Gitanes in Ottawa

Fantastic service and food. The chefs table is high recommended!

We very much enjoyed the food and service at Gitanes. The cocktails, oysters, tuna tartar and pork were delicious. Well worth the price. We would definitely return.

A relaxed atmosphere, succulent food and friendly service.

The chefs table was an amazing experience. The food was perfectly cooked & very delicious. Excellent evening.

Outstanding service all thanks to Andrew!! Will ask for him every time!!! Can t wait to come back! Incredible atmosphere and everything was so full of flavour and cooked to perfection!!!!

Had such a great time at Gitanes! the meals were delicious (really enjoyed my steak frites), the atmosphere was welcoming/cozy and the service was great. I cant wait to go again.

The service was warm and attentive, with regular check-ins that felt thoughtful rather than intrusive. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between romantic and modern, making it an ideal spot for any occasion. The food was outstanding: the oysters were fresh, the beef tartare paired beautifully with a hint of lavender, and the duck was expertly prepared. And for anyone who loves foie gras, the foie sundae is a must-try! Absolutely loved this restaurant!

I love coming here with my girlfriends it s the perfect girls night out! The food is always great, the drinks are on point, and the vibe is unmatched.

Amazing staff and service! The team went above and beyond to make our experience unforgettable. Highly recommend!

Food was divine, very atmospheric, quite high-end.

Please do yourself a favour and engage in a magical dinner experience. We visited from Toronto over the Civic Holiday. Do not be guided by the sterile exterior of the building. Once you enter, you will be warmly greeted, introduced to well-crafted drinks, the service is genuine and marvellous and the dishes were exquisite. My wife and I spent a lovely evening chatting about everything and nothing and the atmosphere certainly catalyzed an appreciation for all things civilized.

The best meal we have ever had! The entire experience was fantastic from the moment we walked in. I can t say enough positive things about the food, staff, atmosphere and the chef. Thank you for making our anniversary dinner so unforgettable. Highly recommend the razar clams, mussels and steak Oscar.

Fabulous! From the crab pasta, delicious steak, and incredibly tasty desserts, the food is a delight to the senses! The staff are friendly, attentive, and cheerful they even have a twinkle in their smile. I m definitely going back! I tip my hat to the team for their great effort and attention to detail in all aspects of what makes a great restaurant.

Delicious food. I had the steak frites and it was really tender. Loved it!

Chefs table was excellent. Every ingredient well thought out and explained by chef. Extensive wine list. We ordered the classique wine pairing and they were mostly well paired with the food. Thank you for the wonderful experience.

I recently had the pleasure of dining at Gitanes Restaurant, and I must say, it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. The food was simply excellent each dish was prepared with a keen attention to detail, bursting with flavor and beautifully presented. What truly stood out, though, was the exceptional service. The staff were attentive, professional, and genuinely seemed to care about making our dining experience memorable. They went above and beyond, ensuring that every aspect of our visit was enjoyable. I highly recommend Gitanes Restaurant to anyone looking for a top-notch dining experience. I m already looking forward to my next visit!

Overall poor experience. With the exception of the lady taking our order, the staff was stiff and cold. The cocktails were underdeveloped, especially the mushroom mess. One redeeming point was the crab spaghetti. Our main course, the lamb, was underwhelming for the price, and took 2.5 hours (!) to arrive. Other patrons who sat down an hour after us, had already eaten and left! If you dont have other plans until midnight, this is the place to burn cash and kill time.

Got the tasting menu for two and was quite disappointed. We were told by the waitress that the chef doesn t give small portions and that it s more than enough food for two people served family style however we left hungry after paying over $155 a person. The tuna tartare consisted of huge thick slices of tuna, served alongside beef tartare and 4 little hollow cream puff sized buns for two people. She offered us crackers after we finished the bread. The pasta tasted good but was cold and soaked up the sauce like it had been sitting. The people beside us arrived at the same time and we were served our apps first while they were watching but they got their second course before us and then it took another 15 minutes for us to get ours. When the waitress realized that we didn t even touch our dessert she didn t ask us if we didn t like it she just said it looks like you re full and took it away. The fois gros dessert was absolutely awful and tasted like grease. The texture was almost slimey. When we asked for modifications the waitress appeared super judgey and said she didn t want to ask the chef that. Our modifications were just asking if we could have something cooked medium rare. She also asked if we wanted more drinks and when we said no she replied with so you re gonna have the rest of your dinner with water? The people beside us laughed. Only thing I liked about this plate was the atmosphere and the music being low. There were several empty tables around us the entire time we were there and they placed us right beside another couple who were close enough to insert themselves into our conversations. There was no reason for them not to space us out more considering there were 3 tables taken and approximately 8 tables in the room. When leaving to the bathroom we would hit each others tables, that s how close we were. Genuinely can t believe we spent $420 on this meal. I ve attached a photo of the main course which is a lamb saddle with snapped peas, how was this supposed to feed two people family style ?? ***Update: Their reply says that its $105 per person but the website says $145, you can see for yourselves and we were actually charged $155 per person which we thought was just a price increase that hadnt been updated on the website.

I had a lovely time here celebrating a friends recent promotion. We indulged in the raw bar with oysters, razor clams (a MUST when they have them!) and snow crab. The server was very knowledgeable and recommended a perfect wine for me to enjoy with these dishes. We also enjoyed the tartare served alongside profiteroles. From start to finish our night was perfect. Their attention to detail on the plates and with the service touches did not go unnoticed. Gitanes was the perfect backdrop for us to catch up and celebrate. Thank you to the kitchen and service team for the great experience, I cant wait to go back!

My boyfriend and I went out for a date night and choose Gitanes. We both left extremely happy! They had a lovely steak frites deal on, great for a date night! I had some dietary restrictions, and our server was fantastic at helping me through the menu and what options worked best for me. The cocktails were incredibly delicious, especially the banana colada. Great spot for a date night, girls night, or any special occasion!

Stopped in for a quick drink & a bite at the bar at Gitanes. Had a great scallop crudo and drink. Great atmosphere and great food.

