Chez Lucien

I had a great experience here. The salmon was perfectly cooked. It was smooth and so so fresh. They were also able to make changes based on allergy restrictions. The pasta was great! Highly recommend this place. The atmosphere was super cozy.

Came here based on the amazing reviews. Food was ok but the service and atmosphere was fantastic. Absolutely great place to come for a drink and bite with friends. Enjoy.

The food was superb! And the service was amazing, even though it was a packed house. We were a group of 11 people, and we got seated in a private area with 2 booths that were right in front of the kitchen. Perhaps that is what allowed our server to check up on us so often. Lol

Was looking forward to dining here given the broad french menu and great reviews! We must have come at a busy time as there was only one server for the entire busy restaurant, and as such it was quite slow to be seated, order, and receive our food, however the server was doing their best The duck confit was quite dry and hard to eat, although the vegetables were done well. The steak was overcooked but still good.

Coming to Chez Lucien is always an amazing experience! The vibe is great but the food is even better. Their burgers are some of the best in Ottawa and I love both the fries and the salad that are served on the side. But honestly, the hidden gem is their pasta. Their steak fettuccine especially is wonderful!

The Chez Lucien burger is delicious. Fresh meat, thick burger, delicious toppings, and served with excellent thin cut fries (and salad). The restaurant has a ton of character and the service is friendly and efficient. They have a small but good selection of beers on tap. This is somewhat of a hidden gem in the Byward Market area with a more relaxed and comfortable atmosphere. I would try anything on the menu based on what I've eaten and seen coming out of the kitchen.

This was the best restaurant during our trip and would highly recommend. We ordered the escargot, a slice of pecan pie and a half bottle of wine. The pecan pie was a highlight! We originally ordered 1 slice of pie and ordered a 2nd one right after we had finished it. It wasn't overwhelmingly sweet and didn't stick to your teeth. My partner would have gladly eaten a whole pie in 1 sitting.

Always busy, but delicious! We stopped in for a bite to eat before an event. Even though it was very busy, we were able to find a table within 10 minutes. I ordered the special, which was a pasta dish. My portion was so generous! The baguette with feta cheese was the perfect side. Despite it being busy, our server was attentive. The atmosphere is cozy and yet so lively.

Our server at the Hilton sent us here and I'm so glad he did. I'm going to use the word "ambiance" here because theirs was exceptionally comfortable. I could hang out here all day. They were generous with the portions of the escargot. It was perfectly made. We also got a Dijon chicken and a duck confit that were delicious. The vegetables were perfectly cooked, which is it to say they were nearly black on one side, while still being juicy and flavorful. If we lived here we would visit this place often.

Another lovely dinner at Chez Lucien! Chez has THE BEST burger in Ottawa and the rest of the food (that I've tried) is also downright DELISH. I got the Chez burger which came with a giant side salad and fries (both excellent) and my friend got the tofu/veggie burger toppings, but with a beef burger. The service is excellent and accommodating and the vibes are truly unmatched. They also have a wall of paintings for sale that are all very interesting. If you can only go once, we recommend ordering the bourgeois burger!!!

Nice spot for dinner in the market! Started with a glass of Shiraz ($11) - very nice. I ordered the duck but was later informed they were all sold out. I opted for the pork chop instead. It was alright and came with veggies and mashed potatoes.

