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 !
Helena offers a memorable culinary journey through authentic and elevated Portuguese cuisine that resonates with both traditional flavors and creative, modern flair. Guests consistently praise the beautifully plated dishes, such as the octopus, fresh grilled fish, and signature cod, noting the exceptional quality of ingredients and artistry in every serving. The atmosphere is frequently described as sophisticated yet warm and welcoming, making it an ideal choice for both intimate dates and special celebrations. While experiences with service can vary, many diners highlight the professional, passionate, and attentive staff who go out of their way to ensure a high-level dining experience. Overall, the restaurant stands out as a top-tier destination in Montreal for those seeking a vibrant, flavorful, and refined taste of Portugal.
Mostly hit or miss for the dishes. Had high expectations for this place -the ingredients, plating & decor looked superb- but ultimately taste is king & the taste (& texture) was often missing.
We ordered all the seafood appetizers & the monkfish on the tasting menu.
What we like were the Octopus (fantastic texture, cooked perfectly) & the Tagliatelle of squid & grilled shrimp (nice flavours & textures). The cod fritters were ok.
The misses for us were:
* Squid stuffed with chorizo: when you read chorizo, you expect bold flavors. There was none of that, the taste & texture of the sausages were just gone, super tenderized. There was also not much taste on the squid.
* Grilled sardines: again, the flesh is super tender, fine, but at the same time mushy & the usual sardine texture missing. Super mild flavour on the fish & for the red sauce it's swimming in. That would have been fine but on the side, you have this single biscuit sandwiched in uber strong-tasting olive'sauce'. A bit incoherent.
* Monkfish: the fish was mostly ok, though one bite was way more salty than the rest. What is bizarre is the sauce they layered on the the potatoes; it was reminiscent of Chinese black bean paste but without the saltiness & slightly bitter. We found it unpleasant & it did not pair well with the soft mild potatoes & mussels.
The desserts were also mostly a miss. The Churros were thin strands, not tasty & became mushy with the accompanying cream. The Natas were ok, but they just seemed to be ordinary natas -very fresh ones- but ultimately they needed something else on the side to elevate it.
Ultimately, I feel like this place just lacks flavour & texture. Lacks the boldness & character one associates with Portuguese cuisine. What strong flavour it offered was incoherent & clashed with other elements.
Beyond words. We were treated like we were the only people in the restaurant. The food was exceptional. We took ALL the recommendations made by our host Antonio & were incredibly impressed!
My wife & I & friends had dinner here last night & it was a very good experience. My wife & I started out with a heirloom tomato salad & Sorrento Ham which was fantastic. For dinner my wife had the fillet steak cooked medium rare with a truffle potato for the side. Perfectly cooked & delicious. I got the pork belly & it was less than I hoped for, pretty much disappointing. The service was outstanding as was the atmosphere. Our friends had the pork belly & she said it was fine & my buddy had the Sea-bass filleted table side & he said it was outstanding. I wouldn't let my pork belly experience stop you from dining here.
Great service & delicious food. The tapas were amazing. We had squid stuffed with chorizo & grilled octopus that were bursting with flavor & cooked perfectly. The pork belly & clams was outstanding & the sea bass was filleted at the table. Great presentation.
Nous avons beaucoup aimé notre expérience au Helena, tous les plats étaient délicieux, notamment la pieuvre & le loup de mer. Nous étions sur la terrasse qui était presque vide cette soirée, toutefois le restaurant était plein à l'intérieur.
Le service était bien pendant le repas, par contre nous avons remarqué en regardant la facture plutôt salée en rentrant à la maison que le serveur nous a chargé plus que le prix affiché pour plusieurs plats... Ce n'est pas tant que le prix que le principe qui dérange. Le loup de mer était affiché à 50$ & on nous a chargé 60$, on nous avait dit 30$ pour des verres de porto, & on nous en a chargé 45$ chacun. Un petit'supplément' de 40$ avant taxes & pourboires refilé discrètement au client, alors qu'on faisait confiance à notre serveur. Regardez votre facture avant de payer.
Mais sinon pour la qualité des plats, Helena est un incontournable à Montréal, nous y retournerions sans hésiter pour bien manger, mais regarderons l'addition la prochaine fois...
My partner & I tried Helena last night & enjoyed the 6 course tasting menu. I was in Portugal last summer & have been craving authentic Portuguese food, & this restaurant filled that void not Only was the food delicious, but the staff was also very helpful. The only reason I gave service a 4 to 5 is because at the beginning, we did have to wait quite some time for a server to take our order. The caldo verde tasted exactly like I was back in Portugal!
J'ai invité mon père ici pour son anniversaire. J'ai essayé le menu dégustation poisson & viande, c'était une expérience culinaire absolument exquise & transcendante. Étant une foodie, ça vaut le détour & le budget!