Moriarty’s Bistro/Wine Bar

we had heard about this place from a friend so decided to check it out for dinner. it is beautiful inside and is nice for a romantic dinner. they have plastic chairs for the low tables and that seemed kind of cheap given the fancy décor. the service was great and the drinks are amazing. they had the local hogs head brew beer and I had a mojito that was perfect. I ordered the salmon and my boyfriend the lamb. both were very good but nothing overly special. the potatoes were exceptional. the lamb was on the bone and didn’t have as much meat as hoped. we would go back for drinks but the food wasn’t anything i’m anxious to go back for.

I was not overly impressed. The charcuterie was awesome, but that’s easy enough… the actual food was mediocre (one dish had about 10 whole cloves of garlic in it). As for my own dish, I paid $ 13 for duck confit ravioli, which came as one ‘giant’ ravioli… I mean, when I say ‘giant’ I mean there was only one… the amount of food on the plate was a bit pathetic for the price. Maybe if the taste had blown me away, I would have been fine with it… but you could barely tell there was even duck in it. When we finally got the bill, after waiting an insane amount of time considering the place was half full, the gratuity had already been added. Surprising considering we were a party of only 6… I don’t be rushing back.

This is centrally located downtown for a pre dinner nosh and sip. They have a decent wine list and interesting tasty small plates. The chicken salad and duck confit sliders stand out. Nice décor and intimate atmosphere with a bit of a groove to it.

Love the atmosphere, love the food, love the drinks, love the juxtaposition to Sherlock Holmes pub. Moriarty’s is one of those places that knows what it is: a wine bar with delicious food that accompanies this concept.
I had the Hollock Pinot Noir. It was 2 for Tuesday which means that you can order two of the small plates for $ 20. We had the Poutine, the sliders and two other plates which remain nameless because of too much wine. Haha! It was all excellent though. And the atmosphere was classy and sophisticated. I could get used to coming here every so often.

I stopped in at Moriarty’s for a Unilocal event. I’m a Sherlock Holmesaphile* so I tend to gravitate towards any establishment taking its name from the fictional detective series. I have a bit of an issue though because this eatery/​wine bar seems to be in a symbiotic relationship with what is supposed to be its arch nemesis– the neighbouring Sherlock Holmes Pub. I have a mild temptation to open a Dr. Watson’s Foot Clinic or Irene Adler’s Boudoir Shoppe (note the spelling of shop) nearby to further exploit any remaining value left in the long expired copyright.
The ambience is that of a subdued hipster joint. The décor is reminiscent of a neutral toned version of «M” — the establishment featured in a Simpsons episode where bartender Moe Szyslak convert’s Moe’s Tavern into a trendy yuppi hipster bar.
I cannot comment much on the food since I only had a beer and a few items from a charcuterie platter. The few foods that I did enjoy were very good.
Conclusion: Seems like a decent place for the downtown crowd to grab a drink after work.
* Fortunately there is no registry for this condition.

Update… I think there is a new chef in town and he/​she knows what they are doing. Went in last month for shared plates with friends and was very much impressed with the improvement. Not usually a poutine fan, but theirs is worth trying, as was the duck. Service was attentive but not cloying.
Their website has been hijacked, so you’ll need to go in to check out the menu. It wasn’t very busy on a Friday night, so I suspect It isn’t widely known that it is good again.

Excellent service, environment and wine. Warning about the food though: I was only there once so it may have just been a bad day, but it was not good and it was overpriced.

I absolutely adore Moriarty’s! I have donned their chic doors enough times now that I can, with full confidence, tell you that they have solidly cemented themselves as a downtown destination.
I have to say, the whole Rice Howard Way is a really coming back into its own, referring to the unfortunate fire that stunted its growth for a while. And as the newest place to pop up, post inferno, Moriarty’s is doing marvellous! As you can imagine, the wine list is spectacular, hello, it’s a wine bar! Yes, there are a few selections on the list that are really quite expensive, but I like that… On an average visit, no I won’t choose to order 3 $ 19 glasses of Capezzana Barco (the most expensive on the list, I’ll add). But for that special occasion I do like that you can get a half glass of something really special to try; then revert back to the economically but still excellent varieties.
The food is excellent. Especially if you can do the charcuterie and a few small plates and share amongst the group! The organic short ribs with chorizo and carpaccio are crazy good. While the goat cheese tart and phyllo wrapped camembert are what cheese lovers dreams are made of! And totally try the beat chips, so good!
I also must note, on Tuesdays they have 2 Small Plate’s for $ 20. A fabulous deal! Also, during those 3 really great months where we Edmontonians can bask on a patio… Moriarty’s is one of the best in town! Bön appetite!

