The Moonroom

Impromptu date night at The Moonroom on Preston. Truly enjoyed the cocktails and nibbles combination. Will be seeing you again in the near future. Thank you for the wonderful evening. • Cozy patio, tasty cocktails, impressive small bites filled with flavor, great service and lovely company. Not too bad for a Monday evening.

Great evening with friends at the moon room on Preston. Great ambiance and service. The staff were very friendly - loved the specialty drinks and appetizers (as you can see by the photo, the bacon wrapped olives were eaten before I could snap a photo 😀). Lots of attention to details in both the drinks and food. A great experience!

Sunset drinks with great vibes. Highly recommend if you're into cocktails, they have their very own signature cocktails & they do not disappoint.

Quality cocktails with bartenders that care! Our server/bartender recommended and made us custom cocktails that didn't disappoint. While a pricey night out, an excellent vibe and cocktail spot.

Beautiful hole in the wall cocktail bar. Cozy indoor lounge as well as a cute spacious patio. Drinks are carefully crafted and well worth the price tag. I especially like the espresso mai tai. The snack menu is not too bad, the presentation of the food is great.

I don’t think this place is worth the hype, unfortunately. The ambience was really nice and the service were great but the cocktails were just overpriced for what they are. For $20 cocktails, I expect great and innovative cocktails but that was not the case. The Mai Tai had sad dark leaves of mint and the taste was just meh. The mulled wine I got was OK but overly sweet and came in a tiny coffee cup.

Delicious handcrafted cocktails. I don't come here often, but when I do, I always have a great time. Nice service. Cozy bar with great ambience - perfect place to have a great conversation. They have a heated patio and offer blankets if you feel cold.

A hidden gem in Little Italy! Fantastic place to discover new drinks. Prices are on the high side. Service and decor are really good! Definitely recommend!

The Moonroom is a great yet expensive bar with a really nice atmosphere, perfect for hanging out with friends or colleagues after work. The bartender is top-notch, creating some of the fanciest cocktails I've had. Not sure about the food since all the snacks I ever had here are bacon wrapped olives (absolutely love this one!), but overall good. On the negative, it's not the cheapest place, but you really get what you pay for here. The overall vibe make it worth the extra cost. Highly recommend this place for anyone looking for a classy spot to relax and enjoy great drinks in Ottawa.

