An excellent Ottawa Italian dining experience The food here was really good and delicious because it was homemade. I loved that the menu had a variety of Italian specials and choices you could pick from. I also thought the service at this location was amazing because the staff gave me a free drink and they also were very friendly, nice, and overall made our dining experience enjoyable. The ambiance at this location was spectacular because the restaurant was very clean and I loved the overall atmosphere of the restaurant because it reminded me of a restaurant from the 60s. I also thought the price here was very affordable considering the ambiance, service, and all of the good food and drinks you get here. Overall, this was an excellent dining experience and for all of the reasons I have stated in this review, I highly encourage and recommend you all to come and visit this location because of the excellent food, excellent ambiance, and the excellent service. read more

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Friendly staff, but that is only positive of this experience. Fiancée and I came here for a much needed date night. The appearance inside didn't seem too inviting, unless you're a middle aged man looking to get hammered during a hockey game. We ordered a Mini sized pizza to share with the Beef Dip sandwich, hers with "Italian Wedding" soup. What was brought out to us was appalling. The soup wasn't even Italian Wedding, but rather what we think was Minestrone, the Beef Dip was absolutely disgusting. The beef was over cooked, dry and rubbery, and smothered with gravy, I am guessing to mask the bland taste of the beef and the fact that it was dry. Oh, and the gravy wasn't even good either. Now to the pizza. This place is known for their pizza. This is why I convinced my parents to bring me here when I was younger. I can see why we never came back now. We ordered a Mini Deluxe pizza to share. I was not expecting to have an overcooked, dry pizza brought out to me. I was DEFINITELY not expecting that overcooked and dry pizza to have been a reheated cheese pizza cut into a mini with our preferred toppings. Absolutely disgusting. Won't be back any time soon, or ever. read more

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Really mediocre food. I got the meatball sandwich and it's ground meat between two pieces of white bread and covered in meat sauce...a soggy sandwich was not what i expected! The sauce is extremely salty, very Americanized with salt tolerance. And the meat in the middle was clumpy like a patty! The presentation did not look appetizing either. My side of salad was bland and minimal... ice berg lettuce, pieces of carrot, celery, two tomato wedges and two thin cucumber slices. Not impressed. The food is so low standard. Don't be fooled by the 4 star rating on google or their nice looking menu. This is a place to go if you just need food as survival; not by choice or for enjoyment. I suggest you try a different place to eat. The service was the only decent thing about the experience; staff was friendly. read more

The Prescott - Famous meatball sandwich...soggy and SALTY - American Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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The Prescott (379 Preston St Ottawa) The Prescott had been my watering hole since the early 1980's. Back in those years, I would meet weekly with my large group of buddies at The Prescott for beer, pizza, hot sandwiches and sharing appetizers. The Prescott definitely was a "watering hole", but their low prices and good quality food made it a favourite get together place for me and my friends. During the last two decades, I would often go to The Prescott once or twice a month to be with my chums and reminisce about the past good old days. Recently, I went to The Prescott with work colleagues to catch a bite for lunch. The waitress asked us three times what we wanted to drink. Our waitress kept insisting that we had to order beverages with our meal. After an exceptionally long wait of over one hour our pizza finally arrived. This slow service seemed very unusual, because the restaurant was almost empty and only a few people picked-up small take-out orders. The pizza had almost no ingredients on it, was barely warm, undercooked and the dough chewy. Needless to say, this cold and flavourless pizza ruined our meal and visit to The Prescott. Upon presenting our bill the waitress defiantly said, "Don't forget the gratuity!" Given what happened, I can't recommend The Prescott to anyone. Also, I will never go back there ever. After giving The Prescott over forty years of business, it was such a sad ending. I wish it was possible to leave 0 stars, but this system won't let you when writing a review. read more

If half stars were an option id give this 3.5. I like this joint. It has character with its big open room and teraza floors. A big traditional menu gives ample choice and the food is solid. Beer selection is mostly big U.S. breweries - think Budweiser. I love going here after a skate on the canal. There seems to always be groups of people who've stopped in for a post work beer. Atmosphere is alive with conversation and sport TV. Would I return? Yes Would I recommend? Yes read more

