Where do I even start?!? I was asked by my best friend to coordinate her wedding reception ( smaller, intimate dinner) post ceremony with family and close friends. When I reached out to Brian, the events coordinator, he was prompt to respond, clear in communication, accommodating to requests and adjustments the bride and groom had and overall an absolute delight to plan with. As I am located out of provinces he made the planning seamless and easy for me, and I am so appreciative of that. Fast forward to the night of the event... Brian and his team greeted me and a few bridal party gals with open arms and cocktails at hand as we decorated and set the private doing room for our gathering. The staff were friendly, organized and upbeat. Krista was in charge of our party, and she took care of every single guest as if we were family. The bartender Joe was phenomenal. His cocktails are our of this world. He also was extremely friendly and upbeat the entire evening. The food was delicious. Every single serving that came out was the exact same, delicious and delightful to look at. We were a group of 28 total and everything was absolutely perfect. Dietary restrictions were managed with care and discussed prior. The steak was perfectly cooked, the chicken was moist, the pasta was fresh and unique, the salmon was delicious and had a great presentation. Desserts barely hot the table before the disappeared. On behalf of the bride and groom, their friends and family I would like to thank Brian and his team at The social for making the evening seamless and unforgettable. Thank you
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Perfect experience! I would like to express my sincere appreciation for the excellent service my family received from Sarah and Nathan. Our family of 6 arrived at Social for lunch, without a reservation, to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday. Sarah greeted us and accommodated my elderly parents. Sarah personally escorted my mother (who uses a walker) to the Sussex entrance so she could enter the restaurant with the use of the ramp. Since my father has hearing aids, he had difficulty hearing us over the voices of the other tables. Therefore, Sarah sat our family in a quiet section of the restaurant. At this point, we were blown away by Sarah's eagerness to make our family comfortable. Nathan was our serve, and he provided excellent advice about the food and wine. We were all extremely impressed with his competence. To top off our heartwarming and delicious experience at Social, Sarah and Nathan surprised my mother with a beautiful piece of cake, candl, and champagne for her 80th birthday. They made my mother feel special, and I'll never forget that act of kindness. I can not imagine better service than what we received from Sarah and Nathan. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Vegetarian options
The Social Bowl can be made vegan, which is how I had it. It was divine!
Wheelchair accessibility
Wheelchair accessible from Sussex (ask for their ramp).

Social used to be my favourite restaurant in Ottawa for the last two years, specifically because of their tasty food, the atmosphere, as well as their delicious drinks. I have visited countless times, and I would have never thought that I would feel the need to write a review. But from time to time, when I visit the restauarant, I feel as though the customer approach has become less professional, and very money focused. It is clear that some (not all, I really enjoyed the majority of them) of the waitresses do not have a passion for serving customers but just to collect their maximum tip money or to get your order and get you out of here quickly. Several times did I feel rushed and also I felt like the waitresses were annoyed at me when taking my time- brought down from my experience there. However, some other days I would have to wait for a very long time for a waiter to take our order- way too long, but that would only usually happen in the dinner time. Recently, it is notable that the approach has become less professional and I would not consider this a fancy restaurant anymore. You can not have class with only good atmosphere and beautiful food, but the energy and manners need to be aligned. It is unfortunate that some of those who serve the customers have to give others a negative picture of the restaurant, I have been a frequent customer but I do not know if I would enjoy going back anymore.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$50–60

We had started with the bread basket (small). The serving size was perfect for two people, and the butter/oil provided was delicious but the portion of butter to bread was a little low. Regardless, it was delicious. My wife had the duck, she raved about it and enjoyed every bit of it. As for me, I had the Ribeye. Not only was it cooked to perfection but the jus they put on it was to die for. It was topped with fried potato strings (sinfully delicious) and Kale (not a fan of kale, but I ate the entire thing and I enjoyed it thoroughly). Live music was on point and the cheese cake is absolutely delightful! Very light and airy. The crumble, fruit and whipped cream provided were mouth watering. We ended the meal with some dessert coffees. The Irish coffee was delicious and the Spanish coffee was great as well, as my wife beat me to the bottom of our drinks haha. The reason I gave a 4 instead of a 5 is that the washroom (men's) was not cared for and the bill was astronomical. Otherwise, if price isn't an option. This place is very much worth the visit. I didn't grab a picture of the main course but I did of the cheese cake.
Food: 5
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5

