Looking for some Italian comfort food worthy of a nonna’s home cooking? Marcella is a charming new Italian diner in Old Montreal at the corner of Saint Francois Xavier and Saint Paul streets. Open every day for lunch and dinner, locals and tourists can enjoy Italian-style pasta, such as the classic carbonara dish, in a cozy atmosphere.
Dinette Marcella is described as a charming intimate Italian spot in Old Montreal with a warm cozy atmosphere and a touch of old world charm that makes it suitable for date nights or casual dinners. Reviews praise fresh, flavorful pasta, gnocchi and tortellini, bruschetta and arancini, burrata and focaccia, along with a strong wine list and craft cocktails, with many calling the food excellent and among the best Italian in the area, though a few dishes are noted as too salty, not hot enough, or lacking seasoning and some visits feel rushed or louder than desired due to crowds. The service is frequently described as attentive friendly and knowledgeable, making guests feel welcome, but pace can vary on busy nights and timing can be inconsistent. Reservations are advised because the space is compact and the ambiance can be loud, especially at peak hours, yet the overall sentiment remains highly positive with many expressing plans to return. All in all, Dinette Marcella is regarded as one of the top Italian spots in Montreal by many reviewers.
Highly recommend - Go see Michael & Mégane at Marcella! Atmosphere is top notch & situated in such a lovely area of Old Montreal. From the bolognese & spaghetti pomodoro (add the meatballs!) to the pistachio cheesecake dessert, the food is excellent. Above all, the service is truly unbelievable - we realized after our second night at Marcella that the entire bar & dining floor were being serviced by Michael & Mégane. Service was seamless & still had time to chat with us about the food & local sights on a few packed house nights. Marcella - must try!
Such a cozy little spot. Ordered Negronis which were some of the best I've had. We sat at the bar because there was no more seating however I prefer that when the bartenders are as nice as ours was (Irishman). Food was lovely (the bruschetta gets an A from me) & recommendations were thoughtful. Nice ambience for a date. Would go back next time I'm in Montreal!
Feb 1, 2025
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Thankful that the team at Marcella saved me with a bunch of hangry young women. Great food, better vibes. The place was packed on a Monday night & the service was incredible. Wine selection is solid. Bartender is so engaging. Talk about Unreasonable Hospitality from the entire staff who seem to really love their guests. Best meatballs & cannolis. I mean, isn't that the true test of a fabulous Italian restaurant? Highly recommend this little gem. We will be back.
I frequently visit this restaurant, but this time I had a very disappointing experience with the hostess. I had booked a table for two, but she insisted on seating us at the bar. She refused to check the reservation system, claiming there were no available tables, even though I showed her my confirmed reservation. Eventually, the manager realized the mistake & seated us at a nice table. However, the hostess later approached our table & informed us that we only had two hours for dining. Her behavior was very rude & disrespectful, which is unacceptable for someone in her position. Despite this unpleasant encounter, I still appreciate the nice atmosphere, food, & the other staff members.
Comme nous habitons dans le Vieux-Montréal, c'est notre restaurant de prédilection. Fred (le gérant) a toujours une place pour nous. Mike le gérant du bar, fait les meilleurs cocktails! La nourriture est géniale! Lorsque vous êtes dans le coin, n'hésitez pas à les essayer!
Booked a reservation for the bar top & ended up literally right infront of the bar mat & bartender. It was a bit awkward as the bartender on duty was training & kept receiving constructive feedback regarding his drink preparation. With a Birds Eye view of our drinks being made, unfortunately I saw short pours happening. The manager was there in the background supporting & serving behind the bar (Andrew I think) & he was lovely. He made amazing cocktails so we asked him to make ours & saw he never short poured. He provided great hospitality, made amazing cocktails & knew what he was doing. The spot right in front of the bar is NOT where you want to sit. It ruined the experience due to over hearing all the chatter from the servers & bartenders. Although we were directly in front of them, our glasses remained empty for 10+ mins & were not offered another drink, so, that was a bit disappointing as we would have ordered more. The food was quick & delicious. The Caesar salad was one of the best, pastas were cooked perfectly & great portions & the tiramisu was lovely . Food 5/5 Overall great experience but would have had a different result at a table or a different spot at the bar.
Sep 29, 2024
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Our experience did not live up to the google rating. We sat at the bar & our server kept forgetting what we ordered. Food was quite disappointing. Charcuterie was dowsed in oil & the tastes & textures were not balanced. The arancino sauce was too spicy. The pasta was mediocre at best (when we received the right one). The atmosphere was noisy & very warm.
