MacLaren's on Elgin in Ottawa

This is an ideal place to play pool with friends while grabbing a bite and a drink. Perfectly located along a strip if you wanted to pub crawl.

I went here recently with my coworkers for a work event, and we waited more than 2 hours for our food. I ve never waited for food that long at a restaurant. Disappointing

Drank a beer and played a few games nice atmosphere

Great night out

We are frequents at McLarens and we love coming here. Great spot for good food and amazing vibes, however one time we had an issue with a waiter. Mid 30s-40s was a complete douche, never checked up on us we had to walk to the bat to place drink orders and even gave a snarky comment about tip we left. Other than that amazing place, a must visit!

Waiter service could be better. They stand around and talk to each other for too long

I like the waitress name brianna Super kind and sweet women Best waitress

apple pie shot.

Great spot to grab a drink and shoot some pool!

Great place for pool & sports!

The place to be to share an amazing moment with my best friend. Cheers to Darren, the best server and host for the amazing Saturday nights. Food

Popular place for playing pool.

I have ben many times to Maclarens to play pool. This time around I went to the table and said hey there can we get a table? This guy named Noble was there and was extremely rude to us. First thing that happened was he yelled woah, woah woah at us. Very odd as he made eye contact and he appeared not busy. He then demanded to see IDs which I understood but it was done very harshly. He made a lot of assumptions about me and my group of three, To be fair to him, it was panda game day and we were wearing our uottawa gear. He probably assumed we were drunk first year students. In reality, we were sober, graduated university and working full time. we asked politely for a table in the back because it was slightly crowded in the front and we like looking at all the athletes in the back. He lied to us and told us it was full. He said he needed to keep an eye on us and that we are troublemakers. Again I probably come to this place every two to three weeks and have absolutely no issues at all. I had to explain to him we are just here to play pool. It took him 5 minutes to give in and give us table 19. It was maybe a quarter full back there. He then made a comment I will kick you out if you are vaping. I do not vape, neither do my friends and he was again being quite rude and jumping to very poor conclusions. Anyways it just started our night off weird there but we had a fun time playing pool for about two hours. Our server was great, I forget her name sadly. Overall, I can somewhat understand some assumptions being made of us, but Noble was extremely rude and we did nothing that lived up to those assumptions he was making

I love going to MacLarens on Friday or Saturday nights for multiple games of pool. Great food and drink options, which you can relish while playing pool.

Great spot to hang out with the boys.

Sorry, I made a mistake. Thanks for pointing out.

When we had first arrived, they told us the wait was about 45 minutes to an hour. After an hour and our food taken too long to show up, We decided to leave our waiter followed us out of the restaurant into another restaurant acorss the street. Yelling, at us that we were thieves. He then came back a second time to tell the waitress at the other restaurant that we should pay beforehand because we are thieves. This is wildly unprofessional, uncomfortable and unsettling. No one under any circumstances should behave this way and follow a group of a young women. I am very disappointed in the service and ethics of this establishment

Tacos were good and Pool was cheap. Beer prices seem steep but its still one of the best deals on elgin street!

Great food, miss the steaks though.

Excellent food and very good service

Billiard tables are in excellent condition and rate is fair. Service was great as well.

It was awesome

Nice place, several pool tables. Several choices of beers

Always chill there, climate wise (the a/c was on double duty) and as regards atmosphere. Everyone seems to be having an enjoyable time, every time we go there.

Really very good lunch included too good and it was a little cold in our room But know everything

Cozy place to play pool, Nice atmosphère. Not too crowdy.

Great atmosphere, amazing service, our server radhika was very nice and friendly everything went great and we didnt have to wait to be seated or served even if it was a little busy. Ill definitely be coming back for a game of pool and a glass of scotch. I highly recommend the maclarens !

Main and garage entrance need improvements.

My friends and I visited this place again last night as it s a birthday ritual for us to play pool while having beer. Been here more than 8 times now, but this time was the worst we ve ever been treated. Server name: ERIK Service was pathetic, and he had an attitude the entire time. Almost felt like he was doing us a favour by taking drink orders. We ordered pizza and he just carelessly kept it over my phone and the chalk. Didn t have as much as a smile on his face, had a smug look instead, the entire time he was serving us. He had to leave early cause his shift was ending, but didn t have enough consideration to even let us know before leaving. We were basically lost, without a server for 30 minutes. Anyway, thanks for ruining my friend s birthday, Erik. :) Hope your days are better and you learn to greet people with a smile and do the bare minimum. We were later served by BRIANNA, and she was wonderful as always. She turned the night around and was always around when we needed her. She really saved the day, or else we were considering never coming back.

