The Au Pied de Cochon restaurant is where it all began. Passed from one generation to the next, family knowledge contributes to the restaurant's reputation. Constantly evolving, the Pied de Cochon celebrates its 20th anniversary in November 2021. This à la carte restaurant is located in the heart of the Plateau Mont-Royal. Authentic to its Quebec and Canadian roots, the dishes are hearty and comforting. Adopting the style from French brasseries, the chef and his team draw inspiration from local and seasonal products to create a timeless menu. With private import wines, beers brewed in Montreal, and signature cocktails, Au Pied de Cochon restaurant is a friendly place where local products are showcased. There is one of the first open kitchens in Montreal where you can see the cooks in action.
Reviews portray Au Pied de Cochon as a landmark Montreal experience that combines indulgent Quebecois cuisine with a festive open kitchen atmosphere. The menu centers on rich, hearty dishes like the famous Duck in a Can, foie gras poutine, and other duck and pork specialties, with many diners calling the food decadent, flavorful, and unforgettable, though sometimes heavy. Service is repeatedly praised as attentive, knowledgeable, and warm, with several reviewers highlighting memorable staff, while a few notes mention slow pacing or occasional missteps during busy periods. Reservations are strongly recommended, especially for bar seating or peak times, and the restaurant is often described as lively, bustling, and loud but welcoming, sometimes feeling like a culinary show. Overall, Au Pied de Cochon is celebrated as a must-visit Montreal institution, worth the splurge for bold flavors and a unique immersive dining spectacle; some readers suggest it may not suit those seeking lighter fare or quiet dining.
I recently dined at Pied de Cochon & was quite disappointed with the experience. The nigiri, which used to come with six pieces, has been reduced to four, & the tamaki was nothing special. Despite high expectations, we waited an hour & a half for our main dishes, only for the pork chop to arrive cold. Given the price, the experience was not worth it.
Best meal of my life! As a solo diner I felt super comfortable & at ease sitting at the bar, with a fun view of the kitchen. Amazing foie gras specialities, excellent wine list & cocktail. I'd come back to Montreal exclusively to have the Plogue à Champlain, & the foie gras nigiri. Amazing experience from beginning to end!
Jul 10, 2024
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Our first visit to Au Pied de Cochon will not be our last. Despite a frantic & stressful atmosphere, the courteous staff & delicious food made it a memorable experience, reminiscent of a local Montreal pub. We had a 9 pm bar reservation, where we witnessed the sous chef & cooks skillfully prepare our Quebec fusion dishes. The wait staff ensured we were well-hydrated & comfortable, navigating us through the tight restaurant space to the discreet bathroom doors between the bars. The specialty of the day, the shrimp roll topped with melted foie gras & a sweet balsamic reduction, was incredible & our favorite dish. We hope it becomes a main menu item. We also enjoyed the foie gras nigiri, rotolo, & aged pork chop with a side of maple salted fries. While all dishes were rich, fresh, & hearty, the shrimp roll & fries stood out for us. Despite some reviews claiming Au Pied de Cochon is overrated or past its prime, we strongly recommend it to both tourists & locals for an elevated Québécois dining experience.
The experience from start to finish was beyond expectations. The poutine with foie gras had to be one of the best things I have ever eaten. Kudos to my waiter, Alex for his friendly & attentive service.
We enjoyed eating outside. The food was inventive & delicious while featuring local ingredients & culinary traditions. The service was excellent-attentive & engaging. Diner food sensitivity was treated with respect.
Delicious food! I was impressed by the Asian fusion dishes. I live in NYC & wanted to try Quebec cuisine. The waiter was very accommodating & patient, took his time to explain each dish & answer any questions, & graciously accommodated us in eating family style/sharing dishes for a party of 6. I would definitely come back the next time I am in Montreal.