We came for my birthday lunch last weekend - the food here is around a 3 star (decent, but quite pricey) and the vibes are cute, but our server, Jeffrey, was so amazing and friendly I'll bump it to a 4 star!! My boyfriend and I shared the duck confit, swapping the side of steamed vegetables for a side of caesar (our favourite)! We also got the special house burger of the day - a BBQ burger (we asked for the sauce on the side) with Swiss cheese, bacon, mushrooms, and the usual toppings of lettuce and tomato. The burger came with fries and a garden salad. The burger was massive! Taste-wise, was decent - the BBQ sauce ended up being quite good so we ended up lathering our burger in that sauce. Typically, I find BBQ sauce too sweet, but this one was very smoky and not too sweet. The duck confit was... interesting, unlike the typical ones I've had. The texture of this one was almost reminiscent of Chinese preserved duck - while the skin was nice and crispy, the meat was cured and almost jerky-like. I like the addition of candied apples and cranberries on the mash, and the mash itself was more dry and less buttery than typical. The side of caesar was generous and delicious! Jeffrey was such a sweetheart - when he heard it was my birthday, he made us a mocktail (I don't really drink) on the house, complete with a lit candle. He also made great conversation with us and offered tips for dessert, etc.

I love this place and 100% recommend going. Unlike a lot of places in the market that just feel too touristy, this place feels like a getaway outside of Ottawa. The food is top tier, with fries that are soft but a nice crispness to it, and a burger that's out of this world. The meat is always so fresh with great seasoning and having cream cheese instead of regular cheddar, it gives it a nice creaminess and makes it a fun twist. The service is always really friendly and get food and drinks out fast.

This feels like a more upscale bar. Lots of wooden tables, large bar and screens with the game playing. We came here for dinner. They were able to seat us immediately on a Friday evening. They have plenty of seating and a variety of food options that are not just bar foods. We both got the freida burger and fries. They were able to give us the temperature of the burgers we wanted correctly. The bar is pretty busy and while the staff is helpful they were not really able to attend to us too much. Just smaller things nothing that we couldn't do without. Mostly this is a solid place to get a meal which doesn't break the bank

Great find in the heart of Byward Market in Ottawa. A local tavern famous for several dishes. Burgers, scallops and fries! Small but very cozy! The lineup was constant and people were very patient!

My absolutely most favorite pub restaurant in the Byward market The food is always delicious and served hot. Service: is excellent and delicious and the ambiance is charming. Even have a small wood stove for the cold winter nights and have artwork on the walls from local artists offered for sale. Recommend the Lucien burger! We visit frequently. Always a good option

The food here was wonderful! The food at this burger joint was just beyond good. I had the best cheese burger in my life I thought the service was wonderful because the staff were friendly and polite to me. The restaurant was very nice and clean and they do regular maintenance. For the reasons I have stated in my review, I highly recommend and encourage you to visit this burger joint because you will get good service and good food for affordable prices.

I heard Chez Lucien had the best burgers so I came to try just that. The burger selection is actually quite small with just 3 options plus a tofu burger. We went with the Chez Lucien burger (sub cream cheese with cheddar) and the Bourgeois burger. The Chez Lucien originally comes with cream cheese but after looking at pictures, it looked to be a huge slab of it so we opted for the change to cheddar. The patty was cooked perfectly with a bit of pink, and the grilled mushrooms and bacon were cooked well. Fries and salad were great. The bourgeois burger was interesting with brie and pear which was very creamy. Patty was cooked perfectly again but the pear was very lacking. I wish they used a pear jam/butter in addition to the slice of crisp pear which would bring more sweetness as the slice of pear we got had no flavour, just a crisp texture. We also got some local beers which were great. Service is friendly and the restaurant give an old pub feel.

This place combines the feeling of a sports bar with the feeling of a more oldschool pub. It's got a lot of charm, the servers are super cool and there's a good list of beers on tap. I know the burgers are often mentioned, but I really love here are the moule frites either shared or by yourself. It is a huge portion for the price and will definitely fill you up (remember to get some ketchup and mayo for your fries if you're into that). Rose sauce and horseradish is an odd sounding combination but actually works quite well -- there is just a hint of that horseradish flavour that adds a bit of zing to the creamy, tomatoey sauce. Will definitely be back whenever I want a place to relax with a beer and some good comfort food.

