Review Tennessy Willems - Ottawa

The server that helped us had quite the chip on her shoulder... It's amazing how easily mediocre service will ruin an outing. At least the other server running food and collecting bills was very nice. I don't know, it threw the evening off. Savin grace: food was delicious, the pizzas are very nice and filling. The ingredients are well paired. 5* for sure.

Love the atmosphere of this restaurant. It’s cozy and has such a warm, inviting feeling to it. My husband and I tried a pizza as well as the spaghetti bolognese. Both were flavourful and quite delicious. We did the gluten-friendly crust and it was well done. Luckily it was within walking distance to our Airbnb so we didn’t need to worry about parking. Would definitely recommend!

Great service and amazing pizza menus. I would recommend booking your table(s) if there's more than 2 people dining in during winter time because of limited space. I was able to dine in with my BF because the bar is perfect for smaller group. I would say the best pizza place to try! Definitely coming back again!

Great place and great food. They have things on the menu for both the adventurous and the picky eater. I had the Ciccio pizza that had lovely fresh basil and great quality meat with a Cesar salad that had a generous serving of back bacon on it. The restaurant itself has a great vibe and aesthetic. My only tip would be to call ahead for a reservation because it’s a popular joint and the dinning area is quaint

Best European style pizza in Ottawa. Decent cutlery & wine glasses/carafe. (Plates are too small). Good spicy oil severed on the side, no extra charge. Never disappointed !

Amazing pizza! The crust is thin, with that perfect crispy but chewy texture. The toppings are a work of art. Whether you go more traditional or mix it up with something more experimental, you will not be disappointed!

Came here for dinner and tried the Ciccio pizza. The toppings were great and the flavour combination was enjoyable. The thin crust made it difficult to eat by hand, it was a bit in the floppy side and didn't fold easily like a new York pizza would. The pizza also ended up quite greasy, which isn't always a bad thing but it did made it messy to eat. All around a solid pizza.

Got the wild boar pizza. Nothing special just a greasy salty pizza. The spicy oil wasn't spicy (wish the spicy oil was pepper flakes instead). I wouldve preferred if they we had the option to drizzle some honey. The caramelized apple brought a bit of sweetness but it was not enough.

Energetic atmosphere, delicious pizza and charming service made this pizza joint a great place to visit! Their creations are quite tasty: I've enjoyed the Duck Confit and Elmdale pizzas, both of which were unique and flavourful. Will definitely visit again!

The quality and attention to details is perfect and each time I eat here I'm happy I returned. From food, to presentation to service. Well done!

Atmosphere was amazing, food is beautifully presented and tasted amazing. I love this spot and they sell some of their items in store also. I would recommend the spicy oil to put in pasta or on your own homemade pizza. And speaking of pizza... I love it here, now wonder there was a line up out the door for take out order of some of the best pies ottawa has to offer.

went out for a bite to eat last night, and decided to go here because I had been once before a few weeks ago and enjoyed the food and wanted to go with a friend.  Had the caesar salad which was amazing, and ordered a pizza.  The pizza came very soggy probably because of the crazy amount of sauce they put on it.<br/>Now to the service, the girl working was HORRIBLE, she did not come do a table check once, took about 15 minutes to bring our menus and I ordered a caesar salad right away, and at that time did not even ask us what we wanted to drink!!!  Then once the salad came she dropped it off, walked away and did not even take our main order.  Another 10 - 15 minutes go by and then i had to ask her if i can order my pizza.  I will NEVER go back to that place HORRIBLE HORRIBLE service, and to top it off she was not pleasant at all, short and abrupt.  Gave her a 15% tip, but to be honest she didn't even deserve a nickel. Brutal, they need to do something serious about her, they will lose customers because of her.  Pathetic.  I really wish I got her name, tall girl short hair.

Cute place, friendly and attentive service. Pizza crust is just right and the spicy oil is a great complement! Pastas are hearty and satisfying. Kid-friendly with good food and decent wine list - I'd be there weekly if this was my neighbourhood!

Great Slice of Pie! Not a particularly memorable experience but satisfactory nonetheless. Had thin crust pizza which again was good but not memorable.

Amazing brick oven pizza! The only thing that needs to improve is the staff... They are always unpleasant and seem like they're wasting their time serving you. I would eat there every weekend if the service wasn't so poor!

One of the best pizzas I have tried here in Ottawa. Wildbore sausage pizza is really excellent. We tried few others and there were any really good as well.

Stopped by for dinner on a Thursday after work. We have been meaning to try this place for quite a while, as we had heard good things. We had the pizza, which is the house specialty. Both agreed that the crust was pretty awesome, though mine got a bit soggy in the middle. It is thin crust wood fire oven pizza, see the pics they are accurate. He had the cheese pizza and I had the chorizo. They make the chorizo in house. The menu did not specify sauce, and in fact there was none. Jealous of the sauce on his pizza, I asked for some on the side, which they kindly provided at no charge. We both had mixed feelings on the cheeses used on our respective pies. One had powdered Parmesan (why?) and the other goat cheese that had become a goopy greasy mess in the heat of the oven, which ruined the crust in my opinion, cause half of it was soggy and spongy (not good). Overall we liked the options, the sauce, and for the most part, the crust. Service was ok but I can't put my finger on how they could improve. The space is small, maybe 10 tables for two, and looks date worthy, if you don't mind the acoustics ( had a hard time hearing my date, but that could have just been me). Looks to be quite popular so reservations are a good idea. <br/><br/>Not sure if we will be back anytime soon, but would go again. $45 for two with two pizzas and one glass of wine (priced a little high at 9 dollars for the 6 oz, in our opinion).

