Gibby's serves as a destination for prime cuts of beef and fresh seafood within a historic stone building defined by wood-burning fireplaces and dark wood accents. The menu focuses on dry-aged steaks that are trimmed on-site, alongside Atlantic salmon, rainbow trout, and oysters harvested from cold waters. Traditional sides such as baked potatoes, pickles, and sourdough bread accompany the primary meat and fish courses. Patrons encounter a multi-room layout that maintains an atmosphere of seclusion and warmth through its thick stone walls and low ceilings. The culinary preparation emphasizes classic grilling techniques over open flames to achieve specific textures and flavor profiles. Every selection of seafood undergoes rigorous sourcing standards to ensure consistency across the entire menu. This establishment functions as a dedicated center for meat and aquatic offerings in a centralized urban environment.
Does Gibby's have a private room for group events or parties?
Yes, Gibby's offers a private room available for group dining, private parties, corporate meetings, and special celebrations. Contact the restaurant directly to discuss availability and group menus.
Gibby's is widely celebrated as a quintessential Montreal steakhouse, cherished for its historic atmosphere, elegant decor, and traditional charm housed within a beautifully preserved centuries-old building. Many patrons praise the restaurant for its exceptional service, noting that staff often go above and beyond to create memorable experiences for birthdays and anniversaries. The menu is frequently lauded for its generous portions, high-quality steaks, signature Beef Wellington, and unique touches like fresh bread, pickles, and palate-cleansing sorbet. While some guests have noted inconsistencies in food preparation or service quality during busier times, the overall consensus among regular visitors and first-time guests alike highlights the establishment as a reliable and iconic destination for a classic fine dining experience in Old Montreal.
If you're looking for a classic, upscale steakhouse experience in Old Montreal, Gibbys absolutely delivers.
From the moment you step inside, the historic stone walls & warm lighting create an elegant, intimate atmosphere that feels timeless. It's the kind of place that's perfect for anniversaries, client dinners, or a refined night out.
The food is outstanding. The steaks are cooked perfectly to temperature - tender, flavorful, & expertly seasoned. The lobster is fresh & beautifully presented, & the sides are generous & satisfying. Everything feels thoughtfully prepared & high quality.
Service is another highlight. The staff are professional, attentive, & knowledgeable without being intrusive. They guide you through the menu & wine list with confidence, making the whole evening feel seamless.
Yes, it's on the premium side price-wise, but the quality, ambiance, & consistency make it worth it. Gibbys is a true Montreal classic - & for good reason.
Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates a traditional steakhouse done right.
The food, the ambiance, the staff, & the service were exceptional! Although it is on the expensive side, you get a good amount of great quality food for your money. They even brought us a peach cake to celebrate my birthday.
Obsessed with their lunch special. The chicken was so flavorful & I wish I could eat their Monte Carlo potato every single day. Very professional service & quality food!
My wife chose this restaurant for our New Year's eve supper & it was out of this world good! I would need to use swear words to describe juste how good our meal & our overall experience was. Amazing quality ingredients, super flavorful & great service, can't be beat! You can take our word for it we are both ex chefs with over 35 years experience combined. Thank you so much for a memorable night.
A (now former) friend of mine tried to tell me that''The Keg' is just as good as Gibby's, if not better, so I asked him exactly what kind of drugs he's been smoking! VERY embarassing & SAD, Owen! I've had the crab cakes at Gibby's & I've had the crab cakes at'The Keg,' & let me tell you, it's not even remotely close! & that's without even mentioning the STEAKS!
Pre-appatizers: Before they even take your order they bring you pickles, bread, butter, bacon bits, etc -- now THAT is service! Everything in this category is excellent, be careful not to fill up on it.
Steaks: These are the best steaks in town, believe me! I recommend the wellington, 8oz tenderloin, & ribeye. Tremendous! Friend of mine had the rack of lamb & said it was wonderful.
Appateizers: Really recommend the burrata appatizer (served with fresh peaches, nice!), beef carpaccio, clam chowder, & the crab cakes. They bring you a green salad or wedge salad to start as well -- IMO these can be ommitted; good but not special. Once upon a time gaspacho was offered as well which was the BOMB! Unfortunately it's no longer part of the starter options which is regrettable indeed.
Fish/Chicken/Other Mistakes: If I wanted fish I'd go to a fish-house, not a steak-house. I mean, really? . . . anyways, the wife had the salmon or halibut or some non-steak item & really enjoyed it . . . she'll come around!
Sides: Monte Carlo Potato, sauteed mushrooms, whatever you like. Quality.
Dessert: Cheesecake with blueberry reduction . . . simply incredible! Ice cream . . . very nice! Chocolate Cake . . . elite!
Drinks: Many excellent wine choices. Whiskey Sour was no joke.
Prices: Very pricey IMO, special occasion type of spot. But, you know this going in & you certainly get what you pay for!
Overall: NO GIBBY'S SLANDER WILL BE TOLERATED! Gibby's is an institution in Montreal, & is somehow not universally hailed as the best place in town! Would love to see the gaspachpo make a return, but hey . . . whatcanyoudo?
