The Short Version: Spacious and beautiful restaurant. Delicious food. Service was pleasant, but a bit slow. The Long Version: I had dinner here as part of a professional continuing education event sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. We had a section of the restaurant for our event and it was nicely set up with space for a screen and a projector. Even though there were other patrons in the restaurant we could still hear the presentation and our little nook felt private. I started off with a mixed greens salad and it usually comes pre-dressed, but I asked for the dressing on the side and this was accomodated. Vegetables were fresh and it was a mesclun mix, carrots, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, and radishes. The lemon honey dressing was light and not too oily, although I only used about a fifth of what they gave me. For my main I had the salmon which came with a delicious fried polenta cake. The outside was crispy and delicious while the inside was creamy. The salmon was moist and delicious. It came with kale, a tomato confit and an olive tapenade. The flavours complemented each other well and did not over power the salmon. The menu price of the salmon was $39. For dessert I got the gluten-free chocolate brownie, which I was told was made of almond flour. It was a bit crumbly and had a grainy texture. I did not love it. Many others at the event had the Steak Frites and this looked delicious. I was debating between the salmon and the steak and while I enjoyed my salmon I wonder if I did not make the best choice, lol. The menu price of the steak was $49. The other dessert option was a creme brulee which also looked good. And given I wasn't thrilled about my brownie, I felt I should have gotten the other option. Service was pleasant. The wine was flowing freely, lol, but the courses took a while to come out. For these events, the dinner is usually fully served by the end of the educational session presentation, but when the presentation ended they hadn't even served the main course yet. We were a large group of around 30 people. And I don't know if they had their full staffing complement. Attendees were getting antsy towards the end and were asking for their desserts to be packed up to-go. Staff seemed a bit flustered but got the job done. Overall, a beautiful restaurant that is very spacious with multiple sections to the restaurant. Great environment for an event. Food was delicious. Service wasn't as timely, but still courteous and pleasant. Street parking only. Review #83 (2026) read more

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Back in Ottawa for our annual colleague dinner on the first night of CMPA's Prime Time conference. The food was great, I had the best wine... A red blended wine, a Syriah-blended with a grape I have never heard about. It was a fixed prix menu for our large group. Lovely steak frites main, cooked perfectly. And a stunning creme brule. Always a great atmosphere and music is always on point. Our service had the most charming, attentive and helpful attendant. Great place. read more

The TRUTH about hugo on bank street is that the supreme croissant SLAPS. The first words I uttered after biting into this croissant was "oh fck." Loved the custard/cream filling and the croissant pastry was delish as well. I specifically adore the croissants that have more of a vanilla type of filling rather than a chocolate flavored filling. The hazelnut chocolate was not really my vibe. I have never been a chocolate croissant girl so that is definitely a contributing factor. I did not enjoy it as much as the biscoff flavour. I will say I was expecting these pastries to be bigger. For $8/croissant (in this economy) the size was disappointing. All in all I would absolutely go back for any flavours that are cream/custard filled. read more

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Horrible. Food took over an hour. Manager lied to our faces about compensation. Do not eat here.

Food took over an hour. Manager was horrible and lied to our faces about compensation. Never eat there.

The ambiance was wondeful and service was terrific. The food was absolutely amazing with tasty and delicious options. We even enjoyed the drinks that were offered. read more

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My husband and I have walked by this place many times so he surprised me one day with a dinner reservation for my birthday. The interior decor was so beautiful. The staff were super friendly as well. We snuck in right before social hour (3-5pm daily) ended for cheap drinks and cheap appetizer like food. I'd love to come back for their oysters, which are $2 each during this time. The food was so good. We had the crispy squid and Parmesan fries to start. Both were well seasoned! The mains were also really good. We got the duck and the lamb. I would definitely come back! I want to come back for their social hour oysters! read more

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My girlfriends took me to Social for a Sunday brunch to celebrate my 28th birthday and we had a wonderful time. There were 8 of us arriving at different times and they seated us at a lovely sunny table and even had coat check. We stayed for approx 3 hours and never felt rushed to order, pay, etc. The food and drink was incredible and I have included a few photos to this review. There was a deal on mimosas with a choice of your favourite juice which was also a nice touch. Better yet, our server noticed it was my birthday because of a card on the table and brought me a complementary celebration shot (after asking of course) of frangelica, espresso and whipped cream, so yummy!!! We ordered two desserts to share and I have to say that the brownie and accoutrements was one of the best desserts I have ever had at a restaurant. It had a pumpkin foamy sauce, toasted almonds, interesting flowers and many other items!! Finally, our server (Chris I think!) was amazing. She was really friendly fun and helpful. I will certainly be back to celebrate future birthdays and accomplishments! read more

