Monarque operates as a versatile culinary destination blending the traditional elements of a classic French bistro with modern preparation techniques. The menu centers on meticulously crafted tartares that highlight seasonal ingredients and precise flavor profiles. Patrons encounter an expansive interior layout that separates distinct service styles, ranging from a casual brasserie atmosphere to more formal, structured dining experiences. High ceilings and industrial architectural details define the space, creating an environment focused on efficiency and culinary consistency. The kitchen emphasizes technical mastery through refined sauces and expertly executed proteins sourced from high-quality suppliers. This establishment maintains a rigorous standard for ingredient freshness, ensuring that every dish reflects the core principles of French cooking. The overall operation functions as a sophisticated nexus of regional gastronomy within a bustling, high-traffic urban setting.
Monarque is widely celebrated as a premier dining destination in Montreal, offering an exceptional experience defined by its elegant atmosphere, professional service, and high-quality French cuisine. Guests frequently praise the restaurant for its vibrant, dual-concept layout, which features both a lively brasserie and a more formal dining room, each providing delicious, well-executed dishes crafted with meticulous attention to detail. Standout items like the bone marrow with escargot, duck confit, fresh tartares, and creative desserts consistently receive high acclaim for their balance of flavors and refined presentation. Many diners highlight the warm and knowledgeable staff who contribute to a welcoming and memorable visit, making it a top choice for special occasions, business meetings, or a sophisticated night out. Overall, visitors appreciate the restaurant's consistency and its ability to deliver a polished, world-class culinary journey that keeps patrons returning time and again.
Atmosphere: 10/10 | Overall feel of the restaurant feels as you'd expect it to be.
Service: 10/10 | Paced properly when ordering entrées, mains & dessert. Extremely pleasant staff, if you have a problem just ask.
Food: 10/10 | No issues here, had the bone marrow with burgundy snails as an entrée, Lamb sirloin (Recommended by Barman) as main & the Pavlova as dessert. Dish sizes are surprisingly decent (entrée + main) & I was too full for dessert.
Had a wonderful experience our first night dining at in Montreal at the Monarque. Our waiter was fabulous he was very welcoming & kind, explaining the menu & drinks in English to us. We had the halibut special & chicken. Both were cooked to perfection & normally we do not ever clean our plates, but tonight we did. We also had dessert, which again was delicious. Their drinks were also excellent, the Monarque & the Caravane, the Monarque was more savory. We were tempted to order the bone marrow but the couple next to us were devouring theirs & it was a large portion & we didnt think we would be able to eat everything. So we will try that in our next visit. We dined early around 5 with no wait, but by 6pm if was almost full. I would highly recommend dining here.
If you get the chance to book a table here, do it!
We ate in the brasserie & had a wonderful evening of delicious food & scrumptious cocktails.
The bone marrow & snails starter was particularly delicious, along with the lamb rump main. The bouillabaise was superb- I could have happily eaten a loaf of bread with the rouille, it was so tasty! We rounded the night off by sharing a maple & pecan éclair.
The service was great, & food was exceptionally prompt given it was a Friday night!
Our only feedback to improve on an already great experience would be to serve your table bread warm with slightly softer butter.
An absolute amazing experience. My husband & I sat at the bar, enjoyed a couple starters & some cocktails. The white asparagus starter really stole the show. So delicious. The bone marrow & escargots, was exquisite & very rich (in a good way)
The octopus was cooked to perfection & paired so well with the ginger carrot puree.
The Pistache cocktail was the number one best cocktail I've ever had in my life (12 years of working in restaurants )
Beautifully balanced., such a complex cocktail created with pure harmony. I will dream of this cocktail.
We then continued our culinary journey with the pan seared tuna & braised lamb. We left our plates clean. Everything was delicious.
We ended our night with the pavlova & crème brûlée dessert. My husband, not really a fan of desserts in general, practically licked his plate clean.
The highlight of our night, was Serge the Barman. What an amazing, kind & gentle man. Truly gives the definition of'gentleman'
Extremely attentive & knowledgeable about his menu & wines.
We will certainly come back for the food, & definitely stay for Serge.
Enjoyed some excellent vegetarian options while celebrating an anniversary. My husband had the bone marrow with escargot as well as the duck confit & enjoyed those as well!
Yesterday, my husband & I visited Montreal for the first time & chose this restaurant based on its many positive reviews. Unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the most disappointing dining experiences we've had.
I don't usually leave negative reviews, but the food quality was genuinely hard to believe. My husband's dish was excessively greasy. We started with the winter salad - the lettuce leaves were so large they were difficult to eat, the cheese was overwhelmingly heavy, & the vegetables tasted neither fresh nor crisp, but rather soggy.
We also ordered the bone marrow. While it looked large, there was actually only one or two small scoops of marrow inside, which felt misleading.
For the main courses, we ordered the duck & the ribeye. Both meats lacked freshness & flavor, tasting more like pre-packaged, previously sealed meat rather than freshly prepared dishes. Even basic seasoning like salt was unevenly distributed.
Overall, the experience was very disappointing, especially given the restaurant's reputation & large kitchen. I truly don't understand the glowing reviews, but this was our honest experience.
This review is for the Brasserie. I especially wanted to try this place to get my foie gras fix & it was really good! I only wish the foie gras & the bread were served warm. The bone marrow with snails was also good, but the combination was a little weird. I liked the bone marrow. I liked the snails. But served together took away from enjoying each part on its own.
The duck was roasted to perfection. The skin was so crispy & the meat just fell off the bone. Same goes for the braised veal cheeks. There was no bone to fall off of, but the meat was so tender & just came apart as soon as I pressed down with my knife.
I can't wait to come back to try the Salle à Manger since it's a different menu.
Heard such good thing about this resto so booked a table at the brasserie. We ordered the bone marrow, ravioli, steak & the special of the day which was lamb shoulder. All dishes were well seasoned & delicious. Honestly for the quality & portion, I think the price is VERY reasonable especially for a restaurant in the old port. I really enjoyed the richness of the bone marrow & the steak was perfectly cooked & seasoned. Dare I say better than Gibbys. The fries were also perfectly crispy & seasoned. The lamb shoulder was also fabulous!! Would recommend the steak & bone marrow. Service was also very accommodating. Will come back again for a night out with friends or for a date.
