Le Garde Manger est une sorte de joyau culinaire qui, de prime abord, n'en présente pas les apparences. Il faut d'abord dénicher l'endroit, dans une ruelle quelque part près des quais du Vieux-Montréal. De plus, ce bistro sans prétention, situé près du centre des affaires, ne possède pas d'enseigne extérieure. Malgré tout, depuis son ouverture en juin 2006, il est devenu une adresse de choix auprès des professionnels branchés qui ont envie d'une cuisine de la Côte Est et d'une pinte de bière locale après une dure journée de travail.
Dans l’ensemble, les avis sur Garde Manger décrivent une expérience culinaire maritime exceptionnelle mêlant ambiance chaleureuse et service attentif. La cuisine est largement saluée pour sa fraîcheur, ses fruits de mer généreux et ses plats créatifs, présentés avec soin et équilibre. Le menu degustation est souvent un point fort, même si certains visiteurs trouvent les portions parfois petites et le déroulement des plats peu clair sans support imprimé. La carte des vins et les cocktails reçoivent aussi des éloges, avec des accords judicieux, même si quelques convives regrettent le choix au verre et préféreraient des options plus fruitées ou off-dry. L'ambiance est décrite comme vivante et accueillante, et le cadre du Vieux-Montréal est souvent mentionné comme un atout majeur. Des critiques signalent néanmoins des réalités pratiques comme une certaine confusion autour du menu, une arrière-salle bruyante et des tables serrées, ou des temps d’attente qui peuvent décevoir lors des soirs plus chargés. Malgré cela, l’enthousiasme demeure fort et beaucoup recommandent Garde Manger comme une expérience mémorable à Montréal, un lieu où la nourriture et le service s’accordent pour offrir une soirée exceptionnelle et inoubliable.
We've been coming here for years…& we return every time we are in Montreal. Tonight, we had the pleasure of being served by Felix & watching him at work at the back bar. Food was fantastic (husband's top 10 meals of was the oxtail agnolotti) & vibe was great.
Souper avec le menu à $130/personne. Excellent choix car ça nous permet de goûter à différents plats. Belle présentation & une cuisine goûteuse & excellente. Un service impeccable rarement vu. Merci à toute l'équipe
5 avr. 2025
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The best dining experience ever. Our server Dave felt like an old friend. The staff was so incredibly attentive & caring. The food was incredible, the cocktails & dessert were fantastic.
Magnifique soirée au Garde-Manger, un délice incomparable, une perle rare à Montréal. Merci pour l'expérience gastronomique de ce soir, ma copine & moi avons adoré!
Once again, another epic experience. Staff, to service, to the food. Garde Manger nails the experience from the moment you walk in the door. If you haven't been, do yourself a favour & book asap. Bon appétit
12 mars 2025
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Delicious all around. The agnolotti were delicious as were the crab toast & chicken croquettes. The carrots & salmon main were okay, wouldn't necessarily get again. We definitely over ordered for two people (3 appetizers, bread, 2 mains & the carrots) but I look forward to trying out other things on the menu.
This was likely the single best meal we have ever had. Everything - from the moment we sat down until we left - was immaculate. The service was incredible (our waters never bordered on empty, our table was always cleaned, & we were even given a moist towel at one point between courses). We did the level 2 chefs tasting menu, plus the snow crab, & I'd say it was worth the upgrade. The lobster caviar was incredible, while the snow crab almost brought us both to tears. Every other dish was varying levels of great to fantastic, & the wine/cocktails were also excellent. Truly, everything was immaculate. In particular, the pacing with which the dishes came out deserves a special shoutout - we were never waiting, & once we started to slow down, the dishes did, too, to give us time. Absolutely recommend this place. High-end dining, but you will not leave hungry!
Superbe dining experience. Orrecchette was delectable & rich. The crab on brioche entrée also. The chef came out & chatted with us & others. Will definitely need to go back.
12 févr. 2025
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Absolutely phenomenal experience. We had the tasting menu - service was impeccable. The atmosphere was relaxed & welcoming & made for an excellent cap for our visit to Montreal. Thank you for hosting
Absolutely fantastic time. Atmosphere was lovely, food was delicious. But our server was by far the best part. Sam you were fantastic thanks for everything!
6 years later after my inital review we came back for a weekend trip & of course had to stop by.
We came for appetizer & drinks. & while the food, was stunning, same as last time. The char was phenomenal & the chicken croquettes my wife loved just as much…
The service is really what shines here. We had Sam at the bar 6 years ago, & we sat with him this time while he shucked oysters! I don't think much needs to be said about Sam, he's amazing at what he does, as a person & as a server. Even though Taylor was our actual waitress & she was just as kind generous & knowledgeable!
Special regards to Gihan for our fantastic drinks, & Wes for being on top of everything!
Any Montreal trip, regardless of where you are from requires a Garde Manger trip! There isn't a restaurant or establishment I've ever been to that I give as high regards as Garde Manger.
Food, service & atmosphere were a 15/10. Creative, non pretentious & well worth the money. The food was phenomenal & the service was equally impressive. The experience exceeded our expectations & I highly recommend Garde Manger.
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.
31 janv. 2025
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Dinner with colleagues from work. Tried the four course Chef's tasting menu & everything was excellent. Favourite items included the grilled swordfish & the salad.
Wow, wow, wow was this place FANTASTIC!!! My husband & I were lucky enough to stumble upon this cute, cozy, charming restaurant. There are no signs, so we just went in & gave it a shot. We just saw a performance at the Centaur Theatre up the street & walked by. I noticed the fireplace through the window & saw it as quite lively for almost 10pm on a cold Wednesday evening. We entered with a friendly greeting by David, who sat us at the end of the bar bc all tables were taken. The restaurant is intimate, warm, & cozy. The lovely bartender, Emma, was amazing! She was professional, personable, & took great care of us, which really added to the dining experience. She walked us through the menu, suggested options, made exceptional drinks, all with a warm & friendly demeanor. Being a seafood specialty restaurant, we ordered all seafood. We ordered 3 starters (tuna, arctic char, & snow crab), & 1 main (swordfish), & focaccia bread. Every bite was exceptional! We were in seafood heaven! I HIGHLY recommend & look forward to our next visit.
Food here is amazing! Its opened by the celebrity chef Chuck Hughes. The octopus & tuna tartare was so good . As for the mains, the artichoke & scallops were done so well . The desserts are not on the menu so it could be different every night & the ones I got were delicious as well!
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.
