Best Live-music Restaurants in Ottawa
Find the best live-music restaurants in Ottawa.
Cheshire Cat
A pub set in a heritage stone schoolhouse in Carp, specializing in craft beer and local food — with live music on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
Mill Street Brewpub
A heritage brewpub inside the 1842 Thompson-Perkins Mill at LeBreton Flats — Ottawa's oldest surviving stone mill, with on-site-only specialty beers, brewery tours, and live music.
The Auld Dubliner & Pour House
A two-story Irish pub on William Street with carved wood interior, a mezzanine balcony, two patios, and live music 4 nights a week. Open until 2am daily, kitchen to 1am.
Heart & Crown – Byward Market
Ottawa's "Irish Village" on Clarence Street — 5 pubs under 1 roof with 6 patios including a rooftop, live music daily on 3 stages, and sports on every screen.
Lieutenant''s Pump
A quintessential British pub on Elgin Street with a cozy setting, dance floor, and alternative/rock programming — one of Elgin's longest-running late-night spots.
The Black Dog Pub
A Manotick village bistro (also known as Black Dog Bistro) ranked #1 of 27 Manotick restaurants — casual dining with a pub side and summer live music. Mon–Sat 11:30am–10pm.
Crazy Horse Saloon
A Kanata country music saloon and AAA Angus steakhouse with a mechanical bull, dance floor, and live touring country/rock acts — open since 2009.
The Brig Pub
A popular ByWard Market pub on York Street with fusion pub food and drinks until 2am every night.
Patty''s Pub
Ottawa's first Irish pub, established 1975 — serving Old Ottawa South for nearly 50 years with Ashton Brewing craft ales, weekend live music, and a pet-friendly patio.
Deacon Brodie''s Pub
A Scottish pub on Elgin Street with 400+ whiskies, live music Friday/Saturday 9pm–1am, traditional haggis and fish & chips, and a large pet-friendly heated patio.
Greenfields Gastro Public House
A Barrhaven gastropub on Greenbank Road with an outdoor tiki bar, summer BBQ patio parties, local brews, and a world-tour whiskey list. Open 11am–2am daily.
Heart & Crown – Little Italy
Preston Street's Irish pub anchor — rich mahogany interior, circular copper bar, and the largest patio on Preston Street wrapping the building. Live music Thu–Sat.
The Elmdale Oyster House & Tavern
An oyster bar and tavern on Wellington West — popping quarts since 1934, shucking oysters since 2013. Thursday $2 oysters + live music with Shawn Tavenier.
Atomic Rooster
A live music bar and bistro on Bank Street with karaoke, art shows, and pub food until 2am.
Heart & Crown – Barrhaven
Heart & Crown's Barrhaven location at Strandherd Crossing — authentic Irish pub with live music, draft beer, and Irish-inspired dishes. Open 11am–2am daily.
The Hintonburg Public House
A Wellington West neighbourhood gastropub (HPH) with craft beer, local art, monthly Saturday karaoke, live music, trivia, and weekend brunch.
The Mill Tavern
A classic UK-style corner pub in Manotick with chef-curated menu, Wednesday karaoke, and Manotick's only late-night service (open until 1:30am daily).
The Royal Oak (Bank Street)
A Centretown pub on Bank Street hosting karaoke every Saturday 9pm–1am with Karaoke Shark, Ottawa's community-driven karaoke crew.
The Barley Mow – Merivale
The Barley Mow Merivale (Nepean) branch — part of the popular 8-location Ottawa-area pub chain. Live music, Tuesday Trivia, and standard pub menu.
The Barley Mow – Westboro
The Barley Mow Westboro (Richmond Road) branch — part of the popular 8-location Ottawa-area pub chain. Live music, Tuesday Trivia, and standard pub menu.
O''Grady''s Outpost
A South Keys / Greenboro neighbourhood pub with Friday live music focusing on alternative and singer-songwriter acts.
The Barley Mow – Orleans
The Barley Mow Orleans (Tenth Line) branch — part of the popular 8-location Ottawa-area pub chain. Live music, Tuesday Trivia, and standard pub menu.
Stray Dog Brewing Company
Orleans' first microbrewery, known for its award-winning Jagged Little Pilsner, BBQ menu, and welcoming dog-friendly policy both indoors and on the fenced patio.
Taproom260
A modern Canadiana gastropub in Orleans with 24 taps (local craft + domestic + international), weekly live music, comedy nights, and a wine and cocktail program.
