Heart and Crown, Ottawa

I'm a university student and have been to heart and crown a couple of times and never had any problems, however on New years I brought 5 friends from out of town to party there. We arrived around 9:45, did coat check, and then found an unopened bar with a few stools (the only chairs left), about half of us went and got a drink, and we were standing around talking around the stools. All of the sudden 3 bouncers and the manager come up and start talking to one of my friends, saying unfortunately he will have to leave the bar because he was showing signs of intoxication. Another friend saw what was happening, so he came over and politely asked what was happening, which prompted them to say that he too was showing signs and that he must leave. They were escorted to the front door..even though they would have left willingly and were not making a scene at all (mostly because we were all so shocked at what was going on!), without their coats, and waited in the freezing cold outside the bar for the rest of us to get the coats. They then got screamed at and threatened by a bouncer who was saying he was gonna kick the shit out of them for standing outside. this was 10:10pm. The most ridiculous part of the situation was the fact that both of these guys had been drinking that night...obviously it was new years...but there was absolutely no outward signs of intoxication -at all. No slurrirng of speech, no aggressiveness, no stumbling. They each bought 1 drink at heart and crown, the first one who was kicked out had 1 sip of his beer and gave it away because he didn't like Guiness, the other was sipping slowly at a beer. in a span of about 4 hours of drinking they probably had 5 drinks each (including the one at H&C), not even close to enough for these two guys in their young 20's to be considered intoxicated to the point that they should be kicked out....any idiot with their smart serve should know this... The only conclusion that we could come up with was that we were one of the only larger groups of young people there at that time (mostly middle age couples -younger people come after 10 or 11 pm and were waiting in a line outside), it was obvious that we would all leave together (2 males, 4 females), even if just 1 of us was kicked out. So to make more room in the bar and make a load of cover money they decided to choose a big well behaved group to kick out 20 mins after we got there. Just a money grab. Who knows how many times they did this that night. All I know is I will never be returning to Heart and Crown again. Just as a side- we ended up walking down the street to a pub/bar called Patty Bolans That i have gone too a bunch of times and have always really enjoyed. We had to pay $20 to get in for NYE, but it is similar to Heart and crown with a live band, dance floor, and tons of seating. However the atmosphere is great, staff are very friendly, and overall it is a much better place to be! Don't waste your time with heart and crown, find another of the many irish pubs in the market and go to them. the big lineup at H&C is deceiving, if you want a irish pub with great service and atmposphere, Go anywhere ELSE!!!!!!

Rude staff. Was brought the wrong drinks and told I was the one who was mistaken, then she refused to change the drink. Food took forever to come, then arrived cold. Strange for nachos. After I questioned the drink, which i did so politely, i had forgotten the incident until a friend noticed a bouncer had shown up, and was staring at our table. Clearly this was related, and ruined the atmosphere of the pub for us. We left, and i don't think i'll return. One of my friends claims he was shortchanged at the bar as well. There is a general rude ambience from the staff in this pub, i would not go back. They go out of their way to make you feel unwelcome.

I stopped in for a beer last night with a buddy of mine and was absolutely disgusted by the bar staff and the bouncers. Three drunk 'regulars' started picking on a gay couple (who were minding their own business). Rather than diffuse the situation, the bouncers, who appeared to be acquaintances of the drunk trio, contributed to the harassment of the gay couple. In the end, the gay couple were thrown out of the pub. I could understand if the bouncers had thrown the couple out for provoking the drunk guys and pushing their own agenda, but these guys targeted the couple and started harassing them. The bouncers further humiliated the couple and made a big scene "escorting" them out. My buddy and me paid for our drinks and left. I won't be back. I don't ever want to see or be associated with that kind of behaviour again. Sean

Poor quality food and the staff to match. the bouncers are uncaring, disrespectful individuals. Instead of diffusing a situation, they thrive on escalting it, often provoking patrons. They lost our jackets, said it was too bad and refused to look for them. insteacd they wanted to throw us out, in -30 weather, because we refused to leave without our jackets. What type of treatment is that? There are so many other places in Ottawa that I will never go back. Dealing with these ignorant bouncers is not worth it.

This place is so fun and great! Great food, excellent value, hot saff that are actually smart, considerate and nice! Best patio ever, and so many different areas to be it feels like a new bar 10 times before it seems the same! Would always go back and back. Also, awesome live bands 7 days a week! Sweetness!

Lots of comments on this site and others about the bouncers and rude staff. Still can't figure out why my friend was escorted out (after two beers) - too old? Of course, this was only after he'd paid up... Rude staff, poor service, ignorant bouncers. Entertainment was good, but c'mon people - it's one of a million fake-Irish bars. Take a pass - go somewhere else.

I've been there numerous times for a good time, food and service. Negative comments regarding rude staff including bouncers are not indicative of this place as management has changed and for the better.

read through some other comments about rough, ridiculous bouncers and would like to say we had the same experience our friend was physically pushed off the terrace by the bouncer. this place ruined our night in ottawa and we'll never go back

We stopped at The Heart and Crown on a Thursday evening. It wasn't overly busy, but you'd never know it from the loud patrons nearby, spewing profanities in both official languages, I might add. It may have been fun for them, but it wasn't for us. Drink selection: They didn't sell our first choices and offered less expensive (for them) substitutes, and charged what we would have paid for our initial choices elsewhere. Food: Tasted burned. Portion size for the fish and chips was generous but over-priced at $11 for one piece of fish ($14 for two), but who wants to eat more burned-tasting stuff than they have to?

I like the heart and crown due to the friendly staff and great food. go there for lunch and watch a soccer game. the prices are great and the waitress are very attractive, seriously