I was SO stoked to finally visit the Moonroom after seven or so years of wanting to go! After a Saturday night at Bluesfest, we waited somewhere else for about half an hour before they told us the kitchen was backed up, so we walked down Preston and I was so glad the Moonroom was still open. We didn't get there until about 12:30am and it was pretty full. We didn't leave until maybe 2:30am and it was still pretty full considering the time. They're not normally open this late, but it seems like a lot of the businesses on Preston decided to stay open later to catch the post-Bluesfest crowd. Good call! We decided to sit inside since there was an empty table, otherwise I would've liked to sit out on their back patio, which looked really pretty with the lights. Inside was a nice vibe though, too. It's small/narrow, dimly lit, with sheets covering the different coloured ceiling lights, and candles on the table. It's very intimate and pretty romantic. We sat close to the bar and there was another party of two beside us. The music was a bit louder so we couldn't really hear the other table's conversations, but not so loud that we couldn't hear each other. They were playing the Bee Gees when we walked (danced) in, so we were really about the jams. My husband got a rotating draught IPA by Daft Brewing, can't remember which one it was. I got the Jill Collins, which had Tanqueray Gin, Affino Limone, fresh lemon and mint, cane syrup, and a Moon soda top. It was super refreshing, bright, and not too sweet, which is exactly what I wanted. We shared/I mostly ate the "OG Grilled Cheese" and "Panzanella-esque Salad". The grilled cheese had aged Balderson and cream cheeses in a crunchy baguette smothered in toasted garlic butter, served with Moon ketchup. It was exactly as described, with very crunchy, buttery garlic bread and creamy cheese. The Moon ketchup is made in-house, thinner and chunkier than processed, store-bought ketchup, with stronger flavours. It was okay, but I didn't need to dip much in the ketchup because I really enjoyed the sandwich and it was on the saltier side itself. Because it was a lot creamier than gooey, I'd say it was more of a sandwich than a grilled cheese, but still very tasty. I really am not a huge fan of salad in general, but I can't complain when it was burrata on top. It also had salty bread, arugula, roasted tomatoes, fresh peaches, herbs, and honey. The peaches were more firm than ripe and juicy, which was good for a salad, though I wish they were a bit sweeter. The burrata wasn't creamy inside like I expected, but I love cheese in any form. I really don't know what possessed me to get salad, especially after a bunch of drinks in the wee hours of the night, but my body thanked me later. Salty, bitter, a little sweet, fresh, and not heavy, even with (more) bread and cheese. It was great. They unfortunately ran out of the affogato, which probably would've convinced my husband to stay longer. Too bad. The vegan dark chocolate gelato from Farinella that they put in it sounded amazing. The beer was $10.50, my cocktail was $19, grilled cheese $16, and salad $17, which was pricey. BUT, the fresh herbs are from their garden on the back patio, they make their own soda and ketchup (among other things), everything was delicious, and even late at night the cocktails and dishes were still well put together and tasted great, plus I finally came here after so long. No regrets! Our server was super nice, same with owner and one of the bartenders, who even popped over and sat with us for a bit to chat. And not in a weird/creepy/in-your-face way lol she was cool. She was the one who greeted us when we came in and said bye to us on our way out. There's no flash photography (I forgot to turn my auto flash off for my salad, sorry!). They're open all week from 5pm to 2am, no reservations, no large groups, and no phone (just stop by). I wasn't sure if it would meet the high expectations and hype I had built up in my head after waiting so long to visit, but it totally did. It's such a nice spot, we had an amazing time, and we will definitely be back!

"A 3 dressed up as a 9" This was probably the most ostentatious cocktail bar I have ever been to. At first glance, I expected it to be an entry level cocktail bar with decent drinks at decent prices. Instead, I was greeted to essentially the feeling of a dive bar coated with a fresh coat of paint to give the allure of a swanky, high-end cocktail bar. The chalk board written on the outside of the door had a sign that said, no fewer than 4 times, that they only take reservations of 6 people or less. We get it. Every facet of this place reeked of an establishment that was trying too hard and taking itself WAY too seriously. I ordered an old fashioned, and it was honestly excellent. But it was 20 dollars. I've paid the same amount at the Rundle Lounge in the Banff Springs Hotel. On top of this, when I went to pay for this drink, the MINIMUM tip option provided was 20%. This is simply unacceptable. Oh and each of our bills came delivered in their own separate dog-eared worn paperback novels. Give it a rest. I think this place would do way better if they dropped the attitude and the prices and accepted what they are.

Really great service and the ambiance was on pint. Idéal if you won't to go grab a drink with some friends !

The moon room is an overpriced place with very crowded minimal seating and drinks at $15 or more for one glass. the washroom had no functional slide lock (cheapeat of the cheap) and for 15$ per drink per person that was incredible bad cheap as f management will not go back.

A cool spot on Preston street for cocktails and snacks. Great patio in the back, but we got a table by the front. Had their Absinthe Minded cocktail - very delicious. Not usually a fan of liquorice but the citrus notes made the drink very unique and delicious. Had the truffle popcorn as a snack - love the salty notes and goes well with the drink.

Cute bar with fancy cocktails! I really enjoyed the variety of drinks they had from cocktails to wine to beer but I'd youre coming here I'd recommend the cocktails. The bartenders know what they're doing and none of the drinks are overly sweet We got the pecans and the Mediterranean platter for sharing apps however since the kitchen is small they aren't able to change anything on the menu to accommodate diets etc.

