Balboa presents an authentic Italian culinary journey, specializing in classic pizza and pasta dishes crafted with time-honored techniques. Patrons can anticipate a diverse selection of traditional antipasti, expertly prepared pasta entrees, and signature pizzas fired to perfection. The ambiance provides a comfortable setting for enjoying hearty, flavorful Italian cuisine. Each dish reflects a commitment to fresh ingredients and robust, satisfying flavors, making it a go-to destination for Italian food enthusiasts seeking genuine taste and quality.
Balboa offers a highly regarded dining experience in Old Montreal, frequently praised for its delicious wood-fired sourdough pizzas, fresh ingredients, and flavorful pasta dishes. Many visitors highlight the vibrant, cozy, and artsy atmosphere, which serves as a great backdrop for both casual outings and special occasions. While the vast majority of guests commend the professional and friendly staff for their attentive service, some diners have noted occasional inconsistencies in service speed or felt that prices were high for the portion sizes. Overall, the restaurant is widely considered a must-visit spot in the city, with standouts like the tiramisu and specialty cocktails consistently impressing those who dine there.
We stopped here for a late dinner. It was a really nice pizzeria with a casual yet artsy feeling vibe. The staff were so friendly & fun. The drinks were great. The pizzas were AMAZING! Thin crust fresh & flavourful ingredients. We had two pasta dishes & they were okay but they paled in comparison to the pizzas. We ordered the Margherita, the pizza Bianca with the fennel sausage & the 4-cheese pizza. We'll have to make this a destination for our next visit to old Montreal.
Mar 21, 2026
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Balboa Montreal Review: Great Vibes, Amazing Service...but is the pizza worth the Old Montreal price tag?
Old Montreal is buzzing, & Balboa is the hot new spot everyone's talking about! As a self-proclaimed foodie, I had to check out this June 2025 opening, especially after hearing whispers it has the'best pizza in town.'
The short version? It's gorgeous, the service is flawless, but my wallet is still crying. Here's the breakdown.
The Vibe & Service: 10/10
From the moment you walk in, the place is a stunner. Located right in the heart of tourist-central Old Montreal, Balboa delivers on ambiance. The decor is absolutely beautiful so think exposed brick, warm wood beams, & chic, twinkling lights. It felt festive & intimate, perfect for a Saturday night dinner with friends.
The service was truly the standout of the evening. Our server was amazing, attentive, & incredibly friendly. They made the entire experience feel special, & I genuinely cannot fault the staff at all.
The Food & Value:
We booked a table for four people & started with the pepperoni pizza & a fresh caprese salad (which was delicious, as you can see!).
The wood-fired pizza itself (the one I was told was the best in town) was good. It had a great crust with those nice, charred bubbles & quality toppings. However, was it'the best pizza in town'? Honestly, no. It was solid, but didn't blow me away.
& here's where my'underwhelmed' feeling comes in: the price. Being charged $25 for a pepperoni pizza & $20 for an average cocktail (hello, Espresso Martini!) feels excessive, even for a prime tourist location. The prices definitely reflect the location & the stunning fit-out more than the culinary execution.
Bottom Line: You're paying a premium for the stunning atmosphere, the phenomenal service, & the Old Montreal postcode. If you're looking for mind-blowing pizza value, you might want to look elsewhere. If you're looking for a guaranteed beautiful night out with perfect service, this is it!
Loved our experience at Balboa Montréal! The vegetarian pizza was absolutely delicious & paired perfectly with a glass of wine. Great vibes, friendly service.
Me & my friends spontaneously picked this restaurant earlier in the day while we were in Old Port because of Italian food craving. First thing we noticed was how welcoming Dil (sorry i might've misheard his name but the server with curly hair & glasses working a dinner shift oct. 28) was 😁 we were asked where we wanted to sit & was able to grab the table with a rear view of the whole restaurant. We're from Toronto so the interiors of the restaurants in our area aren't usually spacious but we were actually amazes by how nice the interior of the restaurant. Food was amazing. The pepporoni pizza was cooked in wood oven & has the perfect balance between salty & sweet. They were very generous with the pepporoni too. The vegetarian pizza tasted so fresh & flavourful, the pesto wasn't overpowering anything & the vegetables are perfectly cooked. Funghi pasta was probably the best funghi pasta we've ever had. Our server specifically said they cook it Italian style, so there's really not much cream but the flavour would still be there. For someone who gets tired of cream-heavy food, this was probably the most perfectly cooked funghi pasta for us. Service was perfect. Our server wasn't really on our face the whole time, would check up on us to ask how the food is so far & then later on pour us water. We didn't really need to ask for more things as we felt like everything was provided. Honestly, we don't speak French so it was nice being served nicely still despite the language barrier. The overall vibe of the restaurant was definitely a 10/10. It's so sad that they don't have a branch in Toronto but we would definitely go back when we get the chance! 🤍
The food is amazing!!! So delicious that we have to unbutton our pants to make more room 😭🙏🏻🍕 we ordered Pepperoni pizza, Vegetarian pizza & Funghi tagliatelle, & the flavours of all are worth for the price. The space is such a vibe, cozy & if you are with your group, it's intimate in a way that you all will enjoy the conversation with one another while enjoying the food in front of you. Wonderful service as well! Very welcoming & friendly. Truly a great place to dine & enjoy the night out ☺?
Absolutely loved the vibe at Balboa! The pizza is seriously next level (sourdough crust is a game changer). Great spot for a casual night out with friends or date night. Service was friendly & fast too. Can't wait to go back!
Loved everything about this place! The food was incredible, the staff was friendly & the vibe was great. Will definitely be back the next time we're in Montreal!
