It took forever to get food everyone else at before us and we and we had to wait to eatread more

I think I'm being a bit nice for giving it a 3 stars. My review is usually based on 2 important…read moreaspects. #1 being the service of utmost importance. #2 taste of food. Service here was average. It was nothing outstanding and nothing bad either. I was the one who walked in to ask for seating and had to ask several times for a highchair. We have a 1 yr old baby. Oh btw there is no changing table in the washrooms. So if you have a baby make sure you request a booth seat. At least this way you can easily change your baby on the booth seat without anyone having to see. Lol. My family ordered: - duck confit - burgers and fries - Meat Pie (DO NOT ORDER THIS!) overall the duck was a good portion but dry and salty. The burgers were apparently the only thing that was good which we had ordered but the fries came out so burnt my husband cut the inside of his mouth with a burnt sharp French fry. His gums inside his mouth actually started to bleed. Omg. Now let's talk about the meat pie which was so rock hard you can probably throw it at somebody and it would literally injure them. The pie crust was ok but the inside of the pie was rock hard meat that was sauceless and dry that chewing this meat made my jaws hurt. Just trying to swallow the meat inside the pie was so disgusting you could not possibly enjoy the food. Ambiance - cute and quaint. Very homey feel inside or you can choose to sit out on the patio where it was so hot. We decided to sit inside for this reason and it was nice and comfortable. Staff service - not bad. But nothing that stood out either. Overall - ok place if you looking for a quick bite. But the food is hit or miss. Your just taking a risk if you eat here. There are still better places within a 2 min walk that you can choose to eat at. And please please please DO NOT order the meat pie unless you want to be chewing rock-hard pieces of meat that is dry and flavorless.

Came here in early June and it was a beautiful, warm day out. Our large group of 12 sat by the…read morewindow, indoors and was able to still enjoy the view of the water. I got a grapefruit mocktail drink and it was both refreshing and delicious. Our waitress was very attentive and accommodated everyone despite us being a pretty large party. I enjoyed the salmon tartare I ordered as well as the fish & chips and the seafood roll which had shrimp, crab, and lobster. The fries were a bit greasy and the seafood roll was fishier than we expected.

I really liked the food, specially the ravioli. The service was very nice and the place has such an…read moreamazing view. I highly recommend this place, especially if you like to have a good experience.

Very friendly service. Relaxing atmosphere and great for people watching if you sit by the street…read more I had duck confit salad and it was a good time-amazing mix of flavors and textures.

Just stopped in for a few beers on a hot June day. Ended up talking with a couple from Texas who…read morewere in town for a convention. Was aghast that they put ketchup on their steak, but... It was nice to sit in air-conditioning and relax for an hour. Oh, and our server was excellent! Odd that the water closet was upstairs though.

There was an unexpected blizzard on a Wed night in Early April after we left the spa. With hail and…read moresnow hitting my face, my mission was to find a place for my family to eat when almost every place is either closed or full. One lady in lower town took special delight in telling me "sorry, we're all full tonight", while I stood there with numb fingers and a raw red face where hail hit my face moments before. I passed Alphonse many times the last few days but tonight, instead of just passing through, i stopped in to look inside as another customer held open the door waiting for me to enter as he exited. So naturally, I went in. I was afraid they were about to close, but the hostess was welcoming and with a warm smile, showed us to our seats. The food was so good! We ordered the French Onion soup. My kids loved that the bread in the soup was still crunchy and not soggy. The baked Brie was a delicious start of what is to come next. My entree was the low temperature salmon. It was the chef's special (they call it inspiration of the chef). It was a salmon dish that is lukewarm. The salmon was so tender, it melted like butter in my mouth. It was a decent portion too. We got dessert to share- crème brûlée- also good! Ambience is smart casual.

Excellent lunch here today. Loved the cocktails and the tuna salad was amazing and good portion…read more The only negative was sitting outside on the wooden deck planks. Very distracting when waiter walks by and noisy. We moved from an inside table because it was very noisy. Service was good.