Nope not a Moriarty’s fan. Have been there a few times. Very limited menu I can’t eat anything there. Didn’t like the management. I seen the manager a few times, he’s always been rude. The staff was pretty nice tho. Wine list is extensive but doesn’t make up for its short comings. Nope won’t go here.

I love Moriarty’s! I’ve been there more times than I can count since their inception several years ago, and their patio is one of the best in Edmonton. It is comfortable, beautiful and feels secluded… amazing in the center of downtown Edmonton.
What drew me in initially was their gorgeous, urban décor. What’s kept me going back again and again is: the fabulous menu [which is always evolving and is fantastic for both sharers and hoarders]; the incredible wine list, but if you’re not in the mood for wine, their drink choices are top-​notch, whether you’re having a beer or cocktail [their Hendricks gin martini is one of my favorites]; their service which is always great, friendly, professional, elegant and incredibly knowledgeable [I often like to ask for advice when pairing my food and wine so I always have the perfect combination].
Something else I think is worth mentioning is that Moriarty’s is great for all occasions, and I mean ALL. Just a few examples… I’ve used Moriarty’s for business meetings in the afternoon, where the room is nicely lit and soft, cool music is playing in the background… starting off a date night, when the lights are dimmed to a flattering glow into the evening… group parties, small and large where later into the night, the music [great music] is brought up in volume, increasing the energy in the room.
Would I recommend Moriarty’s to you? Absolutely yes!
Cheers!

Awesome atmosphere, excellent wine list.
We had a Valentines set menu and did not enjoy it very much, but perhaps their regular menu is better. I didnt find the service to be very impressive, was hoping for a little more attention considering we weren’t seated until a half hour after our reservation…
I will definitely try the regular menu in the future to decide on the food

Food’s pretty decent, maybe a bit pricey, but the wine list is ok and the service is great! Worth a try if you want a nice, quieter place in the heart of downtown…

I really like the ambiance of this place. The interior is tres chic black and white, and it makes one want to dress up a little and grab a cocktail. But, as much as I dislike a pretty face with no brains, I hate nice looking restaurants with bad food. Fortunately, Moriarty’s is smart and good looking (literary villains generally are, aren’t they?), so it looks like the start of a beautiful relationship.
My husband and I have gone here only a couple of times, but it is a place that you feel like you can bring friends for a celebration and have options on whether or not you want to break the bank or simply settle for a less expensive sandwich. If you are going to drop the dollah-​dollah bills, I say go for the hazelnut crusted mahi mahi risotto (the touch of curry in the risotto is so tasty!) or the root beer short ribs. Delish!
Otherwise, the shortrib cheesesteak is also good.
While tasty, I’d probably pass on the cheese plate, as it’s not really much value for what you get (IMO). They also had a mushroom medley plate I would have told you to avoid, but it looks like they (wisely) took that off the menu.

Our server was adorable and the service was really good.
The décor is quite lovely. Very crisp clean lines, beautiful chandeliers, not great but decent DJ for a Saturday night.
Good location, patio looked good.
Drinks were decent priced and tasty. I had a lovely gin martini.
Two thumbs up, but didn’t try the food so more that I can’t comment.

I love this place! My husband and I were married abroad. When we arrived back in Canada we had a themed party at Moriarty’s. We met in Paris so we had a Moulin Rouge theme. Black, red and white. A friend of mine mentioned this place and I went to check it out. Fell in love. There was no need to decorate. The décor was perfect!
I love the seating in Moriarty’s. You can choose a more intimate booth, table seating, or a large party seating at their long table. There is even room at the bar.
The staff are super knowledgeable about their wine, drink, and food options. They understand that every bottle of wine will taste different. If you order something and you do not like it when you sample it, no prob, change to something else.
The wine selections are beautiful. There is an Italian white that I love there. Their food options are beautiful too. You can choose from great shared items or have a full course meal.
Upon summer, there is an awesome patio that seats many people!
Great place for after work drinks and food, before a performance downtown, or just for fun!