The washrooms here are sick

I recently visited here with my friends and had a very disappointing experience. Despite not drinking, my friends and I were singled out by the security guard and asked for our IDs. This was particularly frustrating as we noticed that no one else was being asked for their IDs, and there were even children inside the here playing pool. It felt like we were being targeted specifically because we are Indian. The behavior of the staff seemed blatantly racist and made us feel very uncomfortable. I would not recommend this place to anyone who values fair and respectful treatment. Photos attached kids playing

Great Location, good Beer and Bar

Thanks for the great service Brianna!! Such a fun night of pool, great drinks and tasty food.

Jamie was great - he gave us the loot

I came to this location many times, the service was really good. But this time was really made me feel disappointed. all the service I got was at the beginning asking me about the drink. I was there for about 2 hours then NO ONE HAS EVER ASKED HOW I WAS DOING during the time. There was a girl came asked every table but skipped my table. When I was paying, the server was complaining about he came by then say my water was full then I still was having my drinking. That was not correct, no matter I needed or not you should ve asked me. Well, ok, nothing to say.

Good place

Excellent atmosphere!!!!

Lovely place to chill and have fun.

As long as you go in knowing that it s a pool bar and you re there to play pool, you ll have a good time. Wait times are typically veryyyy long on weekends and the food is below average.

I ordered some nachos and they had only a bit of cheese in the centre and nothing else. No tomatoes or peppers, a few jalapeno slices that werent even hot and all for $20. No good! The place had a pleasant atmosphere other than it was a bit hot. Some a/c wouldnt hurt. Wheelchair accessibility: It is accessible.

Oh One of the best ! Nice place Nice staff Good food I love it

The place is nice area for playing billiard and having a nice glass of beers. The food is not that of high quality. It did not interest me.

A nice place to play billiards with family or friends. I recommend the Nachos, a real delight

Great experience and fast service. Thanks Cindy

Really good sports bar, a bit busy at night time, but atmosphere and everything are really cool

Had a horrible experience!! The male waiter with the glasses I dealt with was completely racist. He mentioned racial jokes and mentioned many times I was the only Person of colour in the bar. Don t go if you are a person of colour. Very disappointed

After a negative experience with one of the waitresses, Dave really showed up and showed out, we enjoyed and appreciated his humorous and light hearted demeanour which added to the fun we were already having playing pool. Solid and real dude

A better experience after my last.

Tasty food, big portions for affordable prices. Nice place to go out and enjoy playing pool, watching all kind of games. Food : 4/5

Only giving this place.a 3/5 because every single time were there, there is always an issue with the bill. Alcohol is programmed in the til to be much higher and they are always surprised when we call them out. Maybe they are hoping youre too drunk to question the bill but they are ripping you off. Other than that, food and service is great

Great place for pool table play spacious and clean humble staff Waiting is too long on the weekends..so plan accordingly.Food is good Food

Classic Ottawa place. Playing at a table, and they kick you off. Customer service is 0

Idk why they can t get some new tables and chairs. The dining + seating looks so old the entire place has a basement vibe. BUT pool is fine and prices are fair, will go back.

Went there for 2 nights, the small plates were absolutely amazing. The alcohol was great, the service was top notch. Adam served us and he was goated. Brought up the spirit, remembered us from yesterday, lots of laughs, even saw us watching baseball on our phone and put it on the tv for us, amazing service. Pool was lots of fun and next time I come back to Ottawa I definitely will be back, and hopefully in Adams section!

Great night out, but very long wait for a table.We were told 45 minutes...two hours later we finally got the table.

Pool tables are awesome! $12 an hour and then $0.20 a minute afterwards; what a great system and a great price! The menu items are a bit expensive but they list a great variety of drinks on the menu, especially with shots. Didnt order any food so no comment there. Service was awesome, staff were very approachable and checked in on my group at the perfect times.

Nachos were good. Service was fast. Seemed like a 90s bar.

