Ten rooms in which Montréal tells its own story through décor, founders and programming rather than menus. Modavie has put a jazz band on stage every evening since 1997, with no cover charge. Jardin Nelson hides a garden courtyard behind the porch of a historic Old Montréal house and keeps musicians playing at midday and in the evening, from spring to Thanksgiving. Bar George occupies the Victorian manor raised in the nineteenth century for Sir George Stephen, a builder of the Canadian railway, and returned to the public in 2017.
The rest is each house’s own story. Ferreira Café has carried that of Carlos Ferreira since 1996: he arrived from the Porto region in the 1970s, and his daughters carry the name forward today. Damas was born twice, since Fuad Alnirabie rebuilt his room more sumptuous than before after the 2015 fire. Monarque, opened in 2018 by the Bastien father-and-son duo, handed a nineteenth-century building to architect Alain Carle, while Le Pois Penché replays the art deco codes of the grand Parisian brasseries. Choose the stage you would like to inhabit.
Highlights
Opening hours
Open late: Modavie, Reuben's Deli and Steakhouse, Bar George, Damas, Jardin Nelson, Monarque, Ferreira Café, Le Pois Penché, Dinette Marcella.
Open early, from 8am or sooner: Bar George.
Check the hours before you set out — they shift on holidays and out of season.
Full ranking
1. Modavie · ⭐ 9.1
(7956 reviews)
+9 photos
1 Rue St-Paul Ouest, Montréal, QC H2Y 1Y6, Canada
Cuisine: French
A 4.5 and nightly music in Old Montreal — a must-visit for the atmosphere. Live jazz, signature lamb, a historic room.
2. Reuben's Deli and Steakhouse · ⭐ 9.1
(7487 reviews)
+9 photos
1116 Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montréal, QC H3B 1H5, Canada
Cuisine: Steak & grill
A 4.5 over 7,000+ reviews — a must-try for anyone after real smoked meat. Signature smoked meat, generous portions, deli classics.
3. Bar George · ⭐ 9.1
(4582 reviews)
+9 photos
Le Mount Stephen, 1440 Rue Drummond, Montréal, QC H3G 1V9, Canada
Cuisine: British
A 4.5 and a refined Victorian room — a must-visit for the space and British cuisine. The Mount Stephen mansion, modern British food, cocktails. Anyone who loves atmosphere and elegance.
4. Damas · ⭐ 9.5
(4204 reviews)
+9 photos
1209 Av. Van Horne, Outremont, QC H2V 3S5, Canada
A 4.7 and a reputation as one of Montreal's culinary gems — a must-visit for Middle Eastern food lovers. Authentic Damascus recipes, striking presentation, a lavish room. Anyone after a special dinner beyond the usual.
5. Gaspar Brasserie Française · ⭐ 9.1
(4104 reviews)
+9 photos
89 Rue de la Commune E, Montréal, QC H2Y 1J1, Canada
Cuisine: French
A 4.5 and a cosy format — a good choice for a French dinner. A brasserie menu, a warm atmosphere and a historic location.
6. Jardin Nelson · ⭐ 8.9
(3901 reviews)
+9 photos
407 Pl. Jacques-Cartier, Montréal, QC H2Y 1G9, Canada
A 4.4 and a legendary garden terrace — a must-visit in summer for the atmosphere. A green garden, live jazz and signature crêpes. Anyone who loves a terrace, music and an easy mood.
«Une véritable découverte cette adresse.
excellent accueil , nous avons opté pour la cour…»
7. Monarque · ⭐ 9.3
(2360 reviews)
+9 photos
406 Rue Saint-Jacques, Montréal, QC H2Y 1S1, Canada
Cuisine: French
A 4.6 and a reputation as one of the city's best French addresses — a must-visit for a special evening. Two formats (brasserie + fine dining), flawless technique, strong wines.
8. Ferreira Café · ⭐ 9.3
(2261 reviews)
+9 photos
1446 Rue Peel, Montréal, QC H3A 1S8, Canada
A 4.6 and the status of a classic — a must-visit for lovers of seafood and Portuguese wines. Fresh fish, a large wine list and an elegant room. Gourmets and groups for a special night.
9. Le Pois Penché · ⭐ 9.1
(2108 reviews)
+9 photos
1230 Blvd. De Maisonneuve Ouest, Montreal, QC H3G 1M2, Canada
Cuisine: French
A 4.5 and a true brasserie vibe — a must-visit for oyster and French-classic lovers. Seafood towers, an oyster bar and a Parisian decor.
10. Dinette Marcella · ⭐ 9.3
(1995 reviews)
+9 photos
196 Rue St-Paul Ouest, Montréal, QC H2Y 3P9, Canada
Cuisine: Italian
A 4.6 and a lively atmosphere — a must-visit for fans of modern Greek cuisine. A fresh grill, mezze and a Mediterranean vibe.
At a glance
| # | Place | Score | Reviews | Stands out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Modavie | ⭐ 9.1 | 7 956 | Editors' pick |
| 2 | Reuben's Deli and Steakhouse | ⭐ 9.1 | 7 487 | — |
| 3 | Bar George | ⭐ 9.1 | 4 582 | — |
| 4 | Damas | ⭐ 9.5 | 4 204 | People's favourite |
| 5 | Gaspar Brasserie Française | ⭐ 9.1 | 4 104 | — |
| 6 | Jardin Nelson | ⭐ 8.9 | 3 901 | — |
| 7 | Monarque | ⭐ 9.3 | 2 360 | — |
| 8 | Ferreira Café | ⭐ 9.3 | 2 261 | — |
| 9 | Le Pois Penché | ⭐ 9.1 | 2 108 | — |
| 10 | Dinette Marcella | ⭐ 9.3 | 1 995 | — |
Questions & answers
Which place tops the ranking? Modavie — score 9.1/10 (Editors' pick).
How many places are in the list and how were they chosen? The selection includes 10 places chosen by our editors based on rating and reviews.
What is the average rating in the top? 9.2/10 — average score of 10 places in the list.
Which place has the most reviews? Modavie — 7956 visitor reviews.
For a large gathering, the two floors of Modavie and the sharing room at Damas take any crowd in stride, and Monarque keeps a private salon for some thirty guests. With children, the leafy courtyard of Jardin Nelson is the gentlest escape of the warm season, while Gaspar Brasserie Française sets its weekend brunch inside a historic inn. Live music plays at Modavie and Jardin Nelson; the terrace belongs to Bar George and Damas. Nearly all of these houses serve late into the evening and open on Sundays.
The selection owns its limits. Its centre of gravity stays in Old Montréal and downtown, with a single excursion to Outremont. French cooking dominates — four houses out of ten — and no Asian, Latin American or strictly vegetarian table appears here. Nothing runs around the clock, Bar George alone raises the curtain in the morning, Jardin Nelson closes for the whole winter, and the residential neighbourhoods beyond the core stay outside the frame: that is another list.
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