Top French restaurants in Montreal, Canada

Tried this place based on a recommendation. Was not disappointed. I tried the 5 course taste testing menu. Every dish was amazing and beautifully presented. Food was fresh and bursting with flavour.

Also a large selection of wines and whiskeys, and the service 5 star!

Highly recommend this place, great place for a first date if you want to impress.

Excellent food. Excellent service. Excellent restaurant.

The food was creative and pretty good but didn't quite justify the price, in my opinion. The servers were friendly, attentive, and helped us English speaking types understand the menu thoroughly. I'm not sure if it was bad timing as there seemed to be a large party upstairs but we got the tasting menu and it took over 2.5 hours to complete our meal. The time between course servings was very long (30+ minutes). The staff was apologetic about it so they at least recognized this.

We wanted to come here for brunch but we didn't make a reservation in advance so we ended up getting breakfast instead. I ordered the smoked salmon egg Benedict, which was actually offered for both breakfast and brunch. The egg Benedict was scrumptious! The potatoes were warm and crispy. The hollandaise was rich and silky. The eggs were poached perfectly. My boyfriend got scrambled eggs with sausages, which were also delicious. The portions were generous. For that day, this meal kept us properly fueled to explore Montreal for the whole day. For our next trip, we will come back to Brasserie 701 for brunch :)

I came here for a weekday dinner and the restaurant was almost full when I arrived. I got lucky that I had a reservation.

It’s located perfectly within walking distance from both Notre Dame and old port.

I really liked the vibe; many groups were enjoying their food, drinks or dessert. The staff are helpful and friendly.

I originally came in for an appetizer, but the dessert menu was so attractive that I decided to go with appetizer and dessert. I got lucky that they weren’t out of escargot. So I tried “Escargot in Parsley Sauce” after my complementary bread and butter. I really like the combination of parsley sauce with olives and puff pastry.

I also enjoyed “Rocher Praliné” for my dessert. I’m happy I hadn’t had my main course as it is very rich.

Lovely place for brunch! I had the chicken and waffle plate and it was so delicious. Coffee was also good and service was excellent. Would definitely recommend. You can also make reservations for breakfast and brunch which is a plus.

We went here for brunch and it was amazing ! The staff were all really polite and friendly. Food was great and the drinks were even better.We want to give a special shout-out to our bartender Cam for his excellent service and outstanding cocktails. We would definitely recommend coming here.

Excellent French cuisine place with an astounding wine list. Impeccable service. The main course was to die for. Hors d'oeuvre and appetizer were good, although slightly underwhelming for that kind of price range. We had a great time!

If I could leave more than 5 star review for the service, I would! Catherine was unbelievable and the ultimate example of EXCELLENT customer service. I wanted to treat my parents to dinner after a show they were seeing at PDA, for their 60th wedding anniversary, and wanted to treat them for dinner. Catherine worked with me to try to find a way that this could happen. She offered many different solutions and followed up at every turn. It was impressive!!! When my parents showed up at the restaurant, she treated them with white gloves and made sure their experience was memorable. THANK YOU Catherine for the unforgettable experience. Linda

I was recommended this location all the way from VT, so my friends and I decided to try it and we were not disappointed. Right away we were given the best service by our lovely hostess Melissa and they made us feel so welcomed and cared for. We made a mistake on our order and they happily accommodated for us with the best attitude we could ask for. Best place to celebrate our St. Patrick’s vacation.

We randomly stopped in for a drink and had a delightful time talking to the owner Benoit for over a half an hour- very friendly and interesting. The drinks were delicious and the tomato cream soup was incredible. Merci! Beautiful atmosphere too. We will definitely be back for dinner.