Our server was great but the rest of the team wasnt helpful. Repeated requests to turn on the Sens game were ignored. Blue 34 jerseys on the wall. Forgotten Red Mile already? Do better.

had such a great time! our server eric was really what made it great, he was SO fast, filled our drinks without having to ask, helped us get a pool table, was just overall awesome!

Eric was great and service is awesome!! Went to the washroom and my drink was refilled without charge (ordered a pop) so waiters are always watching out for when your low

I love hanging out at McLaren s, been here at least a dozen times. Great vibes, lots of pool tables and great beer selection. But one of the best things is the staff - the servers and bartenders are always super friendly, skilled multitaskers and always giving great service. I ll keep coming back

great place to meet friends, have some food and beer.

We love MacLaren s. Their food isn t amazing but it s a fun spot. Lots of good viewpoints to watch a game. Definitely expect that a drink will take a while on a Friday or Saturday. They were super accommodating for our party and allow children as well. Kid-friendliness: If you have a baby there s space to tuck them by your table. No change tables though (at least from what I could tell in the main bathrooms). Wheelchair accessibility: The front door has a step but otherwise the space is accessible for the most part.

Once again McLaren shows why it has the reputation of the worst service in ottawa

All of our meals were excellent and portions were large enough to go home with leftovers for lunch tomorrow!

It s a good establishment, but the bartenders at the bar are a little (inattentive)... You stand and wait, and he walks in circles...

Good staff. Good vibes. Food is a hit or miss.

Great atmosphere. Good service. Great selection of beer.

The atmosphere of the place was very nice. Our server was great as well, however when we first entered, we were not told the procedures of the place and had to wait around for someone to notice us. The food was meh, nothing interesting or well made just border line average.

Ive visited McLaren twice now, and its become my go-to spot for hanging out with friends. The atmosphere is lively, perfect for a fun get-together. One of the highlights is the option to play pool while enjoying a great variety of drinks. The staff is friendly, adding to the overall positive vibe of the place. Now, lets talk about the food - delicious and satisfying. The menu offers a good variety of options, ensuring theres something for everyone. Whether youre craving a hearty meal or just some tasty snacks to accompany your drinks, McLaren delivers. Overall, McLaren is a fantastic choice for those looking for a good time with friends. Great drinks, friendly staff, and delicious food - what more could you ask for?

Noble was very noble! Great service thank you!

I had a terrible experience when I visited with my family. I met a guy who claim to be the manager( Jamie) he was rude, very disrespectful and was even discriminating against a black customer which left some of his teammates amazed. Never going back there and don t take your family to that place.

I wish I could leave a 0 zero star, wicked staff who treat and discriminate customer, worst place to be ever. Especially Jamie very rude and arrogant.

Great food and drinks, servers were quick and very accommodating, and billiards was fun!

The place is friendly, but the service is merciless, we are asked to have a passport, when we presented our driving licenses they refused, we then spoke to the manager with whom we found a solution to get back. When we got to the table the waiter was completely rude and disrespectful his name was Lane. We need to review the service and behavior of the servers!

Probably the best pool bar in Ottawa. Clean, and service is pretty good. Lots of tables but the wait is always long during peak times, probably 40min to an hour. Food and drinks are decent but on the expensive side. Pool pricing is fair.

Really decent place to grab a bite , pint and a round of pool

Good lively bar with multiple pool tables.

Billiards at McLarens is the only enjoyable part about Ottawa

Nice place with a lot of pool tables.

Great place but always super packed. Two hour wait for a pool table is too long but thats not really their fault. Would still go there

They have the yummiest water Bestest beer and bestest pool gonna watch doctor who after, this be the bestestimate night Food : 5/5

great atmosphere, perfect place to play billiards and watch a hockey game Kid-friendliness: i dont think kids are allowed Food : 4/5 |

A go-to pool place in Ottawa. It gets expensive if you go on a weekend but beers are good and the pool tables are nice.

Nice place for a nice day out with your loved ones!

Great spot to chill and play pool. The food is quite good too. Although the service can be lacklustre sometimes.

Great hangout spot! Awesome food (highly recommend the curly fries) and always good service. It can get pretty busy though, which is the only downside as tables can be hard to acquire.

