Bar none the slowest service I have ever encountered in my life. Truly unbelievable to have to wait 40 minutes to get a beer after it was ordered. Avoid at all costs!!! So it's now 9:20pm and my soggy salmon just arrived. Again... avoid this place. read more

Way too expensive for lacklustre service, terrible food, and uncomfortable seating. I'm giving them 2 stars because they got the reservation right. 30c in July in Ottawa. Saturday 5:00 pm, at the height of tourist season and the place is steady but in not particularly busy. We were seven, seated at a very high, long, narrow table on high, uncomfortable tippy chairs. The waitress was just doing her job, in a word, lacklustre. She brought tepid water (no ice). When we asked for ice she brought one small glass. When I asked for more ice she brought one larger glass for 7 people! I'm guessing the management is trying to save money on ice. They did serve ice with my nieces' pop. My husband, m-i-l, and I ordered the fish and chips. The chips were over-cooked, soggy, and room temp. The fish was also room temp, and mostly heavy, greasy batter with about two tablespoons of cod cowering inside. The cod was ok once I scraped it out of batter. My sister's family shared a large charcuterie plate, which looked much better, but still pretty skimpy for the price. I didn't get a chance to ask her what they thought. The restaurant's "hook" is a large beer selection, which admittedly seems decent. But if you really want a fabulous selection of beers go to Pub Italia on Preston St and the food and atmosphere are infinitely better as well! In the end it was $18.00 for each plate of lukewarm, greasy, over-battered fish & chips, cod at that, not haddock. My recommendation: give it a miss. There are lots of other restaurants nearby any of which I'm sure would be better. read more

Tried to cash in my open table reward cheque. It says on it any open table restaurant but the easily declined it. It's says on the cheque to call open table if any questions but they didn't bother calling or help. It also says to process like a traveler cheque...they didn't give a... bad service not coming back read more

First time there. Bad impression right off the nut. I told the hostess id Iike to sit outside to keep an eye on my bike to which she curtly replied "We don't allow locking bikes to the railing". My bike was locked in the bike rack provided. "Do you see my bike locked to railing?" I replied. Guess what... the snot-nosed know-it-all Millennial attitude doesn't exactly win the restaurant points Honey-bun. The waitress as Ok, until (and I'm not making this up), at The bottom of my beer glass I discovered something about a cm long and skinny that resembled a Gold fish poop. When I rolled it around at the bottom of the glass, it broke into 2 pieces but didn't disintegrate. I showed it to the waitress who shrugged, did nothing, offered no apology or explanation whatsoever, and pretended like there was nothing in the beer glass. NOW i was angry. What IS it with these CLUELESS Millennial Servers?!! The proper response is "Oh no, I'm not sure what that is but I'll show my manager". Ridiculously bad service/experience. Disgusted, I tipped .50 on $25. When the POS machine asked "would you recommend us?" I answered No. There wasn't a button for "make sure not to serve a beer to a customer with what looks like a goldfish shit at the bottom of it". Zero stars. read more

First time in, came here for lunch with a friend! After hearing a little bit about it and viewing their menu online, we decided to try it for a late lunch on a Tuesday afternoon! It was packed when we initially arrived but it cleared out very quickly (about 10 minutes after we sat down). Even though it was no longer busy, our service was terrible! It took a very long time to have someone come to our table to take our drinks orders, a long time to get our drinks.. I ordered a beer and my friend ordered a beer-based cocktail that they didn't have the ingredients for.. so she ordered a long island. By the time we were able to order our food, we were about halfway through out allotted lunch break so we were glad that the food didn't take too long to get! However, my friend found chunks of large and hard plastic in her food that cut her mouth!! I was instantly turned off from my meal as well. They ended up comping the cost of her meal which was nice but I just gave them my barely touched food as I didn't want to risk it. The oysters we ordered were so expensive! We were told they were about $10 for a dozen, so we ordered some. NOPE. Turns out they were more than double the price.. not impressed! They should know their prices (they list their oyster prices as market price and to ask the server). The manager was pissed off at us when I said I wouldn't be paying 1.5x the price. Great customer service! I'll never return!!! read more

