First visit and we thoroughly enjoyed it. The burgers were excellent. Love the skinny fries - very crispy and not oily. The salad was also very fresh. We will go back. Casual attire which we love. The price is very affordable. We had a great evening! Thanks Chez Lucien!
Extremely slow and rude service! Terrible food to boot!
My partner and I waited over fifteen minutes to even be seen by someone then waited over 45 minutes for our food. Once received my pasta was extremely bland and my partner's burger was burnt all the way through. We then asked for a new burger and waited 30 minutes for it to come back!! During that time no one came by to apologize for the wait or even to confirm food was still coming. When he burger came back it was still burnt! At this point my partner was starving and had a few bites. When the waitress came by to check on us we told her it was still burnt and wouldn't be paying for it. She then grabbed the place from under him and looked extremely frustrated. We then waited another fifteen minutes and decided to go up to the cash to pay. My partner explained to the waitress that he didn't really think it was fair to pay for either the burger or pasta since we couldn't eat together and it took so long. She then began to fight him and was adamant he was to pay for the pasta. We then asked for he Manager who agreed right away that we should not pay for either meal. When the waitress came back to give us out change, she then told us "we should never come back there". I was shocked! I had never heard someone be so blatantly rude! My partner began explaining how he understood this happens in restaurants that people have an off night, and she proceeded to say again "yeah you just shouldn't come back here".
After having waited for extremely long time for the food, with this terrible service, and the bad food I will never go back to this restaurant in my lifetime. I will also ensure to tell all my friends and family not to waste their time here.
I have been to Chez Lucien, and look forward to...
I have been to Chez Lucien, and look forward to going back soon. It is a bit small, but both times we lucked out with great tables. The menu is simple pub fare, but most items have a nice twist. The prices are really cheap, most meals are $10. Also the jukebox is worth mentioning, loaded with gems.
A small and rustic tavern located in the Byward...
A small and rustic tavern located in the Byward Market area. We Arrived and the place was packed. So much so that it was chaotic and we weren't sure if we had to seat ourselves, or wait to be seated. Eventually, we grabbed a table and our server said that it was fine, as we were supposed to seat ourselves. This was a dimly lit ructic pub with some interesting Quebecois artwork on the walls, and a couple tvs at the bar to watch the hockey game.
Our server started us quickly on drink, and we placed out order a couple minutes later, after receiving our drinks. At this point, the service became somewhat laboured. There was only one waitress for the entire place, one bartender, and a guy I can only assume was the owner, who was doing a couple tables. But out server was doing about 20 tables and was overwhelmed. We finished our first round of drinks, about 30 minutes later, still no food. In fact by this time, the people who had arrived long before us were just getting their food. so we ordered more drinks, and about 15 more minutes went by before our food was out.
I ordered a burger topped with caramalized onions, brie, and pear. It was delicious and well prepared. The char from the grill gave it the right amount of that real bbq smokey flavour. The frites are skinny and appetizing, and the salad was simple but tasty. Overall, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a better burger. I had two pints of beer, which were both fresh and served in the peoper glassware. A ping of Tankhouse Ale, and a Griffon Blonde. I like that they served micro brewery stuff here.
Overall, I'd go back for the food for sure. And while our server was actually very helpful and friendly, and was apologetic about the wait, it was obvious that they were severely understaffed, and as a result, while the actual service from the waitress was excellent, the overall service is slow and cumbersome. The entire experience took about one hour, 45 minutes. if they had two more servers on, the overall score from me would probably have been my highest thus far.
Food is the greatest of its category. It is full out bar food and doesn't pretend to be anything else. Great burgers, period.
I have been their about 5 times in the last year, never had an empty glass, never had to ask my server for service. The staff members are friendly, talk to you and are actualy a part of the experience.
Intimate setting, but noisy at times. The food is...
Intimate setting, but noisy at times. The food is great if you stick to the basics, (burgers and fries).
Several types of great burgers, fries are thin, tasty and made fresh.
Off the beaten track so it's not hard to get a table for two durring the week.
This is our local place that WE LOVE. The staff...
