This is the kind of neighborhood bistro you'd expect to find in Paris--only cleaner and friendlier…read more The service was exceptional: attentive, welcoming, and perfectly paced without being overbearing. The food was excellent. We enjoyed the steak frites, duck confit, fish soup, and the complimentary cornichons, which were a lovely touch. By the time we were ready for dessert, they had sold out of the île flottante, which was disappointing, but the crème brûlée and tarte au citron more than made up for it. Both were outstanding. A wonderful meal from start to finish, and a place we'd happily return to.

L'Express is my go-to foolproof French restaurant perfect for dining with friends who came to…read morevisit me in Montreal . You get a casual yet elegant fine French dining vibe effortlessly. No reservation needed for parties under two, plus it stays open till 1 AM, super convenient for flexible travelers. A local staple with countless loyal regulars, famous for its signature bone marrow and homemade pickles. Warm welcoming atmosphere, friendly seasoned staff, free bread and pickles right after seating. Must-try picks: rich bone marrow, smooth chicken liver mousse, tender duck confit and fresh beef tartare. Classic authentic French classics served in genuine local style. They have an amazing affordable wine list with massive collections.

From the start to the finish, we felt like we were honored guests. A beautiful restaurant in the…read moreold section of the city near the Notre Dame cathedral. We were greeted by a friendly maître d' and seated in a spacious dining room where several other tables were already full of diners. Our server was excellent and made recommendations when we asked. Each dish was timed perfectly, and we never felt rushed. Each was prepared perfectly and we would easily order them again. We ordered the Rabbit Confit in a Phyllo Dough in Red Wine Sauce; Mixed Green Salad with Balsamic Dressing, Pine Nuts and Shaved Parmesan; Bœuf à la bourguignonne; and a fruit tarte with ice cream. We would easily return the next time we are in the city.

We came to celebrate my wife's birthday and our wedding anniversary. So glad we did. This…read morerestaurant doesn't show up much on YouTube or Blogs but it doesn't need to. IYKYK. The interior was classy, the food was excellent and the service was fantastic. Our server gave great recommendations for wine pairings. Prices were reasonable. This is a must for special occasions.

I wanted one more really good meal before I left Montreal, and this place delivered. I was craving…read moresteak, so I got the filet mignon. Delicious. Then I'd never had sticky toffee pudding before, so I had that for dessert. Yummy! My waitress was fantastic! Even though I was alone, she made me feel welcome, and even though there was a lot of French going on in the restaurant, we spoke English together easily. It's in a very nice neighborhood, Outremont, which is worth walking around in. My only complaint would be because they have a lovely open air terrace, I was being bugged by bugs. Flies and maybe gnats. I know there's nothing much they can do about it, but still. I imagine in winter, this wouldn't be a problem.

The ambiance of the restaurant was cozy, and I really liked that they offered both indoor and…read moreoutdoor patio seating. It had a subtle, upscale feel that made the experience enjoyable. The host was welcoming and friendly, but unfortunately, we didn't have the same experience with our server. They weren't very warm or attentive and never came back to check on us, ask how the food was, or see if we needed anything. It felt like the customer service was lacking. The French toast absolutely lives up to its reputation and did not disappoint. The caviar eggs Benedict was just okay. The pancakes that accompanied the caviar were too soggy, which took away from the dish. Overall, I would come back to try the dinner menu because the atmosphere and some of the food were great. I just hope the customer service is more attentive next time.

Quaint and unassuming neighborhood place that is hiding a highly sophisticated dining experience…read more The food was remarkable and on par with some of the better spots I've eaten lately. Did the 5 course chef's tasting menu with wine pairing --which is an incredible value for the money--and it was such an unexpectedly wonderful surprise. Inventive ingredient pairings, artful presentation, and a genuine commitment to the details. The service gets 5 stars as well, knowledgeable, attentive in just the right way. I am absolutely coming back.

