37 Best Cocktail Bars in Ottawa

“Great place and amazing creativity with the cocktails!“

“Amazing food, great cocktails, and the staff was just great!“

“Unpretentious, unique menu, great service & great people!“

“The best bar in Ottawa.“

“This place is a hidden gem if you're looking for a chill lounge atmosphere with great cocktails, great prices but a small but mighty kitchen for sandwiches and the like. The service is impeccable and our waitress always remembers pur names when my girlfriend and I usually go for a couple of drinks for a night put in Hintonburg. Really like this place and they even have some boardgames for the adventurous minds. Cheers!“

“The pandemic shutdown has been tough on Queen Street Fare. We stopped in to Q Bar on a Friday night for some pre-dinner drinks. Service behind the bar was first rate. Fast, friendly, funny & charming. They have a nice selection of beers on tap & cocktails. I would ask them top possibly step up their wine game. Selections are not of superior quality.\n\nThe bar is a perfect place to meet up with friends or make new friends before heading out for dinner. Lots of seats around the bar + a few scattered tables. We want this place to survive !“

“Excellent vegan option. Atmosphere was nice and cozy. Will definitely come back!“

“Great staff! Great food!“

“The atmosphere and staff made the night magical.. very intimate and romantic setting. our drinks and food was next level. being downtown we planned on parking further away and walking the byward market enjoying the down town night life .the Rabbit hole speak easy basement is a bucket list gem. Will be back for more great cocktails and ambiance“

“Always love the Apothecary and it’s beautiful decor, not to mention Brent, our most favourite bartender…great guy and mixologist. The rooftop is awesome with a super vibe, good music and view, always a treat! Highly recommend this place, cheers! ❤️“

“Really excellent food quality and presentation. We chose the winter three-course menu, and I loved everything we ordered. I made the reservation five days in advance, but we were seated in a less interesting hall on the upper floor. The service could also be slightly improved, with servers checking on guests more frequently. That said, the overall experience was very good.“

“Absolutely amazing bar!! Excellent staff! Beautiful Christmas decor!“

“Went there on a Wednesday evening. Chic vibe, clean, and great food. I had the trout with Tom yum sauce which was delicious and savoury. My friend had the salad which was big enough as a meal and the focaccia which was so soft inside with their homemade butter. I loved it! The server was super nice, she let us hang back and finish chatting after we finished our meal. She was super nice and very helpful with our meal selections.“

“Amazing service and a culinary experience !!!“

“GREAT FOOD. Gyoza, Mediterranean Bowl, Sushi Cones, Guacamole, and great drinks“

“We have visited twice so far and the food is always délicieux. We can't get enough of the Rosebowl Platter for 2. Can't go wrong with this option. You get a little bit of everything.“

“Had a fabulous lunch there while visiting family in Ottawa from Nova Scotia over the holidays. I was wearing a Green Bay Packers hoodie as I do, being a fan and shareholder. One of the two guys serving and running the bar gave me a thumbs up and said they were big Packers fan. The food and service was outstanding, and when the bill was presented to our friend as he requested, he was informed that they weren't going to charge for the coffees for the Packers fans, lol. Simply awesome - highly recommended whether you are a Green Bay Packers fan or not :)“

“Love this wonderful wine bar. Great wine with delicious charcuterie boards. The ambiance is very cozy and it is an inviting atmosphere.“

“Amazing sights and great atmosphere. Had a wonderful date night!“

“My wife and I came here for a date night. The atmosphere was that dark steak house vibe that seems to be the go to lighting experience. The restaurant was nicely laid out and tables were buzzing.

The service was 1000/10. Our server Bri had possibly the best water service I've ever seen at a restaurant. She made great recommendations and wanted to explain any drinks or food ordered to ensure we were getting the proper experience.

The food was unreal. We weren't super hungry so we shared a dry aged sirloin, the Brussels sprouts, fries and aioli and Milk Compte bread.

Everything was absolutely fantastic. The only thing to note, was the pickle. I personally can't stand pickles, if there's a pickle on a menu, I request not to include as the juice from a pickle spreads and takes over flavor on whatever it touches. There was no mention of a pickle anywhere so when the steak came out and was sliced perfectly on the plate, to see it next to a pickle wedge that was easily the same size if not larger than the steak was definitely a weird moment. We asked the server why they serve it with s pickle ( maybe it's made in house) to which she told us it's one of the only things they don't make in house?

