It was in 1934 that Mr. Delisle and Mr. Morissette first opened Chez Delmo just up the street from where it is now. Back then it had 3 floors; a seafood restaurant on the main floor, a gaming house on the 2nd and brothel on the 3rd.
In 1964, Mr. Roland Périsset took over the operation and closed the 2 top floors.
Our menu has changed little over the past 80 years. Quality fish and seafood prepared and served in a traditional way. The house specialty is the Dover sole meunière. Our chefs take great pride in this dish, which used to be de-boned table-side, but now done just before serving. Our lobster bisque takes 2 days to create and the classic cream of tomato remains virtually unchanged for decades.
We have stayed true to cuisine classique, resisting the popular tide of nouvelle cuisine. Traditionally prepared quality seafood; unadorned and unembellished.
Over the years, Delmo has had its share of facelifts; the 18 bar-stools surrounding the granite bar are all that are left of the original 38. The iron sign outside and its original lighted tulips, were salvaged and still greet all our clients. The destruction of the original porcelain tile frieze that decorated the walls behind the bar prompted us to ask local muralist and celebrated artist, Carlito DalCeggio, to reproduce his version of the scenic garden party adorned with the verse from 18th English poet John Gay, “from wine what sudden friendship springs”.
Chez Delmo stands out as a premier seafood destination in Old Montreal, offering top quality, fresh ingredients, generous portions, and a warm, welcoming atmosphere that blends historic charm with modern elegance. Diners repeatedly praise house specialties like the Dover sole Meuniere and lobster ravioli, the seafood tower, and a variety of seafood pastas, all prepared with skill and care. The service is consistently described as friendly, attentive, professional, and knowledgeable, with a strong emphasis on hospitality and a personal touch that makes guests feel at home. The interior and location near Notre Dame Basilica contribute to an appealing setting, from intimate bar seating to refined dining rooms, and the overall experience is often described as memorable and ideal for celebrations or special occasions. While prices reflect the quality and setting, many reviews note excellent value for quality, thoughtful wine pairings, and accommodations for dietary restrictions. Overall, Chez Delmo is portrayed as a reliable, high-end yet welcoming choice for seafood lovers visiting Montreal, with a reputation built on great food, superb service, and a distinctive atmosphere.
Great seafood restaurant! Top quality, fresh ingredients & generous portions. The greeting is fast & professional, the service is efficient & very
friendly. Arguably the best seafood restaurant in Montreal, certainly the oldest, just a 2 minute walk from the Notre Dame basilica in the Old Port. As you come in you are greeted by one of the owners through the bar section, where you can see the original stools & lamps from the 1930s. You get the feel of a classic neighbourhood joint, full of regulars, very busy. The cocktails are very generous (6 oz martinis). They have an nice seafood tower, very festive . The seafood pasta is outstanding. The Dover sole Meuniere is the house specialty, & it's the best i've had anywhere. Also we tried lobster ravioli, which was a highlight. The staff is young, super friendly & professional, & the owners are charming. Strongly recommend, overall a great value. They offer indoor valet parking for $15
Great seafood restaurant. Nice clean decor with artistic murals, professional management. Friendly , & professional waiters. The drinks are fabulous, great bloody caesars & huge martinis. We had soups (lobster bisque) & different entrees. All were great. One of us in our party is allergic to seafood, so I mentioned when I reserved & they had planned accordingly. OveralI a great experience, quality food, reasonable prices on everything, even the wine. The seafood pasta is the best: fresh pasta with large chunks of lobster, jumbo shrimps, scallops & huge clams, in a lobster sauce. I could eat it everyday. Also the lobster ravioli was a hit, generous & fresh.The tables are far apart which is nice, & there are large windows overlooking beautiful buildings. Can't wait to go back!
Feb 11, 2026
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Some dishes at Chez Damlo truly shine, offering delightful surprises that keep you eager for your next visit. The service is impeccable, making you feel welcomed, & the ambience creates a relaxing vibe that enhances your dining experience.
The star of the menu was the octopus entrée - succulently tender & bursting with flavour, it was a highlight. On the other hand, the lobster bisque fell flat, being light on lobster & lacking the rich flavour one would hope for.
For mains, the local giant scallops stood out with their impressive size & delightful taste, showcasing the young chef's skill. Conversely, the lobster club sandwich was disappointing; it was light on lobster & overwhelmed by bacon, overshadowing the seafood.
Based on my experience, I recommend exploring other, non-lobster seafood options here. Overall, you can enjoy a fantastic meal at Chez Damlo.
