My boyfriend booked a table for his birthday, and there was a male waiter with a slight beard and a bit overweight who seemed to ignore us completely. From the moment we sat down until he poured us water, there was no communication at all. He had no expression on his face, and when we ordered steak, he didn't even ask us how we wanted it cooked. We felt a strong sense of racial discrimination and malice, and won't be coming back again. NEVER COME AGAIN ————————————————————————— -Due to the issue with Google's mechanism, I cannot add a further reply after the merchant has responded to me. Thus, I updated this review as a reply without altering any of the original feedback. First: I am severely lactose intolerant, so I never drink milk or consume any dairy products. We did not bring the so-called cake you mentioned on the day we dined, and we ate at an outdoor table. I can assure you that the messy cake the merchant mentioned does not exist. The only accurate part is that after we were seated, we only ordered steak, crab, and oysters. It was very impolite for the waiter not to ask us how well-cooked we wanted our steak after we ordered it, and his lack of any verbal communication while serving us was also very rude. Instead of apologizing for the burly male waiter's attitude, the merchant fabricated a story that I brought a cake, which is even more vulgar.

Where to begin? My wife and I enjoyed everything about our experience here. The food was delicious, the drinks were great, the decor lovely, and our server was very attentive. Although not cheap (our bill came to $235 with tax and 20% tip), it was worth every penny. On this outing, me and my wife got two alcoholic drinks each, ordered four small plates to share, and also got the ribeye steak special. Would definitely go back again.

An absolutely superb experience. I took a business associate from out of town here as he is a bit of a foody. Places like this are what is making Ottawa a special place for food. We started with cocktails, that were fantastic and expertly made. I don't remember the last time I enjoyed a margarita like that. We then moved on to starters where we shared the oysters which were very fresh, the accompanying sauces were great. Following that we had the duck wings. This was my first time having duck wings and I've been thinking about them for the days after. Our main was the dry aged rib eye for 2, what incredible value. Probably the most tender steak I've ever enjoyed. The mushrooms that topped the steak were simply stupidly good. All in all, fantastic value and quality - I will be back as often as possible. Service was impeccable. I would have gladly spent double for this level of food. Congrats to the chef and mixologist, they both smashed it.

What a great experience we had at Fauna. Our server was very attentive. The food was very flavourful. We had a ribeye for two. Steak was perfectly cooked, with fried squash and polenta. Crème brûlée is a must try, it was the best one I’ve ever had! Would be definitely be back.

Nice little spot for an intimate/romantic meal, the music is a tad on the loud side though. The restaurant has great ambiance and all of the staff are very friendly (one of the waiters has a 90s era Gavin Rossdale thing going on...points for that!). You definitely have to go with the mindset that you will be paying quite a bit for your meal though and the wine list is, to me anyway, very pricey. The bison tartare was great and extremely fresh but I expected something more flavourful from the elk sirloin. My potatoes weren't cooked through so it might have affected my take on the dish (I didn't let the staff know because I hate being that person, I imagine they would have taken care of it no problem). The flavour combinations for the cornish hen however were great! Tarte tatin for dessert...do it! That ice cream was sooo good!!

Dry aged steak had whole chunks of fat in it, complained to the waiter but he said all rib eye is supposed to be like this, as if we never had dry aged rib eye before. For a $110 dish I had way higher expectations for the food, but some part of the steak was not even chewable, had tendon and bone pieces in it. Also no one even asked how we want our steak cooked when we were ordering, when I pointed it out when getting our check the waiter did not even apologize. Looking through the comment section I suddenly understand why people are not happy with their experience, you reply to every low star comment explaining the reason for your mistake and even blaming the customers as if you did everything perfectly, instead of just admit your mistake and take the advice from your customers so you can improve later. Please don’t reply my review with a long paragraph. Will not be going back to this place.

