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 were visiting Montreal & booked at a different restaurant for dinner which was horrible & ended up leaving. We decided to try Garde Manger. They worked to get us a seat at the bar & Julianne greeted us with humour & a smile & kept us laughing all night. There were two other couples sitting at the bar & we had the most delightful time. The service, ambience, food & experience were exceptional!! Best meal we have ever had travelling & I highly recommend.
The food was very good but the service was even more excellent. Everyone who works here is friendly, knowledgeable & personable. You will have a great time dining here.
Everything was A+. The server was personable, cocktail (Pink Moon) was great. The lamb, probably the best I've ever had. & the desserts...wow dangerously good. Great for a really special occasion.
Safe to say this was a massive fail. I came with a colleague to show him what Canada & Montreal has to offer the culinary world. Sad to say, I was left apologizing . We did 6 courses for 200 option. The raw bar was pleasant & so were the wine recommendations. Service was relatively friendly. But the mains were a disaster - 2 of three were sooo over salted that they left my mouth literally stinging. This was at a level that no one could ever enjoy . In retrospect I should have sent this all back. What they did to those scallops was a crime against seafood. By the time the dessert came I swallowed all the ice cream just to get the awful taste out my mouth. I was well mannered when raising the extreme usage of salt in some of the dishes. He listened but didn't do anything else. I left a similar review to this on OpenTable the next day & they gave a call to follow up. I won't be back, I should've gone to a place I was familiar with when showcasing Canada & Montreal to my colleague. Unfortunately the trust is now gone 😞
TL:DR- Excellent food & service. Easy to miss location, hole in the wall atmosphere with big attitude. We sat at the bar. The only difference is bartop vs table, the service is largely the same. We started with some shrimp, & the carrots. Both were awesome, perhaps some of our favorite roasted carrots ever. We continued with the swordfish & lamb. Again, both were very good, beautiful flavors & melt in your mouth texture. We shared a coffee cake for dessert, which was just as good as dinner. This restaurant was easy to miss, but I think that's a feature, not a bug. That vibe carried through the service & decor. Almost a hole in the wall kinda feel, there probably aren't many, if any walk ins. Make reservations well in advance of your visit. I will absolutely make an attempt to eat here again when we come back to Montreal.
Jan 20, 2024
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Oui c'est dispendieux mais: - les ingrédients sont d'une qualité rare. - le service est excellent. - la cuisine met la barre très haute avec leurs recettes & une exécution irréprochable. - on n'a pas faim quand on sort contrairement à certains autres gastronomiques. On reviendra c'est sûr, pour les belles occasions bien-sûr.
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.
Small restaurant serving a handful of guests some 5-star dishes made with premium quality ingredients. Simplicity is what makes this place special. The ingredients are the stars of the show. They're not trying to hide some supermarket grade scallops with a heavy creamy sauce. Service is excellent & the desserts are surprisingly good. Worth a detour.
Jordan & Jessica were amazing, so much attention to detail & made a wonderful romantic evening for my husband & I. Chuck Hughes himself was even in the restaurant by chance that night. He visited our table & had a quick chat, we were both totally star struck. Highly recommend the Lobster Pogos featuring black caviar. So yummy. Great service, great music, great food, great ambiance. A wonderful night. 12/10.
I absolutely love this place & will be back soon! The food was simply the best we've ever had at a restaurant & the service was even better. Can't say how happy we were to be there on our wedding anniversary. Great job guys!!
I can't give this place enough stars! The meal was amazing from app to dessert! We walked in after deciding to cancel our reservations at another restaurant & decided to try our luck with this place. We had cozy seats at the bar. Or bartender/server was amazing. She made an excellent wine recommendation that really highlighted the whole meal. The oysters might have been the best we've ever had. We had the Trofie & Agnolotti for our mains. We didn't want them to end. Some of the best flavors I've ever had. We ordered dessert as so the night would not end. That too did not disappoint. I recomend their classic. Even the music was excellent.
