In creating Toqué!, more than twenty years ago, we wanted to showcase the Quebec products and the work of those who supply us. We want more than ever to acknowledge the contribution of these suppliers who deserve the glorious title of artisans. We owe them the foie gras or samphire; lamb or vegetables, seafood or herbs. These tireless artisans inspire the cuisine of Toqué! to which they bring the flavors, textures and natural aromas of irreproachable freshness. We are members of Relais & Châteaux and Grandes Tables du Monde.
Toqué! is repeatedly described as a refined, elegant destination where seasonal Quebecois ingredients shine through precise, balanced cooking and inventive but restrained flavor combinations. The tasting menu and wine pairings are highlighted as outstanding, with standout courses such as seafood and duck, and desserts praised for creativity and finesse. The service is consistently praised as attentive, knowledgeable, and warm, with the sommelier guiding the experience without being intrusive, and the open wine cellar and chic, comfortable ambiance adding to the overall delight. While prices are noted as premium, many say the quality, craftsmanship, and overall experience justify the cost, and the restaurant is recommended for special occasions and memorable dinners. Some critiques note occasional fluctuation in dish presentation or consistency and a few moments of service missteps, but the overwhelming impression is one of a milestone dining experience with terroir focused flavor, thoughtful accommodations for dietary restrictions, and a sense of hospitality that makes guests feel valued and eager to return.
My partner & I have visited Toqué three times over the past couple years, & it seemed high time to leave a review. All three experiences have been excellent. We get the tasting menu every time & are never disappointed. I would highly recommend adding the wine pairing to get the full Toqué experience. Some highlights of this establishment: - The tasting menu varies seasonally, showcasing different local ingredients. - Each dish is flavourful & beautifully arranged, with every ingredient--no matter how simple--playing a role. The focus is on discovering & appreciating high-quality local foods. They do this so well that my partner & I have found that we even enjoy ingredients we normally would not. I don't usually care for raw tomatoes, but I would eat this season's fresh tomato salad by the bowl, given the opportunity. - The staff are knowledgeable & attentive. A big part of the experience here is the staff's presentation of the dishes (& wines, if applicable) as they are brought to your table. They pay close attention to you without being obtrusive, making the pacing of the meal feel perfect as they bring out the next dish not long after you finish one. If you get up from the table, a staff member seems to magically appear to fold your napkin & pull your chair out for you as you return. - The staff are bilingual & can provide excellent service in either English or French. - They have been wonderfully accommodating of my dietary restrictions (more on that separately) & never made me feel like an inconvenience. For prospective diners, here are some points to help shape your expectations: - Interaction with staff is a big part of the tasting menu experience. If this isn't your cup of tea, the tasting menu may not be the best choice. - The focus here is on quality, not luxury or decadence. Toqué does not try to impress its guests with exotic or flashy ingredients. Expect local fruits, vegetables, & proteins, presented elegantly, with natural flavours. You will likely not be served a plate swimming in truffle oil & gold leaf. You may, however, eat the best parsnip purée of your life. - The price of the meal reflects the quality of both the food & the service. For most of us, eating here is a rare treat, but it is a treat indeed, & I have never regretted a dime spent at Toqué. All in all, Toqué has offered my family & me a delightful experience time & time again, & I cannot recommend them highly enough. My only regret is that I have not yet had the opportunity to enjoy each of their seasonal menus.
Been here before covid & had an excellent time. This was my second visit & meal was not as spectacular as it was before covid (still fantastic, but not completely worth the price tag as it was before), but the sommelier was fantastic. Absolutely paired the wine well with the dishes. Decor hadn't changed, but still beautiful. Server was knowledgeable & the hostess was charming. Probably wouldn't come back since I don't think it'd worth the price but good to experience at least once.
We just finished a superb supper at Toque in Montreal! We had the tasting menu & every dish was spectacular! The wine pairings were expertly chosen & the service (Benoit, Sam & Frédéric especially) was stellar!
