Zoe's

Someone from this business manages this listing.

411 reviews

#106 of 2,325 Restaurants in Ottawa$$$$, Contemporary, Canadian, Vegetarian Friendly

+1 613-241-1414+ Add website

Hours

Sun

11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Mon

11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Tue

11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Wed

11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Thu

11:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m.

Fri

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

Sat

11:00 a.m. - 12:00 a.m.

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Ratings and reviews

4.0

411 reviews

#106 of 2,325 Restaurants in Ottawa

RATINGS

Food

Service

Value

Atmosphere

Details

Someone from this business manages this listing.

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PRICE RANGE

$20.00 – $65.00

CUISINES

Contemporary, Canadian

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly

meals, features

Location and contact

1 Rideau St Fairmont Chateau Laurier, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 8S7 Canada

+1 613-241-1414

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Can a gluten free person get a good meal at this restaurant?

Yes

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About

RICH IN HISTORY, YOUNG AT HEART Zoe’s, located within the walls of the Fairmont Château Laurier, offers a contemporary bar experience while serving up a side of local history. Named after Sir Wilfrid Laurier’s wife, Lady Zoe, this space was transformed from a concert hall and reintroduced as a Bar in the late 1980’s. It quickly became one of Ottawa’s most popular gathering places. Today, the room remains equally impressive with its big bold chandeliers, unique details and featured artwork, including six original Karsh photographs in the Reading Lounge leading to the bar. The menu includes sharing and small plate options, as well as a creative cocktail menu – try our signature Statesman for that Instagram moment.

PRICE RANGE

$20.00 – $65.00

CUISINES

Contemporary, Canadian

Special Diets

Vegetarian Friendly

Meals

Lunch, Dinner, Drinks

FEATURES

Reservations, Seating, Parking Available, Wheelchair Accessible, Serves Alcohol, Full Bar, Wine and Beer, Free Wifi, Accepts Credit Cards, Table Service, Non-smoking restaurants

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4.0

411 reviews

Excellent

164

Very good

123

Average

Poor

Terrible

Canbritirl

Gatineau25 contributions

Am expensive treat. I love

Mar 2020 • none

Am expensive treat. I love afternoon tea and have enjoyed it in some pretty prime location in the UK, some of the best in private homes. Zoe’s has great service, and interesting menu items. A little too much emphasis on the sweet for me. I personally love afternoon tea sandwiches. It’s a nice treat for a special occasion. I really wish people wouldn’t call afternoon tea ‘high tea’. That is something different which is not usually served in restaurants. Google it. The Royal Albert Hall in London serves a great afternoon tea as do many old established institutions throughout the UK.

Written March 10, 2020

This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ChateauLaurier

We agree that our Afternoon Tea service is an experience not to be missed! We are pleased that you enjoyed your visit and we hope to welcome you back soon. Sincerely, Marion te Winkel Director of Operations

Written March 12, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Beverly V

Gatineau37 contributions

Anyone for tea? Yes!!!

Nov 2021 • couples

Made a reservation for afternoon tea. Rep from Zoe's called day before for confirmation, reminder and asked about food allergies. On morning of I called to ask for substitution for sweet desserts and they were very accommodating. Replaced with fruit. Server was very friendly and accommodating with suggestions on how we could get the best value for food. Lovely surroundings in restaurant. Food and tea were great and fruit very fresh. After meal we were able to walk around the interior of the Chateau Laurier. Very impressive. Highly recommend the experience.

Written November 26, 2021

ChateauLaurier

We are so pleased that your visit was a memorable one. We hope to welcome you again one day soon. Sincerely, Patrick Vincelette Director of Rooms

Written December 13, 2021

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

MeganMunro

Toronto1350 contributions

Not amazing in the summer heat

Sep 2022 • none

The room is very pretty but in the summer it is outrageouly hot. They need some A/C as we were melting. The service was friendly and the 'high tea' was just OK. The sandwiches were a bit bland and the heat took their toll on them. The desserts were tasty, but almost $100pp (with a drink...that was warm) it just wasn't worth the stop.

