Mano Cornuto is a laid back Italian restaurant. Fresh ingredients, homemade food, elegant natural wine list, unique cocktails and warm service are what to expect.
Mano Cornuto offers a lively open kitchen Italian vibe with crowd-pleasing staples like Caesar salad, burrata with pistachio, focaccia, and a range of pastas and antipasti praised for fresh ingredients and balanced flavors. Desserts such as tiramisu and pistachio cake frequently get cheers, and the wine and cocktails plus a bar or terrace scene make it a popular Montreal pick. Experiences vary, with some praising warm, attentive service while others note slower, more uneven service and occasional reservation mixups, and a few feel portions are small for the price. The space can be loud with limited seating, so reservations or bar seating is advisable, but overall the restaurant is celebrated for authentic flavors, consistent quality, and the energetic atmosphere that keeps locals and visitors coming back.
NOVEMBER 1, 2025
A special visit to a special town deserves a special establishment - & Manu Cornuto is it.
I was here two years ago, as you can tell from my review below, but it was so special again that it deserves an update. This visit with my daughter was filled with Montreal history, conversation, &, of course, Italian food - both on the table & in our discussions.
We talked about how we prepare our food & reflected on how, in a city so deeply rooted in Italian tradition & filled with countless great spots, this place still manages to do it a little differently - & a little more special.
Great night. Great service. Kudos. Will always return.
SEPTEMBER 2023
We were going to do steak on our last night-this night, in Montreal,
but, a chef-College teacher buddy told me about this one place out of the dozen he visited on his recent trip.
We did arrive after telling our Uber to let us out blocks away, we changed venues last minute & I am walking wherever & whenever a chef tells me too!
There was no lineup when we got there the place was packed.
After being told on the phone that they did not take reservations I saw quite the opposite occurring. I probably should have asked properly, & perhaps in French when I called :-).
When I inquired further about the reservation miscue, I was politely told one side of the room is reservable but not the other?
Ok.
'Can we sit at the wood'?, . . . Me.
Me -'There are two spots open'.
Her -'We cannot put three'
Me -'it's ok, it's not to tight, & there is an empty stool nearby'
Her -'I cannot do such'
Me -'Cannot or will not'
Silence.
Ok, it was not that abrupt, what I had meant to ask was . . why??
Aren't we all thinking it by now?
I saw only two settings placed in front of the two stools taking up enough room for 4 people.
I guess the restaurant rules in La Belle Provence don't want people to touch elbows when'oui' snack.
Oui, did get in quite quick though & WE were offered a drink, to which WE did order - 3 Peroni draft.
Our table was outside on a great 22 degrees 6:30 late Autumn eve.
The hostess placed our beers on table & two peeps approached; our server & what appeared to be the Sommelier!
All are casually & comfortably attired. A wine is quickly selected, the specials are described, cocktails are also ordered & turnaround on all is swift.
Of particular treat was the discussion with our young Sommelier (Tomas) on our choice of wine, its complexity & kudos to us for choosing. My brother asked how he had such knowledge, to which he politely & proudly replied'It's my job'.
Egg+face>older brother.
We started with the special appetizer; tuna in a can essentially was explained to us - gotta be good yeah.
You cannot believe how GOOD this was (all CAPS good, that's how good)! Such few ingredients on top of quality tuna with a little bomba for flair.
We order all of the appetizers in their menu-gotta be good again right.
There are only four.
But what a four,
do the same as I & order all if you visit.
We had the special pasta, & consistently repeated, few ingredients with impeccable execution. Something thicker than spaghetti, no hole throughout (so not bucatini), endive, butter, good bacon & herbs & Italian goodness.
One more dish, the porc tenderloin it was our servers favourite.
I can see why, seasoned heavy on this trip, but try it too.
Special coffees (in this province=Americano coffees & booze on the side) add male camaraderie & banter, bs & bs related stories, loud, more loud then shushing, & closing with a shot with our server,
My older bro -'you're having one?'
Server -'Yes!'
Egg encore.
One of the better meal experiences I have had in some time.
Wonderful.
