Monarque opère comme une destination culinaire polyvalente fusionnant les éléments traditionnels du bistrot français classique avec des techniques de préparation modernes. Le menu se concentre sur des tartares méticuleusement élaborés qui mettent en valeur des ingrédients saisonniers et des profils aromatiques précis. Les clients découvrent un aménagement intérieur vaste qui sépare des styles de service distincts, allant d une ambiance de brasserie décontractée à des expériences plus formelles. De hauts plafonds et des détails architecturaux industriels définissent l espace, créant un environnement axé sur l efficacité et la constance culinaire. La cuisine souligne une maîtrise technique à travers des sauces raffinées et des protéines expertement exécutées provenant de fournisseurs de qualité. Cet établissement maintient une norme rigoureuse pour la fraîcheur des produits, assurant que chaque plat reflète les principes fondamentaux de la cuisine française. L opération globale fonctionne comme un centre sophistiqué de gastronomie régionale dans un cadre urbain.
Monarque est largement reconnu comme une destination gastronomique de premier plan à Montréal, offrant une expérience sophistiquée qui marie habilement les techniques françaises classiques à une touche culinaire moderne. Les convives louent régulièrement la disposition à deux volets de l'établissement, qui propose une brasserie animée et accessible ainsi qu'une salle à manger plus formelle, toutes deux caractérisées par un décor élégant et une cuisine ouverte invitante. Bien que quelques clients aient noté des incohérences occasionnelles dans le service ou l'assaisonnement, la grande majorité souligne la qualité exceptionnelle des plats signatures comme l'os à moelle aux escargots, le canard confit et les différents tartares. La carte des vins variée, les cocktails élaborés avec soin et le personnel professionnel et attentionné contribuent à créer une atmosphère à la fois haut de gamme et chaleureuse, idéale pour les grandes occasions comme pour les plaisirs gourmands. Malgré quelques commentaires sur le niveau sonore ou l'importance de réserver, le restaurant est fréquemment décrit comme une expérience constante, mémorable et d'une grande valeur qui établit une nouvelle référence pour la cuisine fine en ville.
We made a reservation for our family of five, including my 8-year-old son & my parents who are in their 60s. For appetizers, we ordered bone marrow, beef pot, foie gras with bread, & grilled octopus - all were absolutely delicious. For the main dishes, we had lobster, duck leg, & lamb, which was especially tender & flavorful.
The service was excellent as well. Our waiter was very friendly & took the time to explain that all the ingredients come directly from the owner's farm to the table, which made the experience even more special.
The whole dining experience was comfortable & enjoyable. We did not encounter any of the discrimination mentioned in some previous comments; on the contrary, everything felt professional & welcoming. Overall, it was a truly wonderful meal, & we're very grateful to the team for making it so memorable.
We ate from the brasserie menu-what a delicious meal with perfectly timed, attentive service. We had the bone marrow, which was easily the best bite of our trip to Montréal (best bite of food I've had this year), & I had the duck, which was so savory & crispy & tender. My husband had the swordfish special, which was lovely, but we agreed that my duck was the clear winner. We split a mille feuille for dessert, which ticked all the boxes that a dessert should! The restaurant space is beautiful & I would love to go back & try the full tasting menu/sit in front of the window into the kitchen.
I wish we could give multiple reviews over time in order to give feedback without affecting the review.
Ive been recommending this restaurant to all my friends visiting over the last few years because every time I've been, it always hit the mark. The daily fish, the duck confit, the lobster with starch, the vegetables & the squid are always a hit for me.
However, i just visited again this week & honestly they need to up their dessert game. I bet they loss/changed their pastry chef because it went from amazing to really disappointing.
The original Millefeuille which has always been on the menu is still phenomenal. BUT,
- the paris brest, is not restaurant standard. It looks like a sad stale donut on a sandwich plate. I mean look at it. Taste was ok, the pate was crunchy, but honestly does not belong to this restaurant, nor even a pastry shop.
- the forest noir was also a bit shocking. 1cm thin layer of flat cake with some decoration. I mean, we dont really care about price when going to Monarque so i cant believe its a matter of food cost here. It almost ate like a sauce you would wipe at the bottom of your plate with a piece of bread.
Honestly, still an excellent restaurant but lacks the sweet finish to make it phenomenal as it used to be.
I will be thinking twice before recommending this restaurant again until the dessert card is fixed.
