OTTO — Restaurant in Cambridge

Akin to Daniella’s experience as explored in a previous review, I found the slice of pizza and the service severely subpar, with the tiny shop being well above a safe capacity.

SERVICE The Latina woman at the register was rushed and impatient which was evident in her demeanor. She did not greet me when I approached the counter to place my order. Given my previous work in food service I wanted to make her life easier so I shared I would like a ricotta basil slice and a bottle of water in just as many words. Before I could blink she went to tend to the older white man who walked in the door with his empty pizza box. After 30ish seconds she came back to the counter presumably to take my order, though as opposed to apologizing or even acknowledging her actions she barked at me asking my order. In an aim to be the better person, I just stared at her in hopes she would do better, be better. Eventually she provided an empty apology and again I had to place my order.

Also worth noting I was the only non-white presenting person to place an order in the 3-4min I was in the shop and it’s undeniable that this was a slight based on my identity markers and race. As the cherry on top when handing me my pizza she called me ma’am—which was evidently meant as a slight. She did not call any of the other female presenting individuals, ahead of me, ma’am, not to mention we need to do better about gendered language period (not to mention we’re 5 days into Pride Month—June 5, 2022).

FOOD When I first discovered Otto pizza some years ago, I was thrilled to have found a place offering such bougie pizza, which I mean in the best sense of the term. For a few years it was hands down my favorite pizza shop, based on the care, the craftsmanship, and unique flavor pairings.

However in the past 1-2 years the quality of the pizza has significantly declined. The volume of grease has substantially increased and most slices I’ve had are either slightly burnt or stale—not sure if this is due to less than fresh ingredients or the length of time the pizza sits out in the open.

At their height I was happy to pay the $4-5 for a slice. However the current food quality and service doesn’t warrant such an expense.

CAPACITY The pizza shop is very tight, some might say “cozy.” The dedicated area for customers to wait is maybe 5’x10’. When I walked in there were 7-8 individuals crammed into the approximately 50sq ft space. Thankfully the door was open for air circulation, as otherwise I would not have gone inside. Also the 2-3 staff at the pizza shop were NOT wearing masks or...

Went in on two separate occasions to buy pizza to take home, on the first occasion I purchased a sausage and mushroom pizza and there were barely any sausage, we counted 3 paper thin slices and a few grains of sausage bit; I called and they said they were going to take care of me the next time I came in not to worry Well “taking care of me” meant I had to pay for a small pizza and they added free toppings!!! That is not taking care of me when I had to come back to Harvard Sq by train and although they put a sufficient amount of toppings on we felt a little ripped off! I also purchased a slice of pepperoni which was good and a side salad that they charged almost $7 for that was waaaaay over priced for the amount I paid! I will only grab pepperoni slices because you pay almost $20 for a pizza that has an actual food cost of $2 skip the whole pies and grab a slice and leave the salads alone! Overpriced and I don’t mind paying for a great...

During a late-night takeout run in Harvard Square, I stumbled upon this place. The pizza, seemingly defaulting to thin crusts, fell a bit short of my expectations.

In the search for a lighter, less oily option, I chose the veggie pizza loaded with eggplant, ricotta, and basil. However, its unusual sweetness took me by surprise and didn't quite hit the spot. The combination, while interesting on paper, seemed to miss the mark in terms of a satisfying savory pizza experience. On the other hand, the two-cheese garlic sticks were a definite hit. Rich in flavor and not too heavy, they were excellent when paired with the accompanying pomodoro sauce.

Overall, a decent late-night option that's worth considering in Harvard Square, especially for their cheese garlic sticks, despite the slightly underwhelming performance of their...