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Restaurant Top Pick

L'Express

Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
4.6$$$
OPEN11:30 am - 1 am
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L'Express Montreal Restaurant: Menu, Reviews & Reserve (2026)
BistroFrenchTartareGreat selection of wines
Restaurant L'Express, located in Le Plateau Mont-Royal, Montreal is one of Montreal's best-known French bistros. The menu rotates somewhat, and there are always daily specials, but l'Express specializes in: pâté, foie gras and bouillabaisse appetizers; steak tartare, steak-frites and veal kidney main courses; and cheeses, crème caramel or chocolate mousse desserts.

Amenities, services & more

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L'Express - recent news.

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Reviews for L'Express

Food
Service
on Google4.6 (3700+)
*as of 2026-04-01
5★
77%
4★
13%
3★
4%
2★
5%
1★
0%

Review Summary

L'Express comes across as a Montreal institution that conjures a classic Parisian bistro with damier tiled floors, dark wood, mirrors and a lively, intimate atmosphere. The menu sticks to timeless French brasserie fare with touches of Quebec, delivering crowd pleasers such as bone marrow, celery remoulade, beef tartare, duck confit, octopus and ravioli alongside a dependable steak frites, all complemented by a strong wine list and the simple abundance of house pickles and bread at the table. Service is frequently praised as attentive and friendly, with guests noting warm welcomes and guidance in ordering, though some visits describe occasional lapses or a dining room that can become very noisy when busy. Desserts like creme brulee, profiteroles, baba au rhum and other classics are often highlighted as memorable finshers, while a few diners report dishes that were only good rather than outstanding or prices that feel high for the value. Taken together, the sentiment is that L'Express offers authentic French comfort with a nostalgic vibe, solid quality, and a reliable, if sometimes imperfect, experience that keeps guests returning and reservations advised.
Page 2 of 2 - 27 Reviews

Delicious authentic French fare in its iconic locale on St-Denis, perfect for a date night. Make sure to reserve because they get booked solid! Love the giant jar of pickles that you get with your bread & butter at the beginning of the meal. The fries were crispy & served with mustard-mayo. The steak was cooked perfectly, with a generous pat of herby butter. The beef tartare was chopped a bit finer than I am used to, but so flavourful. Definitely recommend this dish! The île flottante was splendid to look at but a bit too sweet for my taste but still something worth ordering!

Mar 8, 2024
on Google

Managed to snag a couple of spots at the bar for Saturday lunch. Had a pisco sour which was really good. They give you some baguette with butter & Mustard & house made Pickles.. we ordered the poached salmon & the house made ravioli. Both were exquisite. Really amazing flavors, both dishes were really really good. We used the bread to mop up all the sauce. It was so good! We got the lemon tart & chocolate ganache tart for dessert & left absolutely stuffed & happy. Would 100% recommend.

Feb 2, 2024
on Google

Best meal I've had...hands down. Was blown away. Duck confit was by far the best meal but nearly everything on the menu looked amazing. Texture of the duck's delicate skin with the tender meat inside made me want to savor every bite. Surrounded by crisp brussel sprouts & mushrooms only added even more greatness to an already perfect meal. Filling & affordable. Was able to make a reservation that same day an hour beforehand & even walked in early & was seated for a large party of 8. Maple Porfitoroules & creme brûlée also highly recommended. Meal came with tons of complimentary pickles, spicy mustard, & bread. Perfection. Wouldn't have had it differently any way

Dec 2, 2023
on Google
5.0

Loved their bread, beetroot salad & chicken liver pate. Will be coming back to try sorrel soup & a few other dishes. Really appreciate that they are open late

Oct 5, 2023
on Google

Bewildered as to why this place gets the hype that it does.

Started with Fish Soup. It was a tomato puree with maybe fish blended into it? There was fish flavor, but at close to $20, it would have been nice to see actual chunks of fish in it & a much better flavor.

The baguette served tasted of poor quality or it was just old. Butter was hard. No bread plate so you just get the table full of crumbs.

I ordered the housemade ravioli, which was bland. I could tell that the ingredients were legit, but there was no flavor...just a concentrated meat flavor. Luckily there was a pepper grinder on the table. How about some tarragon? Or just even parsley? This dish was almost $30 as was forgettable.

Service was painfully slow, so we skipped dessert & got out of there. I have no idea why this place is highly recommended. Save yourself the disappointment & go anywhere else. The prices vs quality/flavor as not in your favor.

Sep 21, 2023
on Google

Réservée une soirée délicieux!
Le crème fraîche au kataifi was rich, & balanced perfectly with the grilled onions
Le pieuvre was the best dish of the ones we ordered. It was soft & the piperade complemented it perfectly
Le canaird confit first looked beautiful & despite it's greasy appearance was super light, soft, & perfectly seasoned. The leeks accompanying it made it an absolutely perfect main.
& I cannot forget the pickles presented with the bread after we sat down. The pickles were the best seasoned ones I have had with such dimension in flavor
Highly recommend this place to anyone visiting Montréal for the first time

The staff was friendly & very patient with my stale French speaking XD

Sep 4, 2023
on Google

We went to L’Express as it is highly reviewed by local. Even right before getting into the restaurant, the guy on the street told us to give it a try. We ordered an Scallop appetizer to start with, I ordered.sea bass & my friend ordered duck confit. In MHO, the appetizer could be skipped if you are on a tight budget as the pickled cucumber & bread could serve the same purpose . Both of us have the feelings all the foods are towards stronger seasoning side & has the very similar taste. Compared Le Boulevardier we had last night, I’express is towards more casual & pub style cooking. It will be good place to try if you are in the neighbourhood .

Sep 1, 2023
on Google