This is the first time we are at a BYOW restaurant. It's…read morebrilliant! There is no corking fee and there are 2 liquor stores within walking distance. This restaurant is so cute, we feel like we are in a romcom movie. Looks like it's family run restaurant with a lot of love. Service is very friendly. You sit down they set up your wine and brought you Handmade bread with Parmesan & Cumin (house made) Quail egg cassolette with roasted tomatoes and spinach, Mornay sauce, and Parmesan crumble Reminded you of Cheez it / goldfish / white cheddar /topping Good texture combo. Crunchy cheesy cracker on top with gooey spinach quail egg mornay sauce Cream of cauliflower, confit lemon oil, and shallots *Very smooth. Taste a bit tapioca Very good piping hot! with smokey paprika and touch of Lemon zest Salmon Linguini with onion and parmigiano cream *Cheesy but light and spring-y Again the lemon zest at work. Love it Braised lamb shank, red wine lamb glaze, sautéed potatoes, and Nantaises carrots. *Nice seasoning that respects the ingredients Potato perfectly cooked with crispy edges. Everything you ate here reminded you or some past memories that are very familiar.

This was by far our best meal, while in town. Not only was it a fun experience getting to sit and…read morecook your own food and add as much cheese as you wanted, but it was a quaint little place and good for a date night. It wasn't as close to downtown as I thought it would be, but we made the trip out to it and it didn't disappoint. Our waiter was also very helpful and made sure to answer any questions we had throughout ordering and the meal. Very good and would go back.

What's not to love about this place? The location, the warm and welcoming staff, the incredible…read morefood, and the cozy ambiance--everything was so good that we came back twice in one week! I highly recommend making a reservation, as it's a spot worth planning for. While the two-course menu is satisfying, if you're celebrating or just want to indulge, go for the three-course option--you won't regret it. Every bite is an experience, and La Raclette makes it one to remember.

This place was so good! It wasn't too busy on a Saturday night on race week. Atmosphere was high…read moreend but not in a stuffy way. Service was prompt and attentive. Our waitresses recommendations were fire. We enjoyed: Complementary bread: it was soft on inside and appropriately crunchy but not overly so on the outside. Plus two huge pieces cut into 4 pieces individually. Beef tartare: at 20 cad it was a little pricy for how much you got but the taste was great and I'm a fan of comte cheese. Plus it didn't have capers which imo overwhelms tartares. Duck with carrot: as a Chinese person I've had my share of duck but this might be the best duck I've ever had in my life. The texture and cook on it was awesome! First it came with three pieces of breast. It was the perfect cook, not over like most of the places I've had duck. Then the leg had the perfect crispy fatty skin to meat ratio. Yum yum this is a can't miss dish here Burger: husband got this. I took a bite. It had a nice smoke to it and was perfectly medium rare. I was too distracted by my duck to analyze it further. Raspberry jelly for dessert: as the waitress had mentioned, it was light and a perfect sweet but tart bite. Was great! Would come here again, we had l'express earlier in this trip and place carmin blows that place out of the water.

Came here for a wedding dinner and really enjoyed the ambiance. The venue was beautiful, the…read moreatmosphere was great. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the same standard. I chose the seafood entrée, which turned out to be a mistake. After speaking with several others who ordered the same dish, it seemed that we all had a similar experience. The clams and mussels did not taste particularly fresh, and some even contained sand. I wish I had ordered the duck instead, as it appeared to be a much better choice. I ended up eating not much of my main course because of the seafood quality.

BEST "BYOB" FRENCH BISTRO DURING RECENT TRIP…read more This is the best dining experience in our recent Montreal trip. I'm glad we made reservation since the place was quite packed when we arrived. To be honest, our first impression wasn't too great. We were seated in their main indoor dining area which was a bit too warm. We asked if we can be moved to their fully covered / heated patio area, but unfortunately the restaurant was full. Fast forward 15 minutes, we have placed our order and were enjoying our bottle of wine and a basket of bread. Our server came over and offered to move us to the patio area since a table had opened up. We were pleasantly surprised because (1) we didn't ask again and (2) most restaurants wouldn't change tables once customers started eating/drinking. The restaurant setting is unpretentious with a casual and cozy vibes. The staff are so friendly that we feel like having a family dinner! They offer a pre-fixe menu in which we thoroughly enjoyed! For appetizers, the escargot dish gave us a pleasant surprise. They wrapped the escargots and blue cheese sauce in a thin crispy crust! It's hard to describe, but it's sort of like having an escargot "crepe"! The few main courses we chose were excellent, and the rack of lamb was probably our favorite - tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked. As for dessert, their creme brulee was one of the best I've had - creamy custard topped with a perfect, crisp caramel top. I'd highly recommend this place, and will certainly visit again when I'm in town next time!

