The people, who mysteriously ganged up at the same time against an Ottawa-based establishment which has always been one of the local staples of arts and culture, are the very embodiment of slander and online bullying- which, by the way, is a criminal offence. Just because the art in the bar is from the historical period concerning early-mid Soviet days, the business somehow supports “war in Ukraine”? You are off your meds, mates! Go get a job and be productive members of Canadian society for once!

Very nice and cozy little bar. Amateur musicians perform almost everyday in the evening. Alex, the owner is from Russia. They have in the bar Russian and Soviet memorabilia. The choice of beer is good and small snacks are available.

This is an amazing bar, like no other in Ottawa. The owner is very supportive of local music and art. Great atmosphere, friendly staff, good vibes.

It's one of my favorite places in Ottawa! Lovely and cozy bar, with an amazing friendly atmosphere! I've been there many times, and always happy to come back to spend my entire night there! Can definitely recommend it.

Amazing. I came here on a Friday night, there was live music which was amazing. It was filled with students. Has a small bar, and bathrooms. There is a nice area in the back with tables to sit. Would definitely recommend checking this place out if there is live music!

Went to rock show here. The band's were great and the old fashioned was delicious!

Perfect atmosphere！I am really glad to meet this bar. Alex makes the store a unique paradise, I really want to say his cocktail is art, a masterpiece, this is really something more over than just alcohol and cocktail. I really feeling happy to come here. Wish this bar will always filled with customer and happiness.

Decor inside the venue is amazing and so fun. The staff are very friendly, attentive, and efficient. The venue isn't laid out great for live music, as the stage is right next to the door and looks out onto a tight passage way, making it a bit of a traffic jam around the bar and exit.

Love this place! I’ve had the privilege of seeing some great international bands and shows here. The owner is very friendly and they serve great coffee. Definitely check it out!

My favourite venue in Ottawa! The owner is seriously the greatest guy ever! Not only is he super nice and accommodating as a bar owner, but the support he provides local bands is par none in this city! When disruptive customers come in and try and ruin the atmosphere, he handles everything with so much class and professionalism. I seriously can’t speak highly enough of him and his establishment and is one of the biggest reasons it’s the venue my band has played most and always looks forward to playing. Don’t miss out on Ottawa’s greatest hidden gem!

This bar serves Becherovka. And it has Russian constructivist themed artwork. And it is called the Avant-garde Bar. Therefore it is the perfect bar.

Russian hone-cooked meals, impressionist art, and cheap pints you can't go wrong.

Wacky Soviet-era aesthetic with a selection of Slavic liqueurs and beers served with equally slavic bar snacks. Fun dive bar with lots of character and personality, but if you're looking for a highly polished experience, this might not be the place. If you're looking for a Polish(ed) experience, this place is a kitschy good time.

Just stopped in for a quick drink and instantly fell in love. Charming decor and stylish but relaxing ambiance. Can't wait to meet up here with friends!

Great place! Friendly stuff and good Russian food. Live music makes difference as well. I feel like home here. Thank you!

We get here for the drinks and they were so good! The owner it’s very friendly, we had a great time, can’t wait to go again.

Already had a few Karaoke parties there. The place is nice and the owner is a very pleasant person. Also, there are great options in the food menu. The place is designed with old Soviet propaganda (but not only) signs, which is fun.

The only place in town I know that purposely provides a space for culture for its own sake. Always love coming here, the owner is one of a kind and the venue and menu both reflect that too :)

Nice and cozy... with old Soviet propaganda placards and cards. Band night on Friday. Booze for money same as everywhere else.(I didn't get any free drinks here...but still looking). I had fun here and that is all that counts.

Just didn't realize how much this place has a unique charm. Its a small venue but a very good one. The night we played our show, on Friday, I was convinced that it would not fill but eventually it did.

It was such a nice place to celebrate my birthday ! The owner was so nice, the music really great and the cocktails amazing ! I will come back for sure with friends ! Thank you so much again for the shirt

Really cute spot! Been here for a few shows and it's always a good time. I haven't gotten food here before but they have an awesome selection of drinks and the bar tender is also the owner which I respect a lot!

Great bar with good vibes. I love the environment and the owner is great to talk to.

really weird, uncomfortable treatment before I even had a chance to sit down. not sure if that's because I'm visibly trans (non-binary) but I feel the "T" in lgbtq+ friendly is a stretch... most people call me ma'am but this clown went with sir, lmao 🤣 that always throws me off because its almost always the other one. I had a fantastic time when I was here in like 2016. is it because I had a crew cut instead of a clean shave? 🤔 either way I honestly have never been treated like this in any other bar, it was baffling. I'm from Belarus myself and Slavic culture most certainly is not queer friendly in the slightest, so I am not surprised this is the place that made me feel the most uncomfortable to be myself. just my experience in recent times, I'm sure most people of ottawa don't have these problems since it's a boring government town lol.

