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.
Reviews describe Modavie as a warm, lively Old Montreal bistro with a welcoming vibe and memorable live jazz that enhances the evening. The menu is praised for classic French bistro dishes like mussels and fries, duck confit, lamb chops, steak frites, and seafood, with generous portions and fresh ingredients. Attentive, friendly service and a knowledgeable staff are repeatedly highlighted, helping guests feel cared for in a vibrant setting enhanced by a diverse wine list and craft cocktails. Overall, the atmosphere, food, and music combine to create enjoyable dinners for dates, friends, and celebrations, making Modavie a reliable choice in Montreal.
Very unique brunch experience. The duck waffle was something special, & the croque madame with lamb was insanely tasty - I honestly can't even decide which one I liked more. Beautiful atmosphere, live music, & such a nice attentive staff. Definitely a place worth coming back to!!
The Duck Confit, Modavie Poutine & Lamb cavatell was our favorite dishes. The service is very attentive & despite how busy the restaurant is, the wait was very reasonable.
Absolutely fantastic food, service & ambience. Highly recommend the lamb, risotto & creme brûlée. Our server, George, was attentive & took time to discuss the menu with us. Overall a fabulous experience, we be back & will recommend to our friends.
We came here 3 years ago as a local recommended Modavie for their french onion soup that I was so hungry for. It was a great exprience then. We found ourselves back in Montreal & there was no quesion where we wanted to go for our nice meal. Everything was superb! The lamb chops were exceptional!! Service was quick but not rushed. Our server, Patrice, was amazing as well & very well, but not overly attentive. Looking forward to coming back again!
Had the Catch of the Day. Seabeam fish on a bed of puree pea & potato drizzled with a perfect lemon sauce with capers & sun-dried tomatoes. I find when I eat out it is rare that the flavors hit the palate just right. Here it did!. Add our onion soup starter was the best onion soup I've had! Our server was the kindest & most attentive server. Eating here was the highlight of our Montreal trip!
May 1, 2026
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We're visiting from out of town, but as soon as we walked in Modavie felt like our local neighborhood hangout. Lorenzo was a fantastic host, treated us like family, & had us smiling ear-to-ear before we even got seated. Our server, Buddy, took over from there. He was attentive, informative, & the consummate professional. Everything that left the kitchen arrived at our table steaming hot, & the flavours were out of this world. Will absolutely return.
Atmosphere & service here are great & worth coming for, live jazz was a treat & at a tasteful volume where you could still chat amongst your table. Our waiter was very attentive & friendly.
Food was underwhelming, but there's lots of budget-friendly items, & nothing we tried was bad. We had appies, mains, desserts, all of it was just ok, like something you might have at a friend's place who splurges on nice ingredients but has pretty basic home cooking skills. I recommend sticking with the cheaper menu items.
Great spot with a festive atmosphere & live jazz. Service was friendly & attentive. Rad, our waiter, was excellent. Prices are reasonable & the wine list is diverse. The only downside was that the band, although very talented, was too loud, making it hard to have a conversation at the table.
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.
Mar 19, 2026
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Had an absolutely wonderful dining experience here! The atmosphere was warm & welcoming from the moment we walked in. Our server was attentive & knowledgeable about the menu, offering great recommendations. The food was exceptional - fresh ingredients, perfectly seasoned, & beautifully presented. Every dish we tried was bursting with flavor. The portions were generous & well worth the price. The restaurant was clean & well-maintained, & despite being busy, we didn't feel rushed. The dessert was the perfect ending to our meal. We'll definitely be returning soon & would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for a great meal & excellent service. Five stars!
I've had my birthday dinner at Modavie & the whole dining experience was beyond exceptional! Food was amazing, we particularly enjoyed the foie gras toast & duck confit (even better than the ones we had in Paris!). Our server Mathias is super friendly & attentive, checking in from time to time if we enjoyed the meal, & even gave me a surprise with a dessert to celebrate my birthday. Absolutely will revisit again when travelling to Montreal - highly highly recommend!
My husband, 2 year old son, & I stopped in for a mid week lunch & we're very impressed. The service was wonderful, both William & Lorenzo took great care of us. They were both so kind & attentive, & treated my son as just as important as the rest of us at the table. The food was excellent! Stand outs were their soup of the day, which was a carrot & broccoli soup, their salmon tartare, & the rack of lamb. William was also helpful with wine pairings to go with our meals. We will definitely be back next to we visit Montreal.
Fantastic food & atmosphere. We sat at the bar as there were no open tables & were greeted & attended by a wonderful bartender. The wait staff & servers were very nice & attentive. We ordered calamari for our starter & it was the best I've ever had, perfectly cooked & lightly breaded. We also ordered the gnocchis which my wife really enjoyed. I ordered the lamb chops with vegetables & they were prepared to a perfect medium. Although there was only one reisling available, it was very good. Dry & crisp. I would definitely recommend & would certainly visit again if I am in Old Montréal.
Jan 31, 2026
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My husband & I don't always get the chance to have a date night, once or twice a year I would say. We almost aways go to Modavie as the atmosphere, food, drink & service always proves to be amazing. On January 17th, our expectations were surpassed & our evening was absolutely perfect.
We were seated in Isma's (apologies for mis spelling of her name). Right from the start she was attentive. I was unsure of which wine to choose, & she brought me 2 samples.
The food was beyond good, we had the risotto & the steak frites.
To end our night, we were even presented a glass of dessert wine on the house.
Our night was absolutely special & our next date night will definitely be back at Modavie in Isma's section! Thank you so much!
We had an absolutely wonderful dining experience here. The bouillabaisse was perfect - rich, aromatic, & full of fresh seafood, with a beautifully balanced broth that was both comforting & refined. Every bite was packed with flavour & clearly made with care.
The presentation was elegant, the portion was generous, & the overall quality far exceeded the price - truly great value for money.
Service was pleasant & attentive, making the entire experience even more enjoyable.
It is rare to find a venue that manages to be both a'see-&-be-seen' social hub & a destination for high-end gastronomy, but What a Catch! delivers on both fronts. The live music creates a festive backdrop for what was an undeniably superior meal. The steak & risotto were the highlights of the evening-the former being one of the best cuts I've had in a decade. The multilingual service was seamless, attentive, & remarkably efficient given how crowded the room was. It is clear that the staff, musicians, & patrons all contribute to a uniquely positive & welcoming energy. I look forward to my next visit
Everything about this place was spot on. The food was outstanding, & the ambiance made the experience truly memorable. The staff were warm, attentive, & genuinely welcoming, which took the service to another level. If you're craving genuine French cuisine, this is absolutely the place to go.
Merci, Modavie!☘?
Modavie in Old Montréal is a quintessential French bistro experience that delivers across cuisine, atmosphere, & character. The space itself feels timeless & inviting, with warm lighting, exposed brick, & nightly live music-typically jazz or blues-that enhances rather than overpowers conversation. ?
The menu showcases classic French-inspired bistro fare executed with care. Signature dishes like the lamb chops & duck confit consistently earn praise for rich, well-balanced flavors & satisfying portions, while French onion soup & escargots make excellent starters. The wine list is broad, spanning Old & New World selections, & cocktails are thoughtfully crafted. ?
Service strikes a great balance between attentive & unobtrusive, with knowledgeable staff ready to guide pairings & recommendations. Many guests highlight the personable hosts & excellent waitstaff as part of the overall experience. ?
Whether for a date night, celebration, or memorable dinner after exploring Old Montréal, Modavie's combination of refined bistro cuisine, lively live music, & classic charm firmly earns it a 5-star rating.
