Cabaret L'Enfer offers a bold, intimate dining experience with an open kitchen and counter seating that many reviews describe as energetic and engaging. The menu is inventive and expressive, blending coastal, Latin and Asian influences with intricate plating and strong wine pairings that often complement each course. Dishes like otoro and handmade pastas regularly receive praise for creativity and balance, while the atmosphere is repeatedly noted for candlelit warmth and a lively, showlike vibe. The staff and sommelier are frequently highlighted for knowledge and hospitality, though service can be slow and pacing uneven on some nights, and portions are sometimes considered small for the price. Reservations are essential due to the small space, and the experience can feel like a night out rather than a traditional fine dining meal, with some guests embracing the spectacle and others wishing for more restraint. Overall, Cabaret L'Enfer is seen as a standout culinary adventure that rewards an open mind and may inspire a return visit, despite occasional inconsistencies and cost considerations.
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
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
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.
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.
Why ask if you're coming for a special occasion if you dont care!!!! If you're playing $500+ for a dining experience your expectations should be very high but, maybe that is just me.
Putting that aside we sat bar side & the chefs were fun, engaging, & just great people to hang out with. Unfortunately, the rest of the staff seem new, needed much direction, & even timid when engaging with us.
The food….we were served 7 dishes & only 2 out of the 7 were very good. The rest I will have to back to the pictures we took to remember what we ate.
Overall, was the food good- sure, was the restaurant nice - sure, but for what you'd expect from a Top Chef restaurant… very disappointing
We had the chefs counter experience & it was so amazing to see the magic our head chef incorporated into our meal. The vibe was great. The food was really good but the highlight for us was the angolotti, their hand made pasta dish. The flavors they combined to create all the dishes were creative & delicious. Would visit again when visiting Montreal.
By far one of the best culinary experiences I've had in my life. Chef Massimo truly out does himself, & the food is incredible. Each dish was curated to perfection, balanced & full of flavor. The full tasting menu is a must if you are planning to visit. The atmosphere is a laid back fine dining vibe, & truly unique. The kitchen is open concept, so you can see the chefs in action which give it that extra touch. It's truly something special to see them all cooking together as one. The Otoro & the Morue were the stand out dishes of the night, but everything we had was great. Will be visiting regularly when I come back to the city.
Aug 4, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
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!
It was my second time at cabaret l'enfer & it was absolutely delicious. Ordered everything. I was a little over-full by the end but I think most people would be perfect. There are a lot of restaurants here in Montreal that will give you more food, but it won't be as high quality. If you are looking for big plates this isn't the spot for you (no judgement, just an honest fyi). Everything is made in house & there's a sense of perfectionism that permeates the dishes. It's not very showy, it's just really, really good. I would kill someone for a loaf of their bread. Sauces were killer. The charcuterie plate is wonderful. Lobster & saffron was a great bite. Koji marinated beef was outstanding. Nice wine pairings, too, funky but enjoyable picks. I also had a fun time with the team, so yeah, would recommend if you're down to get spendy.
This restaurant sadly did not live up to the expectations. I really wanted to like this restaurant but it felt like they were trying to copy some playbook of providing a haute cuisine experience but without the substance behind it.
First, the portion sizes are just ridiculously small for the price you pay. Unfortunately the quality of cooking techniques & creativity in ingredients & dishes do not make up for that lack of quantity, as one might expect from similar fine dining restaurants that offer the tasting menu format.
I visited Montreal for a week trying highly rated restaurants each night, & this was both my most expensive & least satisfying meal.
I actually left so hungry after the menu was completed that I had to find a Portuguese chicken place to eat. I was still hungry enough to finish a 1/4 chicken plate.
The second issue, though much more minor, was that the service felt very artificial. Everyone was friendly, but it felt fake & like they didn't care to have any conversation beyond what they needed to say when presenting each dish.
I added a star only for the fact that the owner was actually out on the line prepping alongside his chefs, & he at least made attempts to speak to each guest at the chef's table at least once.
My husband & I went for our Wedding Anniversary celebration & were not disappointed. It was an amazing experience. They were so welcoming, like a family. The food was fantastic. We were seated at the counter it was well worth it. You were able to see all the activities of the restaurant & how well everyone worked together. It was one of the best experiences my Husband & I had. The food was exceptional & will never forget this experience & would definitely come back. The chefs were very attentive & made you feel like you were apart of their family. All the dishes were made with local products, homemade, including their Burrata cheese. All we can say is Wow! Thank you for everything.
Jun 10, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
I went to Cabaret l'Enfer for a birthday celebration & had such a great experience.
The space is cozy & intimate, with a dim, warm atmosphere that makes you feel instantly comfortable. The dishes were excellent, thoughtfully prepared with great attention to flavor & detail. Big shoutout to the staff, who were professional, attentive & clearly passionate about what they do.
Just make sure to plan well ahead, as reservations often need to be made months in advance if you want a chance at getting a table.A fantastic spot for a special night out in Montreal.
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.
Very well curated dishes from various cuisines. Staff was friendly & attentive. The chef Massimo is an Italian with French culinary training who has worked under Daniel Boulud. He selects the dishes daily to keep the menu fresh & current with the seasons. The use of the charcoal grill is the highlight of many dishes as it infuses the food with the signature aroma of charcoal smoke.
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
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
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!
