Diners' Choice: Best Value restaurants in Ottawa

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for the best value restaurants in Ottawa? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Grounded Kitchen - Carling

4.8

4.8 (114)

CAN$30 and under

Gastro Pub

Westboro

About the restaurant

Since 2010, Grounded's focus has been on serving great food. Our made-from-scratch philosophy & hands-on approach is evident in everything we do. We specialize in gastro-pub fare, BBQ, third-wave coffee, and delicious cocktails. Grounded’s new location at 1545 Carling, embodies everything the Grounded brand has come to represent. Grounded Carling disrupts typical expectations, described as a "hidden gem" with an innovative approach by blending automation with the human element of customer service.

Grounded's space is edgy & creative. The one-of-a-kind dining room features a mix of glass, steel and concrete, an abundance of colorful lighting, and large art pieces from talented local artists. There is a beautiful, lush patio and an abundance of free (validated) parking.

Top review

Lynne

Dined 6 days ago

Great food and ambiance. Very loud though and some noise cancelling would be nice. Great to have parking validated but parking exit machine works poorly. Better choice of draft beer would be preferred.

Paper Tiger Noodle Bar

4.8

4.8 (111)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Fusion / Eclectic

The Glebe

About the restaurant

"Paper Tiger"
Someone or something that seems intimidating and all powerful, but in reality, is not. Don't judge a book by its cover.
In the heart of Old Ottawa South, Paper Tiger Noodle Bar is where fusion meets local. With a seasonal food and drink menu, you are guaranteed to find your new favourite dining experience.

Top review

Sarah

Dined 6 days ago

Paper tiger is great. Emphasis on local food, friendly service, 10/10 food. Always love coming here.

Bar Lupulus

4.9

4.9 (1440)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

Hintonburg

About the restaurant

Cozy Craft Beer and Natural Wine Bar with a Backyard Patio Oasis. Serving locally sourced & seasonally inspired comfort focused plates by Chef James Bratsberg. 22 rotating taps, Craft Cocktails & over 500 Natural wine cuvees available for dine in and takeout through our online bottle shop!

Top review

abby

Dined 4 days ago

Fantastic cocktails with plenty of creative flair!

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4.9

4.9 (98)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

Downtown

About the restaurant

From day one, we have wanted this little restaurant to be a space where anyone can feel comfortable & welcomed. Classic French cuisine is the root of this ethos - consistent, familiar and even nostalgic flavours from the tried & true feel good classics, yet slightly elevated with a touch of whimsy. Whether you are up for a curated culinary experience with our 4 & 7 Course tasting menus (Fri & Sat evenings), or prefer to choose your own adventure with our 3-course Table D’hote menu (Wed & Thurs evenings), or are in search of an upscale lunch à la carte menu (Thur - Sat); we have you covered! Our menus are composed entirely to showcase the best local products in Lanark County & the Ottawa Valley and are tailored monthly to best celebrate the tastes of the season. What’s more is that we tie it all together with the best small town, friendly, warm and courteous service around. Just like at a good friend’s house; we look forward to welcoming you to our kitchen! Ian Carswell (Chef/Owner)

Top review

gerry

Dined 5 days ago

High end restaurant and good value for money. Best in Town but expensive.

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Experience

Nature's Apprentice Farm - Our July Supper Club

Experience

Thurston Livestock - Our August Supper Club

Experience

7-Course Tasting Menu ($144/person)

Spark Beer & Pizza

4.9

4.9 (30)

CAN$30 and under

Brewery

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Spark Beer and Pizza opened in 2020 with a goal to produce and serve the best lagers, hoppy, sour and Belgian influenced beers possible. Owners Andrea and John have lived in and around Chinatown for over 20 years and, along with chef Jeff, set up shop steps away from the beautiful Chinatown archway. Their beers have won many awards including their 3 time Ontario Brewing Awards winning Manhire Berliner Weisse (gold 2021, gold 2022, silver 2023).

Spark started serving 'west centretown' pizzas in November of 2022 and now offer a variety of pizzas all served on house-made cold fermented dough with the best toppings we can find.

Stop by and enjoy our fun, cozy taproom and pizzeria*!

(*Kitchen hours are limited – please refer to our dinner service times before making your reservation)

Top review

Allison

Dined 6 days ago

Great pizza and wonderful sour beers. Quiet, great ambience.

