Vargas delivers a sophisticated fusion of classic steakhouse traditions and contemporary sushi preparations. The menu features premium cuts of beef grilled to exacting standards alongside an array of precision-crafted sashimi and maki rolls. Patrons encounter an environment centered on high-quality proteins, emphasizing the natural flavors of seasoned grilled meats and fresh seafood selections. The culinary approach balances the intense heat of the grill with the clean, refined textures characteristic of Japanese culinary techniques. Each dish reflects a technical focus on ingredient integrity and consistent preparation methods. The space is designed to support a streamlined flow between the robust steak offerings and the delicate presentations found at the sushi bar. This establishment maintains a disciplined dedication to these dual culinary pillars, ensuring each component remains distinct yet complementary within the overarching menu structure.
Vargas is widely regarded as a sleek, upscale downtown Montreal destination that excels at providing a sophisticated atmosphere for both business meetings and celebratory occasions. Many patrons praise the quality of the steaks, noting that the meat is often cooked to perfection and full of flavor, while the addition of fresh, high-quality sushi adds a unique and enjoyable variety to the menu. While the service is frequently described as professional, attentive, and charismatic, some visitors have reported inconsistencies regarding wait times, occasional errors, or frustration with tipping and pricing structures. Despite a few mixed experiences concerning specific dishes or side options, the restaurant consistently earns high marks for its vibrant environment, excellent drink selection, and the welcoming nature of its staff.
Dining at Vargas Steakhouse & Sushi Restaurant offers a unique blend of upscale steakhouse dining with a modern, stylish twist. Located in downtown Montreal, the ambiance feels sleek & vibrant, making it a great spot for both business dinners & nights out.
The steak was definitely the star of the evening. Cooked exactly as requested, it came out tender, juicy, & full of rich flavor. You can immediately tell the quality of the meat is top-tier, & the preparation is done with precision. Each bite had that perfect balance of char on the outside & a melt-in-your-mouth texture inside.
What sets Vargas apart is the option to mix things up with sushi alongside your steak. It's not something you see at every steakhouse, & it adds a fun, elevated touch to the experience. The sushi was fresh & well-prepared, making it more than just an afterthought on the menu.
Service was professional & attentive, helping create a smooth & enjoyable dining experience from start to finish. Overall, Vargas is a great choice if you're looking for a high-end steak with a bit of variety, all in a lively Montreal setting.
This is one of the best steakhouses I've ever tried. Everything was amazing. Benjamin was very helpful, & the service overall was excellent. The steak was perfectly cooked & the sushi was very fresh. The atmosphere was elegant & comfortable. Definitely coming back again.
If you had an option to only try one restaurant in Montreal, consider this on the top of the list!
Came here for a date night for the first time, & wow the meal was amazing. Started off with the small plate of sushi. 10/10 super fresh. I had the rib eye steak I believe & it was cooked to perfection. Ended our night with the strawberry cheesecake & let me tell you it wasn't your ordinary slice of cake. It was presented so beautifully I didn't even want to eat it lol (but I did) & it was delicious. 10/10 would recommend
Feb 19, 2026
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Every dish tasted fresh & full of flavor. You can tell they use quality ingredients. The presentation was beautiful too. Friendly staff & quick service!'
Dinner for 5. Service=good overall but waited quite a while for waiter/water. Also, food runners brought wrong dishes to wrong people twice. Waiter (Pascal) was friendly, fun & funny.
Food: Bread rolls were good but some were not that fresh. Grilled octopus app was good but not great & had a weird orange sauce. Definitely not worth $30. French onion soup was not hot & the cheese barely melted=someone took it out of the oven way too early. Sent it back & 2nd time around it was hot & melted & broth quite tasty. $12 grilled veggies that we chose as sides with steaks were a let down. Burger de Dave (topped with aged cheddar, maple-glazed bacon, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, pickles & chipotle aioli. Served with golden fries. ) was good but a bit messy because of the aioli, & the meat is not well seasoned. Filet mignon was very good, as was the Miso glazed salmon. Overall a good meal but not great bang for your buck at around $70 per person without booze. Keg offers better overall food & value.
