We had a great time here, we came to play some games. There are three floors, the main level has the video games, upstairs has a bar and seating area. The bathrooms are located in the bathroom. They have an organized system, you scan the QR code there are categories for how many players,types of games to choose from. If you have a hard time finding a game, they will help you. There were so many options for all ages to choose from. There was a bit of wait for the video games, but our name came up fairly quickly, we were escorted to the video game section. There are several tables with different consoles. You choose the game, staff sets it up. This was so much fun, there are food/ drink options as well. Staff was friendly! read more

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Food was good and so were drinks! $9 per person to play games seems a bit much, I'd understand if it was $9 per table....once we said we weren't going to stay and play the servers seemed to be pushing us to leave. Despite the tons of other open tables. Our server was also very rude regarding our US ID's and said we needed a second form of identification, I've never had this happen in my many years going to Canada. Who carries two forms of ID at all times?? They wouldn't accept a college ID either for one of our group. Overall the food is good and would be a great place to spend a few hours playing games if you're willing to pay the high price. read more

Highly recommend!! Great selection of games and excellent support from knowledgeable game master. Tasty food and friendly service. Village harvest mocktail really delicious! read more

Had my youngest's birthday dinner with our family here last week and had an incredible time. This spot is, unbeknownst to me, right near Ottawa U Campus. So it was mostly college gamers hanging out with friends. We went for our game loving kiddos entertainment and they had such an incredible time. There is a $9 fee per person to play games and the food is a little pricey for being generic bar food. But the service was great and the group of college kids next to us were really sweet. Parking is across the street in a paid lot. I wish Nepean had a spot like this geared toward families with kids. I would go regularly! read more

Level One Game Pub - HBD little man! - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Love it in here. Lots of games, there is a few though but it's worth the price for how much there is. Foods great and so are drinks. Great place to host a DND session cause it's like a little tavern. Cozy gaming spot for brunch or late night endeavours. read more

They have Halloumi on the menu, but it's really just fried and battered cheese. Halloumi is a recognized appellation of origin by the UK, the EU and even the US, and selling fried cheese as Halloumi in Canada is just plain cultural appropriation. I explicitly asked if the Halloumi was of Cypriot origin, and the waiter did check, but could not confirm. read more

This place is SO much fun. They have walls lined with board games that are organized well. Everyone can find something to play. The staff is also really friendly and helpful. They helped us by clarifying a rule on the game we were playing and also found a card sleeve when we noticed one was missing. This place gets packed but the staff seems used to it so everything flows well. I got the Marco Polo pizza which had a tasty combination of flavors- eggplant, chickpeas, masala sauce, mozzarella, and tandoori raita. The Red Winecraft Sangria was pretty well-balanced. The first time we went, we got lucky and were seated right away. We tried to come back another night but it was busy so we put our name on the waitlist, 17th or so in line. An hour later, I got a text saying a table was ready for us but we'd already moved on. If you can get in early, this is a really great place for a night out. read more

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It's a bar that's plenty of fun with a group of friends. In Toronto, there's a really similar chain of restaurants called Snakes & Lattes, where the premise is you can borrow a board game from their library while you dine. Level One is really similar in this regard, except the atmosphere is less pretentious and their board game repository is massive. They even have a selection of video games for different consoles. We had to make a reservation (3 hours) and pay a cover fee ($8) for our time slot, in which we got to eat and play games. Our group noticed that they had a considerable "mature" section, which we exploited. Their selection of food is characteristic of a pub, and the prices were a bit more expensive than what I was expecting. I got a spicy chicken burger called the "blue cheese buffalo crunch", which was fine on its own, but $18.50 was a little on the high side for my budget. The obvious standout here is the collection of games. You'll probably need to know or have played a few to appreciate the restaurant's gimmick, or at least have friends or family who'll be able to help you out. read more

Still a great place for games, drinks, and food. Cover went up slightly to $8, but still a great time with great service. read more

Level One Game Pub - super mario run - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Great vibes, atmosphere, etc. The service was consistent and great! My only criticism is that they took my favourite menu item, the mac and cheese, off of the menu. I haven't been back because of that. I used to go to get it with friends in high school. I miss it dearly :( read more

Fun place for a date. Didn't try the food. Drink are not bad. Service is a1 really good.

