Bar Ocelli proves Ottawa can host a world-class lounge, offering refined drinks and impeccable service.
Bar Ocelli
17 William Street
Open 5PM – 1AM
Closed Monday & Tuesday
Parking: Drive around the neighborhood to find free weekend/evening parking in the ByWard market, or park in the nearby Clarence Street parking lot at 8$ for the evenings.
Hours: Bar Ocelli is open until 1 AM on most nights, making it an ideal stop during a bar-hopping evening in the market
Bar Ocelli is a high-end cocktail lounge that opened in 2024, on a narrow, alley-like stretch of William Street in the ByWard Market. Imagine a moody, intimate, dimly lit bar, rich with design that leans toward the opulent without tipping into gaudy. No wall-mounted TVs, no loud music blasting through the speakers.
It’s a beautiful bar; the kind that captivates you the moment you walk in. Behind the bar, hexagon glass mirror backsplash tiles catch the warm hue of gold table lamps, reflecting bottles of fine spirits that rest on three thick floating wooden shelves, each stretching more than ten feet. The bar itself is carved from natural stone. Even the bathroom is a statement with its peacock tile wallpaper. Every inch of Bar Ocelli has been designed to suggest this is no ordinary cocktail bar, but rather a lounge modeled after high-end drinking dens from around the world.
That cosmopolitan ambition is no accident. Bar Ocelli is the creation of Cody Nicoll, co-owner, and Witek Wojaczek, co-owner and managing partner. Witek is a name already known to those who follow Ottawa’s cocktail scene. He earned his stripes bartending in some of the world’s best bars. While working at The Savoy’s Beaufort Bar in London, he claimed the UK’s 2016 national Courvoisier cocktail competition. From there, he joined the team at Artesian, a legend in the industry, which reigned as the world’s best bar for four consecutive years. After a stint as a brand ambassador for Stoli, Wojaczek eventually relocated to Ottawa. Locals might remember him from Sidecar on Preston Street — where, under his leadership, the bar earned a spot on Canada’s 100 Best Bars list in 2023, the last time any Ottawa venue has cracked the ranking.
Vitek brings his experience to Bar Ocelli, bartending alongside Isaac and Tia. The latter two’s reach extends beyond Ocelli’s walls: Isaac can be found every Friday night behind the bar at Jackalope, while Tia crafts drinks during the day at Q Bar, Monday through Friday. This trio forms the backbone of Ocelli’s mind-blowing cocktail program, one that is far beyond the level of innovation that Ottawa is accustomed to.
This is a bar that refuses to compromise, aiming not just to impress locals but to position itself among international peers. That mission has already been noticed abroad: Bar Ocelli received international recognition at the 2025 Spirited Awards, as it was one of the Honorees in the category “best new international cocktail bars (Canada)”.
We visited Bar Ocelli twice: first in mid-2024, and again in the summer of 2025. Both visits followed a similar rhythm, beginning with a greeting from server Karina, whose warmth set the tone before we even settled at the bar. Once seated, we were offered a complimentary palate cleanser, a rare thing in the cocktail bar scene, and our first indication that Bar Ocelli is a world-class cocktail bar. This small beverage rotates monthly. In June 2024, it was a eucalyptus cordial with three drops of coconut oil delicately floating atop. In August 2025, it was a concoction made with numerous ingredients, including grenadine, acid-adjusted lemon, and Campari. The overall flavor of the latter was very complex but well-balanced. The palate cleanser, conceived with such care, is a detail that demonstrates their attention to detail. Here, nothing is careless, nothing is filler.
The beverage menu at Bar Ocelli evolves seasonally. Without a doubt, this bar currently has the best cocktail program in the nation’s capital region. It features 12 signature drinks ranging between 19$ and 24$, and five fine-spirit classics, which can climb to $95. This being said, it can be daunting to read through. It’s full of intriguing ingredients and descriptions of their elaborate libations. But here is where the staff shines: bartenders are eager to guide, tailoring choices to both adventurous palates and cautious newcomers.
From the spring–summer 2024 menu:
Pom & Sumac Smash (23$): This drink was as balanced as it was beautiful. The sumac lent an unexpected tartness that played elegantly with the other elements, and the presentation matched the artful photos that had caught our attention on Bar Ocelli’s social media.
From the spring-summer 2025 menu:
Banana (24.25$): Garnished simply with a dried banana slice, the drink was deceptively minimal in appearance. The nose was unmistakably banana, but the palate offered a more complex story: rum-led, nuanced, and not overly sweet. It was a phenomenal yet visually simple libation.
Off-Menu classic cocktails:
Americano: A simple classic cocktail that originates from Italy. The bartender explained to us the origin of the name: American tourists once demanded the dilution of the bitter Milano-Torino, hence the name.
Sazerac: New Orleans’ official cocktail featuring Peychaud’s Bitters. The bartender asked me how I would like it, offering 3 different versions: with Rye, Cognac, or “the way he makes it,” which was a blend of both. Trusting in his expertise, I chose the third option, which did not disappoint.
Martini (22$): The bartender crafted a gin martini with Tanqueray No. 10 and a whisper of peach, his personal recipe for those who are still learning to appreciate martinis (yes, it’s an acquired taste). It was stirred, not shaken, and slightly tweaked for easier drinking while being very gin-forward as it should be. It was absolutely delicious.
Some may argue that cocktail presentations are getting out of hand in Ottawa’s bar scene, but Bar Ocelli leans more into minimalism and elegance. We were able to observe throughout the evening that they have a specific glassware for every one of their signature cocktails, and that the bartender knows how to pick the perfect serving glass for anything off-menu.
Food-wise, Bar Ocelli offers small plates, ranging from $12 to $24, including oysters, arancini, and halloumi fries. On both visits, we focused solely on cocktails.
As a cocktail enthusiast, there’s always a reason to visit Bar Ocelli. Not only does their cocktail menu change seasonally, but they also regularly collaborate with various reputable bars. So far, this includes Vancouver Island’s Clive’s Classic Lounge, Montreal’s Bar Bisou Bisou, El Pequeno Bar, Bar Bello, The Cloakroom Bar, and Toronto’s Compton Ave. Most recently, Witek did a takeover at Amaro Bar (London, UK)
Bar Ocelli has raised the bar on what a cocktail lounge can be in Ottawa. With its moody, meticulously designed setting and polished service, it evokes the elegance of world-renowned watering holes. It is a rare thing: a bar that not only elevates a city’s standards but could stand proudly on the global stage. Bar Ocelli is possibly the city’s best cocktail bar, and we hope to see it become a benchmark for Canada’s capital region.