Reviews describe Lawrence as an outstanding and intimate dining room where every course shines and the staff are kind and knowledgeable. The tasting menu with its multi course format is repeatedly praised for variety, balance, and satisfying pacing, with many dishes highlighted as standouts. The wine program earns high praise for its breadth and thoughtful pairings, including excellent non alcoholic options. Dishes such as lamb, squid ink pasta, and mussel curry are frequently singled out for their depth of flavor, while desserts receive special commendation. Some feedback notes a shift away from a la carte and the removal of offal courses, with calls to preserve the restaurant's adventurous edge. The no tips policy is appreciated, and service is described as crisp, attentive, and unpretentious in a warm, refined setting with an open kitchen in some sections. Taken together, Lawrence is regarded as a Montreal standout and a memorable dining experience, though the tasting format can be lengthy.
As a fellow Lawrence, I wanted this to sing. It does-mostly in mushrooms & in the glass. The kitchen leans into the forest with conviction: mushrooms arrive bronzed & breathing, all savour & slip, the sauce holding that dark, quiet bassline you only get from patient pan work. It's cooking with memory-restraint, heat control, & the courage to stop when the flavour says'enough.' The wine list meets that umami with intelligence; we drank widely by the glass & found pairing after pairing that nudged the dishes forward without grandstanding. Service was crisp, calm, & properly paced; the room gives you time to talk & time to taste.
Two laments. First, the shift away from à la carte. A set format can be tidy, but Lawrence used to be a place where you could shape the night plate by plate; now it feels slightly prescribed. Second, the quiet disappearance of organs & offal-particularly brains. Some of us came here for that exact candour. Bring back the courage cuts; they're part of the restaurant's soul.
On policy: I love the no-tips model. Pay your team properly; let guests think about food & wine rather than calculus. Still, a small grace note goes a long way. A welcomed pour, a little dish from the pass-some acknowledgment for engaged regulars & joyful eaters (Melanie & me very much included) would seal the hospitality.
Verdict: Lawrence remains one of Montréal's essential rooms-beautiful when the cooking stays close to the pan & the wines roam. Restore the à la carte freedom & the offal, & it will be unmissable. We'll be back, name on the door & appetite in hand. ?
An absolute must visit.
First of all, the ambiance is great. It's cozy, there was only one chef cooking in the kitchen. The staff is excellent & explain the menu perfectly.
But wow, I just didn't expect to love this place so so much. I think this may be one of the best restaurants I've eaten at in my life.
The dishes were so intricate & well thought out. The flavours, outstanding. I was absolutely stuffed at the end & remember thinking that I could eat it all again anyways.
Definitely definitely go here, this is a restaurant in Montreal you cannot miss.
My favorite restaurant in the universe. Has everything - amazing decor, staff & food. Should get 6 stars. Without a doubt the most interesting & flavorful dishes in all Montreal.
All four dishes we had, were creative & had an inspired core idea. Two of the four were transcendent. The monthly rotating/changing menu is a real plus. Exciting food experience. Location is a bit cramped. Service at times either a bit slow or rushed. Gratuity included is a serious perk.
Been wanting to try this place for awhile, & went with a friend visiting from out of town. We had the small tasting menu because we knew we would enjoy anything on the menu. We appreciated the really vibrant & unique flavour combinations, & beautifully presented dishes. The portions were a bit small, & although everything was excellent, no one dish really blew us away. Excellent wine suggestions from the servers, & impeccable service means that I would be happy to come back here & see what else the chef comes up with. I LOVE that gratuity is included in the pricing.
A lovely range of dishes, each one exquisitely prepared - an intimate setting, which both of us so appreciated (we didn't have to speak over loud music) - & the service was amazing. They were attentive, kind, & helpful. We'd go back in a heartbeat....
A lovely range of dishes, each one exquisitely prepared - an intimate setting, which both of us so appreciated (we didn't have to speak over loud music) - & the service was amazing. They were attentive, kind, & helpful. We'd go back in a heartbeat....
Came for mtl a table & left us amazed! Rare to find restaurants in Montreal that surprise you with unique & different combination of flavors & textures. The wine suggestion went perfectly with the dishes.
For long enough time I was trying to figure out - why do they serve mediocre food that takes an hour (literally) to arrive, & how does this resonate with a hefty price tag.
I couldn’t, so I’ve decided to write this review.
Food: Dishes were nothing special, & were very far apart from being worth $30 minimum a piece. The only good thing on a menu was steak, which I hope was, indeed a “different kind of meat, organic” (& so on). I have still payed $50 for 100g of mediocre beef.
Dessert was terrible, & I was truly questioning how that is even served. It was a brioche, with plum sauce. Tasted like the bread you have forgotten in your drawer for a week, & now you have nothing to eat so you decide to consume it with a plum sauce, then you decide to throw out $15. It was truly mesmerising testament to this place.
Service: waiters are hanging around, we have waited 10 minutes to be asked, because the waiter was looking something up on a computer. We were literally ignored. It would be understandable if some form of answer would be given to our requests. We have still decided to continue on, as we didn’t think a lot about that instance.
After ordering, we have waited an hour for out first dish, & 40-50 minutes for two consequent ones.
Ambiance was okay-ish. Lightning was good, & the design was well done. Good job on this front, & the bar was comfortable too. However, it is hard to judge restaurant’s ambiance all whilst receiving questionable experience on other fronts.
You could literally go almost anywhere, & more probably than not - get a FAR better experience.
Overall, not recommended, one of the worst of my experiences in fine establishments. In other words - go to the local bar & you will not see a difference in quality, but you will be served in 20 minutes total, not 2 hours. Does resonate.
* p.s. not mentioning specific menu items, as the menu is changed every month (we went in august end), but essentials (like dessert/stake quality), do taste the same throughout the time, usually.