I’ve been to Moriarty’s a handful of times. They’ve got a tremendous wine and drinks selection. I really dig their food as well. A little on the pricey side, but always of a particularly high quality, although I haven’t eaten here since last summer.
Most recently, I went here for drinks. Feeling the urge to highball it up, I opted for some 15-​year aged Cuban rum, with a splash of coke. I could have drank them all night.
Some of the folks with me had beer, others champagne bellinis… Everyone was satisfied with what they were drinking, and being that we were such a large group — we grew from 5 to about 15 — the service was excellent.
I can’t wait to come back to Moriarty’s. Maybe this time, for a quiet glass of wine.

It looks sophisticated and the menu is sophisticated — but why does the music have to be loud enough that a person needs to shout for their companion on the other side of the table to hear? And why does it have to be dance or trance music? I suppose the market is a «younger crowd» (my god, I can’t believe I’m saying that — I’m NOT that old!) …
Anyhow, I went for the second time after the symphony last Friday night. Our server took her job seriously and was witty, kind, and discreet even … yep, I liked her. I’ve not met many that meet her level of professionalism.
The food and the wine both times I’ve been have been ah-​maaaaaaaaze-​ing. So long as you don’t mind not hearing your dates, and if you manage to get a booth rather than sitting at the too high table with leg mangling chairs, you’ll love the experience. :)

Having come here for after work wine and appetizers, I thought it would be nice to come for a full blown dinner evening on March 4, 2011. I am glad I did. The atmosphere is a bit louder than I would like, however, there is a lot of people activity in a good way.
Our server was great; very helpful and also quite personable without being intrusive while we ate.
For our appetizer, we had the baked camembert which was perfect in terms of size and prep (I wanted to order it to compare it to the one I had a Madison’s Grill… also good, but felt it was too much with the nuts and apples). The one on this night was quite simple with a side of chutney to accompany it. Since it was «Downtown Dining Week», I went with that.
I had the feature soup, a nice porcini cream of mushroom which was perfect on a chilly night in March. My main was the flank steak pinwheel: TERRIFIC! It was surprisingly spicy, without being over the top and VERY tender. Portions were perfect. My companion had the mushroom barley risotto which was also very nice and delicate in flavour.
With my dinner, I had dessert included and picked the mint and chocolate brulee’. It was nice, though with the gelato, too much. My companion got the profiteroles and though delicious, he got 3 VERY large profiteroles with the chocolate gelato and chocolate sauce on top. Yes, we aren’t crazy, we did finish the desserts, however, felt a bit more full than we would have liked. Next time, we split one or the other.
Again though, the food was better than I expected since it is a «company» restaurant and has a «lounge» atmosphere depending on the lighting and noise level. It was just enough to make me feel like it is a nice place to run into people you know and not cramped :-]

I have to give love to a place that will take a reservation for a group of 20 gals on a busy Thursday night. Our table was all set up in long rows and the staff didn’t even seem to mind that we played a lot of musical chairs. Our waitress was friendly, and the food and drinks came out promptly.
The décor is dark and mysterious with cool music playing. It’s definitely a hip, dinner-​and-​drinks-​after-​work kind of place for the yuppie crowd, and it pulls it off well.
My clubhouse sandwich was pretty good. The bacon and avocado were the best parts, and it was a decent amount of food for the price (fries included).
I had to jet out of the party early, but I’d like to come back and try this place again with a smaller group.

One day after work we decided to hit up the new restraunt in the neighborhood who’s owner also runs Sherlocks next door. Seemed like a good idea, why not?
We walked in, great music playing loudly, great décor, black but sleek looking patio plastic chairs inside, wine list to die for, good service, ect.
We decided to go with the Clubhouse, we werent that hungry, which was $ 12.00…which is kind of steep for what they put on it. In the menu it said it has avocado in it, we opened it up as soon as we got it, and there was a little pea-​sized drop underneath. They were skimpy on the bacon as well. I’ll go easy on them, because it was their first month in operation, and I heard its gotten better since, so maybe they got a new head chef. I’ll give them a chance the next time I walk by that way.