About Us
Opened in 1849 and originally named Grant’s Hotel,
The Laff is one of the oldest institutions in Ottawa.
Older than the city of Ottawa, which was named in 1855 // Older than the Chateau Laurier, which opened in 1912 // Older than the original Parliament buildings, built in 1859 and burned in the Ottawa Fire of 1916 — completion of new buildings in 1927 // Younger than the Rideau Canal which officially opened in 1832.
The Chateau Lafayette has a long and storied history; the Laff is the oldest tavern hotel in Ottawa and predates Confederation and the founding of Canada.
Over the years, we have been known by quite many different names; Grant’s Hotel, The Exchange Hotel, the Bodega Hotel, The Salmon Arms, The Johnson House and the Dominion House.
Today’s version of the Laff respects our long history, and we may just be the original Canadian dive bar. We sell a variety of locally brewed beers from the Ottawa area, including a beer specifically made for us called 1849. Of course we also carry the more common bottled varieties of big named brands, some unique offerings in tall cans, but to really fit in here, ordering a quart of Fifty is the way to go (we sell more quarts of 50 than probably anyone else in Canada). We have a simple and well-priced food menu and live entertainment.
Our colourful history is sort of fun. It was widely rumoured that it was a brothel. Some have even said that Sir John A. MacDonald frequented the Laff when he visited Ottawa from Charlottetown.
Ghost stories are often told and usually involve the eerie dirt-floor basement that will send shivers down your spine. A lot of staff members avoid going down there alone.
We also know of a few famous people visiting the Laff, notably Dan Aykroyd and the elusive William Hawkins. We also had a visit with Justin Bieber. It was great having “the Beebs” in the Laff, and one patron even asked him to hold her baby. But it did cause some controversy in Ottawa. For reasons unknown, a tip wasn’t left when Justin purchased his beer. This became quite the story (both good and bad), and eventually, a $100 tip showed up from his people. That money went to the Ottawa Food Bank, matched by the bar, and the bartender was tipped as well.
The Laff has always been known as a place to have a beer on the “DL”, and we have enjoyed the company of NHL, CFL, Olympic athletes, and sportscasters and coaches. The roadies from a lot of major bands and concerts also frequent the Laff when in town. You never know who you are going to meet at the Laff.
Our History
This is an excerpt from the National Capital Commission Manuscript Report 106, Lowertown Ottawa, Volume 2, 1854-1900.
This postcard was found in one of the rooms above the bar. It’s addressed to the Dominion House, and postmarked 1908.
The Globe and Mail, July 20, 1914
From the Ottawa Journal, February 10th, 1934. From Linda Seccaspina Article
This photo was taken in 2011 while an employee from Ray Neon removes the neon to repaint the sign. The name “Bodega Hotel” is faintly visible. The sign, one of the oldest in Ottawa, is grandfathered up there due to its size and cannot be taken down for any reason, making repairs to it very tricky, especially the neon. Even today, you’ll notice the “H” and word “Lafayette” don’t always work during rainy days.
Chateau Lafayette circa 1954
Chateau Lafayette circa 1954
Chateau Lafayette circa 1970
Wartime portraits of Peggy and John Jefferson. OTTwp from Ottawa Citizen Article on John Jefferson.
The Commercial Hotel is seen on the far right of the image. Photo Credit
1993, some familiar faces (from left): bartender Marc Guertin, bookkeeper Micheline Chaput, Garry Pratt, and Lawrence Buckley. Lawrence still works behind the bar during the week, and Garry still lives upstairs, and does some janitorial duties.
Lucky Ron, taken at the Laff in 2011.
The Fam (from left): Francois, Jill, Todd, and Deek
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1826
Bytown Established
Later renamed Ottawa
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1832
The Rideau Canal is completed
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1849
Sold to Francis Grant
January 31st, the lot is sold to Francis Grant who proceeds to build a four-storey brick and stone hotel.
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1849
Stony Monday Riot at The Laff
The Stony Monday Riot takes place on York street, in front of Grant’s Hotel - the first name of the establishment that is now known as the Laff. That day is the first mention of the Laff in the history books.
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1863
Sold to James Salmon - "Salmon's Hotel"
September 7th, Peter Grant, son of Francis, sells the establishment to James Salmon, who renames it the Salmon’s Hotel.
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1867
Capital of Canada
The City of Ottawa becomes the capital city of the now established Dominion of Canada.
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1879
Sold to John Johnson - "The Johnson House"
On April 30th, James Salmon sells for $4000 to John Johnson who renames it yet again to The Johnson House.
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1883
Sold to Samuel Davidson / + William Stewart
Johnson sells the business to Samuel Davidson on March 5th, 1883. Davidson quickly resold it to William Stewart in September of 1883, but Davidson continued to run it for a year before leasing it to the Grace Brothers.
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1885
Sold to Patrick O'Toole
Stewart sold the property on January 2nd, 1885 to Patrick O’Toole.
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1887
Renamed to "The Dominion House"
The lease is handed off to two fellas named Forrest and McCarthy. They renamed it The Dominion House. Now under the ownership of O’Toole, he leases The Dominion House to Martin O’Meara and John J. Whelan. They operated the hotel until the turn of the century.
