We had high expectations, but left really disappointed! First the good: was able to get a table in short notice on a Friday night. Seated right away. Bread and oil were good. My pear vodka drink was delicious. The bad: octopus app. Was tiny with very little octopus and it was chewy. My house wine ( cab) was old. I ordered the veal Milanese, and it was very very spicy, although the menu description didn't mention any spicy ingredients. I could see a lot of people sending this one back. I usually like lots of spice, (like my wings hot), but not my Milanese... Plus I actually forgot I ordered veal and referred to it as chicken Milanese because it lacked any tenderness that good veal has. My son had the chicken and waffles, and the waffles were dry and tasted like they were made a day or two earlier. Had high hopes, but won't be returning read more

First off, this is my very first yelp review. In an attempt to make my review helpful, I'm going to try to provide some actual specifics about my experience at Osteria 166. Reviews that provide specific details are the ones that I like the most. So, here goes. Osteria 166 is near my place of work. Having passed by it several times and thinking that it looked nice from the outside, I wanted to check it out. There was even a copy of a menu in my building that I'd browsed in advance of going. The items on the menu looked good. I walked over to Osteria 166 after work. Since I was already parked for the day, I didn't have to worry about paying extra for parking. I realize parking is a concern for some people. But, depending on what time you go, you may be able to get free evening street parking in the neighborhood. Even if you do end up paying to park, at least finding paid parking isn't a problem. Upon walking in, I thought the restaurant's interior was nice, albeit fairly conventional and unremarkable. I was initially greeted by a burly bartender who referred to me as "boss." I then headed over to the podium for a table. I was seated by the host, who also turned out to be my server. There was something off-putting about my server. My impression was that he had an annoyed and standoffish air about him. But, I decided I was being silly and so I wrote it off initially as being all in my head. Anyhow, my server brought over some slices of bread, served in a paper bag. I think the paper bag is so they can shake the bread up with seasoning. The bread came with a dish of dipping oil. I liked the dipping oil. It was an olive oil with a pleasant combination of herbs/seasonings. The bread itself was okay, but a bit too salty. I looked over the menus. There was a regular menu and a specials menu. Unfortunately, the regular menu had changed and some of the exciting items that I'd seen on the older menu that was laying around my workplace were no longer on the updated menu. No big deal though. The updated menu had EGGPLANT & SUN-DRIED TOMATO RAVIOLI. This is the item description (taken directly from the restaurant's website): "Ravioli stuffed with roasted eggplant, Ricotta cheese and sun-dried tomato pesto, topped with crushed tomato marinara and eggplant caponatta." The description sounded great, so that's what I ordered. I agree with other reviews that are critical with respect to this ravioli dish. I don't know for sure if it was bought from a store's freezer section as some have suggested, so I won't make that claim. It was edible, but not much more than that. Also, there was very little in the way of eggplant and, if there was pesto, I didn't taste it. Just very ordinary ravioli covered in red sauce. Furthermore, the ravioli cost $15, which I thought was excessive for the portion size. Before you jump to the conclusion that I'm crazy for suggesting that $15 is a lot of money for a plate of ravioli, please understand that there were a total of 3 ravioli on the plate. This is not an exaggeration. I quite literally mean 3 ravioli, as in 1+1+1 = 3. So, that's $5 for each individual ravioli. These were not especially large ravioli either. These were 3 normal-sized ravioli. So, it didn't take me long to finish them. Though I wasn't expecting a super-sized portion of food and although I'm not a big guy (around 6 feet tall, 150 pounds), I really thought 3 ravioli was an unusually small portion for a main course dinner item. When my server came over and proceeded to put on a show of exaggerated astonishment that I was able to so easily finish all 3 of my ravioli, I was once again put off by him and this time I didn't fault myself for my ill feelings. I do need to be absolutely clear though that at no point was my server explicitly rude toward me (the guy has a rough job and I don't want to add to it with false accusations). Normally, I'd have ordered dessert. But, at that point I didn't want to risk it. Instead, I walked over to Spot Coffee and had my dessert & coffee there (and it was great) read more

Osteria 166 - $15 for a plate with just 3 ravioli. True story. - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