Cochon Dingue is a chain, which to us Americans usually translates to "don't bother eating here,"…read morebut in true Quebecois form, the Cochon Dingue is simply delicious and not to be lumped in with our said American chains' standards. They serve meals pretty much all day: breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner. There is truly something for everyone on their diverse menu, so if you're traveling with kids, extended family, or just picky eaters, this is a guaranteed-to-satisfy-everyone experience. This was our second time eating at this chain (first was another location and 2 years prior). Last time we ate there they offered a prix fixe menu (a set price for three courses), which they may still offer, we just weren't there for dinner this trip. Whether you're looking for something hearty and substantial or light and healthy, you're covered at the Cochon Dingue. Service is good and the ambiance is clean and stylish without feeling stuffy or pretentious. This particular location is off the lobby of a fairly busy hotel, so it may be difficult to get a table during peak dining hours as a walk-in. We were there for a late lunch so we had no issues. The Cochon Dingue is also where I finally tried the ubiquitous "sugar pie" two years ago after I kept seeing it on menus. IF YOU RETAIN NOTHING ELSE FROM THIS REVIEW, please hear me when I say you must order sugar pie immediately if you haven't tried it. I don't care where you get it. Just get it. I have not stopped obsessing over this pie for the last two years, and I owe that all to the Cochon Dingue. Dear Quebec, Your sugar pie should have songs written about it. The world is indebted to you. Sincerely, Me

This spot was in our hotel and super convenient for the dinner we wanted to have before heading to…read moreour next adventure. The 3 stars is due to the service lacking! If the service was good then it would be 5 stars cause the food was delicious. It was a Sunday at 2pm, we walked up to the front, it was not busy at all and we saw 2 servers chatting at the bar and looked at us but didn't say hi. No one greeted us for a full 10 mins. Eventually one of the servers by the bar came by and asked where we wanted to sit. We got sat outside and the weather was perfect but the tables were a bit messy. Our server definitely took her time coming to get our drink order and food order that it was about an hour before our food got there and we ate in 20 mins. The food was amazing, super flavorful and portions are larger. We took half a burger and half the poutine as a take out.

Excellent spot for delicious Québécois food, atmosphere and good service. I've never had oats as a…read moresavory starch served with anything. But they paired it with excellent roasted halibut and root vegetables. It was amazing. And they included seasonal fern fronds for a subtle tang that balanced surprisingly well. The onion soup was on par with a clever presentation. The pound cake (half corn bread) with carmel sauce and maple ice cream got better with each bite. I'm not a Michelin star/tweezer food person but this place brought sophistication and flavor without the pretense.

