The best spots to eat are always the ones you just stumble upon when traveling. That's how we found ourselves enjoying an incredible meal at The Swan at Carp. Originally constructed as a Presbyterian manse in 1902 and later converted to a pub, the Swan was reborn in 2000 by the current owners, both of who. Are professionally trained chefs. The ambiance is warm with an eclectic decor and a healthy dash of history. The staff are delightful and attentive. We enjoyed the Sweet and Spicy Wonton soup as a starter followed by two incredible entrees. The crispy and savoury Korean Fried Chicken was an amazing dish full of flavour and just enough spice to keep your tastebuds excited for the next bite. The second entree was perfectly prepared Pork Schnitzel which was enhanced by an amazing lemon cream sauce. To end things off we ordered the Maple Crème Brûlée, a smooth creamy dessert with a nice maple finish. The Signature Chocolate Supreme Cake was perfectly moist, light and delectable. Everything we ate was made in house, by the owners who have taken great care to put together a menu to meet everyone's desires. The portions were very generous and the service was top notch. read more

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This place has a lot of Korean dishes for some reason. They get 3.5 stars. Soup of the Day was chicken gumbo which was decent. Crab cakes were ok. They were cut with a lot of filler but were crispy & tasty enough. Korean fried chicken was decent. The chicken was slightly over-sauced & was really boneless bites - Korean fried chicken is supposed to be bone-in. The fries were pretty good: they were lightly spiced. The duck was pretty good - crispy & pretty tasty. The root vegetable mash was good. read more

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A group of three of us were in Kanata looking for an interesting place to eat on a rainy weekday night. The Swan at Carp? Sure, why not. The Swan isn't really a place you go to on a whim unless you're a local or someone recommends it but it's worth the trip. The staff is friendly and the food is surprisingly good. But don't call it a gastropub -- our server shook her head disapprovingly. I also hadn't expected the Korean influenced menu -- we are in Carp, right? Sweet and Spicy Korean Fried Chicken: I'm a big fan of KFC (not the chain) and this version is solid. A tad sweeter than I like. It came with fries which could have used another minute or two in the fryer. Korean BBQ Pulled Pork: Nice kick of garlic, red peppers, and ginger sets off the the brown sugar. We ate it all -- otherwise I wanted some of this to go. Bi Bim Bop: A rice bowl with veggies and a fried egg. We went with chicken which was tender but could have used a little more spice. There is a good selection of local brews and a full bar. The next time I find myself in Kanata, I might drag my group to The Swan. read more

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This is a great place to stop at for dinner if you go to the Diefenbunker museum during the day and go back again for the escape room like we did. The pub is so cute and cozy. The atmosphere is relaxed and seems like a place for locals. Our server was really warm and friendly. They had a lot of dinner options but I opted for the goat cheese salad and added the chicken brochette. The salad was so big I probably didn't need to add the chicken since my SO had to help me finish it. They have their dessert in a fridge near the dining area so you can see what's available. I got a strawberry Bailey's truffle for dessert which was delicious! read more

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The Swan is suffering an inglorious death I am afraid. New owners and they know nothing about running a pub. Food quality has declined significantly to the point my meal was barely edible. Long gone is the great selection of British ales and lagers as well. So sad to see. I won't be back. read more

The Swan at Carp is a very cool restaurant that used to be a manse/parsonage. Decor is very eclectic and I love it's quirky charm. My husband and I took my father-in-law there for dinner recently and we all enjoyed it. I had the Salmon and Salmon ($18.95) which was a salmon filet wrapped in smoked salmon. It was topped with mango salsa, and served on top of a bed of Burmese fried rice. It tasted as good as it sounds. Now something that surprised me somewhat was that the rice was really spicy. I liked it, but wasn't expecting it. Just a note if your spice tolerance is low. The rice had carrots and julienned potatoes in it, so the texture was interesting. The salmon was great and the portion size was large. The salmon was heavily peppered, which I didn't mind, but it added to the spiciness of the dish. The sweetness of the mango contrasted the spiciness nicely though. I loved that my meal was really hot in temperature and I'm not sure how they did it but it stayed hot until I finished it. I love my food piping hot, so I was a happy camper. I really liked this dish and I would order it again. My husband had the Chicken and Brie Pot Pie with a Caesar salad ($16.95). He really enjoyed his dish too and also commented that it was thermodynamically hot. His Caesar salad had real pieces of bacon in it and the largest croutons I've ever seen in a salad, lol. My father-in-law got the Half Rack of Ribs ($16.95) which usually comes with sweet potato fries, but he opted for regular fries, and also a choice of salad (he chose a garden salad instead of a Caesar salad). The garden salad was full of vegetables! It contained mixed greens, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, carrots, onions, mushrooms, and even a piece of artichoke! The dressing automatically came on the side. My father-in-law commented that the sauce on the ribs had a spicy kick. The fries were ok but a bit mealy. For dessert, my husband and I shared the Hazelnut Chocolate Crunch Cake ($6.95) and my father-in-law had the Marzipan Chocolate Log ($5.95). The cake was delicious. It was chock-full of hazelnuts and wasn't too sweet. The log was a bit on the hard side. My father-in-law had some difficulty cutting it up to eat. I got to sample a piece and it too was very tasty. Service was friendly and competent, although there was only one server for the entire restaurant when we were there on a Sunday evening. There is free parking behind the restaurant but you have to drive up a hill to get there. The driveway is only one car width so if you're going up and someone else is coming down, someone has to back up. Not ideal. There's also no barrier or railing, so if it's slippery and you skid, you might end up in the ditch among the trees by the side of the hill. The parking situation and location is the only thing I don't like about this restaurant. I learned of this place about 2 years ago during the Ottawa International Animation Festival. I had won an AnimaPass, which included a picnic for pass holders only (in addition to unlimited film screenings). So this picnic was pretty much just industry people and hardcore animation fans who were willing to shell out $235 for a pass. I watch the occasional Family Guy and American Dad episode, but I was essentially out of my element at this festival. Anyway, I wasn't about to pass up on free food, so I went to the picnic. There I met several animators, and inevitably with me the conversation always comes back to food. This one animator (his name was Ruskin) told me that his favourite restaurant in all of the NCR (National Capital Region) was The Swan at Carp. I filed this away in my head, but wasn't sure when I'd make it out there because it's pretty deep into the boonies for this city girl. Well, I finally made it there, and I'm glad that I did. So thank you Ruskin, wherever you are (and I hope you are still rocking the animation world). read more

