The Short Version: Awesome Happy Hour deals and Daily Specials. They have boozy slushies! Lol. The Long Version: My husband and I came to The Standard for their Happy Hour on a Tuesday. Their Happy Hour is 5pm-7pm everyday. And they have daily specials as well that are all day long. On Tuesdays they have their 5 pieces of buttermilk chicken tenders with fries for $12 so we got that. We also got the Birria Tacos from their Happy Hour menu for $12. My husband got a Stay Gold IPA ($7) and I got a Spicy Mango Boozy Slushie ($7) both drinks from their Happy Hour menu. Their Spicy Mango Slushie was interesting, lol. I was open to giving it a try and I have no regrets but I don't think I'd order it again. I don't think I like spicy drinks. Haha. My husband's comment about his IPA is that it was "very hoppy." The Birria Tacos were filled with shredded beef and raw onions, but they were a little on the dry side, even dipped in the consommé. And the meat was a bit gamey tasting to me. The tacos were also on the small side. Not bad for Happy Hour prices though. The chicken tenders and fries were a much better deal. The chicken tenders were delicious. They were each a good size and were made of real chicken breast meat. They were moist and tender on the inside and crunchy on the outside. These were made in-house and not frozen mass-produced chicken tenders. The fries were crispy, regular cut and had the skins on. I enjoyed them, but they weren't remarkable like the chicken tenders were. Service was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. Ambiance is typical pub. There's a bar with TVs, regular tables and booths. We sat at a booth. Washrooms are downstairs and the lighting down there is dim and some of the lights are red. I found it a bit creepy. I would return to try other Happy Hour items and also check out the Daily Specials for other days. Street parking only. Review 194 (2025) read more

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Happy Hour is here! My crew and I spent a few hours here after one of the big snowstorms of February, and we were pleasantly surprised with the cozy booths that welcomed us, along with the hospitality from the team. Each of us ordered some special-priced drinks right away. I let the server choose mine since I always struggle with big menus. She hit the mark perfectly, and, being hungry, we also decided to get some vegan nachos. They were the perfect size for sharing, and a great treat before dinner later. The musical ambiance was nice, and it reminded me of my university years in Ottawa when we might find ourselves here on a weeknight when DJs would play every day, and dancing was constant. Since COVID, they have moved DJs and dancing to weekends only. A sad, but normal change, for the current university folks. We enjoyed our time and our server. Shout out to her (I forget her name but she was from Coburg?) and her funny jokes and great vibes. My only feedback is that getting coat hooks or a big entry coat area would be amazing for winter. Our gear was very tight in our booth. read more

Incredible again!! Every time I go to Standard I'm shocked about their gluten free menu! So many options they are celiac friendly. This time I found out the chicken bites are with corn starch and zero flour. Plus my server helped us find non dairy options for my friend as she's highly allergic to dairy. 20/10 service. Always so kind and nice towards my insane allergy list. And refreshing air conditioning inside. Great inside and out. read more

The Standard - Chicken bites & Deep Dish Pizza. - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

Went early this morning. 1200 Jan 18 for a friend's birthday. While there it was packed. No space customers arguing with each other pudding and pulling. Friend was surrounded by a man who she did not know and drugged her with gamma. Please be careful and avoid this place when busy as security is not good here. Spend the past 7 hours in the hospital as she passed out right in front of her house. read more

