Dans l’ensemble, Il Bazzali est vu comme une adresse italienne chaleureuse et conviviale où les plats généreux, les pâtes fraîches et les raviolis récoltent les éloges et les portions rassasiantes conviennent à tous; le service est généralement attentif et l’ambiance cosy, agrémentée des performances d’opéra du chef qui vient saluer les tables, est largement appréciée et contribue à une expérience mémorable; le rapport qualité prix est souvent jugé bon et la carte variée, notamment avec des arancinis, des antipasti et des desserts, tandis que certaines critiques ciblent des pizzas parfois décevantes ou des prix élevés; globalement, la terrasse et l’accueil chaleureux sont aussi soulignés et beaucoup annoncent leur retour pour l’authenticité italienne et l’expérience unique.
As an artist (& not one that comes from a moneyed background),'fine dining' is something that can be relatively impossible. In fact, most of the typical fine dining experiences make me queasy: overpriced, minuscule morsels of food that leave you heading for a burger immediately after you've emptied your paycheque on a few forkfuls of'food', having just spent 3 hours amongst horribly pretentious influencers & Instagrammers, unable to avoid hearing their inane & vapid yammering from every corner of the restaurant. (I also NEVER wait in line to go eat somewhere… Montréal seems to be just as famous for people waiting in line for eggs on toast as it is for being served eggs on toast. It's eggs on toast, people, c'mon!!). I do not feel comfortable forcing myself TO BE comfortable in these establishments.
On the very special occasion that I do end up with the opportunity to eat out somewhere, it needs to be worth it, & on realistic terms. It often helps when friends or family come to town, & we go out for meals. Not that we don't treat ourselves on the regular, but it beats eating in a tiny flat & having to do the dishes in an even smaller kitchen. & just a couple of blocks away, with the same comforts of being in a homely environment, is the incredibly unique, & equally unpretentious restaurant Il Bazalli, at the crossroads of Little Italy & La Petite Patrie, just a few blocks east of St Laurent on Beaubien.
This gem of a neighbourhood eatery serves truly amazing Italian cuisine, while nestled in mismatched chairs & ramshackle booths. Oh, & being sung to by the owner & chef, Davide Bazalli. Yes. Opera no less. If you have heard about'that Italian place in Montréal with the handsome opera singer', this is the place.
We have been to Il Bazalli several times since they opened ten years ago, & I have never left a review. We most recently visited for my birthday celebration, & we were not let down! They were able to cater to our group of sixteen, & there was something there for everyone. The staff were extremely courteous & patient, not to mention extremely helpful & very knowledgeable about the food & wine selection. Over the past years, I think I have had most items from the menu, if not ordered for myself, but shared from the plate of my wife. The cod accras are a usual favourite, but tonight I went for their braised beef & mushroom stuffed arancini (a few months back, during the restaurant's anniversary celebrations, we had BEET arancini!!) About the size of a walnut, I felt like a bit of a savage eating these crispy morsels whole, but they were incredible! For my main, I had the Linguini'Goloso' (see photo) which was Parmigiano Reggiano cream, smoked lardons, mushrooms, caramelized onions & Parmigiano Reggiano. Ravioli, cod filet in pizzaïoli sauce, braised beef scoter, pizza, beef & salmon tartare, not one of our 16 guests were left disappointed! We were only disappointed we didn't have room for dessert, although this birthday boy did get a slice of almond & orange cake (vegan & gluten free!)
In a persistently gentrifying city that seems to be favouring pretention over true cultural substance, Il Bazalli is the type of place one would hope to find in their neighbourhood. Check it out!
7 oct. 2025
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One beautiful place,I loved the ambiance,staff is very very kind,& the food is authentic Italian food,I enjoyed my evening I recommended to everyone,can't wait to come back.
Amazing restaurant! The food is really good & there is always a good atmosphere! This is a go to, if you want tasty Italian food with a nice experience.
A very unique tasting pizza, & I mean that in the best way. My only disappointment was when my plate was empty. The chef/owner came out of the kitchen every hour, on the hour (& for 3 different birthdays while we were there) to sing for the patrons. & what an amazing voice he has, really added to the classic Italian resto vibe. Lastly, the beer selection. Phenomenal. Instead of being like every other restaurant & only having base drinks & a few IPAs, they had a wide selection for every taste.
I visited this Italian restaurant about two weeks ago & tried their "MTL à Table" discovery menu, which featured only pasta as the main course. I'd rate the food 4 out of 5 stars-it was very good, but compared to other Italian restaurants I've tried, it didn't quite stand out as much. That said, the pizza here seems very popular, & I'd be interested in coming back to give it a try. The ambiance was great, & the staff were friendly & attentive, making it a nice spot to enjoy a meal. I'd recommend this place for the overall experience, especially if you're in the mood for a cozy atmosphere & welcoming service.
26 nov. 2024
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The place has the decor & ambiance of a greasy spoon diner. The menu is very limited. The prices are like those in a fine dining establishment. I, as a native Italian, was not impressed. Would not recommend it.
My girlfriend & I absolutely love this restaurant. The food is amazing. It is cozy & romantic. The staff have always been super nice & polite. The star of the night is the chef / owner who sings Italian opera during dinner. He always checks up on you after your meal to see how you enjoyed the night. This is by far our favourite restaurant ❤️
We had an amazing time at this restaurant! The chef/owner came to see us numerous times, he sang for everyone at the restaurant (live opera performance). The food was 5 star authentic Italian cuisine. The chef even came out to sing happy birthday to the birthday day personally. Ambience, vibes & hospitality were 100/10! 100% would recommend this gem! Thank you for the amazing experience, it is rare to find nowadays in Montreal.
18 mai 2024
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The pizza was good, but not the typical Italian one as I know from Europe. The gnocchis were delicious & the Ambiente was very good. The chef is a tenor & showed us his skills, we really enjoyed it. We would go there again if we will be in Montreal again.
I came from the Caribbean's craving Pasta & decided to Google restaurants near my neighbourhood. We usually go to a south shore Italian restaurant but it was closed for Easter Sunday. This one picked my curiosity due to its proximity but knew that it was overpriced for the amount of pasta served in the dishes they offer. Once there, I found the atmosphere appealing & the smells were pleasant. The seating was a bit odd but we adapted to it. After looking at the menu I chose the Braised Beef Scoter & my girl the ravioli a la Toscana. To make it simple, the Braised Beef Scoter was the one dish I will go back for & the Arancini without forgetting their interesting private Wine list. The pasta dishes can be an overpriced small quantity for small appetites. Again Braised Beef Scoter 5/5 in my personal opinion!!!