The Coffee was so delicious! Just perfect!<br/>The end of the season soup was great, but I would order it without the ham. My mom loved it! The pizza was SO absolutely positively amazing! I ordered the margarita pizza with no basil... YUM!!!!!!! <br/>Love the restaurant! The feeling of the restaurant is so warm and welcoming. Definitely recommend. Will be back soon!😀

I went to Tennessy Willems on a night where I wasn't particularly hungry so I don't think I enjoyed it as much as I could have. I decided on their mushroom and arugula salad with sharp pecorino cheese. The dressing was oil based and was light and flavourful without being too greasy. The little mushrooms were meaty gems that added some nice texture to the salad. My boyfriend, the hungry guy that he is, was thrilled to be able to order a whole personal pizza for himself. He chose the Sorpressata that included fire roasted tomato sauce, fior di latte cheese,red onion, and Sorpressata salami. The pizza was thin and nicely charred without being burned and the combination of toppings were pleasant without being too salty or spicy( I may have stolen a bite...)<br/>The service was polite and charming without being too intrusive. As for the atmosphere, we were seated outside on the patio which was great except for the hard seats. <br/>Overall, a solid place!

This is definitely one of my favourite date-night restaurants in Ottawa; I can't think of a spot more intimate. The menu is creative and the pizza delicious. They've always been really accommodating when I've asked for meat removed from anything to make it vegetarian and the beet and goat cheese salad is a real winner too. I've never had trouble making same-day reservations either which is always nice. Highly recommended!

Thin crust pizza - huge portions with a wood oven feel. 2 pizzas and an appetizer were more than enough for three people. I wasn't a fan of the special appetizer (melon wrapped in prosciutto) - I felt the flavours did not particularly go well with each other. But the pizza was fantastic.

Tennessy Willems instantly became our favorite "romantic pizza place". There's this one perfect table by the window that's just perfect to bring a date. The very first thing you notice is how great the crust is! Just the right amount of ingredients too, a bit on the light side, which is perfect for this type of pizza crust. We also had the lemon dessert and it was phenomenal! Surprisingly nice presentation too! We're new to the Hintonburg area, and TW will definitely become a regular for us! The service was ok. Nothing outstanding but nothing bad either.

Our waitress gave us unpleasant service: she passed us 3-4 times while our glasses were empty without asking for refills. There's only 1 cocktail on the menu and the over priced pizzas and salads were mediocre at best.

I am no cyclist. I only learned to ride a bike about two years ago, and I still wobble terribly and fall off randomly. That being said, when I went to visit my friend in Ottawa, we decided to do some cycling… for over five hours. So it is with a hungry and bruised soul that I entered in Tennessy Willems for some well-deserved pizza.

Chorizo pizza is deeelicious!! Drinks are pricey but they provide a bottle of water on the table. Service is excellent. Our waiter had lots of personality. We really appreciated that!

Obnoxious, rude servers. Food didn't redeem bad experience.. I don't know how this restaurant earned 4.7 out of 5 . I won't be back. There are too many other restaurants with great food and service that's makes a memorable and pleasant experience. Dining out is social not just eating. Quite frankly their service is bound to cause indigestion.

Great for lunch!. I like to head to this place for lunch because the food is delicious and the service is quick - you can definitely be in and out within an hour on a weekday. However, the place is tiny so it's best to call ahead. My favourite pizza is the Bianco - it has pears and walnuts and proscuitto which sounds like an odd combination but works really well. The crust is thin and delicious - reminds me of pizzas in Italy.

Very disappointed food very mediocre service poor long waits for service our server came very close to actually being rude. .Also very noisey will never go there again!!!

Great Crust. I don't like to make a bad review but I will say TW is better than the pizza across the street. The toppings are savory and interesting. Reviewing this place soley on the food and design then this place is excellent. Fun cozy and fantastic pizza.

Great Pizza, less than great service. I've been to Tennessy Willems on multiple occasions and the pizza has never let me down. I tried the arugula salad with fried mushrooms and thought it was rather bland. Every visit I have had opened up a new experience for not-so- good to okay service. Although the pizza is fantastic, I am debating whether its worth a return trip...

Always good.. I have been many times and every time the food has been excellent and the service friendly and attentive. If I had one criticism it would be the lack of spirits but that's their prerogative and it forces me to have wine which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Burned pizza. Having spent a lot of time in Italy I have a good idea how a good pizza should look and taste like. Looks like they are on a right path to make a really good pizza, however, I was disappointed as the Margeritha I got was charred, which is not the way a pizza should be made.

Pizza is the best! Caesar salad was so good I'm gonna ask for a side of croutons next time. I couldn't stop eating them. They really need to look into wasp traps for the patio. It was very annoying.

Sunday Evening Dinner. Came here on a Sunday evening, with reservations. Service was timely and friendly. Thoroughly enjoyed the Wild Boar pizza, although I am not one for sweet ingredients in my savoury dishes. The caramelized apples were quite complimentary to the cheese. Kind of reminded of the sweet-savoury combo of blue cheese/gorgonzola and honey. I found some parts of the crust to be quite chewy (especially towards the crust), even though it was a very thin crust pizza. Overall, still enjoyable, even as leftovers the next day.

