Ethan delivers a robust exploration of Szechuan culinary traditions through a menu defined by bold spice profiles and authentic regional techniques. Diners encounter signature dishes featuring numbing peppercorns, vibrant chili oils, and meticulously prepared proteins that characterize this distinct style of Chinese cooking. The kitchen focuses on the balance of heat and flavor complexity, utilizing aromatic ingredients to elevate classic Asian preparations. Each plate reflects an adherence to traditional seasoning methods, ensuring that the signature profile of the cuisine remains intact. The environment facilitates a direct focus on the food, prioritizing the intensity of the flavor profiles over superfluous aesthetic distractions. This establishment serves as a deliberate destination for those seeking a sincere and uncompromised approach to the nuances of Szechuan spice and traditional preparation methods.
Restaurant Ethan is widely recognized in Montreal Chinatown for offering a broad menu of authentic Cantonese-style cuisine at very affordable prices with generous portion sizes. While many visitors appreciate the quick service, cozy atmosphere, and great value for a casual meal, opinions remain divided regarding the overall experience. Some patrons highlight the efficiency and friendliness of the staff, while others report inconsistent food quality and express frustration over aggressive tipping practices or impolite service. The dining environment is often described as dated or simple, but for those seeking a convenient and budget-friendly spot for staples like dumplings, BBQ meats, or bubble tea, it remains a popular and frequently visited destination.
I was recommended by Little Red Book & tried the stir-fried beef noodles. The whole flavor is okay but super salty. Can't recommend this dish. The waitress is a bit indifferent.
I saw a kitchen helper picking their nose at the door. The food is okay. If you order BBQ, congee, & wonton noodles, you can see the kitchen. But others dishes are cook by some non Chinese chefs.
We were lucky enough to choose this restaurant for lunch today. Had the duck meal for four & it was a true banquet! The salt & pepper shrimp were amazing, all of the dishes that came were delicious. We eat a lot of Chinese food in various locations & can say this meal was excellent. Our other daughter had #150 sliced pork & duck soup with noodles & she was very pleased. If we are ever in Montreal again we will be sure to stop in. Also the meal came out much quicker than expected. Wait staff was pleasant.
Jul 11, 2026
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Food was warm & comforting. No wait on a Saturday night, very nice service & super fast order. General Tsao Chicken was quick, a bit hard, but overall good. Lo mein was super skinny noodle, thinner than we are accustomed to but good.
A good stop for a quick & safe bite in China Town.
We had an enjoyable dinner at Restaurant Ethan, a Chinese eatery located in Montreal's Chinatown. This restaurant is known for its authentic Cantonese cuisines, popular Peking Duck, Beef Fried Noodles, Sichuan dishes & Dim Sum. We ordered the Cantonese Chow Mein (crispy egg noodles topped with a stir-fry meat, seafood & vegetables in a savoury sauce) & Pan Fried Dumplings. Both dishes tasted delicious! They were generous with the portions & the price was reasonable.
I think that because of their vast menu not all of their dishes are their forte. Having come here multiple times, I can say that their Peking duck, soft rice rolls, satay beef fried noodles & milk tea are delicious. Don't bother ordering fruit flavoured bubble tea or pad Thai, it isn't the best they have.
Regarding the service, they have place for improvement. Recently, it's gotten better from past visits though so I think they're going in the right direction.
I go to this resto all the tiiime.🤩 I think they're the only restaurant I know of that did not raise their prices like all the others from the recent inflation. It's great if you don't want to end up spending like 20$ on one single plate of food.
I like ordering the dumplings because they're WAY cheaper then any other place. Love that they have plates with rice & a choice of meat dish, it saves money when you're by yourself & don't want to have to order 2 big plates. I like the soups & noodle dishes as well.
The only dish I tried so far I didn't like was the chow mein.
Staff are always super nice with me, I don't understand what those bad reviews are talking about lol. I'm pretty sure I skipped tips occasionally but they never got mad at me for it, but that may be because they know me & I go there often & will tip what I can afford most of the time.
Hey read this review I've been here multiple times & I know what I'm talking about
As a person of non Asian descent the waiters are extremely rude & uninviting to me & my friends. We would ask for water or a container to bring back the food. Tell me why the waiters does not even talk back & when she brought back the containers & she basically threw them on the table without saying a word. Keep in mind I try to be as polite as possible when I go out to Restaurant because I respect the worker in the service industry. But these Women didn't have a bone of politeness in their bodies.
Don't get me wrong I will always give a tip to my waiters, I know they work hard & sometimes depend on tips but when I don't even get the basic politeness & no hello how are you, it's problem. So I didn't feel like tipping but when I tried to leave the restaurant there was 4-5 workers surrounding me telling me that I HAD to tip more than I had already tipped (because yes I still did tip despite the terrible service), which I didn't appreciate after the service I received.
I've been to this restaurant at least six times & I think there was only one times we had a server who didn't seem to be mad at the customer.(Also there was a worker watching a TV show on full blast & she was having a loud mental break down, don't get me wrong again I know all mental health but like can I eat in piece my friends cat had just died)
I read the reviews & the people who enjoyed the customer service seemed to be of Asian background, I'm not assuming anything just putting that out there
Now you might be wondering why is this girl still going if she hates the customer service. But the truth lies in the dish #87. Now these are the best noodles I've have ever eaten in my life, it is me & my best friend's comfort food & I recommend to everyone. The portions are very good & they have good price not like the customer service. I hope most of my money goes to the chef's.
Conclusion do I think you should come, yes but be prepared for Bad customer service & good food
Delicious & fast food, it was busy with hightail turn over.
The pan fried pork dumplings, Xiao long boa & Cantonese Chow mein were great, my child ate a whole order of the rice noodle rolls which was super fresh.
