By day, it’s a coffee bar with carefully laminated croissants and a steady hum of conversation. By night, the lights dim, cocktails replace cappuccinos, and a grand piano takes centre stage.
That deliberate shift is what defines Robo Lounge, a new all-day café and music venue inside the Clemow building in Ottawa’s Glebe Annex.
“The Robo Lounge harkens back to our original Bar Robo location, which is in Chinatown, and it is a gourmet coffee shop and pastries and bakery that transitions over the course of the day into a cool lunch spot with soup and a cool salad and great sandwiches,” said owner Scott May.
The concept doesn’t stop there. As the hours pass, so does the mood.
“It further transitions at night, starting at happy hour at 5 p.m., and then again at 7:00 p.m. into one of the chillest music venues in town,” said May. “We’re available all day, every day, seven days a week, and there’s usually something fun and interesting going on here.”
Despite being new, the venue has already found an audience — particularly among residents of the 50-plus lifestyle building where it’s located.
Robo Lounge is the latest iteration of Bar Robo, which began as a 40-seat venue in Chinatown in 2016 and closed in 2020. That original space became known as a small but busy cultural hub.
Over four years, May said they hosted more than 1,000 shows. But sustaining it long term proved difficult. In 2019, a second Bar Robo — also known as the Q Bar — began operating out of Queen Street Fare. It’s still thriving despite setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic and the truckers’ convoy, said May.
The idea to move into the current Glebe-area location came about after May and his wife, Ali Fuentes, were considering a move to the Clemow. Unsure whether to rent or buy, they wanted to get a feel for the neighbourhood before putting down roots.
That’s proven to be a fantastic experience, he said, and with it came the vision to open up a more lounge-like environment for the older crowd in the building.
The new space accommodates about 140 guests and features a dedicated stage and a six-foot Bösendorfer grand piano, anchoring a calendar that leans heavily into jazz and intimate performances.
The name “robo” is meant to dispel the notion that Ottawa is a boringly robotic city, said May. And in a town often labelled as staid, he believes spaces like this matter.
“In my opinion, arts and culture are very important to a city’s vibrancy,” he said.
But an old tagline still lingers.
“That Ottawa is a place that fun forgot… that quote is like 60 years old now, but it’s still repeated,” he said. “So the idea that we can create interesting places where people can meet and connect and have fun and listen to music and enjoy culture is critical for us.”
Ottawa’s live music scene has weathered significant losses in recent years. Zaphod Beeblebrox closed in the ByWard Market in 2017 after 26 years. The Mercury Lounge, known for its intimate jazz atmosphere and diverse programming, closed in 2022. Earlier this year, the Brass Monkey on Greenbank Road also closed due to skyrocketing costs.
May said he understands why many venues struggle to survive, though he also points to success stories such as Red Bird in Old Ottawa South and Live on Elgin downtown. The challenge, he added, is competing in a market where major festivals dominate the summer calendar — and consumer spending.
“To get someone out for a $10 show versus a $300 Bluesfest bracelet is a struggle,” May said. “It is a struggle.”
Instead of casting a wide net, Robo Lounge is focusing on curated, smaller-scale experiences. The venue has already hosted private birthday parties, a memorial-style event, trivia nights, and its first burlesque brunch. There’s also a partnership with Carleton University music students on Monday nights.
“You can microtarget 50 or 60 people with a specific interest — they’re way more likely to come out than casting a net for 6,000 people,” May said.
One of the more popular experiments has been an early dance party. It begins at 7:00 p.m. and ends at 10:00 p.m.—an opportunity to change their plans, but not their bedtime.
“It’s a great place to come and have a coffee in the morning and sit, chill. It’s a beautiful, beautiful space,” said May. “If you want, you can stay here all day and have lunch, have a drink at happy hour and see a live show. There aren’t so many other places that you can say that’s the case.”