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Shanghai Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Asian Fusion Nightlife Karaoke Asian Fusion, Karaoke [Edit]
651 Somerset St WOttawa, ON K1R 5K3
(613) 233-4001
- Hours:
Tue-Fri 11:30 am - 2 pm
Tue-Thu, Sun 4:30 pm - 10 pm
Fri 4:30 pm - 1 am
Sat 4:30 pm - 2 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Lunch, Dinner
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Sat
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
7 reviews for Shanghai Restaurant
7 reviews in English
-
Review from Erica L.
12/16/2011
The crispy beef, lemon chicken, and egg rolls are TO DIE FOR. I also love the dim, red-lit vibe with lots of local art decorating the walls. Cocktail list is fun. Service is sometimes hit and miss but it's never awful. It's just a chill, fun place to eat chinese food that actually has flavor and isn't a bunch of watery vegetables in chicken broth.
There's Karaoke on Saturday night with China Doll. Awesome. -
Review from Chloe P.
Ottawa, ON
6/18/2011
Smaller then what I had expected. Service is slow, and extremely inattentive.. so don't expect to have a quick dinner. Plus they messed up my order but I was in a rush so I didn't say anything (although i regret it now). The staff saw they messed up the order at the end, and pretty much laughed it off.
I wanted to like this place more because I've heard such great things about it but I couldn't.
Great news is that they serve Beau's. But I won't be back. -
Review from Amanda B.
Ottawa, ON
11/19/2010 7 photos
I LOVE this place! I was introduced to Shanghai by a close girlfriend and her boyfriend a few years ago and to this day, it's still one of my favourite restaurants! Shanghai holds many events, like concerts, karaoke nights, dances, art sales, and bingo. They are also GLBTQI-friendly :) It's supposedly the first Chinese restaurant in Ottawa's Chinatown, completely renovated of course. The mood now is very intimate. It has red walls and is dimly lit, definitely a lounge kind of feel, but more comfortable.
The sign itself is a work of art on its own, along with the painting on the side of the building, and all of the art that is showcased inside. Many local artists have put canvases and photographs on sale at Shanghai. They are usually hung up on the walls or placed in a long glass case beside the bar with small price tags beside them. I've had a few friends sell their graffiti and paintings here, and everyone gets to see them while eating and/or drinking, so it's a great way to get your art out there! Even Shanghai's washrooms are like one big mural.
I've been here too many times to count! Even though it's a restaurant/lounge, it is family owned and you still get that home-y feel with the servers and staff - they're all incredibly sweet. They even have an e-mail list you can be added to, if you wish to get updates on their menu and events.
Sometimes a DJ is playing some lounge beats, but never too loud. It's a great place to have a 1-on-1 dinner with someone. My favourite dishes are their Spicy Mint Noodles and General Tao's Chicken. The noodles are just a bit charred and the dish has plenty of fried tofu and vegetables in a chili-black bean sauce. The mint is a great touch. Incredibly tasty, especially for you vegetarians! Their General Tao's Chicken is one of the best I've tasted. It's not too sweet, not too hot, and there's plenty of it. It's fried crispy before a ton of sauce is poured all over it.. mmmm! As a bonus, if you're not into spicy food, you can ask for both of these dishes to be 'not spicy', and still enjoy the flavour. Word to the wise - their lychee martini has both amazing lychee flavour and extreme potency. Beware! -
Review from paul i.
Mississauga, ON
8/3/2010
Shanghai is one of the most famous Chinese restaurants in Ottawa. It is small, and has a very small selection of food. It's mostly a drinking place, and the last drink I remember ordering was a chocolate martini, which was very chocolaty. The food is fancy, but when I ordered a tofu dish, I believe they put some chicken in with it, which is pretty undesirable for a vegetarian dish.
I don't suggest going for the food. However the atmosphere is very cool. Dark reds fill the dim lit room. It's one of the few places in Ottawa that pays attention to it's atmosphere.
I also don't suggest going on any day other than Saturday, and to go around 7:00pm, if not a bit earlier to get a good seat. China (Ottawa's most famous gay performer) is the star of a really funny karaoke show. She gives a display of serious talent, mixed with serious silliness. The show involves other people getting up to sing, though it's not a karaoke bar, so the regulars are few and far between, or they have something better to do on a Saturday night. China goes through a few wardrobe changes through the show, and most are quite over the top.
Other stuff happens at Shanghai as well, but this happens every week, so get your ass in there and experience China. -
Review from Vanessa G.
Gatineau, QC
10/21/2008 2 photos
I went here for the first time with a group of girlfriends and we had a great time.
Shanghai, as the name suggests, is a Chinese restaurant offering a mix of traditional and popular Asian dishes. It's been around since the 70's and their claim to fame is that they were the first Chinese restaurant in Chinatown.
More importantly though, they are home to the legendary Saturday night karaoke party hosted by over the top drag queen extraordinaire, China Doll. Being a family owned restaurant everyone gets involved which adds to the intimate house party feel of the place.
Food-wise, the menu is pretty good. We ordered dumplings to start and shrimp pad thai, general tao chicken, coconut curry chicken and crispy beef to share. I think I would sum up the food as ordinary but good and site the dumplings and crispy beef as the stand out items. All washed down with a refreshing (and generously sized) Sapporo beer- ahhh!
They also do lunch and take away so you can satisfy your crave just about anytime of day! -
Review from Ryan R.
Ottawa, ON
12/13/2009
This place is fantastic.
The karaoke show put on by "Chinadoll" is a lot of fun. The place has a 60's lounge sort of motif going on.
The food isn't bad albeit a bit expensive, but the kitchen is open late-- this is a big plus if you're looking for a late night snack on the weekend.
I will definitely be going back. -
Review from Elizabeth C.
Stittsville, ON
5/2/2010
I loved it! I went several years ago and had a great time; it is definately a unique experience.