Great food, amazing service, highly recommend

Amazing food quality , atmosphere, and great hospitality. Would definitely return

Incredible food. Remarkable hospitality. Mathieu really added to the experience and made us feel like we were the only table in the restaurant despite being busy. Highly recommend and will be back!

One of the more exceptional dining experiences I have had. Food and wine were fantastic. Notably the crab pasta, pork chop, and foie gras ice cream sundae are dishes that should not be missed. Above all, the attention to detail by the service team at Gitanes is elite. Kind, attentive and highly intelligent about their offering. Don t hesitate to make that reservation, Gitanes hits the mark across the board.

Amazing food. Amazing service. Amazing ambiance. Gitanes hit the mark across the board. Entire staff was friendly and attentive to our table, even with a full restaurant. Highly recommend!

Great classy & private atmosphere perfect for date night absolutely loved the food, had the lamb brochette and steak frite & my boyfriend had the beef tartare amazing service, loved how the server explained how each meal was prepared prior to us eating. Definitely recommend

First time dining at gitanes and no regrets, I believe our servers name was Anna , very pleasant and professional! Chef was gracious and very informative regarding our diner! Will definitely go back :)

Fantastic French food and service. The staff are incredible.

The meal was excellent ! I ate the beef tartare and it was perfectly well seasoned and served with gougères, balls of choux pastry mixed with gruyere cheese. It was tasty. I then enjoyed the steak with fries and it was delicious. The cooking of my meat was perfect and the fries were very crispy and well seasoned. The restaurant is pretty and well decorated. The staff is courteous.

Incredible experience! The food was perfect, the wine paired well and the service from Xavier was above and beyond!

Best caviar in town !!

Great restaurant! Really cute spot, sat at the bar. Service was wonderful, they were accommodating on some dietary restrictions, highly recommend the Tuna Crudo! It s insane. Highly recommend!

Forgot about my reservation, it was for my birthday. Manager told me I was booked in for the week after which I was not. Never got email confirmation. Couldn t get me in. Called me the next day and said they moved my reservation. I ended up giving them one more chance. I was seated in an awkward spot near the washroom. My steak wasn t cooked right when I told the manager she asked me if I wanted to keep my fries while she cooked my steak, I said no. We went back and forth. She insisted I keep them which was weird. My fries were just on the table. I hated where I was seated, the food is okay. The manager isn t professional nor accommodating and passive aggressive. Would not recommend.

Great decor and atmosphere, food was well thought out and tasted amazing. The service was also top notch. Fantastic dining experience....will absolutely be returning. Dietary restrictions: Celiac friendly

Unfortunately I didnt enjoy my time at this restaurant. The service was average at best, the food was definitely below average and the atmosphere was stiff. Also, it is unnecessarily expensive for what they offer. Would not recommend.

Came here for a special occasion and we were super happy with the experience! The food was amazing - we ordered the crab spaghetti. The staff are also very attentive and friendly! I would love to come back again.

Delicious food and fantastic service provided once again. Accommodated large group without any degradtion to food quality or service. Highly recommend.

The french onion soup is a must try! I loved the Oscar Ribeye.

The place was absolutely amazing. The food was great, but the people and ambience was even better. Amanda was the coolest and James gave us great recommendations. Will be back!

We had an.amazing experience at Gitanes . Hanah and Cory made the anniversary we celebrated even more memorable. In my opinion best restaurant in Ottawa .

Came here and tried the tasting menu, it was unbelievable! Everything was thought out and delicious. Service was also wonderful. Would recommend

Very good food, well presented, great service!

I visited Gitanes a while ago and found the restaurant to be wonderful for solo dining or in a group. The service was commendable, though I would advise making a reservation a few days beforehand. As for the food. I opted for the French Onion Soup and Steak Frites: - French Onion Soup: Stood out the most and the soup alone makes the trip worth it. Its richness unfolded in multiple layers of texture and flavour. The onions imparted a pleasant spiciness, complemented by the cheese topping, while additional elements such as tomatoes and vegetables provided varying crunches. The bread soaked up the flavorful broth, and the addition of bone marrow elevated the richness to another level. - Steak Frites: Was perfectly cooked to a medium rare. The accompanying sauce added an extra dimension, with its slight acidity cutting through any potential greasiness from the steak. However, its worth noting that certain parts of the cut were a bit chewy, so it might not have been the prime selection. The fries were skinny, crunchy, and generally good. The overall experience was highly satisfying. I strongly recommend a visit, particularly to savour their French Onion Soup, and I would rate my experience a 9.5/10.

Ill share some of the same comments Ive read before. The food is ok but the price point and portions leave something to be desired. The French onion soup and beef tartare were good. The soup was strong and concentrated. The beef marrow was kind of a gimmick to me, wouldnt really miss it. The tartare was nice and liked the texture. The fries were limp and soft. Steak was ok but a small 8 oz. The sauce on the dusk was a bit too sweet. The veggie sides were flavourless and too small to really get anything out of it. Wouldve appreciated potatoes instead.

The service was a bit slow for mid-week but the presentation was excellent. The best course was the sweet breads. Otherwise, all items were good. I really enjoyed the duck and the French onion soup was traditional and good. The scallops were rather bland.

Some things were good. Some things were bad. About the same amount of both. So 3* across the board. Probably wont be back.

Vegetarian options: Some vegeterian options but limited Recommended dishes

Phenomenal. This is the spot in Ottawa. Period.

