Colette OTR • Mostly French Restaurant by Chef Danny Combs

One of the best meals I've had in a long time. The food was impeccable and I haven't had that kind of lovely, attentive, fine-dining service since before the pandemic. You'd think it would have come with a big price tag but it was remarkably affordable!

We were so thrilled to hear that Danny Combs was taking over the former Zula spot. We love the changes he made by adding warm colors and comfortable booths. We reserved high top seating at 7:15pm on a Thursday night, but both spaces were still occupied when we arrived, so we were happy to sit at the bar.

Our bartender Aaron was so personable and did a great job taking care of us all night. He graciously offered another wine when my wife didn't care for the one she chose initially. I drank a couple of glasses of the Chenin Blanc, which Aaron said was chosen because it pairs well with most of the dishes. He was spot on with that recommendation.

We read the menu a few times before we had dinner and had a pretty good idea of what we wanted to order. Plus, we have a friend in the business that told us what not to miss. Here are our thoughts:

The Bread Service - is a Vol-au-vent. It is a round croissant-like roll that is savory, salty, buttery, and the best bread we have ever had in our lives! They are made by Sebastian Bakehouse exclusively for Colette. Fabulous.

Whipped Salt Cod - we have never had anything like this and it was one of the best dishes ever! Think mashed potatoes covered in a light fresh whipped cod and salty trout roe. Go chef Danny...this is genius!

Carrot Salad - very well balanced with lovely crunchy toasted hazelnuts and a lovely cider vinaigrette. Would order over and over.

Endive and Radicchio Salad - if you like bitter and bitter and the punch of blue cheese, this salad is for you. We thought it was a little too much.

Raviole du Dauphine - very good, but very, very, very, rich.

Cod Brioche - this is perhaps one of the best cod dishes in the city. The crust of brioche with the sauce and the greens....OMG.

Colette Burger - oh, whoever salted this....Whoa! Even the fries were too salty. We took half home for the next day and still couldn't finish it due to the salt. Aaron offered to remove it from our check, but we declined. He said he would tell the kitchen.

Dessert - Mille Feuille - Puff pastry with cream balls and a lovely cherry sauce.
It was okay, but we actually thought it could be sweeter.

We cannot wait to go back and eat the rest of the menu. Great space, great staff, great chef, great food.

We visited for a Saturday night date and had impeccable service. Our server Joelle was friendly, timely, and outstanding. The wine she recommended with dinner was delectable. We ordered:

1. Brioche bread service - melt in your mouth delicious. The texture and flavors were buttery carb heaven. (10/5 🌟)

2. Vol-au-Vent - the porcini ragout was a carefully crafted ode to the mushroom. This dish had great flavors and texture. (5/5 🌟)

3. Steak and frites - while not an ultra sophisticated dish, it was tasty. The sauce enhanced the steak. The steak was cooked perfectly and tender. (5/5 🌟)

4. Roasted mushrooms - this was a unique dish with a lot to unpack. No two bites were the same, which left me wondering how I felt about this dish. Overall, fresh quality ingredients with great execution. (4/5 🌟)

5. Icelandic cod - a well executed dish with pretty good flavors. Overall, this dish didn't WOW like the SO wanted. (4/5 🌟)

We would visit again to try the different dishes they have on the menu. Will certainly be returning for the delicious and affordable wine/bread.

This was one of those times when I felt like I was planning my 2nd visit before I ate anything on my 1st visit. There were so many things on the menu I wanted to try, but unfortunately, I don't have a bottomless stomach. What I went with: the laminated brioche was pretty much the lightest and best croissant you'll ever eat. The parisian carrot salad had light refreshing flavors and a nice crunch. The Icelandic cod dish was also nicr and light. My knife went through the filet like butter, the brioche crust was a super unique touch, and the sauce was very good... 8.5/10 dish. The riz au lait was the perfect amount of sweetness without being overwhelming. It had some good textures and I loved the candied pecans... 8/10 dessert. The place has a classy upbeat vibe, noteworthily comfy booths, and bar seating. Service was good and relatively quick. I'll for sure be back to try more of that menu!

An absolutely fantastic evening. Friendly staff, delicious food, perfect pacing. The Pâté was like my father used to make it (he’s a French chef), and the fish was cooked to perfection. Highly recommend.

