Vargas is situated in the heart of downtown Montreal business district, and walking distance to all the major hotels. Vargas is a chef driven American classic Steakhouse in an elegant and sophisticated ambiance, Our focus is on quality and freshness, from our sustainably sourced fish to the perfectly aged Canadian Beef. Vargas is unique to the city to offer the combination of Sushi and Steak, you can’t go wrong with such a varied offer of flavors. Our wine cellar is extensive and offers something for everyone by the bottle or by the glass. The staff are always attentive and professional your GM’s Mike Digaletos and Stefano Apostolatos can cater to any private function and special requests.
Vargas is described as an elegant, versatile dining spot where steaks, sushi and seafood shine, with meals praised for fresh ingredients, bold flavors and beautiful presentation. The atmosphere is repeatedly noted as warm and beautiful, with a renovated bar that adds a New York vibe and makes it a good setting for date nights, business lunches and celebrations. Service is often described as friendly, professional and attentive, with staff who know the menu, though a few visits mention slower pacing or occasional missteps in timing or food delivery. Dishes receive strong marks, from tender ribeye and tomahawk steaks to standout sushi plates and creative appetizers, while some sides and seafood platters disappoint or feel pricey for the portion. Desserts and cocktails garner praise, especially the creme brulee and well crafted drinks, though some diners call out uneven value for money. Corporate and private events are described as well organized with efficient wine service and generous portions. Overall, Vargas comes across as a reliable choice for flavorful, quality meals and a memorable night out, with many guests planning to return for celebrations or regular visits.
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
Every dish tasted fresh & full of flavor. You can tell they use quality ingredients. The presentation was beautiful too. Friendly staff & quick service!'
Feb 6, 2026
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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.
Feb 8, 2025
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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!
the entire place stinks of meat! no smiles to be found on any worker's face & the energy of the servers/hostess was just off... the sushi however was DELIGHTFUL! the fish was fresh & the portions were satisfying.
Dinner for 4: The food was not fresh... 3 plates out of 4 were returned because one plate was overcooked, another undercooked with the wrong steak requested, & the fish smelled very bad & tasted funny. They ended up replacing the fish plate with a salmon plate, which was much better. The other two steaks were replaced without a problem. The waitress's service was super nice. I have nothing to say about that. We took two bottles of red wine for our meals & both bottles were very cold. Red wine shouldn't be that cold... it spoils the taste. Will not be going again.
The food was pretty good. However, the coffee is so bitter that I can't drink it. Very old & not fresh taste. My friend & I took a sip & stood up. & one of the servers, Old Woman, had a very stiff attitude, which was unpleasant. I think people like that shouldn't work as servers.
Feb 21, 2024
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Mid food Streak frite was expensive for what you're getting ,the fries are soggy but the meat is okay. The calamaries are tasteless & the batter crumble as soon as you touch it Sushis are fresh but again expensive (50 for 20 pieces) The apple cheese cake was old & it's graham base soggy. The Ferrero chocolate cake was absolutely tasteless
It is situated in the heart of Montreal's downtown area, making it convenient for both locals & tourists.
It is primarily known for its high-quality steaks, but due to dietary restrictions & considering its an official dinner, I preferred Chilean Sea Bass which was OK-ish. Their Ceasar Salad was excellent & fresh.
The restaurant is known for its elegant & stylish ambiance. It features modern décor, ambient lighting, & a chic atmosphere, making it suitable for business meetings.
Their service was how ever very slow which they need to improve.