Took my partner here as a Christmas gift. I am glad we finally went, but I don t think I ll be going again for dinner but would consider returning for oysters and cocktails. The Good: - The restaurant was incredibly accommodating with our reservation, changing times and from table to bar due to issues with our table. - The wait staff (and our bartender as we were seated at the bar) were friendly and anticipated our needs. - The food and cocktails were very tasty and the ambiance at the bar actually was lovely and preferable to the main room. The Bad - We were originally seated in the front room where a massive, cool white-light from the kitchen beams in and ruins the ambiance. Consider adding a curtain or shade to the lights. - No bread service at a French restaurant!! Even the beef tartare was served without crackers or sliced baguette. - The wine pairing was quoted to us as being an additional almost $100pp (on top of $105pp for tasting menu) or $25 per glass. - The rounded, slick egg-style seats are cute but wobbly and not functional. The Ugly - Our bill for tasting menu was almost $500 for 2 people with 3 cocktails each with taxes and tip. This did not include any bread, oysters/cold raw bar, soup or an amuse bouche (sorry to harp on the bread again but come on!!!). - Our main dish to share was two strips of duck breast and some grilled onions and a bowl of pickled beets. - Our dessert was a SINGLE scoop sundae to share - it was vanilla mixed with foie gras which seemed gimicky and left an irony taste in our mouths. We didn t finish it. If you do the math, this was a $30 dessert and it was borderline inedible. The whole experience left me feeling like a bit of a chump after I realized that we could have ordered 2 appetizers, 2 full mains, 2 pastas, a salad and a dessert (that didn t contain liver) to share for the about same price. I know that people shouldn t be going to a restaurant like this looking for a deal, and that profit margins on restaurants are razor thin but there is definitely some room for improvement when it comes to value.

Overall a great time. Food was delicious and staff was super friendly. Food took a little while to come (which the staff warned us about), but it was worth the wait.

This is a beautiful little French bistro near my house on Elgin Street. We went for my birthday and had the tasting menu. Yes it is a bit pricey, but the food was thoroughly excellent. We took the wine pairing and each course had a wine which perfectly suited why we were served. I highly recommend the beef tartare which reminded me of ceviche because it had been slightly marinated with onion and possibly lemon or lime. There was a dish with what appeared to be cheese and prosciutto but it was melt in your mouth tasty. They served us a wine which was called an orange wine rather than red or white which perfectly suited the pasta dish. The duck in cherry sauce was exceptionally tender and the sauce was sweet-and-sour which perfectly suited the dish. With our dessert We had foie gras ice cream, yes you hear that right, we had a French Sauternes which was perfectly balanced, not too sweet, and really set off this beautiful dessert which came with bananas Foster. but It was an absolutely a delightful evening, and the service was exceptional. A great celebration of my 77th birthday.

This was a special outing for us and we were not disappointed. The price point reflects the quality and the cuisine. From the crab spaghetti, to the seabass, to the steak frites, and the duck, truly everything was outstanding. The staff are knowledgeable and friendly. We were all very pleased with our dinner and we will certainly be back.

Great menu with some unique options, along with a staff that s on par with the restaurant s fun atmosphere. Went there for a birthday not long ago, and everyone left satisfied. Will definitely go back!

Meh.

Aggressively erotic experience.

The restaurant itself is beautiful. Unfortunately each time I ve been the waiting staff seem to be extremely annoyed and rude. But thankfully the french onion soup is good.

Very friendly, excellent food, good wine, including good bottles from Ontario.

Mathieu recommended the perfect pairings of wine for each course, merci!

Came here for a Friday date night with my husband. The staff were friendly, service was attentive, courses were not rushed, and food was scrumptious.

A beautiful, classy dining experience. Food was exquisite. Service was really friendly and great. Seating was a bit tight indoors but overall a nice atmosphere. Patio available too. The entrance is found when you go down the stairs. Would return

Excellent restaurant. Fresh ingredients, excellent quality. Calm flavours and dishes paired well with each other. Excellent service. Nice for a special occasion. Super pricey but you pay for the quality of the ingredients. $$$

Great ambiance, and interior arrangement. Has its distinct charm. Wish the menu is more extensive. Bread could have been complimentary. Overall, an okay experience. They could use more french menu to give a better dining experience.

Very expensive for what it is. Very limited menu. The fries were salty. 40+ dollars for a flank steak. Not worth it.

Nothing special about the food. I didnt even feel tempted to finish my small portion of crab spaghetti. We didnt feel satisfied & ended up having a medium size pho soup after this

Absolutely amazing spot. Great food, incredible service, a must try.

Good food, great vibe and amazing service

On our first visit, we fell under the spell. We opted for the tasting menu. Beware, the portions are generous. The food and wine pairings were excellent. Well be back in the near future. You should budget $240 per person, including taxes and gratuities, for the tasting menu with food and wine pairings (3 ounces). You should visit this establishment.

Potential to be a really great little restaurant but needs to address certain issues. Wines are all overpriced. Even modest bistros offer house wines so people of every budget can enjoy wine with their meal. Portions are also small. We ordered the steak frites which was very good but béarnaise sauce was disappointing and lacking in texture and flavour. A green vegetable would have balanced the flavours and colours. Menu was very limited which can be a good thing but there were no soups or salads or small appetizers to entice customers into trying things out. Bread and an array of butters ( free of charge) should be included. Service was great. My biggest issue is the fact that they admitted children into the dining room. We had a typical entitled young couple next to us with their toddler and who I assumed to be the grandmother. The child was not horribly behaved but did have a few crying jags which were enough to ruin my mood. With so many pubs and diners nearby there were many other choices. A good restaurant would go out of their way to make customers happy and more importantly because they want them to come back. An offer of a good glass of wine for us would have gone a long way to improving our experience. Not sure we will return.

What a great restaurant! Love everything about this place, from service, hostess, chef, food I recommend this place 100% We did the tasting menus with wine pairing and let the chef inspire our taste buds for an evening. What an experience, thank you chef Pascal & Sasha Also Amanda for her amazing service, so professional.

Food is great. Wine is $19 sold for $75 which is more than the usual markup. I had to pour the wine myself throughout dinner and be met with a minimum 18% tip in the machine. The bathrooms are a mess I had to pick up wet paper towel rolls off the floor.

Atmosphere was great but the food was simply average (had the steak frites). Prices do not align with food quality and portions. So much potential for this little spot but something will need to change with either the quality of the menu options or adjust prices accordingly.

Tried the Chefs Tasting Menu tonight. A lovely little spot beside the Lieutenants Pump on Elgin. The setting is very unassuming but cozy. Service was attentive and wonderful. Started with the seafood platter which was fresh and tasty. Escargot was rich, salty and flavourful. and the tomato salad were delicious. The Steak Oscar, Cream Corn, and Duck Agrodulce were the highlights for us. Perfectly cooked and rich and flavourful. Foie Sundae was not to our liking, as it was not as subtle as we expected but the profiteroles and creme caramel were as delicious as anticipated. The wine pairing was quite appropriate, and the Syrah was particularly appealing. For $105 (+ $75 wine pairing), it was a worthwhile experience. Parking: Street parking free on weekends.

