Otto's in Camden

We have been to Otto's many times. This unique restaurant cooks beautiful, delicious food. Otto is a great presence, the masterful Maitre D, with Elon, Reuben and a stellar team. Last night we enjoyed the special lobster menu. It is sensational - pressed lobster consommé; followed by two main dishes with wonder fun sauces and accompaniments. This was mostly cooked by the table, restaurant theatre and perfect results. Otto chose an excellent Meursault, perfect with lobster. This restaurant has a rare ambience, full of eccentric artefacts, subtly lit, and with perfect service.

I love this restaurant. The service is fantastic and just the right level of attentive. The staff without exception are professional, friendly and knowledgeable. The decor makes me smile and transports you to a bygone era of bohemian elegance. And most importantly the food is truly excellent. Classic French cuisine but with all the flourishes that make it fun and special. My scallop starter with lobster bisque (with the caviar extra) was amazing. I could have eaten two servings without blinking. A goats cheese soufflé had my wife smiling with happiness. The best steak tartare we’ve ever had (and I have had a few) freshly prepared with care at the table. A monkfish cassoulet that was a delight and satisfying. The cheese plate was wonderful and I probably should have had the smaller option but then again that’s what statins are for. My wife’s crème brûlée was perfect. I could keep complimenting Otto’s and I will - it’s our second visit and won’t be our last. Yes it’s quite expensive but you truly get what you pay for here and I think it’s worth every penny.

I have been wanting to go to Ottos for several years. We finally went there last night where we went for the Pressed Duck. Now this is not cheap but it is unutterably delicious, absolutely outstanding. Ottos is the only place currently serving pressed duck (the Ritz does sometimes). This involves a lot of elaborate cooking at the table. Flames leap into the air, delicious smells waft across the table and you watch in awe as the team keep going. You are asked to take part in the actual pressing which involves turning a very heavy silver wheel that operates the press. This squeezes out the blood from various unspecified bits of the duck and is used as one of the main ingredients in making the truly stupendous gravy that accompanies the main course. The main course was slices of rare duck breast covered in the gravy. I can safely say that I have never eaten any duck that was remotely as good as this......in fact, I have very rarely eaten anything as good as this.

A very memorable meal. nice environment, great food and wine, excellent company. Oh and I guess we have to say something about the duck and the ceremony that accompanies it. Loved every minute.

This was one of our most memorable meals in London (ever). Food was excellent, the wine and after dinner drink list were well curated and the service was impecable (and friendly). A little off the beaten path but worth it. Can personally recommend the duck pie which came with a heavenly sauce.

I gave Otto's a five star review even though I really didn't like the grouse main course which I ordered. It was too strong for my taste but that does not mean that it was not well prepared. My wife had the beef wellington which she enjoyed. The first courses were escargot served with marrow bones and a shrimp cocktail. Both were good. The escargot might have been a little large--nothing to complain about. Next time I might split a first course and order the chicken. Good wine list which can be as reasonable or expensive as desired. I enjoyed the old school buzz and the wait staff were terrific. I would recommend this restaurant.

We came for the Canard à la Presse in this lovely restaurant. Soon we were shown the partially roasted bird. The breasts and legs were removed, with the remaining carcass to be chopped up. Subsequently, only part of it returned to be pressed: too little liquid appeared. Before this stage someone was already working on the sauce which made me think we were watching a fake pressing . . . this didn’t diminish the utter quality of the first two courses. We drank Sauternes with the first and Haut Bages with the second. The latter was served too warm, room temperature instead of 16-18°. Our waiter cheerfully chilled the remaining wine. The disappointing leg appeared at least an hour later: it tasted like it was cooked a few days earlier with little flavour. My brother thought his was ok. I cannot help but be suspicious. We ended spending some £550 which I thought was excessive for what we received.

This is now my favourite French restaurant outside of France. It reminded me of my dinner at La Tour d'Argent in Paris. The experience is similar, without the fancy style. Here it is more authentic and traditional. But the food has nothing to envy. All the dishes are impeccably prepared and the menu offer an incredible selection: choosing is impossible. The quality is extremely high and I am not applying the standards of a French restaurant abroad, but of a French restaurant in France. One of the best meals I have had! The staff is extremely caring and friendly. We need to thank God if we still have such traditional, reliable restaurants, who invest more on the quality of the culinary offer than the style and designe of the venue!

