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.
Had a wonderful experience at 1881; my steak was juicy & cooked perfectly the way I like, & their cavatelli was al dente with just the right amount of pesto, sundried tomatoes & parmesan. Thomas, our server was friendly & attentive. Give them a try if you're in the around.
Jul 20, 2025
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Visiting Montreal for the first time. Quality food, well prepared, high quality ingredients, & amazing presentation. This place deserves 5 star rating.
5-star is not enough for Lea's superb service & warm personality! We also enjoyed the food a lot made by the chef Gary - from the soup to the cod, everything is so fresh & tasty. A very nice dining experience for sure.
Jun 19, 2025
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thanks to Lea's incredibly warm & welcoming service - she truly made us feel at home.
surprise came when Chef Gary himself came out to introduce the dishes & kindly answered my questions - such a pleasure to meet him & even take a photo together!
The standout dish of the day was definitely the tomato soup - a cold, refreshing surprise with cucumber notes & a beautifully layered mix of spices. Very unique!
The pan-seared cod was super fresh, & I loved the crispy texture of the skin.
The Burger 1881 is one of my favorite - the bun was light & airy, while the patty was tight, juicy, & full of flavor. The coffee was… well, just your average coffee.
Nous avons découvert par hasard ce restaurant & nous nous sommes arrêtés pour prendre un dessert. Les 2 desserts étaient excellents & les plats servis autour de nous faisaient très envie.
Jun 1, 2025
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Ce resto, c'est rendu ma deuxième maison 😁 Le chef est tellement gentil, la bouffe est top, l'équipe accueillante & l'ambiance parfaite. J'y retourne encore & encore ! 🌺
I went there a while ago in August with some friends. We're teenagers, & we really tried to be respectful & not too loud. Despite that, we felt pretty neglected by the staff. The food was good, but I can't say much about the atmosphere since we went around 3 PM & the place was almost empty. I still left a tip at the time, but looking back, I kind of regret it because of the way we were treated.
Bien qu'il soit un peu difficile de trouver le restaurant, il représente un excellent rapport qualité prix au centre-ville de Montréal. Je n'hésiterai pas à y retourner.
May 19, 2025
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Great food, good helpings, reasonable price. Servers were a little new, but that happens. We met the chef/owner , very nice .
I would definitely return.
The food is incredibly delicious , every bite is bursting with flavor & clearly made with care. The service is exceptional, with staff that are both attentive & genuinely friendly. On top of that, the place is spotlessly clean, which adds so much to the overall experience.
Whether you're from Montreal or just visiting, this spot is an absolute must-try. You won't be disappointed!
I came to eat with my friends & we got the beef tartare with fries..It was excellent!!! My friend got the burger & she loved it. Amazing taste & quality!
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.
