Le Serpent opened its doors spectacularly on December 23, 2013 in Griffintown. Located in the Darling Foundry, an art-dedicated space, its name was borrowed from the former foundry, from the time when a massive pollution control duct crowned it. Today non-functional, this industrial artifact remains very present in the building’s architecture and the neighborhood’s urban landscape. Founded by Hubert Marsolais and Claude Pelletier, also creators of Club Chasse et Pêche and Le Filet restaurant, Le Serpent offers a menu with strong Italian accents in a contemporary brasserie spirit, with a strong personality and equipped with a unique, high-quality wine list. The team of associates is brilliantly completed by chef Michele Mercuri and sommelier Philippe Boisvert. Designed by architect Annie Lebel of atelier in situ in collaboration with Hubert Marsolais, Le Serpent enhances the industrial qualities of the space. Contemporary arrangements that contrast with the building’s raw and refined aspect, offering about 80 seats and a bar that can accommodate a dozen people. Wishing to be an accomplice to all occasions, Le Serpent is open in the evening from Tuesday to Saturday. Exclusive caterer for Darling Foundry events, Le Serpent also welcomes groups of different sizes.
Le Serpent is also a collector and integrates major contemporary artworks into the restaurant space that dialogue with the Darling Foundry.
Reviews describe Le Serpent as a standout with exceptional food and a warm, refined atmosphere. Many praise the pasta, especially the Bucatini and Paccheri, along with fresh seafood and well executed risotto. Desserts like tiramisu are highlighted positively, and dishes such as duck magret and octopus receive particular praise. Service is repeatedly described as attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, contributing to memorable evenings, though a few observations note slower service or uneven attention during busy periods. The ambiance is described as elegant with an industrial chic design, high ceilings, and a bar that fosters an intimate feel, though noise levels can be high. Prices are described as steep, with some reviewers feeling the value matches the quality while others consider it overpriced for the experience. Several readers mention the restaurant’s Michelin star potential and recommend visiting with reservations, indicating it ranks among the top Montreal dining experiences. Occasional criticisms include small portions for the price, occasional misfires in the kitchen, and some nights when certain dishes seem underseasoned or cooler than expected.
Très très bon !
La nourriture est originale, audacieuse & délicieuse. Les portions des entrées sont légèrement petites pour le prix, mais les plats principaux sont généreux. La pieuvre en entrée n'était pas parfaitement cuite, par contre le reste était digne d'un 5 étoiles.
Je met 4 étoiles au service. D'abord un peu parce que le service était peu être un peu trop'guindé' à mon goût. Mais surtout parce que nous étions assis trop près d'une autre table ce qui a fait en sorte qu'un client s'est accroché dans notre table & ça a fait un vacarme pas possible. Aussi, un des clients assis à côté de nous portait vraiment trop de parfum, ce qui a masqué tout le goût de nos desserts. (Est-ce entièrement la faute du restaurant ? Pas du tout, mais l'expérience était tout de même affectée.)
Je recommande chaleureusement autant pour la nourriture, pour le service que le décor industriel, mais très chaleureux à la fois.
We had such a lovely evening at Le Serpent. The food was excellent, especially the Bucatini & the Paccheri. They really know how to do pasta right. Both dishes were fresh, full of flavour, & unique in the best way.
The desserts were amazing as well. The tiramisu was rich & delicious. Everything was beautifully presented, & the restaurant itself is stunning with a great atmosphere.
Service was kind & attentive, which made the experience even more enjoyable. I would absolutely recommend Le Serpent to anyone looking for a memorable dinner in Montreal.
Jan 13, 2026
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Wow!! I loved this place. The food & service were amazing. We shared a few appetizers, the main course, dessert & wine were delicious. It has a great vibe. I highly recommend!! As an out of town guest I'm glad we had the experience to dine here.
Disappointing experience to say the least. Our group came Saturday night & ordered a bit of everything from the menu. Crudo & linguini were quite enjoyable. Everything else fell short or was surprisingly bland & underwhelming. I have never had such a forgettable night in terms of food, especially when one would expect the complete opposite from this type of restaurant. Nothing was'really bad', but nothing was really good either, yikes..
Octopus was tough & chewy, average taste. Cod & venison were a'meh'. Rabbit tart was intensely salty & rich, one-dimension, & not much of a tart. Bucatini was okay. Spaghetti was weird - pasta only tasted like lemon & the sauce at the bottom was bland, could not taste the clams, the garlic or any flavor really.
Both desserts were disappointing - the ladyfinger part of the tiramisu was too wet, making it a liquid mess that only tasted of espresso, & the chocolate, hazelnut & vanilla pastry was just average. Everyone felt like they were not worth eating & that we should have skipped dessert.
Portions were small & price was way too steep to justify such boring flavors. The people working there were nice, but cannot make it up for such a forgettable evening. Will not recommend & will not return.
Arguably the best meal I've had in Montreal as a seasonal resident. Ended on an awkward note because the service was so slow that we ultimately didn't get dessert, but everything to that point was immaculately detail-oriented, prepared with care & bursting with flavor. Short rib was killer. Branzino was fully de-boned & topped w amazing morel mushrooms. Zucchini flowers stuffed with cod as the appetizer was elite. This place has a Michelin star coming in the future. Interior is industrial+minimalistic with cool art.