Drawn in by the super cute exterior, I popped in for lunch solo. The place was bustling which is always a good sign. Lots of people arrived after me and although it appeared the tables were mostly full, the staff were able to find a table for them without a wait. I ordered the Chez Lucien burger. I've never had cream cheese on a burger before and it was really good. The bun was a bit dry and not toasted at all so that was a bit of a let down. I really love when a place offers both fries and salad as the standard side. It's just the best of both worlds for me. Took forever to pay my bill and it's not like I had someone to chat with to kill the time. Main reason I was reluctant to give 5 stars.

4.5 Stars If I lived nearby, I could see myself being a regular here. From what's on the menu, it's mostly fairly typical pub food - mind you they also do brunch. But the quality and value really set it apart. Great quality beef on my hamburger and I loved that the patty was still a bit medium giving it great taste. The fresh cut fries were fantastic. It also came with a side salad and it wasn't just a throw it either. Great mix of leafy greens and fully fresh with no wilted greens and you may expect at other places. I forgot what my wife ordered, but it was a brunch item and she really liked it. Afterwards we shared a crêpe filled with fruit and topped with maple cream. More evidence of some of the Franco touches in the cuisine. I will absolutely come back when next in town.

Very good burger.. with a large portion of fries and salad. We got the special of the day which had grilled apple and many other things. I highly recommend this place. Service was good too

We recently had dinner here late on a Saturday night. This place was recommended to us by some people we met in another eatery over in Old Chelsea, and with a short line of diners waiting inside, and a bar full of people, plus a hopping atmosphere full of diners dining, we figured it was a well warranted recommendation and worth the wait. Forty-five minutes later (yes, 45!) we were finally seated at a small table right in the entrance area. Atmosphere-wise, this was not what we'd hoped for, but we hardly saw any diners leave during the 45 min we waited, which seemed to indicate this is the kind of place you enjoy your food and linger. They were out of a lot of their dishes and we ended up getting an appetizer of escargot (a sizzling dish filled with over a dozen out-of-the-shell snails in a perfectly garlicky and buttery sauce served with a few slices of baguette), a burger served with fries AND a side salad (huge and dressed nicely but unfortunately the meat was overcooked), and their special, which was a grilled pork chop over mashed potatoes with a side of veggies (looked beautiful but the meat was also overdone). Overall, an average meal (saved mostly by the escargot), but given the hour of the night, the fact that the place was packed, and the steady stream of locals coming in to eat and drink, I think we just had a bad experience. Maybe if we'd gotten there earlier..... Next time we are in town, if we are lucky to stay in the same spot, we'll likely try again because all those other diners can't be wrong!

Love this place is kind of hiding but is cute little pub, the hamburgers and poutine is amazing!!! We love the food and the plate are huge sure if you are not very hungry Uc an share a gambit and a poutine and they come with salad too , stop by and try their hamburgers!!!!

My favourite bar in Ottawa. It has a cozy Montréal feel to it, friendly staff, and a free jukebox!

Amazing food! Friendly staff! I highly recommend the escargot, scallops, and duck confit!

I was trying to support a local business, 2 days before a month-long lockdown. It was my first time there, I didn't know where to sit. The bartender yelled at me when I tried to sit at the bar. He pointed and yelled that I needed to sit upstairs. I went upstairs and found a 2-top. Surprise! I wasn't allowed to sit there either. (And before anyone calls me Karen, I do everything I am told to do.) I finally got my stuff and left. I realize that everyone is stressed out. I was trying to support a local business. Never again.