This was my first visit to this restaurant and first outing downtown post covid. Went with a large party (25 ppl) and unfortunately food was very dissapointing. Regular menu was not available for this event (just a birthday). I picked the vegetarian pasta and it lacked flavor. No salt or pepper available on the table for seasoning, which i wouldnt want to use anywyas, but the pasta was so bland (all the other guests shared same opinion). Only one basket of bread was offered for the evening with 8 People. Very dissappointed for a menu that is more than $70, and the regular menu was not available given the size of the party. Overall with 2 drinks, the bill was almost $150 (one person) and the drink was mostly ice. The cheesecake was very good though, best part of the meal. The restaurant is gorgeous and location is prime, but food was very dissapointing. For a lounge, I was hoping there would be more ambiance: there was no dj (this is a saturday night) or place to really move in the room (Felt tight) where we were placed.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 2

I have the BEST memories of meals at Social. So we wandered down to the market this summer to recreate delicious dinners that I still think about. Our meal started well with spicy margaritas. They were perfectly mixed with the right amount of bite. Our starter salad featured a burrata that tasted like it hadn't been fully formed. The consistency was kind of like cream cheese. It was weird. But the tomatoes in the salad were delicious. Then our mains came. My guest's porkchop was cooked perfectly. It was juicy and tender with just a touch of pink. The flavours of the dish worked well together. I had the salmon and it has been cooked to death. It was like cardboard. I would have mentioned it to the server but we hadn't seen her since the first course (a runner brought our dinners). We finished by splitting the yogurt cheesecake, which was light and refreshing and felt like the only hold over from the restaurant I remembered. I miss Social. Whatever changes in direction, focus, or leadership that it has undergone in the past few years, I hope it makes a change for the better soon. I miss the beautiful meals that I once had there.

We arrive and sit down to the bar at around 10:30 pm, a bartender grudgingly arrives, blindly stares at us, with barely a greeting. Which is like whatever, he’s had a busy night. We ask if it’s possible to have a cocktail menu, just to see what Social has for drinks, because we weren’t necessarily in the mood for a standard drink and I hadn’t been in a while. He turns and fumbles with 56 menus under the bar, finally finds ONE drink menu, “hey way to go champ”. He then returns, and we decided to just grab a martini and we ask, do you have Bombay Gin? He answers, NO! and bluntly says “do you see any?” We almost took off right there. We ordered a whatever gin martini and that was the end of our stay at the Social. If this guy went to the dollar store to buy a personality and actual class he would have done better than that. Really disappointed for a place like Social that’s been in Ottawa for many years. Won’t be going back, that guy is basically the poster boy for Ottawa nightlife.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$30–40
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 2

Great dining experience! First, the ambiance is pretty, trendy and cozy (not pretentious). Our server was friendly, knowledgeable and made just the right amount of visits to our table. Enough to be helpful and you don’t feel forgotten but not too much that it’s intrusive and annoying. The food was terrific! We shared a plate of oysters and a plate of calamari to start. The oysters were fresh and delicious. The calamari was one of the best I’ve ever had! For our mains I had the steak and frites which was cooked perfectly and served with a demi-glace (sauce) and broccolini. My husband had the lamb tenderloin with roasted mini potatoes and cherry tomatoes. Both dishes were great! For dessert we shared a citrus crème brûlée and dark chocolate ganache which were exquisite! They have a good drinks selection and the drinks were good too. All in all a wonderful dining experience in the heart of downtown Ottawa, steps away from Parliament Hill, the Rideau Canal and the NAC.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$90–100

The service was amazing! We had our company Holiday party there and it was awesome. The team there had everything under control. The atmosphere was great! Beautiful building and a spectacular courtyard in the back all lit up at night with string lights. The food was spectacular. The chairs were comfortable and there was lots of space to get up and mingle. The cocktail menu was extensive and unique. It was the perfect venue for an event.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Smoked Salmon
Vegetarian options
There are vegetarian options that are delicious.
Dietary restrictions
They handled all the dietary restrictions for our group without any issues at all.
Parking space
Difficult to find parking
Parking options
Parking is unavailable
Parking
There is no parking at the restaurant, but lots of paid lots in the area, as well as street parking if you can find it.

