Bar Kabinet presents a stylish, intimate vibe with warm lighting and thoughtful design that draws you in, but the space can feel cramped and the small tables can undermine comfort. The bar is the strength, offering creative, well balanced cocktails and a solid wine list, while the food tends to be underwhelming for the price with bites that are serviceable rather than memorable, though some dishes such as duck and certain tartares earn praise for flavor and execution. Service is consistently described as friendly, welcoming and attentive, contributing to a positive overall mood, and the venue is repeatedly recommended for drinks before or after dinner or a girls night out, with some noting improvements under new management. Overall the experience blends a craft cocktail scene and attractive decor with variable food value, making it feel more like a destination for drinks and ambiance than a standout culinary spot.
It wins you over at first glance. The space is undeniably charming-warm lighting, thoughtful design, & an intimate atmosphere. It's aesthetically pleasing in a way that suggests a carefully curated experience.
Unfortunately, the reality doesn't quite live up to the setting.
We were seated at a wobbly table-a small detail, perhaps, but one that instantly chips away at comfort. It's something that's easy to fix & hard to ignore. The tables themselves are also notably small, packed tightly together in what feels like an effort to maximize capacity. While understandable from a business standpoint, it comes at the expense of ease & intimacy. Instead of feeling cozy, the space can feel cramped.
The cocktails were creative, well-balanced, & reasonably priced. It's clear that the bar is a strength. The wine list, though short, is well-selected as well.
The food, however, was underwhelming. The bites are serviceable but not particularly memorable. The beef tartare, in particular, lacked the depth & seasoning one hopes for-it felt flat & uninspired. At those prices, you expect something that excites the palate, not something you struggle to recall the next day.
This works well as a pre-date night stop: a place for a good drink in an attractive setting before heading somewhere else for dinner. We're glad we gave it a try, but between the cramped layout & the forgettable food, it's not somewhere we feel compelled to return to.
Enjoyed my gin & chartreuse cocktail & the two different glasses of red I had. Pleasant welcoming service. Cute decor, cozy atmosphere. My friends were equally happy with their cocktails & glasses.
Went to kabinet for a girls night recently. Cocktails were amazing I had the leon, now my new favourite. Special shoutout to Carrigan for the amazing service & company! Will be back soon!
Kind of chose this on a whim in our 30hr visit to Montreal from Vermont. Greatest whim in a long time Grigor was out server & he was great. He described the dishes & drinks perfectly. Guided us towards house specials & for our food order, made sure we not only had enough, but also made the experience so enjoyable. Grigor offered tastes of all of the wines by the glass & also described them to a t. Made me want to stay & have more but family...
As for the food, we had one of each dish & every one was prepared very well. From the opener of Hamachi crudo which was so simple but the flavors of the tomato base & the Hamachi itself made a great marriage in the mouth. As the food progressed, the layers of flavors increased to the showstoppers in my opinion, the potatoes & then the duck.
The potatoes were on a base of what I'd call ajvar, a pureed red pepper sauce but with some vinegar in there too. This offset the richness of the duck fat potatoes & I could have ordered more of them until I passed out from a food coma, but family...
Then the duck came out. On a base of pureed apple, the duck was perfectly cooked medium rare & the flavors melded so perfectly.
Along with the food, the cocktails were expertly crafted & again, worth seeking out.
Overall, this was a crazy good experience that I'd come back to Montreal from my home in Brooklyn for. I have a reason to drive further to ski Tremblant
Très bel endroit à l'ambiance & au service très sympathiques. Les cocktails sont réussis, le personnel a l'écoute. Côté cuisine, c'est réussi, avec de belles inspirations, la pieuvre bien cuite, le crudo parfait, mais peut être un peu cher pour des petites portions.
Bonne déco, on s'y sent bien.
May 1, 2025
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Popped in for a couple of cocktails on a warm early spring day. The drinks were excellent & surpassed only by the pleasant staff. Great place all around!
Vraiment tout était vraiment bon!
De bons plats & cocktails, expérience caviar & vodka, service super & restaurant vraiment bien agencé; feutré, pas péteux & décontracté!
Mention spéciale pour le magret de canard qui était excellent. Les cocktails étaient très bons & le serveur très sympa ! Le cadre est chic, discret, sans arrogance & intime. Très sympathique pour discuter avec des amis & parfait pour un rendez-vous romantique
Absolutely loved their signature cocktails & their house salad. Staff was very nice too. Went back the week after we first tried it to enjoy their terrace with friends.
J'adore le kabinet, que ce soit pour une first date, verres entre amis, 4 à 7 entre collègues ou pour prendre une bouchée tout est toujours impeccable. & que dire de Diego il fait honnêtement les meilleurs cocktails en ville! Je conseilles ses martinis (gin), le dark & stormy (le meilleur for reals)& le bitter Giuseppe (recette secrete)! & que dire des petits plats préparés avec amour par Andrew sa pieuvre à tomber par terre, une des meilleures que j'ai mangé, la portion est généreuse un culinary delight! Je vous conseille aussi de prendre en digestif le Caviar bump avec un shot de vodka! Un endroit Incroyable je vous le conseille sans hésite
Cocktails are good & the terrace is nice, perfect spot for a drink & share olives & nuts. Unfortunately the food was very disappointing. Whatever you do, do not order the Focaccia. Its a toast with cold roast beef cubes topped with fresh cranberries, it has no taste & nothing to do with a focaccia. Fish crudo was mainly a cucumber/tomato salad.. put aside the food & it's a great place to go for a drink before dinner.
Belle découverte dans le quartier. Cuisine assez bonne mais pas exceptionnelle. Bonne variété de plats & cocktails. Un peu bruyant, mais bon c'est un bar plus q'un resto. L'avantage est qu'on m' entend pas les voisins! Cuisine ouverte qui permet de voir les chefs à l'oeuvre!
Belle ambiance invitante & très beau décor ! Cocktail excellent. Beau concept pour le caviar & shooter de vodka. Très bon service. Mon point négatif est au niveau de la qualité de la nourriture ; petite assiette de crudo de poisson (poisson difficile à coupé & peu d'assaisonnement), boeuf bourgignon (boeuf coriace & manque de goût), salade d'hiver (comme on peut en retrouver partout, sans rien de spécial). Somme toute, nous avons eu une belle soirée.
Quelle soirée, nous n'avions aucune attente & nous sommes ressorti bluffés! Le staff est formidable, iels se sont occupé de moi & ma famille avec grand soin. La maître d'hôtel parfaite & le barman très sympathique & accueillant. Les busboy & girl nous ont servis avec une grande attention & nous nous sommes sentis choyés. La carte des vins est très belle & les cocktails à tomber! Je recommande chaudement, n'hésitez pas!
Restaurant incroyable ! Cuisine creative & gourmande, leurs cocktails & sélections de vins & aussi très bonnes ! Honnêtement tous les commentaires qui dénoncent « des assiettes trop petites Nianiani je suis un bébé je veux du McDo » allez dans une steakhouse ce n'est clairement pas le concept de la place. Vous entacherez l'image d'un restaurant où le personnels entier met du coeurs à l'ouvrage !
