Fauna in Ottawa

I just don t get it. I believe that if a restaurant serves such a small menu, each item needs to be well thought out and executed. That wasn t the case. While we loved the tiramisu affogato, everything else we had missed the mark just enough for us to not feel the need to ever come back. What set us off? $17 for fried sunchokes. It s not the price that s wrong with it, because we happily pay that for delicious food. The issue is that it sounded delicious on the menu, but arrived like potato wedges out of an air fryer on bed of light mayonnaise. I just don t get it. The black cod came with an amazing broth - just not enough of it - and medallions that looked like scallops, tasted like they could have been charred but raw potatoes, and were actually yams. Jarring and disappointing. Oysters were a hit, but reflect the quality of the produce, not the kitchen. Meh

Overwhelmingly underwhelming.

I dont know, I am in between with this place. The food was good but I think I was expecting more. Service was good but maybe more explanations or a smile. Its a great place with really good food, It is not far from being great Food

one of the best meals Ive ever had in my miserable life

Menu switch from 80 day cured hangar steak to rib eye was disappointing. $130 for small portion for 2 was over priced. Server had a body odour priblem but was very nice.

Food is passable, but for what youre paying I would expect more complex flavour profiles. Mushroom dishes were pretty one dimensional, lobster bisque was watery and overpowered on spice. Great wines by the glass and good service. Atmosphere is a bit crowded/tight and choatic.

The food presentation was good, we ordered Tuna Tataki and I didnt like it, fish had a strong smell. I also had Cod, the fish was nice and fresh but I didnt like the soup like presentation of it, and not an interesting ingredient. My partner had Mitake and he liked it very much. We also ordered Greens, which was ordinary.

Service was friendly and attentive, but we also had a desert forgotten, a glass forgotten, and an extreme delay on our mains that was obvious something had been neglected along the way. That being said, the deserts were comped as a result, and the service was kind throughout. Food was stellar, oysters were best Id ever had, and steak was perfectly cooked.

I took my fiancé here as a surprise, who works and has been trained as a chef. Both he and I enjoyed the food so much that the restaurant has been added onto our list of top places to eat in the city! The Iberian pork was the best pork Ive ever had, hands-down.

I cannot recommend this restaurant more. I just booked this venue for a Board meeting for our organization (13 people) as a last minute resort since the restaurant where we originally booked flat out cancelled our reservation on short notice due to staff issues. I called many places but they were all booked up as we needed the reservation within hours. One of the restaurants suggested we call Fauna. I immediately followed their advice, especially since we had just been there a few months ago for another Board dinner and the service had been fantastic, the private room had great ambiance and the food was absolutely delicious. The coordinator, Ken, was very friendly and courteous taking my reservation, quickly followed up by email and reassured me that they would have our dietary restrictions covered. It was such a relief and I feel confident that our Board will be well taken care of (again) and have a great time and delicious meal at this restaurant.

Extraordinary culinary experience! The oysters, the lobster bisque, the rainbow trout, the almond cake...everything was well presented and cooked to perfection. Impeccable service.

[27-Aug-2024] Recognize that my first review was written almost ten years ago and could use a refresh as I certainly had more to say back then. Only make it out a handful of times a year, but the quality and service here are outstanding. Inventive, creative, and delicious food and drink. Fauna could easily compete in a modern Canadian metro area (Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver) with their cuisine. Ottawa isnt as adventurous nor appreciative nor kind towards good food. So yourself a favour if you appreciate trying something different and check it out. Top quality product always. Please be mindful that the main room can be a bit loud when full, just sayin.. [2015] I cant say enough good things about Fauna. Ive eaten here around 2-3 times a month since opening (easily 40+ visits). I have never eaten anything I havent loved, and Ive tried as much of their inventive menu as I could. Frog legs? Yes please. Duck heart tartare on V-day? You guys are dark, funny, and I couldnt eat raw heart on a better day. Every crudo, carpaccio, and tartare Ive tried are all the things delicious. Each plate is a work of art. Flavours are balanced perfectly. Excellent drink selection. The staff might as well be my second family. They are all super attentive, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable about all things delicious. Ive built a rapport with most of the Faunas team, and cant say enough good things about them. The main room itself is cozy, open, and industrial. Yes. Those adjectives do not normally go together. But they do at Fauna. Even the bathrooms are gorgeous. The Foundry room downstairs has been a real treat to use, which I have on a few occasions. Service with a private booking was fantastic. Double plus good for the ability to play your own music. In my opinion, one cannot go far wrong eating at Fauna. Caveat: those who can go wrong have an unrefined palate, prefer quantity over quality, or go to restaurants to simply play the part of a scenester. There are many self-proclaimed foodies - I despise that word. I know food because I took the time to educate myself about as many aspects of cuisine as possible. Just because you spend lots of money eating out doesnt make you any more special or unique, or valued to society. You are not a special snowflake. Fauna deserves 5 stars for everything theyve done. Today, everyone feels they have a right to an opinion, and they do. However, not all opinions hold equivalent value. If you know high quality when you taste it, youll love this place. Ive had over 100 individual dishes here, and have not once had an any issues.

Youve got to try this place!

Great food and good service. We enjoyed our experience.

Best vegetarian meal Ive ever had

Beautiful patio! Mike helped us pick some incredible wines, the oysters, bison tartare, agnolotti, ribeye, tuna were all very special. Agnolotti was out of this world. Service was attentive, and super friendly. 10 out of 10!

I can die happy now. The BEST!

Tied for the best food I ve had. 100% recommend

Food was phenomenal and our server was a wonderful guide through the menu and made stellar suggestions.

Disappointed. The waiter couldn t crack a smile, was not personable at all. We ordered the most expensive thing on the menu which was the ribeye, not $130 worth of steak for sure, but the sauce covering all of the veggies, mushrooms etc had the worst mouthfeel ever, so greasy, it was off putting

The rib eye for two is fabulous... What an amazing place to celebrate our 34 year Anniversary. Thank you so much

In my opinion, the best restaurant in Ottawa!

