Carleton Tavern

I have been dropping in to this watering hole for a number years… it is definitely a tavern and one of the last true style taverns to say the least. It still has the divide where I am sure once upon a time there was a men’s section only. They have daily specials — and if I were to recommmend something it would have to be the pizza. yummy.
I tend to go here to watch and dance to the live entertainment on the weekends — always no cover! If the band is good, the place will be pretty much full and you may be out of luck in trying to find a seat. The servers know there stuff and if you say «hi» and get their names you will be sure to get that much better service. … or perhaps they just know that I am that guy that will order a quart of Canadian!!! yes, quarts are the norm here! Long live the Carleton Tavern!
Cheers!:

Authentic. Was there for a poetry reading upstairs and was pretty impressed overall, even if the room was uncomfortably squashy. Seems like a neighbourhood undergoing significant gentrification, so I hope the Carleton retains its saltiness.

Okay so this wasn’t at all where I wanted to go for lunch but some friends of mine wanted to so I gave in. If it wasn’t for the fact that I wanted to spend some quality time with people I don’t often get a chance to I would have walked out. It took over an hour for my food and the place was not at all busy. Some people were done their meal before others got theirs. The food was cold and there is nothing worse than cold fries when your hungry. The ketchup was gross it tasted like somebody mixed beer with it. I was in good company so at I am thankful for that.

First impressions are odd. There is a distinct smell inside that my girlfriend says is jut like a real pub in England. No music on the patio although there are speakers on the wall.
We ordered a vegetarian omelet with brown toast and 15 wings.
The toast was white when we received it. The wings were good although lacked a decent amount of sauce. No napkins or wet naps were provided with the wings. I’ll probably go back as the price was great but I am disappointed in the service it was friendly but absentminded.

This is a joint favoured by the locals and I’ve been eating here for decades — so long may it survive the current gentrification of Hintonburg. I’ve had many fine breakfasts (the home fries really are; try the farmer’s sausage), their club sandwiches are delicious and the burgers have to be the best deal in Ottawa. Sam’s the man in the kitchen and he knows how to make delicious french fries as well. If you’re looking for something more healthy, they’ve got salads too.

It’s not that I don’t appreciate a good dive bar, but that this isn’t a very good dive bar.
First off, it’s quite smelly in there. Stale beer and the distinct smell of a retirement home attic. Stuffy and old. (Which makes you worry what the kitchen looks like.) Second, there isn’t a bar to speak of, just some kind of cart like you’d see at a stadium — no place to sit and talk to staff over a pint, which seems to be a large characteristic of a dive bar.
Also dive bars should take pride in cheap beer and killer, no-​frills comfort food. The beer wasn’t that cheap at all, five or so bucks for a Moosehead as far as I remember (though I might be swayed as an American, because Canada alcohol prices are much higher), and the appetizers we got were clearly packaged, frozen food heated up. I don’t understand a dive bar that can’t at least make an onion ring in house.
Finally, a good dive bar should have some games so everyone can chat and have a good time. I didn’t see Keno (is that American?), the dartboards are above tables (!!) so you can’t seem to actually use them, and I didn’t see any other games except a pool table in a separate room from us.
This place is right near my new apartment, so I’d really like to be able to come here again. There is good space for groups, so that’s good. I hope to catch some Pats games, and I do hear that they’re good for sporting events, so we’ll see if the Carleton can change my mind.

The waitress seemed annoyed at my questions, and insisted that a chocolate milk shake was not made with chocolate ice cream. (a vanilla shake with chocolate syrup is a different beast, lady.) the food is bland and inedible. The mashed potatoes were not seasoned at all. The breakfast might be okay, since it is hard to screw up eggs, but with the salty staff and crappy food and in interesting décor, I see no reason to choose this place.

A proper working class watering hole, a concept that is too often lost in the modern world of faux Irish pubs and awful night clubs. The food is good, the beer is cheap, the people are friendly, and the music is usually good. They have lots of space for live bands and usually take advantage of that, they have plenty of big screens to show sports and the service is usually great. Also has plenty of space for groups.

cheap eats, cheap beer, a great local watering hole.
This place is not classy at all. It’s probably the least classy place to be in up-​and-​coming hintonburg. But the locals are friendly, the beer is cheap, and there is lots of space on the patio and inside.
I think it used to be a place where the women were only allowed on one side and the men on the other, because it is completely divided in half, with separate doors to get into one side or the other (there is a door at the back so you can walk all the way around). There is also two patios, one on one side along Parkdale, and one on the other side (in the alley between the next building).
We went to see the mechanicsville monologues here, which is a yearly set of monologues about hintonburg/​mechanicsville/​wellington west (which is a name made up by realtors, btw). Great show to watch out for in late November/​early December of each year.

There are lots of bars and pubs in Ottawa. They are often populated by youngish drinkers (over 19 of course!) interested in being seen/​picking up/​showing off their knowledge of obscure beers or exotic wines. These kind of people cannot be found at the Carleton Tavern. The Carleton is a tavern. It is a simple, honest, working person’s drinking joint. No pretence, no faux Irish décor, no gourmet foods, no BS. Just the guys, their lady friends, some sports, and their drinks. It is the kind of place Toby Keith or George Strait would hang out in. And if you have to ask who they are, you probably shouldn’t hang at the Carleton. The food is simple pub grub — sandwiches, wings, nachos, potato skins. But, don’t feel like it is exclusive. It is a warm, friendly and cozy kind of place. Go there and be yourself.

A good, inexpensive menu during the afternoon and evening. A terrific breakfast. Nice daily specials. Great selection of sports on the many tv screens available.