We were never served, so we left. Disappointing. This place is old and worn out. I didn't get to try the food or the drink, so I cannot comment on that.

The service was good as well as the live band on the Tuesday night I stopped in here, but the menu is in desperate need of a makeover.

I think I ordered the most creative thing available, which was an apple brie burger, but the bun was either stale or else sitting under the heat lamp in the kitchen for too long. It came out as hard as a rock. As for the meat itself, they used what appeared to... more

Kind and friendly staff and good pub food! I asked if they could make me a buffalo chicken wrap (not onto the menu) and they gladly did and it was very good.

Highly recommend this pub if you are looking for good bar food and nice staff. Our serve was awesome and helped us out with any questions we had, the food was great and it wasn't overpriced. Love this place and if I ever go back to Ottawa I will be going there again !

Was in town for one night went with a work colleague for dinner and was very disappointed. From the beginning the service was terrible. We had to repeatedly flag the reserved down to take our drink order, then appetizers and again for our meal. We had the peppercorn steak and the burger and fries and the food was pretty sad. My burger was lukewarm and bland and I could count the number of fries... more

Absolutely lovely establishment. Our waitress (Celina) was wonderful! Not only did we get our food and drink quickly, she was clever and a great server. She found out we were from the U.S. and wrote down suggestions for local places to go while we were here. The food itself was great (my friend has the bangers and mash - GLORIOUS sauce) and the beer had a great variety. All in all, fun place,... more

On the plus side their whisky selection is great. They have a good selection of beer. But the food is very poor. I've eaten there twice - the bridie and the fish and chips. They should Google bridie because what they sell bears no resemblance. The fish and chips are low freezer quality, awful actually. Pity, as the location is really good and the authenticity of the pub is pretty good.

So my... more

I'm not much of s Scotch drinker but their tap beer was good. I had a nice roast beef
sandwhich and wife had hamburger. Quite enjoyable atmosphere sitting outside. The cool thing is that they had live acoustic music after 9:30. I switched to Merlot and we had an enjoyable evening. I have a couple of photos I can share

I don't have a great love for pubs. I don't expect much but the food was better than I expected. I ordered a burger with a salad. The salad was fresh and not dried out. The burger was two handmade patties with real cheddar cheese. The bun wasn't your typical bun it was a grade above.

My husband had a sampling of 4 beers that he enjoyed.

It's likely we would go back again if we were in the area.

When you consider going to a pub in the market it can feel like slim pickings sometimes, but Highlander is one of the better ones. With a central location and a nice patio in the summer, it's good to have around.

Their tap list is pretty decent and they get some good stuff on their rotating taps (we even stopped in for some Brew Dog Punk IPA!) and the food is refreshingly different from other... more

Decided to stop here for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. Service was bad right from the start. The waitress didn't smile and once seated we had to ask for a kids menu. Even though we had a 4 year old with us, she seemed surprised when we asked for one. In addition, they have areas on the kids menu for kids to color, but no crayons. We asked for a pen instead....one never came. Considering the... more

Best scotch bar in the area. Dave, the bartender, gave great suggestions and tips for how to enjoy the whiskey and after your first ten, you get another tasting free! They have a killer deal on Monday Night Football for a burger, fries, and beer for $10 or a pound of wings for $12. The staff is super friendly and the drinks are great!

Great steaks at a good price

This is a very small pub in the middle of downtown. It specializes in single malt whiskey and severs whop wear kilts. I'm not Scottish, and I'm not a drinker, but I am a steak lover, and they do have very good ones at a very reasonable price. All the food is good there (their sandwiches at incredibly thick and... more

Just stopped in for drinks on the patio

Not a great location for patio drinks right now because of the huge construction project across the street. The wait staff were very nice, but they didn't have the Scotch (and that's their specialty) my husband ordered. Not a big deal, but it took a while to find out and then some time for the reorder.

Great Beer & Patio

Went for drinks later in evening and sat out on patio. Great location, great patio. Nachos were average, but beers and service were great.

