Review Bowman's Bar & Grill

Waylon Thompson

Texas Chili (in a bowl or as a nacho topping) is a delicious as I remember (from the before times). Decent selection of craft beer, and just a nice friendly place for dinner and drinks.

Kevin Cappon

Friendly service and really well made chicken and waffles. My wife and I were craving some and it really hit the spot. The chicken was very juicy, and perfectly fried. I believe the waffles had some green onions or something in them as well and were also great. I would have liked a little extra spiced maple syrup to add on the side but still very worth the visit!

J Valenti

I’ve been going to Bowman’s for about 8 years now, and it’s always excellent! My parents got the burger and fish and chips, which they really enjoyed. I ordered the vegan tacos and the chips and guacamole, which were delicious. Mike is also such a friendly and great server! He checked on us often and kept our drinks full. Big thanks!!!

JP Maltais

Stopped by Bowman's on our way to a show in Ottawa. We've never been in the area, and from the reviews, it sounded like a good place to grab a bite. Loved the food, loved the beer selection, and our waiter was very friendly and made sure our experience was excellent. I highly recommend checking it out if you're in the area!

Nan

Unfortunately food was lacking taste. Because there was only one waitress, the wait was a bit long, but the service was great. The fish tacos shells had a weird taste and the chicken waffles were too sweet for our taste.

Dayle Dunham

This place really gives off hometown bar & grill vibes, despite being located on Carling. The atmosphere was really welcoming and chill, our server even more so. I got the fish tacos, which were delicious, and my dining partner got the chicken sandwich & a poutine. He said the chicken sandwich was more coleslaw than chicken, but we both enjoyed the poutine. Their gravy was creamier than your normal beef-based brown gravy, definitely a nice change.

simontilden

Grabbed lunch here and got the burger special, with potato salad. Top notch, delicious and filling! Love that it comes with little deep fried pickles on top(I ate one before I took this photo).

C M

Best nachos, good beer selection, best service- you can’t go wrong!! Staff are super friendly and go above and beyond to make sure you’ve had a great experience.

Angi Morrison

The Bowman Burger is by far the best burger I’ve ever had. And their service cannot be topped. I am on a strict gluten-free diet, and the staff went out of their way to ensure my food was not contaminated in any way. Can’t wait to go back!

Susan Wilson

Great staff, owner Peter real hands on, great mix of customers, young family with babes, locals, professionals, hipsters, you name it they are there. Tried most of the menu as I'm in the hood, never disappointed. Last night we had fish & chips, burgers, great, big portions, (15.00 pitcher Thursday night special). Prices not cheap, but worth it as portions, quality, atmosphere, staff are great😁

Omer Humayun

This is the second time I've visited Bowman's. First time was with some friends for a late night snack. Got some desserts to go, and enjoyed them quite a bit. This time I happened to be in the area at lunch time, so I stopped in. I like that the menu is small. It's an indication that the food is made fresh, and that they're aren't trying to offer a little bit of everything. I always like to try something unique that a restaurant offers. After scanning the menu of "the usual" fare, I stumbled upon the Pear Grilled Cheese sandwich with walnuts. The soup of the day was Potato, Leek, and Cheddar. Yup, that sounds like a good combo! Food took more than a few minutes to arrive. Another good sign that it's made fresh. The sandwich was perfectly crispy. The soup was delicious. A little too much black pepper, but otherwise nicely seasoned. I will have to return once again to try other items on the menu, and save room for more dessert.

Marie Édith Ouellet

The food was excellent. My friend had steak and fries, they did the fries to her liking, caramalized and crisp. I had the steak sala, which was very good but would have been better with more steak, albeit a higher pricetag. The salsa was freshly made 😛 and so were the corn chips. The staff is friendly and cheerful, helpful without being obsequious, pompous or condescending. There is an obvious camaraderie there. The decor outside is a bit ramshackle, but in a charming way. After our meal, we lingered on the terrace for quite a while, savouring the balmy evening. Nobody pressured us to order more or to leave. On the contrary. I am from out of town and will return to Bowman’s Bar and Grill when I am in Ottawa next. My friend, who lives in Ottawa, is pleased to have found a restaurant close to her home but off the beaten path. We had a very pleasant evening.

