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.
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Garde Manger in Montreal, & I can confidently say it was an exceptional experience from start to finish. The restaurant's ambiance perfectly blends rustic charm with a vibrant energy that makes it feel both intimate & lively. The food was outstanding-a true testament to the skill & creativity of the chefs. Every dish was beautifully presented & bursting with flavour. Highlights for me included the fresh oysters, which were impeccably served, & the scallops that were cooked to perfection, accompanied by a deliciously balanced sauce. The dessert, especially the tiramisu, was the perfect end to an unforgettable meal. Equally impressive was the service. The staff were attentive, friendly, & knowledgeable, making excellent recommendations for both food & wine pairings. Their professionalism & warmth added to the overall experience, making me feel genuinely welcome. Garde Manger is a must-visit for anyone looking for top-tier dining in Montreal. Whether you're a local or just visiting, this is a spot where you'll not only enjoy an incredible meal but also leave with a memorable dining experience. I can't wait to return!
28 déc. 2024
sur Google
🍽️
Sachez où manger à Montréal avant tout le monde.
Découvrez en primeur les ouvertures les plus branchées, des menus secrets et les coups de cœur de RestoMontreal.ca. Rejoignez plus de 50 000 foodies.
Très bonne expérience au restaurant Garde Manger hier soir. Je n'avais pas trop d'attentes mais j'ai été agréablement surprise. Nous avons pris le menu dégustation 5 services. Le menu était très copieux & de très bonne qualité. Il ne s'agit pas d'un restaurant de fruits de mer ordinaire, la cuisine y est raffinée & les plats originaux. Le service était impeccable, malgré que le restaurant était très occupé. La femme à l'entrée qui semblait être la gérante s'assure que tout se déroule bien dans son commerce. La barmaid s'est aussi bien occupé de nous, étant donné que nous étions assis au bar. C'est un restaurant assez dispendieux mais en vaut la peine pour les foodies. Je recommande!
Had a great time yet again at Garde Manger; I think this was our 4th visit at least, & it was great to have some variations, with the same level of quality on all fronts. The seafood tower & A5 Wagyu beef were the key highlights! We also had the chance to meet Chef Hugues, who was super friendly.
The staff were so incredibly friendly & knowledgeable. Chefs menu was outstanding & on the coldest day so far , the warm & cozy atmosphere was perfect. Will return hands down.
An absolute Gem of a spot. Thank you so much for the staff that was with us last night & thank you to David for permitting us to hang around & sing for a while. It was truly a special evening, the place was full & David still found us *special* seating! We were exceptionally well taken care of & will certainly make this a regular stop when I'm in Montreal.
I tried to Dine at this restaurant every time I visit Montreal. I have now been there about seven times & have never been disappointed. My most recent visit was in October & this was A whole other experience. I asked the waiter to do something special & create something along the lines of all our favorite meals from their restaurant. What the chef created was nothing short of perfection. I travel based on culinary experiences, & this is probably the best experience of my life. This is not a cheap restaurant by any means, but if food ambience & service is as important to you, as it is to me, you will gladly pay for perfection I'm sure.
We really enjoyed our experience at the Garde Manger. Coming from San Francisco we have had some amazing food, but Garde was next level. The seafood starter blew us away. David & Chuck were gracious hosts that explained the menu & provided an unforgettable night. From one'Hughes' to another we truly appreciate the night we had & can't wait to visit again! Thanks so much for the time for a fun night out!
Garde Manger exceeded expectations. Every bite was delicious across all the courses & the cocktails were incredible. Highly recommend the Pour Georgette. Food wise, we absolutely loved the octopus appetizer & the combination of ingredients in the sea bass. The coffee cake was an amazing way to top off the meal. My only complaint - I wish the focaccia was warm :)
Certainly a bit of a "splurge" when it comes to their menu, by the end of the next expect a lighter wallet but to be absolutely satisfied & full of delicious food.
Bonjour, Je tiens à exprimer ma déception concernant mon expérience lors de ma visite chez vous hier soir avec ma mère. Nous étions chez vous pour célébrer un grand monent & avions opté pour le menu de dégustation à 105$. Lorsque nous avons demandé si le steak pouvait y être inclus, on nous a confirmé que cela était possible en acquiescent avec un: OK. Cependant, à notre grande surprise, un supplément de 40$ a été ajouté à notre facture sans que cela ne nous ait été mentionné au préalable. J'aurais apprécié que cette information soit clairement communiquée, afin d'éviter toute confusion. Nous avions choisi votre restaurant avec enthousiasme & ce malentendu a terni notre expérience. Ce qui est dommage, car le reste de notre expérience était vraiment à la hauteur de nos attentes. L'ambiance, le service attentionné & la qualité des plats ont été très appréciés. Ce détail concernant le supplément de 40$ est donc d'autant plus regrettable, car il a laissé une impression mitigée sur un repas par ailleurs excellent. Merci de prendre le temps de considérer mon retour. Cordialement, Claudia
Arrêter d'aller ailleurs, c'est impossible de manger mieux ailleurs🫶🏼. Taylor EXCELLENT SERVICE. Cuisine a la table nous voulions pleurer tellement que c'était UN DÉLICE. L'ambiance rien demandé de plus. COCKTAIL PARFAIT! Dommage d'habiter aussi loin
9 nov. 2024
sur Google
🍽️
Sachez où manger à Montréal avant tout le monde.
Découvrez en primeur les ouvertures les plus branchées, des menus secrets et les coups de cœur de RestoMontreal.ca. Rejoignez plus de 50 000 foodies.
Garde Manger exceeded our high expectations. We took a chance & popped in on a Wednesday night before a show. We were received so warmly, as though this is just a small family run restaurant. The food was phenomenal. The oysters were the best we have ever tasted. We took our server's advice & tried the octopus & radicchio appetizers. The octopus is tender & delicious, but also pleasantly different. The potatoes that are served with the octopus are amazing. My only wish here is that we had ordered the sourdough bread to soak up the sauce in the plate. The warm salad had cheese & grapes in it- perfect combination of flavours. We would have loved the food & come back even if the service had been terrible. In this case David was wonderful & made the experience perfect. Really looking forward to our next visit.
Visiting from the US for 1 night, needed a bite to eat & had a couple locals recommend Old Montreal area. Came across this place as an option based on the vibe, food, & historic feel. It did not disappoint. Delicious food, great vibe, & a memorable evening. The service was fantastic, fun, & sincere. Would love to come back someday. Thanks Julian & team!
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.
