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- Hours:
Mon-Sat 11 am - 1 am
Sun 4 pm - 12 am
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Thu
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
25 reviews for Pub Italia
Review Highlights
"The 'beer bible' at this place was great."
(in 9 reviews)
"Trappist beers are beer made by monks in monasteries."
(in 3 reviews)
"great pizza, great beer, great service."
(in 3 reviews)
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25 reviews in English
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Review from Big D.
Ottawa, ON
12/27/2011
Great mussels with rich sauces, reasonable prices, and fresh bread on the side. Plus, any beer you can imagine to wash it down with. This place is always packed, we waited 15 minutes in the bar for a seat on a Wednesday night. Service was very prompt, cheerful and accurate. She double-checked our order, offered opinions when asked and checked in on us just frequently enough.
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Review from Nathan B.
Toronto, ON
1/1/2012
Great beer selection, pub has nice character and a lot of space.
Food is incredibly boring, average and I would not waste the money ordering anything. I split pizza, lasagna, and bruschetta and all were forgettable. Pizza crust was a nightmare and tasted like pre frozen non-sense.
Save your money for the beer. -
Review from Coy W.
Updated - 10/30/2011 1 Check-in Here
The pub portion of Pub Italia is still solid. They have the largest beer menu in town but the food has really gone downhill since I first came to this place.
I wouldn't really recommend anything on the menu as it's mediocre to ok. We split a bunch of appetizers and pizza the last time here and they ranged from crappy to ok.
I think my last review mentioned that our pasta was terrible. I don't think that leaves much left on the menu that I would eat. Refer to my other review for some pros of Pub Italia but I wanted to update my rating. Pub = solid, restaurant = mediocre.Listed in: Ottawa: Pints and pubs, Ottawa: Tomato Pies!, Ottawa: Breweries and beer…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/18/2011
If there is one pub you should check out in Ottawa it's definitely Pub Italia! They have a massive… Read more »
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Review from Sandra M.
Toronto, ON
10/8/2011
I failed to order a beer at the Pub Italia known for its beer bible, kitschy pseudo Italian Irish Abbey décor and what I deemed the slowest and most dim-witted service in town. So slow and apathetic that I was tempted to enter the kitchen and help myself.
When our meals arrived they were great. Pre-dinner entertainment was provided by a woman who slid along the shiny waxed hardwood floors and just about fell into my lap. She was agile and unhurt and smiling. Possibly she had tried many of the more than 200 beers available by glass or bottle. Fortunately, my chicken salad sandwich on a very fresh focaccia with roasted red peppers, tomato, lettuce, mozzarella cheese & basil mayonnaise was sublime. Really. The little k had meatball spaghetti with a lovely tomato and oregano sauce. Good food. Meh service. Next visit: the possibilities of some very good beer. -
Review from Chris Y.
8/11/2011 1 photo
Pub Italia is an interesting blend of Irish and Italian. They've got a some pizzas and pastas, and a good-sized beer menu in the book on your table labeled "Beer Bible." It's actually one of the most popular places on Preston Street. It's an all-around solid choice. The food makes par, and the prices are very fair. Except for charging me for two drinks when I got a refill of regular Coca-Cola.
Parking can be tough to find - but if it's after 5pm, you can park in the Scotiabank parking lot (across the street).
Also, you must appreciate their classic Fiat 600 that is parked on the corner!Listed in: Food, eh?!
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Review from B B.
Ottawa, ON
9/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
I love to come here and eat in the small Medieval style courtyard beside the main part of the pub, which has great atmosphere, and depending on the timing, is not busy. I find that there is still great service, good imaginative food (for pub fare), reasonable prices, but best of all a great atmosphere.
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Review from Katherine W.
Montréal, QC
8/11/2010
I'm in love.
No, really. I'm moving to Ottawa and working at this place. The waitress told us that they encourage you to try all of the draft beers so that you can tell customers what they taste like. I am so on that train.
