Grinder restaurant is located on Notre-Dame street, in the heart of Griffintown. Indeed, this neighborhood located in the southwest of Montreal is dynamic and promising; residential and commercial projects are already underway.
The original decor screams Zébulon Perron (Furco, Buvette à Simone, Philémon). He created a comfortable and warm restaurant, kitchen and raw bar. Grinder characterizes itself by vintage and modern elements such as glass and metal.
On the menu, raw & cooked items: tartares, tatakis, ceviches, carpaccios, etc. Also on the menu, steaks and grilled or braised pieces of meats, all to be shared. Grinder also offers a variety of fish and seafood, served cooked or raw as well. More than a simple steakhouse, all food lovers will find something to their liking among their selection of fresh products.
A 100% of their wine list consists of privately imported wines, always changing with the seasons, and of course focusing on wines produced while respecting nature.
Reviews consistently praise Grinder for high quality steaks, seafood, and flavorful dishes, with many mentions of memorable experiences, generous portions, and a chic, energetic atmosphere that suits celebrations; however, service quality varies, occasional delays or forgetfulness occur, some dishes and sides receive mixed feedback, and the noise level or crowding can be a drawback during busy times.
The restaurant has a nice atmosphere & the food was really delicious. The service was also excellent & very professional. However, the noise level was a bit too much, & I wouldn't recommend going there on a hot summer day-there was no proper air conditioning, & it was extremely hot inside. I think this place is great for hanging out with friends, but not suitable for celebrating special occasions.
I almost never write reviews, but the experience we had here absolutely deserves recognition. We came in as a large group of 20 for a work dinner, & I still can't wrap my head around how flawless the service was.
Our main server was simply outstanding-somehow managing to make each of us feel like we were his sole focus all evening. Every request was met instantly, & he had an effortless way of anticipating what we'd need before we even asked. His right-hand support person was equally fantastic: water glasses were magically refilled before they ever got close to empty, plates were cleared promptly, & everything just flowed seamlessly.
The food itself was excellent, beautifully prepared & full of flavour. The atmosphere was warm & inviting, perfect for both professional gatherings & special occasions.
If you're considering booking for a group (or honestly any occasion), don't hesitate. This was truly top-notch service that turned a nice meal into a memorable experience.
But when it comes to service, the details matter - & unfortunately, that's where things completely fell apart.
I've never seen a server look so lost. It took 45 minutes just to get a bottle of wine, & when it finally arrived, the opening process was awkward & honestly embarrassing.
Drinks & shots were forgotten. Our order wasn't even punched in until 30 minutes after we placed it; only noticed when the server came back to clarify something with a friend.
When you're charging premium prices for food & wine, the level of service has to match. Sadly, it didn't, & it really did ruin what could have been a great night.
Burrata was OK - nothing special & not a lot of flavours
The steak was overly salty & you can't tell it's dry aged.
The waitress was nice but does not give good food recommendations. Servers throughout the meal kept carrying plates & hot food over my head. Near the end of the meal, they took my plate without asking & they constantly tried to kick us out by trying to collect our food without asking whether we were finished.
For the price point, you're better off trying something else.
Jul 1, 2025
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Honnêtement ça faisait longtemps je n'avais pas eu un aussi bon service avec nourriture impeccable. Adam, notre serveur, était à l'écoute, drôle & attentionné. La nourriture & l'ambiance 10/10. L'hôtesse nous a accommodées un samedi soir, sans réservation, nous nous sommes senties privilègiées. Merci pour cette belle experience!
Dined here with a colleague while in town for business. The food was amazing! I had some of the best buratta I've ever had in my life followed by delicious halibut! My co-worker had calamari & tartare which he enjoyed immensely. Great atmosphere as well, it was packed on a Wednesday night!
Jun 23, 2025
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Update:
The owner was sad to hear about our experience & wanted us to leave with a better impression. He suggested we come a second time, on the house. Our second visit was very enjoyable, we opted for smaller appies & main meals instead of the larger sharing plate. Tuna tartare, fried calamary, NY steak & short ribs were all 10/10. To finish the night, the manager offered us dessert. We appreciate the time & effort the staff took to turn the situation around. I will be coming back. Thank you
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Came for a steak, stayed for the suspense. After a 90-minute wait, my food arrived cold, impressive, really. The steak was so rare I almost named it & let it go. Sent it back, but it returned just as raw, only angrier.