Atmosphere was very "pubby" downstairs though the upstairs balcony seating seemed a little more private. We walked around awkwardly to find seating and then was seated by a waitress. The place seemed very popular and so crowded for a Monday night. We ordered a red and a white wine which were out quickly. Food shortly there after. Burger with house made "ranch" was pretty good, but more so great because the portion was enormous. Came with a salad and fries which you could turn into poutine for a little extra. Fries were cooked well and I was impressed with their sweet potato The seafood linguine came with some awesome garlic herb butter mussels and tasty loaded pasta. Unfortunately for being as loud as it was and crowded it took away a little from the experience. but for the price and portions and taste of the food I'd go back..........IF I didn't like 2000 miles away

Hadn't been here in a few years and wanted to try their burger again for lunch. Went for my usual choice, the Frida and Diego burger. The burger itself is juicy and tasty, but a bit too oily for my liking. The fries were delicious as I remember them, accompanied with their yummy garlic aioli. As another reviewer mentioned, though there is enough space for a whole restaurant inside, the service is more bar-like. We came when it wasn't as busy inside, so the bartender was the only person on the floor taking everyone's food orders. So, we decided to sit at the bar to have better access to everything. Overall, food is good but I've had better burgers and the service wasn't something I'd want to come back for. If you're in the Ottawa area and want a quick bite over lunch, then it'll do the trick. If it's anything like it used to be, weekend evenings are usually busy.

Great place to eat with friends! Atmosphere is always nice and food is consistently great. Really good pasta, solid burgers, and the specials have always been good in my experience! Highly recommend.

I was pleasantly surprised! I came here to try the burger, as well as their appetizers, which are priced fairly. - Frida and Diego Burger ($15): WOW, the patty was quite thick and it was cooked MEDIUM! So it was very tender, and still pink in the centre. I don't remember having a patty that was more tender then this one. Very impressed. The amount of cheese was good, the onions added flavour, and the peppers gave it some kick. The fries are also very savoury and go well with the salad sauce or the mayo. Really satisfied and can't wait to try other burgers! - Seared scallops ($13): 3 large, succulent scallops were seared nicely, but the SAUCE...oh the sauce! You could actually taste the scallop taste in the sauce, and I could not stop dipping the bread in it...I think I wiped the plate clean (no shame)! - Baby beef liver ($15): I thought this was going to be like chopped liver, but it was a huge slab of liver which was tender and tasted quite strong, but delicious. The gravy was VERY thick and rich, and went great with the mashed potatoes. The veggies were cooked well too. Overall, I was very happily surprised with the food quality. I just wish service would be faster; I had to flag the waitress down to order the food, but it seems she is the ONLY one working in the restaurant (which was almost packed) so I don't blame her!

During my occasional trips to Ottawa for work I always make an effort to have at least one meal at Chez Lucien. The smallish pub has a great rustic atmosphere and although it is tight quarters, I never feel uncomfortable. There is a decent selection of draft for a small pub and the prices are quite reasonable. All my experiences with the food have been fantastic. The burgers are to die for. On this occasion I had the Chez Lucien burger and although it looks a little pricy it does come with both a side salad and fries...both of which are delicious. The burger is simply phenomenal. As far as restaurant burgers go, this has got to be the most flavourful and deliciously juicy handmade patty that I have had. The service was also great, definitely no complaints on that front. Quite surprised this spot doesn't have a 4+ rating.

What a great time we had tonight at Chez Lucien! A group of six with no reservation, they found us a nice booth on the lower level. Service was warm and friendly in this cozy spot. Apparently it is a hangout for writers. Everything we had was delicious: Salmon special with goat cheese mash and green beans 2x poutine Steak fettuccine Dijon chicken Scallops and spinach salad. The scallop small plate was outstanding. We even asked for an extra side order of the goat cheese mash after several of us sampled it. They should offer this every day! Would definitely return.

Chez Lucien is all about the burgers! I was there for lunch with a friend yesterday and we had a great meal. I got a normal burger which comes with tons of fries and a big side salad. Meat is great and bun was super fresh. Good service and decent prices. Also super cozy on a cold winters day! Can't wait to go back!

The food was fantastic... from the burgers/fries to the mussels. My major complaint was that it was 2 hours until we actually ate.... this place is more of a bar/hang out place than a restaurant. We waited over an hour to even be seated, as it is a small place and only has a few tables that seat more than 2 people. We then waited almost another hour to be served, although we ordered immediately after sitting down. They definitely need a larger staff, as the 3-4 people working were responsible for tending bar, hosting, and serving.

