Botto Italian Bistro

At the entrance, they specify that «their tables are not for rent». Who says these things?! I ended up going to IKEA and the drive took me an hour. I will never come here again today!

No ice, no lemon, no ranch and they won’t even change the tv channel!
Far from San Francisco and too many choices of pizza!
Ordered a carbonara large pizza in the end.

Worst pizza I’ve ever had. And I had a lot of them!
The ingredients are not quality ingredients and there’s basically no service at all! The place is dirty, noisy and full of really sketchy people.
Don’t come here! Ever!

We walked in and there were only about 3 tables filled in the place: Table 1 — Italians speaking Italian, Table 2 — Italian Americans who have been to Italy 30 times (we sat next to them and conversed and this came up), Table 3 — Not sure. Didn’t talk to them. Point being, if you want real Italian food, this place is the REAL DEAL. VERY authentic.
What we ordered:
–4 glasses of wine: 3 house Chianti ($ 6/​each), 1 Sangiovese ($ 8/​each)
— Caesar Salad — Light on the dressing but the taste was fantastic. Croutons were also delicious
— Meatball Calzone — My fiancé insisted on this. I gave in. It was very good. BUT I still want to try the pizza
— Lasagna– Holy moly is this for real? Honestly, I want to say that this might be the best Italian food I’ve had since Italy. The lasagna was THAT good. Melt in your mouth, came out flaming hot, so delicious
Great service! Love the vibe! What a treat! We will be back.
Lastly, I want to say how extremely DISAPPOINTED I am with Unilocal.Geez Unilocal,really? As a former Elite and someone who always depends on Unilocal,I’m truly bummed. Had it not been for Botto’s FB ad, I would never have found this place b/​c when searching on Unilocal I search for best reviews. Anyway, Unilocal,stop the madness and be true to reviews– PLEASE.

As I sit here on the toilet expelling a lava-​like substance out of my behind, it perplexes me as to how they managed to make me this sick considering I live in FL and have never been here and probably never will. That said, they disappointed me with their lack of unlimited salad and breadsticks and I was shocked to learn that the pizza they serve is made with fresh ingredients. Um… hello…DiGiorno? You guys could learn something from these guys… their s**t rises when you cook it. I’ll probably still go back again for the first time.

Thanks Botto Bistro I’m a local and your place is OK. Pizza is delicious and the service is on the 1 star side. Overall good.

the absolutely best worst tasting meal I have ever enjoyed!
I really hope you can beat those bastards. Good for you for taking a stand.

What a crap@y place: no butter, no ice, but above all NO RANCH! I felt like fainting. Too bad I won’t have your pizza 25% discount, I live in Italy:-). Keep up the bad work, fellas:-))

If someone has complains about this place it’s because they can understand that food quality doesn’t need to hold hands with each one desires. I had really good recommendations about the food and today I had the opportunity to confirm it.
By the way… their disclaimer board it’s really appropriate in special for haters who just complain about quality when they were raised eating McDonalds.

