Regulars praise Al Dente Trattoria for good food, friendly service, and a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with well chosen classics. Diners rave about dishes like lobster pasta, osso buco, and a standout rack of lamb, with some calling the lamb the best in town. The BYOB option is a popular plus, contributing to affordable, enjoyable meals. Still, some visits reveal a more uneven side, including crowded nights, moments of overwhelmed staff, and occasional issues such as dry pizza or cold mussels. The overall vibe is lively and nostalgic, with a family feel that keeps guests coming back. Despite the occasional hiccups, many leave satisfied and planning a return.
It tastes awful.
Already exhausted & starving after a whole day at college, all day courses & exams & barely any time to eat, finally get a chance to go out for dinner, & this is what I end up with…
How come it's high in calories & still tastes like this…
Honestly, it takes a certain level of skill to make high-calorie food taste like this.
Forced myself to eat some of it so I wouldn't feel like I'd wasted my money.
We are regulars here, we love it. Good food, friendly staff & great service. Last night, I had the pasta from the special Valentine menu,Heart shaped pasta filled with rocotta & parmesan,light saffron cream sauce it was absolutely delicious 🫶
Feb 15, 2026
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Valentines dinner was a Table Hôte disappointement….
Were looking forward to the published « on line « menu & went over but instead got 45$ per TH options. (No notice on line prior)
Barely any bread that was never replaced , Caesar salad with no dressing, sent it back & it came back (we rarely ever do this) with more salad & still very little dressing.
Pasta overcooked with seafood the same.
Ossobuco may have had a powder sauce mix… ??? not good.
A Peculiar taste … not sure about it
To be fair this summer on their terrace we had a very good seafood Rizzuto, Caesar Salad, pizza & carbonara pasta,
So will give it another go one day but at 167$ dollars for three ppl this was a Very very dissatisfying meal, & this stings now days.
The Young fellow working was a very nice kid & said new ownership is about 3 years old so our good summer visit hopefully was within this same timeframe as the current management from our recent Feb 2026 visit.
Will give them a second chance because it may have been a one off, but if ANYTHING comes sub par from bread to salad to 1st bite of main; we will have to step up & politely leave.
Money too tight now days so to go out & be dissatisfied like that.
Sorry Al Dente but you asked for an honest review.
Tarek & Shatoo (hope typing is good) welcomed us. The food was good, lobster pasta & osso buco. The atmosphere was calm & the music was well chosen classics. We will definitely come back.
J'ai juste testé la pizza blanche Florentina en livraison & elle était super sèche. Dommage, pas beaucoup de crème & fromage (qui devait être de la mozzarella) devenu un plastique sans goût. Quelques feuilles d'épinard sur le dessus pour faire joli. À 24$ c'est décevant. J'ai pris la photo avec un pouce en l'air avant d'avoir goûté.
Really not great tasting food. Super disappointing. I ordered the penne Montana with a Caesar salad & my partner ordered penne alla gigi. Let me begin by saying that both our pasta was overcooked. No sauce & it was dry & very bland in taste. The Caesar salad came with burnt croutons & little to no dressing for the salad.
Now I don't understand how you say'fresh pasta' & the pasta is clearly bought from a store & NOT fresh at all. You charge me 15.75$ for a Caesar & say that it comes with anchovies but all I got was a small packet of Caesar dressing that didn't even cover the salad whatsoever. & also, if you're going to advertise'anchovies' with your salad, I'd expect anchovies for a very basic Caesar salad with burnt croutons that came with a wheel of lemon. How do you expect me to squeeze a wheel of lemon ?? Very disappointing. I don't recommend this restaurant at all.
If I could give 10/5, I would give it. We just came back after enjoying a delightful meal. In fact I had the rack of lamb & can say without hesitation that
it is the best one in town. The atmosphere was cozy & the service friendly & welcoming.
Nov 18, 2025
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Their food is simply amazing, with great hospitality by the owner & workers there. I never ate pasta so fast in my life. You won't regret trying this place out!!!
We had some last minute people added to our group, & the place was already really busy. Every request was treated with a smile as if it was no trouble at all.
ALL of the food arrived for everyone nice & hot & at almost the same time. Very affordable & really good food, plus Bring Your Own Wine.
Other patrons were also celebrating a Birthday, & all the patrons would sing for the others too, it just added to the whole happy vibe.
Very affordable for what we ordered
Food was pretty mediocre. Pizza nothing special. Mussels were cold. Only pasta was decent. Atmosphere was bubbly on a thursday. Waitstaff overwhelmed. I guess people come for the byob.
It's one of those places where it doesn't really matter how good or bad the food is- it's simply a very nostalgic for a lot of Montreal's because they have been going there since they were kids.
Definitely great ambiance & family vibes. Lots of happy people & I think that's why this place is so beloved.
As I am personally, not a Montreal or I feel I can rate the food accurately. Food is a 5 out of 10- respectfully. ❤?