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What a fantastic place with very friendly staff. We were a large group of 20ish across the street for an equestrian event all weekend. We googled and the swan came up. We made the call to see if they could take our group is a short time and they said no problem come on down. The service was impeccable. We arrived at 6:00 and most of us were starting to eating at 6:30. The service was extremely fast and the food was delicious and steaming hot. I myself had spicy Salmon sushi and the Korean BBQ Chicken which was excellent and at a fair price and my wife had a burger which she said was fantastic. Everyone in the group found something they liked and loved it. The portion sizes were on point as well. The pre teens really liked the kids menu, it was a kids book and was neat and different. We will most definitely be back to this location if we're in the area again. Keep up the Great work Swan Staff. read more

Charming old house has been converted into a lovely restaurant. Wait staff was very friendly and attentive. Casual atmosphere, we went in on a Sunday evening and it wasn't overly busy. Ordered the Duck and it was delicious. My wife got the grilled chicken wrap and she loved it, lots of delicious creamy guacamole just how she likes it. It was our first visit but definitely won't be our last! read more

My son and I were heading out for an evening drive. Hunger pains had us consider what was good at a good price. The Swan was the right choice. Local and very welcoming, with everything home made with a passion for quality. We need more places like this. Korean BBQ beef, Greek Burger were both excellent. Ribs were sweet an smoked to perfection. Home made truffles. Priceless. read more

The Swan at Carp - Great old school bar. Nice selection. Dunkel Weissbier a nice touch to the Korean Beef BBQ - Gastropubs Near Me - Carp, Ontario

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Very good restaurant. Small town hidden gem. Highly recommend to everyone. I've never had a bad meal there. It's too bad it's so tucked away. read more

As always, I hesitate to criticize a place that has positive aspects but failed on the night I visited, but that seems to be the case here. It's quaint, rustic, pub-like, and this atmosphere suits many, so no problem there. I ordered clam chowder and lobster/shrimp/crab cakes. Before they arrived, one of us noticed the water glass was dirty. With an apology (my wet fingers did that) the server replaced the glass. My water had little "bits" floating in it, so I just abandoned the idea of water. The flavours in both plates were excellent. The chowder creamy and delicious, lots of cream and/or butter. Pieces of clam were rare, however. It was curiously served as a small puddle in a very large bowl. This made it appear like a tiny portion, although I suspect it was "mug" size, around 10 oz. It was nice and hot. The ... cakes... also had a good flavour. I could taste shrimp primarily. It was made by combining all the ingredients, which were very finely processed, into a thick batter, then formed into a fist-size lump, and deep fried. No chunks of anything here. It wasn't breaded and fried. But taste was OK. I get the sense that the chef knows his art, it's just that something in the service or textures didn't get the same attention as the flavours. A local country music station played over a fairly tinny speaker, but, again, some will like that. Be careful on the front steps, which are very steep. They wobbled visibly as we left. Suggest a potential hazard here should be fixed for everyone's sake.. read more

Incredible lilttle place hidden in the Ottawa Valley. Purchased a few years ago my a husband and wife team of Cordon Blue trainned chefs, they took a nice little country pub and raised it to the next few levels. The menu is a mix a the traditional pub fare and some really interesting and unique creations. Ostrich shnitzel, rabbit and venison to name only a few of the standards on the menu that is always well prepared, fresh, plentiful, tasty and reasonably priced. The Swan at Carp also carries on a long standing tradition of hosting scotch tasting nights with thematic menus paired with scotches from around Scotsland and the world. A must if you can get a seat. In the same vien they have also introduced Wine Tasting Nights for those people that are not a fan of the dram. I've perosnally never been but I can only imagine it would be as good as any of the scotch nights I have attended. Truely not too be missed are the deserts as one of the owners is Cordon Blue trained in the Chocolate Arts and she does it RIGHT! read more