Loved my time here! Great food and great service!

Made a reservation for my husband and I at Fauna for our 20th wedding anniversary. We reserved seats at the bar because that s usually our vibe. The atmosphere was a bit cold and noisy but clean. A server came to take our drink and appetizer order and said we should just order our main at the same time because they had a couple of large parties, so immediately we felt we weren t as important as the other patrons and that we should have a lower expectation of service. We ordered cocktails, oysters, stuffed morels and the ribeye for two. The cocktails were okay, the morels and oysters were very good. We never saw the server again all night; we had to try to make it obvious that we wanted something from the bartender after placing our original order. We waited a while before someone at the bar noticed our drinks were empty- my husband ordered a draft beer and I ordered a glass of red. The beer was fine but my $19 glass of red wine was about 6 ounces and full of sediment; bottom of the bottle glass I suspect but pretty undrinkable. The ribeye was a nice cut and cooked perfectly; yummy au jus and side veggies were very nice as well. The servers were obviously friends with the patrons next to us and paid no attention to us at all. Our glasses of water weren t refilled and no one asked us how our meal and drinks were through our evening. All in all, this place is fine if you re going to hang out with a couple of pals and have some good food but definitely not a date night type of atmosphere, especially for a special occasion like an anniversary night. Service was subpar for the hype of this place. We won t be going back; only giving it three stars because the chefs were on point! If you want a cosy atmosphere, excellent drinks and great service that makes you feel special, go across the street to the whalesbone.

Excellent steak, melts in your mouth, very good flavor

Great place for a fancy date! The 2-person ribeye is definitely worth trying. Service was impeccable.

Had a really nice time at Fauna. The service was excellent and the food was good. Enjoyed the the scallop + pork belly, but the ribeye steak was over salted. All in all, a good meal, but not for that price tag

The place is nice but lots of seating and can get super loud. The menu is a bit meat-heavy though they use a variety of meats, but not too many vegetarian options. The beet wellingtons puff pastry was great; there was something inside that did not sit well with my taste buds unfortunately but I liked the concept. The cheesecake, though small, was actually very heavy and tasted very strongly of goat cheese (if Im not mistaken) which was overpowering. The latte was light but nice

The off-menu duck was delicious, the bison tartare yummy, and dessert impeccable. The wines by the glass list is short, but really well chosen. Service was spot on, as well.

Excellent dinner. The menu had a limited number of choices but a wide spectrum of style and flavours resulting in everyone in our party of five having a couple of good options to choose from. Everything we ordered was creative, delicious and prepared to perfection. The server was well prepared to answer questions about the menu and help in wine selection from an impressive list. They where attentive to our needs and timing. The atmosphere was beautiful but when full a little loud for fine dining, but still able to have table discussion.

Excellent

Excellent meal with good advice for food and wine pairing, nothing but freshness! Positively impressed, I would return without hesitation. Beautiful atmosphere and personalized, bilingual service, plates served by the chef himself! Fabulous. One starter, two glasses of wine, one main course, $109/pers. Hearty meal that is worth it. Well done to the whole team! Vegetarian options: Yes Parking: Parking nearby, rue Franck.

Had an awesome time at Fauna. Amazing food, arrived early and they let us sit early, and staff were very hospitable.

Food was amazing, service was great, overall great experience. A little bit on the pricey side, but you pay for what you get!

Absolutely insaneeeee. Tartare, veal and pork belly were the stars. Cocktails and service were top notch as well. Very vibey for any special occasion

Menu is tight and meat based, but also incredible. Great portions, well balanced, and delicious. Service is fantastic, polite but friendly. The place is just plain fun. Dietary restrictions: Gluten Free was easy to accomodate.

The scallops and pork belly rank among the best Ive ever tasted. Truly an outstanding experience.

My friends were in town and found this little gem... They had already had been in for lunch and we returned again that night for dinner. The food was incredible, it left us amazed at the effort and quality with which flavours were presented. Very reasonably priced for what we received. We will definitely be returning. I absolutely recommend fauna to any foodies or those seeking great food and a change of the monotony of alot of restaurants today.

Is this food expensive, absolutely. Is the food touching,nay smothering divinity, absolutely. Go

I came for a set Valentines menu, and it didn t disappoint. Every part of the meal was 10/10 and the wine pairings were lovely

Food was absolutely delicious, we had the dry aged ribeye which was to die for only thing keeping this from being 5 stars was the service. It s really really sad, not a single server seemed to be happy working there, very little acknowledgment, no smiling or politeness. The food speaks for itself it amazing and I would still recommend that people go here for the food, but this would be a real highlight of a restaurant if the staff were more welcoming. It was so depressing that it did leave a bad feeling in our stomach, even after we filled up on all the amazing food!

Food was hit and miss. Appetizers were good. I had the duck as a main, which was not a full breast and was overcooked. Asked for medium rare but it was was more medium-well done. The scallop and pork belly were good. Desserts left alot to be desired. Cheesecake needed a cooli rather than a compote. The apple tart was also missing refinement. 6/10 considering food quality and price. Service was decent.

Top 10 restaurant hands down. The food was amazing, the service was amazing. Our waiter was really good, always recommended good drinks, we never felt rushed to order. Nice quiet restaurant with a chill vibe and the food was next level. Awesome place

This place is never a let down!!! You need to try this place, cool menu thats always changing, their wine list is just phenomenal!!!!! One of the best service in Ottawa, Mike is amazing, will recommend the best wine pairings, he knows his menu very well. Truly a great spot, the private room in the cellar is also pretty cool to have for a large group. Looking forward to going again and again!!!! Went there two nights in a row and couldnt be happier about it, its the only way you can have their whole menu

Excellent food and service. We shared the rib eye for two and the pappardelle pasta. Everything was delightful, we look forward to returning.

Excellent restaurant. Everything was perfect.