Love this restaurant! Food is fantastic! We also really enjoyed the décor, location, and the staff. Highly recommend for a date night! Food

A group of 9. .We did the tasting menu. It was at least 9 items plus a seafood platter. A lot of delicious food. The service was excellent. The chef came to the table to explain each dish, the table was cleared after every dish. I would highly recommend.

Atmosphere was great, great selection of drinks and the food was sensational! Definitely leave room for dessert. Highly recommend!

Yum yum yum. Gitanes was delicious. We sat at the bar where the bartender provided excellent service, both in recommendations on what to eat and for cocktails. The food came out perfect and incredibly tasty. Gitanes is in a great location and has great vibe.

Went here on a recommendation from a friend. The food was, unfortunately, nothing special, despite a very well-conceived menu. Heirloom tomato salad appetizer was overall quite good, but the main courses were lacking. Crab spaghetti had a perfect cook on the pasta itself and a great presentation, but tasted of not much -- definitely underseasoned. Duck with foie gras saw the latter mostly missing in action (and this is a $52 dish), and what was there was not well-integrated. The duck itself looked properly cooked, but the fat was insufficiently rendered. The sea bass was underseasoned, and the portion here was quite small. (I had zero expectation of huge servings, obviously, but it was almost comically thin.) Both it and the duck mains lacked any form of starch -- hardly mandatory, but both dishes would have benefitted from something in this regard, especially the duck with its rich sauce. Certainly, neither of these felt French or even modern French (whether youre getting your French food in Paris, London, Amsterdam, or here at home in Quebec). Wednesday night reservation, one or two tables occupied outside, and four inside, including ours. (Looked like others were mostly couples, we were four.) Very confusing, then, that the wait for the mains was so long -- one companion of mine said 45min after the appetizers were removed, and I think thats about right. Drinks were pretty good and came fairly quickly. Ambience is fine overall, with a modern industrial decor. The chairs for the inside tables, though, were likely chosen for appearance rather than function. While theyre not uncomfortable (which really surprised me), you will realize when you get up to leave that its the chairs -- and their hollow plastic shells being pushed or pulled over the concrete floor -- that have been responsible for occasional loud booming noises youve heard during dinner. Servers were polite, informed, relaxed, and solid overall. Four adults, three cocktails, four glasses of wine, three appetizers (one with a caviar add-on) and two mains was $500. Fine dining price, bistro ambience, and just-okay food. Since there are so many very good reviews for this place, there seem to be only two explanations: Others dont know good food, or the place wasnt at its best. Since you dont know if I know good food, either, then maybe you assume the second option. If you did assume that, and if you were to go, maybe youd want to try a busier time. Maybe the head chef was out, maybe they were off their rhythm with so few customers -- or maybe Wednesdays are often so slow that they left prep late, and in trying to catch up they cut some corners. But if you go and later write a review, really review it -- dont feel you have to say it was amazing because you didnt know a word or two on the menu or you spent a lot of money. Because Id love to check out the new reviews in six months and find things are different than my experience.

Aperol Spritz was flat. Appetizer was served on time but the main course came 45 minutes after the appetizer. To compensate for this my server offered a complimentary drink and dessert. The creme caramel was nice however the blueberries werent ripe and some were very small and wrinkled. The duck sauce was chockingly thick and the flavour profile seemed lost between sweet and savory. The side vegetables added nothing to the dish other than to attempt to compensate for the sauces poor flavour profile, but were overpowered in the end.

Nothing wrong nothing exceptional ! Server could have been more experienced especially if you are paying 500$ for a diner. Food was ok and very basic.

Bottom Line: You should expect more and there are better restaurants in Ottawa - avoid this one. I booked the Chefs Table for my wifes birthday in September. I thought given the reviews both online and in the press (a top 100 restaurant in Canada?) the restaurant would be outstanding. Four courses were served, and while the service from the sous-chefs was good, the wait staff, and sommelier (though that is an insult to actual sommeliers) was underwhelming in the extreme. The four drinks were poured with little to no explanation, and the restaurant was unable to make accompanying non-alcoholic drinks for my pregnant wife. We had to ask for water to be refilled, and at the end the bill was printed and placed on the table with the view we should pay, finish our last drink and leave being an inconvenience to them (830 at night... hardly closing). The food was good, but overall not worth the cost. At $145 a plate and $95 for 4 drinks, I expect better then a glass of champagne, two glasses of wine (one good one mediocre), and an ounce of desert wine to complete the meal. The four courses, a seafood starter, salad, main, and desert were at the end of the day good, but not memorable. At a minimum dont do the Chefs table and order a la carte for drinks, however, Life is too short for high priced mediocrity.

This was back in September, might have been a crew switch in the kitchen. Duck was cold, chanterelles were missing. (Excuses were non relevant). Requested to change dish got offered a crab pasta, basic. Desert (sundea) lacked in execution. In all over experience, I was hoping for a little more fines and attention to details.

A great dining experience.

Probably the best service Ive ever got. Really great staff. Im pretty sure the head chef or the owner came to our table to make sure we were comfortable with the table next to the door.

Service was impeccable, starting with the hostess that greeted us at the door, she had a big smile and her energy was great. Our waiter, Mathieu, took the time to explain every dish and he could break them down and really explain them to you, what the ingredients were and how it was made. The tartare was amazing, really enjoyed Gitanes take on it. The wine selection was also very nice, our waiter Mathieu, suggested the perfect wine to go with the roasted duck. All and all, was a great night! Definitely recommend. Oh and the ambiance was amazing, had to ask our waiter for the spotify playlist.

Everything was just delightful & delicious!

We had an amazing Family Event and the service and good were great! Will definitely go back for more!! Food : 5/5

Love it all BUT the shiny dome chairs are very uncomfortable

I always love coming here, the vibes are amazing and the staff and super friendly. Couldn t recommend enough, one of my favourite spots in Ottawa!

