a visit to sotto has been a LONG time coming, but what better time to go than my birthday yesterday! service was great from the moment we walked through the doors, hosts were helpful and kind, and our server molly was amaaazing! my expectations were high and of course every single thing lived up to the hype! we may have gone a bit over board on the food but we don't mind leftovers. my personal favorites ended up being the tortellini con formaggi(pesto tortellini), patate, goat cheese hazelnut honey grilled bread, and the ricotta donuts overall, this is one of the best meals we've had in awhile and it was the perfect choice for a special day, we'll definitely be back!

What an impressive restaurant in downtown Cincinnati. We couldn't get a reservation here for Sunday evening, so we went in just after they opened to see if we could grab a table, and they did! We sat at the communal table which was really nice except for the fact that there were multiple air conditioning units trained on it, so we were shivering the whole time. Other than that, this was a fabulous meal. We started with a couple of their cocktails, which were both good. Apps were the grilled octopus and the kale caesar, both excellent. Our daughter also loved both, especially the salad, which wasn't fireworks but exactly what you want to start off with the greens. The octopus was nice with the accompanying beans, but we wish it had been served with a slice of bread, especially considering the price tag. Our mains were the pomodoro pasta, and what they're known for, the short rib cappellacci. Honestly, we liked the former so much better because the tomatoes tasted so fresh and the dish was just...homey. The cappellacci were good, but surprisingly bland--the meat was not pronounced and there was no discernible taste to the sauce, which was too muted. Still it was good and we ate the whole thing! Just sayin. For dessert, our daughter selected the ricotta donut whole things, and they were smothered with powdered sugar and so fun to eat. Of the three accompanying sauces, only the caramel wow-ed us. The chocolate one was too runny and the pistachio one tasted nothing like pistachio. Our server was so sweet and friendly, dishes had good pacing, and we loved the cozy and moody ambience (except for the arctic chill factor). Overall, a fabulous time! Prices are high for the city overall, but hashtag worth it. Four happy stars.

Ok so we went on a Friday night around 9pm. That was with a reservation made a month in advance, so plan early. We got a really nice large booth for 4, close to the bar. It is very dim but so cool. I love the atmosphere and the bathroom was awesome as far as bathrooms go. Service was great, drinks a bit slow since they were packed. Appetizers we got were great, a lot of bread. Only bad thing was our entrees were kind of bland. All and all a great place I'd recommend visiting at least once

A few recommendations submerged during conversations when discussing good Italian restaurants in Cincy, and I was given Sotto as a must try spot. After visiting today, I can say that the place does offer good Italian food and would gladly recommend it to those looking for an upscale experience. We ordered three types of pasta. The cappellacci, the cacio e pepe, and the mushroom tagliatelle. All were relatively small in portion size, and were quite salty, especially when trying to cover the pasta with all the sauce, so I constructively think less salt may make them better. However, there were lots of positives. The pepper on the cacio e pepe was very poignant in a great way, capturing the essence of the dish. The short rib meat in the cappellacci was very distinctively tasty. The mushrooms in the tagliatelle had strong umami flavor which elevated the dish. I also want to point out that for a moment, I suspected that the Parmegiano was grated parmesan because of its looks and texture. It's just that I purchase Parmegiano Reggiano from cheesewheel regularly and the Parmegiano I was tasting on my pasta here had a different texture and taste. However, I will attribute that to my own ignorance for now, while still just mentioning my observations. The chicken thighs were well-cooked! They were tender, juicy, and tasty. The skin was crispy and flavorful as well. My partner ordered that one, and said she didn't think the potato and artichoke made a good combination. The potatos had hard texture and the artichoke was fibrous. We both complimented the chicken, though, so overall we still enjoyed the dish a lot. The chicken liver mousse was very good! Normally I'd associate chicken liver with a hit or miss type of taste, but the amount of onion (and maybe garlic?) in there have reduced that taste a lot, and made the dish only enjoyable and nothing else. My favorite was the ricotta doughnuts, which I have so far never had elsewhere. They initially resemble beignets a bit with the texture, but became doughnuts with the sauce that we had the options of dipping. We were given chocolate, pistachio, and salted caramel, and each one was delicious with the doughnuts! After finishing the doughnuts, I even dipped my fingers into the sauces to have more. Finally, I do need to mention the location: It is located at a very centrally convenient location downtown, right next to Boca, but in order to find it, one has to look to the basement as it's a bit hidden. Be prepared to dine in the dark since it's in the basement, no matter how bright it is outside. My partner and I got there at 4pm and were a bit neutrally surprised about all this. Once again, this is just for readers to know what to expect!