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Food is mediocre. Service is terrible, or particularly the waitress named Christa. From beginning to end this woman has no smile at all, as if we owe her a million. Never add any water during the entire meal. She only smiled when she handed us the bill and saying the 18% percent tips is already added, Like she provided any?! We waited for the food for almost an hour. We are big party but an hour for food ?! That can never be the reason. That Christa don't even bother explain anything. In contrast there's a red hair girl who smile all the time and kindly explain that the food was delayed due to large party. Seriously, that's all you need to say to comfort your customers! And a side note, we made a reservation for the big party and when we arrived the restaurant didn't even bother to arrange for us, so we sat in separate tables. Another side note, the restaurant is far from busy about 40%of the table were seated The restaurant has low review for a reason read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Nice presentation with the fish already falling apart when it arrived the table - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

We attended a private wedding reception held here last night. Not only was the food of excellent quality but the staff were equally impressive. They couldn't do enough for the guests and it was an enjoyable experience read more

Treated my little sis for a lunch here 2 days before her wedding! It was very nice from the inside the decor the tables and seating.. food was decent. My sister had a chicken club that came in a cranberry bread which was yummy. I ordered the beet salad it was nice but could use more dressing. The waiter was kind enough to let the dessert be on the house for the occasion! It was a nice outing and parking in the market mid day during the week was no problem at all! read more

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Came for a group event and had a limited menu. Asked what the pasta dish was and was not given what the staff explained but it was still good. Seemed to have kale in it. The truffle fries were amazing and the bread and butter. I would come back for those two themselves! read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Pasta - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Food was pretty good. We came here with a large group and reserved the private room downstairs. They had the air conditioning on very high, which was very pleasant when we first walked in. But as the dinner service continued, it got extremely cold. Food was decent as they served over 20 of us at the same time. Although I did not like their substitute dessert that much - a flourless chocolate cake that was too sweet for my liking. read more

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Yummy lunch. Service and food excellent. We will be back. I had the special of the week which was amazing. My wife had the beet salad which was also delicious read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Box of the day: Deconstructed Philly sandwich - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Such a cool, jazzy, sophisticated place to eat and drink. This is place is upscale and comes with the price tag. From floor to ceiling, this restaurant is inviting. I always appreciate when the decor matches the dining experience. So many options to choose from on the menu. Lamb, delicious. Worth the visit. Bon Apetite. read more