Expecting a five star experience from the other reviews, we were disappointed. We were there for lunch and so did not get to try some of the more elaborate dishes on the dinner menu. Our fish and chips and chicken pot pie were OK, but not as good as the Royal Oak. A dozen beers on tap and another 40 or so in cans are featured. Service is OK, but not special. There is an unfortunate lack of attention to detail in the decor. A cluttered office cubicle graces the entrance. A neon light bulb hangs down below the pastry cooler which is also stacked with wedding cake samples on top. We won't be going back. read more

This restaurant has been around for awhile now, and is definitely the nicest restaurant in the area. Owned by two Cordon Bleu chefs, the menu is not only high-end, but constantly changing and being updated. The food is exquisite and uses some of the local area produce. One of my favourite meals, had to be their Lobster Bisque Soup. Three years later, and it still stands out as being one of the best soups I've ever had. My only complaint is that it is not a pub. It's not even close to being a pub. The only similarity it holds to pubs is having a slightly pub-like area, being set in an old building, and perhaps some pub-inspired food. Otherwise, this is a high-end restaurant with high-end food and should be treated as such. So any pub-like items on the menu should be removed. Yes, this building used to be a pub, but it's long since left it's pub roots and become a delicious high-end restaurant. This is a delicious and spectacular restaurant! read more

Our planned supper location was completely packed so we decided to go elsewhere and ended up at The Swan in Carp. We had never been and didn't know what to expect but we were not disappointed. One in our party was very restricted in what she could eat but they were able to provide her with an amazing dinner. My friend had the caesar salad and a burger. He was very pleased. My son had the chicken legs and was impressed not only with how many there were but in the taste. I had the fish and chips, the chips were thin almost the size of McDonalds but the taste was no comparison. My fish was excellent with a nice light fluffy batter. We splurged and had dessert, one having the chocolate cake and the rest of us has the caramel cheese cake. Everything is home made and delicious and we are glad we found this place and will definitely be going back. read more

My better half and I guest this spot about 3-4 times per year. The Swan has a lovely menu, ever changing with the seasons, and very fresh. Whenever we go it's normaly very quiet, which is nice because we can enjoy eachothers conversation. When we are not eating, we like to stop in for a glass of wine or two. The wine menu is not spectacular, but it's great when you want a nice quiet drink. The only thing which irks me about this place is they display a "Guiness" beer sign in their window, when they don't actually serve any Guiness on tap, or by the can. read more

I love the fare, the really gourmet menu that always surprises me, among few options for the not so brave as the good crepes and excellent fish,even the beef roast is great, (I nibble from my family) plus the real jazz music some evenings (call ahead) and most of all, no, I should say really, on top of all, the desserts,ah! the couple who owns it met in France while studying to become chefs, I believe he is from UK and she is from Thailand, well it happens she is also a chocolatier and makes the most amazing truffles that I use to buy and give as host gifts...the salads are immpecable and I enjoy even the new decor. Now nice it is to have something daring in the Capital Region!!Service is relaxed as the general ambience. I really love it! read more

My husband and I regularly drive up to Carp to enjoy a dinner and a pint or two at The Swan on one of their jazz nights. We enjoy the relaxed ambience and the great music that usually starts at 7-ish and continues till about 10:30. I always order the Sir Perry Pear cider (available on tap) when I visit but they have an amazing array of beers from around the world available on tap - check out their blackboard list above the bar. Our dining experiences have always been solidly good - the menu does change with the season, with some favourites remaining (like the bento box - yet to be tried, but I've heard it's great). The menu also includes a creative sandwich / burgers / crepes menu. I was recently disappointed to see that the Lobster crepe was missing from the menu as I had wanted to try it that day. The venue allows couples to afford themselves many romantic, casual evenings on a budget. read more

A friend and I made the trip from Orleans to try out the Swan at Carp. Overall it was nice with a few exceptions. The atmosphere was lacking with no music at all playing. I had the shrimp and crab cakes and they were excellent. The vegetarian spring rolls however were just deep fried batter with very little filling and I assume they were not made in house. The two sauces on the plate were again, I assume not made in house. My friend really liked his French onion soup. It was very quiet for around 7pm on a Saturday evening. The Bartender told me there was a large wedding happening that evening with many people from the town attending. There was a table with soft seating near the bar that looked liked it had not been wiped in some time. Also, the bathroom paper towel dispenser was empty. The website is not being updated as it mentioned joining them for Valentine's Day and some jazz evenings that were long in the past. I mentioned this to the Bartender and she said the person who maintained the website has not worked there in some time. Also, a brief review of the bios of the owner and I knew more about their background than the Bartender did. Not good signs of training, communication and attention to detail. The staff were very friendly overall. read more