Delicious!. Ate dinner here on a Monday night for an anniversary date. Place was pretty busy, but the service was still efficient. There were a few flies buzzing around which was a bit off-putting. Ordered a pint with appetizers and a bottle of wine with dinner. The cheese board is VERY SMALL portions. I understand quality over quantity, but this was a bit outrageous. The charcuterie, however, was remarkable. Highly recommend. The Marguerite pizza was phenomenal. Our wine was served in stemless glassware, which is not my preference. The dessert was excellent as well. We had the lemon cheesecake and the brownie.

Best pizza I've had in Ottawa. Wild boar and apple pizza = amaze balls. Small so a reso is a good idea.

Been wanting to try Tennessy Willems for a while now and finally went, delicious. Sat by the open window that looks onto Wellington, the place has great, cozy atmosphere. I had the fig stuffed with Boursin cheese and the sopressata pizza with a beyond the pale rye guy IPA and the girlfriend had the rainbow trout gravelax and the elmdale pizza with a Beau's lug tread; all very good. Wood burning oven thin crust pizza with awesome flavor. The price is decent too. These are good size personal pizza's, with the app, I could only eat half of it, we probably could have shared a pizza. Bottom line, very good experience. Good service, tasty food, definitely worth trying if you want a gourmet thin crust pizza. If you like pizza pizza and other generic pizza places, this won't be for you. If you're willing to spend a little more, definitely give it a try! The only down side, I found the menu options to be a little limited as many of the options were very similar. Overall, great experience, 2 thumbs up!

First timer...best pizza I have had. Finally got to Tennessy Willems last night and felt compelled to jump on here and post a quick review....not only was it my first time at TW, but I think this is the first time I have actually felt compelled to post a review of a restaurant...<br/>I've had some good pizza...previous fave was Johns of Bleeker Street in NYC...TW is better. Had the Wild Boar and the Margherita pizzas....both were excellent. The sage oil on the Wild Boar pushed it over the top. Lots of fresh basil on the Margherita helped give it a shot of brightness that really added to the soft cheese and vibrant tomato sauce.<br/>The place was packed, but service was friendly and attentive and we weren't rushed at all. <br/>Nice little selection of beers and wine, but, unless I missed it, nothing in the craft cocktail realm. With the local, house made craze going as it is, would be great to see a few unique craft cocktails added to the proceedings.<br/>Definite thumbs up.

Absolutely worth a visit!. My boyfriend and I decided to try Tennessy Willems after a recommendation by friends of ours. We were greeted quickly, and sat on the patio. Unfortunately it started to rain so we moved inside. They were very accommodating to us, and others who needed to move inside. We ordered a caesar salad to start, and the chorizo pizza. The caesar came quickly, and the smoked bacon chunks were phenomenal. I will say, we waited for about a half an hour for our pizza to come out. The homemade chorizo was delicious, and the crust was perfect! After reading some of the other reviews, I can understand why the manager would come across as obnoxious. It's because he is, but at least he admits it. We will definitely be passing on the recommendation.

When back to this restaurant becaise we really like it but this time during the day. The waitress was awful and rude. We arrived an sit on the patio. She saw us fr the window. We waited for 15 min so we decided to go in to ask for the menu. We wait again, another couple arrived. She came out then back in came out gain with water for them and still she did not come to see us nor she gaves us water. We decided to left. Awful quality service during the weekdays!!!!!!!

Went there early on a Sunday evening. Still made a reservation otherwise it's almost sure to be full. Been trying to eat there for a while now. It was almost empty when we got there so we had the waiter's attention. Started with the steak on toasts and the eacargots. Both were quite disappointing, the steak was tough and over cooked, the escargots were cold to room temperature. But by the time we started eating, it got busy so our waiter disappeared. Only to come back quite a bit later. He asked how things were and we explained. He said sorry about that and said he hopes the other two dishes will be better. We had the margherita and the Mac n cheese. Both were really good. The pizza is just as it should be. Great crust, good ingredients. Very tasty. The Mac and cheese was very good and the crispy pork bits were a great combination. When we got our bill, they removed the two appetizers. Nice. A place that cares. The service is good but they need more people, it gets two busy for the poor one waiter trying to attend to all the clients. Can't wait to go back.

Delicious wood fired pizza that tastes like pizza should - nice salads and delicious desserts too! Don't forget to grab a loaf of their house sourdough to go!

Fantastic!. This has to be one of the best restaurants in Ottawa. Aside from the beautiful and intimate architecture, Tenessy Willems' experienced and friendly staff make almost everyone at home (unless you show up at the dinner rush without a reservation). Vegetarian/Pescetarian/Gluten Free options available as well.<br/><br/>If you have any questions about the area or want a great conversation, hope that your server is Pat!

Best Pizza. Tennessy Willems has my favourite pizza in town--and I LOVE pizza. The tomato sauce is amazing so I always go for the margherita. Simple but delicious. We've tried a few of the other pies, but always come back to this one. I read a few complaints about the service, but I've never had a problem there. Reservations are usually required. Better than zazaza.

Great Wild Boar Pizza. Shared two great pizzas last night, Wild Boar and Beef with Arugula multiple cheeses and caramelized onions. Service was great and Pat our waiter reminded me of a taller Ron James with a beard.

Don't do unless you have a reservation. Tried to go but was denied entry. Didn't have a reservation!