Industrial cozy vibe .

Dined in Friday evening. Had the tasting menu. Was expecting high end French food. Sharing plates don t scream high end to me. I didn t think a single dish was outstanding. And the wine list,because it s French doesn t mean it Has to be outrageously expensive. And yes, you can get a Sauvignon Blanc from France. But why would you would you can get it from New Zealand where it s much better. Paid a crazy amount for a bottle of Vino Verde. Which was the worst Vino Verde I ve ever tasted. Cloudy and had an aftertaste. Which is the exact opposite of what a Vino Verde should be. As far as the atmosphere goes, having centipedes run all over the stone wall, your tables up against leaves a lot less of a feeling of charm. More of a feeling of disgust. Really disappointing because ottawa needs great French restaurants.

Ended up eating somewhere else where they value their customers. This place is not it. Take the money you work hard for and head elsewhere.

Special shout out to Cory and Angela. Great culinary experience, and even better service.

Posting this review late from my experience dining here in 2021. We ordered oysters, scallop crudo, French onion soup, crab spaghetti, the burger and the st-jacques Coquille. Oysters were good. I remembered the scallop crudo being amazing when I came previously but did not live up to the hype this time, it was nothing special. French onion soup was fine, though in a few bites all I got was a big blob of cheese. I absolutely love burgers and this burger was not tasty at all - all you could taste was caramelized onion. Crab spaghetti wasnt anything to rave about and the St-jacques Coquille was fine too. I was disappointed that there was not a single dish which was amazing. Though we did not complain, the restaurant did remove a dish from our bill in light of being out of certain dishes we wanted to order. The service was also so-so. We ordered our food and the server did not return to take my drink order. I was disappointed that I could see my server sitting down at a table, what looked like chatting with some friends. I asked another server if I could order wine. The gentleman that brought us our dishes (though he was not the server) was very professional and attentive. This experience could have been a one off because I have heard great things about Gitanes. I would say this place is worth a shot if you havent been.

Tried Gitanes for the first time with friends. Great ambiance however the food was only average. We had the crab spaghetti ($34) beet salad ($23) shaved coppa ($24) and the escargot ($26). Found that the prices did not necessarily align with the quality. Wine selection was quite expensive but I did enjoy my cocktail, the art basil ($18) - we all left a bit hungry as we were not inspired to order more dishes

Updated Review. I have visited the restaurant over the last few years it is easily my favourite in Ottawa. Food quality is pristine, wine selection is unique unlike any other location in the city. Service is great, we were able to move our bar seating to table seating with a simple phone call. A must see location for foodies. Chefs menu is the best priced in my opinion. Looking forward to doing the caviar service in the near future!

Some dishes from the tasting menu were delicious, others sour and less well balanced. Very noisy atmosphere.

Gitanes hosted our corporate Christmas party last week...where do I start! Amanda was lovely to deal with in the first place. She made sure all details were well thought of. She is a very professional and refined manager. The ambiance was a 10 on 10. Food was VERY VERY good and refined. Service was outstanding. We will be back for SURE!

My partner had come across an Instagram post by someone describing how good the food (particularly the French onion soup) and atmosphere are and decided to book us for the tasting menu. We were seated promptly at the bar when we arrived, agreed the atmosphere and decor had a charm to it and ordered our drinks to start the night. She decided to try the Nouveau Riche spicy cocktail which was actually delicious however I noticed while one of the bartenders was making it he used his bare fingers to clean the inside rim of the glass. We ordered Oysters and the French onion soup in addition to the tasting menu. The bartender warned it might be too much food. The oysters were nice and came with good accoutrements. The tasting menu included escargot which were chewy with way too much butter and cheese. Cacio e pepe with shell pasta and tons of runny sauce that was just passable as well as deep fried onions that looked dark and tasted like they were cooked in dirty oil. Next was something they called steak but was really a slab of fatty flesh with tons of sauce on it and fries. It was barely edible, we only tried a couple of pieces before putting our forks down and the fries were again dark and tasted like dirty oil so we didnt eat them. The menu finished with Creme Brule that she said was alright but I didnt try because it was another item bathing in sauce. I cant tell you what the onion soup is like because we never got it even though we were told it was coming with the second course. The whole tasting menu was served on single plates to be shared and took about three hours from start to finish. The bartender did check on us often and understood we werent particularly happy with the food. Some items on our bill were comped (not the 98 dollar steak) and we were offered a free digestif which we declined because we just wanted to leave. Our total bill was just over 300 dollars even after having some items comped so I would suggest if you plan to visit this restaurant, order a single item and maybe one or two cocktails or glasses of wine. There are many places your money can be better spent.

Fantastic food and service. Great atmosphere

Last night we visited Gitanes, recommended by our friend, for my mother s birthday. As soon as we walked in we noticed how amazing and nice the atmosphere and interior design was. The service was amazing, our server (the kind lady who handled the area near the kitchen) politely updated us on our order throughout the night and went above and beyond to make sure my mother s night was not ruined. We ordered the Albacore Tuna Rillettes, Crab Spaghetti, and two Steak Frites. The Albacore appetizer was amazing, but the spaghetti and steaks were not amazing but very decent, perhaps since everyone has their own taste. Others may find it to their liking! Presentation and plating were beautiful. I don t normally write reviews for restaurants but we will definitely come back and try other dishes based on the service we received alone!

Had our annual office party here. Staff were fantastic at helping us organize and even had chilled sparking wine waiting for us when we arrived. Vegetarian options: Had a large group with a few dietary restrictions, were able to accommodate everyone.

This is a tricky one. In terms of general vibe and atmosphere, I loved it. It has an upscale modern look, but still feels rather warm and cozy. The food was good, but the portions are quite small- one dish is maybe half of a meal, at best. After factoring in the price, it becomes hard for me to justify going back unless its just for drinks.