This was disappointing. I'd expected better based on the reviews and articles I've read about this place. Note that this place is small and you might be waiting for a while depending on when you come. There's also no real place to wait, so you're just awkwardly standing over people who are eating at their tables because the bar is pretty small and it was also full. What was annoying was the "regulars" (I guess) who were nursing tables for so long. Some old dude sat at his table the whole time while we were waiting for a table (about a half hour or more) and then was still there when we left. He had clearly finished his meal and was slooooooooooooooowly drinking his beer and chit-chatting with the servers. That's just rude when you can see a lot of people are waiting for tables. The server was a bit scattered and disorganized. She forgot my friend's water twice. She forgot my salad dressing and actually came back to the table and said, "I know you wanted something, but I can't remember what it is." If you're disorganized and don't have the best memory, write things down, yo! I ordered the Lucien burger with no cheese. The server placed my plate in front of me and actually said, "Here's your burger with no cheese." Luckily I checked before I bit into it because it was full of a wad of cold cream cheese. Fortunately, because the wad of cheese was so thick, it hadn't melted (much) into my patty so I was able to pull it off my burger for the most part. The burger patty was just such a serious misstep. Charred to the point that it was bitter with the acrid taste of burnt meat. I couldn't taste the quality of the meat because that acrid taste was so prevalent. It was not good. It was served with very skinny fries which were okay and a salad with garlic ranch dressing on the side (I asked for balsamic, which was promptly forgotten by the server). I probably wouldn't come back.

I know Chex Lucien is like an institution in Ottawa, so maybe my standards were too high. But for the price, I found it to be just OK. The place is squished and crowded. The service is pretty good if you can find yourself a place to sit. We weren't sure if we had to seat ourselves or find someone to seat us, which left us feeling kind of awkward. Somehow we ended up at the table next to the jukebox, so that whole place was listening to all the jams I wanted them to hear. I ordered scallops, and my husband had a burger. He said it was good, but maybe not $15 good. My scallops didn't make me sick, which I know is a low bar, but there it is. I don't think I'll go back, but I'm glad I finally went to see what all the hype was about!

Great food! I decided to try something different so I went for the Baby Beef Liver with mashed potatoes. I was amazed by how well this dish is cooked, very delicious! This is going to be my go to item from their menu now on. I took off a star because the wait was very long. We waited for at least 45min to get seated. They are always busy and always have a line up.

Tried the burgers here recently and this spot is good if you're looking for some grub! It's very no frills. You basically come sit and eat and leave. It's not really a restaurant per se. The service here is also typical of a bar, not a restaurant so don't come here expecting service. This isn't to say the servers weren't friendly helpful, they were! We liked chatting with our server. The fries that accompanied our burgers were delicious! They were akin to pomme frites and had so much flavor. It's not just some boring steak fry. Diego burger and Chez Lucien burger - both were good, but not the best burger I've had. It comes almost well done so it's not very juicy. It's a decent burger, but I think the burgers at Bite are better. The fries are definitely better here though. If you decide to come here, I'd get a plate of fries + a beer and just sit back and watch the game on tv.

My husband, a few good friends and I had a late lunch at Chez Lucien last weekend. The five of us shared a booth on the first floor while live music was performed upstairs, creating a pleasant ambiance. Chez Lucien's menu is traditional but tasty. You'll find on it burgers, salads, pasta and some drinks. Everyone at the table seemed to be pleased. I can vouch for the Tofu Burger, the fries and the salad which were all pretty good. Although the waiter presented the pub as being a "full bar", I would rectify and say it is rather a very-basic-full-bar containing the most basic drinks, unfortunately lacking if you wish to drink anything minimally elaborate. For instance, my conversation with the waitress went a bit like this: "We have a full bar! *smiles*" "Oh that's cool, do you have this?" "Hmm no." "Oh, okay. Do you have that then?" "Hem... no." "Hum... What about this other one?" "Erm, hmm no, we don't have these mixing ingredients...". It wasn't a turn off for me but if you have any high expectations, better call before to make sure they have it. Overall a good experience. I recommend as a decent casual restaurant.