When I saw the Beer Bible, I thought to myself, "Their food must suck. This is too good to be true. Life is not this good, Kate, it's just not possible." I was wrong. Oh, was I wrong. My pesto pizza was the cat's meow (every other phrase I would use to describe how delicious it was would be super-duper vulgar). My mother's vermicelli, which I finished, was also quite tasty. My father's pizza had anchovies on it, but there's no accounting for taste. He seemed to enjoy it. Forget working here, if these folks could find me some comfortable pillows and a decent boyfriend, I'd move in.
My only complaints:
1) I could not have more than 3 new beers over the course of a meal and actually taste them, because I was getting a little drunk.
2) The jerk at the table behind me ordered a bottle of Heineken. Really?
3) Beer did not actually rain from the heavens.Listed in: 300
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Review from Sasa J.
Ottawa, ON
11/2/2010
Great place to dine or go out for drinks with friends. I love the fact that it has various rooms with different themes. All the rooms are different in style and all are just as great as the next. Love sitting in the booths. The bar is great, bartenders are very friendly and the waitresses always make you feel at home.
Two amazing things about this place:
1) There is so much beer to order from, so if your a beer lover, you gottat check this place out.
2) if its your first time there, make sure you ask for bread, even though they give it to you. With the bread you get parmesan cheese and oil vinaigrette and cayenne peppers. You mix all of the above ingredients on your side plate and dip the bread in it, perhaps the greatest thing ever. TRUST ME..
KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK PUB ITALIA! -
Review from Darren M.
Ottawa, ON
12/25/2010
It's simply a beer drinker's heaven.
Pub Italia is more than just a pub. It's an experience and although it's located in Little Italy it's probably better than any Irish pubs in the rest of the city.
Their beer menu is beyond extensive. I've had beers here that I didn't even know existed. The atmosphere here is also top notch. They have a cozy setup with a really great side patio that is partially covered and heated for the cool evenings.
The food is good and actually a lot better than I ever anticipated. A place that is known for it's beer often will cheap out on their menu but not Pub Italia. I've never had a bad meal here.
Service is a bit iffy and for me is the only reason I can't give this place five stars. The last visit here in the fall included excellent service but the visit in the spring was just brutal with a rather rude host and slow waiter service to top it off. I'll probably never rule this place out.
In fact if I ever need to swear an oath I may need this place's beer bible... -
Review from Todd V.
Toronto, ON
9/9/2008
I would not say that I'm superstitious at all when it comes to Ottawa, but merely ritualistic. There are certain things that I like to have happen when I'm there and beginning my landing in the nation's capital with a trip to Pub Italia is one of the things that I have happen. This little ritual began after my first time up at Absolute Comedy (http://www.yelp.ca/biz...), which is just down the street from the pub. A pack of us started our week in Ottawa there and it was fantastic. Because of that little rite, I now go to Pub Italia each and every time. And it's not just because of the ritual. It's a nice place.
It's done up as an old Abbey, a possible shout-out to the number of Belgium Trappist and Abbey-style beers that they have on the menu. Their patio is also covered and secluded like a church courtyard, whereas the main restaurant is created as a smallish church interior with rich dark wood and ornate trim. Easy enough to call this bar a sanctuary.
The bar boasts a fantastic number of beers on tap as well as a number of bottled beers. It's one of the few places I've seen in Ottawa that serves up Steamwhistle and Creemore, and is the only place I've seen with bottles of Cooper's since I was in Melbourne, Australia. So, if you enjoy your beer, and I think you do, this place has to be seen.
The menu I find can be hit-and-miss and seems to be solely dependent upon what you order. The simpler the better it seems. I've had complaints from friends of mine about the food, but I've not had a similar complaint. Try what you can and see where you sit with it. Maybe my sticking with salads isn't the most adventurous thing. I'll have to try the mussels next time I'm there as they take up about half a menu-page. They're pushing them for a reason, I guess. -
Review from Amanda D.
Ottawa, ON
10/17/2008 3 photos
This is the safest bet if you're looking for a good restaurant on Preston Street. It has great food, good service, unique decor and a huge dining area. Pub Italia also has the most expansive beer list (charmingly called the Beer Bible) than any other Ottawa pub that I know of. My favourite drink is their Fruli beer, which is a strawberry white beer from Belgium: it's so friggin' tasty. However, take my recommendation with a grain of salt because I've been told I don't like "real" beer.
