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.
Joe Beef is described as a Montreal institution with a bold, indulgent kitchen and a warm, unpretentious vibe that draws crowds and keeps the energy lively. The service is repeatedly praised as attentive, knowledgeable and friendly, with many noting it as a standout part of the experience, though a few visits mention occasional slow pacing or inconsistency during busy nights. The menu is celebrated for rich, butter-forward dishes and crowd-pleasers like foie gras double down, lobster spaghetti, hanger steak, duck and croquettes, with sides and oysters earning praise as well; desserts such as marjolaine and chocolate mousse often shine, while some fish and seafood dishes are described as either extraordinary or a touch salty or under seasoned. The lobster pasta remains a lightning rod for opinion, highly regarded by many but not universally, and price levels are noted as steep, prompting critiques of value on some visits. Overall, it’s viewed as a memorable, sometimes polarizing but quintessential Montreal dining experience, best enjoyed with appetite, an open mind, and a willingness to embrace the theatre and hospitality that define the place.
A must experience when in Montreal on my bucket list. World class food, wine & service. Joe Beef exceeded my high expectations, everything was on point. Thank you again for the wonderful experience.
The most important thing, the food, was a disappointment. The raw tuna ($30 + tax) was seven small squares of thinly sliced tuna on quite average potato chips with tiny dollops of'dip,' a very insubstantial & underwhelming dish. In the next dish, the'clear borscht' was just a consommé, the smoked herring was like the tuna too insubstantial & the pommes dauphines were soggy (yuck). The famous lobster pasta, an eye watering $71+tax: the lobster was too small a portion (including a large decorative but empty shell on top) & had a rubbery texture, either not having been cooked or sourced well (but at least you know you're getting a famous dish circa 2005...). The pasta was tasty if far too salty, but more importantly, they do not mention on the menu that it's prepared with small pieces of bacon in the sauce; not very thoughtful for anyone who is pescatarian or doesn't eat meat or pork. The Cornish hen was succulent & excellent overall, the one good dish. The service was excellent, as you would expect. Overall, I would not return & cannot recommend.
Food was to die for. Service was impeccable. Atmosphere was ok. The dim lighting made the menus hard to read & really see the food you are eating. You eat with your eyes first!! Acoustics were not great & I could hardly have a conversation with my husband. Good thing we can communicate through facial expressions!!
I brought my fiancé here for his birthday as we've been wanting to try Joe Beef for a very long time. It did not disappoint. Hands down one of the best meals we've ever had. The lobster spaghetti was the highlight of the night for us. We're excited to give Liverpool House a try the next time we're in town :)
Une belle adresse. Un maison de passionnés, sans chichis efficace. Une cuisine traditionnelle mais avec le soupçon de fantaisie qu'on adore! Les steaks de porc maturés... Quel délicieuse surprise. Merci
Mar 24, 2024
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First visit on 2024, Spaghetti still good as usual, but the steak not well served, cant describe le texture. & first time i notice that serveurs smell every oyster when they preparing😂
Lets get the obvious fact out of the way, this place IS expensive. If you aren't prepared to part with $100+/person, you're just going to be nervous about the bill the whole time. Still worth it! tldr; execution from the staff was spot on & the food was amazing! This place has a calm, organized & posh feel to it. Wife & I visited this place for an early dinner as a last minute whim to dine there. We ordered the Lobster spaghetti & Hanger steak with blood pudding, with oysters & both their Lager & IPA to wash it all down. The Lobster Spaghetti is their most ordered dish, & I'm not surprised why, absolutely delicious. Hanger steak was cooked to perfection & it was my first time having blood pudding & that delicious as well. The fresh oysters were also great, pleasant experience. The beers were alright, both of the lager & IPA tasted identical, fruity & hoppy, the lager just had a stronger carbonation. Overall, we went with safe orders as it was our first time visiting. Next time, if budget allows, we'll definitely venture for more of their'exotic' offerings & try to get a more suitably dinner reservation. I don't believe this place is the best bang for your buck, but i do believe that I'd be comfortable ordering dishes from Joe Beef that I wouldn't normally consider like Horse Tenderloin.
Definitely did not live up to the hype. It's a cute cozy place but over priced really for what you get. The oysters were nice & fresh & perfectly shucked but the beef wasn't a quality cut. Glad to say I tried it but most likely won't return. Friendly polite service, which you should expect.
4/5 only because the snails were not nice. Need to re-study a recipe how to prepare snails. All the rest were fantastic: oysters, meat & drinks. Service was very nice, polite, attentive & kind, with a smile. Place has very warm ambience & certainly worth the money. Will visit again, but sticking into the meats.
We ordered beef tartare to start & the shareable steak as our main. The red wine sauce was excellent & really elevated the dish. The sides of marrow bone & bitter greens complimented the steak well. Be prepared to wait up to an hour before food arrives during busy dinner times.
Joe Beef has a rare mix of exceptionally excellent food, remarkable service from people who genuinely seek to love being there & a casual, welcoming environment that keeps us going back whenever we have the chance.
Mar 2, 2024
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It's definitely an antagonistic restaurant. They started very well. Service was great & we got a nice wine option. Although overpriced for the quality, I give points to the waitress for capturing our desire. Appetizers were really good. That had set up the bar. We got a quiche & a rice on bacon with egg on top. Really good options. Present flavours & well served. The main dish we got to share ny strips. Honestly, a bummer. The meat was ok & the sauce felt like a meat brouillon diluted in water. Some potatoes were even burnt. Dessert was really good. Their signature, well done. Another point loss was the forceful 18% tipping. Service was good, but 15% standard was more than enough. Staff was very receptive & great. One of the waitresses slipped wine a few times on the table. Overall it was a 9 out of 10. Honestly, it was an ok restaurant. Not a should go back one.
if im being honest for me the biggest reason it gets five stars is because of the service & attentiveness from the front of house staff. can say the best service i have ever gotten hands down. thank you!
Absolutely a classic for fine dinning in Montreal. One negative aspect, if there is any, Liverpool house that has same owners is similar & I had more fun there:). Just me.
The service is excellent & the staff is really friendly. The appetizers (shrimp cocktail & raw scallops) were decent, but underwhelming. The mains were generous in portion (lobster spaghetti & the whole cornish hen), but they were very salty (I like salt, so it wasn't a problem for me, but my date went through about 5 cups of water during the mains). The peas & morels were so sparce in the dish that I wouldn't really include them in the description on the menu. There weren't many choices for side vegetables either (I think carrots was the only option). The star of the show was the bread rolls with salt & butter. My 250$ bill was worth it for the bread! The restaurant is good, really good, so I'm not trying to say it wasn't. It just didn't meet my expectations for what has become a staple of the Montreal culinary scene.
