1 Elgin Restaurant - Ottawa, Ontario

Isabelle Drolet

My husband and I were recommended this restaurant by a friend. We were especially interested in this restaurant due to the indigenous cooking style and ingredients used in the dishes by the chefs. I had the wild rice salad and he had the venison. Both were delicious, but what truly made the night for us was the service! Our server Justin went above and beyond for us, and so did the hostess. Truly impressed!

Donna Jakowec

My favourite restaurant. We have been going here for years to celebrate whatever! This time it was for my birthday and I got a delicious dessert on the house (delighted but not unexpected as we've celebrated there before). The food was excellent (smoked gem lettuce followed by grilled bavette steak). Thank you, 1 Elgin. It was a wonderful dinner with my family! Highly recommend!

Julia Hatje

Visiting Ottawa for the first time, we were looking for a special place to have dinner. We noticed many comments around the 1Elgin and decided to try it. Menu is small but has good options. Our hopes were high for the concept and taste of our dishes (duck and pickerel). Unfortunately even charging 35-45 dollars each, the construction of the dish was basic. It tasted good but it was not impressive. My cocktail was unbalanced and presentation was rough. Service was basic throughout our time there. Few and only essential interactions. When we paid our bill, the lady organizing the “patio” area left with the machine and returned after a couple steps because she noticed we didn’t leave a tip and asked us if something was wrong. Then she lectured us TWICE on how is standard to leave a tip in Canada! So, now she has her answer, service and food were not impressive, service was lacking the refinement an establishment like this should have. Unfortunately, the experience makes it difficult to recommend this place. Unless you are looking for someone ruining your special night…don’t go there without a tip ?

Areez Dhalwani

I went to this restaurant for Christmas dinner and was gouged 95 dollars pp not including wine for a frozen cheesecake , a lamb shank that was honestly undercooked and a fried broccoli fritter that was undercooked? I don't even know how you can screw up broccoli but they found a way - it was nothing short of offensive (my wife's words not mine) Save your money and go anywhere else - your stomach and your wallet will thank you.

Service from Justin was not bad at all , this was solely an issue with the price value prop for the food which was honestly not great.

Ashton Mathias

- Food: Mushroom toast ($22) was great, including the brandy cherry. The lamb rack ($56) was OK - I ordered my mine medium rare but the meat looked quite raw, which was deeply disappointing. The accompanying miso butter winter radish was quite undercooked and hard. The accompanying herb risotto was pretty good. Believe the main dishes (lamb particularly) are a bit expensive for what you get.
- Service: Our server was funny and friendly. He was helpful in resolving the situation with the lamb rack and provided a 50% comp on the lamb.
- Atmosphere: Can easily walk to your show at the NAC after. Restaurant has a nice ambience.
- AMEX: Yes

Brenna Roux

We went for dinner before seeing Les Mis. The food was to die for delicious. We started with the charcuterie board...so unique and tastey! For dinner, I had the rainbow trout, and my friend had the chef's special pork loin...both amazing. For dessert, we shared the flourless chocolate cake. It was very rich and melted in my mouth. The wine was also really good. The drinks are a bit too pricey but they are likely on par with downtown and market restaurants. The location on the canal is beautiful. I will go back.

Krystal Chamaillard

Our go-to restaurant for a delicious meal whenever we attend a show at the National Arts Centre. The menu changes up which is great and we have never been disappointed by the food here. Always top notch and beautifully plated. We recently enjoyed the pork which was recommended by our server, Yvan who was very knowledgeable and friendly and made us feel right at home.

Daniel F

We recently had the pleasure of dining at 1 Elgin, a beautiful, highbrow restaurant located along the scenic Rideau Canal inside the National Arts Centre in Ottawa. Our experience was made truly memorable by our energetic, amiable and professional waitress, Gigi.

From the moment we sat down, Gigi ensured we had an exceptional time. She interacted wonderfully with our kids, cracking jokes and keeping the atmosphere light and fun. Even when one of the waiters accidentally spilled a drink and broke the glass, Gigi immediately stepped in and offered us a complimentary round of drinks. Her quick thinking and warm approach turned what could have been a small inconvenience into a positive moment.

The combination of excellent service, great food, and a stunning location made our visit to 1 Elgin unforgettable. We highly recommend this restaurant and will definitely be back!