Diners' Choice: Hot spot restaurants in Ottawa

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

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 favourite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Stolen Goods Cocktail Bar

4.9

4.9 (257)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Cocktail Bar

Ottawa

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

Phil

Dined on Dec 14, 2024

Hands down the best cocktail bar in Ottawa. Fantastic service, innovative and delicious cocktails, and excellent bites as well. Truly a gem that rivals Montreal cocktail bars.

Riviera

4.7

4.7 (3052)

CAN$51 and over

Contemporary Canadian

Ottawa

About the restaurant

Welcome to Riviera!

Reservations may be subject to time restrictions, dependent on availability. Please check your reservation email for full details. If your group requires more time, kindly call the restaurant at 613-233-6262 and we will do our best to accommodate you. Groups of six or more are subject to a 20% gratuity.

Please note, reservations made for outdoors are guaranteed for outdoor seating only. We may not be able to move you inside in the event of bad weather.

We look forward to hosting you! Please feel free to call us with any questions!

Top review

Omar

Dined 3 days ago

The food was excellent, it is fairly loud inside which is to be expected as it is pretty much one gorgeous, wide open space with extremely high ceilings. We really appreciated that our waiter did not try to push us on desserts and extra items.

Moxies - Orleans

4.7

4.7 (274)

CAN$30 and under

Contemporary American

Ottawa

About the restaurant

Top review

Peter

Dined on Dec 9, 2024

We enjoyed a nice lunch with friends. The food surpassed our expectations. In particular, the clam chowder was rich and delicious. The servers and kitchen were very attentive to one guest's dietary restrictions.

Discover more

Experience

New Year's Eve

Anabella's Kitchen & Lounge

4.7

4.7 (35)

CAN$51 and over

Mediterranean

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Modern Mediterranean inspired Cuisine located right in the heart of Little Italy

Top review

Ray

Dined 3 days ago

We had a great experience! Service was excellent, atmosphere was great, and our food was delicious. We were both celebrating our birthday and they gave us a dessert on the house. Highly recommended!

Enoteca Monza Pizzeria Moderna - Gatineau

4.6

4.6 (137)

CAN$30 and under

Italian

Gatineau

About the restaurant

The wine has a unique and mystical quality: unlike most other drinks, it gets better as it gets older. No one can elaborate exactly what the end results will be – the wine is constantly evolving. So there is a bottled surprise to discover. Monza has been a household name for over 10 years with its wine bar. The wines on sale are from all over the world. Whether it’s a bottle of wine or champagne, local or international labels, quality and affordability are always on the menu.

Top review

Basile

Dined 4 days ago

good ambiance. close to cinema. stays open late. friendly service. watch out at payment time: credit card terminal do not comply with provincial legislation on tips.

JOEY Lansdowne

4.6

4.6 (100)

CAN$51 and over

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

Holly

Dined 3 days ago

Wonderful evening with friends, great food and service!

Alora

4.5

4.5 (16)

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

Camila

Dined 1 day ago

Amazing service and great food. It was a great choice for a date night.

JOEY Rideau

4.5

4.5 (73)

CAN$30 and under

Contemporary American

ByWard Market

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. Located in Ottawa’s historic downtown, the updated turn-of-the-century design boasts a theater kitchen, chef’s table seating, sushi bar, wrap-around lounge and patio.

Top review

Levent

Dined 4 days ago

Outstanding service, delicious meal, and top notch clean!!!!!

Moxies - Kanata

4.4

4.4 (284)

CAN$30 and under

Contemporary American

Kanata

About the restaurant

Moxies restaurant is a contemporary casual restaurant offering a globally inspired menu and hand crafted cocktails in a vibrant and interactive atmosphere. Moxies has over 50 locations across Canada and 6 US locations in Dallas, Houston, and Miami. Our Kanata location is located at 601 Earl Grey Drive at the Kanata Centrum Shopping Centre, just blocks from Kanata Golf & Country Club and the Canadian Tire Centre. Our Executive Chef Brandon Thordarson has created a menu offering a wide-array of steaks, burgers, pastas and seafood! No matter the occasion, whether it's a business luncheon, a dinner date or late night drinks with friends, Moxies offers something for everyone. Moxies features daily drink specials and a delectable blend of unique cocktails, flavourful wines and a variety of beers to choose from.
Please note that our Lounge Area is reserved for those 19 years of age and older.

Top review

LouiseVIP

Dined 4 days ago

Great food, great service, as usual. The chicken bowl, the ribs, the half price wine, all worked to make it a great meal.

Montgomery Scotch Lounge - Gladstone Ave

3.8

3.8 (140)

CAN$31 to CAN$50

Tapas / Small Plates

Little Italy

About the restaurant

Seating Times:
1st Seating – 5:00 or 5:30 to 7:00pm
2nd Seating – 7:00 to 9:00pm
3rd Seating - 9:00 to 11:00pm

Set Times:
1st Set - 5:30 to 6:30pm
2nd Set - 7:30 to 8:30pm
3rd Set - 9:30 to 10:30pm

~ If you’d like to stay for two Sets, make sure to book two Seatings. ~
~ Cover charge will apply for all Sets. ~

Montgomery Scotch Lounge is an intimate restaurant & bar with live music, in the heart of downtown Ottawa featuring a large selection of single malt Scotches, cocktails, and delicious small plates.

We've got Ontario craft beer, unique wine, and Scotch-based cocktails. And, we’re known for our quest to make single malt Scotch approachable to the uninitiated.

Every time you show up to eat, drink and watch a show with us, you’re directly supporting our mission to bring live music, single malt Scotch and great food to Ottawa.

Join us for a Dram -Sláinte!

Reservations of 7 or more: patrick@montgomeryscotchlounge.com
Performer inquiries: live@montgomeryscotchlounge.com

Top review

BobVIP

Dined on Dec 7, 2024

We are not fans of your new menu. We would like to see a charcuterie board returned as an option. We also enjoyed your previous grilled cheese sandwiches and would like to see that item returned to your menu as well. Thank you.

Explore Diners' Choice best of Ottawa

Explore more Diners' Choice lists