das lokal

best restaurant experience we've had in a long time!. who would have thought such an amazing restaurant could exist in a repurposed kfc?

from the funky rustic decor to the amazing food and drinks, the experience was so worth it! this was the first time in a long time that the starter cocktails actually had alcohol in them. sick and tired of watered down drinks. everything we ordered was exceptionally creative in presentation, taste and texture. the biggest surprise was a dessert with cubed squash, whipped cream and other ingredients that tasted almost like the best pumpkin pie we've ever had! service was amazing, never in your face but very knowledgable, helpful and fast but never rushed. even the bartender was great when she whipped up a surprise spanish type coffee although it wasn't on the menu. turned out whatever she, should be on themenuas it was amazing and they didn't even gouge us when the bill came...impressed!

highly recommended!

smallmenuthat needs no apologies. the rabbit was moist and flavourful with so many great savoury ingredients that enhance the taste. the venison goulash was rich and sweet. this is not your german beer hall but a more sophistated glimpse of german cuisine. you may not leave stuffed but you will have a memorable meal. guten appetit

das lokal is wonderful. the service is friendly, professional and timely. the cocktailmenuis fulsome and unique for ottawa. the food, dinner and brunch, is delicious: simple, soul-warming and well-prepared. on top of everything, the ambiance and decor is relaxed and cool, which is hard to find in ottawa. highly recommended.

came here for brunch yesterday, and i tried their savory board, which was a salad, potatoes, bratwurst, bacon, and a frittata.

the salad was a fairly mild & simple, but tasty dressing, which was good to balance out all the rich & savory flavours on the board. the potatoes were okay, i would say about average. the frittata i believe was spinach, and it didn't blow me away. the bacon was thick cut and not fatty, but perfectly cooked and had a lot more flavour than i was used to seeing. the bratwurst was juicy and delicious, and the board cake with 2 types of mustard (one grainy, one not) which paired excellently with them. the portion size was okay, but i didn't find it exactly generous for the price, but the overall quality & presentation were quite good.

the coffee they served was great, some of the better coffee i've had in a restaurant.

the decor was interesting and unique, i quite liked the ambiance.

the service wasn't the best, in my opinion. there were only 2 servers in and the place was quite busy. it took quite a while to be able to.place our order, but we had been waiting for someone. i had to specifically ask for more coffee, as when the food came, my cup was empty and she did not offer more. she came back to check on how everything was, and then i asked for more coffee, and by the time it came out, we had already finished eating. we also had to specifically flag down the server to get the bills.

overall, i would go back, they have a fairly uniquemenuwith interesting options, and i'd like to try some of their different offerings.

if you want to go to a unique restaurant, this is an ideal choice. themenuis really interesting and the decor has this lovely scandinavian feeling to it. although sitting on white (sheep?) skins can be a bit nerve-racking for women at certain times... anyways, i went for lunch and ordered the char and waffles. it seems like an odd combo, but i really enjoyed it! the char was cooked to perfection and the waffle softened the dish. this is most definitely somewhere i would take a person visiting ottawa, if i wasn't such a loner.

food: 9/10

loner rating: 7/10

atmosphere: 8.5/10

location: 7/10

food was really good except dessert, service horrible. maybe 12 for dinner is to much, they had 2 people sitting at the end of the table locking elbows! let me just say that apologizes are not big..... perhaps small wine glasses, $10. glass of wine that looked like 4 oz, waitress agreed and said she would top it off and came back saying we were wrong..... "the glass is big,so it looks like less". not that we didn't consider this, but the bottom part is not as fat as the middle - we weren't going to argue after she agreed with us. next was dessert, they ran out of brownie, only one person got that, the others had to pick something else, the shortcake which was dry. the creme brûlée was the worse, we assumed it was traditional only because we were not told any different, had we been told it was chamomile flavour we would have past. i told the server the creme brûlée had a terrible taste, she said it was chamomile and would talk to the manager about taking it off our bill. manager came over and asked about our meal, then got defensive and said they offer 3 different creme brûlée flavours was the reason i guess that themenuonly says creme brûlée, she talked over us maybe because the piano player was back! finally the shortcakes and creme brûlée were taken off our bills. my husband and i have been several times, not sure well be back which is a shame as we live 2 blocks away. i was embarrassed as i has suggested this restaurant for our friends and therefore felt compelled to voice my disappointment.


