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 offers a quintessential French bistro experience in Old Montreal, celebrated for its warm, inviting atmosphere and nightly live jazz music. Many guests highlight the exceptional quality of the cuisine, particularly the signature lamb dishes, French onion soup, and duck confit, which are often described as tender and flavorful. While experiences can vary based on individual preferences for seasoning or portion sizes, the attentive and professional service provided by the staff frequently elevates the dining experience. Whether visiting for a special anniversary, a celebratory birthday, or a casual lunch, patrons consistently appreciate the festive energy and classic charm that make this restaurant a standout destination in the city.
Wonderful restaurant in old Montréal. Service was impeccable. We had onion soup, garlic snails, calamari, salmon w/risotto & Basque chicken. Everything was great. This restaurant was our son's favorite meal from our first trip to Montréal. Highly recommend. We came in the middle of afternoon. Was not busy when we arrived but filled up quickly, may need reservations. Its a two minute walk to the Notre Dame Basilica. A must try
This French restaurant in Old Montreal has a nice atmosphere, with stylish décor & occasional live music.
Food-wise, it was decent but not especially outstanding - understandable for a tourist-area restaurant. The French onion soup had good flavor, but it could use more cheese & a bit more baking for extra aroma. The beef tartare was also acceptable; the meat quality was fine & the seasoning was decent.
Overall, it's a solid spot, mainly for the atmosphere & location. The price is a higher than similar-quality restaurants elsewhere, but given the tourist area, it's reasonable. If you're willing to venture a little outside Old Montreal, there are better dining options available. :)
Best steak frites & onion soup we've ever had. The steak was so tender & cooked perfectly. Onion soup was flavorful & took the soul for a ride. The mushroom risotto was not too heavy & cooked perfectly. The backstage cocktail was a delicious take on an espresso martini & I plan to try & recreate it at home.
The host was incredibly warm & inviting. He gave us a cozy corner table with an amazing view towards old town Montreal. Our waiter was so warm & friendly, & we were well taken care of. Highly recommend & 100% will be coming back. Merci Beaucoup!
Jun 19, 2026
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I don't usually write lengthy reviews, but unfortunately this experience warrants one.
We made a reservation several weeks in advance for a birthday dinner, specifically requesting a table near the live music section. On the day of our reservation, we knew we would be running late, so we called ahead to let the restaurant know. We were explicitly told that it was'no problem.'
We arrived at 7:20 PM for our 6:45 PM reservation & were immediately informed that our table had been given away.
The explanation?'We only hold reservations for 15 minutes.'
At no point during our phone call were we informed of this policy. More importantly, nobody called us to let us know they were about to release our table. Had they done so, we would have simply made alternate plans elsewhere instead of showing up expecting the experience we had booked weeks in advance.
The alternatives offered were disappointing: either sit at the bar or on the terrace directly facing the street. The terrace was far from ideal for a birthday dinner-constant traffic noise, car engines, music blasting from passing vehicles, & even the smell of exhaust & garbage. Not exactly the atmosphere we had reserved for.
As for the food, the disappointment continued.
The individual cheese board was around $25, & the charcuterie plate around $28. Seeing that the combined board was approximately $40, we assumed it would be a generous sharing platter & ordered that instead.
It was shockingly underwhelming.
The presentation looked rushed & sparse, with only a few pieces of cheese, a handful of cold cuts, canned pineapple, & what appeared to be processed ham. For a board at that price point, I expected something abundant, thoughtfully curated, & worthy of sharing. Instead, it felt more like a small appetizer plate with noticeable empty space than a proper charcuterie board.
The calamari was also disappointing-slightly rubbery & served with very little sauce.
The only standout dish of the evening was the French onion soup, which was genuinely excellent.
Originally, we had planned on staying for a full dinner, but after the reservation issue & underwhelming appetizers, we decided to continue the evening elsewhere.
Overall, this was a surprisingly mediocre experience. Between the poor handling of reservations, the lack of communication, & the underwhelming food, it simply did not live up to expectations.
As someone with French-Lebanese roots who is very familiar with French cuisine & dining culture, I did not find the experience particularly authentic.
There are far better options in Old Montreal for the same budget & a much better experience. I'd recommend places like Maggie Oakes, Monarque, Jacopo, Buvette Nicole (authentically french), or even The Keg Steakhouse + Bar if you're looking for a more reliable night out.
A birthday dinner should feel special. Unfortunately, this one did not.
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!
Wonderful restaurant with live music & serving classic French cuisine. Great atmosphere on second floor. Was given a fantastic table close to live music performance. Attendant was ok, nothing extraordinary but provided decent polite service. Food was quite good, especially the onion soup which was not salty & seasoned perfectly with savory & sweetness balanced nicely with hint of wine flavourful in the broth. Rack of lamb was cooked to perfection however the rack portion could have been better cut up & presented though, it was a tad lazy to serve up two giant racks with other rack bones partial in together, when compare to others having same dish at other tables. Scallops were cooked right but sauce was too salty for my preference. Salad was amazingly fresh & crisp. Overall good food good vibe good value.
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!
Aspires to be a jazz/music restaurant with serious cuisine. Mostly a tourist spot that under delivers. Caesar salad was fine. Onion soup lacked broth. Lamb burgers were ok but could use some more flavoring. Scallops were cooked rare , which is ok for many but kitchen declined to do medium on customer request. Musical trio was underwhelming. Would not 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.
