Elena delivers a lively but welcoming Italian experience with a menu praised for pizza and pasta, including the Dany pizza and Mafalda al ragu, along with fresh salads and bread, while the wine list and desserts are frequently highlighted and service is often described as attentive; the atmosphere ranges from buzzy and loud when crowded to cozy and intimate in quieter moments, and some visits note pacing issues, occasional delays, and prices that can feel high for portions, though many reviewers consider Elena one of the best spots for pizza and salads in Montreal.
Je suis allée chez Elena à quelques reprises, & c'est un véritable incontournable. C'est toujours délicieux, dans un décor magnifique & une ambiance conviviale qui donne envie de s'attarder.
Nous y sommes allés en groupe pour un anniversaire, & ce fut une soirée merveilleuse. Le menu fixe de groupe était exceptionnel, il permettait de goûter à tout, ce qui a vraiment plu à tout le monde.
Tout était excellent : les entrées, les pizzas, les pâtes, & le dessert… mention spéciale au gelato, probablement le meilleur que j'ai mangé!
Excellent!
My daughter surprised me with a birthday dinner at Elena. When we arrived, our table was not ready & our host Olivier sat us at the bar & suggested a glass of bubbly wine while we waited. Once seated at our table, our server was very friendly & attentive. We started with the olives & the salumi - both very good quality. We then shared a Caesar Salad & the Supplì. The salad was tasty & you could tell that the dressing was made in house. The supplì were just as good as the ones I had in Rome. We then had the pasta special, triangular ravioli with ricotta & artichokes, with a very light sauce made with mint, lemon zest & Parmesan … what a surprise!! It was delicious & refreshing & very well designed. We also had the AP style pizza which was amazing. We had gelato for dessert, the pistachio was to die for ! During the meal the service was great, & Olivier was knowledgeable & great at suggesting wine pairings.
We will definitely be back!
May 2, 2026
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2026: nice olives & bread to start, but would be nice if olive oil had a little balsamic. The suppli Al telefono were better than typical arancini. Funguy pizza was overflowing with mushrooms. The lamb pasta was delicious. Tiramisu tres leches was perfect, best of both desserts. My friend enjoyed her chocolate cannolis.
Service was friendly. Suggested wine was great. Été something. Lighting could still be better, it felt dark rather than intimate. Maybe some fake candles?
2024: The Dany pizza was delicious & creative with the sesame spinach honey combo, but I didn't like how wet it was, like all the toppings just slide off as soon as you lift it up.
The Gigi pasta was a interesting bitter mix of flavours with the fennel & arugula, but there was barely any sausage in it.
Olive oil cake was nice but pretty dry compared to other olive cakes I've had. I know the cream+olive oil is there to compensate but it's not the same.
Cannolis were delicious & well presented, available without the pistachios if you have an allergy.
The Barbossa is a smooth young red wine accompaniment
Service was very attentive & efficient. Glasses were never empty. Decor was typical modern industrial. If there was music, it wasn't memorable.
Recommandé par des amis habitant dans le quartier, je suis allé en famille un soir de semaine visité l'établissement. Il est discret, j'ai dû regarder deux fois pour être sur que j'étais au bon endroit. On est en semaine, il est encore tôt, quelques clients occupent déjà la salle & à entre leur conversation avec les serveuses, je comprend qu'il y a quelques habitués & des touristes de passage. Le décor a du cachet, élégant, chic en plus d'être lumineux. L'accueil est courtois, le service attentionné. La carte est sobre, entrées, salades, pizzas, pâtes & desserts. La carte des vins & boissons alcoolisées est beaucoup plus fourni, c'est l'endroit idéal pour boire un verre entre amis, collègues & profiter de leur terrasse. Personnellement, j'ai pris la Mozza di bufala, épinards, miel épicé & sésame. J'ai adoré ! La pâte est à la fois tendre, croquante, un peu brûlé (on aime ça). Les pates valent le détour aussi. Les portions sont généreuses, je n'ai pas pris d'entrée, ni de dessert. Il va falloir revenir pour visiter à nouveau la carte !
I rarely leave bad reviews, but this was the worst dining experience I've had in Montreal. It took 40+ minutes & two servers just to place our order. The waiter gave us'on the house' lemon shots we didn't ask for (nice gesture), but then charged us for them…? We had to ask for the bill to be corrected.
After finally getting our food (which was good), the waiter offered to pack the remaining 1/4 of my pizza to go. Many minutes later after he didn't bring it, I asked about it, & he just says'sorry I think someone threw it out'. No real apology, just'Do you want a free dessert?' I said no, & he replied,'Okay, well have a good night.' Then I proceeded to pay for a whole meal, even though they threw out a quarter of my meal.
It may have been an off night, & it happens to everyone, but the lack of accountability or even a proper apology on any occasion was unacceptable.
The food was absolutely delicious, & the desserts blew my mind. The ambiance of the restaurant feels elevated: medium-low lighting, great sound system, & carefully curated art pieces decorating the walls. The best part of it all was the exceptional service from Anthony & Ribs, who were very attentive & made sure we had a great experience.
I rarely leave reviews, but this was the worst dining experience I've had in Montreal. It took 40+ minutes & two servers just to place our order. The waiter gave us'on the house' lemon shots we didn't ask for (nice gesture), but then charged us for them…? We had to ask for the bill to be corrected.
After finally getting our food (which was good), the waiter offered to pack the remaining 1/4 of my pizza to go. Many minutes later after he didn't bring it, I asked about it, & he just says'sorry I think someone threw it out'. No real apology, just'Do you want a free dessert?' I said no, & he replied,'Okay, well have a good night.' Then I proceeded to pay for a whole meal, even though they threw out a quarter of my meal.
