is down. Few stairs from street level.

Celebrated our first anniversary at Sotto last night. The food and atmosphere was excellent and Andrew did a great job tending to everything and answering every question. We had the Cesar salad, short rib ravioli, and breaded pork with a lemon caper sauce. Finally we finished dinner off with their house made doughnuts which were perfect. Will definitely be visiting again in the near future. read more

I've traveled to Cincinnati for work many times and make it a point to visit Sotto each time! It's really amazing. I live in NYC and we have plenty of Italian restaurants, but Sotto is comparable, if not better than most I normally go to at home. I always make it a point to have the Black Kale Caesar, Grilled Octopus & Goat Cheese Bruschetta to start. As my main dish, I've had the Cacio Pepe each time and it's DELICIOUS! For dessert I absolutely love the Chocolate Budino. The donuts are also a big hit. I wouldn't miss Sotto if you're in Cinci! read more

A Sotto review from a carb-loving vegetarian's perspective. Ambiance - cozy and romantic Service - excellent! Our server was knowledgeable and witty. The courses were all timed perfectly. Food - Goat Cheese Hazelnut & Honey Bruschetta - delicious and flavorful. Buffalo Mozzarella & Marinated Eggplant -The eggplant was amazing! I'm not typically a huge eggplant lover, but they managed to make it perfectly crispy and flavorful. Tonnarelli Cacio e Pepe (butter, black pepper & pecorino.) The simple flavors were delicious, but I cannot get past paying $17 for noodles with butter and cheese. Maybe the butter was tossed with freshly shed angel tears? Overall a great, high-quality restaurant that I would recommend. read more

Love it! Interesting menu, lovely staff that knows what they are doing, pleasant surroundings - what more could you ask?

Such a fun place for a work dinner. Very cool atmosphere and vibe, different from anything I've seen before! The food was excellent, from the apps to the main course, all wonderful. The service was also wonderful. We especially loved the pasta room where we got to watch some of the pasta for the night being made! Would highly recommend, and would return if ever in Cincinnati again. read more

Walking into the dark space tucked away under the streets of Cincinnati get like finding a hidden secret. It was crowded but not obnoxious. Service was polite and casual and the food was delightful. Everything was fresh and executed perfectly. read more

Place was outstanding! The atmosphere food and cocktails can't be beat! My only complaint is that the steak looked med well instead of medium. I normally order it med rare but due to it being a porter house I wanted the parts near the bone cooked a little longer. I was unaware it was already cut but live and learn I should've known. Also not really a steakhouse so can't complain too much about that but all that being said it was still extremely delicious. I just wished that I ordered the steak to my actual preference and recommend any future visitors to do the same! The doughnuts are heavenly along with the short rib pasta. Had espresso martinis to finish the night which aren't on the menu but I definitely recommend it! Rachel was our bartender and she was fabulous! She was very helpful over the menu and answered any question we had. Will be back! Such a cool place! read more

Sotto is defiantly one of a kind. This past summer I spent some time in Italy, and coming back from my trip I was longing for an authentic italian pasta dish, and this place had it. It was unreal. I love the vibe of Sotto, and the staff is really helpful & friendly. It's a great date night spot. It's a little dark since it's under ground, but besides that the atmosphere is wonderful. The staff was really helpful pairing wines with the food you ordered. Price range was a little high for the amount of food you are getting, but for me it was definitely worth it. read more

I've been to Sotto now 3 times. Every morsel of food I've eaten here has been delicious. The beef ravioli fish is amazing, but make sure to hear about the specials. They home make some of the pastas which is great. For dessert, they love to recommend the ricotta doughnuts, but the chocolate hazelnut tort is great too. This is seriously amongst the top 5 restaurants in Cincy. Bottom Line: I'll definitely be back for some of the best food in Cincinnati. read more

Great service and food! Food was of great quality and you can tell it's homemade!

Went for the first time a week or so ago, with a party of 8 in celebration of a wedding. Overall Sotto was not bad, especially for the price/value, but there is room for improvement. A few notes: - Entering via a basement-like entrance sets a cool urban vibe, but once inside, the whole place is too dark. It was a few shades dimmer than "intimate," plus I could barely read the menu. - Our party was seated in a private room, which was much appreciated. We could actually hear everyone, even sitting on opposite ends of the table. - The overall decor is nice -- kind of rustic-rich, with several deep booths, exposed brick and stone, wood detailing, and heavy curtains. As another reviewer said, it feels like a restaurant you might find in NYC or Chicago. - The food was good (but not as amazing as I expected, given the hype/reviews). I most recommend the porchetta bruschetta, the cured meats, the spaghetti aglio e olio (nice crunch), and the pennette vodka (slight kick). Next I would say the linguine carbonara, the lumache, and the tonnarelli were all fine. We found the mozarrella bruschetta disappointing (not that special), and others loved the brussel sprouts but I did not. For dessert we shared the chocolate torte (?) with olive oil and pistachio, which I quite enjoyed. - Service was friendly, but not as sharp and consistent as we might have liked. For example: We asked our server what the best items on the menu were, but "everything" was the unhelpful answer we got, so we had to have him describe each and every pasta dish (which took quite some time...). We also had to request more water once, and that the second round of pasta dishes come out hotter. - There wasn't much fanfare about the wedding, but at the very end, bride and groom did receive a small (non-food) gift from the manager, which made the bride feel better. So again, overall it was pretty decent, and for the value, I would definitely go back. It is, as our server said, a solid step up from Bucca di Bepo in terms of quality, but roughly the same price. read more

