A rustic, romantic old-Montreal atmosphere and a welcoming, attentive dinner service with…read moreoutstanding Italian flavors and presentation. The owner, hostess and wait staff were so friendly and gracious, and this feels like an authentic neighborhood restaurant, not a tourist trap. If you're staying in old-Montreal, you can't go wrong with an intimate dinner here, either inside or outside on their outdoor sidewalk patio. Order Breakdown Starters: Ceviche ($16): Marinated scallops with ginger, sesame, and seaweed. A light, acidic, bright start to open up the palate. (This dish was delicate and texturally well-balanced, with a simple yet beautiful presentation.) Polpetta di Nonna Maria ($18): Two of grandma's veal meatballs simmered in tomato sauce with Parmigiano. Rich, savory, and perfect for dipping any table bread. (Classic Italian comfort food. The marinara was perfectly seasoned and the appropriately sized meatballs were soft and flavorful. The bread was warm and soft with a delicious crust, the perfect vehicle for the extra sauce.) Mains: Orrecchietti con Salsiccia e Rapini ($30): Classic short pasta paired with savory Italian sausage, bitter rapini greens, garlic, olive oil, and parmesan. Very traditional, rustic, and full of flavor. (The pasta and sausage and butter greens were cooked perfectly, and the greens provided the acid to offset the richness of the olive oil and sausage. Dusted with fresh Parmesan, the savory profile was near perfect.) Insalata di Tonno ($32): Seared fresh tuna over a bed of spinach with their house sesame dressing. Keeps things fresh and balanced alongside the rich pasta. (This was the standout dish, with delicate tuna slices laid out across a bed of fresh baby spinach, garnished with sweet and tart cherry tomatoes, with a savory sesame sauce drizzled over the top. The sauce was notable since it didn't overwhelm the flavor of the perfectly seared tuna.) Paired with fresh peach Bellini aperitif for my wife. I don't drink, and she drinks sparingly, but she kept mentioning how delicious it was. The dinner was rounded off with a delicious tiramisu presented in a glass dessert cup. Definitely try this place if you want an unpretentious local establishment with a focus on quality.

We showed up early for our reservation and were not accommodated even though there were multiple…read morefree tables. Management was rude. They told my partner he should lose weight. Seem to discriminate against Americans. Stay away.

It was late. We were hungry. And then I saw the sign:…read moreWienstein & Gavino's. Italian restaurant. Finally. My people. The restaurant itself is huge and multi-level inside, but since I was joining dinner, we settled onto the large patio out front. There are plenty of tables, lots of room, and I was welcomed without any issue. Then the staff brought me a water bowl. And by "bowl," I mean what appears to be a small aluminum swimming pool. I respect their understanding of VIP service. Mom ordered the penne with prosciutto and mushrooms, covered in Parmesan, along with a Diet Coke. Now, I don't like to pull rank, but I am an Italian Greyhound sitting at an Italian restaurant while someone eats prosciutto directly in front of me. Surely there are laws governing this. Apparently not in Canada. Mom said the pasta was delicious. I spent dinner alternating between relaxing on my cooling mat and staring upward in a manner I felt clearly communicated, Perhaps the tiny Italian gentleman would like some prosciutto? No response. Still, this turned out to be a great easy option for a late dinner with a dog. The patio is spacious, I was genuinely welcomed, and the staff made sure I had plenty of water. Sometimes that's exactly what traveling pups need. Dogba's verdict: 4 paws out of 5. Dog welcome: easy and fuss-free Late-night dinner option: very useful Patio space: plenty Water bowl: possibly designed for a Great Dane Personal cooling mat: brought by management (Mom) Mom's penne: apparently delicious Prosciutto spotted: immediately Italian Greyhound at Italian restaurant: culturally significant Prosciutto shared with Italian Greyhound: NO COMMENT

Ordered the fungi pasta with rigatoni! Wow, it was so flavorful and tasted a bit asian fusion with…read morethe greens. We had a table for 20 and the service was amazing and was even able to separate checks for whomst ordered food or food/drinks. I liked that it was super lively in there was chitchat across the room and felt welcoming to a tourist visiting. Please stop by here for some yummy pasta, bread, and drinks.

This place was recommended by the valet at our hotel. We went a few nights later, when we wanted…read moresomething lighter and close. HUGE portions, although I like that they have smaller size options for a lot of dishes. The Milan Spritz was super tasty and so pretty. Everything was fresh - the pasta definitely seems homemade (although it could have been a little warmer). First place in all of Montreal that we were given cloth napkins instead of paper, which I appreciated! A little pricey and loud (although fun atmosphere, especially given the playoff hockey game). Nice decor and our waitress was very nice.