Such a neat little place. The service was fantastic. The waiter & the rest of the wait staff were so energetic. This place is bustling. The scallops were the best I've ever had. I'm not a foie gras lover, but it was a when in Rome moment so I ordered the duck in a can. Such an interesting & creative dish & the foie gras wasn't overpowering. All in all, it was a great experience. I'll definitely come back the next time I'm in Montreal.
Jul 4, 2024
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Wow! Excellent in every way. One of the best meals we've had. The foie grad profiteroles were just right. The beef tongue was so savory. We also has the aged pork chop... unbelievably flavorful & tender. The halibut was spectacular... perfectly prepared.
The service was laughably bad. Not just my table, but every table in sight had drinks & water running dry, patrons visibly frustrated with slow service & lack of attention. The food was good but overrated. Foie gras appetizer & chocolate torte dessert were delicious but the main courses were heavier than a lead brick. It is nothing more than a tourist trap with notoriety based off of a famous television show from 20 years ago. Do yourself a favor & go elsewhere.
Food is great & I would highly recommend the foie Gras nigiri. Wait staff is excellent & explains everything. Very apologetic & hace is free shots when one dish was delayed (we honestly did not even notice). Front of the house did not feel as welcoming but once past that we had a great time!
We began with a glass of wine & three appetizers - scallops with basil & melon, the blue cheese salad, & the potato au gratin cheddar & bacon fois gras plate. All were exceptional & delicious & better than expected. Next, we had the Fois Gras Nigiri which was eaten fast but each bite was savored-a great portion, too! Our main course was next! We got the halibut, duck in a can, & the pork shank. All the portions were great however, the pork shank was more than enough, & we didn't finish that sadly. Although it was scrumptious. The sauce that accompanied it was delicious & so were the lentils. The halibut was fresh surrender by seasonal vegetables & caught in the wild. The duck in the can was consistent & delicious & is one of the staples on the menu, you can't go wrong here. Dessert was the traditional Quebec maple bread pudding which I could've had seconds! It's the best dessert you can get in the province of Quebec especially if you're a maple fiend like we are. C+ for seating us across from the bathroom & near screaming babies, otherwise everything was an A+.
Jul 2, 2024
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With sophisticated & inventive Quebec fare, Au Pied de Cochon has a well-deserved reputation as a top-notch restaurant. Both the food & service were first rate without being stuffy or formal. The weather was perfect & we were able to sit outside on the patio. Our waitress, Lauri, was very friendly &, while a native French speaker, also spoke excellent English. We started off with a couple of drinks - my companion has a fantastic cocktail made with jasmine-infused vodka, orange blossom syrup & triple sec. I had a classic Quebec-made cider (crisp & dry), great balance, aroma & flavor. After two superb entrees - duck temaki & plogue de champlain - our plats principals did not disappoint in the least. My companion had the well-known conserve de canard or canned duck which was even better than expected. I tried an intriguing dish that was new to the menu - tripe with mushrooms - & found it to be tender & absolutely delicious. As we were sipping our after dinner drinks, a street performer began singing traditional French chansons while accompanying herself on the accordion. A great night!
Well, if you have extra time to kill, don't mind the cost, & really want to experience the hype, I guess it worth a visit. Make sure you are not hungry before the visit as the wait can be loooong. The restaurant is poorly managed with friendly but chaotic service. The indoor space is crowded, noisy & stuffy, with bathrooms behind the beverage bar. The patio customers were neglected most of the time. During our waiting & dinning times (2.5 hours), there were at least four tables with missed or delayed orders, & the sides (bread & fries), often arrive long after the main was ice cold or finished. It took on average 20 minutes to get the bill & you would be at the mercy of the restaurant wifi to use your card on the POS terminal. Most customers ended up paying inside anyways after failed attempts. The food...is unique. We ordered foie gras nigiri & the renowned duck in a can. If you like peanut butter on rice with customized ponzu soy sauce, the nigiri would not disappoint, but the foie gras might not be necessary. The duck in the can wa definitely a novel idea with complex rich falvours, but unfortunately executed poorly. The duck breast tasted like stone & the thick skin was chewier than gummy bears. I was wondering why a full scale steak knife was provided with the dish, but it all soon made sense when I started cutting. The most delicious ingredients were the sourdough bread crust & the garlic. I wish there were more. Overall, this is for sure a once in a lifetime dinning experience as I do not wish to dine there again. If you have this restaurant on your vacation checklists, it worth a (one) visit. If you are looking for a romantic & enjoyable dinning experience with your partner or family, there are better places around the area.
