The Most Vibrant Steakhouse in the Greater Montreal area. etc. offers a modern twist on the steakhouse experience while adding a Mediterranean influence. With a menu that goes far beyond our numerous cuts of premium beef, including A5 Wagyu, all aged to perfection and grilled to your preference; we offer majestic seafood platters and phenomenal pastries; all served in an electric ambience, to the beats of our guest DJ’s - This is not your Grand Father’s steakhouse!
Overall, reviews portray ETC Steakhouse in the Playground Casino as delivering exceptional service, attentive staff, and superb steakhouse fare with standout wines and generous portions, creating a warm, upscale atmosphere that makes it a top choice for celebrations and date nights; the dining experience is described as memorable and often compared to Michelin level service by some, with no tax pricing noted as a bonus, though a few critiques mention casino noise, occasional misfires such as overcooked fish, bland or underseasoned sides, and high prices, yet repeat visits and strong recommendations are common.
Food. Overrated! Better places for steak than here.
So a pretty harsh food review right? I say food is a 3 based on the premise that it's supposed to be a steak house first & foremost. If I had to evaluate all the dishes we had I would round it up to a 3.75 to a 4.0 max.
*Note: mains do not come with a side. The steak included two sauces.
So let's get straight to it - the food.
Their bread was fantastic, though it would have been better if it were warm. The olive spread was tasty but poorly blended & there was too much butter surrounding the pieces of finely chopped olives.
Caesar salad. Actually good portion for the money & presented well & all was fresh. Shaved Parm, bacon bits, & prosciutto was nice, but the prosciutto had little flavour.
Grilled cheese bruschetta. Delicious & good portion & actually good value. Cherry tomatoes with the hot honey drizzle was delicious as was the melted cheese - it all worked.
Mac & Cheese. Massive let down. Obviously this'may' be a personal take. I prefer this dish to have an aroma of cheese & also taste the cheese - both of which are absent. The noodles were too thick & a bit gummy. The cheese sauce (you can't see it) thinly covered the noodles but the sauce was so thin it lacked a creamy texture & had no mouth feel. It was covered with what appeared like orange coloured breadcrumbs without any discernible flavour. This was horrible. Choked on it twice like dry toast. I don't know why it would be there. Yes gourmet Mac & cheese can include breadcrumbs on top, but not so thickly placed all over & it's typically finished like a grating - this was just a load of dry crumbs. Then the truffles. Texture & taste - pointless additive. No added benefit except it sounds expensive & gourmet.
Blue fennel slaw. Tasty, fresh, good portion - very doable.
Sauces.
Bordelaise - nauseatingly sweet. This sauce should never have been like adding a spoon of sugar on your steak.
Peppercorn - good flavour, but texture was off as if butter was added causing it to become lumpy, perhaps it was a mix gone bad?
Porterhouse steak.
The meat did not smell good at all. Normally a good quality & properly cooked steak should arrive at the table & your nose would inhale an aroma making you mentally drool. The aroma here made me concerned to eat the meat.
I have never eaten such a fatty porterhouse steak, & I have had ones of less & more ounces precook. I kept having to cutout or spit out fat & gristle. The steak had zero flavour & we were not asked if we would like salt, pepper, steak spice, or finished with butter. So we went with how it's supposed to come. Horrible. Worst steak I have ever had the displeasure to have to chew, taste, & swallow. The sauces did not add value to make it more palpable.
Additionally? The steak was ordered Chicago style - with a char. This steak was so charred that the exterior & edges were so charred it was overdone & too hard.
Caramel Brûlé cake. Horrible. Firstly the cake seemed like a previously make thick hard cookie that was defrosted or previously refrigerated. Inside it's ok, but the exciting part - the'Brûlé' was a mini chilled thin piece atop the'cake' & was ok, but totally missed out the Crème or Caramel Brûlé aspect to the Brûlé dish.
Meal cost: $300 with one glass of wine.
Result. Would I ever go back.
NO. Not worth it. On the surface the menus is exciting & creative. But the execution on the protein side - well, I would go to Moishes, The Keg, or many other steak houses in the city (& surrounding) & for this money there are plenty of other places far superior.
Perhaps this was an off day, perhaps the cow had a bad day, perhaps the head chef was not doing QC at the window pass to make sure. But the steak was just bad & for $142.00 it should be excellent.
My friend & I ordered the Surf & Turf platter, mille feuille baked potatoes, drinks (Pomara & wine) & desserts (Chocolate Fondant with Raspberry Flowing Core (Gluten Free) & Madagascar Vanilla Crème Brûlée). As well a seafood linguine to take home (the taste was good but the I think quantity of seafood can be more). Everything was exceptional (although the shrimps are small), especially the aged bone-in ribeye steak & lobster tail. I would recommend the dish but not the shrimps & I find it can be of better quality. Overall for steak/lamb/lobster, I definitely recommend this place for anyone to go. The service & staff are friendly & know the dishes well. Throughout the meal, we had different staff making sure everything was going well & if we needed any help, someone is always available.