I walked by this place many times not knowing that it was a cool little French bistro inside. Thankfully a friend of mine recommended this place and told me to walk to the bartender and put your name on the waiting list immediately. I thought ok whatever, I can't see the place being busy as it's just a dingy little place from the outside. I was wrong! The place was packed with people standing all over the place waiting for a seat the first time I went. I recalled my instructions and went straight to the bartender and asked to be put on the waiting list. I was told it would be at least an hour and agreed. Looking around, the place looks tiny but there is a basement and an elevated second floor were people can be seated. We placed an order with the bartender and they recommended me a beer that I had never tried called Blanche De Chamblay. Wow I was pretty much in love with this beer when I smelled it but it tastes even better. I ordered 2 more before I was seated. About 45 minutes went by and we were seated and given our menus. I looked over the menu and realized I had a French one so I had to get an English one which our waitress promptly brought. Looking over my English menu I thought the prices looked pretty damn good for what you get. I ended up ordering the escargot and the Chez Lucien burger. The escargot was delicious and I'm not really a fan, I figure I'd try it again since I haven't had any recently. When the Chez Lucien burger arrived I thought wow this could be the best $10 I spent this week! The platter came with a salad and fries. The dressing for the salad tasted similar to the garlic sauce you can find at some of the shawarma places around town. Yes it was delicious. The fries aren't bad either. The burger was very delicious and this was surprising as the burger is cooked well but is topped with cream cheese which gave the beef patty a lot of moisture. The combination was great! I've been back many times and found out they have a daily special that ranges from lamb to steak and never over $20. I actually think that might be $15. I've since tried other burgers on the menu and stick to the Chez Lucien burger. The appetizers are pretty solid but I was really disappointed with the brunch I had at this place. I think it's because everything else I've had here I've enjoyed. The brunch was ok. Since I've enjoyed so much on their menu the brunch was a major let down.

Right, how to say this.... Let me start by saying that I really liked this place. It's got a cool French bistro type of ambiance. The owner is often around chatting with patrons. The food is simple, good and affordable. It's a little off the beaten path (located on the King Edward St end of Murray St near some divey types of places) but it's always packed- with mostly the after work crowd and local residents. Sounds good so far, but I had an experience that was so off putting that I don't think I would go back. My hubbie and I decided to go there for drinks and a bite to eat one night. It was busy so we were seated at the bar but it's a casual place so no biggie. Anyway, just as we were about to tuck into our food, an extremely drunk man rocked up to the bar and decided to strike up a conversation with us. He was far past the point of realizing that the conversation was pretty much one-sided and proceeded to slur out story after story all the while hovering over and showering us with what you can imagine was less than appetizing breath! The barman saw what was going on but didn't say a word to him. The drunk then proceeded to verbally attack the barman and even went so far as to threaten to kill him. God only knows what the history there was but even after their heated exchange the drunk was not asked to leave! Thank god after a pit stop to the mensroom he decided to leave on his own but not before ruining a perfectly good meal.

As travellers, we like to find off-the-beaten-path pubs that locals frequent. The Bourgeois Burger was tasty and generous in its portion. In fact, there was no getting through both sides of fries and salad! The stone and brick walls added to the casual charm and every table was filled, even on the Monday. Service is available in both French and English.

When you compare to other burgers in Ottawa, their burgers are good. Burgers come with both fries and side salad, and they're both good. The things I didn't like about this place it's too loud. Yes, maybe it's not their fault but omg too mouth noise. It gave me a head ache. Also, I had to wait a lot for getting the bills and after getting them finally, I also had to wait a lot to make payment. I will go there again but definitely not on Saturday.

