This restuarant was busy even on a rainy weekday night. We were seated rather quickly and served cold water. Our breads came but I was disappointed that it was not warm. Maybe that's how the restaurant likes it. Anyway, we took a while to decide what we wanted since the selection was wide. We finally decided on the Linguini Con Fruitti Di Mare & Fazzoletti Con Arragosta. We both loved our food. My linguini had a lot of seafood, they were fresh and cooked to perfection. It can be tricky when cooking seafood, a minute too long and they become chewy, but this restaurant got it just right. My linguini was also well cooked. Not hard and not soggy. I'll come again if I'm ever in this part of town. read more

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We had a table of 6 at 4pm, sat inside where there were few other people. I guess the BYOW gets flowing and the conversation more animated, but an old man yelled at us for being loud and called us "cet gang de femmes" :D :D Please everyone, do not go there on a Saturday afternoon to ruin this guy's private dining room. He will get very angry. :D read more

Prompt service, large servings and a friendly staff. A perfect little hole-in-the-wall. Food was delicious! I'm looking forward to trying out their lasagna next time I pass by Would easily recommend read more

Mid food. The waitress came back and asked if her " service was okay " because my friend did not leave a tip when the machine did not even indicate a tip option. Not coming back,, read more

great servings, i especially recommend going with friends and sharing and swapping a few dishes. i've tried a good amount of the pizzas and haven't gone wrong yet. it's good pizza! staff are very lovely, and there was quick service even on a busy night. perfect place for a nice italian dinner! read more

We've been here for quite a few birthdays, reservations are a must as it's always packed. Their online menu only has pizza and pasta but they always have a table d'hote menu with a choice of salad/soup then fish, osso bucco, and more pasta. Food and price quality is good but the place is super tight and very loud. read more

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This is an older restaurant on Monkland. An Italian bring your own wine place. I ordered a minestrone soup and an Americana pizza. I thought both were good. My friends ordered linguini with an Al Dente sauce. One had a tortellini soup. The pasta was over cooked and the sauce was didn't have much taste. I was told the tortellini soup was missing taste as well. For 2 soups, a pizza, a pasta plate, and 2 soft drinks, the total cost was over $75, including tax and tip. I thought that was pretty high for the quality of the food. The service was good and the friendly. But that wasn't enough to make me go back. read more

Six of us went here for dinner the other night. I hadn't been here in about 4 years. The restaurant seems to have changed ownership, but I cannot confirm that. The service was inconsistent and frustrating. Upon sitting down we waited with our menus for at least 10 minutes without any water being poured or glasses for our wine being provided. The waitress came to take our order without any water having been poured. After ordering, no bread was placed on our table. The salads then arrived at a staggered pace. First 3 people had salads, 2 minutes passed, a fourth salad appeared, another 5 minutes brought with it the remaining two salads. This is not rocket science. Coordinate the service. While eating the salad, I asked the waitress for some bread. She returned laughing saying that they had run out of bread. While I understood the meaning of her words, their placement in a comedy routine escaped me. An Italian restaurant should not run out of bread on a Sunday night at 7:50pm. If they do, they should send someone across the street to Provigo to buy more. Again, it's not rocket science. The main courses followed the same pattern as the salads. They were served in a staggered order leading everybody at the table into a rousing version of "Please start eating......no that's ok...where's your food......no I insist...please start before your dish gets cold" There must have been about 3 minutes between service of the first two dishes and the second one. The remaining 3 plates took another 2 minutes. The waitress then disappeared leaving us staring at the parmesan cheese grater on a counter nearby. I got up and took it myself to pass around our table. The waitress showed up a minute later and acted surprised that we had the cheese grater already. The food was ok but not spectacular. My wife ordered a tomato bocconcini salad that was basically all tomato with 5 coin sized slices of bocconcini placed on tomatoes 5 times their size. My caesar salad was passable, but for 10.95$, it was basically no more than a handful of lettuce on a plate. My pizza was quite good, but not spectacular. My wife's Gnocchi however was flawlessly executed. I had always liked this restaurant and I hope they can improve. read more

