Fantastic! It was upscale, it was hearty, and it was tasty! We told them we were going to a musical, and they timed our food perfectly. We started with the antipasto, and it was excellent! Plenty of meats, cheeses, and accoutrements. The drizzle of olive oil was the chef's kiss. I had the duck, and it was roasted to perfection. So tender, well seasoned, and plentiful. Get this! My wife loved her seafood risotto, which came with a hefty portion of perfectly cooked shrimp, lobster, and scallops. Great place to check out if you're in town! I will note the random playlist of today's hits - i.e. the Jonas Brothers, Miley Cyrus, and Benson Boone didn't fit the upscale style. But that isn't worth taking away a star. read more

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This is a hidden gem in downtown Cleveland. It's not near a lot of foot traffic or many other restaurants so you may actually drive by it often if you live in the city and just never noticed their sign. I love trying new Italian restaurants in this one didn't disappoint. Very cool and moody in the inside. I'd highly recommend making a reservation. Our servers/bartenders were super friendly and entertaining. They recommended drinks and food that all turned out to be pretty good. Our bartender even asked if she could make us a mystery drink after we told her what kind of liquor we preferred (dark/light/tequila etc) and she knocked it out of the park with a cherry bomb cocktail made with Angel's Envy bourbon. It was a kind of slow night so all of our food came out pretty fast, but it seems like they have enough chefs/cooks and staff for the food to come out quickly no matter how busy it is. I tried a spaghetti dish with clams & white wine sauce that our bartender recommended and it was pretty good, although I typically prefer dishes with a richer sauce and more meat/seafood. I also enjoyed the porcini mushroom penne, which was rich and flavorful. The mussels were also really good. I tried a seasonal pumpkin espresso martini that was fire and our bartender told us that for the Christmas season they're going to do a snickerdoodle espresso martini so I'll definitely be back to try that. Great place for a date night. read more

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Unassuming in a hidden corner of downtown, this Italian spot pleasantly surprised me with it's food. The back room had ample seating and offered us a quieter space to celebrate a birthday. We indulged in the meatballs appetizers, various entrees, and ended with a complimentary dessert. Would recommend for a nice evening out with white linens. read more

Osteria Italian - Chicken Piccata - Italian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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I ate at the bar and it was great experience. I drank a mojito and the Raquel. The muddled ginger in the Raquel added great spice. The Lamb Shank entree was cooked properly and the balsamic glaze was giving the acidic flavor I enjoy. The Banana fosters tiramisu that I ordered to go was tasty and I will be going here again. Both bartenders were attentive and the service was good. They had live entertainment at the bar while the game played in the background. read more

The experience was lackluster, and I was super bummed for that. Husband made a valentines reservation and we arrived on time at the host stand. It took a few minutes for them to figure out where to put us. The hostess offered us the bar or a weird, low table with a couch in a high traffic area. I was disappointed and she kinda gave us attitude because we 'just walked in'. I almost turned around and left, but husband gave her our names again and confirmed we had a reservation. Oh okay, she found us a table in the dining room which was not full. The dining room was very open and tables kinda closed together, so I didn't feel like it was very intimate. Also, the bathroom doors open up right to the dining room. It was off-putting. We started with the beef tartare, which lacked flavor. The bread and butter was very good. Excellent flavors. My seafood risotto was better than I have expected, but still needed some seasoning. At basic, salt and pepper. The risotto was cooked absolutely perfect, which can be difficult to achieve. Husband liked his food and the meal portions were generous. The server was okay, not great. There was a man milling about who looked like he was the manager. He was very present and paying attention to details. That makes a big difference and I could tell he really cared about the restaurant. He might be the reason I'll try it again, on a lower-profile night. read more

Osteria Italian - Seafood Risotto Con Poesie Di MareRisotto - Italian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