Their food poisoning adds flavour. I had their social burger which is pretty overpriced for a stomach bug experience as the next morning I wasn’t able to keep any liquids down. Among the many bathroom related issues I had after giving this place a shot I’m glad this food poison only lasted my entire day at least. Otherwise it would have made me miss 2 days of work from shaking on my bathroom floor because of their bad burger. Even the leftovers of the burger I had unfortunately brought home repulsed me by just it’s aroma alone and landed straight in the trash. I definitely got a bang for my buck, a horrible experience and a reminder to never come back. Perhaps it makes sense why there is a weird amount of bad reviews for a restaurant like this. Feel free to try their food poisoning yourself Perhaps more of our complaints to dinesafe will make them change their act
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30

Pretty disappointing first-time experience. The server Kimberly was very distracted from the beginning, so much so, that she brought the wrong order to our table. My lunch date was nice enough to keep the wrong dish and not make a fuss. She ate some of it, but in the end it was not what she wanted and more than 3/4 of the dish was left uneaten. I would have thought that because if the mistake, and because she didn’t even finish half of it, that the serve would have at least charged her for the original dish she ordered, or discounted it, but I was wrong. Full price and for the dish she didn’t order. The food itself was alright, I had the lunch box sesame chicken with noodles. My lunch date ordered the Cobb salad and got the duck confit instead. I’m not sure I would come back or recommend it to anyone .
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$20–30

Incredibly disappointing meal here yesterday evening. My husband ordered the 12 oz ribeye steak and was served some kind of cut up meat hidden under fried onions. When he brought this up with the waitress (that maybe he had been served the steak frites instead) she dug in saying that it was definitely the ribeye because it wasn't served with fries. It was not a steak, however, and it DEFINITELY was not 12 oz of meat. It was a sub standard $64 entre. $64!!! I ordered the $42 salmon dish and the fish was overcooked and not flavourful. Never going back. Spent over $200 for two people and we left disappointed. Waste of money. Don't throw away your money by eating here. You can eat better for half the price elsewhere.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$90–100
Food: 1
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 5

We celebrated my friend's birthday at this restaurant last night. The interior is gorgeous, it set the perfect ambiance for her special day. Our waiter was super friendly and professional and we waited approximately 20 - 30 minutes for the food to be ready. We ordered 10OZ NAGANO PORK TOMAHAWK (5/5) - I highly recommend this one SMOKED DUCK PASTRAMI (5/5) - same SOCIAL BURGER (4/5) - My husband was not impressed but said it was good This restaurant is on the pricey side, but it's definitely worth paying. The overall experience, from the atmosphere to the service and the food, was fantastic. To me, it's similar to Zoe's. I would recommend it for any special occasion. :)
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Duck

Came here for my birthday dinner on the weekend. Our reservation was at 7:15 and we didn't get our main until 9. The server was rude the whole time, and was definitely the cause for the meal being late- I'm sure she didn't put it in until we asked where the food was. My husband ordered a beer that never came, and we never got cutlery or plates for our appetizer. They tried to make up for it with a glass of champagne and bread (though we had already paid for a basket of bread earlier) which was appreciated. When we finally got our food, mine was covered in olives which I had asked not be in the dish. Not giving one star because the food was decent and the manager was understanding, but I have never encountered such a rude server.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–60

First of all, the short hostess in the patio, who was working in the evening of yesterday, is the worst I've ever seen. I don't think she should interact with the public at all. She talks to you with an attitude as if she's doing you a favour and you would have to beg for simple requests. We sat for 10 minutes without menus, and when I waved to her that we needed menus, she would respond with a gesture that we should wait. She never came and we had to ask another one. Before we left, we asked her for a one to-go box and we never got it. We were a party of 7, the food took more than an hour to arrive. Two plates came cold... The waitress was nice and acknowledged the situation and took them off the bill. I think I'm being very generous giving 3 stars because of the hostess and the overall experience.

Great place with amazing ambience. Always come here when I am in Ottawa. It is centrally located in downtown Ottawa, but the stone courtyard with creepers growing make you feel as if you are in Europe. The vibe is quite different from the street outside and for the better. The servers are great, super friendly and professional. My mom forgot her phone and was able to find it easily with the help of the server. The food and drinks and quite good as well. This time we ordered white wine, the charcuterie board, fries and soup and everything was great. Earlier we have ordered oysters, champagne, and a couple of dishes for lunch as well and they all were good. Would recommend booking a place in advance as it can get crowded, specially in summer!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner

Today we were happy to dine on their patio and have service provided by Brittany. She was so friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. She told us about the plates that we were interested in and steered us in the right direction. We had the warm beet salad and the chef special which was a flatbread feature. Well, both of these were absolutely delicious. We spent almost 2 hours on the patio and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. When we lived in Ottawa, we would often dine here but since we now live over an hour away, we visit less frequently. Thanks to brittany and her amazing service and the absolutely delicious food, we will return more often. Thanks for a wonderful experience Darrell
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$50–60

The warm beat salad was an afterthought of large lettuce pieces and gigantic beets thrown together with two scoops of delicious goat cheese. The scallops are just 3 small bite sizes, what the heck? And the carrot salad was great so was the duck pastrami (make sure to get that). We didn’t feel like we were celebrating our wedding anniversary and I have been to Social for ALL my special occasions so I’m disappointed it didn’t even par expectations. Again there is a disconnect between OpenTable and the restaurant as I was suggested the daily special that had dairy when it’s my allergy! Server Ben was very attentive.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–70
Vegetarian options
Salads are vegetarian.

