Social - Ottawa

Name: Social - Ottawa
Address: 537 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON, Canada, K1N 6Z6
Telephone: (613) 789-7355
Price range: CAN$51 and over
Rating: 4.5

4.5

1092 Reviews

CAN$51 and over

Bistro

Top tags:

Opened in the summer of 1999, SOCIAL was received as the perfect blend of restaurant and bar. It was envisioned as a place where guests could enjoy an evening drink without feeling obligated to order dinner too, but where a sizzling menu meant that food was always an excellent option.

20 years later, SOCIAL continues to deliver. Known in the capital city for its ambiant and modern vibe, fifteen-foot ceilings, its secluded and beautiful courtyard patio, and gorgeous stone walls inside + out-- SOCIAL offers an unparalleled atmosphere for a sit-down dinner or some after-work cocktails. Guests can expect high-quality professional service and a menu to match, proving that SOCIAL is truly a downtown destination that has it all.

Come enjoy the culinary experience given by our Head Chef Peter Schulz and his team.
We do not have any live entertainment at the moment, but we hope to bring this concept back in the future!

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 30, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 33 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(613) 789-7355

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Bistro, French / Canadian
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:45 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:30 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Phone number
(613) 789-7355
Website
http://www.social.ca/
Payment Options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress Code
Business Casual
Executive Chef
Dave Godsoe
Private party facilities
SOCIAL has a variety of private and semi private dining rooms and lounges to suit your event needs. We have dining rooms that are a perfect choice for small weddings, rehearsal dinners, client appreciation dinners, pharmaceutical presentations, special family occasions, networking events and more. These bookings are currently unavailable due to COVID regulations in place.
Private party contact
Brittany Weston: (613) 789-7355

Location
537 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z6
Neighbourhood
ByWard Market
Cross Street
George / York
Parking Details
We are located between George St. and York St. on Sussex Drive. You can find meter parking and 2 parking garages on York Street. Parking is also available across the street at 700 Sussex Drive and around the market area.Courtyard accessible by way of George and York St.
Public Transit
There are public transit stops on Rideau street and at the Rideau Center (which is within walking distance).
Entertainment
Live music can be heard every Wednesday night in the summer on the Courtyard - a mix of jazz, acid jazz and blues. An assortment of DJs are spinning on Friday and Saturday nights all year round.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Popular dishes

Basket of Bread
Herb infused olive oil + whipped salted butter
- Sm$4.00
- Lg$7.00
Oysters
Fresh horseradish + house hot sauce + mignonette + citrus
- 6 for$22.00
- 12 for$42.00
Crispy Squid$20.00
Chipotle aioli + pickled fennel
Chef's Board$36.00
Chef's selection of 3 meats and 3 artisanal cheeses + preserves + nuts + crostini
Warm Beet Salad$20.00
Herb goat cheese + bibb lettuce + spiced braised beets + walnut + dried cranberry + orange + warm maple dijon vinaigrette
Roasted Carrot Salad$18.00
Carrot purée + cashew ricotta + crispy chickpeas + arugula + toasted cumin vinaigrette
Smoked Duck Pastrami$21.00
Sunchoke purée + blood orange + balsamic honey glaze + pickled salad
Seared Scallop$26.00
Braised pork belly + tomato jam + crispy kale
Yellowfin Tuna$21.00
Yuzu kosho + coconut + soy caramel + squash relish + taro root
Steak Tartare$22.00
Traditional tartare seasonings + 64° yolk + crostini
Parm Fries$11.00
Garlic aioli + chive
Quebec Foie Torchon$24.00
Cranberry powder + cranberry focaccia + maple apple gastrique + pickled shallot

Mains

Mariposa Duck Confit$39.00
Sweet potato gnocchi + braised cabbage + squash purée + brown butter almonds + crispy sage + kale + cranberry demi
Salmon$39.00
Smoked tomato ragu + potato fondant + braised fennel + crispy kale
Braised Lamb Shank$39.00
Pomme purée + le coprin mushroom + maple roasted root vegetables + red wine jus
Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken Supreme$35.00
Spinach risotto + crispy caper + confit tomato
BC Ling Cod$34.00
Roasted sweet potato + green thai curry + swiss chard
Daily Pasta$29.00
Chef's daily creation
Steak Frites$49.00
8oz striploin + broccolini + demi-glace
Ribeye
Kale + crispy potato + shallot demi-glace
- 12oz$58.00
Social Burger$24.00
Aged cheddar or stilton + bacon + chipotle aioli + truffle butter bun + bibb lettuce + tomato + crispy onion. Served with choice of house fries or salad
Cauliflower Steak$28.00
Turmeric pickled cauliflower + herbed beet salad + pistachio gremolata + tandoori hummus