Went to dine at Social with my significant other for a casual date, and had a decent experience overall. Starting with COVID precautions, Social seems to be doing a good job at following the restrictions put in place during the pandemic to ensure the safety of their customers and staff. The environment and ambiance in the restaurant is quite nice, providing a relaxing atmosphere to dine-in. A clean, well decorated, classy feel that is perfect for what I would consider a casual night out where one has the option to dress up or not. The service was about the standard one would come to expect at any semi-decent restaurant. Fast seating, quick to present the daily specials, good timing for taking our orders, and came back to refill waters on occasion. I have no complaints about the service we received, but I also have nothing outstanding to say about it either. Deserving of a standard 15-18% tip in my opinion, especially in these harder times. The food was good, my partner and I ordered the two different steaks on the menu and definitely weren't disappointed. The ribeye was well made, cooked slightly higher than what I would consider medium rare but it definitely wasn't overcooked. The marbling on the ribeye was apparent and the sauce complimented the steak very well. Definitely a prime choice if you're looking for a good steak. The steak frites was decent, the fries were hot and crispy; exactly what one would look for in fries. The garlic aioli wasn't too strong but strong enough to really hook one onto the taste. The steak however was a bit too lean, perhaps we just got a leaner striploin cut but it was lacking a bit of flavour. The sauce was good at providing flavour, but the meat itself fell short. It was cooked slightly under medium, with the best attempt at Chicago style the kitchen could do I guess. The ribeye is definitely a better choice of steak in terms of flavour and quality though. The only complaints would be the pricing, we ordered the two most expensive dishes on the menu and while the food was good, it didn't feel worth the price point. The ribeye felt like it would be better off at around 42 rather than 52, while the steak frites would definitely be better priced at 32-35 rather than 42. While I understand that there are perhaps margins that need to be met, I can't honestly say that there is anything in particular that makes these two steak dishes worth the menu price. Overall, we left Social fairly satisfied with our experience and definitely don't regret our decision to try it out. The food, the atmosphere, the service all live up to expectations, but provide nothing special I guess to push it up to a 5 star, and the price point definitely leaves a little to be desired in terms of value. I'd lean more towards a 3.5 star rating solely due to the price point but will leave a 4 star rating. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Steak Frites - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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A nice light lunch at Social Restaurant and Lounge in Ottawa's ByWard Market! The social bowl was really nice, with the flavours and textures of each of the ingredients meshing particularly well - mixed grains (chickpea and quinoa), pickled vegetables, avocado, roast chicken (not too dry), greens and chipotle tzatziki all coming together nicely. The presentation could frankly use some work, but it's otherwise got it where it counts. The warm goat cheese salad (with herb goat cheese, Boston Bibb lettuce, spiced braised beets, warm maple dijon vinaigrette, dried cranberry, walnuts and orange) was a bit more uneven, with the flavour and richness of the cheese overpowering the other ingredients and a little at odds with what is an otherwise light dish. Perhaps brie could be offered as an alternative? The beets were a nice addition however and the presentation was overall quite nice. While very friendly, the service was slow, and we waited a fair bit for our food to arrive. However, the server did, to his credit, eventually come to tell us there was an issue in the kitchen, and offered us bread on the house for the wait (the onion bread in particular was really good, as was their herb-infused olive oil). Although he could have told us this sooner (our orders arrived only minutes later), we thought the situation was otherwise well handled. Overall, despite some unevenness, this was still an enjoyable dining experience and just right for a hot day of sightseeing. read more

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Went there for lunch.. outdoor seating. Very elegant, classy, quiet yet fun. Great atmosphere, amazing service. Was in the mood for trying something new and ordered the chef's pick. Turned out to be delicious fish cakes with an exquisite white sauce. Highly recommended. Staff is amazing. Beautiful experince. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I visited Ottawa from Toronto for a bit of sightseeing. This restaurant is at a premium location and has good reviews on Yelp so I decided to pay a visit and booked a day early. On the day, which is a Saturday, I was a bit surprised to find out it's quite empty at 6:30pm. We ordered 3 apps and 2 entrees. The service is good and the portion is big. The taste is a bit hit or miss - the cod dish was quite plain, the steak tartare is under seasoned, the scallops are great, and the duck confit was tasty but a bit salty. Overall I think for the price I was paying ($170 after everything for 2 people), I might not come back. read more

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Had a reservation on Saturday night for a birthday dinner. We got there and the restaurant was closed, despite being a Saturday evening, not on a holiday and they had sent us a confirmation of the reservation a day prior. Luckily we were a walk away but if I would have driven in from out of town or further, then couldn't get in anywhere else, it would have been even worse. I was really excited to try social but I'm quite disappointed! read more

While this restaurant can get pricey fast, the Social is a fantastic, higher-end venue where you can dress up and take your significant other for a nice time out on the town. Whilst there is no dress code, I would at least encourage a collared shirt for the men (ideally no jeans either, but I'm not your dad and I can't force you to not wear jeans). My wife and I shared our dishes with each other, to include lamb and steak, which both came with their respective sides of potatoes and veggies. For an appetizer, I had pig cheek (which was phenomenal). The beer and wine was good, and the desserts were great (chocolate cake and crême brulée). Were I to have a better salary, I would probably frequent this place more often! Absolutely worth going to for a classy night. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Pig Cheek. - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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My husband and I had a fantastic dinner at Social. We were lucky enough to have a gift certificate which allowed us to really splurge on the meal - it was amazing! We started with the soup of the day, and pig cheek (an unusual starter, but it was delightful), with a glass of wine and a beer for hubby. Each spoonful and bite were delicious. The entrees were huge: steak frites and rack of lamb. We ended up sharing one entree (and not even finishing it), and taking all the leftovers home. We did still get dessert as I heard wonderful things about their creme brûlée and I was not going to miss that. The creme brûlée was amazing! I would almost say it was even slightly too large of a portion, but somehow we managed to eat it all. The flavours or each portion of the meal were really fantastic and even eating the leftovers the following days were still fantastic. I would absolutely go back to Social for a fancy event. The price tag is a little high to make me a regular, but when I do go back, I will make sure it's on an empty stomach for a fancy guilt-free celebration! read more

