ORSO Restaurant - Anchorage, AK

ORSO

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Address:
737 W. 5th Avenue
Anchorage, AK 99501

Neighborhood:
Anchorage

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Cuisine:
American

Price: $30 and under

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ORSO Details

Dining Style: Casual Elegant
Website: http://www.orsoalaska.com
Phone: (907) 222-3232
Hours of Operation: Lunch: Monday - Friday: 11:30am - 5:00pm, Saturday - Sunday 11:00am - 5:00pm, Saturday - Sunday Brunch: 11:00am - 3:00pm; Dinner: Sunday - Thursday: 5:00pm - 10:00pm, Friday - Saturday: 5:00pm - 11:00pm

Try Us For Brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11:00AM - 3:00PM
Payment Options: AMEX, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover, MasterCard, Visa
Cuisine: American, Seafood, Contemporary American
Executive Chef: Jolene Moellers
Dress Code: Casual Dress
Accepts Walk-Ins: Yes
Additional Details: Banquet/Private Rooms, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Fireplace, Full Bar, Happy Hour, Non-Smoking Restaurant, Personal wines welcome, Personal wines welcome (corkage fee applies), Private Room, Weekend Brunch, Wheelchair Access, Wine
Private Party Facilities: The ORSO Side room is located towards the back of ORSO on the first floor of the dining room. It can seat a maximum of 25 people all at one long table. It is a private space with a door at one end, and a red velvet curtain at the other separating it from the dining room. The space may be divided in half to create a private space that can seat up to 14 people.
Private Party Contact: Michael Hurst (907) 792-3792
Special Events & Promotions: Enjoy Our Happy Hour - Daily from 3 to 6 PM and 9 PM to Close . Half priced appetizers. Beer, Wine and Cocktail Specials. Try one of our Speciality Cocktails. - The Appetizer Tower is amazing, plenty to share.

Getting there

Cross Street: G
Public Transit: We are one block from the 6th avenue transit center.
Parking: Street Parking
Parking Details: Parking is available on the street and in several nearby public parking lots.

NEW Easy, Convenient Parking is now just steps away! The Alaska State Legislature Parking lot (just behind the BrewHouse back door) is now open to the public for Parking weekdays after 5:30PM and ALL DAY Saturday and Sunday. Street level parking only. $1.00 an hour is the charge at this lot.

A word from ORSO

Alaskan, warm, inviting, innovative, a menu full of surprises, unbelievable wine list, great cocktails, are common phrases used by our guests to describe Orso. We feature the freshest ingredients available, Alaskan whenever possible- fresh Alaskan seafood, fresh local pasta, and local produce when… in season. We prepare them with the simple, rustic flavors and techniques of the great culinary regions of the Mediterranean. Orso’s outstanding service, bold menu, classic cocktails combined with a wine list that has received the “award of excellence” from the Wine Spectator for five years is why ORSO is the “Place to be” for Anchorage dinning.Continued

Foodspotting photos

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Awards voted by OpenTable diners

Diners' Choice WinnerBest Service
Diners' Choice WinnerRomantic
Diners' Choice WinnerSpecial Occasion

