Old Montreal restaurant classics in the heart of Little Burgundy. An homage to Charles "Joe-Beef" McKiernan, 19th century innkeeper and Montreal working class hero. A drunken crawl away from the Historic Atwater market. Steaks and seafood.
Across reviews, Joe Beef stands out for rich, decadent cooking and generous portions, with lobster spaghetti, hanger steak, beef tenderloin, and a strong seafood presence earning frequent praise. The service is consistently described as attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, helping to elevate a lively, unpretentious atmosphere that many visitors call a Montreal institution. The lobster spaghetti and other iconic dishes are often highlighted, though some guests find the price high and a few dishes over or under seasoned, leaving mixed impressions about value. Reservations are tough to secure and the restaurant can be busy and loud, but the overall experience is celebrated as memorable and worth a special night out, with desserts like marjolaine cake and pistachio éclair drawing particular attention. In short, Joe Beef delivers bold flavors and theatre that many diners adore, while a few reviews wish for more consistency and better value.
Went for dinner last night & had the best ever table outside in back & beautiful weather. Our server was so attentive & fun! He was so knowledgeable in everything we asked as well as gave us some seriously amazing suggestions! He was a pleasure to be around :) We had the prime steak which was for 3 of us. It was unreal & perfectly cooked. We were super happy with the portion size & definitely were not left hungry. The 2 sauces that accompanied the steak were so savory & went perfectly with the meat. We also had the lamb which was so tender & flavorful & would highly recommend. As for the wine. Worth every penny. Our server made some suggestions which were spot on. He suggested a wine in between our courses so as not to waste the decadent red that we would have with our mains & it was perfect. Oh & if they have the savory éclair for an appetizer...do it! As well as the ham & cheese starter !! The beef tartare is prepared at the table & hands down best I've had & I have had many! There was a slight hiccup in our wine service for the mains, which did not bother us at all, as we are patient people & they gave us the most delicious assortment of desserts to make up for it which was so kind. I've heard people comment on the price of a dinner here but I can guarantee you that if you want high quality food cooked to perfection with the most flavorful combinations then you won't regret it. You pay for what you receive & that is superior service, unbeatable food quality taste & wine.
Excellent resto, faut accepter de mettre un peu le prix (50$ assiette, 100$ total avec entrée, boisson..) mais ça vaut vraiment le coup, la cuisine est excellente, félicitations au chef, & les serveurs se démènent pour un service impeccable, je recommande !
Aug 22, 2024
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Best dinner in all of Montreal!!!! The service & server were amazing & then there was the food! Highly recommend coming here! We ordered the Foie Gras, Hanger Steak, & Lobster Spaghetti. Such a great experience!!!
Excellent place, had a wonderful time! Amazing service, great, relaxed atmosphere, & the food was excellent (highlight was the magret de canard - so so good). Highly recommend!
What a great place. I know it's very popular, but it's warranted. Had a reservation for one to sit at the bar. Arrived 15 minutes early, but they were ready for me. I ordered some oysters, which were excellent. Then I ordered a filet mignon with foie gras sauce special. It too was excellent. Highly recommend this place. So delicious.
Way too expensive for the taste & quality of food. Just because you're paying a lot, does not mean that it's good. We ordered: The raw scallops (I enjoyed this dish) Dry Sausage (4 little slices, with some pickled dishes strewn about, with very little flavor) Lobster Spaghetti (Best dish of the night & would recommend - but for $71 CAD...getting three little pieces of lobster makes it hard to really justify & say that it's a great deal) USDA Filet Mignon (peppercorn sauce wasn't really all that flavorful, & the bleu cheese crumbles were served on I believe a celery stalk) - $90 CAD Sauteed Mushrooms (dry & somewhat tasteless...was really expecting something more especially after the water talked these up significantly) The food is fine, I guess, just not at the price point offered. I was expecting to be blown away by the food here but it was just kind of...mediocre. I spend nearly $400 CAD for a dinner for 2 that left us both not really that impressed. There are better places in Montreal that have a lot more flavor & are unexpectedly great more than Joe Beef's is. The waiter is also oddly pushy about ordering dishes to the point of near discomfort, & reading other reviews here saying the same it's a bit concerning & seems like they're more interested in pushing out food rather than good food.
Jul 11, 2024
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Joe Beef is an exceptional dining experience! The atmosphere is cozy & inviting, with a rustic charm that makes you feel right at home. The food is outstanding, with a menu that showcases local ingredients & inventive dishes. The service is attentive & friendly, ensuring a memorable meal. Highly recommend!
