I had an amazing lunch at Taylor's yesterday with friends. Warm service - excellent knowledge of the wine menu. Such a lovely atmosphere and delicious menu options, our quick lunch last over three hours.

We will be back. After stopping in at two separate restaurants and leaving; we finally landed here for lunch. Glad we did and we will be back.

The place is very small but welcoming. We sat at the bar as all the seats were taken and were told that we would get a seat very soon. We grabbed a glass of white wine and enjoyed the casual ambiance. We were indeed seated quickly and at the window seat... more

Great food great service. Had a wonderful time the other night at our 30th anniversary. They had a bottle champagne ready for us when we got there. The tomato and goat cheese salad was perfect. Lovely presentation. Very reasonable prices. This was our first time and won't be our last.

Amazing food, great service and atmosphere. So far the best food experience in Ottawa. Thank you

Yum! I love eating at Taylor's.
Since their opening, they definitely raised the bar of the Old Ottawa South eatery scene. It's perfect for a business meeting, a romantic date, or just a simple get together.
Everything I have had on the menu was delicious, full of flavour and as local and seasonal as it gets. The venue is comfortable and the kitchen is open. The only down side is that your... more

Wow! Just experienced Taylor's

So will start with how unassuming the location is on the corner of Bank & Sunnyside not having a clue about what I was walking into. What a pleasant surprise this is run by the former Domus people (side note we lost a true gem in Ottawa when they closed).

OK so this is a tiny restaurant not much to look at but your not there to be wowed by their appearance. As... more

Artful, tasty, and pricey local food in a Bohemian Atmosphere

The owners graciously allowed us to use our Domus gift certificate, now that Domus is closed. We arrived a bit early, and were seated promptly despite the small size of the restaurant. Mushroom bisque was spectacular. Salmon and pork mains were sensitively prepared and delicious. Our server knew the food well and made good recommendations. Toffee pudding for dessert was... more

Amazing food and drink

I've been on two occasions, once for a meal and the other for an appetizer and drinks. Both times, everything was amazing. I had the pork wrapped in bacon, so that is all I can vouch for in that category. But everything was delicious. The drinks were also great and the bartender was really helpful and knowledgeable so I really... more

Great Meal, Alright Service

Although it was disappointing to find out that Domus was closing down, I was glad to experience something very similar here at John Taylor's another venture.
Local and seasonal produce are always a selling point for me. The ingredients of my dish were well presented and flavours deliciously balanced. The combination of pickled rhubarb, lemon and nasturtium on the scallops... more

Excellent food and a nice venue

The server was attentive and well versed on the menu items and the wine list. Between us, we tried three main dishes - rabbit, roasted duck breast, and lamb confit. We all enjoyed our meals quite a bit. We had a nice blend from the Rhône Valley to accompany dinner and it went nicely with our meals. We finished off... more

Quality Meets Ambiance

Just the best in town! Go for Dinner or drinks at the bar that is open to the action of the Kitchen. I liked that they open premium wines by the glass.

Great good nice small spot

Chef Ryan took great care of a small private meeting. The staff was very attentive and made our meeting and dining experience superb. Bone marrow appetizer and excellent scallops were a great start followed by a main of Elk done rare to perfection. Great wine selection thanks for the great hospitality!!

Pleasant surprise

This is a neighbourhood corner spot on one of Ottawa's busiest streets, close to the sports Landsdowne centre. A day later, my wife is still enthused with her discovery: delicious and imaginative mixes, impeccable presentation, first class service. We came in around 1:15pm and there were still noon patrons, but the place was quiet enough for us to meet the... more

Very impressive

When you cook using local ingredients, from scratch, and only have perhaps 10 tables, you take risks that the food will be hit and miss. Taylor's consistently takes the risk, with interesting, changing menu items - and after a half dozen dinners there over the past year, I have never been disappointed. The food is a bit rich and borderline... more

Great local restaurant

A small local restaurant and wine bar on Bank Street. We were there on a Monday with friends and the place was very busy. Not many tables so needed reservations. Hamburger was the special that night and was very good. Food overall very good. Portions small but thats ok. One guest thought the fish a little under cooked. Wine list... more

Chichi wine bar & eatery

Great food and great wine at a great (high) price. Nice atmosphere indoors - not sure I would want to be out on the patio with all the traffic noise though. Food, presentation, service all top quality.

