Oncle Lee is widely praised for inventive modern twists on Asian flavors, with standout dishes like duck with condiments, mushrooms, scallops with XO sauce, spicy salmon, and sesame noodles. The menu favors sharing and portions are often described as generous, though some reviews note that prices can feel high for the portion size and that a few sauces are too salty or spicy. The service is frequently described as attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly, and the ambiance ranges from cozy bar vibes to a vibrant terrace and a chic dining room. The terrace and overall atmosphere are highlighted as perfect for social evenings, while busy nights can bring noise and slower bar service. Desserts such as French toast and certain rice cakes receive high marks, and drinks and cocktails are commonly praised as strong. Some experiences mention occasional uneven balance or pacing, but the overall consensus is that Oncle Lee delivers high quality cooking, engaging presentation, and a memorable dining experience that many would return for.
Montreal always feels to be a lively city. Dining at Oncle Lee Ouest seemed especially vibrant. The service was prompt & attentive not just by our waiter but by other staff waiting in the wings offering support such as offering to bring second cocktail drink.
To start we had the curred salmon, bao & wonton soup to fight of the Mtl chill 😎. Salmon had a sublte tang & with the sharp bite of the ginger. along with bao. The wonton soup did not have your typical chicken broth to accompany the dumplings. The broth was dark containing an explosion of flavours. Notes of star anise & bay leaves along with chili pepper base with strong sesame flavour coming through to warm you up. a great introduction to what was to come.
For the mains we had ( as recommended) the sesame noodles, garlic rice & sweet & sour eggplant. Comfort food taken to the hilt. The noodles had a slightly spicy essence delicate texture but firm to the bite. Eggplant was silky with a great peanut crunch & garlic rice fluffy, full of flavour & comfort with a slight moistness. Will definitely be returning to discover more. Well recommended.
Dec 7, 2025
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Food was AMAZING. The spicy salmon on crispy rice & the duck platter is an absolute must. The vibe is great inside & the service was excellent. Can't wait to come back!
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Absolutely amazing experience!
The vibe was perfect - trendy but relaxed - & the waitress/bartender was so sweet & attentive. The drinks were incredible, & the food was honestly next level. We had the spicy salmon rice cakes (I'd come back just for those!), the chili cucumber salad, sesame noodles, & the five spice duck - everything was a total 10/10. Can't recommend this place enough!
Sat at bar on very busy night. It was great but service was expectedly slow. The special tomato salad had way too much dressing. The ribs were delicious as were the salmon rice cakes. Hot pot was just ok. Could have had three times the veg to make it more substantial as there isn't a lot of food for $27 pp. drinks were great & bartender very sweet & helpful. Will definitely return.
Great vibes, service was quick & efficient. Food delicious. Ribs, salmon rice cakes, beef, noodles.. everything super fresh. Pain perdu for dessert delicious. Terasse is cozy.
Aug 27, 2025
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What a lovely treat to dine at Oncle Lee. The staff was extremely attentive to guests' needs. I felt well hosted & given enough alone time to catch up with my group of gals. The food served was delicate & delicious - we opted for mostly vegetarian options & really enjoyed the fried rice, eggplant dish & the tofu dip is so so unique (a must try!). Left with a happy belly.
This was a fabulous & totally unexpected dinner experience! We had no idea & stumble upon the restaurant by accident whilst looking for something else..
Anyway, the portions are excellently sized (borderline generous) & it's super tasty! Goes fantastic well with the rice. We had the spicy noodles, aubergine & the ribs. Sorry, no pictures of the food as I ate everything so quickly! We'll definitely come back soon with friends to share the joy 😁
I was skeptical of the modern Chinese but it was light & super delicious. Steamed oysters with black bean sauce was delicate, beef tartare was amazing, 5-spice duck came with so many condiments & the correct type of wrapper, garlic rice was not too oily & very flavorful. Mushrooms with miso buerre blanc was very good too. Best of all, they were super careful to warn us of what may have shrimp cos of the allergy that we had. Thank you.
Oct 12, 2024
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We really enjoyed our dinner on the back patio. Food, service & atmosphere were great. We tried deviled eggs, salmon on rice cakes, steamed bream, eggplant, spicy noodles & garlic fried rice. The fried rice was my favorite. Also had gin cocktail #2 that was delicious & so refreshing.
Cute hipster Chinese food. It's nice to have Chinese food be seen as more than cheap take out. I like some of the creativity they've taken with flavors while being familiar still. However the price & quantity you get is a little outrageous. It's Tapas style so you order & share as is typical with Chinese cuisine except you pay a heck of a lot more so if you're hungry. Be warned. The entrees & apps are a better deal. The spicy salmon rice came & tofu dip were really good & decently priced for its quantity. The hot pot for example, per person is definitely not enough as a main meal. Even if you were to eat it alone. The duck at I think 50$ isn't even a full duck. I don't regret it but I'm not sure I would recommend it or go more than once.
This was such a great meal. Favorite dishes were the spicy noodles, ribs, & spicy salmon on rice cake. Service was a little slow but food was on point. It was nice to sit on the patio but the inside space had a great vibe too.
Went with a group of 6 for a birthday dinner, cannot say enough positive things! Beef tartare, sesame noodles & salmon rice cakes are just a few of many dishes we enjoyed, everything was fresh, innovative unique. Service was impeccable & friendly! Wish I was local so I could come back soon!
May 19, 2024
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The newish Oncle Lee has developed a strong name for itself in a short period of time for a take on Chinese-style dishes. The overall ambiance when you enter Oncle Lee is warm & inviting, with the exposed brick wall contrasting against the deep red Chinese lanterns setting a very unique vibe. The menu is tight & not necessarily what you'd expect from a typical Chinese restaurant & here is where I need to point out that this is not a Chinese restaurant in a classical sense but a restaurant serving strongly inspired Chinese dishes. The portions are relatively small for sharing (again, a difference from the Chinatown restos) & you should be prepared to order multiples of the same if you are a large party. For our meal we Deviled Eggs (good), Fried Calamari (excellent...very good batter & sauce), the Scallops with XO Sauce (very good), Sweet & Sour Eggplant (very good & tasty), Sautéed Greens (good but not especially flavorful), Garlic Fried Rice (very good but for rice the portion was far too small), Crispy Noodle Seafood Chow Mein (very good), & the 5-Spice Duck Platter (good but not the typical Beijing version you may have had) & ending with the French Toast with Ice Cream (very good but a little out of place in a Chinese-style restaurant. Service was extremely friendly, helpful & attentive & we never had to want for anything on that front. Enjoy!
3.5/5 overall, the atmosphere & service were great but expect the food portions to be small for the value. The flavours aren't really tailored to the Asian demographic either; some of the dishes seem to be doused in sauces that take away the original flavour of the food vs elevating it (ie. was not a big fan of the tofu with caramelized onion that came in a paste format, sautéed veggies doused in buttery sauce or the ribs that had too much sauce) but really enjoyed the garlic fried rice & French toast dessert. It might also be helpful for the dishes to be more descriptive, as there are no pictures on the menu.
