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.
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!
Mauvaise expérience au Pois Penché. Premièrement notre serveur se fait engueuler par son boss devant nous, ce qui a mis un froid dès notre arrivée pourtant bien sympathique. Deuxième il faisait un froid de canard avec des courants d'air dans les jambes malgré que l'on soit près de la cuisine dans le fond du restaurant. La nourriture bonne mais rien d'exceptionnel. Nous avons commandé des mocktails, 2 à la carte, un à 15$ & l'autre à 16$, il manquait des ingrédients pour un des 2. Pour la facture, les mocktails ont été facturé à 21$ chaque. Je le signale & l'hôtesse a dû demander au responsable pour un remboursement de la différence. Aucune excuse, aucun geste commercial. Déçu
No doubt the food here is excellent: the oysters were perfectly complemented by the mignonette, scallops with sea urchin emulsion was buttery & luscious, & the confit canard was crispy while still being fall off the bone. We went on New Year's Day evening & these were standout dishes that we would definitely come back for. However, the cocktails & more importantly, the service was really where they dropped the ball. The cocktails were too dilute, like they were overmixed or otherwise let to stand too long so the ice has melted significantly & made them too watery. Our server was friendly enough, & he started us off well with a warm welcome, the menus, & specials. After that, he appeared to ignore our table for pretty much the whole meal. Different servers brought us water, wine, & our food while he was preoccupied with other tables. We thought it was because we were a party of two & he was just busy with the bigger tables he had, but then we noticed he was more attentive of other tables with parties of two (for example, two other couples were seated after us, & they received their bread & butter without asking within minutes of being seated, whereas we waited around 30 minutes for bread service & had to ask the server that brought our wine for it--it came just as our appetizer was dropped). Throughout our mains, we did not get so much as a check-in, a re-pour of wine, or a top-up of water. We were not asked if we wanted to order more wine while the couples beside us & the family behind us got multiple check-ins. When our dessert came, we also didn't get a check-in. When we asked for the bill, it took close to ten minutes to get it while he was attending to other tables, topping up their wines & waters. Overall, it was a pretty disappointing service experience especially since we were visiting the city & were really excited to try out the restaurant. We were at a loss as to why it went downhill so quickly while others appeared to have decent service. Was it because we are a queer couple that did not speak French? The place was busy but it didn't feel slammed to warrant how we were neglected. Either way, the food was quite impressive but we would be wary of returning because of the service especially with the amount we spent (& we could have spent more).
Had a great time having their New Year's Eve tasting menu. It was all very delicious & portioned perfectly. I'd recommend dining with them next year! Some of the dishes we had are pictured here, some we forgot to since we were too focused on eating ️
We tried this place on our first day in Montreal. Service was great, & our server Frank made sure we had a great experience. Food was delicious! The octopus is a must have & the filet mignon was very well cooked & seasoned. I would definitely recommend this place. Keep in mind that is a bit pricey.
Dec 31, 2024
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It was an overall great service & the meals were cooked very well. Personally, I had the lamb, it was cooked at medium & the texture was soft & very tender. The chocolate mouse log with vanilla ice cream inside was a great dessert. I felt as if the ice cream really balanced well with the mouse. The selection from the menu was satisfying & varied, although the menu was limited due to the Christmas addition, the items that were served on the menu were still delectable. The service was great, I had my water refilled multiple times throughout my dinner without requesting. Furthermore, the food came out relatively quick.
Best duck I've ever had. No notes. Highly recommend. Impeccable. Ate the whole thing & if no one was watching, I'd also lick the plate. Also their bread & butter is perfect too. Amazing.
This restaurant is top notch! Staff are very pleasant & welcoming, you get smile from them right by the door & be seated even if you come in earlier than your reservation. Their food & drinks selection are excellent! You get the live music (singer) while dinning. Server will explain to you what you ordered in language that you prefer to speak. Fast service & food are amazing! I will absolutely recommend this restaurant to everyone! We are very happy with our experienced!
Dec 26, 2024
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Le décor du restaurant, la qualité de la nourriture & le service étaient au rendez-vous! Merci à Clement pour son excellent service qui nous a permis de passer une très bonne soirée.
Dec 13, 2024
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Good location, downtown but not overly busy area. Expensive, but worth a try & worth returning to. From the appies to the dessert, I thoroughly enjoyed my experience.
Quelle belle découverte que ce restaurant! Nous avons visité Le Pois Penché en équipe pour le lunch, & tout le monde a adoré. Il y avait un menu spécial en l'honneur du Pays basque, & les plats étaient à la fois appétissants, originaux, & surtout délicieux. L'ensemble du groupe a été conquis, & nous avons déjà prévu de revenir. Personnellement, j'ai hâte d'y retourner pour un souper, car si le dîner était aussi savoureux, je suis curieuse de découvrir plus de cet établissement. L'intérieur est magnifique, avec une attention particulière portée au confort des clients. Les sièges sont très confortables & l'atmosphère chaleureuse. Le service était globalement excellent, mais j'ai été un peu déçu qu'un serveur tente de débarrasser mon assiette alors que je n'avais pas encore terminé. Bien que mes collègues aient fini leur repas, je prenais encore mon temps &, avec ma fourchette en main, il a pris mon assiette sans s'en rendre compte. Ce n'était qu'un léger accroc dans une expérience sinon impeccable.