This was definitely the best dining experience we had in Cleveland. The food was fantastic! We sat at the bar and enjoyed chatting with the other guests, bar tender and Dexter (partner, owner?, brand ambassador) . The ambience of the bar area is upscale and the employees provide a high level of service. There were several regulars that stopped in while we were there and the staff welcomed them warmly. For our meal we enjoyed two of the antipasti - the sausage stuffed banana peppers and the smoked salmon. Both portions were very generous and could easily have been a delicious light dinner! We then ordered the orecchiette with Italian Sausage and the gnocchi. Again, both portions were generous and delicious. Go and enjoy this upscale establishment! read more

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Tucked away on a side street in downtown Cleveland is Osteria. This restaurant has a wonderful relaxing atmosphere. When you enter the dining establishment, you will walk through the bar area to the host stand. Very friendly as we were walking through to our table. The entire staff was very attentive the entire evening. The food was delicious and portion sizes were substantial. The pasta was perfectly cooked too. Very unique pasta dishes and entrees are prepared here. I also noticed that all employees were working very hard to make sure guests at both the bar and in the dining room were taken care of. Lots of deliciousness here! Will definitely be back very soon! read more

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I know I've shouted rave reviews of this establishment before.... But SERIOUSLY.... Phenomenal cuisine, outstanding service & beautifully romantic ambiance are just the beginning here at Osteria! Order the filet mignon, the carpaccio & the arugula & truffle oil salad! You won't regret it! Live entertainment is the icing on the cake! read more

My friend and I wanted to treat ourselves after flying to Cleveland for a grueling 3 days of classes, and Osteria Italian did NOT disappoint. The ambiance is very romantic which we weren't expecting but we enjoyed the quiet, dark setting for the night. High quality, great portions, and great service. We started with the arancini which was OH MY GOSH the best arancini I've ever had. Perfectly crispy on the outside, soft, buttery, and flavorful on the inside. Absolutely amazing. My friend ordered the ravioli which she loved as well. It was made perfectly and filled with just the right amount of ricotta and spinach. She enjoyed it very much. I had the rack of lamb dish and although it was overall very flavorful, my meat was over cooked. No pink inside, and was the slightest bit tough to chew. I did enjoy the mashed potato and the vinaigrette on the lamb. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable dish despite the overcooked meat. read more

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Had the best birthday celebration here last night with my husband. The service was impeccable and we were treated like royalty. The staff takes their time to deliver an incredible experience and ensure we savored each course and each moment. The pasta was perfection and the Gorgonzola cream sauce was to die for - not too overwhelming as Gorgonzola can tend to be. Loved the red sauce accompanying the meatballs and definitely will be getting a red sauce based pasta next time I come back. Everything was delicious and we truly enjoyed the atmosphere and can't wait to return. Great spot for a special occasion! read more

Osteria Italian - Gnocchi Alla Dolce Gorgonzola - Italian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

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We decided to try Osteria Italian one summer evening before a show at the playhouse. When we first entered the restaurant, we were greeted by a cozy space with just a few tables and a bar area. It was dark and a bit snug--perfect for a romantic dinner or a game of "Who's going to bump into the waiter first?" Our waitress welcomed us from the other end of the bar and led us into a beautifully elegant dining room. Our server, Dora, was on top of her game, explaining the specials and answering our menu questions like a culinary magician. We placed our orders, and everything came out in a timely manner--no waiting forever like you do at some places when time seems to stand still. For appetizers, we had the scallops, which were a generous portion and tasted fantastic. We also ordered the asparagus soup, which, as the youngsters say, was 'Fire!' (I'm still not sure what that means, but I'm on board.) I went for the Ossobuco alla Fiorentina (bone-in lamb shank), and let me tell you, it was a portion fit for a king. Tender and flavorful--just wow! My wife chose the seafood risotto, which was also a hefty serving. She had no complaints, just a chorus of "ummm, ummm, ummm" that could have been mistaken for a new pop song. We saved room to share the Banana Foster Tiramisu that our fantastic server Dora recommended. I'll tell you, it was exactly what my taste buds were craving after such a terrific meal. Osteria Italian was a delightful find, and we'll definitely be coming back for more. Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection. The atmosphere was elegantly bougie--just the way we like it! read more

