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 is a standout destination in Old Montreal, celebrated for its warm, inviting atmosphere and the consistent quality of its French bistro fare. Guests frequently highlight the excellent lamb dishes, onion soup, and duck confit as menu favorites, often paired with an impressive wine selection and well-crafted cocktails. The live jazz and blues music adds a unique, sophisticated charm that diners find both lively and memorable. While service can occasionally be busy due to the restaurant's popularity, most patrons describe the staff as attentive, professional, and welcoming, with many praising the personalized care provided during special occasions. Making a reservation is highly recommended to fully enjoy the experience in this classic, bustling establishment.
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.
Aug 26, 2025
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They serve some classic French dishes, but why do I get the feeling the cooks don't know how to cook. For one the lamb rack is overcooked & soggy, demi glace & steak sauce's overly starchy.
We really enjoyed a late lunch at this restaurant. The calming atmosphere was just what a tired tourist needs. The food was wonderfully fresh & delicious-we had the best Caesar salad we've ever tasted. Even the complimentary bread was warm, flavorful, & melted in our mouths. Both the fried calamari & the seafood linguine were bursting with flavor. Service was very friendly.
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.
Appetizers were good. The main was ok, I was expecting much better for $100/head. They sat us on the 2nd floor near the toilets & we pretty much froze the whole night. The ac was on blast & pointed directly at us. It was very uncomfortable the whole night. Our waiter was very good but the food was very slow to come out.
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.
