Pour Boy - Somerset

Pour Boy on Somerset is one of my favorite spots in Ottawa for a casual night out. The atmosphere is laid-back and friendly, with a great mix of people and music that’s never too loud. The food is solid — especially for the price. Their burgers and nachos are always on point, and they’ve got some of the best daily specials and cheap pints in the city. The staff are super chill and welcoming, which really adds to the charm of the place. Whether you’re meeting friends for drinks, catching a live show, or just grabbing a quick bite, Pour Boy never disappoints. Definitely a hidden gem in Centretown!

Pour Boy on Somerset has SUCH a good poutine. Perfect atmosphere for a night out with friends— lots of good drink and menu options. Servers were friendly and checked in often :)

This place is amazing! Great atmosphere, awesome location, and super chill vibes. I love coming here — my friends and I go all the time. The drinks are really reasonably priced, which is a huge bonus. Definitely recommend if you’re looking for a fun spot to hang out!

I've been here a few times in the past month or so, on date night and with friends. Everything from the service to the food has been great. So far, my hubby and I have tried the udon noodles, the wings, the perogies, the onion rings, sweet potato fries, and the fish and chips and for dessert the ice cream sandwich. Along with Sangria for me and rum cocktails for him. Food and drinks were delicious! The only reason I gave a 4☆ for the atmosphere is that the lighting is a little dim, especially upstairs, but the vibe is fantastic! Prices are reasonable, and I'd go so far to even say slightly under some other pubs, which have pumped up their prices quite a bit in the last two years. It was a pleasant surprise and our friends remarked on it as well. The menu is varied with vegan/vegetarian options as well. Parking is a bit dicey as it's Ottawa paid street parking until after 7 p.m., when it becomes free. After a storm, they didn't clear the roads well, so we had to park on/between snowbanks. But that's a city issue , not Pour Boy's, but I just thought I'd mention it. The only downfall to this pub is that it's not accessible. So, for those who are disabled/wheelchair bound , it's a no-go unless someone can help you over the door threshold. If you have reduced mobility, the lower level is fine, but the stairs are a bit steep to get upstairs, plus the bathrooms are also upstairs, so this might end up an issue as well. All in all, it's a great little place, and I'm glad it was recommended to me. It just might be our new go-to place for nights out with friends 🧡.

A great local watering hole! The price and quality of the food and drinks is excellent. They host themed events every day, such as trivia Tuesdays and open mic Wednesdays. The staff is friendly and the more you visit the more you fall in the with the vibe. Highly recommend!

Had dinner and some pints with my brothers while visiting from Halifax and was blown away by Pour Boy. The atmosphere, price point, service, and quality of product were phenomenal! The two servers we had we both funny, personal, and quick! It's definitely a gem of a spot! I'll definitely be back and would recommend this spot to anyone!

Decent prices on beer. Good weekly specials. Seating for about 30.

Extremely hot! Went with friends for stand up comedy acts in the upstairs area. It started much later than the mentioned time. Wasn’t the best quality of comedy. Food was alright. Drinks felt pricey - felt like they skimp on the amount of alcohol in cocktails.

This place is amazing. The staff are super warm and helpful, the food and drink are tasty and cheap! What more could you ask for? Also, The Matrix was playing on the TV in the background, which was nice. An extraordinary experience!!!!!!!

The brunch is HEAVENLY! It's open 10am on weekends despite what Yelp says. We had the Boss burger and waffles stuffed with pulled pork. The house fries that came with our orders were crispy perfection! The cornbread with blueberry pepper jelly is also worth ordering. It was deserted when we went Sunday morning.. but we were shocked by how good the food was. A total hidden gem!

first time there and i absolutely loved it! the staff is so sweet! the food is delicious and the ambiance is also amazing ! will definitely come back !!

Cheap food and amazing staff. They have cool events and their food is delicious. Definitely recommend this place!

