I'd give a couple of extra stars if I could! So, we traveled to Ottawa on Thursday to celebrate my sister's birthday. Walking around downtown looking for a place for dinner, we happened to pop in to the Backdrop. They were busy but had room for us on the patio outside. Our meals were amazing! Fast forward to Friday evening ... we're ba-aaaack! Stellar performance two evenings in a row. Kent ... you're something else. Server extra-ordinaire! We'll definitely be back some day, and I'm betting you'll still remember us, and probably what we ordered. See you on our next trip up!
Backdrop is amazing! The atmosphere is great and the food was delicious! Thank you to Cory, our waiter for his excellent service and the awesome band. I will be going back! Can't wait until the patio opens.
This downtown off the main track restaurant is an absolute gem in this city!!! From the ecclectic industrial decor with a large splash of colour and art the adventure is just getting started. From the first step inside the vibe is inviting and the staff is welcoming and attentive. The signature drinks are creative without being pretentious and are delicious. There were 4 of us, we ordered the charcuterie to start, so beautifully presented and tasted even better!!! Our mains were ordered and presented with such culinary artistry. Absolute perfection to the palate.
In this city we are so used to being overcharged for mediocre fare, Backdrop offers "high end" dining without the "slap- in- the-face" prices.
Put this place on your radar!
The flamenco show yesterday was so great and we loved the atmosphere, the beer & food excellent especially the presentation wow�the staff is very friendly��� we will go back soon�
Really eclectic menu and the assortment of craft beers is dope. The staff is friendly and inviting as well. Definitely a good find.
My wife and I enjoyed one of the best meals EVER in Ottawa this evening! Succulent meals prepared to perfection and served with a home-made-gourmet-sass! We will be back...and we’re bringing friends next time!
Incredible brunch, clever interesting food! Sooooo tasty and delicious. Best meal I've had in a while!! A MUST do!!
Food was absolutely delicious, cannot wait to go back. The presentation of the food was very artistic with attention to detail. Prices were excellent. Super friendly service, thanks Cory (for real, this was your first night?)!
Unique, relaxing atmosphere with great decor and friendly staff! Food is amazing!!
Everytime I come the food is amazing. The drinks are even better, and the service is top notch!
chef dave is a master, you'd be well rewarded if you would come and experience the delicious food there is to enjoy.
Awesome food. Loved the French toast and steak and eggs.
Came here on a Thursday night where they have live music. The place is a little small, but we sat a party of 15 comfortably. It’s a hipster spot with extremely great service, and the food was delicious. Everyone got the right food that they ordered. We all have the steak baguette and it was YUM!! They’re pro local produce, breweries and so forth. I tried the apricot wheat ale and it was awesome. A unique experience with good pricing and great portions! I highly recommend and will be back!
Since I was extremely disappointed that we missed The Crackling Pig’s pig roast at Westboro Fuse Festival this year, we decided to check out the “Swine ‘n Dine” event at Backdrop Restaurant & Bar. We’ve only been to this restaurant in the past for brunch, so we were intrigued about how their dinner menu would be like. They were not serving their regular menu this day. In fact, they will be serving a special family-style dinner in collaboration with The Crackling Pig! The menu is preset and it is actually quite refreshing to not have to worry about choosing what to order. Our only decision that night was what to order for drinks. Amazing!
Really enjoyed the food! There are lots of vegetarian options. The inside is small but the ambiance is nice and the service was great. I will definitely return.
Great food, I eat here are often I can. My niece had her wedding reception here - the food and service was awesome. I love the Cornish game hen. Delish !
Good service, decent food, so-so portion size. Truth be told I found my vegetarian meal underwhelming based on the hype/reviews that I read on Zomato. That said I still had an enjoyable experience and very much appreciated the good service but won't make an effort to return.
I like this place a lot. Service and prices are decent, and the menu is really varied for meat eaters and vegetarians. I have heard raves about their waffles. I like to bring people here in the evening to sit by the firepit for a drink...huge hit!
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As the father of the bride, I had very little say as to where to hold the reception for my daughter's wedding. I couldn't have been more pleased with her choice to hold the reception at Backdrop.
Backdrop is located in downtown Ottawa. It is relatively small resteraunt seating about 45. The resteraunt is usually closed on a Saturday evening unless they are hosting a special event. There were around 35 guests for my daughter's wedding which made it an ideal venue.
I had never been to Backdrop and actually hadn't heard of the resteraunt until my daughter told me that is where she wants the reception. I must say, the entire evening far exceeded my expectations. Everything was perfect. There were three meal options offered. I had the roast beef option and it was incredible. Feedback from the guests were very positive for all 3 meal options. There was a nice array of drinks available for the guests including various wines, beer, mixed and specialty drinks. Food and drink service was top notch. All this at a very reasonable price.
