Reviews portray Monarque as a refined Montreal dining destination that blends a chic brasserie vibe with a formal dining room, offering an elegant yet lively atmosphere. The cuisine is repeatedly described as superb, with standout dishes including bone marrow with escargots, bouillabaisse, tartare, duck, veal cheeks, and a highly praised seafood selection, though a few items are noted as overly salty or uneven in texture. The presentation is praised, ingredients are described as high quality and carefully balanced, and the open kitchen and kitchen-facing tables are frequently highlighted as special touches. Service is described as professional, attentive, and knowledgeable, with many guests feeling well taken care of, while some reviews mention variability in service levels, language gaps, or occasional delays. The wine list is extensive and a strength, though prices can be high. Ambiance is consistently described as beautiful, classic, and Montreal style, with some comments that the space can be loud or the temperature a bit cool, and a few complaints about dessert quality or portion sizes. Reservations are recommended given popularity and the two-menu structure, and many leave eager to return for another memorable meal. Overall, Monarque is viewed as one of Montreal's top dining experiences for technique, presentation, and hospitality, albeit with occasional inconsistencies in service and value.
My partner & I drove two hours from Ottawa to Montreal because I wanted him to try Monarque for his birthday. I've been here before, a couple of years ago, & had a wonderful experience so I was excited for him to try it - but unfortunately, our experience tonight was less than satisfactory & left me wondering how such an amazing place went ... sorta downhill.. let me start off my saying the majority of the food was good. We ordered the bone marrow & octopus to start, & the lamb rump & butcher steak for our mains. The bone marrow was melt in your mouth delicious & the octopus was just as great as I remembered. The lamb was also so flavourful & cooked to perfection. However, the steak was tough & not cooked to our order - we asked for medium & it was RARE. Not a big deal to us because my boyfriend still enjoys it rare. Our issues lied mainly with our server. From the moment we sat down & ordered drinks to the moment we received the cheque, he seemed miffed & like he couldn't be bothered to answer our questions or assist us with the menu & gave us attitude the entire time. My partner ordered a Diet Coke which was completely flat & tasted watered down, & we let our server know that we thought the fountain was out of syrup. He argued with us about it right then & there & told told us that it wasn't possible, he then walked away & asked the bartender about it & came back & condescendingly told us that it can't be possible it's flat since it came from a can & proceeded to argue with us back & forth trying to convince us of what WE tasted. We then asked him if he could just please just bring us the can & we can pour it ourselves. He gave us both a look of disgust & said "uh ok" with attitude & walked away - as if we just made a seemingly wild request. We were both so taken aback at that first interaction after only being there for a few minutes that this server was: a) trying to gaslight us into telling us what WE tasted instead of just apologizing & bringing the damn can of Coke - & b) acting as if we were bothering HIM when it's his job! ... the can of Coke was infinitely better than the original glass which makes us believe the "can" he "just opened" was already open & flat from the previous night. Our other issue was when we were trying to ask him questions about the menu, because I was trying to decide between two dishes, he was visibly annoyed & offered no help & just reiterated what I could already see listed on the menu... again, very condescending & what I would expect from a teenager who works at a fast food place NOT a 5 star restaurant. Also, when my boyfriend ordered the steak the server asked "medium-rare?" We asked for medium & he seems visibly bothered again by us saying that then just said "ok" very short & walked away. The fries were also overly salty. My partner & I both have extensive experience in the restaurant industry & fine dining & the lack of manners & quality from our server really put a damper on our whole evening & experience & took away from our overall enjoyment of the meal. It's sad that we got better quality of service from the bus boys & host that paid more attention & interacted with us or acknowledged our "thank yous" AT THE VERY LEAST. So from our experience tonight, 3/4 dishes were great, but our experience with our server left us feeling both so terrible, disrespected & unwelcome we just wanted to finish our meals quickly & skip dessert & leave asap. The server also failed to acknowledge me a few times & only directly asked my boyfriend how his meal was. Do yourself a favour & go somewhere else - for these prices, find a better place with better service where the entire staff works as a team & offers the same level of quality service across the board, who values their patrons. While the busboys & host were very friendly that one server ruined our entire outlook on this restaurant indefinitely.
Aug 5, 2024
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We went to Monarque on our last night in Montreal, & we were glad we did, since no other meal measured up. We ate in the brasserie side, which is a bit more casual, with a less expensive but still top-notch menu. The servers were very attentive & knowledgeable. Everything we ate, from the bread to the ricotta cheesecake, was delicious. Highly recommended!
Great experience, their signature cocktails were superb. We shared the duck confit, lamb & potato gratin. Everything was fantastic, especially the service. Additionally, they have an exceptional wine list
Had two signature dishes. It seemed that the ingredients were cooked separately & only assembled right before being presented. They had no synergy & & mixing them up destroyed flavor.
Jul 25, 2024
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This is a beautiful restaurant with two different rooms, one being more casual & the other more formal. The interior is very nice & gives the space a warm feel. We sat at the bar & the service was outstanding. The wine list is very impressive too.
Their appetizers were amazing, innovative, both the bone marrow & octopus were superb .. so good .. their main entrees though were not as good. Lobster was very good but the duck confit & lamb were so so ..
Jul 12, 2024
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A MUST, whether you're a local or visiting. This place is so effortlessly chic & has many talents in their food. The cocktails were lovely as well but I wish I got more of a buzz! Can't wait to go back next time.
Enjoyed delicious lobster meals & refreshing salads here. We can also see the staff preparing meals through the glass display window. A nice place for families or friends gathering.
I was excited to dine at the Monarque, as I had heard good things about the food. However, my night there was quite disappointing. The food was great, but the service by my server & the service manager (a gentleman in a light blue shirt) was entirely lacking. I try not to leave reviews on negative dining experiences, as they can be subjective. I am leaving this review to encourage the management to review & improve their service. I visited last Friday's late dinner service (20:45, July 5th, 2024). It was a less busy time, with quite a few empty tables. 1. We received the wrong first course. When one of the service managers (light blue shirt) came to check how our food was, I gently notified him that I received the wrong first course. He double-checked & acknowledged the mistake, but he never apologized. Instead, he made the service staff who delivered the food apologize to me, which was unnecessary. Mistakes happen. It's okay. 2. Our other first course never came. As the same service manager removed our plates & utensils, I gently notified him that I had never received the foie gras. He replied, "Oh, now you want to order foie gras?" Again, I gently let him know I made the order with my server & asked him to check. He checked, acknowledged the order was in place, dropped off one set of utensils without a new plate on the side of the table, & then walked away. Neither the service manager nor my server ever apologized for the mistake or how he spoke. The service should reflect if the dining costs $150+ per person. My server was barely attentive to my table, & the service manager's handling of their mistake was unprofessional. I thank the other service staff again who delivered my food, changed my utensils & poured my drinks. They provided an excellent service.
An amazing restaurant with great atmosphere & service. My personal favourite in Montreal, & one of the best restaurant in Canada. I'm always blown out of the water by the experience.
Sophie was an excellente waitress, she gave excellente suggestions & we had a great time. Thank you Monarque team, we loved the vibe, the drinks & the food. The owner of Barsol pisco who was with us, really liked your signature cocktail (just want a little heavier on the pisco for the bite 🤩) blessings to all ❤️
