Ninkasi Bar & Bistro

1109 reviews

811 Rue Saint-Jean #801, Québec, QC G1R 1R2, Canada

www.laninkasi.ca

+14185298538

About

Ninkasi Bar & Bistro is a Beer hall located at 811 Rue Saint-Jean #801, Québec, QC G1R 1R2, Canada. It has received 1109 reviews with an average rating of 4.3 stars.

Photos

Hours

Monday11:30AM-4AM
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday4PM-4AM
Thursday11:30AM-4AM
Friday11:30AM-4AM
Saturday11:30AM-4AM
Sunday11:30AM-4AM

F.A.Q

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The address of Ninkasi Bar & Bistro: 811 Rue Saint-Jean #801, Québec, QC G1R 1R2, Canada

  • Ninkasi Bar & Bistro has 4.3 stars from 1109 reviews

  • Beer hall

  • "The sign on the door says Karaoke starts at 10 P"

    "Waiters in the karaoke section guilt trip you if you're not getting wasted because that's less $ for them"

    "Had an amazing night here doing karaoke and drinking local beers"

    "Late lite dinner stop on the July Long weekend around 8pm"

    "Ninkasi is a strategic spot in downtown Quebec City"

Reviews

  • Xandra

The sign on the door says Karaoke starts at 10 P.M. Since it's currently 9:20 P.M., we manage to get a great seat with a fantastic view of the stage where people would be singing. We are immediately greeted by an attractive blonde woman with a voluptuous ponytail, and are asked what we'd like to drink. Most of us already knew what we wanted, so we placed our orders, which came out moments later, along with the bill. The server stood around, expectantly. We all started to pull out our cards, but the action was cut short when she stated, quite abruptly: "cash only". We looked around at each other, then around the room, looking for some way we could have possibly known about this beforehand for this woman to be treating us so impatiently. The server rolls her eyes. "There's an ATM upstairs." And then she was off to the next table. My sister heads upstairs to get out some cash. The server returns shortly thereafter. "So, who's paying?" "My sister left literally a second ago to get cash. She'll be back in a bit." She sighs, quite dramatically might I add, before buzzing off to another table. And then she's back again, just as my sister is coming down the stairs. "I'm getting this round" she announces. The server does some quick and pretty impressive mental math to tally up all the bills, and my sister gives her two brand new twenty dollar bills. The server giver her exact change, but doesn't leave the table. "You owe me 15% for the tip, so that's about five dollars." We all look at her like she's nuts. We don't automatically owe her a tip, and her service was definitely not stellar. Timely, yes, but not conducive to a positive experience. My sister quietly gives her a five dollar bill and we never saw her again for the rest of the night. 10 P.M. they hadn't even cleared the stage from the previous show of live music. Instruments littered the stage. There was no music. Around 10:15 P.M. there was still no sign of a karaoke night starting, but patrons were piling in like ants at a picnic. My mom had gone out for a smoke and my youngest sibling had gone to the bathroom, so their chairs were lacking people. Apparently, this was a sign that we did not need the chairs or our tables, as people were trying to take them left and right, despite the fact that their things were still very clearly on them. In this establishment, if anyone leaves at any point, guard those chairs with your life, because they will get taken. The atmosphere was far from festive, despite the fact that a bachelorette party had just walked in, but I still had hope the karaoke would be fun. At 10:40 P.M., I check the stage to see if they've made any progress on getting karaoke night started, only to see that there's a guy singing on stage. We couldn't hear him at all! The words to the song were projected throughout the room, but neither the music nor the singer could be heard from where we were seated... and we were in the center of the room. I asked the male server who happened to walk by if we could have a round of water for the table. He came back with a single glass. I decide to give the karaoke a try. I make my way to the front of the room to give my name, only to discover that I'm up next. I mentally prepare myself to go on, only to have the guy call out someone else's name. I check the list, my name is at the top. I ask him why I'm not going on, and he tells me: "we're trying this new thing called alternating." WHAT? WHAT? ALTERNATING WHAT? He didn't clarify, and I was officially fed up with the place. I head back to my table to tell everyone that we're getting out of here. As I get my coat on, it becomes apparent that the person I had been "alternated" with didn't show up, and the guy called my name. Bad service, a cutthroat atmosphere, horrible acoustics (or just really low mic volume), and ALTERNATING (whatever that even means)? Nope. Karaoke, true karaoke, is not the aim of this particular bar. "Karaoke Night" is a catchy title to get people's attention.

