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.
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.
The last of my favourite restaurants finally has fallen. Once my first choice for birthdays or any celebration but now I will definitely think twice before going back.
Service left a lot to be desired. Waitress seemed bothered anytime a request was made, making a big deal about having to'go down to the kitchen'. Pickles & bread took forever to arrive, along with taking our order. Sat nearly 30 minutes before we were served & another 20 before any food hit the table.
Food was good but not excellent. Prices have increased but the quality has gotten worse. Steak was not cooked correctly.
Overall not the experience I expect for $100+ a head. Very disappointed & I am sad to say that I will be looking elsewhere for a high quality dining experience.
Edit: Management responded to my concerns promptly, assured me that changes are going to be made at the restaurant & offered some compensation. Will see how my next experience is & update the review.
Edit 2: Went back tonight & my experience was much better, while there were still some issues with the kitchen they certainly made up for it. Service was much better & I would definitely return.
I haven't been there since 2016, but I can tell you the food quality was better back then. Crabcakes have plenty of crab, but a bit salty, grilled shrimp a tad overcooked, filet medium rare NOT medium as asked. Sat down at 6:40 pm, & didn't get main course till 8:10 pm. Much too slow on the service, but awesome waiter though! Very glad we had a gift certificate or I would have been quite unhappy with the whole thing. Not what it used to be, shame.
With the new ownership & menu Gibby's has lost its Lustre. The menu is not nearly as varied, the salad has slipped in quality & the service is not the same experienced crew that I loved. The dessert was actually stale. I would recommend RibnReef as the premier Steakhouse. I would only go back if you are looking for the old Montreal experience
Gibby is one of the best steakhouse in Montreal, they offer high-quality meat cuts, the Rockefeller oysters, & my best dish there is the garlic snail, & when you take the bread & dip it into the garlic sauce. I highly recommend this place.
Butter has changed..tastes like margarine...food quality changed..we're is the Old great staff???
New ownership killing what made this place great..too bad ..price increase is fine but quality of food is suffering
Shame on the new ownership for wrecking such a great restaurant.
Booooo
The Monte Carlo potato was delicious. Steak IGA quality. Very tough & fatty for a New York strip. Bread at the beginning average grocery store quality. Pickles whatever. Blue cheese wedge was kind of tasteless. Our waiter was super nice. He forgot a few things but the ambiance was so warm & cozy that it wasn't a big deal. He was also very polite about it. The coat check was kind of slow.
Go for the History, Not the Food or Service This was my first time at Gibby's, & after hearing so many good things, I was excited to try it. Unfortunately, it didn't live up to the hype. The evening started on a positive note. My friend & I were greeted by the hostess, & our jackets were taken promptly. This initial service was probably the best we experienced all night. Once seated, the waitress arrived, & things seemed to be moving quickly at first. We ordered a dozen oysters, a cowboy steak, a salad with blue cheese dressing, Monte-Carlo potatoes, & a Manhattan to drink. The Manhattan was fantastic-easily a 10/10. The oysters, which arrived after about 30 minutes, were good but not exceptional due to the accompanying sauces. From there, it was downhill. Service: 4/10 The service left much to be desired. For example, I had a bottle of Pellegrino with a quarter left, & the waitress attempted to take it away. When I stopped her, she poured the remaining water into our glasses without a word & walked off. Later, when we were served regular water, she filled my glass to the brim, making it difficult to lift without spilling. On the positive side, at least the alcohol arrived promptly. Salad: 1.5/10 I ordered the blue cheese dressing salad, & it was disappointing. While the lettuce was crisp, the dressing was terrible. I love salads-almost as much as steak-but this one was a letdown. Steak: 4/10 We ordered the 36 oz cowboy steak rare, & while it was cooked to the right temperature, it lacked flavor. Honestly, I've had better steaks at The Keg. For the price & reputation, I expected much more. While the size was generous & enough for two grown men, the taste was underwhelming. Digestif: 5/10 The lemon digestif was fine-nothing special, nothing terrible. Overall: If you're planning to visit Gibby's, understand that you're paying for the name & the historical ambiance, not the food or service. The total came to $400 with tip, which felt excessive for an experience that was mediocre at best. If you're looking for quality, head to Grinder instead-you'll save money & have a better meal. Verdict: Skip it.
Hubby & I had dinner & loved the service & atmosphere. The food was good although I was not impressed with the quality of the beef. I had the filet & hubby had beef Wellington. Steaks were cooked to perfection & appetizers etc. were great. I loved that they served dill pickles along side the bread. Pickle lovers will definitely love this option vs bread.
