This joint brings a smile to my face. It's a hole in the wall music hall with good beer,…read moreuncomfortable seating and great music. To the best of my knowledge there's no food - just music and beer. Love it. We tend to head over later on Sunday afternoons, for the 4p Blues Jam. They get some great hosts in and many of the people that get up on stage to play a few songs are fantastic. (Yup, there's a few I could do without too - but that's the fun of the format.) Depending on the night, it can be a university student magnet, but every time we've been there, every age is represented in some proportion, so it's all good. Would I return: Yes Would I recommend: Like music? Like Beer? Then yes.

I highly enjoy this bar and I wish I went more often. The Rainbow is a unique establishment that…read morehas been around for almost 25 years, although I'm surprised it isn't older than that judging by its niche popularity from its patrons and traveling musicians. This bar has at least one live band every evening of the week and free matinée shows five days of the week. They also have an open jam on Sundays. They mainly specialize in Blues music from local, national and international bands, but they also showcase some other styles too. The atmosphere is unique with high stone walls, huge windows, dark lighting and an elevated stage in front of a respectable dance floor. I think their website best describes it as looking like a chalet. I love the misfit clientèle the most because there doesn't seem to be a stereotype that frequents this bar. The people seem to come from all walks of life. So maybe you'll like it too?

Was a nice, casual night out. Comfort food and enthusiastic, friendly service made for a nice…read moreenvironment to chat. Does what it says on the tin!

We come here a few times a year for music and fund raising events. It's always fun…read more Staff are great. No matter how busy it gets they are on top of things. The kitchen can get a bit slow when it's super busy, but I think it's a size limitation, not a process problem. Luckily they have a good beer and other beverage selection, all of which get delivered quickly, so, hey, my beer is my appetizer. It's a fun music venue. Check the website for what's coming up. The room is rustic and cozy with a well worn floor and carved signatures in the wood tables. Lots of character and charm. In nicer weather there's a pleasant patio off the side. Food is pub fare.

Hostess stand.. needs 2 people. Too crazy. Long waits. The hotel attached this Sat night was busy!…read moreJazz, always good and not too loud. Live, of course. Bar.. was hopping. Service... Spotty but ok. Seafood chowder was more like a bisque but wow. It is succulent. $18. Get bread and butter with it.. no crackers. We had reserved seats and were right.. beside... the bathroom and kitchen. It was a bit chilly there but we had a nice time and enjoyed our soup and wine. I recommend the house white, Pinot grigio!

Had a dinner here while staying at the Brookstreet Hotel. Like its sister restaurant, Perspectives,…read moreit is nothing special. I ordered a Green Salad with salmon and the waitress, who was very nice but clearly overwhelmed, brought Caesar instead. By the time I noticed she was gone so I ate it because I didn't want to wait until she showed up again to return it. The Caesar in itself was unimpressive. The salmon wasn't bad. And I do give the waitress credit for taking the salad off the bill when she finally came around to check on me even though I had eaten the whole thing.

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.

Lively... not too crowded... expensive drinks... ear-drum rupturing music... eclectic peeps…read more.. Wednesday night... might have to call in sick tomorrow... or give my 2 weeks notice. Bourbon room forever, scatter my ashes in the gutter out front. Pour out some liquor for your homie. Come here if you are looking to get weird.

I came here for the Cirque en Blanc event, and found it to be one of the few clubs in Ottawa I…read morecould stand to be in for more than an hour. I'm not sure how the atmosphere differs on a regular night, but for the Cirque en Blanc event, all the staff were dressed in corsets, bustiers, tutus and other "circus" attire. They have circus performers up on the stage at the front of the bar every so often which was fun, but while we were there the crowd didn't seem to be too into it. My favourite thing was the music the DJ played, though again, not sure how regular this is. There was a ton of throwback jams from the early 2000s which I loved. There was a promo drink being served by Russian Vodka that had cotton candy in it, and was fantastic. There are tow bars on the bottom floor, which has the dance floor and a stage. The upstairs housed a second bar, but as it was a roped off VIP section for the event, I didn't see much else. Negatives? Like most bars, the bathrooms were pretty gross, and they're downstairs in the basement, which is never fun. The flight of stairs could totally become a hazard after a few drinks, so watch out. The place is also pretty small, so I could see it getting crammed pretty fast, and as we went on one of the hottest nights of the summer, it was insanely humid. I'd come back here if some other friends wanted to go, but I'd likely head to The Velvet Room before I'd make the choice to come back on my own.

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.

Stopped by to get off my feet as this place had good reviews and I couldn't have asked for more…read more Lots of character, cheap beer seems like a great place to chat with whoever. Would recommend

Amazing and quaint place to hang with friends or with a date for live music, During the Ottawa Jazz…read moreFestival they sometimes host free jazz shows (reservation required!). Love the cozy and intimate ambiance. Will definitely come back!

Great music venue. Located upstairs on Elgin Street. Cosy feel. Art on the walls. Good stage…read more You can usually get food but their source is being renovated so just drinks and snacks for the next couple weeks.