Reviews of Mare Porto Vecchio describe a stylish, refined Italian dining experience in the Old Port Montreal where atmosphere and presentation are frequently highlighted. The menu is praised for fresh seafood and well crafted pastas such as cappelletti and tagliolini, with branzino tartare, octopus and oysters among the standout dishes. The cocktails and wine list are often noted as strong complements to the meals and the service is described as attentive and professional. Some reviews flag high prices for the portions and note that a few dishes can be under seasoned, overly salty, or served lukewarm. Experiences on special occasions such as Valentine s Day or New Year s Eve are described as memorable when the kitchen and staff are in sync. Overall Mare Porto Vecchio is regarded as a standout Italian dining destination in Montreal, delivering exceptional ambiance and mostly outstanding food, though price and value and some dish consistency vary.
We visited this beautiful restaurant in Old Port, Montreal on Saturday, March 28. We were welcomed by a kind & friendly young Italian who served us excellent cocktails. The food & service were both of a very high standard.
The only downside was the vibe, which felt a bit dull - the music lacked a clear identity, shifting from 70s Italian tracks to rather unengaging songs.
I hope to return & find a different atmosphere next time.
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
Mar 28, 2026
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Une expérience exceptionnelle du début à la fin.
Ce restaurant haut de gamme se distingue par une cuisine absolument délicieuse, raffinée & parfaitement exécutée. Chaque plat est un vrai plaisir pour les sens.
Le décor est tout simplement incroyable : élégant, chic & soigneusement pensé, il crée une ambiance à la fois chaleureuse & sophistiquée.
Le service est impeccable, attentif sans être intrusif, avec un souci du détail qui fait toute la différence.
Je recommande cet endroit à 100 % pour une expérience gastronomique mémorable. J'ai déjà hâte d'y retourner !
10/10!! We went on NYE & it was an Amazing experience!! Jerome was our waiter & the service was impeccable from beginning to end & the food was to die for. I'm still thinking about it! Mare is my new favourite spot!
The food was'okay' nothing outstanding. Portions were tiny & comes with a heavy price tag for what you get. The service was excellent though. 👌🏽 unfortunately, the service alone won't get me to go back. We enjoyed the chill vibe. Music was loud enough to enjoy it, but not so loud that we couldn't hear each other. Less of a party vibe & more fine dining atmosphere; we quite enjoyed that. I spent 140$ for 1 person (no alcohol) & I left hungry & was underwhelmed.
Avons mangé à cet établissement le 21 février.
Bel endroit avec beau décor.
Le jeune homme italien qui prépare cocktails, 🍸 ne parle pas français.
Service très lent & désorganisé.
Huîtres 🦪 Rockfeller servies tièdes & sans saveur.
Crevettes 🍤 servies tièdes avec un goût d'ammoniaque.
Daurade est bonne.
Devons nous servir nous-mêmes le vin.
On nous fait une courtoisie en nous apportant une facture salée: on nous offre deux cocktails & deux cafés.
Avions mangé la veille chez Dorsia où tout était impeccable. Décor, service, plats, clientèle. Dignes d'une étoile Michelin.
Feb 22, 2026
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Absolutely loved our experience at Mare in Old Montreal. The food was incredible, every dish beautifully presented & full of flavor. You can truly taste the quality & attention to detail in every bite. The service was top notch! Everything from the atmosphere to the cuisine & hospitality was amazing. A must-visit in Old 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!
We went for a romantic valentine's day dinner at Mare in Montreal. Wow, we were blown away how amazing the food was. The service was even better. Our waiter was so patient with us & helped us all through the way with the food & drinks since it was our first time there. We ordered the braised beef cappelletti & the whole brazino. I was a tad disappointed with the brazino hoping it would have a tasty green sauce as I've seen in photos. Instead we had olive oil with capers, lacking flavor. It was still very good. I also would not recommend the tirumisu as it is too large for one person. I was so full after that & did not finish it. This place is highly recommended on my list & we already plan to go back soon. I would love to try everything on their menu.
Quelle incroyable expérience!!! Nous avons célébrer l'assermentation de notre amie à cet endroit & nous n'avons pas du tout été déçus. Le service était exceptionnel & Idriss a vraiment été à la hauteur. Merci nous reviendrons assurément.
We came back after a few months & the service was noticeably better. The two Italian guys who welcomed us were professional & very attentive.
The food was great, but the real highlight was the cocktail list, truly exceptional drinks!
At the end of the dinner, Bruno prepared a tableside Sgroppino for us, which was a wonderful touch. Special thanks to him.
Highly recommended.
The music selection was amazing, such a great vibe!
Feb 10, 2026
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Amazing place. Idriss was our bar tender & made some of the best cocktails I have ever had. The service was so good that me taking a girl there convinced her to date me. It follows that I would highly recommend.
Very beautiful evening. The service was, hands down, phenomenal. He was professional & kind the whole night; his recommendations were spot on.
We got the'Plateau Royal per 2' & the fresh fish was remarkable. I live on Vancouver Island, & this was better than any seafood I had had out there. The red wine we got was amazing too!
Would recommend to anyone who is considering it! Becuase its a newer place, it doesn't get enough praise
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.
