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.
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.
Great food & impecable service! I had the gravlax & salmon tartare. Both were beautifully presented & tasted amazing. Our waitress was professional & had a magnetic personality. It was a great experience.
I ordered the potato gnocchi & it was way better than what I expected. The dessert sorbets were also awesome & I really enjoyed the chocolate cake at the end.
Marvelous braised beef cheek. I was pleased & enjoyed the balance of flavours as expected of French cuisine. A hearty dish that pleased my palate. Timely service from seating to bill. A great place if you are looking for phenomenal French cuisine for any occasion.
Aug 2, 2024
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The restaurant offered good food. Good for a date or even famil gathering. Food was delicious l, but a but pricey. We ord the hanger steak, veal, salad, calamari, & oysters. All were good, veal was very tender.
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..
Excellent bar. Nice selection of martinis. I had hanger steak which was cooked perfectly, but tough. Overall a nice place, staff was great. Just would not order the steak.
Jul 24, 2024
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We found this restaurant randomly & went for Brunch. & let me tell you that their French toast is to die for . I really enjoyed every single bite & didn't want to finish it at all. Never ever had this amazing French toast.
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 .
Delicious French food & excellent service. I enjoyed a duck confit that was incredibly moist & flavorful, with meat that melted in the mouth. The salad dressing, enhanced with white truffle, was outstanding. A slightly chilled white wine complemented the meal perfectly on a summer night. The crème brûlée was not overly sweet, boasting a very smooth & delicate texture. Great meal!
Jul 17, 2024
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J'ai trouvé le repas ordinaire, surtout considérant le prix. J'ai commandé l'ongle de boeuf aux échalotes confites - malheureusement il manquait de cohésion, de goût. Une petite sauce crème/beurre/jus aurait fait une belle différence. Pour un classique en groupe toutefois c'est un endroit qui plaira à plusieurs. Excellent service toutefois!
First meal in Montreal & we loved it. Each dish was a hit with the person that selected it. My son can't stop raving about the Lobster ravioli! My youngest sampled the duck for the first time & fell in love. However, the star of the show was the molten butterscotch cake. We could have easily ate 3 more of them.
