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!

Ambiance: very cool; very hip, BUT not too cool! A very welcoming place to the wide range of folks…read morewho came in. We had the Chorizo Sausage Pizza and the Fish and Chips. Both were excellent. Service was attentive and kind. This to me was a bit of a hidden gem. We plan to come back, next time in Ottawa!

Great fish and chips and the General Tso's cauliflower was super delicious. Service was swift but…read morenot rushed. Thanks to seated looking toward the outside on the back area, we were able to sit comfortably and wait for the heavy rain and sideway wind storm to pass by, over beer and lunch. Good food, good service.

The Short Version: Chain restaurant with everyday Happy…read moreHour. Food is good for what it is. Friendly service. The Long Version: State and Main is a Canadian chain restaurant that started out in Calgary, AB. I feel it's similar to Moxies. Most items are not made from scratch and the menu while it has creative elements is never all that adventurous. It's a great restaurant for a mixed group. Those meat and potatoes types will find something inoffensive to them, and those with a more adventurous palate won't be too bored. I'm a bit critical of chain restaurants in general because I prefer small independently owned mom and pop shops where everything is made from scratch, and usually with love and passion. My preference is no secret to anyone who knows me. However, I feel that State and Main is one of the better chains. I went to State and Main with 2 of my friends for a late lunch that coincided with their Happy Hour. Their Happy Hour is 2-5pm and 9pm to close, 7 days a week. Their Happy Hour is not that much of a deal though as you only save $1.50-$3 off the regular menu prices, depending on the item. It's not like those half-price Happy Hours. I started with a State Soda (HH $6, regularly $8). I enjoyed it because it wasn't too sweet. It was vodka, club soda and a tiny bit of their signature "slush." I was going to get their soup dumplings, but cannot have sesame seeds and was advised that the packaging on the dumplings said "contains sesame" so I opted to get the Baja Brussels Sprouts instead. I asked for them to go light on the sauce, as I don't like my food too saucy and our lovely server, Dakota, suggested that I get the sauce on the side. Which was a fantastic idea! I also got a side portion of their mixed greens salad with the dressing on the side ($5.50). The Brussels sprouts were very good. They were crispy on the outside and had powdered Parmesan cheese sprinkled on them. There was also bacon and roasted red peppers pieces in the dish. The lime and cilantro sauce that came on the side was almost not really needed because the Brussels sprouts tasted good as is. I did try a bit of the sauce and it was pleasant. I would get the Brussels sprouts again. The mixed greens salad was better than I expected. It was a true mixed greens salad and not just romaine lettuce or the dreaded (well, I dread it because it's cheapie filler IMO) iceberg lettuce (it actually had no iceberg lettuce, yahoo!). It also had beets, goat cheese, pumpkin seeds and roasted chickpeas. Nothing too wild, but a bit more oomph than your run-of-the-mill garden salad. A few of the romaine spines were browning, but otherwise the other ingredients were fresh. I enjoyed the dijon vinaigrette and am happy I got it on the side because I used less than half of it. One friend got the State Smash cocktail ($10 HH menu, regularly $12) and she enjoyed the raspberry flavour. She also got the Chili Coconut Calamari ($16 HH menu, regularly $18.50). She wasn't as happy with her meal as found it a bit too spicy and found the calamari not large or plump enough. Visually the calamari did look rather small and not meaty. My other friend got the Baja Tacos with fries from their regular menu ($19). She really enjoyed her meal and the tacos looked great. The fish was battered and deep-fried. The fries were thicker cut but looked to be slightly battered or at least seasoned, and very crispy. We had a lovely time and our server, Dakota, was friendly and helpful. There was a slight error in our bills as the Happy Hour foods were charged at regular prices, but when I pointed this out, it was quickly fixed. The decor I would describe as "casual plus." It's a bit more elevated than casual. They have fun framed prints on the walls. It has a pub feel. The restaurant is in the Gloucester Centre complex. It's not part of the actual mall though. Lots of free parking available in the shopping complex parking lot. #72 (2026)

A fun family meal was had at this very pleasant restaurant in Ottawa. They accommodated my loud…read moreniece and nephew and for the most part took good care of us. Our server was very sweet with big smiles and tried her hardest: she was a little overworked and had a lot of apologies. The food was good: Asian themed shrimp and salads, a very nice salmon my niece took down, and some flavorful cocktails. Fresh and delivered quickly, it was definitely an enjoyable dinner!