Montana's BBQ & Bar - Barrhaven

4.6

4.6 (119)

CAN$30 and under

Unspecified

Kanata

About the restaurant

Montana's BBQ & BAR is a Canadian comfort food BBQ restaurant and sports bar. Enjoy in-house smoked pork ribs, beef brisket, grilled steaks and juicy burgers which are paired perfectly with catching the game. Montana's Ottawa celebrates fun-to-eat, finger-licking smoked and barbecued comfort food that breaks the 'proper' rules. Located near Ken Ross Park & Bell Centennial Arena in the Southern core of the city. Experience the fun, casual and unpretentious vibe, where you can laugh heartily, enjoy classic BBQ cooking, cheer on the game and enjoy your friends and family. We can't wait to serve you.

Top review

Calette

Dined 6 days ago

Matt was our server. He was excellent. He customer service skills are top notch.

Retro Gusto

4.9

4.9 (549)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Italian

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Retrogusto is a pizzeria and bar that brings some much needed excitement to the north end of Preston street. We serve a Roman style pizza "Tonda", traditional roman fried snacks, salumi, cheeses and other small plates. Our food will be complimented by a small wine list that will be in constant rotation, strictly Italian classic cocktails, and beautiful amaro's from around Italy. The warm, cozy, dimly lit dining room with an open kitchen will be the perfect place to do the only thing that matters; eat good food, drink good wine and have a good time with friends.

Top review

Chloé

Dined 4 days ago

Every food item I’ve ever had at Retro Gusto was amazing. The food is well balanced, fresh and delicious. The decor and lighting are nice, the staff is very helpful and sweet. It can be quite loud depending on where you are seated.

Lavender Grill & Lounge

4.6

4.6 (38)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

International

ByWard Market

About the restaurant

Nestled in the heart of Ottawa’s historic ByWard Market, Lavender Grill & Lounge offers an elegant yet welcoming dining experience. With cascading lavender accents and a warm ambiance, it’s the perfect setting for both intimate dinners and special celebrations.

Our menu features a refined fusion of contemporary cuisine, crafted with high-quality, fresh ingredients. Signature dishes include Lavender Gnocchi, Lavender Ravioli, Grilled Salmon and perfectly grilled steaks — all prepared with care and creativity.

To complement your meal, enjoy a handcrafted cocktail like the Lavender Gin & Tonic, Kiwi Breeze, Lavender Royale, or Pomegranate Margarita, along with selections from our curated wine list.

Whether you're joining us for a casual evening or hosting a private event, our attentive service and personalized touches ensure a memorable experience every time.

Top review

Andrea

Dined 4 days ago

This was our first time at Lavender Grill. We were not disappointed! We were having a little dinner celebration with my daughter after her high school graduation. Viggo, our server, was attentive, gave great recommendations (my daughter loved the Gnocchi!) and is just a very pleasant gentleman in general. The food is delicious! Highly recommend!

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Experience

Brunch bubbles on us!

Experience

Tuesday Special

Aiāna

4.9

4.9 (545)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Canadian

Downtown

About the restaurant

Driven to provide a dining experience unlike any other, Aiāna's cuisine reflects a harmonious balance between classic cooking techniques and contemporary recipes. Whether a memorable meal; handcrafted cocktail or a glass of carefully curated wine, Aiana delivers distinctly Canadian cuisine and impeccable hospitality – all from the pulse of Ottawa’s bustling downtown.

Top review

Adriana

Dined on Jun 20, 2025

We had an amazing experience and would definitely go again!

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Experience

A la Carte Reservation

Experience

Tasting Menu

4.8

4.8 (2282)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Contemporary Canadian

Kanata

About the restaurant

Our menu represents Chef Michael's Blackie’s best food memories, which span over his 35 plus international career Chef worked in Asia, Latin America and is an expat from the UK.
His food style can best be described as a balance between Canadian roots with a strong influence in both Asian, Latin and European cuisines.
We are currently open for Dinner weekly 7 days week from 5 to 9 pm. We are known for our blind tasting menu that features 8 dishes shared between minimum of 2 people. We are also open for Sunday Brunch from 10am to 1 pm and offer a sharing 5 course - 10 dish brunch tasting menu.
NeXT opened in 2009 and is consistently in the top drawer of established restaurants in the Ottawa / Gatineau region. NeXT has been awarded many accolades over these past 11 years.
Come and discover one of Ottawa's signature original stand-alone restaurants that represent the acumination of Chefs Blackie's global career.

Top review

Nkeonye

Dined 2 days ago

The ambiance is amazing. They have really lovely names for the food and drinks and they taste soooo good. The servers were very friendly, knowledgeable and helpful with selecting the meals. I had an amazing time and I'll definitely return for a tasting menu soon.

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Experience

SUNDAY BRUNCH | 10 DISH TASTING MENU

Experience

BLIND TASTING MENU | 2 to 6 GUESTS | WED to SAT

Experience

SATURDAY DINNER PARTY | 7-16 GUESTS

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