Holder
SuggestionsView All
Info & Location
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...
Amenities, services & more
Restaurants NearbyView All
Suggested Articles
on GoogleBest Old Montreal Restaurants
Events Nearby
Montreal International Black Film Festival 2025
Sep 24, 2025 to Sep 28, 2025
Le Grand Poutinefest - Old-Port Montreal 2025
Jul 16, 2025 to Aug 3, 2025
Reviews often mention
Display Allfrench(69) recommend(41) steak(40) tartare(39) beef(39) confit(38) dessert(37) duck(37) soup(36)Page 1 of 2 - 35 Reviews
Patrice
A veritable Parisian experience in the heart of Montreal… absolutely delicious classic French brasserie type of fare. Beef cheek bourguignon served over dreamy mashed potatoes was divine… the endive salad a delight! Highly recommend…View more
Jessie
We had a nice dinner at Holder in Old Montreal. The ambiance was lively & stylish, & the service was friendly & attentive.
Here's what we ordered:
🥩 Beef Tartare: Flavorful & well-prepared, though a touch too salty for my taste. Still enjoyable overall.
🥗 Mixed Vegetable Salad: Light, fresh, & a great starter - nicely balanced & refreshing.
🐮 Braised Beef Cheeks: Tender & deeply flavored, one of the best dishes of the night.
🦆 Duck Confit: The skin was crisp, but the meat was a bit dry. Could use a bit more juiciness.
🦞 Lobster Ravioli: Rich & creamy, with a generous amount of lobster. A standout dish!
Overall, a solid dining experience with a few minor flaws. Still a great spot to check out if you're in Old Montreal!View more
PJ
I would give our recent dining experience at Holder six stars if I could. The food was excellent. We shared the calamari & mozzarella di bufala to start. The braised beef cheek was outstanding - rich & flavourful. The grilled hanger steak was bistro perfection. But what made the evening was possibly the best service we've had ever. Professional of course. But friendly & kind & genuine. Joe made a great evening unforgettable. His food & wine suggestions were spot on. So if you're gonna go to Holder, ask for a table in Joe's section. It's worth it.View more
Jen
my god I just had the beef tartare-it's a religious experience. it's giving I left my heart in Montreal. please come to Toronto 😩View more
Janel
I got the beef shank, it melted off the bone & we got frois gras with pear chutney to share. Both are a must!View more
Gabriel
Currently on vacation here in Montreal! I am overall very pleased with my time at this restaurant. I ordered the beef & the meat was very tender & delicious. Our server was very kind & helpful & I had a great time dining with my family. Only thing I could complain about is that the food did take a good amount of time to come out, but it wasn't anything too crazy. Definitely check this place out if you are in the area!View more
Julie
Beautiful French bistro
Tried the beef cheek soooo tender
& the duck salad was also very nice!
Loved the tall bartender with beard, think his name was Mike, gave us a great service!!View more
Aggie
This is my second year here & I ordered the same entree- the braised beef cheeks.