The proprietor of this restaurant is a man who is dedicated to the pursuit of perfection; specifically, perfect execution of the French culinary classics. We've been three times. On our first visit, bird flu in France thwarted our quest for the almost-impossible-to-find pressed duck, so we had the lobster incarnation instead, pressed on a rare (possibly unique) lobster press created for the 1900 Paris exhibition. The theatre of the tableside preparation was memorable, and the lobster (done three ways, including a souffle) was easily the best I've ever eaten. Perfection is not always attained, and the second visit - for the same spectacle, the same dishes, in the company of a friend - faltered a tad as the lobster was noticeably overcooked, if only ever so slightly. Not a grave fault, but at £200 a person - before wine - it was just a bit disappointing. Last night, we returned to perfection. Escargots paired with a beautiful marrow bone, a boudin noir starter, and mains of tournedos rossini (really!), and veal sweetbreads, both in classic demi-glace reduction. The classics, executed at the highest level. The hosting was perfect too, unobtrusive but personal, with a special effort made to mark our wedding anniversary. It's clear that the staff are also dedicated to the pursuit of perfection - one feels that any employee who is not would be quickly ... eliminated. The decor is relaxed, fun even; mostly art from the 1960s (pop), combined with some from the 60s (Greco-Roman). Your fellow diners are happy to be here. Given the level of the service, the quality of the cooking, and the sheer joy of the experience, you may not care - or even notice - that you just paid £190 (pre-wine) for a chicken dinner for two. After all, perfection does not come cheap.

A really good 'Old Fashioned' find. Great surroundings, lovely attentive and at time 'french' staff and most enjoyable food. Otto you deserve a big pat on the back - always love visiting your restaurant.

Absolutely loved our meal here. I had the scallops followed by the steak tartare, food was great but the service even better. The atmosphere downstairs was just right. I would highly recommend this restaurant to others.

An absolutely gem and a totally wonderful experience. This was one of those restaurants you walk into and you just know you will enjoy yourself. Wonderful decor, great staff. Then, the bread arrives....10/10, with fantastic butter and some other very tasty spread that my wife became protective over. We are a small family to we ordered several dishes to share - no problem - and they were all great. The real standout was the dover sole, which may have been the best fish I have ever eaten. The only sad part is that we didn't have much room for dessert and had to skip the cheese (guess I must return again). Best meal we had in london and we had many really good ones.

One of the few restaurants in the world that does a pressed duck. It has to be ordered in advance and there are only one or two pressings per meal. The pressed duck has 3 delicious courses which are huge. One duck for 2 persons for 300 pounds. Service was wonderful and the kids were allowed to have some fun with the pressing.

Traditional French cuisine I started with a goats cheese soufflé followed by Lamb Wellington finishing with a crepe Suzette . Washed down with a very enjoyable burgundy . Staff were very attentive and helpful when we were leaving by getting a taxi for us . We all enjoyed our evening .

Thank you to all the staff at this restaurant for helping to make our celebration go so well. My son booked this for us for a party of 24. Everyone thought that the food and wine was delicicious. Believe you me, we had some picky eaters in this party so that really is a compliment. The service was spot on. Thank you again.

What a joy to discover Otto's the other day. It brought back memories of my early days of discovering the pleasures of dining out, before Nouvelle Cuisine and today's menu minefields. Otto delivers wonderfully traditional French bistro dishes served up by friendly, knowledgeable staff under...

This is a place for people who lack a sufficiently refined palate to realise that, at these prices, the food is simply not special enough in a city like London. With a service that could be usefully replaced by robots. Standard dishes with good produce....

We had the Canard à la Presse - it was superb. Faultless ingredients with service to match in a warm and frindly atmosphere. Otto himself presides with a first class team to back him up. More than highly recommended!

It was one of my favorite finds when we were visiting London. The lady who took my order was very friendly and the food was great too. Must try this hotel in London

Great food and service. Ordered the duck meal - a great show, Reasonably priced wines. Restaurant is busy but does not feel crowded.

Been to Otto's about twenty times and it has always been excellent. Not just me who says so, but also the many guests I have taken there. I know well just about all the best restaurants in London and whereas some come near to it,...

If you wanna eat French Food ….and in a quirky restaurant….then come to otto’s…. I’ve wanted to come for quite a few years now, but just never got around to it….so what better to book it on Bastille Day. Snails/frog’s legs….followed by Steak tartare (prepared...

The decor might be from a bygone era, but the food, ingredients and preparation are second to none. No corners are cut, and only the best produce is used. I’m not sure how they make a profit but it is worth dining here before it...

My wife and I came here as part of an Amex food experience event. Otherwise, we had never heard of the place It was great! The restaurant is small and eccentrically (but nicely) furnished and the food, wine list and service are great! Otto is...