Had a very great evening at Vargas. Nice vibes & environment. Food was fresh & delicious I definitely recommend the salmon tartare as an entree. Tamara gave us a great service!
Will come again soon.
The food was delicious. I had the 8oz filet mignon with peppercorn sauce. It was cooked just right, & it was tender & very tasty. My wife had the organic salmon meal with deep-fried cauliflower. The salmon was fresh & cooked just right with a delicious mango sauce. Personally, I don't like anything deep-fried. Perhaps, the chef should consider another method to cooking the cauliflower. My friend had the roast beef. Unfortunately, it was not tender. The roast beef should be almost melt-in-mouth tender, & could have had more spice… Otherwise, I would definitely recommend this restaurant. Our waiter Christo, was very friendly, knowledgeable, professional, attentive.
I truly wish the bill could go 100% to our server, who tried his best to save our dining experience at Vargas.
I've never been a picky customer, but the seafood platter honestly made me frown - the shrimps were so dry they were difficult to chew. It was bad enough that I had to let our server know there must be something wrong with it, as I even doubted if they were edible. He kindly replaced the shrimps with another plate, but unfortunately, that one was only mediocre - not even as fresh as what you'd expect from a casual pho place. Almost everything on the platter, except for the oysters, lacked freshness.
The grilled oyster was overcooked, & the rest of the seafood felt tired.
We also ordered a mixed grill platter to share, including lamb chops, which were better than the shrimps but still nothing impressive.
Given the price point & the Fairmont location, I was very disappointed. This was supposed to be a family reunion dinner, but we ended up finishing quickly & heading to another restaurant instead. I rarely leave negative reviews, but this was one of the most disappointing experiences I've had - especially for a place with over 1,500 reviews averaging more than 4 stars. Sadly, I'd rate this below 2 if I'm being generous.
We had family visiting from Florida & they wanted steak dinner. We used to go to Moishe's before it was sold. It appears to have been bought by a Conglomerate which is akin to Loblaws buying L'Express on St. Denis...they actually moved this iconic restaurant to the Biz district of Montreal. C'mon, the ambiance & history were part of the attraction. Not to mention the prime cuts of beef & Yiddish menu. Vargas appealed as an option. The Service was impeccable for our table of 6. They had a small but excellent wine list. The decor was spacious, the coffered ceilings were high, with lots of Art Deco finishes, plus views of the Mtl skyline. I loved the touch of specialty bottled & well chilled H2O. I shared the Mediterranean Salad, it was big enough for 4. I'd love to know where they sourced such luscious tomatoes in February. The sprinkling of dried grapes offered an nice crispy texture to the juicy tomatoes, & it was a nice fresh appetizer to contrast with the main course of Ribeye I chose. The others had Onion Soup which tasted sweet & everyone finished to the last drop. Everyone enjoyed their choice of Sirloin, which was very tasty. No one actually used the different sauces on the side, as the steaks did not need any accompaniment. My only complaint is that my steak was medium rare & not rare as I chose, & was lukewarm on arrival. The desserts were absolutely divine. I shared the Chocolate souffle with dark thick chocolate syrup & the most heavenly ice-cream, surely home-made. I am not a fan of overly sweet desserts, & Vargas did not disappoint in that regard. We had polite, attentive & discreet service throughout.I took one star off due to the lukewarm steak - but this would not prevent me from visiting this lovely & elegant restaurant in the future.
Bone-in Rib eye & Rip cap steaks were amazing. Sides were equally great. Sushi was fresh too. Staff was amazing & very attentive. Great vibe with chill & upscal decor. Would definitely come here again. They were also able to accommodate our well behaved toddler!
