10Fourteen

The place is nicely decorated but the music is terrible and the cocktails are not that good.

went a few weeks ago for my birthday with a bunch of friends. great snacks, nice cocktails and beers.
there was a hair in my friends greek salad (besides the hair it was very nicely presented) and not only did they comp the salad, they waived her two drinks and gave her another one free of charge. great customer service.
Definitely would recommend.

Love this place! The dimly lit atmosphere is very cozy, and perfect for sharing a bottle of wine and tapas with friends. I’ve been to 10fourteen 3 or 4 times and the menu is constantly changing, again this is something I’m in love with because it reflects a consciousness on behalf of the chef to use local produce and foods that are in season.
The portions are small (tapas) and great to share, there have been instances were the group that I was with ordered 1 of everything on the food menu and other times where 2 of us had to be a bit more selective due to dietary restrictions. I’ve never ordered something that I didn’t like, it’s all been great! I usually just wish there was more of it and end up ordering a second portion! This would be a great place to have a date or low key night out. The staff that we had were good, I like how they don’t appear to be restricted to a certain dress code, it helps to add to the feel of the establishment.

Being a newcomer to Ottawa, my husband and I went into a few places on a Wednesday night to get to know the area. When we went into 10Fourteen, the first thing I said was, «this is exactly how I would design a bar if I had one.» The small venue was decorated in browns, grays, blacks and whites, with chalkboards, bubble lights, chunky mirrors, painted quotes on canvas («Love is all you need» and others in that vein) and other funky, classy décor.
It’s a small place, with a long, two-​piece bar, a few booths, a couple tables and a small lounge area. At 8PM on a Wednesday, there were a few other couples in there, and what looked like a larger group sitting on the couch in the «lounge.» Everyone was middle aged or younger.
Our helpful bartender immediately greeted us with a martini glass filled with delicious truffle, cinnamon popcorn. I ordered a Slap and Tickle, despite it being what seemed like a more wine-​focused bar — and only three beers on tap. The drink (gin, cucumber juice) was refreshing, but not strong at all. And maybe these stingy pours are just something I have to get used to up here in Canada, but there was 1 ounce of alcohol in the whole drink, despite it being served in a highball glass.
Despite both of us ordering drinks, we were not given water, which is a bit of a bartender pet peeve of mine.
The chalkboard menu is really hard to follow. An item example: «Glass of bacon/​jack/​lime/​coke.» Not exactly sure what that meant, but we saw «BACON» so we asked and ordered it. It was really, really good. Jack Daniels and Coke rubbed bacon (five pieces for $ 5), baked and served in a martini glass with a lime. Totally cool and funky (and yummy!) but wish the menu were more easily decipherable.
Things were a little chaotic behind the bar, which totally contrasted with the more relaxed vibe intended at the bar. There seemed to be no POS system and the kitchen was right behind the bar with the bartenders. I’m talking people pulling food out of refrigerators, prepping it, microwaving — the whole deal. The bright lights from the open refrigerator door made it all together too bright in the bar, killing the mood lighting, and it seemed nonsensical to set it up that way. I’m all for open-​view kitchens, but maybe not as restricted as that, and not right with the bartenders trying to make drinks.
All in all, I really liked the place. Cool vibe, good stuff on the menu (when you are told what it is), and really nice and helpful staff. I just wish they could live up to the potential a bit more. I’ll definitely go back and adjust my rating accordingly.

So much squandered potential.
We ducked into 10Fourteen on a Saturday night. Despite the cozy atmosphere, nice wine list, microbrews on tap, and Vinny, our bartender, this pace was a total bomb. The restaurant was empty, despite others on the strip being packed.
Aside from Vinny, the staff, clearly bored from the lack of customers, were goofing off the entire night. They brought out a tub of smarties ice cream and ate it in front of us at the bar. This might have been overlooked if the food was higher quality. However, the venison shoulder we tried was ho-​hum.
Lesson learned: keep walking past an empty restaurant on a Saturday night.