And then someone said: step aside coffee, this is a job for alcohol.
Drip House Cocktail Bar
692 Somerset West
Tuesday to Thursday: from 4:30 PM until midnight
Friday and Saturday: from 4:30 PM until 1 AM
Closed Sunday and Monday
Parking: find parking across the street or in the neighborhood.
Hours: Drip House Cocktail bar has generous operating hours, open late most days of the week.
Before Drip House Cocktail Bar came to life, 692 Somerset had already known the rhythm of dual purpose: coffee by day, cocktails by night. Pre-pandemic, this address housed Bar Robo, a café-bar hybrid with the same concept, though never with such seamless execution.
As the name suggests, Drip House began as a coffee shop, building a following with their excellent drip coffee, espresso, and light fare (sandwiches, salads, breakfast bowls, and avocado toasts). With this winning formula, they expanded across Ottawa. The Somerset outpost, their third, opened in 2021. It thrived as a café but eventually evolved when the team introduced an evening cocktail program. Perhaps this dual-purpose model hints at the company’s broader vision: in August, Drip House rebranded its 121 Parkdale Avenue location as Bodega, a New York-Italian style casual restaurant that still serves specialty coffees while adding wine and craft cocktails to the mix.
Each Drip House location has its own personality, but their signature design feature is their moody yet hip vibe: warm wood accents, gold-veined marble counters, and wall art from emerging local artists. The comfortable layout is perfect for a drink, a small bite, and conversation. It naturally lends itself to an evening bar setting. At Somerset, that design foundation makes the café’s day-to-night transformation feel effortless.
Come evening, the ambiance shifts to something between moody, cozy, and warm. A backlit Calacatta gold marble waterfall bar counter glows against a ceiling of wood slats and string lights, creating the most amazing vibe. Cognac leather banquettes, black marble tables, and small oil lamps punctuate the room with warmth. If you crave a stylish, dimly lit cocktail lounge, you’ll find it here.
I’ve visited Drip House Cocktail Bar a few times. It’s best to book in advance on Fridays and Saturdays because it can get incredibly busy. On weeknights, however, it’s calm and just feels like a really good neighborhood bar. The type where time slows down, drinks are sipped on slowly, and where you can casually talk with the bartender or the person sitting next to you as music plays in the background.
The service is casual, as expected at a neighborhood bar. But order a couple of drinks, and the bar staff goes into overdrive. From the bar, you might spot two cocktails being shaken at once by the same bartender. Talk about quick service! Talented bartenders have always been part of Drip House’s story; some have gone on to new ventures, like Bar Numero, which opened in Montreal with two former Drip House bartenders behind the counter. On my most recent visit, it was Colin working the bar, an easygoing and knowledgeable bartender, eager to guide me toward the menu’s best libations.
That menu received a major refresh last September with the launch of a new autumn-inspired program. The nine-item list, priced between $17 and $18, provides a delicious take on autumn flavors. Each drink is carefully crafted, with no ingredient repeated across the menu. House-made components such as vanilla demerara, cinnamon, and hibiscus syrups, along with a chai-infused spiced rum, provide a fall flavor profile, while unexpected elements like jasmine green tea, Choya umeshu, beet juice, and sweet rice and coconut milk add intrigue. All the cocktails are nicely presented: heavy ribbed tumblers and highballs, sleek coupes, Nick & Noras, and Gibraltars serve as vessels to the libations garnished with an amarena cherry, apple wedge, grated nutmeg, or a curl of citrus peel.
I ordered three of their signature cocktails:
Orchard Sour (18$): This drink was the standout of the evening. It was simply delicious! It tasted like apple pie with notes of cinnamon, apple cider, and sugar. It wasn’t a spirit-forward cocktail at all, just pure comfort in a glass.
Ruby Reserve (18$): Created by Colin, this libation reads like an improved whisky cocktail (whisky, maraschino liqueur, syrup) turned into a sour by the addition of lemon juice and egg whites. Impressively, the whisky stood up well to the other ingredients. The cherry flavor came through quite well, and there were woody or smoky notes, perhaps from the maraschino liqueur. Overall, it was well-balanced and worth ordering again.
Autumn Amber (18$): This stirred cocktail was dominated by the mezcal and Campari. It was sweet, bitter, and spirit-forward with a smooth finish. A slow sipper for sure.
Every Tuesday, the bar loosens its collar with themed flights: four mini margaritas for $30 or espresso martinis for $32. “Drippy Hour” runs Wednesday through Saturday from 4:30 to 6:30, with cocktails priced at $9, a generous offer considering the average price for a decent cocktail in Ottawa is 18$ a pop.
I’ve yet to catch the kitchen open, but next time I hope to try their oysters or tartare.
Drip House has a reputation for doing things properly, and its cocktail bar upholds that standard, where corners are never cut. It’s become a popular weekend spot, but I’m particularly fond of their weekday vibe. It’s elegant yet informal. Skilled bartenders, quality spirits, and one of the city’s best happy hours make it a place worth returning to, not just for a special occasion, but for the sheer pleasure of being there.
[…] established, Bar Robo was at 692 Somerset Street. They served coffee and cocktails, much like the Drip House café and cocktail bar that has taken over that […]