Otis Reviews

This is a good restaurant. The waiter was very friendly for the most part. First, the incredibly great - the tomato bisque soup. I was in the mood for lamb, which my wife was also ordering. The waiter, meaning well, talked me out of ordering the same thing, saying that the pork or beef dish with pasta was not to be missed, so I went along. While it was certainly good, I was disappointed....it wasn't what I wanted. My wife on the other hand thought it was out of this world. I ate less than half and asked for it to go, although somehow that request was not understood. I got upset because when the waiter took it away, he asked how it was, and I said I didn't like it. He, for some unknown reason, laughed. When I asked where the to go pack was, he said he thought I didn't want it. To his credit he had a small portion remade, which I took home for my wife. Overall, it was an okay experience but I would not want to return

I've had the opportunity to dine at OTIS a number of times and feel like this new entry to Bushwick's dining scene has gone from strength to strength. Another restaurant I enjoy in Bushwick is Faro and it's nice having a slightly more homey restaurant in the neighborhood that's perfect for friends, family or a date night. There's a nice area in the front with couches as well if you just want to drink. This past weekend I had my first visit to the restaurant since the receipt of its liquor licence. Being able to pair the delicious food with mezcal and a good Bordeaux put this restaurant over the top for me. The menu includes smaller plates like homemade bread and an assortment of spreads (the pesto!!) and vegetable forward dishes like kale salad, and carrot and eggplant dishes. Something I love is that the menu has changed slightly each time I've gone, so there may be variations on the menu in the future. The larger items on the menu include a fantastic pork shoulder pasta dish, which luckily has remained on the menu, and most recently duck confit and lamb shank dishes. I loved the hearty stick to your bones flavors, the perfect way to be comforted from New York's winter weather. I can't wait to see what they do with the menu when it warms up. Rounding out the menu this weekend was a dark chocolate banana cake with homemade ice cream. Unfortunately, I can't have ice cream but the cake was moist and decadent, all in all the perfect way to end the meal. Once I'm able to roll my body back to Bushwick from Manhattan, I'll be back at OTIS.

Otis is a congenial venue located in a converted workshop close to the Morgan Avenue “L” station, not far from Roberta’s. Comfortable seating, friendly and efficient service, generally chill East Williamsburg vibe with reasonable noise level and well-adjusted a/c. Limited menu of interesting and reasonably-priced dishes, great cocktails. Portion sizes are generally ok albeit some are on the smaller size. After telling the waiter that I didn’t like spicy food (such as the shrimp dish, which I would’ve otherwise ordered), I ordered the pasta which, unfortunately for me, was (imo unnecessarily) spicy, spoiling what would otherwise have been a really good dish. Too bad the waiter didn’t give me a heads-up. My recommendation: before ordering, ask if a dish is spicy if that matters to you. Or better yet, maybe the management could indicate the level of spiciness on the menu, like most Thai restaurants do.

Wow, I am simply delighted at how all the pieces come together here. This was my second visit, and it was equally as impressive as the first. FRESH ingredients. FANTASTIC and fabulously creative dishes. Attentive but not too annoying service. Delightful space. Just the complete package, and frankly, makes me wonder why more restaurants don't try harder to be simple. The buratta is a work of art, a thing of beauty, and a most delightful and delicious dish. If this is any indication, after tasting the cinnamon roll for dessert, I actually returned to the remains of the buratta because it was THAT good.

Otis was fab! Loved the combo of flavors. Great service. Best review is we will be back!! Trout, duvk, and lamb were unique.

If you drove down Harrison Place in Buswick, Brooklyn where "Otis" is located, you would hardly note there is even a restaurant on the street, given the block's almost commercial look. But it is well worth the effort to search out this hidden gem. Fire up your GPS if you are driving. We were a party of 12, there for a semi-work related dinner. The restaurant has ample capacity in a building apparently renovated and restored from a previous incarnation as a commercial site. We were seated at the back of the restaurant at a table of ample proportions. The staff were very welcoming and helpful. The restaurant has an open kitchen so you can see pretty much everything that is going on. The menu is very focused and the owners don't make the mistake of offering an out of control menu. As a large group, we shared and sampled the various appetizers which included charred cauliflower, roasted beets, grilled romaine and Puy lentil stew. The lentil stew was to die for, and since I'm a fan of beets in any style, those were also a winner. Each of us ordered separately for the main course. Several of the group ordered the fish of the day, which was rainbow trout. There was nothing but raves for how beautifully the trout was served and how deliciously it tasted. Trout is a very delicate fish that has to be cooked with care. I had the beef short ribs which were succulent and falling of the bone. Others had the grilled lamb chops, which were tender and superbly prepared. The spiced apple cake and the berry crumble with sea salt and burnt caramel ice cream for desert were scrumptious. The owner has made excellent choices for his menu that can satisfy any taste. The food is well prepared and presented; a true culinary pleasure for discerning dinners. The only drawback of the evening was the noise level, which was a result both of the music and the acoustics of the space. I would have given a full "5" rating except for the noise factor. Our group leader tried to hold a short discussion, which proved difficult. At my end of the table, I could hear next to nothing. So this is probably not the place for a business meeting, unless you could rent the entire restaurant for the evening.

Chef Scott does a fantastic job of mixing flavors and comfort. His food leaves you full and satisfied without the bloating that any other restaurant will. His technique is superb and they catered to my every need. Get here asap!

Out of the way cool bar. This place is worth the trip. Great atmosphere and well done space. The food is the real draw here. If you can, grab a seat overlooking the kitchen. Buratta and bread is outstanding but my favorite was the lamb shank. Can’t wait to get back to Brooklyn.