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1898
Bought outright by John J. Whelan
July 5th, 1898 John J. Whelan purchases the business outright
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1909
Bodega Hotel - "The Bucket of Blood"
Now named The Bodega Hotel, and owned by Peter Salter of Carleton Place, the hotel becomes known to the media under the colourful nickname of “the bucket of blood”. It was a hang out for farmers, Lower Town riff raff, obnoxious lumbermen, and drunks of all kinds. Salter lived there until his death in 1952, with a carnation on his lapel, accompanied always by his many “filles de joie”.
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1936
Bouris Brothers - "Chateau Lafayette"
The Bodega Hotel is sold to the Bouris Brothers, Mike, John & George, and renamed the Chateau Lafayette (thought to be more welcoming to the French-Canadian patrons of the area); the iconic sign outside is updated and the neon is added, making it one of the oldest neon signs still in place in Ottawa.
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1966
James Scott acquires shares
His daughter Jill and one of his sons Todd, along with one of his brother’s-in-law John, remain owners of the business today. It is managed by his grandchildren.
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1972
John Jefferson Hired
John Jefferson is hired by James Scott to manage the Laff and is offered shares as part of his salary. He moved into one of the rooms on the top floor of the building with his wife Peggy and their dogs. They lived there until the mid 1980’s.
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1982
"Oldest Tavern in Ottawa" Status Gained
The Commercial Tavern (built in 1837) burns down and the Laff gains the status of being the oldest tavern in Ottawa.
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1985
The Family
Jill’s husband Pierre assumes the role of manager,and Jill begins working in the office doing the bookkeeping on a part-time basis. Their daughter, Dominique (Deek) was born February, 1985. Their son, Francois, was born in May of 1986.
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1999
Major Renovations
The Laff undergoes the first major renovation in recent history.
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1999
Lucky Ron's First Performance
November 3rd, 1999 is the first time Lucky Ron performs at the Laff. He’d been doing his show in Ottawa since February 1st, 1986 in Ottawa. To this day, he still performs every single Saturday at the Laff.
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2001
Smoking Bylaw Passed
The City of Ottawa passes the smoking bylaw and the bar business changes entirely. Business begins to decline dramatically.
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2003
Quiznos Opens
After a few years of intense decline, a decision is made to open a Quiznos franchise on one side of the ground floor, taking back space from the Laff.
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2015
Quiznos Closes
Quiznos is no longer the best option for the Laff, and that side is closed for renovations.
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2016
A full year of renovations
After a full year to the day of renos, the Laff is reopened with a fresh look, a new kitchen, and more space for patrons and live entertainment.
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Present
Present
The Laff is a thriving, jumping, and jiving joint in the heart of the nation’s capital. Deek and Francois are General Managers, while Jill remains President, and Todd maintains the building. The business is solely owned by Jill, Todd, and John, while the building itself is owned by Ambassador Realty.
MEDIA
BETTER WITH AGE - TALES FROM OTTAWA'S OLDEST BAR
Calder Pennie, a student from Carleton University put together this short segment as a year end project and submission for TVO. The submission wasn’t chosen, but we sure love how he highlighted the bar!
HIDDEN OTTAWA: SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER WITH LUCKY RON
An inspiring article, written by Patrick Langston, explores the phenomenon of Lucky Run and the Lafayette.
“[…] You go there, and you know you’ll have a good time.” – Kimberly Cavanagh, Ottawa Native and doctoral candidate in cultural anthropology at the University of South Carolina – devout Lucky Ron fan.
CBC Ottawa has filmed a segment called Cultural Secrets featuring Lucky Ron discussing why the Laff is his cultural secret (well gem really, because we all know the Laff isn’t a secret anymore!). Check it out Thursday, September 29th, 2011 at 7:00pm on CBC Channel 8!
FROM CARLETON PLACE TO "THE LAFF" - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF PETER PROSSER SALTER
The most interesting and in-depth account of the history of the Laff, predating the changing of the name to Chateau Lafayette in 1936. This retelling of history has provided us as much information as we could get about the bar, past owners, and the dirty history.
Welcome to our guide to the Best Bars in Ottawa! Whether you’re a local resident or a visitor exploring Canada’s vibrant capital city, Ottawa offers an exciting and diverse bar scene that caters to every taste and preference.
Chateau Lafayette, known as The Laff, is an iconic bar nestled in Ottawa’s Byward Market, and it offers an unforgettable experience.
The New York Times featured the Lucky Ron Show as a “must do” when visiting Ottawa in a short amount of time.
LUCKY RON AT THE CHATEAU LAFAYETTE
A student from l’Institut Grasset in Montreal just finished filming a great video highlighting the success of Lucky Ron at the Chateau Lafayette.
Projet de fin de session en réalisation documentaire dans le cadre d’un programmes de production télévisuelle et cinématographique à l’Institut Grasset à Montréal en 2011
SHINERS, BRAWLS AND THE NAUGHTY SIDE OF SENSIBLE CANADA
An article written by Sian Griffiths highlights the Haunted Walk Ottawa and the Naughty Ottawa Pub Walk which ends nightly at the Laff.
John Jefferson flew fighter planes in the Second World War. Decades later, he managed the Château Lafayette in the ByWard Market in a time when The Laff was the place to booze and brawl.