Last Updated: March 05, 2020
**Be sure to hit up our monthly calendar by clicking on “Open Mic/Jam” in the “Music Genre” filter on the right to display all of the open mics happening each month – sometimes there are one-off Open Mics that aren’t posted here as they are only held occasionally.**
Ottawa is busting at the seams with new local music! There are tons of concerts every night all over the city that feature great local musicians sharing and honing their talent, but open mics offer a special kind of entertainment and offer a sense of community. They are a fantastic way for audiences to see cheap (or free!) shows and for musicians to try out new musical material. There are also lots of open mics in Ottawa that bring together seasoned musicians for improvisatory jam sessions – the kind of musical mixing that doesn’t always happen in regular ol’ concert fare. This is our ultimate guide to Ottawa open mics, which we hope you’ll enjoy!
There are open mic shows hosted every night in Ottawa, though they may be hard to find. We list as many as we can get our hands on and update this guide frequently. If you know of any and would like to add them to our calendar — or know of any that have been discontinued, please send the details to [email protected].
Monday
Whispers
249 Richmond Road
Hosted by Spirit of Rasputin’s
613-722-9603
7pm-10pm (lottery at 6:40)
Moose McGuire’s
3320 McCarthy Rd
Hosted by Fabien Melanson
(613) 680-4411
Starts at 9:30pm
The Juke Joint Soul Kitchen
3740 Carp Rd
Hosted by Bill Martin
(613) 470-8888
7pm-10pm
Rainbow Bistro
76 Murray Street
Sign up: 8pm
Music starts: 9pm
Tuesday
Meow! That’s Hot
519 Bank Street
(613) 695-7567
Sign up at 7:30pm
Music: 8pm – 10pm
Barley Mow Bank Street (**every last Tuesday of the month**)
1060 Bank Street
613-818-7676
Sign up at 8:30pm
Music starts: 9:30pm
Ottawa Moose Lodge
303 Kendall Ave
Music starts: 6pm
The Neighbourhood Pub
2557 Baseline Rd
(613) 482-9602
Sign up: just show up
Music starts: 8pm
Irene’s Jazz Jam
885 Bank St
(613) 230-4474
Hosted by Beeched Wailers
Music starts: 10pm
Royal Oak – Kanata
329 March Road
(613) 591-3895
Sign up: 7:30pm
Music starts: 8pm
The Laff (Chateau Lafayette)
42 York Street
(613) 241-4747
Hosted by John Carroll.
Sign up: after 7pm
Music starts: 9pm
TUNESday Nights at L!VE on Elgin
220 Elgin Street
(613) 695-5483
Sign up: 8:15pm
Music starts: 8:45pm
Wednesday
Gracie’s Brew Pub
1151 Ogilvie Rd.
The Flying Hibachis
Sign up: 7pm
Music: 7:30pm-10pm
WBC Lakeside Brew Pub
78 Pembroke Street, Cobden
(613) 646-0101
Music: 7pm-10pm
Pints & Quarts
779 Bank St
(613) 235-2624
Hosted by Chris Zimmerman
Music starts: 10pm
Barley Mow Barrhaven
1481 Greenbank Road
(613) 823-8028
Music starts: 9pm
Neat Coffee Shop (**every last Wednesday of the month**)
1715 Calabogie Road, Burnstown
Mike McCormick
Music: 8pm-11pm
Kaffe 1870
715 Riverside Drive, Wakefield
(819) 459-3943
Music starts at 9pm
Taproom 260 (**first Wednesday of every month**)
260 Centrum Blvd (formerly D’Arcy McGee’s Orleans)
(613) 424-2260
Music starts: 8pm
Stittsville Legion
1481 Stittsville Main Street
(613) 836-1632
Music 7pm-9:30pm
The Waterfront Gastropub
12 Bell St., Carleton Place
(613) 257-5755
Music: 9pm-1am
Thursday
Sonny’s Bar & Grill (**Every second Thursday)