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What a nice surprise Ostetia Italian was for us to find on our visit to Cleveland. Our server was elegant, helpful and fun. The food was delicious. My Caprese Salad was amazing and ribeye had great seasoning. The only drawback was that there were only a few occupied tables on a Saturday night. read more

This was my first time dining at their new location. The interior is decorated very well and it's a good ambiance. I wasn't expecting an awesome meal top to bottom but it was! I dined at the Warehouse District location a few times and I don't recall the food being this good. Arancini - must order. These are a favorite APP for me so I order them frequently at Italian restaurants and these by far are the best I've had. They were very soft inside with a perfect crust. The side sauces were a fabulous compliment. Ossobuco - another hit. Also best I've ever had. It's cooked for 8 hours and covered in its own au jus. It has a bit of spicy which was unexpected but delicious. Served with green beans and half lumpy mashed red potatoes. Veal Tortelinni - very good as well but more on par with other restaurants. Lots of veal inside and cream sauce was delicious. The only reasons I didn't give five stars was because we were seated for ten minutes without being served to start. Turned out that the assigned server forgot about us so we got a new one after a visit to the hostess. Also we waited a long time for the meals to come out and we were comped glasses of wine for our patience. I'll be dinning here again. read more

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Disclaimer: this meal was pre-Hamilton and I did not leave us enough time to get from dinner to the theater so some of this is on me... We did a double date to Osteria last week. The food was tasty but somewhat overpriced (-1 star) and, although friendly, the service was very slow even though we told them we had tickets to the show (-1 more star). Now for the food: Charcuterie board (4/5): really good although it leaned much heavier toward meat than cheese, which is a personal preference Arancini (5/5): SO GOOD, a must order. I loved that they had both the pesto and marinara base. Mushroom pasta (4/5): good mushroom taste and creamy, luxurious sauce but the penne itself wasn't anything special My dining partners also had a salad, the half duck, and the special for dinner and everyone seemed to enjoy. Bottom line is that I'm definitely open to trying here again but will definitely go on a night when I don't have a deadline for dinner to wrap up. read more

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Delicious food - the best food I had in Detroit. I loved their innovative food options. The mussels, scallops, and other seafood were all delicious. Service was good and servers were very kind. The ambiance is interesting - a bit dark. But otherwise, I was really happy with my overall experience. Great restaurant for a date night. read more

Can't say it was my favorite. I will say the live music was a terrific touch. My fiancé and I came a bit earlier in the night and we were sat at the farthest table, very close to where all the waitstaff hung out. We would have preferred a booth as there were several booths open our entire meal and it was uncomfortable hearing their conversations of the staff. They don't bring menus right away which is strange, we also got an appetizer list that was the same as the appetizers on the menu so that was confusing. Our waitress was attentive but she was clearly new and nervous as she wasn't comfortable running through the menu. They did not have the wine we requested so they suggested another bottle that was quite a bit more expensive without any consultation. I also didn't love seeing the kitchen directly or staring at bland tasteless bathroom doors my entire meal. The food: The bread was cold very quick, the butter was okay and there was an orange butter served with no description of what it was. The stuffed peppers were recommended by our waitress and they were mediocre at best, the sauce lacked taste as did the meat- didn't love. Would have rather had the arancini I had heard about (mostly why I came) but they did not have them. The entree of veal tortellini was ok but didn't have much flavor and was missing something. My finance got the filet with Gorgonzola and it was OK, mostly tasted Gorgonzola. We would have gotten dessert but I didn't think it would be worthwhile after a mediocre meal. They also have a disclaimer on the dessert menu about a 3% fee added to each order. Not worth it - much better Italian places in Cleveland! read more

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I sat at the bar -- best bartender I've ever experienced. Perfect gentleman that knew the menu, made great recommendations, and just knew how to make you feel welcome. Food was phenomenal-- had scallops and veal / mushrooms. Fantastic experience. read more