Fantastic dining experience! Attentive & well paced service. Food was exceptional, from the presentation of each dish, to the high quality ingredients & wine pairings! Highly recommend for a special event, important business lunch or simply to treat yourself for a great dining experience.
Toqué is renowned as one of Canada's top restaurants, & for good reason. The chic ambiance, the impeccable service, & the exquisitely sublime food all play in harmony for a superlative experience. We opted for the 7 course tasting menu paired with 5 remarkable wines. An extravagant spread gifted for our anniversary. Pricing is not for the faint of heart. If your wallet permits, then by all means, indulge!
Nostalgia is often wasted energy. Twenty years ago we had a fabulous dinner at Toqué. We should have let our memory remain in 2004. Tonight's meal was the most expensive of our vacation & one of the worst. For $420 Canadian with a 20% tip, the cheque was highway robbery. The space had not changed much since 2004 & was dated. What was ahead of its time twenty years ago is now behind the times. Again, we sat at the bar, but we might as been at a two top. The staff was professional, but they reserved their warmth & friendliness for the local French speakers. Camaraderie was around us, but never directed to us. Americans, caveat emptor. Menu offerings read well, sounded great, & looked nice, but the dishes themselves lacked harmony. The asparagus with lobster appetizer was the best taste of the night. My Foie Gras Terrine was a simple pâté accompanied by some discordant jelly & strawberries. It was served with one stingy piece of toasted bread. Walleye, described as such: "Seared walleye confit fennel, fiddlehead, swiss chard stuffed with oyster, pak choï, gremolata, green garlic & smoked butter sauce" was a mess. While the walleye was cooked well, it was bland, & the Swiss chard, & greens overwhelmed the mild taste of the fish. The chef was using seasonable ingredients without thinking of the gestalt of the dish. Nothing went well together. The "Cavatelli with grilled lobster & mushrooms, roasted garlic purée, dulse, asparagus, hazelnut, mizuna purée, Parmigiano Reggiano mousse 68" lacked any harmony. The combination of the ingredients made no sense as a whole. Three out of four dishes were bad. Service was haphazard. We didn't know who our bartender or server was. Pacing was off with too long of a wait between the appetizers & entrees. Our dinner was not good, & the experience was sad. I yearned for Monarque, L'Express, & Lawrence. With two glasses of wine, two cocktails, the total bill was over $400. I felt fleeced.
Jun 23, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Normand Laprise,one of Quebec's most respected chefs, is known as the godfather of Quebec cuisine, & his reputation extends far beyond Canada's borders. Accompany the foodie who eats all over the world to eat in Montreal, you can only come to Toqué!I was lucky to get a reservation on the same day.The ingredients are well matched, the sauces are fresh & rich, & the sommelier recommended wines that were very good & matched the meal. we ordered the grilled quail, lobster, & it was beautiful & delicious. It's even better if the skin of the white asparagus is cleanly removed.😋 Costs for 2 people，$350
I had the most wonderful evening at Toque! I ordered the champagne tasting, oysters, the degustation menu & the wine pairing. Everything was wonderful starting with the team. They were kind enough open their patio just for me!! I will be back next time I am in Montreal ! I highly recommend !!
Went for lunch, amazing food & service, surprised me positively. Had an off-menu lobster/asparagus dish (very good), a pasta dish with mushrooms & other stuff (strong woodsy flavor that I loved), & a maple-based dessert (amazing). They have good optional wine pairings in the lunch table d'hote menu with half-glass or full-glass options which is great if you don't want to drink too much, & unlike most high-end wine pairings worldwide, these actually pair well with the dishes. Will probably come back for the dinner menu next time I'm in town.
Foie gras de canard, doré, & chocolate torte were an excellent mix of flavours with perfect presentation. Rioja wine pairing worked well. The limoncello-chartreuse-gin cocktail of the day was well balanced but could have had better presentation considering how elaborate the food was. Excellent service from both the hostess & server. Friendly, helpful, & efficient. Cute decor, could have put a little more effort into music.