This was a restaurant on my bucket list & it did not disappoint! The knowledgeable & bilingual staff helped to curate an unforgettable dining experience. We had the halibut & aged pork chop, also the special fresh burrata with caviar on house made sourdough to start. If you're in Montreal, this place is a must see! If you're at all culinary inclined, sit at the bar to watch these gorgeous dishes being prepared & plated 😁
One of the most memorable meals I have ever had. The foie gras terrine was rich & perfect. The sale & maple sugar fries were a treat. Salads are colorful & delicious. The Duck in a Can was special. Vast & diverse wine selection. I enjoyed their Gin de Monocle, which they distill. The restaurant staff felt like a true team with attentive, sociable, generous service. All in an inviting, fun, walkable neighborhood. We will be back! Thank you, Au Pied de Cochon!
Wow, I can't say enough good things about this place as I was sceptical prior to going as I'm not really a fan of Duck & Frois Grois but my friends are so I went along anyways & I'm so glad I did. First off this place is extremely popular so a reservation is almost mandatory as it's always pretty busy from what I saw. The restaurant has a nice indoor & outdoor seating area with nice decor & lively atmosphere. The staff here are top notch from the kitchen to the servers they know what they're doing here. The food & drinks were phenomenal to say the least & even with me thinking I was not a fan of Duck & Frois Grois this place changed my mind. Regardless of that they had many other non Duck options on the menu even though I guess Duck is what they specialize in but all the other dishes were fantastic too. I can't remember the names of most dishes but the scallops, Frois Grois Poutine, Clay Pot Stew & this Frois Grois with Maple Syrup dish were some of the favourites. All I will say is that this is definitely a Culinary Experience you need to try at least once in your life so you can decide for yourself as I have definitely become a fan myself & will be returning here eventually when I visit Montreal in the future. Kudos to the entire team there as they are doing a fantastic job & keep up the great work. Oh & by the way the Desserts were exceptional too so make sure you save some room for that 😉
Au Pied de Cochon; Superbe terrasse. J'ai profité d'un événement sur Duluth pour découvrir de leurs produits. Personnel agréable. Prochaine fois, je me dois d'essayer la totale..
With one exception, the food was fantastic. The foie gras poutine was off the charts delicious--totally worth the Bon Appetit assessment as one of the best poutines in Montreal. The halibut was perfectly done, the endive blue cheese salad was fresh & delightfully balanced, & the foie gras profiteroles would satisfy anyone enjoying this delicacy. The pork chop with morels & chanterelles, however, was tough & fatty. The dulce de leche lava cake was scrumptious; the pistachio profiteroles less so. The atmosphere was very lively & fun, & the staff clearly enjoyed great camaraderie with each other. The music got louder as the evening went on & it became too loud for us. The person who greeted us when we arrived was extremely warm & friendly. Our waiter, too, was very pleasant & helpful, including with recommendations about how much food to order & the wine. If we were only basing this service review on these two, we'd give 5 stars. But we did have a significant complaint that wasn't the waiter's fault--the service was incredibly slow. It took a long time to get our first course & then took VERY long in between courses--in one instance 45 minutes. We were seated at about 6:15 pm & did not finish until 10 pm. That was at least an hour longer than it should have been. Aside from the slow service, I'd definitely recommend Au Pied de Cochon for a delicious meal.
