Chez José Café comes across in reviews as a small, cozy, colorful neighborhood spot on Duluth where a warm, family run vibe and lively atmosphere make guests feel instantly at home. The menu blends brunch favourites with Portuguese specialties, delivering pastéis de nata praised as among the best, hearty Portuguese breakfasts and chouriço dishes, tasty crepes, and a seafood soup that many describe as outstanding, with vegan and vegetarian options noted as well. Guests repeatedly highlight the friendly, attentive service and the welcoming vibe, while acknowledging that the space is compact and can get crowded, with occasional waits or slower service during busy weekends and a few hiccups like dishes arriving a touch cold or heavy on salt for some. Prices are often described as reasonable for the quality but a bit higher than casual spots, and the overall sentiment remains that the atmosphere, decor, and consistent quality create a memorable Montreal brunch and lunch destination worth returning to for drinks, pastries, and more.
J'ai adoré mon expérience chez José!
Le personnel est très gentil, accueillant & attentionné.
Notre accueil était super agréable par un jeune homme super gentil & très patient qui à l'air passionné par son travail, & qui aidait de gauche à droite. Il avait de l'attente, mais tout le staff étaient organisé & ça paraissait dans le service & la vibe du restaurant!
Pour la nourriture j'ai ADORÉ!
J'ai pris pour ma part un crêpe repas avec dinde & fromage bleu, c'était super bon!
Je recommande fortement leurs mimosas fait avec jus fraîchement pressé WOW-
L'ambiance du restaurant est vraiment cozy, familiale, vintage, il a du vécu & ça se voit que c'est un restaurant qui est pris soin avec amour.
Il n'avait pas d'air climatisé, avec la température de 31°C je me sentais mal pour les employés, je n'osais pas penser au cuisinier... courage à vous les employés!!!
Je serai de retour, coup de coeur de Montréal, vraiment ce que je recherchais!
Came for brunch on a Saturday. Waited +40 minutes for a table, which was understandable given that it was a busy weekend. What wasn't okay was that the waitstaff forgot about us. By the time we got our drinks, the table who was seated next to us (they had come in & ordered at the same time as us) was already finishing up their meal. Our food came out luke warm, & they got one of our orders wrong. We told the waiter this & they said they would check. But they never came back to follow up. The brunch rush had cleared out by this point, so we were pretty frustrated with the service still being slow. Just wanting to leave at this point, we had to flag down a waiter to ask for the bill, waited 15min for them just to come back & ask if we wanted to order anything else. Overall disappointing. The food would have been amazing if it was hot. But to pay +70$ for a smoothie a coffee & 2 cold meals was not worth it.
Jun 28, 2025
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I love this place 🥰 we stopped by for brunch, i just had a drink & the pastei, which is to die for!! I think my friends each got the portugese breakfast plate, i tried it & i wished i was hungry enough to eat more but i wasnt that day.
i brought their pasteis with me on the plane for my flight the next morning, & shared them that weekend with my family. I airfried them for 5 mins at 350 & they were just as delicious as i remembered them in montreal :) i will definitely come back here next time im in town 🥰
I feel as though this place is a bit of a hit or miss. My first experience was a little underwhelming, as we paid a lot for a meager sandwich & lackluster breakfast plate.
But I decided to give it another chance for dinner a year later & was blown away with how good the food was! The crepe meals were MASSIVE & delicious. Big plus for the atmosphere, their decor is cute & the patio is lovely in the summer to eat outside.
I knock one star though because the prices are very high for it being a casual restaurant, & we did wait over 40min to receive our food, but the waitstaff was very apologetic & nice about that. The food is also quite greasy.
Finally got to get their chicken sandwich! & they have
gluten free option!!! It was really to die for! loved all the flavours I have been marinating in!
Superbes assiettes, une sélection portugaise réconfortante & un service chaleureux à souhait! Un vrai bonheur ce resto de quartier; j'ai hâte d'y emmener mes amis!
I truly enjoyed my experience here. Had a small bite late in the afternoon & was craving for some sweet treat. I had their pastel de nata & a cup of latte, which were s great pairing.
I find the place very artsy & cozy, & the staff is very friendly. Overall, it's a wonderful place to be.