May 24, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Fabulous fine dining showcasing local Quebec producers with seasonal offerings . Superbly presented food with exceptional service & a huge wine list assisted by a great Sommelier . What a treat !
I had an incredible 3-hour experience with their 7-course tasting menu! My favorites were the beef steak, quail, & two desserts. The beef & quail were exceptionally tender, & the accompanying sauces were bursting with flavor. Both dishes had a divine aroma when they arrived. Even though I'm not usually a fan of sweet dishes, I thoroughly enjoyed their desserts. They struck a perfect balance, not overly sweet, & the sorbet with sponge cake combination was delightful. The meal began with a brown butter mousse amuse-bouche, followed by the sea urchin as the first course. While the brown butter mousse was delicious, the sea urchin lacked a bit of its distinctive flavor for my taste. Unfortunately, the complimentary bread was served cold & didn't make much of an impression compared to the other outstanding dishes. The service was fantastic. They efficiently cleaned our table, & water & wine refills were prompt. However, I found the ambiance to be a bit noisy compared to Europea, where I had dined previously. Overall, it was a memorable night at this restaurant.
If you want to admire beautiful plates & taste no flavor, drink champagne in wine glasses & regret the aftertaste, pay an exorbitant price for mediocre food & be harassed at the door for a tip, then you might enjoy #Toqué. As for me, the place left a bitter taste in the mouth. The maître-D who stations himself at the door to shake down the tourist patrons for a tip, is an ill mannered brut who would be better suited as bouncer at a club. As one of the best restaurants in Montreal, the quality is less than distasteful. #mauvaisapétit
Mar 17, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Overall a very good experience eating here. Reasonably good selection of dishes for lunch. The wine list is also wuite interesting. Service is friendly & welcoming.
I did the tasting menu here 20 years ago & it was the best meal I had in my life until that point. This week I brought my husband here for the first time. We did the tasting menu again it was great. What really set it apart was the service & attention to every detail. My husband order a unique beer to drink & the server was able to recommend on of my favorite wines by me only telling him what I liked & didn't. The food came & each plate was a different experience. It was a very enjoyable evening.
TL:DR- Excellent tasting menu & wine pairing, expensive & time consuming. We had the tasting menu & the discovery wine pairing. Each dish & wine pair were explained as they came, so I'll cover them roughly; Amuse bouche- smoked fish & shitake mushrooms in a dashi broth. First course- Marinated scallops (also on the A La Carte menu), with an Austrian reisling, a 2021 Heiligenstein Second course- Salmon gravlax(from the a la carte also), with a 2022 Les Safres chateauneuf du Pape. Third course- either Foie gras terrine( on the a la carte also) & a 2021 Cuvee Domain Juracon or Sea Snails with a green sauce, & a 2021 Barrell aged assrytiko from Santorini Fourth course- A turkey & cranberry filled pasta, with a 2021 Santa Barbara Pinot Noir, Presqu'ile Fifth course(main)- grass fed Quebec beef filets, & a 2015 Jean Pierre Gaussen, Bandol Sixth course- Clos-des-Roches & Le Fleurmier de Charlevoix cheese plate with a Thunevin calet Maury, 1984', or a pre dessert sweet, cinnamon & maple sorbets with caramel popcorn & a (graham?) cookie, & a 2021 catawba(?) Seventh course- White chocolate ganache & pumpkin seed oil, with a incredible Louise Prescott ice cider, 2012' After dessert- strawberry gummies(?) & caramels, with coffee, tea, or a digestive. Each dish & pairing were well balanced & well explained, by incredible staff members. Everyone was helpful, professional, & knowledgeable. Be prepared to spend both a long time & a large sum of money here. We spent over four hours, but it didn't feel like it at all. Final bill including tip was nearly $500ca per person, but managed not to feel pretentious or overpriced.