It may have been an off night, & it happens to everyone, but the lack of accountability or even a proper apology on any occasion was unacceptable.
Elena delivers decent food but falls short of being memorable. Out of three pastas, none stood out, the spaghetti ubriaco didn't quite hit the mark & felt like a less successful version of spaghetti all'assassina, & the genovese was overpowered by spice. The pizzas & entrées were solid but unremarkable. The wine list, based on private imports without cépage details, felt overpriced for the gamble. Desserts were fine but uninspired.
Tara & Elora's excellent service was the highlight of the night & made the visit worthwhile.
We were seated at the bar. Bartender who also took our orders was very attentive, friendly & explained the menu well. The restaurant itself has very dim lighting with minimal decoration. Trendy yet simple. We ordered the supplì, Dante salad, beet with stracciatella, diavolo pizza & the special pasta of the night which was ravioli stuffed with butternut squash in a butter sage sauce. For dessert we got the olive oil cake which was super moist! All tasted great but i wasn't blown away either. Very basic italian dishes. Service was great & did not feel rushed. Not sure i would go back just because the menu didn't make me curious for more.
Spent an enjoyable evening at Elena on a cold & blustery winter (not officially) evening. The ambiance was lively; a lot of happy patrons enjoying their meals & conversations, & my dining companion & I were soon to join them. All staff were convivial & friendly especially our server, Cynthia. She proved Indispensable in helping us select a wine from the unfamiliar names that appeared on the wine list. Most, if not all, were private importations from boutique wineries. Ours was really spot on with Cynthia's description. We decided to have two pizzas to share, Funguy, a play on fungi (mushroom), & the Diavalo, a spicier option. Both were delicious. The spicy oil provided made them even more so. We just ordered bread with olive oil to start as we were famished, & who doesn't need more carbs on a cheat day? It was quickly devoured. Cynthia told us everything was made in house from scratch, & it certainly was evident. For dessert we had cannolis & the olive oil cake. Again, two winners. We left at closing, but weren't the last to leave. Patrons really seemed to enjoy, not only the delicious food, but the warm & friendly ambience as well. Prices were reasonable, & service attentive. We'll certainly return, & often.
Dec 10, 2024
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Really liked this restaurant! Food was very very good the service was very very good & the place had an amazing vibe while it was jam packed!! I truly enjoyed the different plates, desserts & aperitifs especially the "peche mode" a great drink. We will definitely be back!
My experience began with the reservation platform giving me an error message for 20 min & then we called. Called no answer but we got a call back. We didnt ask where we would be seated because we didnt know the layout of the place so we ended up being placed at the bar .... by the door ( ....so ask ). The kale ceasar salad was great with a mountain of parmesan cheese & the right amount of dressing . Now for the pizza our choices were diavolo 2.0 & the funghi ; for me the tomato sauce was too watery the meat didnt have as much flavor or kick as i wouldve expected from a diavolo so the whole thing fell through but i really enjoyed the funghi that had the flavor of the mushroom & parmesan collide in harmony, i will add that the crust was perfect in both. The pasta ( all'amatriciana) was average at best ,with so many good italian restaurants in the city unfortunately this one did not bring it home for me, the guanciale was burnt & again the sauce was watery. The dessert : Gateau au Chocolat , is a brownie texture shaped into a cake slice topped with ice cream , good but maybe heated ? The service was good & the staff was knowledgeable & at your service , simple & effective. Overall not a bad experience but will i go back ? Maybe , hopefully to have a better culinary experience that would be up to the hype. Food 3 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 4
Great place for pizza & drinks. Food: delicious variety of Italian pizza, with a few unique twists. The chocolate cake dessert was surprisingly scrumptious. Drinks: well prepared. Presentation is top. Great selection of wine too Atmosphere: cozy, romantic, & touch of rustic. Service: all staff were very attentive, respectful, & professional. Excellent service Will come back for sure. Did not wait long to be seated without a reservation but recommend reserving
Oct 3, 2024
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This restaurant offers a delightful dining experience with its perfectly crafted pizzas, featuring fresh ingredients & a crispy crust. The salads are vibrant, refreshing, & full of flavor, complementing the meal perfectly. To top it off, the desserts are absolutely delicious-rich, indulgent, & sure to satisfy any sweet tooth. A must-visit for pizza lovers & dessert enthusiasts alike!
What a great find! Our table shared different dishes. The pizza sauce was delicious! The red wine helped round off our meal & the strawberry cream dessert was light & the perfect sweetness. Our Server was tops! She made wonderful recommendations for trying the local music scene. Thank you for a wonderful experience.
Elan is a wonderful restaurant that has come highly recommended for some time now, & I'm happy that it lives up to the hype. Great food with excellent service in a warm & comfy atmosphere. They easily make the best cannoli in Montreal, their pizza is great, & they have a good & diverse wine list. Their full bodied red called "Pacina" was absolutely spectacular! The Panzanella salad was also delicious, but unfortunately its croutons had an odd gummy texture. Nevertheless, we had a great time throughout our meal, but when we ordered dessert our cappuccino never arrived & so we had to cancel it. Needless to say, it's not fun to eat your dessert without coffee. Otherwise, Elena well worth the visit.
Cynthia was top notch! We were visiting from Toronto & she is so awesome. Her energy made the vibe & experience so fun. Great unique Italian food options & excellent dessert
Food was very good. Everything was served on time & warm & tasted great. Desserts were tasty as well so worth a try if you still have room after your meal.