We will be back. Went to Tennessy Willems last night based on two things, 1. They had wood fired pizza and 2. They had a high approval rating on Urbanspoon.<br/><br/>After I ate my pizza, I read some of the actual reviews and saw a few people complaining about the friendliness of the staff. We were greeted as we entered and despite not having a reservation we were quickly seated at a table that the hostess had to split up. Our server was friendly and seem to enjoy his work, cracking a few jokes.<br/><br/>The food itself was excellent, I'm the kind of person who will see one thing on a new menu and fixate on that, so I had quickly decided on the Wild Boar pizza, my girl friend has to look at every item and then decide, there were so many options, she almost ordered two pizzas. We will be going back to allow her to try some of the other selections.<br/><br/>My wild boar pizza had a good amount of toppings, nice thin wood fired crust and despite my best efforts to save half or a single slice for my lunch today, I quickly ate the entire thing.

Horrible service. This restaurant wad recommended do we gave it a shot <br/>House salad was excellent as was our pizza. The two <br/>'Serving' we never saw once smile, greet us nor offer<br/>More to eat/drink....which we would have. <br/>Won't be back. Maybe Zazaza next time <br/>I'd be embarrassed to have those girls representing my <br/>Brand

Too bad for the horrible service.... It's a real shame when good food (well pizza) is ruined by obnoxious, loud, rude staff. Honestly, I can't remember the last time that the sound of servers/bus people made me cringe so much. From the moment we walked in the door to a half empty restaurant (we were told we couldn't get an earlier table, don't understand why??) we were "greeted" literally by a young guy shouting at us, (guess he thinks that's cool??) Then the night continued with an extremely obnoxious server making a cacophony of sound for the rest of the meal. Is this a joke?? Does the owner even realize that people will stop going if service like this continues? Anyways, the pizza was great, but spending $60 to be treated terribly is not worth it. I repeat, such a shame....

If you like thin crust wood oven pizza then this place has the best ones in town. Make reservations cause it's usually busy and small place. Good service.

Loved it. Went for a late lunch, so not too busy. Had great service. Didn't expect to eat the whole pizza, but it was so good. Try the dipping oil, spicy but very yummy. My friend had the gluten free crust and she said it was good. I give it a thumbs up.

Best pizza in Ottawa. Although the menu may look small (I encourage you to try the daily specials) I have discovered my favourite pizza in Ottawa: try the Bianco...

Cozy little joint. Went in the evening. Made reservations (probably advisable if you're a group of 4 or so). Casual/friendly staff. Very delicious wood oven pizza. Wood oven pizza may not be everyone's favourite style (but those people are picky yuppies probably). I tried the pulled pork and some of the chorizo one as well. Outstanding. Will definitely return in the future

Mixed feelings. I went to Tennessy Willems as I heard the stories of the best pizza in town. I would say it is a very good place to try creative and different pizzas but far from being best. Dough is amazing, very thin, crispy and the way pizza dough should be. Atmosphere is great and staff is very nice. <br/><br/>There are dozen pizzas on the menu but not a single one jumped out at me to say "I know you're hungry, eat me." Another downside is price. I don't think adding few peaces of duck meat, slices of fancy salami, or wild boar justifies the price of $20.

Pricey, but the pizza are big enough to share. Hubby loved his wild boar and I loved my soppressata. Definitely had enough for leftovers and we will be back :)

Awesome staff, cute little joint. Had a Cesar and beet salad(delicious)and shared a pizza and beers and were super full and totally satisfied. Also- we will for sure do take-out! Worth the penny!

Good Pizza, a bit pricey. After recently moving into the neighbourhood, some friends and I went to have dinner after a long day of moving. We were quite hungry, so we each ordered a pizza. We got to try several different options, and all of them were pretty tasty. Pretty good thin crust, wood oven style pizza, with some interesting ingredients. That being said, it is not the kind of place for 3 amateur movers to fill up on food after a day of work, as it is pricey. I've had better pizza at a better price (Salvatore's in Halifax, NS comes immediately to mind), but it was good none the less. I would consider returning, and splitting a pizza and app/salad, which would be a better value.

Downhill. When this place opened, the food was amazing; fresh and delicious. The service was also very good. It was a consistently positive experience and we felt confident to bring friends and out-of-town guests for dinner regularly. <br/><br/>We've visited twice since June. The first time, we ordered the daily special pizza with brie and arugula. They ran out of arugula and barely put any cheese on the what-turned-out-to-be extremely dry, over-priced, flavourless pizza. It was so dry, in fact, that I cut up the roof of my mouth on the crust, When I pointed this out to the server, he gave me a disinterested, "meh," and told me the basil they substituted meant they shouldn't reduce the price, despite not producing the pizza that had been ordered. We walked away feeling ripped off and disappointed. Even taking a couple bucks off would have completely improved the situation. We still left a tip and chalked it up to an anomaly.<br/><br/>The second visit was earlier this week. We split a margherita pizza and house salad. Last year, the house salad was full of mushrooms and cheese. On this visit, there were about five mushrooms and specs of parmesan -- absolutely nothing like the great salad we remembered. The pizza, which used to be a delicate balance of quality ingredients, was now slathered with cheese, which was nothing like the pools of buffalo mozzarella from previous visits. This was plain, old grated brick cheese. Once again, the service was disinterested. The waitress didn't offer to bring us more mushrooms, only positing that the kitchen must have run out. <br/><br/>On another note, the patio is great but the chairs are unstable and uncomfortable. <br/><br/>This place is no longer worthy of the glowing review I would have written a year ago. Do not recommend.

