AL'S STEAK HOUSE - Ottawa

Came here for a birthday dinner we were visting from Montreal. After googling some steakhouses in the rea, Al 's seemed like a top contender as it had the most... read more Came here for a birthday dinner we were visting from Montreal. After googling some steakhouses in the rea, Al 's seemed like a top contender as it had the most reviews and mostly favorable experiences. We dined here on Saturday April 6, 2024 we made reservation for 5PM, the restaurant was still pretty empty at that time but we undersood most tables were reserved for the later hours. The location has lots of free street parking options on the weekend, it did not take long to find a spot. Upon entering, the restaurant is a decent size classy looking interior, carpet, mix of booths and tables. The lighting is dim, there are candles, a waterfall and nice bar area. Service was amazing we were greeted and seated right away, server was consistent in taking our orders, refilling our water multiple times and we had at least 3 people ask us if our food was to our liking. I presume the managers/owners walking by as these were men dressed in suits. We tried the ribeye and the pepper steak entrees opted for a side of stuffed baked potato for an additional charge $5). These came with Al 's house side which had a delicious garlic/italian type dressing. Very fresh and unique. The steaks were cooked well however perhaps not seasoned as generously as other steakhouses I 've been to. I noticed that they placed a small bowl of rock salt or fleur de sel type salt in the middle of the table for us to sprinkle ourselves. I found this a nice touch but wish the steaks did come a bit seasoned as is. As far as steakhouses go, food size and pricing was a bit on the higher end but still fair. One thing I didn 't really like was the way the floor kind of bounced or shook as people walked by. Probably due to this being an old building and the fact we were seated in the middle of the restaurant perhaps those sitting closer to the walls or other corners didn 't have this issue. The constant shaking and vibrations of the floor can be annoying.

Went here for family celebration. Wonderful beef steaks. More than a human needs to eat grilled perfectly. Ambiance: Seating was comfy but sound level did get a... read more Went here for family celebration. Wonderful beef steaks. More than a human needs to eat grilled perfectly. Ambiance: Seating was comfy but sound level did get a bit loud. Service: very attentive waiter host and high attention to detail. Be prepared to empty your wallet but worth the price for a special events.

It is my favourite steakhouse in Ottawa. I came years ago but had a huge fight with my husband who thought it was fancy and not that great. I disagreed then and... read more It is my favourite steakhouse in Ottawa. I came years ago but had a huge fight with my husband who thought it was fancy and not that great. I disagreed then and still maintain after this visit that it is the best steakhouse in Ottawa. Yesterday, hubs admitted that it is a really good restaurant. We came for my dad's birthday. Everyone enjoyed their experience and food. The wine list has a good selection and had reasonable prices. The appies are really good. Complimentary warm buns and butter are served upfront. The house salad is fresh and tasty with a light house dressing. The escargots au gratin is the best I have had in town. The cheese on top is a generous portion and heated to a nice crisp. For mains, people had a variety of meals. A few of us had the filet mignon which is the best in town IMO. It is a way better than Baton Rouge or the Keg. The garlic rice was flavourful. The side of mushrooms was tasty. The striploin was just ok but that is a function of the cut. Others had the seafood medley and vegetable strata and all thoroughly enjoyed it. My dad had a complimentary slice of coconut pie for this birthday. Service was on point too.

5 years ago we had our wedding reception here. We went back tonight for our anniversary. The food was AMAZING and I can not say enough good things about our wai... read more 5 years ago we had our wedding reception here. We went back tonight for our anniversary. The food was AMAZING and I can not say enough good things about our waitress. Weird though was a guy who came up to us in the parking lot gave us a ticket thing for parking and said to have restaurant stamp it. We didn't bother. It's a free parking lot.

Nice ambiance, good food, and good service. To start, we got crab cakes and calamari. The crab cakes were a little different in texture than most other crab cak... read more Nice ambiance, good food, and good service. To start, we got crab cakes and calamari. The crab cakes were a little different in texture than most other crab cakes I had in the past, and I didn't enjoy it that much. The calamari was good though. We ordered the porterhouse steak, medium rare. It was well cooked and even had a nice char on the outside, but for some reason they didn't season it with any salt? I'm not sure if it was a mistake or if they leave it up to you as there is salt on the table but I thought that was odd. It was served with some potatoes as well. We also had the Caesar salad, which was good but nothing special. The service was very quick and attentive, but I do feel like it was a bit rushed as everything came out really fast.