Went there for happening gourmand for brunch we had a reservation so there wasn’t a wait the restaurant was full, so would suggest a reservation, especially for brunch. The food was served very quickly and the servers were very nice. It’s not a brunch that I go out of my way for. I had the lobster eggs Benedict and it was just OK and finish off with the orange crepe which was a bit too orangey for my liking but that’s just my preference. Really nice atmosphere. I’d like to try it for dinner, but brunch didn’t blow my socks off.

i LOVED this place - best eggs benedict i’ve ever had. the ham is toasted to become crispy and has such lovely salty flavor. the hollandaise sauce was some of the best i’ve had as it was so well seasoned. would recommend their mimosas as well!

Went for brunch today to celebrate my friend's birthday in a private room, and I have to say, the service, food, and overall aesthetics were absolutely AMAZING! We were served by our lovely waitress, Melissa, and the manager in a nice suit, Xavier. Thank you so much for taking such good care of us. We will definitely come back and recommend 🤩

Nice vibes. The staff was helpful and professional. Went for a work event, and it would have been really nice if the bar had actual non-alcoholic cocktails. The bartenders did their best, but it's not the same as what is increasingly available elsewhere.

As well, I got the vegan option, but not enough information was communicated to make me particularly comfortable eating there. This restaurant considers the "vegan option" to be whatever the vegetarian option is, but without the cheese. For example, a grilled vegetable "shelf" that typically comes with feta, was served to the vegans without the feta. It was unclear if the creamed soup was suitable for vegans, same with the wine, and the music was so loud it was not a conversation I wanted to have with the waiter.

The wild mushroom risotto was good, but something I could have whipped up at home in 30 minutes.

All in all, the points are for the staff.

Located in a residential area, it's cute, with warm ambiance and great food. We (4) ordered two experiences to share: Classic Cheese Fondue for 2pp & Raclette to share for 2pp. Great selections of meats for raclette. We ended up trying everything and all delicious. Although, It's so much food!. We didn't like the cold soup "gaspacho", It might be for specific tastes.
I feel the price could be on the high side for a whole family, so be sure to check the prices before you go. The BYOB option helps, so it won't break the bank. My waitress was estressed, not very patience to explain how the menu works for raclette and fondue for a first time guest, the hostest explained for me. The waiter even opened the proseco and the alcohol jumped out and he forgot to clean, so my table was sticky all night. I'll come back, but definetely will hope to have a better service

Had a Very Nice New Years Eve Dinner here! Ring in 2024 Happy New Years!

Crepe was okay not great and the flan dessert was stale. Okay food nothing great. Crepe is much better from Quebec City.

We really enjoyed our experience at Chez Delmo. We ordered the oysters, tomato soup, salmon tartare and the Dover sole. Everything was really good. Ian, our waiter was superb. We had a lot of questions for him. I had no room for dessert but wish I did :) I highly recommend.

From the most amazing appetizer I ever had in my life, it set the bar very very high.
The main course of fondue was a let down compared to the appetizer and expensive. I would have ordered more appetizers and skipped the main for the price.
Atmosphere was good, service was good and they welcomed us both in French and English.

Decent place to try fondue for first time.

It’s s cute cozy restaurant. The service is professional.
We took la pierette aux viandes for 58$ per person we got what you in the picture. The waitress told us that we will get 5 kinds of cheese though we got 4 (each). We lacked fire at the end that was annoying.
For the quantity quality the place is overpriced the table was definitely not worth 116$ though the concept is cute and it’s a nice date idea.

I am really sorry to the owner for his selection of an incompetent and arrogant manager that was working on December 21st. We had the worst experience ever both from a service point of view and food quality. The waiter that she stated that she is also the manager was extremely unprofessional in many sense (communication and service). The food in general was of a lesser quality than a 4stars restaurant. Clearly I will never step in this restaurant in the future. I feel very bad for the customers if the quality and service is the same and also feel bad for the owner for his poor choice of manager !!! I gave a low tip for the poor experience we had and we got insulted in public for it, she told us that we are not allowed in the restaurant in the future!!! As if I will even consider it. I am stunned and surprise how did they get the 4stars

