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Restaurant Top Pick

Helena

Portuguese cuisine with a modern twist & focus on local ingredients served in a chic, stylish space.
Old Montreal
4.6$$ & $$$
CLOSEDOpens Tomorrow at 11:30 am
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PortugueseFine Dining / Upscale

About us

The restaurant Helena team welcomes you in a warm, colourful and modern atmosphere, where you are invited to share and enjoy a delicious meal in good company. An unforgettable experience that allows you to discover all the refinement of Portuguese cuisine and wines for a lunch or an evening out, whether with a group or family, for a couple’s night out, or to talk business. Guests are invited to select and to share petiscos (tapas), providing an opportunity to taste all of Portugal’s flavours, from the more familiar to the unexpected, in a friendly atmosphere. More than a simple à la carte meal, restaurant Helena proposes a true feast to savour at the table !

Amenities, services & more

We accept:  Master Card, Visa, AMEX, Interac

More details

The main room can seat up to 100 guests or 200 guests for a cocktail. The private room can seat up to 40 guests or 40 guests for a cocktail.

Menus (1) QR Code

Menu
5★
77%
4★
11%
3★
5%
2★
7%
1★
0%

Virtual Visit

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Reviews for Helena

Food
Service
on Google4.4 (1200+)
*as of 2026-02-15
5★
77%
4★
11%
3★
5%
2★
7%
1★
0%

Review Summary

Helena offers an elegant tasting focused on Portuguese seafood that many diners describe as a refined celebration of flavor, freshness, and thoughtful plating. Octopus, cod, and grilled seafood are frequently praised for tenderness and vibrant seasoning, while wine pairings and dessert selections add a sense of occasion. Service is widely celebrated as attentive and knowledgeable, guiding guests smoothly through the courses and enhancing the dining experience with friendly professionalism. The atmosphere combines chic refinement with warm hospitality, making Helena a superb setting for birthdays, anniversaries, and special nights out. Decor and presentation are often highlighted as artful, with every dish appearing as a small accomplishment. While some reviews note price or pacing considerations, the overall impression is of high quality, memorable meals, and a genuine sense of culinary craft that keeps guests returning.
Page 3 of 10 - 186 Reviews

Dès que l'on franchit la porte, on est séduit par un cadre chaleureux & raffiné, avec une décoration unique, chaque détail respire l'authenticité & l'élégance. En cuisine, les assiettes sont aussi belles que délicieuses : une cuisine chic, élaborée avec soin. Le petit pot au homard avec purée de panais fumé était excellent, également le pétoncle au fois gras frais était très bien préparé (je suis de Bordeaux) & la poulpe fraiche grillée était un régal avec son coulis de poivron. Le service est irréprochable, attention & sourire, ce qui rend l'expérience encore plus mémorable. Helena, c'est le charme du Portugal au coeur de Montréal, avec un raffinement qui séduit autant les yeux que les papilles.

Aug 10, 2025
on Google

Food, service, atmosphere exceeded our expectations, it was my wife's birthday & the staff really recognized that & did not disappoint whatsoever, Chef Helena was present the whole night approving every dish before sending it out, her energy & kindness was felt throughout the establishment, highly recommended

Aug 8, 2025
on Google

In the years I've spent working in fine dining as a cook, to the restaurants I've been blessed to sit down & witness the excellency that makes such an impact to cities, Helena is by far the greatest experience to date. The Atmosphere & staff were just the beginning to what is one of the best kitchen's someone can enjoy. Its not often you're lost for words when going through a tasting menu & tonight was an exception. I truly look forward to what will come in the future inside the doors of this establishment & will be back soon enough to create more memories curated & supported by a phenomenal team. Till next time, cheers & best wishes.

Aug 8, 2025
on Google

Du début jusqu'à la fin notre expérience a été extraordinaire. The food is extremely amazing! This restaurant is a must

Aug 7, 2025
on Google

Plusieurs fois chez Helena, jamais déçu l'utilisation de techniques modernes, maîtrisées avec brio, nous donne une expérience inoubliable, merci à toute l'équipe service de Excellence. Um especial obrigado a Helena

Aug 2, 2025
on Google
5.0

We had the tasting menu & the food met high expectations & the presentation was great. Atmosphere is calm & service was attentive. They were able to accomodate some of our dietary restrictions. Would definitely come again

Jul 29, 2025
on Google
5.0

Authentic & excellent! It felt like eating again in Portugal.

Jul 27, 2025
on Google

Dining at Helena was a memorable experience from start to finish.

The service was attentive & knowledgeable, with the menu thoughtfully explained & filled with carefully curated dishes. We began with a warm serving of bread accompanied by a trio of olive butter, olive oil, & chorizo butter, a perfect introduction. The cod fritters followed, & they were among the best I've ever had, crispy, flavorful, & incredibly satisfying. For the main course, we opted for two cod dishes, with the black cod emerging as the undeniable standout of the evening.