The second visit in one month and was still very happy about everything. The stuffed wings are very interesting. The seasoning feels like an Asian fusion with spices and zing. The dry aged steak for 2 is by far my favorite, cooked to a perfect medium rare, and the veggies and mash works well. The pork chop is an interesting one: the protein itself was cooked nicely, though I find it needs a little more seasoning. The veggies came with the protein was overwhelmingly earthy... made me wonder what the idea behind that specific combination was. Overall, I really enjoyed this place and will come back for more

Pure class all around! Our server was next level, food was incredible, drinks were delish! Highly recommended! Quite possibly the best dinning experience we've ever had. Next time we're in Ottawa we'll making more than one stop here! Thanks for a great evening fauna!

My wife and I were excited to go to Fauna, and very comfortable while there. On a warm sunny summer Friday evening, we had a window seat, watching all of the pedestrians stroll by, while enjoying our appetizers, main course, and dessert. The portions are a good size, so don't over order. We recommend starting with the half-dozen oysters ($22), followed by the quail dish ($42) and burger dish ($39), wrapping it up with the creme brulee ($12). I'm a big fan of dealers choice - I got the Old Fashioned - and I chose premium selection alcohol ($21) over regular ($18). The real test.. would we go again? absolutely yes. Our next visit will include the 80-day dry-aged rib eye (for 2 people). Highly recommended.

Great food at a reasonable price. The menu is a classic Canadian menu with an interesting Asian twist. Everything actually works quite well, and plating is nice enough for the price. And the service is alsome, waiter is super friendly and food arrives pretty fast

Food is very tasty and service was great. The outdoor tent during covid was a nice place to dine. Would highly recommend getting the orange wine they serve. Expect to pay 100$+ for dinner

In all honesty, Fauna is exorbitantly expensive for the quantity of food you’ll receive — but thankfully, the quality of their small portions is excellent. We were very impressed with every item we ordered, and somehow, the fried potato in my main dish managed to be some of the best I’ve ever had. It was honestly almost better than the lamb it was served with. I wouldn’t make a habit of returning to Fauna too often with the hefty price tag it promises, but we really enjoyed our time, and we would like to come back again someday!

Highly recommend for date night or girls night. Also, reservation recommend for the weekend specially. All the food was AMAZING. I would definitely wanna try all the foods they have even though a bit pricy. Their interior blew my mind. So trendy and hip. Especially lightings were pieces of art.. love them so much. For those who are SNS queens, They have great lightings for pics😉

Excellent food and service. We shared the rib eye for two and the pappardelle pasta. Everything was delightful, we look forward to returning.

This was my second visit to fauna, and it was just as incredible as the first. This restaurant has quickly turned into my favourite in Canada, with incredible flavors and very well constructed dishes. Tonight we had the burrata as a starter, which was so creamy, delicate and incredibly flavourful. The white anchovies were also very delicious and went so well with the whole dish. We then shared the spiced stuffed eggplant with chickpeas and kale, it was also delicious and incredibly flavourful. We also shared the swordfish dish, which was perfectly cooked, not chewy or dry at all. Served with some pan fried potatoes, olives, green beans and Patti pan squash. It was beautiful. We finished the meal off with a sweet honey and apricot cornbread. It was interesting and different, but a little to sweet for us. The meal as a whole was incredible and we cannot wait to go again. Thank you fauna for the beautiful meal.

Great food, but you've come to expect that from the team at Fauna. The outdoor space is well managed and well spaced. Warm and homely on a cool evening. The staff are excellent and the service is top notch. Some amazing cocktails. The Eastside is exceptional.

The dining experience at Fauna is hands down one of the best in Ottawa. Their wine/beer/spirit list is intriguing and deep, paired with staff who are absolute experts on what you should try and pair with your meal. I don't know how to explain using the words the quality of their menu, so it be best if you plan a evening at Fauna!

Food was great and service was friendly and fast. 🙂 My partner and I enjoyed a nice night out and each dish was very tasty. We will definitely go back, personally loved the elk steak, and have heard good things about the aged beef. Price wise, we had an app each and a main each and split a desert plus 3 drinks total and the bill was ~$240. ***Oysters & venison tartar in pic

Fauna was one my best experience from my short trip to Ottawa. From our entrance to the end, everything was amazing. Food is unique, complex and rich in savour. It is hard to describe but it is amazing. The staffs are the best, very friendly, motivated, always there when you need them and they provide precious advices. I will definitely come back.