Jun 7, 2025
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Quality of the dish was amazing. We love the presentation. There were four of us for a business meal. We ordered most of the menus & few season items pairing with wine for white & red were both amazing. Definitely recommend visiting here again. One thing we want to try would be the main menus as we shared the Bronzino & the steak & she appetizers. Desserts were very nice as well. recommend booking on advance
We had a strange experience at le serpent. They received us very well & took us to our table without any delays. We were not really hungry so we decided to share. Tje waiter came & was very friendly & nice. She took our order & someone else brought the first course. But it was coordinated with our waiter so when this person brought us the first course, she showed up & brought an additional plate so we could easily share. The octopus was great but veeeery small portion. Then we asked for a risotto that was also good, not great, we come from an italian family & really have had great rissottos. The waiter againg came to our table & was very friendly. But when the time of the dessert came she disappiered. I mean she was in other tables but never came back to ours. Someone else did. That change was strange because she was doing great & it was almost at the end of the meal. In summary, food was good, not great, service until that change was great, the change made it good, & the plave was a little loud. I would comeback anyway.
There was an incident during the finger where a loud speaking young musician celebrity started a zoom call next to our table which was highly disruptive of a dinner ambience. We raised it with them & they got aggressively defense. That was unpleasant & the restaurant was in a bind of accommodating both guests. In the end the loud musicians left & the hotel management apologized for the situation & provided us with a service dessert as a token. The staff was very diplomatic in navigating this situation.
An Italian meal that wasn't spectacular but was delicious. However, dessert was a huge disappointment. My sister & I chose the following dishes: - Parfait au Foie Gras (appetizer) ~ $32 - Octopus (appetizer) ~ $26 - Lobster Risotto (main course) ~ $53 - Magret de Canard (main course) ~ $46 - Tiramisu (dessert) ~ $18 - Strawberry Rhubarbe (dessert) ~ $18 Talking about the food, I especially like the foie gras with the combination of cherries that makes the dish very fresh, but still retains the original flavor of the foie gras with a light, fatty elegance & a smooth texture. However, the Lobster Risotto, although the dish that my sister & I were looking forward to, was a bit bland, the flavor was normal & nothing special. Dessert was a real disappointment. This is the worst tiramisu I have ever eaten, whether it is a mid-range restaurant, dessert shops or Michelin restaurants, all have desserts that are superior to this one. My sister & I were having a very comfortable & enjoyable dinner, but the dessert experience made the meal go down a notch. In terms of space, the restaurant will be a bit difficult to find with a rather dark space. The price does not include 15% VAT & 25% tip. The total bill was nearly $300 for 2 people, not too expensive but still not worthy of the quality that my sister & I expected.
Sep 15, 2024
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J'ai ammener ma mère au serpent pour sa fête le 28 août. Le restaurant me fait penser au type cafétéria! Le serveur était non chalant & semblait avoir du fun avec tout ses clients sauf avec moi & ma mère. Par contre la nourriture était excellente, ça la sauver le tout! Généralement lorsque c'est la fête d'un invité il offre le dessert ou du moins souhaite bonne fête à la personne, le serveur est demeuré silencieux! J'ai commandé un dessert pour ma mère & moi. La nourriture est très bonne ça je ne l'enlève pas ! Peut être le serveur était fatigué ou avait eu une grosse journée
Overall, it was a fantastic experience accentuated by high-quality dishes & attentive service. For appetizers, we had the special wild mushroom toast, which was simply divine, & the octopus dish which was quite solid. Main course we shared a branzino dish where for me the star of the dish was actually the vegetable medley. Our daughter chose the duck & it was absolutely lovely. Drinks were well made & the tiramisu dessert with an espresso shot on top was mind blowing. Highly recommend this bit out of the way restaurant
Ce soir le 22 août 2024 mon amie & moi avons souligné notre anniversaire en allant prendre un repas au restaurant Le Serpent.& nous avons été enchanté de cette découverte. L'accueil chaleureux que nous avons reçu & que dire de notre serveur Xavier qui nous a expliqué le menu & aidé à choisir un bon vin. Tout était excellent de l'entrée au dessert ,les plats étaient bien présentés & très goûteux. & pour finir le directeur nous a gentiment offert un petit digestif en sa compagnie.!!!! Rarement il nous est arrivé d'avoir un service vraiment exceptionnel & tellement sympathique 🥰 Je donne 5 ***** à ce restaurant. Micheline Charest & Louise Dussault
As an Italian, I will give my honest review; this is not an upscale Italian restaurant. Atmosphere: too noisy, tables have no cover, poor Ikea chairs, definitely not a place for a date. The only decent dish was the risotto, amazing taste. The other dishes had many cooking mistakes like chili on the seafood pasta or too much bell peppers on the octopus, the dessert was a tasteless disaster strawberry fronzoli. Total price for a couple with a bottle of Franciacorta 330 CAD. How about hire an Italian chef & have some real traditional Italian options like Ossobuco Risotto?
It was my second time eating here (first time was last year). I came back because my first time was so good. I had lobster risotto both times, & both times it was delicious. Great food & great cocktails. Extensive wine list. Easily one of my favourite restaurants in Montreal! Reservations are recommended. My only wish is if they had more gluten free dessert options.
Les plats principaux :
- Risotto au homard : j'avais vu de bonnes reviews sur ce plat donc j'ai voulu l'essayer. Grosse déception. En soit c'est pas mauvais mais pour un plat à ce prix là j'aurais aimé quelque chose de plus relevé. C'était fade, c'est bien dommage.
- Bucatini travers de porc : on s'attendait à avoir un vrai travers de porc. Il s'agit en fait plus de Bucatini avec une sauce au porc. Bien que surprise, le plat était en soit très bon avec un mélange de saveurs très intéressant.
Les desserts étaient bons en particulier le sablé crème au chocolat.
Service
Très bon conseil en vin.
Serveur qui au début donnait un bon service.
Quand nous lui avons dit que nous avions été déçues par le risotto, nous l'avons senti beaucoup plus froid. C'est encore là dommage car cette "critique' s'est faite poliment & n'était pas liée à son service.
Ambiance
Restaurant style industriel.
Trop bruillant à mon goût.