As a beginner , tasting menu is such a great choice to get to know Gitanes, and I m glad I did that because every dish is amazing. My partner and I had a wonderful time to celebrate holiday season and Xmas here. We joyed the food, had warm conversations with Gitanes people, and we definitely will revisit and try Steak & Fries, and Onion Soup, because we see so many others ordering. P.S. they are so thoughtful to call me 3 hours prior to the dinner time, asking any thing we are allergic to :)

We had the most amazing dinner out last night for my husbands birthday! We tried this French restaurant called Le Gitane that weve been eager to check out. I heard they put a modern twist on classic French cuisine. Well, let me tell you, it completely lived up to the hype! As soon as we entered, I was wowed by the ambiance. The intimate dining room has a chic, modern cellar vibe with candlelit tables. Very romantic. One unique aspect - they have an open prep station where you can watch the chefs assemble the incredible seafood platters! We opted for the 5 course tasting menu paired with wine when in Rome! We started with decadent appetizers - I had the sublime French onion soup and bone marrow, while my husband tried the escargot. Melt-in-your-mouth good. The wines they expertly paired were lovely French vintages that perfectly complemented each dish. The tasting courses followed - we relished scallop crudo, beef tartare, cacio e pepe, coppa and more. Each bite was an artful delight! The flavors were out of this world. When the mains arrived, I thought I might burst. We had the duck and a gorgeous composed salad, again paired beautifully with more exquisite French wines. By the time the foie gras sundae came for dessert, we were utterly stuffed but powered through because it was too perfect not to finish. What an incredible start-to-finish dining experience! Certainly a splurge, yet worth every cent for the modern cellar vibe, incredible updated French cuisine and impeccable service. I cannot wait to return and sample more of their menu! It made for a truly magical evening and the perfect celebration of my wonderful husband.

Almost like Gourmet Fast-Food. Their Spicy Curly Fries poutine was the most flavourful, to die for poutine I ve ever had. Their burgers are also delicious and you can tell they pay close attention to detail from the quality of buns to the meat/chicken. If you re looking for a filling, tasty meal, look no further!

A delicious new takeout experience for us! The celery root, turning and basting in truffle sauce looked too good not to try. I was a little worried about being able to order gluten-free but Amanda was helpful and assuring. We were so excited to get our takeout bag of a million little sauces and dips with a big pile of cucumber slices in place of pita. The main dish was so savory with a nice balance from the addictive pickles and rice that you never wanna stop eating.

Was a fantastic evening. We came for our anniversary and we re blown away. The atmosphere was beautiful and intimate, The music was superb, and the food was crazy. Even the simple focaccia was out of this world. Our waiter took such amazing care of us. Get the cocktails. They re all great! Will definitely return.

Just had a wonderful dinner experience at Gitane s. Everything was delicious - the tuna crudo and chocolate soufflé especially! Service was fantastic. Highly recommend!

I had dinner last night at Gitanes and the whole experience was amazing from beginning to end. The staff is so professional, the atmosphere is beautiful and intimate, and the food just speaks for itself. Chef Reyes is so talented and surprised me with flavours and presentation. Everything we tried was delicious, plating was beautiful, and it was just a world class experience. Highly recommend.

Excellent service from beginning to end, everyone was so friendly and helpful throughout: ambiance was really on point as well - perfectly tailored for both intimacy and fun. We ordered very decadent items but the actual food wasn t overly rich or heavy which was really nice. Overall the food was good but a tad underwhelming. The burger was a little dry and the bun a bit too dense, and while I admire the attempt at serving tartar in a unique way, ultimately I think it misses the mark. The onion soup was good and the ragu and soufflé were excellent. It s an expensive place but I do think it s worth - we ll definitely be back.

First rate meal all around. Great vibe.

Amazing atmosphere for a romantic dinner. Took my girlfriend out for Valentine s Day and loved the vibe. Cozy and yet still fancy. Nevertheless, our experience was tainted by the food. I ordered the burger ($28$) and my girlfriend the Halibut ($52). Both meals tasted like cardboard. There was no taste to the food (could be compared to eating heavy cream). Nevertheless, we blamed the experience on food selection and promised to comes to check to try out other options. But to my surprise the next morning, both my girlfriend and I got hit by a bad case of food poisoning accompanied with projectile vomiting. The only thing that made us feel better was in reading other reviews and realizing that our experience was not singular. This is a shame as it is a beautiful restaurant, but for the price I payed for the food, I expected more than eating heavy cream .

Great service and amazing food. Will definitely go back!

Not what I expected when I received my chicken sandwich and it was black. Will not order from here again funny no comemt back

Very good spot in the city. I did enjoy the meal

The cocktails were creative, delicious and fun. They serve them in eccentric glasses. The food was so good, I had the steak and they dont let you order anything past medium rare as it should be, if you order medium into well done go chew on leather. The sauces matched perfectly, one cream based and the other I have no clue but it was delicious. They serve the soup WITH THE BONE!

Fantastic food and service. Atmosphere was fairly loud and laid-back.

Tasty food and great ambiance! Definitely a winner!

Delicious food. Bad at timing courses

Simply Impeccable, with an excellent selection of dishes as well as some non-alcoholic beverages and wines in addition to the expected curated lists

The food was good. It did take a while for the mains to come out, but the oysters came out quite quickly. Upsell Warning : the server will upsell you on would you like black truffle on your entree?. No mention of price or really setting expectations. I sort of knew what I was getting into. But IMHO it was not worth it. My expectation was at least some shaved truffles at the table and probably double the cost of my meal. There wasnt much truffle and didnt really add much additional taste. Skip the +$18 on the black truffle.

Drinks are quite good but food is a hit and miss. On the pricy price for quantity and quality. Took very long to get each dish too on a Thursday with only a few tables inside and out at 630pm.

Had a great time. Staff were so awesome

Both food and service were perfect. I will definitely be going back!

Extensive wine list and excellent service. Sarah was amazing. The food here is rather expensive but worth it if youre looking to spoil yourself. Just watch out for the add-ons ... The price of the burger jumps by over 60% if you say yes to the Truffle Oil (not listed on the menu)

Food was incredible, worth splurging for a special occasion! Dietary restrictions: They were diligent with my girlfriends gluten-free diet.

