Restaurant 1881 receives consistently strong praise for both food and service, with many reviews calling the dishes fresh, well balanced and beautifully presented, featuring items like duck salad, tartares, shakshuka, tuna tartare, beef, salmon, and a highly regarded breakfast and brunch lineup. The atmosphere is described as modern, cozy, and welcoming, suitable for business lunches, dates, or casual meals, with attentive, friendly staff and smooth service at quieter times. Several guests highlight generous portions and good value, while a few note occasional issues such as slower service during busy hours, minor hiccups with table setup or wine service, and one or two encounters with less attentive staff. Coffee is praised by some and criticized by others, but overall the cafe style breakfast and brunch are repeatedly celebrated, including standout items like the classic breakfast, croissant breakfast sandwich, shakshuka, and duck salad. Overall, Restaurant 1881 is regarded as a reliable, high quality spot in downtown Montreal with standout food and solid service, particularly for brunch and casual dining.
Excellent restaurant. Nous avons apprécié la tranquillité, le service amical des employés. Il y avait peu de clients mais les gens parlaient à voix basse. Un endroit où l'on peut finalement avoir une discussion sans être obligé de crier. Les plats sont savoureux, tout spécialement la salade de canard. Portion très généreuse. Nous avons également découvert un excellent vin blanc & un autre rouge suite aux recommandations. Vraiment une belle soirée. Nous y retournerons c'est certain.
Excellent food & service. We were a group of 11 & we all thoroughly enjoyed our food & drinks. Our server was very friendly & attentive. 100% recommend!
Mar 21, 2026
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Très belle découverte ! Le restaurant a une super ambiance & le service est vraiment chaleureux. Les plats étaient délicieux & bien présentés, on voit que les ingrédients sont frais. L'équipe prend le temps de s'assurer que tout est parfait pour les clients. Je vais définitivement revenir & recommander la place à mes amis.
Je n'es pas aimer le restaurant la nourriture est arriver froid & pas frais j'ai attendu très longtemps avant d'être servi & puis le serveur Thomas très bêtes avec moi & crouse ma femme devant moi ces pas professionnel du tous tous & se n'es pas la premières fois qu'il agis de la sorte mon ami est aller & il m'a dit le meme commentaire sur lui vraiment a ne pas recommande
This was the first time my husband & I visited Montreal. We stayed at a hotel next to this restaurant. We searched on Google for nearby
a restaurant & decided to have dinner here.
We ordered soup, a house salad, duck salad, & sirloin steak. Everything was excellent! The staff were also very nice.
We highly recommend this restaurant. For me, this was the first time I had ever tried such an amazing duck salad.
After a delayed flight, we arrived as the final guests of the evening, not expecting much. To our surprise, every dish exceeded expectations. The fish was delicately seasoned, highlighting its natural freshness, while the duck leg salad was a standout - the meat meltingly tender against the crisp, sweet greens. The thoughtful flavors turned what could have been a tiring night into a warm & memorable welcome, marking the perfect start to our trip. Recommend!
Sep 7, 2025
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We had a wonderful brunch experience at Restaurant LE 1881. The dishes were fresh, flavorful, & beautifully presented. The shakshuka was rich & hearty, with perfectly poached eggs in a vibrant tomato sauce topped with fresh arugula. It came with a side of crisp toast & fresh fruit - a refreshing balance to the warm, savory flavors.
The croissant breakfast sandwich was equally impressive - flaky, buttery pastry enveloping fluffy eggs, melted cheese, & peppery greens, paired with fresh strawberries & melon.
The atmosphere was modern & inviting, with plenty of natural light & comfortable seating. The service was attentive, warm, & genuinely welcoming, adding to the relaxed, enjoyable dining experience.
Highly recommend for anyone looking for a stylish yet cozy spot for brunch in the city.
Exceptionally dedicated & pleasant kitchen chef making a superb breakfast sandwich named 1881 w/ homemade sausage.
Highly recommended.
A bit quiet place, but perfect for me.
Also, coffee machine was not ideally tweaked at my visit, so if a coffee nerd (like me), go here for the excellent food.
Nevertheless, there was a clear desire to to make high class coffee & e.g. grinder was definitely capable & sourcing of beans were also prioritized.
Apr 3, 2025
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We hosted an event here, excellent venue! The food was spectacular, great service & a great location overall. From the delicious full course meal to the great ease in organizing the event, I would absolutely recommend. Gary & team did a great job, thank you!
I stumbled upon this restaurant after a workout at the gym, & I'm so glad I did! The lentil soup was absolutely delicious, & the salmon tartare was incredibly refreshing-both dishes were bursting with fresh flavors. The staff was warm & welcoming, & a special shoutout to Gary for making the experience even better. The prices are very affordable, especially considering the top-notch quality of the food. Highly recommend this spot!
I don't usually do reviews. But. The food is flavourful, the ingredients are fresh. In line with the MAA spirit the meals are healthy, no chemical or salty sulfite taste. Perfect salads, well seasoned tartares (without tons of mayonnaise), best fries in town... The place feels personal: the team is sweet & the chef - passionate about flavors - is always in the kitchen & often comes to exchange with the customers, to get their honest reviews & to thank them. I have eaten at this place at various occasions by now & I am pleasantly surprised with the consistency of flavors & cooking techniques. & let me tell you - the value for money thing is mind-blowing: good luck finding an alternative for that price! I highly recommend this place.
Nov 22, 2024
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Wonderful meal, excellent service & amazing experience. The food was delicious & the owner made the evening so special. Thank you for your warm hospitality. Highly recommended.
Excellent expérience au 1881, ambiance chic mais décontractée, parfait pour un diner entre collègues ou bien une date! Très bonne nourriture à prix compétitif, je recommande
