What is La Lou's secret? We have been dining at La Lou for over 25 years, it is our "Go-To" location for all our little special occasions. You are welcomed so warmly by the staff, always helpful but NEVER intrusive. Honestly makes you feel like you are at a Louisiana local neighbourhood Chow-Down, as friend not a patron. Love that about La Lou. Last night's dinner started with a Hurricane, for me and a spicy Caesar for my partner. The Hurricane was delicious, a perfect blend of fruit juices and rum, I could drink these and nothing else, for the rest of my life. My partner reported the Caesar was perfect, from the mix to the spicy bean garnish. Our appetizers were Hush Puppies (of course) and Crab Cakes. The Hush Puppies were little balls of flavour, texture and taste, prepared to perfection. The crab cakes had the crispy exterior and soft, savoury and delicious interior. Love the presentation. I should have taken photos but I was too interested in devouring these little jewels. My partner ordered the Meat Jambalaya, he was blown away by the perfect seasoning, combination of the ingredients, Andouille sausage, smoked ham and chicken. He says he highly recommends this dish. Ordinarily, I go with the blackened fish of the day, but this visit I thought I would try Lou's Famous Fried Chicken. There is a reason it is "Famous". The chicken was juicy and tender, the coating was crisp and delicious. It came with a side of seasoned fries, delicious and tender. We desperately wanted the incredible Bananas Foster dessert but there was no way we could eat another bite, so we finished off with 2 BB King specialty coffees. You have to try one, if you go; delicious! Again, I forgot photos! Coffee, Bailey's and darned if I can remember the other ingredients. They are listed on the menu. All this to say that if you are visiting Montréal - this is a "Must visit" destination. We live 65 kms away and gladly brave the traffic to avail ourselves of this little treasure chest of Louisiana flavours. read more

We went for dinner on a Friday fall evening, no reservation but were able to walk right in. Our host was friendly. Apparently this place has been around for about 35 years along with other spots in this neighborhood. I was starving so we ordered right away and asked for sweet potato fries. They came out super hot since the kitchen was just a few steps away. They had a very flakey flour coating and were delicious with the sauce. The paneed chicken with creamy green peppercorn sauce was good with the garlic mashed potatoes. Not bad but kind of expensive for what it was. As for the meat jambalaya, it seemed a bit skimpy on the meats... Just a few pieces of sausage, ham and chicken. Good tomato based sauce. Overall food to price value is a 4/5. read more

See all

Service was a little difficult last night, but the place was packed and bustling. We had a great table by the open window which was beautiful and breezy, better than the terrasse in my opinion. I had Jacques' Voodoo Pasta and I loved it. The house made Andouille sausage is excellent and the dish has just the right amount of spice. Also... the Lucky Lime oysters from PEI were on the menu and they were the best I've had in a long time. Sweet and meaty. Delicious! Shoutout to the pecan pie as a decadent finish to a great meal. read more

See all

Excellent, attentive (but not intrusive!) service, with thorough knowledge of the menu. Enjoyed the outdoor dining experience en plein air

I came here with my girlfriend. We were looking for some cajun cuisine and we were told to come here. However we ended really dissapointed. For a start the place is real pretty and service is better than usual. So, excellent ambience and nice decor. Our first impression was beyond good. We were enthusiastic. We ordered the BBQ shrimps, the Prime Rib and the Sangria. The sangria was simple and flat. I think the barman was uninspired that eveininig. Afterwards the Shrimp and the Prime Rib were served in our table. Great presentation but the taste was dull. I usually do not make comments about food, but this was an expensive evening. Anyway, the Prime Rib was dull and chewy. It took 5 minutes to turn cold. So it turned to a nice pice of beef to an unbearable experience. Seasoning, temperture, and texture were as bad as the last Hellboy movie. My girlfriend told my that the BBQ shrimp was bitter. At the begining she was expecting an implosion of flavours that turned out similar to eating breakfast just after brushing your teeth. Service is great, the ambience is nice, dish presentation is ok. However, the flavour is dull, stale, and dissapoting. read more

