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    Chateau Lafayette

    4.1 (49 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars
    Open 11:00 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

    Chateau Lafayette Photos

    Business Info

    CHATEAU LAFAYETTE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Hipster
    Casual
    Live music

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    ABC raspberry sour
    Shaquille J.

    I'm gonna be honest. This place gets 4 starts for 2 reasons: 1) They have great beet and a large selection 2) The service is GREAT. We had the best waitress. She was helping us navigate the beer menu, giving us recommendations, checking in on us, and telling us about the different flavor profiles of the beer. The vibe here was chill. It looks like a bar on the inside, but i like that they have outdoor seating. They also supposedly have live music here every now and then, but I didn't get the chance to experience it. I would definitely come back here again.

    Tammy C.

    Came here on a day trip to Ottawa and was impressed by the service of our waitress Angel. She was extremely nice and accommodating! She was very attentive and was very proactive about her service. She went above and beyond for us! As for the drinks, there is an extensive menu and is about $10 for each of our beers. There is a lot of seating inside and the outdoors aren't too shabby either. Location is in the Byward market so it is convenient and close to most other restaurants.

    Building on the right shows the sign to look for!
    Jenece S.

    Live music, decently priced drinks and dive bar awesome atmosphere. Great place to chill or get up and dance on a Monday night!

    Great musicians!
    P. J. K.

    Ottawa's oldest bar is just great! Just what you'd expect from a bar steeped in history. We were fortunate to enjoy some great talent playing old timey hits (banjo and classic electric guitar!) If you get tired of walking the hit summer pavement, stop in and enjoy a cold one!

    Bobo Balls [lightly battered & deep fried pork meatballs (family recipe)], served with secret sauce & double bourbon neat
    Amanda B.

    Château Lafayette aka The Laff is Ottawa's oldest bar and one of its oldest institutions. It's been family-owned and operated for years, and it shows! The Laff is super casual, really friendly, and a place you can just hang out and have a pint without having to worry about getting dolled up. I love the low-key vibe and am always really comfortable going, whether it's for a drink after work or a night out. They always have something going on throughout the week, like an open mic night, DJs, live bands, and the Lucky Ron Show, which are all free cover. There are also always drinks specials and they're often involved in community events. Munchies are great and very affordable, too. Waiting patiently to see if they start making toques as part of their merch - I'll definitely need one of those!

    Stephen F.

    I have to say this place was a blummin' relief after the horrors of the overcrowded fake-Celtic tourist bars elsewhere on the Byward market. The place had a great selection of local beers and as a confirmed lager drinker I highly recommend the 'Tuque de Broue' on a hot afternoon or evening. Or a cool ones for that matter. Sure, I think it embraces it's 'dive bar' status but it doesn't try too hard to be anything other than an easy going friendly place that you have to take as you find. When I mentioned the Chateau Lafayette to people from over the border in Quebec they reckoned it used to be a haunt of soiled doves back in the day but I've not seen any other reference to that... nor any sign of the doves themselves. I cannot imagine choosing any other bar when I'm next in that neck of the woods.

    Tequila C.

    See this oldest bar from internet, try it today. They say most of their food are made in-house. We order the sweet potato fries for $3.95, price is good. We also order the sleek skwik (deep fried St. Albert curd), the battered is too thick. Chicken wing is fresh made not over seasoned.

    Beer menu

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    2 months ago

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    Dominique L.

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    2 years ago

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    4 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    Dominique L.

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    3 years ago

    Lots of fun. worth a try. The food and beer is Ok. Could try cocktail if stay longer. My fiends and I enjoyed it so much.

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    4 years ago

    Great to have one of those establishments that have been around forever. Packed with friendly locals and they serve the big beer bottles.

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    Dominique L.

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    Dominique L.

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    4 years ago

    Great spot in the market to meet friends for a drink and some comfort food. Love the ambiance and friendliness of the staff.

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    14 years ago

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    11 years ago

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    13 years ago

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    Dominique L.

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    9 years ago

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    Dominique L.

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    Photo of Keegan L.
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    8 years ago

    Good old dive bar. Cheap drinks, plenty of space, some good shows. Check it out. We went to a CD release party here and they rocked loud.

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    10 years ago

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    Dominique L.

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    14 years ago

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    12 years ago

    This is my favorite in Ottawa by far. It's the best hole you'll ever have an amazing time at.

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    9 years ago

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    Dominique L.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Chateau Lafayette Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Chateau Lafayette

    Château Lafayette aka The Laff is Ottawa's oldest bar and one of its oldest institutions.

    Mentioned in 10 reviews

    Read more highlights

    The Manx - Black bean dip

    The Manx

    4.0(138 reviews)
    1.5 km
    $$

    Came on a weekday afternoon, for an early dinner after a long day at the museum…read more A cozy and inviting place, with friendly staff, and lots of boardgames available to entertain while having a pint. Food was only okay: dinner menu was an eclectic take on pub classics. The lamb curry wrap was quite tasty, with a yogurt sauce cutting the slight heat of the curry. Black bean dip, burger, and pasta dish was okay, average, nothing memorable. This place is great for a drink, and their brunch options look wonderful as well, but perhaps not for an evening meal.

    Over the years, I've fallen in love with The Manx, so time to do an update…read more Due to my brother's love of pubs and Guiness we end up here whenever he's in town. It is a wonderful place for a beer and a coze. On a cold wet winter night, this almost cave like spot is perfect. This past Friday we stepped in for dinner. We ordered off the concise menu. My choice was the Lamb Curry Wrap, lamb in a curry sauce, with roasted mushrooms, and melted cheddar in a wrap, and herbed sour cream. It was delicious and came with a salad (option for fries instead if you wish) which was a perfect compliment. There is also a Specials board so check that out too. They have a nice selection of beverages: beer, wine, mixed drinks. Something for everyone. One thing I always like here is the accoustics 'bubble'. Conversation is all around me, yet I can have a great conversation in my group and not hear what any other group is chatting about. Service by the way is top notch. Attentive when you need something but not hovering when you don't. That is, someone shows up when you need them.

    Photos
    The Manx - Taps and bar

    Taps and bar

    The Manx - Daily special pasta

    Daily special pasta

    The Manx - Daily specials

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    Daily specials

    The Standard - Birria tacos $12 during Happy Hour 5pm-7pm everyday.

    The Standard

    2.8(61 reviews)
    1.4 km
    $$

    The Short Version: Awesome Happy Hour deals and Daily…read moreSpecials. 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)

    Happy Hour is here! My crew and I spent a few hours here after one of the big snowstorms of…read moreFebruary, 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.

    Photos
    The Standard - Inside the restaurant

    Inside the restaurant

    The Standard - Chicken tenders and fries. Only $12 on Tuesdays.

    Chicken tenders and fries. Only $12 on Tuesdays.

    The Standard - Front of the restaurant

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    Front of the restaurant

    Chateau Lafayette - divebars - Updated May 2026

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