C'est beau! Our last night in Montreal with friends was spent at Da Emma, which is tucked away underground like a delicious little secret. I LOVED the old-world charm, stone walls, and cozy atmosphere. It made it feel as though we'd stumbled into someone's Italian grandmother's wine cellar. We had the first reservation of the evening, (there were only 2 openings available when we booked 24 hrs prior), so for a brief, glorious moment, the place was quiet, quaint, and all ours! A perfect setting for four friends to unwind and reflect on a fantastic trip. The tables filled quickly, the volume rose accordingly, and suddenly the cozy atmosphere became a lively chorus of conversations. Thankfully, the food, drinks, décor, and our gracious waiter compensated for the noise. The seating is intimate--very intimate. At one point, my friend and I attempted to leave our table but found ourselves temporarily trapped by a waiter taking an order at the neighboring table. We accepted our fate, waited patiently, and were eventually released back into civilization. Service moves at a relaxed pace here, so the two-hour reservation limit is spot on. We weren't in any rush to get back to our rental, so we happily settled into the rhythm of the evening. Pasta, cappuccino, tiramisu... oh my. A fitting finale to a wonderful Montreal getaway with good friends, great food, and just enough table-side captivity to keep things memorable. read more

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I found this restaurant thru Yelp and was very happy with the choice. as were the business colleagues who hosted . Ambiance was charming, although not as quiet as we hoped once the tables filled. Bar was lovely, as were the Negronis. We shared Veal meatballs, carcioffi and arugula salads were great. They were honest that the swordfish was frozen so I ordered Beef with Arugula, which was huge, tender and flavorful( very heavy sauce) but a little rich for my taste.,my fault in risking an unfamiliar preparation. Service was outstanding..We passed an outdoor private event with music , an oud and family dancing.This was icing on the adventure !.. Our best meal on a week trip to Canada. read more

Some of the best Italian food ever! DaEmma was highly recommended by a friend. We made the recommended reservation & were seated promptly. The decor was quaint, old European, setting the perfect ambiance for Italian dining. Our waiter was friendly & attentive. The complimentary bruschetta and our main entrees of meatballs and veal stuffed ravioli were delicious. Perfect serving portions. We will definitely be back when we travel to Montreal. A must when in Montreal. Enjoy! read more

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The food was mediocre and the service was not good. We asked for lamb and all 4 of us in the table we were convinced they served pork. The pasta was too undercooked as well read more

Was in town and took a customer out for dinner. The food and service was excellent. The building has a unique history. If looking for a great Italian dinner, stop in!! read more

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Very cool building, an old woman's prison but the menu wasn't great. Four spinach raviolis for $30! I was surprised with the lack of choices read more

Off the beaten path, and unmarked by a street address, this restaurant was very difficult for us to find. In fact, our Uber driver stopped to ask a local man where it might be situated before successfully taking Diane and me there. But after descending the outdoor stairs and entering the stony, dungeon-like space inside, one finds the dining room's ambiance to be rather unique and charming in a medieval fashion. A bowl of hot Pasta Fagioli was sleek and satisfying. A half-order of very lemony Salmon Carpaccio with arugula and olive oil was a nice substitute for a traditional salad. And Agnolotti al Ragu, veal stuffed raviolis with Pomodoro Sauce, was a rich and very filling pasta dish. Long lengths of slightly soft Roasted Potatoes added a welcome starch. Meanwhile, Diane somewhat enjoyed an entree of Mozzancolle Gigante al Vino, jumbo shrimps bathed in white wine. The restaurant's menu of culinary choices was quite limited. Wait service was good. read more

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Such a cool vibe...step down into this restaurant that feels like a cave...apparently the building was the first women's prison in Canada! Service was super engaging and hilarious (dry sense of humor) with great recommendations---kitchen was slow though. Recommend the Arugula salad with Parmesan, porcini mushroom pasta and salmon with broccoli. Best thing...you can order half portions! Enjoy! read more

Da Emma - Porcini mushroom pasta - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Da Emma was a great spot for Italian in Montreal. It was underground with a good ambiance. My boyfriend and I chose to share dishes, and they split them up for us before serving us which was nice. You can also walk to the old port area from the restaurant. Would recommend! read more