The crab cakes, although not Baltimore blue crab, were delicious. I didn't get that " eating sawdust" feeling that I usually get when noshing on inferior crab cakes from, say, such seafaring states like Vermont or Nevada. I followed those up with a plate of Dinosaur Ribs that too were perfectly cooked and fall off the bone tender but, can I tell you; I'm pretty sure that those were beef ribs despite our server's insistence that it was T-Rex that was on the menu. Try their Sazerac though; it's epic - I kid you not! read more

For all the variety of foods that Montreal's restaurant scene offers, I find that some of the regional cuisines of the United States are clearly absent or have next to no representation up here. Thanks to La Louisiane at least Cajun food has a presence here, my guess is that it's due to the French connection Quebec and Louisiana both have, but even then it's always nice to see. This place has been around forever and always seems busy. Even then, I've come here quite a few times over the years and have never walked away disappointed with anything I had. Gumbo, Jambalaya, fried alligator, Bread Pudding with Jack Daniels sauce, they've got them all here. Service can be brisk and erratic at times but the folks are always friendly and the outdoor dining in the summertime is always pleasant. read more

It's not terrible, but it is not remotely cajun. I had the jambalaya and as I described it to my wife, it was like someone had described jambalaya to an Italian cook who'd never actually had any, and he tried to replicate it. Too much tomato, not enough of anything else (and no okra?!), weirdly sweet and I think it had balsamic in there? Wife had a cornish hen that was one of the daily specials and it was also okay but the sauce seemed oddly close to poutine sauce. read more

If I close my eyes pretend there is some Louis Armstong playing while the smoke from the kitchen fills the air and open them slowly you could almost believe you are in the Big Easy! Tonight I had a great dinner here with my wife! She had a Chardonnay, I had a Hurricane to get the evening rolling! Very nice I must say! We ordered a small green salad to start which was just greens and a nice light vinaigrette dressing! Then for the main course the waitress warned us the Dinosaur Beef ribs were all sold out for the night! Dang, I was sorta feeling like them! Que to second choice I ordered the Cajun combo and wifey ordered the Creole Shrimp! Plus, of course we needed some sweet potato fries to fill up that tummy! All came out in quick order and was delish, spicy and well presented! For desert it was all about the Double chocolate chip bourbon pecan pie! Afterwards we felt like we needed to un-notch the pants but were more than satisfied with the meal! I've eaten here 9 years ago and once in between and the restaurant still has that same great ambiance and look to it! If I lived in NDG it would probably be a once a month hit up! Some notes to mention to the owners if reading: Please try serving some better coffee! It tastes like brown water! Also some N'awlins jazz wouldn't have hurt, but you may be sick of that from perhaps trying it sometime in your 20 years of operation! Still, it would help fit the ambiance of the place and make me believe I was really in the Big Easy (sleazy!). read more

See all

We came here hoping to try their special for Mac and cheese week. It was a Sunday night, but they had ended their Mac and cheese special on Friday so we were out of luck. We ordered hush puppies and sweet potato fries to start. The hush puppies never showed up (we weren't charged for them). The fries were shoestring style and pretty good. I had the red snapper special which came with the soup of the day, eggplant parmigiana. The soup was really good and the highlight of my meal. The fish was a little disappointing, bland and slightly over cooked. My daughter had the crab cakes which were really good. My husband had ribs which he thought were "ok". There were hints of Cajun spices in the meals but no real serious heat. Maybe you have to request it. The place had a nice laid back neighbourhood vibe and aside from forgetting one of our appetizers, service was good. read more

Very comfortable place on Sherbrooke in NDG. Always busy, always manages to find really great staff. Our last visit was very much like all of the others - consistently good. We started with some fun cocktails (Bourbon peach cobbler and a Sazarac cocktail), had alligator for the appetizer then had our mains (Cajun shrimp and crab cakes). Everything we got tasted pretty terrific. The rice was a teensy bit dryer than it should have been but it's really no big deal - the shrimp more than made up for it. If you haven't gone, you should really try it. Fun experience, great looking restaurant, you'll enjoy your whole evening. read more