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After having dinner elsewhere, a small group of us headed over to the Social to meet up with a bunch of other friends, friends of friends, acquaintances, friends of acquaintances, ... you see where I'm going with this, right?? Anyway, the aptly named Social Lounge provided a very cool backdrop for our gathering. It's a very cool looking space, buzzing with lots of activity. The staff was cool (friendly, in a cool-ish kinda way) and pretty quick to get us drinks, drinks, and more drinks. The food that was being served at other tables looked yummy, making me regret having started the evening by eating somewhere else. Next time, for sure. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Art on the wall ... disturbing, interesting, ??! - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

The service is terrible. And they kick people out cuz they want new customers to come in early.

Me and the ladies came here for a nice dinner after a long day of bridesmaids dress shopping. The atmosphere is pretty chic, but I was surprised that it wasn't very busy on a Saturday night. It didn't get busier as the night went on either, which was a bit surprising considering its excellent location. Service was good - food and drinks were so-so. We started with cocktails, and I opted for the French 537. I wasn't overly thrilled with it - the sparkling wine was flat. It was just too sweet, but I couldn't nail down exactly what the flavour profile was supposed to be. I ordered a gin and soda after I finished that, which was much better (and cheaper, might I add). We shared the meat and cheese board ($30) to start, which was served with crostinis and warm bread. I was super thrilled with the board - there were three generous portions of cheese, and some delicious meats. I thought it was a really good value, and the cheeses were fantastic. For my entree, I ordered the burger, which was a bit of a letdown. Fries were excellent, but not as crispy as I would have liked. The burger was good, but not the best I ever had. It wasn't as juicy as I was expecting, and the bun was a bit dry. read more

The worst service I have ever experienced in my whole life. The food is nothing short of mediocre at best and the staff is rude, and unprofessional. Definitely not a place I will be going back to. read more

Social has great ambience, good food and attentive service, albeit at a price. The restaurant is on Sussex Drive and also shares space in the courtyard behind the building to provide open air dining. The decor and atmosphere is hip and stylish, with interesting decor and music played at just the right level. The menu is nicely edited and everything we tried was full of great combinations of flavors. Both the Ceasar salad with white anchovies and the asparagus salad with prosciutto and egg were sublime. We followed with a plate of gnocchi on mushroom ragout with cheddar foam and the house burger. Both were very good, the gnocchi was deliciously decadent. My only quibble was with the bun the burger was served on - toasted a bit too much it was dry and made eating the burger a little difficult, had to ditch the bun and eat the innards with knife and fork, but my was that delicious. At $90 for two (without drinks) it's not exactly a bargain, but it's certainly worth considering for a special night out and I look forward to going back. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Asparagus and prosciutto salad with egg - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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I absolutely love the look of Social. I wish my house looked like this. The problem is that I think that's all that's going on for it. I've come by here a few times and unless it's the summer and you're in the courtyard patio (which is awesome) there isn't a ton to love here. I've tried a few apps and they were ok. I've tried a bunch of different cocktails and again they were ok. I was hoping to love this place like I do 18 (yes I know it's not the same type of restaurant or lounge) in the market but I just don't. The thing that I do like about this place besides the decor is that they serve Dos Equis amber. I'll be back to have a DE on the patio but besides that I'm not sure if I'll be coming back to try anything else. read more

We had a 4 course meal on new year's eve and it was an excellent experience. Beautiful ambiance and well decorated area. The presentation was nice and the food....delicious! A little pricy for what they offer...but a must place to visit once ! read more

