Il Cortile is widely celebrated as a charming hidden gem in downtown Montréal, offering a beautiful terrace that transports guests to an authentic Italian atmosphere. Many visitors highlight the cozy, magical ambiance and the high quality of the Italian cuisine, often praising the generous portions and well-prepared pasta dishes. While experiences can vary depending on how busy the restaurant is, numerous guests emphasize the exceptional and attentive service provided by the staff, who frequently go above and beyond to make celebrations and special events truly memorable. It remains a popular choice for those seeking a welcoming environment, professional hospitality, and a distinct dining experience that feels like a quiet escape from the city.
My husband & I received a recommendation from our Hotel (Omni) Concierge to this restaurant while on a 3 day trip from New York.
We were delighted with our experience & pleasantly surprised at the delicious food, beautiful ambiance & wonderful customer service from our waiter Samuel. He provided great recommendations, & did a superb job making sure we were enjoying each course, in addition to perfect pairing of wine & drinks for the food we ordered. We spent 2 out of our 3 evenings eating at this fantastic restaurant & will go back to NY raving to our friends that they must visit Il Cortile when taking a trip to Montréal!! Cheers 🥂 to our Wonderful experience! Au Revoir (wish we could take you back to New York with us)!! & thank you again Samuel for excellent customer service!
We made reservations online & while the terrace is beautiful, we did not have the best experience. My pasta was quite bland & did not taste fresh at all unfortunately. We did enjoy the wine & atmosphere though, so maybe I just had bad luck that day on the food front.
Si! This is an exceptional restaurant in Montreal ! As a private tour guide & as a sommelier I can say that il Cortile has the most beautiful terrace in town!
Hicham, our waiter did an extraordinary turn around with our experience! Bravo !!
The wine Barolo was the main star & the food, San Pellegrino & the ambiance made us really feel in Italy 🇮🇹! Grazie 😉♥?
Aug 16, 2026
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Beautiful hidden terrace in downtown Montreal, with a lovely atmosphere & very good Italian cuisine. Unfortunately, the service could use some improvement. The reception staff & some of the younger servers have difficulty communicating in either French (or sometimes English), which can make the experience a little frustrating. The wine list is also quite limited.
Also worth noting: some tables are directly against & facing a wall, so I would definitely recommend requesting a specific table when making your reservation.
The place is amazing, very very beautiful. The food is ok. Wine is super expensive (the cheapest bottle is 50$). It is a nice experience but go there having in mind that you pay for the location more than for the food itself.
Food: delicious
The courtyard is a nice place to eat on a warm day.
Service: Needs much improvement. It opens at 5pm, & tables were still being set with water, oil & vinegar etc. We ordered a bottle of wine & waited 20mins, we asked our server, & he forgot! Some tables had a bread basket, other tables no water. We had to ask for the bread basket, oil&vinegar. The Wait Staff seems to all start at 5pm, but for a good 45 mins, there was mass confusion between them. They seem to all be under the age of 25, with no one to guide them or give direction, no mature overseer. The back of the house seems to have it together but the front of the house, needs help.
Had a beautiful dinner, the pasta was so fresh, wine list was perfect for the food, & James made our dinner so memorable- he was so friendly has hospitable
Great service, always present to serve wine. Beautiful little terrasse, far from the city noises. Had a great date with my girl, even had limoncello shots on the house! The garlic spaghetinni wasn't quite my type, but the shrimp fettucinnis were delicious!
Some dishes were better than others, I would highly recommend the gnocchi! Service was friendly, excellent wine selection, & the alleyway dining area was just spectacular. Beautiful little nook! Bathrooms need updating, unfortunately.
The food here is excellent - authentic Italian food in the heart of downtown Montreal. My table was in the terrace & on a warm evening, it was lovely to enjoy the atmosphere.
The service was good - friendly but not overly involved. The wine list is excellent & varied, catering for all budgets. I would definitely return.
