Cabaret l'Enfer

Lukesh

5.0

This was an all-around fantastic experience.

The food presentation was great. The dishes with South American influence were especially good (mole & an entree containing a paste originating from El Salvador). The concept of each course corresponding to one of the seven deadly sins was fun. I was concerned I would leave feeling hungry, but that was not an issue at all.

We were seated by the chef's bar. It was fun to see the chefs cook, & they were super friendly in explaining what they were cooking.

We did not get the full wine pairing, but did try one pairing as proposed by the sommelier. It was a very good recommendation! Also, I think it's worth highlighting how great the sommelier was. He answered all of our questions, cracked jokes & really elevated our whole experience. We also had some cocktails/mocktails that were tasty.

The atmosphere was nice - lots of candles!

Jan 19, 2026

on Google

?

5.0

My first night on vacation in Montreal resulted in me getting a reservation at Cabaret l'enfer! I had been following Chef Massimo since he was on Top Chef & I was delighted to be having dinner in his restaurant during the 7 Sins tasting menu. Each of the courses were absolutely Divine & the plating & explanations from the chef was fantastic! The only reason why the atmosphere only gets four out of five stars is because some of the courses didn't quite match up with the sin. It did make sense when you Dove a little deeper, but on the surface it didn't quite match with what most people would think that sin means.

That being said, everything was delicious & it was a very fun way to start my first night in Montreal!

Jan 16, 2026

on Google

Annie

1.0

Horrible NYE dinner, spend your money elsewhere. They charged $170.00 per person, & there were FIFTY minute gaps between dishes. The dinner ran so long that we had to leave after the fourth course (seven courses total) so we didn't miss our NYE event. Our reservation was at 6:30pm by the way. They reduced a small amount from the bill, they never apologizes for the delays & nobody from management ever got back to me when we messaged them after the dinner. Really poor all around.

Jan 6, 2026

on Google

Lauryn

3.0

The food here was fantastic. I'll start there. The branzino en croute was a particular standout. But the service was ROUGH. Our 7-course meal took nearly 4 hours, with long, sometimes 20-minute gaps between courses. Tables seated nearly an hour after ours received some courses before we did. I had the wine pairing, & they completely forgot to pour my wine for the fish course. Some dishes were explained well, others were confusing. The chefs generally explained the dishes well, but the waitstaff seldom checked in, which made it difficult for my partner (who doesn't drink) to order mocktails. I don't know if this was an off night or what, but it seemed like they desperately need to streamline service from what we saw. I will say that Massimo himself was fun & delightful, & clearly enjoys interacting with his customers, but for what ended up being nearly $700 CAD after tip, I expected to be taken care of with a little more attention & intention.

Dec 30, 2025

on Google

Kyle

5.0

I went here as I watched Top Chef & saw Massimo on the most recent season. This was our Anniversary meal, & though we didnt see Massimo, the staff treated us exceptionally well.

We were greeted with a welcome cocktail & the meal progressed from there. Our menu was fairly seafood heavy, which was great for me, but not ideal for my wife. The food was all fantastic from start to finish, & I highly recomend the wine pairing with each course.

The restaraunt itself was beautiful, & I loved all the candles throughout.

A perfect place to splurge & enjoy an anniversary (or date night). The menu changes daily, so keep that in mind when you visit.

Nov 3, 2025

on Google

Evan

2.0

I spent a long time searching for a great dinner spot in Montreal to take my girlfriend to on her birthday while we were in Montreal. I felt confident Cabaret L'Enfer would be a hit, but unfortunately, it fell far short of expectations.

Cabaret L'Enfer is different from traditional fine dining restaurants in that you don't have a server in the traditional sense. A young man in black fetched us water when we arrived & asked if we'd like the wine pairing with our meal. When I asked for details about the wine pairing, he had no details to offer. He clumsily said something about how their sommelier chose the wines, & that they pair well with the courses (which is a given) but no knowledge of the actual wines themselves.
Despite this, we requested the wine pairings & the mail began. I will say that for the most part, we enjoyed the courses. Some were better than others, but they were fairly exotic, adventurous, & interesting. The tuna belly was our favorite. The dessert dusted with chocolate powder over a stencil as to create a resemblance of Leonard Cohen .. was laughably tacky & just not good.

But what fell short more than anything was the ambiance & experience.

We were sat at the bar, where you're offered a unique experience of watching the preparation of the courses. If the kitchen is'on' that day, I think it could be a fun addition to the experience. Well, on this particular day - the kitchen was not especially locked in. If your kitchen is on display to your clientele, things should be running immaculately, but there were a number of issues:

- The vent fan was broken & the smoke from the seared duck enveloped the entire (tiny) restaurant area. Watching Massimo himself jump & try to throw a sheet of paper against the vent fan to confirm they were indeed not working, & seeing it fall behind the fryer.. was something.