We were really looking forward to a great Italian meal. We made a reservation although we were one of 4 tables in a large dining area. It was cold. The server suggested a table for two next to the restroom. We asked if we could move one table away. We often share dishes like we did tonight. Orecchiette alla Panna con Pomodoro e Salsicca She said, "no dessert, then?" Really? read more

Osteria Italian - Italian - Italian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

This restaurant is AMAZING. The atmosphere gets you immediately. Classy, romantic, and inviting are the words I can think of. Service was so friendly and welcoming. They checked in on us and made sure I was satisfied. Great dare place. The food was delicious, fresh, and hot on the plate. The price is high, but I found it totally worth it when considering the whole experience. It is a special occasion place that is lively but not terribly busy. There is plenty of parking around with a huge garage on both sides of the street. Street parking that is free on the weekend. Highly recommend and looking forward the next time dinning here. read more

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Came to Oateria today with our group of 15 as not many places can accommodate such big party at downtown. There's a full bar as we walked in. Decent size dining room. Ambiance is great. I ordered the ossobusco and asparagus soup. Ossobusco was very tender. I didn't need a knife to cut the meat. Soup has actual lobster inside. Very rich in flavor. Also tried the cioppino. Taste was on point. Big portion. Giving this place 2 stars for the following reason: - after sitting there for about 20 min with no food, we finally got the bread basket upon our request. That's a pretty long time. - penna pasta was over boiled, not Al dente. Lobster did not taste fresh. - server didn't mention about special dishes for the night. I overheard about the special dishes when she mentioned it to the table behind. - colleague ordered filet mignon. Not only 1, but 2 strands of hair were found in her dish. One of the 2 strand was found under the steak. Colleague notified the server about it. Server offered to not charge for that particular dish and also offered 1 free dessert. - 1 colleague's order got messed up and never came. Some other dishes showed up instead. - towards the end of dinner, server asked if we are done eating. We told him yes. He immediately started cleaning up the table, removing utensils. We felt the rush to leave the restaurant. - food took super long to come out. Our whole dinner took 3 hours. Took about more than 30 min for us to get the appetizer and probably another 40 min for us to get the entree. I do not recommend this place for large group dining. Hopefully the staff would wear hair net or something to avoid the same incident happen again. They do make great cocktails and wine list is extensive. read more

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Absolutely fantastic restaurant. Paragraph like many of you, I read the yelp reviews before coming to dine at Osteria; my motivation was a recommendation from my brother, who used to live in Cleveland. I understand that management has changed, and there have been many reviews that reflect upon pricing, long, wait, and other issues. I can assure you that my wife and I had absolutely no such problems during our visit. Actually, we were greeted warmly by one of the owners, escorted to a very comfortable and romantic table in the corner of the restaurant, where we could sit next to each other and watch service unfold. The only speed bump that we experienced was with the ordering of one of our dishes, which turned out to be a happy "accident." I was not clear in ordering the smoked salmon appetizer, and we ended up getting a shared main dish of their blackened salmon, served over mashed potatoes and grilled green beans. I'm really happy that this happened because the dish was absolutely fantastic, and we would have otherwise missed it. The bread they bring to your table is warm and fresh, accompanied by fresh butter and a beautiful, sun-dried tomato/basil spread. Our beef carpaccio was delicious, and we even decided to stuff ourselves a little bit more by ordering the classic veal tortellini because so many have recommended it - it did not disappoint, and I'll be honest: it's one of the most delicious pastas I've ever had at a restaurant. The first hour we were there, They had a wonderfully classic mix of Italian music, many songs, coming from the Godfather, soundtrack, and Dean Martin, which fit the ambience. After this, we were very pleased to hear Barry White's greatest hits come on, since they are some of our favorite songs (yes, we are Gen X-ers!) I cannot stress this enough - service was superb, staff were extremely friendly, and the food was absolutely delicious. Yes, there is a price for that end. News Flash - this is not dinner at "Five Guys!" As far as beverage service goes, we had two marvelous cocktails (a Negroni and a Cosmo, both of which were superbly crafted. The wine list is ample and delicious. As far as the complaints about price or concerned, I feel like everything was very reasonably priced, especially since we had excellent food, accompanied by superb service, and delicious drinks. This was a memorable evening, and we shall definitely return on our next trip to Cleveland. Do yourself a favor and give this place a chance - you will definitely get what you pay for, and will feel as if you came to a restaurant that one of your friends own. Magnifico! We LOVED it! read more