I have been going to Fauna since 2017, and it s always been really, really good. But for my most current visit with a good friend (Feb. 1, 2024), I was so, so disappointed. 1. Cocktail menu exclusively gin-based. While I do like my gin, my friend is not a fan. So strike number one. We are told it s the chef s thing . (For the record: this was not the case when I was there in April 2023). 2. Takes about 20 minutes to get drinks, kind of long to wait (the restaurant was not slammed, it was just past 6:30). Then the food comes 5 minutes later. Um, what? This is not lunchtime. Do you want us to eat and leave ASAP? Not cool. 3. The wine. Sigh. Extensive wine list (yes, granted) but not ONE New Zealand wine? For the price you guys charge for wine, at least give me one choice of something I like (and I understand you need to make money on beverages). New Zealand it s not like I wanted some obscure vintage from some exotic location. 4. I order the elk tartare (which I had back in April and absolutely loved). No bread. No croutes. No chips. No vehicle for eating said tartare. I ask our server for some bread and am told, and I quote: There is no bread in the restaurant . I ask why. I am told the chef is celiac and has recently decreed : No Bread In Fauna . Sorry, not my problem. He doesn t have to eat the bread, just serve it. And our server, bless her heart, tells me to (and I quote) just use your fork . Thanks a lot Sydney - I always appreciate a little dose of condescending snark with my meal. 5. I ask if I could have an order of fries, as an exception, even though it says on the menu that fries (and a few other options) are only available after 9 pm. Can t hurt to ask some restaurants I have been to will serve you a side order of fries if they have them, even if they are not listed on the menu. Nope, no can do. Fries only come out after 9 pm. No exceptions. 6. We now come to the WORST part of the evening. This pair of entitled, self-absorbed food blogger influencers sitting at the table right beside us keep taking photos of their food. Were talking an entire Hollywood production. She has this extremely bright, hand-held spotlight that she hold way up high over her head to light up their food (and our quadrant of the restaurant) for about 20-30 seconds AT A TIME (I am honestly not making this up), while he manipulates the shot this way and that, moving the food, clicking the camera, trying to take the perfect shot. And this goes on and on throughout the meal, seemingly without end. Even the couple on our other side are starting to look at them, and then at us, like what the..? Indeed. Why couldn t they have arranged to come in during the afternoon to do this, when the restaurant is relatively empty? And why did the restaurant care more about some possible promotion from an influencer over the experience of its other customers? You, Fauna, are in the service industry. You should care about the client experience even if the client is not an influencer. Please also remember, Fauna is not inexpensive, and part of what you pay for is the ambiance. Thanks to these two influencers who imagined themselves to be the center of the universe, there was no ambiance to speak of that night for my friend and I. Likely not for the other couple either. I did mention this to the person at reception as I was leaving about this and was told (and again I quote): Oh they are from a magazine like this is a valid excuse. At least pretend! Give me some lame lip service about how sorry you are and how you didn t know they would be at it for so long. So at that point (I am a bit embarrassed to say), I was at the end of my rope. So I said (and I quote) I don t give a s**t and left with my friend. We actually went to another restaurant downtown and had some FRIES and 2 glasses of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc - and so in the end the evening was salvaged. I will not be going back to Fauna.

Although a bit expensive, the quality of the food is impeccable. Everything was perfectly cooked and delicious. Food we tried: Oysters - Clean and high quality. 8/10 Kanpachi Tataki - Truly shines, very flavorful 10/0 Elk Tartare - Delicious and flavorful, although it comes with thin crunchy kale slices in place of traditional crostini or bread. I think it could benefit from a crostini instead. 8/10 Mains: Scallop + Pork Belly - The pork belly bites were perfect, and the scallops were delicious. The portion is small of each and the rest of the plate is filled a bit with extras that leave you a bit to be desired. I dont think this is a good plate to get as your solo main, but wonderful to share multiple mains with. Next time I might look to try the duck or venison. 8/10 Pappardelle - I usually avoid pasta at restaurants like this but the reviews made me try it. It was incredibly flavorful and perfectly cooked, I would order this again 100%. Definitely try this. 10/10

Food, drinks & service were incredible! Appetizers were fresh and the flavours were a perfect pairing. The veal cheek was melt in your mouth. Vegetarian option the maitake mushroom was spectacular. Drinks were perfect and they will whip up custom drinks to a tee.

Only good things to say! I was so impressed with the food, especially the pasta dish. Service and atmosphere were also phenomenal. Can t wait to return to try other dishes.

The food was very tasty including the tartare, oysters, Guinea fowl and cheesecake.

Great food. Great service. A little expensive, but paying for quality.

Creative menu with elk tatar and soft shell crab - yummie Perfect wine recommondation Food

Delicious culinary creations. Amazing wine selection. Great cocktails. Friendly service. Worth every penny.

We booked this restaurant to celebrate my sons completion of his PhD. The starters were in my opinion were mediocre at best, My daughter and I ordered the steak for 2 which arrived at the table cold and I had to go and find the waiter to inform him that I was not impressed by the food, he replied that HE was insulted that I would bring this to his attention.He then offered to have the meal warmed up which is a total insult to anyone. We then ordered coffee and my son requested a decaffeinated coffee only to be informed that they had none. Not once did anyone in management come to the table to speak to us. For the price range of this restaurant I would suggest you go somewhere else to spend your hard earned cash. Celebrating 13 years of studying and ruined because a restaurant cannot serve a warm meal.

If you love food and cocktail and havent try fauna you are missing out, best place in ottawa

Great place with great food. Only thing I didnt get was the wine offerings, specifically the lack of selection at a lower price point. There are a lot of pretty decent wines out there that would pair well with this menu at much lower prices. Keep the great, more expensive offerings on the menu but throw a bone to those folks who enjoy phenomenal food but cant necessarily splurge on pricy vino.

Went for dinner this week for a birthday! The experience with the staff was extremely positive and the food was phenomenal. The duck with kimchi pancake was out of this world and Im not sure Ive ever tried a pork chop like that before. We will be returning.