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Best authentic Italian restaurant I have been. Everything is made freshly on the day by Emma. It's a family owned restaurant. They are open everyday except for Saturday's Everything they serve you is imported from Italy directly. This is considered a 5 star restaurant so $$$+ As soon as you are seated and ordered they bring you a slice of bruschetta and also fresh bread with oil and vinegar If you go here you must have the gorgonzola ravioli, the burrata, the peppercorn steak, the lamb, the pistochio turtufo etc .. The best burrata ive had, and I've been to many places, it's crazy how fresh the cheese is. Everything on the menu is very good from the entrees to the desserts. The hardest part about going here is to make a decision on to what to get and not to over order. The soup of the day changes everytime and always so yummy. Always served well no complain about that It's always full when you go, to get reservations you need to call them In the summer they also have a big patio outside. They also have free of charge valet parking. This place is located underground This place is perfect for couples and also for but groups. If you loved authentic Nona made food this is the place to go. Definitely a must try, I would off given it 5*+ if I could read more

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Absolutely delicious veal, meatballs, mozzarella, AND they make some amazing cocktails that aren't on the menu. I have never had a more delicious Amaretto sour. Also loved their espresso martini. Be sure to get the prosciutto mozzarella. read more

Da Emma - Meatballs - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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I ate here years ago, and I still remember that this was one of my favourite restaurant experiences. The inside of the restaurant is beautifully appointed with stone walls, just gorgeous! The food is melt in your mouth amazing. Come here for a special experience you won't soon forget! read more

Great service, the pasta was very good. Nice ambiance and music. Portions were a bit small. read more

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This is our 4th trip to Montreal and therefore our 4th dinner at Da Emma. The complimentary bruschetta is so delicious that I always wish we had more. Tonight we enjoyed salads and the husband had the lasagna and me the cheese ravioli with marinara sauce. Delicious. The wait staff all seems to share tables here and each was friendly. They were unfortunately out of beer (!) but the issue was out of their control. Nice evening. read more

Second time here, still rocking it! The ambiance is amazing , brick , warm and inviting. Service was excellent and the food was amazing!

What a fantastic Italian restaurant in Old Montreal. Set in a cavern like room this place will not disappoint. Prices are very fair and the quality is outstanding. Pastas are amazing. The tomato sauce is delightful. The steak was a bit of a disappointment as it was a bit fatty for my liking. Next time I would get the sirloin. Staff there are fantastic and will make your night special. read more

I don't even know where to begin. Our reservation was for 8:45 on a Saturday night. The restaurant was about 80% full. The service was absolutely terrible. We kept trying to get our waiter's attention and he kept blowing past us. If one of us was able to get his attention and order a glass of wine, he spun and sped away before the next person could make a request. We'd think, okay, we'll get him when he comes back. He'd come up from behind us, drop something off, and run away before we could ask for something else. From the time we ordered to the time our food came out was an hour and 15 minutes. We're not blaming him for the kitchen being slow, but there was an extreme lack of attentiveness. The other weird thing was that I was drinking tea for (I'm not exaggerating) two hours before he asked me if I wanted lemon with my tea. The restaurant was really quiet... which subconsciously seemed really weird and was making time seem to really drag on. Almost at the end of the 2 hours and 45 minutes this meal took, they suddenly turned on music. Before I became a lawyer (I'm a lawyer who owns a non-profit that protects human trafficking victims) I worked in the service industry for 9 years. I tip really well. Even when service is not great, I still tip. The service on this night was offensive, so I refused to tip. The waiter then decided to argue with me as we left the restaurant. Sorry, I'm not going to tip someone who ignored me for three hours, was annoyed when I was able to get his attention, and never bothered to tell me his name. I ordered the swordfish with roasted potatoes. The potatoes were burnt and rock hard. The fish was undercooked and the sauce was sour. My friend ordered a pasta dish and the pasta was much more than Al dente. It was HARD. Luckily, my third friend said her lasagna was okay. The only reason I know his name (Hamadi) is because it is on the receipt. My friends and I were dressed nicely, we weren't drunk, loud, or obnoxious. We have reasonable good table manners. Despite all of this, I did not feel we were welcome there. If I were the manager I would have a really stern conversation with the staff. (Just to add, the two other friends both currently work in the service industry and agree with everything I said, and agree that had they given such bad service to customers they would not expect a tip either. The fact that the waiter argued with us about the tip was really shocking. I want to know, did HE think he gave us good service? A tip is a choice. Like I said, if service is exceptional, I wouldn't think twice about leaving a 100% tip (which I've done four times this year already). If service is bad, 10%, and if you leave feeling as rejected as we did, no tip.) read more

Good food but I was not blown away. Some dishes lacked salt. The service was just ok. The place is a staple in Montreal because of the cool dungeon which was a women's prison before but I wouldn't go back. Steep prices for simple food. Best dish was the Gorgonzola ravioli and the burrata. The rest was ok. I think the chef might have changed. read more

