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.
Never heard of, but was suggested.
Small place serving big portions of delicious food. Had the bone marrow & the duck. They didn't miss with those dishes.
Amazing food… the duck was amazing, my husband & I have a thing about trying it out in every restaurant & so far this is one of the best ones. Risotto is a must have but wouldn't choose it as a main dish. Lemon tart is amazing!!
yesterday
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Small but mighty! L'express was a happening place on the Monday night in March when we visited from New York. Ordered the beet salad (red & yellow beets, goat cheese, arulgula, candied almonds, raspberries, with an apple cider vinaigrette), the duck confit, & the steak frites. Salad was delicious, duck was lovely & the steak was the best I've ever had. So tender. & can't forget the complimentary bread, butter, cornichons, & mustard!
The waitstaff was friendly & made an excellent recommendation for a wine pairing with our meal. At times we waited for water refills, but it was so lovely to be there we didn't mind. Food was rich & delicious, probably would have a heart attack if you came here regularly, but this is a great spot to celebrate a special occasion or just enjoy the company of someone you love. Small, bustling restaurant with a lovely neighborhood vibe. Would absolutely come back next time we find ourselves in Montreal. 10/10 would recommend to a friend!
😍🍽? Food heaven alert! Everything was just incredible! From the perfectly cooked duck 🦆🔥 to the decadent desserts 🍰🍮🍫, every bite was a flavor explosion 😋💥.
The vibe of the place is cozy & inviting 🌿🪑🎶, perfect for chilling with friends or treating yourself 🌸✨. Staff were friendly, service smooth, & honestly… I just want to come back tomorrow 😍🚀.
If you love amazing food + a cute atmosphere + total comfort, this place is a must-visit 🍤🥗☕. Can't wait for my next foodie adventure here! 🍴💖
Good bistro food & great wine list. Duck was OK, soup was fantastic. My companion liked his boudin.
Service is both friendly & professional.
It got very loud as the place filled up: noise bounces on the mirrored walls, it is difficult to have a conversation at a normal volume. & the lights are very bright. I don't remember these issues being a problem for my many visits over the years - maybe I get less tolerant with time.
My husband & I visited from Toronto & wow, we were mind blown from the food & customer service. I made sure to make a reservation as I knew it was a busy place. The servers are phenomenal & provide great service - my water & wine was never empty! On top of it, they give you a jar of pickles on house to munch at while waiting for your food - including be happier! The food is Michelin star for a reason … I got the duck & crème brûlée & it was SO GOOD. The crème brûlée is massive & you could share it with someone - or not :) Cant wait to be back!
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.
Excellent food, service & atmosphere. After many visits to Montreal, I was finally able to get a reservation on a Monday for brunch. We had a green salad, herring appetizer, duck pasta, lamb shank & creme brûlée for dessert. The service was polite & attentive. The food was hearty, flavorful & decent portion sizes.
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.
Nov 19, 2025
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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
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.
Jul 23, 2025
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By far one of the best restaurants in Montreal. Incredible French Bistro on St-Denis. The service is fantastic, the food is delicious, & the cozy atmosphere is immediately greets you.
Each table comes with complementary pickles, dijon mustard, & bread!
The duck & veal kidneys are a must have. Finally the Ile flottante dessert is massive, but delicious.
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.
