Wow...wow...wow...WOW! You know how you think you found your…read morefavourite restaurant and you think of that meal with complete fondness and think you'll never find anything better. This was the better. Literally, this is the best meal out I've ever had. There was only one tiny disappointment, which was that I'd looked at an old menu online and didn't realize and picked out this amazing sounding drink beforehand. If you see the Major Payne online, don't pick it in advance! LOL I did get a super nice Prosecco at happy hour for a fabulous price. My server was Jamie, and I ordered every suggestion she made, and was not disappointed. Started with a salad, perfect mix of sweet with charred peanuts for a touch of bitter. The cheese that was on that salad was phenomenal. One of the best salads I've ever eaten. Dinner was the lobster risotto. Hands down, best risotto I've ever eaten...and I thought Vessel in NOLA would never be beaten. So creamy. The butter poached lobster was perfect, so tender. There were macadamia nuts, which broke up the creaminess of the risotto and crispy sage, which was also a perfect break from that rich, perfectly cooked rice. Never had a better dish out. I'll be dreaming about it for months after I go home. I wasn't even thinking about dessert, but Jamie brought over a menu with so many gluten-free options. I got a mini pavlova that had coconut cream inside and raspberries and blueberries. I don't usually enjoy desserts with berries, but the tang was such a perfect compliment to the vanilla/coconut. Nice crispy shell too. It was so light that after the risotto, it didn't make me feel overstuffed. Such a cute, homey vibe, and I had a seat by the window and could watch the busy street. Wonderful that they had a parking lot too (free). Service was perfect. Jamie had a real sense for when she should stop by and kept my water glass filled at all times (and it was small). She was amazing. I left my glasses in the window sill and had pulled the curtain, so I missed them when I left. I went right back and she had held onto them for me. This place is perfection. I know it will be one of the top highlights of this birthday trip! Please, visit and have that lobster risotto. Your tummy will do a happy dance!

Everything top to bottom was incredible. Cocktails (I had the Cherry lane which is similar to a…read moreManhattan) were delicious and well balanced. Apps we got the special scallop in a crusty focaccia (perfectly crispy and creamy) and the tuna tartare (super fresh and flavoured). Mains we had the lobster risotto which was decadent but also well balanced with crispy sage and macadamia nuts garnish. I had the salmon which was amazing and perfectly cooked with a crispy skin and med rare. Dessert was the chocolate crème brûlée with cherries. 5 stars all day. We sat at the chef bar which was interesting and all staff were very friendly and attentive.

5/5! A local friend of mine took me here and we both really enjoyed the vibe and the food! We…read moredecided to split a bunch of appetizers instead of getting a main dish each - this was a great decision! We were able to try a bunch of their appetizers and nothing was really disappointing. We loved everything! We had: - a round of oysters - garlic bok choy - tuna tare tare - this was served in a taco shell of sorts - beef tare tare - this was served on a piece of bread - our favourite! The beef tare tare was definitely the highlight of them all! The spread on the bread was some sort of fig jam I believe, and it paired amazingly with the beef and other toppings on top. Definitely a more unique beef tare tare that I've had recently, and I would totally get it again!

"OMG this lobster pasta thing is amazing, you gotta try it."…read moreAnd everyone did and were stunned.

No resos, had come from another event and didn't know if they could take us (just 2 of us) but up…read moreto the chef's bar/table we went! Staff were great, friendly, explained everything well. We got a selection of oysters, mostly from the east coast and a had couple of glasses of wine. The food was good. Fresh. Loads of condiments on the side. I love the spiciest stuff! Bread came too. It was yummy but it was so hot in there that the accompanying butter had soured.... Sad. Had to skip that but what a place! Great presentation and vibe. I'd come back for main meals and also recommend. Just a place where the room seems like one big get together East coast style. Great location on Bank not far from better parking choices on Gladstone.

The food was great but the price just didn't feel right. A tad bit too expensive. Would not dine…read morethere again.

Met some local friends at Stolen Goods and wow!…read more I loved every bit of this experience from the super creative drinks to the super cute raccoon theme found throughout! We sat up on the bar so we got a front row seat to all the magic. I was super impressed when the bartenders told us they kind of shoot from the hip for all their drinks in that they don't test it prior! They'll make small adjustments usually for acidity or sweetness but otherwise, you're basically experimenting alongside with them if it's on a recent menu change! My favorite drink of the night was the drink inspired by green curry. First and foremost, I was so confused when it came out clear! But when you took a sniff, you get the fresh scent of basil with some kaffir lime. On first taste, you also pick up some creaminess with the herbaceous notes which really makes it reminiscent of green curry - but it wasn't?! It was confusing, in a good way. My second favorite (of three) was the fruit loops infused drink. It paid homage to childhood Saturday mornings perfectly with the fruit loops whipped topping and the fruity cocktail underneath. It was a fun and lighthearted drink! My third was a drink featuring honeydew. It's such an underrated flavor because it's so hard to find a GOOD honeydew. In similar fashion, this drink also fell a bit short in the floral, sweet honeydew flavor and the cucumber flavor overpowered the drink. Having said that, the cucumber was really refreshing on such a humid day! All in all, loved the concept, loved the experimenting, and really enjoyed the vibes!

