Enable JavaScript to run this app.
Skip to main content
OpenTable logo
  1. Home
  2. Canada
  3. Ottawa
  4. Ottawa
  5. ByWard Market
Social - Ottawa, Ottawa, ON

Social - Ottawa

4.6
4.6
1329 Reviews
CAN$51 and over
Bistro

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 13 times today
Experiences are available.
  • Good for special occasions
  • Charming
  • Good for groups
Opened in the summer of 1999, SOCIAL was received as the perfect blend of restaurant and bar. It was envisioned as a place where guests could enjoy an evening drink without feeling obligated to order dinner too, but where a sizzling menu meant that food was always an excellent option.

20 years later, SOCIAL continues to deliver. Known in the capital city for its ambiant and modern vibe, fifteen-foot ceilings, its secluded and beautiful courtyard patio, and gorgeous stone walls inside + out-- SOCIAL offers an unparalleled atmosphere for a sit-down dinner or some after-work cocktails. Guests can expect high-quality professional service and a menu to match, proving that SOCIAL is truly a downtown destination that has it all.

Come enjoy the culinary experience given by our Head Chef Peter Schulz and his team. Find us on Wednesdays 6 to 9 for Live Music, and Sundays 5-8!

Order delivery or takeout

Private dining

Private dining

Book your next event with us

View details

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Price
    CAN$51 and over
  • Cuisines
    Bistro, French / Canadian
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00–14:00 Lunch Mon–Fri 11:45–16:00 Sat, Sun 14:00–16:00 Happy Hour Daily 15:00–17:30 Dinner Daily 16:30–22:00
  • Phone number
    (343) 809-9961
  • Website
    http://www.social.ca/
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Executive Chef
    David Godsoe
  • Private party facilities
    SOCIAL has a variety of private and semi private dining rooms and lounges to suit your event needs. We have dining rooms that are a perfect choice for small weddings, rehearsal dinners, client appreciation dinners, pharmaceutical presentations, special family occasions, networking events and more. These bookings are currently unavailable due to COVID regulations in place.
  • Private party contact
    Jessica Macewen: (613) 789-7355
  • Location
    537 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z6
  • Area
    ByWard Market
  • Cross Street
    George / York
  • Parking details
    We are located between George St. and York St. on Sussex Drive. You can find meter parking and 2 parking garages on York Street. Parking is also available across the street at 700 Sussex Drive and around the market area.Courtyard accessible by way of George and York St.
  • Public transit
    There are public transit stops on Rideau street and at the Rideau Center (which is within walking distance).
  • Entertainment
    Live music can be heard every Wednesday night in the summer on the Courtyard - a mix of jazz, acid jazz and blues. An assortment of DJs are spinning on Friday and Saturday nights all year round.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine

Experiences

  • Social hour

    Multiple dates available
    Join us for Social Hour, daily from 3pm to 5:30pm! Sometimes less is more, please see our reduced Social Hour Menu.
    Social hour photo

  • New years 2025

    CA$125.00 per person

    31 Dec 2024 - 1 Jan 2025
    **Celebrate New Year’s Eve in style** Ring in the New Year with a stunning 4-course table d'hote menu at Social, Ottawa's iconic fine dining destination. Immerse yourself in an evening of culinary artistry, featuring meticulously crafted dishes by our talented chefs, enhanced with complementary sips and indulgent bites to begin your journey. For the ultimate experience, elevate your evening with our expertly curated optional wine pairings, perfectly selected to complement each course. Seating is limited for this exclusive celebration in our stunning heritage setting. Reserve now and make this New Year’s Eve an unforgettable masterpiece.
    New years 2025 photo

  • Late night at Social

    Multiple dates available
    Join us for our L8teNight at Social menu, Thursday to Saturday from 9:30 pm until 11:30 pm! Sometimes less is more, please see our reduced Late Night Menu.
    Late night at Social photo

Menu

View menu on restaurant's website

What 1,329 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.6
4.6 based on recent ratings
  • 4.6Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.6Ambience
  • 4.3Value

Noise • Moderate

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews
Social in Ottawa is a dining gem offering "excellent food" with standout dishes like the salmon and pork tomahawk. Guests praise its "great service" and "lovely ambiance," complemented by a varied menu and creative specials. While some encountered slower service, the overall experience remains "very enjoyable," with live music enhancing the atmosphere.

1,329 Reviews

  1. Chris

    Ottawa

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Dining at the Social was a delicious, warm, comfortable evening out. The informative, responsive service, spacious table placements and comfortable music created an intimate ambience. The flavour of the food was as artistically created as its presentation. We made a great choice!