We were really looking forward to our dinner at Monarque after glowing recommendations from friends who had lived in Montreal. We booked the Brasserie months in advance during a conference trip-but sadly, the experience didn't live up to expectations.
The Brasserie was only half full, yet service was slow & inattentive. Our server, while polite, barely engaged with us & seemed more focused on older or more formally dressed guests. It took 45 minutes just to place our order, & no one asked if we wanted drinks.
We ordered gougères (delicious), olives, & croquettes to start-followed by excellent appetizers (bone marrow with snails, & octopus). Mains were beautifully plated but uneven: the duck confit was overly salty & unbalanced, though the ribeye & halibut were solid.
The worst part? A fellow diner changed their toddler in plain view of the room-& no staff intervened. It felt like Brasserie guests weren't treated with the same care as those in the Salle à Manger, which seemed much livelier.
We still tipped well, but didn't feel the service earned it. Disappointed overall-we won't be returning.
I had a wonderful birthday dinner at Monarque. The steak tartare may be the best I've had, & the bone marrow was very unique & flavorful. The jus for the duck was a bit on the salty side, but pretty much everything was wonderful. The servers also gave me some little desserts & a candle!
We read great reviews & were excited to try Monarque. Unfortunately, the experience was disappointing. The service was cold & inattentive. No one checked up on us. Our water glasses were barely refilled. I noticed the tables around us received better service & the servers constantly checked on them. I don't know why. While no one was rude to us, we weren't properly attended to, receiving just the bare minimum of hospitality.
The wine selection & wines by the glass was fine, but the cocktails were extremely weak & 90% ice. I am not exaggerating. I took one sip of my drink through the straw, & there was no more liquid. The glass was filled to the brim with ice. This was the same for all 4 cocktails I ordered. The food was average at best for a French restaurant of this high standard. The portions were also very small. I'm used to French dining & I'm aware portions are usually small. However, this was the smallest I've ever received in a French restaurant in the city, especially at this price. My table of 3 ordered 12 oysters, octopus, foie gras, & tartare to start with. For the mains, we had duck confit, veal cheeks, & boudin. For dessert we had Pavlova & poached pear hazelnut. Everything was average. Not good & not bad, but nothing to rave about. The best part were the oysters. They were fresh & juicy. Not sure if I will return.
We visited on New Year's Eve & had the prix fixe menu. The food & atmosphere are good & worth experiencing, but unfortunately did not exceed or even meet expectations. Pro's: - They were kind enough to accommodate a special request for our daughter. - The duck in the main course & the dessert were delicious & very well executed. - the atmosphere & open kitchen setting are very good. Con's: - 3.5 hrs for a 4-course meal. This is just too long & too much time in between courses. Usually meals that take this long at fine dining easily include anywhere from 8-12 courses. - no live explanation at all of what was in the plate or how it was prepared. Basically refer to paper menu. - 1st & 2nd courses left a lot to be desired for everyone in the party. - found ourselves eating multiple courses with no wine in the glass after multiple requests. Maybe it was just a bad night. - We expected a little something on the house as a token of appreciation & as a celebration to welcome the new year. At least a glass of champagne or a second dessert course. We got nothing.
Dining at Monarque was a memorable experience. We got reservations for the brasserie, which was very nice inside but more casual than a strict fine dining environment, & had nice views of the kitchen. Staff were attentive & professional the whole night, & the coat check was nice. For cocktails, the Lady Marmalade was my favorite for a juicy option, or the oddjob otherwise. The spritz mocktail was a little underwhelming, & tasted more like a seltzer. Appetizers vary in size, so check with the server if you want to share. The prosciutto salad was lovely, it had just enough flavor between the salty meat & touch of dressing, & a mix of textures from the almond. Recommend the wild mushroom gnocchi as a delicious vegetarian appetizer, & the lamb with the ravioli was indulgently tender. The duck was fantastic: flavorful & perfectly cooked. The lamb was also just the right amount done, not overly heavy but rich with the sauce. The cornish hen was good, though not remarkable. I liked their rendition of bouillabaisse. I highly suggest the tarte tatin as a shareable appetizer for two or three people, it had soft spiced apples & a flakey crust. The peach cobbler was delicious, & the mango pavolva was very fresh- the mango topping was tart, which I personally much prefer. I might like the center a little more done in the pavlova. My meal here felt cohesive, & in the brasserie I could pick & choose from a variety of options. I highly recommend Monarque for a nice occasion, its also quite accessible from the underground city if you want to walk there in the winter months.