Odd experience - but good

An afternoon visit, sat on the patio. Good service. Decent selection of international beer. Food tasty. I was with a friend, the same friend with whom I shared this exact same food almost exactly one year ago. The odd part? She ordered duck wings rather than chicken wings and received chicken wings. "Oops, server error". How is that odd? Same... more

Enjoyed the patio in the evening

We stopped to have a beer at this pub on a warm Friday evening in the middle of summer. The patio was almost at capacity and the servers were busy. Couldn't expect fast service under these circumstances but still found it a little slow. We tried a pale and a red craft beer and they were tasty but not cold... more

You should be able to describe the experience you have at a bar within one word. So the one word I will choose for this bar is "MEH", in capitals for a reason because something about this bar should be exciting.

Very plain and ordinary place that people will see on their walk and think to themselves "this might be a great place to hang out tonight and grab a drink while having a good... more

Looks can be deceiving

Located right next door to The Aulde Dubliner, where we'd eaten on our first of two nights in Ottawa, we thought we'd try the Highlander on our second night. Maybe it was because it was Canada Day, or maybe it's always like that, but the place was a mess. The washrooms were absolutely disgusting. The menu had been reduced to... more

Average to below average pub fare. Fish was tough and small. Roast beef sandwich was average at best. Good beer though.

Pleasantly suprised

My sister and I were spending the day on Ottawa and were looking for a place to eat lunch. We were unable to agree on where to eat, so when she suggested the Highlander I reluctantly agreed.
The majority of the other terraces on the street were full, and this one was almost empty. I am very happy we decided... more

Great selection of Scottish pub food for excellent prices. Great atmosphere and quick service. Server was a little on the cold side but by no means unfriendly. Will definitely return if presented the chance.

at least the patio is good

Highlander Pub is located in the Market and has a patio which is a great place to people watch or escape the band!. I love good live music, but it has to be good. The Acoustic Shooters were horrible! The service was slow and unfriendly. They had a wheat beer on draft, so I thought I would give it a... more

Landed Lucky

This type of pub is really not our scene, but we were hungry en-route from the theatre. The outside seating was too noisy due to Rideau Street bus traffic, so we moved inside to a booth near the front door. The waitress arrived promptly, gave us menus, and suggested the fresh lobster with a small salad for $12.95 which was... more

Kitschy ... Lousy service and food ... go elsewhere

Ate our final meal in Ottawa at the Pub hoping to get a hearty meal and have a nice evening. The service was slow and unfriendly. My cottage pie was over spiced and luke warm when it arrived and the waitress never did check to see if we wanted a second beer, pretty poor.
I would avoid this restaurant, it... more

Summer has come - the patio is open

I eat here regularly. It is always a cheerful friendly delicious experience. The new monthly menu is about to arrive. How about "The Legendary Turducken Sandwich" with creamy cranberry pasta salad? And HOLY SPORRAN - "Vegetarian Haggis"???
And now that it's hot, 500ml of Crabbie's (Alcoholic) Ginger Beer is in season!!

Wouldn't say it was a highlander pub

Coming from scotland we decided to pop into the highlander pub for a drink to check it out!!
There is a large selection of whisky... Great you'd find this in scotland!
Also tennants lager on tap... You'd find this in Scotland!
What you'd also find in scotland which you won't find here is smiling waitresses!! Was in here for around... more

Good if you like tartan

This pub does what it sets out to do, which is provide a pastiche of Scotland in pub form. The seats are covered in tartan, the light shades are shaped like antlers and the menu is 'themed' accordingly. We had a couple of beers and burgers and they were tasty. The service was quick, which suited us well as we... more

Stopped for a pint on a sunny day, and were happy to sit on the sidewalk in the shade. We people-watched and heard street musicians. The staff was friendly, and the beer was cold. We didn't get any food, but it smelled pretty good. $5 for pints after 4pm was a pretty good deal.