Two floors, filled with board games and games for purchase. Parked at Rideau shopping centre and walked Some great warm drink options like Hot Toddy, B52, etc. Decent food and great vegetarian options: Mediterranean plate, perogies (cheese), grilled cheese, soups, etc. Nice comfort food on a cold day. Bathroom is at the back and all the way downstairs in the red hallway. Service is friendly and attentive. Sad that Operation had a bunch of parts missing. Fun for everyone including babies and children here. Can accommodate large groups. Bit chilly by the window. read more

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Now I know what all the fuss is about. Board games... whodathunk?! Our visit to this place was loads of fun! I had no idea that I would enjoy it so much. I would definitely not hesitate to go back. They offer so many board games that it was hard to choose what to play. I love how they have incorporated the heritage aspect of the site into the new use; it's a beautiful space. The staff was excellent, friendly, and knowledgeable. The food was tasty (without being overbearing), and it came out quick. And they offer a nice selection of drinks. I would definitely go back! read more

We are visiting Ottawa from Nova Scotia and stopped at the Level One Pub for lunch. I had the vegan burger and I must say it was the BEST vegan burger I have ever had. It was seriously moist & full of flavour and the house salad with jicama was outstanding. The Tri-fry experience combo was delicious. I really enjoyed the Japanese sweet potato fries. The old stone building was a lovely addition to add to our food experience. Our server was very accommodating and knowledgeable. read more

I've brought my students here a few times now for some of our school social activities. They all really enjoyed having a variety of games to choose from so they could either learn new things or teach each other games some of them already knew. This would be a great spot for a team building event, or even just a casual date night out. They're licensed, too, so it's near to be able to have a drink and play some games! They have food available for purchase, which is great, however it can be tricky to eat and play at the same time, especially since it's a lot of finger food options. Overall, it's a great spot to check out on a rainy day, or if you're looking for something low key and casual to do out of the house! read more

Level One Game Pub - Princess peach, my favourite! - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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A friendly pub with lots and lots of board games. They served regular pub food, nothing spectacular. But since I was there because of their board game collections, that's what made this place special. Highly recommended if you are looking for a place hanging out with friends (or coworkers) to play board or video games. read more

A super fun and chill place to spend with friends and colleagues especially on an Ottawa-snow-stormy evening. We had a lovely time playing Trivial Pursuit (the Loft has tons more of board/card games available in their library - some I have even heard of before). The food in their is tasty and have extensive drinks to choose from (alcoholic & non-alcoholic). So when you just want to have an easy night, come to the Loft! A friend had a reasonable suggestion -- If patrons are coming in for food or food&drinks, perhaps the Loft could waive the $5 per person fee to play a boardgame or a discount on this fee? read more

Level One Game Pub - Funtimes at the Loft - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

It was my first time coming here and I came with some co-workers for a team event. It costs $5.50 for cover plus whatever food & drinks you buy. We ended up staying about 7 hours! So definitely worth my cover charge. The food was delicious! Loved the fries & nachos I got but the veggie burger was extremely messy & crumbly. Tons of fun board games & video games. Some of the staff is much more helpful/ knowledgeable than others (which is one of the main reasons I gave it 4 stars rather than 5) but they always asked before giving away our tables as our group became smaller. Happy playing & have a good time! Note that they don't do reservations during busy times and they have a 3 hour limit (I think) on Friday & Saturday nights. read more

Level One Game Pub - Garden burger with fries! - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Loads of fun and games, decent food. We went on a Sunday with no time limit and had a great time.

My friends and I came by to play some board games to pass time. It is a flat rate of $5.50 to play the board games, plus additional costs for any food that you order. It's a little bit on the pricier side, but their range of board games was pretty decent. They also have video games that can be played as well, although I'm not sure of the costs for that. Me and my friends decided to order the Mediterranian Platter, which comes with Tzatziki, baba ganoush and salsa. The portion is big enough to share with three people, but I would recommend you ask for spoons to evenly spread the dips on the pita slices. My friend ordered the London Fog and said it was b-o-m-b. We came by on a Monday afternoon, which also happens to be geek trivia night. They ask guests to leave half an hour before the event, which starts at 7PM. read more