Andrée LeBlanc

Absolutely delicious!!! Extremely flavourful! Awesome Hangar steak, fish tacos, Apple pear grill cheese and fish & chips,... mmmm guacamole was fantastic!!! Generous portions, super friendly staff! You want a good time with great people, here's the place to go! This is definitely our new hot spot to eat!!

Scott Slywchuk

Excellent burger, fish chips ,wine, abc beer nice little local place 1st time in Ottawa.

Kelly Pyke

Best club sandwich I've ever had! Everything we've ever ordered; from the apps, drinks, entrees and desserts has been spot on. Warm, friendly service from the staff - definitely our 'go to' local spot for delicious pub food.

Tahlia Smalczewski-Davis

Such good food! Could not believe how high the quality of food was for such an unassuming little pub. I would highly recommend this place to everyone!

Christine Ferren

The food was amazing and the service was great :-) They were excellent with the kids. I say this is a must place to eat when in the ottawa area. Have to try their bacon jam, it is wicked!!! A hidden Jem we were happy to find. Mike, our server was awesome too, very friendly

Nigel Noble-Hearle

Favorite bar easily, Great food and great beer. Staff are fantastic.

Judy Garvey Bryant

Thank you for the fantastic meal. We appreciated bringing in our own birthday cake, enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and wonderful beers. You guys rock.

Mercedes Gordon

Fantastic food! Excellent service. Ask for Angie and you will not be disappointed! #best #server #ever

Kate Feres Patry

Loved the food!! All of it was made on site and I felt the love that went into my soup & sandwich. Our server was kind and attentive and we were thrilled to meet Jamie, the talent behind the menu.

Line Marie Morris

Close, best staff, best food and drinks best best best ;-D

Rory JT

Great beer, staff and food. Anywhere with multiple Beau's options is awesome in my book too.

Pierre Chevrier

Love everything about this place. Don’t all go at once!

Kevin Cleroux

I've only tried the Nachos and Bread Pudding so far but both were very tasty. The Bread Pudding was nice and almost crispy on the outside while still being gooey and moist on the inside. I'm not a bread pudding expert but I certainly enjoyed it. The Nachos were the standout though. These are the best Nachos I've had in Ottawa and I've had my fair share over the years. The steak chili on top of the Nachos make them stand out from anywhere else and I highly recommend them as a result. Other than that the service was great and the bill was reasonable.

Inthemoodforfood

A little hidden gem in this part of town!! I was looking for a place to go with my boyfriend and his mom and let's just say the restaurant scene in this part of Ottawa is a little lackluster. After some research, we ended up at Bowman's and it was just what we were looking for. I had the pork belly clubhouse and it was delicious! Not your average club sandwich. Everything else I saw come out of the kitchen looked amazing too. The staff was super friendly and helpful and the vibe/ambience was comfortable, bright and laid back. I would easily recommend this restaurant to anyone.

Jen Poth

Great vibe! Comfortable, friendly. Server/bar tender Mike was super attentive with no change of demeanour and service when the restaurant went from 3 clients to 30+. Really tasty fish tacos. Loved the seasonal beer and good fries to go with. This has become my new favourite local go-to!

MatrixRogue

Great food that lives up to the gourmet description on the menu! Fresh and tasty food made with loving care. Great atmosphere and staff too!

Alana Lachance

I've seen some people on here complain about petty things like the size of the bathroom so I had to comment and let everyone know that yes, the bathroom is small. But does that really reflect on the quality of the restaurant??? No!! The owner Peter is an amazing guy and the place will not disappoint. The decor is warm and welcoming, the food is homey and delicious, and the drinks are great. I've never been disappointed with this place and you won't be either, trust me!

Chelsea Konyk

Food bland, bland, and bland. Nachos had barely any toppings and were tasteless. Bread on my sandwich was home made and probably the only good part of my meal. Few options for salad dressing. The bathroom is incredibly small and awkward. I'm an average size/athetic girl and it was brutal. If you have any weight on you, don't expect to get through the door, let alone turn around once you're inside. I'd take a HUGE pass on this place.

