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    Helena

    4.1 (107 reviews)
    Closed 5:30 pm - 11:00 PM

    Helena Photos

    HELENA ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Upscale
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Helena

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    Scallops with foie gras. Délicieux
    Marc M.

    We had a great evening as a group. We ordered the sampler. Every dish was delicious. A few chose the wine pairing which bumped up the total but was worth it. Despite the Friday evening reservations the place was quiet. Great service in a pretty decor. Save up for your evening. Not cheap

    Caldo verde
    Sara D.

    Incredible meal! My husband and I were looking for something a little more upscale during our visit to Montreal and were happy that we landed here. The service was phenomenal and the food was outstanding. We shared the caldo verde soup, rack of lamb and scallops- each was more delicious than the last. The real star of the show was the paradise island dessert. My husband, who doesn't really have a sweet tooth, still refers to it as the best dessert he's ever had. I've even tried to recreate it at home, but it is clear that the chef was very imaginative in his interpretation. If you're looking for a great night out, Helena is it!

    Soheyl A.

    We held a 14-person birthday dinner at Chez Helena. The staff was particularly professional, respectful, and helpful from the time we started the dialogue regarding the planning of our dinner until the time we left the restaurant at the night of our dinner. The manager Daniel was quick to respond to our inquiry and helped us pick the most appropriate fixed menu for our party along with great suggestions for wine pairing. During the night of our dinner party, the hospitality we received from the staff was one of a kind and was truly overwhelmingly warm, courteous, and cordial. Their attention to detail was absolutely amazing and they did not miss a beat in serving us on time and with the outmost respect. All the tapas that were served prior to our main course were absolutely phenomenal. The food on our fixed menu was comprised of two different types of seafood, lamb, and steak. Each and everyone of these plates were cooked to perfection with a great presentation. Their desert and wine list were also remarkable. A huge thank you to the chef and the staff for such a remarkable night.

    Stunning entrance to Helena
    Todd C.

    I would normally wait for a few visits before commenting on a "new to me" restaurant, especially during COVID with takeout only service. Helena is so good I couldn't wait to share my experience so here goes... First impressions mean a lot. It was early on a beautiful snowy Saturday night in Old Montreal. My wife and I were walking our Golden Retrievers up McGill and stopped outside Helena's to check out the takeout menu. Hmm, it's loaded with tasty Portuguese seafood dishes so I decided to walk in unannounced and give them a try. The staff was clearly busy with what looked like a huge catering order. I asked the manager if I could order some takeout. After a quick check with the chef, I hear a warm and friendly "Of course you can! Come on in and we'll take care of you!" Well that was a good start and a very nice first impression. By the way, the decor of Helena's is lovely and offers its own first impression as you walk in. I ordered a grilled seafood platter for two with some Natas for dessert. When I picked it up 30 minutes later, the manager walked me through the dishes and explained that the chef added a special treat. When I unpacked the dishes at home I was pleasantly surprised the grilled platter was loaded with lobster, calamari, huge shrimp, mussels, clams and octopus swimming in a white wine and butter sauce. Are you kidding me, there must be $50+ of ingredients in that dish! The chef really worked some magic with those super high quality ingredients. Everything was fresh, delicious and perfectly cooked. VERY IMPRESSIVE! By the way, the special treat was a nice box of freshly baked cookies! Yum...

    Mini village de Noel
    Calvin S.

    +.5 for service This was the most expensive restaurant my family dined in during our trip to Montreal (yes, even more expensive than Europea). Unfortunately, it didn't really meet our standards that was set by the beyond fantastic meal we had in Europea. For New Years Eve, there was a set menu, however the server was content in a couple of item modifications to accommodate allergies, etc. The set menu included scallop carpaccio, foie gras (which my dad substituted), frayed cod, house sorbet, filet mignon, and a gingerbread house dessert. Some interesting standouts were the foie gras, frayed cod, and filet mignon. The filet mignon I was particularly surprised at how high quality it was, despite how it's traditionally not the best part of the beef. Both the foie gras and frayed cod were unique in taste and creativity as well. Unfortunately the scallop carpaccio didn't really wow us, and the gingerbread house dessert was quite difficult to chew. Perhaps a non-prix fixe/set menu night might yield better results here. If we're talking about Portuguese dining, I honestly had a better experience a few years back with Jano. I'll probably return there next time I'm back in Montreal.

    Interior
    Cindy D.