  • Ashley K

Waiters in the karaoke section guilt trip you if you're not getting wasted because that's less $ for them. You're asked probably every 15 minutes by multiple people whether you are having another drink and served looks if you say no. Cocktails are small and packed with ice so they take no time to consume. There was someone barfing in the bathroom at 10:30pm probably because they force alcohol down your throat. From the review replies, the owner is an immature snarky person, so I guess that's all on brand. Be dressed cleanly as it's attached to a nightclub and come early (around 10) to have a table. Vibe is on the formal side. Music selection is good and performers generally had good voices, but you could barely hear the person singing over the music track. The place is loud in general so if you're looking to chat, another venue might be more suitable. There was an abundance of Quebec music the night we went. It took about an hour and a half between being listed and actually singing. Overall, I had fun! But I'm not sure this place is for me.
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 3

  • Alexander Gray

Had an amazing night here doing karaoke and drinking local beers. Our bartender Catherine was simply the best, making suggestions and cooking us a great veal plate. Not sure exactly what it was called but it was pretty close to an empañada. Surprising for Quebec. But nevertheless, it was great tasting, maybe magnified by the great beer we had paired with it. La Revolution was what we settled on for of night, and may I say it was the best beer I had ever had. A stout with wintery flavors: gingerbread and other spices to try and put my finger on a few. It was a strong beer at 10% abv, so we were careful with it as it is very easy to drink. Coming back the next night we were quite surprised to see a nearly naked man in a flower thong dancing on the stage. It definitely was not the atmosphere we were looking for so we made a quick exit, but we did have the thought of coming back the night after that to give it another chance. Hopefully, our experience the first night was more characteristic of a usual evening at Ninkasi.

  • D Dagg

Late lite dinner stop on the July Long weekend around 8pm. Two of us sat on the patio. Two salads, one alcoholic drink and a cranberry juice served in its original $1 small bottle just shy of cold. Salads were okay but far from exceptional. There were a few empty patio tables but the number of times the waiters tried to get the people next to us to leave by hovering over their table clearing all but one glass was comical. A pleasant group of four having a good conversation. We were ignored until it was time to pay. The speed at which the waiter took the machine away after I'd punched in my details was shocking. No "thank you" just a quick exit like we were an annoyance to show up and just order salads and drinks that cost $70 after tip. Disappointing.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–40

  • Sonia Bitca

Ninkasi is a strategic spot in downtown Quebec City. Are you looking for a refreshing view over a city park? Ask for the rooftop. Are you in a people-watching mode? Ask for the patio on the pedestrian side. Are you bored? Try out one of their activities - there's trivia nights, karaoke, and even figure-drawing workshops with models. All this besides a nice menu, including several vegetarian choices, draft local beers, and original cocktails. Professional and friendly staff.
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Burger Bœuf, Fish and Chips
Vegetarian options
at least seven vegetarian options (burger, nachos, salads and poutine)
Dietary restrictions
at least two gluten free options (salads)

  • Martin Ruzicka

This is a definitely youth friday night bar on rue St. Jean. It is two floor complex, it has a nice terrace on the 1st floor so you stay above the street rush. I have the experience just from the saturday nights when karaoke is organized. If you want to join quebec youngsters in partying and singing, this is the time and place to go. Unfortunately, this is a cash-only place. Thers is an ATM, but paying by card is much comfortable in my opinion. Sometimes, there is an entry fee to get to the club, which is annoying for me - you are buying without trying... In summary, cool club, good beer for average prices, many young people from 18 to late twenties (personal guess), located in cool zone with some little inconveniences, that don't metter that much.

  • Maya Mapp

I was looking forward to a nice meal after arriving late to my hotel (after traveling for 8 hours). The place had decent reviews and beautiful pictures of food, which now I know they downloaded off of internet. The pictures below are what was delivered to me 30 minutes ago. Burnt "gourmet" burger, sad fries and even sadder poutine. Didn't even bother to put a fork in there, let alone a napkin. I am speechless. Whoever sent this food out looking like that should hang their apron and choose a different profession. It's a disgrace for this person to be calling themselves "a chef".
Service
Delivery
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–50

  • Randa

I honestly was not there long enough to give a detailed review. We went there for karaoke after dinner. The vibe was super fun and it was pretty crowded. The lights they have hanging are adorable. However, the posters they have upstairs are terribly… something. Some of them are of a person screaming or Chuck running after you to murder you. They have another room upstairs with pool tables and foosball tables. It’s more of a bar vibe than the downstairs karaoke vibe. There’s a big table upstairs for a more private karaoke party. The drinks took forever to get to us though.