There are times when you want to go out for the night dressed to the nines armed with a fat wallet to pry yourself into a martini bar, a fusion-style restaurant, or upper-shelf dance clubs where you'll be expected to spend top dollar for a round of drinks for your friends or date you intend to impress. Going to the Prescott will be like none of that. The Prescott is a tavern, pure and simple. As you walk in, you can still see how the Ladies' entrance gives a sense as to just how long the Prescott has been around and serving. As a tavern, it's one of the best that you'll see. Tavern style tables, off-track-betting in the basement, a basic selection of tap beers, but the option to order quarts. Yes, quarts. The food is equally basic and equally good. It's tavern food pure and simple with some signature dishes that can't be missed with portions that I've not seen since I ordered a Grand Slam breakfast in the US. I made the mistake of ordering a salad with my meatball sandwich (the ultimate dish served at the Prescott). Out came two platters, one housing my sandwich, the other filled with a house salad. Doggy bags may be encouraged. Entertainment-wise, the Prescott has several TVs for your sporting needs and houses a satellite club for the town's Yuk-Yuk's franchise (http://www.yelp.ca/biz/yuk-yuks-komedy-kabaret-ottawa). It stands out as a grain of pepper in the sugar bowl of finer restaurants on Preston Street. read more

The Prescott - The Prescott - American Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Used to frequent this establishment in the 90's. We used to love that place. The place used to be packed. Went last April and both of us disliked the food. 90% wasn't even touched as it was terrible. Definitely not homemade and waitress was missing in action for the most part. Hardly anyone in the place too. We left hungry and dissatisfied. Will only return for drinks but nothing else. read more

Its fantastic to enjoy a legendary restaurant of Ottawa. It's it's not a square pizza, the other item I order is a Meatball Sandwich platter. Classic meal at the Prescott. With homemade Italian meat sauce. I'm also a Toasted with Cheese guy. Lots to eat, and oh so good. I don't go often, but whenever I do, the Prescott never disappoints. Best served with. Quart of beer too. read more

The Prescott - a plate of food on a table - American Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Don't waste your money on this ripoff Bar. The food is sub par and they charge fine dining prices. Ordered Chicken Parm and when I got it the chicken was as tough as shoe leather and the spaghetti was over cooked. Told them the chicken sucked they took it back and asked if I wanted another piece cooked and I said no. My wife would be finished before i got another one. Hers was slightly better than mine. They said they would take it off the bill which they did. However, the price went from $30.95 down to $20 so I paid $20 for an order of spaghetti so they say the Chicken which is suppose to be the star on the plate was only worth $10. Stay away from this dump the food sucks and the prices are a total ripoff for the quality of food you get. Go to East Side Mario's you get real good quality food for $20 plus hot bread and a salad. If you had negative ratings on here they would get a -5 stars. read more

If you don't happen to know of The Prescott, it's best to read the following before going. At it's best it is a fun bar to have drinks with buddies and watch the game. At it's worst, The Prescott is a mediocre bar with mediocre food. First know that this is an institution in Ottawa, especially for those 50+ that frequented the place when it still had a male-only area. The food is heralded by some, but the fact is the whole menu is NOT great. They are known for their square, fluffy and airy pizza. Those who like it, love it, but it isn't for everyone. Same goes for their meatball sandwich. I would stay away from their nachos, as I have only experienced a gloppy mess rather than nachos. For a bar of it's style and type, their are decent beers. The quarts they serve are a good deal, and yes even Stella comes in quarts there. The service has always been good, and you will always find a few people on the bar side pretty much any time of the day. All-in-all it's a fun, laid back place to be, just don't expect anything other than that. You can't be all things to all people. read more

Since I'm not a fan of watching sports on TV in bland bars with the usual pub menu items, I don't enjoy The Prescott. It's a good place to go on Preston if you don't want to spend too much money and you're traveling with a large group that needs accommodating. I would advise against the nachos though. Recently, The Prescott has welcomed Yuk Yuks as part of its family. From Wednesday to Saturday you can come upstairs to see some comedians for about $14-$20 per ticket. Amateur night is on Thursdays. However, I would highly recommend only coming here if Absolute Comedy across the street is sold out or if Yuk's has a great comedian that can't be missed. Absolute is cheaper and it has a better atmosphere. read more

Prescott has some of the most mouth watering pizzas i have ever tasted. Located in the heart of Little Italy, this casual joint offers more than just pizza. Every item on the menu is authentic and fresh served right from the oven. At first glance, Prescott gives this illusion of being just a bar, however, as you walk in, you are humbled by the simplicity of the atmosphere. The chairs and tables which are made of traditional wood, compliment the atmosphere. The Food amazing!! If you're looking for affordable authentic Italian eatery- check out Prescott. Every item on their menu looked delicious. My eyes wanted to eat everything. Prescott offers all types of pastas, pizzas, hot subs/sandwiches and burgers. One of the things they're known for is their meatball sandwich with their daily fresh meat sauce. I ordered the "Prescott pizza" which was super tasty. One thing that surprised me and my partner was that they always served different types of olive oils with their pizza. The server told me the are used to sprinkle on top of the pizza so I did just that and OMG- the best thing ever!!. Not only was it tasty, it also helps digest the pizza. All in all, Prescott is an awesome place to be for casual dinning. I learned that olive oils can help digest pizza. Thanks Prescott for a joyful experience :) read more