ORSO - Best Restaurants in Anchorage

Diner Reviews

"We booked this busy wait list restaurant on Open Table and when we showed up ten minutes later we were immediately seated! Great! The place was full and busy, but our server was very attentive, helpful and fun to talk to, while she kept up with her tables. She committed everything to memory, including special requests to hold some things off and others to the side. We had the summer salad which was even better than described, crab cakes as an appetizer, the best we ever had and the halibut encrusted with nuts, excellent. Everything was delicious. We had no room for dessert, but I am sure that would have been wonderful too. We would definitely return."
Dined on 7/29/2014
"I hadn't eaten on the restaurant side for a few years. The food quality, and in some cases quantity, seems to have gone downhill. Halibut portion was ridiculously small though tasty. Chiicken fettuccine was just ok. Lemon Chicken Panzella salad was the best item we had but it could do without the greasy bread chunks. Good wait service. I'll probably take guests elsewhere next time."
Dined on 7/28/2014
"We were sat immediately, however waited 10 minutes until our server acknowledged is and another 5 until she came to take our order. Food came out about an hour later, not particularly hot and both of Our vegetables not even cooked."
Dined on 7/27/2014
"Salad and dessert were outstanding. Dinner was good"
Dined on 7/26/2014
"My wife and I came in for our Anniversary and our reservation was waiting for us. The hostess handed us a card that said "Happy Anniversary", we really appreciated it! Our waitress was very nice but her service was poor. Our drinks and appetizers took too long to come out while each drink was basically a sip. The deviled "eggs".. was literally made from one egg. Our dinners were very good though! Our waitress spent way more time on the tables around us and didn't give us very much attention; ordering second drinks, clearing cups and plates, etc. We waited and additional 30 minutes just waiting for her to come back to get us containters for our food; we literally could not get her attention."
Dined on 7/24/2014
"This is not what I would call an Italian restaurant but nonetheless the food was good. It offered a full range of protein types, including the fish strengths found here in Alaska."
Dined on 7/23/2014
"The food, the service, and the ambience were all very notably good. The only thing that was slightly a surprise to me was that the entrees did not come with as much food on them as you would normally expect from a restaurant like that. Their prices did seem quite low when looking at the menu, and after receiving the plate I relized why. Overall, a great restaurant."
Dined on 7/22/2014
"Two of three of us dining were totally satisfied with what we had ordered, the crab stuffed cod. Our friend, who had the portabella parmesan off of the vegetarian menu, could not eat it as the portabella mushrooms were very tough and chewy. Her pleasure in dining at Orso was greatly decreased. However, we would all be willing to try again for another meal."
Dined on 7/19/2014
"The food preparation and presentation is excellent. Love any of the fish dishes."
Dined on 7/18/2014
"We weren't disappointed - the food was fabulous, the service great, and we could walk to many other spots downtown."
Dined on 7/16/2014
"We were not impressed with Orso. The ambiance was nice, the place was packed full and we didn't mind being tucked into a corner table, but the service and food were lackluster. Our friends ordered the tantalizing-sounding flat iron steak; none of them liked the large amount of grilled lettuce swimming in a pool of meat juices. One friend ordered the seafood chowder with extra bread, which never showed up. Another friend ordered the grilled tofu; it was tasteless and unappealing. Service was slow to non-existent. Fork tines were bent and an adult scratched her tongue on a deep groove in a spoon. We will not return to try more dishes this summer. We heard a rumor the food and service is better in the winter; we'll try again in a few months."
Dined on 7/10/2014
"The food was great and the service was top notch. I have been there several times and will continue whn the opportunity presents itself."
Dined on 7/8/2014
"Love the burger, but also the grilled steak salad, the steak, the blue cheese salad and the calamari. My husband has ordered the osso bucco and I have also tried the flat breads. You really can't go wrong!"
Dined on 7/8/2014
"Great food, great cocktails. Seafood was excellent!"
Dined on 7/7/2014
"I made reservations to Orso for my Fiance and my self for an early dinner Sunday evening. The online registration was fast and easy, when we got there the service was great. Excellent wine selection. She had a very tasty Chicken fettucini and I had a Rib-Eye steak cooked exactly how I wanted it. The music in the background was nice and not loud but could still be heard. Over all I'm very glad that's where we decided to go. The atmosphere was nice in the dinning area but still maintained a very relaxed feel."
Dined on 7/6/2014
"We had friends traveling through Saturday and were to be in Anchorage for just one night. We chose ORSO to meet with them and to dine. The table was in a quite area and afforded a good place to catch up on old times. The service was very good and our waiter was helpful, friendly and not too attentive as to disturb our conversation. The food was well prepared and tasty as was the wine. Also we were early and had to wait for about 30 minutes for our guests to arrive. The lounge area was available and a very cozy place to sit and have a drink while we waited for them to arrive."
Dined on 7/5/2014
"A very pleasant meal in Pacific Northwest-style homey environment. Try the deviled eggs with crab and smoked salmon and the grilled coho."
Dined on 7/2/2014
"Food was very good - all three species of salmon ordered were outstandingly fresh. Service was very attentive. Took a little long between apps and entree. Noise level was a bit on the loud side but not near as bad as the neighboring Glacier Brewhouse. Tiramisu was a bit bland, chocolate cream was decadent, and apple caramel cheesecake tasted like autumn in a bite. Deviled eggs were good but $7 for one egg with a half bite of halibut and salmon on top was steep. $40 for a 6 oz portion of king salmon, four asparagus spears and three teaspoons of sweet potato was a bit steep too, especially since kings are running right now. All in all it was pretty good, but at $184 for three people drinking water there are cheaper places equally good."