I’d just like to start off by saying, nobody can tell me I don’t know Italian food. I’ve been perfecting the art of pasta making for years and have just recently published the perfect microwave settings guide for all varieties of Chef Boyardi, so I know what I am talking about.
The unwillingness of the owners to stock ranch dressing is an affront not only to Bay Area tastes, but a disgrace to the owners’ ethnic heritage they claim to hold so dear. Any student of Italian history knows that Columbus was delivered to Spain from Italy during the famous ‘aderezo rancho’ crisis of 1491, when the necessary spices for creating the delicacy were lost to Europe. As colonization of the Spanish Main was completed over the course of the next two centuries, the Spanish gleefully rejoiced by christening their newly inherited pastures, ‘rancheros.‘
The lack of butter is also appalling. Instead they claim to serve bread with ‘oil’ made from olives. But everybody knows that oil comes from the Middle East, and olives come from China. Neither of those countries are anywhere close to Tuscany (the city that the owners claim to be from), which is at the southern tip of Italy near the border with Finland. I’m not sure how the owners rationalize this false advertising.
Lastly, there is the issue of their war with Unilocal.Unilocal gives voice to the common person. With Unilocal,no longer does relevancy or authenticity dictate the validity or strength of argument. The ability to think beyond a 5 star system has been eliminated, leveling the playing field for those who lack any desirable social characteristics.
Furthermore, the owners’ lack of respect for Unilocal’s business model is truly telling about the owners state of mind and lack of ability to assimilate into American society. Unilocal is standing up to the rules of crony capitalism by refusing to take no for an answer.
Let’s be clear, Unilocal provides a service… Let’s call that service…“protection.” If you pay your ‘service charges’, Unilocal will ensure that your business prospers, customers hear about you, important people pay you visits.
If you don’t pay your service charges… Well… Something bad might happen. Your ratings might drop. Some of your good reviews might disappear. Suddenly word gets out that your business is CLOSED. Maybe you’ll go out of business (Or maybe you’ll find your dormant hours spent amongst various aquatic species).
It’s a shame that during the last century, Italian immigrants have so far refused to participate in such robustly American business practices, which is why, I suppose, so few Italians managed to immigrate to the United States.
[full disclosure: I have not eaten at Botto Bistro, but I am about to pick up the phone and order right now, and since this is a fake review anyway, ‘who gives a f*ck?’
As a transplanted east coaster in the Bay Area, you wouldn’t be able to get away with half of this nonsense in any east coast city. People on this coast seem to think the world revolves around their own little tastes and desires. If you pulled this kind of crap back Boston, NYC, philly, you would think Botto Bistro was unbelievably forgiving compared to how many people would simply run you out of the restaurant for wasting their time.
Perhaps that has something do with the fact that we have some many Italians back east, and we also have Italian food that isn’t HORRIBLE. So listen Botto bistro, you can’t really blame them for putting ranch all over their pizza –HAVE YOU TASTED THE FKING PIZZA HERE?
I’m going to call you now, and hope your food doesn’t suck… But I’m pretty sure it won’t, since you’re willing to stand behind it instead of sucking up to each precious little snowflake that walks in the door.
Ps. I had to create a Unilocal account just to write this review.

I feel already sick, stomachache and diarrhea, even though I Live in New York and I haven’t been there. What a shitty place. Under five stars if I could.
Giovanni.

The pizza arrived at the table with a dead rat *under* the cheese. I asked the waitress about it and she told me to «f*** off, you goddamn snob». The drinks were also overpriced. Never coming back here.

After eating at Botto I needed to loosen my belt. My pants fell off and I was too rotund to pull them up. I was asked to leave the restaurant after I paid.
Just because I wasn’t wearing pants doesn’t mean I don’t have feelings…
On a side note… the pizza was delicious. Maybe I should not have eaten the whole thing.

After reading the reviews and seeing why this place deserves a 1… I decided what the heck let’s give them a 1 star even though I would never go here until the end of the year in December. I guess Botto owes me a 50% discount, which I will collect around that time.
I can’t believe all the 1 star reviews. Had me confused for a while thinking what the hell is going on here. Love it!!!
Go BOTTO!!! You got yourself a fan and I haven’t even tried your authentic Italian food. Please hold on to my 50% discount put the name «CrazyAnimal8» on your walls until I get there with my entire family tree.
Much love!

Who the hell does not allow people to do half and half toppings.
What a joke…
I guess i will just get delicious meat all over my pizza and my silly vegeterian girlfriend cannot have any of my pizza.
Perfect!

