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.
Went here for our honeymoon dinner, & the place is absolutely amazing! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was very relaxing, there was live music, & our server, Patrice, was wonderful! 11/10, would definitely recommend!
Beautiful & perfectly located in Old Montreal.
We had an exceptional dinner with delicious food, the attentions of Alexandra & Lorenzo were A1!
We will be back for sure!
Feb 8, 2026
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
My husband & I ate here for my birthday & we had a wonderful experience. When we booked our reservation, they asked us if there was a special occasion, & we selected birthday. While we were in the restaurant, we never mentioned it to our waiter. After we received our desserts, they let us know mine would be free for my birthday. I thought it was really nice that they laid attention to all the details & cared about making this a nice experience for us. I also really appreciated that they asked us about food allergies after we ordered.
The food, the music they played & the service were all very good. It's a great spot for a date night, with a romantic atmosphere. This was our second time here, & it's becoming one of our favourite restaurants in town. We will be back soon enough!
Full blown obsessed with the Modavie Poutine, & getting it with the braised lab is a must. My husband & I loved it so much that we decided the next time we come we're each getting our own because neither of us want to share. The host Lorenzo was charming, funny & kind, & our waitress was super nice as well. When we come back to Montreal this will always be a must stop place for us.
Endroit super chaleureux & convivial.
La nourriture y est délicieuse, pour les amoureux de la gastronomie française, vous ne serez pas déçus.
De la carte des vins au dessert.
Un grand merci à Lorenzo pour son accueil super chaleureux & sympathique , il nous a mis à l'aise tout suite, merci à William notre serveur pour son service irréprochable & bienveillant.
Ma soeur a passé un merveilleux lunch d'anniversaire .
Nous y retournerons à coup sûr.
Maria & Rosette
Un immense merci à Massimo pour son service incroyable.
Professionnel, attentionné & toujours souriant, il a vraiment rendu notre expérience mémorable.
La nourriture était excellente & l'ambiance du restaurant tout simplement parfaite.
On reviendra sans hésiter !
Fantastic food & atmosphere. We sat at the bar as there were no open tables & were greeted & attended by a wonderful bartender. The wait staff & servers were very nice & attentive. We ordered calamari for our starter & it was the best I've ever had, perfectly cooked & lightly breaded. We also ordered the gnocchis which my wife really enjoyed. I ordered the lamb chops with vegetables & they were prepared to a perfect medium. Although there was only one reisling available, it was very good. Dry & crisp. I would definitely recommend & would certainly visit again if I am in Old Montréal.
We've been here several times for brunch, dinner, & group outings with coworkers. It's a great venue with a warm, lively ambiance, especially for a casual dinner with live music. The food is generally good, though a bit hit-or-miss, & not quite a'wow' gastronomic experience. Prices feel slightly high for what's offered, but the atmosphere makes it an enjoyable place overall.
Amazing service & food! Everything was extremely delicious & fresh. The atmosphere was great, & | loved the fresh buns served before the meal. I honestly didn't find anything negative & loved every bite. The only thing to note is that the menu isn't very kid-friendly, with limited options for children.
Très belle expérience. L'ambiance est chaleureuse & vivante, parfaite pour une soirée à Montréal. Le service était attentionné & professionnel, sans être envahissant. Les plats étaient savoureux, bien présentés & préparés avec soin ,on sent la constance & la maîtrise en cuisine. Une adresse fiable que je recommande autant pour un souper entre amis que pour une occasion spéciale. J'y retournerai sans hésiter.
Jan 25, 2026
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Modavie est un très beau restaurant dans le vieux-port de Montréal. Il offre une très belle table d'hôte le midi. La nourriture est vraiment bonne & le service est attentionné. Si vous êtes amateur de musique, je vous conseille également d'y aller en soirée où divers artistes vont sur scène pour accompagner votre bon repas.
I have been to Montreal a few times with friends, but it was always a short trip & I didn't have time to dine in. This time, I went with my sister, who is a first-timer in the city. We were only staying for a few days, but I made a list of restaurants to try. As we were walking around, we got hungry, & Modavie was on my list & close by. We didn't make a reservation since we didn't know when our activity would end, but it was after lunch, so I knew it might not be busy. The moment we walked in, we were greeted by a lovely, gentle older man. He made us feel right at home.
The female server greeted us once we were seated, & she had such a calming aura. I asked for her recommendations for wine & followed her suggestion based on the meals I was having. My sister ordered their lunch five-meal special, & I ordered their specialty, which was the rack of lamb, with a cheese platter appetizer. The lamb was cooked to perfection & seasoned well-rich & tender! We loved the cheese platter as well. The foie gras was amazing; it melted in my mouth. On the other hand, my sister thought her main would be a salmon dish, but pasta was the main course, which she wanted to avoid since we had recently had pasta, but it was still alright! We ordered crème brûlée because I had read a glowing review about it. It was creamy & delicious!
This restaurant was our first stop & made a great impression with its food & service, so we were even more inspired to try many other restaurants in Quebec.
My husband & I don't always get the chance to have a date night, once or twice a year I would say. We almost aways go to Modavie as the atmosphere, food, drink & service always proves to be amazing. On January 17th, our expectations were surpassed & our evening was absolutely perfect.
We were seated in Isma's (apologies for mis spelling of her name). Right from the start she was attentive. I was unsure of which wine to choose, & she brought me 2 samples.
The food was beyond good, we had the risotto & the steak frites.
To end our night, we were even presented a glass of dessert wine on the house.
Our night was absolutely special & our next date night will definitely be back at Modavie in Isma's section! Thank you so much!
Food is just ok. Steak was very boring. Foie gras cold & bone marrow too vinegary . Service is amazing! My husband got wine that was oxidized,but he was too shy to replace it. Best part is that they open at 4 for dinner, if you want early meal.
Jan 19, 2026
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
An amazing brunch place! The vibe, the restaurant, & the food-everything was just top-notch. I tried the lamb chops & the salmon tartare, & they were both excellent.
A must-try.
I didn't eat here. So when I'm saying That I'm reading this as a Four star. That's based off of my experience & the cocktail menu. So I can't speak to the food selection or anything like that.
That being said we came here with the hopes of watching live jazz. Unfortunately, we didn't realize that that ended at 10 PM. So we were a little bummed that we had just missed it. We decided to sit at the bar to have a cocktail anyhow.
I forget the name of the one I ordered, but it was a tequila-based drink with coconut milk. It was really nice but a little bit on the sweet side for me. I didn't end up finishing it. Which is a shame because these drinks are definitely very expensive.
My coworkers each had an old-fashioned & they said that there's were quite lovely. Also, expensive however.
The bar area was nice good vibe in there. The bartender didn't seem to want to converse with us so he was a little bit grumpy. It seemed when I go back? Yes as long as there was live jazz happening. No if there was no jazz.
Always our favourite restaurant in Montreal.
They have terrific live band. About their food which was the most delicious one. Recommend for friends gatherineg👍🏼