Lovely place to visit. Drinks are creative twists on classic cocktails or a substantial wine and beer menu. Food is all fantastic. Meat and Cheese platter is highly recommend, good enough to eat for a meal for one person. Service is excellent. My friend and I had a lovely time and would return any day: food, drinks, and service are all excellent. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Gin cocktail - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Me and my friends went to Social Restaurant. The server left us without a word and talked to other servers before we finished making our order. And after spilled the whole cup of hot coffee on my pants and sweater accidentally, the server passed towels immediately and said sorry once, and walked away. I understand that accident happened all the time, but I didn't feel a good serving attitude from the second we walked into this restaurant which is why we asked her to find their manager. What really made us disappointed is the manager, Lauren Topley, and her way of dealing this. First of all, she didn't come to us when we asked for a manager. Instead of, she asked us to go to the bar section where she was standing. And she showed an even worse attitude than the server when she saw me with coffee all over and dirty pants and sweater. With an indifferent attitude, the manager Lauren Topley did nothing but arguing with us about our "overacting behaviour". Yes, she did offer to pay my cleaning bill for my pants and sweater. But her "yes it did happen and what do you still want from me" attitude really made me disappointed and unbelievable that I can't believe she used this indifferent attitude to every customer walked into the Social restaurant as a GENERAL MANAGEMENT! And she asked us to leave immediately after the arguing. We even asked her about the tab we had today but she just ignored us and left us there. We were all indignant and felt to be treated differently because of our skin colour and write reviews on Google Maps. After we got home, I found my phone is damaged in many ways. The sound is not working, the vibration is not working, the screen is glitching. It is a brand new iPhone 12 I saved up for months for. And I literally got it for two weeks. And we recording all the problems of my phone. We went back to the restaurant to solve the problem at 6 pm. But the manager Lauren Topley refused to apologize for the situation and denied my phone was damaged because of the spilling coffee with a severely BAD ATTITUDE. After I showed the video we recording earlier, she still denied everything. My phone was on the table when the coffee spilled and I know there was coffee on my phone and the footage from the restaurant is the proof of everything. She pointed at my friend and refused the statement about racial discrimination we wrote on Google Maps. What's even worse, she even questioned us why we didn't pay the bill for our lunch. But we did ask about the bill before we left! For the second arrival, what I want is to discuss the problem of my phone peacefully. But her terrible attitude made the whole process non-negotiable. We asked for getting access to a higher manager we can talk to. Lauren Topley refused it and left us there before we made an agreement, AGAIN! Her reply on Google Map is incredibly false! She mentioned "we apologized over and over, and over, again.". What I truly heard about the word sorry is only once which is from the server. We didn't hear and feel any sorry from the manager Lauren Topley AT ALL. What she wrote: "I offered you multiple options to rectify it. I asked if I could go to the mall for you and buy you another CHAMPION swearer." was NEVER happened to our conversation at all.Her reply also mentioned that "there are three staff members apologized to me profusely". Other than Lauren Topley and the server, we didn't talk to any of the other staff about this. This is absolutely twisting truth. In return, she accused our post slander. What she showed on Google Maps with a delightful and regrettable attitude was NEVER EVER happened to our conversation in person. I can't believe this kind of person still serves people with such attitude as a manager in a restaurant. During COVID-19, from the whole dining time, none of us was asked to sign the tracking sheet about COVID-19 and asked any of questions or statements about COVID-19. I can totally understand that the accident happened all the time. And I was going to get over it. But what really terrifying me is the dishonest, immature, and unprofessional manager, Lauren Topley and the way of dealing with this. All I want is the truth. I won't take any solutions from her until she tells the truth. read more

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Brittany was amazing she was so warm, professional, attentive and the service - impeccable. thank you for the soup recommendation we loved it. can't wait to come back and hope to see Brittany when we do! read more

Attended for a NYE party. Stepped out of my comfort zone. The rib eye steak amazing Our server fantastic he was extremely friendly, helpful and more than willing to make our evening as enjoyable as possible. When he suggested a drink I try and turned out I didn't quite fancy it he offered to take it off our bill without even asking. When he saw we did not enjoy the scallops he returned with two complimentary drinks even tho the food was cooked well we just didn't like the taste of scallops having never tried them before. He was very knowledgeable on all the plates and more than happy to explain (more than once what each were to us country folk haha) Although rather expensive it was to be expected being NYE only wish there was a dance floor to enjoy after the food had finished and maybe a tad bit more lighting. read more