1119 Baxter Rd
Dan Sidoli
Music: 9pm-12am
The Newboro
295 Richmond Rd.
Sign up: 8:30pm
Music starts: 9pm-12am
Grumpy’s Pub
4000 Bridle Path Drive
Hosted by Steve Mah
Sign up: 7:30pm
Music starts: 8pm
Fiddlehead’s Bar & Grill
53 Herriott Street
(613) 267-1304
Hosted by Kevin Choffe
Music 8pm-11pm
Brass Monkey
250 Greenbank Road
(613) 820-1740
Hosted by Nick Straccini
Sign up: 7pm
Music starts: 8pm
Jazzworks Jam Session at Festival Japan (**Every third Thursday of the month — Starting Sept. 20**)
149 Kent St
Hosted by Jazz Works Ottawa
(613) 234-1224
Music: 7:30pm-11pm
Rainbow Bistro Afternoon Open Mic (biweekly)
76 Murray Street
Sign up: 2:30pm
Music starts: 3pm
The Neighbourhood Pub
2557 Baseline Rd
Music starts: 8pm
Alice’s Village Cafe
3773 Carp Rd
New host each week
Music 7pm-10pm
Cafe Nostalgica
601 Cumberland Street
Hosted by Amanda Lowe.
Sign up: 8:30pm
Music starts: 9pm
Pressed (**Every last Thursday of the month**)
750 Gladstone Ave
Sign up: 7pm
Music: 8pm-11pm
Friday
The Waiting Room
1097 Concession St., Russell
(613) 496-0115
Music: 6:45pm-9:30pm
Vibration Studios- (**second Friday of every month**)
5488 Osgoode Main
(613) 469-8423
Music: 8pm-11pm
Moose McGuire’s (**CURRENTLY ON HOLD**)
3320 McCarthy Rd
(613) 680-4411
Hosted by Frenz of Kenz
Music starts: 9:30pm
The Waterfront Gastropub – (**first Friday of every month**)
Mississippi Blues Society Open Jam
12 Bell Street, Carleton Place
(613) 257-5755
Music: 9pm – 1am
Prime Burger Bar
780 Baseline Road
(613) 680-2051
Sign up: 9:30pm
Music: 10pm-1am
Saturday
Scotty’s Corner Diner (every second Sunday)
2006 Robertson Rd
(613) 695-2222
Music: 2pm-5pm
Creekside Bar & Grill (**last Saturday of the month, Sept-May**)
5511 Manotick Main St
613-692-2236
Music: 8pm-11pm
Grumpy’s Pub
4000 Bridle Path Drive
(613) 523-9490
Music starts: 8pm
Vimy Brewing Company
1-145 Loretta Avenue N
Hosted by Howie Hooper
Music starts: 1pm
Daniel O’Connell’s
1211 Wellington Street West
(613) 724-2200
Music 3pm-6pm
Irene’s Pub Afternoon Open Mic
885 Bank Street
Sign up: 12:30pm
Music starts: 1pm
Moose McGuire’s
3320 McCarthy Rd
(613) 680-4411
Hosted by Greg Kelly & Friends
Music starts: 1pm
Montgomery Legion Bluegrass Jam Session (**First Saturday of the month**)
330 Kent St
Music starts: 1:30pm (until 5pm)
Danby’s Bar & Grill (returning Sept. 28/19)
2858 Munster Rd
Hosted by Mike Belajac
Music: 3pm – 7pm
Hintonburg Public House (**last Saturday of the month**)
1020 Wellington Street West
(613) 421-5087
Hosted by Jess Cole.
Sign up: no advance sign up required
Music: 3pm-5pm
Sunday
Brew Revolution
6081 Hazeldean Rd #11a
Music: 2pm-5pm
Happy Goat (**Every third Sunday of the month **)
35 Laurel St
(613) 792-1309
2pm-5pm
Pour Boy (* Every second Sunday of the month — back on September 8 **)
495 Somerset St W
(613) 695-7687
7pm-10pm
Bells Corners Legion 593 (**Every second Sunday of the month**)
4026 Old Richmond Rd
1pm-5pm
Rainbow Bistro Afternoon Open Blues Jam
76 Murray Street
Different feature act each week.
Sign up: just show up
Music starts: 3:30pm
Danby’s Roadhouse
6127 Perth Street, Richmond
Sign up: just show up
1:00pm – 4:30pm
Ashton Brew Pub
113 Old Mill Road
Sign up: 1:30pm
Music: 2pm – 5pm
Open Stage Sunday at the Rainbow Bistro
76 Murray Street
Hosted by Kieran Howes
Sign up: 8pm
Music starts: 8:30pm
Vibration Studios Inc.
