Blue Cactus Bar and Grill

2 Byward Market Square, Ottawa - K1N 7A1
159 reviews
Canadian
(613) 241-7061

Walking the Byward, we stopped in for an appetizer and a beer. First impression of our server was a little shi shi foo foo vibe but was friendly and prompt, Ordered spinach dip and beers. Food was very good and substantial, bartender on duty was also great. Good PR person.

We were seated at a nice spot on the patio. We ordered our drinks and meals, and the meals came out first which was great because we were hungry. However, for whatever reason we didn't receive our drinks. My husband asked 3-4 different servers before they understood no one had brought out the drinks. Not a big deal and I don't want to discredit the staff because they were nice, just some kind of mix-up. I didn't know they added the tip to the bill until I saw a previous post just now, but my husband did scrutinize the bill and adjusted the tip so he may have caught that.

a Group of guys went there today, we did not realize the tip was already added to the bill and we paid a tip again. Not advised before hand, do not think this is right BEWARE

My husband and I went here recently since we hadn't been in quite some time due to COVID restrictions these past couple of years. There was a short lineup outside and we were seated quite quickly. They have a great outdoor seating area however it was a little cool that evening so we opted for indoor seating. We ordered the shrimps as an appetizer and they were delicious (nice and crispy). For dinner my husband had the ribs and chicken which he loved and I ordered the steak and a Ceasar salad (substituted rather than fries). The plates were plentiful and everything was very good however the Ceasar salad dressing was a little "blah". Kudos to our server Chris for his attentive and courteous service and to Josh the bartender who made our drinks super delicious. Thanks guys for making our evening a great one.

Everything was great! Great drinks and food, thought the portions could've been a bit better for the fajitas. WAY too much sour cream and guacamole compared to such little amount of lettuce, rice and peppers. Had to ask for more lettuce but didn't want to bother asking for more rice & peppers. So if you're ordering for 2, get the one that feeds 3-4 ! ( or ask for extra )

We had a nice spot on the patio shaded by umbrellas in the heat. Food and service were respectable. We had the fajitas, good quality meat - although it said feeds 3-4, portion size was really more adequate for 2 people.

This place has a lot of potential! The drinks were really good, and the triples are a great deal. However, bar service (and service in general) was very slow. You could tell it was just because of short staffing and the servers were working really hard!! The food was good except that the shrimp tacos could have used something creamy to tie it all together. The shrimps themselves were delicious and crispy though! And the ambiance of the place was good as well.

Lemon pepper wings are good here, nice and peppery. Was a delivery order, have not visited restaurant.

One of the best average price restaurant in the Byward Market since many years and one of the places to eat nachos in the city. I especially like the “Dirty” Martinis. A perfect balance of good pub food, drinks, good service and ambience.

Nice restaurant with good menu options, lots of room including tables for large groups. The service was amazing, our waiter was professional and patient even though we were a group. The food and drinks were very good. The place is on the noisy side but then again, we sure we're contributing to it!!I recommend making reservations, when we left around 21:30 there was a line-up to go in.