Tucked away on one of downtown’s quieter streets, La Marinara has subtlety down to an art. Warm colours and soft light, potted plants and flickering candles create a soothing, unassuming atmosphere. Music plays low and ambient, setting the tone but never intruding on the conversation. For this reason, La Marinara is best suited for romantic dinners or quiet business lunches. Designed in the style of the French bistro, it specializes in Italian pasta dishes. Primavera, bolognese, alfredo, carbonara, amatriciana: the usual suspects are present in all sorts of savoury permutations.
If you’re looking for veal, there may be no restaurant in the city better suited to your needs. Why not try the breaded veal, or bring crispy and cream together in sonorous harmony with the veal parmigiana. Did we mention the veal with lemon?
La Marinara earns widespread praise for authentic Italian cooking, homemade pasta that many describe as among the best, and a warm, intimate, unpretentious dining room. Reviews highlight friendly, attentive service from a family-run team and a cozy atmosphere that feels welcoming rather than formal. Dishes like gnocchi, fettuccine and veal marsala are repeatedly praised, with tiramisu and Caesar salad noted as standout desserts, while some nights offer generous portions and others feature smaller servings for certain items. Occasional drawbacks include a very salty soup, a carbonara with too much cream cheese, and high wine prices, but these are not universal. Overall, La Marinara is seen as a dependable downtown option that delivers comforting, well-executed Italian flavors and a consistently positive experience that keeps locals and visitors returning.
Un pur délice troisième expérience & toujours aussi savoureux. La nourriture, entrée tomates boccocini plat pricipal ravioli & le service impécable malgré une salle pleine pour soir de match de hockey. Prix résonable pour 3 personnes
The service at La Marinara was first rate. It's a small restaurant & we arived when it was packed with pre-hockey game diners so it was quite noisy. But once a few people left, it was more comfortable to talk. We found the food quite good. A couple of points, though: the tomoato & bocconcini appetizer was really tiny. There were only 4 or 5 thin slices of tomato, each topped with a small piece of cheese. This was not what we were expecting for the price. The minestrone soup was good but much too salty. The main courses we ordered: stuffed tortellini & nerone sauce topped fish were very good. The litre of house wine was excellent. It's a very authentic feeling Italian restaurant.
The food is exquisite! The service is warm & competent! The place has this old world European feel! Don't miss the place... except on any hockey night. Hockey people are noisy!
Nous y allons souvent avant un match de hockey. Cette fois ci j'ai remarqué une hausse des prix & une diminution des portions. J'ai aussi été surprise par le coût pour un cappuccino plus de 7$? J'ai pris de veau en plat principal à 34$ avec légumes & il n'y avait que 2 très minces & petites tranches de veau, décevant. C'est malheureusement la dernière fois que nous irons à ce resto
Oct 22, 2023
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A professionally run restaurant fully organized & totally catered to the majority hockey fan patrons. Food is good enough & never disappoints but it is not gourmet. Again the majority of the patrons are there to get fed well with efficient professional service & they do it exceptionally well. You can be in & out in 1 hour enjoying a 3 course meal .. at a reasonable cost. It is our go to resto on hockey nites
C'était notre deuxième visite & nous sommes du Saguenay. Encore un excellent repas en table d'hôte & un service rapide pour le match de hockey. Personnel sympatique & courtois, c'est un prochain rendez-vous, merci !
Nourriture excellent. Bruit excessif. Espace à la table très petit. Délai pour recevoir la nourriture trop long. Nous comprenons que ce n'est pas une bonne idée d'aller manger sur place lorsqu'il y a un match de hockey
Been here a few times. The food is good but the service is very good. We go to this restaurant before the hockey... 95% of the patrons are like us.They understand this crowd & cater to it perfectly . The MaitreD, waiters & kitchen work in perfect harmony. We order table d'hote or a la carte & there is no delay. Wine list is complete. Never been there on non hockey nite... will give it a try
Nov 6, 2022
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Super. Avant chaque match de hockey auquel j'assiste, je me rend à ce restaurant. L'accueil est chaleureux, le service attentionné & les choix très variés. Les mets sont excellents & les prix tout à fait convenables. Je recommande le veau à la polignac & les aubergines au parmesan.
We visited La Marina last evening & were delighted with the service & food. Ladies (2) enjoyed Rigatoni Arrabriata & Manicotti respectively & the gentlemen both enjoyed Veal Pizzaiola. I wasn't sure about the sauce they were using for the escargot so I asked for garlic butter instead. They were very accommodating & it was delicious.
Word of advice.... don't go on a night when the Canadians are playing hockey at home. The place was mobbed & we waited 20 minutes for our table (with a reservation). Otherwise, very enjoyable even if a little pricey.
Le service a été très long, beaucoup plus qu'à l'habitude.
Ayant réservé plus tôt afin d'être à l'heure pour la partie d'hockey, nous n'avons pu prendre café & dessert inclus à la table d'hôte.
La qualité de la nourriture était très bonne & le service adéquat.