The bar is quite intimate with just 20 seats and lit up by the impressive wall of spirits. The…read morecocktails are unique, thoughtfully created with a complex mix of interesting ingredients that had us wondering what every drink would taste like. We got the King's ransom, Them's the breaks and Petty Theft. King's ransom came in an adorable pig shaped glass and had a fruity yet very smokey flavour. Them's the breaks was also lovely with some familiar fruity strawberry sweetness and a very interesting Merlot pink salt. Last but not least, Petty Theft was our favourite of the night with familiar SE Asian flavours and the nitrogen meringue experience which you pop in your mouth before sipping the drink. This one was $24 since it's a cocktail with a 72 hour process. This is a great spot if you love trying new drinks. The service is friendly, the music is on point and the overall ambience is perfect for a night out. They also take reservations - I recommend the bar seat.

Went for lunch on Thursday and had such a great experience. Our waitress, Marla, was fantastic --…read moresuper friendly, attentive, and kept the Cheddar Bay Biscuits coming (which we obviously loved). I ordered the shrimp trio (fried shrimp, shrimp linguine, and garlic butter shrimp with fries) and everything was really good. My friend tried one of the newer seafood boils -- it was our first time having it and we were pleasantly surprised. We also shared the crab queso dip, which was delicious, and I tried one of their new Hennessy margaritas that came in a cute shaker-style glass -- definitely worth it. Overall, really great service and a solid meal. We'll definitely be back. I'll be posting photos here and more on my Instagram!

Stopped in for an afternoon snack, and was delighted that not much has changed over the years. Same…read morecozy atmosphere, same level of service (excellent), and essentially the same menu of comfort food. Biscuits placed on the table after being seated. YUM! I had the seafood stuffed mushrooms and a cup of coffee. Everything was really good, and my server made sure my experience was pleasant.

First time eating at any Captain's Boil restaurant- Elgin St. Ottawa…read more The place needs to be cleaned, it is dirty. Stayed because this was #1 on my daughter's bucket list. The men working were nice but very slow and not attentive at all. They appeared to be out of their element. Wait times were longer than needed to be as the restaurant is very small. Food was decent. A fun experience. My husband never received his food, even after telling them 3 times, we were given an apology and that was it. We will try another Captain's Boil at another location.

Well seasoned food, thoroughly enjoyed this seafood boil experience! Restaurant is in a very lively…read morepart of town and we enjoyed biking to/from it.

Absolute gem in Ottawa. This is the best value French food I have had. The atmosphere is more…read morecasual and cozy, but that does not take away from the quality of the food. Usually when I get escargot it comes with just 6 snails still in shells, but this one they are already deshelled and overflowing. The duck confit was also perfectly cooked with large portions. Wonderful service as well.

Stopped in for nibbles and drinks with a colleague for a meeting during happy hour…read more The server was thoughtful and charming and the food is fast and well seasoned. Highly recommend.

My daughter turned 18, and where's a better place to celebrate than Restaurant E18hteen…read more I booked a table a week before to make sure we have a table. Thankfully, there were 2 spots left. The place is very elegant inside out. The service was perfect, music was very classic, food was delicious. An amazing fine dining experience on every level. I felt that their menu is limited. We ordered the following: Grilled Octopus with mint chermoula, roasted chickpeas, 'nduja aiolo, blistered tomatoes & chicory. The Octopus was cooked to perfection & the flavors were amazing. Vol au vent d'escargot Puff pastry stuffed with braised escargot l, goat cheese crumbled, spinach, Parmigiano & mizuna My daughter loves escargot & she enjoyed it very much. Halibut with shrimp & Octopus escabeche, shishito peppers, stewed lentils, butter braised asparagus, garlic parsley oil, cilantro mojo & watercress. It was so good, each component was delicious, when you eat them together it was heaven. Two, 7 oz angus reserve tenderloin it comes with two sides, and a sauce. We had one with mashed & mushroom, the second fries & Ceasars salad. Both steaks were a perfect meduim rare! Mushrooms & Ceasars salad were so good. The mashed lacked seasoning & the fries were too salty. For dessert, they celebrated my daughter with a complimentary pavalova which I thought was so sweet! It was a wonderful surprise. We also ordered pistachio chocolate and it was OMG! The perfect ending.

What a disappointment last night. We clearly informed the restaurant about my wife's gluten and…read moredairy allergies. As well we indicated that subbing cow cheese with goat cheese would be great. Upon arrival our waitress told us she had read the notes and was aware. Much to our surprise, they served her a beet salad....with cow cheese!! Later that evening she became ill as a result. But that wasn't the worst of it. We waited 1 hr and 15 minutes for our main meals. Leading up to that moment they also forgot to serve her gluten free bread, which was store bought and like cardboard. That was 20 minutes after I had finished mine. At this point we had had enough of this atrocious experience. Rather than wait longer, we spoke with both the waitress and maitre'd and asked for our bill. They both lied and told us it would be ready in 2 minutes. Ten minutes later, they showed up with it as we were in the process of leaving and had our coats on. We agreed to sit back down and try the mains. My wife had a sablefish meal that was flavourless and not fresh to say the least. I had a lobster tail meal whereby the lobster was watery and not fresh. Needless to say 1 bite of each meal and the coats were back on and we were settling our reduced bill and leaving. What a disappointment for our special Valentines outing. Never will we go back, and I advise people to do the same.

