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    L'Express

    4.3 (749 reviews)
    PriceyFrench
    Closed 11:30 am - 1:00 AM (Next day)

    L'Express Photos

    L'Express - Got cheese salad 5/5 - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - a black and white photo of people sitting at a bar - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - Risotto - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - Latte - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - Grilled octopus - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - Shrimp - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - Pickles in a jar with mustard suace. - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - two plates of food on a table - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - Bread - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec
    L'Express - Smoked herring - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

    +1328

    L'Express - Close up to pickled in a jar. - French Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

    L'EXPRESS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Good for kids

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    Reviews With Photos

    Duck confit, chicken liver pate with pistachio and blood sausage
    Jenna I.

    Easily the best meal I had in all of Montreal and that's saying something!! I just l loved everything about this place -- it's old school diner like ambiance wiyh black and white tiled floor and midcentury chrome fixtures, its impeccable service and friendly waiters, and of course it's amazing food! I'm not normally one for chicken liver pate but theirs is so outstanding I had to actively stop myself from eating the entire thing so I wouldn't spoil my entree. The bread, the pistachios, the creamy amazingness -- just wow! But I'm glad I didn't because the duck confit was similarly to die for. Cooked perfectly, great portion, every bite to die for. My date's blood sausage entree was even more outstanding, I almost regretted not getting it even though it's not something I ever order. But most of all, the dessert! Ohhh the dessert! We got this Île Flottante au Caramel, which is a meringue covered in a glass-like caramel shell and floating in creme anglaise with sesame cookies. I can't tell you how happy this dessert made me, honestly almost to the point of tears in my eyes. I will dream about this crazy thing forever, alien technology went into making this. Epic dinner for me. I love basics done well and L'Express is the epitome of that.

    Harrison C.

    We stopped in for drinks a couple evenings ago and it was one of the best dirty martinis in Montreal! It was super packed so I'd recommend making reservation, however they were able to accommodate us at the bar! Staff was so friendly and quick!

    VIC M.

    I enjoyed a fine dinner at this cozy and busy eatery. The service was helpful and available and the food was outstanding. The meal began with a jar of cornichons on the table. A few times during the meal, I would munch on these pickles for a merry jolt of tart and tangyness. I had the home-made Lobster Ravioli. Inside of the al dente and light pasta was a lobster mix, showcasing the tender and buttery tasting seafood. The dark sauce including earthy mushrooms for balance w scallions. The sauce was wort the price of the dish. I chose the Cahors 21 Solis Malbec (Domaine Casse de Maisonneuve) to along with the food. For dessert, I had the Baba Au Rhum, their signature cakey dessert, balancing sweetness with the more bitter rum taste. I enjoyed my meal here and look forward to returning soon. .

    Nina C.

    Highlight: profiteroles. So so good. Loved the ice cream inside Ravioli: pretty good Duck: pretty good Loved the pickles they offer.

    Steak frites.
    John G.

    I have not been back here in many many years however knowing I was returning on a business trip I made a reservation immediately. This place is just amazing. From the bread to the meal, the mutard and the cornichons. This is so good. Wine list is extensive. Wait staff is incredible. I've sent friends here in the last year to be blown away by the experience. Which is why I needed to return. Go, spoil yourself!!

    Il Flottante with Caramel
    Joanna M.

    A trip to Montreal isn't complete without a trip to the classic French bistro L'Express. Make sure to make a reservation in advance or be prepared to wait at least an hour for a seat. The place is busy and the servers are circling the place left and right. The bustle of activity adds to the ambiance of a lively old school bistro. The meal starts off with bread, butter, mustard, and cornichons. The butter and mustard were really good and my friend and I were trying not to eat too much bread before our main courses. Then came our ravioli which were warm pillows of meat stuffed pasta with a tasty sauce. For our entrees, we enjoyed the succulent roasted quails with wild rice and the shrimp and chorizo risotto. I preferred the roasted quails over the risotto but both were great and served in large portions. To finish our meal, we had the Il Flottante with Caramel which is a huge dessert with cream encased in hardened caramel. The dessert was unique but a little big for a party of two. I can understand why L'Express is packed every night. The food and service are great coupled with the French Bistro charm makes L'Express the perfect place to impress out-of-towners. As an out-of-towner, I was more than satisfied.

    Alex M.

