Ethan BrownMy first time at an Irish pub, I was floored. It was more than just the drinks – it was the vibe, the people, the concept of “craic” in action. The Irish say “craic” to mean a good time, and boy, do they know how to have it!
Since then, I told my team about my experiences, and they got curious. So we scoured Ottawa for the best Irish pubs near us, and there are plenty of fun, new, tipsy discoveries.
Sit back, browse this list, and send it to your sleeping group chat for weekend plans to actually do!
Heart & Crown Byward
– Media Credit: heartandcrown
Pricing: $$
Address: 67 Clarence St.
Business Hours: Daily (11 PM – 2 AM)
Contact: 613-562-0674
Heart & Crown is a chain of Irish pubs, and there are quite a few in Ottawa, with one in Preston, another in Barrhaven, and The Aulde Dubliner. Our group went to the Byward branch because the set-up is different – five pubs in one area with six patios to chill in.
The general vibe is homey, lively, and comforting. It’s a good place for a pint or two with friends while listening to live music. When you visit, you can’t go home without trying their poutine, fish and chips, and a tall mug of Guinness.
| Pro Tip: Check out their social media for special deals all week, like this one. |
D’Arcy McGee’s
– Media Credit: darcymcgees44sparks
Pricing: $$$
Address: 44 Parks St.
Business Hours:
- Sunday-Wednesday (11:30 AM – 10 PM)
- Thursday (11:30 AM – 11 PM)
- Friday (11:30 AM – 12 AM)
Contact: +16132304433
D’Arcy McGee’s is another great pub that plays live music to rock your head to while drinking good beer. They have a happy hour, which gave us such good deals that we ended up drinking more than we intended (oops) for a fraction of the price.
It’s a good place to bring coworkers and friends, since they have a lot of snacks for sharing. We especially enjoyed their crowd-pleaser platter with freshly-fried calamari, a pound of chicken wings, spinach and artichoke dip, and some crispy wagyu gyoza. Yum!
| Pro Tip: Make sure to check their website for the schedule of happy hour! |
Mill Street Brew Pub
– Media Credit: millstbrewpubottawa
Pricing: $$$
Address: 555 Wellington St
Business Hours:
- Sunday-Wednesday (11 AM – 10 PM)
- Thursday (11 AM – 11 PM)
- Friday-Saturday (11 AM – 12 AM)
Contact: 613-567-2337
Mill Street Brew Pub has a lively atmosphere, attentive waitstaff, and delicious food. It’s also packed with a lot of historical significance. The building is actually 177 years old – cool, huh? It has an old-school charm that makes it unique.
Plus, we couldn’t forget their elk burger, which was juicy and so satisfying to bite into. It had Korean BBQ-glazed bacon, red onion jam, and a good brioche bun. It went really well with the seasonal and specialty beers they serve.
They have other good options as well, like tacos and pizza! Prices are a bit high, but the food was top-tier.
What we enjoyed most was the brewery tour experience here. For just $10, we joined a 30-minute guided tour in the historic brewery to see what goes on behind the scenes of beer production. Of course, we got to try their award-winning brews. Definitely a must-try!
| Pro Tip: They have a retail store with merchandise and an assortment of beer that you can get as souvenirs. You’d want to remember this place. |
Quinn’s Ale House
– Media Credit: quinnsalehouse
Pricing: $$
Address: 1070 Bank St
Business Hours:
- Saturday-Thursday (4 PM – 2 AM)
- Friday (3 PM – 2 AM) ‘
Contact: +1 613-523-4400
Quinn’s is a part of the community; a lot of locals meet here for a drink after a brutal workday. One thing that sets them apart is that they open-ferment their beer, resulting in delicious and nuanced flavors.
They have good live music, adventurous eats like sriracha fish tacos, and a friendly atmosphere. Our favorite grub here was definitely the beer-battered onion rings and pickle chips.
| Pro Tip: Monday is wing night! So, you get a $5 discount. |
The Lieutenant’s Pump
– Media Credit: thelieutenantspump
Pricing: $$
Address: 361 Elgin St
Business Hours:
- Sunday-Tuesday (11 AM – 1 AM)
- Wednesday-Saturday (11 AM – 2 AM)
Contact: +1 613-238-2949
The Lieutenant’s Pub is great if you’re looking for something classical and traditional. They keep it fun but intimate, so you won’t really expect it to be too rowdy here. Our vibe was that it’s a good place to bring your pop or uncles for a nightcap.
This doesn’t mean that it’s boring here, mind you. They actually have a lot of special deals throughout the week: Roast Dinner Sundays, Half-Price Wings Wednesdays, and trivia nights on Mondays.
If we could choose to eat one thing off their menu forever, it would be the Sunday prime rib. It’s so rich and flavorful, writing about it makes me crave it. If you want something light, you cannot go wrong with some potato skins and beer.
| Pro Tip: Something cool they do during hockey games is that they provide a shuttle service for Ottawa seniors. They call it the “Sens Bus”. It may be a small thing, but for us, it shows a lot of heart. |
Brigid’s Well
– Media Credit: thewellottawa
Pricing: $$
Address: 310 St. Patrick St
Business Hours:
- Tuesday-Saturday (4 PM – 12 AM)
- Sunday (12 PM – 6 PM)
Contact: +16132220710
You can find Brigid’s Well down in the basement of Saint Brigid’s Centre. We love it because it offers such a fresh and authentic Irish experience while being pretty cozy and chill. They have beers on tap, white and red wine, and four types of Irish whiskey you shouldn’t miss.