This is a effortlessly cool, laidback, "hipster", chill bar in Little Italy. I went for drinks with friends and sat in their outside patio in the back and its such a cute garden vibe. The staff is very friendly and can make any drink you ask for. The food is very pricy for the portion you get, but the bacon wrapped olives were delicious! Their drinks are also all incredibly expensive (cocktails $18+) but they make them STRONG at least. Overall, this is such a cute patio to try and would go to every now and then, but probably wouldn't go often because its so expensive for what you get.

Want to go back. Must go back. Planning ways to get back. Seriously this place had the BEST cocktails in the city. Every one was well-balanced and served in the right glassware (why is this so rare?). We ordered three drinks to split between two of us and all three were perfect. You've never had such a good Cosmo in your life. Wonderfully cozy and romantic atmosphere.

Such a lovely restaurant. The menu is incredible. The staff are extremely friendly and professional. The entire atmosphere is so cozy and romantic. I really enjoyed the creative drinks and food. It gets busy so go as early as you can for a seat. We had the truffle and parmesan popcorn and finished every last bit. We started off with the drink specials and were so blown away by the subtle peach flavour and the classy presentation. I would definitely come here again and recommend it to others.

Thoroughly enjoyed this place. Really nice, romantic, chill vibe and the bar tenders totally knew what they were doing. The bread pudding came in a tiny Mason jar, which is really just the perfect serving size. Recommended by several service industry people and they were right! (Always ask your waiter or bartender for suggestions on where to go when you visit a City!)

Excellent place in Little Italy for drinks. On the pricey side, but the unique backyard patio is a must try! They offer craft beers and sours and also have a food menu as well but I've only gone for drinks. Great atmosphere and excellent service! Eager to go back and try the cocktails because despite the price they have been recommended as some of the best and most unique cocktails in the city!

Soo...I don't usually give 5 star reviews, but when I do, you had better be convinced the place is amazing!!! I kept hearing great things about this place, so I finally was able to come try it on a Monday evening right when they opened at 5PM! I came with a fellow foodie friend, and we pretty much tried all the food and a lot of drinks (exact number is something I don't remember). :P I suggested they have a website, and they mentioned that their reputation was mostly word of mouth; they've been at this location for years, but I've just never noticed! Maybe that's a good thing, as the place is small, and you don't want to run out of space! ;) On weekends, I was told people wait in line to get a spot! I was super excited to see what the atmosphere was like, since all the reviews were raving about it. I wasn't disappointed! It's incredibly cozy inside, and the space is small, but they have ample lighting, and drapes/linen hanging from the ceiling (with changing lights underneath)! I tried a lot of drinks and also quite a few dishes! The drinks (plus a couple more that I forgot, probably...oops)! They can suggest things that are not on the menu for you, and it's super fun to sit at the bar and chat with them while they make the drink. Make sure to sample the wine if you are indecisive; I tried a couple, and decided on their Port, which was delicious! Cocktails are actually strong, and are beautiful as well. They're definitely pricier than average, but well worth it, given the amazing atmosphere you get to enjoy them in! - The mint cocktail - Penicillin ($21!) - Ry whiskey sour - Pims cup variation (not on the menu) - Port (not on the menu) The food: - Bacon wrapped olives $5: if you don't like overly salty things, don't get this. However, the bacon was cooked perfectly, and it came with an olive-infused mayo-style sauce, which was deliciously rich. Great snack to go with drinks! - Artisanal board $16: the board had 1 cheese, a couple of meats, and some pickled items, mustard, and dry crostinis. The cheese was an excellent pick, and the items went well together. - Butter thighs $12: this took a long time to make for some reason, but the chicken was super tender! It's grilled, and comes with a pesto-style sauce. One thing I wish they had more of is fried foods, as that would go great with drinks! It was also not really salty at all; it could of used more salt. - Involtini $8.50: this was actually my favourite dish of all; it's charcuterie-style meat with feta cheese and a super rich olive oil. I couldn't get enough of the infused oil, and kept spooning it over each bite. - Coquilles St. Moon $11: made of tuna, this was really fresh, and also hearty due to the melted cheese. It was very light tasting (REALLY light tasting), and I actually wish it had more salt (pretty rare)! Service was super friendly and amicable. We were served by Alberto and another lady at the bar, and he was very patient in resdponding to my many questions; the cheese that was on the artisanal board was local (called "mattagami"), which was a lovely semi-ripe cow cheese. I hadn't gotten the level of friendliness in service like this for a while! They were detailed in describing the dish when presenting it, and looked genuinely happy and in good spirits to be at work. The total cost for each person was about $80, which was a bit pricey. We both left still a bit hungry, and were debating on whether to grab a bowl of pho in Chinatown, or get a quick bite like shawarma. For the price, I would of expected to be full, but the food is probably more stuff just to nibble on with your drinks. HOWEVER, the drinks are ALL amazing...I would come back and probably just get drinks! The atmosphere is simply amazing and super cozy, and the service makes the experience all that much better! :)