Old style French restaurant. Unfortunately after the dinner we were very disappointed. They served us plain boiled chicken, nothing special, everyone can do it at home. We paid over 200 pounds for this dinner. Big disappointment.

A truly excellent evening! From start to finish everything was extraordinary, the food, the wine and the service were incredible. The restaurant itself is beautiful and I cannot recommend the steak tartare enough, it is made table side and is without a doubt the best...

This is a truly exceptional restaurant. The cooking and team are of the highest calibre for sure .But when you add in the fact that this is traditional french cooking at its very finest served in an intimate and even quirky environment you have a...

Otto's originally from Germany, but the food is French, and the waitstaff is multicultural. This small restaurant on Grey's Inn Road is a gem, decorated as eclectically as the staff. The food is pretty great, and if you're in the mood for steak tartare, it's...

Hands down the best Steak Tartare in London, they mix it to your taste tableside and serve it with a Rosti (an absolute dream) , the winelist is incredible and will definitly be back.

This place is the real deal. Authentic, considerate and thoughtful. The food is as it should be and as you would hope for. All round one of the best restaurants in London. At the end of the day you get what you pay for. Thank...

I love a french brasserie and this one is very special indeed.

We were made to feel very welcome as soon as we stepped through the door. The staff and owner Otto were friendly and helpful, you can see they take pride working there. The food was amazing! My tartare was prepared infront of me by Otto, and it's the best one I've had so far. I would highly recommend Ottos Restaurant.

Had a fabulous evening with friends. Delicious simple food, attentive (but not stuffy) service and an overall brilliant experience. We will be back!

Excellent food and service will definitely be considering it as a destination for our private dining club.<br />Only down side was a rowdy table of Sloane Rangers next to us.

Absolutely fantastic food. Relaxed but formal service. Otto’s suggested Bordeaux was terrific. Worked wonders - got a new prospect via a referral from one of my guests. The calves brains to start were superb

Intimate restaurant with a neighborhood clientele that make first time diners feel welcome. French cuisine with a menu that has been carefully crafted to appeal to both carnivores and pescatarians. Otto has trained an attentive staff that never intrudes yet are available with the slightest glance. Do not visit London without stopping in for a memorable meal.

Food brilliant and reasonably priced considering the care taken in preparation. Service attentive but not rushed. Our party was there until 11.30 and there was no feeling that we were overstaying our welcome. Don&#039;t know how I&#039;ve not discovered this place previously as we eat out in London 3 times a week at least - but we&#039;ll definitely be returning and I&#039;ll be telling my friends to book.

More than just some of the best French food in London, Otto’s captures a time and sense of French culture which is exquisite. A much loved institution.

Absolutely Fabulous! A rare gem in the conformist landscape of London dining. In this bleak post-Brexit/COVID lockdown era, the fact that Otto can manage to procure the finest French produce is nothing short of a miracle. Classic French cooking, perfectly executed and served with panache and great wit. Excellent service and a really fun ambience. Made for excess!

Otto’s is unique and never disappoints- stunning food and wonderful, expert service all presided over with charm and great humour by Otto himself.

Old school fun. Great service great food and wine list. Led by Otto all the team are tremendous

A delightful restaurant we return to on every visit to London. Everyone receives a very warm welcome and the food is superb. Would have no hesitation whatsoever in recommending to anyone who enjoys French cuisine.

Wonderful traditional grande cuisine.....

Always a pleasure to visit Ottos. Very nice atmosphere and the food is always delicious. My only criticisms are that there is a rather small choice of wine by the glass on the wine list and that there is no fixed price lunch menu. But it&#039;s still a great place for a special treat.

This is a fantastic example of an individual, personal,restaurant that exudes character without even trying.<br />Oh and the food&#039;s excellent too.<br />Long may it continue to have the feel of a local place while obviously being worth travelling to.

Brilliant food, brilliantly delivered.

My husband and I have not had better French cuisine since we were last in Paris. Can&#039;t wait to return!

I’ve been to Otto’s a handful of times and the food is always good and often exceptional. I’m really pleased to see them reopen after lockdowns and look forward to some more amazing meals there.

Imaginative, delicious, entertaining, original. This is our favourite restaurant, with a wonderful and individual ambience. If you love rich, French food, this is where you should eat.

We enjoyed our first visit to Otto&#039;s very much. It was like being in a traditional restaurant in France. Everything we ate was delicious and it was fun having the steak tartare prepared at the table in the proper fashion. Very generous portions - we went for lunch and didn&#039;t need dinner that night. The friendly and helpful front-of-house team helped make the whole experience a pleasure.

Highly recommend this place. So authentic, the food was delicious and really knowable waiter who made the best beef tartar in front of you with a little description on how he was doing it.

