Il Cortile is frequently celebrated as a hidden gem in downtown Montreal, particularly for its stunning, traditional outdoor courtyard that transports guests to an authentic Italian atmosphere. Many diners praise the restaurant for its delicious food, with highlights including the gnocchi, seafood pasta, and fresh ingredients, as well as the generous portions and complimentary gestures like dessert or drinks. While experiences with the service vary, many guests highlight the attentive, warm, and professional care provided by the staff, which often makes celebrations and special events feel memorable. Although some visitors noted inconsistencies regarding service speed during busy times and occasional feedback on specific dish preparations, the overall consensus points to a welcoming venue that successfully offers a cozy and traditional European dining experience.
I'm giving this restaurant two stars for its decor, which is admittedly very pretty. However, the food wasn't very good; the pasta was almost hard & undercooked, & the sauce was so thin it was like flavored water. I really didn't like it. Furthermore, the wait was incredibly long, & not even a'sorry for the wait' was said. I think it's worth going once for the decor, but not more than that.
I had an amazing birthday supper at this cozy hidden restaurant! I ordered fettuccine with shrimp & tomato sauce, & the chef's generous amount of shrimp made me really happy. For dessert, I had a cheesecake, & it was also delicious. Finally, I appreciate the server for being attentive & kind throughout the night, which made my experience at this restaurant unforgettable & I definitely would return. Thank you so much!!
service was really slow, food took forever to came out. waiter was a nice man but it seemed like he was the only waiter taking care of customers in that entire restaurant. i did not see other waiters, only bussboys.
- the ricotta crêpe w spinach was 10/10, melt in your mouth really amazing
- linguini + meatballs was perfectly cooked but wayyyyyy too salty & sauce was a bit too watery. nothing crazy. i didn't ask for it to be changed because the service was *that* slow that i couldn't risk waiting another 40 mins.
- apple tart with ice cream was a flat 0, it was blatantly obvious that it wasn't house-made which you'd expect better from a restaurant like this. it was gummy & soggy & overall really bad. the vanilla ice cream paired with it was definitely breyer's, it sure tasted like it.
the atmosphere, however, is really beautiful & home-y, very traditional italian. i loved it.
Dec 21, 2025
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It was a nice experience that atmosphere was really on top but when we ask the waitress to change our plate & bring the balsamic she forgot so we had to ask another waiter to give us that service. The food was good but I prefer more cream in the pasta & fettuccine sauce, which was feeling a bit more dry in the seafood fettuccine plate. The Caesar salad was tasting good as well as the other fettuccine plate with meatballs. Visit my instagram for more experiences of restaurants & places to visit: @fatimadiaryy
Honestly , I have wanted to try this place for a while for its outdoor courtyard dining. As you enter the building & arrive at the Helm , no one is there to greet you . It could use a bit more charm . The courtyard is super cute & you expect that you are about to discover a hidden gem & most importantly eat an unforgettable meal . Before I begin , I want to mention that the service was exceptional. A lot of attention was given to our particular changes & requests in our order & this is something I greatly appreciate . Now the food was just ok . That part definitely needs to be worked on . It doesn't take much more to design flavors up a couple of notches. & please , if you talk about having fresh pasta , use more semolina . The pasta was not flavorful nor great quality . As for the sauces , definitely missing some Italian love , especially at the price point you're charging for those dishes . My daughter who adores lamb , would not eat her dish . You are in a great location & have the potential to do more . Glad I tried it but won't be returning . The thing that made me happy was being with my children on my birthday & their generosity.
Went there for dinner for the first time on a Sunday with a reservation.
When we came in it's like a zoo. Nobody is at the helm. We just stood there looking for someone to check us in.
Suddenly someone came out of the kitchen & showed us to a table.
The decor is magical. Can't say enough about the atmosphere. Service was so so.
We asked if we could have something off nenu, pasta carbonara. The waiter said sure but let me ask the cook.
I had to ask twice bc he had forgotten.
We ordered as well 2 caeser salads.
Takes forever to be served with 1 large group & nobody else but us in the restaurant.
Salad, my husband liked, me I thought it was very generic. Just ok. No lard or bacon, no parmesan slices etc.
I eat it.
Then came the Pasta carbonara. I had asked for spaghetti & received some flat noodles. They were cold & the sauce was like a thin lake in our plates.
I returned mine.
My husband ate them anyway ( I'm the picky one.) when you pay $38 a pasta plate, it better be good.
His noodles were busy trying not to drown. The sauce had not been reduced properly. My plate came back & it was much better. You can compare with my video & pictures.
When I stopped eating I asked the man taking back the plate to bring mine home. He said « of course ». Never saw that pasta again!
I asked for gelato. The waiter said yes . I picked raspberries. I received some raspberries granita full of ice pieces.
My husband ordered key lime pie, he left part of it. He said it tasted artificial.
We finally asked for the bill. It took FOREVER. I had to get up & asked 3 times during the meal for service.
My meal had been thrown out so they gave me another pasta instead.
Would never recommend this place to eat anything they sell.
Oh yeah & to use the bathroom you have to take an elevator one floor down
Not wheelchair friendly, in the expensive side. 0 parking.
I have contemplated coming here for weeks, after seen social media posts.
I had high expectations & we finally came today.
Unlike the pictures posted in social media, the open terrasse is very small, no fans, no air...hard to breathe.
Service was mediocre, I mean really mediocre.
We waited 1 hour or more for our meals,.during which time I poured whine in my glass my self.
We got my son's filet Mignon with sauce, not as we ordered so we send this to back to the kitchen, the second take came way too cooked & we return it to the kitchen again.
Their pasta is definitely not home made regular supermarket pasta, nothing to it.
Unfortunately the pancakes came with additional dressing, a nice hair in the center of them.
I'm sure my experience was unlike others, never the less, I wouldn't go back for any reason.
Very underwhelming food experience. For the price of the dishes the taste was not really there. I ordered the seafood linguine with a white wine sauce, although the pasta was cooked perfectly the sauce was watery & the dish itself lacked flavour.
Where they lacked in flavour, they gain in service. All waiters/waitresses were attentive & making sure everything was ok for our large group.
I have heard a huge plus for this restaurant was for the courtyard, however the night we went it was pouring rain. The staff was very kind & offered outdoor seating as they did have heaters, however we opted to still sit indoors.
Il Cortile offers an exceptional Italian dining experience with authentic flavors, elegant ambiance, & top-notch service. From the perfectly cooked pasta to the rich, homemade sauces, every dish feels like a warm invitation to Italy. The staff are friendly & attentive, making the entire evening smooth & enjoyable. Whether you're going for a romantic dinner or a family gathering, Il Cortile never disappoints. Highly recommend!
Service was really good but food is not. I had the pastas with "wild" mushrooms that weren't wild.. lol. Pastas were not cooked & the sauce had no taste.