Me Muvver always said "If you ain't got nuthin good to say, say nuthin at all". The aforementioned is why this is my first poor review and most likely my last - I only promote the positive. I let others determine if their experience was as bad a one I may have... Arrived to join a large group. Worth pointing out that usually when an establishment accepts such (large group) a 'Res' they schedule the apros pro number of Servers. I know they can get upset when more people show up than reserved for so in theory... Yes I was upset that the service was sub-par as there were more than one large gatherings. However, I was willing to overlook as it was a hit and miss (depending on when one arrived and where they were sat). Ordered off the day's 'special' (impetus for this review) menu. I had the lime Margurita and chicken nachos. As mentioned it took awhile for everyone to order and receive their selections. The drinks were really good. Especially as the person who ordered the 'Pineapple Margurita' was told that there was 2oz of tequila in the drink! For $8? That's rare these days. Special or not! I ordered two of the Lime myself. The Nachos were average (Bland). I can make better at home. However, not as bad as some places where they just bury them in ingredients and cheese. For $15 ($10 + $5 for chicken) not terrible. Just needed some seasoning. So why the 3 stars? It was a special menu that I ordered from. Would those items not show up with the 'special' price automatically? If not, would the person entering the items not see a trend? Why is everyone ordering the same? Is there are special on? Regardless, when I received the bill for the Nachos and two Lime Margurita's, I paid with 18% tip. Then it hit me that the amount appeared rather high for 2 x $8 + $15 + tax + 18%. That was when I saw full price was charged for drinks. So I ask for review - which is still not the impetus (wait for it). "Oh I'm so sorry. Not sure how that happened". A few moments later... "Do you mind if I give you the difference in cash?" "No not at all". I am promptly given $8.50. So if it is not an IT error. If it is not that the person did not know the day's special. Then it is a lack of math skills or training. Cain't think of anything else. Not only did I not get a pleasant (o.k the drinks were good) experience [while visiting The Standard] but I was short-changed on my refund - (2 x $14 + $15 + tax +18%) - (2 x $8 + $15 + tax + 18%) surely comes out to more than $8.50 in cash n'est-ce pas? read more

If I could give this place a 0 star, I would. I would not recommend this place. Avoid it at all costs! Terrible food! Horrible and rude service as well read more

Awesome spot. Highly recommend the Farmers Daughter...a local brew on the lighter more aromatic side. I was immensely surprised by the sweet potato fries I ordered with the burger. Crispiest and tastiest sweet potato fries I've had ever, anywhere. Burger was good. DJ spinning contemporary tracks after 10pm. Check it out and remember to check in! read more

Tuesday nights mean cheap martinis and appetizer deals! I had a great time at the Standard exploring their martini menu, and sampling tacos and nachos all night long. There was a DJ spinning for the evening, but I really appreciated that the music was not too loud, so that out group could carry on a very enjoyable conversation. The waitress was lovely and very prompt to offer New drinks and remove our finished dishes. We stayed for probably about 4-5 hours, but the night passed quickly and joyfully. It was very quiet there though, so I really hope this deal continues! Looking forward to returning! read more

A casual dining restaurant and bar in the evening, which then turns into a pretty grungy club at night. We arrived at midnight to an $8 cover that included cost check, and made our way around the island bar. The place can get super packed, but everyone was having a good time and the music was nice and loud. Bottle service available...but that has always puzzled me in a place like this. If you weren't getting bottle service, you would still be fighting for the same tables... All in all, probably cheaper than heading into the market, and faster to get out of Elgin at the end of the night. Big plus for me read more

