Restaurant L'Orignal opened in the winter of 2008 to a warm welcome from locals and tourist alike. The room is decked out in chalet decor, and is a little getaway to the country...in the middle of Old Montreal. The kitchen turns out local farm dishes with a modern look. With fun play lists and our variety of cocktails, L'Orignal is a little bit more just your local restaurant.
Reviews describe L'Orignal as a warm, cozy spot with cabin-like charm where the food is consistently exceptional and the service attentive and friendly. Diners praise standout dishes such as poutine with truffle, bone marrow, mushroom toast, tagliatelle, braised beef cheek, and highly regarded specials, with many noting that the menu offers both comforting favorites and refined flavors. The atmosphere is intimate and welcoming, suitable for date nights, small groups, family gatherings, and celebrations like birthdays and New Year toasts, while the staff are frequently described as on point and accommodating. The restaurant is often called a hidden gem and a top choice in the city, though a few comments mention smaller portions or higher prices relative to the plate, and one review recalls a service lapse during a busy night. Overall, the impression across reviews is that L'Orignal delivers elevated comfort food in a cozy setting and remains a go-to for guests visiting Montreal.
We had an absolutely wonderful dining experience! I ordered the braised beef cheek & it was incredibly tender, full of flavor, & cooked to perfection. My husband had the bison tomahawk & he was genuinely amazed - easily one of the best meals he's had in a long time.
The place itself is very cozy, almost like a warm & inviting chalet, which made the whole evening feel even more special.
To top it all off, the chef came by our table to say hi, & he was truly awesome & friendly, passionate, & clearly proud of his craft.
Highly recommend this restaurant for anyone looking for exceptional food, a cozy atmosphere, & a memorable experience!
Nel pieno centro di Montreal, avevo prenotato in anticipo questo ristorante. Molto carino il locale, con tanti oggetti particolari. Abbiamo mangiato hamburger di bisonte con patatine (poutine): molto buono. Personale come in tutto il Canada, molto gentile. Con le bevande, circa 80 dollari in 2. Bravi.
Sep 3, 2025
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Great place! We were in a rush & they accommodating. Delicious tagliatelle dish & bison burger. A little expensive but comparable to other places in the area. Well worth a visit.
A hidden gem!! Lovely atmosphere. Amazing service & the food was to die for. Had the bison burguer with poutine side & it was the best bites of yumminess i ever had. I also had the french kiss martini. Overall amazing.
Feels like home... Great food...we had kale parmesan salad, bison burger truffle oil fries wi garlic aoli. Leane our server was awesome... the music from the 80 was just right.
A Canadian French original, hence the name! Very cozy interior, with a simple, rich & mouthwatering menu! Had the smoked Bone Marrow as an app, the Bison Burger & from the daily specials a shepherd pie, to share. Damn! Every single dish so good! I was reluctant about the Bison Burger & it beats some of the best beef burger I've had! The shepherds pie, was rich yet light...cheesy 🤤 & DELICIOUS!!! Finally, the Bone Marrow was great very yummy & paired with the right ingredients that cut through the richness.
Repas à en amoureux, tout juste après mon arrivée de France. Petite table en retrait, super ambiance musicale & décoration, service aux petits soins, très bons conseils en plat & en vin. Le burger de bison était excellent avec sa poutine! Prix raisonnable. Nous nous sommes régalés, merci! A recommander!
Warm atmosphere. Very pleasant service & attentive. Accommodating of English & friendly service, also delicious bison burger would recommend. Very good!
After reading many reviews & consulting friends who frequent Montreal, I picked this spot for our 5th wedding anniversary. There were 6 of us for dinner on a busy Saturday night.
The restaurant is exactly as described - cozy & chic. Every person we interacted with was lovely & friendly. I value service as much as great food, & we weren't let down in either department. I had the bison burger & absolutely loved it. My husband had the schnitzel, & it was moist & extremely generous in its portion. I made a huge mistake by not ordering dessert; I got the last bite of our friends' crème brulee cheesecake & it was one of the best things I've ever eaten in my life.
I can't recommend this place enough! Thank you Michael & everyone for an amazing night!!
Aug 28, 2023
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Food was good but the service was odd. A little pricey for portions & lack of accommodations. *check the bill before paying-
Had oysters, beef tartare, kale salad, beef tag, bison burger, salmon special & 2 desserts. Everything was great & tasted as good as could be expected without surprises (good or bad), so pretty straight forward. The beef tartare was a little tough & the bison burger was a little dry. Burger was sent back the first time but 2nd time was much better. Salmon special was great. Desserts were both good but enjoyed the pudding the most.
We had a reservation & not sure if it was because we were American or that we had our 2 kids with us but had service reminiscent of a diner in Brooklyn I used to go to. Friendly if you're easy but otherwise rushed & not willing to make any accommodations. We really didnt ask for much & we spent $350 with 4 people, even with 2 kids. The shady part was the extra 2 glasses of wine slipped on the bill. I'll never know for sure if it was an accident or not but it felt like she tried to get one by with how she handled the bill.
In conclusion, food was good, pretty cool atmosphere but a little pricey for the overall experience.
Tout d'abord, la nourriture. Les plats étaient en général mal exécutés. Les portions étaient généreuses certes, mais manquaient totalement de finesse... Je me demande d'ailleurs s'il y avait plus de bison ou de moutarde de Dijon dans mon entrée de tartare...
Deuxièmement, le service. Il a été correct tout le long du repas, sauf au moment de la facture, d'où la raison de mon étoile solitaire... Il apparaît, à ce que l'on nous dit, qu'il y a eu erreur sur la bouteille de vin que nous avons bu... Nous en avions commandé une, au hasard presque car nous ne sommes pas très connaisseur en oenologie (& la serveuse non plus apparemment), mais celle servie était 40$ de plus. Hé bien, figurez vous donc que le gérant voulait nous faire payer la différence de la bouteille!!! La serveuse n'avait pas l'air très à l'aise de nous faire avalé cette couleuvre, mais c'est son "boss" qui lui avait demandé...
Aussi, au risque de paraître pointilleux, bien qu'à notre table se trouvait 2 canadiens français & 2 français de France, la serveuse nous à parlé 2 fois en anglais... D'habitude je n'en fais pas de cas, mais 2 fois? Really
Il n'est donc pas étonnant j'imagine d'avoir eu a subir le racisme du barman en partant, & ce en dépit de la facture d'environ 400$ plus 20% de "tip"...
