Holder occupe un vaste espace industriel caractérisé par de hauts plafonds et des briques apparentes qui définissent son atmosphère animée. La cuisine se concentre sur les classiques de la brasserie française avec une emphase particulière sur la précision technique. Les préparations signatures incluent un tartare de bœuf coupé à la main et assaisonné avec expertise, accompagné de frites dorées et croustillantes. Les moules sont servies en portions généreuses, cuites à la vapeur dans des bouillons aromatiques qui soulignent la salinité naturelle des mollusques. Les convives explorent un menu varié qui équilibre les techniques traditionnelles avec des présentations contemporaines. Les grandes banquettes circulaires et les boiseries polies favorisent un environnement propice à la dégustation de favoris culinaires classiques. Cet établissement maintient une réputation constante pour offrir des plats robustes et savoureux ancrés dans les principes fondamentaux des traditions européennes.
Holder est largement reconnu comme une institution du Vieux Montréal, offrant une atmosphère accueillante et une cuisine de bistro français de haute qualité. Les clients saluent fréquemment des plats emblématiques tels que la joue de bœuf braisée, le canard confit, la soupe à l'oignon et les fruits de mer frais, tout en soulignant le service exceptionnel fourni par un personnel professionnel et attentionné. Bien que le restaurant soit souvent animé et puisse devenir bruyant, de nombreux convives estiment que cela contribue à son énergie authentique et charmante. Malgré quelques rares commentaires concernant des irrégularités dans les plats ou le niveau sonore, la grande majorité des avis met en avant une expérience culinaire mémorable qui fait de cet établissement une recommandation incontournable, tant pour des sorties décontractées que pour des occasions spéciales.
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.
We had a fabulous dinner for 6 here last night. Way beyond expectation! This restaurant has great service, a nice a non-touristy vibe, & really excellent food. They were also super accommodating of my sister-in-law, who requires a wheel chair.
We arrived around 6 on a Saturday, & the large restaurant was about 20% full, by the time we left, between 8:30 & 9:00 it was jam packed & very loud, .
The food was great. perfectly prepared & presented... we ate through the classics, like steak tartare (the best I have had), Faux Gras with pear- extraordinary, salmon gnocchi & an awesome beef cheeks dish. My nephew & niece, who had not eaten in a fine French restaurant before were blown away. My Sister-in-law, who had been a chef, was also limitless in her praise.
The dishes are classic, nothing way out of the ordinary, but super well done. The front of house was awesome. As the place filled up all the staff were chipping in... even the greeter was serving wine. I bet we had 8 different staff doing one thing or another at the tabke & all seamlessly.
To top it all - with appetizers, 2 bottles or Prosecco, various drinks by the glass, entrees & 2 desserts the bill came to $75USD apiece including 20% tip. Living in the wine country in California, it seemed an extraordinary value.
Decent French food was expected. Nice salad, delicious mussels, & the pasta was pretty good too. It wasn’t expensive (coming from NYC) at all for a decent French food like this. Would recommend even just for this reason.
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.
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.
