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.
Je suis une régulière à ce restaurent. Toujours excellente nourriture & exceptionnel service! J'aimais eu aucun problème. Les week-end il y a des déjeuners & les oeufs Bénédicte sont EXCEPTIONNELS 😍😍😍 je recommande à coup sûr si vous passez à Montréal.
UDATE. Ils ont changé les oeufs Bénédictine & ont remplacé la gratin dauphinois par des patates déjeuner que j'aurais pu avoir au Cora une même plus petite portion que Cora). Un peu un décevant du déjeuner… avec une salade que je ne mange pas. Au moins les oeufs étaient bon & cuit à la perfection mais j'ai été très déçu cette mâtiné là 😢. Jus d'orange bon à l'habitude. Je vais y retourner pour dîner/souper mais j'attendrai un petit peu avant d'y retourner pour déjeuner.
De plus, la serveuse commence à nous parler en anglais, nous lui répondons que nous parlons français. Elle continue à nous parler anglais alors que nous répondons en français & lui répétons plus de 3 fois que nous parlons français avant qu'elle comprenne dans nos visages. Je sais qu'elle est nouvelle mais on lui répondait en français & on lui a dit 3 fois… le service était excellent & rapide comme d'habitude en dehors de cela.
May 5, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Nice ambience & good service. Food experience disappointing though. Liver pate was nondescript & tasted processed rather than home made. The duck confit was bland, soft skinned & nothing like the proper French dish with crispy skin & tasty delicate meat. The salad with lardons & poached egg was ok but the salmon was bland too & the potato purée that came with it was nothing special. The place itself looked promising but the cuisine did not deliver. Pity.
Ça demeure une des meilleures tables au centre-ville. Le midi comme le soir. & si vous avez la chance d'être servi par Dominique, l'expérience est simplement incroyable.
J'y suis allé en semaine un jeudi soir sur réservation. Le service est bon, l'ambiance est bonne & les plats ont du goût !
J'ai pris Burrata vinaigre balsamique, une bavette & un pudding chômeur.
Pas mal de plats français, style bistro.
Service : 8.5/10
Goût & saveur des plats : 8/10
Cuisson : 9/10
Ambiance : 8/10
Attente : 9/10
Propreté générale : 8.5/10
Propreté toilette : -
Rapport qualité prix : 7.5/10
They were busy & had a hiccup with our table to start but were extremely receptive to fixing it & making sure our experience ended strong. 10 points to management for turning around a slow start to the meal.
J'ai adoré sur tous les points ! Je recommande ce restaurant sans aucun doute. Notre serveur qui se nommait Joe était tellement gentil, nous avons manqué de rien, il est exceptionnel honnêtement ! L'expérience était très agréable ! 💕
Saturday brunch. Setting was lovely, atmosphere typically brasserie, service was attentive but not obtrusive. Fish & chips were tasty, fries especially, fish was disconcertingly tender, but tasty. Now, eggs Benny, one with ham, one with smoked salmon-both poorly executed. Poached eggs should be lovely & runny yolks & tender FULLY COOKED whites. That's not what was presented. While the yolks were runny, the whites were liquid, watery unappealing & left in a watery mess on the plate. Also had one tradional full breakfast with sausage(just ok), smoked bacon (delicious), baked beans(undercooked) & over easy eggs which were over cooked & left uneaten , the grilled bread that was supposed to accompany it never arrived. Bloody Caesar was traditional & delicious. Unexciting bread was served before the meal, no butter, not a great first impression. Service was lovely, atmosphere cheerful. $140 four people.
Apr 6, 2025
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Excellent service in a warm & cozy environment with a great crowd of people & a great wait staff. Food was delicious French fare. They did an excellent job with the wine. The place is just a little noisy. The ceiling could use some acoustic baffles to make conversation easier, but I can't wait to go back!
We came here with some business vendors who took us out for dinner. The inside is very classy & chique. & our waiter was very friendly & attentive during the whole meal. We started with some appetizers of oysters, steak tartare, foie gras & French onion soup. My main was the lobster ravioli. We finished with a few dessert samplings including crème brûlée. It was an amazing meal. Everything was delicious! I will definitely come back here when I'm back in Montreal!