  • Rod Carlson

Hubby and I stopped for a drink. Excellent cidre, stout gin & tonic for m’y man. I ordered a medium beet and goat cheese salad, may have been the best I have had, so delicious with slightly candied pecans, superb! Hubby had the fish & chips with salad instead of fries. He said the fish was amazing with a light tempura batter. Side salad was also very good. Will definitely be back!
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4
Recommended dishes
Cod Fish'n Chips, Fish and Chips

  • Jason meehan

Understand everyone has bad days, but this was the worst service in Quebec. We were greeted very friendly at the bar and ordered drinks. We were then actively ignored for about an hour. When we did manage to get our server's attention, she took our drink order then promptly sat down and ate dinner, never acknowledging us again. We got someone else's attention to get the check. Other patrons at tables kept approaching the bar asking for food and drinks. Unfortunate because it looks like a cool little place.

  • Q Rmx

The poutines we tried were ok (nothing special I can think of), the place was good. Ok selection of beers and alcohol. The cocktails I tried felt really light on alcohol. Biggest cons was the service, the waitress made us seat and then basically disappeared. We waited for 15min and eventually had to ask a different waiter to order something. Wouldn't recommend.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 2
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 3

  • Robyn Pan

Love, love this place. We are staying in Quebec city for a week and have already been here 3 times, 2x for dinner, 1 for karaoke and dancing. Our younger daughter just turned 18 a great experience for her first time being legal. Comfortable, fun, safe environment and 2 employees we got to know were super sweet, happy to see us each time we stopped in and helped us alot with our visit. Would def come back next time we visit Quebec.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Garrett Nuttall

Great bar, great beer selection excellent service and prices. I went with the a tout le monde because I love Megadeth and I thought it was appropriate to drink given the location. I really wanted to make it back for Karaoke the sound setup and bar itself looked Incredible for music. I will have to do it next trip and I will make Quebec proud. I plan on spending a few hours there next time for sure close the place for sure. à votre santé!!

  • Matt Shlosberg

Service was terrible. The bartender behaved like she didn't care. On top of that, they don't accept credit cards and I spent 20 min looking for the ATM machine to pay for the drink I already ordered to find it warm by the time I got it. They didn't care about my bad experience. I also asked the bartender on a restaurant recommendation and she gave me a look of hatred and simply turned around and didn't answer. Would never go there again.

  • Jussi Päivinen

We were the first customers to come in and the service was great, I've never had such attentive and knowledgeable bartender. Had recommendations about the food and beers, and they had really good imperial stout, a rare sight in canadian craft beer scene. Duck poutine and deer panini were out of this world, very well prepared and flavours were suberb. Had some canadian whisky too, that I cannot recommend if you like single malts.

  • Riley A

Almost perfect service only complaint was it too a bit of time before we were first seen. I wish I remembered our waitresses name she was amazing and deserves a lot of credit for dealing with my limited french. Drinks here are locally sourced. The Ceasar was amazing and the gin (7th heaven) was also great. I wish I grabbed a bottle while in town tho light reason to go back.
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

  • Hooman Jazebizadeh

After a lot of searching as tourists, we found this place for their Atmosphere. The staff very helpful for selecting the right meal. Loved their deer Putin beet salad. Their grapefruit and lemon drink was tasty the staff also gave us hints on where to go for ice cream and bakery. Really appreciate their suggestions.
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Travis Sellers

In mid December 2021, it was very hard to get reservations anywhere for 6. If you are in the area, skip the packed touristy restaurants and give this place a try - it was our favorite! You will not be disappointed. We walked there during the worst weather of our trip, and it was our best decision. The food was amazing, service impeccable, and everything was spot on. Cannot recommend enough.

  • Sanity Cruzer

We liked everything about this place. We ate there and it was very tasty. I had duck poutine and my girlfriend had a beet salad. The prices were much better than at restaurants inside the "wall" of Quebec City and the portions were amply sized. The service was very prompt and friendly. We enjoyed the music they played there and it was not filled with yuppie tourists.

  • Marcelle Lean

It is a pub like establishment. We had to climb updtairs as the downstairs was too busy. As soon as we came in ( a group of 6 people ) the young waitress took good care if us responding to the fact that we were in a hurry. The food was served quickly and with a smile with the drinks (wine and beer) . The room was alive but the visit was very pleasant on the whole

  • Mars Strausbaugh

Had my first ever poutine here. Simply amazing! The chicken nuggets were also tasty and very hot and fresh. The staff are very cool and welcoming, and there's so many beers you'll find something you enjoy!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20
Vegetarian options
Poutine gravy is vegetarian as is!

