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 in Montreal is widely praised for inventive, beautifully executed dishes and attentive service in an elegant, cozy setting, with standout items like lobster, beef tartare, gnocchi, seabream, and lamb chops frequently cited; the bar and the kitchen view add to the experience, though noise levels can be high and some nights show inconsistencies in dish execution or portion sizes for the price. The dining atmosphere, wine and cocktail program are highlighted, and many guests say they would return, with several calling it one of the top experiences in Canada, while a minority note that portions are small and service can be uneven during busy periods.
Quel coup de coeur! Mon nouveau restaurant préféré à Montréal. Nous avons fait le menu'choix du chef' & tout était délicieux du début à la fin. Mes préférés étaient le homard avec de la sauce hollandaise & les gnocchi avec des champignons. Le service est impeccable, ils sont très attentifs à des restrictions alimentaires particulières. Le restaurant en soi est très beau, lumineux, accueillant & bien décoré.
Honnêtement, attendre 15min dans le froid alors qu'on avait réservé avec comme commentaire'ça sera pas bien long' m'avait pas mis de très bonne humeur. L'ambiance est vraiment bruyante, la musique est trop forte, c'est dommage de ne pas pouvoir discuter tranquillement dans un lieu comme celui-ci. Concernant le repas les gnocchis etait plutot bon mais le'gâteau basque' au chocolat écoeurant.
Globalement une soiree décevante.
Oct 1, 2025
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Le violon m'a malheureusement déçue. Listé 29e sur le top 50 meilleur resto en Amérique du Nord, je m'attendais à une expérience culinaire à la hauteur de ce classement, ce qui ne fut pas le cas tristement. L'ambiance est champêtre, bruyant mais on s'entend parler. Le service était bien (tous les plats ont étés expliqués en détails & la serveuse était dynamique).
Là où ça se gâche est au niveau de la nourriture; j'ai essayé le homard, le thon & le tartare de boeuf pour commencer. Le homard en entrée était bon, cependant les poireaux, légèrement fibreux, & la portion minuscule pour un prix déraisonnable (38$). Pour ce qui est du thon, il était correct sans plus. Le pain avec lequel le thon a été servi était vraiment vraiment dur & sec sur toute la croûte extérieure, pas mangeable. Le tartare de boeuf goûtait très ordinaire rien d'innovateur & les tranches de concombre sur le dessus du tartare avaient un goût franchement trop envahissant.
J'avais l'intention de commander d'autres plats, mais étant donné la déception concernant des trois premiers, j'ai écourté mon expérience culinaire.
De plus, il n'y avait pas réellement de cocktails créatifs/originaux, la carte des spiritueux est restreinte & sur la carte des vins, il n'y a que 2 types, blanc ou rouge. Les vins rosés & les vins orange sont absents de la carte.
What a wonderful experience! Everything was perfect from the service to every dish. All the ingredients were fresh & savory. I really loved the mix of flavours in every plate. I'll definitely come back
Nous avons découvert Le Violon pour un dîner en couple & l'expérience a été vraiment agréable. L'ambiance est conviviale avec un petit côté bistronomique parisien. Nous avons été installés au bar ce qui apportait un peu d'animation & finalement c'était très sympathique.
La carte des vins est excellente tout comme le cocktail que nous avons essayé. Côté plats nous avons goûté au thon rouge plus bruschetta, à la pintade & à la dorade : des assiettes bien préparées & savoureuses. Pour finir le gâteau basque accompagné d'une crème anglaise à la pistache a été une belle conclusion au repas.
Un endroit qui vaut le détour surtout si vous parvenez à obtenir une table même au bar ou l'expérience reste réussie. Une adresse à garder en tête.
every dish was more delicious than the last. Fresh high quality ingredients, fun textures, lovely presentation. We absolutely adored the mushroom gnocchi & the cheesecake, chocolate basque cake, which were the highlights of the evening. Service was impeccable & the atmosphere & decor are just lovely.