Went here for an Anniversary dinner with my partner, and we both loved it! The food was fantastic in both taste and presentation, the drinks were all creative and refreshing, and the service was amazing! While the prices are too high for us to dine here often, theyre very fair for the quality of food and service. Will definitely be bringing friends & family to experience this great restaurant!

Okay, so, I dont often write reviews for food. However, I was a chef for over 6 years in Toronto. Im relatively new to Ottawa. This place did not disappoint. Excellent service/staff who presented excellent knowledge of the menu. Excellent drink menu; and the food, DIVINE. We had the iberico pork chops with black trumpet puree etc. Ugh. Just mouth watering. We also tried the crab , its a must. No imitations. Skip dessert. The place was packed at 6pm and everyone was so happy. The vibe is real. Men, take your girl here. Women, take your men here. Enjoy!

Decent food but rude staff.

Where to begin? My wife and I enjoyed everything about our experience here. The food was delicious, the drinks were great, the decor lovely, and our server was very attentive. Although not cheap (our bill came to $235 with tax and 20% tip), it was worth every penny. On this outing, me and my wife got two alcoholic drinks each, ordered four small plates to share, and also got the ribeye steak special. Would definitely go back again. Vegetarian options: We ordered a few vegetarian dishes, like the mushroom bisque, endive salad, and Brussel sprouts.

A fantastic venue with a quiet charm and amazing food .

4.5 stars. Our servers were helpful and friendly, and each dish we ordered (elk carpaccio, tortelloni, swordfish, pork chop) was excellent. Interesting wine and spirit list, and I enjoyed my cocktail too. A couple of negatives: 1) My partner and I had an 8:30pm reservation on the Saturday night before Valentines Day as there was nothing earlier to book a couple weeks in advance, but we were a bit surprised to find the restaurant about half full when we arrived. 2) The greeting at the host stand was surprisingly cold and unwelcoming - barely a look up, did not greet us with a hello or welcome, just asked are you with that group over there (we were not). Everything after these moments was great though, as the rest of the staff were kind and welcoming. Overall we would recommend Fauna and would like to come back for cocktails and to try more of the menu, but the experience could be refined a bit to make it feel slightly more welcoming and upscale.

Amazing food and wine pairing from their spe ial Valentines Day menu. A bit pricey but well worth it for that specail occasion to treat your special someone

Wow, wow, WOW! What a wonderful experience! Between the food, wine and awesome team, this restaurant is our new favourite! Everything we ate and drank was delicious and we were well taken care of throughout the entire evening. Shout out to our server Sydney! We ll be back when we come back to Ottawa! :)

Great drink selection and unique tasting menu that s fun to explore with friends.

The food looks much better than it tastes. I had the Swordfish with soba noodles. The fish was dry and the noodles were too acidic, and cold.

we visited this restaurant few nights ago and were impressed with the quality of the food. The flavors were bold and unique, and the presentation was beautiful. The service was friendly and attentive, although the restaurant was a bit noisy.

I have been to Fauna a few times over the years and went again recently. Definitely one of my favourite restaurants in Ottawa. The cocktails, wine, food and service were all excellent. I had a squash main which was sooooo delicious. Highly recommend.

Fancy dinner for my best friend s birthday! First time at Fauna and it was absolutely perfect.

Excellent food and service, 5 star

We ordered the baked oysters, scallop ceviche, soft shelled crab to start and each dish was carefully balanced and plated, each powerfully packed with incredible flavours. The scallop ceviche was an all around favourite surprising us with a spicy citrus taste. For mains we had the delicata squash, iberico pork chop, and swordfish. These dishes were to die for, a truly wonderful experience savouring each of these dishes. The staff was very attentive and the atmosphere reminded me of a calm reprieve from the busy streets. Ill definitely be back

Excellent dining experience here. Unique and delicious food, great wait staff and an awesome atmosphere. Highly recommended

Love love love this restaurant

Amazing food will definitely be coming back soon again.

The Steak and Iberico ham were amazing!

The second visit in one month and was still very happy about everything. The stuffed wings are very interesting. The seasoning feels like an Asian fusion with spices and zing. The dry aged steak for 2 is by far my favorite, cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the veggies and mash works well. The pork chop is an interesting one: the protein itself was cooked nicely, though I find it needs a little more seasoning. The veggies came with the protein was overwhelmingly earthy... made me wonder what the idea behind that specific combination was. Overall, I really enjoyed this place and will come back for more

80 day aged sirloin is AMAZING!

Wonderful people. Will definitely recommend to friends and families

The establishment is well located, the decor is intimate and the service is attentive. The menu is simple and the dishes delicious. We had the soft shell crab (a little too much breading which hides the taste of the crab in my opinion) and a lamb tartare. The ribeye aged 80 days for 2 with its vegetables will satisfy us. To finish in style, we had the pudding and chocolate cake. We will definitely go back if we come back to Ottawa :)

Rib eye for 2 is too salty. Halibut is very tender and tasty. Not recommend their cocktail, very light in flavours.

In all honesty, Fauna is exorbitantly expensive for the quantity of food you ll receive but thankfully, the quality of their small portions is excellent. We were very impressed with every item we ordered, and somehow, the fried potato in my main dish managed to be some of the best I ve ever had. It was honestly almost better than the lamb it was served with. I wouldn t make a habit of returning to Fauna too often with the hefty price tag it promises, but we really enjoyed our time, and we would like to come back again someday!

This was the best meal I ve had in years! We got the ribeye for two and it was mouth watering. Highly recommend!

Fauna is absolutely phenomenal. The creativity of their chefs are truly highlighted in the diverse dishes they create, with an attention to detail that is consistent throughout the year. Whether you come here for business, social, or romantic endeavors, you can trust that the food will be consistently well-seasoned and made with the best quality ingredients, delivered to your table by skilled, professional, and courteous staff who are deeply knowledgeable about their menu and wine pairings.

Food is always very good but I particularly loved the burger and the big dry aged ribeye. Honestly, I tell people all the time you don t need to go to a fancy steakhouse, places like Fauna make spectacular steak and have so many other food options too.

