Restaurant Da Emma, located in what was formerly Montreal's first prison for women, won prizes for its design in 1999. Da Emma serves traditional Italian cuisine with Roman specialities. As for the food: seafood antipasto (squid, mussels, shrimp, and octopus drizzled with olive oil), fettuccine with porcini mushrooms, and suckling pig roasted with garlic and rosemary are among the highlights.
Terrace available accommodating up to 70 people.
Da Emma is described as an authentic Italian dining destination housed in a historic basement, offering a warm, intimate atmosphere and a strong wine list. Many reviews highlight simple, well executed dishes with pasta and meat dishes praised, and standout items like burrata, meatballs, lamb, and a homemade feel. Service is generally regarded as attentive and friendly, though some experiences note slow or intrusive service and occasional missteps. Several guests mention a busy or noisy dining room and, at times, a lack of attention or hot dishes, and a cash only policy that can be inconvenient. Overall, the restaurant is seen as a top Montreal Italian spot for those seeking traditional, flavorful cuisine in a heritage setting, with many guests planning returns. Complimentary bruschetta, good bread and olive oil, and a refined but comforting menu are commonly cited positives, while some feel the portions may be smaller for the price. Atmosphere and authenticity are repeatedly praised, making Da Emma a go to for romance, family gatherings, or celebrations.
Things I enjoyed:
- Complimentary bruschetta
- Complimentary bread with good quality olive oil & vinegar
- The ambiance
- The mozzarella
Things I didn't enjoy:
- Our server was not warm or welcoming in the slightest
- The energy felt elitist
- Only providing one low end option for by-the-glass prosecco on the menu
What an amazing dinner wow. Excellent service. You're started with some bruschetta & then get bread with olive oil & balsamic. The soup of the day was delicious & I'm still thinking about it a day later. We each got a pasta & then shared a main meat dish but must say the meat dish wasn't needed. The pasta is super filling. Loved the blue cheese ravioli - such a rich yet balanced sauce. Highly recommend for a special dinner out.
Oct 11, 2025
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Nice outdoor setting, relax atmosphere, italian music.
Great cocktails & amazing wine list. Bruschetta was tasty, a very nice touch to start the meal.
Food was ok. Aragula salad seasoning was good, mushrooms pasta was cooked to perfection (but the portion was so small), tiramisu was delicious. No bread was offered to us, we had to ask for pepper & cheese. I had to refill my glass of wine myself, the staff was busy chatting with each other.
Service was not attentive, it could have been better. A little detail, the hostess at the entrance was dress sloppy ( baggy jeans, large hoodie & flip flop!), very odd for a refined italian restaurant. Restroom was dirty with no toilet paper, had to chase a server for it...
Maybe it was just on off night & i was not lucky but i dont think that i will be back...
My fiance & I drove from Ottawa to visit Da Emma & we would definitely do it again!! It did not disappoint! Nestled in the basement of a heritage building, the atmosphere brought you back to Italy. The service was on point; very polite & attentive. & the food... was INCREDIBLE!! From the complimentary piece of bruschetta, to the salad, to the homemade pasta, to the desserts, everything was phenomenal! It was an authentic Italian dining experience. We would/will highly recommend this restaurant to anyone!
J'ai essayé Da Emma pour la première fois pour un souper romantique. Le serveur n'était pas souvent présent, mais il connaissait le menu & était attentif à nos besoins.
L'ambiance était plaisante mais un peu bruyante comme l'ont dit certains. On n'entendait pas la musique & il fallait parler fort & ce même si l'endroit n'était pas rempli. Peut-être que l'ajout de tuiles acoustiques à des endroits spécifiques pourrait aider.
Les bruschetta qu'on nous a servi en entrée étaient les meilleurs que j'ai jamais goûté. Le burrata était délicieux & frais mais pas très gouteux. Même avec le prosciutto il manquait un peu de saveurs. Pour les plats principaux par contre la saveur était au rendez-vous & elle était excellente.
Ce resto pourrait être encore mieux avec un peu plus de complexité dans les plats. & un plus grand choix de cocktails ne ferait pas de tort.
Tout de même une expérience mémorable, j'y retournerai certainement.
Recently went there for my birthday & it was an amazing experience. The food was delicious & the atmosphere was dark & elegant. Got a complimentary bruschetta & birthday tiramisu which was amazing.
A Must Do. What a beautiful historical Space! Service is important to make an experience memorable. Serge our server was attentive. As soon as we were seated, a delicious bruschetta was served. Affordable wine selection is always a bonus, u der 100$. Menu selection is varied & perfect for every palate , also at a great prices. We each had an entree & each a main course & shared a dessert, we were stuffed! Cant wait to go back!
Feb 3, 2024
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Everything was amazing! Food was spectacular & tasted authentic. The simplicity makes it even better. The waiting time between the courses was on point. The service was great, our server Jean-Luc was super efficient, as well as the tall young man who was the assistant server.
First, you get bread & bruschetta on the house. After, we got the ravioli soup of the day with the tomatoes burrata as appetizers. We then got the peppercorn steak & the veal meatballs. We both chose the side of garlic pasta. The dessert put a beautiful period to the experience. We got the pistachio ice cream & the tiramisu.
This place is incredible & we will definitely come back! We absolutely loved everything!
Ce restaurant nous avait été chaudement recommandé. Je sais qu'il a un historique chargé, que plusieurs vedettes d'ici & d'ailleurs y sont allées & que d'un point de vue purement esthétique, l'endroit est unique (ancienne prison pour femmes). Mais je n'ai pas compris l'émoi d'un point de vue gastronomique.
C'était bien, sans plus. Vraiment. & c'est très cher.
Ainsi, une entrée appelée à tort "carpaccio de saumon" n'était en fait qu'un assemblage rudimentaire de saumon fumé (?), recouvert d'un tas de roquettes sans aucun assaisonnement. Ça faisait plutôt brouillon. À 20$ l'entrée, on s'attendait à beaucoup plus. Ironiquement, la mise en bouche offerte par la maison dès notre arrivée, une bruschetta, était beaucoup plus savoureuse & appétissante. Croûton bien chaud, mie légèrement moelleuse, pas trop imbibée, garniture généreuse & assaisonnement sans faille, c'était simple mais beau. Surtout, délicieux. J'en aurais pris trois comme ça en entrée au lieu du saumon.
Pour le plat principal on ne peut pas accuser la cheffe d'être chiche. L'entrecôte de boeuf avec sa sauce aux poivres est titanesque! La pièce, qui manquait de tendreté, trône dans une sauce goûteuse, crémeuse & bien relevée, c'est presque cochon. Mais à 45$, on regrette un peu que la sauce vole la vedette. Les brocolis servis en accompagnement étaient à mon goût trop gras & trop cuits.
Au dessert j'ai pris le sorbet au citron & mon hôte le tiramisu. Deux classiques. Le tiramisu était très bon & pour le sorbet, bien que le goût était là, la présentation était encore une fois très rudimentaire. Deux boules de sorbet dans un plat en céramique blanche & c'est tout.
Le service était un peu expéditif, mais quand même sympathique.
Somme toute un bon restaurant & une bâtisse unique, mais à 300$ pour deux personnes incluant une bouteille de vin (parmi les moins chères soit 50$), les attentes étaient là. On aurait vraiment aimé plus de soin dans la présentation, plus de raffinement dans les assiettes, plus de chaleur dans le service. En comparaison, le feu Il Mulino était nettement supérieur.