    What a beautiful restaurant! In terms of interior design, Helena has nothing to envy its surrounding neighbours. I went to this restaurant on a Saturday night with a friend, we chose to sit in the back of the restaurant as it was crowdy that evening. I ordered Bacalhau Pasteis, which is salted cod croquettes, and followed it with Bacalhau to Braz, which is also shredded salt cod but confit with olive oil, and comes with black olives crumble, both dishes were perfectly done and delicious, I enjoyed every bite. In terms of wine, the waiter suggested a very good Portuguese selection which unfortunately I cannot recall the name. Everything was excellent for me. My friend who had ordered the catch of the day as well as oysters found the portions a bit small (final bill around $200). The service was courteous, I had a good time, I recommend if you are in the area (plus, there is a private parking not far from the restaurant, so no need to go around in circles for hours).

    Mtl à Table: swordfish tartar
    Aimee H.

    Beautiful restaurant interior. It hints of Portugal's azulejos tiles through its wall decorated with large blue and white plates. We went during the MTL à Table events and rezos were a must--even on a Thursday night. The entrance is a little weirdly designed because the moment you step through their door, you're immediately in the dining room, right next to diners. We were about to be seated at the first table right in front of the entrance but when I asked to take the spot two tables down, they willingly obliged. They do check your coat to free up space as tables in the front dining room are fairly close together. The noise level is between medium-loud. Tables are provided a small bottle of olive oil and a personal dipping dish. I like! The service was good but probably not at its best due to a full house, however they did bring our entrees within minutes. The swordfish tartar was absolutely delightful with the creamy avocado, the slight spiciness and the fresh swordfish--I could've eaten just that as a meal. My friend had the Portuguese caldo verde soup with chunky chorizo. It's also an item on their regular menu. It was good but filling! Fish of the day was cod on a bed of vegetables and the dish was alright. Considering that seafood was their speciality, it was quite bland on its own without the trimmings. The bouillabaisse contained one large shrimp, three clams, two mussels, some welk chunks, squid and potatoes. I had eaten practically the whole bowl and then noticed that two mussels weren't opened. When I brought this to the waiter's attention, he immediately gave me a whole new bowl. So I ended up eating two mains :) ok that wasn't so bad after all! I think the saffron broth takes getting used to. It's not a flavor I've ever had before. The desserts--the apple feuilleté with maple mouse, pomegranate, though it looked humble presentation-wise, was really delicious. So I closed my eyes to enjoy. The almond cake/choco mousse was simple and good but I preferred the apple turnover. I think the dessert presentation needed just a bit of help. Overall good, especially since my lovely friend treated me to supper but I think I still prefer a humble Portuguese rotisserie with chicken and egg tarts :)

    Chocolate brownie

    Celebrated my birthday at Helena with a group of colleagues over lunch. Not my first visit and as always not disappointed. Helena gets busy at lunchtime and a reservation is necessary. We were a big group for lunch and had a nice round table near the window. Service was excellent as was the food. Was sceptical to try the sea snail but thoroughly enjoyed it. Had pasta shells cooked in a seafood broth. Will be returning.

    Steak with egg and charcuterie sauce

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    11 months ago

    Terrible service. Waiting 90 minutes for my food and not offered a drink a single time.

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    4 years ago

    This was my favorite place I ate while in the area. A very great experience including drink menu, service, and food.

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    4 years ago

    Amazing!! Amazing food, and our waitress Michelle was phenomenal!! Everything we tried was extraordinary, would definitely recommend.

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    7 years ago

    Outstanding seafood and the backroom is perfect for corporate dining events. All around great experience.

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    Ma Poule Mouillée - #8 chorizo and chicken poutine and #3 half chicken and fries (and salad)

    Ma Poule Mouillée

    4.4(702 reviews)
    3.1 kmPlateau-Mont-Royal
    $$

    Hands down the best poutine fusion in Montreal. The Portugese chicken compliments the poutine very…read morewell and definitely a dark horse in Montreal. They don't seem to get as much attention as some other poutine places, but don't sleep on this experience. For their price, it is a lot of food, one large serving of their 19$ grilled chicken with sausage and poutine is a great meal that will last you the entire day, it was more than enough for two. They debone two legs of chicken on top of the poutine that they pulled fresh off their grill! Service was fast, there is plenty of room to eat at the restaurant and they have a separate counter for the pastries. We had to get some of their Portuguese tarts (10$ for 6) and they were also amazing. Creamy, custardy, perfectly baked. It reheated well in the air fryer when we brought some back as souvenirs to enjoy. This is a place worth stopping by in Montreal, poutine in one hand and a batch of tarts for dessert on the other.