Incredible pasta, I wish I could go back to Montreal just to try another dish here. They also have…read moresome unique Italian inspired drinks which we loved and will be trying to emulate at home. The location is spacious but didn't feel overwhelming. Even though they were able to seat a lot of people our service was very good and our food was quickly delivered.

My wife and I (with our pup) had the pleasure of dining at the Melisse twice over a long weekend in…read moreMontreal recently. The first time, we had dinner - brunch the next time. Both meals were delightful - not just because of the wonderful food - but also the friendly and attentive staff. The restaurant welcomes those guests with furry family members on the patio. We especially loved the salads, the cucumber salad and the endive salads were unique and delicious. We also enjoyed the halibut dish. For brunch, my wife had the broccoli and cheese tort which had an outstanding crust. I had the pancakes which were wonderful. We will definitely return to the Melisse!

We came here for a weekday lunch. I strongly recommend making reservations in advance because we…read morewaited for more than 20 minutes to be seated although a couple of tables were empty. They have a modest fusion menu that varies from Mediterranean cuisine to seafood and tartare. The decoration of the restaurant is very cute and cozy, it has bigger tables for gatherings and also high bar chairs if you want to bring your laptop and work there. The service is rather slow though and might not be efficient during a work- day lunchtime. We ordered "Hummus with Pita", Chicken Skewers with Tzatziki", "Fattoush Salad" and "Seasoned Fish". Hummus and salad were really good. Chicken skewers tasted okay, but fish wasn't seasoned enough and was smelly. The portions are rather small compared to their price. I would definitely love to try their weekend brunch.

A fancy Italian restaurant with excellent service. They are very flexible with the menu. My gnocchi…read morewere off the menu. I wasn't interested with there gorgonzola offer. The appetizers were nice, octopus, calamari and arrancini. We enjoyed our meals. Byow.

Had a lovely lunch with my MIL and wife here when we were visiting. It was my MIL's pick, but I…read morewish I knew that it was strictly a BYO wine restaurant, as I would have brought a bottle. It is a cool concept, something I don't run across too often at home for nicer establishments. Wine glasses were already on the table, but they were cleared when I told them we had no wine. The menu is 3 courses, soup or salad, an entree and a desert. I had the penne with vodka sauce, my wife has the salmon and her mom had the lamb chops. Everything was very tasty and the servings were plenty, especially for lunch. The restaurant was huge and fairly empty mid day, which makes sense as I am sure it appeals mainly to business lunches. The deserts were pretty small, but that is fine, since it provides a nice sweet cap to the meal without getting too heavy. Coffee is also included.

It gets crowded fast, but the energy is part of the charm. Food and wine were both excellent.read more

I rarely give 5 stars. But I could not find a fault with my experience there. Service was perfect…read more Knowledgeable, not pesky and well mannered. My two friends and I enjoyed duck, cheese, olive and pork items from the tasting menu. And a gorgeous Cote du Rhone bottle. Good value as well. Montreal blows Toronto away in this category of resto/bar/after work spot.