I eat here at least once a month and I haven't been disappointed. We mostly order take out -- one pizza and one pasta -- and share among two people. I've tried most of the menu and recommend that you get out of your comfort zone and try something new. They do a great job of creating oven baked simple yet eclectic pizzas. Portions are large for two people, but probably small for three people, nevertheless, they are fast and the food is always reliable. I've dined in restaurant with a group of friends and with family about half a dozen times. It's a nice ambiance, the restaurant smells great, and they are pretty good at accommodating picky eaters. I don't really have a bad thing to say about Al Dente Trattoria. read more

Al Dente Trattoria - a variety of food items - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Hands down the best pizza in NDG. I've tried everywhere: Atlas, Pinoli, Carvelli, Double, B&M, etc.. This is the best, hand crafted, wood oven cooked, pizza. Either go to the place with some wine, as it's BYOW, or order delivery, pizza is excellent. Salads are great too. Haven't tried anything else really. But this pizza is excellent and yummy. The place itself does have a bit of a family dine feel, which we didn't expect, just a little bit, but that was fine. Server was really nice too. Will always get pizza from here from now on. read more

Al Dente Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

YUMMY home made pasta and pizza with a delicate touch. I've eaten here several times with family and we always sample each other's dishes -- everything has been delicious and always light and fresh. It's a very busy restaurant with close and crowded tables which is fine for adults, but very challenging with a small child, even in a high chair. Best to keep it for nights with just the grown-ups. read more

Been to this restaurant many times. Order pizza for delivery most Sundays. Last night we went to the restaurant and had dinner on the terrace. Outstanding!! Fabulous, one of the best meals in along time. Well done. read more

I was not impressed with the mushroom risotto. No seasoning at all, mushrooms over cooked, all your could taste was olive oil, and the rice was dry. However my friends meals were great and were happy with their meals. read more

One of the best spots for Italian food locally. Lots of variety. They have an awesome Seafood linguine, great pizzas and their Tortellini Rose is awesome. Nice family like atmosphere. Service is fairly decent too. read more

Al dente seems to bring a diverse range of folks, from families to dates and work parties. Word of caution: their in-restaurant menu is more expensive than what you see online! That being said they have a table d'hôte in the evenings with some pretty elaborate meals (the sea food pasta platter looked very filling, and was delicious according to my table-mate). I opted for a pizza (brocoli, mozzarella, sun-dried tomatoes and...something else?), and...couldn't finish it. It was delicious, it was thin-crusted, it was generously coated in cheese. Nom! I got to sample the bruschetta (recommended) and their pasta. I'm not a big fan of al dente pasta, I prefer mine super cooked through, but that's on me. If you still have some room for desert, go for the cannolis! My gripe with the place is how cramped it is. You can barely pull your chair all the way in or out, and my whole meal ended up being a choreography, since I was elbowed left and right. You dropped your fork? It's gone for ever, you can't possibly have enough space to get under there! The waiter was patient, and we were a rowdy group, bless him. read more

I've been here twice now & it's ok. One of the perks is the BYOW option. The terrasse is street level & the indoor portion of the restaurant is below street level. Decor is crisp & fine,nothing spectacular. The staff are kind but not as attentive as you would expect. Bread & butter are served as you are seated. They do offer delivery & take reservations. The first time we went,we ordered the risotto con funghi (mushrooms) & the quattro fromagi pizza. The risotto was fantastic. Perfectly cooked & flavourful. I would order it again in the future. The pizza was equally tasty. We finished our meal with dessert but it's not worth the mention,it was meh. The second time,we ordered the caprese salad (comes with bocconcini) & 2 pasta dishes. We originally wanted to order the antipasti app but the waiter was kind enough to smoothly let us know we should get something else because it was not good (he got a 20% tip for that!). The caprese was bland & unpalatable. We had to season it ourselves with some salt. I ordered the carbonara with linguini pasta & I enjoyed it. The bolognese tortellini was a horse of a different colour. It was way undercooked so the texture was off & unpleasant. The bolognese was ok but I wouldn't order it again. Overall,I'll stick to the risottos & pizza & avoid the pasta. read more