Dined on 6/28/2014
"Made a reservation for 7 on a Wednesday night. We arrived about 5 minutes after our reservation time. The staff greeted us promptly and had our table waiting for us. We sat in our own room off to the side. As soon as we sat down, the waiter and waitress came by with water, the menu, and wine list. The waitress also recommended some wine for us, and didn't pressure us into the most expensive bottle. Our food came within a reasonable amount of time, and it was fantastic! Very fresh fish and wonderful filets. The chocolate cake dessert is a must, no matter how full you are!"
Dined on 6/25/2014
"Wonderful place that accomodated a party of 7 on short notice. Excellent menu, food & service. I absolutley reccomend!!!"
Dined on 6/25/2014
"We celebrated our 34th wedding anniversary with dinner at Orsos...our favorite place. The food was exquisite ans the service fantastic."
Dined on 6/21/2014
"Burger was undercooked. Fetuccine was overcooked and it is just way too noisy for a romantic night."
Dined on 6/20/2014
"Very expensive and tiny portions for side dishes. I had to order double veggies and triple potatoes for my pre-marathon meal."
Dined on 6/20/2014
"This is a great find in a city known for more casual fare. The niche it occupies is high end casual, and the amazing friendliness and service, combined with fresh seafood and well-prepared standards puts this restaurant on the Anchorage A list!"
Dined on 6/19/2014
"We made reservations and were promptly seated on second floor, what I like to call, the attic. Our server was brusque if not rude. Four feet from us was another table of two extremely intoxicated individuals that made us hurry through our meal and get out of there. I don't think I'll ever go back."
Dined on 6/18/2014
"The seafood served here is about as good as can be expected at a restaurant; my girlfriend's entree of chinook salmon was deliciously minimalist, but the sablefish I ordered had a noticeably fishy taste, betraying its handling by commercial seafood processors prior to cooking. The menu is imaginative and diverse, changes fairly frequently, and offers a variety of experiences to be enjoyed."
Dined on 6/14/2014
"Loved the round table for our party of seven, good food."
Dined on 6/14/2014
"It is always a great restaurant to go, very good food and people serving you are the best"
Dined on 6/11/2014
"It was difficult to choose from the menu because everything sounded so good. Our meals were superb and there extensive wine list was surprising. It is difficult to find Chateau Montelena chardonnay but they had it for a very reasonable price. The service was superb as well with the entire staff being attentive."
Dined on 6/9/2014
"There were Gluten Free & Veggie selections for our group. There was a menu for each; so ordering special food was easy. For the baby there were snacks, a high chair & child friendly staff. This resulted in easy dining."
Dined on 6/7/2014
"First time in a long time did I have a bad experience at Orso's. We got seated really quick, unfortunately the service was slow and not the greatest. Bar was overwhelmed so drink delivery so slow (including the sodas). Once we finally we able to order, it seem to take forever for it to come. It was irritating that the couple who was seated after us not only got their drinks & food before us, but was done dining by the time we finally got our meal. Then the meal was not as ordered, meats were undercooked. Very disappointing."
Dined on 6/6/2014
"I was back in AK after nearly a decade, (we lived all over the state for 24 years), and decided to bring my Mom & sister for dinner. I remember the menu as more Italian back then. Oh well, 'when in Rome' (or Alaska). We all had pasta dishes. They were all tasty. The Mac & Cheese was good but swimming in butter. The chicken fettuccine was oily, no 'creamy sauce' here. They said it tasted fine, but.... Maybe we were all just tired. The noise level in here can be significant and conversation is difficult. The service was great and so was the wine list!"
Dined on 6/6/2014
"I usually order the same thing each visit, but decided to have the soup of the day and the French dip. The sandwich was fabulous, the daily soup was a hearty beef soup, but it mostly tasted like carrots and really, really needed some seasoning. Fortunately, a little salt and pepper greatly improved the flavor. This has been the only food item that I have ever ordered at Orso that I didn't like. It was a fluke - the food is generally outstanding. The server and the service were super, as well. "
Dined on 6/6/2014
"We frequent Orso's for birthdays and other special events. It's a bit pricey for attending too often, but the lounge is a nice, less expensive alternative. We've also enjoyed lunch here quite reasonably. On our most recent dinner occasion, the food was spectacular as always. Don't expect to get in and out swiftly - the pace at Orso's is intentionally relaxed, so that you may savor your meal and the experience. The wait staff was highly attentive to our needs, and we were pleased with the experience."
Dined on 6/2/2014
"I wish there was an option of adding extra side (for extra charge) when splitting a meal. Other than that, food was good. Not best in town, but good. I wish I ordered tiramisu for dessert, instead of chocolate creme...."
Dined on 6/1/2014
"Looking for a nice restaurant while visiting Anchorage, we chose Or so for its menu and accessibility to our hotel. Good choice. A little pricey for travelers we thought, but we enjoyed our meal."
Dined on 6/1/2014
"Between Orso and Brewhouse, they're my go to restaurants in town!!! Consistency is key with every aspect of dining out and they are just that with the food and service! "
Dined on 5/28/2014
"I was in Anchorage after a week long cruise through Alaska with my family. We needed something good to eat before we caught the red eye home and this fit the bill perfectly. Whether you wanted seafood, Italian or a burger everything was great. "
Dined on 5/24/2014
"I made reservations for my girlfriend and her mom . Everyone told me it's a great place to go with friends or a date. They didn't lie it was great food service and Wine."
Dined on 5/24/2014
"Our visit to ORSO was a result of a Christmas giftcard from out grandchild. Both of us had been to ORSO in the past but not recently. We thoroughly enjoyed our dining experience. The waitres and other members of the staff were friendly and professional. The food was excellent. The service was outstanding. We are looking forward to dining there again."
Dined on 5/22/2014

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