Located close to St. Brigid's it makes an ideal stop for dinner and drinks before a concert. The atmosphere is friendly with lots of conversations going on around you. The waiter in the area we sit is great! Very attentive with a sense of humor. The menu is small - basically burgers or pasta. I had the Lucien Burger (which seems to get good reviews) and thought it was ok. (Nothing wrong with it, just that it wasn't as good as prior reviewers had set me up to expect!) Last time, I had the Seafood Fettuccine which I really enjoyed - it was tasty! Of interest, on our second visit, people who did the burgers thought they tasted better than on our first visit... so maybe I'll try them again. Everyone loves the fries that come with the burgers. Prices are reasonable, particularly when you compare price & quality to other places in the market area. Good beer, good friends, in a great atmosphere for eating and talking. Note that by 6p on a Friday the place is packed. Would I return: Yes Would I recommend: Yes

Best burger in Ottawa! Greatest staff and chefs highly recommended! Great pricing for a cozy vibe! Chez4L

They're known for their burgers, so that's what we got. They're a solid size, but not too big either. I'd say 0.3 lb in each. The ambience felt like I was back in France again. Very relaxed; we were able to really take our time.

Tasty! All their favourites are good. Small and cute atmosphere. Suggest making a reservation as we were lucky to get a spot.

Burger was excellent! Very cozy pub with a good vibe. Staff was very friendly. The waitresses even ran after me when I dropped my debit card on the floor.

Chez Lucien is climbing up in my books! Better table, better service and better food than I've had before. This time I got the chicken sandwich that came with roasted red pepper goat cheese, also accompanied with tomato and lettuce. The bun was great and toasted perfectly and the goat cheese spread was ample. Only thing was, the horizontally sliced chicken breast was quite over-cooked. It was a sad, oop-there-goes-a star moment. But hello best of both worlds, fries AND salad on the side saves the day! The fries were shoestring cut, crisp, and seasoned perfectly. Enjoy with or without ketchup. The green salad was made with a mixed leaf combo, carrot and sprouts. A zippy garlic-y dressing accompanied to provide some freshness to a hefty portion of food. Our server was ever-accommodating, quick when she needed to be and hilarious. At one point we saw her serve some beer to the table beside us, turn around discretely (well, not discretely enough I suppose) and toss back a shot she'd poured herself. When she met eyes with my friend who saw she just gave us a huge smile, shrugged and said, "One of those nights!". In no way did the alcohol affect her performance and it was a lot of fun to build a rapport with the staff throughout the night. The great atmosphere and charming decor remains the same and we are grateful for it. It's great for ANY occasion so it seems.

Simple menu, large portion, decently priced. Good burgers with side of salad and fries but nothing extraordinary. Got the Chez Lucien and Bourgeois burgers.

In the words of a friend who was the first to tell us about this place "You can tell it's the best bar because the sign just says "Bar."" Unless they have their chalk board out front, that's an accurate representation, so it's good to know where you're going. Chez Lucien is located at my mecca for delicious food in the Market (Murray and Dalhousie) and probably is the best bar in Ottawa. On most occasions the service has been very friendly and efficient. The biggest downside is that at night it's almost always extremely crowded - you should probably expect to stand in everyone's way and have a few drinks (they have a good selection of craft beer) while you wait for a table, especially if you're more than a couple of people. This is *not* a good place for quiet conversation. Once you manage to get a seat, the burgers here, though, are the best I've had in Ottawa. Because they grind their own locally-sourced beef, they're able to cook them to your preference, and a medium-rare Chez Lucien Burger (my favourite menu item) is a thing of beauty - crispy on the outside, pink and juicy on the inside and topped with bacon, sauteed mushrooms and cream cheese. (I have had them overcook my burger, though, which, while still good, is such a disappointment when it happens.) The fries here are thin and crispy and burgers are always accompanied by a nice salad and - be still my heart - house made ranch dressing. If you haven't had it before down South or at another good restaurant, once you taste this stuff you will wonder why Kraft has been lying to you for your whole life. We've also come for brunch, which was very tasty, but not as remarkable as the burgers, and the mussels are very good as well.