    What a fantastic way to end our Montreal trip with - a classic French bistro experience at L'Express - filled with deliciously rich French fare, a chic atmosphere, and a relaxed experience for a date! My partner and I ordered a lot of food, and we loved all of it (would do the same order again, but maybe try another dessert). We got the chicken liver and bone marrow to start, steak frittes and crouqe monsour for main, and split some profiterole for dessert. All paired with a fantastic bottle of wine (great and reasonably priced wine list), and a dessert port at the end. Steak frittes were some of our fav we tried all trip! Also shout out to the delicious bread and butter, which paired magnificently with the bone marrow and chicken liver. Service was friendly and attentive - we never felt forgotten and were positively reinforced with our menu decisions ha! We would definitely return!

    Andy S.

    Good selection from the menu and they use a lot of dishes that use different ingredients like liver and kidney which is interesting. The restaurant can get a little noisy though. Service is friendly and attentive. There is parking outside on the street with a meter so if you are unlucky, you may have to walk some distance before reaching the restaurant.

    Liver Pâté
    Nathan A.

    Cute French Bistro. Been here a couple times now on visits to Montreal. It gets super busy so you have to make a reservation. It's a little slow, but service is very good. On this visit ordered an escargot in wine sauce special, liver pâté, beef tartare, hanger steak and fries, and the floating island (île flottante) for dessert. They also bring bread and cornichons to the table. Tasty food, the steak was deservingly popular, and the fries are crisp. The escargot was good too. Both dishes were rich, and everything can be eaten with the bread. The floating island (which they actually comped for the slower service) was also very good. The meringue is light with a crispy caramel outer layer. Very sweet though and the caramel shell gets stuck in your teeth. Overall would highly recommend. Price is a little high, but still worth it in my opinion.

    Dessert!! So yummy!
    Jazmin A.

    L'express service was incredible. The staff was so warm and attentive and sure to give us plenty of recommendations. The ambiance takes us back to Europe. Not too frilly, just lovely to relax and have a good meal and good drinks. Less of a cocktail place and more emphasis on wine. You have to get the steak frites of course, but all of the other options we ate were delicious. Love this for a date night or a celebratory meal, or just a casual meal when you're feeling like having some good food.

    Romanik mixing a cocktail.
    Phil G.

    At first, I thought L'Express was a tourist trap, but was I wrong. Packed at 2:00 on a blistering hot Tuesday in the middle of June, L'Express would feel comfortable in any arrondissement in Paris. We settled in at the expansive bar, ordered wine and a cocktail, and didn't miss Paris at all. Romanik took great care of us, and his graciousness was welcome after the often self entitled servers in the United States. Maybe Canada's universal health care has something to do with that. The menu covers every classic French dish, and we ordered calves liver with frites and Duck Confit for nostalgia's sake. Ooh La La. They were both fantastic. Our late lunch was long and so relaxing. Regrettably, we left the AC of L'Express to take a stroll in 93 degree heat. Mistake. We should have stayed at L'Express and ordered dessert.

    Elizabeth P.

    Our first night in Montreal and we dined at this gem! I ate a lot of bread cause it was soooo good...the pickles...wow i should have taken jar with me!! The service was fantastic! Quick and efficient. Place was packed and I can see why! My favorite bite...the maple profiteroles...omg i dream of them! Will definately visit next time im in Montreal!

    Grilled octopus
    Suanne L.

    We went to L'Express after being awake for over 24 hours and taking a 3 hour nap. This French restaurant was highly recommended and of course we had to make a visit here! Our reservation was at 5pm, but the inside was already filled with many occupied tables. The restaurant itself was quite narrow and you were pretty close to the tables beside you. It made the feeling more intimate and authentic. I actually really liked the interiors - checkered flooring, bar seating, big windows. For food, they started us off with mini pickles, mustard, and baguette. For starters we got Bone Marrow ($21) and the Grilled Octopus ($22.50). Bone marrow came with 3 and plenty of bread. The marrow is quite fatty and rich, and the plain, crunchy bread is an excellent balance for it. The mini pickles really helped to cut out the oily taste of the bone marrow. I would say only 2 of the 3 bone marrows were 75% full with marrow, but honestly it was more than enough - eating any more would make you too full for anything else. The grilled octopus was delicious! Just the right amount of char that matched well with their sauce. The mini greens was refreshing. For mains, we ordered the Confit duck leg ($33) and Hanger Steak and Fries ($36.25). Duck leg was tender and I especially enjoyed the pumpkin puree. Steak was cooked medium rare, but not as tender as I thought. Shallot butter was super fragrant and rich and added a nice creamy texture to the steak. Fries are good and plenty enough to take home. I liked their dipping sauce. I'm actually really a fan of how Montreal restaurants cook their fries. Everything was just a tad too salty for me though. We also ordered crème brûlée ($13.25) for dessert. Custard was sweet and creamy. Great first dinner at Montreal but I feel like everything was pretty standard / nothing blew me out of the water. Would be a good restaurant to visit once but not sure if I would return.