Due to the mural out front, I had wanted to try this place for a while. Had the opportunity to go there when a musician we know was playing upstairs. Gotta say, it wasn't what I was expecting. Decor was fine - but they really fell down on the uninspired food. I ordered chicken dish got salmon burger. There was no salt or ketchup offered for fries which were under-cooked. . Cheap beer. Friendly butnot effusive service. I walked away feeling like they do a lot of their shopping at a big box club store; they take it out of the box, cook it and serve it. No embellishment or attempt to enhance the presentation or the taste. Don't get me wrong - I shop at a big box club too and I get lots of great products there. But I don't want to go out to a restaurant and eat it there too! I honestly found the food very discouraging. This may be a great place for budget conscious students to go for a decent and fairly inexpensive dinner out on a date. It may also be a great place to go and listen to local live bands and have a drink. It may be a good local drinking hole too, as the beer was very reasonably priced. It is not a place I will likely bother to return to, there's nothing there to attract me back and I have to go out of my way to go there. Would I return: Unlikely Would I recommend: Unlikely, unless there was a great band there I wanted to see, in which case I'd skip dinner and just order a drink.

Preface: Some of the best food I have had in the 1.5 years living in Ottawa/Canada. My wife had been here a few times and said I should try it. They just started their Brunch today (Nov 26th) and we decided to give it a try. First, yes, this place is a "Dive Bar." I put this in quotations for two reasons: a) It's actually really hard to find a dive bar in Ottawa. I am an American, and have been living in Ottawa for about a year. Every place I have been to seems overly (and in most cases unnecessarily) polished. So many places seem to be clamoring for the business of diplomats, ambassadors, parliamentarians, political aides, and lobbyists with their ostentatious get up. Too often it comes off tacky. I was happy to see a real, relaxed, well priced DIVE BAR. The place has a great atmosphere for what it is. I was surprised to find out later that it was a regional chain...since Ottawa has so many local chains (to remain nameless) that serve mediocre food and drinks. Side note...why does Ottawa have so many damn local chains? It almost feels like someone went through the town copying and pasting the same 5 businesses over and over again. b) While it is a dive bar, you would not guess it by their brunch menu. Their regular bar menu is rough around the edges - sure - I wouldn't want it any other way, but the brunch menu is top notch. Second, the Southern US style brunch was amazing. talk about down home, good old fashioned cooking. I've spent a good amount of time in the South, and lived for a time in New Orleans. I had the Pour Boy Benedict; poached eggs on english muffins with hollandaise sauce and ham, side of home fries and a small fruit salad. Also grabbed up the side of cornbread with pepper jelly. I could take or leave the pepper jelly, but that cornbread was real nice. My wife had the pulled pork stuffed waffles. She got full and I finished them off too. Reminded me of what I would grab in the mornings for a hangover cure while living down south. They also offered classics like chicken and waffles and eggs benedict with shrimp. Oh, also the mimosas. Third, the staff was relaxed and attentive - not disappearing, or coming by every five seconds to ask how everything is while you have food in your mouth. Fourth, the prices were perfect. I don't know many places in Ottawa where you can get such a god meal and drinks for such a good price. We had 2 mimosas, 2 meals, plus and extra side...came to less than $40. Price plus tip was still cheaper than what we would pay at most other places for just food. CRITICISMS: Yes, I do have a couple criticisms. 1) They need to get some real good creamy butter to give with the corn bread, and waffles. Down South everything comes with butter, as it should. 2) They need to get some hot sauce to go with them eggs, pulled pork, waffles, and fried chicken. Having a few varieties of hot sauce would go a long way too. You can't throw a rock without hitting a hot sauce bottle in New Orleans, this place could take a cue.

How can one not love the fact that meal items are under $8. Beers for $5. Granted it is CASH ONLY. And an entree is under $8. So if you're looking for presentation and food snobbery this is no the place for you. It's simple and basic and no fuss whatsoever.