I'm conflicted about this place. There were many positives but my food and drinks didn't wow me…read more The wife's dishes were better though, especially the amazing chicken. We almost didn't go because the automated reservation system claimed there were no tables until 9:00; way too late for us. But we stopped in anyway (our hotel was next door) and inquired and there were plenty of tables available. Weird. So we came at 6:00 and got a really nice - though very small - outside table; perfect for watching street activity on this warm evening. I started with onion soup. It was interesting how it was served: The bowl is brought with only the croutons and broiled cheese in it, and the waiter pours the liquid over it at the table. Is it better this way? I think I prefer the standard way but it was interesting. It was pretty good overall, a decent but not outstanding broth, not tinny-tasting or too salty, good onions (could have used more), and I liked the cheese which was browned and partially melted from its time under the broiler. My entree was the Hortus Burger: Local organic beef from Charlevoix, garlic mayonnaise, goat cheese, tomato, pepper, and green apple jam. Served with fries and a green salad. It was definitely different, and I liked it but didn't love it. The patty was unusually dense in texture and tasted salty, like the salt was worked into the patty itself. The tomato was fresh and I liked the apple jam. There was a lot of goat cheese; as much actually as the beef. This, along with the fact that the bun was rather firm, made it almost impossible to pick up and eat by hand - the cheese squeezed out and fell onto the plate - that I ended up using a knife and fork for most if it. The cheese added needed moisture though to balance the dense, dryish patty (even though it was cooked medium as I ordered). The salad was pre-dressed and very good. The fries were good too, crisp and browned but not dry. The portion was too much though and we took some home along with some of the wife's chicken. A bigger burger and fewer fries would be a better balance. Visiting the website I discovered the reason for the bun's firm texture, which didn't seem right for the burger: It was gluten-free, along with everything the restaurant serves. I understand some people can't tolerate gluten, but there's a reason wheat flour is king of grains: nothing makes better bread. I'm much more on board with their other commitments: to use only locally-sourced, organic ingredients wherever possible. Local? Very! Exploring the roof of the hotel where we stayed, I discovered their secret garden where they grow much of their produce, along with a beehive where their bees make the honey, far above the bustle of old Quebec. The wife's chicken was the star of the evening. Chicken breast, browned, sliced, and perfectly tender, served with roasted root vegetables and an amazing flavorful oily herb medley resembling chimichurri. We both agreed it was one of the best chicken dishes we've ever had. As for drinks, I didn't much like my cocktail, though it was pretty. Le Violet, made with gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, honey syrup, and white cranberry juice. Though it was served in a martini glass neat, it was disappointingly weak. Rather than risk disappointment again I switched to wine. But their wines by the glass are only described by the grape (Cabernet, Pinot, etc.) not by vintner. I expect better from a restaurant of the caliper Hortus aspires to be. As for desserts, my Pouding Chômeur (cake soaked in caramel sauce, maple ice cream) wasn't anything special but it was tasty enough. The real star was again the wife's dessert: their Signature Crème Brulée, honey-flavored with white chocolate and ginger. I'm not a huge fan of crème brulée but I could tell this was outstanding, with a pronounced honey flavor (though not much ginger) and a good crackable crust on top. All in all, though my food and drinks only rated 3 stars, the wife's dishes were exceptional, and along with the service and ambience, this rates a solid 4 stars. I'd come back and try something different next time.

Highly recommend this restaurant when you're in Quebec! All of the dishes we tried were delicious…read more French Onion Soup - Cheesy on the top with onions inside Seafood Pot Pie - Tasted like clam chowder! Generous with the seafood. Had lobsters, salmon, clams and even potatoes Ribs - Not too overly sweet. 10/10

We went to this place for dinner on a Sunday. And it was busy but not too bad so we didn't have to…read morewait for a table (brunch without reservation would have been a different story) The place itself is nice, and importantly the music was not loud at all. I ordered the Quebec pork burger with fries. The burger itself was very good, but the fries were not the best. They were not bad but I prefer them crispy (McDonalds style )

(4.25) ~ Very good overall food & service…read more DRINKS: ** Espresso = (4.15) Very good ** Water (tap) = (4) very good ** Pinot Noir (Quebec) = (4) very good FOOD: ** Famous Mac & Cheese = (5) Excellent! ** Pork Collar + Foie Gras (see photo) = (4.35) Very tasty ** BEC Chocolate (see photo) = (4.35) Very tasty ** "Cream of the Crop" Soup = (4.15) Very good

Super cute bistro in Old Quebec. It was a rainy night when I stopped by and I was glad that I got…read moreseated. It's pretty small and most tables were already filled. It has got a bit of a snow ledge feel on the inside - high ceilings, wooden beams, brick. The host was also the bartender. He was really nice and could speak English. The menu was in both french and english - a bonus! I ordered a risotto of sorts with barley that had shaved apple in it! And also one of their signature summer spritzes. The risotto surprised me - the apple shavings gave it a slight tart flavor and the squash/beets gave it a rustic taste. The menu changes with the season and I think that their chef makes unique dishes. There is also a lengthy wine and cocktail list. Highly recommend - perhaps rsvp just in case.