Chez Lucien is one of my favourite restaurants in Ottawa. It's a little gem tucked away on Murray Street in the Byward Market. It's a small but cozy restaurant/bar divided into three sections. As soon as you walk in there is a room with tables that are surrounded by windows, step up and your on the main floor with the bar and then there is an upstairs which is my favourite. The upstairs' stone walls display art that is always changing and on Thursdays (if I can remember correctly) a trio of jazz musicians play upstairs. They also have a juke box on the main floor which is a nice touch. The food is delicious, you always leave feeling full whether it's one of their delicious burgers or a salad on it's own. My top choices are the Bourgeois Burger made with pear slices and Brie and their protein salad which is made with nuts, tofu, and beans. Also, their burgers come with both their house salad and fries. They also have a decent selection of beers on their drink menu including local brew, Kitchesippi. Overall, it's a great spot to go out with a group of friends or a dinner date.

Service: Slow. They are super busy Decor: Can't remember much as it was so busy. Food: The burgers were really good. My friends go here on a weekly basis to get their weekly fix of burgers. The fries were good and it came with a little salad. Add a beer and you have great meal. Review: The burgers are really good. Reason for stars: The burgers were great but it was just way too busy for my likings.

If you are like me, you may have walked by this place on Murray street without even noticing it. It's slightly off the beaten path, on the East side of Dalhousie. I had it bookmarked for a while but never managed to move it to the top of the list. Until someone we know well said: "you gotta eat here"! Ooohhhh the sweet power of word of mouth! And so we went and truly enjoyed the food and the vibe. It's like a tiny French Bistro with an English pub influence. My significant other proposed we share the scallops with bacon and spinach appetizer. Big mistake: sharing shouldn't be allowed because these scallops are way too good. Big plump scallops seared well leaving a crunchy exterior and a buttery center. Perfection! Burgers followed and all I can say is that they were excellent, including not being so messy you need 14 napkins to get through the meal. The burgers were served with a healthy portion of yummy frites mayonnaise and a fresh salad topped with homemade garlic dressing (so good I wanted to bathe in it). You know, this place was so unpretentious it added to the charm. The service was friendly and efficient. We both agreed Chez Lucien had not seen the last of us.

Came here for lunch when I was visiting Ottawa. I ordered the burger and fries, and it was pretty decent. Nothing to really write home about. I wouldn't call it a gourmet burger. I don't remember it being particularly juicy, or having much of a wow factor. I wouldn't go out of my way to try this place out, but not a bad spot to grab a bit to eat if you need to fuel up.

That chez Lucien burger is everything! Also, Guinness on tap! However, I actually had to revise this as the last time I went to this place the service was pretty poor. We ordered the nachos and they were incredibly disappointing. Just a mound of nachos with light cheese sprinkled on the top. As you move down very thin layer of toppings it exposed a dry heap of plain nachos. We ordered more sour cream because we were given the smallest amount to begin with. Basically it's a great purchase if you enjoy plain chips with sour cream. Guinness was fantastic still that's the reason for the 3 stars, otherwise I would have given a 2.

You could walk by this place a million times and never walk in. That's what I did. The place doesn't look like much on the outside. I read a review and decided to give it a try.....and I love this place! They have a short menu- it's actually just a small card but everything I have had has been wonderful. I Usually go for the chicken sandwich with sundried tomato goat cheese sauce! The burgers are great too. The sandwiches are served with a salad with a nice garlic dressing and delicious fries. Dip the fries in the garlic sauce...yum! The prices are great! I believe it is under $10 for a meal. The only minor complant that anyone may have is that there are long waits and few staff. My answer to that..make reservations or avoid peak times but they have a great beer menu. So have a beer or 2 and relax b/c the food is worth it!