Went for lunch at a friend's recommendation and was not disappointed. When i heard it was the chef from Domus there was no hesitation to try it. Quaint little patio in a great part of town (Bank and Sunnyside) We had a delicious lunch with a nice bottle of wine. Will definitely return

Pleasant new discovery

Our first time to Taylor's and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. The location in Old Ottawa South is not where you'd expect to find a restaurant like this but it works well. Short menu, all locally sourced and innovative creations. Our apps were an asparagus salad (Andy's asparagus, Crazy Daves ramps, sunnyside quails egg, ramp chimichurri, toasted nuts, shaved parm,... more

So lucky to have this in our neighbourhood

We live only a few blocks from Taylors and have eaten there many times. Our meals there have ranged from simple charcuterie plates to a seven course tasting menu. The menus are “local” and the food has is always delicious, innovative and perfectly cooked. They have a great selection of good wines, many Canadian and some available by the glass,... more

Always impressed

I have been to Taylor's three times, two for dinner, one for a Mother's Day brunch, and have always walked out impressed. Without fail, the food is always cooked perfectly. I judge a restaurant on how they cook their scallops......both times they were perfect! The only dishes where I have been unimpressed were their desserts....nothing wrong....just not at the same... more

Great food experience every time

We have gone to this restaurant many times to celebrate and have never been disappointed. They offer a wide variety of entree choices, a few starters and a nice assortment of desserts. The ingredients are always fresh, nicely prepared and well presented. The wine list and drinks menu are adequate and the service is excellent.

Wish I could give it a better review

The charcuterie plate to start was excellent. The wine selection is reasonable although there are too many Niagara wines on the list. The mains were ok and the dessert was very dissapointing. We were there for a birthday of which the staff was aware. Not even a mention of happy birthday to the birthday girl. At a restaurant of this... more

Everything done right

Full house when we went but this did not affect high standard for food and service which was impeccable. We, like the rest of the diners that evening, had the 5 course special table d'hote. Lovely food, well paced service which especially considering how full the restaurant was, is an accomplishment. Much thought goes into not only the food but... more

Great spot for lunch

Being a huge fan of Domus we bid on a gift certificate for lunch at Taylor's at a charity event. We were not disappointed. The food and service were excellent.

Great night out at Taylor's

Dropped into Taylor's and had a fabulous dinner. Started with an interesting and delicious charcutrie platter prepared by Martin and sipped on champagne while waiting for our party to arrive. We sat at the chef's table which gave us a great view of the chef and cooks preparing the meals. The waitress was fabulous in her explanation of the different... more

Perfect food, but small quantities

Aside from the bread (which my fiancée loved but I didn't), I found the food to be interestingly and perfectly flavored.
Appetizer 5/5(3/5): Beef and goat cheese with onion tapas was delicious. -2 for value because it was 3 crackers in size and not a proper appetizer portion.
Entre 5/5: Arctic trout was both perfectly seared, but also paired exquisitely... more

The food is spectacular and the staff is really friendly and professional. I must check out Domus soon, their sister company downtown!

Very good, not great, low end decor

Had a very good dinner last night, sat at the bar as there are not allot of tables and they were booked. We both had very nice salads and fish dishes (Arctic Char and Halibut), no complaints about the food, it was fine, not special though. The wine list a bit limited (and quite allot of it Canadian) for a... more

Ottawa's new star

Taylor's is an Ottawa newcomer. But it has longtime local roots. Its owners also operate the downtown classic, Domus, which has been consistently serving some of the finest food in the nation's capital for years. Domus has been my favorite Ottawa eatery since the mid-1990s. And now there is Taylor's. A casual bistro with a short but excellent menu. I... more

Perfect local

Early dinner here with family. Recommended by all we spoke to as local favourite- and they were right. The menu was seasonal and creative and the staff was well informed. As the evening went on the music went up and we started to have to yell across the table. Being not yet 40 I still find this annoying, but I... more

Go to Domus instead

2.5 stars...
Taylor's Genuine was a bit of a mixed bag...Service was a bit too casual and less that happy to have us. Atmosphere was also bit funky and fun...but maybe too relaxed for $$$
That said the food was beyond reproach.
We shared a bowl of artichoke curry soup, I had the beef and my wife had black cod...I... more

Off the Tourist Track

After a big tasting menu at Toque in Montreal we were ready for a small neighborhood bistro. Taylor's fit the bill nicely. Cozy, friendly locals, quite good food and service. Disagree about the servings being too small. They were just right for us.

Great Neighborhood Bistro

Taylor’s food is delectable.
The charcuterie is fair to very good. The soup of the day the night we visited was a velvety smooth mushroom, quite perfect. The house maple foie gras torchon was meagre. Four very small torchons that could have used a little seasoning. The portion was way to small even for a charcuterie and particularly at the... more

Agree with the next review - Good but tiny expensive portions

This place is much like other eateries in the area: a little food for a lot of dough. Unlike some of the more tired restaurants in the area, it was very tasty, but considering the price I doubt I'll be back.

Good food, expensive, small portions

I live in Old Ottawa South and had dinner at Taylor's. I was dissociated at the portion size. It was tiny, especially considering the high prices. The favors and originality were nice though. It is borderline tapas at main entree prices.

Worth it

Great Food,
Great Service,
Fun Atmosphere,
What more can you ask for?