My go to pub spot

This place is definitely worth checking out. Especially if you are looking for some good live music and great service, give this place a try. Weekends are the most fun I find. Music is always great, staff knows their stuff and are very quick to satisfy the customer. I can't comment too much on the food quality because I've only... more

Love the place

Was there about 1 month ago, service was great. Stopped in for drinks, always a good place to go for scotch, I should say the only place to go.
thanks for the great night. looking forward to trying out your new spot Deacon Brodies

Great service and food

We enjoyed a lovely late lunch on our last day in Ottawa. Waitress was very efficient and friendly in this busy bar - had a good atmosphere too. We ordered Scottish style Thai chicken curry with some apprehension and was amazed at how good it tasted. It was very moreish. We are Scottish and had no idea carrot, turnips and... more

Meh

I am a big fan of Highlander related stuff: drinking, high spirits, good music, but all my beliefs have been shattered when I entered Highlander Pub in Ottawa. The place is nice on the outside, nice on the inside, great atmosphere, however I had an unpleasant encounter with one of the blonde female servers that I would like to share... more

Steak, bangers & mashed

Went to the Highlander last week with a buddy of mine for lunch. He had the bangers & mashed and raved about them through the whole meal (so must have been good). I had the 8oz sirloin steak and fries which was also very good. Cooked well, nice and juicy, fries well cooked in oil (not lard!!!!).
I've had the... more

Food was great, but our server was incredibly grouchy and impolite.

More than a pub

Jason, the last outstanding chef, is moving on to Deacon Briodie's, Ken's newest. (Wait for it - very soon) So now Joseph has the responsibility. And he too is outstanding. Although the main menu is full of quality large-portion foods, it is pub food. However the monthly specials menu is much more than pub fare. Crispy duck Leg Confit is... more

A very nice Scottish pub with deer antler chandeliers and Scottish decor and staff in kilts. The place for scotch. Seafood chowder was very fresh with the shells included if not a bit salty. The apple crisp was quite mushy and no ice cream just whipping cream however. But a great place for drinks. They even have live music in the evenings. Staff were excellent.

Exceptional food and drink. The overall selection, quality, and price of their food was great. Staff were friendly and efficient as well. I would definitely consider coming back here. I'd easily recommend this place to a friend if they were around the Byward Market area.

Sympathique

A great moment because of the "ambiance": people are very professionnal and nice, beers and nachos are good, and all wears kilt! Awsome.

A good pub with a friendly atmosphere, the beer was just a bit flat! Food was very generously proportioned and well-priced, which made it a good option for the area.

A typical pub

Food is good, didn't seem like anything special. Typical nachos, wings, etc. Admittedly I didn't try anything particularly interesting, but what I did try I found wasn't any different from what you'd find at another pub. The servers were nice.

Great Service, Typical Food

Our server was extremely knowledgeable but I did not find anything on the menu that was particularly unique for a Scottish pub. The servings were large and it hit the spot for some deep fried food cravings.

Great burgers

Delicious double patty burger with great toppings. Our lady server was extremely pleasant and great atmosphere. Excellent selection of Scotch for afficionados!

Birthday Shenanigans

Great selection of fine Scotches. I liked the descriptions and trying different types. Comfortable layout, Bathroom downstairs. We shared a Nacho ok a little on the dry side, spinach dip was tasty.. Several people had the steak tried a piece nice, I had the chicken curry a little mild but I love curry. Would go back just to sip scotch... more

Legendary

This spot, unassuming from the outside, is decked out inside with dark wood pub furnishings and a wall-to-wall tartan carpet. If you like scotch, you must go to the Highlander. The list of scotches is the biggest I'd ever seen, and has great descriptions of each - you can even get flights of different regions of scotches to learn about... more

Stopped by for a bite to eat while walking around the market. Nicely themed restaurant with some menu items that were not exactly what I expected, but was pleased to see. After failing to convince anyone in my family to have the haggis, we had a range of items from seafood chowder and fish & chips to a burger and bangers & mash. Everything was very well prepared and tasted good. I had the... more