    Table w/ bread & cornichons

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    L'Express Reviews in Other Languages

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    Les Oiseaux de Passage

    Les Oiseaux de Passage

    4.4(7 reviews)
    0.2 kmPlateau-Mont-Royal

    Quaint and unassuming neighborhood place that is hiding a highly sophisticated dining experience…read more The food was remarkable and on par with some of the better spots I've eaten lately. Did the 5 course chef's tasting menu with wine pairing --which is an incredible value for the money--and it was such an unexpectedly wonderful surprise. Inventive ingredient pairings, artful presentation, and a genuine commitment to the details. The service gets 5 stars as well, knowledgeable, attentive in just the right way. I am absolutely coming back.

    This is the first time we are at a BYOW restaurant. It's…read morebrilliant! There is no corking fee and there are 2 liquor stores within walking distance. This restaurant is so cute, we feel like we are in a romcom movie. Looks like it's family run restaurant with a lot of love. Service is very friendly. You sit down they set up your wine and brought you Handmade bread with Parmesan & Cumin (house made) Quail egg cassolette with roasted tomatoes and spinach, Mornay sauce, and Parmesan crumble Reminded you of Cheez it / goldfish / white cheddar /topping Good texture combo. Crunchy cheesy cracker on top with gooey spinach quail egg mornay sauce Cream of cauliflower, confit lemon oil, and shallots *Very smooth. Taste a bit tapioca Very good piping hot! with smokey paprika and touch of Lemon zest Salmon Linguini with onion and parmigiano cream *Cheesy but light and spring-y Again the lemon zest at work. Love it Braised lamb shank, red wine lamb glaze, sautéed potatoes, and Nantaises carrots. *Nice seasoning that respects the ingredients Potato perfectly cooked with crispy edges. Everything you ate here reminded you or some past memories that are very familiar.

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    Les Oiseaux de Passage - Inside

    Inside

    Les Oiseaux de Passage
    Les Oiseaux de Passage

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    Place Carmin - Tartlet

    Place Carmin

    4.6(76 reviews)
    2.8 kmVille-Marie

    This place was so good! It wasn't too busy on a Saturday night on race week. Atmosphere was high…read moreend but not in a stuffy way. Service was prompt and attentive. Our waitresses recommendations were fire. We enjoyed: Complementary bread: it was soft on inside and appropriately crunchy but not overly so on the outside. Plus two huge pieces cut into 4 pieces individually. Beef tartare: at 20 cad it was a little pricy for how much you got but the taste was great and I'm a fan of comte cheese. Plus it didn't have capers which imo overwhelms tartares. Duck with carrot: as a Chinese person I've had my share of duck but this might be the best duck I've ever had in my life. The texture and cook on it was awesome! First it came with three pieces of breast. It was the perfect cook, not over like most of the places I've had duck. Then the leg had the perfect crispy fatty skin to meat ratio. Yum yum this is a can't miss dish here Burger: husband got this. I took a bite. It had a nice smoke to it and was perfectly medium rare. I was too distracted by my duck to analyze it further. Raspberry jelly for dessert: as the waitress had mentioned, it was light and a perfect sweet but tart bite. Was great! Would come here again, we had l'express earlier in this trip and place carmin blows that place out of the water.

    Came here for a wedding dinner and really enjoyed the ambiance. The venue was beautiful, the…read moreatmosphere was great. Unfortunately, the food did not live up to the same standard. I chose the seafood entrée, which turned out to be a mistake. After speaking with several others who ordered the same dish, it seemed that we all had a similar experience. The clams and mussels did not taste particularly fresh, and some even contained sand. I wish I had ordered the duck instead, as it appeared to be a much better choice. I ended up eating not much of my main course because of the seafood quality.