I made a reservation at this restaurant for my birthday. I have agreed on wine to serve to my guests that I will pay and they would pay their meal. At the time of the event, the server asked me when she can serve the canapes I told her I did not order any. At one point, she came with canapes and was serving my guests, on top of that, she served Oysters as well. I asked to speak with Ken, the person Ive been in contact with and she kept on saying after. I went to the kitchen to see who I an speak with and they confirmed this were instructions they received if theres anything I should speak with Ken. Which I did the next day. Now Ken is responding to me, not even saying Hi or sorry or anything. Whatever I said to me him he is only replying : I felt like you wanted canapes. You are in business why are you talking about feeling? I said I need a sort of compensation because I did not agree to neither canapes nor Oysters... his responses were the same. I felt frustrated, disrespected. I was forced to pay something I didnt order for 16 people. People need to know this. And the server I had for the night, never smiled at us or looked friendly.

Well, we were in a group setting, which is different (relegated to the wine cellar, so atmosphere was what you expect). Actually ate here 2x in a a week so got to taste many things. The ceviche appetizer was amazing as was the lamb tartar. Tried the halibut with a nice crispy crust but otherwise was overdone and a bit dry. The steak however was the big hit for many in the group. Limited menu but most items excellent. Very different wine list boasting natural wines, many if which you do not see regularly.

Great food and service.

So we planed to go there for my birthday and ww made a reservation online for 9h45. An hour and half before we received a text message saying that they close the kitchen at 10 so we would have 15 minutes to order and rush. Its totally not acceptable, especially from a fine cuisine restaurant. Instead of trying to find a solution when we called they tried to send us somewhere else very unproffessional place. Very fun to read your reply, if your system accept reservation at 9h45 you should offer the same service as the others, dont blame it on covid , and by the way didnt you thought we book reservation late cause was my birtgday and we planed many activities...anyway its not your buisness, but whats funny to see is that you dont offer the same service for everyone, adjust your system to 8pm is your enployees cant work late , Good job thats what fine cuisine is about...totally not!

Gorgeous spot and good food. Just needs a better AC system.

Impromptu visit but still was accepted for dine-in. We had the vegetarian menu items and both desserts-everything was delicious and served quickly.

Read the reviews and thought this was an upscale place but it was more like a pub. Not high end dinner place. Did not enjoy the food at all. Ordered 80 day dry aged ribeye for 2 and left at least half of it behind. Was salty and most likely a frozen meat. Waste of money. Also had oysters which were ok. Nothing to complain about or rave about. Maybe the other dishes are good but don t order the aged ribeye.

Visiting from Colorado U.S Best meal in Ottawa .. awesome friendly attentive service and fabulous menu, great vibe, hipster chic and welcoming ..food is perfectly prepared . I only wish I could give them six stars .

wonderful food service and atmosphere. well done

Highly recommend for date night or girls night. Also, reservation recommend for the weekend specially. All the food was AMAZING. I would definitely wanna try all the foods they have even though a bit pricy. Their interior blew my mind. So trendy and hip. Especially lightings were pieces of art.. love them so much. For those who are SNS queens, They have great lightings for pics

Pretty good food, amazing softshell crab, great service and atmosphere. I have to say though that for 300$ dinner for two (appetizers, main and dessert) without any drinks (beyond what turned out to be a 4$+ semi-fizzed soda water) we really were not blown away. Other than the softshell crab, the food lacked the wow factor that you kind of expect at this price point. Avoid ordering dessert, and double down on their appetizers, which we found were the highlights. While definitely worth trying if you live in Ottawa, I found from a value perspective Signatures and Riviera deliver more at a somewhat lower price point.

This place deserves a Michelin star, its stunning

The dry aged steak is to die for and worth the value compare to whalesbone.

Great cocktails, food & staff. Highly recommend!

Don t get the set menu and do a private event in the basement. Service was poor (tip is automatic and included so who cares), food was bang average. $80 a plate. I can definitely find better places to spend my money Salad was a few pieces of iceberg lettuce, ham and 3 pieces of shaved parmesan cheese. The main: salmon was pretty hard to mess up. Dessert was meh Overall: overrated and overpriced

Amazing menu. Great selection of drinks.

Omg ! Awesome meal!

The food is actually very nicely done. Portions are not the biggest. Desserts are a bit ordinary, though. I give the food a 4 star rating because, well, its quite expensive for what you get. But beyond that, it is good. Service is friendly. Its a very busy place, and loud. Its hard to carry a conversation. The mains are the best part.

Excellent food and good atmosphere for dinner with friends and colleagues. Parking: Street parking is free on nearby side streets in the evening. Food : 5/5 |

My boyfriend booked a table for his birthday, and there was a male waiter with a slight beard and a bit overweight who seemed to ignore us completely. From the moment we sat down until he poured us water, there was no communication at all. He had no expression on his face, and when we ordered steak, he didnt even ask us how we wanted it cooked. We felt a strong sense of racial discrimination and malice, and wont be coming back again. NEVER COME AGAIN -Due to the issue with Googles mechanism, I cannot add a further reply after the merchant has responded to me. Thus, I updated this review as a reply without altering any of the original feedback. First: I am severely lactose intolerant, so I never drink milk or consume any dairy products. We did not bring the so-called cake you mentioned on the day we dined, and we ate at an outdoor table. I can assure you that the messy cake the merchant mentioned does not exist. The only accurate part is that after we were seated, we only ordered steak, crab, and oysters. It was very impolite for the waiter not to ask us how well-cooked we wanted our steak after we ordered it, and his lack of any verbal communication while serving us was also very rude. Instead of apologizing for the burly male waiters attitude, the merchant fabricated a story that I brought a cake, which is even more vulgar.

If youd like to have a fancy dinner and not break the bank, dine at Fauna. The food is very well prepared, it has excellent tastes and the staff know their wines. Love it here.