- We had to lean in & try very hard to hear the chefs over loud 80s punk/industrial music as they described the courses as they were served. They sometimes failed to recall specific English words to describe elements of the meal. Understandable in Montreal, but just a bit clumsy & something that, in my opinion, an actual server should be doing.

- Seeing plastic bins with prepped food pulled out of refrigerators to plate courses - while it is something that occurs at literally every restaurant, it is best kept behind a wall, in my opinion.

This all felt so amateur & unbecoming of a restaurant that purports to be a fine dining experience. It was bizarre & somewhat uncomfortable.

I don't watch Top Chef, so I'm not especially enthralled with the mystique of'Massimo'. If you are, you may enjoy his banter & antics. He was buzzing around the restaurant, serving wine, running food, chit chatting, working the room. He certainly has a big personality, & I could see the appeal for folks who are foodies. It didn't really add anything notable to our experience.

My priority when eating at a restaurant such as this is a delicious, thoughtful set of courses served by an attentive & highly knowledgeable server prepared to offer excellent service. While the food was mostly good, the service & ambiance so aggressively missed the mark that I feel very disappointed with our experience. At $550 USD for two, it is quite expensive for such a lackluster overall experience.

Oct 21, 2025

on Google

David

5.0

Do you have an open mind about fine dining? Are you willing to be open to an engaging experience which is both edgy & comforting? If you are, I think you will love Massimo Piedimonte's Montreal restaurant.

The first thing you will notice upon walking into the restaurant is likely the space. It is small & intimate. It feels like you have been invited into an eclectic downtown apartment with loud colors, artwork & punk music. Next you will likely meet Massimo who is a gracious, fun & lively host. Massimo is a bundle of energy- almost punk rock like - at one minute host, at another chef, at another he is at your table serving & describing & telling stories & then, flash, he is off doing other things. It's energetic & fun & you feel like you are a part of something.

The rest of the crew are incredibly well trained, professional kind & calming the frenetic (in a good way) energy of Massimo. The wine service, in particular, was superb & knowledgeable. The sommelier is Argentinian & she has a deep/broad appreciation for wines from around the World. Fall backwards with her recommendations, she will catch you & recommend excellent wines to match the cuisine. While we ordered by the bottle, the wine pairings we saw were generous & clever selections. She is a really superb addition to the restaurant.

The food was wonderful. Small, expertly prepared courses that challenged your senses & taste buds similar to the artwork & music that surround. Acid, fat, umami, textures from soft to crunchy - all swirling & dancing & jumping & then combining for memorable bites.

I understand this experience may not appeal to all in the fine dining world. This is not a restaurant where voices are muted, service is reserved & you can hear a mouse fart. This is an edgy, energetic party with an eclectic host. But at its heart, Cabaret L'Enfer is full of love. I highly recommend it but please go with an open mind & a fun attitude.

P.S. some have described the pricing as expensive. I felt it was quite reasonable for the experience & excellent cuisine - particularly for a small restaurant that lavishes attention on its guests. With wine pairings included you should expect to spend around $200 US dollars per person.

Sep 21, 2025

on Google

Lynn

3.0

It took 3 hours to finish a 7 course meal because of how slow the service was. There were 35 minutes between the first & second desserts. I am not new to'concept' restaurants that have small portions, but the last time I had portions this ridiculous, it was a 14 course menu. The food was good but for 150$+ a head, you'll wonder where the rest of it is. The duck dish was literally two slices of duck & a sliver of asparagus. Is the asparagus really so pricey that they have to ration it? The charcuterie board was the same for every table. There were three of us & we got one (1) slice of bread & one tiny ball of burrata. The table next to us was a couple & they got the exact same amount. Is that not a little silly? We had to beg for more bread because again, it is served one slice at a time. It's also incredible that, despite all of this, they feel confident enough to start the tip options at 18%. Good for them, I guess!

Jul 5, 2025

on Google

Rachel

5.0

Didn't come in with much expectation other than knowing Massimo had been on Top Chef, but we were blown away. Every course was incredible. The dishes were creative & like nothing we'd ever eaten. The flavors were so well balanced & interesting. The service was perfect. We feel lucky for having the opportunity to come here!

Jun 27, 2025

on Google

Jonathan

5.0

Definitely one of the top dining experiences in North America none thebless Montreal. Every course offered is so fresh & creative. The staff is very well knowledgeable as well as warm & accommodating. If you haven't been yet, you're absolutely missing out.

May 24, 2025

on Google

Matt

5.0

The best meal we ate in Montreal among several excellent tasting menus. Sit at the bar, talk to the team, a great experience, the multi-layered, multi-textured chocolate dessert was the best thing I've eaten in the last year as a sweet course, complex, not overly sweet, truly a masterwork.

