Grille-Nature by chef-owners Derek Damann and David McMillan is an end-of-career promise kept. These two longtime chefs, bound by mutual admiration, have teamed up to bring to their beloved West Island a restaurant for everyone. Seafood, vegetables, and prime cuts of responsibly farmed meats and local products are always on hand. A welcoming bar, an eclectic wine list, and a warm staff are ready to create something new in hospitality, surrounded by purveyors of true quality.
Two chefs, two farms, two families, one restaurant. Quality goods only.
Reviews of Grille Nature converge on a standout West Island dining experience, with generous portions, inventive and well executed dishes, and attentive service in a warm, welcoming atmosphere. Dishes range from crowd pleasers like burgers and seafood to ambitious specials, with many highlights such as scallops, foie gras, crispy fries, and a strong bread and butter service, and a well curated drink program. While the overall food quality and vibe receive high praise, several guests note high prices for the portion sizes and occasional inconsistencies in pacing or execution, including one steak that was chewy or overcooked, some sides priced a la carte, and a few visits where service or timing could be improved. Still, the restaurant is described as lively yet comfortable, with a family friendly vibe and a level of hospitality that makes visitors feel welcomed and well cared for, and many plan to return to try more dishes.
Invited by friends for my birthday! Don't let the location undermine its authenticity. Service, while friendly, offered no flexibility for simple side alterations, no was the quick answer! Atmosphere could benefit from an upgrade, toilets were under par. They hit the mark with the food quality. Originally the chef was at Joe Beef, & now here. Overall, might need another visit to experience a better service.
we went here for a birthday celebration & it was perfect. loved the laidback ambiance, the food & service spoke for itself !! must try dishes are the honey ginger shrimps & grilled steak.
May 23, 2026
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We made the reservation weeks ago not realizing it was Mother's Day weekend, so not exactly a calm atmosphere. We should have made our reservation for an hour later to avoid the rambunctious kids - all well behaved just kids being kids. The room is large & painted white. This makes the food the focus of the evening but is a bit stark & echoey. The service was excellent & if you get the chance to talk with Jenny the sommelier do it! She is a an amazing font of information & did a great job of guiding us to the perfect wine pairings.
Rather than do apps first, our group of 4 ordered the scallops, the French tomato salad & the black cod. The scallops were ok but the cod was magnificent. Perfect grill & so good. I would recommend skipping the tomato salad. It's a great idea but the tomatoes were mealy & the crunchy bits on top were an unnecessary attempt at adding texture. For our second course we share the Kansas cut steak (almost perfect) & the broccoli rabe (delicious). I can't remember if it was the fish or the steak but one of them came with Swiss chard - a nice surprise & cooked my favourite way.
Our table of 4 could not have been happier. Treat yourself & check this place out
I do not understand why so many positive reviews for this restaurant. First of all, the atmosphere. Minimalistic, half of the menu is on a single chalkboard, some items proposed by our server were either absent from the chalkboard or market priced. The place is noisy, the owners should invest in acoustic tiles. Second, the food, we ordered 5 different items form the menu (Steak frites, Scallops, Duck Confit, Pasta Dish & Ribs, with three sides & 4 cocktails (no appetizers). The waiter was pushing for more items. The food was served before the drinks arrived at our table, which is something I've never seen before in any restaurant. The food was lukewarm, there was no WOW factor as far as taste. The duck confit was dry, & gave me heartburn later (I wonder how long it stayed under the lamp). Third, the prices & quantity of food. The broccolini side had only 7 small spears, & was priced at $19, the fries were $11 for a single serving (one potato). The average price for each dish (no side) is $45; portions were not overly big. Cocktails are $18 for a ounce of liquor. We were celebrating my daughter's birthday, they did not even comp the tiny portion of cake she ordered. Overall, I felt that we overpaid for very ordinary food. For half of what we paid, we could have had a far better meal at Lucille's, the Keg or Bâton Rouge.
The atmosphere was better than the food unfortunately ! Service was ok- our server was very nice but she was a little bit all over the place & our appetizers took about 40 minutes to come out .. we tried the scallop special which was good however I found it was lacking a little bit of flavor. I got the half chicken which was delicious but unfortunately very very salty, I couldn't finish it , it comes with fries which is salty as well, I did not have much to balance with the saltiness . My friend got the fresh cod from BC which was delicious however was also very salty . Maybe it was an off night with the food I would maybe try again
May 14, 2026
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Incredible. Don't need to say too much more. Good service. Bright & open & vibrant. 4 women shared 8 different things. All delicious. Standouts were the croquetas, avocado, fries (honestly so good) & the porterhouse we shared was crazy good. Cooked to absolute perfection with a sauce I can't even explain... Incredible.
Fantastic spot in the West Island. Grille Nature feels casual, family?friendly, accessible, yet the food has all the refinement & depth you'd expect from David McMillan (Joe Beef) & Derek Dammann (Maison Publique). Relaxed atmosphere, serious cooking. A perfect combo. Definitely worth the drive from Montreal - I will be back!
We had dinner for three on a Friday night at Grille-Nature. Drinks were served with mint & limes making a delicious mojitos. Our server was amazing with so much information to share. His descriptions of the menu were very enticing. The food was very tasty & not overcooked. We were even able to watch the hockey playoff game.
