Paris may be an ocean away, but the art of casual French bistro dining is not lost at Le Pois Penché in the heart of downtown Montréal.
The menu reads like a who’s-who of Parisian comfort food favourites, with beloved classics the likes of steak tartare and duck confit in mustard sauce alongside an array of spectacular seafood platters. Boasting one of the most interesting wine collections in the city, Le Pois Penché offers an impressive selection of imported bottles and wines by the glass.
This authentic French brasserie delivers fine cuisine in simple opulence: plush red velvet, checkerboard floor tile, crystal chandeliers, large paintings and a blackboard listing the daily specials on the wall. In the middle, a large bar; around it, busy waiters flitting to and from, outfitted in the traditional white shirt, black vest and apron. French bistro, through and through.
Le Pois Penché’s terrasse buzzes with animated conversation while its private banquet rooms reserve their splendour for group functions. Le Cellier, in particular, offers a sumptuous venue for events up to 70 guests, with vibrant Parisian settings by artist Pierre Pivet, a vaulted brick ceiling, and the restaurant’s prized wine cellars displayed behind sleek glass panels. Connected to the brasserie, Salon Chez Swann, in the boutique hotel of the same name, is ideal for groups of 24 guests or less.
Our Specialties
Oyster bar, Tartares (salmon, tuna, beef) & shellfish platters.
Le Pois Penché impresses with an elegant yet welcoming brasserie vibe, refined French fare, and a standout wine list that pairs with attentive, warm service to create consistently memorable meals. Guests praise dishes ranging from duck confit, bouillabaisse, and onion soup to escargots and fresh oysters, all prepared with balance and depth, plus desserts like paris-brest and creme brulee that delight. The atmosphere is stylish and cozy, with a lively bar scene and occasional live music that adds charm without overpowering conversation. The staff are repeatedly noted for friendliness, knowledge, and timely, thoughtful recommendations that make guests feel at home, and reservations are often advised for prime seating. The bread, seafood platters, and well curated pairings further elevate the experience. In short, Le Pois Penché is a premier spot for high quality French cuisine, gracious service, and a memorable dining experience in the city.
Duck confit was absolutely delicious. Oysters & salmon as part of the seafood platter were fresh. Maybe skip the prawn as it wasn't as flavorful. Overall a delicious meal & I will return!
We had a great meal & wonderful server Marco. We had oysters as an appetizer which were delicious. Main meal were seafood bouillabaisse, steak frites & cod. Loves the atmosphere.
Mar 21, 2026
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LPP is my favorite place to visit during my monthly trips to Montreal, & always tops before a Habs game. The menu & wine list are exquisite; the service is exemplary (especially Charles); & overall atmosphere is second to none. My six year old little guy tried his first oysters & escargot at the bar. In fact, he was so enamored with the escargot, for the rest of the trip he stopped shaving, & refused to speak English!!
Easily one of the best French restaurant we have visited. It's located right at downtown Montreal, only 5 minutes drive from most hotel in the area. The oysters were fresh & packed with flavour. The baguette is impossibly soft, we could not believe it. Lamb was slow cooked to perfection, taste amazing & the texture is soft, charcolly on the outside & super soft on the inside. On top of that the staff is so friendly made us feel right at home. It was my birthday dinner, I got a suprise treat & live performance of the happy birthday song. Unforgettable memory!
This place is excellent. The service is fantastic. When we visit Montreal we stop & eat there. The staff has stayed consistent which in my book mean it is run well as staff are staying because they are happy. The dinners are delicious. My wife loves the oysters there & the gentleman that shucks them is such a lovely nice person. Our first time there we at the bar with him & talked with him all night. Marwa one of the waitress is so wonderful as well. We have had her a few times. I feel bad i blanking our waited name from this past Saturday night & Sunday brunch he is fantastic. The manger is very professional & also very attentive. He works well with his staff & looks out for them.
I have to mention that there brunch on Saturday & Sunday morning is phenomenal. Totally worth getting up for it them morning.
Make sure you make reservations for dinner & brunch if you really want to go as it fills quickly.
Overall I can not recommend this place enough. I felt like a celebrity & friend when i was there & we have only been there 5 times. I can't wait to go back to Montreal to eat there.
We ordered the escargot, oysters, & the steak with fries…it did not disappoint!!! Service was exceptional especially since we just walked in & didn't have a rezo.
Exceptional! We had wine, cocktails, digestifs, oysters, escargots, ceviche & the strawberry melba. Everything was a hit! Our waiter was incredible & we are glad we took his recommendations. Highly recommend!
