Malone's Lakeside Grill - Ottawa

We came here for the Tulip festival at Commissioner's Park across the street and we found this center building over looking the artificial lake leading to Rideau Canal. It was a bit before the lunch menu but we were really hungry so we decided to eat on the terrasse @Malones for breakfast. I guess we expected a bit too much à la Chez Cora but what we really got was the basic basic. There was no imagination to it's presentation and the orange juices weren't freshly squeezed from a can no doubt. The venue was nice but the breakfast was forgettable. After our meal, we rushed to the festival and ordered better meals from the food trucks.

This place was a great end to a day full of walking and kayaking! Water was brought to us almost right away which was definitely appreciated on such a hot day. I ordered a daiquiri which was made very quickly and then a salad which was again brought to the table quicker than most places (don't worry, it wasn't so quick that I suspected it was pre made). The salad was delicious, though it'd be great if they didn't use plastic for the dressing on the side. The service was equally great! Everyone working there was extremely friendly and always smiling. I went on a holiday and I know the staff probably wasn't thrilled to be at work so the fact that they were so nice was really awesome! I would definitely recommend this place. Also, I took a sneak peak at other people's food and it all looked amazing. I can't wait to go back when I'm hungrier to try the other items on the menu!

Went here for a group lunch today for the first time in a long time, and I was reminded of the regret I have spending too many hours and dollars at this place in my 20s. I 'll keep this nice and short, about as much time they spend nuking some of their food in the microwave: 1 The place is overpriced to the teats. You pay for the privilege of overlooking good ol ' Dow 's Lake, and this is required for them to make rent. 2 If you get a breeze and aren 't accidentally knocking salt shakers off the deck (I think I am sole handedly responsible for altering the lake salt levels , you are lucky to extract value with the thrilling experience of possibly seeing a tourist fall off their paddle board into the cesspool of algae. 3 Yeah, yeah, the staff is polite, but its probably because they 're as hot and sweaty as you are, trying to exert as little energy as possible like a fish hiding from the current. 4 $17 for a plate of lettuce, commonly referred to on their menu as a Greek salad. You will get the odd specimen of something resembling a tomato (core in; they don 't remove tomato cores ; a crumbling of feta (dontcha know it looks like more that way? ; olives (that were bascially the best thing on the plate ; the odd fork of a cucumber. 5 My colleague got lasagna which was so obviously microwaved on the plate. And if it wasn 't, then it was just terrible lasagna. Please Google slump test , and you will know damn well what I 'm talking about. He said they made an attempt to glue it together with that non cheese cheese that comes in bags pre shredded, and which you have to keep in your cheek like Bazooka Jo until it breaks down to the point of either being swallowed or discreetly spat into a napkin or the bottom of a urinal. 6 Yeah yeah, the chicken skewers and breasts of other dishes came off the grill. It is magical that they can cook to order! But I can guarantee you those potatoes and rice pilaf didn 't. You are absolutely correct: by now, their microwaves would have DINGed and the food would be in front of you. The place is a joke and everyone knows it. They stay in business because of tourist maps and what I assume to be either nepotism or a really bad lease agreement. This is one of the few times I welcome gentrification with open arms, because the location is great. In fact, the only reason I give this two stars above a place where I found machinery in my food is because, maybe just maybe I can see another tourist fall into the lake.

I have been to malones many many times because i like the view and many of my friends want to meet there I dont recommend eating there tho. At all. The wine is decent. My friend visited from austria and she missed nachos. The nachos at malones were AWFUL boring flavorless and not crispy. The mussels are usually overdone and i have more than once gotten closed shells on my plate. I had a bunless burger there a few weeks ago because ive gone off grains. It kind of tasted like something you'd buy at giant tiger or food basics in the bargain bin when u are n a bad way finacially so i asked. Yup: wheat crumbs in it. : . What self respecting restaurant serves that knd of garbage??? I met a friend a couple yrs ago at an event at lagos who went to malones for dinner prior. They almost killed her. She stressed that she was allergic to peppers and the waiter assured her the dish had none. Before even swallowing her first bite her throat began to swell and she was in the bathroom coughing and gagging and employing medical intervention. I am really really disappointed that this place is so slummy in the food department. Its clean attractive and friendly and the location AMAZING but not a good place to eat AT ALL. AT ALL

I found my experience at Malone's fairly mediocre, the food was decent but the restaurant was a little grimy and it took the staff long periods of time before we would be acknowledged. When handed the menus, I almost had to wipe it down before I could see what my options were, all our menus were dirty. We had to hunt the staff down to refill water and let them know we were ready to order, which isn't a good sign. Again, the food was good, when they remembered to bring it out to you. The staff full-out forgot one of our desserts, by that time we were ready to pay and leave. The food was decent and came in decent portions, which is why I my score isn't lower. Probably won't return given the selection of better restaurants in Ottawa.