Liverpool House

Mira

1.0

We called ahead & were told they had room for us at 8:30. We drove all the way there on a Friday night, only to be told they had somehow lost our reservation. We then waited another 20 minutes before they finally confirmed they didn't have room for us at all. Really frustrating experience & a complete waste of our time, especially after we had called ahead specifically to confirm.

Are

5.0

Liverpool House delivers… perhaps even a little too well.

Is it possible to be too good at what you do?

Located directly across from Théâtre Beanfield, Liverpool House seemed perfect for dinner & drinks before a Saturday-night show. I reserved two seats at the bar for 5:30 p.m., imagining a leisurely meal where my wife & I could chat & have a few drinks before crossing the street.

We arrived at exactly 5:30, which I always find impressive when taking public transit. Our timing was impeccable. :)

We were seated immediately at the small oyster bar toward the back. It's a beautiful space, with sunlight coming through from the rear terrasse & a shabby chic, utilitarian seafood kitchen atmosphere. The restaurant was already busy & filled considerably during the hour we were there.

Service was friendly, attentive & remarkably efficient. We were quickly given water & drinks, followed by an explanation of the specials. Despite the extensive wine & cocktail selection, we both went with beer on tap.

I ordered the hanger steak & frites with pepper sauce. It was cooked perfectly, the sauce was killer, & the fries were excellent. My wife ordered the fresh fried mackerel, one of the evening's specials. It was light & tasted fantastic… nothing like the heavier English style fish & chips we wouldn't have wanted before a concert.

We skipped the raw bar because neither of us is a major seafood lover, but if oysters, clams & fresh seafood are your thing, this appears to be the place for you.

Everything worked perfectly: drinks arrived quickly, our orders were taken promptly, & our meals followed almost immediately. Yet somewhere inside all that efficiency, the leisurely dinner I had imagined disappeared.

We never felt pushed, but we were finished before we intended to be. It made me wonder whether great hospitality is always about removing friction or whether sometimes the most luxurious thing a restaurant can give you is permission to linger.

Next time, I would reserve a little later & choose the dining room. The oyster bar was beautiful, but the stools were tight for someone of my size, & without a rail beneath the bar, they weren't especially comfortable for lingering over another drink. Instead, we paid our bill & crossed the street early.

There's also an interesting story behind the name. Legend has it that the original Liverpool House was a rival to Joe Beef's famous nineteenth-century working class tavern. Today's menu & prices belong to a very different neighbourhood economy. Still, I imagine that original tavern as a place where regulars recognized one another & friends unexpectedly met. I saw a little of that spirit here.

Liverpool House opened in 2007 partly to accommodate overflow from Joe Beef next door. Nearly twenty years later, it no longer feels like anyone's overflow. It has developed an identity & neighbourhood role of its own.

Next time, the only question is whether I return here or finally make it next door.

Patrick

4.0

La Cuisine est excellente. Le menu tiens sur une page. Le flétan était impeccable, la cuisson parfaite. Les spaghetti au homard étaient également très bon. Belle ambiance décontractée. Service impeccable & efficace. Petit restaurant de quartier à visiter (petit frère du Joe Beef)!

Philippe

5.0

Tout simplement excellent. Le Liverpool house est l'équivalent du Joe beef pour les locaux. C'est le type de restaurant où il faut que tu te paye la traite.

July!!!

5.0

I went to Liverpool house many times I can tell is one of the best restaurants in town! Food is always delicious, I love the atmosphere, the service is impeccable, I usually seated at the bar & the bartenders are always friendly & conversational,,,

Riya

5.0

Grabbed a table at Liverpool House on Friday evening with a couple of friends & the duck was easily one of the best things I've eaten this year. The dining room has this warm, low-lit vibe that makes it easy to linger over wine for a few hours without feeling rushed. Our server actually walked us through the ever-changing menu without any pretension, which made the whole night feel relaxed. Already planning to bring the rest of the group back for another weekend dinner soon.

Dan

5.0

We got the 125$ per person family style menu & everything they brought out was excellent. So were the drinks & the servers. Totally worth it!

K

3.0

The steak frite was the best dish. Lobster spaghetti was bland. The lobster bisque in it was underwhelming. Should have ordered the pork chop. The service was excellent. The music was good but loud.

J

5.0

This was my favourite stop for dinner during our recent trip to Montreal. The atmosphere is very cool & the food is absolutely incredible. Such a great experience.

Pmuyal

1.0

Honestly, this place has gone down so much in the last few years. The Star plate used to be the lobster spaghetti which now is extremely expensive & has way less lobster. Aside from that the other plates were uneventful.The tartare had no flavor, & I also had the pork which was sitting on a bed of moist bread. The french fries were the highlight. They have to do better.