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.
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
One of the best restaurants I've been to in Canada.
Finally made it after trying to get a reservation for weeks. Mon Lapin was voted #1 in Canada for two consecutive years, & while it lost that title this year, the reservation was still very hard to get. Barely got in with a 9PM res.
Mon Lapin changes its menu daily according to availability of ingredients, & since we had a late res, some of the items were already sold out. They don't release their menu anywhere, so even until we were sat down, we didn't know what we were getting into (except, obviously, their signature scallop dish).
From the smaller plates, our favorites were the Conserve de Poireaux, Moules Fumées & Le croque-Pétoncle. In the former, it took me several bites to realize that smoked mussels were puréed into the mayo. & it was just brilliant. Smoky, briny, & addictive enough to lick clean. Better than MSG. The preserved leeks were slick & squeaky, so I didn't enjoy it to be honest, but worth it just for that smoked mussels mayo.
The scallop mousse was extraordinary. The texture was silky yet gently chewy & it was like sinking your teeth into a warm, freshly pressed rice cake. The green onion mayo added a nice spark, but truthfully, the sandwich didn't need it. Ordered a second without hesitation.
For the large plates, we ordered the duck breast, Gaspésie halibut, & Beaurivage pork, & the only dish that really stuck to my memory was the pork. Beaurivage pork is the finest pork from Québec, so it was exceptionally tender. Here it got the treatment of prime rib. Cut thick & splashed with some anchovy sauce. It sounded a bit risky but ended up pairing beautifully with the pork fat.
We unfortunately weren't in the mood for wine pairing, so got some of their non-alcoholic drinks. I got the Honey & Sea salt seltzer, & it was one of the best soda/seltzers I've had in a while.
Aug 24, 2025
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The one thing I can say about this gem that maybe hasn't been said before is that it brings you back to a time when Montreal restaurants were authentically Montreal restaurants. There is no pretense; just incredible food, a perfect bar where you can talk all the trash with amazing people, insane wines, & an unpretentious vibe. Long live Mon Lapin bro❤?
We really want to love this place, but maybe they are having an off day, the experience is way below our expectation. Our first glass of sparking wine was more than $20 & it was only a half glass pour. The appetizers were great, but then for the two main courses, we waited for 30mins for each course. We ordered a half serving of pigeon for more than $40, & the server said it was a substantial portion, but it turns out there is barely any meat on this sad pigeon. We waited again for a long time for someone to give us a dessert menu, & by then we were drenched in sweat (restaurant has no AC) & we decided to leave. It was unfortunately a very disappointing experience for us.
We were super impressed with this restaurant. Major kuddos to Rose, our waitress. She recommended the wines, appetizers, main dishes, & desserts. Everything she suggested was phenomenal. We had such a lovely night & want to thank her again for the impeccable service!
Jul 5, 2025
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Outstanding restaurant. Simple yet elegant decor. The wine pairing suggestions were fabulous & paired perfectly. The food is meant to share & the portion is ideal. We did wait 25 minutes for our cocktail at the beginning which was disappointing but the other tables did not have such a wait time. It's must in Mtl.
We had dinner towards evening as the sun was going down & the room was flooded with natural light. I really loved the atmosphere here. The service was absolutely wonderful. Big thanks to the team. I wasn't amazed by the food. I wanted to love everything. Most of what we ordered was just ok. The wine was out of this world. The wine list is amazing. Kudos to whomever is running the wine program. Yes. I would come back to try more wine.
The rose & the orange glasses of wine we started with were out of this world. I ordered a bottle of Giosue 2023 from Niagra that was a great pleasure to have.
As far as what we had to eat:
BBQ sweetbreads w/morels - The sweetbreads were dried out from the BBQ cooking method. The morels tasted like they were reconstituted from dry vs fresh. It could have been the BBQ cook that dried them out as well.
The halibut - The fish was fresh. The sauce was good. Overall, the dish was ok.
The clams & spaghetti - Outstanding. Made with beautifully crafted fresh pasta. The pasta absorbed the flavor of the sauce. It was a lovely dish.
The chicken - Was just ok. Didn't understand the need for fish eggs. I love fish eggs. The combo did not work for me.
The scallop sandwich - Lacked flavor.
The razor clams - Lacked flavor. Beautiful presentation. This dish & most others needed salt.
Tomato & lobster - Flat in flavor. The freshness of the tomato didn't really come through. The foam overwhelmed everything.
Came here for dinner with my partner. Have been trying for a while to get a reservation, & it was well worth it. The space itself is relaxed & warm. Our server Camille went above & beyond, she was cordial, friendly, & efficient. We ended up asking her to create us a menu & were glad we did. The pacing was excellent, the food paired very well. We don't drink, so can't comment on the wine pairings. The standouts were the scallop toast, the pork & halibut mains, & the buckwheat cake. Truly a memorable experience , recommend without hesitation.
My wife & I enjoyed a wonderful meal on the patio. We had some of the best service we've ever had. Excellent wine pairings were suggested & happily received. It can be hard to live up to the hype but we definitely enjoyed ourselves & all the lovely food.
On a beautiful sunny day you might be able to snag a spot without a reservation. The menu changes all the time so I don't think I can recommend anything, but if the scallop-toast-thing 😅 is on the menu please don't hesitate.
Jun 11, 2025
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An absolutely incredible dinner, the best I had on my visit to Montreal, & the best I've had for some time.
The food & wine were stellar as expected, but what truly impressed me was the warm & attentive service, particularly from Guillaume, who went out of his way to make our night special. However, the overall vibe of everyone was fantastic-from the host table to the runners.
I can't wait to go back, & recommend that anyone visiting the city should prioritize coming in.
WOW what a wonderful experience! The meal was fantastic & the staff were awesome. Every one of our selections were prepared perfectly. The wine was paired to our meal with the staffs guidance & really topped of the whole evening.
Definitely worth the hype! Food, service, experience was perfect. Amazing wine. Casual & comfortable vibe with high end food. Would recommend trusting your server to give you a great experience. We'll be back for sure!
Amazing service & food in a decontracted setting. We particularly enjoyed the warm buttery oysters & lobster spaghetti. Great wine selection. Service was amazing & attentive.
May 4, 2025
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A wonderful experience in a quaint restaurant. The food was simply delicious (I'm still dreaming about their scallops sandwich, it was like eating a cloud) & they helped me paired my many plates with fun & unexpected wines.
Service was impeccable & I cannot 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!!!
The quality of ingredients here is outstanding. Our group of three ordered several dishes to share, as the portions are on the smaller side. We had the snow crab, scallop French toast, buckwheat cake for dessert, duck breast, & a salad with duck or cow liver. Every dish was exceptional in flavor, making it clear why this restaurant is ranked among the best in Canada. My only wish is that the portions were slightly larger, especially for sharing, considering the price. That said, the wine recommendations from our waitress were excellent. The atmosphere was warm & cozy, & the service was fantastic. I'd definitely return!
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!
