ARC Lounge

I have been to the Arc Lounge several times for drinks, and the ambience never fails to disappoint. I’m the sort of person who enjoys a cozy, dimly lit lounge, so if you’re looking for soaring views or an open, airy atmosphere you might not love it here. If you like places with dark corners, and a bit of a mysterious, yet classy vibe, you should enjoy yourself.
The staff have always been flawless, whether I was here for cocktails or as part of a function. I attended the CPRS awards here a few years back and thought it was a great venue for an intimate gathering. There’s plenty of tables for dinner, but there’s also a section closer tot he bar with padded benches, side tables and booths.
I would definitely recommend the Arc Lounge for a romantic dinner or cocktail if you’re in the downtown core.

Breakfasted here twice during a weekend trip to Ottawa in November 2014. I was staying at the ARC Hotel and my reservation included a daily breakfast credit at the ARC Lounge.
I went pretty early both times and I was the first or second table there. I ordered the Trio Sante (a combination of yogurt, fresh fruit, and house-​made granola) on my first visit and the ARC French Toast on my second. Both were excellent — I even dreamt about the french toast for awhile after =P There was just something about the contrast between the soft, rich, custard-​like interior and the crunchy, oat-​encrusted exterior in combination with a delicate spice, warm maple syrup, and tangy citrus butter… yum. To drink, I tried the drip coffee and a latte — both were average.
The décor is modern and clean lines, with some elements from nature. It’s bright and sunlight streams in from the windows. Basically, a great setting for a relaxing breakfast.
Keeping in mind that both times I was one of only a few people there, service was appropriately attentive — i.e., there when it was necessary and not over bearing.
Prices were on the high side, but probably on par with what would be expected in a hotel restaurant. I would come here again if I were staying at the hotel but, truth be told, there are other breakfast/​brunch places in Ottawa that are higher on my list of places to go.

We stayed for valentines and had a wonderful meal included in our package. Fine dining at its best.

My girlfriend and I went down for drinks and appetizers. The drinks were excellent and the food was delicious with great presentation. The service was good it was very fast and she respected our time alone.
as for the interior it was a beautiful restaurant very well decorated and a great color scheme. I had all martinis but one and I would say that the arctini is the best.

To be fair, I went when it is still under renovations… And I went for an early lunch after having 2 breakfasts that day.
So what can I say?
1. It is under renovations but they are still open so you’ll have to sit in the tiny lounge area they have to the right of the main doors off slater.
2. Their roasted red pepper soup… Pass.
3. Their beet salad… Pass
4. Their burger… I asked for it well cooked and it came medium rare. I had to send it back.
5. Also, during this period of renovations, pay by cash because their machine doesn’t have a signal long enough so I had to go to the entrance of the old restaurant to pay by visa…
Non-​exciting food makes me sad.

Came here once on business and it was ok. Our server was phenomenal though. I expected better food but most of it did seem fresh while the seafood tasted pretty frozen and bland.

The tequila old fashioned is nice :-)
Otherwise, quite a typical bar /​restaurant you can find in most of hotels. The main advantage of the place is because it is in the business district.

Went here for brunch and had the eggs benedict with the smoked salmon, which was excellent. It had a nice bit of salmon on it and perfectly poached eggs on top of what looked like local white bread and a decadent hollandaise sauce. There was a bit of fresh, nicely-​chopped dill on top too adding some freshness to the plate.
The brunch came with some homefries, which were utterly crispy and perfectly salty. Delicious.
Pair that with some strong coffee and included juice and I’m a happy gal on a snowy Canada morning during Winterfest.
Oh and the free wifi in the lobby area makes me quite happy too! Enjoy. Bön appetite!

Don’t go for the views. The dining room has few if any windows but that’s the only negative I can find. It is unlike any other hotel restaurant in town and stands alone as an excellent eatery. On a recent lunch friend had the smoked chicken. I had the hazelnut crusted sea bass. Food was excellent. Service was very attentive. If a second visit lives up to the first, I would upgrade this to five standards.

We had the beef tenderloin this evening, and let me tell you… WOW! It was delicious. Word of warning, the bone marrow on the side maybe off putting to some, but take a chance!
This is on the pricer end of my spectrum, but for quality of food, presentation and service, this was well worth the price.

I travel to Ottawa often and always stay at the Arc – it’s a nice hotel in a good location and it’s a bit different from the standard chains. I always have dinner at least once a visit at the Arc Lounge and I just don’t understand why this place isn’t crowded with people.
The food is always outstanding – creative without being cute, complex without being contrived– the serivce is friendly and efficient and the atmosphere is comfortable and modern. Last night I had the smoked scallop starter in a cool watermelon/​jalapeño broth. The scallop was perfectly cooked and the broth was amazing. I had the tuna «small plate» as a main course and it was a good sized piece of thick ahi tuni, coated in a pretzel crust and seared – the outside was crunchy and salty, the tuna rare, cool and silky. The tuna was served over radish roulade, which sounds peculiar but was outstanding.
The only weird thing about any of this? There were only three of us in the whole restaurant and the two others were just drinking at the bar.
I’ve eaten at most of the best restaurants in Ottawa and the restaurant at the Arc is on par with any of them. Go, eat, while you still have this gem of a restaurant in your city.

I finally got to eat off the main menu last night, and it was outstanding! I have upgraded my rating because it was so good, and would now strongly recommend this restaurant!