I went to the Standard for the first time last night. It really packed when we arrived at about 7:30, and stayed that way throughout the night, with people in their late 20s to early 30s. The restaurant was dimly lit with music playing in the background. The lights got dimmer and the music got louder at about 10. We were told that it was about half an hour wait, but we had a lot of time to kill, so we didn't mind when they sat us at the bar until a table for two opened up. We were given two menus, one for food and one for drinks. It took me a little while to go through the drink menu because I'm just indecisive like that, but the bartender was really patient and he looked pretty busy serving other people, anyway, so we were definitely in no rush. My boyfriend ordered Keith's, and I decided on their Rossini, strawberry puree with champagne. Their cocktails and most of the other drinks all cost about $8.50 or so. This one came in a small champagne glass, and I didn't really taste the strawberry until the end, since it was sitting at the bottom, but it was good. When a table was free, a host came up to us at the bar, took our menus and drinks, and brought them over to the table for us. After a few minutes, our waitress by and asked us if we were ready, but since we were pretty deep into conversation, we hadn't even looked at the menu. After a few more minutes, she came back, and we ordered the Standard Sampler and the Burger Deluxe. Instead of a regular meal, I wanted a little more variety, and the Standard Sampler had calamari, tempura shrimp, and the Standard Roll. The calamari was my favorite - manageable, bite-sized pieces, and fried, but I couldn't taste the "5-spice" and I had to ask for lemon on the side, since it didn't come with any. The tempura shrimp was just more like deep fried mini shrimp skewers, didn't particularly like them or dislike them, but I was hoping for more of a creative sauce than just regular cocktail sauce. The Standard Rolls were pretty gross. They came with soy sauce, wasabi, and ginger - thank God, because they were basically just warm rice in big rolls that were deep fried and fell apart. They were supposed to have shrimp in them, but I'm pretty sure it was imitation crab meat, and hardly any for that matter, and definitely no avocado like it was supposed to. My boyfriend substituted a beef patty for chicken breast with sweet potato fries. The burger was basically a poutine, with cheese curds and gravy, which made it incredibly messy, but tasty. The fries came with this chipotle mayo dipping sauce, which was really good, and I even stole some from his plate to eat with my tempura shrimp. While waiting for a friend to arrive, we asked for some water, which came in a cool glass bottle to share, and my boyfriend ordered a couple more beers, while I tried the "Gin & Sin". It had passion fruit juice, tonic, and some cranberries. I asked the waitress for something that didn't taste like alcohol and didn't have vodka, and this drink was a fantastic suggestion. Our bill came to about $90 with tax plus tip, and we were there for a really long time, about 3 hours, without being bothered or feeling pressured to leave. The service was really great, fast and friendly, from the bartender, to the host, to the waitress, to the bus boy. Some friends at another table, however, didn't seem to receive the same courtesy. They were moved to three different tables, before they even received their drinks, and while they were drinking them. Oh! And their washrooms have the Dyson Airblade antibacterial, 12-second, energy efficient hand dryer - bonus points! I'll definitely be back! read more

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I came to The Standard last night to celebrate my best friend's upcoming nuptials and had the best time. Our reservation was for 12 people at 7:30, and we got there just after 7 and they sat us right away - love. Our waitress was awesome - super bubbly and funny and ended up photobombing a bunch of our pictures. I really like the atmosphere here - large open windows, comfy leather booths and dark wood and a huge bar. It wasn't uncomfortably packed, but definitely busy for a Monday. One of the best things about this place is that they have amazing deals every day of the week. We strategically went on a Monday for "Muddled Mondays" - $5 mojitos and half price appetizers. My first mojito (a champagne mojito), was a little too strong, so I passed it off to the bride. My second (pineapple mojito!) was absolutely delicious. We ordered a bunch of apps - the standard role (which I actually enjoyed - just don't expect sushi-quality), calamari, fries, quesadillas (spicy!), and nachos. I actually enjoyed everything, but the calamari was my favourite. Our server was pretty good with keeping us with us, especially because the place was pretty busy. Towards the end of our evening we did end up having to wait quite awhile or for our last round and the bill, but overall she was pretty great. This place was wonderful for drinks and apps, but I'll have to go back to check out what their dinner is like. I absolutely recommend The Standard for a girls night out, (or guys night out...we saw quite a bit of that!) or for drinks and apps. Check out their nightly specials - it seems there's something for everyone :) read more

The Standard - a man sitting at a table in a restaurant - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

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Had a terrible experience at Standard this past weekend. I paid $8 cover only to get kicked out less than 5 minutes later for being "too high". I hadn't smoked at all. I simply walked to the washroom upon entering and walked back to my friends before they surrounded me and asked me to leave. I understand that it is their right to refuse entry to me if they so choose, but if the bouncer decides to let me in and pay $8 cover then I don't think it's fair to kick me out less than 5 minutes later. They wouldn't give me my $8 cover back even after I had explained everything. Luckily my friends were nice enough to all immediately leave with me, but a few of them had bought drinks inside and had to down them before we left. The whole experience soured my friend's birthday night, we will never be returning. I don't know why anyone would ever come here anyway, the Lieutenant's Pump is directly across the street. There is no cover there, and they are far more friendly. My friends and I spent the whole night there with no issues at all. read more