The food is very good. THE SERVICE IS AWFUL! I have never felt so rushed in my life!!!! The waitress was so pushy it ruined the meal!!! Had to keep telling them not to take my plate away, Jesus. The owner needs to think about getting less pushy waitresses!!!! read more

The food was pretty good. We had a large party of 15-20 people when we went. The service was very poor. The dinner itself started at 6, but due to the slow service we didn't get our until after 10. We as a group eat out a lot, and this was by far the slowest service we have had. read more

I was just incredibly impressed. We started with a flatbread pizza that was just outstanding. I had the blackened scallops and shrimp and the wife the twin filets. The scallops were so tender it was difficult to believe they were cooked! They were seasoned spot on. The filets were served over an eggplant melody. It was something new but again seasoned with depth and thought. This place performs at the top end of what cooking is. It is just spot on. read more

the best downtown to go for a wine and Italian food get a bottle of wine and two pizzas to share and its a great time. best dessert - the 7 layer chocolate cake. read more

Came here for Mothers day, place is super nice, owner is very friendly, wasn't a time when we could order what we wanted because they were doing a buffet and the meal was super pricey, but satisfied with the food for sure! read more

The food was phenomenal and the service was even better! One of the best restaurant experiences we have ever had. Would highly recommend for anyone visiting the Buffalo area. read more

Food was very good. We must have been under dressed coming from a sporting event as even though the place was empty we were asked to sit in the bar which was noisy and crowded. Despite that slight, the food was worth it. Steak sandwich was outstanding, the beans and greens were spicy, and the veal was prepared well. I would not go again without reservations as they don't seem to appreciate walk in business. Not for families as they are looking for downtown clientele. read more

This is a great lunch spot. I have yet to eat dinner at Osteria, but have been there numerous times for happy hour. The owner Nick is an extremely nice guy and always talks to his customers. Try the arancini sticks and their pizzas! They are also now at the EXPO too, which has great pasta and other dishes. read more

We went for a mid week lunch, the place was busy but our server was out in left field. We got up to get our own bread and oil, he left it sitting on the serving stand around the corner from our table. We had five people at the table, 3 loved their meals, 2 did not and they ordered the same entree. It was a broth based meal and they served it with forks, both of my dining partners waited for quite a while to obtain spoons. We skipped dessert, I would go back but possibly at a different time and with a different server. read more

Been here quite a few times and tried almost everything the menu has to offer. Have yet to try anything that wasn't superb. Amazing hospitality, awesome atmosphere, great company. The owner makes you feel at home. Walk in friend walk out family. Prices are fair and you can tell the care put into the craft. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for amazing food and drink! PS: the Risotto Logs are to die for and if they made them an Entree I wouldn't be mad! Check them out read more

First time at osteria and the food was fantastic. Between my mother and I we ordered the bruchetta miste and pasta fagioli, both which were better than i expected. For dinner my mom got the chicken lasagna, not sure what they do to the ricotta cheese but between that and what seemed was homemade noodles this dish was delicious. I ordered the bolognese but was not as impressed, thought it lacked flavor and could use more spice, seemed somewhat bland. Service for the night was good for being restaurant week but drinks from the bar were slightly slow. Overall I would defiantly come back to eat again. read more

was there last night, and every time i go, their food is just as good as ever. Great atmosphere, owner stops at the tables to check on how everyone enjoys their meals. Very impressed. read more

One of my absolute favorite lunch spots, I can't wait to try it for dinner. It is a little pricey for lunch compared to other places in the area, but like most things, you get what you pay for. Everything I have had there has been great. I've had their special salads which have always been great, and the pizza was good. read more

Terrible experience. Despite letting the waiter know multiple times of my kids severe nut allergies, they served us a pizza with pesto. I luckily caught it before my son took a bite - which would have been catastrophic. No apologies from the staff - instead an excuse that the waitress was new. Sloppy execution and disappointed in their lack of urgency or concern or understanding of how bad the situation was and could have been read more

The duck pasta was out of this world good. If there was a way to get higher than a 5 they make the grade

