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.
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.
Decent food, attentive wait service, & a pleasant atmosphere. The steak frite was fine; chicken paillard & mussels were slightly under seasoned. Crème brûlée was delicious. île flottante looks more impressive than it tastes. Least impressive was the waiter who took our order. Deigned to answer my question for recommendations & acted as if he was doing me a favor by letting me eat there.
Nov 25, 2024
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The food was good, not superb. The service staff was sub par, the specials were not explained, no follow up for drink orders, just generally seemed under staffed/inadequately trained.
I didn't know that this place was kinda famous. This was the only French place that I saw open on google at midnight. The reviews were great so I decided to go. It was busy but not too packed. The service was really good & the food was excellent. The quiche, I hope I didn't misspell it, I only had a year of French in high school. It was great & the rum tart I had was even better. The vibe of the place was energetic. They have rotary phones & the place is painted dark red. This is only the second French restaurant they I've been to but it made a great impression. The first was in Savannah, Ga. The next time I make a long road trip to Montréal from Florida I will stop by again. The second time I was here I didn't see the rotary phones.
An institution. We never miss a chance when visiting the area. There's nothing like a bottle of wine & a delicious L'Express dinner on a fall Saturday night at 11pm. The food & energy in unparalleled.
Nous sommes des habitués mais cette fois nous a déçue. Le plat de rognons, que j'ai toujours adoré, contient plus de pommes de terres qu'autre chose & celles-ci sont dures & pas assez « rôties », voir pas assez cuites. Les portions en générale sont réduites également. Je pense, entre autre, au carpacio de boeuf qui contenait 3 bouchées. & un dry martini a 25$, un peu exagéré à mon avis. Les vins sont abordables ceci dit & il y a une belle ambiance. Bref, peut-être qu'on tentera un retour mais pas dans l'immédiat.
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.
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.
Nov 5, 2024
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I cannot say enough how yummy & amazing the FOOD, service & experience this was. The wait staff were so attentive & helpful. I would fly back here just to eat here. The steak carpaccio, grilled octopus, rum ala baba. So many yummy dishes. I want to come back every night. Yes, I take photos of empty dishes because they are too yummy to pause to take a photo.
I've been wanting to come here for a few years now & I can say that this place does not disappoint! Staff was exceptionally friendly & the atmosphere was great. All the food was amazing & we regretted not getting more! Will come back for the Risotto alone. My friends thanked me for showing them this restaurant, we will come back each time we visit Montreal!
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!
Oct 28, 2024
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The service here is immaculate. The best casual dining experience in Montréal. The food was very good, some of the profiles didn't match my palette as well as I'd hoped. I'm not a huge fan of the diner aesthetic but they do it very well. I will be back again. Thank you for a great time.
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.
