Bar Kabinet offre une ambiance chic et intime avec un programme de cocktails créatif et un service attentif, et l'espace semble accueillant au premier regard; cependant les places assises peuvent sembler serrées et les petites tables nuisent au confort, tandis que la nourriture est souvent décrite comme correcte mais pas particulièrement mémorable et les portions peuvent paraître petites au regard des prix; de nombreux avis soulignent les boissons et les associations caviar et champagne comme des points forts, et l'endroit fonctionne bien comme étape avant le dîner ou pour prendre un verre entre amis, avec des visiteurs généralement enclins à revenir pour l'ambiance et les boissons même si un repas complet ne répond pas toujours aux attentes.
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.
Gregor & Karrigan were amazing! I'm so grateful for their service. Gregor gave multiple suggestions for white wine & I absolutely loved the suggestion he gave (Weszeli was my fave!). Thank you so much!
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
We really enjoyed the place! We were sitting on “chef’s table”. Food was delicious. We had a great experience with staff, suggested bottle of wine was exactly as we requested. Ambiance was just perfect for our small date night.
