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 walked into Mare after realizing earlier in the day that it was a new spot that had just opened beside our hotel. With no reservation on New Year's Eve, we were pleasantly surprised to be seated right away by the bar.
The atmosphere was beautiful, lively, & paired with great music. The servers were interactive, welcoming, & genuinely friendly, which immediately set the tone. We stopped in just for cocktails after having dinner at a very unfriendly restaurant, & Mare completely turned our night around.
The cocktails were excellent, & the staff made us feel comfortable & welcome right before the New Year's Eve ball drop. What started as a disappointing evening ended on a high note thanks to this place.
We visit Montreal quite often, & Mare will definitely be a spot we return to. Highly recommend for great drinks, atmosphere, & outstanding service.
We will try the food on our next visit. It did smell amazing while we were there.
The service was absolutely terrible. Travelled around the world & tried different restaurants but have never encountered one with service this bad. I had a reservation at 10, not only did they make us wait for 30 minutes, but failed to give us 2 SIMPLE GLASSES OF WATER when we asked for them in the time frame of 30 minutes when they offered them to the table behind us that came after. When we came in they said it was going to be quick & that some tables are just paying their checks. 30 minutes later, they told us they have a table eating dessert & just waiting for their checks. SO WHATS ACTUALLY THE TRUTH? Genuinely ridiculous service for a restaurant like this. I understand the business & the wait, however the service is insanely terrible. Wouldn't get this kind of service at any other restaurant in Montreal.
Dec 31, 2025
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.
Came for my first year anniversary & was welcomed by your hostess Sabrine who's absolutely wonderful. She even took the time to explain a bit the menu & tell me her favorite items. I can't wait to come back!
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.
A true gem in the Old Port. Designed with class, & a beautiful atmosphere. We were greeted by an excellent waiter (Andy) his smile, his experience, so professional & he guided us throughout the evening. Thank you Andy . The presentation & flavours of each dish was just mind blowing . Definitely returning to Mare .
We had an impeccable dinner tonight! The food was delicious & the service was top-notch! We were well taken care of by Andy. Definitely one of my fav restos on MTL now! Will come back to try the rest of the menu!
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.
There were four of us in a lovely room with many empty seats. We chose the three course menu. Service was gracious & helpful. It was not inexpensive but gave great value.
Wow!!! It just keeps getting better. I've been to Mare several times since its opening 3 months ago. From the very beginning I was impressed by EVERYTHING. Taking in consideration it just opened, the food, the service, the ambiance was always great!!! But last night!!??? It was an experience of its own. The presentation of the plates & attention to details are just incredible. I mean it was from the very beginning but it just keeps getting better. The chef owner that comes out & oversees every table in between plating the plates in the kitchen brings a personalized unique touch. There's such a thing of eating with your eyes. These plates were gorgeous & even better tasting. This is my first review of the place after 9 or 10 times there. I just never took the time to do it. After last might???!! Im blown away. P.s I had a restaurant for 4 years & worked in the restaurant business for 20 years. Mare is just next level. Salute!