  • Brent Baker

Came here after a Concert in town and found all these locals singing Karaoke. Had an absolute blast singing along and dancing with them till the late hours of the evening. Would come back for sure if in town again.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$1–10
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5

  • Sabina Tanjic

This place has amazing food strongly recommend. Deer panini simply mouth watering and poutine the way a poutine should be we Canadians know with a nice orange pop for me i was a happy camper . Thank you very much and keep doing the great job.
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Al Schweickhardt

Two days after Christmas and Old Quebec too busy to find walk in availability. Finally tried here just outside Old City and it was a nice time with good food and friendly wait staff. Good selection of drinks.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Recommended dishes
Burger Bœuf

  • jordan goss

We ate there twice while in QC. We came back because the fish (in the fish and chips (or salad)) were so good, plus they had a good selection of drinks. If you like gin and ginger, I highly recommend the ski-doo accident.
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

  • Rifaat Tahir

Nice place warm for drink it's more as a bar than taking family for me it's a place where guys can meet and have nice night and also where women can meet and have night girls but make sure your man come drive you or if you a man make sure your woman drive you great place good selection of beers

  • DeLynne OToole

A great find outside the old city walls on a night when so many restaurants were closed. Highly recommend it for the Duck Poutine!! Delicious with lots of cheese curds. The beet salad was also great. The young people who were running the place were very friendly and provided excellent service.

  • Celeste Addison

They speak both English and French which is very nice. They were out of eeeeeeverything (as in tequila, rum, a few of the beers). The drink I ended up ordering was good, but I finished it in 3 sips and it was $9.... Which I don’t think is a fair price for a drink that small.

  • LT Starr

They only accept cash and then rip you off with an absurd exchange rate if you don't have Canadian dollars. DO NOT use the ATM. They do not post the exchange rate. They will gouge you $24 for every $100 you withdraw. Beer good. Food mediocre. Service pleasant.

  • Brianna P

I've never been to a slower karaoke in my life. There shouldn't be a whole songs worth of space between singers. The host also forgot to shut off the background music for some singers as well as adjust their mic volume.
Atmosphere: 3

  • Evan Bray

Excellent, fun atmosphere for those looking to grab a casual dinner after work with friends or co-workers. Solid prices and a great selection of beers.
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Caroline Jean

We stopped in on a Saturday for karaoke wasn't sure what to expect. But omg we had a blast loved the atmosphere the crowd was great met lots of interesting people enjoyed the singing. My only regret was the hangover the next day …

  • D. B.

Amazing place to drink, great atmosphere. The food, however, seems air-fried from Costco.
Price per person
$50–60
Food: 3
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Burger Bœuf, Fried Chicken

  • J.P. Chartier

I spent a few dollars, an hour or so, and in return had an EXCELLENT experience at the Bistro. Great service, fantastic selection of beer, and the location was, of course, perfect.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other

  • Justin Ikura

Terrible service. Food was mediocre at best, but didn’t make up for the dismissiveness of the wait staff. Not a great experience. Food presentation was fine but after waiting almost 2 hours, they came out with the wrong order

  • Stef -

This bar is perfect location for people watching in Quebec. Amazing patio with service, plenty of window seats too! Great House Ale and ambiance is great! With a better selection of food this place would be 5 stars for sure!

  • Andy Gough

Great little bar with excellent range of Quebecois craft ales. Staff are very knowledgeable and make you feel really welcome. If you find yourself near the Parliament building and fancy a decent beer then this is your place

  • Corey Smith

Watched a world cup game and grabbed a drink while on a trip from America, good service, great atmosphere and welcoming staff!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$10–20

  • Maxime Picard

A good bar for you and your friends to grab a beer and sing karaoke. It's usually quite busy but the ambiance is fun and the staff is great. Don't go there if you got tenitis though music is pretty loud.

  • Martin L.

Nice choice of beers on tap! Lots of space! Perfect to meet friends. Some snacks available! Staff is great and friendly! Often crowded, but for the good! BRING CASH! Only thing missing for a 5 star!

  • D Lee

Service was slow, we had to go in to ask for service, food came very slow after the order, the fries was extremely oily, and the burger and the ribs were kinds meh. Definitely not worth the price.

  • Darshan Johnson

Great idea this late night food ! It was 10 pm, we were starving and they were pretty much the only ones serving food. Pub food (burgers, poutine) but it has done the job. Nice service as well!