The food could have been better. Still that was good. Highly recommended and Ill go there again. Food

I personally love this place. Good amount of pool tables, fair prices for food options, and all in all a good vibe. I also think this is one of the top restaurants to watch sports as well given their TV options. Lots of screens to watch multiple games at once. My personal favourite is the nachos here paired with a beer and a game of pool. Very good job all around.

Tables in good condition, nice beer selection and affordable price (we paid $12/hour on Thursday)

Good food, decent drink menu, and many pool tables, but disappointing service.

Very generous portion, one pizza easily serves 3 people! Fair price but very very noisy! Not at all bilingual either. But nice

Many pool tables for pool lovers. Tables are decently kept, bar foods are good and service is great.

Been in the area for a while and everything was always sub mediocre at best. When they hosted the protestors that shut everyone else down, I was FURIOUS but I also understood that the MacLearan needed buisness. 2 years later, and theyre still hosting the tiny slack jaw, crayon munchers who antagonize the public? these people are parasitic pansies that confront anyone who walks by (until there is confrontation, then they hide like a 13 year old) . Maclearan...... Is this youre clientele? make a decision Ottawas fed up!

Great for late night munchies

Very good structure and very good service. It has more than ten pool tables. Lots of sports broadcast screens. The sandwiches are very good, and the menu is very varied. Wide variety of draft beers and alcoholic drinks.

Amazing food! I had a meet lover pizza and it was super good. Someone at the table had the chipotle chicken nachos and those were great too. Vegetarian options: Veggie pizzas, nachos, fries and many other vegetarian options

Amazing experience

I love this bar very good vibes and the service is on point especially the waiter Scott so friendly and professional i love his service 10 on 10

Great place to play pool with friends in Ottawa! Food can use some work sometimes but most of the time its decent

MacLarens is always great. If want to play pool downtown Ottawa Maclarens is the place to be. Just be aware that if you show up to late, you may not be able to get a pool table.

i love this place

It was such a fun night! We just randomly stopped by to play and have a drink, service was very good and food and beers turned out to be great! Overall the atmosphere was very positive. Food : 5/5

Great food great people great atmosphere you cant go wrong Vegetarian options: Small choice but great food Wheelchair accessibility: Everywhere is wheelchair accessible

Great place to play some pool, good atmosphere, great service!

Food was decent. The venue was really nice and the pool tables were well kept and very reasonably priced at 12$/hr

Food was very good. Staff was friendly. Many pool tables.

Food was trash cool place for pool but food an service were absolute garbage

Nice bar, good pool tables and really good customer service. Never had a negative experience there, would recommend.

Great place, good food. Would be nice to have the bar open earlier on Saturdays to catch early games.

Very good chicken wings and reasonable service for a busy place.

Dificult to get a pool table.

Cool bar with many pool tables. We only had to wait less than 10 minutes for a table on a Sunday evening. Their coffee is from Nespresso, so its a huge plus.

Good price for pool. I recommend the curly fries.

Great bar food and a overall nice place to enjoy some pool with friends.

Great spot to start a long night of adventure and shenanigans on Elgin.

Nobel took care of our table and he was really amazing! Honestly I will be coming back here again. Had a really good night.

Nice place. You can enjoy pool game.

Growing up on Waverley, this was my go-to spot my dad and I would go to watch games and play pool so I have very fond memories but it s unfortunate the lack of service which has been decreased over the years.

We went to Maclarens as a family outing and had a great time! Our server Scott was incredible. While we were a larger group (8) and moved around a lot, we were never without a drink or food. The food was also really good and the menu is a lot bigger than what I had expected (vegetarians there are many options!). We had made a reservation ahead of time and that process went very smoothly as well. They ensured seating was available for us due to some mobility issues in the group. We will be back :) Vegetarian options: Cauliflower bites and layered dip were tasty!

Food was great, drinks were perfect and timely. Service was friendly.

Decent pool hall. Food was average but service was great!

If youre coming here for food, do NOT order the wings. Ive never tasted anything so disgusting in my life. They were mushy and undercooked, tiny and 90% wingettes. Felt sick afterward as well.

Delicious food, nice tables, pleasant staff and great atmosphere. I highly recommend this place.

Stopped in for a beer. Good service in spite of xmas party crowds.

This is a really nice place to hang out with friends and family. You pay 12$ an hour and have play at a pool table. You can order food and drinks and play at the same time. I really recommend if you want to spend a night together with someone, or by yourself.