Mare Porto Vecchio offers a distinctive Italian and seafood experience, focusing on expertly prepared pasta dishes and the freshest catches from the sea. The kitchen showcases a commitment to authentic flavors, utilizing quality ingredients to craft memorable meals that reflect the essence of Mediterranean coastal cuisine. Diners can anticipate a vibrant atmosphere where classic Italian culinary traditions are celebrated through a menu designed to satisfy discerning palates seeking both familiar favorites and refined seafood preparations. The restaurant's dedication to excellence is evident in every plate, promising a culinary journey inspired by the rich tastes of Italy's shores.
Mare offers a sophisticated dining experience in the Old Port, frequently praised for its elegant ambiance, high-quality ingredients, and refined Italian cuisine. Many guests highlight the exceptional service, noting that staff are often attentive, professional, and welcoming, with specific mentions of delicious pasta dishes, fresh seafood, and well-crafted cocktails. While the restaurant receives glowing reviews for its romantic atmosphere and overall consistency, some diners have noted occasional inconsistencies in food preparation, varying noise levels, or service lapses during busier shifts. Despite these mixed reports, a majority of patrons regard it as a top-tier destination for special occasions and fine dining, expressing a strong intention to return.
Top tier service & first class traditional Italian food. Pasta is homemade & you can taste was made with love. Ambience & service can't get better than Mare!
Honestly what an amazing experience . The hostess Ella was the cutest person ever & really made sure we felt super comfortable. The food was amazing & the vibe was so good. The waiters were all truly so amazing & helpful. Get the seabass + butter pasta w extra caviar deliciousss . Def will be back 💕
Amazing experience.
We got the taglioni with Caviar & the braised beef pasta.
From staff to manager I truly felt respected & welcomed. Will definitely be returning.
Jul 4, 2026
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.
Very romantic restaurant. Perfect for a date night. Highly recommend the octopus as a starter its a creative & delicious small plate. We also love to share a branzino & the caviar pasta. We have been there many times (at least 5 times) & it was always a very nice experience for the ambiance, the food & the service.
Great raw bar, fresh fresh seafoods.
My fav pastas are the tagliolini & the cappeletti. The tagliolini looks like it would be very creamy maybe even too much... but no. It is perfectly creamy & cheesy. The plate was licked clean it was not too heavy whatsoever, very amazing that they pulled this off the way they did. Cappeletti sauce also maybe sound heav, but it is not. It is bursting with flavour & is addicting. Plate was also licked clean.
The servers offered some chili oil, which was an epic pairing with the cappeletti!! The chili oil is very delicious. Somehow a bit sweet & spicy, realllly loved it so much.
The squid ink ravioli toppings are sooo good but found the texture of that pasta to be a miss for me.
Another killer is the vanilla ice cream, its not on the menu, but ask for it because (coming from a person whos fav food is ice cream & has it everywhere i find it) it is some of the best i have ever had, creamy & icy, luscious & addicting vanilla flavour. Perfectly sweetened. I will miss it forever when i leave Montreal
I had the most incredible dining experience for Valentine's Day at Mare in Old Port. From the moment we stepped in, the coastal Italian charm was undeniable. They began by serving us bread-focaccia & sourdough-accompanied by a mascarpone & cod spread, which was exquisite. We also had two amazing mocktails-proof that even their non-alcoholic options are outstanding. We started with oysters-plump, meaty, bursting with fresh flavor, straight from PEI. For the appetizers, I had a vibrant beef tartare with an amazing chew, while my girlfriend savored the octopus, paired with crispy potato & escarole-every bite was fresh & balanced. For the mains, we shared two pasta delights: I had the cappelletti, filled with braised beef slow-cooked for hours, bathed in a rich sugo d'arrosto, & my girlfriend had the tagliolini, a silky pasta with Parmigiano, cultured butter, & caviar-pure bliss. We finished with a tiramisu that was divine & another dessert, the cioccolata pralinata-light, elevated, with a perfect crunch & subtle sweetness, the ideal end to a grand meal. & to top it off, I had an excellent double espresso. I must say, as good as the food was, the service was flawless-every staff member was so attentive, warm, & made us feel truly special. Mare is a must-visit-go treat yourself!
I was expecting so much from this restaurant but unfortunately came to the conclusion it is extremely over hyped. The staff at times are very attentive & then some times, we had to wait over 20 minutes for the bill. We didn't order drinks & chose to have water but the waitress mentioned twice if we wanted drinks & she'd leave the menu if we change our mind. We ordered the beef tartare but was stopped due to the waitress' recommendation. She said the fish one would be a better selection because the tartare isn't seasoned as much & you'd have to really know your tartare or you'd think it was plain. We didn't feel like fish that night but I found it strange for her to tell us not to order something & recommend something completely different. Our food came out lukewarm , bread they served was ice cold & the pasta was undercooked. At this point I wanted to just finish our meal & leave. The washrooms are downstairs after taking a narrow staircase & walking through the dim lit hallways. Definitely not for older people or people with mobility issues. We chose to eat here during new years eve , visiting from out town & had to take a 20 minute Uber. I was extremely disappointed after spending over $100. I can understand why people choose to dine here because it's so upscale but I expected more.
Let's start out with on a positive note. The restaurant is beautiful, feels expensive & it is. The squid ink pasta was ok (slightly overcooked) & the bread selection was lovely. The martinis were also very good. Great wine selection, the Burgundy chablis we ordered was wonderful.
Now the truth about the food
The food was subpar at best. From start to finish, It was either missing salt, too salty, overcooked & topped with gritty clams. I actually returned my cod in aqua pazza because it was loaded with clam grit. Everyone at my table for 10 was very disappointed with their meal & I left hungry after paying almost $400 per couple.
The service was ok, they did their jobs, but obviously not trained for a fine dining establishment, arriving a few dishes at a time all while asking who ordered what when they had taken the order 30 min earlier. It is not a pizza joint, train your personnel.
One of my new go-to spots for dinner in the city. From A to Z everything was incredible, & finally a place that cooks their pasta'al dente' as it should be! So nice to not worry about parking too.
