Reviews describe Île Flottante as a highly creative tasting menu destination in Montreal, where dishes are often praised for balance, originality, and refined presentation, and wine pairings are frequently highlighted. The service is repeatedly described as attentive, professional, and friendly, with thoughtful touches such as noting dietary restrictions and writing guests' names on a slate. Many experiences are celebrated as among the best in the city, especially for diners seeking an intimate, elegant atmosphere and a memorable multi-course progression, with live music on select evenings and strong vegetarian and vegan options noted. Some reviews temper the praise with concerns about pacing and coherence, noting that certain courses can feel too busy, underseasoned, or not fully integrated, and that value may not always align with the price. Overall, the consensus points to a memorable and often exceptional dining adventure at Île Flottante, best enjoyed by those who relish creative, ingredient-driven menus and attentive service, while acknowledging that consistency can vary by visit.
Love this place! It was my second trip, & I ordered the 7 course tasting menu with wine pairing. It was extraordinary! Well considered, expertly prepared bites that brought joy & surprise with each bite. Will certainly go again to try the fall/winter menu. If you want to share a beautiful experience with someone you love, bring them here!
L'île flottante tronait au sommet de notre palmarès gastronomique à Montréal depuis plusieurs années, ce n'est hélas plus le cas depuis notre dernière visite. Points positifs : la gentillesse & la prévenance du service sont excellents en géneral. Des travaux ont permis de donner un coup de fraîcheur à la déco & le résultat est réussi. L'ambiance est bonne malgré un volume sonore dopé par la présence (nouvelle?) d'une musique un peu trop forte. Points négatifs : à part quelques éclairs de génie qui nous rappelaient la raison pour laquelle nous revenions toujours a ce restaurant avec une impatience de voir notre palais surpris & heureux à chaque bouchée, les plats manquent de surprises (les endives assommées par la vinaigrette, les zuchinni sans surprises, l'amuse-bouche style cafeteria, trop de gras dans le porc, etc) : c'est bon mais rien qui justifie le prix demandé, le trio avec le flétan sort du lot, ainsi que les desserts. ; les vins n'étaient pas à la hauteur, trop homogènes & manquaient de caractère (un seul rouge, du cidre servi (non merci) & un seul cocktail pour accompagner les 2 desserts (un vin dessert peut être?); malgré le sourire & l'amabilité, le service fut un peu brouillon : un vin nous a été servi 2 fois par erreur (dans un accord mets-vins, pas top), le cidre nous a été apporté bien trop longtemps avant le plat qui l'accompagnait, l'amuse bouche a été apporté 35 minutes après notre arrivée (un vin nous a été servi pour patienter); des tâches de nourriture sur la table durant notre soûper n'ont pas été nettoyées de tout le repas (dans nos expériences précédentes, ceci était promptement nettoyé sans avoir à le demander), un serveur qui enlève mon assiette avant même que j'ai eu le temps de reposer ma fourchette, etc. Je pense que de nouveaux clients peuvent adorer leur expérience mais pour ceux qui sont habitués à l'excellence des années passées, c'est une déception.
Wow where do I begin... this meal made me feel so present. Every dish was so innovative & thoughtful. The flowers on the dishes were so beautiful & delicious. The chefs here really are doing something special. Max provided excellent service.
What a fun experience & such delicious food! I am especially thankful - they were able to accommodate nut & shellfish allergies with no hesitation or problem.
Good- All of the food was a 10/10. We were scraping our plates to get more. Restaurant atmosphere was great. Very lively, not stuffy at all Not as good: Meal was over 4 hours. First course served more than 45 minutes after we arrived/ our reservation time. Given the length of the meal it ended up not being super filling. It wasn't that it was not a lot of food, but it was spread over such a long time.
Aug 25, 2024
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Mon mari & moi allons à ce restaurant chaque année pour notre anniversaire de mariage & je peux dire sans aucun doute que c'est la meilleure nourriture que j'ai mangée! Aussi, le service est impeccable. On recommande chaudement!