Was looking forward to this place and we brought a party of 10 downtown to enjoy a night out. I made reservations about a month or so in advance as it seems difficult these days to get a larger party a decent time to dine. We got in early, about a half hour, to have a drink at the bar. Unfortunately it turned into over an hour with the thought of going to somewhere else once 8pm came around. Once seated they did send out some free apps. Nice touch. Deep fried Risotto sticks with a spicy sauce. Very good. After that we got into a groove with drinks and dinner coming out at a reasonable time. I had twin fillets over a tomato risotto and crispy eggplant. Was very pleased. My wife had a Pork Braciola, again very good. The other 4 couples liked their dinners as well. Didn't have any desert as it was too late. Overall I would say that when your seating a larger party don't have 2 back to back. It was apparent that they are more suited for smaller parties. But it's a 3 star which is pretty good. read more

Probably the finest Italian restaurant I ever been. First time I tried the rice dish in Italian cuisine. There shrimp risotto was awesome. I really loved not creamy but have slight cream flavor . A well cooked and taste wise if very nice. My friend tried there pizza which also very good . Enough I am not pizza fan I liked the taste. read more

I have never had a bad experience here. I have been several times, for both lunch and dinner. The owner is such a nice guy and remembers his customers! The food is fresh and extremely tasty. read more

We went here for my bachelorette dinner and it was perfect. The atmosphere was calm and cool, with a touch of fancy. Our waiter was charming and was extremely helpful with the whole menu, he knew everything about everything. He was very patient and let us take our time the whole night. He kept our bread stash stocked and was there when we needed. I had the spring vegetable ravioli and it was perfect in every way. The ravioli was homemade and huge, with about 6 on the plate, very nice portion. The veggies were garlicy perfection. I've been recommending this restaurant to everyone. We will definitely be back. read more

I came here with a friend on a weeknight kind of late, and was surprised to find the restaurant still hopping! We sat outside, and service was prompt. We ordered the fried artichoke to start, and I also got a sandwich with filet minon medallions and a stuffed pepper on it. My friend got pasta and eggplant dishes, which I did not try. The fried artichoke was great! It was quite tender for being the full, leafy pieces and came with a dipping sauce that seemed like a flavored mayonnaise. They also started us off with foccacia bread and oil, which was fantastically soft and warm. By the time I got to my sandwich, I was actually kind of full, but I still dug in. The filet minon was remarkably tender and delicious, and surprisingly the sandwich went really well together-- it wasn't just a stuffed pepper slapped on top of something else. It was, however, a little messy. I do think that their prices are slightly high, but for the location and service we received, it was worth it. I wouldn't mind coming back at all. read more

Well, maybe their food is great, if you can eat it. I tried to get a reservation tonight instead of just showing up. No room within 3 hours of when I wanted to eat, no sorry, just hung up on me when I said no thanks. I'd been meaning to try this place for a while before I called tonight, and I suspect it'll be a long while before I try again. read more

Went tonight after a day at the convention center. Menu was interesting and different, but the plate was not. Service was fine and friendly, and prompt with a fresh pot of coffee. Ordered a special of pumpkin ravioli. Alas the food was stone cold, as were the scallops ordered by my dinner companion. My ravioli had seen some heat at some point as 2 were burned, but were cold to the touch. We sent both plates back, and they were returned after a trip to the oven to reheat them, since my one bite was still missing and the burned ones were still there. I expected a fresh plate. To call it Italian is a bit odd as the offerings were not typical Italian. Would not return or recommend it to others. read more

High quality fresh home made ingredients such as the ricotta cheese and pancetta. The offerings are so fresh it has a farm-to-table feel. Excellent service. This restaurant impressed us so much that we would fly back to Buffalo just to dine here again. We ordered the pasta fagioli, house salad with balsamic vinegarrette, steak and spinach pizza and zeppole for dessert. All in all highly recommended. read more

Delicious meal. We had an 8 year old with us and although they aren't typically a 'kid friendly' restaurant, the staff was great with accommodating a meal for us. read more

I've been here 3 or 4 times and every time it was amazing. The owner is a cool guy, the bartenders serve stiff drinks, it's a nice chill place and the food is unbelievable. The pizzas are ridiculously good. They pair foods that I would never think to eat together and it works so well. Awesome place. read more