The Short Version: Lovely large restaurant. Very popular…read morewith tourists and locals alike. Beautiful patio. Delicious food. The Long Version: My first time at Metropolitan was many years ago, before chronicling my food adventures was a thing for me, lol. I actually don't remember the food from that time at all (which is why I like documenting my experiences now). I recently returned for a continuing education event sponsored by a pharmaceutical company. The four course dinner I had there was great. As per the restaurant website, we got the "Group Dinner" menu, which is $72 a person. We started off with a bread basket and the bread was baguette slices which were warm and slightly crusty on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside. Next up was a wild mushroom and truffle soup with spinach and Parmesan cheese. It was rich and creamy. Then we had a spinach salad with blueberries and strawberries. The balsamic vinaigrette was light and not too oily. The sunflower and pumpkin seeds added a nice crunchy texture. For my main, I got the Filet Mignon. I asked for it cooked medium and it was perfect. It came with asparagus which were deliciously al dente and mashed potatoes, which were not as smooth I expected, but still good. For dessert I chose the Chocolate Mousse Cake which was so soft and smooth and very rich. It was a great ending to an overall great meal. Service was pleasant and they kept our water glasses full and the wine was pouring freely. I had to drive home so only had a glass and a half. We were in a curtained off area and it wasn't too loud. We were able to hear the presentation clearly. There was at least one other event going on at the same time and of course regular restaurant customers, but the space is large enough that they could accommodate all this. They have a very large patio which is great for people watching. The restaurant is on poshy Sussex Drive, a stone's throw away from the Chateau Laurier. There's street parking or some paid parking structures nearby. Review #109 (2026)

What a nice evening sitting in the courtyard enjoying a wonderful meal…read more My table tried the steak options and thoroughly enjoyed their meals. I had the Tuna tartar which reminded me of a Hawaiian poke stack, just without the shoyu, or rice. Loved it. My lobster ravioli was very tasty, but...(And this is the missing star) was obviously sitting on the line while waiting for someone's steak. It should have been the last thing plated before coming to the table but it appeared to be the first sine the sauce had a skin on it and the ravioli was lukewarm warm. Don't get me wrong, it tasted GREAT. So close to 5 but not quite.

Closed Aug. 27/23 after 41 years. Was great food We miss…read morethem Good prices Dumplings were schmooze

I had the buffet lunch ($14.50) at Golden Bowl with a couple of girlfriends and I can sum up my…read morefeelings in two words, or one emoticon: sad face :( The buffet was incredibly small, only about 10 items, and the food in my opinion was on par with the likes of Manchu Wok and other such food court Westernized Chinese food vendors. Actually, the best of the food was Manchu Wok caliber, some items did not even meet this low standard, at least not in my opinion. The place has been around for decades and it would appear to me that no renovations have been made for decades. On the buffet was: wonton soup, egg rolls, chicken balls, salt and pepper fried chicken pieces, garlic spare ribs, vegetarian fried noodles, chicken fried rice, beef and vegetables stir-fry, fried chicken wings, and chow mein. So only 10 "real items" then they had stuff like pineapple sauce, sweet and sour sauce, almond cookies, and some sort of deep-fried dough pieces. No ice cream! :( Let's start with the good: the chicken balls were filled with lean white breast meat and the meat to batter ratio was pretty good. They weren't all dough. They were crispy, and if one were to like sweet and sour chicken balls in general, I think that one would enjoy these. The egg rolls were also pretty good. They were very crispy and the wrapper was thinner and crunchier than I've had at other places. The filling was ground pork and vegetables and had a strong five-spice fragrance to it. The wonton soup was also not bad. I liked that the soup had some leafy greens in it and wasn't overly oily/greasy. The actual wontons were a bit mushy, but the filling to wrapper ratio was good. The flavour was good. The unremarkable: chicken fried rice, vegetarian noodles, beef and vegetables stir-fry, and garlic spare ribs. The bad: the salt and pepper fried chicken pieces I found very weird. The meat was dark meat and had a strange texture. It was too salty and not that peppery to me. The "I did not try it because it did not look appetizing to me": fried chicken wings (looked really dry and greyish), the chow mein (I hate bean sprouts), the almond cookies (looked store bought) and the crunchy fried dough things. Service was nice and efficient. We were greeted right away and led to our seats. We were given water shortly after and our waters were refilled often and without having to ask. When we first arrived a bit before noon, there were only a few patrons, but after 12pm the place got really busy, so it looks like there's definitely a market for this kind of food, it's just not my jam. There's free parking in their private parking lot beside the restaurant.