Laid back yet effortlessly cool, the Moonroom is a great bar to visit in Little Italy. The bartenders are kind and they check up on you and your party just enough. I enjoyed their menu of cocktails. From your classics to unique drinks, you are well covered. Bathrooms are clean as well!

In Ottawa I am lowering my standards a bit, so this place gets like 3 or 4 stars. But its really expensive for what you get, not much... the portions are tiny, the presentation is nice, but the food quality is not there. For example the chicken skewers: the chicken was cooked some time earlier in the day and i guess reheated, dressed and served. The end result is not great, because the chicken texture sucks, and its like 10$ for 2 bites!!! The popcorn and meatballs were good though!

What an outstanding little wine bar! We were walking around Preston street yesterday and came across this. We couldn't help but notice how busy it was an were immediately intrigued. It's a small little spot and they make a mix of fun snacks and apps right at the bar too. Great use of space as well as a super interesting cocktail and wine list! Neat place if you want a really nice glass of wine. They have some of the "good stuff" here! Or a funky little cocktail come and check it out!

Awesome little bar!! Had a wonderful time exploring cocktails and eating great food. Pedro is one of the best bartenders I've ever been served by. The food Patty made was spectacular. Can't recommend this place more. Bravo!

If I could give this place 10 stars I would!! Overall beautiful place and excellent service !!! Herb garden in the back with fresh produce too!! Exceptionally delicious in both aspects of food and drink. The owner Tracy is fabulous she really cares about her staff and her customers. Highly recommend this place above and beyond Big shout out to Alberto for an awesome experience!!

Nice place, very knowledgeable staff, the gentleman who served us was extremely friendly and knew everything about every ingredient in our cocktails. Very small space though. I would definitely recommend.

Excellent atmosphere, especially when on a date, so romantic and cute. The food is delicious recommend the Parmesan cheese popcorn. All the drinks are well made too.

Classy and nice place. Had a few drinks in the evening and the ambience was nice and dark. The waiter was great and knew the menu well. The alcohol is very alcoholic which is a great bang for your buck. I watched the chef make food and it looked amazing. They have a nice garden in the back too which was cool. I enjoyed this place a lot for a fun chill time.

Really friendly and knowledgeable servers, love the whole vibe of the place. Great place for a cozy date

I absolutely adore this place! Its so edgy and fun! The wait staff are fast and super friendly. The only downside is that it is a bit small and it can get fairly crowded depending on where you are seated. The mint cocktail they serve is lovely (quite boozy), their cauliflower shawarma is okay, (it doesn't have any of the pickled veggies that I crave most on a shawarma, so basically its just a cauliflower wrap). However, the beef tostada is absolutely amazing! So full of flavour, my mouth waters just thinking about it. Overall, great drinks, good food, awesome tunes and fantastic service! I will definitely be going back!