One of the coolest bars around, always great acts, drink and anything else you could want

I've had the pleasure of DJing there twice and both times I was very impressed by the welcoming and friendly Owner / Bartender Alexei and just absolutely love the decor! I'd absolutely recommend stopping by to enjoy the atmosphere for a drink or consider hosting an event with the tables and bar/ floor space around the venue as it's just an amazing vibe when it's full of people dancing and drinking and chatting and just having a good time.

This is my new favorite bar in Ottawa. The ambience is excellent, the food is top-notch, and the music is perfect.

Great service and nice decor! Love the food there!!

Fantastic venue. Couldn't ask for a better host than Alex

One of my favorite bars in ottawa and it has a feel like very few have. It feels like you are in Russia and does absinthe in a traditional manner. The owner/bartender is a character and makes the experience feel unique.

Amazing bar, with eclectic drink selection. It also has great art prints for sale on the walls. It's also a great space to see local bands and musicians play

Great little home away from home. Also not bad for venues.

Love this place for its unique events, atmosphere and lovely customer service. The From Russia With Love cocktail is amazing!

This is a great bar. Alex, the owner, is very supportive of local music and art. The drinks are reasonably priced. There are some pretty interesting things on the menu as well (vodka served with pickles, for example). It's worth at least one visit simply for his awesome collection of Soviet propaganda. Yes, there is a one drink minimum, but would you go to a restaurant and just sit there without ordering something? Also, if you pay a cover, chances are it is going to the bands that play or, in some cases, to a charity. Really good spot.

Nice unique bar with great friendly service.

Great little hidden gem. Awesome music by various local artists. Alex who runs the place is a beautiful human being and a humble host. The South African loves you!!

Brings good bands to town!

(Translated by Google) I loved (Original) J'ai aimé

Weird bar. I like it.

loved the atmosphere, and all the wall art

Great atmosphere and events

(Translated by Google) Hype. Baltika wentos (Original) Hype. Baltika goos

Down to earth, real gem of a place. Russian style. Love it.

Not there best prices. Good atmosphere though

great venue, great beer, great people

Weird and quirky is what makes it good.

Cool little bar, great music!

Small but cozy

Cool quirky place to get a traditional Russian beer.

Great music and service

Nice little hidden gem of a bar. A very different vibe then everything else in Ottawa. Owner works there an is an interesting guy.

So much cool stuff happens here. Meet incredible like-minded people and have a great time!

Wicked bartender. Good prices. Cozy environment. Very hospitable!

A unique atmosphere, just tried one drink and it was up to expectations.

If you are ever looking for a 100% original inviting bar, with QUALITY drinks, service, with rich history...well, you've found it🤔👍😁👍

Avant Garde Bar gives you place like no other in Ottawa - Great Drink selection along with delicious small plate foods. If you are visiting Ottawa and want to catch a show their event listings on their website may have something for you during your visit. Truly an Ottawa Gem!

Quite a unique and quirky joint. Good service.

Jazz trio was great.

Cool cocktail spot with a huge selection of cocktails and several interesting shooters creating by a skillful staff. Best shots i’ve had.

A really great place to see some live music. The owner really knows how to pick bands. The dumplings are so good youll never believe someone's grandmother didn't make them.

The best bar in Ottawa! Diverse entertainment and events, check out their calendar. Great drinks and perfect atmosphere.

Alex has an awesome place for local music

Nice bar tender. Drinks are a little expensive. I mainly come here for Dirty Rectangle events and don't mind the bar.

Great bar with a variety of drinks and food.

Awesome Alex and unique entertainment live music

Alex the bar tender seemed nice and the place seemed cool. Good vibes for a small bar/music joint.

My favorite Ottawa hang out.

Best bar I know!

Gem of a place, with a gem of a staff.

I've been to a lot of bars around the world and this is definitely the top 3 worst ones. Like it was a pretty bad bar, cool concept, but horrible execution. The food was expensive which I mean in itself is fine but what you get for what you pay is not worth 25% of the cost. Me and two friends were the only ones in the bar and it too about and hour to get the cheese and meat plate... The drinks took about 20 minutes for two of us. Was interesting but would recommend to avoid and would not return. I hope this guy at least owns the building cause I dont see this place making it long term otherwise...

Great, unique bar with excellent drinks/service.

Best atmosphere in town

Wonderful venue for indie bands :) The owner is fantastic!

Just wow ... This place is amazing ... Everytime I go there is always something interesting happening ... The crowd is super chill ... The menu have some really good cocktails and the bar tender is a super nice guy who is very helpful .. the beer selection is also great with a number of the beers being imported but still being sold at a very fair price ...highly recommended

Omg, best canapes and the carrot salade is better than my great grandmother use to make. Amazing Ottawa talent and to listen to.. a def must do..🤗