It was not as tender as last time & the sauce was very salty this time. Super busy restaurant even on a weekday. It makes it difficult to listen to someone talking across from you.View more
C
Our group really enjoyed everything. Beef tartare, mussels, caramel dessert stood out. Good Canadian wine list.View more
Mohammad
The braised beef cheeks was very scrumptious, tender, juicy & all that jazz! We also tried salmon tartare & it was beautiful & cute, both in taste & looks.View more
Joey
Had one of the best meals in a while. The beef cheek bourgonnon was incredible. Server was also amazing. Michael did a fantastic joView more
Sharan
Had the beef bourgignon & shepherd's pie. Both were divine. Waiter also recommended a lovely Bordeaux to pair with our meal. Overall a great place for classic french fareView more
Priya
The food was phenomenal! We enjoyed the lobster ravioli, the beef special, & the butterscotch mi cuit. The staff were kind & the service was fast. Highly recommend that you make a reservation for this fabulous restaurant.View more
Yulia
Great food, service, & atmosphere. Loved the onion soup, lobster ravioli, & braised beef cheek was just amazing! Tender, flavorful, with delicious mashed potatoes underneath it with crunchy sring beans. Would definitely visit this place again next time I'm in Montreal!View more
Brandon
Great place, would highly recommend going if you're in Montreal. The beef cheek was really good. Good food, busy & a bit crowded but good atmosphere in general. Recommend a reservation. The service was particularly good! We ate there on October 4, & our server Joe was incredible. Never had to wait on anything, quick on new drinks, great recommendations, & just a pleasure to talk with.View more
Jefferson
Exactly what we would look for having lunch. The waitress was extremely nice with a personal style that I liked. I ordered beef cheek & creme brûlé, both were delicious. Little bit expensive for what it is but in Montreal to find a place with a high French food best value is almost impossible, always expensiveView more
Katy
Duck confit was good for the first time though not as crispy as desired. Beef cheek was divine. Definitely some cool stuff on the menu, a shame we didn't have time to try dessert. Fun & attentive service too.View more
Melody
My boyfriend & I love this place! Their service is wonderful & very mindful of their guests despite having such busy nights. Food is always delicious & leaves you feeling satisfied - & the restaurant has a lovely ambiance. The beef cheek is truly chef's kiss.View more
Imran
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.View more
Moaeez
To start, the ambiance & look of the restaurant are absolutely outstanding. & the service was fast & the staff were very kind & helpful. An excellent choice if you're looking to celebrate a birthday or anniversary. We opted to share the seafood paella, which was listed as a main, & it exceeded our expectations. The server recommended a spicy twist on the classic beef tartare, which was delightful. However, the highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the chicken paté, which was extraordinary. For our main courses, we enjoyed the hanger steak, braised beef, lobster ravioli, & duck confit. Each dish was exquisite & worth trying, but the lobster ravioli stood out as my personal favorite. Holder is a must-visit in Montreal.View more
Ashley
One of the best restaurants i've been to during my trip in montreal. The oysters, foie gras, & the beef tartare was amazing & certainly worth the price. Will definitely come back again!View more
Colin
Can be a bit loud, overall would recommend for brunch & lunch but dinner can be hit or miss. Their beef isn't great, on the tougher side. Lobster ravioli is excellent.View more
Agnes
Best food I've had at montreal. Service was extremely fast. Lively ambience Braised beef cheeks melt in your mouthView more
Alex
It's a pretty happening place for dinner. The food was excellent, beef cheeks & mussels in particular. Everything we tried was top notch. It may be a little loud for some people & for some reason, it was really warm inside. But great otherwise.View more
Lisa
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.View more
Nicholas
Had a fantastic experience here, food & service was top notch! Our favourites were the warm goat cheese entrée, beef tartare, & duck confit. The butterscotch mi-cuit was amazing as well. Will definitely come again next time we're in the city.View more
Zsuzsa
Excellent service, quickly served & polite waiters. The food was unbelievably delicious! We had beef tartare as an entree, then I had the duck confit which was very well seasoned & tender, & then we had crème brûlée for the first time & it was very good!! Highly recommendView more
Jessica
An amazing dinner, we had the oysters, beef cheek, salad with parm, & the goat cheese warmed, all amazing choices. We went here because of the reviews, & it did not disappoint. Service was top-notch plates cleared instantly, drinks brought over super quick, a very well run shop with very friendly people. Almost went back a second night it was impressive.View more
Peggy
Well, this was a very happy choice for a second-last meal in Montreal. The space is a lovely, classic & grand dining room that also manages to have a cozy & warm feeling. The service was perfect & the food really was delectable. The braised beef cheek really stands out - so buttery, meltingly tender & extremely tasty. Overall, this resto is a definite recommend!View more
Nathaniel
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.View more