Came here with a few co-workers for lunch and the place was busy. It took about 20 mins for the hostess to acknowledge us and show us to a seat. I would expect this sort of service if there were only one hostess, however, there were more. When we sat down we didn't see our server for another good 20 mins until someone in our group asked a gentleman in a suit, who we later found out his name was Peter, if we were going to have any service. He was so very rude it surprised us that someone like him was allowed to work in customer service. Didn't actually even answer our question to where our server was either. Finally our server showed up and we ordered our drinks and again we waited and waited. When we ordered our food and to our surprise our server was very helpful and knowledgeable about the products on the menu. The food was outstanding! We ordered a meat and cheese board to begin and was lovely -- thank you Kamelia the cook who put this together for us! Our mains as well were so very tasty and flavorful--thank you Brighton and Fabian--the cooks for our mains as we were told. The food and beer is the only good thing about this place! The service and Manager in charge (Peter) clearly don't know what it means to be in the customer service and hospitality industry. read more

I've been to this restaurant a few times and it's usually packed. The waitstaff is generally friendly and very knowledgable about the beers and food on the menu. In terms of the food itself, I've had the chicken sandwich a few times and it's ok... Not very flavourful though. My favourite dessert is by far the chocolate waffle ice cream sandwich. It's huge! Be sure to give it a try. read more

The first night I visited here was pretty great. The stage for live music was great, it's a beautiful venue, it was busy, they have a lot of beer. It was a bit loud, but a great crowd. I ordered a charcuterie board which was pretty mediocre, as was service; nonetheless, I visited a second time. The second time around, I was seated in the dining room area. It was quiet, and very corporate looking. It was then, I clued in that the Bier Market was a chain- indeed, it's owned by Cara (owners of Harvey's, Montana's, Kelsey's, etc.). The corporate feel was way too obvious the second time around, and I wish I could say it has potential but it doesn't. I'd revisit here if I were dragged out, and I wouldn't recommend it. read more

I went here for drinks and food yesterday around 4:00 p.m and am thinking I would go again.The server was nice and the beer selection too, but the food proportions lacked in size and the snowpeas were hard to chew. I ordered a bowl of soup for $7 and it came with a bun, my boyfriend ordered ahu tuna which he said was yum. I also had a poutine with bacon and cheese, but the proportion of our food together was less than we would please. We would go again to drink some beer but only if our other plans were somewhat near. read more

Atmosphere: The atmosphere was pretty amazing. There were two of us and we got a table within ten minutes on a Friday night (however, there weren't that many people inside, it was quite empty). The seats were very comfy outside, like sofa seats and spacious. We got to sit right by the Sparks street road where we got to people watch. There were many other people there about our age and older (mostly YUPPIES and couples) so it had a great ambiance. Where we were seated could see into the restaurant so we could watch the hockey game that was on that night. I would give the atmosphere a 9/10, since it was done well. Near the end of the night, they had live music which was great to listen to. Service: Don't come here if you want great serivce. Our server seemed disinterested and forgot about us at times. It took about 10 minutes before we were served our drinks where we asked for water and we ended up waiting almost 20 minutes for her to come back for our food order, in which time she realized she forgot to bring us water. Our food came quickly but took a while before it was taken away. When we finally tried to get the bill, we tried to catch the server's attention several times, but every time she looked away. We even asked another server for our bill, but she never brought it. It was not until half an hour later of our attempts that we recieved our bill. We tipped out of respect for service industry but not because we enjoyed it. I would give the service 1/5. Food/Drinks: We opted for the 5 choice charcuterie board (2 cheeses and 3 meats) for $27. The gouda that we ordered was extremely bland and did not have much taste, however, the Ontario cheese was good. For the price that we paid, we definitely got ripped off. We had two small trianges for the pieces of cheese and just barely 4 slices of each meat we ordered. However, the bread was well grilled and in abundance. The food was definitely good, just not very filling or large in quantity for the price. The beer selection, however, was amazing. They had dozens of beers from around the world (mostly European beers) on tap and in cans and we were both able to try a little of everything. Their beers start at about 7.50 each so plan to budget that in. They also had 1L beers in a stein for $12 which was not bad, but they were all import cheaper beers. In general, food and drinks would recieve a 7/10. If you are looking for a nice place to impress someone and are willing to splurge, Bier Markt is the place for yo. read more