Wow, waked in here after deciding to go based on several different Yelp searches. Wednesday night, I was in Buffalo for one night working in sales which is always a roll of the dice. I felt like I had been a regular here who hadn't been here in a while and was welcome more than warmly. Found out the enthusiastic guy behind the bar was Nick, owner. Copious with high-fives and quick to find out why I was in Buffalo and seemed to take personal interest in me having a great night. Sure the atmosphere was like being the guest of honor at Buffalo's party of the night, but the food was on point too. Bread came out fresh and hot, with seasoned olive oil before I could order my wine. Scallops were seared to perfection (and I make pretty mean scallops after living in FL) but the vibe at the bar was one of familiarity and community. If you're in town for a night, or if you live here and haven't been, I strongly recommend this place for both food and atmosphere. Ask about wines or beers with your food, try the specials, and enjoy your night. I look forward to my future nights in Buffalo simply for this place (and proximity to Niagara Falls). Bravo and best of luck with this place entering its 3rd year. Cheers! read more

I am staying at a hotel near here and wanted to find something within walking distance, and this place was located really close to where I am staying. The outside isn't as welcoming as the inside. In fact, we went to walk by it at first, but decided to go in after reading the menu. Once we walked in we were seated right away by our waitress. She was super sweet and explained all of the specials and new additions to the menu. I ordered a glass of wine, and my boyfriend got a special Moscow Mule. As we waited for our drinks, our waitress brought us their super soft bread and dipping oil that they mix for you, it had cheese and red pepper (SO GOOD). It was hard to not eat the whole bag of bread before our meals came out. We ordered the buffalo calamari which was very different. It had great flavor and the presentation was nice. I then had the chopped antipasto salad and my boyfriend had a chicken sausage dish with pasta. Both were very good, had great flavor, and my salad had just the right amount of dressing. The ambiance is cute casual restaurant, great for date night or even just a casual night out with friends. Our server was very attentive but not overwhelming. I wish we were staying longer because I would love to come back! read more

Duck. Bacon. The pasta I ordered here was topped with a duck breast bacon which intrigued me. Everyone at our table ended up trying some... even those who swear they hate duck. All enjoyed it and it was an excellent meal. The chicken lasagna is also a favorite although it is very cheesy so its hearty meal even for the hungriest of stomachs. Will definitely return to try the rest of the menu. Slightly pricier for Italian food and was a bit loud when the dinner rush came in on our last visit. Didn't ruin the overall meal though. read more

Very good ambience. We ordered 4 items in the dish and enjoyed all of them. They are dangerously close to the authentic Italian I have ever had. The money which I paid eventually along with a hefty tip makes it a real steal! read more

A group of friends and I were in Buffalo for a reunion and we went to Osteria166 on Friday night. The menu looked very good and we all ordered our meals. All the meals except 2 came out together. I waited and waited and finally my chicken Milanese arrived. I asked for thin spaghetti, and got very thick pasta. When I asked about it, the waitress said they had run out of the thin. I said that was okay. No problem! There was a lovely arugula salad that came with it. Then I tried to cut the chicken. It was way over cooked and extremely difficult to cut. I mentioned this to the waitress, and she said she would get the manager. When the manager appeared I explained that the chicken was overdone, dry, and hard to cut. With no apology, he proceeded to tell me that the chicken was cooked to 165 degrees, and if they made another it would turn out the same. I asked him incredulously if they really served it this way. He offered to get me something else. I asked for just one piece of chicken parm. He took my plate away (including the salad) and again I waited for the new meal. By then, everyone in my party was just about finished eating. My new meal came, and it was another piece of chicken Milanese and a new salad. The chicken was better the second time, but lacked the capers and lemon wedge. I was most annoyed by the attitude of the manager, who never came back to the table to inquire how the meal was. It was a very disappointing dinner that I paid full price for, with no apology. First and last time we will eat there. read more

