Arlo - Ottawa

Review summary

1. OT

   OpenTable Diner

   Toronto

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   My friend and I really liked it here. I've only ever been once and it was perfect for our wine night.
   

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2. I

   Ian

   Toronto

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Fantastic experience for my wife’s 40th. Foot and level of service was outstanding. Would highly recommend. Great vibe.
   

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3. A

   Amy

   Ottawa

   2 reviews

   4.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Stan was underwhelming, not cooked to the temp requested which was medium, more medium rare… appetizer was swimming in butter, I love butter but it was a bit much to feel it squish out of a sweet potato. Just my opinion, not a food critic !!
   

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4. L

   Leslie

   Ottawa

   6 reviews

   5.0

   6 reviews

   Dined 5 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Curated menu with very original and very gourmet options. Beautiful setting and very good selection of non-alcoholic drinks if you are interested. Very good service and excellent ambiance for a conversation. Will have to return!
   

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5. Y

   Yanli

   Ottawa

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 12, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   We had an exceptional experience at Arlo celebrating my husband's birthday. We appreciate the restaurant go out of their way to make us feel special. Our waiter was polite, courteous and very knowledgeable of the menu. Food was amazing - top notch in Ottawa, especially the beef tataki and bone marrow. It is a pity we don't drink but heard a lot good word of their wine. Definitely a 10 out of 10 place for intimate gatherings.
   

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6. S

   Sean

   Ottawa

   2 reviews

   4.0

   2 reviews

   Dined on January 11, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 4
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   Very considerate staff. We were there for a birthday party. The starters and oysters were fantastic! The food was very good. Thanks to Trudeau the pricing is a little bit high however I would highly recomend this restaurent.
   

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7. N

   Natalie

   VIP

   Ottawa

   5 reviews

   5.0

   5 reviews

   Dined on January 11, 2025

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Went here to celebrate a birthday and had a fantastic experience! From the personalized menus with a birthday message to the staff hiding the birthday present and bringing dessert out with a candle, the service was a top-notch accompaniment to the inspired menu and tasty cocktails. Absolutely wonderful!!
   

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8. S

   Stephane

   Ottawa

   1 review

   4.0

   1 review

   Dined on January 4, 2025

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   We had received a gift certificate and were really eager to go to Arlo for the first time. We were not disappointed. Our server heard us speaking French to each other and gracefully addressed us in French even though this was not his first language. Our server was very helpful, knowledgeable about the menu and had great comments and suggestions to make with the wine list to pair with our food choices. My wife started off with the scallop tartare which was absolutely heavenly. I had a taste too! Her main was the maitake which was also a great choice although she noted that the food could have been warmer to her taste. On my part, I chose to start with the beef tataki which was also very tasty with maybe a hint too much spicy. The red perch was absolutely delightful as my main course. I would highly recommend it. Unfortunately, where we were seated, a draft of cold air seemed to flow right from under our seats which quickly led to both of us having very cold feet and lower legs. The hostess, upon leading us to this table in the backroom, told us right off the bat that if we were to find it too cold, she could move us to another table. We didn't think much about it initially and later on, with food being served, we didn't want to make a fuss. In retrospect, we should have moved as this was not enjoyable and took away from our experience. All in all, we would nonetheless highly recommend Arlo.
   

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9. D

   Danièle

   Ottawa

   3 reviews

   2.0

   3 reviews

   Dined on January 4, 2025

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 2
   4. Ambience 3

   This restaurant was highly recommended by a friend, so my expectations were high. Too high, it turns out. I was very disappointed. But let’s start with the positives! The ambience is hip and laidback, the serving staff is friendly. Now, the disappointments: our server lacked knowledge. She could not describe the fish (Red perch), nor give us a satisfactory explanation for why the white wine was fizzy. Given Arlo is a wine bar, she should have been able to explain that this is typical of organic wines, which I found out later by looking it up on the Internet. When my friend decided to opt for a different wine for her second glass, she just poured the new wine in the same dirty glass. Hmmm. A wine bar? Now, the food. The biggest disappointment of all. My carrot salad was just OK: the vinaigrette was too acidic and the taste of the pistachios had to compete with too many sesame seeds. I would have preferred it if the carrots were at room temperature rather than cold. As for the main dish, I just could not finish it. The red perch was well-cooked so the texture was very nice. But the taste was way off. It had that pungent metallic taste that one can get in white flesh fish when it is not fresh. The sauce was supposed to a lobster demi-glace. It was brown and salty, not refined in the slightest. I could not taste the lobster. The fennel was barely roasted and had little taste. I was quite envious of my friend’s husband who ordered the ossobuco and enjoyed it. Still, I will not be going back to try it out!
   

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10. A

    Andrea

    Toronto

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on January 4, 2025

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5

    Excellent, attentive service from start to finish. I loved the personal call to confirm our reservation and that our server already knew about our dietary restrictions before we even sat down. Food was delicious - I’m still thinking about that scallop tartare. Our party of two ordered a snack, an app and two mains. Everything was thoughtfully prepared and presented, with creative flair but no pretentiousness. The dishes were well-portioned - we did not go home hungry and next time would save room for dessert. I understand that Arlo boasts a well-curated selection of wines, but the sober and sober-curious will be interested to know that they make super yummy non-alcoholic cocktails too. Finally, the ambiance and decor create a dining experience that feels cozy and comfortable but unique. Arlo does everything right. Can’t wait for our next visit.
    

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