Wow what great warm crusty bread, nearly filled up on it. Had the lunch special menu with a choice of salad or soup. I took the soup, tomato and lintels. Very good, not too salty. As the main course, I had the Fazzoletti Con Arragosta. It's a GIANT pasta filled with lobster and ricotta cheese in a rose sauce. When I mean giant...think two lasagna strips folded over and closed. A bit too much sauce for my taste, but people who love tons of sauce would adore this. Skimped a bit on the lobster, tasted more cheese than lobster. They advertise fresh pasta, it was definitely fresh pasta...cooked perfectly, just like the restaurant name "Al Dente" :) Would give it 4 stars if they had put a bit more lobster and didn't put so much sauce on it, but that's personal taste (sauce amount). Would eat at this place again and try something else with less sauce in it. Tough to find parking sometimes because it is on Monkland, to find free parking, go on a side street off Monkland. Easy to miss the sign for the restaurant since it's "slightly below ground level". read more

Went here today on a whim with a friend, we were craving pasta. Boy were we not let down. We ordered the pasta with scallops. We got it with linguini which was perfectly cooked. The scallops were amazing. Everything was cooked perfectly and a perfect blend of seasoning and sauce. I will definitely return for future pasta cravings. read more

A wonderful place to bring family or go on a date. The ambiance is well suited to all needs. The food is splendid and quite original. Yum! read more

Restaurant that is packed with families on the weekend. It's a BYOB as they don't have a license. I have gone here occasionally for family dinners. it's not a favourite of mine - cramped small restaurant were you feel like you are sitting next to the patron across from you. I mean, don't think about starting up a private or sensitive conversation - 4 tables will hear you. The food is fine, served warm and nicely presented. Personally I feel the price is on the higher side - i'm not a NDG local so maybe this is 'the place' to go that is within walking distance. Service was great from everyone. Service: A Food: B read more

Delicious asparagus soup, Insalata Mediterraneo, & Pasta Carbonara. This was my very best meal in Montreal.

After ten years of being a customer, tonight I was told that I needed a minimum of 15 dollars for a delivery....my order would have been almost 14$ with the tax. Refused. Shows you how being a loyal customer had no weight. Bye! read more

I was surprised as this was one of the best wood fire oven pizzas I've had in Montreal. I would even say it's as close as what I've had in Italy. I highly recommend this place and I will defiantly come back here again to try the rest of their menu. Another bonus is its bring your own wine! read more

Al Dente Trattoria - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

I was excited to happen upon this quaint little family restaurant and get myself a fresh wood oven pizza Pro - Food was quite tasty. It didn't blow my mind, but nicely satisfied a craving. - The menu had a great selection of mix and match pasta and sauce options as well as a large variety of pizzas Cons - Service was far too slow. Not sure if it was because of our waitress or because they jam packed way too many tables into that place. Comments If I find myself in the area and it's not too packed, I may drop in again to try their pasta dishes. read more

I went to Al Dente with my boyfriend and his parents because one of our friends told us it was excellent. I ordered the Risotto Primavera and was disappointed because it lacked flavor. My boyfriend had a different type of Risotto and I tried that to see if it was better but it wasn't. will go back to try the pizza, because I think that might be better. read more

A dying restaurant on Monkland that needs either a refresh or replacement... after years of dining there, this last experience with my daughter left nothing but a bitter taste. Service was fine if limited the food on the other hand was .... bad ... I had a dish that I've had many times .... on this occasion it was tasteless over cooked mush.... Now I can accept an off night .... listen to your customers, make the customer happy and correct course... no? Nope not this venerable institute, their response was to charge full price for a plate with three bites out of it and offer a coffee for my "inconvenience" 20 years ago this restaurant was full on a Friday evening it should have been a warning to us when we showed up to a bustling four other people dining. Sadly this will be a final visit for this long time customer and his adult daughter who lamented past great meals shared when she was a little girl. It's a shame but I suppose all things come to an end. read more

We went here with another couple for dinner and chose Al Dente because you can bring your own wine. It was a first visit for all of us. The place was very crowded and noisy. They have an a la carte menu but the four of us chose the table d'hôte which came with soup or salad and coffee. Everyone enjoyed the food very much. Service was good and the waiter friendly. The only negatives were the tables were very close to each other and because of the noise level, we had a difficult time making conversation. read more

