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.
Really great food & attentive staff! Came as a solo diner but didnt feel weird or awkward at all! Had the mushroom gnocchi, duck confit, & layered chocolate coconut cake. All of the food was great with the duck being a little salty, but the flavor was good & rich. Also had the Monarque cocktail & both the mock tails which were tasty as well!
Great ambiance & great attention from the service. The dishes were great but the Tarte Tatin was especially devine! I highly recommend it! Perfect to be shared!
Nov 21, 2023
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For my 60th birthday, I chose Montreal to celebrate & Monarque to serve the Perfect Birthday meal ... & they did just that. A truly incredible tasting of all served to me by incredible staff. Merci Beaucoup.
Wow - what a gem. I went here while in Montreal for a conference, together with my wife. I booked a reservation for a Friday evening a few weeks before & was able to get a 630 tim. We ate in the brasserie. I read some other reviews commenting the servers seemed a bit snobby - we did NOT notice this at all. Everyone there was so friendly, with multiple people checking on us throughout the meal to see how they could help or serve us. For reference, we are Anglophone, in our 40-50s, & not cool/chic in anyway but were treated with class & like royalty. All my dishes were memorable - I can still remember the tastes : the bone marrow appetizer, the dry aged rib eye, & the eclair of the day (was maple pecan). My wife ordered the gnocchi appetizer & Duck confit main & loved them both as well. I saw a combination of people dressed more casually (people coming from work) & those more formally (e.g. on dates). I can see this being suitable for both types of outings. For a combination of its vibe, service & quality of food, I can't wait to return. Part of me wishes I lived in Montreal so I could frequent this exquisite restaurant more frequently!
Randomly walked by Monarque & it looked super nice inside. We didn't have a reservation but they were able to accommodate us quickly. Loved the ambiance. This time we only had a few cocktails & appetizers but I definitely plan to go back next time I'm in Montreal. Not an inexpensive place, but the level of service is high & worth it.
J’ai dîné au Monarque & tout était excellent, du cocktail, au repas, au service, à l’ambiance. La nourriture était fraîche & de qualité, avec des saveurs incroyables. Le service était aussi très précis & les recommandations étaient géniales.
Monarque is another Top 100 Canada restaurant in Montreal. After a disappointment in another Top 100 Canada restaurant, I am a bit worry at the beginning. This time I ordered Bone marrow with snails, seafood boulliabassie, & lamb. The bone marrow blows my mind, one of the best I've ever had. The seafood boulloabassie & lamb are very delicious. Price is good, but portion is a bit to the smaller side. The chocolate & coconut layer cake is basically a chocolate cake, nothing too special. Overall I am satisfied with the dinner tonight & will be back for duck confit & ribeye.
This was my first time experiencing Monarque & I will certainly be going again.
As soon as you enter the decor & ambiance are fantastic, you can choose to eat at the brasserie or main restaurant & make sure to look up both as the menu varies.
The wait staff is attentive making sure our glasses are promptly filled (water & wine) & the table is tidy.
Our waiter was very helpful in describing the dishes & allowing us to make choices based on in depth descriptions, he was spot on !
We started with two cocktails, the Monarque & pistache. Both were perfectly balanced & although the ingredients might sound strange they were both delicious!
The bone marrow is fantastic served with escargots & a rich & flavorful reduction.
The tartare was perfectly executed with waffle fries & endives.
The bouillabaisse was beautifully filled with various seafood & a fantastic broth.
The veal sirloin was perfectly cooked & seasoned served on top of a ratatouille, one cannot ask for a better dish !
The waiter was also excellent at suggesting excellent wine pairings with each of our courses.
A definite must if you want a great overall dining experience.
Oct 18, 2023
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As with pretty much anything in this city, this is nailed perfectly. Modern French bistro. Cool vibe. Eclectic, well-researched wine list. Friendly & professional service. & compared to Vancouver or Toronto the prices are extremely reasonable.
If you want a great French bistro experience, go here.
First course, bison tartare, fresh & savoury, anchovies added a wonderful salty twist & cured egg yolk a rich sauce.
Second course, seared foie gras & potato alla chitarra. Foie gras was just decadent, perfectly cooked & salted. Sweet & tangy sauce cuts the richness perfectly. Potato alla chitarra, wonderful bite to the potato, rich sauce accompanied by a sort of mashed potato sausage. Creative & delicious.
Main course, venison & piglet. Venison served with seared mushroom & a tart pan sauce. Perfectly rare, surpisingly tender for game. Piglet tender & juicy. Hoisin-esque sauce. Interesting pork sausage wrapped in cabbage, though this last part was not exactly my speed it was objectively delicious.
Cocktails were complex but not pretentious, sweet & tasty unlike so many fancy cocktails.
Came for my birthday & they brought complementary mini pastries.
The service was fast, polite & perfectly over-the-top. Felt taken care of, well received & exactly as one would want to on a special evening. Expensive & worth every penny.
This restaurant is located in beautiful old town Montreal, not too far from the Notre Dame. It is beautiful & modern inside & the lighting is nicely layered. We ate at the brassiere. Our waiter was very attentive & friendly. He was able to suggest a cocktail to drink as we were indecisive. We got buffalo mozzarella & wild mushroom gnocchi for appetizers. Both were delicious! The buffalo mozzarella was nicely seasoned with the vinaigrette. For the main course, I selected the butchers cut which was a flank steak with herbed butter on top. It came with a side of fries. The fries were delicious & crispy & served with mayonnaise. For dessert we got a tarte tatin. Caramelized apples with puff pastry & icecream…How can you go wrong?!? It was heaven! Overall it was a great experience & I would highly suggest it for a nice dinner out!
Overall, the appetizers were good. We had the snail with escargot which was very good, the beef tartare was a bit salty & the oysters were fresh. The main dishes were nothing special, the bouillabaisse was ok but I wasn’t a huge fan of the fish they used. The waiter was a bit snobby maybe cause we didn’t speak French with him &