Written September 15, 2022

ChateauLaurier

Dear Megan, Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. Rest assured that we take your comments to heart. We hope to welcome you again one day soon. Sincerely, Gregory Voge Director of Food and Beverage

Written September 16, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

eattravellove

Atlanta27 contributions

Tourist trap; no value for the money

Feb 2020 • friends

Sigh. Like everything else in this great nation’s capital, this was such a disappointing and overwhelmingly mediocre experience punctuated only by the terrible service. From the rude and clueless receptionist answering the phone to the rude waitress taking forever to come to our table, to the menu that advertised one price which was much lower than the price on the bill. When questioned, the waitress said very defensively, “It’s Winterlude so the prices are higher this month and we’re not going to reprint all the menus.” Hahahaha ummm WHAT? First of all, shouldn’t you be encouraging tourists to visit with lower prices, not penalizing them with higher ones than what you normally charge?? Second of all, isn’t it illegal to advertise one price but charge a different one? I’m pretty sure it is and beyond shocked the Fairmont is engaging in this type of behaviour. I’m also shocked by: the low food quality for the high prices paid, the lack of knowledge of ingredients the servers have, the loud nightclub music piped through the common areas, the fact that the washroom is ALWAYS filthy and doesn’t have automatic doors for users with accessibility issues, and that in general, this hotel doesn’t hold a candle to any of the other Fairmont hotels I have ever had a chance to visit. A staff shakeup is in order, starting from the kitchen staff to the servers and everyone in between, with solid training on what customer service really means.

Written February 9, 2020

ChateauLaurier

Please accept my personal apologies for your poor impression. Your experience is certainly not indicative of the high levels of service we strive to provide to our guests each and every day. I also apologize for the mis-communication you received with respect to our menus. A full review is underway with our outlets manager and food and beverage team. I do hope you return one day and allow us the chance to change your mind about us. Sincerely, Marion te Winkel Director of Operations

Written February 12, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

linda c

22 contributions

Extremely disappointing

Mar 2020 • none

Four women on an afternoon out for tea. The high tea at Zoe's was a huge disappointment. The tea was good, however the drinks we ridiculously overpriced. The radish sandwich was a joke..no taste whatsoever. The shortbread was totally tasteless. One has to wonder after all the negative reviews why they are still serving the same food and drinks still overpriced. Bad reviews but no changes whatsoever. Won't go again. With tip and a drink was $100. Had high tea at Royal Albert Hall in London. No comparison and prices comparable. Plus, no cucumber sandwich and the egg salad had no currie taste. Everyone should read these reviews before they book..tells me they don't listen to their clientele.

Written March 9, 2020

ChateauLaurier

Dear Linda, Rest assured that we take comments from our guests to heart as they are the best equipped to judge our level of service. We do hope we have the chance to change your mind about us one day soon. We are confident that you will be pleased that you did. Sincerely, Marion te Winkel Director of Operations

Written March 10, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

JJ_I💖thebeach

Ottawa51 contributions

Afternoon tea - After 20 years of visits, today was a disappointment

Mar 2020 • family

Afternoon tea is my most favorite meal and a trip to the Chateau Laurier's Zoe's has been a family favorite for 20 years. We have seen the tea change over the years...fancier sandwiches, new decor and ever increasing price for the tea but always a treat to go. Today's visit was such a disappointment. The teapots are perfect. When you pour they dont leak and the tea selection is reduced from a few years ago but still good selection. The tiered stands came quickly but at that point it was not the same presentation of glorious looking sandwiches and cakes like our previous visits. Egg curry sandwich had no flavor of curry and the bread was dried out at edges, roast beef sandwich was dry and the radish sandwich looked and tasted like it had been sitting out all day. salmon sandwich was the best. We never had the server come asking if things were ok or did we need anything, a first in our visits. Staff has always been so attentive in previous visits. Scones were delicious but again the cream had a dry layer on the top like it had sat out for a long time. The price goes up for sittings after 1 o'clock so it was expensive ($62 a person) for what we had. also note that while the parking lot is open again there is no access to enter the building from it. The first door was locked on Sussex and said to go to the front. Elderly people should be dropped off at front door.

