Garde Manger is described as a vibrant seafood focused standout in Old Montreal with a warm, lively atmosphere and consistently attentive service; the tasting menu and chef's selections are repeatedly praised for creativity and generosity of seafood, with many dishes described as memorable, though a few guests note pacing issues and that portions can feel small for the price; the bar and wine program receive strong praise for thoughtful pairings, while a minority comment that wine by the glass options lean dry or lack off dry fruity choices; the front of house and kitchen staff are frequently singled out for their energy and hospitality, making the experience feel welcoming and celebratory, and many diners say that Garde Manger offers one of the best seafood experiences in the city and is worth returning to, even if some evenings feel busier or louder and a few reservations about value remain.
We did the level 4 tasting menu with extra additions. Highlights are the razor clams, snow crab & wagyu steak (though, they could salt it a touch less). Oxtail Pasta is amazing. Pass on the caviar. Great service. Food comes quickly.
Dinner with colleagues from work. Tried the four course Chef's tasting menu & everything was excellent. Favourite items included the grilled swordfish & the salad.
Jan 29, 2025
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The staff & vibe was impeccable . We had the tasting menu & it was such a lovely experience. Fresh seafood, rich tender beef, delightfully prepared vegetables. I cannot overstate how much I loved the experience. The pistachio profiterole & amaro meletti pairing was indescribably perfect. I cried it was so good. The only negative of the entire night was in the final course. It was a plate of small bite desserts that was just too much after such a decadent meal. The brown butter macaron was so overpoweringly sweet that it turned my stomach & I couldn't eat the rest of the options on the plate. My partner said the rest (salted dark chocolate wafer, a fruit gelée, & a petit four) were delightful. I don't want this to dominate this review, so I'll just leave it at-maybe avoid the macaron but absolutely devour everything else. The oysters were perfectly shucked & cleaned. The mignonette served with it was nuanced yet bold. The cocktail sauce with the shrimp was familiar yet surprising (super fresh horseradish & perfect Worcestershire) I could have eaten just that & left happy. The bathrooms smelled like maple syrup. Every detail has been thought about here. It's obvious the staff cares deeply.
Did the tasting menu. Fantastic. Service was exceptional. One of the best meals I have ever had in a restaurant. & I have been to a lot of restaurants. The Paul Bocuse restaurant in Lyon may still be my number one, but I am tempted to say Garde Manger may be my number 2. Jeez, if Chuck had been there........well we will never know. I am a fan of Chuck Hughes, for sure.
Overall excellent experience here at Garde Manger - some rough edges but ultimately memorable & would love to go back again. Tried the $175-value Chef's menu, & one thing that stood out compared to the few other tasting menus I've tried was the variety. Meaning, they don't just give you & my friends (party of 3) the same dish; for most of the courses we ended up with three different dishes that were fun to share & also complimented each other very well. While I wouldn't say any of the dishes were disappointing, there were some that I found to be just okay, like the amuse-bouche that started us off. It had caviar (my first time trying it), but it didn't leave much of an impression after tasting, which I was surprised by. Of course, when you're paying this much, you really want each dish to hit. However, in other courses where there was more of that aforementioned variety, anything that I found underwhelming would immediately be checked by something I found unique & delicious. This worked out pretty well, since each of us in our party had slightly different tastes. It's an interplay most apparent in what I assumed to be the show-stopper: a large plate of fresh seafood with different sauces & condiments (pictured). It's an arrangement that allows for some customization (what should I try first?) & conversation on preferences (do you like this more?) & I always enjoy meals that allows a party to engage in a dialogue in this way. One thing to know is that the music playing in the background was loud (maybe it paints a better picture to say it was playing in the *foreground*). I personally didn't mind it (probably because I was inebriated) but my co-diners found it a little much, & they're not wimps. It did make it hard to hear what the waitstaff were saying at times. Service was excellent. Though thinking back I don't think I saw any women among the staff, which strikes me as unusual. Is this common in fine dining? Unsure.
As others have mentioned, the move here is to go for one of the tasting menus to try multiple dishes (& trust me they do not skimp on the portions). We did the smallest 4 course tasting & still left absolutely stuffed. Our favorite was the seafood tower to start. I will say that the service was on the slower end so make sure you allocate a lot of time to finish your meal. Bonus points for a great playlist as well!
