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.
Had an amazing experience at Modavie! From the moment we walked in, the vibe was incredible-super welcoming & lively. The live jazz music really set the mood & made the whole night feel special.
Huge shoutout to Caroline, who took care of me & my friends. She was honestly the highlight of our experience-super friendly, chill, & gave us amazing recommendations that we all loved. You can tell she really knows the menu & wants you to have a great time.
The food, the energy, & the atmosphere were all on point. Between the live music & the great service, this is definitely a spot I'd come back to anytime I'm in Montreal. Highly recommend!
We went here for a early dinner as we booked for AURA experience in Notre-Dame Basilica. It's quite pity we didn't get a chance to enjoy the jazz music.
We tried the Happening Gourmand Menu - 2-course menu featuring items for $49, like the snail, tuna tartare, steak & fries & cod risotto. Other than that, we also ordered onion soup & rack of lamp from the menu separately.
I would say the food is like average level, nothing impressed me. The food was served promptly, I kinda doubted if they were freshly cooked or not. I ordered medium for the steak & lamp. I think they were served as medium well.
Apr 1, 2026
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.
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
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.
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
Mar 10, 2026
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.
We had a nice dinner at Modavie restaurant. The place has a great atmosphere & feels lively, especially with the live music playing during the evening.
We ordered salmon fillet with barley & a glass of wine. The food tasted fresh & was very tasty. The salmon was well prepared & the dish was nicely balanced.
The restaurant was quite busy, which shows it's a popular place. Because of the live music & the number of guests, it can also get a bit loud, but it adds to the energetic atmosphere.
Overall, it's a nice place with good food, live music, & a vibrant setting. 🎶🍷🐟
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!!
Mar 7, 2026
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.
Great place for a fun evening with friends! All food options were delicious! Duck pasta & mushroom risotto were big winners! Staff was fun, friendly, & did a great job with our specifics on food & drink orders. The music was certainly & added bonus enjoyed by all. I highly recommend this restaurant!
Went here for our honeymoon dinner, & the place is absolutely amazing! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was very relaxing, there was live music, & our server, Patrice, was wonderful! 11/10, would definitely recommend!
My husband & I ate here for my birthday & we had a wonderful experience. When we booked our reservation, they asked us if there was a special occasion, & we selected birthday. While we were in the restaurant, we never mentioned it to our waiter. After we received our desserts, they let us know mine would be free for my birthday. I thought it was really nice that they laid attention to all the details & cared about making this a nice experience for us. I also really appreciated that they asked us about food allergies after we ordered.
The food, the music they played & the service were all very good. It's a great spot for a date night, with a romantic atmosphere. This was our second time here, & it's becoming one of our favourite restaurants in town. We will be back soon enough!