Written March 8, 2020

ChateauLaurier

As a loyal and faithful customer, you may be aware of our mission to create memorable moments. I sincerely regret that we were not able to do so on this occasion. We do hope you return one day, allowing us the opportunity to restore your trust in us. Sincerely, Marion te Winkel Director of Operations

Written March 10, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Bina B

2 contributions

Never Again

Oct 2020 • couples

The Bruschetta was extremely bland and I couldn’t even get the spaghetti down. I had left a whole plate because I couldn’t eat it and they still wanted to charge me full price even though they had taken it away and thrown it out. After my husband spoke to the manager, they opted to make us a new dish which just ended up in the garbage rather than simply not charging for the meal. My husband ordered steak medium rare. Some parts were rare and some were medium. Not consistent all the way through. Would not recommend.

Written October 3, 2020

RenatoR296

Miami58 contributions

It is inside Fairmont Hotel

Jan 2020 • family

It is inside Fairmont Hotel and Place seems quite nice and food is great. But I had a really bad experience. We ordered juice for the kids and once the color was not usual, we questioned if it was right. Server was rude and promptly answered: “You ordered apple juice, so it is apple juice”. If we were not short on time, we would have left.

Written January 2, 2020

ChateauLaurier

Dear Renato, We regret your disappointing experience. Please rest assured that is certainly not the norm. We have met with the team to re-brief them on our high levels of service excellence. We hope you give us another chance and return one day…we are confident you will not be disappointed. Sincerely, Marion te Winkel Director of Operations

Written January 8, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Kathleen C

1 contribution

What has happened to High Tea at the Chateau Laurier??

Sep 2022 • none

High Tea at the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa had become a must when visiting family in the city. Beautifully prepared and presented sandwiches were delicious and the pastries a work of art. High Tea was an event not to be missed. Sadly, it has been reduced to soggy stuffed croissants, strawberries between two slices of grain bread cut diagonally with crusts still on and paper thin cucumber sandwiches with creamed cheese Certainly disappointing considering the high price paid per person. Gone is the artistry with which High Tea was prepared. Sadly, our tradition will be discontinued. We will not return.

Written September 17, 2022

ChateauLaurier

Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. Rest assured that we take your comments to heart. We hope to welcome you again one day soon. Sincerely, Gregory Voge Director of Food & Beverage

Written September 19, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

TravelingWithTrish

Ontario71 contributions

Chateau Laurie Zoes is a Major Fail

Feb 2020 • none

I hate to give such a negative review based on one visit, but there was nothing redeeming about this place whatsoever based on our experience. Of the several items we ordered, some we are pretty sure were frozen or ready-to-serve product, and just tasteless. It was extremely dim (to the point of having to use smartphone flashlights to read the menus), the music was too loud, and ambiance non-existent. Food was terrible, waiter was jaded and abrupt. The menu prices are beyond ridiculously high for very below par food. This is pretty well the worst restaurant experience I have had, and is a real disservice to the beautiful old grand hotel it is located in. If you are going to charge those high prices, you better bring your A game to the table.

Written February 20, 2020

ChateauLaurier

Our mission is to turn moments into memories and I regret that we failed to do so. Please rest assured that your experience is certainly not typical of our usual fine service. We do hope you return one day and allow us the opportunity to change your mind about us. We are confident that you will be glad that you did! Sincerely, Marion te Winkel Director of Operations

Written February 24, 2020

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Nina Cantarelli

Madrid1 contribution

Disappointing

Jun 2022 • family

The staff was really nice to us and the waitress was friendly and served us well. On the other hand, the food was overpriced and very disappointing. My dish, which was FIFTY DOLLARS (wth) had a steak with the same size as my thumb, and the truffle fries had no truffle flavour at all. When it comes to dessert, the bought ice cream was the best food I ate the whole night. The chocolate cake was heavy as hell. To sum up, the restaurant is clearly a tourist trap.

Written June 17, 2022

ChateauLaurier

Dear Nona, Our mission is to turn moments into memories and we regret that we failed to do so during your recent visit to Zoe's. Rest assured that your experience is certainly not typical of the usual high level of service that we provide. We hope you return one day allowing us the opportunity to regain your trust. Sincerely, Gregory Voge Director of Food and Beverage

Written July 5, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

stayvaca

23 contributions

High Tea Glee

May 2022 • none

My daughter brought me here for High Tea. What a wonderful gift and experience!!!!! We had an ample selection of tea. The three-tier platter was so very well presented and the sandwiches, desserts and scones were AWESOME! Tasty and fancy. We couldn<t eat all the desserts so we could go home with the boxed goodies. Staff was so nice, perfect date for this mother-daughter.