If you're going to put a massive pickle next to any steaks, you need to let the customer know as this was the only real miss of the evening.“

“One of the best atmospheres and great employees!“

“Inspired cocktails, truly decadent delicious meals, and Josee L was truly the most empathetic and attentive server possibly ever. The vibe is ever so slightly more upscale than I anticipated but it was welcomed! Very luxury. Very delish. So so good. Please go.“

“City Afterlight exceeded all expectations as an event hosting venue. The ambiance was enchanting, with sophisticated lighting creating a captivating atmosphere. The staff's attention to detail and impeccable service added to the overall experience. From the well-appointed spaces to the seamless coordination, City Afterlight proved to be the perfect choice for our event. Highly recommended for those seeking a blend of elegance and functionality in their event venues.“

“My new favourite hangout! The live music scene is top notch! Great that they are supporting local music! Amazing Scotch menus as well as fab cocktails! Love the ambience! The lighting is perfect. Great service! The music in between sets is perfect. Come out and show some love ❤️“

“Incredible spot, great beer!“

“Our experience at Lexington was a mix of incredible BBQ and exceptional customer service. When we were first seated, we were placed next to a very loud table and I could barely hear my wife. I talked to the owner and he went above beyond, putting us in the private room at the back of the restaurant. It was fantastic! We then ordered 2 BBQ platters I couldn't recommend this sampler for couples more highly. We had the brisket which fell apart beautifully and had an amazing bark, we had the fork and knife fried chicken which was probably the best fried chicken ever with this glaze that we kept dipping in. We had the pulled pork which was so flavorful and NOT dry at all. We had the halloumi which was nice when filled in the Carolina BBQ sauces. For sides I have a special order for you to try since you made it this far into the review. Get the mac and cheese and substitute the pulled pork for JACK FRUIT! It's the best mac and cheese ever, a true revelation. It's like discovering pineapple on pizza, SO GOOD!! Very sweet but also a bit spicy because they put a spicy sauce on the jack fruit. This was so good. The other stand out side dish was the brussel sprouts, wow are they ever good especially when you get to the bottom. While we could have had a terrible experience next to the large party, the owner at Lexington made our experience 5 star and the food was so fantastic. So 5 stars all around, one of the best night destinations in Ottawa!“

“Love the new renovations!“

“congrats on the new restuarant.“

“I love it all. Great vibe, fresh ingredients, delicious and unique dishes. You can feel the true passion in the presentation, and the flavour, and we love the creativity. Five stars!!“

“We were just there for brunch and we were both disappointed. Brunch back 10 years ago was a buffet - with an omelette station - and choices of fruit, juice, food etxc. Today I ordered eggs benedict - and it was cold - I mean cold - nothing was warm. My husband order an omelette and there must have been a full bag of spinach in it. We both requested no homefries - but it isn't an option - so a total waste of food. The waitress came immediately to fill up our coffee cups - I don't drink coffee and my husband must have decaf. There were no milers on the table - 1 creamer - no spoons to stir your coffee - overall it was very busy but I hope the majority were pleased with their food.“

“Went here for some drinks with my in-laws and honestly I loved it.
Thought it was pretty unique how they wpuld give you the bill with a classic book and the menus were vinyl 😍
I haven't seen any restaurants like that downtown and thought that was nice.
The waitress was so lovely. Staffed was nice and welcoming 😊“

“Love Banditos. Great food. Sweet potato fries are awesome.“

“I caught up with an old friend today for lunch and we couldn't have picked a better restaurant. The food was delicious and the margaritas amazing - both the regular one and the strawberry one. The decor is charming, fun and colourful. Our server took good care of us. We will definitely be back!“

“We celebrated my daughter's birthday at Med on June 26, 2026, and were delighted from the moment we walked in. Parker and Angela took exceptional care of us—the service was flawless and the food was outstanding. Between the beautiful decor, wonderful atmosphere, and top-tier hospitality, it was a truly memorable evening. Thank you for making her birthday so special. We will definitely be back!“

“I had a great date night with my spouse, the relaxed, yet intimate atmosphere created a space for us to connect over food and drink. We went because the the craft beer selection was diverse and different from the norm. We were pleasantly surprised that food offerings. We live in Orleans but we will make the effort to come back because we enjoyed ourselves so much our cheeks hurt!“

“Hosted a retirement party for approx 85 people. Chris, the General Manager , was great to work with. He made sure that enough staff was present and accommodated our group!

The staff were excellent , friendly, and made the evening go very well.

If your looking for an informal get together or in our case a retirement party, Taproom 260 is a great place to host it!

Thank you Chris and your staff! Well done!“