The Prescott has been around for ages, and I've always enjoyed myself while I've been there. A few of my friends have worked there over the years and really like working there, which speaks highly of the management. I stopped in tonight with some friends, and we only ordered a couple of drinks, but the server was very sweet and reminded me of some other good experiences I've had here. This is a great place to bring a group - particularly if there's of different ages. The food is universal - who doesn't love Italian? They make a really great meatball sandwich and I like the square pizza as well. It's a great place to catch the game, and there's always a bunch of regulars hanging around, which makes it feel very local to me. I like that The Prescott has withstood the years, and they're clearly very picky about who they hire which I like. If you're looking for a laid-back vibe or a place to have a birthday dinner for your parents drop by. read more

As always, great service and food. Great blue collar no-nonsense restaurant. The meatball platter with cheese is an ottawa institution... as are the beer served in old-school quarts. It's not fancy but it's good and honest fare without the corporate pub interference. read more

My younger brother and I were really hungry and he had a craving for pizza. This was the first place on Preston that we came across - we figured pizza is pizza. The first thing I noticed is that it was completely empty and awkwardly quiet. On the tv screens they were showing a junior golf tournament, but there was no music or background noise, so we felt like we had to whisper. It was like being in a small town family restaurant on a Monday morning, except that it was actually a Saturday afternoon. The waitress that served us was very friendly, I have nothing bad to say about the service. I ordered the smallest size of their specialty square pizza and my brother ordered the next size up. The food arrived in good time, they were able to add the oregano I requested - which is a must for any place serving Italian food I feel. The pizza was big and filling, but tasted incredibly bland. The crust was strange, and the amount of cheese on top was excessive. I didn't really feel like I was eating a pizza, but more of a cheesy bread creation. Not somewhere I would ever consider going back to, as there are many other restaurants in the area and good food is more important to me than a bubbly waitress. Also the lack of background noise or music made the atmosphere very uncomfortable. read more

The Prescott - an old town favorite - continues to impress. Since my first visits back in 80s, the Prescott has continued to invest in itself...always clean, adding touches of new, like big screens. Even though the area has transformed itself, adding many new restaurants, the Prescott continues to pack them in, especially at lunch. Originally known for square pizza, the menu expanded to include a variety of traditional Italian dishes...now appearing to lead the charge with meatball platter, which is great! Above all else, it is a great social meeting place. read more

I've given the place 2 tries, on each occasion the service was excellent, but the food was mediocre at best. One reviewer compared the pizza to McCain s frozen pizza - I wish. I ordered a small pepperoni - the portion was ok but who cares - it was lack lustre in taste and there was very little in the way of cheese or pepperoni The place is clean and the service friendly, the beer selection is your typical Molson selection - no micro brews. I urge you to look elsewhere there are a lot of other options close at hand. read more

Best meatball sandwich by FAR is The Prescott on Preston Street in Ottawa's Little Italy section. Soooo good. Must try !!! Tell Phil or Karen (the manager & assistant managers respectively) that Mike R. sent you (same last name as their regular, Frenchie). They'll know who I am :) read more

Another Ottawa institution, the Prescott is a large beer hall with a dining room on one side. It's not fancy, a bit dingy actually, with dozens of tables with people guzzling pitchers of cheap draught beer. They've got music acts in frequently on the weekend. This was a favourite gathering-place for me and my mates when I lived here, though, for the food. I returned last week and found it as good as ever. There's a large menu of typical burgers, sandwiches, steaks, etc (their menu is on their web page). But there are two items that make me go weak in my high-fat knees: the meatball sandwich (two pieces of bread with meatballs between, with cheese and lots of bolognaise sauce over the whole thing) and the Dewie pizza (a square monstrosity loaded with pepperoni, green peppers, mushrooms, olives, bacon and onions). The artery-clogging puissance of these items is only exceeded by their popularity, and a lot of people get them for takeaway. read more

Five stars because this place was perfect for a large group made up of families with children. What was supposed to be an evening picnic, due to the rain, turned into meeting up here for pizza, drinks and the kids shared ice cream served in a large stove pot with giant spoons. It was a fun evening. The pizza is baked on huge square pans. Came in hungry, left happy and full. read more