I've been a few times now and the pizza is fantastic. Anything with sausage on it is always good. And the blanco is delicious if you are looking for something different. Duck confit pizza was a little over the top on the truffle oil IMO. Appetizers are also solid I've tried the Caesar salad and the beet and goat cheese. Beer selection is limited but local. It would be nice to see a feature tap or rotation from time to time as I do love a beer with my pizza. It's tiny so as others have said make a reservation.

Pizza was tasty but it was a little pricey at $20 for a lunch menu. The serving was large but a bit stingy on the toppings. I had morelle mushrooms but really only a few sprinkles.

Hands down the best pizza I've had in awhile! Only thing that irked me was paying $10 for a quarter glass of wine. Food was just unbelievable.

Disappointing Experience. Good pizza but not priced appropriately. Shared The Elmdale pizza which had cheap and rather flavourless salami. I also shared the warm arugula salad which was truly vile. The server suggested we each order our own pizza but we decided to share and it was more than enough. I suspect the server was more interested in our bill being bigger than our enjoying our experience.<br/><br/>Overall I was disappointed, the food was expensive and mediocre, the staff seemed distracted and gave unhelpful advice.

Always great za! Improved service.. Always enjoy the pizza but service had been mediocre in the past. Recently been in and service was fantastic! We sat at the bar with our kids and enjoyed watching the pizza production Great spot.

Amazing!. I recently went to Tennessy Willems for the second time and forgot how delicious this place was! The first time around I had the duck confit pizza which was really good and this time around my friend and I shared the Caesar salad, after a friend of mine recommended it to me. It was probably one of the best thing I ever had! Worth every calorie and gram of fat in it! The bacon is cut think and cooked to perfection, the croutons are out of this world and the dressing is just a right balance of creaminess and garlic and parmesan, if you go there, I say this is a must! For my main I chose the Chorizo, caramelized onions and goat cheese, again this was super yummy! There was lots of chorizo on it, maybe a little too much for my liking, but I am not a huge meat lover. I would gladly take the same things again next time I go, which hopefully is soon! Service was great, atmosphere was good the only downfall I could say is that the water glass are miniature, like one glass hold about 4 sips of water! If you are a pizza lover, I say this place is an absolute must try!

Great pizza! Service not so much.. Title says it all really. Go for the pizza but don't expect friendly service and be prepared to wait a while for the delicious pizza. Pizza is reasonably priced and big enough for sharing, especially if you get a soup or app as well. The arugula-mushroom salad was very nice. Go early before it gets busy.

I was dissapointed.. I heard so many great things, so I finally went for my birthday and it was dissapointing. The pizzas were really salty and not that exciting. The toppings were sparse. I had a good dessert.

Good food, mediocre service. I have been here a few times now and have had overall good experiences. Their wine list is good, and they offer local beers, which is great. I usually get the sopressata pizza, it is fantastic! They also have a wonderful caesar salad with pancetta and amazing homemade croutons which is perfect for sharing before pizza if you are in the mood for a non-healthy salad. The only negative thing I have noticed on a consistent basis is the service. We arrived and were sat promptly, but our server did not acknowledge us for almost 10 minutes, in which time we had to flag down another server just to get a wine list. Our server was not the most attentive or friendly, and just seemed like she felt like she had somewhere else she'd rather be. This has been my experience with this one female server since I started coming here about 8 months ago. Other than that, love this little gem!

Highly recommend the boar sausage pizza.

Where are the servers?. My sister and I came by for lunch after a suggestion from a friend - we were so excited to try some authentic wood oven pizza! <br/>Unfortunately it took the servers quite a bit of time to greet us once we were seated which left a bad impression. The boar pizza was spectacular , although there was a smidge too much oil. <br/>I would definitely visit this restaurant again if the service improved.

Delicious, friendly service. Went for sat lunch, had 2 pizza. It was fresh and delicious. Great Menu with fresh local ingredients. Great fast friendly service..Highly recommended.

If you like wood burning ovens.... What can I say, we've been here a few times and it's always been delicious! The Caesar salad is fantastic! None of that crappy mayo dressing you find in most places. My favorite pizza has to be the chorizo! It's fabulous! The crust is thin, crisp, and chewy and the toppings are always amazing. Not your typical Ottawa pizza. What a nice change!

Perhaps we just visited on a bad night, but our experienced contradicted many of the glowing reviews below. The pulled pork pizza was great in theory, but in reality, there was so little pork on our burnt crust of a pizza that I was wondering where the rest of my money went. The crust was burnt yet somehow also chewy and tough - very strange. Had we dined in I would have sent it back but as this was a takeout order we just considered it a write-off. Perhaps we will try again but by no means is it anywhere near the top of my list..

Best pizza in town!. Tennessy Willems is by far my favorite spot in ottawa for delicious pizza, unfortunately their website lacks basic information. I find it redundant to search for their website, only find their phone number and no other information, then I have to call to see what time they open. so annoying!

