I've eaten here three times now, and maybe it's the oil they use to cook their food or something…read moreelse but every time I've stopped by the observatory for food I've been sick right after. I usually get their chicken strips with fries, and it NEVER sits well with me. Sure, they taste good, but after twenty minutes I'm running to the washroom to toss it back up. A friend of mine has had their wrap and quesadillas and even she agrees that there's just something about the food that doesn't sit right in one's stomach. Overall, it's a really nice restaurant space - the fireplace is a nice, cozy touch. The food, however, leaves a bit to be desired. Prices are decent though, and they accept student meal plan, which is why I'm not giving them 1 star out of five.

The Observatory is run by the Algonquin Students' Association. I've been here once before for an…read moreevent where they had Perez Hilton come in, talk on stage, and sign autographs. A bunch of wooden chairs were set up facing the stage, and Perez gossiped about celebrities for an hour or so, told us how he got to be a famous blogger, answered some questions, signed t-shirts, and dropped as many F-bombs as he possibly could. The bouncers were a little too serious for the nature of the event and the guest of honour. You'd think that they'd lighten up a little considering it was Perez Hilton talking and not a concert or anything, but at least they made sure to keep everything safe and fight-free. Food and alcohol are offered at the Observatory. They are fully licensed and offer Starbucks coffee and a decent selection of sandwiches, salads, pizza, pub-fare, and breakfast, all for affordable prices. For those of you that are Algonquin College students, you can use your meal plan here. They also have couches, TVs, and pool tables if you want to hang out and/or study. It's also available for private rentals when it's not being used for other events. To contact the Observatory directly, here is their information via the website: Paul Norman, The Observatory Manager (613) 727-4723 ext. 5327 or by e-mail at normanp1@algonquincollege.com

We had our small wedding at the Orange Art Gallery and the venue was perfect.  The art on the walls…read moreadded a very nice dimension and the character of the building and terrace were enchanting.  The bar was flexible in meeting our desire of showcasing Canadian craft beer, wine and liquor and the bartenders were, as several guests commented, extremely nice and friendly yet professional and mixing a mean drink. Art on the walls also provided spectacular and unexpected backdrop for some of our best wedding photos.    We recommend Orange Art Gallery for small to medium weddings and other functions.

We were in Ottawa to attend a small wedding and this gallery was the venue. It was very charming…read moreand we enjoyed viewing the art as we mingled with other guests over champagne. If you are in the neighbourhood it is an interesting spot.

Dow's Lake is a man-made lake on the Rideau Canal. It's the site of many fun activities and there…read moreare several restaurants there with beautiful views of the water. You can rent canoes, kayaks, and pedal boats/paddle boats in the summer. In May there's the Tulip Festival which is technically in Commissioner's Park, but this park surrounds Dow's Lake. In the winter when the lake freezes over, you can skate on it, and it's connected to the Rideau Canal, so you can skate for a pretty good distance. There are 3 restaurants at Dow's Lake. Over the years they have changed, but currently the restaurants are Lago, Umbrella Bar, and Mexi's (aka Mexicali Rosa's). There's a paid parking lot nearby ($3.50 per 30 minutes up to a maximum of $14), or street parking ($0.25 per 6 minutes) a bit further away, or free parking on residential streets in neighbouring Little Italy (3 hour limit as per by-laws).

Dow's Lake Pavilion is a short distance away from the airport and Ottawa's downtown core. I like…read morethat you can escape from your daily routine to this picturesque area without doing a road trip. There are canoes and pedal boats that you can rent. You are required to sign a waiver, wear a life jacket, and put down a $20 deposit. You can use cash, and debit and credit cards, except for American Express. Sadly, Amex doesn't seem to be as widely accepted as it used to be. There are lockers where you can store your belongings when you are on the water. I recommend coming with what you truly need. I parked in the lot across from the Pavilion. Parking is $3.50 for 30 minutes, to a maximum of $14. I paid by credit card, which was great. I didn't risk parking on the street, but I know that I can now. It's cheaper that way, but you do have to be cognizant of the time. You can also dine here after a fun time out on the water. We ate at Mexi's. You have the option of dining in the restaurant or sitting out on the patio. I missed the tulip festival. Perhaps I'll plan my vacation and take them in next time. (254)

The Glebe Community Centre is a unique structure in the heart of the Glebe. It offers a multitude…read moreof programs for every age group and interest, including painting, theatre, yoga, pottery, sports, dance, baking and cooking classes, dog obedience classes and even random classes like soap and bath-bomb making. Their prices are usually reasonable, but the classes fill up very quickly, so make sure to register well before the first class begins. If you live in the area, you'll receive a calendar for the upcoming season with a grace period to plan your next class. The centre also has many day or weekend long events, such as plays, craft fairs, jewelry shows and food shows. If you're in the area on weekdays between 11:30am-3pm, stop by The Pantry Vegetarian Tea Room for some food. The prices are a bit high and there's not much selection, but the food is fairly wholesome and usually organic. They don't accept debit or credit card, so bring cash!