We dined here yesterday after having reserved a few weeks to a month in advance &... wow. The hype is real. The tuna tartare was a nice fresh start. We then transitioned into the lamb shoulder & lobster spaghetti which we shared. The lamb was cooked to perfection. The sauce & elements on the plate all blended in so well together. It had a faint but pleasant horseradish / dijon taste to it which was very nice & the lobster spaghetti was creamy & delicious. Lobster often gets lost / overpowered in pasta dishes with ingredients like tomatoes but this was not the case here. The lobster was the star of the dish on a bed of creamy spaghetti that included pancetta & chives. It was simply exquisite. Kudos to the kitchen & staff as they didn't miss a pulse all night. It was a great & memorable meal. I would highly recommend.
Excellent dining experience. From flawless service to great execution on seemingly simple dishes, everything was high quality. Steak tartare was prepared at the table & was one of the best I have ever had. Lobster spaghetti is also highly recommended. Mussels & oysters were the highlight of the small cold platter.
The entire staff at Joe beef clearly love to work there & with each other. This comes out in the food & service. It reminds me of a Danny Meyer restaurant. Their food was exceptional & our server made excellent wine recommendations. We had the beef tartare prepared table side with endives & crostini. The meal could have ended there I would've been happy but we followed it up with a gem salad, the duck meal to share & fries. Not your traditional steak house meal given the other options but would have that meal on repeat. we finished it with a chocolate meringue dessert that our server previously called the "kids dessert" she was not wrong. 10/10 would recommend
Jun 15, 2024
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Excellent food. Got the hanger steak, lobster spaghetti, oysters & some other things. All worth it. For the quality, not very expensive, would definitely recommend. The restaurant can be a tad crowded & you're just a smidge too close to neighbors, but it is what it is! For the food, it's worth it. Ps: ask for the bacon on the side or no bacon in lobster sphaghetti, salty enough as is & best to have it added on to your own liking.
One of the best restaurant experiences I've had to date! The food was truly amazing, worth every penny & truly lives up to the hype. Service was great, super personable & kind. Atmosphere was amazing & I will recommend this place to anyone looking for a special meal in Montreal .
Julien was an awesome guide to everything Joe Beef! I don't eat meat (yes yes, wrong restaurant) but I went for the company & experiece. He recommended a mushroom steak frites that isn't on the menu, & that did not disappoint! Also the Boston salad.... damn, what an amazing salad!
Intimate yet lively spot for an incredible meal. The perfect place to get a little dressed up, enjoy a few drinks, & splurge on some very high quality dishes. Hangar steak was tender, juicy, & flavorful all on its own. A true beef: what other beefs aspire to taste like. The optional mushroom sauce added a complex flavor profile, but I felt the steak could certainly stand on its own too. Veggie platter was large, filling, & tasted fresh off the farm. Not the mention, the generous helping of shrimp, fish, & cuttlefish. The raw tuna was aesthetically unorthodox, but paired with the tomato & caper sauce, was bright, tart, & surprising. I definitely recommend Joe Beef for a special dinner in a darling neighborhood!
May 16, 2024
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Wowwwww joe beef did not disappoint. Heard great things before arriving into town. We were able to secure a same day reservation & arrived hungry. We shared the bread (which was insanely good, so good we ordered 3 orders for 5 people, & ate it all, & then talked about it on the walk home) Steak for two, was wonderfully prepared. The lobster spaghetti, also incredible. Oysters & veggie platter. Everything was amazing. I will return next trip to Montreal. Honorable mention, great NA beer for me & they had frozen olives in the martinis for my drinking friends. Highly recommend joe beef
We were 30 mins late to our reservation & ended up sitting on the bar. So glad we did, because the waiters at the bar were extremely nice & helpful. The food was really good, we really enjoyed our night. Highly recommended
Really enjoyed our meal here - delicious, cooked & seasoned to perfection, beautifully presented. Staff were very attentive & knowledgeable & made us feel so welcome. Overall, great atmosphere, would recommend
Highly recommend Joe Beef. The staff & management went above & beyond to accommodate my food allergy. I appreciate how easy they made it for me. The food was amazing & atmosphere was perfect. We went for dinner after a long day. If you have a food allergy make sure to reach out to the restaurant to give them a chance to prepare for your visit. Will definitely keep Joe Beef in mind for our next trip to Montreal.
One of the best meals I've had in a long time, definitely living up to its reputation. Cozy interior with wonderful staff, I would highly recommend taking them up on the offer to guide you through the menu as there were a number of dishes we would have not normally chosen that hit the spot. We'll be back, I can see why this place is such a staple.
