I checked the websites and reviews of many restaurants in Ottawa to find an interesting place for…read moredinner my first night here. Apothecary Lounge seemed to have many things I knew I'd enjoy, such as the menu items and the atmosphere. It surpassed expectations. Upon entry, going down the stairs, I noticed an enjoyable aroma, but it took me a minute to realize what it was - cocktail smoke from the wood chips used to smoke many cocktails. That eventually included my first drink, the Mortician. Later in the evening, I took advantage of the Dealer's Choice menu option, to have the bartenders craft a drink to my whim. I requested a variation on an Old Fashioned using Canadian Rye and something other than simple syrup as the sweetener. My drink was interesting and complex, including Amaro Nonino (a favorite of mine) and yellow chartreuse. Well done! We ordered both small plates and entrees while there. Everything came out really quickly, everything was fresh and full of flavor. Of everything I ordered, my favorite was the Bang Bang Shrimp. Unfortunately, the wonderful lounge mood-lighting made it difficult for me to take good photos using my older phone. But the highlight of the evening was the service. We could tell we were going to be in for an enjoyable time the minute he greeted us, wearing a tiara, and joking about how he got it and why he wore it. He was friendly and chatty, while being very knowledgeable about the menu, and attentive, checking on us every few minutes with more banter. he had an infectious laugh that he brought to every table, and it was clear he was enjoying what he was doing. I've had probably thousands of meals out over the years, and most service blends together. This waiter, this service, will be memorable, which helped make the entire experience memorable.

We were looking for a good Martini and Cal did not disappoint. He also recommended the favourite…read moreones and was making sure we were satisfied

Vintage. Grandma's house. Cutest place! Friendly staff, warm…read more& welcoming. Comfy & cozy. I ordered pierogies Very good, a little crisp to pierogies, bacon jam perfectly made and a nice creamy sauce and the bleu nuit cocktail.

Grow theirs own cocktails herb and flowers…read more The patio is charming and so is the interior. The staff is very knowledgeable it's very pleasant to know more about the dishes.

I was SO stoked to finally visit the Moonroom after seven or so years of wanting to go!…read more After a Saturday night at Bluesfest, we waited somewhere else for about half an hour before they told us the kitchen was backed up, so we walked down Preston and I was so glad the Moonroom was still open. We didn't get there until about 12:30am and it was pretty full. We didn't leave until maybe 2:30am and it was still pretty full considering the time. They're not normally open this late, but it seems like a lot of the businesses on Preston decided to stay open later to catch the post-Bluesfest crowd. Good call! We decided to sit inside since there was an empty table, otherwise I would've liked to sit out on their back patio, which looked really pretty with the lights. Inside was a nice vibe though, too. It's small/narrow, dimly lit, with sheets covering the different coloured ceiling lights, and candles on the table. It's very intimate and pretty romantic. We sat close to the bar and there was another party of two beside us. The music was a bit louder so we couldn't really hear the other table's conversations, but not so loud that we couldn't hear each other. They were playing the Bee Gees when we walked (danced) in, so we were really about the jams. My husband got a rotating draught IPA by Daft Brewing, can't remember which one it was. I got the Jill Collins, which had Tanqueray Gin, Affino Limone, fresh lemon and mint, cane syrup, and a Moon soda top. It was super refreshing, bright, and not too sweet, which is exactly what I wanted. We shared/I mostly ate the "OG Grilled Cheese" and "Panzanella-esque Salad". The grilled cheese had aged Balderson and cream cheeses in a crunchy baguette smothered in toasted garlic butter, served with Moon ketchup. It was exactly as described, with very crunchy, buttery garlic bread and creamy cheese. The Moon ketchup is made in-house, thinner and chunkier than processed, store-bought ketchup, with stronger flavours. It was okay, but I didn't need to dip much in the ketchup because I really enjoyed the sandwich and it was on the saltier side itself. Because it was a lot creamier than gooey, I'd say it was more of a sandwich than a grilled cheese, but still very tasty. I really am not a huge fan of salad in general, but I can't complain when it was burrata on top. It also had salty bread, arugula, roasted tomatoes, fresh peaches, herbs, and honey. The peaches were more firm than ripe and juicy, which was good for a salad, though I wish they were a bit sweeter. The burrata wasn't creamy inside like I expected, but I love cheese in any form. I really don't know what possessed me to get salad, especially after a bunch of drinks in the wee hours of the night, but my body thanked me later. Salty, bitter, a little sweet, fresh, and not heavy, even with (more) bread and cheese. It was great. They unfortunately ran out of the affogato, which probably would've convinced my husband to stay longer. Too bad. The vegan dark chocolate gelato from Farinella that they put in it sounded amazing. The beer was $10.50, my cocktail was $19, grilled cheese $16, and salad $17, which was pricey. BUT, the fresh herbs are from their garden on the back patio, they make their own soda and ketchup (among other things), everything was delicious, and even late at night the cocktails and dishes were still well put together and tasted great, plus I finally came here after so long. No regrets! Our server was super nice, same with owner and one of the bartenders, who even popped over and sat with us for a bit to chat. And not in a weird/creepy/in-your-face way lol she was cool. She was the one who greeted us when we came in and said bye to us on our way out. There's no flash photography (I forgot to turn my auto flash off for my salad, sorry!). They're open all week from 5pm to 2am, no reservations, no large groups, and no phone (just stop by). I wasn't sure if it would meet the high expectations and hype I had built up in my head after waiting so long to visit, but it totally did. It's such a nice spot, we had an amazing time, and we will definitely be back!

