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.
As an admirer of Anthony Bourdain, I couldn't miss the chance to dine at Joe Beef during my Montreal visit, & it truly lived up to its reputation. The staff was exceptionally kind & professional, making me feel incredibly welcome as a solo diner, even amidst the bustling atmosphere. The culinary offerings were nothing short of outstanding, with each ingredient carefully curated to perfection. The lobster spaghetti & the layer cake stood out as absolute must-tries. Worth every bite & fairly reasonably priced, the dining experience at Joe Beef is a testament to the meticulous attention to detail that makes every dish shine.
Jul 12, 2024
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Another bucket list restaurant. Was seated at the bar which was great. The staff were friendly & took great care of me. Offering recommendations both for the menu & places to go in Montreal. The food was LEGENDAIRE! The clams on the radio were delicious & thoroughly enjoyed the lobster spaghetti. The dessert was fantastic as well. Well worth the wait. Thanks for a great night.
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.
Joe Beef lived up to the reputation. Our meal was fantastic, & the service was friendly & professional. Egg in a Jar, Bone Marrow Flan, Confit of Suckling Pig, & Cornish Hen "in the style of Bouillabaisse" were standouts!
Service is top notch at this place. All the staff greeted us & also said goodbye. Out plates were constantly switched & our cups filled with water . The food was very good. We ordered the duck for two, ribeye for two, spaghetti with lobster,shrimp cocktail & escargot. It's an experience. The restaurant was full on a heavy rainy day.
2nd visit at Joe Beef, & just as satisfying as the 1st! 2e visite, & toujours aussi satisfaits! We were 4 people & decided to order everything to share, which is a great way to try different things. The seafood tower was huge & tasty, the foie gras spread was great, & the mains, filet mignon & lobster pasta were also delicious. Dessert weren't fantastic though; nothing bad but nothing worth noting either. I would skip them if I were to repeat soon again...
We came here really wanting to love this place. The service & vibe were great, but we were disappointed with some of the food. Some great dishes, some unforgivable. & I just can't justify the price for what we got, especially compared to some other restaurants that execute cooking flawlessly. Starters: Steak tartare- wonderful. Best dish of our night Artichoke special- let down. A bit like under pickled antipasto, that could have come out of a jar. Mains: Sweetbread- delicious dish with a great sauce. Not enough sweetbread Suckling pork confit- pork not confited right. Pork rind was inedible (sticky & chewy, rather than crispy). For the prices of these dishes, every component of the dish should be well executed. Good flavours around the dish, but the cookery was disappointing. Dessert: Chantilly cream with strawberries- strawberries are in season, making this dessert very sweet & fresh. It was nice.
Delicious experience last night at JB's. The early evening rez seating at the bar was perfect to take in the vibe...starting with our very sociable, knowledgeable bartender Thalia, who provided insight into the menu options. We started w the escargot & the artichoke salad special...followed by the JB signature spaghetti lobster & filet special...all superbly done & paired perfectly w a Monterey coast pinot noit...ending w the lemon sorbet.. magnifique! We will definetely return & request same seating arrangement to catchup w our fave Montreal bartender= Thalia!
A tad hyped! But worth going. Really great atmosphere & probably the best foie I've had. But maybe temper expectations slightly depending where you are from.
Lived up to the hype! I am from Australia & have been fantasising about visiting this restaurant for years 🤩 Service was magnifique ✨ food was outstanding 👌 & they will definitely see my phat self in there again (hopefully) soon 🤞
Jul 2, 2024
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Met some very high expectations. The mutton chop was even better than the hanger steak. Best hunk of meat in ages. Both demi glace sauces were amazing but the sage in the mutton sauce was just wow. Server made great wine suggestions. Great experience.
Charming comes to mind to describe everything. Staff was friendly & helpful. Our waitress Kialina was awesome. Duck for two & bread after to sop up the sauce was my favorite but everything was great. Check was very reasonable given how great the meal was but not used to Canadian prices yet,