La Louisiane - Cajun shrimp and crab cakes - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

See all

Good service , be careful with spicy rice ufff , all the rest was a delicious taste. Spicy smell that you will bring at home. I recomande the fried vegetables mmmm. The washroom was clean. read more

If this were an episode of Iron Chef and the secret ingredient was RUBBER, there's no doubt in my mind that La Louisiane would walk away with the grand prize. The chicken was overcooked and rubbery, the shrimp was overcooked and rubbery, the single piece of sausage in the jumbalaya was overcooked and rubbery, the sweet potato fries were overcooked and inexplicably rubbery - honestly, they'd have had the challenge in the bag! I could also talk about the sad side of veg or the gluggy rice, but honestly, they just weren't rubbery enough for my tastes. On the plus side, the service was exceptional and the ambience was top notch. And judging by the other reviews, maybe I just caught them on a bad night. Oh well, c'est la vie! read more

First time there the other night. My initial reaction was that the restaurants atmosphere is exactly my type for a nice night of wine and food. I ordered three appetizers and a cocktail to start, of course. Our waitress Tina was so helpful in the deciding of what to try, as we wanted a bit of everything. She even went as far to bring a taste of one of the sauces and explain the textures and flavours. Our table was constantly cleaned and maintained. The cocktails were well made and the food was delicious. The food consisting of beef rib, oysters, and shrimp, accorded with wines that the server had chosen for us. After two/three bottles of wine, a few cocktails, and shooters, we were well on our way to an expensive bill, however to our surprise it wasn't shocking for everything we got to enjoy and a night out. The prices are what is to be expected. Service great, food great, therefore restaurant great. Would definitely go back again. read more

This is a great little restaurant with a fantastic atmosphere. I went there with some friends after work for some cocktails and Cajun food. Tuesday nights they have a band, and on this occasion did not disappoint, with some mellow blues and grass roots music. The food was spicy but amazing. Thoroughly recommend their shrimp and raw oysters. read more

See all

One of our only Cajun restaurants but at least it's a good one, and out in a section on NDG that keeps getting cuter. This place has been earning their reputation for over 20 years, not clichéd decor, just a nice, candlelit restaurant with buzz, good gumbo, and some awesome "dinosaur" beef ribs. read more

La Louisiane - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

This is a great little restaurant! A must try! I've been to a few restaurants in Montreal and I mean it when i say this place has delicious food and great service! Try it! read more

La Louisiane - Blackened snapper mmmmmmm! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

See all

I've been here sooo many times, and am never let down! Nice little resto, with a small terrace in the summer. The little spiced cornbreads they bring with your bread basket are to die for, as are their sweet potatoe fries (totally worth the $2 surcharge to upgrade from regular fries - to be dipped in spicy mayo). Blackened fish of the day (last time it was rainbow trout) and dinosaur beef ribs are my 2 favourites on the menu. They have regularly chaging specials which are always worth a try as well. The only negative is that service is very variable. If you don't take an appetizer, then you'll have a wait for your main meal. And waiters tend to leave you alone for long stretches, but are never too far to be flagged down if need be. The open kitchen adds a nice atmosphere and delicious smells permeate the room! read more

Yum! We ordered the sweet potato fries and onion rings which both came with cajun mayo and was delicious. The onion rings are very lightly battered and fried. I ordered Fedelinni Santa Fe with shrimp instead of chicken. It was SPICY! sweet with a kick to it. The owner was kind enough to give me some cream's to put in it to reduce the heat a little. My sister had the shrimp creole which was good. Our friend had the ribs, I didn't try any but it looked like the meat was falling off the bone. For dessert we had bread pudding and the bananas foster. The bread pudding was so decadent, drenched in a whiskey sauce with a buttery soft texture and a crispy sugary top. read more

Never been disappointed at la Louisianne and been there SEVERAL times. Prices were never exaggerated and service always on point...not a big place so you have your waiter's attention. read more

