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.
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.
We had a wonderful dining experience here! Everything was absolutely perfect. The service was top-notch-they kept bringing us warm, fragrant complimentary bread without us even having to ask. Every dish we ordered, including the escargot, lamb chops, steak, & duck confit, was delicious. Highly recommended!
Feb 17, 2026
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Visiting Montreal a week ago. Visited the first of three nights. It was so good, we came back the third night! Wonderful French bistro. Many classics on menu, with interesting alternatives. The escargot was delicious. Expertly prepared tasty duck confit. Loved the onion soup & hanger steak as well. The baguette was perfect. I could have eaten two baskets. Nice, warm & inviting decor, with red banquets. Service was excellent. A special thank you to our server Marwa. Highly recommended!
I really enjoyed dining here! The food was very good, but I found that the courses came out too quickly. I had barely finished one piece of bread when the appetizers came! The salmon tartare was excellent, & easily my favourite dish that I tried. The duck confit was cooked very well, & the sauce was delicious. For dessert, the paris-brest & crème brûlée were both very good but not better than I would expect from a pastry shop (paris-brest) or regular steakhouse (crème brûlée).
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.
EXCELLENT! We came here via recommendation from the City of Montreal's website. If you're looking for a classic French restaurant vibe, this is your place. The Escargot with garlic butter, steak frites, & cauliflower (vegetarian) stole the show.
Great portions, good cocktails, excellent service from our waiter Laurent & an overall 5/5 experience. Check this out if you're looking for an awesome option for dinner in downtown Montreal.
I ate here during f1 weekend. The service was top tier, our waiter was very patient & kind. The food wasn't anything special but it was still good, a tad overpriced for me. I had the French onion soup & steak frite.
Aug 2, 2025
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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!
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!
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.
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)
Jun 1, 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.
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!
Out of all the restaurants I've visited over the years in Canada, Le Pois Penche is by far the One to Rule them all in my experience. Situated directly under Hôtel Chez Swan, the clear & soothing music that flows gently through folding glass patio doors that open up to the posh upscale interior of the restaurant. Having made a reservation a few days earlier, we were quickly assisted in Anglais, as conversational french is not a strength I have in my bag of tricks. Once we had chosen our preferred seating, we were quickly greeted by who we believe was the manager of the establishment(he wore a tan suit) who welcome us, chatted with us a small bit, & then took our order when ready. A reisling wine, decently priced, atlantic salmon with butternut squash spaghetti, & a medium rare steak with salad was what we ordered. Within 10 to 15 minutes we were brought the wine & the food immediately. The bustle of the crowds walking past the tables, the kumquat trees lining each patio space, & the wonderful vocalist serenading us with Frank Sinatra as we ate was by far one of the most memorable & enjoyable experiences at a restaurant that I've had. It is well worth the price of the entire meal. The quality of food was very high & there was nothing on either plate left untouched. Even the remaining sauce was mopped up by the delicious basket of bread placed on our table. I would recommend that if you are coming to Montreal, make absolutely sure you reserve time to eat & enjoy at Le Pois Penche. You will not regret it.
P.s. the logo was very, umm, unique. My partner & I were very amused by it.
May 16, 2025
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The staff here are some of the friendliest I've ever dealt with. The food was a little pricey, but it was totally worth the cost-one of my favourite steaks ever. The atmosphere in here is really classy too. This would be a great place to take someone you want to impress.
désolé dans le passé je vous avais donné 4 étoiles ! c'est un erreur de ma part 5 est plus exact vous être incomparable le service amicale, le pain chaud & frais, les salades goûteuse, & mon steak toujours parfait merci à tout votre équipe
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...
Julien, the oyster lover is a master of his craft! Take a moment to talk with him at the bar. Thank you for the recommendations! (& randomly speaking mandarin to my in laws)You made our night. Andy host for the evening was spot on! Funny & hospitable, he made our experience seem less & wonderful! Simple review, Order oysters & the house steak for two. Drink wine & live in the moment. This place creates a great one!
