We keep going back to Ward 14, a neighborhood bar on Preston Street
Ward 14 Consignment Bar
139 Preston Street
6 PM – 2 AM
Hours: The business hours are fantastic: Ward 14 is open 7 days a week until 2 AM.
Parking: You can park on Preston Street, on Somerset Street, or in the neighborhood.
Ward 14 is a neighborhood bar in Ottawa’s Little Italy that opened in 2016. Owned by Devon Ford and Max Anisman, its unique concept offers an interesting experience: a bar within a consignment store. The place is filled with second-hand items for sale. Look for the little price tag sticker if you like something.
Earlier this year, the owners of Ward 14 opened a bar on Somerset called “Natural History“. This sister bar is in a larger space and displays a decor focused on things you can find at the Museum of Nature.
The Space
Ward 14 can be hard to find for the uninitiated. It’s located on the ground floor of a grey apartment building. If it’s your first time, look for the fire station near Preson & Somerset.
Once inside, you’ll find that this neighborhood bar boasts an eclectic style akin to a cabinet of curiosities. There are many mismatched decor items, all for sale of course. The only consistency is that everything is inconsistent: different chairs, tables, varying glassware, and art pieces. It is this very quirkiness that won our hearts.
Despite this seeming disorder, this establishment is welcoming, nonchalant, and cozy. It’s a small, narrow place, which helps bring people closer. A no-fuss bar, Ward 14 welcomes clients from all walks of life.
There are bar seats, small tables, high tables, a banquette, a patio, and a picnic table out front. We don’t have a preferred seating spot because all options are great at Ward 14. However, you may prefer sitting in the banquette if you’re there with a group.
The bar has plenty of character, and tea candles at every table add warmth. The establishment can get busy, but its excellent client management ensures it never feels crowded.
The service
This is a casual bar. The staff is friendly. The bartenders are knowledgeable and can make almost any classic cocktail. The server regularly passed by our table to check if we needed anything. The service is always quick: we get our food and drinks within a few minutes of ordering.
The Menu
They serve an odd combination of food & beverages: Hot dogs and craft cocktails. This intriguing but successful combination can be found in bars such as Yatch Club (Denver) and Romeo’s (New York City).
The cocktail program is simple. There are a few takes on classic cocktails.
Mules:
- Pineapple Mule
- Guadeloupean Mule
Spicy Margarita: Takes Two to Mango
Boulevardier: Boulevardier Ananas
Espresso Martini: Retro Roto
The cocktails are well-balanced takes on classics. The modifying ingredients are simple and accessible, without any sophistication. The cocktail program hasn’t changed much over the years. We visit this bar a few times a year, and it’s always a very similar cocktail program. Fortunately, their cocktails are great, and their prices are affordable. Libations are significantly below Ottawa’s average, with most around 14$.
Takes Two to Mango ($14): This perfectly balanced spicy margarita is currently our favourite in Ottawa and has since become our go-to cocktail at Ward 14.
Pineapple Mule ($14): a twist on the gin mule that uses pineapple ginger beer. Delicious as expected with the right amount of mixer.
Boulevardier Ananas ($15): A good choice if you enjoy Campari-forward cocktails. It was well-balanced.
Empress of Elderflower ($15): We ordered this because it’s made with Empress Gin (a Canadian spirit, by the way). It’s a beautiful gin infused with butterfly pea flowers, which gives it a blue or purple color. As expected, it was a gorgeous cocktail. You will enjoy this if you like Gin & Tonics. The St-Germain adds something nice to a great classic.
We have yet to try the Local Lager & Shot ($9$), a can of beer branded with the bar’s frontage and a bar rail shot.
The food is simple. There are hotdogs, grilled cheese sandwiches, and some snacks. Frankly, we weren’t interested in ordering a hot dog on our first two visits. After continuing to hear good things, we conceded and ordered two during our third visit. Since then, ordering a hot dog is a must at every visit. There are also regular pop-ups at Ward 14, during which varied and elaborate dishes are served.
“The Ward” hot dog ($9) is a must-try for the Ward 14 late-night experience: a large weiner in a hot dog bun that comes topped with pickled banana peppers, mustard, and sauerkraut. It’s served in a plastic food basket with a bag of chips.
Summary
There’s little innovation here, and the menu doesn’t change seasonally. However, all the cocktails are solid. Ward 14 has become a late-night ritual. A hot dog and a drink are the perfect end to a long night out. For these reasons, we return to Ward 14, not to discover something new, but to enjoy the tried and true.