Sep 23, 2025
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Le violon est digne de la recommendation Michelin. C'est restaurant qui ne se prend pas la tête même si il est réputé pour être un des meilleurs à Montréal. Le service est chaleureux & une attention au détails pour que notre expérience soit des plus agréables. L'atmosphère est agréable & petite touche très spéciale, aux salles de bain, nous entendons des chansons jouer au violon. Les plats étaient divins, très bien exécutés & les vins recommandés se mariaient bien avec les services. Je suis conquis.
Everything here (start to finish) was phenomenal. We like to go out for nice meals & some of the top restaurants just don't live up to the hype but chef Danny Smiles & his team definitely do. We had lobster & tuna tartare to start then the sea bream & gnocchi as mains & were mind blowingly good. I 10000% recommend. Go there for those two mains in particular. Service was also excellent. We sat at the bar accross from the kitchen. I like what they've done with the place (post Maison Publique). The bar looks like it's made of pink salt. Very appropriate. Anyway, congrats team! You have a great restaurant.
Sep 5, 2025
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Superb service. Food exquisite & unique & the atmosphere was just perfect. My partner & I were walk-ins & even though it was particularly busy that day, they made sure we had a place to have one of the best dining experiences. We were so grateful as the whole experience was amazing. My congratulations to Danny & Mitch! The whole team was incredible! Thank you for everything guys!!
SO impressed by this place!! i rly have to highlight the service first cuz it was seriously exceptional, our waitress was the best ever & made the whole experience super nice :)
for the food we rly enjoyed almost everything we got (personal ranking below), & the desserts were delicious too!! that basque cake is sooo decadent i love it. definitely recommend this spot ⭐?
would get again: tuna bruschetta > melon > gnocchi > beef tartare > lobster
I thought the food, ambiance, & service were all phenomenal. I'm from NYC, the home of Michelin star restaurants & every cool place is a degustation concept now, but this one was phenomenal. Me & my gf shared 7 plates & 2 desserts & had drinks. Everything was excellent. Every server had a vast amount of knowledge on every dish served, what it paired well with, & the order the dishes were brought out & they explained why. Kudos to everyone there, but especially our server Melissa, she was phenomenal. My gf isn't really a wine person but felt like having a glass & Melissa went into detail about each wine & let her sample a few before she settled on one. Well done to everyone at Le Violon. I will absolutely be back.
Visited for my 40th birthday from out of town. Built our trip around the restaurant. Was amazing but saddening that we won't be able to return as soon as we would like. The mushroom gnocchi was awesome & the lobster dish was one of the best dishes I have ever had. Service was great but if I am going to be picky with something it was that the server wasn't attentive to the occasion. The above & beyond service wasn't fully there. Still a solid 5/5 & a memorable experience
Aug 31, 2025
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A bit of an underwhelming experience to be honest. The highlight of the meal were the excellent desserts. Impressive choux & a very well-balanced spumoni cake. Props off to whoever is their pastry chef!
Perhaps this was an off night but although the flavours are generally there (except for the beef tartare), the sea bream & the gnocchi were overcooked . My suspicion is that without the supervision of the head chef Danny Smiles, the younger chefs may not have the experience to fulfill his vision.
A lot of the front of staff seemed young & inexperienced for a restaurant of this price point. Montreal is known for a more casual & friendly service, which I actually prefer, but having waiters just chit-chatting around about going out in the dining room bordered on unprofessional. Of note, there were two waitstaff who seemed more experienced, but we were not in their assigned zones.
It is a classically beautiful restaurant, but not at the top of what is available in Montreal.
The mark of a truly exceptional restaurant lies not only in the quality & originality of its cuisine, & the warmth & charm of its ambiance, but most importantly in the genuine care & attention shown by its staff. Our recent dinner at Le Violon checked every box - & then some.
From start to finish, it was a memorable experience, thanks to the thoughtful attention & gracious hospitality of Andrew, Jenna, & Dylan. You made our first visit truly unforgettable. Thank you!