And we keep going back. We went last friday and gosh was it hot out, thankfully they had fans but after a few sips of wine and some yummy food you forget they don't have ac....its almost nice without it. We started with 2 apps to share and a pizza to share. For the apps we had a terrine with chutney, sourdough bread and gosh it was spectacular....just a great combo of elements paired together. We ordered (without reading the description) a caprese salad. Now this wasnt your typical caprese ith tomato, balsamic, buffalo mozza, but bibb lettuce and apples and a shredded (unknown) cheese....it wasn't very good. We munched away because we wanted something green but it was pretty flavorless. It was on their specials menu, not sure how often it comes up but there was no dynamic to this salad---it needed some walnuts or a stronger tasting cheese. ANy case onto the pizza - O.M.G. we had the chorizo - absolutely delish. It was very flavorful- it was made with caramelized onion, chorizo sausage (which could have been broken don a little more but it seemed to have a hint of curry - wow. And then sprinkled with goat cheese - it was a very well made pizza. Can't wait for our next trip back!

The Wood Makes It Good!. Reservation was for six pm when we pulled up noticed the front window was open holy crap it was 34C outside. It was even hotter inside. One group inside left shortly after arriving due to the heat. We decided to stay and a cold Beau's helped with the heat. Started with the potato gnocchi in a veal sauce reduction it was ok. I had The Sopressata- Fire-roasted tomato sauce, bocconcini, red onion and spicy Sopressata salami. Ingredients were top shelf with a beautiful smokey tangy tomato sauce and a perfectly cooked crispy oh so slightly charred crust. Probably one of the best pizzas in town but be warned it's not the Ottawa cheap cheese greasy garbage ie Gabriel's,Lorenzo's,K&S so if you are expecting that thick bad quality stuff with the awful topping hidden under the cheese it ain't it.

Good Pie, Horrible Waiter. I dined here around 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 7. After perusing the menu, I narrowed it down to the Capricciosa and the Chorizo and sought some guidance from my waiter to help me make my decision. When I asked for his advice, he replied dismissively, “apples and oranges”, meaning of course he couldn’t possibly compare the two. I wasn’t actually looking for a comparison, but just some help choosing--his opinion, his thoughts. <br/><br/>He then stated in a very condescending manner, “They’re different pies I’m afraid.” I am aware of that, but perhaps you have some preferences. “I have lots of preferences,” he said, but then refused to elaborate further. He appeared to be on a bizarre mission to be as unhelpful as possible while being as rude as possible.<br/><br/>I can’t remember being treated so badly by a waiter, ever. I cannot emphasize how disgusted he appeared to be by my innocuous question, and how contemptuous his tone and manner were. I certainly regret that I did not get up and leave at that point. <br/><br/>But I stayed, and ordered the Chorizo. Props to the pizzaiolo for the perfect crust, with just the right amounts of chewiness and char--and to the sausage maker for the delicious and plentiful chorizo. It's a shame that the disdainful waiter ruined the dining experience for me.

Awesome!. We went here last night for the first time. We were greeted kindly and asked if we had a reservation. We didn't, and we had to sit at the bar which was fine with me! We ordered the pulled pork pizza and it was awesome. It was huge too so it was enough food for both of us. The pork was tender and the barbecue sauce was smoky and sweet. I'd definitely order it again. They do have 4 beers on tap including Hogs Back, Steamwhistle, St Ambroise and Beaus which was nice. I really try to support locally brewed beers. All-in-all, it was great! I'd go again for sure. Great food, great beers and friendly service.

Really good pizza but service could have been a lot better.

We were a group of 5 last night. Had a wonderful time! Perfect size menu. Had the tuna ceviche and bianco pizza. The pizza was great! The crust was perfect; thin, charred in the places, and tasty with the oil they serve alongside. We stayed slightly past our reservation time, we weren't rushed out , even offered coffee or dessert which declined. I asked my husband if he would return and most definitely we will be back.

Terrible service from front end staff. Did not even get the opertunity to eat at the restaurant. They didn't say hello and barked do you have a reservation. When we responded with no we do not we were told that their was no way to eat there. That's the worst reception I have ever received from a restaurant . Obviously new customers are not a requirement for thi establishment. Don't wast your time going, they don't serve walkins.

Good food, disappointing service. Had been looking forward to our first visit to this place for a while. Overall, the pizza was quite good - thin, nicely charred crust. Salads were also fine, as was the opener charcuterie. Unfortunately, our experience was marred by the service. After receiving our bill and asking the serving to divide it in half, she got the division wrong! Once it dawned on me (after paying) that the figure was off by about $6, the server just shrugged and said, "I apologize". No need to correct it, return the $6 we were overcharged, nothing. i guess she did think the 15 per cent tip we left (which was generous) was not enough. Not sure i will go back, even though the food was fairly good.

Went with friends(had reservations) after trying to walk in a couple of times.. Thought it must be awesome because it was always full... Well, it was good, price was ok, but there's many better pizzas in Ottawa...(this is thin crust gourmet style) all I'm saying is that it didn't wow me... Maybe it wow's you...

So so. What blows my mind is the price...its pizza! I know we are not in Italy where you can get the same thing (well better) anywhere for $7-$10 (and that's fancy). Especially since the topping here are minimal (which I think IS good and TRUE to the original). But $15/$17 for a pie, really. That should have some foie gras on it.<br/>But it is Hintonburg after all. <br/><br/>Usually we'll order and pick it up, as last time we went for dinner there, we waited for over an hour for a pizza. Pizza does not take that long to make, they should be popping them out very 5min. (Not sure how big the oven is, maybe its just too small) <br/><br/>However as we sat there, waiting and getting hungry, people were coming in and picking pizza's up non-stop. Take care of your in customers first and then your order outs, no?<br/>Staff...took our orders and that was about it.<br/>We'll get a pie from them again as it is good for what it is, but its very rare now. The wait and cost is little much.

