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.
Came here for the Happening Gourmand set menu. $59/pp for a generous amount of food. The cocktail was lovely as well. All the food was excellent & the service was top notch. Great stop!
This restaurant is everything you'd hope for in a French dining experience-elegant yet completely welcoming. We stopped in for lunch & enjoyed a selection of appetizers, each one beautifully prepared & bursting with flavor. The ambiance has all the charm & sophistication of a classic French restaurant, but without even a hint of pretension.
What truly sets this place apart, though, is the staff. Everyone was warm & inviting, making us feel like old friends rather than just another table. Lorenzo, in particular, made our experience unforgettable-his humor, attention to detail, & genuine care for every guest turned a great meal into something special.
I can't wait to return for dinner with live music & finally try the lamb chops. If lunch was this good, I can only imagine what an evening here will be like!
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Modavie, & I must say, it was an unforgettable experience! From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with warm hospitality, setting the tone for an exceptional evening.
The atmosphere was absolutely charming-dim lighting, cozy yet elegant decor, & a live jazz band that elevated the entire experience. The music was simply superb, creating the perfect backdrop for a relaxed & enjoyable dinner.
As for the service, it was flawless from start to finish. The hostess welcomed us with a smile, the bartenders were friendly & skilled, & our server was attentive without being intrusive. Every interaction felt genuine & professional.
Now, let's talk about the food-miam! My friend & I started with the Caesar salad, which was fresh, crisp, & perfectly dressed. For the main course, we both indulged in the filet mignon, & it was absolutely divine-tender, juicy, & cooked to perfection. Every bite melted in our mouths, & the flavors were simply outstanding.
I highly recommend Modavie to anyone looking for a top-tier dining experience in Montreal. Whether you're a fan of great food, live jazz, or simply excellent service, this spot has it all. I can't wait to go back!
Lucky to be in Montreal for'Happening Gourmand' with their $59 menu so chose Modavie for the lamb, steak & jazz. Unfortunately we were very hungry & changed our reservation time so we were too early for the jazz. The service was exceptional & the food exceeded our expectations. Started with beet & chèvre salad & finished with Opera cake.
Lorenzo & Jordanna made our experience so fun! Our favorite appetizer was the foie gras, & the duck confit was so tender! Look forward to coming back for live music!!!
I truly enjoyed this place. It was busy, but the food & the atmosphere was amazing. Live music, great friendly service, & delicious food. Truffle risotto was super delicious.
Mar 11, 2025
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My partner & I went for lunch yesterday before I drive back to the States, & we are upset we didn't come here earlier on our trip! The food was delicious + we the service was spectacular! Specifically, our interaction with Lorenzo was amazing!! He was very attentive to us, & really made the experience the best one yet in Montréal! When my partner & I return, our first stop will gladly be Modavie again! All the best, Angela & Jamal.
my friend & I went here for lunch today & had such a great welcoming experience, the service was great especially our new friend Lorenzo. Such a kind funny soul he made us feel so comfortable & made us laugh the whole time. Food was amazing we had the filet mignon & the pesto gnocci, drinks were also very tasty. We thank Lorenzo for our positive moment of the day, might even come back tomorrow!! From Sophie & Olivia
Seafood linguine had good scallops, but they didn't work at all with the pasta sauce, which was so full of oregano I couldn't taste anything else. & the creme brulee was not very creamy. Possibly overcooked? & the top was warm where it was torched, then cold on the bottom.
Live music is great & so was the service.
Great restaurant in the old town of Montréal. The staff were all very attentive & anticipated my needs, such as keeping my water topped up & asking how was the food & if I'm ready for desserts. The food all came relatively quick for a very busy restaurant. All the food I've ordered was tasty & the wine was great too.
The atmosphere was lovely as it had a live band. I enjoyed every moment of it & will look forward coming to this restaurant again.
This is a wow restaurant. It is a must go restaurant in Montreal. You will not be disappointed ! The restaurant is huge with live music, good decoration & warm, a good selection of wine & French cuisine. I had garlic snails to start with….it was super delicious & finished all my bread! Then I had the duck confit - yes yes yes, you can taste the coffee! The potato, spinach, roasted almonds & the melt in my mouth super delicious duct confit take my breath away. The French Malbec - very good, wish I ordered 1 bottle ! I finished the meal with a delicious chocolate Lava Cake. You must have it ! The service is very good & professional.
We ate here for lunch. It was excellent. I had the onion soup it was very good but a little bit too thick for my tastes I like it to be just a little thinner but flavor was spot on. The poutine that I had was excellent. I've had it a couple of different ways I normally don't like having meat added to it or anything like that. I like having it done the way poutine was always done. If I would give any slight suggestion would be to add a little bit more of the cheese curds to it other than that it was fantastic some of the best I've ever had. Now Richard on the other hand had the Sweetbreads. Hopefully people sophisticated enough who are reading this would understand what sweetbreads are they are not sweet bread. For his main course he had the duck confit. I basically had a little bit of his food because I didn't want to overdo it because we were going to dinner that night at Bonaparte. So I wanted to have a nice empty stomach. For lunch it was an excellent lunch. Dinner looks to be just as good if not better. We actually did order off the dinner menu but the portions were slightly downsized for lunch size.
Fantastic restaurant! The jazz band playing was very good & the service was great.
The food was really fabulous. I had the salmon tartare & the mushroom risotto (best I ever had). The dessert was so goooood! definitely a must go to!
