The creation of young, up and coming Montreal restaurateurs, Wienstein & Gavino’s debuted in Montreal in 1996. W&G is a large Mediterranean restaurant spanning two floors and complimented by two terraces in the summer months. A large bar is the focal point of the first floor while the open kitchen complete with brick pizza oven is the main attraction upstairs. W&G is best known for its fresh, homemade pasta and traditional sauces and thin crust pizza. There is also a good selection of steaks, veal, and seafood. W&G serves lunch and dinner every day with a weekly table d’hôte available daily at $12-$16 for lunch and starting at $23 for dinner. In addition, a selection of pizza and pasta is available for 10$ from 11a.m. until 3p.m. for the lunch crowd and after 10pm every day for late night diners looking for a meal after the game, a concert downtown or before hitting the dance floor. W&G can also accommodate groups and can plan your party for you whether you’ve invited 10 people or 300 people! From Monday to Friday there is a “happy hour” at the W&G bar where guests can enjoy 2 for 1 from 4pm until 8pm. After cocktails at the bar, you can choose from one of the largest wine cellars in the city, stocked with reasonably priced wines, private imports, or premium fine wines. The focus is always fun at W&G with a DJ keeping things lively on the weekend and special events year-round. There is always something interesting going on at W&G!
Overall, Weinstein Gavino's is praised for high-quality Italian fare, generous portions, and fresh pasta, with favorites like calamari, burrata bruschetta, arancini, seafood pasta, osso buco, and pizzas, all served in a lively downtown atmosphere with a warm bread and olive oil starter. Service is frequently described as friendly and attentive, and the bar and wine selections are well received, though several reviews mention crowds, noise, and occasional slow pacing during busy periods or small inconsistencies in timing and temperature.
Walking into this Italian restaurant on a Monday night should've been simple: Game 3 of the Habs vs. Carolina playoff series was on, everyone was still talking about yesterday's Formula 1 race, & the vibe had all the ingredients for a great night out. Instead, it felt like being trapped in the warm-up lap before a complete mechanical failure.
The place wasn't even busy, which somehow made the chaos more impressive. Servers wandered around in what can only be described as complete disarray - drinks forgotten, tables ignored, confusion everywhere. Meanwhile, a man at the bar was passionately yelling at the bartender about something none of us could quite decode. Hockey? Politics? Ferrari strategy? Nobody knew, but he was committed.
Then the food arrived, & morale collapsed instantly.
The butternut squash ravioli came drowning in what looked & tasted suspiciously like canned gravy, yet somehow also carried the haunting sweetness of vanilla cake frosting. I don't know how they achieved a flavor profile that simultaneously reminded me of Thanksgiving leftovers & grocery store birthday cake, but it was enough to send the entire table into a silent depressive state. Every bite felt emotionally confusing. You'd chew, pause, look around the table, & wonder if life had somehow taken a wrong turn.
Nothing else improved from there. The sauces were heavy in the worst possible way, the pasta tasted exhausted, & every dish arrived with the energy of something prepared out of obligation rather than passion. It was less'Italian dining experience' & more'cafeteria food served during a regional power outage.'
Halfway through the meal, what appeared to be a fully booked reservation for an elderly women's book club descended upon the restaurant & somehow took over most of the building. Suddenly there were cardigans everywhere, wine glasses clinking at dangerous frequencies, & enough loud discussion about novels to drown out the playoff game. The already struggling staff folded immediately under the pressure like Ferrari strategy in the final laps.
To her credit, our waitress was genuinely kind & clearly trying her best while the entire restaurant burned down around her. She was the lone bright spot in an otherwise catastrophic dining experience.
By the end of the meal, when you start quietly discussing whether a dine-&-dash might actually improve the evening, you know things have gone sideways.
Overall: if you're looking for authentic Italian disappointment served with playoff hockey chaos, rogue book clubs, existential sadness, & ravioli that tastes like gravy-coated birthday cake, this place absolutely delivers.
Came here for a quick lunch & it has a great patio on Crescent. Music was going through the weekend so the atmosphere was nice & we had a great sunny day. I ordered the caprese salad which is one of my favs & had the pizza as well which was truly delicious. Service was stellar, atmosphere amazing, I couldn't ask for anything better!