Recently went to Social to celebrate my cousin's engagement - appetizers came out fairly quickly, but then we had to wait over 2 hours for the entrees. Halfway through the wait they brought out limoncello shots to apologize for the delay - limoncello is a desert liqueur and not appropriate for after appetizers, or to be paired with the red wine the table was drinking. They also weren't paying attention to who was drinking alcohol and who was not drinking and placed a shot directly in front of a sober person. I can't speak for the other meals, but when the duck was brought out it was overcooked and tough. We waited 2+ hours for overcooked food. Absolutely awful, will not be returning.
Food: 1
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 1

This was my first time here. The vibe seemed amazing when we arrived. As its on the fancier side but has a lounge vibe. Im giving 3 stars cause the food and cocktails were amazing. But for the price of the restaurant the service is under par I would say, they don’t come often enough and take the menus away . Also a little situation happened. About 30 minutes after we ordered our mains, the manager then came over to tell us they were unable to make one of the main courses. They did try to make up for it by giving another app. But they should have told us right away. Idk if I would come back or recommend it to others. Over priced for what it is.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+

Went to this restaurant with some girls on vacation. The waitress was beyond rude and gave me dirty looks when asking about the prices for wine. She rarely checked on us, and took almost 40 minutes to come and take our order. Once it came my salmon was raw in the middle. I had asked for it to be cooked more, by the time a new one came all my friends were finished their meals. My friends also agreed the waiter ruined our experience. The restaurant itself was very beautiful and had a great vibe. Probably would’ve been 4 stars if we had a friendly waitress. We went on a Monday evening and it wasn’t busy. Seemed like a very posh restaurant so dress up and don’t ask about prices or you get poor service.

Went to this restaurant expecting a culinary adventure, but it turned into a comedy of shrimp proportions! Paid a small fortune for three shrimp that probably had more expensive taste than I did. 12 dollars for 3 shrimp. Ay Karamba! The mussels were trying to be special, but they forgot to send out the memo. I assure you that there were no fireworks in my mouth. And the brownie had an identity crisis. No ice cream to complete its dessert dreams! Service was top-notch, but the food left my taste buds questioning their life choices. Overpriced and underwhelmed (Just like my life) Never again!
Price per person
$70–80
Food: 1
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 3

the server (seems like a new girl) is insanely RUDE and RACIST. Had a lunch there on July 18th. After I seated, a server came with an irritated attitude, asked me if I have any question. I told the girl I was ready to order and she yelled at me ‘NOT YOUR SERVER’ and ignored me all the way, then she served and smiled to the table of white customers. If I was not in a rush to catch my train, I would have asked her name. Food is disappointing; or because I had already lost any appetite. Never had such a terrible experience before, so just wanna give a heads-up for any Asian or colored customers.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$50–60

My wife and I went here for a date night. Very kind front and wait staff. Chef's board was almost enough to be a meal itself, and was quite nice. Cauliflower steak and duck confit we're also yummy. Nice ambiance on the back patio. Would return.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$90–100
Food: 4
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Cauliflower Steak, Mariposa Duck Confit
Vegetarian options
Cauliflower steak jumped out as a vegetarian option. The daily pasta seemed to be the only other veggie option, and I imagine that might sometimes change (e.g. with a meat ravioli).

For the setting, atmosphere, price tag, I expected the food quality to 'wow' me. Spending what I spent, for food quality and tastiness that I can easily prepare myself is kind of a slap in the face. I think of myself as a mediocre cook, and my standards are slightly above average at best. And yet, Social failed to meet my expectation.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–50
Parking
Parking nearby. Both multi-floor garage, as well as open parking spaces. But not directly linked to the restaurant, some walking needed.
Wheelchair accessibility
Null. Steps, and narrow door to access.

