OTTO — Restaurant in Brookline

If you’re looking for a casual pizza spot in Brookline, I would certainly recommend giving OTTO a try! Otto offers salads, starters, and pizzas. They also offer a small dessert menu. They do offer a “kids size” pizza and they also offer a “gluten-free” crust pizza! For those who are vegan, they DO offer vegan cheese.

For full disclosure, they do have multiple locations in New England. I have noticed consistency issues between different stores.

However, today was a solid experience! We decided to swing by after doing a little July 4th shopping. We have ordered their pizza many times before. Our main complaint was the sauce was never consistent, usually a bit acidic.

That doesn’t seem to be an issue at this location, more on that later! We decided to kick off the meal with some white wine & their “House Salad”. The salad was fresh and delicious! The wine pour was generous and reasonably priced.

The salad has a fresh lettuce mix, juicy tomatoes, crispy cucumber, red pepper, and onion. It is served with a Red Wine Vinaigrette. The portion size is generous, great for two to share- if you plan to order additional food. No wilted greens or any issue. Incredibly fresh.

Next, we noticed multiple tables ordering the meatballs. We have not tried those before. To say they were disappointing would be an understatement.

The meatballs are pork & beef based and they are served in pomodoro sauce. We found the meatballs both dry and almost tough in a sense. The meat was almost chewy. They also lacked seasoning and flavor. I would likely skip these next time.

The main headliner here is clearly the pizza! Our favorite is the 12” Pepperoni and Fresh Mushroom Pizza. No canned mushrooms. Hand-sliced. The crust is baked perfectly and is thin, crispy, with the right amount of chew. I am from Chicago and I’m particular about my pizza.

We did request easy sauce this time around. The consistency was also much better. I do wish other locations were as consistent. The sauce was perfect and not too acidic or overpowering.

The cheese was perfectly melted and the pepperoni was perfect, not too greasy like many pizza joints! We usually get the 12” if we plan to get other items. You get six slices. If you plan to just have pizza, I’d suggest the 16”. You get twelve slices.

I also highly suggest ordering a side of ranch for dipping. The crust is amazing but the ranch just takes it to another level! It’s homemade, not out of a jar or bottle. You have to try it, it’s hard to put into words!

The service was phenomenal and incredibly quick. Be ready to eat as soon as you order, the kitchen and servers are incredibly efficient! THIS LOCATION in particular is phenomenal and we will certainly be back!

The place is usually very busy given the location. However, they move the tables fairly quickly. It’s also a solid takeout or delivery choice. The ambience is casual- however it can get a bit loud when they’re at capacity.

One of my go-to pizza...

Me and two of my mates came in to Otto Brookline for a night cap tonight and as usual, it never disappoints. Beer list is great, the Von Trapp Golden Lager was delicious and fresh, and I KNOW that every slice that comes out of that oven is perfectly crafted.

However,

I can't reasonably give Otto Brookline 5/5 stars for one diabolical reason. Upon looking deeper in to the tap menu, I noticed a typo. Golden "Larger".

Ok no problem - we joke about it, order a Golden Larger and cheers. I've worked in the industry long enough to understand that menus can change faster than my ex after a few jello shots, so a typo is forgivable.

"unicron". There's another. You spelled "Unicorn" correctly in the beer name....how did you miss it in the description? Now I'm invested. Full edit mode.

Belgum. Autocorrect won't even allow me to misspell Belgium. Was this typed up on Microsoft Word 2004?

another "larger".....this time lowercase. Sigh.

MACACHUSETTS. Holy hell this is absurd. Another example of spelling it correctly just moments later, yet you were able to pump out a Macachusetts seemingly just to carry on this sick and twisted trend of errors.

After identifying the absurd amount of spelling errors, I was horrified to see that this was only the beginning. The menu is a grammatical nightmare.

"8 %". Sometimes we'll put a comma next to the state initials, sometimes we'll just fogetaboutit! Should we use "and" or an ampersand? Let's use both in no particular order - why the hell not. "Balance of sweet & Tart"....capital letters Have no meaning or place. Should we put a period at the end of this description? Yes, but only sometimes. Only when we feel so inclined.

Otto Brookline, shame on you. This was fun, but shame on you. Photo of the menu attached! View at...

(March 2025)

Mike B at the bar is the definition of exceptional service! As regulars at OTTO's, there's nothing better than walking in and being greeted by his friendly smile and warm welcome. He remembers us every time, making us feel like we're coming to visit a friend rather than just grabbing a bite.

His attentiveness and efficiency behind the bar are impressive - he's quick with drinks while maintaining that personal connection that makes dining out special. Mike has a natural talent for hospitality that transforms a simple evening out into something memorable.

Management should definitely recognize Mike's contributions - perhaps with an "Employee of the Month" program or some performance bonuses. While I selfishly hope he stays right where he is (because his presence is part of what keeps us coming back!), he certainly deserves recognition for consistently going above and beyond.

Thank you for making us feel at home, Mike! Your friendly service is a big part of why OTTO's is our favorite spot in Coolidge Corner.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

(March 2020) If you want a quick bite with good service, visit Collin at the bar and he will get you set up promptly with yummy...