Our first visit to Canada and we stumble upon this gem. Great drinks, great presentation and…read morefantastic staff. Highly recommend.

Bartender was incredibly rude and made us pay up front and insited we tip ahead of time. When I…read morerefused to tip right away, he got impatient and made a gay comment about me and my partner. I threw my drink at him and left but two guys followed me out and started attacking me. This place is not safe!

A Hidden Gem in Gatineau - Sans façon Delivers Big on Style, Flavour, and Service…read more Today's lunch date was completely unplanned--but turned out to be an absolute win. Our original spot was closed for lunch, so my wife remembered a place someone mentioned during a recent workshop. She checked her notes, a few options popped up, and the only one open at the time was Sans façon. One quick look online, and we were immediately intrigued. The aesthetics, the menu, the vibe--it checked all our boxes. So off we went. From the moment we stepped inside, the place just wowed us. The interior design is incredible--modern yet warm, with a touch of Irish decor. We were invited to sit wherever we wanted, and since it wasn't too busy yet, we actually went table shopping! We checked out the left, the right, and even upstairs before claiming the biggest corner table in the house--usually perfect for a work dinner, but today it was our royal suite for two. Our server, Kaëlle, was exceptional from start to finish. She made us feel right at home, catered to us with a smile, and remained attentive even as the place filled up. We started with oysters--shucked to perfection and beautifully fresh. Then came a side of shrimp to warm up the taste buds. For mains, my wife had the Steak Frites: seasoned perfectly and served at just the right temperature. I went with the AAA Aged Beef Tartar, which wasn't even on the menu yet--and wow, what a treat. The presentation was stunning, and the flavours absolutely nailed it. Let me say it again--the design of the restaurant is something special. It adds so much to the experience. But the true star? Our waitress. Kaëlle was quick, professional, and clearly passionate about the place. Service like that takes a great meal and turns it into an unforgettable experience. We're already planning our return and will be recommending Sans façon to all our friends and family. Gatineau has a new favourite.

