The Cheshire Cat Pub — Restaurant in Ottawa

Went here twice with my family, in the span of two weeks, and could you believe it if I said the experience was even better the second time around? A lot of people have a hard time giving any place a perfect 10/10, as they believe perfection to be unachievable; I’m the same way, however I believe this place to be the closest I’ve ever gotten to that mythical 10/10.

Poetics aside, let’s get to the actual review of my experience(s) at the Cheshire Cat Pub:

Service and atmosphere are truly perfect; I feel like nothing needs to be said, except for a big thank you to the staff for their hospitality.

Here’s everything I ate during my two visits, reviewed: (Main Course I) Beef Wellington weekly special - tender, savoury, wrapped in puff pastry, and in perfect harmony with the mashed potatoes as a side; a whole experience as a dish. (Main Course II) Fish & Chips - I’m not a seafood lover, so it was actually my first time trying this dish; and, while I may not be able to compare it to anything else I’ve had, I will say this dish was truly great. The crispy batter, along w/ the soft flaky fish was everything I imagined fish & chips to be. Would def try again. (Appy I) Chicken Wings - honestly some of the best I’ve had, which is saying a lot, since it’s the one menu item I order at every restaurant that has it. Good portions too. (Appy II) Jalapeño Poppers - somewhat sweeter than what I’m used to, but pretty good nonetheless. I think it’s worth mentioning that I didn’t order this myself - it was shared - as I don’t particularly love this dish, so try it out for yourself if you’re a fan of jalapeño poppers. (Appy III) Whipped Brie - the best starter/appy, if you’re a cheese lover like me. Sweet and savoury cheese spread, paired with soft, warm bread; what better way to start your experience? (Dessert I) Sticky Toffee Pudding - so good I had it during both of my visits. Super sweet, warm, and soft - with a big enough portion to satisfy your sweet tooth, 100% guaranteed. (Dessert II) Affogato - I am a big fan of coffee-dessert combos (coffee ice cream, tiramisu, etc..) and the perfect affagato is probably my most sought-after dessert. That being said, I think the cat nailed it with theirs. My only complaint would be the portion size, but that’s only because I didn’t want it to end lol

All in all, I had an amazing experience at this establishment. I think the biggest indication is that there has not been another place that made me want to write such a lengthy review, in all my 9 years of living in Ottawa. Thank you again, to the staff of the Cheshire Cat - y’all...

Lived and grew up in kanata yet had never been to the Cheshire Cat. FINALLY went the other night with family and it’s now a top fav for us all.

The service was great. They have a system where they give you a puck to flip either black up or picture up depending if you need servers attention. I think that’s a great addition because it doesn’t have the server Come interrupt or feel the need to check in every 10-15 mins during food service. I like that it kinda gave us control when we wanted attention and assistance. We were seated outside which wasn’t as bad as we thought. It was a Friday night and a bit cold and dreary but their patio is was equipped for outside seating. All the tables had a heat lamp by it which helped a lot with warming up.

My boyfriend is very into craft beer and IPAs and he was impressed. They have a great selection of craft beers for those who are into it. We also got a sample of the mango heat sour which was surprisingly delicious.

Now to the food. Food was amazing. Definitely above my expectations. Everything was so savoury and delicious. We started with the fries + gravy and the fried zucchini as the appetizers. Both very generous servings. Nice crisp and flavour to both. They give ample amounts of sauce with it so there was enough to go around. As our mains (pictured below), our party was super happy with all that was ordered. The only problem I had was with the cheddar bacon ale soup- it gave off a very strong bitter taste that I could not get past. Luckily my brother in law enjoyed it so bonus side for him. The hot Yorkie is highly recommended. It seems to be their signature dish if I’m not wrong. Comes with shaved tenderloin in horseradish cream then topped with a Yorkshire pudding. I opted for the mash potatoes and was sooo glad I did. Their mashed potato was so creamy, buttery and flavourful. It went very well with the main dish. I would 100% order it again the next time.

Overall very great experience. Highly recommend if you’re ever on the west end of Ottawa. Will definitely be...

We had lunch at the Cheshire Cat Pub on recommendation of a friend as we were passing through the area, and the experience was exceptional. While we were standing in line for the patio, we observed staff bustling around serving clients and disinfecting tables and chairs, quickly and efficiently. The line move quickly and the host was incredibly personable. A QR code was presented which also included contact tracing as part of accessing the menu online. Once seated, it was explained to us that the puck in the middle of the table was an easy way to let servers know we needed them to check in--face up, we needed service, or face down, they won't interrupt. The lunch menu was pretty substantial. We chose a chicken parmesan sandwich and a pulled pork sandwich...both of which were delicious, fresh, and well portioned. We were able to observe the host during our lunch and it was impressively upbeat and enthusiastic about the restaurant and very engaging with customers...not an easy task when managing a lineup, a special event that was about to start, and covid-19 protocols. After lunch we stepped inside to take a look at the take home offerings which are abundant. From pot pies to Carp Creamery ice cream, they have everything you need for a wonderful dinner at home. The server inside was just as enthusiastic as the host. He was engaging and knowledgeable about the products and you could tell he enjoyed being there. With so much going on and restaurants struggling, it was wonderful to see this out of the way spot taking protocol seriously, but still engaging with clients and being excited about their work. The food was great the atmosphere was light and comfortable and enjoyable, and it almost felt like we weren't in strange times. I recommend this spot for a really enjoyable patio...