Mel

Love this place. A menu that is changed up just enough that we keep coming back to see what has changed, while hoping our favourites have not been retired. Great beers on tap (quite a few local beers), great service and atmosphere.

Kathryn Atkinson

Great experience. I dined at Bowman's with my family this Sunday night and it was truly exceptional. The fishes and chips were really unique, presented as a paper bag of multiple fishes with shoestring fries. My husband had the chicken & waffles with apple slaw and the mix of sweet and heat was perfection. The serving was also quite large. Our table found the craft beer selection interesting and most of us drank. None of us had room for dessert, but all of the options sounded fantastic and would have been "made from scratch". Next time! I hope this place stays open as it is quickly becoming a personal favourite.

M_hudson

Brunch. All sorts of interesting items.Bowl of potato fingerlings for the not so hungry or topped with steak and egg for the more ravenous.grilled cheese and pear with stilton added and salad.if you're a foodie you need to try this place.

Nicole_macnaughton

Wonderful food, great service!. I went here for brunch while visiting family just after Christmas. The food was fantastic! I had the skillet, very good!! Also ordered the deep fried pickles, they were great, the home made buttermilk dill sauce was fantastic!! The service was perfect, we were a large group (18ppl) and can be a bit demanding at times, but we were handled with smiles and laughs. Would go back again and again!!

Allislaney

Delicious dinner every time..... I don't post many reviews on here, only when something has been exceptional! I have tried the fried chicken dinner, the mexican "snacks"(if you like spice, the texas chili nachos are to die for), the gnocci (superb!), and some of the new additions to the menu (crispy fish wraps and the meatballs with the oh-my-god-you-have-to-try-this-pesto sauce.) Had to share this LIKE. I mean LOVE.

Sammy.D.

I have been visiting. Bowmans on and off for the last 5-6 months. My visits are always great and the food is delicious. However, after my most recent visit, I wasn't sure what to think. I noticed the fries had changed to awful thin "shoestring" style fries, and my sandwich(as good as always) had a very thin bread, that made it look almost unappetizing. I hope these aren't a permenant fix to their old items. The delicious thick homecut fries and Texas style cut bread were the real reason I enjoyed the place so much.

F.pickles

Yummy food!. Tasty, nice patio, friendly service and very clean! I went for brunch, while the menu was small it was diverse. I ordered the 2 egg breakfast and it was perfectly simple. I regret not ordering the benny, it looked delicious! I will definitely go back to Bowman's in the future.

Fykeallanm

Little Gem in the City. I came across Bowmans on a Tuesday night, which happens to be Trivia night. I was greeted by it's friendly owner Peter West. on my first visit, I only tried a couple of the exceptional local brews they keep on tap. On my second visit I tried some of the delectable food, that the restaurant has to offer. I was a great combination of pub food taken to another level. I had a pork-belly and chicken club sandwich and an order of chicken wings(all delicious), my girlfriend had pickele chips and an order of the vegetarian spring rolls. Everything was fresh, crispy and the plate presentation for incredible. The atmosphere was amazing. Everyone seems very laidback the staff was friendly, courteous and paid attention to detail. Two TVs at the bar always playing sports, gives the restaurant a fantastic laid back feel. I highly recommend this place to anyone in the city. You will fall in love with this place and want toncome back as often as possible.

Carlington GO

Best new spot in Carlington!. Bowman's Bar and Grill is the hottest new spot in the Carlington neighborhood. Whether we've gone for lunch, dinner or just drinks it has been a great experience. Peter the owner is very welcoming and we are always running into our neighbours there. The Ashton Brewing Company Sessions is our favorite craft brew on tap. The dinners are excellent and the atmosphere and plating make it a fine dining, romantic spot. My partner and I enjoyed a great Valentine's dinner there. They were very busy that night, but service was still excellent. We ended up running into neighbors and put our table's together. Between us we enjoyed a Bowman's Burger, strip-loin, the fish dish, as well as wines and craft beer selections. It was a memorable night. The only thing that could be better about Bowman's is a patio. We hope they are able to add one this season!