My friend aNd I came here today for brunch around 10:00. We had a lovely time. It wasn't busy at all and the service was just perfect. I had the breakfast club, which came with two eggs and bacon on a croissant. (You had me at croissant!) and my friend had the waffle. The waffle wasn't too big; my friend was pleased with the size, and said it was nice and fluffy. It came garnished with melon and blueberries. My croissant sandwich was glorious. I ate most of it with a knife and fork as it was too delicate and big to pick up. The server made a special pot of decaf coffee just for my friend. We had a cozy booth to ourselves and finished up just as the place was starting to fill up at 11:00. read more

Ive only ever came here after midnight so my review will reflect that This place is bumping. But small as heck do if you aren't into dancing beside and in between / even occasionally on the tables this place isn't for you. I however am totally into that music is bomb here read more

Had Sunday brunch here for the first time. The food was incredible. We all ordered different dishes and everything was fantastic. Poutine for the winnnnn! read more

At first glance, it's hard to know what The Standard is all about. It almost looks like Maxwell's down the street, but once you go in and sit down you'll see that it is a a quality restaurant and bar that still falls on the casual side of the fence. There is a good size bar, and enough tables to make group gatherings a good idea. With pitchers and other deals you can go wrong with The Standard for a few drinks with friends. A lot of the beer options are local, but they could use a couple of other options on the menu. The food is very good bar food - think Gastropub without the pretentious undertones. They have an amazing poutine spin-off that involves bacon that is as good as it sounds. The pizza's are thin and yummy. The burgers are bang on. All-in-all, this is a good option to consider while on Bank Street. read more

I can't really speak much about the food since I haven't eaten here yet, but I can speak to having a drink (or 4) with some friends here on a Tuesday night. Yes, I do realize this might not be applicable to most people... So The Standard has wicked specials every day and I think it's only worth going when these are in effect (otherwise it would be too expensive). When we went here last Tuesday, miniburgers were $2.50, jagerbombs were $4 and house martinis/bar rail was $5. I only had the martinis and they are quite sweet, but they also contained 2.5oz of alcohol, so I wasn't complaining. We were seated at a booth and both the waitress and the bartender were really nice to us (maybe because it was a community-type event that we were hosting there). It wasn't too busy, so our waitress was very attentive (she'd be there at the last drop to ask us if we wanted more). On top of that the atmosphere was pleasant and the music was decent. My only big peeve is perhaps the mirrors in the women's washroom. Seriously. What is up with that? Floor-length mirrors inside the stall and right beside the toilet... I'm not certain about other women, but I sure don't fancy looking at myself as I go about my business. Rather creepy actually... read more

I went to Standard to celebrate someones birthday with a large group of friends and it was my second time there. My first visit to Standard was a little unfair to provide a review on because of how little time I spent there and not being able to experience the whole bar and atmosphere. Standard is a one floor bar/restaurant on Elgin street and is magnificent and beautiful in terms of the ambiance and atmosphere. There are tables everywhere and a small bar area where there is also a very, very small dancefloor area. Pros: Great food, AMAZING music (great DJ's almost every night), service is phenominal, plenty of seating area, great place to expereince new and cool things in the city if you are sick of the normal Pub101 type venue. Cons: Insanely busy at 11 so your table will no doubt become overwhelmed by drunk people who will crowd you which is more of a result from the floorplan which I have a massive problem with. For a bar with no dancefloor they sure do blast the music like every other place in the city, I would love to one day find a bar in the city that doesnt feel the need to blast the music as soon as 11 hits so that people can enjoy the music and still have a conversation. Terrible placement of the bar so close to the tables but there are a ton of spacing issues at the bar. read more

