L'Autre Saison specializes in refined French culinary techniques with a focus on fresh seafood and intricate raw preparations. The menu highlights precision-cut fish and seasoned tartare dishes designed to emphasize the natural textures of premium ingredients. Culinary preparations prioritize balance, utilizing classic seasoning profiles that respect the inherent flavors of oceanic proteins. Each plate demonstrates technical expertise, from the selection of high-grade seafood to the carefully calibrated accompaniments that elevate every component. The atmosphere remains structured and focused on the interaction between traditional French methodology and modern plating standards. Diners encounter a menu where the integrity of raw materials drives the kitchen output, ensuring that every dish delivers a consistent and deliberate gastronomic experience throughout the entire seasonal rotation.
L'Autre Saison is widely regarded as a charming and classic French dining destination in Montreal, celebrated for its elegant townhouse setting, romantic atmosphere, and live piano music. Many patrons praise the restaurant for its high-quality cuisine, including standout dishes like escargots, rack of lamb, and perfectly cooked salmon, often complemented by an extensive wine list. While the majority of diners highlight the warm, attentive, and professional service provided by the staff and owners, which contributes to a memorable and welcoming experience, some guests have expressed concerns regarding pricing, perceived inconsistencies in service, and rigid dining policies. Despite a few mixed reviews about the owner's unconventional hospitality style, the establishment remains a popular recommendation for special occasions, date nights, and those seeking an authentic culinary experience in the heart of the city.
Everything about this restaurant was exceptional - the food, the service, & the atmosphere were all top notch. We dined as a group of seven, & every single person in our party was raving about their meal. It's a classic French dining experience where every detail is cared for. The dishes were not only delicious but clearly prepared with love & passion. The staff truly take pride in what they do, creating a warm, welcoming, & memorable experience from start to finish. Highly recommend!
Everything about this restaurant was exceptional - the food, the service, & the atmosphere were all top notch. We dined as a group of seven, & every single person in our party was raving about their meal. It's a classic French dining experience where every detail is cared for. The dishes were not only delicious but clearly prepared with love & passion. The staff truly take pride in what they do, creating a warm, welcoming, & memorable experience from start to finish. Highly recommend! Sadly I didn't capture this amazing experience with photos.
Oct 31, 2025
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I was just wandering around the neighborhood & discovered this hidden gem of restaurant. This was by far one of the best meals & dining experiences I've had in Montreal.
The meal started off with delicious warm complementary bread & bruschetta, followed by the French onion soup & Salade L'Autre Saison appetizers which were delicious & very generously portioned. The salad was put together impeccably, topped with a large block of brie that was fresh & savory. The French onion soup was the best I've had in this city.
Our main meals consisted of steak & the poached salmon in white mushroom sauce. The steak was cooked perfectly, extremely tender & whose flavor was enhanced by the bold red wine sauce. The salmon was cooked beautifully & paired nicely with the glass of Pinot Noir recommended by the owner. The warm apple tart a la mode recommended by the owner was the perfect ending to this amazing meal.
For those that have an interest in ambience, be prepared to enter a classic, romantic French townhome. With an unbelievable array of collectibles, including artwork & violins, you very well might be in Louis the XIV's Palace of Versailles.
There's a reason why the owner / chef duo have been in business for 50 years: delectable food in a gorgeous Parisian style townhouse served by gracious staff that all take pride in what they've built. I'll be back here multiple times on all my visits to Montreal.
We had a great experience here. We came for lunch & absolutely loved it. The food was excellent & the owner personally greeted us & was very entertaining. We will definitely be back & highly recommend!
Fabulous meal. Everything was absolutely lovely. You can tell when an establishment really cares about the experience from the kitchen to the front of the house. Wonderful dining room-excellent service that combines elegance, character, & a bit of humor. This combination can be hard to find, but Kazim & the rest of the staff pulled it off seamlessly. The worst part of the meal-we were visiting & won't be able to return for some time. Rest assured, the next time we are in Montreal, we will be back.
When I worked for a large software company a few years ago, I was coming up to Montreal from Chicago on a regular basis, & I ate at L'autre Saison pretty regularly. I always ate at the bar because I felt funny taking up a table just by myself. I brought a colleague there once, & a couple of years later I brought my wife, daughter, sister & her husband up here for a trip & couldn't wait to take them to this place. Always amazing food & service, & one of the owners regularly takes care of you. Last night I brought my wife for an incredible romantic dinner. French onion soup, escargot, filet mignon, & cod. He even made her a custom martini.
