While wandering through ByWard Market, we decided to step off the usual path and try Chez Lucien. It turned out to be a great choice! The scallops were beautifully prepared, the duck so flavorful (def a star dish), and the Croque Monsieur a perfectly executed classic. Each dish felt thoughtful without being overdone. Service matched the food - warm, attentive, and unhurried. The restaurant itself is on the smaller side, which means seating can feel a little snug, but for two people it worked okay. Chez Lucien is a gem worth seeking out if you're in the area, especially if you're after good food in a relaxed, neighborhood setting. read more

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Came here for dinner and had: - scallops $25: cooked perfectly with a delicious cream sauce and served with 4 slices of baguette - Lucien burger $24: slightly dry patty but the thick cream cheese made up for that. Upgraded to a poutine (for ?$3, can't remember) which was good. I like that it came with a salad - sticky toffee pudding with ice cream $10: nice size portion, light and tasty The atmosphere is a bustling and casual bar. All the seating is close together but it felt welcoming. All the food tasted great. The only reason this is 4 and not 5 stars is because the wait for our food was very long. Thankfully, we had the Olympics to watch and distract us but if you're very hungry, that's something to consider. However, I'd still come back and next time we would likely try the steak frites and salmon burger or seafood pasta. read more

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Dinner thoroughly enjoyed: the mussels were perfect in a buttery broth, spaghetti bolognaise al dente and delicious, duck confit was good (but the roasted root vegetables on that plate stole the show). The escargot is great value, with about 12 little morsels for $14. Overall, fantastic food, in a non-pretentious setting, very cozy. No wonder this place is busy. Plan ahead. We tried to make a same-day reservation but were told they were already full for reservations, but had room for walk-ins. We went early, but by about 5:30, the restaurant was already full! read more

Chez Lucien - Duck confit - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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We went to Chez Lucian and it was pretty busy so we opted for takeout. We got the scallops - my minor complaint is the scallops are pretty unevenly sized but the sear and cook is perfect as is the flavorful sauce that comes with it. Spaghetti was delicious with a strong parm topping. Noodles cooked well, sauce had a balance of salty and slight sweetness, meat inside was great. Price is on the higher end but quality is good. read more

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TL;DR/The Short Version: Great food at reasonable prices in a cool pub meets bistro environment. The Long Version: I had dinner at Chez Lucien recently with a couple of colleagues. It was not my first time there, but my last visit was many years prior. I don't know why it's not in my regular rotation of restaurants because the food is great, it's not too expensive and the place has a nice vibe. I got the salmon sandwich ($21). All sandwiches and burgers come with fries AND salad by default (you can get all fries or all salad if you want though). And the salad dressing comes on the side by default, which I love because this is how I always request it. The fries are shoestring fries, which are my favourite type and were excellent. They were very crispy. The salad was a spring mix with purple cabbage and shredded carrots. The dressing was a creamy dressing. I usually don't like creamy dressings, but I enjoyed this one. The salmon sandwich came in a burger bun. The toppings were dill cream cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. It usually comes with mayo but I asked them to hold the mayo. The salmon was a sizeable filet with good thickness. I thoroughly enjoyed my meal. One of my colleagues had the Frida and Diego Burger ($21), which I think she liked and my other colleague had the seafood fettuccine ($25) and a garden salad ($9). She said the fettuccine was just ok and she should have gotten a burger, lol. Service was good. The place is like a mix of a pub and a bistro. The main floor where the bar is feels more like a pub, but the second floor and the little room at the front by the entrance feels more like a bistro. Overall, a great little place. It's very popular, there's often a line up. Street parking or paid parking lot parking only. It's literally across the street from a municipal parking lot though (Lot 5). Review #51 (2025) read more

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I was torn between a 4 and 5 but I'll defer to a 5. In general, I haven't been super impressed with Ottawa food. My wife and I got burgers and the person we were having lunch with a salad. Food came out in a reasonable amount of time. We all finished our plates and I would go back. Also, a good amount of parking space across the street in the parking garage which is a plus and not always the case in downtown Ottawa. Probably only like the 4th or so place I'd return to in my two months so far living in Ottawa. Ambiance was sorta like a slightly upscale pub type of environment with maybe 15 to 20 tables by my estimate. read more