It is beautiful but it was very quiet the night we went. I will try it another time when it's not a Monday night. My friend ordered the tuna plate. It's only tuna pieces served with... Some pieces of a fruit we think? And a bit of a spicy sauce. No crackers or chips or anything to eat the tuna with so we had to ask for it. Almost like having a tartare withing anything to eat it with. That was very strange. The staff said that she will bring it up to the next staff meeting to the chef.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–50
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 4

Visiting Ottawa and went to this courtyard three times. So far. They have a happy hour starting at 3:30 with $2 oysters and $6 glasses of wine or draft beer. They also have some charcuterie boards and fries and a couple of other treats. Really amazing. Highly recommend. I sat out in the courtyard enjoying the beautiful warm weather and atmosphere. The oysters were from PEI, very fresh and delicious. I had the charcuterie board that had a lot on it and it was all very delicious also.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$50–60
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

I was only in Ottawa for a few days and this was the highlight of an already amazing trip. Small hiccup in the kitchen, but they made up for it in spades. If you have the religious flexibility, I strongly suggest the lamb. The foie gras was also very good. I'm by no means an expert, but it did bring me back to my days in Bordeaux. Really nice to see big swings, and even better to see you hit it ten feet over the fence. Thanks for everything.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–70
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Lamb Shank

I have been looking forward to trying this place out for over a year and I finally had the chance. I was sorely disappointed. Dust in my water glass, waiter slammed down the appetizer they forgot, server didn't give us the wine menu, didn't give us the rundown she gave everyone else seated around us. The music was so loud, the food and service was mediocre that we left after only having our tiny appetizers instead of the entrees we were hoping to order. Classism was clear. Make better food at home and save yourself the headache.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–50

NEVER NEVER and please NEVER GO THERE , We had a reservation for 6pm , we were there ontime and order our food . They came with food at 9pm without any excuse and I can some client retour they plate cause the meat wasn’t warm et no well done. When I comes to get our bill , they charge us 20% as tips saying it mandatory , when the serve was not there . try to speak with the manger on duty ( Sarah) she was unspeakable, she definitely know how to treat customers. Don’t waste your time or money to go there .
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

We had a lovely brunch today with Kiefer as our server. The food was delicious - Avocado and Smoked Salmon Toast, Chef’s Hash of the Day, and the Social’s Breakfast— all beautifully presented! One of us was in the mood for an eggnog and Kiefer sought some out from his neighbourhood sources. Now that’s service! The decor is elegant and the light snow just added to the wonderful atmosphere! We highly recommend and will definitely be back again soon ❤️
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

As I went to use the restroom towards the end of the night, a female server and three cooks were gossiping about our table next to the restrooms. They did not stop even though they noticed I was there and were speaking loudly. Restaurant is beautiful but lacks professionalism. Food is mediocre (very mushy pasta) considering the price. Would not recommend at all for a larger group as they are not as accommodating as they claim to be or are even able to cater to many people. It also took over 2 hours to receive our meals from the time we arrived.

Nice outside tables to sit with friends to enjoy a warm eveving. Sadly out of 4 dishes ordered only the pasta was good. The salad's tomatoes were mealy, the scallop was way too salty to be edible and the fried squid was tough. The service though was good. But we decided to cut our loses and not reorder even though it was offered. Maybe we hit a rough patch for the kitchen staff. We were sorry it didn't work out.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 1
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

We had our 1 year anniversary at The Social last night and it was absolutely incredible. Staff are amazing, service was fantastic, food was 10/10 with absolutely beautiful presentation and the atmosphere was romantic. Would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a phenomenal place for any event or to make memories you'll never forget!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Beef Tartare, Deconstructed Cheesecake, Charcuterie Board, Smoked Duck Pastrami

I have had lunch here on the patio twice recently. Both times the food and service was superb. And the patio itself is beautiful! The oysters are terrific, the salmon and duck confit were above average. The only caution is that the menu lists some dishes include “bitter greens”. However that means raw kale. So if, like me, you find that to be indigestible, be sure to alert the server- they are very willing to accommodate changes. They also replaced the bread on the club sandwich with lettuce for a gluten intolerant friend. Highly recommend!

This place had a nice ambience and the staff were friendly. The waiters were fairly attentitive and pleasant. However the food was terrible! I had the ribeye steak which tasted burnt on the edges which ruined the flavor (picture attached). Paying over 45$ for a steak and having it burned sucks. The house fries were not special, the sauce was okay at best, but I preferred ketchup. I tried each of their desserts and they all had issues. The brownie was probably the best. Very overpriced for a place where the food lacks quality for sure.

Social is easily one of the best restaurants in Ottawa! Each time we come, the food is mouthwatering, the atmosphere is great, and the servers are all so lovely. If you ever get the chance, I strongly encourage you to do one of their set menus (we did it for New Years Eve). Also - the smoked duck pastrami is probably the best dish we’ve ever tasted. A must visit!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$40–50
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Lamb Shank

Not the best experience. Food was way overpriced for a tiny portion that was not that good. Aside from that, the servers as well as the bar staff were standoffish, often rude and kind of… hmm gave me the feeling we should be grateful to be served at all- not sure if it was because I was part of the Queers in the Courtyard event and they have an issue with that but it was not a welcoming environment. If I was the manager of that place I’d be appalled by my staff’s behavior. Definitely not going back.