Moose McGuire''s – Hunt Club
A family-owned Ottawa South sports pub on McCarthy Road with 14 HD TVs, an 8-foot drop screen, and live music on Friday and Saturday nights.
Brew Revolution
A Stittsville brewery with 30+ taps and 17 in-house brews, live music every Friday and Saturday, and a dog-friendly outdoor space. Established 2019.
The Barley Mow – Stittsville
The Barley Mow Stittsville (Carp Road) branch — part of the popular 8-location Ottawa-area pub chain. Live music, Tuesday Trivia, and standard pub menu.
Queen St. Fare / Bar Robo
Bar Robo inside Queen St. Fare food hall — a downtown café by day (breakfast sandwiches, specialty coffee) that becomes a cocktail bar and multi-genre live music venue at night.
The Barley Mow – Kanata
The Barley Mow Kanata (March Road) branch — part of the popular 8-location Ottawa-area pub chain. Live music, Tuesday Trivia, and standard pub menu.
Orleans Brewing Company
Orleans' homegrown craft brewery (OBC) on Innes Road — Tuesday trivia, Thursday beer cask + oyster night, weekend live music and DJs, plus karaoke and musical bingo.
Broadhead Brewing Company
An Orleans community brewery that started in a basement in 2011, now featuring 12 taps, Meatings BBQ, trivia nights, and live music on weekends.
Jazz@248
Ottawa's only dedicated jazz club — 6 nights a week of live bebop, swing, bossa nova, Brazilian popular music, cool jazz, funk, Latin, and standards on Bank Street.
Speakeasy Tapas Lounge
An elegant ByWard Market tapas lounge on York Street with creative global small plates, crafted cocktails, and live jazz every Friday and Saturday in a candlelit setting.
Moose McGuire''s – Orleans
The Orleans branch of the family-owned Moose McGuire's pub chain — scratch kitchen, Friday/Saturday live music, and Sunday brunch from 9am.
Blackburn Arms
A classic east-end neighbourhood pub on Innes Road in Gloucester with live jazz, blues, and rock, wing nights, and a cozy local atmosphere.
Avant-Garde Bar
Ottawa's only Russian-themed bar — Soviet posters and memorabilia, pelmeni and borscht on the menu, vodka on the shelf, live bands and DJs playing folk to electronica.
Finnegan''s Pub
A Vanier neighbourhood pub on Montreal Road with Ottawa's largest deck, six pool tables upstairs, and Sunday karaoke nights. Open daily 11am–2am.
Main Street Pub
A Stittsville neighbourhood pub with Thursday Open Mic Night and weekend live music (local musicians playing originals and covers). Open late Tue–Sat.
POA Tiki Bar
Ottawa's only dedicated tiki bar — Hawaiian/pirate décor, curated tiki mug collection, visual cocktails with fire garnishes, and regular burlesque shows in the ByWard Market.
Nostalgica Pub & Beer Garden
A University of Ottawa campus pub on Cumberland Street since 1994 — creative cafe fare, live jazz nights, Thursday open mic, and a patio beer garden.
The Black Pug
An Alta Vista neighbourhood pub on Kilborn Avenue with live music, trivia, and karaoke 7 nights a week, plus a dog-friendly 40-seat patio with dog beds and treats.
Beyond the Pale – ByWard Market
Beyond the Pale's ByWard Market taproom on George Street — three distinct rooms, the full BTP beer lineup, live music, and trivia nights in the heart of the Market.
Anina''s Café
A Vanier café and evening event space serving locally roasted coffee and house-made jam — and hosting drag, burlesque, open mic, comedy, and jazz brunch events.
Night Oat
The evening "night" concept from Oat Couture café on Gladstone — jazz jams with the Peter Hum Trio (3rd Wed/month, $12), plus monthly comedy, trivia, and open-stage nights.
Daniel O''Connell''s Irish Pub
A Wellington West Irish pub since 2002, famous for Thursday-night traditional Irish music sessions (15–20 musicians) and Wednesday open mic nights. Attached to West Park Bowling.
The Other Room
Weekend-only Elgin Street bar (Fri-Sat 10 PM – 2 AM) with beer, wine, cocktails, live music, sports TV, and outdoor seating — popular group spot.
Hummingbird Hall
A brand-new licensed live music venue (opened 2024) in the lower level of the Nepean School of Music, programming jazz, blues, rock, and singer-songwriter acts.
The Robo Lounge
A ~140-capacity intimate listening room inside The Clemow with a six-foot Bösendorfer grand piano — all-day café that becomes a jazz and folk venue at night.