Truly wonderful staff. Our daily special of pasta marinara with stracciatella was delicious, the sandwiches were extra yummy. Our server brought us a choice of wines by the glass to taste, & the special dessert was to die for! But again, their servers are simply the best!
Mar 28, 2026
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I love this place & it's my go to for Italian cuisine. It's a joy to eat at the bar & get to know the fun loving staff. This resto reminds me of'The Big Night' 🎥 because of its authenticity & the horrific food at an unbelievably busy place around the corner… only this resto is wildly successful as well. Chef really has learned to work with what is available to stay true to Italian 🇮🇹 roots (chef is a national).
The Caesar salad is delicious 😋 despite it being an invention of Hollywood… the only'fake' thing on the menu, but that doesn't detract from its desirability. Wines are good but I tend to focus on the negroni 🥃 here… after all I am a believer of'Plastique, c'est chic!'
Booked a reservation for 2 at the bar & it was such a vibe! Great wine options, & we absolutely loved the burrata & pesto pasta (those were only the 2 things we tried as we weren't super hungry). Not a ton of options for vegetarians but there are some so it's definitely worth going! I'm still a little confused about how to book an actual table as we seemed to only be able to book the bar, but wasn't an issue for us.
Food is good Wine list is decent
Booking is required. Their walk in veryyyy limited
The parties smaller than 4 are offered only bar seat but its a cool experience
Not much parking available
Very welcoming servers & great dishes. Live right at the corner, made multiple visits & always had to wait. It's wiser to make a reservation no matter when you visit this place.
Ask the server for wine pairing & you won't regret it!
We absolutely love their food, it's just so perfect! The burrata, pesto pasta, & the pork shop are our favourites - yum, yum, yum! They also have great wines & cocktails. I just wish they had table seating for couples, not just bar seating.
Jul 25, 2025
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This place is run by professionals - friendly & organized & knowledgeable from start to finish. We called to say we were running late ( we have a small baby IYKYK) & were told we could move our reservation. This was much appreciated on a busy Saturday. 10/10 service with a great wine recommendation from Laurent & attentive busboys who helped us install the baby booster seat & smiled at our grumpy toddler. Thank you to Laurent for the great service, & the friendly manager (in the denim dress -did not get her name). You guys rock & we will be back. It goes without saying the food was beyond delicious.
Mano is my go to place everytime I visit Montreal! The vibe is fun, vibrant & busy, music is an eclectic 80's feel! The food never disappoints, menu is small but solid, always super fresh, waiters are friendly & helpful with great wine selection. I had the lobster ravioli special this time & wow,'just wow' Fantastique! You can't leave without the tiramisu, this is the ultimate neighbourhood Italian with the fairest prices in town! J'adore mano cornuto!!
We had a seat at the bar, which was a great spot since we got to see the team in action. They have a great variety of cocktails, wine & the food - incredible. We had the burrata, the pesto spaghetti, the Zucca & hanger steak w/chick peas. Everything was delicious. Highly recommend!
Nov 10, 2024
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Everything on the restaurant menu is delicious. Some of the best pasta we ever tried. Bravo. The staff is welcoming, hardworking & very professional. Melanie served us, her suggestions were perfect. Great selection of wine. Take out Mano Figa - excellent! Definitely we will be back next time we are in Montreal.
Arriving pretty late in the evening to a hotel in Griffintown, it was difficult to find a place open for dinner. The Alt concierge said that Mano Cornuto was pretty much the only place still serving - & I'm so glad to have been introduced to this gem. There was a massive storm which shut down the festival happening at Jean-Drapeau, so people started coming in pretty quickly - but we were sat at the counter & given menus immediately. The pasta bolognese was AMAZING, & the wine pairing was bang-on. I think the biggest surprise was when asking for the bill, just how inexpensive everything was. I'd highly recommend getting a counter seat to watch the kitchen in action - it was a great dinner, & I will happily go back.
i want to hate this place because the servers treat you like you just skinned their cat unless you buy a bottle of wine, but i will not stop going back. its insanely delicious every time. the special only hits about 50% of the time so be careful. GET THE CAESAR & THE CHOCOLATE CAKE. avoid the tuna. i keep 2-3 res booked here at all times. sue me
