Nightlife in Ottawa

Inspired by the underground jazz and improv piano clubs of the 1940s and 50s, The Barrel House swings its showgoers' spirits skyward with an array of piano-pounding talent. Each keyboard combatant can duel through a repertoire of hits that numbers in the hundreds, from The Beatles to Beyonce. Its VIP rooms offer premium views of the heated harmonics and vary in size, amenities, and vocal scatting propensities. The Blue Moon Lounge and Crown Royal house up to 50 tune-loving patrons, feature private bars and bartenders and three 46" TVs a piece (a $300 value each); the Jägermiester Lounge (a $250 value) and Boulevard (a $200 value) can host up to 20 patrons, sporting speak-easy styling, private servers, and a proximity to the stage that ensures requests won't go unheard. Like a vaudevillian tobogganing down sand dunes in a suit, The Barrel House calls to mind the carefree, classy clubs of yesteryear: it's 5,000 foot playing space features rich crimson and tan walls, replete with old wood barrels and stools, making it ideal for relaxing with friends or watching said friends jitterbug joyously.

Teller's Restaurant and Bar has a 3.5-star average from Yelpers, a 3.9-star average from OpenTable users, an average of 3.5 owl eyes from TripAdvisors, and a four-star average from Yahoo! Locals:

The illustrious instructors at Dance Gallery shepherd students of all skills levels through a variety of popular dance styles and techniques. Many of the professional teachers boast backgrounds performing in the Joffrey Ballet, musical theater, and jobs as human tops. Across the flexible summer schedule, students can receive guided gyration instruction in their choice of ballet, jazz, tap, hip-hop, aerobics, or tumbling and acrobatics. Though the majority of classes are for children, the studio schedules some adult night sessions in ballet, tap, aerobics, and jazz.

Dazzlers’s three-day summer dance camps busy the limbs of grade school girls in a 6,000-square-foot fully mirrored dance studio. At Fairy Tale Camp, each day’s activities revolve around a different fair maiden, including Glinda the Good Witch from The Wizard of Oz, Alice from Alice in Wonderland, Ariel, the mermaid princess from The Little Mermaid, and lesser-known royal Chaka Khan. Upcoming kindergarteners through prospective third graders assemble crafts, listen to music, nibble on complimentary snacks, and learn dance styles inspired by each character. Little ones can dress up as their favorite princesses or notable feminists to celebrate their last day of camp with a Mad Hatter’s tea party.

The fragrance of sizzling burgers and roasting pizzas floods Kanz's City Pizza and Burgerz's wood-paneled dining room. Chefs hand-toss signature pizzas with 13 different toppings such as pepperoni, sausage, and pineapple and pair 8-ounce burgers with freshly cut fries and coleslaw. More than 45 types of imported and domestic beer moisten mouths owned by people or cyborgs ages 21 and up. The restaurant regales guests with weekly special events, such as Saturday-night karaoke at the Olathe location, Texas hold 'em on Saturday afternoons at the Lenexa location, and live music.

Lounging feels perfectly natural at Arabian Clouds. The hookah bar remains open until as late as 3 a.m. throughout the week, encouraging passersby to stop in, gather around the glowing coals of one of the Khalil Mamoon hookahs, and enjoy a round of Arabian coffee or tea with the shisha. The lounge also plays eclectic mixes of pop, hip-hop, rock, and contemporary Arabian music, and guest DJs stop in to perform and energize crowds on the weekends.