A great place to go for a beer , but not the food, food is average to below average. Even the beer is expensive $11-$12 for a pint in some variteys. Decor is great bit a little noisey. Server was very good. All in all we probably would not go back to eat but go for the beer. read more

Very cool place but very expensive. If it wasn't for the prices, I'd definitely be back to chip away at their insane beer menu.

I stopped in on a whim because I wanted to watch a baseball game and it was the closest place. I was pleasantly surprised. Great beer selection and a friendly staff. I didn't eat but the menu had some interesting options. All in all a good place to watch an afternoon baseball game. read more

Great beer selection if that's what your looking for. There is an endless list to choose from, and if it's too much to to pick from, the menu offers very helpful suggestions. As good as the beer is, it's the service that jumps out at you. Everyone working there is in a good mood and willing to help. The food and drinks come fast, and your glass is never empty for long before someone comes with an offer for a refill. The menu has lots of options to choose from ranging from healthy to just downright delicious. In the day this is a great place to go with a work colleagues and at night it's an every place to have fun. I suggest everyone goes and enjoys a beer on their amazing patio before our short summer is gone for another year. read more

Good beer selection. Atmosphere was ok, unfortunately they closed the patio at 9:30 on a beautiful summer night. We were seated 2 feet from the stage which made it hard for conversation. Poutine fries were pretty greasy, wouldn't re-order. read more

I've been going to Bier Market in Montreal and Toronto for a long time. The Montreal location is awesome because of the great bands they hire. The Ottawa location open last year and I've been going there on a regular basis. On Tuesday I went with a few neighbours before we headed to Bluesfest. I ordered a $19 plate of fettuccine Alfredo and salmon. I asked for some Parmesan cheese and the trainee waitress went to check with the other waitress to see if they had any. She came and told me it would cost $1.50. I immediately asked for the manager. He came over and first told me it was the new waitresses fault and then after I told him she had checked with the other waitress, he tells me "we are not an Italian restaurant". He brought me my Parmesan cheese but I won't be back. The Manager should have dealt with me in a less arrogant fashion. read more

This restaurant quite clearly attempts to provide an upscale environment, by hiring waiters and waitresses based on looks, and not the prospect of good service. let me tell you that acting snotty does not get returning customers where I come from. With so many other choices out there, I am amazed that the management hasn't woken up to this fact yet. We were greeted at the door with forced smiles and tired out looking hostesses. We requested the patio, and were seated at a table that wasn't covered. I ordered the mussels and my wife had the smoked salmon. The waitress did not have the forethought to bring me a bowl to discard shells, nor ask if i'd like any bread to soak up the sauce (which was absolutely delicious). When I am paying $75 for a 1/6th filet of salmon, and mussels, I expect that these things are a given. we were asked once, and once only, if there was anything else we'd like. I would have had a second, or even a third drink, and stayed a while, but our waitress was too busy making herself scarce. That's when I asked for the bowl, and it arrived by another waitress. our waitress was too busy attending other tables to bring us an empty bowl within half an hour. It began to spit rain, and so I asked if we could sit at another table. Our waitress informed us that there was a waiting list for the patio and that she couldn't switch our table to a covered one. about 20 minutes later, the crowd cleared out, and several covered tables opened up. We sat there looking at all the empty tables, and our waitress continued to be scarce. I could have spent hours in such a nice environment, with amazing food, and that's the only reason this place even gets one star at all. The waitresses need a good shaking up. I did not give a tip for this unbelievable lack of performance, and could tell that the waitress expected to earn her tip with looks alone. I have not foregone the tip since... at least ten years ago at ANY restaurant. I always make sure to include a BASE of 15% for a waitress that just goes through the motions, and upwards of 40% for stellar service. read more