Small restaurant with sidewalk terrasse during summer. Casual decor and patrons with open concept kitchen that eminates cajun smells. Small menu but quite cajun/creole. Had the very excellent spicey french fries with mayo: recommended. Had the beer & coconut shrimp: recommended. Had the cajun combo which had a Jambalaya and Chicken etouffe and a creole shrimp, all excellent with just the right amount of spice. Finished it all off with Bananas Foster again recommended, although very sweet. The service was on the ball including rapid water refills which was thankful. read more

La Louisiane is one of the better options for restaurants if you live in the NDG area of Montreal. It's Cajun inspired food is really good but be careful when ordering anything spicy. It really is spicy but the chef can tone it down for anyone with a sensitive palette. I went in with some girlfriends and didn't feel like ordering a meal so I went with the shrimp cocktail and shared a plate of 12 oysters for $30. Both were delicious however I prefer traditional shrimp sauce with shrimp cocktails in comparison to their in-house dip. For the oyster dish, unfortunately they were out of horseradish but I love my oysters with Tobasco so I was happy. Paired with a nice bottle of red wine, the three of us were really happy with our meal and happier that we didn't need to go downtown to enjoy great food. NDG needs more places like this. read more

Went here again. They gained a star! Why? Well for one the service was better, and secondly they offered me Blair's Ultra Death sauce when I wanted things spicier. You won my heart with the ridiculous spicy sauce *high five* read more

Coconut Beer Shrimp: 9/10 Mojito : 9/10 The way it smells when you walk in : PRICELESS Dont even think about it.... just go Ive been a long time lover of this place and even though I have eaten there countless times Im blown away every time I go.... Atmosphear is very cozy with a great staff read more

We live literally across the street and have been wanting to come here for a year since moving in. We did last night, and it was great. Before ever visiting, Louisiane has a really lovely vibe, candlelit seats spread along the sidewalk. It always looked very enticing, and it was, both inside and out. The menu is southern/cajun food, which was a first for us, which was nice. We ordered a chicken soup, green salad, crab cakes, to start. And then we had the dinosaur beef ribs and sizzling firecracker shrimp as mains. We also got two bottles of wine. Everything was really yummy, the chicken soup/green salad were good. The crabcakes / dinosaur ribs though, were amazing. The crabcakes starter comes as 5-6 small little balls which you can dip and eat. And the ribs, were honestly, some of the best I ever had in my life. Also, all of the staff were also super nice. I say all, because unlike other restaurants where if you ask another employee for something, they will say "I'll get your server." At Louisiane, said person just did the task, happily. Which is how it is in the Europe/Australia, unlike North America etc. We had a really lovely dinner. Every aspect was great. However, the one downside to this place, is that I find it is a tad expensive. Most things on the menu feel a little bit marked up than they should be, I feel. But that said, unlike many other marked up restaurants around the city, La Louisiane offers something that is incredibly unique, and executed very well. For a long time, we only stuck to going to BYOW restaurants if we ever wanted wine, because of the intense markup on bottles especially. However, because Louisiane is unique, and offers a great seating, atmosphere and food, it can be argued that the pricing is justified. I'd return for sure. read more

The outside is very discreet in a quieter section of NDG, but inside the restaurant is bustling with action, lots of tables crammed into an intimately room with the kitchen at the centre. Started with fried clams and hush puppies to start and had the dinosaur ribs as a main. I must say everything was quiteee spicy for my tolerance but very good. read more

Cosy decor, nice staff, food is good (very spicy). A little disappointed with hushpuppies but the little bread biscuits were really good! The shrimp in jambalaya was also very good! read more

See all

This place is super cozy and really welcoming. We came for a Birthday party about nine of us and the service was very quick. Everything was spicy, I ordered the garlic spaghetti and it was spicy as well. I am not sure if I loved or hated it but everyone else's meals looked really good. I really loved the ambiance and our waiter took care of our every need. I think I would comeback again and try something else. read more

Delicious ribs and crab cakes! One of my favourite southern/Cajun places in the city!

