Grey's Social Eatery Ottawa Set to Replace Iconic Blue Cactus in the Byward Market

As Ottawa's Blue Cactus closes for good, Grey's Social Eatery hopes to bring new life to the Byward Market.

We're just days into 2025 and Ottawa’s Byward Market is buzzing with news: another long running Ottawa restaurant is closing.

Ottawa locals were shocked to find a sign on the door and now on their website, announcing the sudden and unexpected closure of the well-known Blue Cactus Restaurant and Bar.

After more than 35 years of serving locals and tourists, the Blue Cactus is officially closing. Replacing this long-time staple is Grey’s Social Eatery, a fresh concept designed to inject new energy into the Market’s evolving dining and nightlife scene.

Grey's Social Eatery Ottawa: Set to Open as Early as February 2025

📍Grey's Social Eatery

2 Byward Market Square

Instagram: @greyssocialeatery

Photos by: Grey's Social Eatery

Grey’s Social Eatery Ottawa is taking over the space that was once home to Blue Cactus, promising a new chapter for the Byward Market’s culinary and social scene. They aim to bring a "New York and LA" vibe to Ottawa, elevating the Market with a touch of big-city sophistication.

The restaurant, spearheaded by Dreammind Group, offers a casual-yet-modern vibe with an innovative menu. Expect elevated comfort food, trendy share plates, and cocktails. Grey's will also have both indoor and patio dining available.

This isn’t owner Abbis Mahmoud’s first rodeo. As the creative mind behind several of Ottawa’s biggest nightlife attractions like Med Supper Club and The Show, Abbis knows Ottawa well. If anyone can help reinvigorate Byward Market, it’s him.

Grey’s Social Eatery aims to bridge the gap between a casual eatery and an energetic social hub. Upscale but affordable. Something for families, socialites and business people.

Farewell to Blue Cactus Ottawa

The closure of Blue Cactus is a sign of the times for Byward Market, where several businesses have struggled to stay afloat. It was a spot that everyone knew and had an incredible 35 year run.

But like an old pair of sneakers, even the most comfortable things wear out. The mounting challenges of changing dining trends and stiff competition finally caught up with it.

But with the arrival of Grey’s Social Eatery Ottawa, there’s hope for a resurgence. By blending modern dining trends with a vibrant social atmosphere, Grey’s is positioned to attract a diverse crowd, from foodies to late-night adventurers.

But let’s address the $10 triple shot in the room: the Blue Cactus’s iconic $10 triples won’t be making the leap to Grey’s. However, they’ll still be available down the street at The Show, the buzzing university hotspot also run by the same nightlife veteran, Abbis Mahmoud and Dreammind.

What’s Next for Byward Market?

With many surprising closures in just the past few months - Pure Kitchen, Oz Cafe and Café Dekcuf just to name a few, the Ottawa Market’s future has been uncertain but Grey's Social Club bring a sense of optimism.

Grey’s isn’t just a replacement—it’s a reimagining. It’s like upgrading from a flip phone to a smartphone—it’s still a phone, but now it does so much more.

If you’re still craving those infamous $10 triples, head to The Show, where the legacy lives on. Meanwhile, Grey’s Social Eatery promises to offer something entirely new, and hopefully bringing some more life and business to downtown Ottawa.

If Byward Market were a movie, Grey’s could be the unexpected sequel that turns out to be better than the original. As Ottawa's Blue Cactus closes its doors, let’s raise a glass—maybe not a triple, but something equally celebratory—to the exciting future ahead for Byward Market.