This is my favourite restaurant in Ottawa. The prices are good, portions are generous and the staff are amazing...many servers have been working there for decades, which shows that management takes care of their staff. Try anything on their menu, particularly the meatballs! read more

The Prescott - a boy sitting at a table with food - American Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

As we all know they are famous for the ultimate meatball sandwich... But that's it. Waited over 45 after we ordered our food and watch 4 other tables get food first even though they came in afterwards. We then get to experience the salmon which was mediocre at best. The cake taker was the rice and ice cold veggies that ended up staying on the plate. read more

The Prescott - Dry, cold rice - American Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

I love the Prescott. The meatball sandwich is amazing. I only take the sandwich, I find that the platter is too much for me. You can also get meatballs to go. They make a good Father's Day present. :) read more

The Prescott is a local bar/restaurant which is loved by the locals. I find the food good but not great. The building and restaurant are very old and require an update. Everyone claims that it's the best meatball sandwich you'll ever have but I'm not a big fan of it. Their pizza is pretty good and the wait staff are great. read more

It's not fancy at all. It's like someplace you went to with your grandparents (if Grandpa belonged to beer-league curling). I only ever eat the pizza. It's pretty good, although some people are fanatical about it. I kinda like the square, crisp but medium-thick crust. I'm ambivalent about the cheese which is more creamy (think Kraft) than stringy like most mozzarella. Nevertheless, the place is friendly and a throwback to 1970s Canada. Dining room is cosy, tavern side is louder - you may be invited to join a bowling team. read more

We went here for an early lunch on a weekday as it was close to the park but recieved a less than mediocre experience. Please avoid the Famous Meatball Sandwich, its two slices of white bread with a meat patty inside covered in Brown sauce. Its bland but mine came with a moldy piece of bread (I noticed this after a couple bites as its mostly covered in sauce). The server was very apologetic and polite but insisted it was a fluke and the bread was fresh. We also ordered the pizza which is fairly good by my standards. They sell them for takeout which is probably a good option for a stay at home meal, but also probably means you shouldn't waste the premium eating it in store. Rustic, divey, down to earth environment with a very cheap menu. Not an awful experience but if they dont care to notice mold on a slice of bread it raises some questions. read more

The other reviews calling this "Blue Collar" is a code name for terrible. The square pizza was more like a casserole. THE Worst pizza I have had in my entire life, hands down. I ordered the pasta combination and I was shocked. It was like a Lean Cuisine TV dinner. The meat was a gray, flavorless, texture-less paste. The sauce was terrible and the cheese seemed fake or processed too. It was like they poured Chef Boyardee out of a can. I was staying in Ottawa for a short time and thought a pasta dinner in "Little Italy" would be great. I read these reviews and decided to go to The Prescott. I was so disappointed! I should have known though because it should have been a busy dinner rush and we were the ONLY table in the entire restaurant section. They never brought us water, the beer was from a can, the "bread" they gave me was SERIOUSLY a hot dog bun! The waitress laughed nervously every time she walked by as if she was embarrassed to have brought us that crap they are serving. All in all, I can't think of a dining experience I have had with a poorer quality of food. It was the worst aspect of my visit to that city. I am going to post a picture of my "bread", I was floored. It was almost like I was on a prank show! read more

The Prescott - YES, that is a stale hot dog bun served to me as bread with my pasta. (Notice how dirty the plate and table were, classy!) - American Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Another proper working class watering hole. The kind if place you go for a quart (or more) of beer and a good, inexpensive meal. I have been there for drinks a few times but went for lunch for the first time today. Their advertised specialty are meatball sandwiches, I had one and wasn't all that impressed, the meatballs were good, the sauce wasn't great, and it was made between two slices of supermarket white bread. Not exactly fine dining but it did the job for lunch. My co-worker had a chicken wrap with Salad, I had a bite and it was really tasty, while the square pizza's looked very tasty as well. Plus they have a good selection of beer, both on draught and in bottles. If you order a beer in a bottle, be warned, you WILL get a quart or equivalent large bottle unless you specify otherwise, so if you have to drive, or be productive at work, you should specify that you want a regular sized beer. The service is very good and friendly, there are some people who have been working there for a million years and are super friendly. I haven't had a bad experience in that regard. The decor is not that exciting, but that's not the point of the place, they have a large number of large TV's showing various sports channels while the tables and chairs are well, tables and chairs. You sit on the chairs and put your drinks and food on the tables, nothing fancy, nothing pretentious, nothing unnecessary. Overall, if you want a tasty, quick, inexpensive lunch accompanied by an inexpensive beer, this is one of the best places in Little Italy. Preston street has become a bit overrun by expensive Italian restaurants that are all kinda the same, so the Prescott is a refreshing change from that. read more

