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 offers a refined French brasserie experience with classic dishes given a Montreal touch, set in an elegant yet comfortable space where attentive service and a warm atmosphere pair with a standout wine and oyster program. Oysters, escargot, bouillabaisse, duck confit, mussels, and favorites like Paris Brest and creme brulee are frequently praised, and the bar area along with occasional live singing adds a charming, convivial vibe. The dining room works well for intimate celebrations or relaxed meals, with reliable, knowledgeable staff and thoughtful touches that make guests feel welcome, from wine pairings to easy reservations and a private room option for special occasions.
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.
Went here for my birthday tonight, it was surprisingly quiet giving it a great atmosphere, the food was great too, just like we were expecting! We were served by Marco who provided really outstanding service above & beyond!! Especially considering we stayed a bit past closing, he was really nice & patient . Really could not recommend enough.
Oct 26, 2025
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Nous avons adoré notre visite ! Je vous recommande vivement la bouillabaisse. C'était sublime. L'accord mets vin bien exécuté. Une très belle expérience 🙂🙂
Excellent restaurant de type brasserie française. Le service & la nourriture sont à la hauteur du décor. Je recommande fortement. Le Paris Brest est à tomber par terre!
This restaurant was recommended to us by hotel staff. We weren't particularly hungry after a late lunch, but also wanted a nice glass of wine. We were not disappointed!
We walked in about 6 pm without a reservation & were offered seats at the bar. The server was very friendly but a tad slow for just about everything.
After ordering our wine, we opted for some French Onion soup - it was amazing! Nothing like the overly salty mush of bread topped with cheese we often see. We followed that up with two appetizers - the Octopus & Escargot.
The Octopus was excellent - topped with salad & on a beet sauce (excuse the photo - we started to eat before we remembered to take a picture!). I love, love, love Escargot. This did not disappoint. There were at least 10 pieces, & it was perfectly cooked with just the right amount of garlic & seasoned butter.
I wish I could comment to the dinner selections other than to say everything being served around us looked delicious!!
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!
Aug 22, 2025
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Hands down the best experience we had in Montreal. Food was top notch. Drinks superior & the waiter was an absolute delight. Helps us with our food & drink choice & was spot on with everything he recommended. Next time in Montreal definitely coming back.
Nouveau commentaire
Très belle adresse
Je recommande
Tres bon service
Bonne nourriture. Personnel de qualité
Ancien commentaire
Endroit super class. Vraiment beau. Rien à dire à ce sujet
Le service est impeccable & le personnel respectueux
La nourriture par contre je suis partage. Le potage est ok sans plus. Le crabe cake OK. Mais j'ai beaucoup aimé le repas avec la truite. J'ai pris l'option table d'hôte à 35$ & ça c'était parfait
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!
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)
Recommended to oysters lovers🔥
Jul 27, 2025
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We went twice during our trip & would recommend to anyone! We first went for lunch & had the best French onion soup I've ever had in my life. Our waiter Andrew was wonderful & so kind as to recommend several other dishes, so we ended up changing our dinner plans the final night of our trip to return.
The salmon tartare, mushroom cavatelli, lamb steak, & profiteroles were all 10/10. Big thank you to both Andrew & Tony for top notch service & recommendations!
We found this restaurant on open table after a drive from the airport on a Monday evening & booked immediately. The food (duck confit & lamb) were delicious! The cocktails were amazing. & even though they appeared to be a bit understaffed, service was prompt & friendly. Highly recommend! Oh, & try the creme brulée! It's perfect!
This restaurant is truly amazing. I am on vacation in Montreal & have had great experiences with all of the food so far, but this place stands out above the rest. My boyfriend & I loved it so much that we just went back a second time for our last meal in Montreal. The first night I got the Alberta lamb steak & my boyfriend got the steak frites. Tonight we both got the lamb. The staff is so so kind & the ambiance of the restaurant is wonderful. I cannot recommend this place enough!! (p.s. they have the best espresso martini's we've ever had)
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.
My family & I had an amazing dinner here tonight. Clement was extremely welcoming & attentive. The manager & other staff were also very gracious & accommodating, working with Clement to make sure the meal was executed flawlessly. Everything we ordered was excellent (le parisien seafood platter, escargot, soup à l'oignon, steak frites, bouillabaisse, canard confit). The canard confit was the best I've had anywhere.
I did want to highlight that the staff's attention to detail is excellent. When the manager escorted us to our table tonight, there was a high chair & toy ready for my son. (I dine out very frequently & always leave a note requesting a high chair; Le Pois Penche is the only restaurant I've been to in the last year that had a high chair set up before our arrival.)
I cannot recommend Le Pois Penche enough! Reservations are easy to make via OpenTable. Amazing food, flawless execution.
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!