This was the worst service I've ever got in any restaurant. The good reviews are completely not in line with what I experienced. They took over 1 hour to serve us, spilled out drinks, the food was good, they treated us poorly, the portions were ridiculously small and they kept forgetting about us. I'm usually not a problematic person and I avoid conflict even when I'm being treated rudely, but this was like nothing I've ever seen before. They didn't even ask us if we wanted wanted or if everything was okay. We spent 2h30 over there and other people that arrived after us completely finished their whole meal before we even started. The manager herself was extremely arrogant and she was furious at us because we tiped a low amount (honestly for the horrible service we got it didn't even warrant a tip but alas the service industry doesn't get paid well so we still tiped a small amount regardless). She came storming at us as we left and said that we were never welcome at this restaurant ever again and she cursed us off. Honestly, I've never seen anything like this. I usually sympathize with service workers, myself being one, when there's a lot of customers to serve and the place is very busy, but this was truly next level. We were basically treated like dogs. Probably the worst experience I've ever had at a restaurant and I'm surprised the reviews are this high considering everything.

Went there for the Xmas party. Food was ok. Service was good.

Thank you for delicious food to night. We had our Christmas dinner in this restaurant to night, the food delicious, service good, warm welcome from dianita ! Thank you! Via.

Outstanding French cuisine! We read an article describing la Chronique as a classic French restaurant, but it was actually quite modern and creative. The dishes were dilicious and beautifully presented. We had the five-courae menu with wine tasting, and the pairing wines were complementing the dishes as well. Definitely recommend.

Very good Friend of mine was in Town from the Caribbean this week. I personally am on a special diet and can only eat Seafood so we looked for a restaurant that served that but with a good rating. Chez Delmo seemed to be a choice that was fair enough to try. Now bear in mind that I am a critic that will tell it as it is without filter. We were greeted warmly by the host and our Jackets were hung up for us. Once seated, we didn't wait long to be greeted by our Waiter and asked wahat we would like yo drink. After ordering our entrees and food, we were given complimentary taste of something that I forgot the name of but found it unique but very tasty. For Supper, my friend ordered the Surf and Turf and I had the Holland Dover Sole. The Food was cooked just right and very tasty. The Ungava Gin Tonic / Soda was well proportioned and tasted just right. If I can give this restaurant 20 stars I would because honestly the experience there was so good. I highly recommend Chez Delmo. I certainly will be going back very soonand will definitely bring friends and family to experience this Beautiful restaurant. Thanks for reading and thank you Chez Delmo for such a wonderful experience.

First stop on my Montreal trip, and it's a true gem! The standout features are exceptional customer service and a welcoming hostess with a radiant smile. A unique perk is the option to bring your own wine, and if you forget, a nearby cash-only store is suggested by our helpful hostess.

This local, casual establishment radiates a warm, neighborly ambiance, making you feel like part of a family dining environment.

We started with a delicious pumpkin soup, then enjoyed a flavorful steak and superbly cooked lamb for our main courses.

I highly recommend this restaurant for a delightful, slightly unconventional dining experience in Montreal.

Cheers,

BN

The food was wonderful! The ribeye was superbly cooked and the tomato soup was delicious. But what made the meal even better was our server Ian. Charming, professional, and very sweet.

Went with a group of 4 for MTL à Table. Food was delicious, service was a bit slow. When bringing in the desserts, one of us seemed to have been forgotten until another waiter came by to check. The brussel sprouts were savory, the squash potage was tasty, the quail was very juicy, and a friend claimed it served the best raspberry sorbet he's ever had in his life. We're likely to return for special occasions!

The food was delicious, perfect amount, great selection on the menu. not too expensive. Atmosphere and staff are great.

Great food, great service, and comfortable. I sat at the bar alone and had great conversations with the staff. They knew when to engage in conversation and when to let me enjoy my meal. It's a delicate balance, especially when im not feeling social, but they were all very pleasant. It was a slow Wednesday night and was even able to meet one of the owners. Benoit was very personable. Will definitely be back.

