Restaurant Grinder centers its culinary focus on high-quality cuts of beef and fresh seafood selections sourced for maximum flavor. The establishment prepares various steak cuts utilizing specialized grilling techniques to ensure consistent texture and charred exteriors. Beyond the meat offerings, the menu incorporates a diverse array of fish and shellfish prepared with classic French-inspired techniques that prioritize natural ingredients. Patrons observe an industrial aesthetic characterized by exposed brick walls and high ceilings that frame the open concept layout. The drink selection features a robust variety of craft cocktails and spirits designed to complement the heavy proteins and rich sauces found throughout the kitchen repertoire. This venue maintains a commitment to ingredient-driven plates that highlight the technical precision required for effective open-fire cooking and traditional preparation methods.
Restaurant Grinder is located at 1708 Rue Notre-Dame O., Montreal, H3J 1M3. in the neighborhood of Griffintown. (located inside Les Quartiers du Canal).
Online ordering is not directly available on this page for Restaurant Grinder. You can call (514) 439-1130 and see if the restaurant takes orders by phone.
Does Restaurant Grinder have a menu available?
While a dedicated menu isn't hosted directly on this profile, you can visit their official website to view current offerings.
Does Restaurant Grinder have a private room for group events or parties?
Yes, Restaurant Grinder offers a private room available for group dining, private parties, corporate meetings, and special celebrations. Contact the restaurant directly to discuss availability and group menus.
Restaurant Grinder is widely celebrated for its exceptional quality of food, particularly its perfectly cooked steaks, flavorful beef tartare, and standout pouding chômeur. Guests consistently praise the vibrant, stylish, and romantic atmosphere, which makes it an ideal destination for special occasions, date nights, and gatherings with friends. While some diners mention that the music can occasionally be loud and tables feel close together, the overall experience is elevated by an attentive and personable staff who frequently go out of their way to ensure a memorable visit. With the added convenience of valet parking and a commitment to high-quality ingredients, this establishment remains a reliable and highly recommended staple in the local dining scene.
On Valentine's Day, we reserved a table for two at Grinder for our first visit - & it truly exceeded our expectations.
When we arrived, a very kind gentleman named Etienne welcomed us warmly & showed us to our table. Shortly after, our waiter Devin took care of us with such professionalism & genuine kindness. The atmosphere was vibrant yet romantic - perfect for a special evening.
We started with the Wagyu beef carpaccio & fried calamari, both absolutely delicious & beautifully presented. For our main course, we originally ordered the 40 oz Côte de Boeuf to share. After our appetizers, Etienne kindly informed us that they had unfortunately run out of it & offered two 20 oz New York style steaks instead. We agreed, & the way he handled the situation was incredibly thoughtful & professional.
To make up for the inconvenience, Etienne generously offered us complimentary cocktails. He even came back to confirm our drinks & surprised us with three cocktails, personally joining us for a cheerful toast & wishing my boyfriend a happy birthday. That personal touch made the night so special.
Our steaks were outstanding - perfectly cooked & full of flavor. To end the evening, they brought us a dessert with ice cream on the house for my boyfriend's birthday, which was such a sweet gesture.
Everything from the service to the food & atmosphere was exceptional. A huge thank you to Etienne & Devin for making our night so memorable. We highly recommend Grinder & will definitely be back!
We had a great dinner experience at Grinder last week. We were a party of 8 people so, it was nice to be able to get a reservation just a few days in advance. We sat by the kitchen & it was mesmerizing seeing the staff putting out so much food all night. We ordered an assortment of drinks & dishes, & everything was perfectly cooked & delicious. The staff were friendly & helpful. Even though it was a busy night the service was very good.
But when it comes to service, the details matter - & unfortunately, that's where things completely fell apart.
I've never seen a server look so lost. It took 45 minutes just to get a bottle of wine, & when it finally arrived, the opening process was awkward & honestly embarrassing.
Drinks & shots were forgotten. Our order wasn't even punched in until 30 minutes after we placed it; only noticed when the server came back to clarify something with a friend.
When you're charging premium prices for food & wine, the level of service has to match. Sadly, it didn't, & it really did ruin what could have been a great night.
The owner reached out to my boyfriend to understand what had happened during our first visit. He offered to have us come back for a second time, on the house, to make up for it.
We went back about a month later. We were greeted by Alejandro, the manager, who offered us a first round of drinks - just as good as the first time.
For starters, I had the tuna tartare & my boyfriend went with the fried calamari. Both were very good. For the main course, I had the short ribs (super tender) & he had the NY steak, cooked medium. Everything was solid.
The manager checked in on us without being overbearing, & he wrapped up the meal by offering us their pudding chômeur with soft-serve ice cream. Great dessert.
All in all, a much better experience than the first time. Thanks to the restaurant for taking the time to make things right. It doesn't go unnoticed
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My boyfriend & I were really looking forward to trying this spot, but unfortunately, it was a letdown. We ordered the rib steak for two ($120) & asked for it medium rare.
