Modavie is a timeless place that brings us back to our roots, where ladies & gents gather and eat in a lively atmosphere caused by great conversation, live music and the wooden scents of a vintage room. Born in 1997, it quickly became popular among locals & visitors, and is now considered a Montreal institution.
Treat yourself to refined French fare in an antique & dimmed corner locale spawning two floors. From the classic beef tartare, to tasty sweetbread, to the famous ratatouille, your cravings will be easily satiated.
Modavie comes across as a warm, lively French bistro in Old Montreal with inviting lighting, timeless charm and nightly live jazz. Reviewers consistently highlight friendly, attentive service and a welcoming staff that makes celebrations feel special. The menu features crowd pleasers like duck confit, rack of lamb and lamb chops, escargots, onion soup and mussels with fries, with many dishes praised for bold flavors and generous portions. The atmosphere blends old world charm with modern warmth, and the two level space with live music creates a vibrant yet conversation friendly setting. While busy nights can bring a bit of hustle and occasional slower pacing, the overall experience is described as memorable and well worth returning for.
We came to try the gourmand prix fixe menu & were disappointed at every turn. My dirty martini was very sweet (how?) & poorly made, the tuna tatare was decent & the highlight of the meal, & the steak frites were nearly inedible - fries were cold & steak was flavourless. The blues band was good but the vibe overall felt more like a chain restaurant than a cozy French bistro. Will not return
Mar 19, 2026
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Le service? INCROYABLE!!!!!! J'ai vraiment adoré waouh la nourriture est bonne, l'atmosphère incroyable, les serveurs (euses) sont vraiment incroyables & courtois je comptes y revenir & je recommande vivement
We had dinner on a Friday with reservations which we would recommend. Our meal started with snails which were excellent. Our mains were steak fries & duck both of which were cooked exactly as we had asked. They have live music & while we had wanted to sit in the entertainment area we were seated in an adjacent room. This was a more private area & we could hear the music just fine. William was our waiter & he helped make our evening a hit. All the staff were very attentive. We will return.
We initially wanted to come for the table d'hôte but the dinner menu looked delicious so we just ordered from there.
We ordered 2 dishes from the Classics side of the menu & 1 dish from the house specials.
Classics included the Mushroom risotto, which was a cheesy goodness featuring plenty of mushrooms & the other was the mussels & fries, which it in itself is always a classic. The white wine sauce was so complimentary for dipping the fries in & the mussels were so fresh.
The house specials featured the lamb chops, which I'm not usually a fan of, as sometimes too gamey, but these chops were cooked so well. The veggies were roasted so nicely, & included carrots, parsnips, zucchini & potatoes.
We visited during lunch on a weekday, so it wasn't too busy. Perfect for a lunch date. The server & the manager were accommodating of our stroller & us baby wearing our baby while eating lunch. Such nice hospitality, will definitely visit again!
Mar 17, 2026
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A very fancy restaurant with delicious food & lots of varieties. I really enjoyed our dinner there. The service was top, excellent, the food well served & tasty. Loved my experience.
Our server, Patrice was AWESOME! Very friendly & made us laugh all night. We felt like we were friends forever! We are visiting Montreal from the States & enjoyed every minute of our stay. No animosity here!
We went there with my wife for a very special occasion & it was a great experience! The food was delicious & Lorenzo made us feel very welcome & was incredibly funny in a friendly way.
We'll definitely come back next time we are in Montreal!
Je souhaite partager mon expérience dans ce restaurant afin d'exprimer ma déception quant au service reçu.
Tout d'abord, la nourriture était correcte, mais rien de particulièrement remarquable. Par exemple, le steak que j'ai commandé manquait de sel, au point que j'ai dû en demander pour pouvoir l'assaisonner moi-même. Dans l'ensemble, le repas était simplement acceptable, sans plus.
Cependant, le problème principal concerne ce qui s'est passé après le repas. N'ayant pas très faim, je n'ai pas terminé mon plat & j'ai donc demandé à ce qu'on emballe le reste pour l'emporter. Le serveur a pris mon assiette afin de préparer l'emballage. Pendant ce temps, je me suis rendue aux toilettes.
À mon retour à la table, l'emballage contenant le reste de mon repas avait disparu. Lorsque j'ai demandée ce qu'il s'était passé, le serveur m'a répondu qu'il l'avait jeté à la poubelle & qu'il se trouvait dans les déchets. Autrement dit, la moitié de mon plat - que j'avais expressément demandé à emporter - a été jetée sans mon consentement.
Lorsque j'ai exprimée mon étonnement & mon mécontentement, on m'a même demandé si je souhaitais récupérer le paquet dans la poubelle, ce que j'ai trouvée extrêmement déplacé & irrespectueux.
Je considère que ce type de traitement envers un client est très grave & témoigne d'un manque de professionnalisme & de respect. Cette expérience a malheureusement laissé une impression très négative.
Une très belle découverte à Montréal. L'ambiance est parfaite, avec un band qui joue pendant le souper & qui crée une atmosphère vivante sans être envahissante. Le service était amical & attentionné. J'ai choisi les moules comme plat principal & elles étaient tout simplement exceptionnelles, parmi les meilleures que j'ai mangées dans ma vie. J'y retournerai sans hésiter!
Great location in Old Montreal, & 4 of us visited the week of Happening Gourmand March/26. Great ambiance with or without the jazz music that started around 7 PM Priced competitively with a solid menu selection but we opted for the fix prix 2 course special & were not disappointed, & of course added dessert. Excellent drink list. Service with Rad was superb & when a server has been with the restaurant 29 years, that tells you something too. Definitely would visit again!
One of my favourite restaurants in Montreal to go to with friends when we're in a mood to eat dinner on a Friday night with live music. This resto always offers great food & nice music.
The location was in the Old Town of Montreal which was amazing. The service was great our server was really kind. The food was delicious & lastly enjoyed the live music & overall vibe