My wife and I discovered this place on Yelp and decided to try it on a Thursday. What an amazing find! The restaurant is beautiful inside, the staff were very efficient and the food was fantastic. Definitely one of the best meals we've had in a long time. We started with the "Chef's choice" Cheese and Meats platter. As we were in no rush, we spent nearly an hour enjoying this spectacular platter and great cocktails. We followed that up with the Warm Kale Salad (one of the best my wife has ever tasted), the Soup of the Day and delicious Aioli Fries. The entire meal with a bottle of wine, a cocktail and a beer came to just over a hundred bucks plus tip. Worth every penny. It's both perfect for date night, and a place to bring friends or clients. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Phenomenal Chef's Choice Cheese & Meats platter - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Social is an office favorite. I've eaten here multiple times with colleagues for lunch or apre work. I am partial to the salads and the specials. The wait staff is attentive without being overly pushy -- always appreciated in a social setting with co-workers. read more

Me and a friend went looking for a last minute dinner on a Thursday. We tried a couple of our usual favourites and they were all too busy. Neither of us had been to Social in a couple of years, and were curious to see the remodel they had done earlier this year. We were able to walk in around 7:30 and get a table. From the start, the hostess was clearly inexperienced and just a little bit awkward. This wasn't necessarily a problem at all and would never be indicative of anything else. After sitting down, we waited about 10 minutes before a server came to see us, even though the place wasn't particularly busy. We ordered a couple of cocktails, which came quickly enough. The drinks themselves were solid; one thing that threw me off was the Absolut-branded glass that my friend's Rotating Mule came in. Again, not at all a big thing, but thought it was odd that a restaurant that places itself in this class would have branded glassware. We followed up with oysters, the soup special, and the tomato appetizer. No information about location was given for the oysters; again, strange for a restaurant of this apparent caliber. Bread was brought out at this point, which was actually quite good. When the appetizers arrived, they were run by a young, inexperienced staff member. In an effort to help him find room on the table, I picked up the bread bowl and held it awkwardly as he put the tomatoes and oysters right in front of one person and the soup directly in front of me. Aside from being the exact opposite of how we ordered, oysters are most often ordered for sharing, and there was plenty of room in the middle of the table for them. The soup got a good review from the friend. The tomato dish was a disappointment; it was essentially tomatoes cut up on a plate with goat cheese, some sort of crumble, and "basil compressed cucumbers", which were completely indecipherable from regular cucumbers with nothing done to them. The oysters were good, although the single mignonette that was offered was just okay. We finished our initial drinks around this time and those glasses were left empty for the next 15 minutes with no offer of new drinks, which would be a recurring theme throughout the night. We had a couple of questions around selecting mains. After asking for a steak recommendation out of the two on offer, the server told us one was "nicer" than the other; not sure exactly what that meant, and it seemed weird to put one dish down by raising another, especially when their price was within $2 of each other. The "freshness" of the pasta was also repeatedly emphasized, including a comment that you "just don't see fresh pasta anymore". Actually, at this price point, that's all you see. Fresh pasta should not (and is not) a differentiator at this price point. Every restaurant in this segment has fresh pasta. "There's even egg in it". Great. Table stakes. The steak and pasta eventually came. The steak got good reviews from my friend, although the plating job could have had some improvement. My pasta, however, was actually very nicely done and had incredible flavour. There was barely discernible chunks of chicken, which would be the only thing I would change. When we ere done, our server was nowhere to be seen for 20 minutes; we eventually had to flag down the hostess and ask her to send our server over. We made a quick exit after that. All in all, this experience wasn't exactly bad; the food was okay, and I've had worse service elsewhere. However, I can say that I haven't had worse service at a restaurant that quickly became a $200 bill after a couple of appetizers, mains, and two drinks each. If you are going to place your restaurant in this price point, you need to elevate your game. Social is 70% of the way there to being good; restaurants like Riviera in Ottawa have shown that the last 30% is the most important. read more

My wife and I dined at Social this week and overall had a good experience. The atmosphere is great for a date night or romantic evening out (dimmed lighting, comfortable seating) and our waitress was prompt and very polite. The food, in my opinion was average. I ordered a steak and found it a little too fatty and my wife thought her duck was on the smaller size (same for the cheesecake we had for dessert) - however, it was not terrible (we've just had better elsewhere). We would revisit and try other items on the menu, or perhaps for cocktails. read more