This is an amazing community feature right in the heart of one of the loveliest spots in the city…read more I've recently had the opportunity to drop by with two little ones to bring them to playgroup and their toddler music class, and I was blown away. I would never have suspected from the relatively boring outside of this building that the inside is alive with great programming. You're greeted by a lovely staircase that leads up to Scotton Hall - the "gym" that Reviewer R mentioned. This is a stunning room with huge vaulted ceilings, stained glass, a kitchen and tons of room for the little ones to run around during playgroup (which is what I was there for!). It would also be amazing for an event. The playgroup was amazing. The facilitator Andrew, was great with the kids and there's even snacktime for kids and parents. The music class is similarly well-run and all the staff I have interacted with her are sweet and friendly. There' a whiteboard in the front lobby that details all the happenings going on that day and it's always packed! They have tons of classes (I even say mention of a "mother-daughter glee group" - unreal!) for all ages and the prices aren't bad at all. There's a great play structure outside for the little ones, as well as a sweet Thomas the Tank Engine table under the stairs. Be sure to ask the lovely lady at the front desk for the trains - clearly these have gone missing in the past, haha! If you're in the area, this is a great option for activities for kids and adults alike. Pop in and see the space - you won't be disappointed!

Walked by and decided to pop in to check it out. The space is gorgeous and they're open for indoor…read moredining, they have a patio and they also do take away. There looks to be sanitizer at multiple locations in the building. The tables are extremely well distanced. I ended up ordering a flat top cheeseburger as I wasn't super hungry but wanted to try out their food. They said come back in 20 and I did a walk around the neighbourhood and returned to a bag of food. The staff are extremely friendly. Inside the bag was a box that had the cheeseburger and home made chips. The cheeseburger was really good, on par with a lot of the new gourmet burger joints in town. I'd say the cheeseburger was a 4 and everything is a 5. I'm going to give it a 4.5 and round up. I'm definitely going to come back to try some of the other food and I can see this place getting a full 5 stars in the future - 5 star cheeseburgers are extremely hard to come by :P

Service was fantastic. Showed nice great staff. Only bad side was the owner was a total snob,…read morepushed us aside to smooch her preferred visitors. Mean human.

I organized an axe throwing night for me and my friends. I was really impressed with their customer…read moreservice on the phone to book my event. They were very patient with me as I wasn't sure how many people would commit to the evening I selected. When I got there I was greeted with such friendly people that made our evening wonderful ! We had someone show us how to throw axes and organized games and a final tournament for us who was super friendly, and the bar service was also excellent. I recommend this place. It was my second time there. And I can't wait to go again !!

Held a family reunion at LumberJaxe in April 2023 (for 25 people, which included my 87 year old…read morefather... he loved it!). The event was a huge success and I received rave reviews from the family. This was all due to LumberJaxe and their incredible staff which were very knowledgeable, helpful, friendly and so much fun. After receiving safety instruction and practice time, the staff organized a tournament for us which was a huge success, and a lot of fun. I would strongly recommend LumberJaxe whether it is for a small or large group. Would make an awesome team-building event. Thank you LumberJaxe! Karen

Our workplace rented 2 days of the meeting room of this co-working space for meetings. The…read morereceptionist was helpful but also kept an eagle eye on everyone that walked through the door. Meeting room was well lit, well equipped with TV, HDMI cable, whiteboard and markers. The door seems to keep the sound from the outside well. But the walls weren't sound-proofed and we were able to hear the other room's conversation if we weren't talking. The biggest issue were the chairs. They were stiff, plastic chairs! When we asked if we could swap them with the ergonomic chair, they asked us to swap no more than half. This was on a Monday and there were over 20 empty workstations and unused chairs.

The staff are really friendly and helpful, and they have mentors called "Experts in Residence" that…read morereally help you get your social enterprise started. I've met so many people through it, and it's great for those who usually work at home to connect to others. If you're working on a social enterprise, this is the place to be.

Definitely one of my favorite galleries in Ottawa. It's got such a nice, cozy atmosphere, lots of…read moregreat art and friendly staff, sometimes they even have cheese and bread to snack on while you're browsing the gallery.

Cube Gallery is one of the best modern art galleries in Ottawa. The work shown there is never…read morestuffy or boring or touristy. In addition, it's a great place to hold an event. My company has shot several weddings there and I always appreciate that the backdrop is different at every "shoot". The rotating art pieces make for a different wedding experience for every couple. It helps keep me inspired to shoot their weddings a little bit differently each time too! All in all, it's a great setting for big gathering. I'd highly recommend that you check it out as a venue if you're looking for an event space in Ottawa.