They have expensive (some cost $20+) drinks (not bad but not $20 good). Plus all of their food is *torched* because they don't have a proper kitchen. They charge you exuberant amount of money for a tiny bite of their torched tapas. Would you like to pay $8 for a few torched olives? I wouldn't. I wasted my money here once and NEVER again!!!I would not recommend unless you just want fancy & expensive drinks and have loads of money so you wouldn't worry about the disproportional relationship between the price and the value of their items.
The atmosphere at Moonroom cannot be beat! Legendary cocktails are pricey but worth it. Perfect spot for a special date night.
Last year it was awesome, but unfortunately I cannot say the same about our last visit. Basically we got a drink we didn't like and returned it without really drinking it, were told it was our fault for ordering it and were still charged for it... read more details below. The ambience is still great but after we sat down it went downhill. We were browsing drinks but then also asked for the food menu, we were told that we get it after we order the drinks. Then we ordered drinks and while waiting we asked again for the food menu, again, we were told that we can look but the order will be taken after the drinks arrive. (It is basically their policy that drinks sometimes take longer so you won't end up with food first. The whole situation was just weird and very unpleasantly answered when we asked.) Then we ended up with a cocktail that was not good, it was a sour drink topped with egg white, which we usually really like but in this case the smell of the whites was overpowering the whole drink. After mentioning it to our person, the drink was taken away and we were told that is basically our fault, because the drink is exactly what it says on the menu and we were also told that if we want another cocktail, it will take long time but if we want beer, that will be quick. The way it was handled it was just weirdly rude. In the end we were charged for the whole cocktail, it was the first time we did not leave a tip in a bar.
Sadly our most recent visit to the Moonroom will be our last. To keep it brief, for some reason our server was really patronizing and unpleasant to us. I ordered an egg-based drink with several interesting ingredients/liquors (I forget the name), all of which I like. The drink ended up tasting and smelling awful, which my wife also confirmed. The smell was probably coming from the egg, but I've had egg-based drinks many times and it's never been a problem. I brought it up with the server, and they said they'll check on it. When they came back, they said they used eggs they prepared that day (which was an odd thing to mention, why wouldn't they use a fresh egg when it was ordered...), and that there was nothing wrong with the drink otherwise and it's my fault for ordering it. They then said it would take a really long time for another cocktail, basically telling me I couldn't order another. At the end, they ended up charging me for the drink. It's unfortunate they treated us like this since their other drinks and food were really great.Luckily, there are other good cocktail bars in Ottawa to frequent instead.
While sitting at the bar with my group of friends, I received a facetime call from another friend and one minute into my call the waitress insisted that I leave the premise to continue with my call because it is not allowed inside the bar. My question is this, do they force people to go outside to take phone calls in the middle of the Canadian winter too? The place was absolutely empty when this took place and it was only me and my high-spending group of friends. I've only seen no-phone policy in specific night club settings but never in a regular, empty bar. The cheese melt was delicious but small. I asked if they could modify it a little bit by adding a type of cheese they had as an ingredient in another dish and they seemed shocked I even bother to make such a request. We found out the potato wedges we ordered were boiled potatoes and had a shocking taste to the point we could not believe they claimed it was a favorite in the menu. Because Ottawa lacks the volume of of bars with that cozy/fancy ambiance, this place remains one of the few bars to go to to get that experience. However, I would caution guests to not go there hungry and god-forbid do not accept phone calls inside the bar because you will break the laws of the bar! You will face humiliation of getting kicked out of an empty bar and can only come back when your call is over. Personally, I cannot believe a bar that, between us, is just above average, would treat one of their only clients on a slow night in such a way.
I love this place but the prices have been really taking me aback recently. Their back patio is romantic and magical. Go prepared to spend a pretty penny for drinks, but is is an atmosphere like no other.
Really good and inventive cocktails! Cozy outdoor space and really friendly staff.
The ambience will literally transport you, it's so moody and cozy, like being in a blanket fort on vacation. That being said, in the summer, with all the candles inside and little ventilation, it was deliriously hot. The service was almost non-existent until we asked for help multiple times just to been initially seen. When we were seen the staff were very pleasant and apologetic. We had asked for the first available spot on the patio while waiting inside but watched as 3-4 other new arrivals got sat outside and we were forgotten about again (we never got to go outside). It seemed chaotic (maybe understaffed or way too small of a space for the volume of people). There were 5 people behind a tiny bar at one time literally climbing on the countertops to get around each other - it was actually wild. The drink prices are insane. I'm a bartender/mixologist and none of the ingredients warrant that price gauging. The biggest issue for me is the lack of variety in the drink bases. Everything is citrus based. As someone who doesn't like citrus, there was nothing creamy/floral/nutty/tropical, etc for me. Everything is with lime/lemon/orange juice and sour/bitter pretty much. In conclusion, I think it's overrated but the atmosphere was esthetic, intimate, and cozy. The staff seemed friendly. White guy there with cornrows is a bit in poor taste but he was friendly enough.
Had a lovely experience at the Moonroom! Went for 6pm on Friday night (was a bit rainy; no wait for a table) before going to the 8pm show at Absolute Comedy. Hadn’t been to Moonroom since moving to Ottawa in 2014, and 7 years was too long to leave in between visits. Service was warm and friendly, and the atmosphere was so cozy. No indoor seating is available right now, so all seating is on the patio. We were seated in the covered section, which was very intimate and pretty with the lights. Food and drinks were amazing. I had the Cocoa Caliente cocktail, which will definitely warm you up! Also had the grilled cheese, which was fantastic. Need to come back more!
Very tasty and creative cocktails and snacks in a very pretty and cozy atmosphere. As of this writing, they are only open for outdoor service still, but they’ve made the most of it with heaters on the patio. Staff is super friendly and attentive. My only complaint is that the cocktails are substantially more expensive than most other places in the city — I think a mug of warm cider was $18. A version of an old-fashioned was $22. And a (delicious) grilled cheese sandwich was also around $18. I realize they might be charging closer to cost-of-living prices than other places, and perhaps this is simply the new reality of eating out. But I have to admit the bill did cause a moment of sticker shock for a place that’s lovely but not what I’d call “fancy.” Still, very much recommended.