Great service and great food. Tables were a little tight but the service and food made up for it. Ambience was fun with a retro jukebox available for use and a great three tier floor plan. Not too loud, could hold a conversation with table but did not have to shout. Clean restroom are always a plus! Our waitress was knowledgeable and delivered top tier service. read more

Chez Lucien - Poutine - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Absolute gem in Ottawa. This is the best value French food I have had. The atmosphere is more casual and cozy, but that does not take away from the quality of the food. Usually when I get escargot it comes with just 6 snails still in shells, but this one they are already deshelled and overflowing. The duck confit was also perfectly cooked with large portions. Wonderful service as well. read more

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Our service, the food and the beer were all top notch. Jess was our server and she was an absolute delight. Would definitely recommend. read more

Chez Lucien - My flattering angled bliss pic lol bacon, blue cheese and mushroom burger - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I went here with my sister after spending the afternoon visiting the parliament buildings and walking around the city. I saw this place on social media and it looked very tasty. From the outside, it looked like a tiny red cottage but was surprisingly large inside. There was only one server who was tending the bar and all the tables. I ordered the bourgeois burger, which comes with pear, sautéed onions and Brie cheese, along with a side of poutine. My sister ordered the spaghetti bolognese. Their portions are huge, I brought home half of the fries because I couldn't finish it all. However the burger was sadly disappointing with less flavor than I expected especially since it had so many flavorful additions. Would maybe try a different burger next time, but their poutine was great! My sister enjoyed her spaghetti and finished it all. Street parking only. We parked in a lot for the whole day since we planned on exploring the city. read more

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Burger was tasty and portion is large. Staffs are friendly. The place is cozy and feels historical. read more

Chez Lucien - Chez Lucien Burger - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

The food was great. Loved that hamburger and the wings were awesome: The three us enjoyed our dinners. Pricing was reasonable. Dining area was clean and the place adorable. Service was professional and pleasant. Kudos to the folks working there. read more

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Highly recommended this place!!! I will write in my first language, hoping this place can be discovered by our people! 超级推荐这家餐厅，虽然要排队大概40分钟，但绝对值得，分量比较大，推荐菜： 蜗牛，海鲜意面，汉堡和鸡翅。 Seafood pasta is creamy with quite of lots of salmon. read more

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We came for my birthday lunch last weekend - the food here is around a 3 star (decent, but quite pricey) and the vibes are cute, but our server, Jeffrey, was so amazing and friendly I'll bump it to a 4 star!! My boyfriend and I shared the duck confit, swapping the side of steamed vegetables for a side of caesar (our favourite)! We also got the special house burger of the day - a BBQ burger (we asked for the sauce on the side) with Swiss cheese, bacon, mushrooms, and the usual toppings of lettuce and tomato. The burger came with fries and a garden salad. The burger was massive! Taste-wise, was decent - the BBQ sauce ended up being quite good so we ended up lathering our burger in that sauce. Typically, I find BBQ sauce too sweet, but this one was very smoky and not too sweet. The duck confit was... interesting, unlike the typical ones I've had. The texture of this one was almost reminiscent of Chinese preserved duck - while the skin was nice and crispy, the meat was cured and almost jerky-like. I like the addition of candied apples and cranberries on the mash, and the mash itself was more dry and less buttery than typical. The side of caesar was generous and delicious! Jeffrey was such a sweetheart - when he heard it was my birthday, he made us a mocktail (I don't really drink) on the house, complete with a lit candle. He also made great conversation with us and offered tips for dessert, etc. read more

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Oh my. Steak Frittes and an unreal burger. My Poutine maiden voyage. I'm still dreaming of the gravy. Thank you to our awesome server, tender, do everything lady. I'm comin back in August read more

Chez Lucien - Poutine and frittes - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