The atmosphere was awesome. I was expecting that guests would have dinner a few drinks and the event would be over at about 10:00. No so. Everybody was having so much fun that we didn't wind up until 1:00 am.
I met Amir for the first time at the beginning of the evening. It was a pleasure dealing with him. He did everything to make sure the event would be memorable and it sure was.
I would recommend Backdrop to anybody planning an event with about 45 guests. If the food for the reception is indicative of the quality offered during regular open times, I would recommend Backdrop to anyone looking for a great meal.
Well done Amir. Thank you.
I have walked past Backdrop many times and my wife and I finally went in. Great atmosphere for dinner and the food was excellent. A small menu but we were very happy with our meals. Service was good and friendly. Prices were reasonable. Looking forward to going back.
I love this place! Every time I visit Ottawa I have to visit backdrop. The experience is unique. The food is creative. It's a great place to spend brunch or dinner.
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Been wanting to check out Backdrop for a while now but have been hesitant. I am a fairly big eater and have always been skeptical of dining at Backdrop as I've been told the portions are small and would leave me hungry. However, I recently got together with some friends for dinner and I rather enjoyed my time at Backdrop. The environment was cool, the menu had a nice variety and the waiter was attentive and useful. I ordered the burger with side house salad and they were both delicious. The burger comes with maple bacon jam and an onion ring on it, how can you go wrong? It's not a massive burger, but the quality was definitely there. There were other options on the menu I would have liked to try that I will have to save for a future visit. I was a little hungry when I left, but I was pretty hungry going in. That being said, most would likely be full. This isn't the type of place to stuff your face, it's a nice dining establishment, yet casual. Overall, I enjoyed Backdrop and I would gladly return. Check em out!
This is easily one of my favourite lunch spots downtown. SUCH an awesome menu, and everything I've ever had has been fantastic. They're also quick at lunch, which is perfect for working people who need to get back to the office. I bet the vibe is different at dinnertime - must try it!
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Backdrop is pretty great. Great atmosphere and a cool concept. The staff are incredible, shout out to Dave, Amir and Cynthia. We came here for a work event and Amir made a signature cocktail especially for our group to start the night. It was this awesome bourbon caramel confection with soda water and fresh crisp apples and caramel squares. This was the type if drink that was so delicious and without a strong alcohol flavour that you can easily throw back a few. We started with an assortment of canapes such as: tandoori tuna, chipotle pulled beef brisket with blue cheese cream, and mushroom empanadas! The main consisted of sesame ginger duck wings which for me was the star if the show! Sweet potato and lentil curry was my second favourite and finally got to try the famed chicken and waffles. For dessert we treated to a special experience by the fire pit with waffle s'mores. For a really cool party atmosphere, great music and wonderful comfort food check out this restaurant. You won't be dissappointedCJ And Katherine Picky MAN Bryce Potter FJ Kristina Dapaah Kylee Donkor
I came here for lunch a few weeks ago with coworkers. We had great servers and I loved that the lunch menu had a wide variety of options. I had the wild boar poutine, which was very flavourful and a gigantic portion size. Their cocktail menu is huge and full creative, fun (and delicious) drinks. The ambiance was fun and a little more edgy than the typical Ottawa spot. A great place for a casual meal with friends!
Sat on the patio which turned out to be a good spot for people watching at lunch time. I saw that Whalesbone is a supplier, so preferring local meat I ordered the fish & chips with salad instead of fries. Loved the salty, slightly crunchy breading on the fish. Portions were generous. Fennel slaw was crunchy and slightly sweet - very nice. Remoulade was very nice too - already drizzled over the fish. The salad was enjoyable - seemed to be some kind of vinaigrette over mixed greens (no other toppings). Prices are fair. Service was adequate. My friends enjoyed their dishes as well - fried chicken and steak & eggs. The were a few craft beer options, which I appreciate. Would be happy to return here.
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A memorable meal. When I looked over the menu, nothing really called out to me. I tend to gravitate towards classic or comfort dishes. This menu felt more like trendy to me. I consulted the waitress and she recommended the daily braised dish. It came after a reasonable wait, a beautiful piece of lamb shank, sitting on a square tile, served over roasted fingerling potatoes and roasted asparagus. There was 2 splashes of color decorating the dish, which proved to be some sort of pickled vegetables. It was a feast for the eyes. And the taste did not disappoint. The meat was fork tender and juicy. The meat was flavored with exotic spices, with clove being a strong note. The potatoes and asparagus was perfectly done. Those little colored pickles were as tasty as they looked. In other words it was delicious. I all but licked the plate. It was actually a reasonable portion, but I found myself a little sad to be done. To get over this minor disappointment, I ordered dessert. While I waited for dessert, the waiter thoughtfully offered me a glass of ice tea he has just made. Dessert came and it was a lovely piece of homemade apple cheesecake. It was served between 2 mounds of whipped cream and a drizzle of homemade caramel. Again I wished I could have licked the plate. I settled for carefully scraping what I could of the leftover caramel with my spoon, wishing they served this dish with a spatula. So in conclusion, wonderful food, and thoughtful friendly staff. In the words of Schwarzenegger, I'll be back!