My favourite spot to grab a pint and an app-platter! Stopped in one night on a whim this spring with my boyfriend- the second we saw the beer selection we were sold! We made the commute from Pembroke every weekend this summer. Always friendly, reliable service & a staff that is ready to give you awesome drink recommendations. Also- they have an extremely smart reservation system. If the house is full, they can text you to let you know when you're good to come in & you can explore sparks street in the time being. Live music on the weekends never disappoints- always a great indie atmosphere, and the radio selection doesn't suck! Recommendation: Beer- Ask for "Muskoka Liquid Ale" or- on the sweeter side- Früli Strawberry Ale Food-Sliders to die for! read more

Closes early. Busy and turned down customers 2 hours early. Closed early. Busy and turned down customers 2 hours early. Had to go somewhere else. read more

The mussels are very tender and delicious. Lots of local brews and helpful servers. I'll be back.

Definitely one of the worst restaurants I've been to in 10 years. The place is dirty, and staff are not accommodating. The staff with headphones on looked like manager didn't even tying to help, but adding more fuel into the fire. The food tasted bad. They know you are tourists and they don't really care. This is the highlight of Ottawa trip I wish not happened. read more

Oddly bad with incompetent management. We were told the wait couldn't be estimated, but it would be long. So we moved to the bar, and attempted to order appetizers. They were out of wings, gouda bites, baked brie, pretzels, EVERYTHING we asked for except for fries! The scary thing is what if we had waited a long time just to find out they were "out" of everything we wanted. Terrible, avoid. read more

The food here is amazing. The prices are a little higher than standard pub prices but you get what you pay for! The beer selection is also very good. The ambiance and decor are very warm and inviting - I will definitely be coming here again! read more

On vacation in Ottawa and stopped in. The beer list is great but the food portions sizes are small for the price. Tasty but small. Server was friendly and knowledgeable. read more

For small groups, this place is great! Servers are courteous and can be fast, beer selection is great and food is pretty good (could be better though). For larger groups (5+), the speed is just too slow to count on this place as a lunch time spot. If you have time to spare though, this could be a good fit. The food is pretty good. Nothing special though and in my opinion not quite worth the premium prices that they cost. The beer selection and ambiance is why this place scores well for me... read more

Great selection of beer and very good food. I had Mussels bier and bacon. My wife and son had Pork schnitzel. Portion.sizes are large. My wife couldn't finish her schnitzel Good service food and beer came out fast. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is that the menu was sticky. gross!! read more

We have been in Ottawa 3days,one of my favourite places to eat!! Had the Salmon, delicious!! Happy Hour, $5 wine, makes me happy!!

Excellent patio dining. Spatzle chicken soup was great, appetizers were good. Had the Ahi tuna, cut against the grain of the fish so I had to deal with the membrane, but good flavor. read more

We chose the worst night to have dinner at Bier Markt. We chose the New year Eve's menù that included 3 courses for 54 $ ... such a disappointment!! I've never eaten a ceasar salad so poor of bacon and dressing in my life... and the second course was a small plate of radish and mustard. The main plate provided a roast rib with carrots, shrimps and cheddar pudding. Well, the roast was good, but two miserable shrimp and only three carrots on the side of the dish seems a mockery! We dont' discuss the menu, but the ridicoulos small size of courses for 54 $!! In the end, before midnight we were still hungry so we ordered the poutine from the menu, but that were so salted! We will not return back soon, waste of money read more

