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.
Dinner was enjoyable. I had high expectations since it's Canada's #1 restaurant, it didn't wow me but I still had a great time : service was excellent, desserts were exquisite, the mains were good. The scallops toast : must take.
Decent mains but whatever you do, do NOT get the desserts. Save your time & go to the many bakeries around. My entire party was actually extremely disappointed with multiple dessert options but enjoyed the mains & apps
Nov 25, 2024
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Although all dishes were good, I think the only one which blew me away & I find myself reminiscing about is the buckwheat cake. There is truly something so unique & special with how balanced it is in terms of sweetness, but also its play with textures, & uniqueness compared to other dessert offerings. The wine selection was also really good. We used the opportunity to sample several wines by the glass. In this regard my highlight was the rosé Chair a Canon from Dunham. Its fruity notes were beautifully blended & smooth.
Incroyable. De l'accueil jusqu'à notre sortie, cette visite a été remplie d'attention, de chaleur, de saveurs. Le personel en entier semble avoir comme mission que nous passions la plus belle des soirées. Chaque plat a été un homerun, chaque verre de vin aussi. Un énorme coup de coeur. Merci à toute l'équipe.
J'ai attendu tellement longtemps pour avoir une table là & je n'ai pas été déçue! Sauf qu'avec tous mes efforts mis, j'ai ete placée au bar..! Service charmant en plus d'être attentif, menu vraiment originial & varié (& délicieux) Par rapport à bcp d'autres restos, qualité-prix fait beaucoup de sens! On a adoré notre soirée là bas
Nov 10, 2024
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I just walked out of here & I would say this is a place that showcases food & cooking as an art. Its a place of creativity, of food combinations I've never heard or thought of but everything is so delicious & best of all seasonal ( which means fresh, tasty, most probably local & sustainable). Its a place to share a plate instead of having one to yourself. The staff is friendly, knows their shit & I got served an amazing bottle of wine. I recommend you make a reservation & when you get there, dont hold back. Enjoy!
Great food but AMAZING service. So much professionalism, knowledge & enthusiasm for the craft. Well worth it. Will be back, will bring people, the love needs spreading!
Il s'agit d'un très bon restaurant, mais ce n'est pas "le meilleur" au Canada, non plus que le meilleur à Montréal. Cela dit, les plats que nous avons commandés (carottes au jaune d'oeuf, poireaux façon moules, radis avec foie de volaille & sot-l'y-laisse frits, pâtes aux palourdes) étaient tous intéressants & bons. Toutefois, peut-être est-ce la conséquence de nos choix, tout était assez lourd, manquait une touche de fraicheur. Nous n'avons pu terminer le dernier plat même si notre serveuse nous a laissé entendre que nous ne commandions pas assez de plats (ce qui d'ailleurs est un peu déplacé). Petits détails : les radis manquaient de croquant pour élever le plat, ils contenaient beaucoup d'eau comme s'ils avaient trempés trop longtemps dans un plat d'eau. C'est le plat que nous avons le moins aimé. Par contre, la mousse de foie étaient fantastique. Je l'aurais plutôt mangé avec du pain ou un autre support que les radis. Je comprends la réinterprétation voulue du radis beurre, mais même si le concept est intéressant, ce n'est pas parfaitement réussi. Enfin, le plat de carotte est intriguant, je le reprendrais, mais il y a trop de carottes pour deux personnes. À un point on se lasse & on aimerait passer à autre chose. Cette impression que plusieurs des plats s'apprécient seulement en très petites quantités nous l'avons eu de manière générale pendant la soirée. Je recommande ce restaurant avec l'avertissement de ne pas avoir des attentes démesurées.
Nov 1, 2024
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Mon Lapin hosted a lovely luncheon for my group of 25 colleagues this past Saturday. They put together a creative, yet approachable custom menu for us & every dish was more delicious than the last. It was a unique, elegant experience & we felt well taken care of. Thank you Mon Lapin & team!
Worth the the hype! Great wine menu, food is incredible & the service is incredible. They really know their wine & they're so sweet & accommodating. I had such a good experience. We took their recommendations & all of it was amazing.
I had a great time here. Both the menu & service were good & the restaurant itself was nice. However, I read this was voted the best restaurant in Canada & if I hadn't read it, I would've never believed it. Regardless, try it out if you're curious & in town.
La nourriture était très bonne, mais pas "incroyable"! Le personnel était génial! Vous devez goûter aux desserts (gâteau au chocolat & biscuit au pouding de riz) ça c'était excellent!
Oct 23, 2024
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Of course I had to visit the #1 ranked restaurant in Canada. These guys know a thing or two about food & hospitality, I'll tell you that. We were greeted warmly & the staff knew what they were talking about. The way they were articulating their opinions on various wines, it was like poetry. The ambience was nice, although it could get a little loud sometimes. Staff were extremely attentive. The food was very interesting. The dishes incorporated a lot of combinations I never would've thought would pair well together, but there was harmony on my taste buds. Some dishes were exceptional, like the duck breast & tartare, while the eggplant with eel & sea urchin dish was a little lacklustre. I respect the creativity & inventiveness with all the offerings on the menu, but not at the cost of flavour. Small detail, we did have to remind staff about appetizers we had ordered that didn't arrive as our mains were being brought out. Overall, definitely worth the visit. A meal worth splurging for!
Ask for Rose. Took our already 5-star experience to the next level with her energy & service. Food was incredible. Nothing we ordered tasted like something we've ever had before, yet none of them disappointed. Menu constantly changes so it's always nice to visit every once in a while which we plan to do. Rates Canada's best restaurant & totally agree
A very enjoyable kick back evening. Not pretentious, tasty cooking. Vibe inside is pumping & happy. Our server was really good at engaging with the tables & hearing what we wanted for a drink. The wait between some dishes was a little long, but nothing too overly long. I didn't really like the longish wait for a table beyond our reservation time (second seating) though, but in part this is due to there being not much outside the front door. Overall, I think this would be like your favourite neighbourhood wine bar: great for a catch up with friends, not so great for a first date but fine otherwise. Would return.