This pub is a fine place to bring a group of people, your parents or your date. There are different sections winding throughout the pub that each set a different atmosphere, although it all has a vague mock church decor. It's always safe to choose their pastas or pizzas since they have so much selection and great quality ingredients. -
Review from Adam P.
Toronto, ON
11/2/2009
Went to this place on Halloween night. Being a first timer I would admit there was a bit of an eerie feeling hanging out here that night because (although I didn't read the history of this place), it feels like the basement of an old church, like something that came out of the Da Vinci code. It didn't help that one of the waiters was dressed as a priest. How fitting.
However, the experience was awesome. My wife and I went there to go for some drinks, and to continue on my quest to try beers of the world. The 'beer bible' at this place was great. Check out their website to see the beer menu, but I was impressed with what they had to offer. Lots to choose from. They even have the 'Abbey' which is like a small fridge somewhere in the depths of this place that you can go and see their seasonal brews. However, I was a tad disappointed with their lack of selection of wheat beers and micro breweries. I was expecting a bit more.
I didn't have the same drink all night because there were so many choices. I tried for the first time a Trappist beer. Trappist beers are beer made by monks in monasteries. A bit strong but interesting.
Moving away from the drinks, we also had some food throughout the night. We had the battered calamari, the urquel muscles, and the italian sausage pasta. I have read mixed reviews on this place for food and I can say I thought everything was good. I also enjoyed the urquel muscles the most.
If you are an adventurous beer drinker up for something a little different then give tis place a shot. Also, if you are an out of towner I would also suggest giving this place a try for the experience. Beside the restaurant they actually have a gift shop to buy all of the different glasses the beers come in amongst other things.
This place may be named Pub Italia, but I have a hard thing finding anything stereotypically Italian in it. -
Review from Cory D.
8/11/2010
This is a cool place! I was taking my wife to Absolute Comedy Club down the street and I found Pub Italia via Yelp, so we tried it. The first thing that should be said is that it's a very cool place and it's worth some time to just walk around and take in the decor. It started to rain while we were there and we had to walk to the comedy club, so the manager went to their gift shop and loaned us a brand new umbrella. I don't think that would happen very many places! When we returned after comedy, we stayed for dessert and again we were impressed with the courteous and friendly staff.
The beer: I worked at Coopers Seafood House in Scranton, PA during college and I hadn't seen so many eclectic beers since then. This place is definitely worth visiting if you're a beer connoisseur. They even have Samiclaus and Thomas Hardy for those that need a high alcohol content in their drink.
The food: We had the "Irish nachos" (potatoes with cheese and sausage and some other goodies) as a snack and also split a pasta dish with sun-dried tomatoes (I forget the name of it). Both were good, but not outstanding. For dessert, try the "434.5" (a hot chocolate adult beverage). -
Review from Sean B.
8/3/2009
The good:
1. The beer selection. Has pretty much any kind of beer you want, although if you are looking for a microbrew from the USA, you'll strike out here (with a couple exceptions). Given your other options though, not sure why you'd feel the need.
2. The Urquel mussels. Yum.
3. The service was efficient and prompt.
The average:
1.The classico pizza. If you're in the mood for pizza, go for one of the other options.
2. Prices. Not a bargain, but not super expensive. 2 beers, 1 pizza, one plate of mussels came out to be $45 (including tax and tip).
And due to road work, getting here is a pain in the arse if you follow Google maps. Might want to give the place a call if you're an out-of-towner like I am to get better directions. And it looks like that road work will take a loooong time, so if you're reading this even 6 months from now, this still might be an issue. -
Review from Devon B.
Calgary, AB
9/23/2008
I am a bit of an expert when ti comes to Pub Italian since I do frequent the joint about three times a month, if not more. As an expert I can say that they do some things amazingly well, but like great establishments, they are great because they do one thing really well, but lack in others.