Very nice food and good service, would have appreciated a cooler dining room temp otherwise great! Dietary restrictions: They were very happy to accommodate dietary restrictions Parking: Street parking hard to find

Great food, great service and wonderful atmosphere

The food disappointed. Great venue, cocktails and service though. But it is s restaurant and our food was bland.

Disappointed! Disappointed with the quality of the dishes, the cooking, the taste, the welcome, the professionalism, disappointed between the promise of the dish on the menu, the explanation given and the plates received. A disappointment in the desserts, it almost feels like a joke. The coffee... an espresso in a bowl is original but its super cold and really not good! Damage ! In any case, for a French cuisine restaurant you will have to go back. Its only French in name, although Gitane isnt really French, but lets move on. We are far from the quality/price ratio! We will have tried. But if you are looking for a good restaurant, in all honesty, go your way otherwise it will be more of a sociological rather than a culinary experience that you will have to do! The server was nice, thats something.

Amazing

Good food and ambiance! They were accommodating despite covid-19 restrictions. Lost a star since our reservation was for 8 and table was only ready for 8:30

This place shares a website with Gitanes Burger which I reviewed elsewhere.

Ordered the 34oz Porterhouse Steak Meal Package. Hands down the best steak Ive ever had. My wife and I are quarantined for her birthday, and I was pleasantly surprised that everything arrived still hot. 10/10 cant reccommend enough.

Delicious food and cocktails that is a must-go in Ottawa. Cant wait to visit again once they are back open for indoor dining. In the meantime, their takeout and their sister restaurant, Gitanes burger are doing great things that never disappoint.

I had the steak dinner for two and the charcuterie board tonight and it made my week. Made me remember how good dining out can be

We ordered the Valentines Day pasta special including a salad, meatballs putanesca, lobster ravioli, a blue cheese focaccia tart and tiramisu gelato...it was our first time ordering gitanea after hearing a lot of hype, and truthfully it surpassed our expectations. One of the best meals I have had in a long time! We will definitely order again!

Great Valentines Day meal. The steak was superb and everything was delicious, caramelized onion tarte tatin was to die for. Cant wait to come back outside of lockdown for a proper sit-down eat-in experience

Valentines take out was mediocre, might have just been a bad day for them.

Love this spot! Great ambience and the food is delicious.

Great place for a dinner date. The service is always superb, food is amazing (especially the French Onion Soup and the Dry Aged Porterhouse Steak), and their cocktails hit the spot every time as well.

Such a cool vibe. Very chill, yet super chic spot! A twist on lots of classic French recipes. Great music. Lovely staff. Menu always changing which is a +++

I ordered 2 burgers, the meat was not fresh and big pieces of fat was in the burger. The quality was terrible!!!

The cocktails where nice the service was good. As for the food, where do I begin...I was recommended this restaurant and I thought I would give it a go. I am sorry but the food was absolutely awful. Pretentious pallet packed with no flavor and uncooked meat. The worst experience in dining ever.. And I have travelled the world.. If you like this food you are seriously in need of a check up. As I am writing this review my partner is in the toilet puking. My dog is a far from a fussy eater and he would not eat that. Horrible. I expected more and I was disappointed. Food had ruined our evening. Luckily a taco place was nearby that helped us finish our evening, with delicious tacos..

Awesome atmosphere, food and staff.

Delicious! I ordered lunch from here today for my fiance and myself. He got the Lamericaine burger w/ a curly fry poutine and I got the fried chicken sandwich. 10/10 recommend. I LOOOOOOVEEE the amount of dill added to the sandwich. As a dill lover and not such a big fan of ranch, this actually turned out to be a really good combo. The poutine was also really good!! The takeout packaging was done really well. The gravy was separate which I appreciated because the fries werent soggy by the time it was delivered. Will certainly be ordering from here again! Thanks!

We ordered from Gitanes during our Easter weekend staycation, and we were very impressed with the food. The Americaine burger, poutine, and curly fries were delicious. The food came to us still hot, and the price was very good for the quality of the food. I am eager to go here when patios open up and try even more of their menu.

Well executed menu and great service.

It is a real treat to dine at Gitanes. Even though it is certainly a high end restaurant it is worth every penny. The service you get is outstanding. Drinks delicious, food fresh and tasty. Would come back in a heartbeat.

This is the best restaurant in Ottawa! The entire Gitanes experience is fantastic and makes for such wonderful memories! The staff are incredibly kind and welcoming (Amanda is so lovely very knowledgeable with wines, always gives the best recommendations. Steph, Nader, Matthieu, and Bella are wonderful), the food is amazing; cold bar items always fantastic, same with the focaccia, and the foie gras ice cream sundae is to die for. Everyone on staff is very attentive and the vibes are great!

Drinks and food are very good. Worth the price.

Gitane is one of the most vibrant and enticing atmospheres in the city. The food is tantalizing, each dish is a unique experiences and the kitchen source there ingredients from local farm. The cocktail list is full of fun plays on classics as well as unique creations, and the staff strikes the perfect balance between professional and personable. Kat , the GM and Amanda went above and beyond on more than one occasion that I ve been at the restaurant to make our group s experiences seamless and hitch-less. You can tell there s a great deal of care that goes into creating such a memorable and tasteful atmosphere. Thank you Gitanes.

Incredible cuisine prepared masterfully. Amazing wine list and knowledgeable and helpful staff. Must try for Ottawa dining.

Gitanes instagram got me pretty hyped about the food. I had a so-so experience with another French restaurant in Ottawa but this place seemed good. We got snow crab and focaccia to start. Unfortuantely the crab was way too salty to enjoy, even with the different garnishes. The focaccia was crispy but slightly too bitter. For the main, I had steak frites. The steak was really good: tender, flavourful, cooked perfectly. The fries were really bad: too crisp (like hickory sticks) and again, way too salty. Service was kind and but I have doubts about returning because of the food.

Delicious food at premium prices. If you want a nice atmosphere, friendly staff, and good food this is a great place to visit.

Amazing dining experience. Hit the nail on the head in every way - great atmosphere, friendly yet knowledgeable staff and fantastic food.