We enjoyed a fantastic Friday night meal here, starting with a fresh & delicious selection of oysters, then appetizers & mains. Highly recommend the duck confit. Service was attentive & the atmosphere was classy & fun. Bon appétit!
I discovered Le Pois Penché earlier this year & I have been a return customer several times since. The atmosphere is delightful & welcoming & the food is exquisite. I have tried many of the items on the menu & can't really choose a favourite, however the Cavatelli & the Steak Frites are amazing! I like to sit at the bar & enjoy Julian who is a master oyster shucker. Incredibly knowledgeable & passionate! I am not a big oyster fan but after trying one on his recommendation I can say I now understand the allure. Staff are all very friendly & attentive to service. In a city of many culinary choices, Le Lois Penché is at the top of my list!
Aug 1, 2025
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Nice & cozy place, service & ambiance are really good. A bit pricy (well it's downtown Montréal)
We ordered the seafood platter for two.
Everything was very delicious. The lobster tail was a bit small for the price we paid(in my opinion) otherwise a really classic French style seafood restaurant.
PS we got our margaritas served in low-ball (whiskey) instead of classic margaritas shape glasses, & it was small size. I guess focus on wine & food instead of cocktails (after all it isn't a bar)
Great food, very attentive service
They are experts on their oysters & very willing to give pairing recommendations from their extensive wine list.
The parisien seafood platter was perfectly portioned for two people. We started with the escargot - the parsley in the butter was a very nice addition. We finished with the chocolate fondant & a couple of café affogato. Would love to come back on our next trip to Montreal
We were invited to dinner & ordered the seafood platter as an appetizer. Unfortunately, it was a letdown. The mussels were the smallest you can find on the market, & they made up half the platter. The oysters were also tiny. For a platter priced over $200, you'd expect premium seafood-not undersized shellfish taking up space.
For my main dish, I ordered mussels in cream sauce, & again, the same miniature mussels were served. It's disappointing to see a so-called top-tier restaurant cut corners like this. At this price point, quality should be a given. It wasn't.
The oysters especially the petite ones were the perfect texture & size, the horseradish freshly graded & pomegranates brought things up a notch. The bread was delicious the right level between soft & crisp. The tiki cocktail had quite a few unique flavors I would definitely try it. The star of the drinks was an espresso martini just tasted like straight perfect expresso. The hangar steak with the shallot red wine sauce was out of the this world especially the sauce I could not stop dipping my fries in it. The homemade cavatelli with mushrooms porcini & truffle cream was flavorful creamy but not too heavy or earthy. The service was great & the staff were friendly. I would definitely go back.
Jun 22, 2025
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We picked this restaurant from the Google review & search. Overall , we enjoy our dinner right from the start to finish. The seafood platter has two types of oysters. One is from PEI & the other is from Northern Quebec. We ordered extra local Quebec Choux oysters. The French onion soups use sweet onion. The New Steak is well made with nice French Fries. The Crème brûlée is very tasty. The Strawberry & Mango sorbets are high recommended as a finish of the highly enjoyable dinner.
The oyster shucker that was there on May 28th, 2025 was fantastic! Thank you for making our dining experience at Le Pois Ponche a fantastic one! We have been coming here for years when in town, & you made this visit a great one!
This was an unexpected delight! From the moment we walked in, we were transported back to some other timeline. There was a man standing in the restaurant with the microphone singing old tunes… Think Frank Sinatra, etc.… With a very easy on the ears voice. We could also see a gorgeous oyster bar. The vibe was very happy immediately. The restaurant was full, but not overly loud. The service began the moment we walked in the door. We felt very welcomed. We were seated immediately at a nice round table… There were five of us. The bread & butter served to the table was delicious. I know it's just bread, but it was very very good bread. Some of our appetizers included escargot, fresh oysters (hand chosen by the oyster master... they were served in a specific order.) & were all delicious. Our mains included Steak Frites (except we requested Dauphine potatoes instead of frites) & Moules Frites with some amazing crème brûlée for dessert. Cocktails & wine were delicious. The service & the vibe were splendid. We almost went back the next night, but we decided we should diversify. Highly recommend!
Excellent food, drinks & service. Best oysters of my life (from all around Canada) & our servers were extremely friendly & knowledgeable about the food. So worth it, can't wait to come back!
As a trendy Montréal french bistro restaurant... they hit all the notes perfectly. Warm knowledgeable attentive staff, very nice atmosphere & as to the food, well, perfect is an understatement. Oysters served by a passionate oyster maestro chef, hanger steak, beef tartare, salad & perfect fries... qui dit mieux...
