Johnny Farina — Restaurant in Ottawa

Johnny Farina, a gem nestled in the heart of Ottawa, stands as a beacon of culinary delight for those who cherish authentic and affordable Italian cuisine. As you step through its welcoming doors, you're immediately enveloped in an ambiance that blends contemporary charm with classic warmth, reminiscent of a traditional Italian trattoria. The walls, adorned with tasteful art, and the gentle glow of ambient lighting create an inviting and cozy atmosphere, perfect for both romantic dinners and casual gatherings.

At the heart of Johnny Farina's allure is its extraordinary assortment of pasta, each dish a testament to the art of Italian cooking. The menu, a delightful mosaic of flavors, caters to a wide array of palates, ensuring that every guest finds a dish to fall in love with. The Spaghetti Carbonara, a crowd favorite, is a harmonious blend of creamy sauce, crispy pancetta, and perfectly cooked pasta, creating a symphony of flavors in every bite. For those seeking a more adventurous culinary journey, the Linguine Frutti di Mare is a must-try, brimming with fresh seafood and simmered in a savory tomato-based sauce that captures the essence of the Mediterranean.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Johnny Farina is its commitment to affordability. Despite the high quality of ingredients and the skillful preparation of each dish, the prices are surprisingly reasonable. This approach makes fine dining accessible, allowing more people to indulge in their exquisite pasta offerings without concern for their budget.

The restaurant's staff deserves special mention for their exceptional service. Attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely friendly, they add to the overall dining experience, ensuring that every visit to Johnny Farina is memorable. Their recommendations, often tailored to individual tastes, demonstrate their deep understanding of the menu and their desire to make each meal special.

Johnny Farina also offers an impressive selection of wines, carefully curated to complement their pasta dishes. From robust reds to crisp whites, each bottle is chosen to enhance the flavors of the food, creating a perfect harmony between sip and bite.

In conclusion, Johnny Farina in Ottawa is not just a restaurant; it's a celebration of Italian culinary traditions, served in a delightful atmosphere, at prices that welcome everyone. It stands as a testament to the fact that great food, made with love and served with care, can be both exquisite and affordable. This wonderful establishment is more than worth a visit for anyone seeking to indulge in some of the best pasta the city...

TLDR: grossly overpriced for level of service, food quality & atmosphere. Wouldn’t recommend and won’t be returning.

We came to this restaurant when visiting Ottawa to see my brother and SIL. They’ve been to this restaurant twice before and loved it, so wanted to bring my mom and I for our last night in Ottawa. When we arrived we had water (✅) and ordered drinks & 2 apps, then our main meals. After our orders were placed, service went MIA. We wanted to order a bottle of wine (for $65, thank god we didn’t) but the sever never came back to check on us so we didn’t get the chance. We weren’t offered more / another drink or more water. The table beside us had empty wine glasses and were ignored as well. Once our food arrived, 3/4 dishes arrived. At least 5-8 mins later, my brother got his, well done, steak dish-he asked for medium rare and somehow it was still cold despite being overcooked. By the time the rest of us waited for his food to arrive before digging into ours, they obviously got cold too-not the kitchens fault but bringing dishes out at different times is. My gluten free pizza was good-better than I expected actually, but table beside us sent their dishes back for being too cold too.

The bees were INTENSE. Again-not the kitchens fault, but a decoy hive or some candles on tables may help deter this in future and the bathroom garbage was well-overflowing. Maybe “little” things, but when your bill comes over $300 and you’re paying $16 for a sad garden salad, it’s hard to justify when the restaurant doesn’t match the price bracket they’re in. If you’re going to charge $25 per pizza (non gf, mine was +7 for gf / df), $16 for cocktails, $65 for bottles of wine, etc. the service and ambiance has to match the prices and here is fails miserably.

I would recommend Guilla down the street. I only went there to use the bathroom and I was greeted by ever staff member I walked by upon entry AND exit.

*Editing to add: someone on Reddit compared it to “a step above east side Mario’s”- harsh...

I have come here 10 plus times and it was one of my favourite restaurants , until I came here tonight and there was a cockroach in my food. The manager came and told us pest control comes once a week and ‘they’re on it’ (confirming there is a cockroach issue in their kitchen). She kept trying to offer us more food (hopefully so that we would have to pay) however no one wanted to eat there anymore after 1. seeing a cockroach in my food and 2. it being confirmed they have cockroach problems. Everyone around us was horrified and disturbed and got up and left. Normally I wouldn’t go to google for this but it’s the fact the staff was SO rude about it. The manager told us we ‘announced it’ to the entire resturant. No, we were reacting to the disgusting situation. Also, even if we did announce it, everyone deserves to know they’re eating food with potential cockroaches in it. Rodeo (said as Rodale or something) was extremely rude and innapropriate the whole night as he kept making disgusted looks at my table, so I called him out on it and obviously he ran to the back. You guys put cockroaches in MY food. and you’re the mad ones? It took 35 minutes to order our food, and 2 hours for it to come and to finalize it, a cockroach crawling around the vegetables of my food. Although, the ginger bar manager was the only respectable person there with common customer services skills.

UPDATE

They ended up reaching out and offering us a 300 gift card and assured the issue was resolved. We went and Johnny Farinas exceeded my expectations during my recent visit. The service was incredibly fast and efficient, and the food was absolutely delicious. The highlight of my experience was the exceptional service provided by Noah, who was not only kind and sweet but also made my dining experience truly memorable. I highly recommend Johnny Farinas for a fantastic...