Great food and service. Dinner here was awesome. I had the Jerk Lamb burger and my boyfriend had the special of the day (Lamb Shank with asparagus and couscous)
The burger was tender and juicy, and the mango sauce was very tasty. My boyfriend's lamb was tender and the aspargus was the best he ever had. Considering aspargus is not one of his favorite vegetable.
Fun drinks and great patio... a must in centertown.
I've officially been there for lunch and brunch, and both times have been delicious. The food and ambiance don't disappoint. It might not be the kinda place to have a serious business meeting, but it's perfect for a friend get together or laid-back rendez-vous.
Meals are well priced, drinks are too! :) Went with a vegan friend, and there were options for everyone. They also accommodated our larger brunch bunch with ease.
This place is one of my go to places for lunch now. When they get it right it's delicious. Drinks are great. I highly recommend the burger.
Food was delicious! I had pork ribs and soup. Just enough for lunch. The decor is a little busy.
Food was ok, burger was a bit burnt and spicey which was unexpected. The fries were pretty salty and ketchup was homemade and very watery, not ketchup at all. Wine was good. Atmosphere was awesome, live band which rocked! Service was good. Not as good as Grounded!
Such a neat place. The food was fast and delicious. The staff was very friendly and welcoming. I will definitely come back
Cool staff, neat vibe, incredible food!. From the outside of the building, you would never know what Backdrop has to offer. Inside, it has a cool backstage theatre vibe and colourful paintings, that make the place feel alive and exciting. The staff are all super cool and treat you like you're old friends. They have a large cocktail list, with a little something for everyone. The best part though.... is the food! It's not like anything else I've ever had in this city. The menu options all look familiar, but everything has its own little twist and it will blow you away. Without a doubt, my favourite place to eat!
THE place for brunch is Backdrop!. I took a party of 7 to Backdrop for brunch on Sunday after hearing about the waffles. We all assumed that we would order waffles - but the menu was so interesting that in the end only 2 of 7 ordered waffles! The waffles lived up to their reputation, and were amazing -- but the steak and eggs STOLE the show. YUM. The food was overall really fresh, delicious and well prepared , the tea/coffee/juice were included with the meal and the service was excellent. The total bill for 7 meals was $110 which I felt was very reasonable for what we got.
My husband and kids and I are planning to return this Sunday!
Walked in for food and drinks. Bummer. No food between 3 and 4. Had an ABC. Can't go wrong with that. Started chatting. Cool place and cool staff. Most of the items are scratch made. They smoke their own brisket. Make their own bacon. Buy from local producers. My kind of place. Good music. Can't wait to be back to actually try the food.
Really great place with great food at a reasonable price. Highly recommend trying it out. Pulled pork waffles are awesome and so were the crepes of wrath! Definitely worth a try
Great atmosphere, great live entertainment, and the staff are all really fantastic as well. I was there recently for a private event and the food blew my socks off, what a fantastic little spot. We fit around 70 people in with all the chairs removed and it was a really ideal spot for a birthday party. Thank you to all the staff.
Great place to hang out during lunch time with colleagues and friends, as it is located next to offices in downtown area.
À la carte today, I had the Ratatouille Crostata for $16. Light lunch, but enjoyable before going back to work. Crunchy but not too much, tasty ratatouille but not too juicy, this crostata will fill your belly in no time without feeling bloated. There is a 10% discount on cash payments, which is a great and unique deal in the Centretown area.
Free wifi to ask the gentlemen who are very friendly and can offer you an iPhone charger when your battery is down. Music is at a good level volume for you to hear your friends, colleagues, or yourself.
Been here twice and every time it never been disappointed me both service and foods. But first time for my fiancé and he said should we get marry here.. hehehe😁😁 He was really happy with the service and delicious foods.
Fantastic food and excellent service
Been back several time, the food was always excellent. Totally pleasent place to be.
Last visit before heading home to Australia was Friday open mike night.
Totally excellent night with a family feel
Had a fantastic time performing here last night. The food was amazing and the people working here really make you feel at home
Will 100% be coming back again!
Came here with my coworkers. The food, drink, ambiance, and service were all superb.
The Backdrop Restaurant and Bar, situated on the fringe of downtown Ottawa at Metcalfe and Gloucester is a casual restaurant and bar which features music and other entertainment acts periodically including not just music but diverse arts like Flamenco too. The Backdrop offers a surprisingly creative menu and a fully stocked bar. Like any town center business, customers may have to hustle for car parking but that goes with the territory, and is a small price to concede for cozy surrounds, delicious food, and good entertainment.
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