What 1,092 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5

4.5 based on recent ratings

4.4Food
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4.1Value

Noise • Moderate

Sort by

a
allyquin
Ottawa
9 reviews
4.0
9 reviews
Dined 4 days ago
overall4food4service4ambience5
The duck was a hit over cooked but the lamb was delicious. Great decor and atmosphere. You can go with friends or have a fancy date night . They have a nice big patio as well.
OT
OpenTable Diner
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined 6 days ago
overall3food2service4ambience4
Main course pasta (dinner menu) was a very small portion -6 pieces of gnocchi, not enough for a meal!
LW
LisaW
Toronto
2 reviews
2.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2023
overall2food3service3ambience2
The food was good but not exceptional. The service staff were the highlight for sure. Ceiling fan and ceiling light fixtures covered in significant dust and room temperature was so hot it was almost unbearable. My husband walked past the kitchen en route to the washroom and was shocked at the disarray and unclean appearance. We will not return.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Montreal
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 18, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Celebrated a friend’s birthday over lunch in the beautiful courtyard - tried a couple of their new gin cocktails which were incredible! We all enjoyed our food and the service was top notch!
YS
YaraS
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 15, 2023
overall3food4service1ambience5
Food to table took over an hour - this was not acceptable
MB
MariaB
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
We were surprised by the limited menu but selected what most appealed. The cod was a very small portion, lamb shank was excellent.
MD
MichelD
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on May 14, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
An excellent experience. Good food. Good service. Good atmosphere.
AO
AmyO
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Faboulous patio and great ambiance inside and out.
ID
IrinaD
Toronto
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 13, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Beautiful patio, great location close to Parliament Hill, friendly staff.
DM
DanielM
Toronto
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 11, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Lovely dinner. Good food and fantastic patio vibe.
TR
TonyR
Ottawa
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 9, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Ben was a wonderful welcoming waiter delivering a great dining experience.
SR
SusanR
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Who says Monday night in Ottawa is boring! Great food, attentive service and great ambiance
SP
ShelleyP
Toronto
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 7, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
An excellent dining experience from start to finish. Very knowledgeable, personable and efficient service. Foie torchon, duck confit and BC ling cod were exceptional, as was the chocolate brownie dessert. Very good wine list, too. We're looking forward to our next visit already.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Montreal
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Amazing food and service! The BC cod with green curry is one of the best restaurant dishes I’ve ever had. Definitely coming back for that one!
C
Chris
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great experience! Would highly recommend to anyone
TC
TammyC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 6, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and atmosphere for cozy dinner. Wait staff awesome and attentive! Highly recommend.
CR
ChrisR
Toronto
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 5, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience4
Highly recommended! Great choice in the Byward Market area!
MS
MichaelS
Toronto
39 reviews
vip
3.0
39 reviews
Dined on May 4, 2023
overall3food3service2ambience3
Service was very very sloppy. Took 15 minutes to get a bottle of water. Was promised that I could order a burger medium rare (steak tartare is on the menu so the issue of undercooked meat is moot!) But it came well done. Waiter unconcerned about doneness …
DK
DanielleK
Ottawa
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience5
Beautiful restaurant. Food was okay. Cocktails great. Mainly the atmosphere is the best part of the experience.
VL
VeggieLover
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2023
overall3food3service4ambience4
Portions are very small for the price, especially the pasta and cauliflower steak. Two people in our party had the burger and were very happy with it. The service was friendly and efficient.
AK
AnatK
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 28, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Went for my boyfriend’s birthday and had a fantastic experience. The service was great, the food was delicious, and the staff were very accommodating. Will definitely return!
P
Prvnceg
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 23, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Overall a good restaurant with nice ambience. A little in the pricy side. Would visit again
E
Essyy
Vancouver
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 19, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
We were served by 3 separate servers and all of them had difficulty remembering the not too complicated order (2 starters, 2 main). The food was also quite salty, so much so that I needed to keep drinking water. The prices were acceptable, but for that price tag, I expected better food and services.
p
paulm
Ottawa
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Excellent food service and ambiance! Looking forward to coming back.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Vancouver
3 reviews
1.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 16, 2023
overall1food3service1ambience3
Horrible! The service was super slow. 24 minutes to have a drink even though restaurant was nearly empty. The pasta special arrived for 4 in the group and we literally thought it was an appetizer, or Children’s portion. There was good wine but that was about it
N
Neil
Toronto
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall3food4service5ambience5
Food was good, service was good , but the portions were extremely stingey Also , kinda cheap how they charged us for bread, it’s usually complementary Probably wont come back as there are just as good places nearby where you’d spend the exact same amount and actually leave feeling full
AL
AmandaL
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall3food4service4ambience4
Very slow for our food order, waited over an hour.
BB
BethB
Hawaii
2 reviews
3.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 15, 2023
overall3food3service3ambience4
The drink order was forgotten. I ordered my steak to be medium and it came out medium rare. I have eaten here before but found last night to be a big disappointment. In a high end restaurant you would think that you don’t have to buy your own bread cause you are paying a lot more to be there! Also the chocolate martini I had was a joke, for the price the size was laughable!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
Montreal
2 reviews
vip
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 12, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience3
The temperature in the restaurant was very hot and uncomfortable.
O
Otto
Toronto
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 10, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
We've been here numerous times and enjoy the comfortable vibe and relaxed atmosphere. Last night the cod was excellent.
RQ
RoxanaQ
Toronto
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on April 9, 2023
overall1food2service1ambience1
So croissants were old for few days and still dive it to clients, service not professional, the waiter mixed the order and arguing with us. Overall we won’t go there anymore.
S
Scott
Baltimore
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 8, 2023
overall5food5service4ambience5
Love the inside of Social. Lighting is just right and it’s not noisy at least not at 7pm on a Saturday night. Servers were super nice but forgot part of my wife’s meal and it took about ten minutes to correct it. Then forgot extra dressing for about another ten minutes. Other than that, great spot and food was delicious. Lamb shank just fell right off the bone, no knife needed.
TG
TeganG
Ottawa
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on April 8, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Thank you, i will be back for sure , the food is always fresh and our server went above and beyond
DG
DavidG
Toronto
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 7, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Relaxed atmosphere, good mix of age groups, service was top notch, food always excellent
PW
PeterW
Toronto
2 reviews
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 5, 2023
overall4food4service4ambience4
I had a very good dinner at Social and would certainly recommend it to others.
SL
SimonL
Edmonton
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on April 4, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great food and great experience will definetly come back
GG
GGcm
Toronto
9 reviews
5.0
9 reviews
Dined on March 22, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
We have been here several times, recently for my birthday. We were not disspaointed, the service is outstanding and food is delicious. I recommend the carrot salad for vegetarians, creme brule, the rib eye steak, we tried a liot from the menu and everytime was excelent. I want to mention Ben, our server who has a great sense of humor being at all times very professional. Thank you all, we will be back next time we are in Ottawa.
SB
ShavonneB
Ottawa
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 19, 2023
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was delicious! I was a bit disappointed with the 4 small scallops for the price, but they did taste amazing. Ask for a mojito! Super good!
KH
KaraH
Montreal
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall5food4service5ambience5
Loved our appetizers and main dishes. The cocktails were amazing!
D
Djoux
Ottawa
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on March 18, 2023
overall4food3service5ambience5
Good service and great ambience. Will be back next time.