We placed our order around 10 PM, when things were winding down, but waited at least 45 minutes without any updates. During that time, the waitress didn't check on us once. I eventually flagged her down, & she mentioned the delay was normal due to the size of the steak - fair enough, but a quick update would've gone a long way.
When the food finally arrived 10-15 minutes later, the steak was cold & extremely undercooked - basically raw. I asked to have it cooked a bit more, & surprisingly, the waitress admitted she knew it was undercooked when she brought it out. Her explanation? Their medium rare leans'on the rarer side.' That's not reassuring when you're paying top dollar. The table beside us had also returned their steak, not once but twice.
The steak came back slightly warmer, but still incredibly raw & tough. My boyfriend lost his appetite after a few bites & decided to take it home to finish cooking himself. I ate a little more, but felt like I got robbed of an experience. The sides didn't redeem the dish either - the mushrooms were way too salty & the mashed potatoes tasted like cardboard.
On the other hand, the drinks were very good & enjoyable.
When the bill came, I asked the waitress if it was normal for their steaks to come out like that. She admitted it was undercooked & apologized awkwardly, but no compensation was offered - no discount, no complimentary drink, nothing. For a $120 dish we barely touched, that was incredibly disappointing. After the drinks, our bill was way over 200$
As someone who works in the industry, I'd never serve a dish I knew wasn't right, especially after a long wait. I would have gotten the manager involved the first time the food was returned to the kitchen. It's better to communicate delays than to disappoint with poor food & service. Sadly, this experience missed the mark on both.
I know the truth, I am but a plebeian Peasent, while I have done well tilling the meagar land given to me by my sovereign leaders, I have not yet risen to the station of being permitted to attend the the fine establishments where our overlords frequent. Attending this place, however, is like stumbing upon a crumb that has fallen from our masters table, a gem that had slipped from the treasure trove & not yet been noticed by the powers that be. For one as myself this was an experience that my descendants will treasure in the collective memories for generations! My infiltration was difficult, & I suspect they are on to me. The first test, one of literacy was easy, despite my hesitation. They had an arrow at what appeared to be the entrance pointing to the left, above it it said "Entrance". Following this arrow led me down a long dark hallway which increased my concern I would be found out, while also invoking feelings of exclusivity & high status. Thankfully we were greeted by a jewel of a hostess asking us for our reservation with a magical smile, before my nerves gave out. Upon sitting down I made my first blunder, the waiter, Diego, said "Flat water or sparkling?" Not expecting this test I yet rose to occasion & said "Peirrior or Club soda bubbly?" To this the waiter looked at me with confusion & said "S.Pellegrino sir." I then realized my blunder: only peasents like myself drink club soda when pretending to be fancy. The waitress, Mary, who came after, however, did not have a chance to receive the notification of my mistake, so suspected nothing. The menu was a treasure trove of incredible eats & foods that were foreign to my humble palette. While there was a distinct lack of pictures in the menu (thankfully my grade 3 teacher had taught me the animal & plant words) they had everything from Lobster Spaghetti to AAA ALBERTA BEEF BLACK ANGUS GROWN STRAIGHT FROM THE GROUND WITH THE FINEST HERBS & SPICES. However they had an option for shared whole table variety! My fellow co-consipators & I chose that option. They saved me from literacy blunder by pointing out that the price on the menu was per person, not per table. Words are hard & tricky inventions of wizards & accountants to keep the common man down The food was incredible, a flavor adventure of imagination & food sorecery if the highest level. Appetizers were divine drops of dews from the heavens, oysters arranged in a circle ready for us to consume them the way our overlords consume our labor, & a green sauce that might be made of avocado & olive oil, two fruits from two diffenent parts of the world coming together in a collision that was not available without the pirate extermination of 1952. & Millenials loving avocado toast. Dam Millenials always miss the true combinations. Avocados pair better with olive oil than toast. Finally the dessert did us in. We all lost our composure & fought like animals over the delight before us! At this point the waitress said "your reservation time is over sir" to which point I looked at the wonderful decor, reminiscent of a luxury pub from the industrial revolution, with a saltwater tank, & electricity, & modern day people. & RAN- To pay of course. Oh & the Baked octopus was my favorite. Don't steal it from my plate Shanel.
The food is very good at grinder & I would recommend it only for the food, the service from our waiter was non existent on the other hand. Took forever to place our order & our waiter was no where to be found the whole time we were there! First there was an appetizer that was completely forgotten about & never brought out after that 2 other drinks that were ordered were forgotten about we had to ask again for the drinks & waiter said oh to be honest I forgot to punch them in like THANKS, later we received our bills, where was our waiter when we were ready to pay? Oh at the bar having a good time taking shots not noticing that we were all ready to pay & leave ! Very unenjoyable experience when you have a server like ours.