We ate late lunch at the Bier Markt during a family weekend in Ottawa. Because of our bad experience at other local places, this experience was the saving grace of our Ottawa dining. Unfortunately, we landed on a very busy Sunday afternoon with good patio weather, so there was about a 25 minutes wait to get seated. I am not sure why it has taken so long, since there were at least 3 large empty tables on the patio that were empty when we got there, empty while we waited, and empty 90 minutes later, when we left, so they were not really waiting for anyone. We were a group of 5, so I doubt there were difficulties in finding room for us. Not sure how they handle their reservations, but it could definitely use some improvement. When we got to our table, it was bot clean and the seat cushions were full of crumbs, but the hostess cleaned it up in a hurry. Other than that little hiccup, the rest of the experience was excellent. The food menu is quite exhaustive for a beer night out and it is very helpful for pairing food with the beer. The beer menu is enormous, as it should be, which we were very happy with. They lacked some first beer choices we had, even though they were on the menu, but had most of our first choices and all of our second choices. I enjoyed the pork schnitzel and it was very delicious and hot. I have also had the creme brule, which was also very good. Everyone in our party enjoyed the food and the drinks. Service was very good and friendly. I would recommend this place based on that alone. I will strongly consider going back there on my next stop in Ottawa. read more

This place is so overrated it is breathtaking. The wait times are long, the staff seems more interested in looking hot than being good at their jobs, and the food is barely passable. Bland, lacking imagination. I do not recommend this place. Avoid. read more

Im Irish and moved to Ottawa back in June. It took me over 6 months to find a good pint of Guinness in the city and this place seems to be pulling it nicely. Like most places ive tried, they are afriad to fill the pint to the top. Take a look at any Guinness advertisement and the head of a good pint of stout will sit about 3mm over the lip of the glass. Food is pretty good too, I had one of the flat breads when I was last in and it was very good. One negitivte would be that they could do with hiring a sound guy. Every time I have been there is sounds like the bass is too loud and you can't hear what the guy is singing at all. Plus, I'm out for a drink not a concert. I want to be able to have a conversation with the people i'm with. Instead I'm leaving with a sore throat because I've been yelling across the table all night. read more

Great beer selections on tap, but wouldn't recommend the food if you are vegetarian. My date had the muscles with fries, which was a large portion. I however, ordered the salad and poutine - it should be illegal to serve portions that small. A handful of spinach for 14 dollars. They had mistakenly served the smaller side of salad (not what I ordered) and when I sent it back the full salad was the same size, just a bigger plate... What's a brother got to do to eat a vegetable around here? read more

Based on two trips to the bar. Luke warm service, unexceptional prices, badly outdated and inconsistent music, the feel of a corporate chain bar where servers have to stick to the script and can't wait to end their shift. I didn't order food so that's excluded from my opinion. Meh. read more

I stopped by Bier Markt yesterday with some friends and had an overall ridiculous experience. I decided to try the merchant which was supposed to be the best $25 burger I have ever had. Unfortunately it was dry, tasteless, and the side was a bunch of mush. I sent back my food and told them of my disappointment. While the server apologized, I was still left with a bill at the end of the night for my uneaten food. They refused to remove the burger. What a ridiculous sham of a place. read more

There are new items on the menu as of April 24 and there are vegetarian and vegan choices! Finally! Many great beer choices as usual. The service is top notch. The patio looks very comfortable. read more

On Monday at 1pm, we were told that waiting time was 40min for ANY order, even for a platter with cold cuts. The waitress let us know after she took and brought our drink order. She offered for us to place an order for fries to munch on in the meantime (at our cost). read more

Waited for 10 min after sitting down for anyone to ask for a drink order while waitresses walked past our table several times ignoring us. Closed our menus with drink and food orders ready after about 2 min waiting. If the food is anything like the service, glad we walked out of there, absolutely horrendous. No one even asked at the front while we were leaving either, terrible service, avoid like the plague. read more

I would not recommend this place at all. When we arrived (group of 4), we waited almost 10 minutes by the door before someone came over and seated us. Our server was friendly but rushed. Considering how busy this place is, they were VERY understaffed. The food was horrible. Below average quality, and they charge outrageous prices for their crap. We ordered a meat and cheese board to share. They served us 2 pieces of bacon and a slab of cheese for 16$. WAAAAAAY overpriced. I expressed my feedback to the manager who just shrugged his shoulders and told me that's the price they charge. We left the place hungry. Please avoid this place. Your money would be much better spent elsewhere. read more

The tomato, spinach, mushroom eggs Benedict was disappointing. The eggs weren't poached properly and the yolk was hard and dry. The citrus hollandaise sauce paired well with the dish though. read more