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 in reviews as a beloved Montreal staple that evokes a Parisian bistro vibe with a lively yet cozy dining room, a long bar, and mirrors that create a bustling, intimate atmosphere. The menu features generous portions of classic dishes like bone marrow, confit duck, steak frites, and beef tartare, complemented by crowd-pleasing desserts such as maple profiteroles and crème brûlée, and sharing-friendly touches like a large jar of house pickles, cornichons, bread, and Dijon mustard. Service is repeatedly praised for being warm, professional, and attentive, though a few visits note occasional delays or missteps and some dishes feeling a bit salty or pricey; reservations are advised and the overall experience is described as authentic, comforting, and quintessentially French, making L'Express a top choice for both locals and visitors.
We had Duck Confit & Veal kidney It met our expectations in the fullest Great food, environment & very friendly & knowledgable staff Highly recommended!
Mar 2, 2024
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Beautiful decor that has an old soul vibe. The service was very good. You are served warm baguette with butter as well as their homemade (sour) pickles & dijon mustard. That mustard is potent & delicious! Just a dab & it'll clear your stuffy nostrils. We had the duck confit leg, which was very nicely cooked & the steak/frites.
Tout ce qu'on a commandé était delicieux & le service était impeccable. Par ordre de préférence : Mousse de foies de volaille aux pistaches (à ne pas rater, mais très gras naturellement) Onglet beurre échalote- frites Cuisse de canard confite Chèvre frais en croute de kataifi Pieuvre grillée (rien de special, le seul plat que je ne reprendrai pas)
This was the BEST duck confit I've ever had! It was so perfectly done. The place is quite packed & even when I made a reservation a few weeks before we could only get bar seating so make sure to book well in advance. If I'm in Montreal again I'm definitely going back. Pretty reasonable prices too!
My husband & I visited Montreal for the first time & we were impressed with the fabulous restaurant scene here. We didn't get to go to a lot of restaurants here but L'Express quickly became one of our top choices-so much so that we visited twice in a row, both for dinner. First visit was for a late night meal right after our check-in. We had sorrel soup, duck confit & a lemon pie. We loved the soup & it was also our best duck confit. The mushrooms & potatoes had depths of flavors having been cooked in (what I assume to be) duck fat. For the second day, we shared french onion soup, hubby had salmon with lentils & spinach & I got quails with wild rice & we were both amazed once again. The French onion soup instantly warmed us up & the main dishes were very well balanced in terms of seasoning & also cooked to perfection. We also enjoyed quick service & friendly & very professional staff.
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
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Tous les plats que nous avons commandés étaient excellents! De la vraie cuisine de bistrot parisien. Ça fait plaisir de manger des mets aussi bons à Montréal 🙂 Nous avons prit: poireaux vinaigrette, céleris remoulade, confits de canard & purée (le rêve), le poulet sauce citron & sauge aux légumes, l'onglet au beurre d'échalote. En dessert: la tarte au citron ganache chocolat blanc (une tuerie), la créme brulée (excellente), le baba au rhum (un pur délice, la truffe miam miam & le macaron citrouille épicée la folie 🤤 Les desserts sont juste PARFAITS 🤩 J'aurais juste aimé que les plats soient plus chauds mais à part ça c'est pour moi un sans faute.
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
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 .
Ce resto nous avait été recommandé pour un petit déjeuner en ville, ce fut une déception. Seul une omelette perdue dans l'assiette avec un morceau de tomate, 2 rotis refroidies & non beurrées dans une autre assiette, aucune confiture, rien de bien impressionnant pour le prix. Nous ne retournerons pas.