Heads up: I'm rating this based on one short 2-hour visit where I didn't have anything to eat, and only drank beer from one of local craft breweries they have on tap (it was amazing, but that's definitely more to the brewery's credit than Moonroom's). That being said, I would 100% go here again, bring friends, as part of a date night, etc. Seeing some comments about the food prices/quantities, which I will definitely be checking out next time I visit, but if it's mediocre/expensive, I'll just chalk it up to this being a fun place for drinks and leave it at that for what I know will be many future visits.

I have been here many times and will definitely return. In fact, I wish it were a little closer to home, so I could visit more often. The Moon Room is a cozy, and funky little spot nestled on Preston Street. It's got such a a great atmosphere. I love the huge chalkboard menu and the fabric attached to the ceiling. I love that the tables feel cozy and private. It's a great spot for a date, I might add. Service here is consistently great. Drinks here are fantastic. A bartender once prepared a coffee with Frangelico, Grand Marnier, and Baileys here for me, and it was UNREAL. I haven't tried much off of their menu, except for the cheeses, which were fantastic. I would absolutely recommend the Moonroom, and I will definitely return.

Awesome atmosphere and a great selection of drinks! I came here with ym wife for date night and we both agree its stellar! I love the vibes fo this place, very trendy for sure! Great service as well! Overall just an A+ time, check it out for sure!

Moonroom reigns again! After a not so great visit, we gave the moonroom another go. It is a favourite after all. Saturday night was busy and the moon room but not overly crowded. The owner and our favourite server ( the one with the cool hair styles and funky cool earrings) was there and we knew it would be great. Service was great and drinks were interesting and wonderful. Music and atmosphere was moonroom classic. Best place to go for a relaxing night or to get things started or to wind down.

Great little spot for drinks and munchables. I love the music and atmosphere. Wish it was bigger though as prime seating fills up fast. For that reason I tend to visit this place during off peak hours. The Moonroom is quite loungey, appeals to all ages and is a welcome change to the usual boring pub style that Ottawa seems swamped with.

The Moonroom. A nice lounge type of bar whose ambiance is very similar to it's name. With silver painted walls and bizarre yet relaxing ambient music this little Italy hot-spot is one you just have to try out. They have a wide variety of beers and wines. I believe the last time I was there I had a Waupoos Cider for the first time. (It was actually quite delicious). The pricing is a little steep on their drinks but it's well worth it. They also have a selection of delicious appetizers including bacon wrapped olives and my favorite - the sausage pot. A combination of italian sausage, with melted cheese, that they flambee before serving. It is served with croustini bread as well as a dijon mustard and is presented very elegantly. It is SO delicious. You MUST try them! Best of all, their appetizers are all quite affordable. However, don't come here expecting to eat a big meal. Come here after dinner for a drink and a small bite to eat. They don't have a full kitchen so they can't prepare big meals! I highly recommend this hotspot for a date night, but be sure to come early on weekends. They don't have very much seating, and the place fills up fast with their regulars.

I once read an article where the Moon Room was described as "enchanting" and I couldn't agree more. Located on Preston Street, just south of Pub Italia, the Moon Room offers a unique experience that sets it apart from the other restaurants and bars in the area. It's dimly lit, the billowy cloth draped from the ceilings and the ambient music (think Nouvelle Vague or Morcheeba) creates an immediate intimacy. Cozy seating areas and high bar stools allow patrons to perch closely as they sample the small plates designed for sharing. The moon boards, which include a selection of local or international cheeses and charcuteries, are a great starter. If you want to keep with the meat and cheese, try the sausage pot. However, my personal favourite is, and always will be, the tuna sashimi. Unlike the sashimi you'd order in a Japanese restaurant, the Moon Room uses a soy-sauce based marinade (which tends to vary depending on the day), citrus fruit and other accompaniments to ramp up the raw dish. I dream about it. It's that good. You'll also find a small, but ample, selection of wines and beers and an interesting array of mixed drinks. I remember ordering a sazerac, which is something I hadn't seen on a menu since attending a New Orleans-style masquerade theme party. The Moon Room is a great place for after work drinks, a date, or even a late-night mid-week rendezvous. It's one of the few places in the city where you can eat and drink until the wee hours on a school night. The downside: The Moon Room is small and it can be very busy on weekends, because of that it's not a great spot for groups. If you're with a couple friends, you should be okay, but on Fridays or Saturdays, get there early to avoid disappointment. Yelpers, I really like this place. If you haven't been yet, go try it out!

