Witek Wojaczek is raising the bar for Ottawa's cocktail scene with his fine-drinking establishment.
Ottawa’s Byward Market has a variety of venues to suit every mood. When we thing of going out for drinks, the pubs have long been the obvious choice. However there are a number of excellent cocktail bars that have opened in recent years, including Bar Ocelli. We visited this establishment in late June 2024, only a few weeks after their opening.
The Service
Overall the customer service was impeccable. As soon as we entered, we were greeted by the waitress. We decided to take a seat at the bar. The bartender that evening was Isaac. We can describe him as a sociable bartender with a very gentleman demeanor.
Before we even orderer, we were offered a complimentary libation, which they called a “palate cleanser”. Three drops of an aromatic oil garnish were delicately added to float atop this intriguing cocktail.
The Space
The atmosphere was moody: dim lights, hip background music, and not too crowded.
Being a Thursday night in Ottawa, it was not particularly busy but it did not feel empty at all. It’s impressive when a bar can maintain a great atmosphere on slow nights. I believe that this comes down to a few factors, such as great design and a bartender’s ability to entertain their guests.
The Menu
The leatherbound menu booklet itself was well-designed. Inside were a number of experimental cocktails. They had a specific glassware for every signature cocktails and the bartender knew how to pick the perfect serving glassware for anything off-menu. That being said, all the cocktails had a beautiful presentation, nicely garnished and with clear ice.
Looking at the food menu, there were some interesting small bites that were quite tempting, such as the arancini and the haloumi fries. Unfortunately, we didn’t try the food during our visit.
We ordered 3 cocktails: one from their menu and two off-menu classics.
Pom&Sumac Smash: it was delicious, well-balanced (not too sweet) and made an interesting use of sumac. The cocktail presentation lived up to the beautiful photo on their social media.
Americano: Despite not being on the menu, the bartender effortlessly executed this classic cocktail (not to be confused with the Americano coffee drink) and even elaborated on the historical origin of the name.
Sazerac: the bartender asked me how I would like it, offering 3 different versions: with Rye, Cognac, or “the way he makes it”. Trusting in his expertise, I chose the third option which did not disappoint
Bar Ocelli is an expression of excellence. There is an astonishing amount of attention to detail, from the leatherbound menu, the very attentive customer service, the innovative and well-balanced signature cocktails, their syrups made in-house, the clear ice they use, their extensive yet specific glassware (and the list goes on). We can easily see how bar manager and co-owner Witek Wojaczek applied his experience working and visiting bars around the world, because this is a world-class bar in terms of quality, customer service, staff knowledge and bar design.