Proper food and a great selection of wines, relaxed surrounds and friendly service. We’ll be back!

Great staff and delicious food.<br />We were made very welcome and the service was superb.

First visit to Otto’s and what a great way to start the weekend. Great seat in the front window, food and service superb.

Otto’s provided an amazing dining experience, with exquisite food, excellent service and a warm ambiance. The Scallop Entré baked in an encrusted shell was so flavorful, and the Dover Sole was as good as I have ever tasted. We will definitely make this our go to special place whenever we are in London.

Wow -Unique place, superb duck pressed the only place left in Europe now to do this,the duck is presented at your table from a special french farm, so you teally know what you are eating.The best duck I have ever eaten anywhere in the world!! Superb host ,who knows what he is talking about,great sommelier from Alsace !!! What a delightful experience.And the silver duck presses from 1912 still in operation,an experience not to be missed for the real foodies out there.Thankyou Otto and Christophe for a truly memorable evening.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

It was great food, the staff were fantastic and the wine knowledge really impressive, a small menu but really delivered well and so well presented, it was just the right noise level where you can hear the Resturant buzz but still hear the other person at your table without trouble or raising your voice.<br />The waiters are very professional and we never had to wait for a wine top up, they also gave me views on the wine list , from its expensive but delicious to a less expensive wine that would be delicious with what we were eating. Foot note the wine was not overpriced. It was good value

A small, intimate and quiet dining room filled with the sounds of the staff working diligently to provide each table with a unique and special dining experience. Outstanding food and friendly, personal service - even from Otto himself - made for a fun and memorable date for my wife and I. We look forward to returning.

Unique atmosphere and stunning food each and every time. It’s a place you want to return to week after week.

The pressed duck was outstanding and a superb experience. Lovely!

Ottos is by far the best French restaurant in London and Otto himself is a genius. No over bearing waiters and impeccable and knowledgeable staff. Wine list is just awesome

Lovely food and great service, all overseen by Otto, peerless as ever. Great to see it back on the map!<br />Wonderful steak tartare

A new favourite restaurant. Simply sublime service, excellent food and wine. Highly highly recommended. Understated and charming. Well looked after for my father's birthday.

Not quite the experience we had anticipated. The menu has all the French classics but the finesse that you would expect at these prices was absent. We enjoyed our food but were disappointed that a first course of soufflé and a second course of tournedos Rossini were both served tepid rather than hot. The service was somewhat haphazard as well with waiters fawning over the couple next to us who had ordered the most expensive items on the menu. So, decent food, some mistakes and underwhelming service. For £300 for two this is just not good enough. We had three glasses of champagne and a bottle of wine at £55, so the food alone was over £200. For that kind of money, you can each much better in many places.

thought that the food was rather heavy and expensive

What a fantastic meal and a lovely restaurant The waiters were fantastic and very attentive We went to the Grill at the Dorchester the night before which was great but this restaurant was far better Please give this a go!!

We selected the Duck menu and it was a wonderful experience.<br />Excellent food served by true professionals

Delicious and quirky, disappointed no steak tartare but what we did have was superb.

Absolutely charming place with sensational and brilliant staff! They managed to make it feel as “uncovidy” as possible and it was a wonderful evening. Steak Tartare = top notch!!

Ottos is one of the best and most authentic French restaurants in London.We had a video trial near the law courts.Ottos is supplying meals to the national health service as a good deed. Elin agreed to feed our legal team for a week. Another donation!The food in a cardboard box was magnificent and the cake desert to die for.Chicken curry lamb stew fish pie quiche!Well done.We look forward to the end of lockdown and Ottos pressed duck and lobster.

A return visit and Otto’s is as good as ever, it never fails to please. Foie Gras, steak tartare, pigeon, tart tatin all cooked to perfection. <br />Well done in these difficult times.

Outstanding! There is not much to add to this. Beautiful setting, helpful, friendly and attentive staff and amazing food on the menu. Definitely worth a visit. We are going to come back again!

Lovely quirky and personal restaurant. This was our second trip and the food and service were excellent.

Charming, friendly, impeccable service - sofisticated without being stuffy- very hard to pull that off. The food is sublime. My husband’s favourite restaurant

Amazing! Stunning food-perfect wines to accompany - and above all outstanding service from Otto, Elin and their team. The best restaurant in London

An enjoyable evening ; not significant, but nevertheless worthwhile.

Wow what a great experience !!!! Good portion and staffs here are very friendly ! I will definitely come back 👍

A truly wonderful time. Otto and his team were a delight. The food was incredible, service flawless, and I couldn’t recommend it more highly. We gave the duck press a go and all I can say is “wow”

Otto is the consummate host and the canard a la presse a classic dish - beautifully prepared and served.