SAY WHAT NOW??!! The Standard is on Elgin. Ooh fancy. They seem to think they are the business, but they are no where near it I'm afraid. $6 at the DOOR. It's fine at 11pm, it's not funny at 9pm. Please take a seat STAN. You have a working cash only bar and you need a door cover pour un resto-lounge? And why 6 bucks? Why are you making us break bills though? Ask for 5. Hell, ask for $10! You ask for $6 and I'm ultra-aware of your attempt to walk away with (drunk) people's change. The bar is an ISSUE. You can't order here. You can't line up there. You can't swipe a card. You can't get drinks sent to the table. It's like THE HUNGER GAMES to get juiced over here! The bartenders are hella rude sometimes, but there are a few good ones. The DJ needs to wake up and invest in a home internet connection. We all love old school but at this point it's not even deliberate. When you throw on a track that's not old and not new, again and again, and never any that are fresh, we know you are just not on top of your game. All this to say this is no dive, you can have an ok time at the Standard, but it's really nothing special. Pretty sure we've all experienced way better. Never had the food so can't comment on that, only on the night life. I RECOMMEND: the B52 shot if you have a sweet tooth like me. Don't ask, just swig. You'll thank me later. EXTRA TIP: New lounge next door opened and they aim to please. Might check them out next time. read more

The Standard is a hip spot with an eclectic crowd on Elgin St. - every demographic was handled by the attractive bartenders - they were quite entertaining to converse with as well. All in all, a fun place to do happy hour or meet friends for drinks/food - diverse menu serves up some cool ideas, Go try, worst thing that happens is you have a couple cocktails on a cool block and go somewhere else after. read more

Stopped by impulsively last weekend for drinks and an appetizer with my boyfriend. We ended up sharing a plate of nachos. They were good, but the guacamole we paid extra for had hugeee chunks of barely pureed avocado in it (to the point chips would break when we'd try to dip them in). Service was friendly and prompt. Also, for some reason they do not accept Interac/debit payments, but only credit and cash. read more

Good atmosphere, staff. Brunch menu was varied and interesting. Food was cold, dry, tasteless and disappointing. Coffee was awful. read more

I thoroughly enjoy this place. The bartenders, Ian in particular, is always attentive and provides great service. The atmosphere is neat - a great place to lounge and enjoy drinks with friends. A great surprise is that the food is also really good and fairly priced - you've got to try the pizza. An added bonus is the drink specials - jack and jäger are often on sale for $4 - and there are always DJs at night that have a good handle for what they're doing. read more

The Standard is a great space of booths, bar and tables There are daily deals and the occasional DJ appearance after 10 PM. On a Thursday night, the place filled up gradually but wow, it really did fill up! My friend and I took advantage of the 5$ cosmopolitan deal. They have the classic as well as some more adventurous flavours. For example, I ordered the passionfruit cosmopolitan. It was yummy. But it felt kind of weird to get a martini glass with over an inch of free space on top. Almost like someone took a huge gulp but actually they just didn't fill it up. We ordered the Standard fries, a duo of regular and sweet potato fries. So good! They were piping hot and crispy. On the side were little bowls of ketchup and spicy mayo. But I really liked this spicy mayo in particular as it tasted like something you would get in a sushi restaurant. We also shared some sangria. It was a little disappointing with way too much ice in the glass and no fruit in the pitcher itself, just a few cranberries floating around. But if you utilize the orange, lemon and lime slices you can squeeze out some good flavours. Good service, cool DJ, good munchies, and an even better looking menu. Very excited to return to this fun spot on Elgin. read more

I used to be a big fan of The Standard - the pub food tasted homemade, the drinks - while pricy - were unique and fun, and the vibe (especially on weekend nights) was generally fantastic. The last few times I've been, though... Not so impressive. The service, while friendly enough, has been consistently inconsistent (see what I did there?) and the food and drinks have dropped a few notches, in my opinion. It's just... lost its flair and become another bland Ottawa pub. But take this with a grain of salt; I may also be overly disappointed to lose a favourite hangout. Still a step above Maxwell's. And with fewer cougars. read more