KC

The food was amazing! They used really nice and fresh ingredients and the food hot when it arrived to the table. The waiter was very pleasant and personable - He was the owner and was very interested in keeping his customers happy. The atmosphere was cool as well - much nicer than your average pub. The prices were on par with other pubs. We will for sure be coming back...soon!

Melissa Pieters

I love the food,and the waiter is very nice. The cook does a great job on the food. I think everybody that works at the restraunt is great at their job.

George

First Date. Bowman's is a new Bar and Grill that opened in early December - I went there last night for dinner on a first date. For a first date to be successful you have to have great company, good food, great atmosphere and friendly staff. Each of these area's receive high marks in my book! The staff was very friendly and accommodating with requests, the owner came over personally to see how everything was and we were forewarned about a large party that had made reservations for that evening as well. That group only added to the warm and friendly atmosphere of the restaurant. I was also impressed that for a place that had only been open a month they already had regulars that they knew by name. The menu has a good variety without overwhelming you with choices. We started with the Vegetarian Spring Rolls (pictured) which surprised us with how fresh the vegetables were and I was impressed that they were still crisp and flavourful (many spring rolls have mushy fillings that are bland). I had the Bowman's House Salad with Chicken and she had the Warm Beet Salad. We both enjoyed our salads. I would recommend this place to friends and family and give it 4/5 Stars in each category I listed above. (except the company - she was a definite 10 out of 5!)

MamaKat

New, warm, unpretentious, and very tasty!. Four of us went to Bowman's for supper last night. All four enjoyed the experience. The menu is a little eclectic, but not in a bad way. It promises "Familiar food done well", and delivers. All dishes were tasty and attractive in an unfussy way, all ingredients looked and tasted fresh, and flavours worked well together. All portions were generous. We started with guacamole, cheese nachos, warm beet salad and schnitzel pops. All good. Nothing canned. We were told that the schnitzel pops (yes - schniztel on stick!) were a nod to the New Dubrovnik, which stood in this location for so many, many years. A tasty nod. Mains included steaks, both prepared as requested, and nicely presented with beer-braised brussels sprouts (all disappeared rapidly) potatoes, and green beans. The other mains were the Le Coprin mushroom tostada and the peppardelle with braised short ribs. Savoury and delicious both; the tostada served with very fresh garden salad. The dressings and sauces are house made and taste that way. Very nice touch. We will be back soon!

KenV

Great new spot!. Had the pleasure of dropping by Bowmans last evening and was pleasantly surprised. Not the usual Ottawa Bar and Grill. Everything we had was fresh to order none of that M&M frozen stuff from a box so prevalent from Ottawa restaurants. The deep fried pickles were perfectly prepared, still had a texture to them and just lightly battered so you just not eating a fried crust. The Pappardelle Short-Rib Ragout with fresh hand-cut pappardelle pasta,braised short-rib, 'Le Corpin' oyster mushrooms, snow-peas, jus, Parmesan was one of the best executed dishes I have tried in a while. The pasta cooked right to al dente with all the ingredients working like a well oiled machine. The fried chicken was outrageously juicy and tender but had coating problems with adhesion a slight problem along with a lack of crispness and a bit of a overdone coating taste. Corn cakes were awesome as was the kale, green of the day. Can't wait to try their other offerings.

OttawaDiner

Awesome!!!!. Just had the Pork Belly Club and it was killer!!!! The atmosphere is warm and welcoming...sit at the wood and chat with Allison, she has a great sense of humor :)

ALynnMac

Amazing. Bowman's Bar and Grill is a charming little restaurant with big personality. It has a pleasant atmosphere that is very inviting. The food was spectacular. You can tell everything coming out of the kitchen is made from scratch, making everything smell and taste homemade. I'll definitely be telling my friends and family about it and I'll be back soon.

Julia Kent

....has been on my hit list for a year. What took me so long? Probably the location. It’s out of the way for us and for all our friends. But let me tell you – it’s well worth a special trip.

Review Bowman's Bar & Grill - Ottawa