We dine here often. It is by far and wide our favorite burger and beer joint. I highly recommend the Chez Lucien burger. Add some horseradish and it is perfect. Comes with delicious thin crispy hot fries and a salad. The place is loud but only filled with locals catching a game. Inside seating is adequate and comfy but you might have to wait to be seated. The waitresses are always friendly and full of excellent suggestions. read more

Our server at the Hilton sent us here and I'm so glad he did. I'm going to use the word "ambiance" here because theirs was exceptionally comfortable. I could hang out here all day. They were generous with the portions of the escargot. It was perfectly made. We also got a Dijon chicken and a duck confit that were delicious. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, which is it to say they were nearly black on one side, while still being juicy and flavorful. If we lived here we would visit this place often. read more

Chez Lucien - Our lemonades came in Guinness glasses. I love it. - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Nice spot for dinner in the market! Started with a glass of Shiraz ($11) - very nice. I ordered the duck but was later informed they were all sold out. I opted for the pork chop instead. It was alright and came with veggies and mashed potatoes. read more

Chez Lucien - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Great find in the heart of Byward Market in Ottawa. A local tavern famous for several dishes. Burgers, scallops and fries! Small but very cozy! The lineup was constant and people were very patient! read more

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This feels like a more upscale bar. Lots of wooden tables, large bar and screens with the game playing. We came here for dinner. They were able to seat us immediately on a Friday evening. They have plenty of seating and a variety of food options that are not just bar foods. We both got the freida burger and fries. They were able to give us the temperature of the burgers we wanted correctly. The bar is pretty busy and while the staff is helpful they were not really able to attend to us too much. Just smaller things nothing that we couldn't do without. Mostly this is a solid place to get a meal which doesn't break the bank read more

I heard Chez Lucien had the best burgers so I came to try just that. The burger selection is actually quite small with just 3 options plus a tofu burger. We went with the Chez Lucien burger (sub cream cheese with cheddar) and the Bourgeois burger. The Chez Lucien originally comes with cream cheese but after looking at pictures, it looked to be a huge slab of it so we opted for the change to cheddar. The patty was cooked perfectly with a bit of pink, and the grilled mushrooms and bacon were cooked well. Fries and salad were great. The bourgeois burger was interesting with brie and pear which was very creamy. Patty was cooked perfectly again but the pear was very lacking. I wish they used a pear jam/butter in addition to the slice of crisp pear which would bring more sweetness as the slice of pear we got had no flavour, just a crisp texture. We also got some local beers which were great. Service is friendly and the restaurant give an old pub feel. read more

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Another lovely dinner at Chez Lucien! Chez has THE BEST burger in Ottawa and the rest of the food (that I've tried) is also downright DELISH. I got the Chez burger which came with a giant side salad and fries (both excellent) and my friend got the tofu/veggie burger toppings, but with a beef burger. The service is excellent and accommodating and the vibes are truly unmatched. They also have a wall of paintings for sale that are all very interesting. If you can only go once, we recommend ordering the bourgeois burger!!! read more

Chez Lucien - Chez burger and veggie burger, merlot - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Great service and food you can find in Ottawa. I have been to this restaurant every time I go to Ottawa.

I love this place and 100% recommend going. Unlike a lot of places in the market that just feel too touristy, this place feels like a getaway outside of Ottawa. The food is top tier, with fries that are soft but a nice crispness to it, and a burger that's out of this world. The meat is always so fresh with great seasoning and having cream cheese instead of regular cheddar, it gives it a nice creaminess and makes it a fun twist. The service is always really friendly and get food and drinks out fast. read more

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The food here was wonderful! The food at this burger joint was just beyond good. I had the best cheese burger in my life I thought the service was wonderful because the staff were friendly and polite to me. The restaurant was very nice and clean and they do regular maintenance. For the reasons I have stated in my review, I highly recommend and encourage you to visit this burger joint because you will get good service and good food for affordable prices. read more