We came as a group of 7 last week to Otis and are unable to fault it. The atmosphere is lovely inside and Supreet explained all of the menu to us in detail. All the dishes tasted great and were presented beautifully. Wine and cocktails were faultless and it was an all round perfect evening. For the quality of the food the prices were also very reasonable

The staff greeted us with a big smile and welcome the moment we walked in. The food and drinks were outstanding. To start, we ordered their homemade breads with spread, and their green beans with snow peas , pickled watermelon rind with chill-peanut vinaigrette. For our entrees, we had their braised port shoulder, duck leg and their market fish which was grilled salmon. To end our meal, we had their crumbled cranberries. Everything was so delicious, there was ABSOLUTELY nothing left on our plates. The MOST satisfying meal in a long time. We will definitely go back for more.

The minute we walked into the beautiful entryway of this restaurant we were welcomed by the bartender as if we had entered his home. My wife and I sat at the cozy bar. Natural light streamed in toward the back of the restaurant. The setting was rustic and peaceful. We enjoyed multiple rounds of cocktails - the Bastille Bagel was the favorite. Thankfully the bartender recommended the burrata, which was incredibly satisfying with their house-made bread. We also shared the braised pork shoulder pasta, which had a creamy consistency from the ricotta we swirled around the noodles before diving it. The entire experience was beyond delightful. We capped off our meal with the berry crumble, grappa, and an espresso martini (a must) for yours truly. We left with smiles on our faces.

Otis is, without a doubt, the best new restaurant I’ve tried in the past year and arguably one of the Top 4 or 5 restaurants in which I’ve ever eaten. Everything was superlative. The burrata (with pesto, tomato jam, and sweet potato), beet salad (with whipped ricotta, candied hazlenuts), lamb chops, duck leg, homemade foccacia were each one of the best examples of those dishes that I’ve ever tried. We travel constantly all over the world. We’re heading back this weekend for a second visit. Otis marries the quality and refinement of a Michelin-starred restaurant with generous quantitues ideal for sharing, a laid-back, family vibe, beyond fair pricing, an awesome industrial chic decor, and nust really great juju. So glad that we found Scott, Paul, and this entire talented and caring team.

A medium sized restaurant, you are best to get reservations unless you hope to sit at the bar. An open kitchen that isn’t overwhelming in noise as some can be. There is no “restaurant vibe” aka loud noise, trying to be attained here. You can actually have a normal conversation. The location looks strange from the outside as it’s the only real business on a side street that is in transition. But, parking shouldn’t be a problem. The inside decor was very warm and inviting. The service and food were fantastic. Waiter was very knowledgeable and provided the right level of attention. We enjoy the evening, the meal and the atmosphere. I’ll be back!

Great vibe, decor and setting. Service was great with plenty of staff on hand. Food and drink were on point. Would definitely visit again!

Travelled from NJ to meet a friend at Otis and was not disappointed. The food was excellent. From the homemade foccacia and sour dough bread (which I could have eaten the whole plate) to our entrees, Chef Scott made dinners that were as lovely to the eye as delicious to eat. My husband had the corn soup and lamb chops and said they were fabulous. I had the bronzini chimichurra and devoured the whole fish. No room for dessert. If you haven't been to this neighborhood gem...GO.

WOW! The food and drinks were outstanding. We went here for brunch and ended up staying for several hours. We had the Burrata, Beef Hash, Paratha and Cinnamon Roll with ice cream. It was all very tasty and priceworthy. A tip is to order the St-Germain Spritz carafe. It was super fresh with the food.

Had a family dinner here and sampled many of the dishes on the spring menu including the: 1. Pork butt pasta (outstanding) 2. Bread with fresh ricotta , onion marmalade, and honey butter (outstanding) 3. Duck confit (very good) 4. String bean salad (good) 5. Icelandic cod (good) 6. Asparagus (good) 7. Banana ice cream with chocolate cake (good) The service was friendly and congenial and there is significant pride of the consistent quality. An above average eatery on all counts!

I think that this place is the restaurant equivalent of the Emperor's new clothes. Yeah, it has a great space that is plenty inviting, an open kitchen and affable-enough staff but that's pretty much where it all ends. In my experience, any decent NYC restaurant knows enough to offer (perhaps in addition to the brunch menu) a standard lunch menu on Saturday at 1:30 in the afternoon. But not Otis, they know what you want, whether you want it or not. As a party of 5 at 1:30 we were limited to the very limited brunch menu. No fries or snacks to start the meal, but instead we were offered toast with jelly. Tasty but not what anyone was eager for at 1:30 in the afternoon. By the way, I searched the website and couldn't find any suggestion that the brunch menu was the ONLY thing available on Saturday afternoons. That brings us to the actual menu. Curiously, whether your choice is the burrata with cranberry agrodolce; the basmati, pork sausage with pico de gallo; or the paratha and spicy chicken (with not a hint of the promised spiciness), all of the plating of each was nearly indistinguishable from the others. The theme was basically a blob of something starchy in the middle of a small plate, topped with something, and then something else mounded on top of that. Not only were the dishes visually uninspired they were at best "meh" in terms of flavor. And that's my subjective opinion. Their "signature" cocktails also leave much to be desired, especially the bizarre choice of mescal, chipotle spiked tomato juice and Old Bay garnished with a piece of old celery, a withered chili pepper and a desiccated lemon slice. This is a drink that cannot figure out what it wants to be. The mescal and chipotle wrestle for position, the Old Bay is completely lost and the garniture, in my opinion, belongs is someone else's drink. Screwing up a simple Bloody Mary is not how you make new friends. Clearly there are enough people in Brooklyn who just love this place. But not me. I know it's hard to resist telling the latest Emperor how great his new threads look but when laid out bare, there are so many other places to choose from in Brooklyn.