Very Popular

Highlander Pub is conveniently located near Byward Market and just 5 minutes' walk from the Parliament House.
We were looking for a quick dinner before the spectacular MOSAIKA night show (projected on the Parliament House), and Highlander Pub was exactly right for us: decent prices, quick and friendly service, good location and nice food.
Highlander Pub must be very popular:... more

Excellent options to taste single malts

Went on Halloween night. Had nachos and wings - good but nothing fantastic. Where this pub excelled is in the options for tastes of beer, and scotch. Had a beer flight or 4 different beers. Mostly ontario microbrews, and one Scottish beer(of those I tried). But next came the single malt list- pages of scotch and options for all of... more

Decent pub

2nd visit with my scottish/canadian boyfriend. The first visit we were just interested in a beer and he was really taken with the beer selection, but I don't believe he had a scottish beer. He selected an Ontario beer.
The next visit was for lunch, the food was okay - but stay away from anything that is 'scottish'. He was... more

Themed Bar and Restaurant

This was a themed bar and restaurant, with plenty of tartan on display. Unfortunately we found the food pretty average and noticed that 'haggis and neeps' was on the menu, although it came, covered in gravy! The food we sampled, steak with vegs was unappetising. The entertainment inside the lounge was reasonable, but very loud, in such a small space,... more

Just another tourist trap

Pretty unremarkable tourist pub with the usual fare.
All a tad hokey - they couldn't pack any more bright red tartan/plaid into this place or onto the (smiling and very pleasant) staff if they tried.
Totally underwhelmed by the Forfar Bridie another TA reviewer raved about. A few thin strips of mushroom, onion and meat in a thin broth with... more

great pub fare

nice seating on terrace,good atmosphere,good beer,good fish and chips and other entree also tasty .affordable,totally what you expect from the place.

Victim of its own success

On a recent visit to Ottawa, we were attracted to the Highlander Pub by its menu, which - to its credit - includes a separate vegetarian section - and the reviews on Tripadvisor. Four of us went for dinner and were, it seemed, fortunate to get a table - very busy. The first bad sign, however, was when we were... more

Hoot Mon 2

Go direct to the monthly specials section in the centre of the menu. Jason, the chef, and Joseph, the sou-chef, do magical things which you just don’t expect in a pub.
Actually in the main menu is Forfar Bridie. This is the best steak-mushroom-onion pie ever. The crust hangs down over the edge of the bowl. If you are a... more

Rarely can I go to a place to ask for Highland Park and they'll have it...
not only did the attendant KNOW it, but asked 'which year'.

and the pub faire was good... good portions from what I remember (Was about 4 years ago).

Big supporter of fire fiighters

Had an early meal consisting of the spinach dip. Not bad; had a bit of a bite to it. However, compared to Kelsey's, the naan bread "chips" were kinda bland. I ran out, and the waitress brought me regular nacho chips. Much better in my opinion.
This particular night they were preparing for an onslaught of 500+ firefighters. Some kinda... more

lunch on the patio

I found the food good but normal pub fare. I enjoyed the outdoor patio and was able to people watch from a smallish table.
A group lunch with aveage service

Good pub food-great for whiskey drinkers

We popped into this pub as it was close to our hotel and it was busy, but with a choice of outdoor or indoor dining.The staff are all dressed in traditional kilts and the pub has a Scottish decor with an amazing choice of literally hundreds of different whiskers to suit all tastes and wallets.My wife and I settled for... more

pleasantly surprise

We visited Ottawa in August during the long weekend. We were walking around ByWard and really couldn't figure out where to go since most restaurants looked packed. We saw this and decided to give it a try.
We started with the taquitos and deep fried zucchini. The starters were amazing..
For the main we had the chicken kabobs with rice... more

not so great

standard pub fare that's less than par, seating is really cramped, when they're busy the staff cant keep up...there's really nothing special about this place, considering the location is ideal for people watching its makes it more disappointing. the beer isnt cold very cold, oh, i got the steak and it was over priced and overcooked. i dont mind paying... more

Great patio

Great place to have a beer, some good food and watch all the scenery go by in the Market.
Prices are very reasonable and service is always excellet.