-----25 jan, 2015-----

somewhat disappointed in service. let's just say the food was great and the portions were generous. we live in the neighbourhood and suggested our group of 12 go to das lokal for dinner last night. firstly, the restaurant is too small for a piano player, when he finished playing were people clapping for relief........... we were not happy with the service, yes were were 12 (2 people sharing the end of the table..hardly comfortable, their elbows kept knocking). also, they should perhaps use small wine glasses, at $10. it barely looked like 5oz, we brought it to the servers attention and she agreed "yes, it doesn't look like 5oz, let me just take that and top it off", returning with the glass "sorry it is 5 oz the glasses are measured with water at the beginning of the evening"....... then the desserts another sign of poor management....... 2 had ordered the brownie but they ran out and only one person got brownie, so 2 other guests chose what looked like a shortcake.....bad choice, it was so dry, they left some on their plate. next themenuhad "creme brûlée", 2 people ordered it thinking it must be traditional type as nothing was mentioned.......that was horrible, we all had a taste and left it. i asked the waitress what was in it because it was inedible, she said it was chamomile creme brûlée, she would talk to the manager. someone came over, didn't introduce herself and started asking about our meal and the dessert, she talked over me, i don't think she heard a word, but then the piano player was back!! she was defensive about themenuand said the board only says creme brûlée because they have 3 kinds!! we were never given a choice and while i was at it mentioned the dry shortcake! they removed the shortcake and creme brûlée from our bill. not sure i will be back, too bad since we've been a few times and liked it except for the piano and we live 3 blocks away

what happened?!?!. i've eaten at das lokal a few times since it opened just over a year ago. it was one of my favourite spots in the neighbourhood for the first six months or so (despite a few easily forgiven eccentricities). the decor and warm feeling of the place at night is wonderful and cozy, and the live piano fridays and saturdays makes for an extremely inviting atmosphere. the staff are usually quite friendly, and the patio was a nice touch this summer (as well as the mysteriously short-lived sunday brunch, featuring live music).

however, their once outstandingmenuhas taken a dive over the last few months. the changes they've made all seem to be for the worse - the selection and variety aren't especially inspiring, the dishes i've tried left a lot to be desired (small portions and relatively bland flavour combinations), and shockingly, the prices have all gone up (way up!). i never expect or want giant portions, but hope for at least two points on the food-portion-price triangle, and they aren't really delivering on any of those, let alone two. this used to be in my top 2 or 3 recommendations whenever someone asked me what to try in the market, and i'm pretty disappointed that i can't recommend it any more.

they do change theirmenuseasonally though, and i hope they're receptive to the feedback they're getting - it's such a wonderful place and an absolute gem in the neighbourhood, if they can just figure out how to get back on track. i'm looking forward to trying again in a month or two!

disappointed. this is my third time there, and sorry to say i doubt i will ever be back.
1. bad service
2. price for what you get
3. smallmenuthat just gets regurgitated for brunch, lunch, dinner in various forms. the food is fine, did not enjoy the chips at all though.

service will always be the dealbreaker.

delicious!. ive been for lunch before and while it was very good i found it to be a little slow. in all fairness it was very busy, since it is new and all.
so i decided to go for dinner before i judged, and boy am i happy i did. the new wintermenuis a winner. i wish i had more room for my yummy creme brulee but i could only have one bite after 2 apps and a main! i had the soup, shared the endive salad and the most amazing duck breast ive ever eaten for my main. the winter vegetables just shows how much chef harriet cares about local and seasonal foods, and themenuoverall.
if youve ever been you know how lovely the place is. the owners put so much thought into the ambiance of the place. its warm and cozy, with servers that converse with you like a real person rather than treating you like a dollar sign to add to their stack. all the decor is adorable. the fireplace, piano that was being played, gluvien stand outside with pine trees and a really nice bar.
this place is a win for sure. im so happy its not another pretentious place, and im looking forward to trying every seasons menu!!

