Diners' Choice: Hot spot restaurants in Ottawa

OpenTable

Updated June 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that are the best hot spots 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!

Parlour

4.9

4.9 (368)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Contemporary Canadian

Hintonburg

About the restaurant

Parlour is a restaurant and an event space with capacity of 250 guests, we offer private dining in our venue and can accommodate large party reservations.
Chef driven, seasonal menus, using farm to table ingredients. Our wine program highlights low-intervention, natural wine producers and our curated cocktails are a fun time. We are located centrally in Wellington West.
Celebrated as one of Ottawa's top 10 new restaurants.
Our interior space offers a cozy, eclectic interior of mid-century modern design.
We host curated events of any size designed for you. Give us a call or contact with us directly to learn more.

Top review

Nancy

Dined on Jun 5, 2025

Made a birthday experience quite memorable with a personalized menu and a lovely dessert. Exceptional service and the food is delicious. Lots of room between tables for a private time. All at a quite reasonable cost. Definitely up for a repeat visit!

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Popular dish

Oysters

Popular dish

Buttermilk Fried Chicken Sandwich

Popular dish

brisket

Retro Gusto

4.9

4.9 (544)

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

Myra

Dined 4 days ago

We are always delighted by Retro Gusto. The food is perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself) and there’s a nice mix of familiar favourites and new items to enjoy. The service is just right - attentive but not hovering, very knowledgeable and welcoming. I don’t know what’s in that pizza dough but it’s pretty magical.

DreamLand Cafe

4.8

4.8 (532)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Italian

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Located in the heart of Ottawa’s Little Italy, Dreamland Pasta Cafe & Bar, is easy to love but hard to leave. The fresh pasta brings you in but the vibrant energy and heartbeat of the space allows you to indulge in
every moment from small talk to dessert.

Top review

Shivang

Dined 6 days ago

It was an amazing experience with a cozy vibe and requests were respected and done.

Stolen Goods Cocktail Bar

4.8

4.8 (280)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Cocktail Bar

Downtown

About the restaurant

Turning words into action.
An unconventional cocktail bar born from the desire that ideas are meant to be changed.
Amorphous in nature.

For all changes to reservations please contact us through instagram, email or message through OpenTable. We do not have a phone line during business hours.

A gratuity of 20% will be included on all groups of 5+.

Top review

JacquelineVIP

Dined on Jun 8, 2025

Drinks were good. Didn’t have any food. Atmosphere is pretty cool. Will go again whenever in Ottawa for a drink or two.

JOEY Lansdowne

4.7

4.7 (267)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Contemporary American

The Glebe

About the restaurant

JOEY Restaurants marries iconic hospitality with a handcrafted, locally and globally-inspired menu from award-winning chefs, to bring an unparalleled guest experience. Instead of just one chef, JOEY has a whole team of celebrated Executive Chefs bringing you an experience you can't get anywhere else. The darling of Ottawa’s historic Lansdowne Park has a spacious lounge and dining room, and a seasonal patio that employs exposed brick and beams for a sleek yet approachable feel.

Top review

Cynthia

Dined 4 days ago

Joey is our go to restaurant before any events at TD place. The food is delicious, the atmosphere is great, and even my Kindergartener loves it.

Lavender Grill & Lounge

4.6

4.6 (33)

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

ROdney

Dined 5 days ago

Slow night on Thursday at 5 PM. Music a bit loud to have private conversation. Not sure I would pick again for a date night.

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Experience

Brunch bubbles on us!

Experience

Tuesday Special

Bistro la Gargouille

4.6

4.6 (117)

CAN$30 and under

Bistro

Gatineau

About the restaurant

Where the love of wine, great cocktails and beer meets delicious food. Our menu is inspired by the concept of sharing, in order to live a unique experience and spend a moment in good company.

Top review

John

Dined on Jun 3, 2025

3 June 2025 We chose Bistro la Gargouille having never been here before and as we were attending a show at the casino, we were looking for somewhere close. The location is just great although there seemed to be limited parking onsite but perhaps more on the adjacent streets. Our party of four had the Lobster Mac & Cheese, Poutine la Gargouille, Poutine with Duck, and Fish and Chips. All reported their meals to be "good". There as nothing wrong with any of them but not outstanding either so fair to say they have good food. Our server was fantastic. Very friendly and accommodating. He was extremely busy as he seemed to be the only server working when we were there, but he was more than able to handle the tables very professionally. The place itself is very nice, casual bistro - very good. Overall a very good experience. We will definitely return and I would absolutely recommend this as a restaurant worth visiting.

Alora

4.5

4.5 (65)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

International

ByWard Market

About the restaurant

Welcome to Alora, where a vibrant atmosphere meets exquisite cuisine in Ottawa’s downtown ByWard Market. With a cozy yet stylish ambiance, Alora is perfect for social nights out, romantic dinners, fun gatherings, and memorable celebrations.

Our menu features a diverse array of shareable options that cater to all tastes. Whether you’re craving a juicy steak, crab and seafood, or a delicious vegetarian option, or share with our delectable tapas-like starters and our famous land & sea sharing board, designed to ignite your taste buds.

Enjoy elevated cocktails expertly crafted by our skilled mixologists, or a selection of specialty drinks that perfectly complement your meal. On Fridays and Saturdays, our live DJ elevates the energy throughout the night, taking Alora from a dining destination into a vibrant nightlife spot, inviting guests to let loose and have fun. In the summertime, don’t miss our stunning rooftop with its own dedicated bar and unwind under the stars.

Top review

ARIEN

Dined on May 22, 2025

This was a great place to dine and to entertain friends from out-of-town. The drinks were well made and waitress provided detailed information as to the content of each cocktail. The food portions were ample and well prepared and the vibe was very modern without being pretentious. I will absolutely be back!

Drip House Cocktail Bar & Kitchen - Chinatown

4.5

4.5 (22)

CAN$30 and under

Café

Downtown

About the restaurant

Welcome to the Drip House Bar, where every sip tells a story. Your favourite neighbourhood bar. Immerse yourself in an atmosphere of comfort, with meticulously crafted cocktails and a curated selection of spirits, reduced coffee menu and good music to vibe to. The perfect date spot. Host a private event. Birthday party. Whether you're here for a casual evening or a special celebration, our bar promises an unforgettable experience. Cheers to good times!

For groups of 10 or more, private parties and buyouts, please contact Rick at 613-322-3484 or crego@driphouseottawa.com

Top review

Hailey

Dined 5 days ago

Such a nice vibe and our server was hilarious and so fun! Delicious eats and cocktails in a beautiful setting — we were having a creative girls night and it was the perfect setting ✨ thank you!!!!

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Experience

Drippy Hour

D'Arcy McGees - Sparks Street

4.4

4.4 (294)

CAN$30 and under

Pub

Downtown

About the restaurant

D'Arcy McGee's first opened its doors in August of 1997 and is located near Parliament Hill and across from the War Memorial and National Arts Centre.
We offer an authentic Irish Pub atmosphere with classic and modern pub fare and a good selection of local and import beers on tap .
LIVE music on Fridays and Saturdays, no cover!
Come check us out :)

Top review

Nancy

Dined 4 days ago

This is one of my favourite pubs in Ottawa's downtown. The food and the service is excellent!

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