This is a spot for good food without the frills of a fancy restaurant. The server was so nice and…read morehelped explain the menu to us as they only have French ones and we tried to order different things to get a taste of each item. The appetizers were very different from each other but the bison and lamb had similar construction/sauces. Overall a wonderful experience! As tourists, it was fun to try some local wines during the day and buying a bottle to enjoy with dinner here. There was a range of drinks that people brought. We stuck with a light red wine that we got from SAQ down the street that offered a tasting of some local wines.

Came on a Friday morning around 11AM and the place was busy, but we were able to get seated right…read moreaway. We ordered off the breakfast menu and it was a good call. My bride ordered the Mexicaine Omelet but swapped the cheese for feta and loved it. I went with the Smoked Salmon Omelet and it was excellent. The serving is so generous with all the sides like sausage, ham, potatoes, baguette and fruit. We both loved the baguette and the fruit bowl had 8 different varieties of fruit. Who does that? We really enjoyed it and left very satisfied. If breakfast is your thing, you need to try this place.

One of my favorite things to do after a long Europe or international trip is to have a good…read moretraditional breakfast. I came here on my last morning in Montreal, and even though it was a holiday and there was a long wait, including for solo diners at the counter, it was absolutely worth it. The service was friendly, and honestly, this was one of the best breakfasts of my life. The French toast was incredible, the sausage was great, and the eggs were cooked perfectly. They also give you a lot of food for the price. It did take multiple attempts to ask them for me to get more syrup, which was frustrating. But outside of that, everything was excellent. I hope to come back one day to enjoy it again.

My husband and I had a very lovely date night at Modavie. We are glad we had a reservation because…read moreit was packed on a Sunday evening! We were seated at a lovely table for two by a window. The service at first was a bit slow, but that was understandable given how busy the restaurant was. Our server, Yan, was incredibly personable. He had excellent suggestions for dinner. We each started with cocktails, and enjoyed the ambiance. There was a live band, but we were in a different room. It wasn't loud like you would expect. 5/5 service. Beef Tartare: 5/5. This was an excellent start. The appetizer sizing was a little small for two people. If you want a little more, I'd recommend the entree size. It comes with fries. But it was delicious. The crostini's that came with it were a little overpowering, but the tartare itself was delicious. Duck Confit: 5/5. This duck was INCREDIBLE. Perfectly cooked, crispy skin, tender and juicy flavor. An incredible sauce. Delicious veggies and potatoes. The only thing I did not like about this dish was how quickly we ate it! Dessert (not pictured): 5/5. We had a chocolate pyramid with hazelnuts and chocolate mousse. Delicious. Be sure to put Modavie on your Montreal dining list!

It's a pretty good restaurant in the middle of Old Montreal. Decor is nice and services is…read moreattentive. I can't speak French so I appreciate the Englishmen menu. I do recommend making a reservation on open table prior to coming. Here is what I think of the food: Seasoning is generally saltier but not too overly. Escargot or the snails is yummy. It comes with the option of cheese on top. Dressed heavy with olive oil and garlic. They remove the shell so it makes it approachable if you were nervous about trying. Cheese & Charcuterie board is as what you imagined. It can't go wrong. Rack of Lamb was good. I do recommend highly. It comes with our 4-5 bones worth of protein with potatoes & veggies. Lost track of how many bones because it was eaten so fast. Duck confit was average. Let me explain, duck was average but the amount of spinach I gotten and how potatoes on the plate was good. Sides out shine the protein here. Side of Foie Gras was perfect because I was worried about having too much food. It did come on a small plate because it's a side dish and it was fatty and salty. Intermission was the best cocktail of the night. Fruity with a star anise on top so you smell it while drinking it because it was so close to your nose. Jazz District was okay. Overall, I do think this restaurant site fairly between 4&5 stars. Do try it. I would come back for special occasions and it's not an every night meal.