The prices matched the quality of the food, & the cocktails were just as refined, balanced, creative, & beautifully presented. To end the meal, we indulged in a pastel de nata that was easily one of the finest I've tasted.

Helena is a restaurant that delivers on every level. Highly recommended for a special evening out.

Jul 25, 2025
on Google
5.0

Ce restaurant est exceptionnel! Nous avons réserver le restaurant pour le baptême de notre fille & nous ne pouvions pas rêver mieux! La nourriture était un délice, les serveurs d'une gentillesse & d'un professionnalisme & les propriétaires à l'écoute des désires des clients. Tout était parfait! Je vous conseille fortement de réserver pour tout type d'événement! Le restaurant en lui même sans événement est une place à aller! Le Portugal est bien représenter & vous aller vous régaler!

Jul 23, 2025
on Google

Great Portuguese restaurant with tasty & fresh food. Overpriced at 100+$ per person for high quality but classic dishes at 1/3 the price in Portugal. Paying for bread? Is it necessary? Service is nice & efficient, but not at level of what is expected for top rated restaurant.

Jul 19, 2025
on Google
5.0

We had an absolutely fantastic dinner at Helena last night. We started with the'Lulas & Camarao Grelhado Huge' as an appetizer &, on recommendation from our waiter Michelle, we also ordered their bread, which was a perfect pairing for soaking up all the deliciousness.

For our main course, we had the'Lulas & Camarao Grelhado' & the'Arroz com Trufas.' Another home run, paired with a fantastic wine selected by Michelle.

We finished the evening by sharing Helena's Chocolate Bites. It was an all-around perfect evening, made even better by the outstanding staff, both front & back of house.

Helena, paired with Michelle, was the perfect end to a wonderful first day exploring the city.

Jul 12, 2025
on Google
5.0

A wonderful experience - Elegant & sophisticated restaurant. We thoroughly enjoyed the food; from the sardines on toast, the cod croquettes & the Effiloche de Morue salee... exquisite !

Jul 12, 2025
on Google
5.0

🌟 Expérience exceptionnelle ! 🌟
Nous avons passé un moment incroyable lors de notre souper . Le menu dégustation est tout simplement excellent & très généreux, tant dans la qualité que dans la quantité. Chaque plat était un vrai régal pour les papilles.
Mention spéciale à notre serveuse Rose-Aimée, qui a largement contribué à rendre cette soirée parfaite. Souriante, professionnelle & attentionnée tout au long du repas. Un vrai plaisir d'être servis par quelqu'un d'aussi passionnée!

Nous reviendrons sans hésiter👏👏

Jul 9, 2025
on Google

A must in Montreal, exceptional food & service.

Jun 25, 2025
on Google

Excellent restaurant portugais. Le prix de la table d'hôte du midi est raisonnable. La qualité du service & de la nourriture servie est très élevée. Le mojito sans alcool fut fort apprécié également. J'y retournerai le soir très certainement.

Jun 9, 2025
on Google
5.0

Excellente cuisine & service très amical & professionnel. Beaucoup de créativité dans les plats, des saveurs & une grande justesse dans les cuissons. Bravo

Jun 6, 2025
on Google

Had their signature octopus entree, it was so charred from the grill it tasted burnt along with being dried & tough lacking in flavour. I politely mentioned this to the server when asked if everything was ok. He quickly apologized & replaced it with another one. The second one was slightly warm with the underneath cold,also very mushy & tasted as if it had been boiled which I know that's how they tenderize it but was basically tasteless. My starter was the filet mignon carpaccio, which was overwhelmed with out of date anchovies. I've had theses dishes in other restaurants but theses dishes were a huge disappointment especially when you pay such high prices you expect quality & fresh ingredients. Service was excellent.

Jun 1, 2025
on Google

Our group recently had the pleasure of dining at Helena in Old Montreal, & it was an absolutely outstanding experience from start to finish. What truly set Helena apart was the impeccable service. The staff were incredibly attentive, welcoming, & remarkably flexible with our various requests, making us feel completely catered to throughout the evening.

The food itself was a highlight. Every dish showcased super fresh ingredients, & the seasoning was simply perfect - enhancing the natural flavors without overpowering them. A must try is the Octopus or the seasonal Asparagus (or both).

If you're looking for a restaurant in Montreal that combines exceptional, accommodating service with delicious, fresh, & perfectly seasoned food, Helena is an absolute must-try. We all left thoroughly impressed & wholeheartedly recommend it! We'll definitely be back.

May 28, 2025
on Google

To expensive & pizza was ready in 5 minutes almost nothing on the toping don't recommend it

May 21, 2025
on Google
5.0

Fantastic experience. Great food. A real treat

May 10, 2025
on Google