The decor, the music, the service, always top notch. I've probably eaten here over a dozen times now & always stupendous. This is an absolute must-visit place for any special dinner.
The atmosphere was good, for 2 people the Bar is perfect , culinary experiance & the drinks were delicious , served on time & drinks simply well balance,, My friend order Rack of Lamb which he told me their signature dish , however due to my dietery restriction I had to settle with salade but the owner suggested & ask rhe chef to prepare the salade with tuna , it was exceptionally well prepare with pepper crust , thank you Chef.
We had a truly memorable dinner at L'Autre Saison-easily one of the best meals we've had in Montreal in quite some time. The atmosphere strikes a perfect balance: warm & elegant, yet relaxed & unpretentious, making it ideal for a special night out without feeling overly formal.
I ordered the lamb shank, which was incredibly tender & bursting with flavor, while my wife enjoyed the black cod, one of the evening's specials-both dishes were outstanding. Portions were generous, & every plate was beautifully presented.
The menu offers a wide variety of appealing options, & our server, Troy (the owner's son), elevated the experience with his friendly, attentive service & excellent recommendations.
Dessert was a standout & a perfect sweet finish to the meal.
The wine list is thoughtfully curated with plenty of choices to cater to one's pallet & pocketbook. There's a handsome bar tucked at the rear of the dining room, offering a more casual way to enjoy the same refined cuisine & ambiance.
Prices are well aligned with the quality of food & service.
If you're a fan of French cuisine-or simply looking for a hidden gem in Montreal-L'Autre Saison is absolutely worth a visit.
First & last time at L`Autre Saison. The atmosphere was pretty nice. The decor is very old-fashioned, albeit in good taste. The food was decent, a bit more expensive than I would've payed for what we got, although this was to expect for a restaurant like this. Visually, our plates looked amazing. This being said, weirdly enough, all of the guest I dined with ordered different proteins that were all paired with almost exactly the same sides & vegetables, which gave the impression that little thought was given on how to make the best out of each unique dish. Said vegetables were cooked to perfection, but barely seasoned, so they tasted bland. I expected more from a restaurant that labels itself as fine french cuisine.
The service, however, was very unpleasant, which soured the whole experience. I'll admit there was little wait, which was a plus. The younger gentlemen that waited our table looked inexperienced, which wasn't an issue at all, & they really sounded like they were trying their best. This being said, the older gentleman's (the owner???) attitude was anything but professional, which is not something you expect from a restaurant of this caliber. He was loud, overly friendly in an awkward way, touched guests' shoulders without their consent to get their attention & make unsolicited comments or jokes. At one point, we got the impression that he was laughing at us. He also made us feel like he was in a rush to get our order even though the restaurant was almost empty & could not get a hint that we needed more time to discuss & decide--asking us what we wanted to drink before we even had the drink menu in hand. One of the guests at our table ordered the tuna steak, & the waiter asked how he'd like it done. This was extremely odd & showed poor knowledge of his own menu, since a tuna steak is always served lightly seared (tataki style, raw in the centre) & giving a guest the choice to get their tuna steak cooked'medium-rare' was nothing short of bizarre. One other guest ordered the lamb rack which, in addition to being paired with the same vegetables as everyone else, wasn't accompanied by any kind of sauce, as you would minimally expect from any fine dining establishment.
On top of everything, the very first thing our waiter asked the table once we were seated was who would get the check. We later realized, while reading the back page of the menu, that the establishment policy was one bill per table, but it was our first time there & some gentle context on that would've been appreciated instead of pouncing & asking who would be paying for the whole meal before we even had a chance to look at the menu. The back page of the menu also weirdly stated that a fee would be added to the bill if you shared a plate (?) which made no logical sense to us & felt like some kind of strange cash-grab.
All in all, I had a decent evening because the company was excellent, & we did get some laughs afterward out of the awkwardness of the experience. Downtown Montreal (even just Crescent St.!) has loads of better options, both cost- & quality-wise. I will not be dining there again & will advise anyone who asks against doing so.
