The Chesshire Cat Pub

Though this pub h...

Though this pub had come highly recommended, on the night we went the food was a huge disappointment. The elk tortierre was was overcooked and slightly burnt with a hard, chewy crust. There was nothing in the way of sauce or filling -- I didn't spot anything in the way of an onion or mushroom, as specified on the menu -- just a dehydrated husk filled with hard ground meat. (That it was ground meat was not mentioned on the menu.)

Not as good as I had anticipated.

We stopped in here last summer on a really, really hot day. The place had no air conditioning, so walking into the restaurant was like walking into an oven. We chose to eat on the patio, despite my aversion to eating outside because I dislike sitting in the sun and bugs scare me/freak me out. We sat down near a few older guys who were clearly enjoying a few brewskies together in the mid-day heat. No problem with that. Well, you'd think so, but they all peppered their speech with 4-letter words, liberally dropping the F-bomb. Now, I have been known to do my fair share of swearing, but there is a thing called decorum. There is a time and place for everything, and if you're out in a public place, can the salty language, will ya? I was happy to find a table with an umbrella under which to hide from the biting sun, but the sheer heat and humidity and lack of a breeze made the conditions on the patio quite uncomfortable. Anyway, the service was poor. A guy came out and gruffly took our order. No smile, nothing. He seemed irritated and rushed. He forgot my drink when he brought my hubby his beer. He had to be asked twice to bring us both water. Given that it was a sweltering hot day, he should have brought a pitcher without anyone having to ask! Thankfully, we did not have to wait too long for the food. I ordered a Mexican-inspired wrap. It was okay. My husband's burger was better (I tried a bite), and the fries were good. The ice cream for dessert was also nice, but as I feared, attracted wasps, so I had to flee. My husband paid the bill and met me in the air conditioned car. What an experience. I know the heat was an exceptional thing, but I will admit that I am not chomping at the bit to return anytime soon. Being that the building is an old school house, I wonder if eating there in the winter means suffering from a cold draft? We used to own a century home, and I know how drafty and cold they can be. Oh well. Bad luck that day, I guess.

Nice out of the way spot between Stittsville and Carp. Nice but cramped interior with decent service. Our wings were okay and the French Onion Soup average at best. The entrees were all good but nothing special. I've been here three times and always ordered what others have recommended and I've never been disappointed, but I've also never been as impressed as the people making the recommendation. Overall, nothing that can't be found elsewhere.

Nothing quite like it!

The Cheshire Cat Pub is a unique British style pub just outside of Kanata. When you walk in past the red telepone booth, it feels really authentic with the unusual "kitch" that you would find in pubs in England. We were just there, and found that they had taken off most of there regular drafts to replace them with Ontario craft beers. My husband was sad to not have a pint of Erdinger, but we learned that they were doing this to honour Ontario Craft Brew Week and found ourselves trying The Flying Monkey and a pint of Neustad 10w30 (beers I had never heard of!) Good for them we thought! We also learned that most of the menu incorporates local produce, meat and dairy. Anyway, the food was amazing! Pub fare, but with serious style. I had the Chicken Curry, my husband had the hamburger special and our friends both had the fish and chips. The service was friendly and laid back and the owner came up to introduce himself and made us feel like we had been coming for years. It was hopping busy! This is truly one of those places that we will return to time and time again! We can't believe we waited this long to come in!

100% agree

Couldn't agree more! This place is a gem. We have been as a couple and have also visited with larger groups. They are friendly and accommodating and truly thrive on their customer's satisfaction and happiness. Keep up the great food and service.

I'm thrilled to have found this gem! (I want to clarify that while I chose $26-60/person as the "price range", it was because we both had an appetizer, an entree, and 3 pints between us.. our total bill before tip was $57. If you were to go for dinner and a pint, you could do so for under $20. You just can't beat that!) My husband and I moved to Ottawa's west end about 6 months ago. I've been searching for a place "our place" since and may have found it! Family-owned, great menu, a laid-back but very friendly style of service, rustic decor, everything I was looking for. To give you a picture, I was seated in a comfy and relaxing red armchair beside a cozy woodstove. We requested that our server choose our beers for the evening and he did a great job at it, letting us also try a number of samples of ones we'd never had. After being torn between lamb curry and the classic fish and chips, I chose the latter and wasn't disappointed. Fresh, big portion, non-greasy, great tartar sauce. My husband had the hot roast beef sandwich with stir friend veg and mashed potatoes.. delish! We both cleared our plates, even after appetizers :) We were told they would be closed for some renovations for a week... we just hope they don't change it too much and that they re-open quickly! We will be back again and again.

A recurring treat!

My wife and I have found ourselves going to "The Cat" about once every two weeks this summer. We have popped in preiodically over the years but under the new management it is flurishing. The food has been excellent but it is the atmospher that draws us back. It is an "English Pub" because of how you feel welcome as much as it is the decor. Well done!

Very unique and nice place to go

This place is too cute. I went there for my birthday and was not disspointed. The ambiance is very cozy and friendly, with nice touches to the decor. The collection of beer coasters is quite impressive. The service is a little on the slow side at times, but friendly. There is lots of parking, however, the location is a bit out of the way, you will need a car to get there. The food was good, especially the fried pickles - my first time trying these. The fish and chips were nice too. Everyone in our group seemed to really like the food and the atmosphere made me happy that I came. I would recommend this pub for a casual meal in a lighhearted environment.

A true English pub. Friendly staff and loads of...

A true English pub. Friendly staff and loads of conversation. I was made to feel right at home. Nice way to spend an hour or so and relax. I was visiting from Nova Scotia. I will be back the next time I am in the area. Many thanks!

We went for a friend's birthday party and the...

We went for a friend's birthday party and the staff went above and beyond the call of duty to make sure his 40th was memorable!!!