Balboa receives praise for its stunning Old Montreal ambiance, warm service, and a wood fired Neapolitan style pizza that many find delicious, especially the pepperoni, mushroom, and four cheese varieties, with cocktails and desserts like tiramisu earning compliments, while some feel the pizza is solid but not standout and the dough or toppings do not consistently impress given the price; the restaurant is described as a great spot for date nights or group meals, offering a lively, chic setting and friendly staff, though a few reviews note slow or inattentive service and concerns about value in a touristy location; overall the experience is praised for atmosphere, reliable service, and tasty dishes, but with mixed views on taste intensity, portion sizes, and value.
Went in a group of 4 for dinner, with reservation. Took us 15 minutes to be seated even though we showed up at reservation time & there were plenty of empty tables, then they forgot about us for 45 minutes (while waiters were passing by us looking at our table).
Finally, when we got to order, we ordered food & drinks. The food came first!! We had to wait an extra 10 minutes for our drinks (they were fine drinks).
As for the food, it was fine, nobody was super impressed by their dish. If the prices were 60-70% of what they are at this restaurant, then it would be worth it.
Delicious food the service was great our waiter was attentive & very friendly answering all our questions the restaurant itself was so fun with great decorations & atmosphere & the pizza was some of the best I've had with a homemade sourdough crust & tasty toppings & the rest of my party said the pasta & drinks were also very good quality.
Feb 6, 2026
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Yummy 😋 Had a date here with my boyfriend & the food was delicious! We both had pizzas that were so good & left us satisfied & stuffed! The tiramisu was also amazing!
Nice place & the staff is super nice & friendly.
Had dinner here for new years even & everything went smoothly.
I've had pizza at many places in the city & this is definitely not my favourite. The pizza is good, but the dough doesn't stand out as well as the toppings.
We had the pepperoni & fungi pizzas. The pepperoni amount is generous & the fungi is not bad. However, the dough isn't up to par & the pizza doesn't stand out in any way. Just for the price & I was expecting more, compared to some other places I've tried in the city.
The bolognese pasta was very underwhelming. The tomato sauce was basic, not a lot of meat. I wouldn't recommend.
If I'm in the area & I crave a quick pizza, I might grab one, other than that, I wouldn't come back here.
The pizza & pasta are pretty mid. However very cute space & good service!
Fun date night at Balboa Pizzeria in Montreal with a great atmosphere & really good food. We shared the mushroom pasta & the margarita pizza & both were delicious. Would definitely come back 🍕✨
The service was mediocre. The appetizer & pasta were just okay but the pizza was terrible! They are cheap on there toppings so all your are eating is ordinary dough. Skip this place, you're not missing much!
Jan 4, 2026
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My partner & I are from Halifax where we know every good food spot so coming to a city much bigger & trying to find somewhere to eat that met our standards of food from home we came across balboa which blew us away!
Staff was amazing & food was just as good. Definitely will be back on our next trip.
Nous sommes arrivés un groupe de 8 personnes, sans réservation, pendant le congé des fêtes. Malgré que le restaurant
était très occupé, le personnel a tout fait pour nous recevoir. Super ambiance, excellent service, & délicieux repas. A refaire!
J'ai mangé au Balboa récemment & j'ai vraiment passé un super moment. Le lieu est moderne, joli & vraiment agréable. L'équipe est sympa, souriante, & le service est rapide. L'ambiance est détendue, parfaite autant pour un repas entre amis que pour un dîner en couple. Franchement, je recommande à 100 % : on y mange bien & on s'y sent bien.
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!