Food is fine, but service was terrible. Was also overcharged for food and it wasn't rectified when we highlighted it to the server and we ended up paying the overcharged price. I went here on Oct 23 for some apps and cocktails with two friends. We chose this spot because the patio looked beautiful, and we saw an article that highlighted their chef as the "best in Ottawa". The night started off odd - I asked a server if I should wait inside or outside to be seated (because of COVID). Instead of responding, she rudely responded with "just wait." I waited for 5 minutes before going to the patio directly myself and meeting my friend that was already there. Not great, but not a big deal. It took a while to get our order in, but that also wasn't a big deal since the 3 of us were just chatting and catching up. One of my friends asked the bartender for a recommendation for a cocktail, but she wasn't super friendly about it. That's fine, it could have just been a personality thing...but I mention it so you can see how all these odd interactions began to stack up. We ordered a few plates of wings and oysters. The oysters were really great. The wings were too spicy for my taste but that's my own fault - the menu did warn me that they were spicy. The cocktails were mostly fine, except for one of them which we didn't end up touching at all. Then, things got strange. We struggled to get someone to take our second order of drinks - even when we waved someone down they kept walking and said someone else would be with us shortly. It took about 20 minutes. We finished eating, and no one cleared our plates for about 45 minutes, until we specifically asked. We then ordered a glass of red wine (one of 2 options available by the glass), which ended up being strangely bubbly on top and smelled highly fermented. We were told it was organic wine - but it didn't say that anywhere on the menu so we had no way of knowing that. The server wasn't happy to bring us something else - we said we didn't mind paying for the glass, but the organic fermented wine just wasn't something we could stomach. We decided to get our bills and head out. Again, it took a while. When we got our bills, we saw we were overcharged for the oysters by $2. Again, not a huge problem, but just wanted to know why. My friend raised it and the server said it was because she put the full dozen on one bill. Except we were both charged the higher price which would have meant we got 24 oysters...which we didn't. She then said (and this is a quote), "Well... no one else complained." I don't care if no one else complained, I just want to know why I'm being overcharged. We even had the menu with us and compared the receipt with the menu item side-by-side. The server got rude and defensive, and told us the only way it could be fixed was if she went inside and reprinted the receipt. We said that's fine, we'll wait for it to be reprinted, but then she refused. We were polite the whole time, and at one point we did honestly say, "this isn't the way we expected you to react, when you saw the receipt printed incorrectly." We paid the incorrect price and started to head out. After that, she started apologizing, but it was too late. The whole experience had already been a bit sour, but that last part about "no one else complaining" about the wrong price really rubbed us the wrong way. We were excited about visiting the "best chef in Ottawa" and having a nice girl's night...unfortunately we won't be back to Fauna, nor will we be recommending this place to anyone.

Exceptional food and exceptional service. Came here to celebrate a personal milestone and the restaurant definitely delivered to make the occasion special. On the pricier side, but quality of food and atmosphere justify the price. Highly recommend.

The scallops were the best I have ever had! Very delicious food and they even got a free dessert for celebrating my wedding anniversary.

This place is never a let down!!! You need to try this place, cool menu that's always changing, their wine list is just phenomenal!!!!! One of the best service in Ottawa, Mike is amazing, will recommend the best wine pairings, he knows his menu very well. Truly a great spot, the private room in the cellar is also pretty cool to have for a large group. Looking forward to going again and again!!!! Went there two nights in a row and couldn't be happier about it, it's the only way you can have their whole menu 👌

We ordered the baked oysters, scallop ceviche, soft shelled crab to start and each dish was carefully balanced and plated, each powerfully packed with incredible flavours. The scallop ceviche was an all around favourite surprising us with a spicy citrus taste. For mains we had the delicata squash, iberico pork chop, and swordfish. These dishes were to die for, a truly wonderful experience savouring each of these dishes. The staff was very attentive and the atmosphere reminded me of a calm reprieve from the busy streets. I'll definitely be back 🤤

Me and my girlfriend made reservations for our anniversary dinner date. The food was amazing! The service was fantastic and at the end they even gave us a cheesecake on the house for our anniversary. Will certainly be returning in the future for more!

