We are so glad that 613 now has so many vegan friendly places and a special thanks to…read moreowners/managers/chefs to offer so many vegan options. Just one gripe, wish there more burgers that are home made rather than Beyond. The inside is cool and also hosts Stand-Uo Comedy nights weekdays. We had Spicy and Extra Spicy Vegan Chik'n Burgers. The extra spicy was more spicy than the spicy. The nuggets are probably Beyond as well. Good option but not amazing. The vegan burger with plant based Cheeze again good and Cheeze was ok as well. Burger cooked well and bun and toppings good. The Deep Fried Cheeze Burger which also comes with a Beyond Burger as well. a burger for when you want to indulge. The fries are amazing. The Poutine, the gravy is very good but the vegan cheeze curds not so much. The coffee we had was disappointing.

I had the deep fried burger (only the cheese is fried) and poutine. Wife had original burger and…read moresweet potato fries. We came midafternoon, so it was low traffic, quiet and quick service. Server was attentive. Both meals satisfied these Yankees.

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!

TL;DR: Aesthetically pleasing restobar with great Happy Hour Specials. Food and drinks were…read morefantastic. Went for Happy Hour with colleagues after work. They have the latest Happy Hour in the Byward Market! 5pm-7pm, everyday. All cocktails are $11 and all appetizers are half price. I got the blackened chicken salad, regularly $26 but was only $13 during Happy Hour. It was a good size too, more like a dinner salad than an appetizer (although at the regular price, I would expect it to be large). It was mixed greens, watermelon beets, cucumbers, grape tomatoes, pomegranate seeds and goat cheese, with blackened chicken breast. I asked for the salad dressing on the side and it arrived as requested. The dressing was a Sherry Dijon vinaigrette and was great. The vegetables were fresh and the chicken was flavourful and not dry at all. I also had the Guava Rush, minus the Red Bull. It was fruity and I enjoyed it. It has rum, spiced rum, orange liqueur, strawberry syrup, guava juice and lime. It was garnished with a slice of dried pineapple and a cocktail umbrella. The interior is beautiful, as is the hidden patio out back. Washrooms are down a flight of stairs and it's borderline creepy down there, lol. Service was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. I would definitely return for Happy Hour! (129)

Came by for happy hour and had a good time. Restaurant was very empty for a week day - had a great…read moreserver and a great time with friends. Got the $11 martini special and some $2 happy hour oysters. Love their hot sauce that comes with the oysters. I also got the burrata salad and really enjoyed it! So pretty and tasty!

Visited Ottawa for work and went to The Keg twice during my 3 day work trip…read more Service was amazing. Food is no frills yet perfectly seasoned. I live in NYC and a ton of places are overhyped. Pay $$$$$ for mediocre. This place on the other hand was rock solid. Peppercorn steak Chicago style was fire AF. Would fly back just for that! Nothing fancy but definitely consistent, impecable cooked, and bartender was sooooooo handsome which made it even better! 10/10

I may have had a better meal but I don't remember it. I may have had better service but can't…read moreremember when. The entire experience was stellar. Had the filet and lobster with scallops appetizer. Fabulous, generous and perfectly cooked. Service was fantastic. Don't wait just go the restaurant was packed!

From the moment we walked into Joey Rideau, we felt welcomed and appreciated. Our experience…read morestarted off on a high note with a complimentary glass of non-alcoholic sparkling wine. What a thoughtful touch! Our dining experience was more on the expensive side this time around. However, you can most definitely get away with spending little due to their amazing happy hour options. We ordered the steak with lobster, lobster spaghetti, truffle parmesan fries, and their signature sangria. The steak was cooked spot on: medium rare and just a touch on the rare side, exactly how I wanted it and mentioned from the get-go. Everything arrived promptly, which made the whole experience feel smooth and well-paced. We placed 4 happy hour sangrias, which were perfectly balanced and refreshing. What really stood out was the service. Our server, Ace, was wonderful, attentive, friendly, and genuinely engaging. She even surprised us with a complimentary dessert to celebrate, which made the evening feel extra special. The restaurant itself is immaculate: spotlessly clean with a smart, stylish setup that immediately catches your eye. The ambiance was electric, creating the perfect backdrop for a memorable night out. Overall, Joey Rideau exceeded expectations in every way. I would come back in a heartbeat!

