Cabaret l'Enfer

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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!

16 janv. 2026

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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.

30 déc. 2025

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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.

3 nov. 2025

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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.

21 oct. 2025

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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.

21 sept. 2025

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Brandon

5.0

The food was incredible, the service is exceptional, & the old school 80s / punk rock vibe was right down my alley.

Chef Massimo & his entire crew made me feel welcomed, especially being my first time in Canada.

I would definitely come back whenever I come back to Montreal.

7 août 2025

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Sabrina

5.0

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.

4 août 2025

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Liz

5.0

On the expensive side, but the food was fantastic. If you need an entire experience, come here. Plus, Chef Massimo & his team are lovely.

26 juil. 2025

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Mitchell

5.0

Amazing food & service. Massimo is one of the best chefs & nicest people in the world

23 juil. 2025

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Athie

5.0

A really special experience. Thank you to the Chefs & wonderful staff. Massimo is a Canadian treasure, & the few negative reviewers here are insane. If you have the chance, dine here. The chef's counter is especially fun to watch the action.

23 juil. 2025

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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!

27 juin 2025

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Dan

5.0

Just when you think tasting menus are dead, Massimo will prove you wrong. Delicious yummy food from beginning to end. great vibes, great music, great service.

7 mai 2025

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Jean-Marc

5.0

Excellente découverte que ce restaurant gastronomique à Montréal où nous avons dîner en famille. Les préparations &/ou cuissons des mets (pâté en croûte revisité, boeuf aux baies de goji, lobster) étaient parfaites. Le mix des cuisines françaises italiennes & mexicaines est parfaitement maîtrisé sous la houlette de son chef Massimo. J'aime beaucoup le principe de la présentation d'un plat par le cuisinier lui-même. Le personnel de salle jeune dynamique & d'influences culinaires diverses s'est montré très professionnel & présent à souhait sans excès. Finalement une très belle expérience originale & festive.

15 août 2024

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Ali

5.0

Another beautiful discovery! My wife invited me to a surprise birthday dinner to this great restaurant & we loved the experience. Philippe, Théo, (également la mixologist désolé on n'a pas votre nom) & Chef Massimo were all perfect. We took the tasting menu with wine & all the meals were delicious. Only two recommendations for improvements: 1- the AC was not working & my wife would have like to be aware before we arrived at the restaurant - we had a very humid day in Montreal (almost 37c) 2- choice of music & the volume was loud at some moments. Regardless of those 2 details, we loved our experience & we will definitely go back & try the bar experience. Thank you all! Ali&Esthe

3 août 2024

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Zixiang

5.0

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.

23 juil. 2024

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Audrey

5.0

Expérience exceptionnelle. Massimo & son équipe sont extraordinaires.

3 juil. 2024

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Pépinière

5.0

Une équipe en feu avec un niveau d'énergie en salle palpable. Nourriture passionnée de haut niveau. Oreilles sensibles s'abstenir car le niveau de bruit est intense mais quelle ambiance ! Bravo Massimo qui vient saluer chaque table

1 juin 2024

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Vincent

5.0

Chef Massimo & his team never cease to amaze me. The thought, flavour, & execution of each dish is unrivalled. He & his team were also incredibly hospitable & welcoming of my team that had difficult dietary restrictions. The wine pairings were expertly chosen to be unconventional, thought provoking, & delicious. After my third visit here, it remains clear this restaurant is a MUST go.

19 avr. 2024

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Nick

5.0

Four of us had a fantastic evening yesterday which happened to be my birthday ! Staff were all excellent with a wonderful smiling service. The fixed tasting menu was amazing, great fun & not at all po-faced ! Well done Massimo - you're a complete star !

10 mars 2024

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Joël

5.0

Probably one of the best restaurants in Montreal. Lots of flavors & effort in each plate. The staff were on point & very polite. Good wine selection. Portions are a bit small but the experience was perfect. Thanks Massimo!

18 févr. 2024

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