Level One Game Pub - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I'd have to agree with others who have stated the admission fee would be better as per-person minimum (i.e. order at least 6 dollars per person or pay a fee) rather than an additional cost. When you factor in drinks cost, per person fee, tax, and tip, it's WAY too expensive to just sit around and play some board games. I certainly had fun having a couple drinks, a snack, and playing some games, but with two people the bill at the end was more expensive than a decent meal out. It's great they have a zillion games and all, but most of them are so complicated, it's not as if you can casually learn and play them over the course of an evening anyway. So, yeah, perhaps a dive bar with free connect 4, uno, and jenga is more my speed. read more

Such a fun place! They have a great variety of video and board games to satisfy even the pickiest gamers. I was very much surprised to find even the older consoles-nice touch. The staff helped us with selection and setting up the game as well. Also unlike similar places in Toronto this one didn't have a time limit. The drinks were pretty good and not expensive. Overall we had a great time read more

My friends and I went to this newly opened place for their Monday night trivia! Tonight when we went, they did Harry Potter trivia and the place was packed. Unfortunately we couldn't get in (protip, you actually have to email them to actually book a table and a place to do trivia) but we were OK with going to the Loft which is right upstairs. Fortunately, about 15 minutes in, we found out a team had dropped out, and they invited us to go back downstairs to join them. Dave, their trivia announcer, was great. I will note that I noticed very little difference between the loft and Level one, other than their uniforms, both were board game bars and restaurants (although their menus and drinks are different and Level one had screens where we could watch the sad Jays game). The atmosphere there was quite nice, young and rowdy in level one (since everyone was there for trivia). I wouldn't recommend this on a first date (since it is loud and mostly groups) but I would definitely recommend it as a place for you to go with friends as a group. There's a wall full of games, beer, TV screens and the waitress we had was quite fun. They also have very cool electronic order pads rather than the old school pen and paper. The drinks were pretty standard but more expensive than usual for downtown Ottawa. A pint of beer was about 7-9 dollars and the drink I had, "butter beer" was hot tea, cream and 2oz of a hard liquor in it (wasn't sure what it was, it was too loud inside to hear the waitress). The good was pretty good, the burgers came with zucchini and other veggies (however the cheese melted into all the vegetables so if you don't like onions and the like then definitely ask beforehand not to have them). The fries that came with them were OK, a bit soggy for my liking and not as crispy as they could have been. One thing that I will definitely recommend against is their fish and chips. It was the worst fish and chips I have ever eaten, they were soggy, the fish tasted like they were not fully cooked and as soon as I bit into them, water came out. I wasn't sure if they were just having an off night but it was just horrible. Other than the fish and chips (which brought down the score to 4 rather than 5), the service was great, atmosphere was young and hip, beer and food were standard (albeit a bit expensive) and there is always something to do there (they have lots of board games, just like the Loft does). I will definitely go with my friends again, but probably won't order their fish (I heard their poutine was good too). read more

Level One Game Pub - The beautiful butter beer - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Loved my visit here. Between the décor, our friendly server, the beer and the long wall full of games - I was impressed! Interesting concept: You pay a $5 cover to 'stay and play' games for as long as you wish. The cover goes towards game maintenance and purchases, as well as helps defray some of the costs associated with a low turnover. They have a simple food menu - all of the items perfect for game night. (Easy to make, easy to eat, minimal utensils). And they have the beer to go with it. My understanding, from chatting with one of the owners is that on weekends you may wish to get there early - there are lineups starting some days around 4 or so. We were there on a Tuesday night, which worked out well as they waive the stay and play cover on Tuesdays. (Yay!) For food: I had the CBR - it was good. People around me were raving about the El Lofto Rolls. Didn't try them, so all I can do is pass on what I heard. :-) Would I return: Yes - I'm thinking that the next time we have out of town guests, this could be one evening's activities, to get out of the house, or to relax after a day of gallivanting around. Would I recommend: Yes. Great business. read more

The staff were super friendly, I got the hot chocolate a couple friends got the macaroni and cheese cubes which looked great.

