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.
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.
Dans le menu du jour, j'ai choisi les poireaux & moules en escabèche @ 16 $ (3 étoiles / 5) & les tripes bourguignonnes @ 29 $ (5 étoiles / 5), accompagnés de deux verres de vin, dont le Château Bréhat 2016 @ 10,75 $ le verre (6 étoiles / 5).
Mon expérience avec la carte des vins de L'Express a toujours été exceptionnelle : un choix remarquable & des prix parmi les plus raisonnables que je connaisse. Pour moi, déguster un verre de Bordeaux vieux de dix ans à environ 11 $ tient presque de l'exploit - & mérite d'être souligné.
Les poireaux & moules en escabèche n'étaient toutefois pas à mon goût : l'assaisonnement était trop vinaigré & l'acidité trop vive.
Les tripes bourguignonnes, en revanche, étaient très réussies pour un plat que l'on retrouve rarement dans la restauration. On y trouvait de nombreux oignons confits, relativement peu de tripes, le tout dans une sauce bien bourguignonne qui manquait légèrement de sel - un détail que l'on peut facilement ajuster soi-même à table.
Je n'ai pas été tenté par les desserts, mais la générosité des portions observée aux autres tables suggère qu'ils se prêtent bien au partage entre convives.
Mar 11, 2026
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An excellent traditional French bistro. Atmosphere was buzzing, even late at night. I started with the bone marrow, which was good but not great (wish they offered the steak tartare as a starter). The main, though, was incredible. Best duck confit I have ever had; it was cooked perfectly, including the beans it was served on. Crème brûlée was also excellent. A must visit when in Montreal.
A lovely restaurant with great French atmosphere. The meal was great from bread to creme brulee. In particular, the octopus was cooked perfectly & was tender; the duck confit was paired beautifully with a nice fragrant sauce; the caramelized sugar on the creme brulee complemented the custard. Service was right on time & kind.
Been meaning to visit this amazing restaurant for sometime now. Finally got the opportunity last night. The quality of their food & service was amazing. The place was packed at 8:30 in the evening, this is a testament of how great this place is. We ordered the bone Marrow & vegetable soup with appetizers. My wife got the ravioli, & I got the duck confit. & both were delicious. My duck was fall off the bone & was really juicy & tender. They probably have over 100 options of wine. We went with the 2020 Pinot noir Au Bon Climat from California. The wine was fruity & really light. It paired well with both the ravioli & the duck confit.
The service was remarkable, we went with our toddler, daughter & they made sure that we were comfortable. You need to reserve a table before you show up. I would recommend this restaurant.
Food was amazing! We started with bone marrow & smoked herring which were both good. For our main dishes we had steak tartare & duck confit both were excellent. The service & atmosphere were spot on
Sep 30, 2025
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Honestly, everything just tasted very average & I don't know why this restaurant is so highly rated. Steak tartare is not bad, but nothing special, the veal kidney I personally feel has too much kidney smell, & duck confit was alright.
I guess the enormous pickles were good, & people seem to rave about this the most online.
I wish I could have given a better review, but the octopus was like caoutchouc, the salmon overcooked, the canard confit too salty.....but overall the service was good.
Apr 13, 2025
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J'avais hâte de découvrir L'Express, mais l'expérience a été tellement décevante. Dès l'arrivée, l'accueil du premier serveur a donné le ton : froid & nonchalant. Heureusement, les deux autres serveurs étaient bien plus professionnels.
Côté assiette, c'était bon, mais absolument pas à la hauteur des 200$ dépensés pour deux personnes. Le cadre? Bruyant au possible, zéro convivialité, on s'entend à peine parler. La cuisse de canard confite, qui sur les photos semblait joliment présentée avec de la purée, est finalement servie avec de la salade & trois minuscules patates coupées, ridicule ! & alors le dessert… une part de tarte au chocolat à 14,50$, ridicule en taille, sûrement une tarte coupée en 12, soit près de 180$ la tarte ! À ce prix-là, ils sont très rentables.
Franchement, il y a bien mieux à Montréal pour bien moins cher. Une adresse qui ne mérite pas qu'on y mette les pieds !
Just amazing have been there twice now in the span of a week the star if the meals has been the house ravioli just incredible the sauce is amazing super rich & refined I would pay the $30 just for the sauce & bread.
The duck confit is also amazing & the octopus is delicious comes with a red pepper type sauce very flavourful.
But again get the ravioli & extra bread to not waste the sauce.
Parking on that street is very rough I recommend you just take a taxi or Uber as whatever you pay for the ride is worth the lack of frustration trying to find parking.
A wonderful night. The duck confit is tender enough & not too salty, a little bit greasy but very tasty. The bone marrow tastes like some kind of high quality butter, just delicious. I have nothing to complain.
Dec 3, 2024
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Really nice place for a French meal! The liver pate was amazing. They also provide complimentary bread & pickles to eat it with. The pickles were some of the best I've ever had. The duck confit was also amazing & I'd order it again if I came back. The beef tartare was a bit of a miss though.
This restaurant offers an authentic French dining experience that truly transports you to the heart of France. From the moment you walk in, the ambiance sets a warm, inviting tone with classic French decor that adds a touch of charm & elegance to the space. The menu is filled with traditional French dishes that are well-crafted & full of flavor. Each dish we tried was prepared with great attention to detail, from the appetizers to the desserts. The prices here are very reasonable, especially considering the quality & authenticity of the food. It's rare to find a place that offers such high-quality French cuisine at such accessible prices. The main courses, such as the coq au vin & duck confit, were cooked to perfection, with flavors that were rich & satisfying without being overly heavy. The desserts, particularly the crème brûlée, were equally impressive, providing a sweet & memorable finish to the meal. The service was also excellent, with attentive staff who were knowledgeable about the menu & made thoughtful recommendations. They were quick to attend to our needs without being intrusive, which made for a comfortable & enjoyable dining experience. Overall, this restaurant is a gem for those looking to enjoy traditional French flavors in a relaxed, welcoming environment.
Amazing food & an excellent wine list. I had the duck confit which had crispy skin & the meat was so tender it just fell off the bone. Profiteroles were excellent. Try the wine!
I totally agree with the other reviewers who say that this restaurant is worth the hype. It totally is. We made a reservation, which I suppose was a good idea, although I couldn't tell if it was totally necessary on the night we went. Also, we initially walked right past the restaurant because it's a bit nondescript & doesn't have a ton of signage. We both ordered drinks, which were well made & pretty strong, & very much enjoyed the pickles with mustard & bread/butter. Really, the only downside was that the waiter took the pickles away before dessert, so we couldn't have dessert pickles. For our appetizer, we shared the celery remoulade, which was a perfect little pile of, basically, celery coleslaw; it was very good, especially with the pickles & mustard. Our mains were the duck confit & the shrimp/chorizo risotto, which were also delicious (& also paired well with the pickles/mustard). Dessert was the profiteroles (which were maple-y & delicious) & the chocolate gateau (which was also delicious & pleasantly not sweet at all); they honestly would've paired well with the pickles/mustard if we'd still had them at the table.
I had a late dinner at L'Express, the well-known French bistro, & it was a great experience overall. The Hanger steak, cooked medium rare, was really good, & the shallot butter & fries made a great combo. The real highlight for me was the maple profiteroles-absolutely delicious. My partner had the duck confit & said it was the best ever. The cozy vibe was nice, but the service was mixed. Our main server was friendly & attentive, but another staff member was a bit pushy. Still, everything was quick & efficient, making it a solid spot for a casual French meal.
