Gitanes

Excellente soirée, beau cadre et le service est parfait

Great place for a special occasion! Exceptional food and service.

Everything was so delish and it has such a cute, romantic vibe. The server was also very helpful and efficient.

The best ambiance, friendly and well trained servers, awesome owner and most importantly AMazING food and drinks. Best spot in town.

Maybe it was the fact that it was our first real restaurant outing in the pandemic era, but my partner and I really enjoyed our night here. The food is playful and novel but still accessible, and there are plenty of options for both the adventurous and those seeking comfort food. The staff were attentive and helped craft a memorable meal; an unlisted Alsace red in particular was a wise choice by the somm'. The cold bar may be the calling card, but the grilled meats also were very tasty.

We were a bit worried that Gitanes would be more style than substance - we were happy to be wrong! A great night out.

An intimate setting, with social distancing measures in place, with and authentic cuisine.
Since traveling is prohibited due to the pandemic Gitanes makes you feel like you are in Paris on a patio. :)
Customer service and considerations were impeccable and food mouthwatering.
Drinks were creative, colorful and refreshing.

Really great. Thank you. Really interesting food.

Our favourite special celebration restaurant in Ottawa. I’ve said it before, people should look to this place for a masterclass in how to run a restaurant, from the management, to the kitchen, to the front of house staff and servers. They have repeatedly amazed. Special shout out to Stephanie! There should be an award in Ottawa for people like her.

First time, definitely I will be back, the food, service everything was really good

Such a wonderful restaurant! Lovely ambience, great service, and beautiful cuisine!! We are so lucky to have this restaurant in Ottawa...

Was lucky enough to get to experience my dinner at the chefs table and it did not disappoint, the chef Mitch walked us through the menu and made the whole evening very engaging. The whole staff was friendly and attentive and the food was superb from the great selection of the raw bar to the mouth watering pastas. Would definitely recommend and will be back soon!

The food was delicious. Service was also amazing. The waitress was very friendly and helpful with the menu

Great food and excellent service. It’s expensive, but you get what you pay for. Would definitely come back!

Innovative menu, welcoming and knowledgeable staff, excellent execution of dishes, many of which not often seen (e.g. Pomme Aligot, which were exceptional). Overall an excellent experience. The only miss was the Escargots, which weren't -- substituted whelks were pretty much tasteless and had an unappetizing texture.

The best part of this restaurant is the service. It’s outstanding and the food doesn’t disappoint. Would recommend!

We only had three vegetarian dishes. They were delicious, colorful and flavorful. The savory tarte tatin is a hit! Our waiter was perfect, both personal and professional.
However the vegetarian options are very few and no vegan option at all. I believe this type of restaurant should venture more into vege dishes - lots of local vegetables are available. We unfortunately won't go to Gitanes too often for lack of choice.

Everything was beyond expectations. The “let the chef feed you” experience was absolutely incredible and so worth it. Highly, highly recommend.

All the food was delicious, even the squash we didn't order but they gave us accidentally. The service is so good I get warm fuzzy feelings just thinking about it - they can read my mind and know which wines I prefer! Of course I want to go back, whenever restaurants are open again ....

Amazing food 👍

So, I think it’s unfair to write a review on food when you’ve tried 10% of the menu. The cippolini tarte is a must try! It was perfect. The oeufs mayonnaise have a strong anchovy flavour which isn’t really the way it’s described on the menu as most people don’t assume that the word “tonnato” means it will taste super fishy. I did like them, but my boyfriend gagged. Lol. The burger was great, moist and great bun, BUT it does need something tangy like like dijon or sweet cornichons or something to offset how rich it is. I would recommend asking for something tangy , I’m sure they would accommodate you. The fries are amazing!!!! The French onion soup was alright, honestly it didn’t have the richness and depth I would have expected from them. Might have just been a batch that didn’t reduce as long as it should have. With that all being said I’d love to go back and try other items. The ambiance is great and super stylish. However I didn’t have a drink to sip until 30 min. after my reservation time which I find I unacceptable. They sat me at the bar as my reservation
table wasn’t ready. I was ignored by the bartenders as they did there thing for 5 min. chatting with each other and pouring drinks for other people who already had glasses in front of them. A simple “hello will be with you soon” would have been nice since the bar is so small and I was right in front of them. Then they sat me at my table before I had a chance to order. Then by the time she came and took my order and came back with the wine it was 30min. Not cool at all. She apologized but the whole thing was a turn off. Then it took 10 min. to pay because they have a bad signal as the restaurant is in a demi- basement. So about 40 min. of time there was not pleasant. Def. worth a try as it’s a lovely place with some great appetizers, and our server was a sweetheart. However if my second visit is like the first then I won’t return again.

A fantastic date night! The food here is fabulous. A nod to classic french cuisine which is well executed. We enjoyed every dish we tried. Portions were generous and we actually couldn't finish our mains which was a welcomed surprise. Only sad it meant we could not try the desserts. Decor and ambiance have both been well executed. Hope this place sticks around. Welcomed gem on the Ottawa food scene.
Service was good but attentiveness did start to drop as the evening progressed.. which is our only complaint.

Wow. Never thought I’d eat squash that would change my life.

Excellent all around! Enjoyed every bite and the service was 5 stars.

