Mon Lapin, a neighbourhood restaurant in the heart of Montreal's Little Italy. Inventive and delicious fare, all the seasonal favourites on an ever-changing menu by chefs Marc-Olivier Frappier and Jessica Noel, and team. Visionary wines, a list filled with vibrant and eclectic bottles.
Across reviews, Mon Lapin is widely praised for inventive seasonal dishes, a warm intimate atmosphere, and a dining experience that many call a standout in Canada. The service is repeatedly described as attentive and knowledgeable, with wine pairings and menu explanations that elevate the meal, though a few readers note moments of overcrowding, speed, or overly persistent attention. Portions are often described as small and prices high, with some guests feeling the experience is about culinary artistry more than meat on the plate, while others celebrate the finesse and balance of flavors. The menu emphasizes local ingredients and frequent changes, with signatures like the scallop pétoncle croque, preserved leeks with smoked mussels, and buckwheat cake standing out for many; the overall impression is one of creative presentation and thoughtful pairings. Reservations are hard to secure and the ambiance can be noisy, but the consensus is that the quality of food and service justifies the hype for many, even as a minority call it overrated or inconsistent.
Came here for a friend's birthday. Spectacular food that really highlights regional ingredients. Attention to detail in every dish but also the service. Entire staff were extremely friendly, knowledgeable, & appropriately sociable with everybody. There is zero levels of pretension & they make sure you feel welcome & explain everything to you very warmly. One of the premier restaurant locations in Quebec, Montreal, & all of Canada.
Oct 6, 2025
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Vin Mon Lapin truly delivers on what one could only describe as one of the best dining experiences in Montreal. It is not for no reason that reservations are so difficult to get your hands on.
The menu can only be described as a playground for hyperseasonal local produce. The food is highly creative, blending a variety of flavors & textures. Sweet, savoury, fragrant & acidic while creamy, juicy, chewy, & crispy. Every dish was perfectly balanced through the meticulous & thoughtful marriage of seasonal ingredients.
Service was equally impeccable. The staff was highly attentive & engaging. They were also knowledgeable on the menu & explained each dish with a passion that reflects a deep love for their craft & appreciation for the soil.
Overall, my experience with Vin Mon Lapin was splendid. Each dish was a burst of flavor that kept me wanting more. This is an establishment I truly believe deserves all the love & everyone must try once. I highly look forward to coming back again & tasting their culinary creations through all the seasons.
This is easily one of the best meals I have ever had. We went on a busy Saturday night & we were promptly seated as soon as we arrived. Our original server was absolutely lovely & really helped us with the menu. We decided to have the kitchen curate a menu for us with wine pairings which was the BEST decision. We got such an array of dishes & every single one was delicious & every wine accompaniment worked perfectly. We were there for 2 hours & were attended to perfectly by multiple servers who were so knowledgeable about the menu & wine pairings. The restaurant itself was beautiful, I cannot say enough good things. I can't wait to go back
Amazing dining experience! Wiped down every plate! Fiona is incredibly knowledgeable about the wine & the food. The entire staff was super thoughtful & hospitable! They explain everything! Absolute FAVORITE were these scallop mousse sandwich - DO NOT MISS THIS!!!
It was our first time at Vin Mon Lapin & we had a lovely experience! What stood out the most was the excellent service we received from their very sympathetic & knowledgeable staff! As per the staff's recommendation, we tried the tasting menu & we had a coup de coeur for the Couteau de mer sur glace celeri, the Croque-Pétoncle & the Cardeau Cru, Sungolds - Beurre noisette. The wine was insanely good was well! I don't know if the tasting menu was worth it for us (we didn't particularly like the Carrots, the gnocchi & one of the two main dishes) but we still happy we tried it! We'll definitely go back to try other things on the menu!
Mar 12, 2025
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My husband & I stumbled upon this gem without knowing it's ranked as Canada's #1 restaurant, & what a serendipitous discovery it turned out to be! Open for lunch only two weeks a year, we were incredibly lucky to snag a spare table. From the moment we sat down, the experience was nothing short of extraordinary. Each dish was a masterpiece - exquisitely crafted with locally sourced ingredients that the servers described in wonderful detail, from their origins to the meticulous preparation methods. The flavors were sublime, & every bite was a testament to the passion & skill behind the menu. The service was impeccable - warm, friendly, & knowledgeable, making us feel welcome & ensuring every question was met with enthusiasm. The atmosphere struck the perfect balance between energetic & casual while maintaining an air of effortless class. This was, without a doubt, one of the most memorable dining experiences we've ever had. If you have the chance to visit during their brief opening, don't hesitate - it's truly a once-in-a-lifetime treat!
Excellent experience. Dining room on the noisier side of things, but passionate & knowledgeable service + great food more than makes up for it. Sea Urchin from Rimouski was delightful.
The quality of the food is on point & the concepts behind them are very well thought out. My top 3 favourite we ordered were the scallop sandwich, eggplant dish & profiterole. Our server recommended most of the dishes based on the classics they bring back versions of since the menu changes daily. Our waitress was also super knowledgeable about the menu & new best pairings & serving sizes. Would recommend for people who are foodies. I would definitely go back & have other dishes!
