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.
Delicious experience, highly recommended for special occasions. We went to the dining room on a Friday night. Pros: -Excellent service from the reservation until the end of the dinner. They accepted that I made a bouquet delivered the same day to the restaurant, & to be given at the table once we sat. -The food was creative & delicious! One of the most impressive restaurants I had the chance to try in Montreal. -Portions were made perfectly for a 4 services dinner as they mentioned. We are rather small eaters, & had to push a little to finish it. -Nice ambiance inside the dining area, with mirrors all around. Cons: -More a « be aware » than a negative point: Expect around 150$ per person without alcool. However the experience is worth it. -The lamb was not to our expectations flavour wise & cooked wise. I would advise to take something else. Note: -I highly recommend the « Snow Crab Tartlet », & mostly the dessert « Strawberry & rhubarb galette » that was incredible.
incredibly nice staff & delicious food, I recommend it. We came from Toronto & vacationed there with friends! This is officially the best restaurant I've visited in Canada!
Creative French food & excellent service The restaurant is large & busy, with a sophisticated touch. The buzz around doesn't stop you from being able to hear who is at the table. Additionally, there is a special wing downstairs that I assume is for reservations exceeding 8 people (nice that the group can have privacy) The food is very tasty, creative, with great presentations. As a recommendation, I leave the Foie Gras (sea buckthor, duck pastrami, candy cap, brioche feuilletee) which came accompanied by a small croassaint & a gelatin film (?!), delicious & extremely creative! The Ravioli was very intriguing, with each bite I could taste more flavors, high on the list of recommendations. Tuna Tartare & Green Asparagus were disappointing, they had a good presentation but the flavor left something to be desired. Olivia's service should be left here as a note of great affection. She was very attentive & helped me with choosing & tasting the wine. I would definitely come back! Ps:. great visual identity
Excellent!!! Food was out of this world excellent. Great atmosphere & really yummy desserts. Perfect for a date night or night out with the family. Will be back definitely.
Super menu! There is 2 section to this restaurant which we were sitting in the brasserie. We were lucky enough to be able to try the pigeon which was amazing 👏, the chicken was cooked perfectly 👌 just so tender! Amazing wait staff very friendly & helpful 👍
After changing our reservation from the dining room to the bistro on the recommendation of some people we met, two seats at the bar were graciously pulled out for our use. Monarque is a beautifully designed restaurant, cavernous, elegant & sophisticated, but oh so comfortable. The client is at the center of Monarque's universe. Serge, incomparable, professional, & exuding warmth, was our bartender/server par excellence. He turned our dinner from a meal into a memory. Yet, Monarque's kitchen doesn't allow the decor & hospitality to take center stage. The food at Monarque is trés magnifique. Yes, the menu might skew old school, but in the end, isn't it about taste? Alinea, the renown temple of creativity in Chicago, created food that was unique, but nothing tasted good. We left unhappy. At Monarque, we started with the Gougères, rarely seen in North America. They are bite sized pâte à choux made with Gruyère. They are out of this world, & I could eat dozens of em. My ocean trout tartare was the perfect palate cleanser, light & refreshing. The indulgent Foie Gras parfait, paired with toast, was creamy & delicious. For our mains, we ordered the bouillabaisse & lobster thermador. Both were amazing, large portions, & had us slurping & smacking our lips. Monarque's wine list is extensive & eclectic. My martini was mixed perfectly by Joanna, another gracious Monarque bartender. Monarque is a wonderful restaurant. It isn't cheap, but it's well worth the outlay. Go & have a memorable experience.
Sat in the bar area (I recommend that over the dining room). Food was amazing. Waitress was very friendly, knowledgeable & professional. She recommended the PERFECT bottle of wine for our meals. We loved it & it reminded us why we come back to Monarque every few months. Outstanding food - Great service!
Me & my colleagues were recommended Monarque & we weren't disapointed. At first they looked fully booked but they had room for the 6 of us in the dinning room (not the Brasserie). It's worth knowing that the restaurant is split with two different menus. We were looked after by Colin who was brilliant. He was immedietly helpful explaining the menu & instantly built a great report with everyone. The food was amazing. Each dish was presented well & tasted great. I personally really enjoyed the Lobster & Monkfish & the others at the table equally loved their food with every plate left empty. At the end of the evening, Colin dealt with our difficult requests concerning the bill & how it was split with no problems. Even though it meant some quick maths were needed everything eventually was sorted out. We all left happy & were telling our other colleagues about our experience the next day. I would absolutly return when we are next in Montreal & recommend it to anyone who is visiting.
Upscale restaurant in the older part of Montreal. The hostess was very welcoming & accommodating we had a reservation for 8pm which we were able to move forward to 7pm. We really appreciated the flexibility after a long day at the Montreal Grand Prix. We had seats at the bar which worked well for us. The bar staff were friendly & it was fun watching them work. The stand out dish for us was the Bone Marrow appetizer. The only improvement would be to add an extra slice of toast because there was too much bone marrow for just one slice. Entrees were solid at a price I'd expect for a higher end restaurant. Highly recommend the passion fruit pavlova for dessert. It was the right balance of sweet & tart in a huge slice.
Sehr angenehme und professionelle Bedienung. Die Atmosphäre ist akustisch überladen, was die Konversation beim Essen durchaus erschwert. Die Küche gibt sich gehoben, ist jedoch wenig innovativ und bietet leider kulinarisch wenig Überraschungen. Die Weinkarte ist interessant, bietet jedoch leider keine Auswahl kanadischer Provenienz.