A great spot in Ottawa to treat yourself for great food and service. Amazing seafood and great cocktail menu, and the interior and patio are beautiful

Had a reservation for dinner on their patio. It was raining so we had a table under the umbrella and they gave us blankets. We ordered their pasta, octopus and oysters. The octopus was unreal . Recommend this place for a gourmet fine dine.

This is supposed to be a French restaurant, yet, they took everything off the menu that makes it truly a French restaurant. The worst thing is that the menu online and in person are different which is false advertising the food they serve which was very disappointing because they did not have 2 to 3 things that my partner and I were so excited to eat. We settled on a burger because it was the least expensive. Honestly, it was okay, nothing crazy and for 26$? That s far too much, I was so disappointed and hungry (the burger didn t fill me at all) that my partner and I ended up going to McDonald s right after. Their dessert was below average for me, it was so hard to cut it that I had to apply so much pressure that I nearly broke the plate and everyone around us would give us nasty stares because they thought we were being loud in purpose. The staff, however, were really kind and chill people, we were able to relocate inside from the patio because it was far too loud and made it uncomfortable to sit there and eat. I suggest Gitanes should update their website menu because if you make a reservation, you have to stay put otherwise they ll charge you a 35$ fee per person if you don t show or cancel under 24h which was a little ridiculous giving that the place was overall was a meh .

We had a marvelous experience at Gitanes at the chefs table. The owner (Nader) and staff were super attentive. The food was incredible and the wine and drink suggestions were perfect complements. Hats off to Chef Mitch and his sous chefs for a perfect evening

First let me say Gitanes is definitely expensive but worth it. Drinks, dinner, and dessert were all amazing. Pro tip: order the french fries. You ll thank me later :)

This spot is awesome! Theres so many great things I loved about it. First and foremost the staff is AMAZING! Second the food.is.mouthwatering..! I ordered scallops, tomato salad, and a mini pizza. Absolutely delicious. Third, the ambiance is to DIE for, nice cool vibe makes you feel like your out of town. This is definitely a nice date night spot, or a first date if youre looking to impress your S.O This is just to name a few things I loved about it. Def worth checking out!

To get cold bar of Charred Octopus took 45 mints after ordering. (Not impressed with the dish.) By the time we got main dish ,hamburger&steak frites, it was about one hour passed since we ordered. Hamberger was good. Steak was cold so we had to ask to heat up again. Will we come back again? Most likely not.

When the quality of the service is matched by the tasty and satisfying dishes, you have to go back, Gitanes exceeded my expectations. The menu makes it very difficult to choose, everything looks delicious.

Very poor value for money. Service was good but food not great at all. I ordered an onion soup and duck au poivre with glass of wine. Paid a hundred dollars for food that was average and the veggies with the duck had something that literally left my tongue numbed followed by a bad headache. I paid big dollar to get sick.

Great food, awesome service - staff very helpful with food and wine pairing choices

Amazing dinner at a gitanes! Celebrated mine and my mothers birthday tonight, the food was all incredible. Seafood tower is a must! Crab pasta, duck poivre, steak frites, Dover sole, and the tartare were all perfect and would happily order again. Thank you to the entire team for the wonderful service and food!

We visited Gitanes for our anniversary. We were a little confused where it was exactly located since their sign isn t very obvious considering the signs of their neighbouring restaurants are bigger and brighter. On the inside the space is quite beautiful and intimate. We tried a few dishes: Duck au poivre, seared beef tartare, focaccia, oysters and Pommes frites ( not pictured but came in a huge basket ). We tried an orange wine which was so refreshing, a red wine (Bourgeuil) it was wonderful with the duck dish , crystal dior and nouveau riche. Everything was delectable and enjoyable.

Great atmosphere! I would love to try it again but I would not get the steak and frites again, it didn t wow me at all especially for the price of $36 for small steak and fries( the fries were like McDonald fries but tasted nice like truffle fries in a way) lol!. The sauce for the steak was just ok, nothing special. I thought it would be a lot better but I would love to try something different. We made a late reservation so unfortuebly the kitchen closed snd we weren t able to get the dessert but I really wanted to try the fois gros sundae.

Cozy and intimate place for a fancy meal out. The French onion soup is the best!

Scallops were a little pricey for just one but were delicious. Crab, steak and burger were amazing. The table we got seated at was wobbly and directly beside the bathroom. We were moved without a problem since the place was almost empty. I thought it was strange they sat us there in the first place. Service was a little slow but maybe thats part of the French theme lol. Great dinner. The poubelle lager was surprisingly good as well.

I wish I could put more than 5 stars. The only thing Im mad about is that it took me so long to check it out. Everything was a amazing but the French onion soup, beef tartar and crab spaghetti are all must haves. The foie gras ice cream is revelatory and I will definitely dream about it for weeks to come.

Great cocktails. Delicious food. Very friendly and attentive staff. Classy place!

Good food, and decor is well done, good ambiance and Casual. Enjoyable evening.

My husband and I dined here tonight. The food was so delicious!! The service was also impeccable. We had such an amazing evening there! The mocktails were also delicious. The portions were generous. Were really glad we came and will be back!

Such a good spot for date night or a night out with friends! Amazing atmosphere inside, staff are attentive and service is great. We ve also ordered takeout a few times over the pandemic and one time we even had them deliver- food was ah-mazing (you really cannot go wrong with their crab spaghetti and potatoes). So many things to try on their menu, you won t be disappointed!

The food was good and the server was helpful but from the moment we walked in at 6 pm on Thursday, Dec 9 we felt like we were being rushed. The server told us that we should put in our order soon because we only have the table until 8. When I made the reservation I was told that we have the table until at least 8:15 and if we want to stay longer we can just tell our server. In the 2 hours we were there we kept being told that we are running out of time (at 7:30 the server reminded us that if we want dessert we should tell him soon because our time is almost up). Before they brought out the dessert, our server brought us our bill and asked if we need a machine. Before we were done with the dessert he brought the machine for us to pay. This place is high end and my friend and I spent around $200 on just a few appetizers, 2 drinks and one dessert. The food was good but I didn t leave with a good feeling. I probably won t be back.