Wasn't too happy with the food but the service was okay. The bathrooms were horribly dirty and out dated. I was trying to was my hands, and there were flies all over near the sink. I wouldn't go back. read more

Food was absolutely delicious. Service was slow, but courteous if not competely charming and professional... The resto was very busy...A beautiful Friday night on Monkland after all. We'll be back, with wine this time! read more

NDG family restaurant packed to the brim with kids and aunts and uncles and such. The terrace out front is ground level with the street and has a very chatty neighbourhood feel. We made a reservation two days before and were seated with our chairs partially obstructing the hallway the waiters were using for taking orders out of the kitchen. The food was fine, fresh, very hot, quite tasty, not spectacular. The bathroom did not scream 'clean.' The waiter we had was amazingly prompt, attentive and friendly; and I was surprised to notice the owner of a great Montreal lunch place here having dinner with his entire family. Overall, if I lived in the area I'd probably find myself coming back, but I don't think I'd go out of my way to bring people here to eat if it was their first time in town. read more

This spot was much better than I had imagined. It's a block away from my house yet I have never bothered to try it until now. There were no kids the night I went...(not that I m ind kids that much), but found it a different experience than some who've reviewed. We sat on the patio for the evening, had a great time, a great meal, it was packed. The bill was remarkably cheap, you bring your own wine and I always forget how much alcohol adds to your total dinner bill. I ate lobster filled pasta something or other, it was awesome, lots of sauce and I love the sauce. I also tried a sample from the two other dishes at my table and was equally impressed. I'll definitely be back. Service could have been a bit faster, my water glass was empty for most of the meal. They do not take reservations for the patio, but make a reservation anyways because if you have a reservation for inside, you go to the front of the line if you want to wait for a patio table to open up. It seemed to annoy the people who were already in line...but c'est la vie. We waited a whole 6 or 7 minutes for a table to free up at 7:30pm on a Saturday night. read more

Service is a hit or miss, as is their seafood. Fortunately its a BYOW and their pizza is delicious (real pizza oven).

We Visited Al Denté on monk-land after many years last night. I have to say the quality of the food is really outstanding and the service is very good our waiter was very friendly and knowledgable. Our food arrived minutes after we placed our order, it was pipping hot and tasty. Our waiter even divide the pizza and the pasta my wife and I were sharing, without me asking (he suggested before he did of course) I have to say though, is this place needs a MAJOR MAKE OVER!! Guys please charge a bit more and redo the restaurant, especially the bathrooms,Bad. I won't go back because of that. We were three couples last night. read more

Solid restaurant that's been around for ages. My parents love it because it's bring-your-own-wine. The pizza is a go-to. Pasta is made on-site. read more

Great Pizza and pasta. I recommend the Seafood Linguini. Friendly service. What's not to like?

I had the white pizza with clams. It was very good; thin crust and not too oily. My husband had the spaghetti carbonara but complained the pasta was thinner than regular spaghetti. The kids enjoyed the cheese pizza and the bread. read more

Remember to BYOB as no alcohol is available. Although the cannoli was a bit underwhelming, I imagine few people make it to dessert as the portions are substantial. The gnocchi with pesto was sublime... as was the penne "al dente" and the pizza was a great hit. This trattoria is a keeper! Reservations recommended as the place was packed with happy, boisterous clientele. read more

Pizza was good but tiramisu cake was a disaster. I was sick for 2 days, having horrible stomachache. Never take any sweets there!

Had a great time at this restaurant. Was there for New Year's Eve and they had a super diverse and delicious menu. The staff was friendly and helpful. Plus it never hurts when it's a BYOB! read more

My husband and I happened to be in Montreal before Christmas and most restaurants werewfilled up with reservations. But then we discovered Al dente Trattoria and were we ever surprised. Great pasta ( spaghetti and fettucini) plus homemade sauce and rapid courteous service added up to a delicious dinner. We will definitely go back. Our compliments to the wonderful chefs and owners!!! read more