May 28, 2026
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It felt so European, authentic & with friendly & genuine service, food was delicious, waiters ready to assist. Burrata starter is a top notch! Prices are so affordable - a bit dark on my taste but I would gladly try their terrace
Visited Weinstein & Gavino's Italian Restaurant on Rue Crescent in Montreal. Bravo to all the wonderful staff at this amazing restaurant in the heart of Montreal. From the beautiful decor, to the wonderful welcome & the delicious Italian cuisine is a pure masterpiece. But the'best' part was our waiter'TONY' what a great fun & entertaining gentleman- the best waiter that has ever served us! Please ask or even demand for'TONY' the magnificent as he will make your fantastic meal even more fantastical! I wish we could give this Italian Icon 10 stars+++++, but very deserving of 5 stars in every possible category. Bravo Tony, Merci Beaucoup for the experience - this is our new spot to dine & eat in Montreal!
Had a really great experience here. The grilled calamari was absolutely delicious, the wine selection was very good, & the pasta was full of flavor. The staff were friendly & welcoming, & the outdoor seating made the whole atmosphere even more enjoyable. Finished the night with a chocolate ice cream dessert which was also excellent. Definitely a place worth visiting again.
Got the pasta pollo alla Sofia & it was delicious! Also had a Paloma & another drink I can't remember the name of but both were so good. Our server Romain was so attentive & kind! We're visiting & he gave us some great recommendations that we ended up trying & loved! Thank you so much Romain!
May 17, 2026
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We visited this amazing & popular Italian restaurant on Friday for dinner. We already had the reservations. We ordered:
1. Funghi E Cipolla Pizza: 5/5 - Amazing. I loved that taste of mushrooms & cheese.
2. Caprini Pizza: 3/5 - Average. The taste was not that good.
3. Pesto Al Basilico with Spaghetti: 5/5 - Must have.
4. Primavera Estivale with Penne: 3/5 - Average.
5. Le Tiramisu de monsieur Gavino: 5/6 - Must have
We only ordered the vegetarian food. They served the fresh bread with olive oil at the start. They add the fresh Parmesan on the pasta. Even though there were some dishes that wasn't so good, the overall experience was a solid 5/5. I also feel that their vegetarian dishes are not their specialty so you experience could be even better.
First of the all, the server was brilliant. I would even say, I have never seen someone so dedicated & attentive to their job. She was so friendly, accessible at all times. Instead of giving us the togo boxes (which is fine to me), she packed the food herself. We had a kid in the group. They promptly placed a kids chair & gave him crayons to play. Everyone in the group was impressed by the service provided to us. Unfortunately, I don't know her name otherwise I would have given a shoutout to her.
Last but not the least, the ambience & atmosphere is top notch. The open kitchen looks so cool. This place has definitely a vibe to it.
The service there is always good. Been there multiple times over the last 20 years. Went there today & the reason why I'm writing this review is because I was disappointed.
As stated before the service is always good there. The staff is really friendly & takes care of you. What we ordered there was good in general & the service was attentive, but I have to say the pizza was a major disappointment. It tasted like a mix between a restaurant pizza & some uneatable frozen pizza you buy at the corner store. I was not impressed.
I will definitely go there again since I love the place, but I will never order a pizza from there again.
May 15, 2026
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Honestly the worst pizza & pasta experience in a restaurant in this price range. The waitress was good, but nobody liked their meal. Ambiance is okay. There are tons of better restaurants out there
Excellent Italian restaurant with high-quality food & beverages. The atmosphere is perfect for gatherings, with plenty of seating & comfortable spots for groups.
Highly recommended for family dinners, friends meetups, or special occasions.
Un bon & beau restaurant :) le repas etait bien ( le steak j'aurais mise une sauce a coter ou un épices dessus mais bon cest un restaurant italien alors sje recommande les pâtes qui etait aussi délicieux :) ambiance correct pour une fin de soirée je tien a dire il etait vendredi 22h30-23h mais jai bien aimer en général . Je met des photos de la place & du menu nourriture & alcools pour voir mieux & claire ( a jour en date du Mai 2026 )
