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.
Does Modavie have a private room for group events or parties?
Yes, Modavie offers a private room available for group dining, private parties, corporate meetings, and special celebrations. Contact the restaurant directly to discuss availability and group menus.
Modavie consistently offers a memorable dining experience in Old Montreal, characterized by its classic French bistro cuisine, inviting atmosphere, and high-quality live jazz music. Many guests praise the delicious lamb dishes, duck confit, and flavorful appetizers like the French onion soup and escargots. The service is frequently described as professional, welcoming, and attentive, with numerous staff members noted for their ability to make special occasions feel truly personalized and celebratory. While the environment can become lively and occasionally loud due to its popularity and musical performances, it remains a favorite destination for both locals and travelers seeking an authentic and elegant atmosphere. Although some diners have noted variations in seasoning or occasional wait times during peak hours, the majority of visitors appreciate the well-crafted cocktails, extensive wine list, and the genuine hospitality that keeps them returning.
Incredible restaurant that we went to twice on our 5 day trip. Food is delicious - rack of lamb, lamb chops & lamb cavetelli all excellent. I'd recommend the cavetelli - lamb,pasta & sauce were excellent but everything was delicious. Live music was great. Family friendly restaurant & the hospitality & generosity of the waiters made it feel like home. They washed my 2 year old daughter's plate we brought at the end. Very kind gesture that we've never experienced anywhere else. Thank you hope to come again soon.
Delicious food & good vibe. We booked early for dinner at 5pm, 2 hour sitting time, recommended reservations, especially if you want to come around 7pm to experience Jazz live music. Their onions soup is a must try, they are also popular for lamb chops, my partner said it's is really good. Will definitely come back
We went to Modavie on the weekend & had a great experience start to finish. We had an early reservation for our wedding anniversary that we unfortunately had to cancel. However, the hostess on the phone let us know that a walk in might be available. We tried that around 7pm & the hostess was kind & accommodating. We sat on the patio where we could hear the live music but it was not too loud. Service was fantastic & so was our server, Tyler. He was warm, attentive, & friendly. He brought us out a dessert to celebrate our anniversary, even though I was only able to write that it was our anniversary on the first reservation I did- so they must have remembered from that. Also the lamb burger was amazing. Would recommend to anyone visiting the city.
We came for the early special, 3 courses for 42$ 1130am to 4pm. I HIGHLY recommend. The decor was very fun & inviting, tin ceilings & old posters. The staff were helpful & friendly. We started with warm bread, it was delicious. First course was a turnip soup of the day. Then the main for kids menu was a macaroni cheese pasta. It was so good we kept stealing bites from the kids. Our main was the short rib, came with a beet mash puree, vegetables & a delicious sauce. The ribs were succulent, tender, & still held a crust. 10/10. For dessert we had creme Brule & cheesecake. Go for the cheese cake, it had texture, & flavor. The creme Brule was standard good. Will come again, highly recommend.
The service & food here is great. Would highly recommend booking in advance as they are busy almost always. Thank you to my waiter for proactively (without my prompting) checking on my French onion soup! This is also a must.
We arrived in Montreal late & were looking for a late dinner without a reservation. Even on a weekday, most of the well-reviewed spots near Rue St.Paul were full, so we ended up here. About a 15-minute wait, & we were seated.
They were playing live jazz in the back dining area, but without a reservation we were placed in a quieter, more secluded space. Service was friendly & efficient, & we decided to skip a full meal for some hot appetizers & entrées.
The onion soup was a good start even during the summer months. Not quite the same satisfaction as in the dead of winter, but flavor-wise, it sat in the same tier as most great French onion soups I've had. If there was a difference, it was in the cheese (richer, not too rubbery, & nice aroma).
Calamari was calamari. Good as expected, but nothing to write home about. I had high hopes for the Normandy sweetbread, but it wasn't the kind I was looking for. The Calvados-&-apple combination doubled on sweetness, which unfortunately overshadowed the natural flavors of the sweetbread. The sauce itself was pleasant at first, but it was so dominant that it was hard to tell if I was picking up a piece of morel mushrooms or a sweetbread.
Thankfully, the two entrées we ordered were amazing. We got the mushroom risotto as a filler, but it turned out to be our second favorite dish. The truffle aroma & pine nuts worked together really well. The Lamb chop was highly recommended from our server, & since all the lamb I had in Montreal/Quebec were phenomenal, I decided to trust her. This was no exception. Sides were fairly basic, but even without a sauce, the meat was just so tender & flavorful.
The restaurant was busy for lunch, but they seated me at the bar right away. The bartender was attentive, friendly, & offered great suggestions. I went with the lamb pasta in a rich mushroom-style sauce, & it was absolutely delicious. Highly recommend!