Can't say I've sampled their menu widely - but what I've had has been reasonably tasty, even if it's not top notch cuisine. What they lack in food-snobbery they more than make up for with affordability. The price point here is a big draw, and given that their food is tasty on top of the low low prices makes it well worth returning to. And even if you only want a pint or two, they can accommodate with a good selection on tap including a rotating seasonal.

Bartender was super funny friendly and informative on the city (we're tourists.) Prices good, food ok. More on the dive bar, smaller local neighborhood side.

I really hope that after Leroy's Fried Chicken, the reincarnation of 495 Somerset St W as Pour Boy will have a longer shelflife. For now I give it a tentative yes. I came here with an out-of-town friend for Canada Day. We were the first guests, but then again, it was only 1 in the afternoon. It's in the neighbourhood; prices are reasonable, if not cheap; and my friend said that her experience at Toronto Pour Boy has always been satisfactory. How could we not? So we had our pick of the regular brunch options, paired with a jug of sangria - red. Everything was served promptly. Service was friendly. And while the food was just okay, at the very least it was easy on the wallet. We stayed for about a good two hrs, just long enough for other patrons to fill up the tables in the first floor. I really like the ambience, the fact that my friend and I could hang out without feeling rushed. I have yet to visit at night, but I have a feeling I won't regret it. I know every time I pass by on Friday night, I always wonder why I'm not partying inside. I'm sure my time will come. It really is such a treat that Pour Boy is mere blocks away from me. I look forward to bringing big parties here in the future. (I really hope it stays open until then!)

Dive bar but bartender was super friendly and funny. Spring rolls were tasty! Very small inside but qaint little place!

I frequent Pour Boy often in the winter. It is what it is, an awesome drinking hole, full pints of beer from brewers like Mill Street, Steam Whistle, Beaus, ABC for $5, and meals under $8. I usually order the perogies, grilled cheese sandwich or pad Thai, they taste about as good as I imagine I could make them (so not great, but good enough, and really great after a few beers).

I came here with a few friends and was pretty disappointed by the place.Yes, the food was reasonable, but the quality really isn't reasonable at all. The bar is very small taking probably around 1200 sq ft of space and the decor is definitely a bit..cheap looking. The tables are "hand-made" with 2x4's and plywood (Mine was sticky from the previous tenant). Definitely not suitable for a group larger than 4 people. The service was really poor as well. The waiter never asked if we wanted separate bills (tip: if you want your place to be a student hang-out separate bills should be standard fare) and it took a long time to be able to order food. As well, the owner seemed really surly and not that welcoming. I didn't see him crack a single smile the entire time we were there. It was like he didn't want customers. The food and drinks were probably the most disappointing part of the menu. I ordered a mojito and a caesar salad with chicken. The mojito was overly sweet and I could barely taste the booze in it. I ended up just handing it to my friend and ordering a Strongbow since it was so sweet I couldn't drink it. If the owner IS reading this... use real lime juice and skip on the weird kool-aid type lime mix and only 2T of sugar with it . Honestly, it was the worst mojito I've ever had. The food was just as rough as my drink as well. Seeing my friends and my meals made the business plan for the entire joint very obvious: Buy all your food at Costco and drinks at the LCBO, then you can charge cheap prices for it and still turn a profit. How disappointing. My "grilled chicken" was the same ready-made processes chicken crap that you get out of the deli-meat section at Costco and has just been heated up in the microwave (and they charge an extra 2.50 for that crap). My caesar salad and "real" bacon bits were indeed the same ones you buy down the Costco aisle. All in all, I could have made a better salad at home for half the price and actually had real grilled chicken. I get the initial appeal of Pour House. I really do. It's cheap and appealing to students with their 6$ beers, but honestly... I still blew 20$ there for two drinks and a shit meal (which ultimately turned to one drink since my mojito was so bad) and wished I had just spent 5$ more and gone somewhere better. I really hope they start actually making their own food instead of processed garbage from Costco. If they did, I could see this place being a lot nicer.