I had the pleasure of dining at Chez Delmo this evening & it was delightful in every way possible. I dined at the bar & had the pleasure to meet the owners, who are a joy to converse with, as was the incredible staff. The lobster bisque & the staff recommended walleye were divine. You can truly taste the love that goes into these dishes. It is places like this that remind us how special a dining experience can be. Thank you Benoit, & everyone I had the pleasure to meet!!
What an amazing experience! My wife & daughter & I were visiting Montreal recently & wanted seafood. Based on Yelp reviews, we chose to try Chez Delmo & made reservations. Our table was ready right away, & the service was fantastic from beginning to end. From great recommendations about must-try dishes (the Lobster Club, for example) to wine pairings, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. To top it off, we were there at the same time a celebrity (who shall remain nameless here) was dining there, & as we were finishing our dinner we got chatting with Benoit who graciously spent a lot of time with us chatting about life, family, & everything else. We didn't just have a terrific dining experience, we feel like we made some new friends.
It's rare to find a restaurant that truly delivers on every front-ambience, service, & most importantly, food-but this place absolutely nailed it. From the moment we walked in, the atmosphere felt inviting, setting the tone for an exceptional dining experience.
We started with a selection of appetizers that impressed across the board. The grilled octopus had a wonderful smoky flavor, perfectly complemented by well-seasoned greens. The calamari was delightfully crispy & light, not greasy. We had the following soups: the tomato soup was rich & creamy with a beautifully balanced flavor, the lobster bisque was loaded with tender lobster chunks, & the clam chowder was indulgently creamy & brimming with fresh clam meat.
For our main courses, we tried the walleye, scallops, the Creole crab & lobster ravioli. Each dish was thoughtfully prepared & bursting with flavor. The ravioli was stuffed generously with real lobster meat & none of the usual tasteless filler (cheese). Every plate was a hit with our group.
Service was top-notch, & a big part of that was thanks to our server, William. He was friendly, attentive, & genuinely made our night better. If you're heading here, definitely ask for William's table-he's exactly the kind of server you hope for when dining out.
This restaurant has earned a spot at the top of my list, & I'll definitely be back when I'm in Montreal again.
Nothing to criticize. This is the experience you want when you eat out. Lobster ravioli comes in a modest portion so not ideal if you have a big appetite but the lobster is delicate & delicious. The Mussels & Fries were a treat. Mussels are plentiful robust & delicious & the presentation is first class. The owner is present & welcoming & our server Cedric was friendly helpful & attentive. This was our 5th or 6th visit & we'll definitely return on our next visit to Montreal.
Mar 1, 2025
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Very nice restaurant The food, the service & especially the Chef Delmo. He visited our table & was very welcoming.
We eat the Lobster Rolls & they were delicious.
What a lovely lunch we had while visiting Montreal. We were wandering in the cold & happened to blindly pop into this adorable neighborhood gem. We were welcomed by the owner & seated at the bar as requested. We had a lovely time chatting with him & his daughter. I wish I had gotten their names. The food was spectacular! Started off with a lovely cabbage salad, so fresh & the perfect amount of vinegarette to wake the palate. Next came the lobster bisque, which is so flavorful with large pieces of lobster meat. Not the thick almost gelatinous mess you can sometimes get while dining out. Their recipe is light & so velvety. Next came the lobster roll which was accomplished by a green balsamic vinegarette dressed salad & the most delicious thin & crunchy French fries. The lobster roll was outstanding! The bun was the perfect amount of soft yet toasty & buttery. It was packed with large chunks of soft moist lobster with a light creamy dressing. A little hint of onion or shallot & a whisper of cilantro. If we were locals we would be frequent guests! Already looking forward to coming back this summer!
Chez Delmo was an amazing experience from the moment my wife & I stepped through their door. From the owner, to his lovely daughter behind the bar & his attentive son on the waitstaff. This was our first time in, but certainly not our last. The lobster bisque was a true delight to the palate & the lobster roll, was the best I have ever had. Fresh,firm,abundance of lobster tossed in the most perfect dressing. Certainly a must go if you're in the area, guaranteed to not disappoint.
My wife & I dined at Chez Delmo twice, while on vacation. A truly exceptional experience in all ways. The lobster bisque is to die for. Had a great time with Benoit, the co-owner, who was pleasant company.