We had another enjoyable evening at Gille Nature. My wife & I particularly appreciate sitting at the bar, & this visit was no exception... we had plenty of space & felt very comfortable throughout the evening. The staff interactions were, as always, warm, attentive, & genuinely pleasant, which really adds to the overall experience.
A standout moment was when the chef noticed we were intrigued by the salad, sucrine au Roquefort. He kindly approached us, provided explanations, & described the dish perfectly. It was a thoughtful & personal touch that made the experience even more memorable.
We started by sharing the fried calamari, which was nicely prepared & perfect to kick things off. I had the burger, which was satisfying & well executed, while my wife opted for the sucrine au Roquefort, which did not disappoint.
Overall, it was a relaxed & enjoyable evening at a very reasonable price. Definitely a place we're happy to come back to.
May 6, 2026
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We ordered all the seafood appetizers + a miso black cod from the daily menu.
On the whole, the appetizers were good individually & one or two of them pretty interesting. Though I don't recommend doing what we did & order all of them tapas style. For one, some portions were pretty large. More consequentially, most of them had the same feel, where they cover seafood flavor & texture with cream, sauce & crispiness.
The two that we liked were the Baked Clams with some nice acidity from the peppers & the Tuna Aguachile Crudo. The least liked are the 2 Fried Oysters; texture & taste of the shellfish are covered & not present.
The Miso Black Cod from the blackboard was a miss for us. The waitress described it as light & flakey, but it was the opposite: dense, heavy & rich. Missing something light to complement it, it felt like a chore to eat.
We still very much enjoyed the experience overall, just wishing a bit more variety for the palate & not have everything rich/fried. Love that this kind of restaurant is popping up on the West Island.
Très décevant:
- calmars grillés pas assez cuits, mayonnaise sans goût. Seul point agréable, les rondelles de citron cuite sur le charbon.
- confit de canard sec, sans goût, pas assez confit ou mal conservé, & peau pas croustillante.
- frites pas assez cuites & farineuses au centre. Mayonnaise, toujours la même, sans goût.
Ambiance locaux industriels, mais ventilation vraiment inadéquate. Tous nos vêtements sentaient le gras & ont terminé leur soirée au lavage….
This is the service you get for a birthday dinner
Can't even give a piece of cake
600$ for 4 people
Wouldn't recommend to anyone
Can't even believe they would even bring this out
May 3, 2026
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We had the burrata, tuna aguachile, gnocchi with veal ragu & duck confit. All were excellent. Bartender/server Glen was awesome & makes a great dirty martini. Courteous, efficient & a pro:)
We had an issue with something we ordered & the chef/owner (?) made the situation right with grace & kindness.
So happy to see the WI upping its game. & catering to the limited & more adventurous palettes close to home:) Thank you!
My wife & I dined at this establishment this evening.The service we received was first class.
Everything we ordered was incredibly delicious.
The crispy squid was far & away the best we ever had.The only dish that fell flat was the honey & ginger shrimp.It lacked flavour & should not have exited the kitchen.The duck confit was WOW!!!! but a little more sauce on that plate as well as a more decorative presentstion would have been nice.Overall the food is absolutely delicious.I was not at all expecting to see Gateau Marjolaine on the menu & that alone made my evening.I suspect that came by way of Joe Beef.There is nothing like Gateau Marjolaine.
The Negatives:
Noise levels can become a bit distractive
Dress code is a bit confusing.Are we casual or are we Smart casual.Some patrons looked like they were at a standup tubesteak supper at Lafleur's & others looked like they belonged in a saw dust joint.This is what happens when you combine haute gamme cuisine with ball park cuisine,you suffer from identity crisis.Not sure if the 2 can work together.Only time will tell.
Would we go back? The answer is a resounding YES!!!!! The food is just toooooo goooood not to return.
What an incredible experience at Grille Nature. A long-awaited spot that we finally got to enjoy with friends. The highly anticipated dining experience didn't disappoint, it far exceeded expectations.
As a self-proclaimed home cook, I'm not easily impressed & usually love cooking at home. This really showed me the difference between a home cook & a chef. I was happily humbled, I can't cook like that, even with all the YouTube help.
Dining is alive & well, & yes, it's a luxury, but Grille Nature is the right place for that special occasion. We were greeted by name with smiles by David McMillan at the door & guided to our table by a very friendly host. Our waitress, Alia, was full of passion & had great suggestions. She brought dishes that paired perfectly together, banger after banger, no misses.
Big shoutout to the kitchen, truly incredible. We had the white asparagus with prosciutto, scallops with potato butter, sausage coil with poached pear & long hots, miso cod, pork skewer with lentils, Furley bread, panna cotta, Parisian flan, & cassis sorbet to finish.
Shoutout to Jenny (sorry if I got the name wrong). Ordering a Pigeon Hill wine sparked a great conversation about Quebec wine, & she offered us a taste of a crisp gem. Thanks for the recommendation of L'Espiegle.
The vibe was right, great tunes, proper lighting, & even a hockey game on (Go Habs Go!). What a gem to have in the West Island, greatly appreciated by us west of the West Island folks. & yes, parking was plentiful.