Apr 14, 2026
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Where do I commence. I'm not one to write reviews but this one is a Must. Celebrated my youngest 18 yr old daughters birthday Saturday evening the 14th March 2026. A group of 8 Mia famillia. From the young handsome Italian manager to the bus Boys to the most amazing waiter & the one & Only Hisham the head chef. Everyyyyything to perfection, from the The mojito, the wine,the Ceasar salads, the smoky goat salad, Fried mixed vegetables so so savory, the Gigantic Shrimp cocktail what a taste, the Aligot potatoes, the salmon, the roasted vegetables with some scrumptious dressing, the Asparagus, the truffle Mac n cheese, the fries, the Chimichur sauce, the AAA Ribeye 14oz, the Tomahawk steak skewered to perfection & finally the Delicious Mousse cake. My Family said to me. Dad this is the Best meal I have had. Thank you so much Hisham & your entire staff for making my daughters birthday as she said The Most Special Birthday She Has Had to date. The staff the atmosphere, the food was made to the Ultimate PERFECTION. I COMMEND YOU ALL & SAY THANK YOU FROM MY FAMILY. HISHAM A SPECIAL THANKS TO YOU FOR MAKING THIS SO MEMORABLE. May you make all of the customers as happy as you have made me & my Family. Bravo to All.
Was a wonderful evening…not rushed out! Our waiter Massimo was knowledgeable gave us great suggestions & service! Food was amazing. Also the bottle of wine at half price is a plus 😊
Wonderful dining experience with my family for a birthday celebration.
The steaks were amazing, the steaks were delicious & the wine pairing recommendation from our waiter Freeman was excellent!
Our waiter Freeman & his team provided us with a delightful & attentive dining experience!
Cheers !
Had a great time at ETC, service amazing thanks to our waiter David, very knowledgeable in the wine section & very professional! Would definitely recommend.
Jan 11, 2026
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Great wines, food was on point. I was Seated at the bar & the staff were navigating the line of enough presence & leave you alone to eat vibe perfectly
Etc is always a great time. Food is outstanding wine selection is amazing nice selection of cocktails & mocktails ,the staff is very friendly & well trained in hospitality... & the bonus of the fine dining there's NO TAX
ETC Steakhouse delivers a dining experience that goes far beyond expectations. From the moment we walked in, the service was warm, attentive, & genuinely welcoming. The atmosphere strikes a perfect balance between classy & comfortable - ideal for a date night, a celebration, or just treating yourself to something exceptional.
Perfectly cooked to order, melt-in-your-mouth tender, & bursting with flavor. You can tell they use top-quality cuts & know exactly how to bring out the best in them. The sides & sauces complemented everything beautifully - not to mention the wine list, which was spot-on.
We left full, happy, & already planning our next visit. ETC Steakhouse sets the bar high - easily one of the best steakhouse experiences I've ever had.
David our waiter was very helpful with the wine selection & was very attentive to our wants for the night, highly recommend for anyone to go & have a great meal with an amazing ambiance
Apr 26, 2025
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This place made me feel like i was in vegas ! , loved the vibe , the food was so delicious & the somelier was point on about the wine he helped me choose i still dream about it ! The service was spectacular ! Checking in to see if it was cooked enough or just to simply suggest ! Loved my experience ! Will be back 😁 The desserts were so yummy !
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Playground's ETC & I must say, it was an extraordinary experience from start to finish. The ambiance was warm & inviting, with a perfect balance of elegance & comfort. The dim lighting & tasteful decor set the mood for a memorable evening. The service was impeccable. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with genuine smiles & a level of attentiveness that made us feel like VIPs. Our Maître D'hotel was knowledgeable about the menu & offered fantastic recommendations, clearly passionate about the food & wine offerings. Now, onto the star of the show - the A5 Wagyu steak. Cooked to perfection, each bite was tender, juicy, & bursting with flavor. It was evident that the chefs use only the highest quality cuts of meat, expertly seasoned & grilled to our exact preferences. The wine list was extensive & thoughtfully curated, providing a range of options to suit every palate & perfectly pair with the dishes. The dessert menu was a delightful end to our meal, with indulgent choices that did not disappoint. Overall, ETC exceeded all my expectations. If you're looking for a top-notch steakhouse with exceptional service, a welcoming atmosphere, & food that will leave you craving more, this is the place to be. I cannot wait to return!
Excellent food & ambiance Porterhouse steak cooked to perfection! Server knowledgeable in his wines. One of my new favorite restaurants. Can't wait to go back!
I havent been here since the opening, so i was looking forward to trying it out again. I tried the NY strip with the mille feuille potato & WOW! Everything was incredibly delicious. Our server Sam was amazing, he gave great wine & food recommendations & was so friendly & knowledgable. The chocolate raspberry dessert was also delicious but a little too rich for my taste, perhaps another scoop of ice cream would be enough to help get through the cake 😅 Will definitely come back :) Gave 4 stars for atmosphere as i found it quite cold.