Save yourself an hour-and-a-half and avoid this place. The server, a fellow with glasses, took our order. Half an hour passed. We wondered where our order was. After an hour, we asked the server. He got a funny look on his face. "I'll check in the back to see if there was an issue in the kitchen," he said. About fifteen minutes later, the server came back. "I forgot to place your order," he admitted. We asked him how long it would take for our order to be prepared. "Three minutes," he said. Another fifteen minutes passed and the food arrived. We went up to pay. I wondered if he was going to give us a small discount or anything to help us feel better. No such luck. But here's one last thing: they don't take credit card. So I had to use their cash machine (and pay an extra fee). My friend felt stupid for recommending Pour Boy to me. If you go to this restaurant, at least make sure that you don't get the fellow with glasses as your server.

Pour Boy, one of the last refuges of the $5.00 pint of beer in Ottawa, which is pretty excellent considering the beer selection they offer. Apart from inexpensive and good beer. this pub is actually quite good. The downstairs has a very cozy feeling, gives a sort of friendly feel to it, although the wooden seats may not be the most comfortable for everyone. The decor also is pretty cool, showcasing local artists and with a cool mural on the front. The food is cheap and decent, not amazing but better than what you would accept for what you pay for. I have had Chicken Quesadilla that was quite good but a stir fry that was not great. My friends say their burgers are pretty good for the price so no complaints on that front. As I said, the best feature is the inexpensive beer, $5.00 pints of mostly craft beers, and $4.00 Sapporo's on Saturdays. The service is also pretty good, every ti9me I have been here I have not been disappointed, one time the server even helped fix a wonky table leg right there and then, which was nice. Only drawbacks are that it is cash only, but there is an ATM, and if they had a patio it would be perfect. Still a great little watering hole that I will definitely go back to

Great atmosphere and cheap($5) beers is what you come here for. I haven't had any of the food, however I have read the menu and it's just cheap bar food eats. Good place to sit and have a chat with your mates and catch up.

A lovely place that a good friend introduced me to. I've been a few times and staff are always awesome. It would be lovely if the bathroom stall doors could get a bit of love though, I'm always unsure if someone is using the stall, or if it's locked out of order, or just being stubborn. Honestly my only complaint, and I know its a pretty weak one.

Food is ridiculously cheap yet still manages to seem overpriced for what you get. I would rather pay more for something more appetizing. On the other hand, drinking here is unusually cheap, which is a very redeeming quality.

Best service ever, the manager "Heather" was amazing even though she had a full house of reservations! Did a morning shift until close bc she had to deal with incompetent staff and was still amazing to us and got our drinks within seconds/food within minutes. The drinks were great, I'm a cocktail girl so ordered variety and each was made well with an appropriate variety of garnish ;) The Tex-mex poutine was good, gone within seconds, the wings however wee large but as far as "hot" goes...you white people got it all wrong ;) kind of reminded me of ketchup with steak spice. Better wing sauce would make my visits even better! Buy some Frank's so I can cover those mothers up!!! It's a great place if you're looking to drink and have decent food at really reasonable prices! I'd recommend it to all of my penny pinching friends :) Speedos, moustaches and Indian women eating salami turn me on. Next time I trying the tacos.

I have a tough time deciding how I feel about this place. The prices are great and I like the ambience. Its a lively, fairly young crowd. The food menu is incredibly varied and while nothing I've had was great, it was all serviceable and inexpensive. The fact that they only take cash is a bit of an inconvenience but not the end of the world. My main issue with the place is the service that I have received. Every time it has been very slow and disorganized. It has been busy, but not crazily so and yet food and drinks always seem to take longer then they should. It may be because its a new place and they are still trying to work things out, but I find that they staff seems to be a bit lost at times.