We had a wonderful dinner at Delmo. We were warmly greeted and helped with our coats. It was early and the restaurant was nearly empty but it filled rapidly, including a large corporate party of ten that caused us to move to the bar to finish our meal. The staff was completely accommodating and understanding. No issues with timing. I had a great combo of delicious endive salad followed by a perfect, very meaty lobster bisque. A Petit Chablis was a great accompaniment. My husband says his poached salmon was perfect—a rare compliment.

Staff could not have been nicer to tourists from Chicago!

The pluses: I don’t think you can find a better spot in downtown Montreal with those prices. The venue is beautiful, I loved the arch, they’re very turnkey and espace canal is super pretty and can really look great with minimal effort. Alex was great to work with and hustled during the wedding to make sure everything was great. The menu was adapted for vegetarians and vegans and food was delicious. The bartenders were super sweet as well as were all the waiters.

The minuses: we had issues with our first coordinator which caused quite a lot of stress, there was issues with figuring out who would take over, the communication can mostly only be done by email (not phone really) and you have to be very very proactive in order to make sure everything is organized. But if you are organized and will write them and follow up a lot, everything should go smoothly.

Summary: I think it’s definitely a steal for a spot in the city, if you like a more urban vibe. I really enjoyed my night tremendously. The planning was a bit rough around the edges but I think it makes sense with the pricing.

If you like my flowers it was Aux Fleurs Folies and my photographer was Arianne Gagnon Nantel :)

Unfortunately the 2 of us that had the salmon tartare became violently ill. It ruined our outing at the ballet and the rest of our weekend. Definitely over priced. Our waiter was awesome.

My daughter’s wedding on August 4th, loved the hall and loved the outside gazebo for the wedding ceremony. They know what there doing for weddings, they were vety helpful.

The meal was delicious and people loved the open bar.

Small glitches; slow service (main course), DJ was a little late, forgot a small detail regarding the bubbles after the wedding ceremony.

I would definitely recommend the Espace Canal for any wedding celebration 🎉.

Merci

Andre

Good on all pointers! Wonderful to have a nice dinner so convenient to performance we attended at Place d'Artes.

The food was amazing especially together with the wine pairing. I had a lovely time at this restaurant!

Great inspired tasting menu. Each dish was better than the last. Highly recommend the wine pairing. Phenomenal staff and dining atmosphere. A must try

Title: A Culinary Delight!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)

I recently had the pleasure of dining at this amazing restaurant, and I must say, it was an absolute delight! From start to finish, the experience was impeccable, leaving me with a lasting impression. Adrian our server was incredible and polite from start to finish.

The restaurant's ambiance was warm and inviting, with a tasteful décor that exuded elegance. Adrian greeted me with genuine warmth and professionalism, making me feel right at home. Their attention to detail and impeccable service truly elevated the dining experience.

Now, let's talk about the food! Each dish was a masterpiece, beautifully presented and bursting with flavor. The menu offered a diverse range of options, catering to various dietary preferences. Each dish was to die for but my personal favourite was the Beef Carpaccio. The flavors were well-balanced and left me wanting more. The mains of Surf N Turf plus the Seafood Pasta also had flavors that kept me wanting more and so we’ll balance.

In addition to the extraordinary food, the pricing was at a perfect range for the food you get, considering the high quality of ingredients and the overall experience. It's safe to say that I got more than my money's worth!

Overall, I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for an unforgettable culinary experience. From the warm ambiance, impeccable service, and mouthwatering dishes, this place truly stands out. Whether it's a special occasion or a casual night out, this restaurant will exceed your expectations. Don't miss out on this hidden gem!

Being a tourist in the city traveling from Sydney, Australia makes me want to visit again asap!

The crepes were alright, I would recommend the sweet selection over the savory options. The business is slightly understaffed, with only one cook in the kitchen servicing every customer's order. Ended up being told that a sweet crepe I ordered earlier will take a long time due to backed up orders so we opted to take it off and just pay so we can leave. Hope they can get more staff in the kitchen for the future.

