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.
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!
We walked right in for an early lunch & it was delicious. We had the duck & the quail plates, a long with a pate appetizer & they were all excellent. The appetizer came with a large jar of cornichons & mustard
Oct 17, 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.
I had a late dinner at L'Express, the well-known French bistro, & it was a great experience overall. The Hanger steak, cooked medium rare, was really good, & the shallot butter & fries made a great combo. The real highlight for me was the maple profiteroles-absolutely delicious. My partner had the duck confit & said it was the best ever. The cozy vibe was nice, but the service was mixed. Our main server was friendly & attentive, but another staff member was a bit pushy. Still, everything was quick & efficient, making it a solid spot for a casual French meal.
Honestly blown away. A really great dining experience. Portions, flavors, quality-all was excellent, as was the service. The dessert was also fantastic-don't skip it. Price is fair given all the it offers. Will come back.
Service can be a little slow, presumably as it is so constantly busy until late. Portions are generous & the food is very good - I'd like a bit more bechamel in the Croque Monsieur myself but all very tasty.
We had a lovely dinner at L'Express. The atmosphere is lively, busy & energetic. The food is straight forward, quality French eats - a true French bistro vibe. The salmon tartare & steak with roasted veggies hit the spot & the homemade pickles were a nice touch.
We came here for brunch. It really has a classic Parisian bistro vibe. Service was excellent even though the restaurant was very busy. We ordered foie gras & risotto. Both tasted amazing. This is definitely one of the best restaurants in Montreal. Hope to visit here again soon.
The place amazing, i like the bread , pickles & butter 😍burrata salad & their French fries 👌 the steak was ok but not flavorful , duck delicious but salty
Sep 28, 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.
Still one of the top bistros in Montreal. Seasonal specials are always worth considering - but there are some classics on the menu. Love the cornichons - I bought a big jar to take home with me.
I was just walking by when this place caught my eye, & I couldn't resist checking it out. Inside, it was packed with people enjoying their food, & the vibe felt really inviting. They had an amazing wine list with choices from Canada & France. I went for the Risotto Crevette & Chorizo-wow, the flavors were out of this world! For dessert, I had the Crème Brûlée with coffee, & it honestly made me feel like I was in a 5-star restaurant. The staff was super friendly, & the guy handling the reservations & seating was incredible-he really made the experience special. I'm so glad I stopped in. What a great meal!
The food was okay, nothing special. The wine list is excellent. Unfortunately, they don't use appropriate glasses for serving the wine. I ordered a lovely red wine which was poured into port glasses. The service was efficient but lacked the personal touch that one would expect in a restaurant that is priced in this calibre. The place could use some sound dampening as well.
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.