Written May 15, 2022

ChateauLaurier

We are so pleased that your visit was an enjoyable one. We agree that our Afternoon Tea Experiemce is one not to be missed! We hope to welcome you again one day soon. Sincerely, Gregory Voge Director of Food & Beverage

Written May 16, 2022

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Julie L

Ottawa7 contributions

Only go for the atmosphere

Mar 2023 • none

I have been taking my daughter here since she was 3. I miss the trolley for the tea selection. The tea pots are no longer sterling silver and do not fit the ambience. My sandwiches were too fusion. I miss the finger sandwiches. The desserts are also fusion. Every time I go, I have to ask for substitutions because I’m not a fan of what’s being offered. There was no fruit cup to start. For almost $50.00 a person, I was very disappointed.

Written April 3, 2023

ChateauLaurier

Written April 12, 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

Olivia

Toronto44 contributions

Disappointing. Cold & unsavoury hors d’oeuvres during afternoon tea at Chateau Laurier Ottawa

Jan 2024 • couples

My husband and I visit the Fairmont Chateau Laurier every year for afternoon tea with friends. And we’ve always enjoyed the sandwiches, desserts, and the tea. However this time when we went to Zoe’s for afternoon tea, we were very disappointed in the food. 👎🏼👎🏼👎🏼 The sandwiches did not taste as good as in previous years. They were all cold and not fresh. The chicken croissant sandwich with curry tasted awful. While we enjoy different cuisines, this sandwich was unsavoury. The chef last year prepared excellent tasting hors d’oeuvres! I recall that they just melted in your mouth. That’s how good they were! The desserts this year were also a disappointment from previous years. The Mandarin chocolate cake should not be part of the menu. When we looked at the other groups seated around us. we saw that they left the mandarin cake untouched for the servers to take away. So it wasn’t just us that didn’t like the cake! The service on the other hand, was fantastic, better than in previous years. Our server, Gerrick, was friendly and courteous and gave us great suggestions onthe different teas available. that’s the only reason why we gave this review a score of two out of five However, after that negative experience with the food, I don’t think my husband and I will return again with friends next year for the holiday afternoon tea at the Fairmont Chateau Laurier. This is unfortunate because the whole experience and ambience—and especially the exquisite tasting food—is why we had returned back every year. So disappointing. 😔

Written January 28, 2024

Patrick Vincelette

We sincerely regret the disappointing experience during your stay with us. Our mission is that our guests have a grand experience and we regret that we failed to do so during your recent visit. We hope you give us another chance, by returning one day. We are confident that you will not be disappointed. Sincerely, Patrick Vincelette Director of Rooms

Written February 5, 2024

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

ottawatraveler_11

Ottawa2150 contributions

A wonderful setting, disappointing otherwise

Dec 2022 • none

We had not been here in a few years, and decided to try their NYE dinner. We chose an early sitting, and first impressions were great - wonderful space, nicely decorated for the season. And quiet - less than 50% full. Service was friendly but rushed - we had just started our appetizers when the mains were presented. We asked to have time to finish our first plates and were told that the kitchen was rushing to get everything out, and the server started to put them on the table beside our first course...we asked again and she took them aside. We also asked why the hot dishes wre room temperature and were told that the kitchen they use is at the far end of the hotel, so everyting cools of while being carried over. Odd situation, and indicates poor management if true. The food was nicely presented but offputting that it was served lukewarm, and in such a rushed manner. We noticed nearby tables having the same kind of "fast food" service.

Written January 1, 2023

ChateauLaurier

We sincerely regret the disappointing experience during your visit with us to celebrate New Year's Eve! Our mission is that our guests experience the grandest of feelings and we regret that we failed to do so during your recent visit. We hope you give us another chance, by returning one day. We are confident that you will not be disappointed. Sincerely, Patrick Vincelette Director of Rooms

Written January 10, 2023

This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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