The Manx

6/20/2007 9:52:56 PM, wednesday, june 20, 2007
Talk about cozy. Well-lit but not overlit low-ceilinged basement bar has a dingy, lived-in but lovingly cared for pubby feel, with old worn red velvet everywhere, copper bar tables, and a small bar. I stopped for lunch en route to parts west and found efficient, quick service, very solid and surprisingly healthy food options, and a couple of excellent pints of local and fairly uncommon beers. This place isn’t going to blow anyone, even an Ontarian used to crappy choices, away with its selection, but everything seemed well-chosen, little to no crap on tap, and the feel of the place is wonderful. I’ll be back.

10/25/2006 4:01:55 PM, wednesday, october 25, 2006 [ Updated wednesday, october 25, 2006 ]
Cozy little pub walking distance from downtown. Emphasis on the little! It filled up surprisingly fast on a Tuesday after work. Has an atmosphere very much like I would expect in a small town local in the UK, not quite as shiny and new as some but with a lot of character. Had a pint of Church Keys West Coast Pale Ale that was in fine enough form that I ordered another. Tap list is on the small side [maybe my memory is off, or I mentally dismissed the less interesting options] , but has some decent local stars. If my pint is any indication, perhaps the shorter tap list helps ensure the beer is served at its best?

8/30/2006 2:17:41 PM, wednesday, august 30, 2006
Small basement pub, I was there in the afternoon it was quiet. The beer selection was very good from the view point of micro breweries, good choices. The service was friendly. The only bad thing was not their fault, it is the ******* parking.

8/29/2006 9:09:09 PM, tuesday, august 29, 2006
C’est la tout première place en Ontario (bien qu’il y en a plus) qu’il y a plus de bière de micro ontarienne que tout autre place que j’ai visité, 6 sur 18, et pas de Labatt/Molson en plus. Le pub lui même est petit mais très confortable. Le gros point faible, mais ce n’est pas leur faute, le stationnement est à c**er!

4/15/2006 7:03:12 AM, saturday, april 15, 2006
Interesting, smallish place tucked away in the basement of an apartment building. Cool-looking inside with lots of copper and brass. Decent tap list with something for everyone. Might be a few local seasonals on as well. Short menu, but the lamb wrap I had was quite tasty. There’s not enough new stuff here to sustain a serious drinking session, but it’s a nice little place, with good, reasonably priced food, quality service and some interesting beer.

8/15/2005 5:28:17 PM, monday, august 15, 2005
Interesting little pub with an average beer selection, but excellent food. The chef really knows what he’s doing here, and the prices are very affordable as well. Atmosphere was a bit loud, but it was a Friday evening, so I wasn’t exactly expecting quietude. Not worth a detour I think, but a really nice place to have a meal with an interesting beer if you are in Ottawa.

7/22/2005 6:33:32 PM, friday, july 22, 2005
Small basement pub that feels more like an artsy coffee shop filled with students. Beer selection was disapointing based on the current "excellent" rating. Nothing special that couldn’t be found elsewhere in the area. Menu was wholy unapealing to me. Now for a Whiskey bar, perhaps.

7/17/2005 10:56:34 PM, sunday, july 17, 2005
Basement pub with limited seating. Live DJ the night I went, playing very loud Dub music. Tap selection was good, featuring micro beer from Church Key, Wellington, St Ambroise, plus a few less interesting ones (Boddingtons). Scotch Irish was listed but was unavailable. Did not notice bottle selection. Small menu, but I tried the Black Bean/Chili dip and it was very good. Younger crowd, students and alternative types.

12/20/2004 3:08:07 PM, monday, december 20, 2004
There seems to be tons of British pubs in Ottawa, and apparently none are better than this one, Beer-wise. About two dozen taps, Ontario micros, McAuslan from Qc and the usual UK suspects. Brunch was great, and decently priced. Service was efficient and fast. Tap selection seems to rotate, because nothing from Scotch Irish was available during my visit (bummer)

11/29/2004 10:20:32 AM, monday, november 29, 2004
English pub-style atmosphere feels genuine and not in any way forced. Somewhat crowded layout of tables re-inforces that community feeling. Service was friendly if occasionally overwhelmed. Food was fantastic (late brunch on Sunday) and beer selection had a nice cross-section of Canadian Microbrews mainly from Ontario but also with entries from Quebec and Alberta. Although there are relatively few rarities (other than some local micros), this is definitely one of the premier places in this city.