My favourite bar in Ottawa. Wait service are very knowledgeable about cocktails and are happy to recommend subs. Atmosphere amazing. Good selection of mixed drinks, wine and beer. You won't be disappointed!

A delirium chill joint on Preston. Ottawa's normal selection of English pubs or Irish pubs makes this a true escapist spot. Bitchy cocktails that are very well made can cost you double, but the break from the monotony of the rest of the scene in the neighborhood is welcome.

Great intimate atmosphere, exquisite tapas, nicely presented, with each plate brought out and described lovingly by the chef, not to mention an impressive wine selection. I wasn't immediately drawn to the likes of bacon wrapped olives but...whoa! a little salt, a little fat and some spice with a dijonaise dip made for a tasty treat and opened up the appetite. The sausage board with kale salad and a tabouleh made extra special with the addition of fresh mint was next; then yummy artisanal board with prosciutto and a lovely cheddar from Quebec, croustini, some apple chutney and spiced almonds. Yum-a-lum! Finally, black bean cakes with tortilla chips and lime chipotle salsa. Foodie funhouse! As noted elsewhere, it's best for a two to four people as it's small. Highly recommended!

I will start this review by saying that I love the Moonroon. I like it's mature atmosphere, the very cool music, and the very different decor. It's nothing like the typical bar that you see in Ottawa, which often misses the mark for the mature patron who just wants a night out. I have been going to the Moonroom for years, and was an early patron to the predecessor bar on Richmond, called Trio. BUT, the last two times that I have gone to the Moonroom with new friends, after talking the place up, I was extremely disappointed with the service and mostly the attitude of the servers. Two different servers, on two different occasions have been snippy, sarcastic, condescending, and just plain old rude. Something is going on with this usually professional and very friendly group of employees who seem to think it's cool to talk down to their customers. You have a great model, please don't ruin it by becoming snobby when a customer asks a question that you don't like. You can do better. We all have other options.

If your not a fan of complicated over priced cocktails I will forgive you for bad mouthing the Moonroom. I certainly don't go for the menu, but if you are looking for a place that is relaxed and different from the standard Ottawa pub this is a great place to go with a few friends and hang out enjoying the ambience.

Great food, awesome sexy atmosphere. The cocktails are actually legit cocktails and not just two Ingredients. Great place for a first date. Or a fun night out.

Interesting take on some traditional cocktails. I found all the beverages I ordered to be watered down due to over shaking. Menu looks tasty especially their white truffle parmesan popcorn.

Cozy, intimate spot. We went for drinks and tapas. The food was really good; earth, fin and fire was quite tasty as well as the chicken tostada and mac & cheese. I was DD so didn't try the cocktails :-(. I did however have a glass of wine - some good wine and beer choices at reasonable prices. The music (at least that night) was from the early 80's and was fantastic.

This place was decent, but pretty crowded. Service wasn't the best and we were sitting for 15 minutes before getting up to ask if a server was coming. Wine was pricey and their "House Rules" were a little pretentious (although funny, I admit). Shared an appetizer, bacon wrapped olives, which was tasty but a bit overpriced. All in all this place isn't bad and gives off a hipster-meets-posh vibe, if that's what you're into.

Great quality... A bit pricy... But worth it. Great staff who were really friendly. Wish food had slightly larger portions.

I love this place! It has a very nice atmosphere, great servers and the food and wines are amazing! It's a great place to go and catch up with friends or on a date