I went there a few times. It's our go to spot for our anniversaries. The atmosphere is nice and quiet early on during the weekend. So, it's perfect to talk. As the night progresses, it's starts getting louder and people feel more at ease to play games that require more yelling. (Ex. Pictionary!) The staff is nice and welcoming and they check up on you to make sure you're ok. They are also more than happy to show you a few games and tell you their favourite items on the menu. If it's your first time there, they'll tell you how it works, so you don't need to panic if you don't know what you're doing! There's a paid parking lot right across the street that lets you park there from 3pm-6am for 5$. There are quite a few spaces, so there is usually at least one free spot. They have a great assortment of games. They have family games, strategy games, themed games, etc etc. Personally, I have yet to see a child there, but there are a lot of children friendly games. Although the menu may seem limited, I personally loved everything that I tried. The CBR was particularly great! My advice was be to try everything. Especially if you're skeptical! The first time I tried a London fog I thought that it looked mundane. After tasting it, I get it every single time! So if you're looking for a nice place to have fun, the Loft is definitely worth checking out! read more

Level One Game Pub - Delicious London fog! - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I've been to a lot of board game cafes, but Loft was my favourite for a few reasons. Disclaimer, I'm a huge board game nerd. They had huge selection of board games. They also have an accurate list of all their board games on their website, which is great when trying to figure whether or not they have the game you want to play. It was really cool how a lot of the tables around me were playing really cool games, and not just Catan or Ticket to Ride, and I think hat had to do a lot with the diverse selection of board games they offered. The place had lots of tables, though I think at some points it was full and there were people waiting, but if usually shouldn't be a problem. the tables were also really nice for playing board games, because they were glass on top and had a shelf right under the table to put the board game box and empty plates, and clear tabletop space. I also liked how the cost was just a $5 entry fee, and not some complicated pay by hour system. I stayed for about 4 hours, and I'm sure you could stay however long you wanted without a problem. Overall great place, and I hope there are more board game cafes to come in Ottawa that are similar to this one! read more

Level One Game Pub - Shelves of board games - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I probably would not have wandered into this place on my own, figuring it was a place for someone younger, hipper, with more time on their hands. Thanks to Yelp Elite events, I found myself in a new place and really enjoying it. First, the ambience is terrific. Nice old building, exposed brick, high ceilings, wide open spaces. Secondly, the service was terrific. Met one of the owners and was impressed by their commitment to creating a great customer experience. After seeing it action, I now get the "board game lounge" thing. It is a great way to socialize, talk, see the people across the table, goof off and turn off your smart phone. Seems like a great family or all-ages event. Maybe an office social? Definitely a good way to bridge the gap if you have older or younger acquaintances. Adult beverages and good food are a nice touch but no need to power drink. Also it's not noisy! Great for those of us who stay out of bars and clubs because of the noise factor. Finger food appetizers and tasty dessert menus conducive to sitting and snacking. read more

Level One Game Pub - Lots of stairs to the washrooms! - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Before I start this review I'd like to note that my partner and I have been to this establishment tons since 2021 until 2023. Including our anniversary. My original review was 5 stars. But after tonight's service I had to make a review. My husband, our friend and I went to level one. The first time we had been here in over 10 months after returning to Ottawa and I will say the night was awful. We entered the restaurant at around 10:10 pm, where we were seated and then we wanted to order our food instantly. But we were forced to wait. When we finally got the chance to order, our food was not put in and we waited from 10:20 until 11:15 for our food. By the way we had to go over to the kitchen and tell them that our food had not come at 10:54. During our time no one came to check on us, the table that got sat after us got drink refills and new orders three times before we even got our food. Oh and on top of that there were servers having a party behind us. Some clearly off the clock, but others were on and instead of asking how we were doing they were hanging out on shift. We were ignored all night and yes they did comp our play fee but after the very charred over cooked food, everything should have been comped. We were the only black people in the restaurant and we were ignored all night, on black history month. Our experience was an absolutely awful mess and we will not be back at that establishment any time soon. I'm not saying is racist, I'm just saying it's a bad look. $85 for poor service, a tucked away table and mediocre food, if I knew how bad this was going to be. I would have went to jack Astor's. At least the service there actually checks up on you. read more

I go to board game cafés pretty often in Toronto and Waterloo so I wanted to see how Ottawa compared. Great atmosphere, cozy but modern? If that makes sense at all aha! Staff are very friendly and having a designated game guru is great! (Some in Waterloo do not..) She suggested great games for us when we told her what we were feeling which was mindless and silly. Food was good too! I got the popcorn chicken wrap and Bailey's hot chocolate! Both were very tasty! My friends all got flatbread pizzas and they looked amazing. Will definitely have to get one of those next time. Their board game collection is huge! But I do not like how they organize and categorize their games. It's ordered from low strategy to high strategy. When I was looking for specific games, I wasn't sure how they were categorized and where they fell in their ranking system so it took a while to find them. Not a big deal, but something to point out! Overall really fun experience and would love to come back! read more