We had a great experience at L'Ambroisie for our wedding ceremony and reception. We felt well taken care of and the day went smoothly. We were able to create our own vegetarian menu with the chef and it was absolutely delicious! We appreciated that the main services were in-house or they referred us to vendors for services they didn't provide (flowers etc). It was the hassle-free wedding we wanted!

Minor issues: we had 3 different coordinators throughout our planning process due to staff changes and through the handovers, some communication got lost. There was also a breakdown in communication between the staff that handled our tasting and the coordinator. Closer to the wedding date, it was also a bit of a struggle to get direct answers around day-of details via email and, as another reviewer mentioned, staff seemed unreachable or unable to schedule a phone meeting.
The DJ also wasn't top-notch, but that's an outside company that L'Ambroisie uses.

All in all, we're very happy with our decision to have our wedding at L'Ambroisie! Would definitely recommend.

We tried a variety of crepes and they were all delicious. Le Parisienne, la celtique, la québécoise and duo chocolat et caramel. Rich and unique flavors, yummy! The strawberry, banana and mango smoothie was tasty, as well as the bloody Cesar if you are into bloody Mary’s. The service was outstanding with really friendly servers. Definitely a place to go in Montreal!

An authentic European café with excellent buckwheat crepes. I went there on a Thursday afternoon at around 2 pm. There was no need to wait in line, but the service was a little slow. It is understandable since there was only one waitress. We had to wait for about 5 minutes to get our water and another 15 minutes for the food.
The food was excellent, and I would definitely come back. I highly recommend it if you are nearby and would like to enjoy a leisurely meal.

We always call it our favorite Swiss restaurant in Montreal because we usually order either the Classic Cheese Fondue or the Raclette. Due to Covid and life as we know it, we finally came back after 5 years.. The decor and atmosphere have changed a bit but the food remains outstanding. Our waiter still remembers us and gave us a warm welcome. Needless to say that all the staff there were courteous and professional, which made the whole dining experience perfect.

It’s not as easy as getting there from New York, but we are already discussing how we could visit this restaurant again in the future. Hopefully it wouldn’t take another five years.

Warm and friendly. Great service and really good galettes and crêpes. Enjoyed talking to the chef, who is from Brittany. We both chose the lunch menu which included soup or salad, a galette, a dessert crêpe, and coffee or tea. My husband had the complète and I had the nordique and they were both lovely. I hope we can go one more time before we leave Canada!

Really nice place with a warm, cozy European café feel. I came around 1 on Friday and they were only about half full - it’s a relatively small restaurant but there’s a seating area in the back which makes it bigger than it looks. The narrowness of it adds to the charm, makes it a little more intimate. From my table I could sort of see into the kitchen.
I had a cappuccino, L’océane (savoury seafood crepe), and the Far Breton. I liked how the cappuccino was dusted with cocoa powder. The espresso (I had decaf) was a little bitter but in a sort of pleasant way. I didn’t see it on the menu, but I asked about non-dairy milks and they do have almond milk, which is what I got.
The crêpe was very good! I think I’ve had some pretty good crêpes but the presentation of this was different from anything I’ve tried before (fourth time in Montréal but it was my first Montréal crêpe). The scallops and salmon were very fresh and the creamed leek sauce went so well with the seafood. Only two scallops on the regular size crêpe which didn’t look like much, but I cut them up and they went a long way. And I loved the lacey texture and flavour of the crêpe!
I came for the crêpe but was also really excited to try the Far Breton. I love custardy desserts like this! The prunes at the bottom were cooked to a syrupy consistency which was so good.
My waitress was very nice and always came by at just the right time to fill water or take my order. My drink and dessert came out pretty quickly, the crêpe took a bit longer. I might’ve started to get impatient if it had taken any longer than it did, but as it was I think the wait time was acceptable - they're a small kitchen and making crepes can be time consuming.