    Photos
    Place Carmin - Chicken in a fur coat at Place Carmin restaurant in Montreal

    Chicken in a fur coat at Place Carmin restaurant in Montreal

    Place Carmin - Crime brûlée ok

    Crime brûlée ok

    Place Carmin - Choux fleur rôtis, œuf au plat amandes et truffe

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    Choux fleur rôtis, œuf au plat amandes et truffe

    Pégase

    Pégase

    4.6(85 reviews)
    1.6 kmPlateau-Mont-Royal
    $$$

    BEST "BYOB" FRENCH BISTRO DURING RECENT TRIP…read more This is the best dining experience in our recent Montreal trip. I'm glad we made reservation since the place was quite packed when we arrived. To be honest, our first impression wasn't too great. We were seated in their main indoor dining area which was a bit too warm. We asked if we can be moved to their fully covered / heated patio area, but unfortunately the restaurant was full. Fast forward 15 minutes, we have placed our order and were enjoying our bottle of wine and a basket of bread. Our server came over and offered to move us to the patio area since a table had opened up. We were pleasantly surprised because (1) we didn't ask again and (2) most restaurants wouldn't change tables once customers started eating/drinking. The restaurant setting is unpretentious with a casual and cozy vibes. The staff are so friendly that we feel like having a family dinner! They offer a pre-fixe menu in which we thoroughly enjoyed! For appetizers, the escargot dish gave us a pleasant surprise. They wrapped the escargots and blue cheese sauce in a thin crispy crust! It's hard to describe, but it's sort of like having an escargot "crepe"! The few main courses we chose were excellent, and the rack of lamb was probably our favorite - tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked. As for dessert, their creme brulee was one of the best I've had - creamy custard topped with a perfect, crisp caramel top. I'd highly recommend this place, and will certainly visit again when I'm in town next time!

    This is a spot for good food without the frills of a fancy restaurant. The server was so nice and…read morehelped explain the menu to us as they only have French ones and we tried to order different things to get a taste of each item. The appetizers were very different from each other but the bison and lamb had similar construction/sauces. Overall a wonderful experience! As tourists, it was fun to try some local wines during the day and buying a bottle to enjoy with dinner here. There was a range of drinks that people brought. We stuck with a light red wine that we got from SAQ down the street that offered a tasting of some local wines.

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    Pégase
    Pégase - Tuna, mango, coconut tataki

    Tuna, mango, coconut tataki

    Pégase

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    Modavie - Escargot, Montreal style topped with baked cheese!

    Modavie

    4.2(1.1k reviews)
    2.3 kmVille-Marie
    $$$

    We made reservations here--absolutely necessary, as the place was packed--and I'm so glad we did…read more Just note that reservations are for two hours, and they will remind you. Located right in the heart of Vieux Montréal, just a three-minute walk from our hotel, this spot has a cozy wine cellar vibe with dark interiors, comfortable chairs, and stone walls. We started with bone marrow, a first for both of us. My dining companion wasn't a fan, and I'm still processing--it was rich, greasy, and intensely flavorful. An experience, for sure. The complimentary hot bread was absolutely delicious, served with butter. We devoured it so fast our server brought us a second round, equally hot and fresh. Bless her. My lamb was divine--perfectly cooked and served with beautifully steamed and seasoned vegetables (cauliflower and zucchini) plus potatoes. My companion's salmon filet was equally impressive; she raved about it. We finished with dessert: I had the crème brûlée while my companion demolished the cheesecake. No photos because we ate everything too quickly--a sure sign of a great meal. This place is rightly popular, and I absolutely loved it. Make a reservation and go.

    Food - amazing. The waiter (Renault) said lamb was their specialty and he wasn't wrong. Fantastic…read morefood. The service we had was absolutely perfect too. The icing on the cake was that they had live music singing a range of jazz and classical music.

    Photos
    Modavie - Beautiful interior...mood lighting was 11/10

    Beautiful interior...mood lighting was 11/10

    Modavie - Rack of Lamb from New Zealand

    Rack of Lamb from New Zealand

    Modavie - Bar was gorgeous and inviting

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    Bar was gorgeous and inviting

    L'Express - french - Updated June 2026

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