Nicely decorated space. Drinks were good. The tableware and table wasn't fully clean with bits of stuff still stuck to it. The salmon looked a few days old. Not fresh or appetizing at all. Poached eggs were good but inconsistent. One was still runny and one was cooked solid. Home fries lacked flavour. Overall, not horrible, but you're better off going somewhere else.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 2
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 4

The best part of our meal was the wine. The duck was very fatty and the salmon was just okay. The beans with the salmon didn't pair well. The restaurant was filled with smoke from the kitchen half way through the meal which, after checking with our waitress, seemed to be the way things were. This place should be special and unfortunately it just wasn't.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–70
Food: 3
Service: 3
Atmosphere: 3

Disappointed! We booked a table based on the reviews of this restaurant however the service was extremely slow, We had to wait for 1 hour and a half for the food to arrive. The taste is very average and the quantity is extremely small. Despite all that the bill came and they had already added a 20% tip without giving us the right to choose how much tip to give! This was the most surprising part of it all!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$80–90

Excellent, from start to finish. The courtyard is delightful on a late summer evening. The food is amazing; we had oysters, carpaccio, burger, and charcuterie. Nothing but good things to say about it all. Service was welcoming and professional. Social has been on our "let's go sometime" list for a while. Glad we finally did!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Oysters, Charcuterie Board

Came here for a birthday celebration. First time I've ever been to this restaurant. The food was great and the ambience was nice. Our server wasn't too pleasant. She came off quite condescending and almost angry. She simply wanted to take our order and get us out of the restaurant. The only time she seemed happy was when we were paying our bills and heading out. For this restaurant, I would never expect service like that.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner

Went out for a group dinner and started with the chef's board that had a lovely selection of spreads, cheeses and meats. I also ordered the IDK drink which ended up being a spicy margarita...so good! I selected their Lamb sirloin and it was perfect...the flavours and presentation were amazing! Their patio is great in the summer - especially for a group outing or more intimate date night.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$60–70

We had an amazing time on their patio! Brittany and Nate took extremely good care of us. We were there for a bachelorette and they were very welcoming. We were greeted immediately and with big smiles. One of our friends got in an accident in an Uber and Brittany was very sincere and compassionate about the whole ordeal. They made us laugh and they made our experience so much better.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Other
Price per person
$20–30

It was our first time there. Wasn't impressed with the service or the food. I would say it was a below average experience overall, and we had to wait over an hour to get our food. But the thing that bothered us the most, and we were 20 persons there, was that they included a 20% tip fee on the bill, a fee we had to pay regardless of our dining experience which was a bad one...
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$70–80

We had such a wonderful time here on Friday night! The service was phenomenal, thank you, Chris (Kris?) and friends. She gave excellent and knowledgable recommendations of the menu, made regular checks on us, and ensured we always had a drink (water, wine, mocktail) with our food. The servers treated us like friends rather than customers. We'll be back and will definitely recommend to friends.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

The food was good the service was awful. We had a very friendly server who kept disappearing. We finally had to ask a server from an adjacent restaurant for help which she happily supplied. When I asked the server where he went he said he was busy polishing the cutlery and folding napkins. A 5% tip was even too much.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$70–80
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 2

Sweet experience. The waitresses were very very sweet and friendly. I usually don’t like hamburgers or sandwiches, but this Chicken Avocado Club was delicious! The flavors of each ingredients played very well together. Their fries are very good as well. The cocktail Dress to Empress was just the way I liked it: not too strong, sweet, and pretty! Oh and their patio chairs are very comfy with the cushion - nice touch!

Had a very tasty experience with some friends for dinner. We had some great eats that made the evening all the better from good food!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes
Seared Scallops, Deconstructed Cheesecake, Lamb Shank, Mariposa Duck Confit, Smoked Salmon, Smoked Duck Pastrami

Had a light lunch there. Loved the Social bowl, healthy and tasty, except for a little bit of excessive oil. Flavors of different fresh ingredients interact harmoniously. Very refreshing and enjoyable dish overall. There weren’t many people there and the interior is very chic yet classy, which makes the experience even more soothing and enjoyable.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch

My partner and I went there and the service was friendly and the drinks were really good. But when it came to the food it took forever to come out and when it came to me my chicken was raw inside. This place is a good stop for drinks but way overpriced when it comes to bland basic food. They just have a popular name but the quality doesn’t live up to the standard
Service
Dine in

A large group of us made reservations to celebrate a friend's birthday. The staff couldn't have done more to make sure we had an incredible dinner and party. They placed tables in a manner that allowed to have almost our own private area, the staff were fun, attentive and helpful! The food and drinks were delicious and we can't thank them enough for making our night so wonderful!