Incredible! Came by with some friends for dinner on Friday and was thrilled with the experience. From the cocktail below to the tempura crab, both delicious and beautiful presentation. It is not cheap but with high quality food like this, it never is. Still dreaming about the crab! Thank you to Tristan for the attentive, fun service!

There are few places in Ottawa that I could honestly say blow my mind at how amazing they are. Fauna’s is one of them. I was looking for ideas for a birthday restaurant and my brother Logan suggested it. He was right to do so because from the moment you walk in you’re greeted by a warm and welcoming environment. The staff is inviting and quick to seat you. The slushy drinks are amazing, my bf and I had the peach flavour and it was perfectly blended and served in a frozen glass which kept its temp. We ended up getting the Rib Eye for 2 and oh my god, I’ve never had a steak that was that amazing. My family raises their own beef cows, and it’s rare to find a steak that matching farm and grass fed raised beef, but Fauna’s matches the taste perfectly. My compliments to the chef as well because it takes a decent amount of skill to be able to get that kind of char on the outside of the steak without compromising the flavour. Served with the steak were yellow carrots, potatoes, and green beans in a delicious jus. My bf and I took one bite of each item and when I say this food is to die for, it is to die for. We had a chocolate raspberry éclair. It was made with a dark chocolate crème and it was melt in your mouth perfect. The rich dark chocolate crème balanced the sour of the raspberries perfectly. If there is one place you need to eat at before you die, it’s Fauna’s.

Absolutely delicious meal, and great service. The lobster dish is incredible. Amazing creme brûlée. Highly recommend.

We had read some of the reviews online prior to going and quite frankly we were worried that we'd have to stop for a snack on our way back to our hotel. Well, let me say this. The portions were generous and the prices were what you'd expect for higher end dining. The menu was quite varied and the quality was top notch. Our waitress was very friendly and knowledgeable. She described the food and drinks with great accuracy. Definitely a unique dining experience. We were very pleased.

Great food and service. The ambiance is lovely too. I first visited when they just opened and focused on small plates. The food was good, but it is much improved now.

My partner and I had such a great experience at Fauna. We came here for our anniversary and all the servers and the bartender acknowledged that. The servers wished us a happy anniversary and the bartender offered us some complimentary champagne which was very sweet. The design of the restaurant is artistic and romantic. Every part of the restaurant was thought out all from the design on the plates to the lighting. In addition to that, I have a gluten allergy and they gave me many options to work with- which is rare. We got the carrots for the appetizer, the ducks and artic char for the mains and the crème brûlée for dessert. All the dishes were made with high quality ingredients, tasted amazing and presented nicely. Our favorites we’re the duck and the crème brûlée. We will definitely return and try some of the other options on the menu.

First time at Fauna for NYE and it was the most amazing experience! Highly recommended. Service and food was impeccable all 9 courses was to die for I couldn't even choose which one would be my favourite dish as every dish was on point.

The new years tasting menu and wine pairing were absolutely superb. We enjoyed every bite and the pairings were so unique. The service was also wonderful. I would highly recommend visiting.

First time trying Fauna. Delicious. Impeccable service. Casual atmosphere. Beautiful plates. I had Arctic Char and the best gnocchi I have tasted. Pork belly to open - perfectly crisped up. My friend had the duck and it did not die in vain. I would repeat (can't afford every day but a lovely dinner with a friend I have not seen in a few years).

The food, especially the ribeye was amazing and the outdoor seating vibe was very nice!! However it is slightly more costly than other areas in the city for the same price.

Dishes are unique and very tasty in this place. Flavors are blended beautifully. You can never go wrong with food here. The duck dish is a must try!! The ambience and vibes are cool and nice. Dim lights, hanging lamps, and red bricks.. it’s a nice place to hang out with friends or a date. The only downside about this place is the wine list is limited but cocktails are great.

