Place Carmin is widely praised as a remarkable French dining destination in Old Montreal, offering meticulously crafted dishes such as bone marrow, duck a l orange, veal tartare, scallops in a potato puree, blood pudding tarte tatin, and Paris Brest, with cocktails and a strong wine list that enhance the experience. The space and service are frequently described as elegant, attentive and professional, making it suitable for intimate dinners, private events and brunch alike, while reviews note an atmosphere ranging from calm and refined to lively for groups. While many comments celebrate the quality, some diners find certain dishes or portions inconsistent and a few menu choices do not always meet expectations, with occasional remarks about value or service during busy times, but the overall impression is that Place Carmin delivers a standout, highly regarded experience that brings guests back.
We had been looking forward to this dinner for quite a while, which is why it's especially disappointing to leave with such a mixed experience.
First of all, the food was genuinely excellent.
Both the savory dishes & desserts showed a great amount of care, creativity, & attention to detail from the kitchen team. The chocolate cake, in particular, was honestly one of the best desserts I've had in a long time.
& that is exactly why I feel so sorry for the rest of the team.
From the moment we ordered, our server came across as noticeably impatient, with a very different attitude compared to the way other tables were being treated. What should have been an enjoyable evening kept feeling interrupted by uncomfortable interactions.
At one point, the daily dessert was incorrectly introduced to us. We only found out it had actually been changed after another staff member mentioned it when the dessert arrived. When we politely tried to confirm the mistake, instead of checking first, the server pointed at the dessert on the table & insisted she was correct, until a colleague informed her that the menu had indeed changed.
Later, we ordered a chocolate cake to share between four people, following the server's recommendation. However, while we were still eating, two of our friends had their utensils taken away without any warning or question, leaving them to continue sharing the same fork with the rest of us.
What surprised us most was being asked, almost immediately after finishing dessert, whether we wanted to split the bill. If the restaurant had been full & needed to turn tables over quickly, I would completely understand. But with more than half the restaurant still empty, it was difficult not to feel rushed throughout the evening.
Eventually, the server noticed I seemed unhappy & asked what was wrong. At first, I honestly did not plan on saying anything. I assumed perhaps it had been a busy day & she was simply tired. But after she insisted on wanting to know, I tried to calmly explain how we felt, only to be interrupted before I could even finish, as she quickly explained that she thought we were done eating, which was why the utensils had been cleared.
She offered to bring us a new piece of cake as compensation, which seemed to be the restaurant's way of trying to make up for the situation. While I appreciated the gesture, I gently declined, because the issue was never about receiving another dessert or compensation.
What disappointed us was about how an experience we had genuinely been excited for was gradually overshadowed by the feeling of being unwelcome & rushed.
I still want to express my respect to the kitchen team for the care & effort behind the food, & I also appreciate the kindness shown by some of the other staff members afterward.
I sincerely hope this server is able to find more ease & happiness in her work someday.
Because the food here truly deserves service that matches its quality.
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This place is such an underrated brunch spot in Montreal's Vieux-Port. The service was great & food even better. I would strongly recommend their scrambled eggs with truffle, ham & mushrooms. The inside is also beautiful & bright.
Unfortunately, I think they get overshadowed by another local favorite next door.
Another bonus, they accept reservations, which makes it more convenient.
I will definitely check it out for their evening menu next time as I would love to see the place when it's a tad busier.
May 3, 2026
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Fantastique! One of us got the host menu & the ham app, shrimp linguine & dessert were all incredible. My wife got the duck main & it was phenomenal too. Good beer list of locally crafted ales for their restaurant, & of course a solid wine list.
I came by for brunch today , I LOVED IT. Just like the amazing food , I loved service they gave.
Explaining how each drink options would compliment my main & constantly checking if everything was fine.
When I'm visiting Montreal again ; I'll be back here.
An absolute gem of a place. The food, the wine list & the atmosphere was superb.
Special thanks to our waiter JM, he made sure we got the best experience possible & would go back just for him, & the food as well haha!
Apr 14, 2026
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We went there for brunch & everything was excellent , the food, the hospitality, & the service. I highly recommend it. In my opinion, the only issue was the restrooms. They were not really up to the standard of a star-rated restaurant ,neither clean nor well maintained.
We had a great evening with good food amd excellent service.
The Salmon Tatar was well balanced in flavour & the steak was cooked beautiful as it was ordered.
The atmosphere has some special vibe to it & was nice. Open & spacious but still cosy of some sort.
I can absolutely recommend this place.
Thanks
First of all, when you walk in the restaurant is really beautiful. You can tell someone spent a very long time designing every little thing about this place.
Second, the service was top notch. This is not a michelin star restaurant, but the service is about as close as you can get.
Third, the food. I got the beef tartare & the canard a l'orange (duck). Both items were insanely tasty with beautiful presentation. Better yet, french restaurant are renown for small portions, but not here. The portions were quite filling, especially at the prices they charge.
Jean-Michel fait partie de l'âme de ce resto. J'y vais seulement les jours / soirs quand je le vois travailler. Ça serait pas pareil sans son service & son attitude positive & accueillante qui font un tel bon vibe.