We went for the first time, had the chef's board, drinks, steak and frites, and the burger. Service was excellent! The atmosphere was very nice (I look forward to trying it out during Patio season) and the food was all excellent (I loved the burger!!!) , albeit it is expensive. They do have a 3-5 happy hour with good prices. We will be back! But not every week due to the price.

Like many other « chic » restaurant in Ottawa, this place is over rated. The staff is fake and cheap: they could not care less about your eating experience. The food is just barely ok. Their obsession from the moment you get into the door is to bring you the bill. If you have to go, enjoy the decor.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$90–100

Amazing experience! Staff were friendly, helpful & welcoming. Food was outstanding -fresh & extremely tasty. My husband had the lamb & as a lamb lover said it was cooked just right. I had a beautiful warm goat cheese salad that was absolutely delicious. The atmosphere is great too -lively vibe, great music & unique lighting throughout. A place we would definitely return to!

We had THE BEST dining experience here. Dining tables were appropriately distanced. Never felt squished in or rushed. But the food....incredible! Every single bite if our 3 course meal. We even got a sneaky wee upgrade to a large booth just for the 2 of us, which made our night even better. Cozy. Delicious. Great cocktails. Excellent service. Will definitely be going back.

Great patio by the back, and the food is great! Highly recommend getting the duck confit when you're here. It's juicy and the combination of different flavours on the plate complement each other very well. The service was good on a busy day, and the patio is very welcoming, not too cramped and had ample room for everyone to sit comfortably. Would go again for sure.

We visited the patio for a post graduation lunch. I had a delicious cobb salad and some cold beer. I really enjoyed the beautiful location, surrounded by trees and the old buildings in the market area. The waitresses were very nice, and brought us each a glass of bubbly once they were aware that we were celebrating a graduation. It was a very pleasant surprise.

I went with my friend and were greeted by a warm welcoming. I ordered an duck confit and it was cooked perfectly. However my friend's rib eyes wasn't so lucky. The steak was over cooked. The manager was so kind to replace our steak. I have to say their service is superb.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–60

Great little bar + restaurant for drinks and dinner right on the edge of Byward Market. I had the lamb which was a little overcooked for me (i like mine really on the rare side) but perfectly spiced. Drinks were great too and they have a few bottles that typically arent found in your average bar and can really take the cocktails up a notch.

Overpriced for what the plates actually contain. The cod was basically just a handful of green beans (which were mostly stringy fibers), and a small piece of cod. I could get over that, but the service was awful. I am still leaving 2 stars because the courtyard is super pretty, and the live music was great. Overall it was disappointing.

Whether inside or in their patio, the atmosphere is excellent. Sometimes there is a musician in the patio and that makes the ambiance livelier. Food and service are superb. Pet friendly, too :-)
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

The patio has a nice European vibe. The servers were very friendly. The food didn't arrive super fast but the relaxing mood made it fine. My wife had the salmon and loved it. I had the Social burger which was fine. Daughter-in-law really liked the daily pasta. Pretty expensive but nice for a special occasion.

Great atmosphere, with friendly and helpful staff setting the tone. I really enjoyed the duck pastrami, and would highly recommend it! I have dined there twice this month with groups, and the pasta of the day has been appreciated by all who ordered it. Vegetarian as well! Thank you, and see you again soon.

Great atmosphere, low lighting and very cozy. Food was a little under spiced and not great for the price but try to make it early for their brunch menu, it’s $8 fries
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 3
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 5

The atmosphere was soft and ambient but the food was a too salty and the service was cold and dull. Overall, too pricy for the quality and quantity of food.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–60
Food: 2
Service: 2
Atmosphere: 4

We had an amazing time here. Brittany and Nate were so good, they gave us amazing service and were super fun and personable. We were here for a bachelorette and they went above and beyond to make our time here the best possible. 10/10 would recommend.
Service
Dine in

I had the lunch box the other day. It included eggs Benedict with smoked salmon. I immediately ordered that. The taste was very good. Loved that there was salmon. I would have given a 5 if the egg wasn't runny. We sat outside. It was a nice location, no noise.