Pour Boy's is great. They have a variety of entrees, the servings are huge and everything is under $8. I've been a few times for dinner and I've have the beef skewers, the chicken fajita and the grilled chicken sandwich. Of the three, the grilled chicken sandwich was probably my favourite. On the weekend the bar turns into a great hangout spot with awesome decor. I'm glad there's somewhere great to eat/drink in that area of Somerset. It's me and my girlfriends "go to" place when we can't think of where we want to eat. I can't wait to see the place mature and create new dishes.

Love Pour Boy. Cheap eats. Love the Avocado Brie Sandwich. Pad Thai is a favourite too. Great for those on a budget. There's a TV for game nights and a great atmosphere to boot. It's cash only but there's an ATM on sight. They also recently started having shows upstairs. They also do trivia during the week!

Ok. This is as good as it gets where ANY dining is concerned in Ottawa let alone where no frills excellent food is concerned. Pour Boy Ottawa only opened one week ago, yet there are no faults to speak of: the kitchen ran smoothly, the service was incredible, and the eatery itself was enjoyable. First, the menu pricing is whack CHEAP! The menu itself is robust, offering a full array of Ottawa comfort foods (lots of ethnic works) which would grab any palate: the most expensive item on the menu was grilled salmon for $8. We are not talking about tiny plates here either, but rather full size plate portions you hope to find at any eatery. No desserts thankfully on the menu since no one ever buys them anyhow. Good thinking there. And OH was the food EXCELLENT!!! Last evening they had pints for $5... any designer brew you could ask for. A Caeser salad main used as one app, because for $5. who wouldn't? Delicious and easily split in two for full size app portions along with an order of Quesadilla's. One main was the Pour Boy Burger: fully loaded with sweet potato fries: $7:50, the other was Pad Thai with chicken (could of chose either shrimp or tofu same price); $7.50. Burger was fresh grade and decent, while the Pad Thai was home style fiery hot which wisely came with a cooling house salad on the side. With 4 pints, the entire bill came to $48... So 4 pints of designer beer, two appetizers, AND two excellent mains.. $48. Cut out the beer, $28. At the end of the day, Pour Boy will likely become soo popular it will be hard to get in at some point. The killer will be if they raise prices because of their success, which defeats the whole idea of why one would go there repeatedly as I intend to do. Two other points: a younger vibe to be sure, and Pour Boy is CASH only, so be prepared in this regard and don't whine otherwise. If you cannot manage these prices in cash, your in rough shape anyhow.

This bar is a welcome addition to the section of Somerset East of Chinatown. For people who live in Centretown who want a pint, it's perfect - close and cheap, with an ok atmosphere. But do not eat here! The food is embarrassingly bad. It's like there's an 11 year old in the back cooking for the first time while his parents are out. It's just gross. If you order anything with bread, you're getting wonderbread bathed in margarine. If you order pasta they open a can of sauce and throw it on penne. If you order fries - they're McCain.

Awesome, we came, we ate, we drank, we were surprised at how reasonably priced it was. This place isn't trying to be a foodie find, or a high end bar. The menu is varied enough to allow anyone to find something they like. They have craft beers just like everyone else, but they sell them for $5 a pint. . . We will return.

Standard beers, but unreal prices! Good, cheap food too. This is a nice place to hit up if you're feeling a cool place to just relax and chill with your friends for the night. It have a really awesome dive bar feel too, so go out for drinks and spend the night at this place. You definitely won't regret ir,.

Had dinner there before a Paint-Nite event which was held upstairs. Very friendly staff and amazing prices. 33 bucks fed my wife and I and we shared a pitcher. You can't ask for much more in downtown Ottawa.

Finally a restaurant in Ottawa with reasonable prices! There's lots of variety in the menu (including vegetarian and vegan options though they are not highlighted as such), and a great beer selection. Entrees in the range of $7.50, $5 pints and $6.50 doubles. Very friendly and efficient staff.

Cheap pints and some solid food choices. The udon is not what I was expecting to have with my beer but it was good.