Loved every bite and the service was fantastic! Exquisite menu - great ambiance. Would 100% recommend.

Delicious food knowledgeable service. Stemware is stunning.

Amazing!! Food was great as always, service exceptional. Love love love

We ordered rib eye steak as our main dish. It was amazing! Perfectly cooked, flavour is incredible, served with some mushrooms and onions which pair with steak really well. Aside from great food, the place had pretty cool interior and nice playlist.

With some reservation. The food was wonderful..similar quality to France, but took forever to arrive. We waited an hour for our appetizers and another half hour for the main.
The major problem for us was the white tulip chairs, some of the most uncomfortable we've ever sat on. Reserve the sofa tables if you want to spend any time there.

My wife and I just left Gitanes on February 1, 2020 to celebrate her 40th birthday. I was explicit in my “reservation comments” that we were celebrating a milestone-birthday and, when we arrived, our thoughtful waitress brought us a complimentary round of drinks because she knew it was a birthday. We were seated in the back room section, close to the kitchen and restrooms.

However, once we finished our first of 4 courses, a party of 15 showed up. I have nothing against large parties, but the moment they arrived, it was mayhem. Somehow, despite my earlier mentions on my reservation, we were seated directly next to these people. As mentioned, I have nothing against large parties and people having a good time, but there should be some thought given to the other guests of the restaurant who may not be part of that group.

We asked to be moved as we were unable to speak to one another, and eventually we were given two seats at the bar. We did not ask to be seated at the bar on our reservation, we expected to be at a table as we had been originally seated. After being assured by our waitress that it was “cozy” up there, it wasn’t; it’s just as loud and obnoxious as sitting next to a group of 15 people shrieking and taking selfies.

Once there, our waitress lost track of us, and when she did surface, I told her that we were there to celebrate a birthday, and we couldn’t because of how they planned their evening sittings. We were also never offered another drink or even water, we were literally just left there. We were given a complimentary dessert, again because of the birthday that we didn’t get to celebrate, but by that point all we wanted to do was leave. In retrospect, we probably should have left earlier, as we ended up spending 200$ on a crappy night.

The food was very good and priced way above what I would expect. The restaurant is VERY, Very noisy. We found the tables quite small but nicely spaced,.

The servers were very attentive and helpful . However, at these prices I would have expected them to be dressed more presentably and professionally. Tee shirts? Please!

Wonderful first experience and look forward to many more. The renovations they made to this space are beautiful. It’s a warm funky atmosphere, delicious food, and attentive service. I only wish they had a fish as a main course that wasn’t so expensive as an option.

This place amazing! Good, service, ambience - all of it. 10/10

Nice place.. service was good. Food taste was good, but presentation was bland especially for the price.

Wine and food is over priced.

I recieved 3 calls to confirm my reservation and 20 email text reminders.. as well as a request for a restaurant review before we had even been seated. This needs to be fixed.

Relatively new restaurant with a few kinks to work out.

I will just say one word. Perfection from A to Z.
Coming from a picky Parisian guy like me it’s a real beautiful compliment.

Thank you for this unforgettable evening.

Merci pour tout

It was my birthday and I found Gitanes on Open Table. We love seafood, and decided to try it out. We were very happy with the entire experience. The food was exceptional and absolutely delicious, the service and staff were friendly, helpful and very good, and the ambiance was perfect for a quiet but enjoyable evening.

I was very touched by our waitress who brought me a small desert with a candle at the end when she found out it was my birthday.

We will definitely go back!

Amazing. Best vibes

Food was fantastic! Service was as well. Waiters kept clearing the table and refilling the water at a very regular pace. Great attention to detail by the restaurant. Food is absolutely delicious and the timing of each course was perfect as well. First time couldn’t ask for a better experience.

Service was above and beyond. Appetizers were delicious. Would consider less sauce and toppings on the $70 rib steak. Beautiful restaurant but tables across from the washroom doors don’t have a great view. Maybe consider putting a curtain across the windows to obstruct the view of the washroom doors.

After trying to get a reso for over three months, I finally scored a spot in time to celebrate my best friend's 27th Birthday. Through OpenTable I made a request that her Birthday be acknowledged with something special. From experience, a Birthday candle on a dessert, a nice spot etc. When Gitanes called to confirm my reso, I again mentioned the request. The table we received was in the middle of the front where servers bustled by. Not an ideal spot for a special occasion. Our server continued to interrupt our conversation and expected us to know what we wanted to drink as soon as we sate down. We ordered the half seafood tower which came with ice half melted. By the time we were onto the bottom tier, our grab was literally floating on cold water. Very unprofessional for a $95 meal. We ordered the spaghetti and then the eclair for dessert. The only mention of the Birthday was when we were seated. That was all. No candle, no Birthday message written in chocolate... What a complete and utter let down. My friend and I are the ultimate foodies, and this was a huge disappointment. A lot of hype for average food and service. I am hoping management can respond to this review to convince me to return, because at this point, I'll be swaying friends and family to restaurants who live up to such hype like Riviera, Giovanni's, Play and Gezellig.

Good paced service, attentive. Good ambience. Varied menu. I loved the escargots as well as the scallop dish. The almond tart dessert was also lovely. Had a great bottle of Muscadet which was warm but they cooled it down quickly enough. Try it!