Jump to "The Short and Sweet" if you can't stomach "The Long Winded".
The Long Winded:
I grew up in restaurants. I even spent the first five years of my life actually living above one. I have fond memories of playing around the kitchen while the staff pretended I was helping out. Of running through the serving floor, being told to "shoo shoo" because there were customers. And of palling around in the parking lot with the neighborhood kids, clutching cans of Coke, and almond cookies I pilfered to share. So it should come as no surprise that for the first twenty plus years of my working life it was in the restaurant service industry. I managed a couple, served at a few, and have been a chef in so many that I have literally lost count. After roughly forty lifetime moves I've finally deciding to set down roots in Montreal and the food was the number one reason. So, I think it's fair to say that I'm familiar with restaurants and have a pretty good idea of what makes a good or bad one.
All that being said, Le Speakeasy has become the standard by which my wife and I hold all other establishments in the area to.
"Speakeasy does this better... I like this a bit more than Speakeasy... blah blah blah", but more often than not it is the former rather than the latter that is uttered.
Maybe it's because it was the first place we tried in the city after thirty hours of no sleep and a very difficult and long move, or maybe it's because it's just so damn close to where we live, but I believe it's become our go-to spot because they just do it right. If you can't already tell Le Speakeasy is one of our favorite haunts. And I'll admit I may have a bit of emotional biased because of the reasons I listed above but before I wrote this review I took the time to read all the previous reviews, paying special attention to the negative ones, and this is what I think.
If Montreal winters are half as bad as they say, I suspect you will find us hibernating at Le Speakeasy to keep our spirits high, our bellies full and our cheeks rosy warm during those long, dark, cold winter nights. I maybe shooting myself in the foot here as it's our favorite place to sit and seats are few but I recommend that you pony up to the bar. You can chill with Nate, Patrick, or Mary as they meticulously make your drinks over sincere conversation or cheerful barbs. We never feel like we're inconveniencing them when asking for something special. They always seem to delight in creating concoctions of our or their own design while still producing classic clean-cut cocktails. From there you can see Alex as he deftly prepares your meal. You will find that he is fast and efficient while not being hurried. Taking the time to getting each dish as close to perfect as possible, the results have never failed to be crave worthy. It's not uncommon for my wife and I to share three mains between us despite our limited stomach capacity. Is there the odd misstep in this predominately well oiled machine? Ya of course. It's the nature of the business but that brings me to David, the linchpin. You'll find this towering, handsome gentleman greeting you at the door with a warm smile, going from table to table making sure everyone is happy, dealing with any slips or mishaps, helping his fellow co-workers, processing the restaurant's needs, and yet, it seems like he is always there the very moment you realize you need something. The entire staff come together to provide mindful and efficient service with genuine enthusiasm. They take pride in their work and are eager to make your experience an enjoyable one. If you are looking for a place to enjoy we couldn't recommend Le Speakeasy more. There are good people there. Perhaps even better food. ;P
The Short and Sweet:
- It's quaint, refined, and rough around the edges, all at the same time.
- The drinks are proper.
- The food is delicious.
- Excellent quality, seamlessly blending gastrolounge with fine dining cuisine and ingredients.
- Main dishes are filling if not too filling.
- Pricing is on par with surrounding establishments.
- The staff take pride and enjoyment from their work and it can be felt.
- Fun but professional. Intimate but social. read more