Osteria dell'Orsa — Restaurant in Bologna

I want to leave an honest review about this location. I was there on a Friday night when it was quite crowded and a gentleman from the restaurant staff was taking care of "reservations". Basically, that gentleman was standing at the entrance and asking how many people were in the group and writing it down on a notebook. We were in a group of 6 people. That gentleman told us to still sit near the restaurant because he would call us as soon as a table became available, exactly as we did. 20 minutes after we put ourselves on that list, another group of 7 people came. That group didn't write it down on the notebook but still managed to get in before us. They probably bribed the person who was taking care of reservations.

After seeing this scene, we went to that gentleman just to remind him that we arrived before the group that had already entered. The gentleman's attitude was terrible, he asked me: "Do you work here to know how things are going? Stay there and wait for us to call you".

In order not to make a scene, we complied because we just wanted to eat. After another 15 minutes he finally invited us inside and offered us a table to sit at.

We chose not to leave after that scene because the reviews had somehow convinced us and we expected the food here to be very good.

Unfortunately, I can honestly say that the reviews leave much to be desired...

There are dozens of other restaurants in Bologna where you can eat pasta or other Italian specialties 10 times better and better prepared.

Someone in the group ordered plain water and it was brought in a thermos. Some of us ordered white wine but it was diluted with a lot of water and someone else in the group ordered coca cola which was actually served by the glass without acid.

The glasses were from 20 years ago, the food was not up to par as it was full of oil and without that authentic Italian flavor.

Think carefully when...

I loved this place when I used to briefly live here in 2015 for the casual atmosphere and the low-pressure prices. When I came back today, I was more than fairly disappointed. There was no line outside. When their door is wide open, the sign on the door that asks diners to wait outside to be seated is NOT easily seen. I, not having seen the sign, of course first went inside to see what I should do and to let them know that I'm here. But the short man at the counter was very rude to me, with a stern face and almost yelling at me to wait outside. I'm Asian American, and he also kept speaking in English to me, while with two other ladies paying in front of me who passed as white Europeans he spoke Italian. Funny thing is that those two ladies did not know how to speak Italian but I did, and yet, I don't think that ever even registered into his brain, because he simply doesn't care. I don't even expect him to change. All the servers seemed very nice—it was just this man who was being grumpy. He didn't look like a happy person anyway; it was probably a long day for him, and I don't believe he is generally very pleasant with himself or with others. What a shame. The menu formatting also seems to have changed since 2015. Understandable, given the years and Bologna's tourism boom since, and the prices are low, which is probably what keeps bringing people here. But I've had a much better experience ELSEWHERE in Bologna during my stay this time around at other restaurants where they did not make me feel othered due to my race/physiognomy, and treated me with respect, treating me like one of the locals or just as a welcomed tourist. I can take either one as long as there is kindness and respect, and that man at the counter showed me neither. I still bid him "grazie, buonasera" at the end, but he...

Strolling the streets of inner Bologna, taking in the sites on our list, diverting off in less famous side roads. And then approaching, with some excitement, the restaurant we had planned for lunch: Osteria dell'Orsa in via Mentana.

Walking there, passing down via Guglielmo Oberdan, slipping behind Basilica di San Maggiore, we feel we’ve gone local – even if other visitors had planned the same lunch venue.

Reservations aren’t taken but truthfully it is part of the charm to hang out for a few minutes outside before staff called us in and told us “you can sit in the corner” pointing to a tiny table literally pushed up against a corner in the busy restaurant. Most places we might have taken offence but somehow here, in the midst of gorgeous smell s from the hectic kitchen and among filled table with clearly happy customer, we welcomed the seating arrangement😊

Skipping the pasta Bolognese this time we ordered two dishes keeping in step with dell’Orsa’s pledge to serve per Bolognese traditions, seasonal local produce and home made to its core. A Ravioli Verde and then the clearly famous Cotoletta dell’orsa. Perfectly crisp on the outside, mostly and tasty inside and covered in a white sauce that initially put us off but was consumed to the last drop. Accompagnied by the simplest of salads dripped with olive oil … how do they make simplicity taste so well?!

This place is a must in Bologna, great food, great experience – and very...