No Haggis at The Highlander

We had just spent two days at the Glengarry Highland Games at Maxville and were anxious for more things Scottish. The place is decorated with Scottish regalia and the waiters and waitresses wear short kilts. The menu had many choices but the most Scottish item was a Haggis dish. One of our party ordered the Haggis dish and was told... more

Fantastic creative food

We stopped by for lunch during the afternoon. It was warm out so I had some beer on the patio. The waitress was very nice and recommended a great local brew! The food was stellar, and a reasonable price. Overall it was a fantastic experience and I would eat here again without question!

Pump up the scottish volume

Food fair for the price,. Nice staff but very annoying loud (non-Scottish) music on the terrasse outside such as Pump up the volume 1990's, Huey Lewis and the news 1980's and Lady Gaga. Nothing Scottish but the decor... Will go to another pub next time.... more

Wont disapoint

It's a basic bar and grill. Tasty food and attentive staff, and very friendly. Even though it was very busy the wait times where short.

Husband day care

The sign on the front says it all. Good beer, reasonably priced good food and all the staff wearing kilts
A nice place to fill in an hour or so while the other half shops

Basic, tasty, affordable

If you're looking for an affordable tasty lunch, dinner or snack or just a place to slow down, rest and have a pint, this is a great choice. Well located on the edge of the Market, close to the Rideau Center, this is a spot to move on from to enjoy other things the city has to offer. Service a... more

Good place to go

Went there on Canada day. Ate some natchos with a beer. Very friendly staff and good food is served.

Kilts Galore

Nice pub in the heart of the Byward Market we sat on the patio we had The Highlander's Micro Brewed Claymore Draught we had the Claymore Lager Fresh, crisp, with a light hoppy finish 5.75 a pint To eat Scottish Cottage Pie it was reasonably priced 11.95 we would go back

Food and drinks were great. The patio was fantastic and they had a live band playing out on the patio. Can't go wrong on a weekend night in the summer.

Good location, price and food

First of all I went to The Highlander Pub for supper and I am not a beer of whiskey drinker. I ordered the 12 oz. Canadian, Black Angus, New York Strip-loin Steak special medium rare. The steak arrived quickly, faster than the table next to me who ordered a burger before me. The steak was tasty, but a little fatty,... more

Friendly staff

After having this pub recommended we were desperate to visit, after being seated to a table of our closing by the waitress it was clear tha they had tried very hard and succeeded to make the pub as Scottish as possible from the staff wearing kilts to the decor inside, even the password for the wifi! A lovely pub!

We came in here because I made a joke about Highlanders (the movie, not the people) and this place seemed so appropriate.

It was packed on a Saturday night and we were sat in an out of the way booth, which would normally be fine except we were basically left alone for at least the amount of time it takes to finish a pint, plus 15-20 minutes more. Eventually, the Hubster got sick of waiting and... more

Excellent Scottish beer

Coming from the city of Irish pubs (Montreal), we were quite happy to see a Scottish pub. The wait staff were very warm and kind, and awesome-looking in their kilts ;). Try the Claymore lager...you won't regret it. Wish I had had the stomach space to try the food!

Beer selection = excellent. I described what I liked in very layman's terms and was brought something that was just to my taste. Good selection of microbrews and local beers.

Scotch selection = amazing.