Good food and cocktail 🍸 Bison tartar so good. All the food plates were very good

I had one of the most amazing meals of my life here. I highly recommend it. The flavors are outstanding and the service was top notch. Portions are small which was great as it allowed me to try more! Every dish was better than the one before it!

Okay, so, I don't often write reviews for food. However, I was a chef for over 6 years in Toronto. I'm relatively new to Ottawa. This place did not disappoint. Excellent service/staff who presented excellent knowledge of the menu. Excellent drink menu; and the food, DIVINE. We had the iberico pork chops with black trumpet puree etc. Ugh. Just mouth watering. We also tried the crab 🦀, it's a must. No imitations. Skip dessert. The place was packed at 6pm and everyone was so happy. The vibe is real. Men, take your girl here. Women, take your men here. Enjoy!

Went for dinner this week for a birthday! The experience with the staff was extremely positive and the food was phenomenal. The duck with kimchi pancake was out of this world and I'm not sure I've ever tried a pork chop like that before. We will be returning.

Excellent dining experience here. Unique and delicious food, great wait staff and an awesome atmosphere. Highly recommended

Cozy space, ok staff, good taste of food. But oysters are inversely proportional to the price, $23 for half a dozen (I chose 1 dozen). But the size of oysters is too small, I don't feel suitable for the price. Cocktails was ok, not bad !

Loved it! Food was great and the staff was very nice.

Great food and services. Atmosphere can be better and pricy for the type of food

Amazing food! Ordered for New Year’s Eve and everything was phenomenal

My partner and I ordered a Saturday night dinner for two this past weekend in an effort to support local during the pandemic and treat ourselves to a little something special. We were very happy with the food as it was plentiful. I had the Steak and my partner had the Squash Risotto as our mains, both were delicious. We particularly enjoyed the Salmon Gravlax as one of several starters we had. The food was hot, plated nicely, and we were very happy that the restaurant used compostable containers for the food, it was sincerely appreciated. Ken, one of the part owners was especially helpful in answering the couple emails I sent the restaurant when I asked for a few suggestions/help in ordering. I'd repeat and recommend.

Every time I've been here, I've loved the food! Will definitely be coming back!

Fantastic atmosphere!!

Great dining experience all the way around! Service was especially good.

amazing food!

Always a fantastic meal, I'm never disappointed upon leaving!

Fabulous NYE dinner for two. Great wine selection. Can't wait to visit again!

Always a delicious experience with great service

Loved my experience at Fauna!! The service was impeccable. I accidentally booked my reservation for a different night but they accomodated my party of two :) we ordered the beef carpaccio, Caesar salad, gnocchi, sword fish, risotto and the scallop skewers. Everything was absolutely 💯 perfection. Kudos to chef Billy. Catherine, our server was so friendly and prompt. The cocktail drinks were also 👌🔥We drove all the way from Toronto and will say it's so worth it!!

First visit since Ottawa has lifted the restriction on indoor dining. Every staff was wearing a mask including those working in the kitchen. Each group of guest was separated by at least 2m from each other. Safety is definitely the priority here. The drink menu here is intriguing with a wide selection of natural wine, pet nat and beers from local breweries. Foods were delicious as usual, however, the ribeye dinner was on the saltier side. Service was impeccable with water continuously topped up. We felt safe and cozy throughout the night.

The steak for 2 is super tasty with rich flavorful sides AND it travels well! Many of Ottawa's best restaurants have struggled to create dishes that you can bring home to enjoy without them going off in some way (i.e. scallops losing their crisp and going cold). Fauna has done really well with this dish, both pre and post lockdown.

I went to Fauna for the first time when my now hubby took me for a Valentine’s Day dinner. We got the dry aged steak and it was amazing! The food and service are high quality here! Definitely recommend others to check out this local gem.

Google recommended me this charming restaurant and I had to come check it out

Not only does Fauna have a selection of great dishes but they also come wonderfully prepared and plated. The presentation is impressive and appreciated! The restaurant has a great atmosphere and I love the ambience. Great spot for a date night!

First dinner out since the lockdown was lifted in Ottawa, and the restaurant had good controls in place to ensure distancing and safety for patrons and staff. We felt very comfortable dining there, the food was delicious, the ambience cozy and relaxing, and the service was excellent! Staff treated us very well. Great experience overall, we look forward to our next visit!

