Need info about OttaWa nightlife: please help! 2girls ´ll be there-july08 vacations?

Question

hello! A friend of mine and I (26 & 25 years old) are going to be in Ottawa on July 25 & 26. I have been visiting Ottawa websites to find out info about the nightlife there but I would like to receive some info from people that know the area.

could u reccomend bars or nightclubs? I'm interested in going to fun places, find friendly people, nice man (why not?)...We will cross 4,000 kilometers so we want to have great / funny vacations

Thanks!!

Answer 1

Hi there!

There are many places that are good. Let me know what kind of crowd you are into and what kind of music.

I actually have a website www.o-town.ca

It has not been launched yet, but Ottawa nightlife is my specialty. send me an email if you would like to chat or add me on facebook Marco Di Stefano.

Talk to you soon!

Answer 2

Mercury Lounge for sure.

Zaphod's for live bands.

Anywhere on Elgin Street.

Answer 3

Ottawa's night life kind of sucks. That being said the night life is broken down into two centres that are not far from each other. One is the Byward Market and the other is Elgin St. Traditionally Elgin St was for the 21-23+ crowd and the Market was the 19+ crowd but that isn't the case anymore.

Nice lounges and a little more upscale: Eighteen (18 York St) and Social (around the corner from 18). That is the south-west corner of the Market. Social has a nice patio in the back that is called the Courtyard and it merges with patios of four other establishments closed off from traffic so nice. In the corner is Helsinki which is a good club but you have to really pay attention or you'll miss the door. It is in the walkway from the courtyard to George St.

Heaven Nightclub was suppose to save the Ottawa nightlife. It  never worked out to be as good as it should have been but it is still one of the best night clubs. Mercury Lounge and the two other associated clubs are also good. They are in one of the side streets that connects York and George.

Honest Lawyer on Clearance in the Market is good. It is kind of like Chucky Cheese but for adults. Lots of video games, bowling alley, pool tables.

Clearance St which is the north end of the Market has just had a major change the last year. Lots of new clubs. 5-6 establishments that I use to know well have been replaced with new ones that I don't know but which seem fairly good. All of this is contained in a 5 by 3 block grid so if you go somewhere and you don't like it you can go somewhere else.

Behind the Honest Lawyer is On Tap (not even sure if still open) but that is where you go to get drunk cheap. It is mostly 19 year olds. The Drink across the street from the Honest Lawyer is the same but again not my scene so not even sure if it is open.

Elgin St is about 3-4 km from the Market. Just one street of clubs / bars. You have everything from meat markets to couger bars.  Notable establishments that have been around for ever are Griffen's and the two meat market places next to the police station. The strip of clubs is about 6 blocks with the vast majority being on the west side of the street so you can just walk it and see what catches your eye.

Outside the two big club areas the only stuff worth going to is O'Conners in Kanata but only if you have a car as it is probably a $30+ cab ride each way. Gracie's in Nepean is good on certain nights but a younger crowd.

Hartwell's is the Ottawa cougar bar. Can't see why that would be of interest but just for completeness. Live music is the place next to Bare Fax that starts with a Z on York.

If you are here on a Sunday Barrymore's for 80s night is very popular. Have not been in years but the line usually starts at 9pm and next to impossible to get in after 11.

Hope that helps