There is a special place in my heart for the Laf, and it all began in my university days: I was…read moredoing a first year project and the assignment was "study something do to with being in first year" - my partner and I chose...Drinking! We went to all sorts of pubs and bars around Ottawa, tried the food and drink, filmed our experiences, and reported back to the class on the best deals and safest ways to get tipsy - keep in mind, this was long before Yelp was around. As the Laf is one of the oldest bars in Ottawa, it was first on the list. This bar is old school, down to earth, casual, low lighting, seemingly impersonal... so you'll need to use your imagination to picture a peppy, dolled-up first year bouncing (loudly) through the door with a video camera who then immediately thought "this might not go well" - I was SO wrong as it was AMAZING! The staff as well as the patrons we so welcoming, helpful, full of laughter, and even offered me free pop and snacks all night long since I was the DD (and professional videographer) of the night. Our intent was to spend about 15-20 minutes in each bar for a quick drink and experience: we stayed for most of the night and had a blast! All this to say, the environment in this place is awesome! I recently returned to grab some take-out and it was great. Simple food, cooked well, and packaged in a compostable take-out box. We ordered the burger and fries, and demolished it promptly. Service was so pleasant and brought back such happy memories.

Oldest bar in Ottawa - dumpiest dive with decent live music nightly and a security guard with…read moreattitude that thinks he is Hulk Hogan. Lol..! I think one can only drink beer here, it's all I've ever seen. Staff are... there.. but not really. Gruff! The bathroom is tiny but operational. Somehow it all works and I'm sure most like it just how it is! Curious to know how much has really changed in so many decades of it being here. It's not unclean..it's just older than dirt. It is for sure, a destination place and just come as you are. No one is really looking!

We were here last evening for a live show, and i enjoyed myself. There's a variety of seating, the…read moredrinks are actually reasonably priced for being in the market. The staff were friendly and made very good drinks. The bands were good and loud. Definitely a chill place to hang out, with some cool artwork strewn about. They also have pool tables on non live show nights :). I'll definitely add this to my bar crawl list. Definitely a dingy metal head kind of place and that's said with love! If you want upscale and snobby, Definitely not for you lol.

Always a good drink and entertaining people to talk to…read more You can always count on music that is real! Jags are always cold!

The food was good and the staff was really nice, however we noticed after eating that the glass was…read moredirty and had a lipstick stain, and the pitcher of water was dirty as well. This unfortunate threw us off the food, and we left without finishing.

For what it is - a dive bar - it's pretty darn good…read more Decor is, I dunno, 1950s or so, complete with terrazzo floors and wood paneling. And dart boards. The waitress station/bar is awkwardly but conveniently placed in a weird indent in the main room. The waitresses are hopping, slinging drinks. Ours was awesome. Accoustics for the live bad are not great but the dull roar of people talking over the band is oddly fun. It's definitely a place people meet up for conversation. Beer selection is mainstream, Molsons and the like. If you want craft beer, go elsewhere. Ate the fish and chips, as well as jalepino poppers, both great! The Coleslaw with the fish was not to my taste, it seemed pickled. I prefer fresh. Overall, had a great time and I'd go back.

Maverick's is a stripped down bar with lots of empty space, dirty vibes and no panache. But it's…read morestill a good place to see a show. When I've gone, it wasn't too cramped: I actually had lots of room to dance. However, this bar can attract some popular indie bands, so lots of space isn't always the case. If you're into punk, this is one of the better places to go. I have no interest in the music, but I often see hefty line-ups for their punk shows. I don't recall the bar's selection being that fantastic, but generally all I want is a beer when I go to a show anyway. Some of the clientèle can be a bit sketchy at times, but that just adds to the flavour.

I love to hate Mav's. It has pretty much nothing going for it, but that's also its charm. It is…read moreliterally a hole in the wall, yet it is packed if the band is right. Great atmosphere, good booze prices and the occasional amazing band lineup. Take it or leave it, its doing fine with or without you, and I think that pretty much is their stance on it.

Came on a weekday afternoon, for an early dinner after a long day at the museum…read more A cozy and inviting place, with friendly staff, and lots of boardgames available to entertain while having a pint. Food was only okay: dinner menu was an eclectic take on pub classics. The lamb curry wrap was quite tasty, with a yogurt sauce cutting the slight heat of the curry. Black bean dip, burger, and pasta dish was okay, average, nothing memorable. This place is great for a drink, and their brunch options look wonderful as well, but perhaps not for an evening meal.