Safety precautions

Cleaning & sanitising
- Surfaces sanitised between seatings
- Digital, disposable or sanitised menu provided
- Sealed or wrapped utensils used
- Common areas deep-cleaned daily
- Sanitiser or wipes provided for customers
- Contactless payment available

Screening
- Sick staff prohibited in the workplace

FAQs

Social - Ottawa offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (613) 789-7355.

Social - Ottawa is rated 4.5 stars by 1092 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

May 30, 2023

7:00 p.m.

Booked 33 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

(613) 789-7355

537 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z6

Additional information

Cross Street
George / York
Neighbourhood
ByWard Market
Hours of Operation
Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00 am–3:00 pm Lunch Mon–Fri 11:45 am–3:00 pm Happy Hour Daily 3:30 pm–5:30 pm Dinner Mon–Fri 5:00 pm–10:00 pm Sat, Sun 5:00 pm–11:00 pm
Cuisines
Bistro, French / Canadian
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress Code
Business Casual
Parking Details
We are located between George St. and York St. on Sussex Drive. You can find meter parking and 2 parking garages on York Street. Parking is also available across the street at 700 Sussex Drive and around the market area.Courtyard accessible by way of George and York St.
Public Transit
There are public transit stops on Rideau street and at the Rideau Center (which is within walking distance).
Payment Options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Executive Chef
Dave Godsoe
Entertainment
Live music can be heard every Wednesday night in the summer on the Courtyard - a mix of jazz, acid jazz and blues. An assortment of DJs are spinning on Friday and Saturday nights all year round.
Additional
Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Website
http://www.social.ca/
Phone number
(613) 789-7355
Private party facilities
SOCIAL has a variety of private and semi private dining rooms and lounges to suit your event needs. We have dining rooms that are a perfect choice for small weddings, rehearsal dinners, client appreciation dinners, pharmaceutical presentations, special family occasions, networking events and more. These bookings are currently unavailable due to COVID regulations in place.
Private party contact
Brittany Weston: (613) 789-7355

Social - Ottawa

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Private dining

Additional information

Social Burger

Braised Lamb Shank

Steak Tartare

Appetizers

Basket of Bread

Oysters

Crispy Squid$20.00

Chef's Board$36.00

Warm Beet Salad$20.00

Roasted Carrot Salad$18.00

Smoked Duck Pastrami$21.00

Seared Scallop$26.00

Yellowfin Tuna$21.00

Steak Tartare$22.00

Parm Fries$11.00

Quebec Foie Torchon$24.00

Mains

Mariposa Duck Confit$39.00

Salmon$39.00

Braised Lamb Shank$39.00

Lemon Herb Roasted Chicken Supreme$35.00

BC Ling Cod$34.00

Daily Pasta$29.00

Steak Frites$49.00

Ribeye

Social Burger$24.00

Cauliflower Steak$28.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Sort by

Cleaning & sanitising

Screening

FAQs

Does Social - Ottawa offer delivery through OpenTable or takeout?

How is Social - Ottawa restaurant rated?

Is Social - Ottawa currently accepting bookings?

Make a reservation

Order delivery or takeout

Takeout

Additional information