5488 Osgoode Main
Music starts: (following feature artist) 2pm-4pm
The South Branch Bistro
15 Clothier Street East, Kemptville
(613) 258-3737
2:00pm – 5:00pm
Quinn’s Ale House
1070 Bank Street
(613) 523-4400
Sign up: 8:30pm
Music: 9pm-12am
[…] music events happening in Ottawa every night of the week. You can run around town attending an open mic every night of the week, but you can also see great live bands and concerts. There are lots of great venues that offer […]
Few more good ones – Thursday Night 8pm, Marlborough Pub in North Gower, Hosted by Dylan Watts. Saturday Night, 8pm at Danbys Roadhouse in Munster, Hosted by Dylan Watts and Sunday afternoons @2pm at the South Branch in Kemptville.
… [Trackback]
[…] Read More Infos here: www.bytownsound.ca/2016/07/16/ottawa-open-mics/ […]
Stopped by the Black Pepper Urban pub October 18, 2017…it was closed and all the windows were covered from the inside with brown paper. Tried to look up the website, but it’s no longer in service. I think they’ve closed permanently.
By the way, great list! Please keep updating! We did end up at Pour Boy just down the street and had a great time!
Hi! Thanks for letting us know! We removed Black Pepper Urban Pub from the list. Great to hear you still had a good night! 🙂
Wednesday’s:
Daniel O’Connel’s Pub is now hosted by the legendary
John Lloyd (formerly of Rogue Lemming fame)
John Lloyd was formerly the host of the legendary Black Pepper open mic
Hi there. Just a heads up. I found out today that the Savoy Brasserie no longer has an open mic on Monday nights.
I checked the Pressed Cafe website and they are not showing (last of the month) Wednesday nights for Open Mic Nights. It is only (last of the month) Thursdays.
Ah yes, thanks David! A bit of an editing oversight on our part. It’s been fixed. 🙂
farmteam cookhouse and cellar saturday night open mic no more unfortunately. Went by, moved locations. other location don’t know if they have open mic or not.
New in town, anxious to follow the different sessions ! Laissez les bon temps rouler !
WEDNESDAYS OPEN JAM & OPEN MIC: 7 pm – 11 pm (as late as 1 am sometimes).
The Soul Jam Open Mic at Grace O’Malley’s East Coast Pub (1151 Ogilvie) is one of the few spots that has an actual stage with proper PA set up and top notch equipment to play on:
TAMA DRUM KIT – PEAVEY BASS AMP – FENDER GUITAR AMP (SUPERSONIC 60 W COMBO) – FULL PA w/ MONITORS – LIGHTING
There’s a reason we get some of the best players coming out.
Hopefully whoever is managing this page can add a line for places that have all necessary equipment for a full band experience.
Please hook into the Facebook page I created: ‘@openjams’ (make sure to type the ‘@’) and The Soul Jam Open Mic will pop up in the search bar.
You’ll get notifications for new venues when you like/follow the page. I host the jam on select Fridays at Westboro Beach as well. I will post the dates shortly.
Kindest Regards,
Nicholas Straccini
Creator & Host
The Soul Jam Open Mic
Facebook: @openjams (The Soul Jam Open Mic)
Hi Nicholas!
Thanks for sharing your Soul Jam Open Mic with us. It is listed on our calendar and on this page now. Happy jamming!
Best, Agnes
Just found out that Clocktower Orleans no longer has an open mic.
Thanks, D’Arcy! We’ll remove it from our listing.
Open mic at Pocketz on Tuesday is no longer happening.
Thanks for letting us know!
No open mic at Atomic Rooster last Thursday
Open mic’s are awesome and so glad you put up a list. In Nashville all they have is open mic’s now. No artists get paid anymore except for tips. So all musicians have to have jobs. Making a living playing music is out of the question with open mic’s. free music is the future?
The bar owners have a good thing going on. Everyone who plays brings a friend or two.
There is an open mic every Wednesday at The Barley Mow in Barrhaven on Greenbank. Starts at 9pm. Host seems to vary from week to week.
Thanks, Ian! We’ll add it to our list.
Are there open mic for jazz singers, a place with a combo? I would bring charts.
Hello, I just found out that Thursday night open mic at Main Street Pub in Stittsville is not running now for the rest of the summer – they said it will be back in September.
Thanks, Darlene!
The atomic rooster doesn’t have open mics on Thursday any more
FYI, I went to Hurley’s in Stittsville tonight (Saturday) and there was no open mic. I asked and apparently it has been discontinued.
Hey Pints and Quarts moved Wed to 10pm start – I gave them your link.
We’ve updated the listing – thank you!