Outdoor patio with heater. Loved all the menu items. Seated quick and food was presented promptly. The food is high quality and delicious, well paired. Loved all the flavours and the dessert was amazing.

This is our new favourite restaurant in Ottawa. We simply loved it from A-Z. Yummy craft kitchen inspired by Canadian cooking with touched of middle eastern flavours. The portions were satisfying for a restaurant of this kind. The service was attentive but not pretentious. Ambiance is awesome for a date. We set next to the window and enjoyed a very nice evening with hubby. Every dish wash inspiring and delicious. The bill was reasonable for fine dining. Can't wait to go back!

(Translated by Google) Service in English only. Excellent food, beautiful presentation. (Original) Service en anglais seulement. Nourriture excellente belle presentation.

Absolutely loved every bit of Fauna. Starting with amazing service, the food was everything I could ask for. You can tell that the food was delicately made with passion from local sources. The server who took care of my table was very helpful on deciding a wine that suited my taste and very attentive. I'd definitely come back again

Love the simplicity of the menu and how all the food is seasonal. The oysters were especially good!

My boyfriend and I went for my birthday and it was a really disappointing experience despite all the hype. The atmosphere is great, but the food fell extremely flat. We ordered cocktails which we enjoyed overall. For a starter we got the wings + fried scallop, which was extremely disappointing. As someone who loves spice we were excited to try, however it was so overwhelming spicy to the point it valued spice over any flavour. This overwhelmed the scallops and left an unpleasant burn in our mouths (Note: I say this as someone that absolutely loves spicy foods). We did not even finish the dish as we did not like the underlying flavour post burn. For mains we ordered the quail and the beef burger. Presentation was great, however the quail lacked flavour itself. The side pieces improved the dish but did not make up the blandness in the quail. The burger was average. We enjoyed the black garlic aioli, but overall it was lacking. The atmosphere was great and I feel like it might attract a crowd/following for that but the food was a huge disappointment and I would recommend other places after trying Fauna.

Creative dishes and excellent atmosphere.

Owner is lovely and staff are great! Went to pick up our takeout order and he chatted with us while we waited. We mentioned that we had a decent commute back home and he offered plate our order and seat us on the patio instead. Their patio is warm and inviting and the food was both beautiful and an absolute delight! The bison carpaccio was phenomenal- craving it again as I write this. Cannot wait to be back for takeout, the patio or hopefully dine-in when they can reopen for that!

(Translated by Google) Taste (Original) 맛잇음

The food was lovely and the server had excellent suggestions. Get the venison!

Loved it

Enjoyed a lovely dinner at Fauna this evening with my partner. Our go-to appetizer when we go out is usually oysters, however we decided to switch things up with the bison carpaccio. No mistakes were made! It was perfect and the presentation was beautiful. As a main we shared the mushroom cavatelli. These are my new favourites and my now future cravings which will bring me back for another visit soon!

Good place. Small menu but it might be because of the pandemic.

Very incredible foods and service!

(Translated by Google) A lovely, romantic place in the evening we savored one bite at a time !!! What can we say excellent attentive service, the food a delight for the taste buds !!! We will be back for sure, plus it was for our anniversary !!! Have not been wrong, excellent for all the service, the food and especially the drinks! (Original) Un endroit charmant, romantique en soirée nous avons savourer une bouchée à la fois!!! Que dire excellent service attentionné, la nourriture un délice pour les papilles!!! Nous y retournerons pour sûre, de plus c'était pour notre anniversaire de mariage!!! Ont ne c'est pas trompé, excellent pour tout le service, la bouffe et surtout les drinks!!!

The lamb dish was amazing! Hope you still have it on the menu after the lockdown is over because I want to come back and eat it again!

Good food, good service however for the price you can find better in Ottawa. There was no bread offered and was extra when asked. However they did accommodate us for Christmas which was very appreciated

Amazing food. If you are feeling adventurous try the Chefs tasting menu. The one they had when I ate there had like 12 courses.