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A must to go and go back again. Went for the first time and was blown away with the interior, service and food Emma is like your gonna cooking for you I started off with a cocktail. My drink was very good and the bar accommodate my substitution request without a hiccup The waiter filled our glasses with water and placed a good size bruschetta in front of us. Was tasty! The waiter reads you the black board menu and explains the selection in great detail that you would think he was a sous chef. I started with minestrone soup and it was so delicious! I wanted more! I then had a meatball is tomato sauce! Amazing ! My main was a leg of lamb. The side was a chilled potato salad and steamed broccoli. The lamb was out of this world delicious. So flavorful and I enjoyed every morsel. I took tiramisu for dessert and was not disappointed. Also had a very good espresso to finish off. As for the atmosphere well it was great. Tables and seating is well spaced. We spent 3.5 hours there and were not rushed out. The place was busy too. My only complaint is the bathrooms. There was no toilet paper the 2 times I went Nd my guests complained the same. Glad I had Kleenex. Perhaps leaving some extra rolls around would be a good take away read more

Da Emma - The bar - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

So good! We got the artichoke appetizer, veal ravioli, and polpette al sugo. 12/10 recommend! The best pasta and meatballs we have had! Service was reasonably paced - we didn't feel rushed or that it was slow. The waiter was super friendly as well, total experience, taste and ambience was perfect. read more

Very good. Basement location with warm atmosphere provided by exposed old stone foundation and wood beams especially appreciated for a night or bad weather experience since there are no windows. Traditional Italian food very good. Steak is perfect but ask them to cut it like shown in the pictures which is much better. Otherwise, they will bring it whole just like a normal steak. read more

Food was not fresh. Tomatoes were mushy and not edible. Pasta was overcooked. Meat was disappointing. Very sad state of affairs. Pungent smell of sewage throughout the restaurant. Never experienced anything like this in all my years. read more

Racist, bad food - avoid at all cost. This dining experience was so bad that I had to write my first online review. My partner and I are both Asian (Chinese/Korean) were celebrating our anniversary and heard this place was one of the best Italian restaurant around. Everything went downhill the moment we got seated. The waiter, "Hamadi" according to our receipt, showed us a chalkboard menu (Italian, no English or French) then proceeded to leave us alone for over 10 minutes. Had to get another waiter to call him back. After asking him to explain the menu to us. He asks - Do you want me to explain the appetizers? Do you want me to explain the pasta? Do you want me to explain the meat? Do you want me to explain the fish. Each time we said yes, he rolled his eyes and impatiently described each dish. We got the soup, 3 cheese medaglioni, and lamb with vegetables (it turns out to be just boiled broccoli). He took our drink menu away without asking if we wanted wine. We did. At this point we already felt unwelcomed. We had no idea why the service was so bad. Then we noticed he was actually pretty pleasant serving the tables around us. Yet he neglects us for some reason, our water was gone before the dishes came and it was never refilled throughout the night. The soup and pasta was decent, nothing mind blowing though. The lamb however was inedible. The meat was overcooked to the point where the bone was broken into pieces everywhere. This was extremely dangerous. Most people would have choked if they were not careful. At no point during the meal did he come and check on us. Thus we did not get a chance to order wine. He did however pay attention to 3 other tables with enthusiasm that we did not receive. Like asking if they wanted more wine, if their food was good etc. We were literally one table away and he did not bother with us. The other tables were full of white men and women. As he took the plates away, more than half of the lamb was uneaten - he did not ask why. I had to say out loud that the lamb was awful and that there was bones everywhere. He replies with "oh" and proceeded back to the kitchen. We were then left alone for another good 10 minutes. He did not come back to ask us if we wanted desert. He was serving other tables while ignoring us. I had to get another waiter to call him for the bill. Then he abandoned us again for yet another 10 minutes. We also noticed the bill was wrong, he charged us for dessert. At this point the table next to us, this Italian couple, couldn't help but feel bad for us actually shouted out for the waiter for us. He just snatched the bill/card and vanished once again. The table beside us kept telling us maybe he was having a bad day but you can tell they felt ashamed because even they could tell we were discriminated against. He came back having charged my card already, I guess they do not have portable card machines. I pointed out that the bill was wrong, we did not order dessert, he then argued and said it was our fault. wtf? We waited for another 10 minutes before another waiter noticed our sour faces and got our bill for us. I tried asking for the manager from another waiter to make a formal complaint but my wife just wanted to leave the place. The only conclusion we can come up with is that we were the only Asians he was serving and he was just racist. The soup was $5, the pasta was $25, and the disgusting lamb was $35. The price is fair but there was much better Italian restaurants in Montreal nearby like Graziella and Le Serpent with MUCH more modern food/atmosphere and more importantly better service which is the most important aspect of fine dining in my opinion. read more