    A bounty of food comes with your half chicken and fries!…read more The "golden row" of chicken twisting and turning while cooking definitely generates much anticipation. I'll say half of the 1/2 chicken I ordered was definitely moist and tender, while the other side was a bit dried out. The fat from the skin was nonexistent, so not much flavor other than the sauce that coated the exterior of the chicken. While there was an abundance of fries, which covered every inch of the paper box, sadly they were neither crunchy nor crisp. This was right after opening my box after I paid for my order. I also got the chicken sandwich which was juicer even if it was less majestic than the 1/2 chicken. The flan dessert was somewhat forgettable, I left half of it behind. There was a line up to order but it moved well. There is seating inside however the tables and chairs were in need of a good wipe down.

    Photos
    Ma Poule Mouillée - Grilling chickens

    Grilling chickens

    Ma Poule Mouillée - #3

    #3

    Ma Poule Mouillée - Outside of restaurant

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    Outside of restaurant

    Casa Minhota - Garlic Shrimp with Rice

    Casa Minhota

    4.1(55 reviews)
    2.4 kmPlateau-Mont-Royal
    $$

    A true gem in the heart of Plateau-Mont-Royal (Portuguese Plateau)…read more We were 5 people for lunch during a busy weekend, Saint-Laurent Sidewalk Sale. Surprisingly inside, it wasn't. We showed up no reservation and they took us in right away. The waiter was super friendly and checked up on us regularly. There was a big group in the second section of the restaurant, but they weren't that loud for us to talk. The food was amazing. No issues with the chicken, pork, shrimps and steak. Everything was perfection. I would suggest anyone on a visit from anywhere, to try out this restaurant if you are in the heart of the Portugese Plateau.

    Casa Minhota is a homey Portuguese restaurant with great service, authentic food, and a relaxing…read moreatmosphere. The prices are what you would expect from a nice restaurant, a bit expensive but fair, and they have numerous selections to choose from. I hadn't tried Portuguese fried sardines before and they were quite delicious, and served with lemon and a spicy piri piri sauce that really enhanced the dish--big portion and had leftovers! The grilled Chorizo was delectable as well, with the charcoal flavor really shining through--not too spicy. My favorite dish was the Pork and Clams stew, a classic Portuguese surf and turf dish that was a little potato heavy but the flavor was perfect with hints of lemon, red pepper paste, and a salty, but not-too-salty brine on the tender pork loin. Another dish I tried was the grilled pork medallions: it was a bit average but still good. The potatoes were a little soggy/not crispy and the green salad was a touch too simple with just balsamic vinegar and olive oil; nothing special, but decent. The grilled Portuguese chicken was pretty nice and had that charbroiled/grilled flavor and the meat was quite juicy. The large serving is enough to share if you aren't too hungry and came with same sides as the pork medallions dish, which felt a bit repetitive... The waiter was very attentive and checked up on our table often. Good service. I prefer Aldea, another Portuguese restaurant a few blocks away, since they had similar prices and a bit better quality, more uniqueness of flavor...but if you are feeling a more homey, family-style energy then Casa Minhota is perfect for you.

    Photos
    Casa Minhota - View to the front

    View to the front

    Casa Minhota - Garlic snails

    Garlic snails

    Casa Minhota - Garlic Shrimp with Rice

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    Garlic Shrimp with Rice

    Restaurant Douro

    Restaurant Douro

    4.6(23 reviews)
    5.3 kmRosemont-La Petite-Patrie
    $$$

    After not having a bad meal in Montreal during our week long stay, we cancelled our reservation at…read morea top French place in the Old Town and decided to have something more fun. Portuguese food fit the bill and Douro had exactly the menu we were looking for with sardines, croquettes, caldo verde, and tons of fish and seafood choices. As fitting our last meal in Montreal, Restaurant Douro was the best meal and friendliest service we had in Montreal during our stay and we highly recommend it. We started with a salad, caldo verde (both included with our mains), two perfectly-sized bacalao croquettes, and six garlic shrimp. We had a choice of three daily fish special: Icelandic cod, branzino, and Arctic char. My wife had the char and I had the cod, both elegantly and perfectly prepared. The Portuguese wine list is extensive and I was even recommended a new favorite! It's near Little Italy and out of the way from the usual tourist routes. While you could call it a neighborhood gem, it's a big step up from that. Located a short, easy walk from the Beaubien metro station, it's perfect for the special occasion, quiet business meal, date night, or for just excellent Portugese seafood and friendly service.

    Food is superb. The place is small and quaint but very cute. I've come to this establishment twice…read moreand both times did not disappoint. Food is very good and tasty. Prices are great and the portions are large. The staff is helpful and friendly overall five stars and I will be back again.

    Photos
    Restaurant Douro
    Restaurant Douro
    Restaurant Douro

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    Helena - portuguese - Updated May 2026

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