Dry aged steak had whole chunks of fat in it, complained to the waiter but he said all rib eye is supposed to be like this, as if we never had dry aged rib eye before. For a $110 dish I had way higher expectations for the food, but some part of the steak was not even chewable, had tendon and bone pieces in it. Also no one even asked how we want our steak cooked when we were ordering, when I pointed it out when getting our check the waiter did not even apologize. Looking through the comment section I suddenly understand why people are not happy with their experience, you reply to every low star comment explaining the reason for your mistake and even blaming the customers as if you did everything perfectly, instead of just admit your mistake and take the advice from your customers so you can improve later. Please don t reply my review with a long paragraph. Will not be going back to this place.

Everything was fine but fine is about the most you could say about it. For over $100 a head I expect a little more than feeling the food was edible. Unimpressive cocktails poured from a water pitcher and served with a shrug by a waiter who had no clue what was in them didn t help either. Kid-friendliness: No seating available.

This store was selected as one of Canadas 100 best stores. The menu seems to change depending on the season. Rare ingredients such as elk, deer, guinea fowl, and bison will also be featured. Theres also a pretty solid wine list.

Been going here since it opened 10 years ago. It has never disappointed in any way!

Rare occasion that I visit a high end restaurant but I was very satisfied. Server was very knowledgeable and provided excellent service.

The food was fantastic but what really stood out for me is Tristan. A professional waiter that cares, loves food and drinks, so knowledgeable about his menu, the way he describes menu items alone has made our experience a truly superior culinary delicacy!

Me and my girlfriend made reservations for our anniversary dinner date. The food was amazing! The service was fantastic and at the end they even gave us a cheesecake on the house for our anniversary. Will certainly be returning in the future for more!

Awesome place, wish we went sooner. Amazing menu.

I was somewhat dreading Fridays dinner at Fauna because I figured it would be expensive for mediocre quality. I was so wrong! The dinner was really excellent, the flavours were creative and well layered. It was the sort of refined quality I expect of more sophisticated restaurants. Even the mocktail was excellent, not too sweet with complex flavours. Overall good value, Id go back next time were in Ottawa.

I had one of the most amazing meals of my life here. I highly recommend it. The flavors are outstanding and the service was top notch. Portions are small which was great as it allowed me to try more! Every dish was better than the one before it!

Good food and cocktail Bison tartar so good. All the food plates were very good Food

As we are getting to know Ottawa a bit more based upon a couple visits to see friends recently, I was very pleased by this choice of restaurant. An industrial, Brooklyn-ese style decor (think steel, chrome, leather/vinyl, open kitchen) that was pleasantly quiet the evening we visited. True to the name, we stuck with meat-centric dishes that did not disappoint. Elk tartare, venison, soft-shell crabs oh and maybe some oysters too. All nicely done, with good portions and lovely preparations displayed on rugged dishware. The wine list, although short yielded some interesting bottles in the mid-price range including a few Sicilian reds that I adore. I d be delighted to visit Fauna again on our next trip to Canada s capital. Is it inexpensive? No, but good quality is worth paying for. And I do live in NY so it might be hard to believe but this is a bargain compared to similar style restos in my city.

The food was excellent. You gotta try it. Vegetarian options: They had delicious options Dietary restrictions: They accommodate for that.

The scallops were the best I have ever had! Very delicious food and they even got a free dessert for celebrating my wedding anniversary.

I am never disappointed when I eat at Fauna. This visit was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed the Arctic char. I also tasted my partners elk striploin and it was wonderful.

Fauna is the place you go to when you want something above and beyond. Fauna is the place I go to when its my birthday and I get to pick an experience that everyone will enjoy. Fauna is a delicacy you will never be disappointed in because the food speaks for itself and the service is the cherry ontop. The patio is such a vibe and the indoor seating is everything you could want. Fauna is my top restaurant in Ottawa.

Limited menu, with no vegetarian options The presentation of the food was formidable You will love it if you are not a vegetarian like moi

A tad on the pricey side, even considering the quality. But everything from the cocktails, to apps, wine and mains was great. Great service, high quality ingredients and perfectly prepared. Had a great night.

Nice little spot for an intimate/romantic meal, the music is a tad on the loud side though. The restaurant has great ambiance and all of the staff are very friendly (one of the waiters has a 90s era Gavin Rossdale thing going on...points for that!). You definitely have to go with the mindset that you will be paying quite a bit for your meal though and the wine list is, to me anyway, very pricey. The bison tartare was great and extremely fresh but I expected something more flavourful from the elk sirloin. My potatoes werent cooked through so it might have affected my take on the dish (I didnt let the staff know because I hate being that person, I imagine they would have taken care of it no problem). The flavour combinations for the cornish hen however were great! Tarte tatin for dessert...do it! That ice cream was sooo good!!

Drinks we great and food was very good but quite pricey for the experience.

Food was great and service was friendly and fast. My partner and I enjoyed a nice night out and each dish was very tasty. We will definitely go back, personally loved the elk steak, and have heard good things about the aged beef. Price wise, we had an app each and a main each and split a desert plus 3 drinks total and the bill was ~$240. ***Oysters & venison tartar in pic

Sorry to give 2 stars. The food and service is amazing. Its the prices, $200 for one person is alittle crazy.

The steak was so amazing and oysters were fresh! Highly recommended.

Their soft shell crab was surprising me a lot, I thought it just like a regular Japanese tempura crab, but it was not. It tastes more like typhoon style crab which is a Cantonese dish, and the crab was full of roe. Scollop salad was ok, the first bite was the lime, lemon or orange I am not sure what it is, but hardly taste the favour of scollop itself, I think it was the result of the sauce which was too strong. Elk striploin was juicy and tender, highly recommended:)

Loved the oysters and the 15 hour potatoes that came with our lamb. Very high quality food and loved that the water was cold and crisp too.

Enjoyed the food, nice cocktail, good service.

Excellent service, great server, beautiful atmosphere, but unfortunately the rabbit and the lamb dishes were bland and expensive. I m fine paying a higher price point, but the food needs to be spectacular and it was just ok. Have been there many times pre-pandemic. It may have just been the Wednesday night we went.