The menu is very researched. Cocktails are well presented. There is a cellar in the dinning room…read more Staff is attentive and sharp. A lot of fun

Great food, abysmal service, which was too bad. This was…read moreanother stop for dinner on my birthday trip. I was really looking forward to this one. We have six houserabbits, so the bunny decor was a touch I loved. The hostesses outside were very nice and professional. There is an outdoor seating area with super nice furniture that looks very comfy. I was a little early for my 5 o'clock reservation, but they let me come in and sit down about 10 minutes early. I want to make it clear that I did not expect service until opening. I had a tall table at the bar. The decor is a combination of woodsy and steampunk. Metal on the walls and a chandelier that looks like a log with branches. Two rabbit portraits just inside and tiny lights that look like fireflies covering the ceiling. The table was beautiful with a really nice little light that flickered like a candle. I don't know my server's name, it is not on the bill, and if I were him, I would be embarrassed to have it on there. Male with close cut silver hair and I believe a moustache...he wasn't around enough for me to notice much. The bartender did speak to me when i was navigating that stool. My server asked if I wanted to start with anything. I ordered a drink and he ran away. He was always in a hurry to get away. No small talk, no attempt to get to know his customer. As someone who worked as a waitress in my youth and all through college, his lack of attention was a bit stunning. When he brought my drink back, the Flower Child, which was incredible--looked and tasted like rainbow sherbet, took me back to my childhood and is now in my top three cocktails ever, he tried to run away immediately. I caught him by asking if the Wagyu burger could be made with a gluten-free bun. He said no but they could do a lettuce wrap. I told him that would be perfect and was surprised he didn't ask me how I wanted it cooked or check with me on anything else, didn't tell me what it came with. I wasn't sure he even took my order for a few minutes. The burger came out soon though to my relief. He set it down and ran away, I mean *POOF* gone. I wanted another drink. Now, I was annoyed. The restaurant was not busy. Luckily, there was a server, dark hair who was watching and she stepped toward me and let me order another drink. Original server dropped it off without speaking a word to me. Didn't ask how anything was...nothing. I wondered if this was yet another case of solo diner syndrome. You know that saying you can tell who someone is by how they treat service persons, well, you can tell a LOT about a restaurant by how they treat their solo diners. Luckily, there was nothing amiss with the meal. Wonderful salad with cute little half moon cut veggies. Fries and the dip they came with were phenomenal. Burger was tender and delicious. Guy never showed up, but I could hear him talking to the bartender behind me nearly the entire meal. Felt like I'd stepped into an episode of Vanderpump Rules. I had to get the other brunette server to get him to bring my bill. He had stopped to pick up my plate and then asked how everything was. I told him, "Finished." Then, I waited while he milled about with no bill forthcoming for a good while before I asked the other server. The lowest tip percentage was 18%. I did that but regret it and wish so much I'd hit custom and given him $5. The bill for only me was right at $100, which I never mind paying if the food and service are good... and my server was so amazing the night before, I tipped her 30%. He didn't deserve what he got. I found the other server and pulled out $10 for her help. She was so sweet and asked me if I wanted her to give that to my server. I said firmly, "No, that is for YOU." The food here is awesome and the atmosphere very cool, but the service was so bad that it wouldn't be worth it. Too bad.

We came to the Rabbit Hole on a Friday night for after-dinner drinks. It was quite busy so we opted…read morefor a seat at the bar. Here, we got to see the bartender crafting cocktails which was pretty cool. We ordered two cocktails, both which were delicious and, very pretty. Inside of the restaurant was warm and cozy; I especially like the mosaic flooring.

Friendly staff, chill atmosphere, delicious food. Seems to be pretty popular with local folks and…read moreregulars

Really good food and informal atmosphere. The service was beyond excellent.!! We had a recommend…read morethis restaurant for low-key and good food!