It is known for its beer, and that's where we will start. On each table is a beer bible which contains all the information you need. It tells you what is on tap, what is in a bottle, and then continues to give a concise description of each of the selections. What people don't take advantage of is the monthly specials they have. You can get some great beers for even better prices. They even have some odd ones like giant bottles of beer that look like champagne bottles - they also taste not unlike champagne. Any way you look at it, if you are a beer fan and have the knowledge of beer that doesn't include the "cold certified" label, you will enjoy this place.
The atmosphere is also done well. A great mix of a cozy Italian restaurant mixed with a pub feel. Wood everywhere, dimmed lighting. It is a great place to have a few too many with friends, or a Good business drink.
They can't be perfect at everything and that comes out in the food. Some is fantastic, while other items miss the mark. It's best to tread lightly and get an opinion before ordering. The mussels are great, with the Urquel mussels being something to tell your friends about. The pasts are half decent and the pizzas tend to be good depending what you like on your pizza pie. The appetizers are uninspired so just share mussels if you want finger food. -
Review from Jyotsna M.
12/8/2008
Everyone below gave a really good description of the place so I'll just help you make food choices:
Pass on the Margherita Pizza, and go for the Dante - It was surprisingly delicious!!
Spinach Salad and the Soup looked tempting too.
Slow-w-w service at lunch. Don't go if you are in a hurry~ -
Review from Jim E.
Ottawa, ON
1/1/2011
Beer bible is to kill for. So many beers you'll need assistance with your selections. The only reason I'm giving 4 not 5 stars is the food is good but not mind blowing. Overall a very cool place to eat, hangout with friends, or take the family.
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Review from Ian K.
Ottawa, ON
2/17/2011
This is a great place to kick back and knock down a few pints with your mates. I'm reviewing this place as a bar first and foremost. The Beer Bible is quite extensive and has a wonderful selection of beers with great descriptions in it. The decor is something out of an Inquisition torture dungeon and is quite a unique experience.
The only downside I could find was the food was a little bland and mediocre. We ordered some pizza and pasta and (typical Italian fare, right?) and found it to be somewhat sub-par.
That aside, this is a great place, and has a great feel to it. Just go for an afterwork drink. Not for dinner -
Review from R M.
5/26/2009
Excellent beer menu from around the world. Spent the evening drinking great beers, and trying to order the worst beers in the world for friends to taste.
Food is decent, nothing special. Come here for the beer and the atmosphere. Try to sit in the abbey section, its pretty neat. -
Review from Big E.
9/7/2010
What a fun little pizza bar in the heart of ottawa's newly refurbished little italy. great pizza, great beer, great service. You will love it.
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Review from Carol W.
Ottawa, ON
8/30/2010
I loved this place, it was crowded but they found us a table. The food was great and the beer selection was wonderful. We will return!
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Review from Claudia G.
Ottawa, ON
7/20/2010
I love this place! Great beer menu in a fantastic environment. I love taking first time visitors through to see the abbey.
The food is average, but you don't really go to Pub Italia for the food. It's a comfortable spot to enjoy a few drinks with friends. -
Review from Mark J.
Ottawa, ON
12/31/2008
As a restaurant alone, I'd give Pub Italia 3 stars, but overall when you factor in the awesome selection of 200+ beers and cool atmosphere it bumps it up to 4 stars. It's a very nice place for a night out with friends to chat and try some beer from all around the world, or even some more exotic drinks like absinthe.
As for the food, I'd recommend one of the pizzas. The "Fantastico" dessert lives up to its name, too. There are some mediocre and/or overpriced items on the menu, such as the Papa Joe's Platter.
There are at least three cultures in play here -- you've got the Irish pub, plus mostly Italian food (pasta, pizza, and a slew of dishes with mussels), mixed in with a Belgian abbey decor to highlight their large selection of Belgian trappist beers. Whatever, though, it all works together just fine and it's an establishment that's easy to recommend. -
Review from Rick S.
Orleans, ON
8/3/2010
Excellent location close to the Dows Lake Marina. Very good selection of beer. Excellent food. Pasta was light and tasted home made. Very good ambiance. Very good service.
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Review from Ian J.
Ottawa, ON
1/16/2009
I love this pub. Church of beer. Food is great and service is friendly. Decor is fantastic. You can get lost in this pub!
