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.
Nous y sommes allés sur recommandation & avec des habitués. La nourriture n'est pas à la hauteur de sa renommée. Insipide & sans intérêt, niveau brasserie. Vu les tarifs, nous n'y retourneront pas.
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.
Oct 1, 2025
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Great classic bistro. There's usually 2 or 3 vegetarian options but expect things to be more classic French. Recommended are the raviolis des maison & the boudin noir.
C'est un restaurant incroyable. Nous sommes arrivés sans réservation un vendredi soir, le personnel nous a fait une place pour commander un verre en attendant qu'une table se libère. Nous avons été placés rapidement! Le staff est très professionnel & courtois. Les plats sont pleins de saveurs & frais. Je recommande la pieuvre sans hésitation ainsi que la bisque en entrée. Vous ne serez pas déçue de ce restaurant.
Les pizza sont très bonnes, j'ai connu cet endroit car mon père est un ami de Jean Jacques, ont est toujours bien accueilli, ce sont les meilleures pizzas que j'ai mangé, je vous recommande !
My wife & I had dinner at L'Express on a Wednesday night during a trip to Montreal after reading about it in the NYT. It lived up to its reputation.
The staff was warm, welcoming, & skilled, making us feel comfortable right away. The meal started with pickles & bread--a simple but memorable touch. L'Express feels like an authentic French bistro, the kind that has inspired places like Pastis or Parc (both favorites of mine). It reminded me of a restaurant I once visited on Île Saint-Louis in Paris, adding to its authenticity.
We shared a green salad, steak frites, & a pasta special with meatballs in red sauce. Every dish was clean, simple, & well-executed. The restaurant was packed, with every seat filled, & the atmosphere was cozy & lively. We enjoyed the sophisticated local chatter & the charm of the space.
It's easy to see why L'Express has been around for decades. The food, service, & vibe are top-notch, & the prices are reasonable for the quality. The surrounding neighborhood was also a nice area to explore. Reservations are a must. Highly recommended!
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.
L'Express is an exceptional restaurant & a true gem for dinner in Montreal. From start to finish, the experience was outstanding. The service was impeccable-friendly, attentive, & detail-oriented, making us feel well taken care of throughout the evening. The atmosphere was lively yet relaxed, creating the perfect vibe for a memorable night out. The food was absolutely delicious, with every dish showcasing fresh, high-quality ingredients & expert preparation. The highlight of the meal was the dessert-the floating island with caramel (if I recall the name correctly)-an absolute must-try! It was the perfect sweet ending to an already amazing dining experience. If you're looking for a spot in Montreal that combines excellent food, top-notch service, & a wonderful ambiance, L'Express should be at the top of your list. Highly recommended!
Jan 1, 2025
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Been going there for years, I was surprised that I had never reviewed L'Express. It's a charming restaurant on St-Denis, the food is delicious, great variety & the service is on point. I have to admit that on some nights, the servers seem to be running around, but it's nothing really bad. I do recommend this little gem to anyone.
Everything about this place is perfection from the food to the service. It's almost hard to decide which one was better. I highly recommend this to anybody who's coming to Montreal we stumbled upon this place after attending Montreal jazz club evening.
Great experience overall! The food is great, the service is slow, but it was extremely busy & they seemed understaffed for a Friday night! Plus, they did accommodate for the wait by giving us two free glass of wine which was really sweet! I recommend the steak or the poached salmon as a main, it was honestly a 10/10! For the appetizer, the chicken liver pistachios with the bread is so tasty. The maple profiteroles, for the dessert, were so well balanced in terms of sweetness, 100% recommend!
This was the first restaurant we went in Montreal (highly recommended by a friend) & it did not disappoint! The ambience is beautiful, friendly staff & the food is top quality. We had the burrata with tomatoes (full of flavor), croque-monsieur, shrimp & chorizo risotto, the homemade raviolis & crème brûlée for dessert.
I had accidentally made our dinner reservation for the wrong date & instead of turning us away they were able to get us a table. All the staff were friendly & super sweet to both myself & my mother. All the food was delicious & I recommend getting their crem brule & their quail dish if you are there.
Phenomenal meal here, I see why this place is so popular. I'd definitely recommend a reservation, as it's very busy. We got four things to split: the chicken liver paté, the duck rillettes, the quail, & the ravioli. Absolutely everything was wonderful. Even the jar of cornichons were delicious. I'd strongly recommend this place!
