Kevin the bear
The resident bear, named Kevin, greets you on the way in. A shark hangs from the ceiling.
Specimen Nº 835 · Somerset St W · Ottawa
Natural
History
“Ottawa’s museum inspired bar blends retro charm with natural history.” A cocktail bar in Chinatown, full of taxidermy, vintage maps, globes, butterflies and family heirlooms.
Open daily 6 PM – 2 AM · Walk-ins only · 4.7★ on Google (94 reviews)
Gallery I
The collection
Owner Max Anisman (also behind Ward 14 on Preston Street) filled the room with his grandfather’s treasure trove of vintage and antique artifacts.
The magazine bar
The bar top showcases dozens of vintage National Geographic covers set into its surface.
Cabinets of curiosity
Globes, owls, shells, ships in bottles, framed butterflies and moths, maps, pennants and anatomical charts under soft red lamps.
The sabre-tooth
Look for the sabre-tooth tiger stencilled on the brick outside, at the corner of Somerset and Rochester.
Sources: Ottawa Citizen (March 2025) and Kitchissippi Times (May 2025). Some artifacts may be for sale; taxidermy is not. Ask staff about current pieces.
Gallery II
At the bar
A rotating cocktail list served in field-guide style menus, local beer, wine and a well-chosen non-alcoholic selection. Reviewers call the cocktails creative and reasonably priced.
- Cocktails
- Rotating menu. Named on the bar’s Instagram: La Piccola (chili-salt rim, jalapeño) and White Lotus. Reviewers also mention the anticuado and El Burro (spiced rum & ginger beer in a copper mug).
- Beer
- Ottawa brews: Beyond the Pale, Tooth and Nail and Bicycle have been on the list.
- Zero-proof
- A small, curated non-alcoholic selection.
- Snacks & plates
- Smash burgers (beef or Beyond Meat), crispy potato salad and more, from snack size to full plates.
Drinks and food mentioned by the bar’s Instagram, the Ottawa Citizen (2025) and reviewers (2025). The current menu, wine list and prices are to be confirmed with the bar.
La Piccola
White Lotus
Gallery III
Field notes
“For my companion and I, it felt like we had discovered a secret hideaway.”Ottawa Citizen, March 2025
“Natural History is an absolute gem in Chinatown… We had the White Lotus and the La Piccola, and both were perfectly balanced.”
Sabrina V. · Google, Jul 2025“From the moment you walk in you feel like you’re in a museum of some sorts, the decor is sooo cool.”
T R · Google, Sep 2025“A fantastic cocktail bar with an eclectic mix of decor and a moody sitting room.”
Brandon L. · Google, Jul 2025“Laid-back, unpretentious place with great music choices and decor. The cocktails are very well priced.”
Ashton M. · Google, Dec 2025“Probably the coolest bar in Ottawa. And we’ve explored A LOT of bars.”
Restaurantji review · Aug 2026
Plan your visit
Visit the museum
835 Somerset St W(at Rochester St)
Ottawa, ON K1R 6R4
Opening hours
Daily 6 PM – 2 AM
Per the bar’s Instagram bio.
Trivia Mondays
Monday nights at 7 PM
Announced in a post on the bar’s Instagram.
- Walk-ins only, no reservations
- New patio out front
- Private booking inquiries: DM on Instagram
- Big group? Reviewers suggest arriving right at opening
- Amex accepted
Phone number to be confirmed. Amex detail from a December 2025 review.
