Best Bars on Sparks Street
Sparks Street is best known as Ottawa’s historic pedestrian promenade, a corridor of stone façades and government buildings that empties out quickly once the workday ends. Yet beneath that surface lies one of the city’s most concentrated pockets of serious bartenders. Within a few short blocks, a handful of venues have transformed the street into a destination for drinkers who care about craft and atmosphere.
What distinguishes Sparks Street is the density of ambitious cocktail programs operating in dramatically different environments. One bar hides underground behind a strict no-photo policy, another functions as a tiny experimental cocktail laboratory, while a third occupies one of the city’s most spectacular historic buildings. Together, they form a small but compelling destination that rewards anyone willing to venture downtown after dark.
Jackalope
Underground Speakeasy | 208 Sparks Street
Hidden beneath Sparks Street, Jackalope embraces the secrecy that defines a speakeasy. Guests descend underground into a cellar where the rules are clear: no photos. One of Jackalope’s most distinctive offerings is the absinthe louching ritual, a rarity among bars in Canada.
Just above, the bar’s sister venue, Rabbit Hole, operates at street level, creating a two-tier drinking experience that makes this corner of Sparks Street particularly compelling.
Stolen Goods
Experimental Cocktail Laboratory | 106 Sparks Street
Stolen Goods proves that great cocktail bars do not require large rooms. With only twenty seats, the bar functions almost like a cocktail laboratory. Head Bartender Mike Campbell leads a seasonal cocktail program built around experimentation and carefully calibrated flavour combinations.
Equally notable is the food. Chef Adam Ghor produces a rotating selection of refined small plates that pair naturally with the drinks. The result is an intimate venue where cocktails and cuisine operate on equal footing.
Riviera
Historic Restaurant Bar | 62 Sparks Street
Few establishments in Ottawa match the grandeur of Riviera. Occupying a former 19th-century bank, the room retains much of its architectural drama: soaring ceilings, and the original teller counter transformed into an 80-foot brass bar illuminated by classic banker’s lamps.
The bar program is equally impressive. Local legend and Master bartender Steven Flood oversees an extensive cocktail list anchored by what is arguably the city’s best selection of Negronis.
Although Sparks Street is often associated with daytime foot traffic and government offices, these venues reveal a different identity after sunset. Within a few minutes’ walk, visitors can move from a hidden speakeasy to an experimental cocktail bar and finally to one of the city’s most architecturally impressive restaurants. For cocktail enthusiasts exploring Ottawa’s bar scene, Sparks Street offers something rare: a concentrated trio of establishments where technical skill, hospitality, and atmosphere converge.
For a broader look at the city’s top venues, see our guide to the best cocktail bars in Ottawa.