Le Violon is a neighbourhood restaurant tucked away in Montreal's Le Plateau. The menu by chefs Mitch Laughren and Danny Smiles and team focuses on seafood-forward dishes and seasonal Quebec produce. Our wine list is refined and approachable, plus find new spins on classic cocktails.
Le Violon receives widespread praise for inventive seasonal French inspired cuisine, made with fresh ingredients and beautifully presented dishes. Service is described as impeccable and the atmosphere as warm and intimate, making it a memorable spot for dates or celebrations. Some guests note high prices for relatively small portions and occasional inconsistency across dishes, and a few nights are described as loud or busy, but overall the experience is described as outstanding and many say they will return, with standout items including lobster starters, gnocchi, beef tartare, seabream, and the Basque cake.
Definitely overrated, especially for a city like Montreal with such a strong food scene.
Out of five dishes, only two met expectations (the agnolotti & the boeuf). The other three were very disappointing: asparagus with a poorly executed hollandaise, scallops that were tasteless with an unbalanced sauce, & a crudo that was visually beautiful but lacked flavor. Overall, quite underwhelming given how overpriced it is.
Service felt pretentious & more focused on upselling than genuinely guiding us toward the best choices.
Not worth the price or the effort of planning weeks ahead to get a reservation.
Apr 10, 2026
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Underwhelming comme expérience… j'ai payé pour 3 pétoncles caoutchouteux & non frais avec quelques feuilles dessus à 54$ … j'aurais pu avoir moins cher pour meilleur goût dans beaucoup d'autres restos à Montréal
La nourriture est divine, la stracciatella avec anchois & coppa restera dans mon esprit pendant encore longtemps. Excellent service également & un bon rapport qualité prix. Juste je travaillerais un peu sur l'éclairage, il manquait selon moi un aspect cosy chaleureux mais ça reste une préférence personnelle.
Bouffe moyenne. Le Chef était peut-être en congé quand nous sommes passés, mais j'ai trouvé nos plats très passables (peu savoureux, peu intéressants). Oui, j'avais des attentes, oui le prix est très élevé, mais objectivement, il y a beaucoup de meilleurs restos à Montréal. L'ambiance était très passable (cela dit, c'est surtout la faute de nos voisines de table parlant trop fort...). La déco est tout de même très banale. Le service, dans son ensemble, était excellent (je n'ai juste pas apprécié qu'un serveur arrive en demandant «French or English»). Le vin suggéré par notre serveuse était fabuleux. Nous n'y retournerons pas. Michelin, c'est une arnaque.
Mar 27, 2026
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Nous sommes allées pour une soirée entre filles wow tout était délicieux ! Même les cocktails étaient excellents. Je recommande vraiment pour une date night ou une sortie entre amies.
Les plats sont très bons, il n'y a pas de doute sur ce sujet. Mais le prix payé pour 3 plats & une bouteille de vin est trop élevé à mon sens. Il manquerait 1 plat ou plus de quantité pour ce prix.
& vraiment trop bruyant le soir où nous y sommes allés.
For top 100 canadian restaurants, not bad, just underwhelming… also the waiters were trying their best to serve us professionally but they were really awkward.
Quelle belle découverte ! Nous avons adoré notre soirée. Chaque bouchée était une explosion de saveurs recherchées, on sent que les produits sont frais & travaillés avec passion. Le service était impeccable du début à la fin. C'est rare de trouver une telle qualité à des prix aussi raisonnables pour ce type de gastronomie. Nous y retournerons, c'est certain !
I went to Le Violon in Montreal & the food was absolutely amazing. Everything was flavorful & beautifully done. Such a great spot - I'd definitely come back!
From start to finish everything was excellent. We asked Dylan to give us the Le Violon experience in selecting the appetizers & entrees. He did not miss, it was spot on with the lobster & persimmons appetizers with the fleur des monts cheese. Followed by the beef flank & trout entrees…not great but stupendous. Thank you Dylan. Thank you Andrew for the warm greeting & chat as we left. Priceless! Highly, highly recommended….see you in December!
Nov 18, 2025
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Too much inconsistency in the quality of the dishes, some were thoughtful & well prepared, others were lacking in execution. Some awkward service moments. Wanted to like it but left disappointed!
Had an absolutely beautiful meal here last night. Services was on point & the food was excellent. A seat along the bar on the left side is fun as there's a great view of the kitchen. Better than the food though was the atmosphere. I noted on the way out that everyone was always smiling, & having a seat with a full on kitchen view, the chefs / cooks were as well. Everyone working in this restaurant seemed legit happy to be there & that makes all the difference. Amazing space as well, looking forward to heading back.
This was one of the best eating experiences we have had, ever, & we've been to some amazing restaurants like French Laundry, Alinea, Mon Lapin (just recently!), Septime, Parcelles, etc. The food was incredible, the service was excellent (thank you Gabriel & host!) & a lively yet not overly loud environment. We opted for the tasting menu & each dish was just sooooo delicious. The flavours were amazing. To me, the mark of over-the-top delicious food is when I am served a product that I typically do not enjoy. I do not like to eat anchovies & yet their stracciatella with white anchovies was just heavenly. I do not like to eat tartares & yet their beef tartare was delicious & delightful. Even their salad of fennel, radicchio, & greens was dressed to perfection. We came to Montreal to celebrate my birthday & Le Violon was definitely the highlight of our trip! Thanks for a great experience!!!