Came by The Standard to escape the construction outside my apartment and grab a drink and some food. Their drink selection is pretty great. I especially liked that a 1/2 litre of sangria was available. There was nothing particularly unique about the food menu, but I did like that they strive for sustainable and smartly sourced foods. The food itself was well prepared and tasted good. The atmosphere at this place was great. The windows were open and the air was flowing, so even though it was a muggy day I still felt comfortable. I also liked that the sun wasn't shining directly on us, through the open windows that is. They have comfortable-big, long booths. I really liked the rustic style of the tables. Favourite thing: they leave a chilled bottle of water at your table. Always having water is awesome! Also, the bottle was kinda nifty and I sorta wanted to slip it into my purse (but didn't). read more

The Standard was formerly Mash on Elgin Street. It's got pretty decor, a good menu, and a solid collection of drinks. The sweet potato fries were excellent, and everyone who ate a proper meal cleaned their plate. However, the toppings on the nachos were a little skimpy, and the hot wings don't come with Blue Cheese or Ranch...that's unheard of! I had the Mango as well as the Blood Orange Cosmo, and the PassionFruit was also a big hit at my table. Thursday nights all Cosmos are $5, but there's great specials every night. If you're gonna get appetizers, go before 6pm when they're half price! Extra points for having the full menu, drink list, and promotions listed online. You can also make online reservations! read more

For starters, the inside is quite nicely decorated and the booths are very comfortable. But what I absolutely love about this place is their rich selection of drinks. They offer much more than just the typical domestic and imported beers at other restaurants. They offer a lot of locally brewed beers which are often on sale too. $14.00 pitchers of Kitchesippi on Wednesdays!! They also offer a large variety of shots and they are so delicious! Highly recommend the Apple Pie! Food is also pretty good, not to mention that some appetizers are $6.00 until 6 PM!!! (Nachos are delicious and filling!). My only complaint with this place is that the patio they have outside is so small and the seating is rather uncomfortable as a result. My knees were hitting my friend across the table because there is such little room. read more

Only been here once, but I think this might be one of the best restaurants in Ottawa, and certainly the best diner. Certainly beats Elgin Street, Zaks, Dunns, and a half dozen others I've been to. Had an amazing breakfast here. Had the Heavy Head, and thought every part of it was delicious, amazing and impressive. The salad was tasty enough I ate every bit of it, the pancakes had all real maple syrup, and best of all the potatoes were sublime. Not just delicious but remarkable. Service great, and you can tell they are making a really sincere effort there. I didnt have any, but I was very tempted by what seemed like quality drinks and their 79$ Veuve Cliquot and 5$ Mimosas, I was entertained by their calling a Bloody Caesar, the "Breakfast of Champions" Stands out not only on Elgin street, but in Ottawa as a whole. read more

Dropped in after a less-than-stellar meal elsewhere and the standard saved the night. The cocktails were excellent, notably the old fashioned and gin drinks, and enjoyed the vibe and the clientele. Had a snack of chips and dips to go with the bevvies, which hit the spot. Have had brunch in the past and when they open the windows in the summer it's hard to beat. read more

The Standard - Drinks at The Standard - Bars Near Me - Ottawa, Ontario

We had brunch. Service was friendly but slow. We had omelette and eggs Benedict. Both were not hot and not enough ingredients in them. Wouldn't recommended. read more

The Standard is a step above a dive bar. I have NOTHING against dive bars in fact they're better than most "new/hip" places that try too hard to the place to be. My wife and I were visiting Ottawa and needed a place to eat/drink and watch playoff hockey. We checked out several places on Elgin Street, and immediately liked the vibe coming from The Standard. The menu selection was interesting as well. We sat at the bar and had a good view of their TV's. They're on the small side, but the bar is small so wouldn't make sense to cram in huge TV's. The bartenders were all nice and attentive. There were three that night and all three checked up on us. We had quick conversation with one of them regarding Canadian winters. No one complained when we cheered or booed during the game. I literally elbowed and later bumped into one of their security staff. I apologized both times and he actually apologized for being in my way. Food - My wife ordered a salad (blame eating too much poutine) which she enjoyed. I ordered the southern fried chicken sandwich. Being an American from a state considered in the South I wanted to try their take on this American food. It was good, but not deep fried, heavy battered, heart clogging like real Southern fried chicken. I give it a 7-10 or a "nice try and thanks for not trying to give me a heart attack. " Drinks - It's alcohol. Pick your poison and enjoy. I believe they offer bottle service. We weren't there late enough for that. We overheard some of the patrons at the bar and they're from other bars/restaurants in the area. That's a good sign when industry folks show up to your spot. Go here! Everyone is friendly, food is good, alcohol is alcohol. Tip well. read more