We were very disappointed after our most recent visit. After coming here in the past, and loving…read moreit, we had high expectations. To start, Service was very slow. There's some understanding when things take long when folks are busy, but for a 8:30 reservation we didn't order any food a little after 9:30pm. After only being served drinks for that first hour plus, we were hungry. We ordered bread. It never came. Salad came first, dropped and walked away. I took 2 bites and the look on my face prompted my wife to ask me what was wrong. Rotting greens was wrong. The arugula/spinach was rotting in plain view, and on my tounge. You know that taste of bitter greens, it tastes kinda slimy? Ugh. My wife immediately flagged the server down. They went to talk to the kitchen. Coming back, the server offered us a new dish, "maybe one that has less dressing" completely ignoring the issue in front of everyone and playing it like this was a preference thing, or our fault, as opposed to serving us inedible food and acknowledging that. I know right from there that we were going to have a bad time because when a restaurant messes up, and they blame you? It's like you're stuck in quicksand, not to recover. That exactly happened as the meal got worse. Then came the pastas, this was supposed to redeem everything. It didn't. The tagliatelle was cut in what seemed 5 different sizes, looked like pasta scraps. Looking beyond that the mushrooms were gritty and pretty dirty. Not a great taste again. Not really seasoned, just oil and dirt. The dish looked like a rush job, an after thought for a restaurant that prides itself on pasta. There was also the ravioli, which was also rushed as some of the pasta was undercooked. It was hard, and crunchy. Again, not a good mouth feel experience. My wife flagged the server down again, and we were dismissed again, they said "our pastas are generally cooked that way" Undercooked? Yikes. I'm not done yet, then came the beef. Preparation continued to be an issue as it was so tough we couldn't eat it all. Chew chew fest. We had half a plate of food untouched and the server came to say, "I'm all done for the night, bye." He knew we were disappointed left and right, dismissed us as it being our problem, and then bailed. New server didn't come until he was forced to clear our half eaten plate. No desert was offered, and we never got that bread... Needless to say I was excited to come back, and now we will never come back. I was also excited about the other restaurants, which we will never go to either. After $100+ per person, we left the restaurant still hungry :( We've sent dozens of people to Nora Gray over the years, and that will cease as well. Don't go, there's so many other places in Montreal that won't gaslight you when they mess up. Or just, won't mess up this way in the first place. We sent a email to avoid a public negative review. They said they "unfortunately don't remember it that way." More gaslighting and deflecting the problem. Don't worry, I'll make sure you're reminded. This review is a reminder of our experience, since you all seemed to have forgotten so quickly. Stay away. Buyer beware.

A neighborhood Italian gem! The wine offerings are unique and pasta homemade. Steak tartar with…read morepickled ramps and Québec asparagus were perfect. Focaccia on the table could not have been better. This cozy restaurant is worth the visit!

We had just learned that the hotel where we thought we had a reservation didn't know who we were so…read morenot a great mood. However, the comfortable atmosphere and friendly service helped. Then, we got our food and the stress drained away. I got the breakfast sandwich which sound boring but was GREAT!! I don't know how they made it so good. My wife got the pancake with white chocolate ganache, raspberries and pistachios was also amazing. Not too sweet, just a great flavor! It's a small place with a short menu but it's worth every penny!!

There comes a point during every sightseeing day when a small dog must put his paw down…read more We had been walking all over Old Montréal, exploring the shops and those beautiful cobblestone streets. Very charming. Very historic. Very hard on tiny legs. So when we spotted the outdoor terrace at Buvette Pastek, I authorized an immediate rest period. Excellent decision. The terrace sits right along rue Saint-Paul, in the middle of all the Old Montréal activity. But what really caught our attention was the beautiful canopy overhead. It has this intricate, almost paper-cut appearance that filters the light and makes the whole terrace feel especially pretty. There were also hanging plants and string lights. comes a point during every sightseeing day when a small dog must put his paw down. We had been walking all over Old Montréal, exploring the shops and those beautiful cobblestone streets. Very charming. Very historic. Very hard on tiny legs. So when we spotted the outdoor terrace at Buvette Pastek, I authorized an immediate rest period. Excellent decision. The terrace sits right along rue Saint-Paul, in the middle of all the Old Montréal activity. But what really caught our attention was the beautiful canopy overhead. It has this intricate, almost paper-cut appearance that filters the light and makes the whole terrace feel especially pretty. There were also hanging plants and string lights. Mom was delighted. I was mostly delighted that we had stopped walking. Mom ordered a glass of wine while Dad decided to continue his research into Québec beverages with a local beer. Someone has to support the regional economy. They also brought out a small basket of bread with butter, which immediately became the subject of my attention. I watched. I waited. I conducted a detailed assessment of the bread-sharing situation. My findings will remain confidential. We didn't have a full meal because this visit was strictly about resting our paws, but the menu looked wonderful and definitely made Mom and Dad consider staying longer. For me, though, this stop accomplished exactly what was required: a comfortable place to sit outside with my humans, take in the atmosphere of Old Montréal and recover before someone inevitably announced that it was time to start walking again. Dogba's verdict: 3 paws out of 5. Old Montréal location: beautiful Cobblestone-street atmosphere: extremely Montréal Outdoor terrace: lovely Cutout canopy overhead: gorgeous Mom's wine break: successful Dad's local beer research: ongoing Bread basket: closely monitored People watching: excellent Tiny-leg recovery: desperately needed Menu reconnaissance: return visit warranted Would I return? Absolutely--and next time I vote that we actually eat. Although I would also like to formally propose a new Old Montréal tourism policy: For every kilometer of cobblestones, Dogba receives one hour at Buvette Pastek. Seems fair.