This is our local place that WE LOVE. The staff are AMAZING...of course you have to wait for your food order!? The place is packed & there are only a couple of guys in the kitchen people!? It is worth the wait!! Have a pint & listen to the FREE jukebox while you wait. Chances are, you will run into a neighbour...the place is a real welcome addition to the overpriced JUNK in the market! :)
We went in early evening for a family meal. Although it was a limited menu everything we ate was delicious. However, despite there being only two other tables apart from ourselves (as well as a couple of drinkers,) the service was terrible. By this I do not mean that the waitress was not pleasant, in fact she was lovely, only that it was glacial. The cheesecake alone took over half an hour. Although she was charming & pretty she could not wait to save her life. The only reason she was hired, I am sure, was as eye-candy. I pity the clientele that was arriving as we left as the place was definately getting busy & she was the only staff serving.
Anotherpoint I must make is the establishment itself; it cannot seem to decide what it is. The interior is very pleasant with a refined pub feel & pretentions to a literary pub with photos of, my hero, Jimmy Joyce & Proust on the walls yet for some reason there were Sens pennants & paraphanalia scattered about trying for the "sports bar" feel. I know the Sens are the local team & they're doing well but you are either a sports bar or something a bit more refined. The two aspects sit not well together.
Having said all that I will return. The food was good quality & good value & the pub itself has a very cosy atmosphere. I have no doubt that once they sort out their waiting on staff it will become a firm favourite for many an Ottawan.
I had heard horrendous stories about bad service...
I had heard horrendous stories about bad service but I was delightfully surprised --our waitress was fantastic. The food was delicious, served hot and in a timely manner. The beer menu was a little limited (particularly because they had run out of one kind--sorry, not a beer drinker), but overall, we were totally impressed. Very reasonable prices. A little loud noise-wise, but super cute place on the whole.
Cheap, delicious, and steaming hot... and that's...
Cheap, delicious, and steaming hot... and that's just the staff! This eclectic bar/restaurant, with four televisions dedicated to sports *and* high-brow modern art on the walls, commands a prime location in downtown Ottawa and serves up a great mix of food, beer, and atmosphere, including a free jukebox (free!). The friendly staff is cheerfully busy in this now jam-packed hotspot, so if you want the table under Marcel Proust's studious gaze, you'd better come early. Highly recommended.
Friendly and curtious waiter. A nice change for...
Friendly and curtious waiter. A nice change for the Ottawa restaurant business....
Good, clean, small pub atmosphere. Would love to go again and try the burger dishes....
I LOVE THIS PLACE! It's a small, cozy, neighbourhood pub, with beautiful and eclectic artwork, a free jukebox, and a staff that remembers you.
The food is amazing and, I think, TOO reasonably priced - somehow, the secret got out, and now there's often a long wait for a table.
You see the waitresses infrequently, since the place is so busy. Aside from the v-e-r-y slow service, they are friendly, polite and helpful, and the long evening has become part of the CL experience (I've learned not to go there when I'm starving - snack before you leave home!- and to order another drink when my glass is still half-full).
Great wine, great beer, gourmet-quality food for under $15... well worth the wait!
(but don't tell anybody else, ok?)
It was a wonderful place. I loved the atmosphere...
It was a wonderful place. I loved the atmosphere and the food. The service was terrible though, it was sunday afternoon and there were about 2 other tables including ours, and it took over an hour to get our meal. Otherwise i really like the place and i will definatly visit again.
At Chez Lucien, the charm begins at the entrance, thanks to a wooden door with an iron handle that has a distinctly antique feel. It continues inside with brick walls, slowly-rotating ceiling fans and a wooden bar where patrons can sit. The atmosphere is cozy and relaxed. This isn't haute cuisine but well-made comfort food like the Lucien burger or the classic croque monsieur.
For the longest time, only those who lived in the ByWard Market ’hood knew about this local pub. With such tiny signage, many have walked by without ever noticing its unassuming doorway. However, Chez Lucien has thrived for a number of years simply thanks to word of mouth – particularly when it comes to their house-made burgers. The menu boasts an array of burger choices, giving visitors the opportunity to choose from a beef, salmon or tofu base and a variety of toppings. This local hotspot attracts crowds nightly so be prepared for the high noise level and tight seating.