Really good service! I had the chance to have Etienne as a waiter, but all the staff is super friendly. Amazing service and food! Note that there’s no vege option tho.

Thank you,
See you soon!

We celebrated our wedding at Espace Canal last weekend and it was the day of our dreams. Alexa has been a joy to work with through the entire planning process. These haven't been easy times for the industry, but despite pandemic closures and labour shortages, L'Ambroisie has managed to retain a dedicated, amazing staff full of people who clearly love working there, and they made our big day awesome. The weather cooperated to give us a beautiful sunny day and we got our dream wedding ceremony in the gardens along the canal. The party after was fantastic - the food, drinks, setup, everything went off without a hitch. They customized the menu based on our feedback and were so accommodating and flexible with our requests. Special shout-out to Alexa and team for accommodating our unique craft beer and whisky requests. To couples looking for a beautiful venue for their wedding, look no further!

Worst pre-show dinner experience ever. Our main courses never came! After one and a half hours we had to leave so we wouldn’t miss the show. Many other guests were upset about the slow service.

My husband and I got married here in September. Before we found L'Ambroisie we wondered whether it was worth it for us to have a full scale wedding at all. We probably looked up every venue in the Montreal area, and it seemed like venues similar to L'Ambroisie were exponentially more expensive, and venues at a similar price point weren't half as beautiful. Once we found it, the decision was easy for us.
The location and food were lovely, and the best value of all was probably access to a venue coordinator. Because this is more or less an all-in-one venue, our coordinator, Alexa, was an expert on most everything to do with the day. We must've emailed back and forth almost a hundred times over the year we planned our wedding. I felt like I had a $5000 wedding planner for free.
We had so many compliments on our venue. I would recommend L'Ambroisie to anyone.

Chez Delmo is a great seafood restaurant! The greeting is fast and professional, the service is efficient and friendly. Overall a special place, a family owned restaurant, the interactions between the owners and their children are hilarious and makes the atmosphere very special. Arguably the best seafood restaurant in Montreal, certainly the oldest, just a 5 minute walk from The Notre Dame basilica in the Old Port. Fresh products, classic neighbourhood joint, full of regulars, very busy. The cocktails are generous (6 oz martinis). They have an outstanding seafood tower, very festive . The seafood pasta is excellent and generous. The Dover sole Meuniere is the house specialty, and it's the best i've had anywhere. Interestingly, we ordered 12 oysters but were served 13. The server William explained that they traditionally serve a "bakers dozen", 13 oysters. The staff is super friendly and professional, and the owners are charming.

Really nice and calm place. The food here is good, specially the salade that I tried. Very clean and staff is friendly. They have also small private room where I could imagine you can be in smal group of about 20 people for your birthday or other life events. Thank you for amazing experience!

I went for lunch. Just 4 tables were occupied which was delightfully quiet. Ambiance and service were good. The green vichyssoise was delicate and heavenly. The cod with chorizo and lobster sauce was a great achievement. The chocolate dessert, however, was too busy with a dozen flavors that did not integrate successfully in my opinion.
I’d go back to try the other options in the (limited) menu.

Went in 2 timea in two days because it was so good. They sadly are open only from 11AM, so it will be a late breakfast. Great selection of crepes with both salty buckwheat flour and breakfast ingredients and sweet crepes with chocolate, caramel and fruits. Coffee is refillable and quite strong and they bring two creamers to choose from, 2% and 10%. Service is great and you feel welcomed. The interior is nicely designed, and there are two big toilets with paper towels. Highly recommend this place for both salty and sweet brunch. They also have desserts which look great, but I haven't tried them.

I had a 7 services. The food was great! Big portions. The price is good. Service is good. Waiting is a bit long. But i have to say, I prefer coming back here than a well known restaurant opened by a well known chef which i'm not gonna name.😉

Edit: I loved my first experience so decided to visit a second time. (After covid19 hit they changed the 7 course meal to 5) it was still worth it and I still recommend this place.