Birthday dinner at Taylor's - so delicious

I'm going to keep this short and sweet. The service was fast and friendly. The food was SO delicious (the cheddar pie is to die for!) and we even got complimentary bubbly for my birthday. My only complaint was the price - but I'd go back in a heartbeat.

This is s tough one. Four stars for the food and three for the atmosphere/service and the wine list.

We had 8:30 reservations and when we arrived at 8:30 the small entry was JAM PACKED full of people waiting for tables. We didn't receive a warm greeting or much assurance of when we would be getting a table. We were seated 10 minutes later and received no apology for the wait. A complementary... more

A great night out with friends

Six of us went to Taylor's on a Tuesday evening and we all had a great time. We were seated in an alcove by the front window, so we felt almost as if we were in a separate dining room. Unlike many restaurants, the noise level was low enough that we were actually able to carry on a conversation with... more

Old Ottawa South is on the come up and here's proof

I live in the market and although there a few truly great restaurants nearby, I decided to celebrate my wife and I's anniversary at Taylors. Thankfully, we made online reservations a few days before because the place was full....on a Monday! We had the 5 course blind tasting and wine pairing and it was nothing less than superb, from the... more

Pretty expensive. Flavours acceptable. Nice service though. Good alternative to the market for wine drinkers. Portions are kind of small.

Very nice lunch, imaginative menu, comfortable atmosphere

We stumbled upon Taylors quite by chance, not spending much time in Old Ottawa South. We went in for a Saturday lunch, and had a very nice experience. The menu is creative utilizing fresh local produce, they have a good wine selection, microbrewery beer (a good but not extensive selection) on tap, an open kitchen (which usually means a clean... more

Food delicious and fantastic service

My partner and i dined at Taylors this weekend and everything was FABULOUS!! The food was delicious and the service knowledgable and friendly. After reading some disappointing reviews we have to say that Taylors has been given a bad wrap!! No where else in the city do they change there menu as often as taylors and can you find some... more

Food was delicuous...service abysmal

I'm a big fan of Domus , so was excited to try John Taylor's latest venture. I went for a birthday drink and appetizers tonight. Sat at the bar. I ordered a glass of prosecco....first of all, the bartender/waiter informs me that they have changed from prosecco to cava...I pointed out that both were listed on the menu. Then he... more

Forgotten food order

We went shortly after the restaurant opened. It was busy but we were content to eat at the bar. Where things fell apart was the term "eat". We ordered some nice red wine and waited. And waited. After about 40 minutes we asked about our food order. After the finger pointing stopped it appeared that either the cooks had forgotten... more

Superb food, great prices, but very expensive

My wife and I are great fans of John Taylor, who set up the once-great Domus restaurant in downtown Ottawa. Our last visit there though was disappointing, so we booked two seats at the bar (all that was available) in his new establishment in some anticipation. The good news is that he has clearly focused his attention on the Genuine... more

A "Chez Toqué" in Ottawa: talented and creative chefs

The menu offers a short list of choices but every single one of them is delicious. The choice of ingredients is either local or organic, mostly seasonal and definitely delicious. Preparation is out of the ordinary and busts with flavour. The staff is friendly and service was excellent.
The wine list is also short but good. There's a decent selection... more

Very enjoyable evening

Made our reservation late and had to agree to sit at the bar. Have had uncomfortable meals sitting at bars before, but this was very comfortable. Had the dinner special (Arctic Char) - very good - imaginative presentation. Partner had steak - very good. Service was attentive. Somewhat expensive, but it's nice to have a place of this quality in... more

Terribly Disappointing

We looked forward to the opening of this new restaurant in our neighbourhood, tracking the renovations and booking friends to join us in enjoying what we fully expected to become our new favourite. I'm sad to report that we have given Taylor's two chances and both visits were terribly disappointing for different reasons. On our first visit, our reserved window... more

I had supper here with a friend in June, when Taylor's Genuine had just opened.

We had made a reservation, but got a seat at the bar, since this restaurant is so cozy. This was fine with us, since we are both in the industry and enjoy being close to the action. My friend had already ordered a bottle of wine and charcuterie plate. There was an good selection of meats, cheeses and pates for the... more

Fabulous intimate dining experience

We were six which upon entering the restaurant we saw was going to be tight. We were seated at the back facing the "hot kitchen" where the mains are prepared. What a great table! Our waiter was attentive despite being very busy. The restaurant was full that night but the food came out perfect. We started with a plate of... more

A fantastic eating experience

My wife and I ate at Taylor's Genuine Food and Wine last week. The meal we had was incredible! The selection for the opening charcuterie was wonderful. We had duck foie gras, a selection of cured hams, the gouda and goat cheese, and smoked trout (served hot) with fresh bread, chutney and caramelized onions. We ordered the medium platter to... more