Located in a beautiful turn of the century building in Old Montreal, Brasserie Holder's design makes good use of its high ceilings and wide open space creating a sense of European charm that is hard to find anywhere else in town. Specializing in Old World European cuisine, Restaurant Holder is famous for its vast selection of brasserie-style seafood, pasta and meat dishes. Sample Menu items at Holder include: grilled beefsteak, steamed clams, salads, tartares, etc...
Holder offers classic French brasserie fare with generous portions and a lively, welcoming atmosphere, where attentive service and a solid wine list elevate many meals; across visits the beef cheeks, duck confit, mussels, oysters, calamari, lobster ravioli, and French onion soup are frequently praised, while some guests note a noisy room, crowded tables, and occasional inconsistencies in a few dishes, yet the overall impression is of reliable quality, good value for the area, and a strong desire to return.
We took a group of executives to Holder this week & the experience was fantastic. Antoine was attentive, friendly & efficient The food, wine & sangria were delicious! Thank you for a great evening.
Fine dining in a tourist area. There are a lot of fake high-end restaurants in Old Montreal. We had a superb dinner here. The halibut special was truly special. Good wine selection, attentive but unpretentious service. A pleasurable experience all around.
Aug 5, 2024
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The food at holder is always amazing. We have gone 4 times & never missed a chance, but the last two times were upsetting, we were seated by one waiter she was very friendly took our order then we got switched to another waiter we had only appetizers, an we were talking an waiting....waiting.....then all of a sudden the waiter comes an asks us if we wanted our check we looked at each other an said um we never got our entrée? He looked confused & walked back to the computer. After another 25 minutes, we got our meals. I had ordered a cosmo, & it took him 15 minutes to bring it by that time. I was done eating & didn't want it. We ordered our desserts we waited again now they close at 9 but there was a party of 10 behind us which the waiter was very attentive on...... so we waited. The waiter just dropped the check without ever bringing our dessert or charging us for it, so we paid & left. we were very upset, service at holder should never be like that there standards an reputation are usually very very high .
Fabulous dining - superb quality food in a lovely busy setting with very attentive friendly staff . Our only disappointment was we felt rushed through our 3 courses - rather than just taking our time to enjoy the top quality food .
Holder is a charming Parisian bistro offering an elevated yet approachable taste of authentic French fare. The cozy, intimate ambiance with vintage details transports diners to a quaint cafe. The menu features rustic classics like French onion soup & boeuf bourguignon made with premium ingredients & bold flavors. Standouts include the chicken liver mousse & airy gougères. But it's the warm, impeccable service that shines, with attentive servers catering to every need. Whether for a casual night or special occasion, Holder delivers home-style bistro cooking & 5-star service in an inviting neighborhood gem.
Antoine was our server & elevated our experience! We came for 6:30pm on a Saturday & the place quickly filled up. For how busy the restaurant was, I was impressed that we never needed to catch Antoine's attention. Very attentive. The cocktails were very good as was the food. Highly recommended but book a table ahead of time!
Best dining experience I've had in a while! I regret not getting our servers name. She said it was her third day, she had brown hair & she was divine. Attentive & an overall delight to have her serving our dinner. The tartare & crème brûlée were classically prepared with amazing flavours. The ravioli... I could have order three more plates it was the best I've ever had. This restaurant is clearly a very well oiled machine, it was impressive to see. Thank you so much to our server & the whole staff!
Apr 27, 2024
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My experience at Holder was truly delightful! From the moment I stepped into this charming establishment, I was captivated by its classic French bistro ambiance. The ambiance exudes warmth & authenticity, setting the stage for an unforgettable dining experience. The food at Holder is not only delicious but also beautifully presented, a testament to the culinary artistry of the chefs. Each dish is thoughtfully crafted & plated with precision, adding to the overall charm of the dining experience. Moreover, the servers at Holder are among the friendliest in Montreal, enhancing the dining experience with their attentive & welcoming demeanor. Their genuine hospitality truly makes guests feel at home. For anyone who appreciates French cuisine & the ambiance of a classic bistro, I wholeheartedly recommend Holder. It's a culinary gem in Montreal that never fails to impress. ----- Mon expérience chez Holder a été vraiment délicieuse ! Dès que je suis entrée dans ce charmant établissement, j'ai été séduite par son ambiance de bistrot français classique. L'ambiance est chaleureuse & authentique, ce qui ouvre la voie à une expérience gastronomique inoubliable. La cuisine du Holder n'est pas seulement délicieuse, elle est aussi magnifiquement présentée, ce qui témoigne de l'art culinaire des chefs. Chaque plat est élaboré avec soin & présenté avec précision, ce qui ajoute au charme général de l'expérience gastronomique. De plus, les serveurs du Holder sont parmi les plus sympathiques de Montréal, rehaussant l'expérience gastronomique par leur attitude attentive & accueillante. Leur hospitalité authentique permet aux clients de se sentir comme chez eux. Pour tous ceux qui apprécient la cuisine française & l'ambiance d'un bistro classique, je recommande de tout coeur Holder. C'est un joyau culinaire de Montréal qui ne manque jamais d'impressionner.
