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.
Phenomenal a la carte plates featuring plenty of classic French technique & flavors. Everything we had was outstanding. Not hyper seasonal but they do rotate the menu. Undoubtedly one of the best a la carte meals I've had
We walked into Joe Beef, sat down & I just didn't like the vibe. I felt like I was just a part of the bucket list crowd checking off their boxes so we immediately left & went next door to Liverpool House & sat at the bar. For me that was much better, a more intimate experience. The food was great, drinks were spot on & to top it off Michael was there to manage it all. Juliano kept our water glasses full & our eating area in order. Every interaction with Michael & Juliano was fun & had a great spirit which influenced our eating experience positively.
10 out of 10. Everything was delicious! I went with a couple foodie friends & both agreed it was the best meal they've had in a long while. Everything was done to perfection & our waiter was fantastic! Cornish Hen was the best ever & the Canadian Steak couldn't have been better!
Muy agradable pero muy ruidoso Servicio bueno. No recomiendo la "Saucisse de homard". No he encontrado el sabor del homard pero si del cerdo y de la carne de vaca. Precio muy muy elevado. 90€ por persona para 2 platos principales y 2 vasos de vino.
All around an excellent experience. The mains & desserts are incredible especially the lobster bisque spaghetti & steak, but some of the appetizers could be better. Specifically the raw tuna tarte was a little underwhelming, the french omelette with lobster was incredible!
Aug 1, 2024
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Lovely restaurant. As you walk in, you are immediately welcomed by the smiling staff. We were seated on the outdoor "terrasse". It was a bit windy but they turned on the heaters for us. The outdoor "terrasse" is really lovely. I tried the raw tuna & foie gras as appetizers. The raw tuna was just ok. The foie gras was really good with the raisin bread. My friend had the filet mignon which was the daily special. He asked for rare & got a medium rare. For 98$, I don't think this is acceptable. I had the Sweetbreads (Ris de veau). The sauce was so salty that I couldn't finish it. For dessert, we tried the marjolaine & the sorbet "sgroppino" which were excellent. The BaBeigne au Rhum was disappointing because the doughnut was just too dry.
When Antony Bourdain visited Montreal, Joe Beef was his favorite restaurant. But then again, Tony loved meat. We don't eat meat & poultry or lobster, & our dinner experience was good, but not great; I'm sure that the meat dishes here are great. We tried the oysters, 3 different kinds, they were very good (4/5). The Raw Tuna, Tomato Tart "Basquaise" was good (3/5), but too many flavors overpowered the taste of the tuna. The Egg in a Jar, Trout Roe, Celery & Dulse Butter Brioche was ok, but weird, & not too flavorful (2/5). The fries were good, but a bit bitter (3/5). The best dish was the Halibut, Colbert Vinaigrette, very well cooked & very flavorful (4/5). Finally, the Boston & Gems salad with Mimolette was good, the plating was not (3/5). Service was very good (4/5). Overall, 3/5.
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!!!
Jul 28, 2024
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The food was good but very overpriced & not worth it. At this price point ($50-70 per main course), the meals should include a vegetable side dish, rather than charging an extra $17 for 6 pieces of zucchini. The food was mediocre (other than the halibut), & I have no idea why they are in the top 100 restaurants list. Maybe they used to be good? Spending so much money, they then had the nerve to charge an extra $1 for 2 more slices of bread to go along with the fois gras appetizer (which cost $40 to begin with). I am disappointed.
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!
Coming from Brooklyn & Joe Beef was one of the tops on our list. Joe Beef didn't let us down. The food was amazing! The interior was unique & back in time. Service was great too!
It's famous. We had to try it. I wish I had saved my money instead. I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on French or Quebecois cuisine. My sense from their food & their fame is that they make food in the same rustic way one did centuries ago. The meals are laden with more fat & flour as one did back in the day. Turns out we put that behind us for a reason. I found the food to be incredibly bland & tasteless. One can step out & walk a few blocks in any direction & find a restaurant that serves local Quebec cuisine in a modern, exciting & excellent manner so it's hard to make sense of the attraction to Joe Beef. I stared at the online menu for a while trying to remember what I got months ago but it wasn't coming back to me it was that forgettable.
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.