Really mediocre. We ordered the waiter's recommendation of meatball sandwich and pizza. The meatball sandwich was bolognese sauce on white bread and the pizza was about the caliber of McCain deep n delicious. To avoid. read more

The place seems a bit run-down. I know they're going for an old-timey pub feel, but it just comes off as more sad than rustic. Food was not great. Their giant meatball was really bland and the rest of the dish was unexciting. read more

If you want to try one place in Ottawa famous for its pizza, try the Prescott. Its crispy crust, and square slices taste best washed down a quart of beer, while watching Hockey Night in Canada on one of its many screens. The little restaurant beside the tavern has a decent menu and friendly service, and is a dependable stop too. read more

This place is a pub with your typical Italian-Canadian food (lasagna, alfredo, spaghetti etc). The decor is pretty boring, really boring actually. I've ordered a cheese pizza, a chicken alfredo and a linguini with tomato sauce from here... The pizza was nowhere near as good as they claim it is, I think it's made in a wood burning oven which I usually like the taste of but it was pretty bland. The alfredo was also really bland, chicken was tough and a little too black for my liking. For whatever reason the sauce on the linguini though was fantastic, it's one of the best vegetarian spaghetti sauces I've had, so that's why this gets a 3 and not a 2. read more

Toasted meatball with cheese, square Dewey pizza and a quart, doesn't get much better if you like a tavern type atmosphere...good spot on a Friday night. read more

What can I say! This place is an institution in little Italy in Ottawa. I've been going there for many years. The atmosphere and the food are great. Once again, what is it about square cut pizza!?!?!? That is one of the things the "P" is known for. read more

Came here tonight with two friends and 'Mark M' was our waiter. I wasn't too hungry so I ordered the breadsticks off the app menu. They came and were bland and wet with oil on the bottom and the sauce tasted like a mix of garlic and ranch. I ate 1 breadstick and my friend tried half of one. When the waiter came and asked how things were, I was nervous to say something as I feel weird about complaining about something at a restaurant. My friends said their meals were fine and he left. At the end of the meal he came with the bills and I said "I'm really sorry but I really didn't enjoy this." He told me there was nothing he could do and I missed my chance to say something when he checked up on us. I said "but I haven't eaten any of it" but he said that it was too late. When I went up to pay he told me that this was a "lesson I needed to learn." I think he needs to learn a lesson on how to handle a situation like that better. read more

This place has been around for ever- and for good reason! I went with a few friends this week on a sunny afternoon. The service was great, the food was good (the deep fried ice-cream is a must). What i liked most was that there was free live music! On a thursday afternoon! We sat out on the patio and got to listen to a wide range of music covers from bob marley to macy gray. It was an awesome evening all thanks to this cute little pub on Preston! read more

If you want to eat in a joint that hasn't changed much other that the TVs in the last 20 years this is the place for you. Why change a decor that works so well, it gives you that fine balance of charming old world bar with new technology upgrades. There are not too many pubs in Ottawa where you can get a hearty meal and a quart of beer for under 15 buck (20 with tip). The Service was excellent considering how packed the place was for a Friday. Bravo Prescott don't change a thing!!!! read more

Do NOT go to the Prescott to watch the World Cup, I dropped in assuming this would be a good place to watch Friday's Brazil / Columbia game. I was settled in at the bar and was enjoying the game when someone (clearly a friend of the bartender) asked to watch a baseball game. Sure enough the bar area started displaying baseball instead of the world cup. No one behind the bar checked with the rest of the crowd. Luckily - there are a lot of great futbol alternatives on Preston. Was surprised that the Prescott wasn't one of them. It's lost it's soul. read more

This was by far the worst dining experience I have had! I went with a group of 10 people where most ate from the party pizza so it should not have been very difficult to add two other orders with the pizza. I ordered the special roast beef with mashed potato. How difficult could that be? They came with the food and I was given chicken! I did not touch it and gave it back explaining my order again. Then nothing, I was forced to ask about my roast beef when most of the group were finished eating. I was told it will be out in a minute. I then got some beef sandwich smothered in cheese and French fries- really you could not even get the mashed potatoes correct! The the snooty server tells me the roast beef special was for another day and they do not have it. He could not have had more attitude if he tried stating someone forgot to erase the special from yesterday! News flash YOU are the server, YOU should know the specials. I cancelled all food as everyone was finished eating. Still hungry and mad! Will never go back and would not recommend to place to anyone!!! read more

Pub style do i wouldn't bring my kids but the meatball sub is to die for. Good for groups. Service is ok.