During my visit to Montreal, eating at a French bistro was at the top of my to-do list. Appearance-wise, the restaurant looked like a typical French bistro but a lot bigger than the average one. When we sat down, we were famished & waiting to be attended to. Service, however, was mediocre at best, as servers were not very attentive & seldom checked up on us. It took a while before the servers took our order & a long time for food to arrive. When the server arrived, we ordered the salmon tartare, the beef tartare, the grilled salmon filet with beurre blanc, & the duck confit. For appetizers, the beef & salmon tartare were under seasoned & could use more acidity to bring out their freshness. For mains, the salmon was cooked well but bland while the duck confit was dry & sat on top of a mountain of underdressed arugula. The finger potatoes that went with the confit were seasoned well & delicious, but there were too few of them (5 pcs) as compared to the mountain of arugula. Overall, Holder fell short of my expectations from a French bistro in Montreal & I'd recommend eating elsewhere for French cuisine.
The Great:
The staff is professional, attentive & efficient while being friendly in a way that feels deliberate. The service was exceptionally quick.
The Good:
The duck confit paired with a glass of Pinot was delicious & had the right balance of tastes & flavor. Crème Brûlée was good.
Not So Good aka Disaster:
Whenever I visit French restaurants, I always order the onion soup, a staple that done well sets the expectation for the other courses. In this instance after ordering the waiter came back to say due to something unexpected, the kitchen would not offer onion soup tonight. I was disappointed until someone else brought the onion soup & said it was on the house for the confusion.
The French onion soup was a sloppy hot mess. I could not hide my disappointment & cannot recommend anyone try that slop. This maybe the standard for this restaurant but the cooked pot of chopped onions in broth really lets down the amazing duck confit!
Summary:
Don’t have the onion soup. Go for the service & other French classics. Despite the weird soup, they have at least earned a return visit to try some of the other flavors.
Oct 21, 2023
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We hosted a group brunch at Holder & it was our first time at the restaurant. We had heard various feedback regarding the restaurant & thought it would be the perfect place to host an upscale brunch with in-town & out-of-town family & friends. For groups of 20 or more, you can only order from two types of set menus that provide about four options for your guests ranging from $13 to $17 for the main course only. Beverages are extra. Most of our guests including myself ordered the eggs benedict which came with on an English muffin, ham or salmon, & a little shooter for fruit purée. Other items on our menu were crêpes, quiche, & the plat du jour (plate of the day). The other group menu offered eggs, French toast (pain doré), ometlette, & plate of the day. Service was attentive, especially considering the size of our party. Management was also very quick with answering my questions prior to my reservation. Would definitely go back.
My second visit & this time again a toss up between Holder & Boris Bistro which has a splendid terrasse that will charm all comers.
But I remember Holder having a better quality of food. The reception was very welcoming & we were seated in a rather nice part of the restaurant despite the fact I was dressed in can only be described as clochard circa 1988.
My companion though more than made up for my appearance. The place is beautiful in a way that can not be readily understood. Practical with tables well located so that the nearness of other diners is forgotten despite the fact they could easily be pouring you wine without standing. tall ceilings add much to the feeling of privacy.
Only one thing before I forget the washrooms had 2 urinals & the tiniest sink I have ever seen, really!!
We had what I thought were the best part of the meal drinks & appetizers. My companion had the goat cheese on flaky pastry while I had the salmon tartare. The chevre was beautifully toasted on the top with just the right amount of warmth . It came with an olive tapenade that I felt was much too strong for the cheese, my taste of course. My salmon was delish with just the right amount of spice & herbs. It was listed to contain caviar but the quantities were unnoticeable to have much impact other than a few black specs.
We then had fish & chips & the pasta with lardons & mushrooms. The fish & chips was good but not 20$ good & I would say they should bring theirs in from around the corner at the fish & chips shop.... The pasta was I should of expected drowned with a rich cream sauce that overpowered everything else in th eplate although the smokiness of the bacon was present.
Wine was actually tasty but of course a compromise considering what we were eating.
Creme brulee yes, coffee yes
Now for service it was impeccable in many was prompt courteous & attentive, but I couldn't help but feel were being shuffled in & out with little concern to interact with the clients. I understand the concept of tourist trade & if Holder can live off of that super but me thinks the winter months could use a dedicated clientele that felt welcome for something other than their credit card.
Would I go back probably but I would stop at the salmon tartare with 2 white russians...