Food = better than average pub food at lower-than average prices (by Ottawa standards). Vegetarian options, good variety in the menu. My server was happy to modify my order to avoid dairy. The... more

I love everything Scottish, and this place has Plaid EVERYWHERE! The staff wear kilts and it just makes everything so *authentic*

I came here with coworkers and I had a beer originating from Scotland, the Tenant's Lager, which was absolutely crisp and refreshing. For those who don't like dark or hoppy beers, then this Lager is for you. I loved it so much that I had a second pint. Because I had... more

I have been here a couple times for a beer with colleagues. Although the decor is kitschy, it is does look pretty close to someplace you'd find in Glasgow. Despite too short kilts on too short days, the servers I have encountered are always cheerful and swift. I appreciate the fact that male servers are also required to wear (longer) kilts. What I like best about the Highlander is that it has a... more

I, a couple of friends and my daughter stopped in this pub after participating in Ottawa's Zombie Walk in October. We were tired from walking, slightly damp and cold.

This is smallish pub decorated in a traditional way with a fairly traditional menu to go with the decor. They had a good choice of locally brewed beer and all of the ones we tried were good. We also ordered nachos. These were... more

A pub near the market.

I stopped there while a walk in Ottawa. As I was frozen by the cold /wind, I decided to make there a stop.

What a good idea ! I took a claymore micro-brewed beer and a plate of fries and had a good time while watching a football game

the beer was good, the same for fries ! this is a place I will stop by wit pleasure during my future travels to Ottawa

I have eaten at the Highlander Pub a few times now. It has always been with a large group when the majority of the people want to go there - I acquiesce because I support democracy, not because I like this place.

The food here tastes like food that I used to prepare 15 years ago in my university residence shared kitchen in a drunken state at 3:00AM. Edible? Yes. Requires skill? Not so much.... more

Their food was good -- no complaints. Their bar is AMAZING, but be prepared to pay high prices for most of anything on the drinks menu. If you have the money and like UK food and amazing spirits, you won't regret going here.

The food is the problem as its below quality. The beer location, and patio is its only saving grace. We go there when our friends drink scotch.

Came here for my last dinner in Ottawa with some people last night. Overall, a tasty experience and a healthy dinner portion. I had their New York Tenderloin and it was very good accompanied by yams, mashed potatoes, and salad. Service was busy but still good though they forgot the soup appetizer I had asked for but replaced it with salad. It's funny that they say "where men wear kilts" though... more

The Highlander Pub already has a healthy number of reviews, but I absolutely love this place and have to give it a shout out. To address Coy W.'s review below, I've never experienced poor service, nor have I heard other poor experiences, so I have to chalk it up to three rare instances.

The food has been described as "typical" pub fare, but their dishes have hints of Scottish flair that other... more

Typical pub fair food at a reasonable price. I just had to try the fish and chips and wasn't all that impressed. Aulde Dubliner & Pour House in my humble opinion makes a much better fish and chips meal. I found the fish and chips at the Highlander to be greasy, older oil and a smaller portion. The menu was reasonably priced with some really enticing dishes, I just felt like a pregnant women... more

I've been to this restaurant twice.

My first experience, I was charged extra for ketchup(!?.

My second and last experience was on a Tuesday.

We walked in with 3 people. A very rude waitress asked if we had a reservation and started lecturing us on their Tuesday Trivia nights and that we should have called in advance. We left in less than 10 seconds. Not returning.

Rude Waitress

First time visitor..

The waitress Lori (blond hair) puts her tattooed right arm on the table and asks what we drink. She places two coasters on the table but throws the other two.

We ordered the drinks and one of my friends asks for a coke with no ice. Lori comes back with the drinks and mentions them by brand. She said “coke no ice” but when my friend asks if the coke is diet Lori says it is... more

my wife and I went there twice during two visits to Ottawa. The ambiance is great and the food is superb. The first visit we had fish and chips and they were outstanding. The second time, we were looking for something "casual" ordered The steak burger with salad and it was cooked perfectly and salad was superb, with awesome balsamic vinaigrette. In both cases we were served by outstanding wait... more

I walked by here today and was reminded of some very poor service at this place. I've been here 3 times and all 3 times the service hasn't been great.

The first time was during the World Cup so that was no big deal as their patio was rammed full. The next time I went back it took forever to get any service from anyone. This included getting the items we ordered.