Sotto is undeniably one of my favorite restaurants in Cincinnati, though I've only had the pleasure of dining there a few times due to its popularity and the difficulty of securing a reservation. Whenever we're in the neighborhood, we make it a point to stop by for a drink and dessert. You absolutely must try the ricotta doughnuts--they're a delight! Another standout dish is the cacio e pepe. Despite its simplicity and being priced the same as the more elaborate pastas, it's easy to overlook. However, I highly recommend giving it a try; it's truly remarkable. The broccolini, served as a side, is perfectly spicy and salty, complementing the meal wonderfully. The service at Sotto is impeccable. The staff is incredibly attentive, ensuring that every detail of your dining experience is perfect. If you haven't been yet, I urge you to book a reservation now. It might take a month or two to get in, but it's well worth the wait!

Been awhile since we been in. So obviously came back for quality check annnnnd yep they are still on point. All the food and service by Molly was Amazing as usual. Tried the pork loin for the first time and it was delish. Also the Tagliatelle with the mushrooms soooo yummy and lastly the Ricotta doughnuts with chocolate, salted caramel and pistachio sauces... the salted caramel and pistachio sauce was my favorite... The Amalfi drink was so good I ordered two. Id have to say the only downfall was we were charged for a Ginger beer that we did NOT order but didnt notice until after we paid the tab. Other than that spectacular as usual!!

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!

First of all, make reservations WAY in advance!! Currently, there's a four month wait if you want a Saturday at 6pm. We celebrated our 35th anniversary here and enjoyed our dinner immensely. Since it was our first visit to Sotto, our server went through the menu in detail, which was helpful. I told her I like sweeter cocktails, so she recommended the Amalfi, which was very refreshing. We ordered two appetizers-the bruschetta topped with whipped goat cheese, honey & hazelnuts and grilled octopus over white bean shishito ragu. They were both very good but the octopus really stood out as the best we've ever had. They braise it for hours and then grill it, so it was super tender. For dinner, we both ordered pasta. My husband got the mushroom tagliatelle and I got the short rib cappellacci; both were delicious. We wanted to get dessert, so I brought half of mine home for lunch the next day. We had planned on getting one dessert to share but after our server went through the dessert menu thoroughly, we decided to get two! Sotto is known for their ricotta donuts with 3 dipping sauces (chocolate, pistachio, and our favorite: salted caramel) so we knew we wanted that. But when she described the chocolate budino with chocolate mousse & candied hazelnuts on top of chocolate polenta(!) we knew we had to try that as well. Both were very tasty. I probably liked the donuts the best but the budino was very interesting. I will say that Sotto was not what I was expecting. I asked for a quiet table and we were seated next to the bar with fairly loud music. Not super loud, but not the quiet, romantic vibe I was expecting. The servers wore jeans and plaid shirts which was a little odd for a high end restaurant as well. We will absolutely return but now know it's not a quiet, romantic restaurant with white tablecloths like we envisioned.

Second visit! First was 11 months ago. Great food and the server was impeccable with service and his recommendations. Love the, what I would call, classy basement atmosphere and the real table candles add a romantic touch. The host tried to set us in the bar area again this time in the booth area but we said no. When had made reservations 90 days in advance and driven from Columbus (75 mins) and wanted to dine in dining room. After that was corrected it was perfect. For food we enjoyed: -Chicken liver mousse - mushroom, onion, pistachio ($14) -Polenta - fried egg, speck, parmigiano ($19) -Breaded pork loin - caper, lemon ($29) wood-fired branzino - zucchini, lemon, calabrian pepper ($34) -Ricotta Doughnuts ($12$ -Affogato - salted-vanilla gelato, espresso, pirouette ($12) Definitely would recommend. Pricy if you do a bunch of courses and drinks but there is nothing like the dishes here. Everything We attend was delicious.