Tried to have a nice family dinner for my birthday, but this was absolutely one of the worst meals we have ever had. The food was inedible and the service was unbelievably slow. The next day I had diarrhea from the BEET BRINED TROUT - read below: We ordered: (FREE BREAD): the coldest, stalest bread ever. Didn't even try biting through it cause I'm pretty sure this place isn't gonna foot my dental bill. COCK A LEEKIE: The taste was good, but it was so salty it felt like my tongue pulled a muscle, no one wanted to finish it. WILD MUSHROOM FLATBREAD: you call this a flatbread??? Over-salted mushrooms (and you know how mushrooms absorb) on top of, not bruschetta like what was pictured here and described to us by the waitress, but a thick uncooked slab of dough. It was like a hard glue. Zero greens, no honey or truffle taste, what hummus?? Salty mushrooms on raw oil dough is not a goddamn flatbread. It was absolutely horrendous, we could not eat it. DUCK CONFIT: this confit was not crispy, was underdone, and had a very "raw" taste. Not what we paid $30 for. SMOKED CHICKEN PAPPARDELLE: with this kind of name, you would assume it comes with a decent amount of chicken right? Instead, we got a mess of cream and pappardelle noodles, and possibly 5 thin shreds of chicken meat. The meat-eater in our family ordered this, and was very disappointed. The cream was oily and heavy, and very over-salted. He was still hungry after. LING COD: this dish was probably the most edible thing of the night. However, it was completely UNDER salted, and had a fishy taste that can only mean it was not fresh fish. Maybe 3 stars for this dish. BEET-BRINED TROUT: this is what I ordered, and it was served to me RAW. The outside was seared, but when cut open, it was purely RAW. It took me almost 10 whole minutes to flag down our waitress - she took it to the back and said "my chef said medium is how it's served". Are you kidding me??? The inside was so raw the trout might as well be alive still. If I wanted sashimi I would've gone to a sushi place! You know they're just haphazardly searing it on high heat so that the outside is crispy (maybe 3mm of meat was cooked) and the inside is full on raw. I sent it back to have it cooked a bit more, and when she brought it back, it was jerky. I'm talking could not chew through some parts of it, bone-dry, nasty. Oh, and the sprouted lentils paired HORRIBLY with the fish, giving it an even fishier taste than it already has. The kabocha squash puree was good though. Now if the food wasn't bad enough itself, the service was embarrassingly slow. There was one girl serving the entire section of the restaurant, which could have easily used 3-4 people. As a result, she often blatantly ignored us when we tried to get her attention and made us feel very uncomfortable. I had to get up multiple times to find someone to help throughout the evening. All we wanted to do was pay the bill and leave, and even that took about 25 minutes. Dessert was the last thing I wanted. We came in high spirits preparing to celebrate my birthday with a nice meal and dessert, but left embarrassed/awkward, feeling pretty stupid we paid so much for a meal that was completely disappointing and disgusting on all levels. Literally like throwing money away. I was really sad it ruined my birthday dinner since I don't get to see my family much. A nice meal was all I wanted. read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - Not bruschetta or anything like a flatbread. It was like ten undercooked tortillas smashed together. 0/10 - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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The worst experience ever. The server literally spill the whole cup of hot coffee on my friend. With indifferent attitude, the manager Lauren Topley did nothing but arguing with us about our "overacting behavior. All we want is a sincerely apology from both the server and the manager. Our day is totally RUINED by her! I feel like we been treated differently! read more

Social Restaurant and Lounge - French Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Swanky lounge and an upscale restaurant close to downtown area, in the Byward market area. It is close to the American embassy. The food is a fusion of contemporary N. American and French cuisines. Chef Matt Carmichael has created a gem in this area. From the chermoula roasted prawns to the smoked steelhead trout, everything is prepared with much flair. The mariposa duck confit steals the show while the slow roasted Alberta lamb tenderloin is my second favorite. The chocolate cake with espresso caramel and raspberry gelato is divine Drinks are strong and pretty. I have had one of the best mojitos of my life here. The Cuban mojito is a delight. Service is attentive and friendly without being intrusive. This is one of the restaurants on my "need to get out of Chicago this weekend and have dinner" list. read more