This place bothered me enough to get me to write my first Yelp review. Was in town for a few days and went here for dinner the first night because it was across the street from my hotel and was pretty well rated. Got the egglplant ravioli which was actually pretty good, so I decided to go back again the next night. Ordered the philly rustica pizza for takeout and was very unpleasantly surprised. The top was totally burned and the crust/bread was flavorless and hard. Aside from the burnt flavor, it tasted like it had been cooked the day before and reheated before I picked it up. I have had plenty of bad meals before and haven't felt the need to write a bad Yelp review, but the reason this place gets my 1-star review is that after doing my routine check of credit card activity online against my receipts, I found out that they had written in $4.00 extra of tip onto the check on my behalf. Talk about adding insult to injury. My credit card company refunded that part but needless to say I would not recommend this place to anyone. read more

Osteria 166 - Burnt philly rustica pizza - Italian Near Me - Buffalo, New York

Fantastic food and staff. Sam was an excellent hostess and server (despite her joking otherwise). Kudos to the chef/chefs for an eclectic selection of downright delicious and savory Italian fair. I stay in Buffalo for business several times a year for a few days a time. This is definitely on my must revisit list now! The bruschetta was insanely delicious with crispy pressed bread and a trio of spreads. The pepper risotto sticks are like a cross between a mozzarella stick, risotto, banana peppers and some Italian magic. Great beer and wine selection too. I had the cod special with prosciutto relish. So damn good. read more

Good value, great service. The Wood Pizza was excellent and the Seafood Pasta Entree was outstanding. Highly recomended.

Seriously disappointed in the quality of food. Our server Mitchell was great.

What a little gem this place is! We were in town for the UB Dental convention and my wife and I wanted a nice lunch. We found the Osteria 166 and weren't disappointed. We were received warmly by the host and our waitress was superb. We shared the Antipasto plate which is plenty for two people. The roasted garlic was out of this world as was the selection of cheeses and fresh baked garlic bread. I ordered the Bucatini Carbonara and was delighted. I finished the whole bowl which was a generous portion. We eat out a lot as our travel demands and it's so nice to find high quality food and service for a very fair price. The Carbonara was among the best I have ever had anywhere in the US. My wife had the spaghetti and meatballs which was also very much enjoyed. I won't hesitate to go back for a moment, in fact I'll go out of my way to go back and hopefully try a dinner. Make reservations for dinner, the word is getting out on this place. read more

I was so excited to try Osteria for the 1st time-especially with all the great reviews! I want to begin by saying the food was good, the service was ok, but the portions were RIDICULOUSLY undersized!!!! I ordered the shellfish diablo and there were about 2 mussels, clams, and shrimp and a total of 3 noodles. My husband had the ravioli and while it was good, we both left hungry while paying a pretty pricey bill considering the amount of food we actually consumed. I'm really disappointed and will probably not return anytime soon. read more

Nick was very gracious and invited us right in. We were weary travelers who blew into to town and were looking for some good food. We weren't sure if this place would be ok for kids or not but that changed about 2 seconds after we walked in. Nick immediately became best friends with my 5 yr old daughter and gave her and my son some chalk to decorate the table! There's no kids menu as this place is certainly geared towards the Buffalo hipster crowd but don't let that stop you. Loved the fried risotto and the pork chop!! Good luck, Nick. I hope your new restaurant is a great success! read more

We came here on a Thursday night. Reservations at 8. We decided to sit outside which was superb. Our server (Marinda?) was awesome! She brought us amazing bread (carbs yay!) in a paper bag. It was a neat presentation. We started with the Malbec. They also list on the menu 30 wines under $30. We ordered the Burrata with Charred Breads. So creamy and good with the wine. Then I had the Farro and Grilled Summer Vegetable Salad. It was delicious with fresh local lettuce, asparagus, little grilled peppers, yellow squash and zucchini. The vinaigrette was tasty too! He had the Bucatini Carbonara which he loved but could only finish half of. Then we were brought a dessert plate with the Cannoli Chips, Key Lime Pie Creme Brulee and an amazing fudge dessert with a raspberry sauce. I think the creme brulee was my favorite and I'm a huge cannoli person! A band started playing around 9. The whole experience was great! The staff here is strong, the owner and the chef both come around to check on you, we can't wait to return! read more