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.
A great lunch. Casual French bistro atmosphere, friendly service. Started with the pate special but the real star was the bouillabaisse, full of fresh seafood with a great sauce. Very nice place to visit.
Dec 30, 2025
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Amazing food & impeccable service! I've been here for both personal & professional dinners, & each time I'm impressed by the consistent quality of the food. My recommendation: make a reservation if you can. I got lucky once as a walk-in by arriving early had a seat at the bar which turned out to be a great experience.
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.
Bonne cuisine
Dommage.. plusieurs erreurs avec le service qui à rendu l'expérience so so..( un plat complètement oublié, un drink commandé & oublié, une erreur dans un des plat apporté ( mauvais plat reçu)). On s'attend à mieux pour ce type de resto…
Une expérience culinaire exceptionnelle. La qualité se niche dans les détails : même une simple carotte d'accompagnement est un délice avant même d'avoir entamé l'agneau. Tout ce qui est servi est d'une grande finesse.
Le service est à la hauteur de l'assiette : agréable, professionnel & d'une excellente connaissance des produits. Un véritable plaisir.
Dec 27, 2025
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The food is fantastic & presented beautifully. We ordered several plates, some to share, & everything was out of this world. We enjoyed everything we tried. Our meals were paired with exquisite wine. Our server Phillipe was extremely attentive & friendly.
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.
We came here for my wife's birthday. It's a nice place. Love the atmosphere. The open kitchen. The less formal vibes. It's really nice. However, it's also a pretty expensive place. Our bill was almost $300 before tip. & when we eat at places like that our expectations are high. & in this case Monarque didn't live up to our expectations.
They brought out bread & butter before the meal. Which was nice. But both the bread & the butter were cold. Would have expected warm bread & soft butter at a place like this.
I ordered the venison steak which was on their special menu for the day. Server recommended it medium rare so that's what I took. It came out blue. It was delicious & I ate it happily. I told the waiter'I trust the kitchen. I just want to make sure that this is how they meant to send it out.' & he confirmed. But again, when you pay $300 for dinner you expect the kitchen to cook your steak the way you ordered it.
Portions are small.
Drinks were good. Service was good. Vibes were good. But not worth the price. Probably won't be back.
This restaurant will be at the top of my list for'Worst Restaurants in Montreal.'
Food: absolutely garbage.
Service: trash.
The only flavor you can taste is salt. I honestly felt like my tongue was destroyed, & I probably consumed an entire year's worth of my normal salt intake in one meal. If salt were as expensive as gold, one serving of your lamb could buy two Teslas - the company, not the car.
Service can't even be rated, because there was no service. Nobody talked to me. I was ignored like I didn't exist. Nobody asked how the food was (which explains why it's salty as hell - the waiters never ask). Nobody recommended anything, food or drinks. Nobody asked if I wanted dessert.
I'm genuinely shocked by how bad the service was. This isn't just one of the worst in Montreal - it's genuinely hard to find a worse place in Quebec, let alone Canada.
We were able to get a reservation for the same day. We tried duck confit, deer, veal cheek, salad, gnocchi, tartare, for dessert we had the Pavlova, sticky toffee, & the chocolate cake. Everything was very good, the suggestions we got from the waiter were accurate & the serving time was short. We would comeback & we do recommend it.
Dec 16, 2025
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While every element worked well, the fish soup was elevated by the bread served alongside it.
Topped with a subtly spicy mayo, it became the final, perfect touch when dipped into the soup.
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.