The Short Version: Delicious food in a hotel restaurant! Is…read moreit possible? Yes it is! Lol. The arepas were excellent! The Long Version: The Alembic Stillhouse is the restaurant/pub attached to the Cartier Suites Hotel. It has the usual pub fare like fish and chips, burgers, chicken fingers, etc. but it also has some Latin American dishes like arepas, tequenos, tostones and churros. My husband and I had dinner here and it was overall really good. I had the Arepa with Soup ($15) and added a second arepa for an additional $9. I got the Pabellon and Reina arepas. The soup of the day was tomato basil. My husband had the fish and chips ($18). I really enjoyed my arepas. The Pabellon was layered with shredded beef and feta cheese on top (the open end), and black beans and plantains on the bottom (the closed end). The Reina had the filling uniformly distributed - pieces of lean chicken breast mixed with avocado and cilantro crema. The corn meal arepa shell was crispy on the outside and held the fillings very well. I can't even decide which one I liked better because both were so good. I didn't like the tomato basil soup though. It had a cheesy note to it which I found off-putting. However, my husband loved it, so I gave it to him. My husband enjoyed his fish and chips. I had a bit of his fish and while it was crispy on the outside and moist and flaky on the inside, it had a strong fishy smell and taste that I didn't like. The fries were crispy and hot but were from frozen. Service was pleasant. The place has a pub feel. They have karaoke on Fridays starting at 8pm. We left before it started, lol. 5 stars for the arepas, 3 stars for the other food I tried, so 4 stars overall since service was good. I would get the arepas again. Street parking is the best bet (some streets have free parking and some streets have paid metered parking which is about $3 an hour). There's indoor hotel parking but it's a daily rate and over $20. Review #85 (2026)

It's a bit tucked away, but still central downtown. It's attached to a hotel near Elgin St. You'd…read morebe surprised to know that they sell Venezuelan food here. They have arepas! We went with the Alembic Poutine and the Pabellon, something we know and something different. It was all super tasty! The meats were the best part as well as that crispy plantain! And the black beans, wow! It's different than the usual black beans you would get. They've added some spices in there and other veg to really make it flavourful. A unique experience in Ottawa!

We were recommended to come for dinner and had the following items:…read more- Burrata salad $23: comes with bread, served with tomato, pesto. The burrata was lovely, and I loved the fruity olive oil on top - Salmon crudo $25: with muso mayo, ponzu, green onions, sesame seeds. The sauce and topping flavours were great. The salmon had a slightly fishy taste - Brussel sprouts $16: with feta, pomegranate, Dijon, cabbage. Maybe it was the cabbage but something was slightly off with the combination - Beef cheek pizza $34: with prosciutto meat sauce, mushrooms. Really rich and delicious flavours We enjoyed our meal overall. The service was super fast which we appreciated. The setting is nice and romantic. I think it would be a good date spot.

EMBER WAS SO GOOD WOW!! service, ambience, everything. burrata and eggplant dip were great and they…read moreare helpful with navigating the drink menu

My friend made us dinner reservations here for two!…read more We ordered the bread & butter and a cheese plate that came with some bread pockets to dip in the cheese. Both dishes were delicious and we couldn't get enough of the cheese and bread! The cheese was light and creamy and the toppings made it a little more special. We both ordered pasta and shared the plates. The beef ragu was heavier and savory and the pea pasta was lighter but equally delicious. I'm glad we got both because they were different. We really loved the vibe here especially on the patio! Our server was friendly and checked on us a good amount of time without it being too much. If you're in the area looking for a lovely dinner, this was a great spot!

First off - I'm an American and I've learned that Trip Advisor really is the go to food/hotel site…read morein Canada. In any case, Cameline's should have way, way more than 4 reviews. Probably would have hundreds in the US. A snob might rate Cameline's a 3, but it is closer to a 5 in in the Ottawa/Gatineau food scence. That said, compared to restaurants more broadly, it is closer to 4. Drinks were great as was dessert. The Suppli Al Telefono, which is sort of like a baked bread with brurata and cooked mushrooms on it was a very tasty dish. We had the Gnocchi and Tagliattelli. Maybe a bit too small and not quite al dente enough. (I've noticed Canadians seems to like softer pasta than you would find in the US, and definitely softer than the real al dente you see in Italy.) Lastly, the menu is a bit limited - you can see if you look at their menu online. In any case, a few months ago my wife and I had lunch with a Montreal transplant who described food in Ottawa/Gatineau as terrible. There are a fair number of mediocre offerings. But Cameline's is one of the places here I'd happy to go back to. I also tried to find the best restaurant in Gatineau and this kept coming up. Could this be the best restaurant in Gatineau? Yeah, it might be.