    Is this helpful?

  2. Dennise

    Ottawa

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined 1 day ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    finally, a restaurant with gentle milieu, excellent food and a background of music allowing for good conversation. Its our fave!

    Is this helpful?

  3. Nehemiah

    Ottawa

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    It was very nice! The quantity of the food even made me upset…cause it wasn’t usual to get that much food for that price in Ottawa. The service was really good and sensitive to us🥰.

    Is this helpful?

  4. Trevor

    VIP

    Atlantic Canada

    15 reviews

    5.0

    15 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    ALWAYS the best service and amazing food! Social is our go-to and for good reason!

    Is this helpful?

  5. Pamela

    Ottawa

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 19 December 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Pianist was excellent, everything we ordered was very good. It was an enjoyable evening. I highly recommend.

    Is this helpful?

  6. Luc

    VIP

    Ottawa

    16 reviews

    4.0

    16 reviews

    Dined on 8 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 4
    Sunday lunch with a friend. The restaurant was almost empty, so conversation was easy. The chef's special, a hash, was delicious. My friend enjoyed his club sandwich. The service was average, but overall a pleasant experience.

    Is this helpful?

  7. Steve

    Toronto

    9 reviews

    4.0

    9 reviews

    Dined on 3 December 2024

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great food and service , however have to say it’s far too dark inside , 2 of us had to use flashlights to read the menu lol , bench seating also showing a lot of wear and cracked , missing patches in upholstery

    Is this helpful?

  8. Nathalie

    Ottawa

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on 28 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Great meal and service. Nice ambiance and the lighting was too low.

    Is this helpful?

  9. David

    Ottawa

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on 27 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Good food and service. It’s rare when they put a foot wrong.

    Is this helpful?

  10. Erin

    Toronto

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on 24 November 2024

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent! Meal was great! Service was excellent. We will return again.

    Is this helpful?

FAQs

Social - Ottawa offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (343) 809-9961.

Social - Ottawa is rated 4.6 stars by 1329 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a booking

2 people
19:00
Booked 13 times today
Experiences are available.

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Social - Ottawa

537 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON K1N 6Z6

Additional information

  • Cross Street
    George / York
  • Area
    ByWard Market
  • Hours of Operation
    Brunch Sat, Sun 11:00–14:00 Lunch Mon–Fri 11:45–16:00 Sat, Sun 14:00–16:00 Happy Hour Daily 15:00–17:30 Dinner Daily 16:30–22:00
  • Price
    CAN$51 and over
  • Cuisines
    Bistro, French / Canadian
  • Dining style
    Casual Elegant
  • Dress code
    Business Casual
  • Parking details
    We are located between George St. and York St. on Sussex Drive. You can find meter parking and 2 parking garages on York Street. Parking is also available across the street at 700 Sussex Drive and around the market area.Courtyard accessible by way of George and York St.
  • Public transit
    There are public transit stops on Rideau street and at the Rideau Center (which is within walking distance).
  • Payment Options
    AMEX, Mastercard, Visa
  • Executive Chef
    David Godsoe
  • Entertainment
    Live music can be heard every Wednesday night in the summer on the Courtyard - a mix of jazz, acid jazz and blues. An assortment of DJs are spinning on Friday and Saturday nights all year round.
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Counter Seating, Entertainment, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeaway, View, Weekend Brunch, Wine
  • Website
    http://www.social.ca/
  • Phone number
    (343) 809-9961
  • Private party facilities
    SOCIAL has a variety of private and semi private dining rooms and lounges to suit your event needs. We have dining rooms that are a perfect choice for small weddings, rehearsal dinners, client appreciation dinners, pharmaceutical presentations, special family occasions, networking events and more. These bookings are currently unavailable due to COVID regulations in place.
  • Private party contact
    Jessica Macewen: (613) 789-7355
Discover
OpenTable
  • About Us
  • Blog
  • Careers
  • Press
More
Our sites
Businesses
  • Delight more diners
  • Restaurant Blog
Join us on
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Impressum
  • Cookies and Interest-Based Ads
  • Cookie Preferences
Copyright © 2024 OpenTable International Ltd. Alphabeta Building, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH - All rights reserved.
OpenTable is part of Booking Holdings, the world leader in online travel and related services.
Booking Logo
Priceline Logo
KAYAK Logo
Agoda Logo
OpenTable Logo