Merveilleux souper passer en famille. Les plats & l'ambiance étaient fabuleux !!! Nous étions assis au bar devant le bar tender & avons eu droit à un bon spectacle
The pasta Carbonara was so bad, definitely not Italian.... Milanesa was too crunchy & dry for that price should be amazing, salad very regular with green hard tomatoes....& we had the misfortune to have the worst server, we sit in the bar & beside us sat a man that all the servers where very eager & happy to say hi & that's fine, i suppose is a regular, but our server was so focus on that man that he gave us the beverages while talking to him, not even looking at us, gave me a spoon to eat the chicken, gave no napkins... every-time he approached us was to talk to the man besides us, he simply acted as he didn't care at all, very disappointed of everything for a "fine dinning" place 👎🏻
We were a large group who ate a few apps & had cocktails at the bar on Saturday for lunch, bartender was professional & knew her cocktails, spirits & mixers. The two of us ended up going back for dinner at the bar on Sunday & had the same great service. The food was exceptional as was the service. Definitely one of our new favorite spots when visiting Montreal!
Jul 1, 2024
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Bustling Friday night Italian dinner... the restaurant was booked but we went in at 6:20 to inquire, & the kindest hostess was Able to accommodate us by reserving 7:30 bar seats for of three of us. Even if a table was preferable, the atmosphere, friendly bartenders, & flavourful food made the experience beautifully worth it. The lighting inside, interactions at our barstools, & tasty meals, show that Dinette Marcella is a five star experience :). Thank you to the helpful & kind workers for this wonderful night out.
We enjoyed this restaurant so much that we had 2 meals here in our vacation. A late lunch on Friday, eating Carbonara & caccio e Pepe. Both Amazing! For lunch we sat at the bar & marveled at the liquor selections, especially Monkey 47gin ( almost impossible to find in a restaurant) We shared a tiramisu for dessert, VERY sweet, but very good! We returned on Saturday evening for dinner. We sat at a table in an open window ( so romantic) we enjoyed an appetizer of fried calamari... lite & fresh!! I ordered something I've NEVER ordered in a restaurant as I make "the best" I had spaghetti pompadour & a side polpetta ( meatballs) I thought I'd died & gone to spaghetti heaven! My husband, who fancies himself a pesto expert had the cavetelli all a pesto. He said delicious! In the middle of dinner we decided we needed some bread to soak up some sauce & added an order of the cheese garlic bread it was the only MINOR disappointment. Too much mozzarella, not enough garlic, & a bit softer than expected. Other than that, our server, the runners, & the overall staff were attentive & not over bearing! Wonderful experience!
Very good vibe. Amazing food & drinks. Friendly staff. Our server/bartender, Jay, even gave us some great tips for cool bars in the area. We liked it so much we went twice during our 4 day trip!
May 25, 2024
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I've been here may more times than I could count & the food is absolutely divine every time. The staff is super friendly & really work above & beyond to cater to you. The ambiance is so great too. My friends & I love their seating for their gorgeous windows overlooking the streets of Vieux-Port, but the bar is where the fun is! The bartenders are super kind & engaging, & we always leave having had a wonderful time.
Yet another amazing dinner at Dinette Marcella. We sat at the bar, giving us an opportunity to try some amazing cocktails while chatting with the bartender. The food was outstanding, especially the creamy mushroom gnocchi. This is my second time visiting Marcella while on holiday in Montreal. I look forward to coming back again soon.
The waiter who serviced me was truly unprofessional. My bill came out to be $121 with taxes. I paid $130 in cash & offered to pay an additional $5 on Interac to give a full 15% tip. However, my waiter immediately interrogated me, asking if something was wrong with the service. Confused & taken off guard, I asked why he would think that. He responded by saying that my tip was not 15%. He then proceeded to give a quick example: 10% of $121 is $12, so surely my tip (of roughly $15) could not be 15% tip. I said sure, maybe I rounded down a little, so instead, I offered to pay $7 on Interac on top of the cash I was paying with. In total, I gave a $16 tip. The waiter then, at the end of my Interac payment, gave the most crooked, unhappy smile, proceeded to the bar & then visibly mocked our interaciton to three of his coworkers. So, not only did he question me on my tip (which is to my fucking discretion), but this asshole then was so curt to my face. Let me say this clearly: only a scammer would push to calculate a tip on a price of dinner AFTER TAXES. If I tipped according to his mathematics, then my 15% tip would include the 15% taxes, meaning that I'd realistically be giving closer to an 18% tip. I'll happily never return here & let my friends know of this experience which, frankly, completely soured my night.
The space is quiet & appeared understaffed when we went for lunch. The single waiter was very busy. The decor was warm & charming. The food was a surprise - the pasta amazingly delicious & very fresh. I would definitely return, as this is a true delight in today's Barilla world. I left very happy.