The last time was when a... more

With so many pubs in the market I seem to end up here again and again and again. Why you ask? Well, for one, the food is much better than typical food pub, and at a very reasonable price ($9-$12 for a proper meal).

They also have their own beers, and if you're new to the pub, the best way to go is with their 'sampler' of beer. You get to choose 4 quarter pints of beer for about the same price... more

On both visits, got the same thing, an awesome hamburger with fries and a beer. Only complaint is that it was a super hot summer day and the place was burning up inside. Service could be better, prices are just ok but believe me, the food is great! Will definitely go back.

The Patio Experience: 4 Stars
-Whatever those gorgeous yellow and white flower-like things are- they're amazing. When not knowing which patio to camp out on during beautiful day, the choice is made much easier by these structures. Umbrella things, keep doing what you do.
-Cute kilts on the staff!
-Slow to get helped at first
-Fast to get the food and drink

The Food Experience: 3 Stars
-A... more

Good food and good beer. Nice atmosphere and service. Loved the booth in the back we were seated in. Good Pub food. Had a great time there.

I closed this place down my first night in Ottawa. This is a town full of Irish pubs, so I felt like I was sticking up for the underdog by taking my dinner and entertainment at the Highlander.

They had good local beers, trivia contests, a friendly and sociable staff who are okay wearing kilts, and some quite excellent pub grub -- again, with the sheer number of pubs nearby, several of which I... more

Close to my hotel, had whiskey, and decent food.

Got to eat outside on the patio. Was a decent place, I probably should have sat at the bar instead of by myself. Probably will do that on a future trip out to Ottawa.

I had a steak sammich and a couple of different whiskeys. Nothing particularly spectacular but decent nonetheless.

Good beer (they have seasonal microbrews from all over), lots of whiskey selections, and good food. I had a goat cheese salad the first night I went there, and it was really good - I highly recommend. The next time I had a mustard beef dish over mashed potatoes - it wasn't as good. The burgers seem to be good - all the people I went with ordered them and liked them. The service is great too.

Whenever I have a layover in Ottowa, I always make a bee line for this place for an after work. The bartenders are always great personable. They make me feel like a local even if it's just for the evening!

I think this place is the unofficial layover hangout for our flight crews in Ottowa!

As I've said before, I'm not an enormous fan of Irish, English or Scottish bars, but I can't help but be enamoured with the Highlander Pub. The staff is so friendly, funny and down to earth, you can't help but feel a bit more at home when you arrive. The atmosphere inside is cozy with booths and tables tucked along the narrow space. Outside, the patio is huge and a great place for large groups.... more

Without a doubt, by atmosphere alone, the Highlander is one of the liveliest pubs in the city. With a very large patio, up-tempo, usually Scottish-themed live music that's actually good, and a central location, the Highlander makes for good times.

It's Scottish background gives it an edge in terms of uniqueness over the plethora of Irish bar's in the area, with guys in kilts playing the... more

Here is my bias: I have a lot of Scottish blood in me, so I can't say that I am impartial when i write this review.

With that being said, a Scottish themed bar is hard to find. Everything is an Irish pub nowadays. I find this interesting, because although the Irish do drink a lot, they aren't the only ones.

The Highlander is a nice bar right in the market. Actually, I think it's only real... more

British pubs typically tend towards one of two themes. There's the English-style which will have the usual dark-wood features, English iconography such as framed England or Manchester United shirts on the wall, and a name with two words separated by an ampersand (e.g., The Hammer and Nail, The Rapscallion and Cheese Sandwich). There's the Irish-style which looks similar in interior to the... more

Highlander Pub is a scottish pub on a busy corner of the byward market.
Great pub food and some yummy scottish dishes such as haggis.
Never tried haggis? Be there before 9pm to try a taste of it as the servers
(in their kilts) pass around a tray of haggis "paté style"
spread on some toasted bread. You also get a wee dram of blended scotch
on the house for the daily homage to Scotland and the... more