We named our restaurant Bistro Nolah, an acronym for New Orleans, out of a love for the style of comfort food they serve down south. This style of food will be the inspiration behind some of the dishes we will be serving at Nolah.
Bistro Nolah is described as a warm, intimate spot with a small but lively dining room and a vibe that nods to New Orleans. The food receives high praise across the board, with standout dishes including gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp and grits, fried chicken, brisket, catfish, hush puppies, bread pudding, and beignets, noted for rich flavors, generous portions, and thoughtful presentation. Brunch is a major draw, offering inventive southern favorites and a few guests calling it among the best, though the restaurant can be busy and reservations are often advised due to limited space. The service is repeatedly described as attentive, knowledgeable, friendly, and accommodating, contributing to an overall welcoming atmosphere that makes it feel like a special occasion without being overly formal. Several reviews mention a charming interior and, in good weather, a terrace experience that enhances the mood. Occasional notes of spice balance and timing show that the kitchen can be very busy on weekends, with a few patrons noting long waits or specific dishes that could have more heat or variety. Overall, Bistro Nolah is seen as a top choice for southern comfort cuisine in Montreal, delivering consistent quality, strong hospitality, and a dining experience that fans are eager to repeat.
Our dining experience in Montreal has been somewhat disappointing recently, with restaurants charging very high prices for sub-par quality. I'm absolutely happy to pay for good quality food, & I understand the difficulties restaurants are facing post-pandemic. That being said, we went to Bistro Nolah tonight & were blown away by how wonderful everything was. Ambiance was lovely, really loved how cozy the restaurant is, the jazz music & the decor. Tables are spaced well enough apart & music is a good volume so that you don't have to yell over any noise. My partner & I definitely plan to come back for another date night. The service was great. I almost wished they came less frequently to our table, but we arrived at 5 pm when it was initially less busy. Still, it was not overbearing by any means. We were given plenty of time to relax after getting our check without us needing to search for our waiter to pay. & our waiter clearly knew the menu really well - we really appreciated his input when we were choosing our meals. Finally, the food & drinks were fantastic. I had a Dark & Stormy which was double the size of a cocktail I'd get in the city. Great value, well made. Nothing special on the cocktail menu front, but still very much enjoyed my drink. Started out with some nice warm bread rolls with some very addictive smoky/sweet butter. We shared the sausage gumbo appetizer. Really tasty & notably the texture of the rice in the gumbo was perfect, but can't speak to how it compares to gumbo from Louisiana. Not particularly spicy, as someone who eats a lot of spicy food, contrary to what some reviewers have said, but flavorful. I would recommend trying it, but will skip it next time & try out the fried chicken or mac & cheese, as a matter of personal preference. We shared the brisket & creole shrimp mains. Brisket was phenomenal, especially the barbecue sauce. Love oyster mushrooms, but could take or leave the ones on top of the brisket. Felt like they could use a better sautée & that they didn't mesh that well with the dish. Mashed potatoes were also delicious. That said, it was my favorite dish we ate, as well as my partner's, but was very closely followed by the creole shrimp. If you don't like heat of any kind, the creole shrimp might not be for you. We love spicy. The shrimp was cooked perfectly & the flavor was fantastic. The tomato sauce was also incredible & had the perfect amount of heat. The side of jambalaya & veggies were good too, but not the star of the show. To be fair, I was incredibly full & saved them for last - a testament to the nice portion size for what we paid & my mistake of eating a pain au chocolat an hour & a half before dinner. For me, what makes a restaurant stand out is attention to detail, & Bistro Nolah does not disappoint in that regard. I can't wait to come back & try some dessert next time! If you're like us & live nowhere near the West Island, I hope this convinces you to make the trip. My only regret is not coming here sooner.
Absoutely amazing experience, the food was incredible. Atmosphere was awesome. Overall I highly recommend this place for a different experience in the west island.
Nov 25, 2023
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Not happy, my husband's favorite restaurant. Decided to order to have a nice evening in as he was tired from long work hours. The prices on Uber were Minimum 5.00 increase per item. Hush puppies 17.00 instead of 12.00. braised ribs 52.00 instead of 45.00, mac & cheese 25.00 instead of 17.00, why an 8.00 increase on mac & cheese? That is offensive
L'endroit parfait pour une date. Un plaisir culinaire qui nous amène directement au bonheur à chaque bouchée. Il faut ajouter cet établissement à votre liste.
Service is always on point. The waiters are always attentive & nice. The food is not what it used to be. I had ordered the grits, mac & cheese, ceviche, brisket & beignets. The brisket & ceviche tasted very bland. The mac & cheese & grits were great but nothing special. Everything was just ok. It used to be really good & tasty. I missed the brunch that they offered back in the day. The food is the main reason that I have updated the overall ratings from 5 to 4* & food ratings from 5 to 3*.
Nov 3, 2023
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Been meaning to go for a few months/since opening. No reservation, still was able to sit at the bar. Service was very good, great attention from our waiter(maybe owner/manager) & the bar staff. We ordered Mac & cheese & Jambalaya balls (special menu) & they were amazing, took shrimp creole & braised ribs for mains, both great dishes, shrimp creole was perfectly spiced, I am always worried when ordering shrimp but in a creole restaurant it's a must & was not disappointed. Braised ribs was tender & delicious. Drinks were made with fresh citrus juices & very tasty. Unfortunately no room for dessert. Atmosphere was welcoming nice music & good vibe. Would go back & would recommend. Did not take picture too existed to eat.
Very attentive service & the food was so flavoursome! If they have the banana cheesecake on the special menu, don't miss you chance!! It's hands down the best cheesecake I ever had! Thanks again for everything Bistro Nolah!
I happened upon a review from a resto I had dinner at a few weeks ago that was posted by "Dan" his pontificating & belly aching about being charged a few for not showing for a reservation , buddy .. you are not ready for fine dining stick to taverns & mcds, slandering a phenomenal restaurant because you can't keep a reservation is a whole new level of hillbilly entitlement
I just came on to leave a compliment to the team of Bistro Nolah & saw the complaint about being charged for late cancellation. As a hairdresser, I loose so much money every time a client doesn't show up. Without a 24 notice, we can't make up that money. You shouldn't be so upset if you were going to show up to your reservation, & if you weren't going to show up, then you should be made to pay the Restaurant's loss. The small businesses haven't recovered from covid yet, & people like you don't make it easy on us. You just gave one star.... What do you think that does for his business? If you don't want to go back, that is your prerogative,but don't make it any harder for the small businesses who are working so hard to keep their heads above water. I'm sorry you never got to experience the great food of Bistro Nolah, I've been there often & it's worth every penny. I wish you good luck.
Oct 22, 2023
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Not the same as pre-pandemic & wasn't worth the price tag. No more amuse-bouche. How is covid responsible for that(excuse from waitress) Had to flag the waitress multiple times. Not busy, just distracted. Rice tasted like it was from chi-chi's or a can. Sausage was dry. They used to serve imported wine, now same stuff as SAQ. Chloé for crying out loud. Now there is nothing original nor good enough to overlook the parking lot terrasse. There are better places to spend +100$.
I dont ever post on reviews but we were there for a wedding recently. The food was delicious & presented beautifully but ,the staff!!!!!! They were the best !!! I haven't been around staff that treated people that good in a long time.
Your boss needs to keep you happy because losing you would be a disaster!
