Cococina presents a vibrant Mediterranean market experience, drawing inspiration from North African and Moroccan culinary traditions. The restaurant is renowned for its authentic tagines, slow-cooked to perfection with aromatic spices and tender meats or vegetables, offering a true taste of the region. Guests can explore a curated selection of fresh, market-inspired dishes, highlighting seasonal ingredients prepared with bold flavors. The atmosphere is lively yet inviting, encouraging patrons to savor diverse mezzes and share a memorable dining journey. Cococina's commitment to traditional preparation methods ensures a deeply flavorful and engaging meal, celebrating the rich heritage of its Mediterranean roots.
Cococina is widely celebrated for its sophisticated atmosphere, stunning modern decor, and vibrant energy, making it a standout destination in Montreal. Most guests rave about the high quality of the food, highlighting flavorful dishes that blend Moroccan and Spanish influences, alongside expertly crafted cocktails. While many diners praise the attentive and welcoming service provided by the staff and management, some feedback notes inconsistencies such as pressure to vacate tables within limited timeframes, occasional service delays, or specific dishes that did not meet expectations. Despite these varied experiences, the restaurant is frequently recommended for its upscale supper club vibe, excellent music, and memorable overall experience for dates, celebrations, and nights out with friends.
Unfortunately, my experience at Cococina was very deceiving. First, we had to wait almost 30 minutes to be seated. We wanted to order some fried calamari, & after placing our order, we were told 5 minutes later that there was none left, but that the chef could make us tempura shrimp for the same price & the same quantity. We only received 5 shrimps, which was very disappointing. On top of that, one of the servers came & took my friend's plate even though she was not done eating. The music was also so loud that we could barely hear each other speak. Overall, the food was very delicious, but the service was terrible, & we will not be coming back.
I went to Cococina on a Saturday night in February with friends… one of those girls nights where no one is in a rush & the plan is just to sit, share plates, take lots of photos & videos & let the conversation stretch as long as it wants.
It's a newer spot… opened in December… but it already feels like it fits perfectly in the old port.
The space pulled me in right away. Low lighting, warm tones, abstract silhouette lamps, these beautiful backlit murals… everything feels intentional. It kind of felt like we left Montréal for a few hours without actually getting on a flight.
There was a DJ playing in the background… enough to give the night some energy, but still soft enough that we could stay in our little bubble at the table. That balance is rare & they got it right.
We leaned into the shared plates… which honestly feels like the best way to do it here.
The roasted cauliflower was one of those dishes you keep reaching for without realizing… glazed in this Moroccan barbecue sauce with lemon confit. Smoky, tangy, a little sweet… everything just made sense together.
The scarpetta Cococina… braised lamb with basil oil & parmigiana… was rich in that comforting, slow-cooked way. The kind of dish where you pause for a second after a bite because it's actually that good.
We also tried the chips & dip with smoked salmon, caviar, & truffle crema… a little extra, a little fun. Definitely a'we're out, let's enjoy this' kind of plate.
The only thing that didn't fully land for me was the fried calamari. It was fine… just didn't have the same moment as the other dishes.
Overall, this felt like a place you go for the full experience… not just the food, but the feeling of being there. The lighting, the music, the pacing of the night.
I'd come back for another girl dinner with friends… or maybe a cute date.
Apr 13, 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.
The food was absolutely delicious, but unfortunately the service was very disappointing.
Our waitress, a blonde woman, was rude from the moment our meals arrived. As soon as the food was served, she told us we only had 15 minutes left to eat, which was shocking considering we had just received our dishes. We then felt pressured to rush through our meal, especially since we were only allowed to stay for one hour - something that was never communicated to us beforehand.
When it came time to order dessert, she told us there was only one option available (a flan). However, the table next to us was able to order multiple different desserts, which left us confused & feeling misled.
Her attitude remained unpleasant throughout the entire evening, until it was time to pay. At that point, she suddenly became friendly, smiling & joking - clearly to encourage a tip.
It's truly a shame, because the food was incredible & the atmosphere & music were great. Sadly, the poor service completely ruined our Valentine's Day date.
Excellente expérience du début à la fin ! La nourriture est absolument délicieuse, le décor est magnifique & l'ambiance musicale est parfaitement choisie. On s'y sent bien dès qu'on entre. Un endroit à ne pas manquer, j'y retournerai sans hésite
Finally a place in montreal where the menu is as excellent as the venue! Delicious plates with a moroccan/spanish touch, good vibes with nice music & upscale design !!
The vibe is def for 18-28 years old & club vibes they always have a dj playing experimental deep house & they have moody lightnight with very loud music (u can barelly hear each other) & waitresses serve u wearing a leather miniskirts (the service is amazing like toptier tho dont get me wrong)
For the food: i would say the only really good thing was the kefta even the kefta could use some more grilling to have a extra crunch cuz the rest is quiet soft in texture so the outside of the kefta with a lil more crunch would be nice but overal its a very good option the tomato sauce tasted like good quality. The shrimp with garlic is quiet boring just litterly what if says absolutley nothing special & the oil was just a lil too much… & the shrimp wasnt like marinated before hand wich makes u forced to dip it in the oil wich isnt that pleasent i prefer shrimp to already have flavor on its own & get the option to maybe dip it in oil & it was a lil overcooked. The pastilla chicken def has a twist to it cuz it countains alot of flower water (ma zhar) it was okay the chicken was pleasent no big chunks. The poutine was awful… the fries were so soggy of the creme sauce & the fries had their skin wich made it taste good but it was so soggy absolutley digusting & lets not forget the steak that was drizzled in butter that was on top of the soggy fries > soggy fries with steak butter that was dripping over it > super soggy🤣 the lobster was okey but the poutine sauce was also VERY SALTY we drank so much water to get rid of the saltyness.
The interior is super impressive tho im impressed by how it came alive i can imagine how hard it was to get it togheter & come to life. I do believe the chairs dont really go with the interior it needs something as impressive as the beautifull space. The tables are also quiet small so when all the glasses are on the table & plated it gets very overstimulating cuz the tables are simply too small.
