North & Navy

My wife and I went here about 2 weeks ago for a 5:30 reservation to celebrate my wife's retirement. I'll begin by noting that while the food was expensive it was very good and very interesting. We can only say good things about the food. However, we wouldn't have regretted paying what we did if we didn't feel rushed throughout our time there. Our server was nice and quite helpful but seemed like she needed to get right to it - even though we one of the first clients of the evening. As other reviews have noted the place is not bright and with the menu in Italian there was a need for us to understand what our options were - particularly since my wife is celiac and can't eat gluten. They were able to accommodate and while the explanations of the options were detailed and somewhat helpful, the rush with which they were given still left us somewhat confused. While there was adequate time to savour the food between servings, we kept getting the feeling that we shouldn't be lingering. It just seemed like we were only allowed to have our seats in our chairs for a pre-determined amount of time. And that's what was the huge disappointment. When you go to a distinguished restaurant with high prices, you're not paying just for the unique food, you're also paying for the atmosphere and the ability to sit back and enjoy the whole experience. We didn't get that from North and Navy. I know they're a business, but they should seriously consider allowing/budgeting for their guests - and yes we are guests - to spend more time enjoying the experience North and Navy is offering. So, unfortunately we won't be back. There are too many other good restaurants in Ottawa that are willing to provide their customers with good food AND a relaxed experience.

The only table available was at the bar, and the staff noticed I was a bit uncomfortable on the bar stool (6 months pregnant). They brought me a comfier chair and a pillow to rest behind my back - I spent my entire visit super comfortable thanks to this small but unforgettable gesture 🥹. I also can’t eat gluten, dairy or eggs, and both the chef and our server took great time and care to figure out what they could offer me. The chef ended up going off menu and creating delicious meals to accommodate me. I usually end up getting a slimmed down version of a dish on the menu, but with these generous offers I didn’t feel like I was getting XYZ without the Y and the Z. I felt like I got the whole alphabet and it meant the world to me! We eat out fairly often and I’ve never had such wonderful treatment, where I didn’t feel like a burden at all. I’m so grateful for how they took care of us. I can’t wait to go back one day ❤️.