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.
The Onion Soup & Creme Brulee were the best things. Overall great food, lovely ambiance & nice staff. It is a bit pricy but well put for the quality of food. Our Steak & Fries was a little hard to chew but overall it was great.
I was looking forward to this dinner but was underwhelmed with the steak. Over cooked & over salted. The band was amazing, but I wish my meal was too. Disappointed based on the reviews.
Service was excellent. Jazz trio was a treat. Disappointing steak frites. A cheap cut mothered in an overpowering sauce. Other dishes served around me looked good.
Apr 11, 2025
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Gluten-free Poutine!!! The food here was so good & so many items gluten free. Except dessert! Please work on that.
We started with the poutine with lamb. Delicious salty gravy & the tender lamb. Wow! We then had lamb chops & the mushroom risotto. Both were very good. The mushrooms were crispy on the truffled rice. So good. I loved the lamb chops & thought a large portion. The crème brûlée was good but nothing exciting. They were out of a few things such as the chicken. The wine choices were good only if you bought a bottle.
The restaurant is set up as restaurant on one side & bar on the other with jazz. I enjoyed the jazz from the restaurant side but would not have wanted to eat in the bar.
There is construction on the streets around the restaurant if you are driving be aware.
Came for brunch & enjoyed the live music. Brunch menu has some interesting takes on classic dishes like a duck confit version of chicken & waffles. Worth stopping by.
Great location, the food was mostly good - we had calamari, charcuterie & cheese board & the beef tartare (don't get the beef tartare it isn't going to be what you want it to be).
I had a nice glass of red wine & my husband had a beer which he had to ask for a couple times before it showed up. We liked the atmosphere & planned to stay but nobody ever came back to check on us or see if we wanted another drink - what a shame! We had to hunt our server down for the bill & then we left. & no, it wasn't busy at the time.
Wow! Each dish was exquisitely prepared & tasted divine! But it's the service, humble, fun, oh so warm & attentive that truly shone. The staff here are a team of extraordinary people that embrace each patron as if we were individually invited into their very own homes to dine.
Apr 3, 2025
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Exactly what I was looking for in Old Montreal where it seems many restaurants have closed. The atmosphere here is perfect. Beautiful, dimly lit & easy to have a conversation while listening to live music & enjoying a perfectly prepared meal. I recommend the scallops appetizer with capers though we also enjoyed the seafood linguine with scallops-they were perfectly prepared in both dishes & while the tomato sauce was great, the appetizer's sauce will not be forgotten. The poutine (without lamb) with shoestring fries was also perfectly salty & tangy with more than enough small pieces of cheese curd. (This is a respectable poutine but one that isn't drowning in gravy like you might enjoy in many other restaurants-it has less guilt too!) I also enjoyed the salmon tartare but it had a much more subtle flavour than the other dishes. The service & atmosphere were wonderful. I would love to return.
Best restaurant on our trip & the lamb chops was the best meal I've ever had. Staff was extremely friendly, welcoming & attentive, especially our server Rad. Will be telling friends & family about Modavie!
We were here for blues & food on the main floor but ended upstairs for Jazz & food instead. The Jazz was awesome we loved every minute of it. The food speaks was VERY GOOD!! We will be back 100000%. Next time we will hang out on the main floor for the Blues.
It was incredible & very kid friendly the host Lorenzo was very nice to me & my mom,I highly recommend going there if you are visiting or if you are a local
Loved the atmosphere! It was buzzing & full, even on a Monday evening. Reservation definitely recommended. Prior to arriving, we were informed that mains were not shareable (each guest needs to order their own main). I thought that was fair. I did not fancy sharing my delicious mushroom risotto anyway :)
My partner had lamb cavatelli which was delicious as well.
For dessert we had opera cake & profiterole. Our wines were enjoyable too. The server was great.
All I can say is bring your appetite (& wallet)!
In my last night in Montreal, Canada in November, 2024
I reserved a table at this lovely place in Old Montreal
A nice French restaurant that had one of the best food in all of Canada
I sit by the bar, while I was listening to live soul music
I ordered Escargots au gratin, duck confit, a cheesecake, beer & a cognac cocktail
It was so delicious
The service was good
& beside me there were a couple of friendly Canadians I befriended: Evan from Saskatchewan & Mike from Nova Scotia.
We talked about our countries, celebrities & trips & they made my last night in Canada better,
So better,
that, they advised me to continue to enjoy the unforgettable nightlife in town & I did so.
Definitely, a nice restaurant with the best atmosphere & food in the city.
Greetings from Mexico.
