Otto's Restaurant — Restaurant in Town of Cheektowaga

Listen — I’ve been to South Bend on game day. I’ve seen Touchdown Jesus, I’ve smelled the tailgate smoke wafting through the air like incense in a cathedral of football, and I’ve screamed myself hoarse as the Irish ran out of the tunnel like warriors of culinary destiny. But nothing — and I mean nothing — prepared me for the holy experience I had at Otto’s. If Notre Dame had an offensive line made of lasagna, stuffed shells, and veal parm, we’d never lose another game again. I ordered the holy trinity of comfort carbs: lasagna, stuffed shells, and veal parm — all for 24 clams. That’s not a meal. That’s a bargain bowl victory. The lasagna was stacked higher than Notre Dame’s preseason expectations. Every layer was a cheesy, saucy miracle, like Rudy finally getting on the field — if Rudy was made of ricotta and dreams. Stuffed shells? Absolute unit. Filled to the brim like a stadium on a Saturday night in South Bend. I bit into one and heard the faint echo of the fight song in my soul. And the veal parm? Oh, baby. Crispy outside, tender inside — like a 5-star recruit raised on Nonna’s gravy. If Manti Te’o had a real girlfriend, this is the dish he’d bring home to impress her. By the end, I was so full I needed a timeout, a two-minute warning, and maybe a defibrillator. Final score: Otto’s 42, My Waistline 0. Would I come back? Like Lou Holtz to a motivational speech — absolutely. Otto’s is the real deal. No gimmicks, no NIL deals, just top-tier Italian food that'll have you doing touchdown dances in the...

My meal was disgusting. I have gone to this restaurant many times before because they usually make delicious food but this time was terrible. When we were placing out order, the waitress didn't even seem interested in her job. She was not interested in making the guest happy. My dad who is allergic to broccoli could not get it with his meal, so he asked what other veggies they had, and the waitress said we only have broccoli, so he asked to get a side salad instead and the waitress said "absolutely not, we don't allow it" so he changed his entire order. Then when the meal came, my mother's mashed potatoes were beyond salty and ice cold, like they were just taken out of the refrigerator and not heated, The most disappointing about this visit was my turkey sub. I ate one bite and it didn't taste right. I put a little mayo on my finger to see if it was the mayo, but it wasn't. Then when I gave my mother a little taste she pointed it out that they turkey was the problem. So when we mentioned it to the waitress she didn't want to do anything, not to mention she did not mention to me when I was ordering that black olives was an extra charge, or I would not have ordered them. But the kicker is, when I was walking to the restroom I could hear the waitress talking to other waitresses pretty much mocking both me and my parents while the other waitresses were laughing and called us "problem guests". That is not a way to treat people who are paying to eat your food and are not satisfied with how our food was...

My wife and I have been frequenting Otto's for over 10 years now. And after a few bad service experiences 10 years ago, we came to the conclusion that we have to be prepared to deal with bad service... if we want to enjoy their excellent food. So, before we head out, we ask ourselves...."Is it worth it?" I will admit, since being in the food service industry for 20+ years, I may be more critical, but I have had some of the worst service experiences I have ever seen, or even heard of. It does make for good conversation and laughs at times, but why can't they find someone to train their wait staff? My wife works at a local hotel just a few blocks from there, and will often recommend them for their food, but of course will add the disclaimer for horrible service! We will give them their props... they have stayed consistent! I often imagine how popular this place could have been, if they had known how to actually serve the customer. The staff should take turns waiting on each other just to see how ridiculous their skills are. It is not that difficult to create steps of service, teach the staff the menu, and then deliver quality, friendly service. I have had the occasional good server, but they never last. They usually get fed up with all the other incompetent staff and find a better job within weeks. If you decide to give them a try, good luck and at least enjoy the food, if you get what you wanted to...