While you’re there, pay a visit to the National Irish Canadian Cultural Centre. They have a lot of community-building events that you can be a part of, where you can learn about Irish arts and literature, attend concerts, and, of course, enjoy St. Patrick’s Day events.
| Pro Tip: Watch out for the blue light above the door. This is how they mark their entrance from Cumberland. |
O’Connell’s Irish Pub
– Media Credit: shanependy
Pricing: $$
Address: 1211 Wellington St.
Business Hours: Daily (10 AM – 2 AM)
Contact: +1 703-739-1124
We love how there’s always something new happening at O’Connell’s Irish Pub. They have board game nights on Tuesdays, which, if you haven’t tried it, is such a fun and stress-relieving experience.
They also have open mics, Irish jam sessions, and live music on Fridays and Saturdays. The prices of the food and drink here are reasonable. We liked their Irish coffee, as well as their classic fish and chips and poutine.
| Pro Tip: It’s a small place, so it’s important to get there earlier to secure parking and seats. |
Sir John A Pub
– Media Credit: sirjohnaelgin
Pricing: $$
Address: 284 Elgin St
Business Hours: Daily (11 AM – 2 AM)
Contact: +16135672746
Sir John A Pub is another chill and comfy place that’s perfect for watching the latest hockey game, after-work destressing, or even just a quick lunch when you’re in the area.
They have the largest selection of beers in Centretown, boasting exciting local and international brews. The vibe here is friendly, the staff is always smiling, and food is available until 1 AM – great for late-night cravings.
| Pro Tip: Strike up a conversation with the servers. They give killer beer recommendations! |
Connor’s Irish Pub & Shararat Kitchen
– Media Credit: Connors Irish Pub & Eatery Orleans
Pricing: $$
Address: 2401 St Joseph Blvd
Business Hours: Daily (9 AM – 2 AM)
Contact: +16138375050
Connor’s Irish Pub & Shararat Kitchen is a classic. It’s not really a loud or busy place; we like that you can really have a solid conversation here. We might even say it’s a good spot for a first date.
We love their bar grub! The nachos and fish n’ chips are best sellers for a reason. If you’re feeling something with a bit more kick, try the jalapeno poppers.
They also have some interesting finds on their menu, such as liver n’ onions, which is baby liver with some gravy and bacon. They serve this with some mashed potatoes. The lamb sausages are also really tasty.
| Pro Tip: Order their homemade pot pies for takeout. Trust us if you want something comforting. |
Irene’s Pub
– Media Credit: Irene’s Pub
Pricing: $$
Address: 885 Bank St
Business Hours: Daily (12 PM – 12 AM)
Contact: +16132304474
Irene’s Pub is perfect for our artsy friends out there, with lots of events and even opportunities to buy and display art. The vibe of the place is young and fun, with trivia nights on Tuesdays, blues sessions every Thursday, and folk revue on Sundays.
We went on a Sunday. And can we just say, we never knew we had it in us, but folk music is now our current favorite office playlist. That was unexpected and fun; we really enjoyed that.
Come here early because they don’t have designated parking, just street parking. Overall, it’s a unique find we’ll definitely keep coming back to.
| Pro Tip: If you want to sell your art here, contact [email protected] for more details. |
Deacon Brodies Pub
– Media Credit: deaconspub
Pricing: $$$
Address: 247 Elgin St
Business Hours:
- Monday-Friday (11 AM – 2 AM)
- Saturday-Sunday (9 AM – 2 AM)
Contact: +16132366464
Deacon Brodies Pub is known for its great whisky collection of over 400 different types; they even have a mailing list you can sign up for to hear about tasting events. So yes, they take it seriously here and we’re all for it.
Whiskey is available in sipping and tasting portions. If you want to explore different ones, tasting flights are available. What we appreciate is that if you ask for recommendations, they really take into account your specific tastes and budget, and make you a customized flight.
They have special menus and drink specials daily, so make sure you ask their servers about this. They also often post about it on social media, which is how we found out about them in the first place.
As for the food, we liked the haggis and butter chicken here; they were very filling and tasty.
| Pro Tip: They have live music on weekends. You can check the schedule here. |
O’Grady’s Outpost
– Media Credit: ogradysoutpost
Pricing: $$
Address: 25 Tapiola Crescent
Business Hours: Daily (11:30 AM – 12 AM)
Contact: +16138001033
The moment we entered O’Grady’s Outpost, we were impressed by the classic interior. They’re very friendly and community-centric, so they have events like bingo nights, trivia nights, and live music on Fridays.
The staff isn’t just friendly, but very caring in a way that they always serve with a smile and strike up conversations.
That’s how we found out that their wings are their best sellers and that they’re now selling the hot sauce they use on them. Safe to say, we all ended up getting a bottle.
| Pro Tip: Get wings half price on Tuesdays and Thursdays! |
Pour Boy – Somerset
– Media Credit: pourboyottawa
Pricing: $$
Address: 495 Somerset St W
Business Hours: Daily (2 PM – 2 AM)
Contact: +16136957687
Pour Boy in Somerset has a young and vibrant vibe, with numerous events catering to different age groups – bingo, trivia, comedy nights, and an open mic. We tried joining their open mic here and had a fabulous time. The energy of the place was catching!
What makes Pour Boy different is that aside from the usual draft beer and eats, they have infused some Asian dishes on their menu. You can actually order some pad thai, spring rolls with chili sauce, and edamame.
They’re fun and inventive, which is refreshing. They do a lot of similar events, but there’s something about the way they execute them that keeps people coming back. Expect a unique experience every time you visit; we know we do.
| Pro Tip: They have plenty of vegan options here! |