This place combines the feeling of a sports bar with the feeling of a more oldschool pub. It's got a lot of charm, the servers are super cool and there's a good list of beers on tap. I know the burgers are often mentioned, but I really love here are the moule frites either shared or by yourself. It is a huge portion for the price and will definitely fill you up (remember to get some ketchup and mayo for your fries if you're into that). Rose sauce and horseradish is an odd sounding combination but actually works quite well -- there is just a hint of that horseradish flavour that adds a bit of zing to the creamy, tomatoey sauce. Will definitely be back whenever I want a place to relax with a beer and some good comfort food. read more

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Drawn in by the super cute exterior, I popped in for lunch solo. The place was bustling which is always a good sign. Lots of people arrived after me and although it appeared the tables were mostly full, the staff were able to find a table for them without a wait. I ordered the Chez Lucien burger. I've never had cream cheese on a burger before and it was really good. The bun was a bit dry and not toasted at all so that was a bit of a let down. I really love when a place offers both fries and salad as the standard side. It's just the best of both worlds for me. Took forever to pay my bill and it's not like I had someone to chat with to kill the time. Main reason I was reluctant to give 5 stars. read more

Chez Lucien - Exterior - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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4.5 Stars If I lived nearby, I could see myself being a regular here. From what's on the menu, it's mostly fairly typical pub food - mind you they also do brunch. But the quality and value really set it apart. Great quality beef on my hamburger and I loved that the patty was still a bit medium giving it great taste. The fresh cut fries were fantastic. It also came with a side salad and it wasn't just a throw it either. Great mix of leafy greens and fully fresh with no wilted greens and you may expect at other places. I forgot what my wife ordered, but it was a brunch item and she really liked it. Afterwards we shared a crêpe filled with fruit and topped with maple cream. More evidence of some of the Franco touches in the cuisine. I will absolutely come back when next in town. read more

We recently had dinner here late on a Saturday night. This place was recommended to us by some people we met in another eatery over in Old Chelsea, and with a short line of diners waiting inside, and a bar full of people, plus a hopping atmosphere full of diners dining, we figured it was a well warranted recommendation and worth the wait. Forty-five minutes later (yes, 45!) we were finally seated at a small table right in the entrance area. Atmosphere-wise, this was not what we'd hoped for, but we hardly saw any diners leave during the 45 min we waited, which seemed to indicate this is the kind of place you enjoy your food and linger. They were out of a lot of their dishes and we ended up getting an appetizer of escargot (a sizzling dish filled with over a dozen out-of-the-shell snails in a perfectly garlicky and buttery sauce served with a few slices of baguette), a burger served with fries AND a side salad (huge and dressed nicely but unfortunately the meat was overcooked), and their special, which was a grilled pork chop over mashed potatoes with a side of veggies (looked beautiful but the meat was also overdone). Overall, an average meal (saved mostly by the escargot), but given the hour of the night, the fact that the place was packed, and the steady stream of locals coming in to eat and drink, I think we just had a bad experience. Maybe if we'd gotten there earlier..... Next time we are in town, if we are lucky to stay in the same spot, we'll likely try again because all those other diners can't be wrong! read more

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All told it took us about two hours of wait time and dining here. Is it worth it? Absolutely. The burgers are as good as I've had. We don't go out to eat to rush, so I have nothing bad to say about this place. And the parade of patrons and people waiting cement the fact that this place is amazing. read more

Very good burger.. with a large portion of fries and salad. We got the special of the day which had grilled apple and many other things. I highly recommend this place. Service was good too read more

Chez Lucien - Special burger of day - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Love this place is kind of hiding but is cute little pub, the hamburgers and poutine is amazing!!! We love the food and the plate are huge sure if you are not very hungry Uc an share a gambit and a poutine and they come with salad too , stop by and try their hamburgers!!!! read more

Chez Lucien - Poutine - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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My favourite bar in Ottawa. It has a cozy Montréal feel to it, friendly staff, and a free jukebox!