Level One Game Pub - Bailey's hot chocolate Much needed after a long week at work! So tasty and just the right amount of Bailey's! - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

What a great place to go for a fun night out!! Unlimited board games and video games to play until your heart is content! Non alcoholic beverages as well as alcoholic beverages to enjoy as well as pub food and full menu food! An extra fun treat is a $6 candy bowl full of gummy Candy to curb your sweet tooth. Only $6 to stay and play for a maximum of 3 hours but you can stay longer if it's not busy and during the day you can bring your kids too for only $4. Staff are super friendly and really helpful if you need instructions on how to play a game or if you want them to recommend a game depending on what game you want to play. I highly recommend this place read more

I've been here a few times now. Very fun atmosphere. Lots of baordgame options. They also have play stations and x box with many game options! The food is very good. Specially the fries with garlic sauce. Prices are good. The drink options are also great for alcohol to coffee. Always a fun time here. It's always very busy so come early :) read more

Level One Game Pub - Lounges Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Great place to play games with friends, good drink selection however they need more snack foods on the menu instead of things like meals (ex: pretzels, chips, popcorn, etc). read more

Really fun and cozy place to play games with friends! Their drinks are pretty good and you can taste the alcohol in them (but could be stronger). Food is alright. The employees really know their stuff and will patiently explain any game you want! It's fun looking around at other people and watching them play too, it can be very entertaining! read more

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I came here with Leanne H. during a stay in Ottawa in late December. The first time it was packed and the wait time was about 90 mins, so we left and came back the next day. Lesson: be careful about just turning up. I'm glad we did come back though; we had a great time. The setting is sociable, cosy and relaxing with a huge array of games on offer along with drinks and food at a reasonable price (see pic). You do have to pay for the table (/right to play), so if you're going to visit I'd recommend doing so for at least two or three hours to make sure you feel you get your money's worth. For a different, chilled night or afternoon out I'd definitely come back here. Alcohol optional but recommended as it makes the board games more fun. Four stars only because of the difficulty in knowing if you'll definitely get a table and because I thought the drinks were a little overpriced. read more

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I have never been to a place like this. It's so cool that it has a lot of board games as well as video games that you can play. In addition, it provides food and drink. It's a nice to hangout with your friends on a Friday evening. read more

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Games were fun and all good atmosphere. But food meh order the pizza for 13$ for 7inch breaded pizza i rather stay home with my pizza pockets or order real pizza at the price up stairs beer choices was minimum wish they had more selections over all great game selection but for 60$ 2 drinks and small pizza and cover next time gonna use that 60$, for good xbox games or few board games myself at home read more

The place is smelly and a bit grimy. Video game selection is okay. Don't know much about the board games. Food selection is so so at best - had the Big Mac nachos and it was a little stales read more

Level One is tons of geeky fun--with some pretty decent food and some great drinks. I have been twice, the first time we were at the board game side and enjoyed Harry Potter themed cocktails--butterbeer! It was lots of fun and the staff were all really knowledgeable about all the board games and helping our group find specific ones. The game selection was massive! Definitely talk to the staff if you have something specific in mind, they are much faster at finding things. The second time we were at the video game side and there was a Tap takeover, which was also a pretty fun event. There are a couple tables in the video game side that are a bit awkward to sit at and play games--have to sit a bit too close and look up. But, most tables didn't have this problem. We played some fun old school games, watched other people play games better than us, and even played the worst game ever made on Atari -- ET -- so definitely a cool place to hang out. The staff helped setup the systems and get everything going and were really approachable when you wanted to switch it up. The food on all occasions has been good. Hot and tasty food. The food isn't reinventing the wheel or anything, but it was tasty and hit the spot after absolutely failing on the Atari :) read more

I have been to The Loft before, but this was my first time to Level One. Board games again, though, and the staff were again helpful in finding a game, helping us set up and answering questions as we played. All of that kept things enjoyable and minimised the reading of rules booklets. We didn't explore their whole menu, but the poutine is definitely worth recommending and the craft beer selection is respectable as well. Whitewater Brewing Co. available! read more