Best restaurant in the city. Seriously. Also, they need to bring back the fried zucchini!!! read more

Just about everything was perfect. Didn't have a reservation so we weren't able to get a table. However, we were able to squeeze in the community table late at night and it was worth it. The food was amazing. Drinks were great. The dessert was delicious. One of, if not the best restaurant I've been to. read more

Sotto is the best. This is the spot I take my girlfriend to celebrate whatever we can think of as often as we can think of it. Semi-private rooms are available when entertaining out-of-town guests, otherwise their general dining area is cozy and intimate (in the best way possible). The food is excellent, and the servers always know every detail that goes into the preparation. The demand for a dining experience at Sotto is high, so book your table early. Otherwise there is open seating at the bar... but you'll probably have to wait a bit for a spot there as well. Sotto is easily one of my top 3 restaurants in Cincinnati. They consistently impress. read more

The other half and I went on a whim on a Sunday night. We were thrilled with our choice! This place is great! The decor and atmosphere is completely unique to this city. Be warned though, the restaurant is extremely dark. The menu here is absolutely perfect. You can easily get in and out for less than $25 per person. We each ordered bread to start, a salad, a pasta, and shared dessert. Both pastas we had were fantastic. The highlight of the meal were the donuts/fritters, which far exceeded our old standard from Senate. We will definitely be back again soon! read more

The best Italian dining experience I've ever had! Total submersion into Italy! From the menu to the selection of wines... all in Italian and from Italy. Our server Peter was very experienced and super helpful with suggestions on comparable meals and wines that we're used to. The ricotta doughnuts are to die for! The short rib ravioli was super delish and the meat and cheese plate that we had was a perfect starter to our meal. I will warn you on the blue cheese though. It was super tart! The atmosphere is super romantic with candle lit tables and rustic as well. The bathrooms were very clean and offered clean wash cloths to dry off your hands. It was a bit pricy especially if you do the starters and drinks, but very well worth it!! read more

Unbelievable. One of the very best meals I have ever had. Amazing atmosphere and an eclectic mix of music that I would never have guessed for such a location ... wonderful. read more

I absolutely loved my experience here. The ambience, atmosphere, staff, food and cocktails are all spectacular. I got their signature dish, the octopus and it was lovely. The octopus was perfectly grilled and the beans and vegetables with it were a perfect match. I had a cocktail, a Manhattan on the rocks and it was wonderful too. We finished with an order of ricotta doughnuts that come with three different dipping sauces. They were warm and weightless and melted in your mouth. Absolutely to die for. I definitely recommend getting a reservation here for anyone looking to have a fun night with amazing food and drinks. read more

Sotto - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Walking into Sotto may just have you thinking you've stepped foot into a rustic Italian village's finest restaurant. If you're a fan of the culinary arts, or you just appreciate a restaurant with an atmosphere that has a personality of its own, I recommend you check out Cincinnati's Sotto. The restaurant is quite literally a hidden gem--your GPS will say you have arrived, but you'll have to find the Sotto sign and follow a brick stairwell down before you reach your destination. When you get there, you'll know by the the delicious smell of homemade pasta, the impressive selection of wines on display at the bar, and the cozy atmosphere complete with dim lights and brick walls. The magic doesn't stop with the space itself, once you make your way to your table (I recommend making reservations, though you can also order food at the bar if you can find a spot) you are tasked with deciding which menu items your party will order. When I visited the restaurant last month, my party of three was told to order multiple dishes for sharing, it kind of reminded me of tapas. We chose one appetizer (the bruschetta) two pasta dishes, and one of the specials (the sea bass). If you like steak, pasta made from scratch, or both for that matter, you already know one of the menu items you're getting: the Prime Rib Ravioli. Now, Sotto's menu isn't jam-packed with choices, and its dishes are uniquely crafted culinary works--don't be afraid to ask questions and go outside your comfort zone with some of these dishes. Everyone is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, you shouldn't have a problem getting a recommendation if you don't know which dishes to choose. Downtown Cincy has a winner with Sotto, I'm already looking forward to going back! read more

Sotto - Italian Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio