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.
Si vous avez envie de bien manger a tout heure de la journée, l'Express est l'endroit tout indiqué. Absolument tout est délicieux. Le service est IMPECCABLE. Je recommande fortement!
Excellente nourriture & excellent service, mention spéciale a Pierre qui a su s'assurer que tout se passait correctement. Je recommande & je reviendrais! Merci pour tout!
Jun 3, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Great Food&Dessert(I really liked the it!)& a 1999 Sassicia in Really Great Condition from their Cellar!! Haven't Got a 1999 Sassicia yet!! Wonderful Pickels & Mustard! Wine List is Really Weak on BORDEAUX though.A note on the Sassicia it drank like it was years Younger than it's Age means that it has many Years to go before it reaches it's Potential! Possibly cellared at a lower than recommended Temperature? Will have ask when I'm back! Can't wait to possibly do a 5 year Sassicia vertical ! We'll see!! February 22/2023 the 2000 Sassicia a bit better but was cellared at 14C with the white wines 13 C or 55 F is considered by to be Ideal & for others depending on the type of Wine 18.5 C Still pretty Good!! I enjoyed the Boar Pasta & the Beef tartare was Acceptable. The Dessert was AWESOME 👌
We dined here on our first night in Montreal & had a wonderful experience! It was very busy but the Maître d still found us a table for two - the staff were exceptional, so friendly & welcoming & very attentive. The food came out at the perfect time & it was delicious - my steak was cooked to perfection. We would 100% come back here & recommend to friends & family visiting Montreal. Thank you!
Awesome dining experience here. My friend & I both got the steak frites, which were delicious. The steak was cooked perfectly & topped with a great herb butter while the fries were hot & crisp. My friend got a salad that tasted fresh & was a good opener. We also split some of their profiteroles for dessert, & those were extremely tasty. Would recommend.
Came here for dinner on a Tuesday night. Really great experience. Delicious food, great wine list, lovely service, great ambience. We ordered the goat cheese pastry, the shrimp & chorizo risotto, & steak frites. Very rich tasting food, but lovely & complex flavors. I would recommend getting the hangar steak medium as the medium rare was a bit too lacking form for me. All exceptional!
Bustling French brasserie. Excellent food. Service was good although I felt we didn't get the same attention as francophone customers but it didn't result in issues. I can recommend the place & would definitely come back for the food. Fish soup, croc monsieur, quiche are recommended. I also liked you can take your time here despite the business in this restaurant!
This is a spectacular French restaurant. My friend & I took a day trip to Montreal & found this place on google. We walked in without a reservation & the maître d' was kind enough to seat us as long as we'd be finished by his next reservation. The service was excellent. Since we had to drive back to The States after our visit, the waitress recommended a half bottle of Chardonnay, which was very good. We shared the arancini & bone marrow to start. For our entrees, I had the hanger steak with mashed potatoes & my friend had the duck confit. All of the was delicious & perfectly cooked. The ambiance here is excellent as well. I'd highly recommend coming here if you're going to be in Montreal.
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!
We had Duck Confit & Veal kidney It met our expectations in the fullest Great food, environment & very friendly & knowledgable staff Highly recommended!
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
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Hidden gem! The ambiance was friendly, the service impeccable, & every dish a burst of authentic flavors. A culinary journey that left a lasting impression. Highly recommended!
People rightly love this place for the authentic & relaxed French bistro atmosphere & energy. The food is ok, wait staff excellent, & very good value for money. Highly recommend.
Great fun night out with friends. If you're looking for no frills, decent wine, decent food, decent price, & relaxing night out - this is it. The vibe is fresh & lively. If you can manage your way to dessert, the lime sorbet is recommended.
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
