The service at Chop is so, so good. The hosts are really warm and welcoming, and the wait staff is very friendly and attentive. Maybe one of the best teams in Ottawa!
The place is nicely designed — modern, upscale, and warm. Music is of course a matter of personal taste, but I felt it could’ve used a touch more sophistication. The playlist was a bit obnoxious and gave me more of a Moxies feel. Some deep / refined house might’ve been a better match for that “chic energetic upscale” thing they’re going for.
The food is what needs to catch up to the quality of service. I ordered prime rib: the quality of the cut was average, it was slightly dry, and the crust wasn’t well formed (horseradish was super though). The mac n’ cheese side was like high-end TV dinner quality. Ordered a chocolate cake for dessert and it was decent but a bit dry as well. They took care of me but I was kind of disappointed because I feel like that overall team deserves better for their efforts.
In conclusion, it’s certainly not awful but they are not reaching their full potential right now, particularly at their price point. The food (or at least the food I had that night) is holding them back from an otherwise top-tier experience.