Great place if you enjoy long waits & plot twists.
The owner reached out to my boyfriend to understand what had happened during our first visit. He offered to have us come back for a second time, on the house, to make up for it.
We went back about a month later. We were greeted by Alejandro, the manager, who offered us a first round of drinks - just as good as the first time.
For starters, I had the tuna tartare & my boyfriend went with the fried calamari. Both were very good. For the main course, I had the short ribs (super tender) & he had the NY steak, cooked medium. Everything was solid.
The manager checked in on us without being overbearing, & he wrapped up the meal by offering us their pudding chômeur with soft-serve ice cream. Great dessert.
All in all, a much better experience than the first time. Thanks to the restaurant for taking the time to make things right. It doesn't go unnoticed
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My boyfriend & I were really looking forward to trying this spot, but unfortunately, it was a letdown. We ordered the rib steak for two ($120) & asked for it medium rare.
We placed our order around 10 PM, when things were winding down, but waited at least 45 minutes without any updates. During that time, the waitress didn't check on us once. I eventually flagged her down, & she mentioned the delay was normal due to the size of the steak - fair enough, but a quick update would've gone a long way.
When the food finally arrived 10-15 minutes later, the steak was cold & extremely undercooked - basically raw. I asked to have it cooked a bit more, & surprisingly, the waitress admitted she knew it was undercooked when she brought it out. Her explanation? Their medium rare leans'on the rarer side.' That's not reassuring when you're paying top dollar. The table beside us had also returned their steak, not once but twice.
The steak came back slightly warmer, but still incredibly raw & tough. My boyfriend lost his appetite after a few bites & decided to take it home to finish cooking himself. I ate a little more, but felt like I got robbed of an experience. The sides didn't redeem the dish either - the mushrooms were way too salty & the mashed potatoes tasted like cardboard.
On the other hand, the drinks were very good & enjoyable.
When the bill came, I asked the waitress if it was normal for their steaks to come out like that. She admitted it was undercooked & apologized awkwardly, but no compensation was offered - no discount, no complimentary drink, nothing. For a $120 dish we barely touched, that was incredibly disappointing. After the drinks, our bill was way over 200$
As someone who works in the industry, I'd never serve a dish I knew wasn't right, especially after a long wait. I would have gotten the manager involved the first time the food was returned to the kitchen. It's better to communicate delays than to disappoint with poor food & service. Sadly, this experience missed the mark on both.
We had the absolute pleasure of celebrating our anniversary at Grinder, & it couldn't have been more perfect. From the moment we walked in, we were welcomed with warmth & genuine hospitality.
The food was fantastic-each dish was thoughtfully prepared, beautifully presented, & bursting with flavor. Every bite felt like a celebration in itself.
Our server, Jennifer, was exceptional. She was attentive, friendly, & made us feel truly special throughout the evening. It was clear she genuinely cared about our experience, & she went above & beyond in every way.
What truly touched us was that the team at Grinder remembered it was our anniversary & surprised us with a complimentary dessert to help us celebrate. It's those thoughtful details that really set a restaurant apart.
Grinder is a gem-not only because of the incredible food, but also because of the people who make it such a special place. We can't wait to return.
Highly recommended for any occasion, especially if you're looking to celebrate something meaningful.
Soirée festive ,
ambiance comme seul le Grinder peut en avoir 💥💥
Les huîtres ,le tartare , & que dire du flétan ,cuit à la perfection .
Pénélope s'est occupé de nous de façon magistrale ,les choix de vins en accompagnement étaient parfaits merci Pénélope.
Bref ,une soirée a recommencer très bientôt.
My family & I enjoyed a night at Grinder yesterday… The hostess gave us the warmest welcome & was so quick on her feet-she had a very positive energy. The food matched its description perfectly-the Surf&turfs, in particular, was absolutely exceptional. To top it off, our waiter kindly offered us dessert, which was just as delightful. I strongly recommend this place.