Over the years, I've fallen in love with The Manx, so time to do an update…read more Due to my brother's love of pubs and Guiness we end up here whenever he's in town. It is a wonderful place for a beer and a coze. On a cold wet winter night, this almost cave like spot is perfect. This past Friday we stepped in for dinner. We ordered off the concise menu. My choice was the Lamb Curry Wrap, lamb in a curry sauce, with roasted mushrooms, and melted cheddar in a wrap, and herbed sour cream. It was delicious and came with a salad (option for fries instead if you wish) which was a perfect compliment. There is also a Specials board so check that out too. They have a nice selection of beverages: beer, wine, mixed drinks. Something for everyone. One thing I always like here is the accoustics 'bubble'. Conversation is all around me, yet I can have a great conversation in my group and not hear what any other group is chatting about. Service by the way is top notch. Attentive when you need something but not hovering when you don't. That is, someone shows up when you need them.

This place is amazing. The staff are super warm and helpful, the food and drink are tasty and…read morecheap! What more could you ask for? Also, The Matrix was playing on the TV in the background, which was nice. An extraordinary experience!!!!!!!

The brunch is HEAVENLY! It's open 10am on weekends despite what Yelp says…read more We had the Boss burger and waffles stuffed with pulled pork. The house fries that came with our orders were crispy perfection! The cornbread with blueberry pepper jelly is also worth ordering. It was deserted when we went Sunday morning.. but we were shocked by how good the food was. A total hidden gem!

A large group of us met for dinner recently at The Elmdale…read more Dinner was great, a little overpriced. Our server was amazing. We were happy -- it was a celebration. Then came the part that defies common sense. After dinner they were clearing space for a DJ. We had settled our bill. I went to order a drink at the bar and was told I had to walk to the front door to pay a $5 cover before I could buy a $10, one-ounce drink .... after I had already spent nearly $100 on dinner. When I politely asked how this possibly made sense, the manager stepped in and argued that we had to pay. I have decided that I will not mention his name despite how insulting I found this to be. I'm choosing to give someone the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he was having a bad day. So let's do Math 101. An empty bar. Paying guests. Good-tippers. A lively group ready to keep spending. And you stop the sale over $5 and talk down to your customers. This felt like a perfect example of what I personally feel is going wrong in society today -- people blindly enforcing "rules" without applying any human judgment, common sense, or situational awareness, and mistaking a small bit of authority for good decision-making. In fairness, perhaps he doesn't have the power to override silly little penny-pinching rules by owners/mgmt. We walked out immediately -- on principle. It wasn't even about the five dollars. That single interaction left a worse taste than anything we ate. It takes real talent to turn happy dinner customers into walking warnings. I have to say, everyone else, including the doormen outside, were really super nice (hence the 2 stars).

A nice spot in Hintonburg, with lots ofindoor and outdoor seating as well in the summer. Lots of…read moreseafood options, and a few options for those who don't eat seafood like steak. The staff is very friendly and kind , very attentive. If you come early in the evening on weekend, you won't have any issues getting a table It has the same owner as whalebone , so if you enjoy their restaurant downtown, you will enjoy the spot as well It is a spot that is a casual dining experience without being pretentious, while also being a nice date like spot for a more casual person

We had a really nice night here. Indigo was our server and was a delight, and we enjoyed a…read moredelightful selection of small plates, all of which packed powerful flavour punches. It was a cool, hipster-style ambiance, only detracted by the easily forgiven large screen display of the World Series game 7.

