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.
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.
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!
Service was friendly & ambiance was nice. Bread was fresh & butter was good. Jazz music was played live as we ate our tuna tartare, cod & rice with lobster bisque, steak & fries & crème brûlée 🍮 Street parking with meters.
We had a great day at Modavie. We had reservations at night but we were in the area in the afternoon so we stopped in. We had never been here before. We had a fabulous time listening to the live jazz music in the other room, enjoying some specialty drinks, & light food sitting at the bar. The manager (possibly the owner) who greeted us was ao nice!! He chatted with us in both languages & he was so charming & paid lots of attention to my Mom. We came back at night to a lovely table on the 2nd floor where we thoroughly enjoyed more live jazz music from a different trio. The manager/owner & the serving staff were once again amazing & the food was delicious. We are from Ottawa & my 80 year old mother hadn't been to Old Montreal in over 20 years & wanted to visit. Thanks to the manager, a very nice gentleman, its a great experience she will never forget. On the way out, the manager went out of his way during a busy time for him, to catch up to my Mom as she was about to step into the street, to say thank you. Its the little things that matter the most & we will never forget this restaurant & we highly recommend it after two visits in the same day. Thank you for the memorable day!!
Beautiful restaurant! It has a rly nice aesthetic. Service was great & so was the jazz. The food was pretty good, but could have used more seasoning. The portions were on the small side. For the price I think the food should've been 20% better. Overall I recommend:)
Mar 1, 2026
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One of the greatest restaurants I have been to. My wife invited me there on my birthday & I loved it! There was even a live band playing Jazz that day 🤩
The food was great especially the appetizers & the desserts.
The waiter George was really friendly. We even became friends with him & he offered us a dessert on the house!
Would definitely go back there this summer. I recommend it to anyone visiting Montreal or spending an evening around the Old Port
Went here for Valentine's 💖
The table was decorated with flower petals, & the vibe was really nice 🤎
Can't wait to catch the live jazz performance next time 🎷
Honestly, I remember the atmosphere more than the food.
I didn't eat here. So when I'm saying That I'm reading this as a Four star. That's based off of my experience & the cocktail menu. So I can't speak to the food selection or anything like that.
That being said we came here with the hopes of watching live jazz. Unfortunately, we didn't realize that that ended at 10 PM. So we were a little bummed that we had just missed it. We decided to sit at the bar to have a cocktail anyhow.
I forget the name of the one I ordered, but it was a tequila-based drink with coconut milk. It was really nice but a little bit on the sweet side for me. I didn't end up finishing it. Which is a shame because these drinks are definitely very expensive.
My coworkers each had an old-fashioned & they said that there's were quite lovely. Also, expensive however.
The bar area was nice good vibe in there. The bartender didn't seem to want to converse with us so he was a little bit grumpy. It seemed when I go back? Yes as long as there was live jazz happening. No if there was no jazz.
We went as a party of 4 for new years eve. The location is great & the atmosphere upstairs was very well done with the live jazz singer & the double bass player. The music was not overwhelmingly loud & complemented the experience in an elegant way. We found the service to be excellent. So kudos to the waiter that served us. We had a 5 course dinner with the wine pairing. I didn't find the wine really complemented the flavors of each dish so can't say whether or not a sommelier was involved in the selections. The dishes were good but not outstanding. I could not say that I found myself weak in the knees on first bite of each dish as I had hoped. The food was ok, I still finished everything on my plate. Overall I found the prices was fairly for the quality but nothing outstanding that would entice me to return.
Jan 2, 2026
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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.
A great restaurant in the heart of Old Montreal. We enjoyed the lamb chops & charcuterie & cheese board. Prompt service, excellent food & the jazz music was.an added bonus.
We had a beautiful, warm experience at Modavie. The waiter was exceptional; the food was very good, & the atmosphere was warm & cozy. Live jazz was the cherry on top. It's in a beautiful part of Montreal. I was seated by the fireplace, & it was so wonderfully cozy & a chilly evening. Soupe a l'ongion was the perfect start to our meal
Nov 19, 2025
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Très bon restaurant au coeur du vieux Montreal.j'ai bien apprécié la cuisine réconfortante & le service très attentionné.Le restaurant est un peu bruyant,la musique est trop forte à mon goût.Ensuite nous avons eu le plaisir de voir un groupe de jazz.tres chouette mais pas suffisamment mis en valeu