We went to Joeys for apps and drinks on Sunday night. The restaurant was not busy so we were seated…read moreright away. There is plenty of bar seating, as well as dining tables. Our waitress was kind and attentive. The food was ok - we ordered the sushi, gyoza, and bang chicken. The portions we a bit small considering the price.

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.

Earlier this month I went for the first time to the Elgin St Diner…read more They were featured on You Gotta Eat Here and my hubby dined here before years back The look and feel inside is of a classic diner They are open 24hrs and they are known for their tagline on their menu..we never close!! We went with them ordering breakfast for dinner that evening We both had the blueberry pancakes...my hubby getting a side of peameal bacon with his I really liked the pancakes Light and yummy A few were a bit overdone but it didn't take away from the taste Wished they would give a bit more syrup or maybe a small table bottle Service was prompt and friendly Really enjoyed the meal and definitely would come back again to try that club sandwich that looked really good on a few customer's plates

We went this evening to Elgin Street Diner while visiting Ottawa…read more They are located in downtown Ottawa near the museum The restaurant was featured previously on You Gotta Eat Here Inside the restaurant it has the feeling of an old school diner which is really cool They feature your typical standard diner fare but are known for their poutines which are included in their breakfast specials such as the Blue Plate Special and the Hangover Plate We had the pancakes for dinner tonight They were great Some were a bit overdone but super yummy I had the peameal bacon as a side for mine Service is super friendly there and make you feel comfortable in their Would definitely come again to eat here when visiting Ottawa

The Short Version: Beautiful rooftop patio restaurant with…read moregreat view of the city. Aesthetically pleasing food and drinks that also taste good. The Long Version: I was here for a colleague's retirement party. Rooftop Ottawa is part of YOW - York on William, which is, you guessed it at the corner of York St and William St. YOW is also the airport code for Ottawa, so I thought the name was clever. YOW - York on William is a collection of 3 venues, one on each floor. Apothecary Lounge (a speakeasy) is in the basement, Starling (a bird-themed restaurant) is on the ground floor, and Rooftop Ottawa is on the roof top. The view is beautiful. You can see all of the Byward Market. It's especially pretty at sunset. The food is also colourful and pretty. I got the Crispy Chicken Sandwich with a side salad ($26) and a Purple Martin cocktail ($18). The Purple Martin had a pretty purple colour from ube syrup and butterfly pea flower and tasted good too. The chicken sandwich was a bit monochromatic. But the side salad had vibrant pink hues from watermelon radish, beets and beet juice-soaked pickled onions. I also loved that the lettuce was a spring mix and not the dreaded iceberg lettuce, lol. I asked for the dressing on the side and it came as requested. The dressing was a creamy green dressing. I felt the sandwich could have benefited from some lettuce or shredded cabbage though because it was just fried chicken, pickles and bread. I did appreciate that it wasn't overly sauced and not wet or soggy. The fried chicken had a good crunch to it. It looked large, but had a lot of breading, so the amount of protein was not what it seemed initially. The flavour was good though. Service was excellent. We were served by Juliette and she was fantastic. Attentive without being intrusive and took great care in ensuring I wasn't served anything I was allergic to. She also made a point to advise our group that since we were a large group (around 15) that there would be an automatic 20% gratuity added to the bill. I appreciated the disclosure. Definitely 5-stars for Juliette. The YOW - York on William is in one of the oldest buildings in Ottawa, built in 1875. It's where The Fish Market, Coasters and Vineyards used to be. Paid street parking or paid parkade parking only. Review #179 (2025)