Gibbys Restaurant is located in Old Montreal in the Youville Stables. A charming restaurant, boasts historic stone walls, original beamed ceilings, cozy fireplaces, and romantic lighting. At Gibby's you`ll enjoy fine seafood, including fresh plump chilled oysters, a large choice of the freshest fish and Gibbys' expertly aged and exquisitely broiled steaks, all accompanied by a variety of wines from their extensive wine list.
Overall, reviews portray Gibby's as a quintessential Montreal steakhouse with a storied Old Port setting, stone walls and a warm, intimate atmosphere that makes it ideal for celebrations and date nights. The portions are generous and the menu features classic, well cooked favorites like rib eye, filet mignon, Beef Wellington and beef carpaccio, with desserts and sides that many diners praise. The wine list and cocktails receive consistent praise, though a few guests feel the prices are high and wine guidance can be less reliable at times. Service is repeatedly described as attentive, knowledgeable and friendly across many visits, with standout experiences when staff anticipate needs, explain dishes and guide pairings; on some occasions, however, crowds, turnover or changes in ownership led to slower service or inconsistencies. Guests also note thoughtful touches such as bread and pickles on arrival, palate cleansers, occasional complimentary birthday cake or polaroid photos, and at times showmanship at the table, all of which contribute to a memorable experience. While many call it a Montreal institution and a must for a special occasion, others feel value has declined with price increases and some meals falling short of past high standards. In short, Gibby's delivers a classic, high end dining experience with a strong sense of history, excellent steaks and a generally positive service record, tempered by occasional fluctuations.
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.
The food was good but could be better seasoned. Service was fantastic! The restaurant was around 27-28 degrees. We were fanning ourselves throughout the whole meal. It was very unpleasant. Washrooms had urine all over the floor & overflowing toilets.
Jul 12, 2025
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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.
It's third time here & always good experience. I love the food, drink & atmosphere. Also, they live my dog! Eden was our serve last time & she is such nice with us!
This steak house has Valet parking.
Easy to get a table without a reservation.
Warm & comfortable ambience. Just lovely. Something that is missing from most restaurants these days.
The service was good but not what it used to be twenty years ago.
The warm bread & butter are delicious. The bread is a fluffy white & on the sweet side. Watch these, as they can derail your appetite.
The pickles are good. Crunchy & flavorful.
Both the house & blue cheese salads were good. Very generous with the salad dressing. Nice touch of croutons, real bacon bits & fresh pepper.
As always the lemon sorbet, to clean the palette, was perfect!
We all loved our filet mignon & steak. The Montee Carlo baked potato is delicious. The asparagus & pepper are not worth belly space.
The Oysters Rockefeller were ok. For the price I would have preferred to try something else.
The French fries aren't bad.
Both the sauce Diane & the Peppercorn ROCK!
The crème brûlée was good. I appreciate the vanilla custard. It is not phenomenal but it is good.
The gentlemen at valet were great.
It is not an inexpensive restaurant. However, unlike many other restaurants, included in the price of your meal you get a salad & potato.
The food is delicious & the beef wellington was the best food I've ever tasted. Even Girdon Ramsey's Wellington is nothing compared to this. So amazing! The service was amazing & everyone was so kind & nice. We got complementary desserts which were absolutely jaw dropping. The atmosphere feels like you just walked into Paris!
Jul 10, 2025
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Le restaurant Gibby's peut paraître un peu guindé au premier abord, mais dès qu'on y entre, on comprend vite que tout est tout simplement parfait.
Le service est impeccable, l'accueil professionnel mais chaleureux, & chaque détail est soigné.
Quant aux plats… un vrai régal du début à la fin ! Tout était savoureux, bien présenté, & préparé avec une grande attention.
Si vous cherchez une expérience culinaire chic, raffinée & inoubliable, Gibby's est une adresse que je recommande vivement.
Visited Gibby's after over 20 years. The service was very friendly but painfully slow taking over 3 hours to be served. Although busy, the restaurant was not full.
The escargot were minute, the Gibby salad was excellent & our steaks were cooked to perfection. The price was outrageous. There are better & less expensive steak restaurants in Montreal. Caters mainly to the tourist clientele. Would not return.
Would have been 5 stars all around but you need to stop telling people the place was a 400 year old horse stable when horses weren't in Montreal until 370 years ago.
Delicious food & great service in between courses. We were never waiting for a long time.
They had a great way of adding a few little things to make the experience better. Pickles with the bread, a small lemon sorbet in between appetizers & the main course to clear the pallet, & mint chocolates at the end to have you leaving refreshed.
They didn't know the family / a la cart style we were looking for (different steaks cut for each man to try on their plate) but they learned 😏
Would recommend the Burrata, dipping the bread in the escargot flavoring, the sirloin, the lamb chops, &/or the beef Wellington as a must.
Jun 28, 2025
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Diane, our server was fabulous & very attentive to details. The food? Equally fabulous! I defy anyone to finish the Beef Wellington. It is that big a portion. Diane even suggested the wine that would go well with our meal. Great! No surprise that we return to Gibby's every time we're in Montreal.
As always, the food & service was great. My wife & I have happily gone there to dine for many years. The only very tiny complaint I always have now is that they have not brought back this traditional dessert favourite on to the menu - Cherries Jubilee. I would encourage management to reconsider this.
Such a classic. They servers are so… feeling nostalgic at the level of service that's not found anywhere else. They make it feel like you're their only guests.
Ok so here's the thing. It looks like expensive prices (steaks for example) but there's a lot that comes with it. The appetizers, either a salad or a wedge. Try the wedge!!!! It's a meal on its own but soooooo good. Never seen lettuce this size. Also on the table, bacon, pickles & bread as soon as you get there.
Steaks were awesome as you'd expect, perfect cooking & lots of choices of sides.
2nd time we come here for a birthday, if you say it ahead of time, you'll actually get a birthday cake.
Also fun to watch them do their show with alcoholic coffees & pouring with the flame.
Of course the restaurant is gorgeous & so classy.
Go there! Must visit if you're in Montreal, everyone knows this place !
Me & my husband actually visited here over a year ago but l couldn't not leave a review for this place! We visited Montreal as part of our Canada honeymoon travelling over from England & this was one of the first reservations we made after reading about it! We fully enjoyed the steak experience & all the food in each course was exceptional. My husband enjoyed a margherita (one of the best he's had!), & myself possibly the biggest glass of prosecco I'd seen! Cynthia who looked after us was second to none, & even got a polaroid photo of us after hearing we were on our honeymoon. Thank you Gibby's for a brilliant experience.