Great staff, fun vibes, and amazing flavors showcasing classic French techniques. Portions are perfect, left feeling satisfied but not stuffed. Variety of options made it easy to find options for everyone’s preference. Love the all-French wine list. Will be going back!

Best restaurant in our entire trip and that includes 3 state!!
Great price and great service!

Everything is cooked to perfection! Recommend the Parisian carrots salad and the cod!!

What a wonderful new spot in OTR. The brioche ($4.50) they serve as part of bread service tastes like someone managed to roll butter in between flaky pastry -- absolutely delicious. Make sure everyone at the table orders one -- they call it "bread service" but it is really just one roll.

Entrees ($22 - $45) are excellent, however since this is French dining -- expect them more on the smaller side -- but every bite packs a flavor bomb. I had the ravioli in Brown Butter which could have been the BEST pasta dish I've had in Cincinnati (and yes, that includes Via Vite, Boca, Sotto, and Nicolas)

Our dessert of rice pudding ($9) was rich and creamy, and had a homemade caramel that was crazy good -- and there was certainly more then enough for two people to share (they even provided some crunchy toppings to customize each bite.)

Service was exceptional, everyone was very welcoming and warm, and the staff all seemed pretty happy to be there. The level to attention was evident with every dish -- but in no way did it ever feel pretentious or stuffy, which is not easy to do.

Pretty sure when word gets out about this place it will be harder to get into then some of the more established restaurants in the area so get in while you can!

We shared pate, herbed cavatelli, duck confit and profiteroles. Paired our dinner with Ermitage du Pic St. Loup ‘Tour de Pierres’. Everything was fantastic! The pate is country style and tasted wonderfully authentic. Highly recommend Colette and am looking forward to returning!

What a wonderful addition to Cincinnati. Friendly, attentive service. Great vibes throughout. Cocktails: We had the N/A Rosemary in Thyme, Envie Vert (spicy!), and Marin de Provence -- all fantastic. Main meal: don't skip the bread service, beet and carrot salads were on point, make sure someone gets the Duck Confit, even if no one likes duck because it is that good. Oh, and the Raviole. Get that as well and split it (it’s PHENOMENAL).

We had a fabulous first experience on Friday night for dinner. Emily was our server and she was fantastic! She made great recommendations and timed the food to come out perfectly. Everything we had was delicious - the bread, carrot salad, ravioli and the cod. Oh and you are definitely going to want to save room for dessert, we had the profiteroles but they all sound amazing. So excited for this new addition to OTR.

One word .... GREAT. Service was the best (T was our server - pleasant, informative, engaged and excited about the whole Colette experience). Food was so, so good. Atmosphere was bistro like - special. Chef came to our table to talk...such a nice touch. All 4 of us said the same thing....we will be back!

Absolutely loved Collette, the service was incredible at the bar the food was unbelievable. Loved the ravioli and the cod. Would highly recommend.

All of the thought and love that went into this restaurant is so apparent. It is such a special place, all of the food was incredible. Can't wait to visit again.

I'll be thinking about this meal for a long time. The Icelandic cod was perfectly cooked-- possibly the best piece of fish I have ever had. The staff were attentive, helpful and friendly. We'll definitely be back.

10/10. We went for my birthday dinner and our waiter was excellent. They paced the meal perfectly, all the items were the appropriate temperature. The food was amazing we got the cod, duck, and pasta and all were excellent and part of the clean plate club. Definitely recommend!

First time dining here tonight. Everything we had was outstanding. From the cocktails, to the laminated brioche, to the salads, entrees and desserts. The cod and duck were extraordinary as were the desserts. Highly recommend!

We had an amazing dinner service! Our staff was incredible and had an introduction to the general manager. We enjoyed bread service, the herbed cavatelli and ravioli dishes, paired with some of the best espresso martinis in the city. Incredible! We have a sweet tooth, so finishing with the mille-feuille and choux desserts were perfect. We had more than enough food for two. Again, incredible French atmosphere, dishes, drinks, and staff!

We had the duck entire and the braise Cavill which what phenominal. All the food was phenominal. Possibly the best bread I've ever had. Extensive wine list. Service was excellent, everyone was so friendly and accommodating. Was able to have a full meal experience at the bar. Had true French influence in cuisine if that's important to you. Dress code on a Saturday night was dressy casual.

Wonderful dinner, Cami and the staff were exceptional. Our new favorite spot, and that is a strong endorsement given the quality of restaurants in Cincinnati.