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Great ambience Tasty pasta Wish my lasagne was hotter It was Luke warm Great olive oil Awesome desserts. Tiramisu and most of the other desserts delicious Saw Scarecrow from Scarecrow and Mrs. King dining tonight read more

We were a party of 8 and were seated promptly, however the waiter was not very personable borderline rude. Most of our meals were very good but an entree of T-Bone was awful, a lot of nerve, not fatty but nerve for $45CAD. There are too many excellent restaurants in Montreal to waste your time and money here. read more

I don't like posting negative reviews but this restaurant is pricey and people need to be aware of what they are getting into. I ordered lamb and it was rubbery and dried out. It felt like chewing a piece or cardboard. I was so excited to eat here and my meal was a disappointment to say the least. Our waiter had such an attitude. I asked about my lamb being dry, I didn't want to embarrass the host of our dinner so I just chewed on a few pieces and didn't ask again about why my dish was so badly cooked. I tried the pasta from someone else's plate and it was super bland. Their dishes are suitable to older generations. Italian cooking has come a long way since the 50s. If you are stuck in group thing to go here, stay away from the meat dishes. I won't be going here again. I have added a photo for you to see. read more

Da Emma - Lamb dish at Da Emma. Very dry! - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Beautiful spot, perfect for an intimate date. Absolutely incredible food. The burrata was 12/10 delicious! The gelato was a perfect lightweight dessert. Authentically italian read more

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Phenomenal authentic Italian restaurant in the basement of an old women's jail. They have an amazing wine list, great service (my server had been working there for 27 years), and the 76 year old female owner still works in the kitchen every. single. night. Had the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli, as well as the Jumbo Prawns. I would HIGHLY recommend both! They bring a chilli oil to the table, but beware, it's hotter than you might think. The real winner though, was the Tiramisu, I would easily say one of the best I have ever had in my entire life... Do yourself a favour and don't skip it. read more

So I know this place is very popular and gets recommended a lot. But I have to be honest about my critic and not give it a high score just because everyone else did. So here is my take on Da emma. Walked-in to this old dark place, very little lighting, which wasn't a big surprise as I knew this use to be a prison. Sit down and waiter comes immediately, please take into account that this is my first time at this place, and we tell him this. Then he says okay okay I will bring you some nice artichoke to start then I will bring you our famous delicious rack of lamb with potatoes on the side, I will also bring you pork chops, which I told him I don't eat pork. So then it's like he got thrown off, okay okay then I will make you veal breast with rosemary and spaghetti with a nice rich homemade tomato sauce. So we said okay, And he left, I kept asking myself if the had menus but didn't see anyone with it so I just presumed this is how it work. 5 minutes later our appetizers arrive, he brings me a plate of prosciutto and and a small plate of artichoke .... Ummmm didn't i just mention I don't eat pork??? Anyways, then the waiter just stand at our table waiting for us to eat (that really annoyed me) artichoke sucked to hard, too oily. Then the main meal came, OMG the veal was over powered by rosemary, you could 't actually taste the meat, the lamb did not smell good and was too dry. The potatoes were also overwhelmed by rosemary and the pasta was not good at all. Honestly if your homemade sauce is tomato paste you need to rethink about your recipe. With our food we had ordered a bottle of flat water and a glass of wine. So like I mention since we never got a menu we never knew the prices either. At the end we just didn't enjoy our food and just wanted to get out of there, we declined coffee and dessert. We asked for the bill. 289$ Are you crazy????? Omg that much money for that mediocre food. Ughhh I will never go back and I definitely will not recommend it. Oh by the way as I was leaving the restaurant, we realized they had a menu, its written on a blackboard that they bring to your table. Our stupid waiter never even mentioned it. Royally pissed off! read more

