Pub in Ottawa?

gordmit · Post by **gordmit** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 3:58 pm

I will be in Ottawa next week with limited time/transportation...looking for a place to duck into for a pint - hopefully in the Byward Market area. Will try to get over to the Arrow and Loon, any thoughts?
Gordo

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:14 pm

Arrow and Loon is your spot in the Glebe.

Black Tomato I would suggest in the Market.

If you can jump the river, hit Brasseurs du Temps a MUST!

L'autre L'Oeil is also a great bar.

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 9:03 pm

cfrancis wrote: Arrow and Loon is your spot in the Glebe.

Black Tomato I would suggest in the Market.

800,000+ people and only two recommended beer spots? Yikes!

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 9:24 pm

cratez wrote:
cfrancis wrote: Arrow and Loon is your spot in the Glebe.

Black Tomato I would suggest in the Market.
800,000+ people and only two recommended beer spots? Yikes!

Yeah, what about Pub Italia, Chez Lucien, Wellington Gastropub, Clocktower.............???

Black Tomato is overpriced and under beered IMO. Ottawa should have more options.

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:01 pm

cratez wrote:
cfrancis wrote: Arrow and Loon is your spot in the Glebe.

Black Tomato I would suggest in the Market.
800,000+ people and only two recommended beer spots? Yikes!

He said the market.

Honestly Ottawa is a little bit of a dry area for craft beer. The local stuff is available in multiple locations ie Beau's, Kitchessippi/Heritage

But for a true "beer bar" Black Tomato really isn't even a good option. It's Arrow and Loon for Ontario brews. BDT for their own brews and L'Autre L'Oeil and Pub Italia for their good bottle lists. That's it unless you want to drive to Carp for the Cheshire Cat.

Neither is located anywhere close to the market. You're looking at the $10-15 cab ride to Italia, mind you the food is average at best but you are surrounded by some awesome Italien places on Preston.

Sorry to say it but those are your options. I wish I had more but Ottawa sucks for options with beer. The places we have are very good but there is limitation in choices.

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Wed Feb 23, 2011 11:12 pm

Preston street is worth a visit alone, IMO. Beer or no beer.

iguenard · Post by **iguenard** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:40 am

If your going in to taste something different, just head to BDT. Its a 10$ cab ride, and well worth the trip.

If you have a car, you have access to Autre Oeil's 500-beer list, and some BDT and Dieu du Ciel! on tap.

The Market caters to tourists and offers tame dining and drinking places.

I do like the Vineyards for having a couple drinks, but since its a tourist stop, prices do tend to be very prohibitive.

If your a whiskey lover though, the Highlander Pub recently recieved Whiskey Magazine's Gold Medal (if not platinum) in MacAllan's Good Whiskey Pubs Guide 2010.

They have lots of rare drams, all available in 1, 2oz taste servings, reasonnably priced.

sprague11 · Post by **sprague11** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:36 pm

SteelbackGuy wrote:Preston street is worth a visit alone, IMO. Beer or no beer.

Especially if you;re Italian

Ottawa is one of those cities I think it;s best to have a Car or a Designated Driver. The good beer spots are a fair distance from eachother. Mind you I usually hit Italia, Arrow and Loon, across the river to BDT and wind up back at the hotel with some bottles from Brouhaha

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 2:49 pm

sprague11 wrote:
SteelbackGuy wrote:Preston street is worth a visit alone, IMO. Beer or no beer.
Especially if you;re Italian

Ottawa is one of those cities I think it;s best to have a Car or a Designated Driver. The good beer spots are a fair distance from eachother. Mind you I usually hit Italia, Arrow and Loon, across the river to BDT and wind up back at the hotel with some bottles from Brouhaha

Well Johnny boy, Italian I am not :)But I really enjoy hanging out there. On my most recent visits, I would spend at least 2 days just hanging out at the coffee chops there, going to PI for a few beers, going out to dinner at one of the kick ass Italian establishments, and then back to PI for a night cap. You can't beat it!

cfrancis · Post by **cfrancis** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:28 pm

sprague11 wrote:
SteelbackGuy wrote:Preston street is worth a visit alone, IMO. Beer or no beer.
Especially if you;re Italian

Ottawa is one of those cities I think it;s best to have a Car or a Designated Driver. The good beer spots are a fair distance from eachother. Mind you I usually hit Italia, Arrow and Loon, across the river to BDT and wind up back at the hotel with some bottles from Brouhaha

That's a good rotation but like you said, probably an hour and a half of driving is included.

Marche Omni would be a better option for bottles since it is relatively close to BDT, but Broue Ha Ha has a better selection and is out in freaking Gatineau.

Brews Phillips · Post by **Brews Phillips** » Thu Feb 24, 2011 6:45 pm

iguenard wrote: I do like the Vineyards for having a couple drinks, but since its a tourist stop, prices do tend to be very prohibitive.

The free cheese table during happy hour can help alleviate the pain of steep beer prices

Sunday through Thursday, I think.

notdan · Post by **notdan** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:22 pm

Another pub with a decent selection of craft beer is The Manx. It's on Elgin just a bit North of the 417. Don't know what's they're now, but there's almost always some St. Ambroise, Beau's, Church Key, Creemore, etc. It's a pretty small basement pub with a great vibe.

cratez · Post by **cratez** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 4:01 pm

cfrancis wrote: He said the market.

Honestly Ottawa is a little bit of a dry area for craft beer...I wish I had more but Ottawa sucks for options with beer. The places we have are very good but there is limitation in choices.

I'm sorry to hear that. I wasn't trying to break your balls, just shocked that such a large municipality - and the nation's capital (!!!) - has so few options. I still plan to hit up all the places that Len has told me about sometime this year. Here's to hoping that things improve in the meantime!

rejtable · Post by **rejtable** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 8:18 pm

Manx isn't too bad for their food list, and their vibe is great, but the menu is a bit on the tight side.

All of the above are great. I was in awe of the bottle list at L'Autre Oeuil the last time I was there. Amazing! Weird spot, but what a great list!

SteelbackGuy · Post by **SteelbackGuy** » Fri Feb 25, 2011 11:18 pm

rejtable wrote:Manx isn't too bad for their food list, and their vibe is great, but the menu is a bit on the tight side.

All of the above are great. I was in awe of the bottle list at L'Autre Oeuil the last time I was there. Amazing! Weird spot, but what a great list!

Manx is ok yeah. I remember their scotch list being really good.....but maybe I am just thinking funny things.