The Chefs do an amazing job the food is delicious. The new management is very welcoming. They have live entertainment check their instagram for up and coming events! read more

Osteria Italian - Dancing to the entertainment @osteria - Italian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

I stayed in Cleveland for 4 nights, having dinner at 4 different places and this was the best by far. I had the Ribollita Toscana Tuscan vegetable soup and the spaghetti with clams in olive oil and white wine sauce. So very good! The soup was hearty and well-spiced. The clams were fresh and the sauce was fantastic. The service was very good, friendly, and attentive. Highly recommended if you are in the downtown Cleveland area. read more

The food the service the ambience were spectacular. Raquel was amazing!! The food was wonderful. The service was great and the atmosphere is beautiful if you're looking for an amazing Italian restaurant recently priced with great food this is the place to be! read more

I had the pleasure of dinning at Osteria Italian for dinner last Saturday. It was my first time in Cleveland and a friend recommended I check it out. From the moment we arrived the ambiance was welcoming, and inviting. We made a reservation and were seated immediately upon arrival. When you come make sure you're hungry because not only do they have a great selection but their portions are bountiful. We started with the Scallops Marinier, they were cooked perfectly, seared and the pomegranate was a very nice touch. I then ordered a Zuppa Alla Crema Di Asparagi, the moment they placed the soup in front of me the aroma of the truffle was prevalent and they are definitely generous with the lobster. There were a few specials that day so we also tried the meatballs and sauce, the meatballs were a nice size, juicy and packed with flavor. For my entree I took my friends recommendation and ordered the bone in ribeye and boy was I glad I did, first I'll reiterate that the the portions are generous, the ribeye was juicy, and had this amazing sauce that I'm still dreaming about, it came with green beans and mashed potatoes, a classic combination that had all the right flavors. For drinks we started with some Prosecco and followed with a red wine that paired perfectly with our meal. Last but not least dessert, I'm not big on sweets but I couldn't pass on their options, homemade cannoli, crème brûlée, lemon and blueberry bread pudding ( just to name a few). I chose the bread pudding, it had a crunchy sugary crust and fresh blueberries, it was divine. If I had to sum up my dinning experience at Osteria Italian I would say exquisite food, and exceptional service, if you're im Cleveland you won't want to leave without checking this place out, thank me later! read more

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Service was amazing! Sonja made sure our night was special and was speedy with every order! It was such a perfect night with amazing food! I got the Seafood Risotto which was to die for! My boyfriend got the Veal Tortellini which was also amazing since I stole a couple bites! The owner/manager was very friendly and made sure to talk to every table which was very kind! 10/10 recommend this restaurant! read more

Osteria Italian - Seafood Risotto - Absolutely Amazing! - Italian Near Me - Cleveland, Ohio

We easily made a reservation. The service was very good and the atmosphere was quiet. Food was good but overpriced.

The food is delicious and authentic Italian. Service is prompt and friendly. Very clean. Lovely atmosphere. Highly recommend.

My spouse and I went here for dinner. I will say this may have been some of the finest service I had ever received, and I have been in the food and beverage industry for almost 20 years now. Raquel was an absolute delight from the way she greeted us to the way our food came out. My wife had the shellfish risotto, and I had the lamb chops, and by the end of the night, I was dipping the bread in the sauce from the risotto. I have no criticisms whatsoever about this place. read more