Oct 15, 2024
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My partner & I don't really get the opportunity to go to nice restaurants much. We aim to go somewhere nice once a year. This year I chose this restaurant & we were both pleasantly surprised. The first thing we noticed when walking in was the really nice & dim restaurant with a gorgeous chandelier. The music was pretty much 10/10 the whole night as well. Our server, I believe her name was Taylor, was an absolute gem & made our whole experience even better. Frankly, even the bus boy was lovely! The food was like nothing I'd ever had before, so I'm really happy we opted for the tasting menu. Every dish was absolutely delicious & surprisingly filling. The platters were very unique, beautifully presented, & amazingly fresh. (Seriously, how did they get the shrimps to be so tender?) I've lived in Montreal my whole life & this easily takes the cake for the best restaurant I've ever been to with the best service both of us have ever experienced. I seriously wish it was an option for us to come here more frequently. 😂 All that said, it was worth every single penny. If you're wondering if you should go, do yourself a massive favour & go!
I just can't say enough about this place. Amazing vibe, exceptional food (get the tasting menu!), dealt with my allergies exceptionally well, really awesome staff. One of the best dining experiences I've ever had.
All I can say is... W O W. What an amazing meal & experience at this restaurant, from the staff to the quality of ingredients used to the delicious smelling candles in the washroom. The attention to detail from all angles was nothing short of amazing. My boyfriend & I went with the tier 1 tasting menu & we left feeling full & beyond impressed with our experience. The food was out of this world delicious & the service was that much better. We were sat at the oyster bar, where Julian was incredibly knowledgeable & explained each aspect of the meal & course with great detail & charisma. He answered all our questions with humour & genuine enthusiasm & it is clear he truly loves what he does (& oh boy is he good at it!). He went out of his way to ensure we were comfortable & made our time there that much more memorable. Strongly recommend this restaurant, can't wait to come back. We felt so special & are already planning our next visit to Garde Manger.
Creative, delicious, really high quality ingredients, cozy setting, just so great. One of my favorite fancy meals for a long time. About $700 CAD for the tasting menu for two, with two drinks each, including taxes & tips. A la carte would be less but the chef's menu was very good.
Sep 9, 2024
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Yet again an amazing experience, we had the option 4 tasting menu & nothing disappointed. The food was great an so was the service, I can't say enough good things about this place, make sure you put it on your must visit list when in Montreal
A very lovely & fun dining experience. We tried the 6 course chefs tasting menu, & each course consisted of up to 3 separate dishes; we were stuffed at the end. Some dishes were pleasant, others great (I loved the steak, wife loved the apple vinaigrette salad, we both loved the seafood platter & the rich chocolate cake). The atmosphere & service was warm & fun, almost irreverent. It was pricey, but well worth it for a date night splurge.
Had the tasting menu & was blown away by all the food. Some plates were definitely better than others, but they were all very tasty. The amount of food is really good even if this restaurant is on the pricier side, but price is justified by the quality of ingredients. The service was impeccable. I'll be back.
Jan 17, 2024
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We were able to get a last minute reservation here during our stay in Montreal & had the best meal we have ever experienced. My husband & I ordered the middle tier tasting menu & each course came out with multiple shared tastings that were beautifully plated & so delicious. The chef chose each course so we had no idea what we would be served & we loved this element of surprise. The seafood platter, lamb, squash, trout, beef carpaccio...omg, everything was perfect! Our server & all of the staff we interacted with were lovely. Wish we lived closer because I would be coming here all of the time! Cheers!
Best of the best in Montréal! Food is delicious, service is top notch. The tasting menus give the opportunity to experience the restaurant as a whole. Gluten-free options were also accommodated �
Amazing food, service, & ambience/music. My husband & I did the tasting menu & they were able to accommodate my gluten allergy. The entire experience was fantastic. Cannot recommend enough!
Second review: went back 3 weeks ago. It was even better than the last time. We took the tasting menu & every single dish was delicious! Worth every penny. Definitely recommend this restaurant.
