It's all about the 80's.. and other Ottawa, Canada Nightlife Tips

Nightlife Spot: Barrymore's

Sunday nights at Barrymore's are the best! There's no cover charge, and they play a really great selection of 80's music which is just WAY too much fun. It's in a converted old theatre with beautiful ornate ceilings and huge mirrors on the walls (which are actually a little disorienting if you're drunk). Also an excellent live music venue with a large capacity.

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: Pretty much anything goes. The most fun is seeing the people who haven't realized this is RETRO 80's night -- meaning the 80's are over. I loved the guy in acid-wash jeans and a grimy wife-beater tank top with scraggly long hair, headbanging away... ;-)
Address: 323 Bank St.
Directions: Downtown. Not, unfortunately, near the market. :-(
Website: www.barrymores.on.ca

Nightlife Spot: Zaphod Beeblebrox

Zaphod's is probably the coolest place in Ottawa, and one of my all-time favourites. They have a wide variety of *extremely* interesting live music acts (including some really good ones) and theme nights. My personal favourite is Tuesdays, which as I recall is "Industrial Goth" night, or something like that. Don't expect to hear much top 40 music, but DO expect to have a really great time. And try the Pan-Galactic Gargleblaster - which is yummy, and tends to glow under the black lights (see below).

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: The more bizarre and elaborate the better. That's the best thing about this place: EVERYONE is accepted. You could show up in a paper bag or a business suit and no one would give you a second glance. But if you're going to wear dark colours, make sure you don't have any fuzzies on your clothes -- the place is full of black lights.
Phone: +1-613-562-1010
Address: 27 York St.
Directions: In the Byward Market, just east of Sussex Dr.
Website: www.zaphodbeeblebrox.com

Nightlife Spot: Mercury Lounge

Okay, so it's a bit pretentious. Well, maybe a lot pretentious. But the art is interesting, to say the least, and they serve a huge range of creative (and expensive) variations on the martini. A self-proclaimed "21st Century Soul Club", the music here is kind of a wacky cross between jazz, electronic and world music. My favourite things are the two-story high red velvet curtains and the bongo drums that drunks can fool around with.

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: Think berets and black cigarette pants, a la Audrey Hepburn in "Funny Face". I don't think they're too picky at the door, though.
Phone: +1-613-789-5324
Address: 56 Byward (side door, upstairs)
Directions: Byward Market; 1 block east of Colonel By / Sussex Dr., and just north of George St.
Website: http://www.mercurylounge.net/