Apr 5, 2025

on Google

Tal

5.0

What an incredible meal & experience! We were 6 fully vegan diners, & the Chef & his team prepared an insane 7 course meal for us. It was PERFECT! We were blown away, service was professional, patient, super friendly & attentive! The wines which were all recommended by the wonderful Sommelier were all AMAZING! food, taste, creativity & presentation was just out of this world! 10/10!! We will be back!

Dec 9, 2024

on Google

Rémy

3.0

We were excited to pay a visit to Cabaret l'enfer last week after hearing so much about it. Overall, we were disappointed, the food was good (but with very few memorable dishes in my opinion) but the service was abysmal, by far the worst I've had in a restaurant at this price point in Montréal. We got there at 20:15, paid for the tuna extra so we had 8 courses. We left at 00:10, so almost 4h later. The service was excruciatingly slow, & ruined the overall experience for me. It took over an hour to get the first course. Food wise, the charcuterie board was good & enjoyable, the fatty tuna extra was also delicious, same for the scallops. The rest of the meal wasn't bad, but I'm writing this barely a week after going to the restaurant & I've already forgotten what those dishes were, so they probably weren't that good. The restaurant by itself is pretty plain, some may call it ugly. It feels cheaply put together, & not in line with the $140 tasting menu. I would not come back & recommend the restaurant to friends, there are very similar, but superior restaurants in the city.

Nov 11, 2024

on Google

Ziggy

5.0

I was expecting greatness & got that & then some. I'm used to eating well in NYC & Europe & this was something special, & decent value. The variety, the music, the vibe, helped as well. It felt like eating in someone's fancy living room. A rarity for a place of such caliber. The scallop & entrecote courses were something else. Full report on Eatingwithziggy.[com]

Jul 25, 2024

on Google

Dr.

5.0

The initial impression is a neighborhood resto thanks to the unassuming decor & laid back atmosphere. The service is several levels above the usual in Montreal - constant attention from the waitstaff as every detail is managed throughout the night without any fatigue. Food is exceptional - we had a 7 course meal including entrecote & scallops roasted over coals (japanese BBQ), trout sauteed in butter (very unique), asparagus in light hollandaise, & even rhubarb in the dessert. The dishes are small, but we were pretty full by the fourth or fifth course so no issues there. The chefs take turns serving you all night, so it feels very communal & unpretentious. Overall the food is exquisite, easily in the top tier of the city's fine dining offerings. definitely worth a visit or two.

Jun 25, 2024

on Google

Craig

5.0

Be prepared for a gastronomical experience...this is not a place to go out for a quick bite but to take your time to enjoy all the thoughtful flavors assembled by a team of chefs for your culinary delights...literally! Cabaret L'enfer offers an outstanding service of very small portions, prepared & presented over an extended period of time...usually coupled with an excellent wine paring. Just know that this meal takes time...budget around 2 1/2 hours to fully enjoy the experience (see below for more). The set menu was presented to us as we sat down...with 7 included courses & the option to add on two others (for an additional charge). Note that everything is prepared in house (bread, purees, etc...) so it is super fresh. The wine pairing is an additional $85 but includes a 100ml glass for almost each dish so it is worth the value. The starter is the Anti-Pasti board (a mixed of meats & purees with a side of bread), then a pasta Agnolotti with Hazelnuts, then a Scallop & Potato service, then a Cardeau fish serving, then a Hazelnut Tetela Mexican tarte, the Lemon Parsley Granita palate cleanser, the meat service in a Bordelaise sauce, followed by two dessert dishes, Meringue Skull with Black Apple & Blackberry Mille-Feuille. As mentioned, the portions are relatively small & we did not feel stuffed or overwhelmed in any way & everything truly tasted wonderful. Although I commented on the length of the meal service, in fact it was barely noticeable because of the company I had. We had a chance to catch up with each other & re-connect as it were in a perfect setting. So it made our meal that much more enjoyable...& that would be my point; go with a small group 2-4 people where you can spend quality time together. It will be well worth the visit & create a warm, loving memory. Enjoy!

Feb 4, 2024

on Google

Thomas

5.0

Incredible experience - easily one of the best meals my wife & I have ever had. Each course was beautifully presented & full of unique, delicious flavors. The smell & flavor from the Japanese style, wood-fired grill were particularly delicious. The wine pairings were spot on as well. Also, my wife is vegetarian the substitutes she received in place of the meat courses were excellent. We live in New England but I'd happily make the drive to Montreal every time their menu changes - it's that good. Thank you so much to Massimo & team for a great experience, we cannot wait to return!

Feb 2, 2024

on Google

Fernando

5.0

Amazing spot in Montreal. Ran by passionate people who truly know their craft.

If you want to go all in with the tasting menu ($120) & it's wine pairing (80$)you will leave satisfied, happy & wanting to come back.

Now they have a late night short menu for those who want to be coming back often as regulars, amazing 40$ price for three courses this one is a must for repeat customers. I know I'll be coming back for more.

Thank you Santiago & the rest of the team for putting on a show last night.

Oct 12, 2023

on Google