Nov 8, 2024
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In Montreal for 1 night & Chez Delmo was recommended to us by our hotel concierge when we inquired about a local place to eat that had great seafood. The only reservation for 2 available was at the bar & we were ok with that. In the end I am so grateful we dined at the bar as David made our experience all that much better. He was very educated on the menu, made excellent recommendations', made sure his team paid attention to all the small details & had great conversation with us. It was fun watching him mix drinks & I admired his skill, so much so that I had to order a martini after watching him expertly make them. The lobster bisque was chalked full of succulent lobster in a lovely broth. We had beef tartare, which I generally hate but absolutely loved, & oysters to start. My husband had the catch of the day (halibut) while I dined on the creole crab. Everything was superb. We met the owners & heard some of the history of Chez Delmo. It is nice to see such pride in ownership. We definitely do not regret dining here & would make this a staple when we visit.
Really We had an issue with an item & the Owner resolved it followed up as expected - no harm no foul. But I have to say after that resolution we were treated by the waitstaff as if we had leprosy. After the table was partially cleared, we waited for someone, anyone, to check in or offer a dessert menu..finally after 20 minutes we had to go chase the server to get one. Let me say, the restaurant was less than half full, so no excuse there. The Tiramsu was good, dish cleared, & we're back to leprosy status again....waiting another 20 minutes & completely ignored again, so we chase down the waiter again for the bill. Really wanted to let the owner know how disappointed we were but he seemed to have developed a singular chatty patty focus on 2 gentlemen seated at the bar. Finally got the bill after 25 minutes..& the waiter snatched the bill from my hand. Very very disappointed in the staff. About the food, the French onion soup & lobster bisque were very good but the walleye, a flakey white lake fish, was so over salted it was nearly inedible...& that's why the food is rated a 3....The waiter was terrible, the food was just ok... Will not go back ..EVER!!!
Visiting chez delmo was a weird experience. When you visit the website, you expect a bright seafood lovers paradise driven by a long tradition over the many years this restaurant has been open. Badges galore as we scroll on the website as they are a top 3 Montreal seafood restaurant, hence you book a table with creditcard guarantee which enhances the expectations even more. Come dinner night, you enter what can only be described as a sports bar with two tv screens playing sports in a otherwise dark, loud & cheap looking place because of the furniture. So far the ambiance. Service is top with all waiters friendly & giving advice where needed. On to the food. Fish & chips were really nice. Lots of flavour in the batter & fresh made tatare sauce. Main was the seafood pasta which, as signature dish, at 75$ cad a plate was a expensive dish for half a (very small) lobster tale, two scallops, 2 shrimps & 4 very small mussels. The dish went for a smokey flavour but ended up leaving a burned aftertaste with every bite. I would not recommend, especially if I compare a 350$ cad bill at the end of the evening.
The lobster roll, the spicy crab dish, shrimp cocktail & famous pudding were excellent. You should also ask for the habanero secret sauce. The owner welcomes everyone & his son was very friendly. Great food & great service!
Jun 22, 2024
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We randomly stopped for lunch & were not disappointed! Oysters were delicious. The set lunch menu is a great deal, & in our case, included snails, Vol-au-vent of lobster & shellfish & raspberry mousse - all prepared perfectly. Highly recommended.
Fabulous! That's the word I'd use to describe one of the oldest & best restaurants of Montreal, Chez Delmo. Haven't been here for a while since we live in Europe with my wife, but every time its is always a pleasure to be greeted by Benoit & his wonderful team. The food is always good, this time I've tried their new Lobster Club sandwich (btw the best sandwich I ever had) & my wife ordered the Seafood Tagliatelle, which she adored. The waiters were super nice & professional as expected, & the owner recognized us & spent a good 15 mins talking to us at our table, which was lovely. I recommend without hesitation!
We had an excellent experience here. The service was wonderful & the food was delicious. Lobster Thermidor was incredible as was the Walleye & Steak Tar Tar. The cocktail menu is full of classics that are executed very well. The Vespa Martini is worth going here for alone. Great atmosphere & the staff really made us feel welcome & appreciated.
The pandemic has curtailed my restaurant experiences in the last two years however, I was exuberant to receive an invitation to Chez Delmo recently. It was my third event there in as many years! The atmosphere was unique, elegant & charming & the the sitting arrangements allowed for privacy as well as maximum comfort. We were fortunate to be served by William who headed the service. What an extraordinary young man! Knowledgeable, courteous, efficient, skilled, & so entertaining! The meal was mouthwateringly delicious.....had the endive salad as well as the Lobster Roll which easily rivaled those I used to enjoy in Maine. Sumptuous! The host, Ben Dessureault was assuredly an exceptional individual....inclusive, informed, witty & elegant. I urge all to partake of this experience! There are so few things that come with an assurance, & this is one of them! What a wonderful way to spend the evening!