Food is objectively terrible and way overpriced. Everything was bland. The pasta was worse than a Kraft dinner Mac and cheese for 10x the cost. Drinks are okay and vibes are decent. Service is great.
Food: 1
Service: 4
Atmosphere: 4

We were here for a bachelorette and our experience was incredible!! Brittany and Nate were amazing, friendly and hilarious. They made sure we had an incredible time, and truly went above and beyond!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch

Beautiful patio and interior, friendly service, fantastic menu and wide choice of wines, a bit expensive, found some imperfections in food but overall great experience
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+

We had a valentines dinner there. Service and ambience were pretty good, and we had a great time. The only point I would say customers couldn’t order anything else except from valentine’s menu. The food were pretty good, but a bit overpriced.

We came to a restaurant just to find out that my husband booked a table for two instead of 5, so a star to them for accommodating all 5 of us plus a child. They tried their best I guess to be cool but we could tell they were very annoyed

Absolutely fantastic meal and service! I am a pretty serious foodie and consequently I'm a hard marker. I rarely run across a meal that truly impresses but this one did! The food was fresh, creative and very well prepared amd flavourful.

Our overall experience at The Social was wonderful. The combination of the high quality dishes, the soft romantic atmosphere, and the generous and kind staff made our experience incredible. We selected that it was our anniversary when

Hosted a corporate event here in August 2022 and it was a disaster. There was a number of issues which occurred and led me to write this review. 1. The venue promised us the patio for our event, two hours before the event started they

A busy Saturday evening in the courtyard, so understandably a serving challenge - however we waited over an hour and 20 minutes for 4 burgers. When I asked about the delay, was informed that large parties inside had overwhelmed the

Service was good. Atmosphere was good. Decor was great. Love private spaces they have for groups. They have a few that can accommodate different sizes. So it's perfect for a company dinner or even dinner with larger friend groups.

I had dinner with a couple of my colleagues and the food was very good! The warm goat salad was very good and the rib eye steak was so good!
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$100+

Sitting at the social for the last 10 minutes, and no one has come by. Some restaurants have done a great job post covid since they fought to be open but others do not seem to care. I should have left 6 minutes ago.

Nice service and great food especially the duck confit.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Lunch
Price per person
$60–70
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5
Recommended dishes

Great place to brunch, with good mimosas. The interior is really beautiful too.
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Brunch
Price per person
$30–40
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 3

Took us 3h (we still don’t have it) to get our food. We asked the lady and she was aggressive. The food is bad. I almost fell asleep. We ordered a month ago.
Food: 1
Service: 1
Atmosphere: 1

Brittany and Nate were AMAZING! We loved Brittany’s energy and she was so funny and kind! Nate was welcoming and even though it was his second shift - knowledgeable. Thanks for making my bachelorette amazing!!!

Went there for a business lunch today and was very happy I did. Food was super fresh and tasty and service was fantastic. Will definitely be back. Enjoy.
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

One if the best restaurants in Ottawa where you can always try something fun and unique. We had the seafood platter and steak tartare, so good and fresh. Would recommend for any celebration or couples night.

Great service and ambiance. Get the oysters, they come with a cilantro based and a mignonette sauce
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Really good… love the food. Prices are very valid…. Must visit
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Breakfast
Price per person
$20–30
Food: 5
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Really nice happy hour menu. Friendly staff, tranquil patio, and good food. The tuna was so amazing that I had to order another plate. Will go back soon!
Price per person
$50–60

The food was amazing. The charcuterie plate was much bigger than expected and I enjoyed the lamb shank. The service was excellent. The ambiance inside is great for any occasion. More

Situated in a historical building, this restaurant’s modern decor gave it a new look. Had duck confit and steak frites, both were cooked to perfection. Great place for date night

Great ambience with great food
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner
Price per person
$50–60
Food: 4
Service: 5
Atmosphere: 5

Was there for happy hour and it was absolutely beautiful and a relaxed Ottawa afternoon/evening! The patio is really nice and the service was great!!

I had the mariposa duck confit. It was superb, well cooked, loads of flavors, 10/10 choice! My friends had the steak frites and chef special.

We celebrated my Fathers 89th Birthday at Social July 4th. The manager Christa booked us an amazing private room for the eight of us.

The ambiance was great! Great service and great food! Highly recommend the Lamb shank with mashed potatoes for a filling tasty dish!

Nice place, nice service, and so delicious food here. I love this restaurant
Service
Dine in
Meal type
Dinner

Great food and nice atmosphere. Had the octopus and scallops as an appetizer, the tiki drink and the steak frites for dinner.

Nice atmosphere! Ordered the calamari for starters and burger for mains - both did not disappoint. Staff were very friendly.