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...
Overall, reviews describe Holder as a lively, classic French brasserie in Old Montreal with a warm, versatile atmosphere and a strong wine list. Service is repeatedly praised for attentiveness and friendliness, though a few visits note slower pacing or inconsistent attention during peak hours. The space is stylish and bustling, which can translate to a noisy environment and limited privacy, making it less ideal for quiet business meals or intimate dinners. The food earns high marks for standout dishes such as braised beef cheeks, duck confit, lobster ravioli, mussels, oysters, and French onion soup, with many diners calling the meals superb and well presented. Yet other orders have fallen flat, including greasy or under seasoned items, dry meats, or dishes that felt overpriced for the portion or quality. The menu's breadth is a strength, offering classic French bistro staples and brasserie favorites that suit groups, celebrations, or casual yet substantial lunches, with brunch and lunch service generally reliable. In sum, Holder emerges as a dependable, high energy spot with many standout plates and gracious service, but experiences can vary by dish and by the tempo of the room.
My husband got sick from eating mussels here :/ - servers seemed to serve certain customers over others seemingly along racial lines, it was a frustrating experience & the food could have been better overall. There are gluten free options here including the onion soup but be aware the onion soup is a wine reduction & tastes different than your typical onion soup. Also note the regular menu is not available during brunch service.
Delicious meal, great service, no issue getting a table for one when they were very busy, beautiful ambiance, looking forward to eating here again next time I'm in Montréal. Highly recommend the French onion soup, creme brule..
Jul 29, 2024
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Un classique de Montreal! J'ai d'ailleurs choisi deux entrées très classiques la soupe de poisson avec la rouille & la salade frisée aux lardons & mon mari a pris la salade d'endives avec le tartare. Tout était impeccable!
We came for lunch - service was lovely & friendly. Refilled our waters at least 12 times. This restaurant honestly floored my expectations. Best French onion soup I've ever had, best duck confit I've ever had & best French fries we've ever had. The mussels were good but not as incredible as everything else. Also the chocolate ganache cake was incredible. All around amazing experience I highly recommend this place.
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.
May 11, 2024
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OVERALL: 4/5 Food: 3/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 - Clean & Fresh Visiting beautiful Montreal & this place was recommended by a friend. The ambiance was that of a typical upscale French bistro. The service was amazing (even though we had 3 different servers in the course of our meal). We had.. - Country Vegetable Soup - light & fresh but too much salt. - Steak Frites - The fries were limp & soggy. The steak was fine. - Burrata Salad - Excellent. Enjoyed the figs. - Lemon Cream & Mascarponne Mousse - Excellent The food was absolutely amazing. The best Thai food I have eaten in the city.
Staff were very nice. The place was upscale & a lot of people were there for business lunches etc. we had the duck confit & the onion soup. The duck was good but not as crispy as expected. It was also a bit oily. The soup was good.
We came for lunch & had the soup, burrata salad & beef tartare. The burrata was fresh, the beef tartare one of the best I ever had but the soup underwhelming. Would definitely come back & try more tartare.
Really great restaurant. It was 9pm when we were looking for a restaurant & were turned away at many other restaurants. The hotel called Holders & they could accommodate us. When we walked in the doors they greeted us & were really friendly. Lori our server was so great. Really friendly & super helpful. We really enjoyed the French onion soup, it was light & very flavorful. The veal strip special was so flavorful, I loved the cauliflower & turnips. Highly recommend this restaurant for good food & even better service
French onion soup was really delicious. I felt the food was a bit salty. It may take a long time for food to come out, so I wouldn't recommend it to busy people.
We live in the Old Port with my husband & baby, we love trying restaurants around the area & we were always intrigued to try Holder as we walked by. Finally last Sunday we decided to go & we were so disappointed. We ordered the onion soup which was okay eventhough it was watery. We had the mozzarella de bufala starter, the tomatoes were not fresh but the balsamic dressing made it better. For main we had the steak & fries, got two small pieces instead of one piece & the fries were okay, had to try for 15 minutes to get the waiters attention to order ketchup so at the end they were cold. My husband had the braised beef, he ate half of it. Overall, we were very disappointed especially considering the price, the food was bland, the dish we enjoyed the most was the bread & butter.
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.
The food here was fantastic, but I have never experienced such slow service before. It took nearly 45 minutes just to get drinks to the table & the meal took nearly 3 hours in total. Our waiter practically ignored us unless we flagged him down, & after we asked for the bill, he took another 20 minutes to bring it to us.
It’s a shame, because the food itself was excellent. I’m particular I loved the French onion soup, the beef tartare, & the steak. But I wouldn’t experience that poor of service again, no matter how good the food is.