If you are a person who is always looking for new flavors, Fauna is definitely the right place. The menu is constantly changing to offer new flavors, the staff is very friendly and the decoration is nice, I totally recommend it.

Hey Google can I give this place 6 stars? A solo meal out at this bright and bubbly restaurant. Staff are lovely. Food is amazing and quite possibly the best I have had all year. The main was Bison with a rich jus and just right crisp vegetables all very flavoursome. The desert was chocolate and passion fruit. Layers of mousse with a chocolate soil (actually quite large so maybe chocolate gravel) inspired charcoal marshmallows and a passion fruit coulis that bursts with zingy flavour. Worthy of a couple of Michelin stars. Update: Just been back again and still as great as before!

Wonderful meal, thank you for great evening and meal! And thank you for accommodating our guide dog in training. We really enjoy ourselves. A big shout out to your staff. Pisco sour was very fine, as was oysters, rabbit and tarte tatin.

Visited a few times. Tried to love it but there s just nothing special on the menu. Portions are small but understandable for fine dining however none of the dishes were tasty. Nothing bad but seriously nothing great. Ingredients seem to be fresh and good quality. The service is great. Ambiance is nice.

Worst experience ever in a restaurant. We are an Asian couple, we did not wear fancy because we were expecting a casual meal. One of the manager gave us the liquors menu said its really expensive(200 dollars for a bottle of wine) not expensive. Which is extremely rude and racist . Nobody paid any attention to us everyone was just helping the others we raised our hand, waiter walk pass. Oysters are small ,steaks portion are small. The menu said for 2 portion (16 oz), that is not 16oz, and it cost me 110 dollars to get a tiny portion steak with green hot pepper and potato LMAO. Dont go if you came here after reading Xiaohongshu. It cost me 169. The manager is extremely racist and the waiters are racist. I didnt feel full even after the meal and the portion was ridiculously small. For 110 yuan, two people had a few bites of steak. I really don t recommend going! NOT COMING AGAIN

The food was fantastic, the restaurant has a great atmosphere and the service is second to none. We will surely return, congratulations to the chef!

The food here is simply delicious, and the wait staff are attentive. We are visiting from out of town and even though our time here is limited, I have a feeling that we will be back before we leave the area.

Love their patio in the summer. Staff are super knowledgable and experienced. Go get some natural wine and enjoy bank st in the summer!

Very good restaurant, great experience.

Fully enjoyable experience, food, atmosphere, playlist, staff. Great spot.

One word: excellent!

Delicious food and great service. I ve been twice now and will definitely be going back.

An absolutely superb experience. I took a business associate from out of town here as he is a bit of a foody. Places like this are what is making Ottawa a special place for food. We started with cocktails, that were fantastic and expertly made. I dont remember the last time I enjoyed a margarita like that. We then moved on to starters where we shared the oysters which were very fresh, the accompanying sauces were great. Following that we had the duck wings. This was my first time having duck wings and Ive been thinking about them for the days after. Our main was the dry aged rib eye for 2, what incredible value. Probably the most tender steak Ive ever enjoyed. The mushrooms that topped the steak were simply stupidly good. All in all, fantastic value and quality - I will be back as often as possible. Service was impeccable. I would have gladly spent double for this level of food. Congrats to the chef and mixologist, they both smashed it.

Delicious and unique food!

Overpriced okay food.

My favourite go-to spot for celebratory meals or a fun date night! Excellent food and cocktails with high quality ingredients.

Very knowledgeable staff and the food is top notch.

My wife and I were excited to go to Fauna, and very comfortable while there. On a warm sunny summer Friday evening, we had a window seat, watching all of the pedestrians stroll by, while enjoying our appetizers, main course, and dessert. The portions are a good size, so dont over order. We recommend starting with the half-dozen oysters ($22), followed by the quail dish ($42) and burger dish ($39), wrapping it up with the creme brulee ($12). Im a big fan of dealers choice - I got the Old Fashioned - and I chose premium selection alcohol ($21) over regular ($18). The real test.. would we go again? absolutely yes. Our next visit will include the 80-day dry-aged rib eye (for 2 people). Highly recommended.

My first visit here upon recommendation from some Ottawa foodies. The menu was very thin on choice but quite pricey. Forget about the wine list of triply marked-up wines. My main was a Burger: Foie torchon, morels, Brie, Dijon, fries - $39 . I expected a bun with mi-cuit duck foie gras. I got a beef patty (nicely cooked) but no foie torchon. I asked the waiter to show me the foie. He couldn t and went to the chef, who told him that the torchon melts into the Brie. That does not happen! I told the waiter that the menu item did not even mention the burger containing beef. It was menued as Foie Torchon, after all. Ultimately, for my partly eaten meal I was offered a $23 reduction. I still tipped the waiter but the chef never showed up to speak with me, even though the restaurant was only 10% full. Top Canadian bistro? Not likely. I expected much better from a restaurant with its reputation. Disappointed and will never be back. Incidentally, the 80-day dry aged ribeye meal for two is now at $120. Quite a bump! 10% occupancy on a sunny Sunday summer evening tells it all. James

Wow it was amazing

Would not recommend. We were really looking forward to eating here, but were very disappointed. Drinks took over 45 mins to arrive, apps too another 20, and the mains finally came after almost two hours. Salmon crudo looked nicer on the floor after the waiter dropped it, then it did on my plate once they rushed a second one out to us, wasnt even plated, just thrown in any which way. Burger buns were soggy and the patty wasnt really seasoned. The halibut was also super bland, the fish tasted like almost nothing, and the sauce was just tomato. The drinks were decent but nothing to write home about. The real disappointment was the atmosphere, I love to eat outside, but the outdoor tent was dirty and the chairs are very uncomfortable, the worst thing was the one speaker blasting into the tent, whoever creates the playlist needs to seriously re-think what decent dinner music is, jumping from edm, to folk, soft music, to piano, is really not a nice vibe. So much potential to create an awesome outdoor space but it feels like a way to push more people through, and not create the same atmosphere youd get inside. And for $250, I might as well have thrown money in the trash. Dont waste your time.

Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 Taste: 5/5 No complaints, excellent on all counts.

The cocktails are to die for, and the dishes are not to be outdone! Special mention to the local version of Green Means Go.

Genuinely one of the best meals of my life. Absolutely worth the price. The recommended slushie cocktail was also wonderful.

We hosted a 40th birthday at Fauna this past weekend and they completely blew us away! My spouse and I have been to this restaurant several times before and the food is always excellent but they really out did themselves with our 4 course meal. All of the options were superb and the service was on point (shout out to the 80 day aged steak and the ceviche). Very good wine options from their cellar as well - which were maybe too easy for us to order since we booked the private room attached to it! Thanks to Ken and the Fauna team for making this a memorable evening.

Fauna was one my best experience from my short trip to Ottawa. From our entrance to the end, everything was amazing. Food is unique, complex and rich in savour. It is hard to describe but it is amazing. The staffs are the best, very friendly, motivated, always there when you need them and they provide precious advices. I will definitely come back.

we waited there at door for five minutes, and no waiter served for us. Just we are all asians. And I saw another Asian people had terrible experience. I don t suggest any asians go there.

no asian services; we waited at the front door for like 5 minutes and the waitress simply ignore us all the time. What the hell is recommended in Xiaohongshu I really can t stand it

Took my partner out for dinner last night for a special occasion and the food was superb. We felt so taken care of, so well fed, and the entire experience added to our special night in a way we will remember. We ordered the Halibut, burger, and lamb shoulder. My partner was turned onto fish by the halibut and I had what might be the best burger of my life. Lamb shoulder was as expected, and not a crumb was left on the plate. Thank you fauna for a very special evening. The cocktails are also out of this world btw.

Superb meal, very elaborate and very well presented. Very nice home.

Absolutely outstanding meal, and experience. From the moment we entered, to receiving our bill, we felt welcomed, and treated as a valued customer. The cocktails were exemplary, the meal was nothing short of fantastic and the service was spot on. Sometimes going to high end restaurants youre left feeling hungry - not this one. Ample portions and well presented. In the last month Ive eaten in Lisbon, Madrid, Rome, Toronto, and San Francisco....and without question Fauna matches up to all of the best restaurants in any of those cities. Well done - you need to go there.

The atmosphere, service, and food was all amazing. The menu is interesting with unique plates that you wont find just anywhere, such as a wild boar chop or quail. They also have more familiar favourites like pappardelle and chicken wings. We had fun with the dealers choice cocktail option. You can specify and likes or dislikes to the staff and they will prepare a mystery cocktail for you. The staff is attentive, but mindful of giving diners the space and time to enjoy their meals. I would highly recommend this location for a special evening out. Kid-friendliness: This is not likely a place that children would enjoy. Wheelchair accessibility: The bathrooms are in the basement down a flight of stairs, so calling to inquire about an elevator would be recommended.

Wow. What an experience. First time in, taken care of by Ben and Cole they really know their stuff! Food was amazing, ended the night with a pistachio cake. 20/10

Very rarely do i say that a restaurant got everything right, but Fauna sure did! My wife and i are foodies, often preferring to eat at home, for fear of being disappointed at a restaurant. So when I say that Fauna did great, the did EVERYTHING fantastics. The service was impeccable. Attentive to our needs, receptive to questions, etc. The food was Perfect! We shardd the venison tartare: perfect, savoury and a touch of freshness with a green mousse (i forget the herb/ingredient). My wife had the duck: perfect again, and what a presentation! I had the halibut: perfect! The flourless chocolate cake for desert was probably the finishing touch we didnt know we wantex. A perfect mix of freshness and richness. For the quality of food and service, and dining experience, i would have expected to pay double our bill. This place packs a punch. Need more restaurants like this, at this price range, in Ottawa. Well done to the ownership team and chefs!

Dishes are unique and very tasty in this place. Flavors are blended beautifully. You can never go wrong with food here. The duck dish is a must try!! The ambience and vibes are cool and nice. Dim lights, hanging lamps, and red bricks.. it s a nice place to hang out with friends or a date. The only downside about this place is the wine list is limited but cocktails are great.

Pistachio cake was dry

No bread to munch on prior to dinner. Vegetables overcooked. Wild boar didn t taste like wild boar. The pound cake for dessert, was too dry. The cost was prohibitive. We won t be back. Vegetarian options: There was only one vegetarian dish on the menu, however, if one is lactose intolerant, it meant there was NO vegetarian option for that individual. Dietary restrictions: No soya milk as an alternative to dairy for my coffee.

Great amazing food. The dishes are well taught of and carefully prepared. The ingredients taste fresh and natural. Will definitely come back

So delicious

Weve been lucky to experience Fauna several times-always the stellar food, friendly yet professional service, and outstanding cocktails bring us back for more! A true gem, Ottawa is so fortunate to have Fauna in our midst. We were fortunate to have dinner last night and Faunas team stayed true to a winning formula. Already looking forward to another visit

I went to Fauna once before COVID and it was delicious so wanted to give it anpther try. I had the oysters as I was very intrigued with the ghostpepper sauce. Sauce wasnt spicy enough to my liking but tasted good. I had a glass of petnat (lovely) and shared the plate of mushrooms pasta with my husband, it was soooo good, lots of mushrooms. Very good service from the waitress. Will definitely go back

Most expensive app dinner and drink Ive ever had. Surprising scotch prices for the average collection. The food was a little overpriced. There was no waste of flavour though and it was a nice experience. Id suggest this venue only for very high end group events.

Food and service are excellent. Its very reasonably priced and the quality of ingredients is great. Service is impeccable. Its a bit noisy though.

Google says closes at 11pm, arrives at 8:30pm and was told the kitchen is closed already. Very disappointed

Cozy space, ok staff, good taste of food. But oysters are inversely proportional to the price, $23 for half a dozen (I chose 1 dozen). But the size of oysters is too small, I dont feel suitable for the price. Cocktails was ok, not bad !