Entendus de bonnes choses par rapport à cet établissement, mais on est sortis un peu mitigés. Le service était étrange, & les plats hit or miss. Pour le prix c'est inacceptable selon moi. Nous avons prit le menu dégustation avec l'accord vin. Les vins étaient inintéressants & fades. Les plats allaient d'incroyable à médiocre... Ex: entrée incroyable & recherchée suivie d'un tartare de canard tellement vinaigré qu'on ne goûtait plus rien d'autre. Par contre, je retournerai seulement pour le dessert... Un des meilleurs que j'ai goûté dans ma vie, c'était comme si l'on croquait dans Noël. Bref, à vous d'essayer (ou pas)!
Extremely long wait in between courses. Was dining for 3h. Out of the 7 courses, two were desserts & only two were contained a protein (very small portion). The other 3 courses were vegetables... The servers were nice. The flavours were decent however I cannot justify paying $120. There are other restaurants that are better.
Visited during F1 weekend & was pleasantly surprised at the service- on point as well as the pairings of wine with each dish. Each dish was unique to Montreal, french inspired with a twist of modern delight! The sommelier was attentive & caring when it came to each of her choices for each dish. 4 stars for atmosphere because the space was rather loud as voices seemed to echo off walls. Otherwise everything else was superb!
This place is absolutely exceptional! From the service to the mocktails to the ever increasingly tasty pescatarian set menu, we are super pleased. The flavours are wonderful & they are harmonious with each other. Multiple times during the evening, I contemplated licking the plate but didn't want to seem rude. Each course built upon the last & they were all special in their own regard. We also checked whether this place was Michelin guide listed as the food quality was so good & the presentations were so visually appealing. We would absolutely recommend coming back here for any occasion. It was certainly worth the drive from Toronto for this restaurant.
I plan my trips to Montreal so I'm there the days Il Flotttante is open. I've been to many countries, paid for fabulous meals, & used expense accounts to do that too. To me: Il Flottante is the top restaurant on this planet. & the food, service & atmosphere are all in that category. OMG I'm so hungry right now!!!
Tout était délicieux. Accommodent pour les végétariens (viande remplacée par champignons). Longue attente entre les services, il ne faut pas être pressés. (4h pour 7 services au total). Les desserts étaient vraiment bons.
More rustic than super refined. Everything was stellar, as a point of constructive feedback, the plates are busy, pull back a bit & focus on a more minimalistic approach.
If you only read this far in the review, please know that ÎIe Flottante's staff is so incredibly kind, caring, & accommodating. I visited here with my partner about a week ago, & we accidentally arrived an hour earlier than our reservation due to a mess-up on our end with time zone differences. We were still seated immediately, & they informed us of our error & said they would do their best to get us fed as soon as possible. Our server suggested we start with a drink, so that's what we did. The sommelier brought out two fabulous dry white wines to try, & I chose a glass of biodynamic wine that I would not have chosen had I only read about it & not tasted it. We both have dietary restrictions, but about 20 minutes after we were seated, they were able to bring out the first course. Unfortunately, right before this happened, I began to feel ill with what I would learn later was the start of a painful sinus infection. The first course, a meat, cheese, & fresh produce course, was delicious, but I realized I wouldn't be able to continue eating due to not feeling well. My partner informed our server, & she was empathetic & said she would only charge us for drinks. My partner & I have both worked customer-facing jobs & always try to be gracious & unobtrusive, so we apologized effusively. The chef came out to make sure everything was ok & to ask if there was anything they could do. I apologized again for any trouble that they went to accommodating both our earliness & dietary restrictions, & he could not have been more kind & understanding. It was more than professionalism; it was personal authenticity & kindness. We'll certainly be back, next time, for the full meal.
This was the highlight of my trip to Montreal. The entire dinner was delicious & so well thought out. However, the last dessert was my absolute favorite & i will be thinking about it every day. The little meringue pieces were literal perfection. Definitely recommend!
