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.
This place was just perfect. The ambience was beautiful with the cutest French music. We went at an off hour & it was so quaint. Our server, George, was so friendly & made the experience better :). I got the mussels & fries & it was so filling without being too much. Cannot recommend this place more & a must go to in Montreal!
Apr 27, 2024
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Modavie has been by far our favorite French restaurant in Montreal. The french bistro atmosphere was exceptional & our waiter, George, had excellent recommendations for food. Delicious food, wonderful environment, & unbeatable service.
One of our favorite places in Montreal & some of the best food hands down. We went twice & both times had the lamb pasta because it was THAT good - we also had the steak frites, French onion soup, Caesar salad, crème brûlée, & seasonal sorbet - all excellent as well & the drinks were very good. Very cute atmosphere with live music at night. Staff were so friendly & welcoming - we went to maybe 12-15 restaurants throughout our trip & none came close to Modavie.
Fantastic. One of'many' great places to eat in Old Montreal. Having said that, Modavie stood out as being one of the best. Service was excellent, the decor & live music was great as well. The food......perfection! French Onion soup & the Duck Confit were both the best we've had yet. The'huge' bowl of local muscles was also the best. Highly recommended!!! 😀
Quintessential French bistro. Great for lunch. The escargot was the best I've ever had & the beef tartare was amazing. Service was good. Menu online says dessert is included in the lunch special but was not when at the restaurant which was a little disappointing. Would definitely recommend!
Apr 13, 2024
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Stumbled across this gem on our first day in Montreal for a business trip. The food was incredible (my first time having escargot, I'm obsessed now!) & the service was amazing too! Lorenzo has got me practicing my French for next time :) Merci beaucoup!
This was one of the best meals I've had in Montreal, hands down. We had booked another place but decided to cancel last minute & came across Modavie & was intrigued by the menu. We were able to book a table for 5:30pm & so glad we did. We were one of the first tables in & our server, Jessica was absolutely amazing. She was attentive, recommended dishes that she vouched for (ex sweetbread) & a wine (Cotes du Rhone, Le Caillou Rouge) that paired well with our meal. We had never had sweetbread before, & trust me it's not what you think. It's a part of the lamb & if not cooked well, can taste gamey. But Modavie is known for their lamb dishes & the sweetbread was fabulous. We also ordered the lamb chops & it was cooked to perfection. It wasn't over-seasoned, had amazing grill flavour & was so tender. & of course, not gamey at all. We also tried their risotto, French onion soup, & escargots. Oh & the basket of bread. Wow. It was so fresh, so hot that I couldn't stop eating it. The only reason I didn't give'Atmosphere' a 5-star is because we did feel a bit squished in the corner, but understand that most places are like this. This was definitely a meal to remember & Modavie is now on my list of must go-to when in Montreal.
Service was good & the vibe was nice, but the food was just not great. I'm always happy to pay for good quality food I enjoy, but for 2 adults & 2 kids, we paid $160 before tip & did not enjoy any of it! The poutine & French onion soup (which is basically why we went!) both tasted strange (my 6 year old who loves poutine said it tasted "sweet" & wouldn't eat more than 2 bites. Our pasta meals were just ok. Would definitely not return.
Mar 11, 2024
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The vibes here were amazing, super elegant yet homey & cozy. Everyday they have an accompaniment for music & the day we went had jazz playing while we were eating. The apps (escargot & soup) were 🤌- both were not your standard snails or french onion soup. The soup had an extremely rich flavour shine through that came from the deep caramelization of the onions. The accompanying garlic butter & cheese that was paired with the escargot was salty which was good. Onto the mains, the table favourite was the duck confit. The duck was so tender & when paired with the sweetness of the walnuts & the acid from the pickled cabbage, it made a wonderful bite. The lamb chops were great as well, the meat was cooked to our liking. We do wish there was a sauce to accompany the lamb, perhaps a sweet red wine sauce to cut through the saltiness of the veggies & enhance the lamb taste. As an aside, the potatoes were delicious LOL. The lamb pasta was amazing as well, flavour-wise. We wish there would have been more lamb in the pasta as the portion of meat felt lacklustre. The pasta was perfectly cooked & held onto the sauce very well. Lastly, the drinks were delicious- perfectly balanced between sweet & tangy. The service here was phenomenal, they consistently checked up on us & made sure we were well taken care of. Overall, the restaurant was a great experience in MTL, a good place to go to if you're in the area & are looking for a more expensive dinner.
J'aime!!! Do yourself a favor & immerse yourself in the exquisite divinity that is Modavie! French fare at its finest. The basque chicken is just tickled perfectly with peppers, which will tickle your esophagus as it slides down! Careful not to squeal in delight! Pair this with an amaretto stone sour & let the stars dance in the night's sky. C'est magnifique!
A very elegant French fine dining experience with some delicious food & welcoming staff. The food was tasty & about the right temperature. They even have live music on some days. It's a great place to be.
Great find! Had live music great bartender & the foods amazing. Def a great date night spot. Great attention to my lemon allergy. Had the duck one of my fav & hubby had the rack of lamb. All good. Hubby loved thr French onion soup.. For me it had great flavor but to chunky I perfer more broth
Feb 13, 2024
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Imon (sp) was our server, & right off the bat, she was like a long-lost friend. She was amazing with such great energy & personality. She made the dining experience such a memorable one. She made my husband & I so comfortable & met our every need. The food was flawless. I would definitely hit this French restaurant again, if ever in Old Montreal, & would most definitely ask for Imon again. Thank you, sweetheart!