  • Mary jim 1312 (Jake darkwolf 1)

All around an amazing place super accommodating to English . also some of the best servers in the industry same with the kitchen absolutely fabulous staff and all around a wonderful atmosphere

  • Megan Stade

Much bigger space than I expected from the outside. Friendly staff, quick service, and tasty food.
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Inna Hurley

Great place with so many looks. You can sit outside, on their terraces, or at the bars. A place for everyone.
Price per person
$10–20
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Austin Fisher

Nice, personal experience. Great attitudes and friendly staff. Wide selection of great beers and ales, and great prices. (Max $5 a pint) Lots of space to wander around and relax.

  • Jacque Spurlock

Amazing beer and great lunch special. Pizza and beer for $10. Family friendly to sit outside under the shady umbrellas. You guys made a great impression on this family from Ohio!

  • Robert Bunn

Reviews sounded good but sat at a table and not even a hello... moved to the bar and still ignored. Cool atmosphere and looked like a great place for a drink, just no service.

  • Leo Yuan

Very nice and comfy pub. We are tourists from Ontario who speak like two words of French. Tristane was very patient and took great care of us. Food was amazing as well!

  • Brad Bos

Staff impolite. Arrived on terasse asked for beer menu, waitress/server says beer menu inside. Ordered food, 3x, order still came out wrong. Beer (on tap) was warm.

  • Varinder Singh

I was in Quebec city for 3 weeks and I think this is the most amazing bar there. Great place to hangout & enjoy karaoke . Friendly staff and great quality food !

  • Quentin

Nice cozy bar with baby football, pool and karaoke. Didn't get a chance to order a drink, but it seems like a nice place to just go out and chill. Will go again

  • Tatyani Quintanilha

Great experience! Excellent beer selection, great food and the staff is awesome!!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–40

  • Lou C

Great place but it can take lots of time before being served sometimes.
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 4
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5

  • Gaurav Joshi

1:1 exchange rate value with USD, and not a lot of options with beer.... If you want a good karaoke bar experience with good booze, try somewhere else

  • Andy

Nice Bar with good food. We really enjoyed it there. Service is great - they’re very kind. If you want a local beer and good food, it’s worth a visit.

  • Joy Sunseri

Cheeseburger not good. I ate half and had to leave the rest.
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 2
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 3

  • Nico Bock

Generous food portions, excellent service, great food, located on a popular street that closes to vehicular traffic on weekends. Win-win-win!

  • Ferhat ildan

Terrible terrible don't ever go there staff are racist
Price per person
$60–70
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

  • Bobby Bragoli

They have made big changes they now have one of the only exclusive wine cellars in the province they only sell wines produced in Quebec.

  • L Julius

I loved the karaoke nights! So much fun! Especially to hear the older québécois songs and to see such an enthusiastic crowd of people.

  • Michelle Tarver

Great food, poutine with sausage. Fun little shop
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

  • Julien Vachon

Definitely seems like the go-to place for underground cultural events in Quebec city. Plus Karaoke past 10pm every night? Sign me up!

  • Marco Pepin

Love the vibe, karaoke + dance + bar + patio, aka all you are looking for is there in one huge spot
Price per person
$10–20

  • Madeline Sialtsis

Cute little place with a good beer list. They only take cash which sucked. Would've spent more money there is they had taken card.

  • Shaine Hammarberg

Sweet, calm bar scene. Not much to do, but the drinks were good and very cheap! The service was great as well.
Service: 5

  • William Richardson

Cute and hip bar in a great neighborhood.
Price per person
$10–20
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Ioana Eniu

Was fantastic on karaoke night. Not too expensive, not the fanciest place, but definitely a great place if you wanna have fun

  • Starbright Roofing

This place is a rip-off don't order. This salad you see here, it was $14.00. If you order, be prepared for disappointment.

  • Robert Guenther

Great fish and chips
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Fish and Chips

  • slobodan koledin

LOVED IT. Food was great! Service was amazing, something Toronto servers are light years away from... Highly recommend

  • Giancarlo De La Rosa

Alex is the best DJ I’ve ever had you need to come here!!!
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

  • Garret Kielburger

Nice people-watching patio, with great poutine, friendly service, reasonable prices, and good music. More

  • Erica Haughton

Good party vibes, bathroom was not kept clean.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

  • Dieter Unrath

Delicious beer and good people! Outdoor seating was good for people watching. Didn’t try the food.

  • BigBen Thiessen

Great late night snack place. Excellent service and decent prices. Would return. For the nachos!

  • Curt Rockz

Great beer and had the poutine with duck, it was awesome! Super friendly staff.

  • Rene Koller

Good place for a draft beer or drink. Outside seating in summer available.

  • Marc Gagnon

Friendly service and large choice of beers... excellent capucino as well

  • Fleur M.

Amazing atmosphere! And good beer
Atmosphere: 5