Just Okay. I ate here for the second time. Unfortunately once again I was disappointed. Today I had the Bianco pizza with pear, walnuts, speck, fior di latte and gorgonzola $16 and a caesar salad $10. The salad was good but overpriced. The pork on my pizza was so tough I couldn't eat it, therefore not very satisfying. Staff were friendly and the environment was nice and casual.

Service abysmal! Pizza was lukewarm... The only good thing was the beer!

Not impressed with food or service. We finally visited TW after hearing all the hype. Well we were less then impressed. The service was horrible, inattentive and inexperienced. The waitress never smiled, never brought the beer we ordered and never apologized when we pointed it out, so we just drank water. <br/>We ordered the Elmdale and the Margherita. The Elmdale's salami had no spice whatsoever (as described on the menu) and the cheese and mushrooms were non existent. The Margherita really was no better as there was only 3 very small dollops of cheese and a few very fine shreds of basil. We did not find the sauce to have a fire roasted taste, but actually quite bland. <br/>This restaurant is in a great neighbourhood with many dining options, so next time we'll try another.

The boar pizza is one of the best things I've ever eaten. Went with a group just before Christmas. The wild boar sausage pizza was FANTASTIC. I'm still thinking about it - the balance of flavours was incredible. Loved it.

A favourite. I love this place. I've been dozens of times with different friends and to date, everyone has really enjoyed their pizzas, whichever one they choose. (Have to say, we haven't gotten past the pizzas to know how the other items fare). The staff are just attentive enough and really personable, the wine and beer selections are great and the pizzas are fabulous. Wood oven, thin crust pizzas are what my husband and I seek out when we travel or in need of some comfort food. I have to say, this is currently our favourite pizza place, wiping out ones we've had in Italy, Napa, and other Ottawa places (although I haven't tried the ones at Back Lane yet). It's the crust and the pizza sauce, both are really well made. I know the restaurant is just reopening after a reno, I'm hoping they've expanded, it'll be easier to get a table. Well worth a visit. (The margherita pizza is my personal favourite).

Terrible Service. My friends and I have been to this place well over 5 times and have found that the number one complaint was their SERVICE. Worst part of it all is that we work in the RESTAURANT industry. One of my company even owns a restaurant in the neighbourhood. Once we flat out left the place as the RUDE and uncaring staff member was setting up the table. As I was concerned, I ran back to tell her that we were going elsewhere and she looked RELIEVED. We have watched the staff forget to put our order through and waited 40 minutes for 2 pizzas and we EVEN SAT AT THE BAR. I could have driven home and eaten delivery pizza in a shorter period of time.

Pizzzzzzaaaaaaa. I thought the dough was killer, perfect crust. But had I known, I would have shared one pizza and an appy. They are huge! We had the duck which I found too rich. And kind of sad to melt Riopelle... the texture is such an amazing part of eating it.

Can't recall a worse meal in Ottawa. We had two positive things to say about this restaurant: great take-out boxes and great art created by a local 16-year old. The server was sullen, pretentious and inattentive. The food uninspiring, cold and poorly prepared . The salad left a lingering vinegar taste. The pizza crust was overcooked and soggy, the caramelized onions were cold and wet and the chorizo oily. We dine out a lot and would normally give a new restaurant a second try but we all agreed, that this place is not worth the pain. With so many great restaurant options in the city, chose a place that cares about food and clients.

T/w rule book: don't talk, just eat, pay and leave. Food pretty good but too $$$ for what you get, and i'm not talkin' quantity. if i am going to dish out $18 for a pizza, i expect a little politness. don't expect any from t/w, these guys are too cool for school. i have been 4 times since they first opened hoping they would come back to earth - no luck. i'm not sure if i will return, and may try other new restaurants in area. yo tennesee w - relax - when the hype fades, you'll wonder...wah happenned?

Very rushed service. We were there recently with reservations. We were told that we had to be out of the restaurant within 1hr and 15 mins as there was another reservation coming in for our table!!! The appitizers were "microscopic" in size, salad was good (but we were rushed through it) and the pizza was excellent. Unfortunately ,the experience with the rushed service and initial lack of acknowledgement (when I was at the bar by myself waiting for my friends to park) left a bad impression. We won't be back and will warn all of our friends about the service at this place.

Its one of the best firewood pizza restaurants in town. But the disappointment comes in the EXTREMELY unpleasent staff and the lack of consistency in the quality of the food. At times the pizza will turn out more than slightly burnt, lacking in toppings, and very oily.