I love anything anti. And we know what anti means in Botto-​land! This place gets one star because Botto Italian Mafia fights Unilocal Global M_​_​_​_​ (fill in blank) and that makes me not wanna go here for scary Tuscan cooking that has so much ATTITUDE. Hope I’m not taking sides here, no I wouldn’t think of it. Strange that I found this place with NO advertising whatsoever. hmmm.
Everything’s upside down here, what’s good is bad and what’s bad is good. This place is SO BAD. Nobody wants your homemade FOCACCIA or POLLO with melted Gorgonzola cheese. We real Italian food lovers, we want real homemade stuff loaded with oil butter cheese and garlic. I’m in Newport Beach and I knock off a lot of stars when Botto can’t deliver to my door, oops, but I do HATE your pizza. Sure hope I’m following those very strict guidelines we’ve all come to love.
Gotta be a REAL GOOD reason why this place has so many one star reviews. I just hope Botto stays open long enough to get a million one star reviews, they deserve it, HA! Now get outta here Botto, I’ll see you guys next time.

Where is my original one-​star review, Unilocal?Tsk, tsk… trying to hustle your way out of keeping my review – that’s some thug-​life move, Unilocal.
This restaurant is really awful. Hand-​pressed pasta and fresh pizza means NOTHING without Hidden Valley ranch. And they refuse to serve any.
The nerve, right?

This place offended my delicate sensibilities!!!
i wanted virgin double pressed fig balsamic with ramps and pear chiffonade, but all hey had were things like «sauce» and «cheese»!
A bunch of baloney if you axe me.

Order for pickup is easy, and staff are helpful.
Very tasty pie, but could have used more crust to support the slices. I will definitely try other food here, as Botto is a local gem with quality food.

This place has the worst Chinese food and the crappiest florist. Seriously, from Chop Suey to steamed white rice; they don’t even have any. The freaking flowers are nowhere to be found; the closest thing is the «ornate» restroom key.
Flanked by other restaurants and 3 more in line of site, they are staying strong. Chef Botto works up he’s delicious dishes in the kitchen with hardly every ever looking out. Serious as can be, from basic cheese pizza to pasta with monk fish; his passion is strong. Rich sauces to Neapolitan pizza, it comes out of the kitchen quickly.
Even though Chef is so focused in the kitchen, he occasionally comes out into the dining room with a smile, says hi to just about everyone. He’ll sit and chat with anyone who would like to strike up a conversation.
When you first walk up, the daily specials with be on a bulletin board next to the front door. Order at the counter as soon as you walk in, with the specials once again on the bulletin board behind the counter. There is also the regular printed menu. After ordering, have a seat and you will be called to pickup you foods shortly at t he counter.
If you have any leftovers, then to go packages are self serve along with some condiment, extra plates, and extra cutlery.
There is lots of parking in the strip mall and ample seating. Usually there’s some great Italian music playing.
We love the food and admire his «social media» system fighting attitude. Read the reviews posted carefully, many of the one star reviews are praising him, the food, and the service… while some are people who have never been but give a one star Unilocal review in hopes of getting a pizza.
The only thing I would recommend him changing is to give up smoking cigarettes.

Ich glaube es nicht!!! Das ist ja wirklich die allerschlechteste Pizza der Welt!
Insgesamt ein einziger Saftladen.
Einen Stern gibt’s dennoch, weil man dort so viele lustige Menschen trifft.
Insofern ist das Botto durchaus eine Reise wert.

Was soll das?
Wir wollten unbedingt die schlechteste Pizza der Welt abchecken. (Bei Unilocalinformationen weiß man ja nie) und dann kommt nix.
Haben die in USA kein DHL overnight oder was?
Unglaublich!

Ja, ich wäre nur scharf auf den 25% Rabatt und der Laden liegt genau vor meiner Haustür. ;-)
Ok, verwirrt? Dann lass euch Zeit und les bitte :
Ich bin mir ziemlich sicher, dass die Pizza in Kölner 485 dem Botto Bistro ähnlich ist. Und das ist der Hammer.
Ach ja, der Autor des Artikels ist :
Cyrus Farivar /​Cyrus is the Senior Business Editor at Ars Technica, and is also a radio producer and author. His first book, The Internet of Elsewhere, was published in April 2011.
Und der Link zu dem Laden :
Der Laden hat 1 * von fast 1000 Bewertungen und über 500 St. sind in Filter (nicht empfohlen).