Da Emma - Rack of dried lamb - Italian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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There seems to be a lot of Italian food in Montreal, and I'm not totally convinced that this is the best. It's very solid food, authentic, and tasty but it's a bit on the pricey side. I suppose with all the celebrities touted on the wall, they can rest on their laurels a bit and command a pretty penny for their food. Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but I think I could find a better meal or better Italian food in Montreal for cheaper. The ambiance is pretty cool, as it was in what used to be a women's prison. There are no printed menus, so don't go searching or asking for one when you sit down - they will bring you a written menu on a chalkboard to your table (all written in Italian), and will explain it to you. They will also bring you a piece of bruschetta to start your meal. We were a party of 4 and shared all the dishes family style, which I would recommend so that you can try a little bit of everything. The best dishes were the eggplant parmigana, fettucini with porcini mushrooms, and the shrimp. The eggplant parmigana had really good flavor and was decently sized. The pasta was homemade, fresh, and you could just taste all the flavors of the porcini - don't leave without getting this pasta. The shrimp was very fresh, large, and really dense. Well seasoned and perfectly cooked. We also got the caprese (good, but not outstanding), the smoked salmon carpaccio with arugula (good, but I can make this at home), and the veal ravioli (good, but just tasted like a pretty standard meat ravioli to me with tomato sauce). All in all, good food, authentic, and delicious. Some of the dishes were certainly better than others, It was pricey for Italian food - we each paid about $75 CAD and didn't drink any wine. I enjoyed my meal but don't think I'd come back here again and again. read more

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Incredible experience! The servers were amazing recommending and guiding our journey, we had the best steak and shared a huge pasta, wine paring was great and the dessert topped everything making it a day to remember, we were celebrating a bday and the staff sang with us, we walked around the place remembering every movie we have seen it in and I definitely think this is one of those places you need to visit at least once in the old port! Great food, great people, unforgettable experience. read more

What a dining experience! After hearing many people rave about Da Emma for quite some time, I decided to give it a go. Located on De La Commune in the western part of the Old Port, what once was a women's prison is now a charming Italian eatery. Where to begin? I decided to split the tortelloni with my wife. Stuffed with 4 different cheeses and minced prosciutto topped with a Gorgonzola sauce, this pasta plate is NOT for those who are lactose intolerant. Very rich, very creamy, very good! Next was the meatballs in a marinara sauce. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves italian meatballs like their Nonna used to make them. Finally, I had oven roasted lamb which was cooked in it's own juices with white wine and olive oil for over an hour. The house specialty. The meat was succulent, melt in your mouth goodness! Each bite was better than the last. For a meat course, this is the way to go. For dessert (yes I decided to stuff it all in!), I shared the tiramisu which was the perfect way to end a great meal coupled with a beautiful cappuccino. Great great meal, and the lobby filled with Hollywood A-listers clearly agree. ***Note to all future diners: be prepared to walk it off. Luckily it is located by the waterfront with a beautiful view of the city. read more

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I look at reviews as an important consideration to selecting a restaurant, but in doing so take the reviews "with a grain of salt." You can take this short comment as a true reflection of our experience. The food was delicious overall. You can discern a combination of fresh ingredients and refined flavors honed through experience. It's almost a country, family style like comfort food with a big step up into high-level restaurants. We enjoyed veal ravioli and cheese and spinach ravioli. We started with eggplant parmesan, which was exceptional though the tortellini soup fell a little short on flavor with pasta a bit too firm. The environment of the restaurant is at once cozy and romantic, which seems highly unlikely for a space that served, in the distant past, as a women's prison. Our waiter was charming, knowledgeable, engaging as he put on his practiced show. He scored with us by making two very good wine recommendations. Don't let mixed reviews deter you. We highly recommend this restaurant. Every experience here is individualized and, for us, a very a sumptuous welcome to Montréal! read more

Best Italian ever! I recommend to all. It's an experience, the restaurant is beautifully designed and decorated. Food and wine is wonderful.

I was looking forward to dinner at Da Emma's given my boyfriend's rave reviews. Boy was I disappointed. The atmosphere was nice. Dimly lit but not overly so. Reasonable noise level. Tables were spaced apart enough that we could have our own private conversation. The service was pretty good as well - no complaints there. But the food was OK at best. Realistically deserving of three stars but the fact that it was overpriced, I took away another star and am giving Da Emma two stars. Here's what we ordered: - agnolotti (stuffed with meat): Average. I've had better and I've had worse. - tiger shrimp in wine sauce: Again average. There were five shrimps on the plate... for forty-five bucks. - veal stew: BLAND... TASTELESS... FLAVOURLESS. Am I being ambiguous? It's possible Emma had an off night but I'm not dishing out another couple hundred bucks to find out. read more