Open entering we were told that they were not serving food. They had been "over run". The person…read morewho created us told us she didn't even work there. Only 1 server . Only alcohol available. Not even " have a drink and we will get to you when the kitchen calms down".

We went to this restaurant for lunch…read more.. The place seems like it was refurbished "a little" to accommodate the Roadhouse name but it is not. Our waitress was fantastic and super attentive while she could but she was alone in the whole restaurant and of course she couldn't keep up with the 7 tables with hungry customers, I think the owner should hire at least one more person to help her. There was a person behind the bar but he will just sit you down but not serve the food. The food was good, nothing impressive.. the fish and chips were well made but the wings needed a couple more minutes frying. I don't think I'll be back for lunch but maybe I'll give it a chance one night to see if the atmosphere and service is better.

prosper was an amazing server and rhe food was insane. shoutout to the maitre D Liv as well! she…read moreensured everything went smooth and the music was lovely

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 here while in Ottawa after seeing all the great reviews and it definitely lived up to it…read more There was about a 15-minute wait, but it was worth it. I got the special--eggs Benedict with pineapple and ham--and it was honestly so good. The flavors worked really well together, a little sweet and savory, and everything was cooked perfectly. Overall a really great breakfast spot. I'd definitely come back!

Very small-town friendly neighbourhood atmosphere and fun diner-y options! I had an issue with my…read moremeal but it was quickly remedied and covered by the staff, who were all helpful and nice.

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.

So I struggled to write this because I used to love this restaurant. The portion sizes were…read moresignificantly shrunk, and the brewed coffee was horrendous. I usually get a latte there but decided on a regular one, that was a mistake. Their food did taste good, and their chutney was still delicious but the service was a bit gruff. They weren't rude by any means but I was ignored for 10 mins just waiting to ask for a takeout box. I could tell he was a bit overwhelmed and probably having an off morning, so I didn't take it personally. But when I'm paying $30 for one breakfast bowl and a coffee, I'd expect more than 2 cherry tomatoes cut in half and a few mushrooms in it. The food is delicious but you're definitely overpaying and 50/50 on the coffee lol

In search for weekend brunch this place came up we thought of trying it out. Parking in streets is…read morenot existent. Had really look at side streets a bit far to get one. All the nearby spots are reserved for the apartment dwellers in the building. Ordered a Huevo Ranchero ($16) - which came with scrambled eggs two corn tortillas with salsa, cheese, sour cream and a side order of fries. The eggs could have used some seasoning even with salsa it needed something extra A Vegan Breakfast Bowl ($14) - a mixture of tofu, spinach, mushrooms and tomato chutney - which somehow tasted to all 4 of us like onion chutney. The vegetables done good, but tofu again had just no flavour. Tofu had a spice rub all over, but it tasted like plain tofu. The Bacun strips were rice paper rolls with some attempted flavours but none came through. And two Vegan Bennies ($16) - a super grainy slice of bread topped with the same tofu, green onions, Bacun and some red pepper strips (NOT Coulis as described in the menu). If some person was having a tofu dish for the first time I think they would describe tofu as no flavour at all. We vegans know that you can do amazing things with Tofu. The home fries in the above dishes was the best - now that we could give 5 out 5. All of us had to go and get Sriracha and Ketchup from the counter to rescue the dishes. Coffee was too weak as well. When you go in and order on the counter and you get food delivered to your table. Should the restaurant still offer to tip on the machine BEFORE even we were served? The order did take a long time, the table not clean when we sat, no condiments on the table and coffee refills slow. An extra star for giving tons of vegan options