TLDR: Excellent small tapas-style sharing plates. Extensive gin menu. They also have cocktails on…read moretap! My husband and I were on staycation and had a late lunch/early dinner on a Friday at Thr33's Company Snack Bar. It was around 3:30pm and we had the entire restaurant to ourselves, it was glorious, lol. I got one of the gin cocktails on tap ($7). It was a peach iced tea that day. The hubby got a Calabogie Amber ($8.75). I enjoyed my drink. It was nice and light, and didn't taste like it had much alcohol in it, lol. We got 3 plates to share: the Drumsticks ($11.50), Brussels Sprouts ($14) and Triple B ($18). The Drumsticks were delicious! The plate comes with 2 fried chicken drumsticks covered in a habanero peanut butter sauce topped with green onions. The sauce was so tasty. It had a spicy kick and was rich and creamy. The chicken was moist and juicy on the inside and crispy on the outside. This was my favourite dish of the three. The Brussels Sprouts were also delicious. They were deep-fried and tossed in a balsamic sauce with a dollop of apple butter on top and sprinkled with sunflower seeds. I love Brussels Sprouts and these were easily the tastiest Brussels Sprouts I've had at a restaurant. The Triple B was beef, broccoli and brie. The combination was good, but the beef was a little tough for my liking. The place has cool decor and has a pub feel. Their bar looks to be fully stocked. They have an extensive gin menu, including offering gin flights. Our server was friendly and attentive. They have limited outdoor seating (just 1 or 2 tables), but during the warmer months they open up the windows at the front so if you sit at the front, you get the fresh air of the outside but are still indoors. Street parking only. (85)

Great arcade, bar, music and perogies. Service is great. The perogies are always delicious. The…read morestaff is friendly. I enjoy the live music and the people who come, the regulars.

I think there was a Yelp event here years ago that I couldn't make it out to because I ended up…read moreworking late, but House of Targ has been on my list to try ever since! I'm not in this area often, especially during the pandemic, so when I saw that they were offering frozen pierogis through Burrow Shop's online grocery delivery service, I had to buy them. I got the traditional pierogis made with flour, sour cream, eggs, potato, cheddar cheese, and salt. It was a 12-pack of frozen pierogis sealed in plastic in a little cardboard box with the instructions at the bottom, which included boiling and panfrying. I was lazy and starving at that point and looking for something fast, so I decided to brush six of them with olive oil and stick them in the air fryer. I should've taken them out sooner because the potato started leaking out the ends, but they were still great. Of course, if I had followed the instructions, I'm sure they'd be even better (I saved the other half to try it making it the way they said). Simple and comforting, not lacking flavour, but not too tame, and not too salty. The six were a great snack for just myself - I can see how people could easily take down plates of these!

Met some local friends at Stolen Goods and wow!…read more I loved every bit of this experience from the super creative drinks to the super cute raccoon theme found throughout! We sat up on the bar so we got a front row seat to all the magic. I was super impressed when the bartenders told us they kind of shoot from the hip for all their drinks in that they don't test it prior! They'll make small adjustments usually for acidity or sweetness but otherwise, you're basically experimenting alongside with them if it's on a recent menu change! My favorite drink of the night was the drink inspired by green curry. First and foremost, I was so confused when it came out clear! But when you took a sniff, you get the fresh scent of basil with some kaffir lime. On first taste, you also pick up some creaminess with the herbaceous notes which really makes it reminiscent of green curry - but it wasn't?! It was confusing, in a good way. My second favorite (of three) was the fruit loops infused drink. It paid homage to childhood Saturday mornings perfectly with the fruit loops whipped topping and the fruity cocktail underneath. It was a fun and lighthearted drink! My third was a drink featuring honeydew. It's such an underrated flavor because it's so hard to find a GOOD honeydew. In similar fashion, this drink also fell a bit short in the floral, sweet honeydew flavor and the cucumber flavor overpowered the drink. Having said that, the cucumber was really refreshing on such a humid day! All in all, loved the concept, loved the experimenting, and really enjoyed the vibes!

The bar is quite intimate with just 20 seats and lit up by the impressive wall of spirits. The…read morecocktails are unique, thoughtfully created with a complex mix of interesting ingredients that had us wondering what every drink would taste like. We got the King's ransom, Them's the breaks and Petty Theft. King's ransom came in an adorable pig shaped glass and had a fruity yet very smokey flavour. Them's the breaks was also lovely with some familiar fruity strawberry sweetness and a very interesting Merlot pink salt. Last but not least, Petty Theft was our favourite of the night with familiar SE Asian flavours and the nitrogen meringue experience which you pop in your mouth before sipping the drink. This one was $24 since it's a cocktail with a 72 hour process. This is a great spot if you love trying new drinks. The service is friendly, the music is on point and the overall ambience is perfect for a night out. They also take reservations - I recommend the bar seat.