Eat More Wild Boar!. My husband and I took a trip to Ottawa from the big smoke aka Toronto for my birthday. I had read about many restaurants and decided that Tennessy was the best bet. I am not one for super fancy restaurants. I don't think good food should cost a lot of money. Hey, anyone can make it taste good if you give them $100 a plate , its a no brainer. But the art of cooking to me, is cooking good food and NOT charging an arm and another limb. That way, regular people like stone masons and receptionists can treat themselves and not feel like they blew a wad. So my rambling point is. Tennessy was great! Right from the start we walked in on a Saturday night without a reservation and did not get a snotty reception. The staff members all went out of their way to make some room for us. They very politely asked a couple to move over a seat so that we could have a spot to sit ourselves. (it is a small restaurant after all) Then they did everything they could to get us a table , but alas their efforts were in vain. by the time a table was free our DELICIOUS pizzas had arrived. But we didn't care, by that time we had a few sips of wine and all was well. Plus, I kind of like having a birds eye view at a restaurant to watch the staff work and watch the patrons wine and dine. <br/>My one and only had the Wild Boar which i think was , wild boar sausauge with apple. Sounds a little dodgy but it's not liike any other pizza you've ever had. Well, my husband thought it was like ordering a Hawaiian. But that may be an insult to the chef. I had something delicious but can't remember what it was. I was so enamoured with the boar i guess! <br/>I can't say enough how great all the staff was to us. Very accomodating and genuinely helpful. Not in an American, Phony Tony way. Just decent. <br/>There are many restaurants in Ottawa that are more upscale, but I think I am charmed by T.W. They even had good music playing, if you like that sort of thing. Not the stuff your mum listens to. Or your friend who likes to go clubbing, but the stuff guys with beards and skinny jeans might listen to.<br/>That's my shout out. Just go.

Not as good as I expected!. Ate hear one evening in a bit of a rush. We got in right away and informed our server we would need to eat and run. Ordered a pizza (forget which one now). It came quickly but it was not what we ordered. The waiter apologized and said he gave the people behind us our pizza and they were "rolling" with it, would we mind? We didnt have time to wait for another one so we had no choice. Then while we were eating the wrong pizza we heard him offering dessert on the house to make up for the mistake to the people behind us. He didnt offer us anything at all! Extremely rude and inconsiderate as we were clearly within ear shot. So I ordered and paid for dessert anyway (lemon tart). Nothing good to say about the dessert. The pizza was ok but there is alot of bland thin crust, they are really skimpy on the toppings. Unfortunatley have to give this place about a 5 out of 10.

Checked this place a few months back and thought it was great. Saucy thin crust pizza in a cozy spot. Except I went back recently and waited 40 mins to see people who walked in after me get served their meal first and when my meal finally came, it was missing tr toppings. There was literally no cheese, it was mildly burnt and dry. Our server never came back until she dropped off the bill. It was then when I realized that $18 for skimpy toppings isn't gourmet, it's bogus.

Over Hyped & Over Priced. I was really excited to finally get a chance to go to Tennessy Willems as I had been hearing nothing but great reviews. But to my surprise my visit left me really disappointed.<br/><br/>The place wasn't busy for lunch time on a saturday afternoon as there were only two other tables. Service we received was the bare minimum and server seemed more interested in socializing with family.<br/><br/>Ordered the Sopressata Pizza (Fire-roasted tomato sauce, fiore di latte, red onion and Sopressata salami). It was way too oily. The test of a great pizza is always the crust to me, and my plate at the end of the meal was a pile of scraps as the crust was dry and tasteless. <br/><br/>Sorry to say, but I have no intentions of returning to Tennessy.

Terrible service, overpriced. After reserving a table on a Saturday evening, we showed up as a party of 8 and were seated by an incredibly surly waitress at a table in the back. The restaurant was nearly empty and extremely hot. We could not talk because instead of investing in air conditioning, the restaurant had large loud fans for cooling. It was so hot and uncomfortable that we decided to have our food wrapped up instead of eating in. As soon as we mentioned this to the waitress she gave us the dirtiest look possible and asked us to give up our table for people with reservations. As I said before, the restaurant was empty and remained empty the whole time we were waiting for our food. After making us wait standing (with a 1 year old and a 70 year old), our food was mostly burnt and generally mediocre. Easily the worst restaurant experience in a long time!

Great Food, poor everything else. First time visitor, and won't be coming back. I will certainly order to go, and if they ever deliver, count me in, but I will never set foot in there again, as the meal is ruined by everything else. Biggest complaints?<br/>1. noise<br/>2. service<br/>Noise - it was like being inside a closed metal garbage can with 20 people talking as loud as possible. Every table had to shout because you had no other choice if you person sitting 3 feet across from you was to hear you. Hard wood floors, hard ceiling, basically bare walls, and music playing adds up to noise. Hint - floor coverings, draped ceiling, and/or sound absorbing material on the walls.<br/>Service - an extremely long wait for a pizza. Almost twice as long as most handmade wood fired pizza parlours. And fix the A/C. I looked around and at least half the customers were wiping sweat off with their napkins.<br/><br/>Food - okay, I admit the pizza was good, but everything else spoiled the experience.<br/>So I'll order take-out, but not inside again for a meal.

Nice Job.... As a Westboro/Hintonburg admirer for many years I must say this is a great addition to the 'hood, and a tasty restaurant with casual charm. I enjoyed myself very much and wish you continued success for years to come.

Mmmm Mmmm Good. Best thin crust in Ottawa I've tasted so far, both my parents are Italian and I've traveled around Italy extensively this is the closest I've ever been to the real deal. Kudo's to the owners, we did experience slower than usual service but I chalk it up to the capacity of the kitchen, if you're in a rush you shouldn't be going our for dinner anyway. I would and do recommend this restaurant to all my friends.

Great. We and heard the pizza was amazing It was amazing but different as well. Designer pizza on the best crust. De-lish. We shared pizza so that we could ea also have the beet side dish salad. The flavors & freshness are fab. Loved it &would head back again <br/>If you're looking for 'fast food'. This is not it..<br/>Made to order & very tasty & special. We likey!!