Food was excellent generally but we were let down by the beef tartar, which was so strongly mustard flavoured that it was nearly inedible. We may go back to see if this was just an off day though, but this was disappointing at the price range.

Wonderfully charming atmosphere and delicious food.

Posiblemente una de las mejores comidas que he tenido en mi vida. Sin duda, una de las mejores comidas jamás vividas en Londres. Excelente comida genuina, bien cocinada. Estos chicos rezuman pasión tanto como su sabrosa cocina tradicional francesa.Algunos de los vinos tienen un precio astronómico para mi bolsillo promedio, pero como dice el viejo adagio "obtienes lo que pagas". Todos pueden jugar al pinball clásico en mi humilde establecimiento cuando lo deseen. Todos se lo merecen por lo que han hecho por el NHS y, en particular, por la calle. El personal del hospital de Thomas. Personal fantástico. Gracias Ottos.

Casi se puede pasar caminando por este pequeño restaurante, afortunadamente mi esposo conoce muy bien esta joya. Mi primera visita, ¡pero ciertamente yo también quiero ser un habitual! El servicio es de primera, cálido y profesional. Un pequeño menú que ofrece calidad, sabor y presentación, ¡y calorías! todo ello acompañado de magníficos vinos. Tarde divina.

Outstanding food. Fixed menu weekend menu in these COVID times. Excellent service. Wine selection geared towards high budgets

Tuvimos una comida increíble aquí con algunos amigos.Servicio encantador, nuestro camarero fue fantástico, desafortunadamente no entendí su nombre, tenía un ligero acento. Muy educado y una gran ventaja para el restaurante.Gran lugar para pasar una noche encantadora.Volveremos pronto.

A brilliant and quirky culinary experience. Food was amazing and it was so much fun

Otto and the team where amazing! Perfection! Highly recommend the pressed duck.

My favorite restaurant in London. Old school french done right. The service is precise and friendly. The food is exactly as it should be. The smoked salmon and steak tartar are prepared tableside. The food is traditional and cooked just right. The desserts are noteworthy. And Otto is there making sure everything is working just right.

Great old-school French with impeccable ingredients and service.

There's no getting away from the fact that Otto's is almost in a time warp, BUT does it brilliantly. Wonderful staff, quirky decor, great seating all make the experience hugely enjoyable. However, that is not enough to make a restaurant good and here the food is simply excellent. The lobster bisque was sublime, boudin noir was incredible, the steak tartare, made at the table, was the best I have ever had. We tried the Bresse chicken and it was amazing. Proper French cooking at its best. We will go again without doubt (but not until my cholesterol level drops a bit!).

Otto&#039;s was great for me, my partner however wasn&#039;t overly impressed. I enjoyed the Jerusalem artichoke soup and seafood risotto with a lovely glass of wine.<br />My opinion is it&#039;s definitely worth a visit.

French classics very well prepared with a touch of theatre.

So delicious! The risotto with prawns was above all, sea bass filet was excellent, the pressed duck presentation and the whole process of cooking was incredible. The lights are low but you don’t need them to feel the taste;)

Lovely, tasty, delicately-presented food, which is actually surprisingly filling! Wine is on the expensive side.

service a bit erratic .food as expected .would consider downstairs for for a party

Casi preocupante restaurante francés de estilo de la vieja escuela, pero el personal es tan encantador que pierde rápidamente su capacidad de superar su conocimiento del vino, etc. Enormes menús, realmente fuertes en la gastronomía tradicional, así que ni siquiera busque burrata, col rizada o artesanía. . Pero espera la perfección, desde vieiras hasta cordero. 3ª visita. Todo memorable por la calidad de la cocina.

The service was outstanding. The wait staff was very considerate and engaging. The food was unbelievable. I never write reviews, but I had to make an exception for this restaurant. I cannot recommend enough how great the food was and wonderful the service was. It&#039;s been 4 days since my wife and I were there and we are still taking about how good the restaurant was. I cannot recommend enough, and I have eaten in a number of very well know restaurants, andI have eaten food from some very highly acclaimed chefs. I would most definitely place Otto&#039;s near the top. Great job guys!

Outstanding on all fronts, wouldn’t hesitate to book again

Fabulous, unique restaurant. Great food and wine, we will definitely visit again.<br />Thank you <br />Gordon and Janet Cox

Wonderful experience! The food and service were absolutely perfect. A rare example of a restaurant that entirely fulfils its promise. Such a pleasure to spend an evening at Otto’s.