I cannot imagine food being any better than the meal we had here. It was creative, delicious, decedant. Service was 10/10, energetic, supportive, & knowledgeable. With minimal input from us, our server set a delightful menu with thoughtful wine (& non-alcoholic) pairings. FYI - Getting a reservation requires planning a month in advance. I almost want to leave a bad review so it's easier for me to get a table in the future, but that would have left a stain on the wonderful evening.
Jul 11, 2024
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Loved this restaurant experience, easily in my top ten meals of all time. The staff were kind & incredibly knowledgeable. We picked a few of the dishes that interested us the most & the team was able to bring us four balanced courses with drinks to match. The food was innovative, but never to the point you didn't know what you were eating. The chef did all the ingredients justice. I hope the next time I am back in Montreal, I'm able to secure another reservation.
Amazing restaurant. Really good food, excellent service & casual/good vibes atmosphere. I was most impressed that every single person who came to our table (there was probably 7 over the course of the night) was super knowledgeable about everything at the restaurant. Would definitely return.
Vin Mon Lapin is such a fantastic (& almost typical) restaurant on the Montreal food scene. The design & decor are fantastic, service is very quick, there are a ton of staff members, but the food left something to be desired & I feel when assessing it against its recent award of #1 restaurant in Canada, it makes you wonder, "did I just come on an off night for the ever changing menu?" Service was fast & attentive. Tons of staff floating around to serve you, & very knowledgeable on the menu. I found though, sitting at the bar, I was able to watch constant social gatherings from the staff everywhere - there were just TOO many for the shift. They could have spent more time serving, or upselling, or wowing, whatever it is they need to do. But gathering in pockets & chitchatting always looks odd. Getting to the food, the tartare was outstanding, with these little tiny cubes of something that had the texture of a firmer cheese - it was texturally fantastic. The bread on the dish was a soft, made a la minute almost pita like bread, soft, very ripable, but it lacked anything to it for it to be desirable. It was just kind of there. It wasnt stable enough to scoop, it was too floppy to hold anything so you either took a bite of tartare & then shoved a piece of torn bread in your mouth to enjoy together, or you ate them on their own. The soft shell crab was outstanding. It had a beautifully made sauce gribiche & was laced thoughout with tarragon which is my favourite herb. The crab sauce complimented well & I could have eaten plenty of those. As I get to the "unconfit duck leg", this was not well executed. It was sooooo tough. It was hard to cut & even harder to chew. I would have had a more tender cut of meat if I bought an eye of round steak from Maxi & cooked it to well & sliced it going with the grain. Very very disappointing dish. The sauce though was great & the baby turnips were excellent, super quality & packed with flavour. That main course just really fell flat. The dessert was a nice & refreshing sorbet, although, it was sorbet, nothing really inspiring. Overall - I would say it was a fantastic restaurant, just not number 1 in Canada or Montreal. I would welcome the opportunity to return & try some different dishes as the bartender told me the dishes change out every few days, but I can't say I would return with so many other great restaurant in MTL to visit. Don't get me wrong it was still a fantastic meal & definitely a top 5 in Montreal, but it doesn't hold a candle to Au Pied de Cochon, or Béba. Congratulations on your award - #1 in Canada is incredible. Most constantly strive to get better to maintain though, & feedback does help you grow.
Realised this place is steps from my house after learning of it on the news (top restaurant in Canada!) So I went at opening alone on a tuesday & they sat me at a cozy spot at the bar. My server was Dimitry & he was very knowledgeable about wine & very generous with translating the menu & offering recommendations. There was ample Vegetarian options too. First off the service is probably the best Ive ever had. Secondly, the food & wine were a journey. I was able to order half-dishes of some items so I could try more plates & that was a great call. I had 3 different wines which was a really cool journey to taste from first to third, & the food was similar. The (listen im a barbarian idk what its called) cannoli? Canolini? The pasta tube. I will be coming back for the full version of that because it was heavenly. The asparagus was the freshest Ive ever had & the rest was delicious too Very happy to have a new local spot to revisit!
May 15, 2024
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All I can say is wow! Loved the food & how imaginative it was! Great service with knowledgeable staff! We will definitely go back although getting a reservation isn't easy. The only negative might be the limited selection of cocktails compared to selection of wine & beer.
Outstanding service & impeccable food! Our server Rose was so fun & knowledgeable. I highly recommend the wine pairing. One of the best dining experiences I've had!
Probably the best dining experience I've ever had. Our server, Rose, was phenomenal. Perfect balance of friendly, fun, knowledgeable & professional. Everything we ate was insanely good. Wine pairings perfect. Highly highly recommend this restaurant & looking forward to coming back next time I'm in Montreal.
First of all the service is really amazing. My friends & I were asking questions about the dishes all night & the servers were super knowledgeable & nice about it. Food is really good & all the dishes are super thought-out, my favorites were the raw fish, the carrots in mussel escabeche sauce (will be dreaming about that sauce), & the pork cheek. But I have to say the absolute best part of the meal was the sour cherry sorbet with rice pudding on top. One of the best things I have ever eaten in my life & I am really hoping they keep it on the menu because I would go back & eat that dessert forever.