Atmosphere was very "pubby" downstairs though the upstairs balcony seating seemed a little more private. We walked around awkwardly to find seating and then was seated by a waitress. The place seemed very popular and so crowded for a Monday night. We ordered a red and a white wine which were out quickly. Food shortly there after. Burger with house made "ranch" was pretty good, but more so great because the portion was enormous. Came with a salad and fries which you could turn into poutine for a little extra. Fries were cooked well and I was impressed with their sweet potato The seafood linguine came with some awesome garlic herb butter mussels and tasty loaded pasta. Unfortunately for being as loud as it was and crowded it took away a little from the experience. but for the price and portions and taste of the food I'd go back..........IF I didn't like 2000 miles away read more

Chez Lucien - Mussels were tasty and tender and linguine was full of salmon and fish - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I was trying to support a local business, 2 days before a month-long lockdown. It was my first time there, I didn't know where to sit. The bartender yelled at me when I tried to sit at the bar. He pointed and yelled that I needed to sit upstairs. I went upstairs and found a 2-top. Surprise! I wasn't allowed to sit there either. (And before anyone calls me Karen, I do everything I am told to do.) I finally got my stuff and left. I realize that everyone is stressed out. I was trying to support a local business. Never again. read more

Been here on a few occasions. Every time we have an amazing time. Chez offers a very unique vibe where you can enjoy a drink or two with friends or a cozy date night with amazing food and service. I've been living in Ottawa for 3 years and have yet to have a better burger, my personal favourite is the bourgeoisie. However, you can't go wrong with anything on their well balanced menu. Can't wait to go back. read more

Chez Lucien - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Very good food and friendly service! It was a quick business lunch and I will definitely come back with my friends

I walked by this place many times not knowing that it was a cool little French bistro inside. Thankfully a friend of mine recommended this place and told me to walk to the bartender and put your name on the waiting list immediately. I thought ok whatever, I can't see the place being busy as it's just a dingy little place from the outside. I was wrong! The place was packed with people standing all over the place waiting for a seat the first time I went. I recalled my instructions and went straight to the bartender and asked to be put on the waiting list. I was told it would be at least an hour and agreed. Looking around, the place looks tiny but there is a basement and an elevated second floor were people can be seated. We placed an order with the bartender and they recommended me a beer that I had never tried called Blanche De Chamblay. Wow I was pretty much in love with this beer when I smelled it but it tastes even better. I ordered 2 more before I was seated. About 45 minutes went by and we were seated and given our menus. I looked over the menu and realized I had a French one so I had to get an English one which our waitress promptly brought. Looking over my English menu I thought the prices looked pretty damn good for what you get. I ended up ordering the escargot and the Chez Lucien burger. The escargot was delicious and I'm not really a fan, I figure I'd try it again since I haven't had any recently. When the Chez Lucien burger arrived I thought wow this could be the best $10 I spent this week! The platter came with a salad and fries. The dressing for the salad tasted similar to the garlic sauce you can find at some of the shawarma places around town. Yes it was delicious. The fries aren't bad either. The burger was very delicious and this was surprising as the burger is cooked well but is topped with cream cheese which gave the beef patty a lot of moisture. The combination was great! I've been back many times and found out they have a daily special that ranges from lamb to steak and never over $20. I actually think that might be $15. I've since tried other burgers on the menu and stick to the Chez Lucien burger. The appetizers are pretty solid but I was really disappointed with the brunch I had at this place. I think it's because everything else I've had here I've enjoyed. The brunch was ok. Since I've enjoyed so much on their menu the brunch was a major let down. read more

Hadn't been here in a few years and wanted to try their burger again for lunch. Went for my usual choice, the Frida and Diego burger. The burger itself is juicy and tasty, but a bit too oily for my liking. The fries were delicious as I remember them, accompanied with their yummy garlic aioli. As another reviewer mentioned, though there is enough space for a whole restaurant inside, the service is more bar-like. We came when it wasn't as busy inside, so the bartender was the only person on the floor taking everyone's food orders. So, we decided to sit at the bar to have better access to everything. Overall, food is good but I've had better burgers and the service wasn't something I'd want to come back for. If you're in the Ottawa area and want a quick bite over lunch, then it'll do the trick. If it's anything like it used to be, weekend evenings are usually busy. read more

Chez Lucien - Frida and Diego burger cut in half - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Amazing food! Friendly staff! I highly recommend the escargot, scallops, and duck confit!