This is a restaurant that I was so excited to try that I made the dinner reservation before booking our hotel reservation. All I can say is that the meal was absolutely incredible. I am baffled that this wonderful establishment recieved negative reviews. If you enjoy great food, service and booze - This is the place to be. We started off with a very warm welcoming from the hostess and two waiters. We recieved a complimentary bruschetta followed by two drinks shortly thereafter. After we finished the delish bruschetta (the olive oil was trenendous) our waiter, Franco, greeted us with a warm welcoming smile and asked if we would like a walk through the menu. Naturally, we said yes, and Franco went through every item on the menu with absolute precision. We would stop Franco to ask questions and suggestions to which he responded gracefully. Thank you Franco. My wife started off with the minnestroni soup and I ordered an appetizer portion of the fettuccini au funghi porcini. For our main course my wife ordered the Lasagna and I ordered the Veal scaloppine alla zingara. We ordered a bottle of chianti as well. The entire meal was delicious. I come from a very traditional New York Italian family, so I like to think that I have good taste in Italian food. Franco suggested not to add cheese to the fettuccini and I complied. Good thing because I can see the salt from the cheese could throw the flavors and balance off of the dish. Well said Franco. The minnestroni soup was fresh and delicious. Yum. My veal dish was the best and most tender veal dish that I have her had. I've eaten at restaurants like Il Milino, Don Peppes, Carmines, and my mother's kitchen and I still believe this was the best veal dish that I've had. My wife loved her lasagna. I thought the gravy was a little sweet, but she loved it - she's has great taste too. After dinner, we had a lovely conversation with Franco regarding Montreal, sports, family, etc read more

Went to Da Emma on Friday eve, June 28, 2019, with two girlfriends. Both had food poisoning later that eve, and it started at the exact same time, so clearly it was what they ate at this restaurant. They both had prosciutto, one more than the other. My one friend was so ill she spent an hour in the bathroom stall at a bar we were at later that eve, and I had to take care of her and carry her to a cab. My other friend went home and was pretty nauseated all night, and she only had a small bite. Luckily they got my order wrong and I didn't have any prosciutto and was fine. Also, when our pasta arrived it was lukewarm - I will say that the waiter we had was extremely kind and even though there were a lot of mistakes that eve, he was lovely and we didn't need to pay our bill at the end. Although only after a bit of indirect pressure on our part for some kind of compensation. But the food poisoning was a dangerous scenario so I have to post this. My friend was so sick I was nervous I was going to have to bring her to the hospital. Luckily she is fine. read more

Great authentic Italian food in a neat atmosphere. A little sketchy when you first pull up in the alley but don't fear once you get down the ramp to the front door, it's worth the effort. Great selection of pastas and wine. Neat atmosphere in an old women's prison and plenty of interesting architecture while you are there. read more

We were very excited to go to Da Emma - it was on many best of lists and the room looked so beautiful online. I thought the menu was a bit limited (apps were all variations on a theme - veal the only base for most pasta) but we went for it. Our waiter was gruff and we were a bit put off initially but...ok. We were celebrating my best friend's birthday in Montreal so nothing would bother us. Prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella for a start. Very good but, a pet peeve, no basil or arugula on the plate. Server did come with a very large pepper mill - hmm. Really? Entrees ordered - meatballs (which were touted in reviews) and swordfish. Would I like pasta on the side with meatballs? Yes please. Entrees came and both swimming in marinara. And not a seasoned marinara. More of a bad passata - watery tomato sauce with virtually no flavor. Meatballs weren't terrible but very dense. No love there. Pasta was fusilli that was overcooked and laden in watery sauce. Swordfish indiscernible in sauce - only thing you could taste. Pepper? No thank you. Cheese, sure. But the cheese was very powdery and had absolutely no wonderful parm flavor. Overall, we didn't eat much and we were shocked with how lazy this kitchen is. There was no care or inventiveness in this food. Good Italian is a passion of mine and this was shameful. Kicker was friend who ate the swordfish got violently ill after we left. Gordon Ramsey needs to stage an intervention. 1/ 10 recommendation. read more

We went to this restaurant and my friend and her daughter were looking very forward to ordering the swordfish. When it arrived, her daughter said she didn't like it. I tasted it and it was very fishy. I suggested they send it back and get something else. They did and a few minutes later the chef came out with raw swordfish on a plate, handling it, yelling at us in Italian. I have no idea what she said but she actually came out and was picking up the swordfish and turning it over and making angry faces and yelling at us in front of the whole restaurant. This is not an inexpensive restaurant and to treat customers like that is disgraceful. The side pasta wasn't very good either. read more