lunch review. saw this place being built over the past few months and had to try it. went for lunch with co-workers and it was delicious. had the flat iron steak with fries, aioli and corn relish. das lokal is definitely a good option in the area; nice atmosphere, decently pricedmenuand great tasting food. i would highly suggest it for those who favour quality tasting food. however, if you are the type who eats a lot, this place isn't for you as the portion size is not that big. overall, good choice and i would go back to try their dinner menu.

the leeks main was amazing. themenuhas not yet been updated to reflect the changes made to the dish (no longer stuffed leeks but a rice dish with mushrooms, leeks, pecans, feta, and herbs). it was incredibly satisfying and i am now eager to try othermenuitems. don't go if you have any time constraints though, or try to go without making reservations. it is a very busy place.

i went to das lokal for the first time with my family. it was good food, lovely presentation - but i found that everything took painfully long to serve, and my family members complained that there isn't enough choice on themenuto lure them back even though they enjoyed what they had.

great new addition to the market, das lokal is a contemporary but warm take on a german bistro. the owners have completely reinvented the space on dalhousie with cool lighting/furnishings, and some jazz the night we were there. themenuis small but we found that a refreshing change. the onion tartlet and gravlax were great to start. my partner had a spaghetti squash rösti and i had the braised rabbit with spaetzle -- both very good on a chilly fall eve but too much to follow with a dessert. if you're looking for a warm environment to relax and enjoy some good but unpretentious food, i'd suggest trying das lokal.

great addition to the area. anticipation for this new restaurant built over the summer, as we watched the old building morph into a far more appealing venue. for the overall aesthetic alone, well done! what was once an eyesore now looks like the place where everyone wants to be - and rightly so. the interior space is warm, inviting - dare i say cozy? - but spacious and airy at the same time. the juxtaposition of cool tones and warm lighting is perfectly balanced. my favourite design element? the soft cloth "napkins" that are a cute wink to the home kitchen and much preferred to the super starchy white alternative. and the food? for a week's worth of service, the kitchen brigade has mastered itsmenuitems: the cornish hen was perfectly cooked with nary a sign of dryness, the gravlax was sublime and a steal at $14. the vegetables, i suspect all local from the market or from local suppliers, were fantastic. it's nice to see dishes with so many colours. the only negative remark thus far (and it's a very minor detail, granted): the steak knives. with such beautiful food, the cafeteria steak knives have got to go... we will be sure to visit again and are very happy to have daslokal as part of the neighbourhood. overall, das lokal: wünderbar!

opening night. we went to das lokal for the grand opening on friday september 27th. we are by no means the type of people that go to grand openings restaurants but we live across the street and have been watching this place being built for the last several months so we thought we thought why not celebrate a friend’s birthday and welcome the new neighbours.

we made a reservation for 4 but still had to wait about 10 minutes for our table which was not a problem, but the entrance way is very small and the restaurant was packed with people so while the length of time we waited was no issue, our surrounds were a bit cramped.

the server was very friendly. after we had selected a wine ourselves, she boldly recommended another one, which we went with. it was just as good as our first pick would have been. we didn't mind, but i think a really "foodie" would have been a little offended that the server basically told us our first choice wasn't good and recommended another one.

my friend and i both had the flat iron steak. it was listed on themenuas medium rare, i usually prefer medium but i was willing to go medium rare. again, the server insisted that we have the steak rare even though it was listed on themenuas medium rare. being that medium rare was already a bit of a stretch for me i stuck with it but my friend opted for rare. when the item is specifically listed on themenuas medium rare i'm not sure why it would be recommended to us as rare. the gravy was more of a soy sauce, which i found tasty but very very salty. themenuis not yet posted online so i can’t go back and check was it was listed as but we were both surprised by the soy sauce gravy. i enjoyed it, my friend did not.

it was a very smallmenuwith not to many options to choose form but all the food is supposed to be locally sourced within 30km of the restaurant to i imagine themenuwill change seasonally. i would go back in another few months once the service has calmed down a bit and themenuhas changed. $24 for the steak and $10 a glass of wine so prices are middle of the range, typical of the market.

we waited quite a long time for our bills at the end of the night but overall it was enjoyable. worth checking out.