Awesome service! Food was delicious! From the bread, to the butter, to the amazing pickles, steaks & lamb chops! The blue cheese salad is delicious, will definitely go back. Very nice ambiance but can be a bit loud if there are lots of people. Prices are good for quality & service.
While in Montreal on business. One of my coworkers from Calgary, who is originally from Montreal highly recommended we all go to Gibby's for dinner. It was a wonderful & absolutely wonderful experience. The restaurant was quite busy, which is apparently pretty common for this really popular restaurant. Initially they sat us in a lounge area upstairs, where we enjoyed a couple of appetizers & some drinks & were served by the most wonderful server imaginable. We all Loved her.
When we were finally brought downstairs to eat, we enjoyed an unbelievable dinner & some great wine selections. I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are ever in Montreal. Not to be taken lightly. This is a high-end restaurant with high-end quality, food, & wines.
But the staff was over-the-top professional, & we loved every moment of it.
Paul
Calgary
My son chose Gibbys to celebrate his birthday with us (his parents) & his girlfriend. He was looking forward to an excellent steak, which in the past was a staple at Gibbys. Well, not any more! 3 out of 4 of us at the table ordered steak & we were very disappointed. The meat was very low quality (thin cuts, too much fat at the edges, & worst of all _very_ tough). This was at best Grade A beef.
My son ordered his steak rare as he has done elsewhere & did so with confidence given Gibbys past reputation. The steak was cold inside (not cool, cold!) & felt that it had just been taken out of the fridge (or the freezer) & quickly slapped onto the grill. My ribeye was like the bottom of a shoe, tough & with no flavor except for the spices. The meat had no marbling at all. My wife's steak was passable, but neither of the 3 steak lovers at our table finished their steaks, which _never_ happens in our family. The Monte Carlo potato was very good, thankfully.
We were left thinking how much better things are at The Keg, which is not even supposed to be in Gibbys' class.
The 4th guest had grilled salmon which looked good & tasted fine, no issues there. The'famous' Gibbys salad was ok, fresh ingredients, nice dressing, croutons & bacon bits all good.
We reserved through Opentable & had noted that it was for a birthday & asked for the cake & splarker, as well as the polaroid. On the eve of the reservation, we got a call from Gibbys to confirm our request, including the cake & sparkler. All good so far.
At the restaurant, at the end of the meal the waiter brings the cake. No sparkler. He said they ran out. What is the point of confirming then? Run out & get a bloody sparkler when you bother to confirm, that's what good service _is_. The cake was this tiny terrible dry cake, which was supposed to be dessert. It was such a turnoff that we didn't order real dessert, hurriedly paid the bill & made a note to write a review about our experience.
Our waiter was effective & polite, nothing over the top. The valet was excellent, polite, funny & efficient. He even took a picture of us at the entrance. We are all smiling as it is before the meal...
Our bill with tax & tip was over $750 ($761.95 to be precise, with tax & tip). Gibbys is not what it used to be & with so many excellent choices in Montreal we are never returning. Very disappointing.
Gibby's provided a mixed experience. A recent visit (July 2025) for a special occasion was unfortunately a major letdown when compared to our five-star experience back in 2022. That first visit set a high bar, making Gibby's our top choice for this special celebration. Unfortunately, our recent experience was exceptionally disappointing.
Disenchanting Seating & Ambiance
I'd specifically requested a private, intimate table in my online reservation, knowing it was a special occasion. Arriving early on a Monday evening, the restaurant was not busy, with plenty of quieter seating available. Despite this, the hostess seated us in a noisy section, surrounded by a lively group of businessmen & a family with young children. Our small table was also positioned uncomfortably close to another, making private conversation impossible. It was baffling why, given my request & the available space, we were placed in such an unsuitable spot.
Rushed & Questionable Service
Our server was polite but seemed rushed. When I mentioned our special occasion, he gave a cursory acknowledgment, in stark contrast to the genuine interest shown by our server back in 2022. It felt like our server on this occasion was focused on moving things along & maximizing the bill, constantly suggesting the most expensive items & add-ons.
The wine service was particularly concerning. I asked for a recommendation & was immediately pointed to the priciest options. I selected a different bottle, still pricey but more reasonable, which he confirmed. However, the bottle he brought had an unusual label, making it hard to identify. I accepted it, but later discovered on the bill that it was $50 more expensive than what I ordered. I didn't want to haggle on our special night, but it left me wondering if it was an honest mistake. He also acknowledged my request for a decanter but never brought it.
Underwhelming Food & Value
The food quality wasn't as good as our previous visit. Both steaks, ordered medium, arrived well-done. We chose not to send them back, simply wanting to conclude our disappointing evening. Unlike our 2022 visit, there were no complimentary desserts for our special occasion.
Ultimately, our bill was significantly higher than before, for a far less satisfying experience. The combination of the poor seating, rushed & seemingly up-selling service, & food issues meant our special occasion dinner felt unpleasant & overpriced.
Conclusion - Highly Disappointed
While Gibby's has a charming historic setting was very impressive back in 2022, my recent visit demonstrated a significant dip in quality & value. The best part of our July 2025 visit was recalling the wonderful experience we had two years prior. After this experience, & considering all the other great options in the area, I'm not sure if a third visit is likely.