They require a credit card, which will get charged $200 if you can't make, ridiculous for a restaurant in Cleveland. Below is there explanation, yes, I will go elsewhere, Giovanni's, Michelangelo, Luca, all fantastic without the need to gouge patrons ( things sometimes happen). Yes, I suggest you go elsewhere sir. Your accusations are unfounded. We've had to make changes due to patrons taking advantage of reservations and holding up tables during our busy services. Our business is not and have not suffered- which is why we have it in place. I don't understand why you are having such a problem with it- it requires a courtesy of the guests giving us a 24-hour notice to cancel, there is no fee to cancel with a kind notice- which I said in the original email. I have removed the reservation. No need for further contact sir. Kindly, Raquel read more

Delicious dinner. Banana peppers just the right amount of succulent and char flavor. Outstanding expresso martini, heavenly melt in your mouth osso buco, and fantastic wait service from Jada! Will be back for more! Joseph read more

On point , Pleasant and welcoming , I visited without reading any reviews.Quite honestly I was skeptical about reviews thinking of how it could be padded by employees and family members of the restaurant . To my surprise here I am leaving a restaurant review and I'm compelled by the ambiance , restaurant / club vibe for the Family . Most definitely on my list of favorites places to visit in Cleveland and look forward to doing so soon. Dwayne T Los Angeles California read more

Surprising find in downtown ClE. After a comedy show at Hilarities tried this upscale restaurant. It is unjustified find a place where you can converse with others without competing with music and other guests. We met friends and had an enjoyable dinner. Server was knowledgeable, friendly and helped me with my gluten free allergies. There are many options here. read more

Had a wonderful dinner over the weekend . Food was delicious. I Was there with a large group and service was top notch. They anticipated our every need. Servers Brandon and Sienna were so attentive. They seemed to really enjoy their work ( how refreshing:) And to top it off , Vincent entertained us all with his beautiful voice and guitar skills. We will be back . Thank you !!!! read more

Had the most lovely dinner here! The food was phenomenal. The calamari appetizer was probably the best calamari I've ever had. The Gorgonzola gnocchi was to die for. Fantastic craft drinks. Our server Jada was so attentive and friendly. We will definitely be back! read more

sadly this was one of worst meals i had in cleveland. we were done with our appetizers before our cocktails arrived. cocktails were $22 each! the prices weren't on the menu. salads were mediocre. entrees were absolutely horrible. i had the bolognese and pappardelle i had better in a school cafeteria. service was friendly but unrefined. ambiance is nice. this restaurant had its heyday. read more

Well.... Entree was very good BUT rest was hardly worth the price . Our server was pleasant but the food was not. The scallops were gritty and mushy and the sorbet was ridiculously presented as frozen ice and tasted terrible. As mentioned server pleasant but not well informed on wine selections and table service. For the money your going to pay it's not worth it. read more

I absolutely love it here. It's a bit hidden away on Walnut in the Ohio Savings Plaza Building, but don't let that scare you off. The locally owned vibe emits as you'll frequently see one of the owners, Dexter, radiating his positive energy throughout the kitchen, dining room, pouring wine, and having an overall great time entertaining the guests that he treats like family. This spot is quaint with high quality and a fine dining atmosphere. The service could use a little work to better suit the atmosphere. Pro tip: get the truffle soup. read more

The food was fantastic, fresh, perfectly seasoned. The staff was friendly , professional and attentive. Beautiful restaurant. read more

We were looking to go out for a nice dinner and landed on Osteria. Overall, it was a pretty so-so experience. We certainly didn't leave "wowed" by any means. Nothing was bad - but nothing was particularly great. In short: the quality did not meet the standards the price point would suggest. The charcuterie board ($30) was solid enough - but the entrees fell short. The saltimbocca ($53) was ok. It was a large portion size, so points there. The seafood risotto ($56) was smaller and lacked flavor. You can find much better quality at the same price point at other downtown establishments. I did find the dining atmosphere to be nice. It's dimly lit with candles. It took a while to get our food and drinks, which surprised me because it was a very slow night, but we weren't in a rush so didn't mind. The staff was also very friendly and attentive. In summary, I doubt we'll return to Osteria. Again - the food was not bad - it's just hard to recommend nearly $60 entrees at that quality when there's much better around. A $30-$40 entree menu would've felt more accurately priced for the experience. read more