Otto's Restaurant & Bar

We love Otto's. We probably go two or three times a year for special dinners, and it's always fantastic. Everything we've ever ordered has been excellent--the lamb and duck are both favorites of ours, but the mussels, Mediterranean platter, salads, risotto, and others are also excellent.

Our entrees were delicious and service was excellent. This restaurant chef and the team knows how to make and serve great meals.

We have been to the restaurant several times and it is our favorite restaurant! The food and service is terrific and the ambiance is perfect. We will continue to be a repeat customer.

All of us love this special restaurant. It is well-established and is located in a remodeled vintage house that has several separate rooms for dining. We chose to celebrate our three birthdays there this year. The menu selections never disappoint. The food choices are high-quality and presented very beautifully. My friends had the seafood platter and I had scallops on risotto. The menu changes regularly which reflects local seasonal options. Everything about our server was a delight. She was well-versed in the details of each dish, she was attentive to our requests and was thoroughly enjoyable to talk with. For dessert we all chose the crème brûlée, which was deliciously rich and just the right size! I would recommend this restaurant for any occasion!

We had three appetizers. My wife had the calamari half cooked perfectly other half not so much. Shrimp appetizer was great. Seared scallops salad really good except the two scallops got lost in the salad,for $31 needs more scallops. Little pricey Don't live in the area but nothing here would bring me back

My recent visit to Otto’s Restaurant in Madison, Wisconsin was nothing short of outstanding. From the moment we walked in, the warm, inviting atmosphere set the stage for what turned out to be one of the best dining experiences I’ve had in a long time.

The spinach artichoke pasta with shrimp deserves special mention — it was absolutely phenomenal. The pasta was perfectly cooked, the sauce was rich and flavorful without being heavy, and the shrimp were tender and seasoned to perfection. It struck that perfect balance of comfort food and fine dining elegance.

Our server/bartender, Brian, elevated the experience even further. He took our entire table’s order completely by memory — not a single note, and not a single mistake! That alone was impressive, but he went above and beyond throughout the night with impeccable timing, genuine warmth, and deep knowledge of the menu.

And then there were the drinks — wow. I ordered a Manhattan, and I can honestly say it was the best I’ve ever had. Perfectly balanced, smooth, and crafted with real skill. Brian clearly knows his way around the bar.

If you’re in Madison and looking for an evening of exceptional food, top-tier service, and craft cocktails done right, Otto’s should be at the top of your list. I’ll absolutely be back!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Fabulous place to eat and unwind. Next time will try the outside seating. After hours traveling it was just what the doctor ordered

I hadn’t been to this restaurant in many years so it was a treat to return. The ambiance is quite lovely in this old farmhouse. The service was pretty good but we lost our waitress for quite some time. I was with my very elderly family member, I felt the waitress could have been a little more patient with her however the hostess and other staff were very pleasant and accommodating. My scallops were delicious! Salad was boring and lacked flavor or creativity. Overall good experience!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 4

Lemon Drop Martini is to die for! Filet Mignon was cut-with-a spoon tender and fabulously flavorful. And save room for the bread pudding, which is simply amazing! It was our first time here. We'll have to return to check to see if it's consistent!! Service was amazing and always with a smile.

Our first time here. Stuffed mushroom appetizer was delicious. Mushroom bisque soup was tasty. Seafood trio consisted of lots of potatoes and red peppers, only 1 scallop, 2 shrimp, and a small square of salmon. It was hoping for more seafood for the price.
The salmon in grape leaves was good but lacked flavor. We had the bread pudding for dessert, which was free for our anniversary celebration. It was not a moist cake like a typical bread pudding, seemed more of dry sweet bread/biscuit with a glaze. The old farm house charm was nice. Staff were pleasant and met all our needs. But sadly, we went for the food and the dishes we had were definitely not worth the price. I don’t think we will be going back.

Atmosphere: 3

Food: 3

Service: 5

Very enjoyable evening despite the very poor acoustics. Food and service were excellent, and would suggest that entrees are large enough for two people to share, especially for diners of a more mature age. Otherwise expect to bring the extras home to enjoy another day.

Have been to Otto's several times before and always enjoyed it very much. Last evening we were there to celebrate our anniversary and were welcomed with a gracious host and even more gracious waitress. Our before dinner drink was served downstairs in the bar by a most friendly bartender. Once seated upstairs our appetizers and then entree were served perfectly, hot, as ordered and everything was prepared with an expert presentation. When you do something with passion it shows. The entire meal made the dining experience wonderful and memorable.

It was my birthday went with family and friends. The bar made great drinks. Food was fantastic. Cheryl was our server she was fabulous!!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Cheryl was our server. She was attentive and very informative about the food. Best service I've ever had. The food was the bomb. I had the filet and I was cutting it with my butter knife. Can't wait to go back.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Excellent dining experience

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5