Fun place to go, but the mirrors in the women washroom. i'm pretty sure those are two way mirrors. if you do the finger test on the mirrors your finger and the reflection touch (meaning its a two way), also the mirror is obviously set into the wall (http://www.wikihow.com/Tell-if-a-Mirror-Is-Two-Way-or-Not) Its been a while since i've gone so feel free to correct me but the womens bathroom is very sketchy. read more

Went for Sunday brunch and had terrible service. Wait staff forgot about us. After 20 minutes we left as we had still not received our drinks.Would not recommend. read more

The sunday brunch experience was a very poor one. The service was very slow, nobody seemed to be working very hard. After waiting for food(and watching the staff have conversations together and constantly check their cell phones) our meals were incomplete, cold/stale, and under portioned. Also, some of the dishes were dirty when served to us. Eggs don't take 40 minutes to cook, especially when the place isn't even half full. Given the price and decor, it didn't meet 'the standard' of other brunch serving restaurants. It's better to wait in line for 20 minutes at any of the other busy places on Elgin. read more

Decent food, good drinks and a warm and cozy environment makes for a very popular restaurant on a Saturday night. We were fortunate to score seats for our party of four even though we were asked at the door if we had reservations. Seated at a comfy booth, the boisterous party across from our table was having a raucous birthday celebration. It was all in good cheer but we could barely hear above the din. No matter. Our drinks and food were fine and service was efficient. Think I may go back for the Tuesday $5 martini special. Yes, they have specials every night (with the exception of Saturdays.) read more

Love this place. Good vibe and good music. It's a bar not a club, so there's no dance floor which I really like. It's an older more mature but very fun crowd. Did I mention how amazing the music is? They also have this really cool drink they serve in a pineapple. This is my favourite bar in Ottawa. read more

I'm afraid I can't comment on the food, as we left after waiting for an hour and a half for a veggie burger and a dessert which never came. Our server offered us a drink at the beginning then never returned, except when I got her attention to ask what the status of our food was. "5 minutes" was the only response, without apology, and we left after waiting another twenty. The place was maybe a third full, so we couldn't blame that. Apparently the food is good, but nothing is worth that kind of wait and that kind of service. read more

Should be called the Substandard! The food here is poor and terrible value. I had the seafood sample appetizer plate. The 5 spice calamari was bland. The shrimp skewers were fine, but nothing special. But sushi was made with mostly rice and was fried. The whole thing was just terribly underwhelming. You might as well take $20 and burn it, and then use the extra tax and tip money to buy yourself a sandwich. My dining companions also thought the steak was a cheap cut and poorly cooked. It didn't even come with any real sides to speak of. Their chips were nice & others enjoyed their burgers. To be fair, they make a mean Cosmo! I don't know why restaurants in this city think they can charge a small fortune for crappy fried appetizers. The Substandard's french fries were $8!! Come on. There's a lot better out there. read more

Horrible horrible service, I live close by and end up going just because they have cheap apps. No waitress/waiter is ever friendly, they hardly ever come by and see how things are, if you need more drinks, etc. I have to always get up and ask for things because they literally never come by the tables. I've never been there when it was packed. I ordered a pizza and pint one night (their special) and I was with only one other person. We literally waited over an hour for our pizza, after asking the waitress probably 4 times where our food was. she kept saying it was coming. This place literally sucks for service, the food is alright. read more