Unfortunately, my lacklustre experience at La Louisiane this evening will be my first and my last. Though the service was great - the server was knowledgeable, patient, helpful and friendly - the food itself was entirely underwhelming. The variant of the Cajun style étouffée sauce that is served with the chicken dishes, crab cakes, and fresh market fish was thick, starchy, and bland. The chicken served with the cajun combo, though cooked well, was boring and plain as well. For between $17-$33 a plate, the food certainly does not live up to its steep mark-up. The meals were served with a cajun style rice that was more akin to an Uncle Ben's microwaveable side dish, than an authentic, spicy, grain. The most disgruntling aspect of the main dishes on the menu is that they are all served with frozen vegetables. Is it really that difficult to serve up some freshly steamed carrots and beans? Overall, I am disappointed with the result of a restaurant that, upon my arrival, I thought had so much potential. The authenticity of this Cajun style eatery is at best, questionable. And the quality of the food is certainly poor. If you're looking for attentive service, this restaurant raises the bar, though the food itself hardly meets it. Perhaps, the lazy chef could take some notes from the front of house staff, and learn to take pride in the food they prepare and present. read more

This place has a super romantic feel, Candlelight with cozy tables. Its kept low and has big windows that look to the street, or you can sit out in the pretty terrase. The servers were extremely friendly, fast and polite. Sadly the food failed to impress me. This was my first time trying creole/cajun food and I guess I am not too big of a fan of this type, so cannot say anything about the authenticity either. However the place is right for nice romantic environment. read more

Mixed. The food is unpredictable. Sometimes it's been good, other times oily. Tonight, not so good. Mostly to do with the service. The house wine was absolutely inferior, like two-buck chuck, told the waiter, but he didn't care much. My companion's dish was a $24 linguini mussel dish, where we literally counted 2 mussels. Told the waiter, he checked with the chef who said he put in 6 ... Uh, we would have seen six mussels. Being from Los Angeles, I'm used to servers caring about what the customer says or feels. This server couldn't be bothered, I felt like we were just nuisances - not sure I'd it's because of the coupon or just his style. read more

Love a good Cajun meal and this is the place. Friendly service, casual neighbourhood eatery at very reasonable prices! I could drink their Cajun sauce & don't even get me started on the desserts! yum, yum, yum, yum yum read more

I found the crab cakes to be mushy on the inside..as if they had been put through a blender. The bavette beef was very good..and so were the cocktails.The servers were very attentive. read more

Very cozy restaurant directly on Sherbrooke. offers outdoor seating in the summer time . This is a rare Cajun style restaurant in the area that offers some great dishes and great drinks as well as friendly staff and reasonable pricing. My favourite item on the menu is the dinosaur ribs , huge , tender delicious ribs that will keep you wanting more ! They also have some great chicken and shrimp dishes as well. Another favourite item of mine is the chocolate and pecan pie with ice cream , which we usually end up sharing because we're so stuffed from dinner but yet still can't resist the call of that pie ! read more

Visited here on a recent trip to Montreal. Ambiance was fun and welcoming. Great indoor seating in front of large open windows looking out on to peaceful Montreal street. Great Servers. Very friendly and informative. We found out the history of the restaurant and heard a bit about the current owners' effort to turn it into the stylish establishment it now is. We ordered from the specials menu which offered tasty dishes like roasted pork loin with asparagus and fennel and pan seared halibut with bacon. Wine list offered affordable quality options. To top it off they were playing 70's disco all night which was awesome. All in all a very enjoyable experience. We will return on our next visit. read more

Nice sitting outside on the terrace on saturday night, advised to arrive around 9pm to have a table for 3, since they didn't take reservations. The 9$ mint julip was over loaded with ice and the portions were not large, one of my friends from usa said he'd been there a few times over the years they've been operating. Lots of choice in Montreal so next time I'll try another resto on Sherbrooke street instead. read more

Friendly and helpful wait staff. Good selection on the menu, kicked our cajun experience off with yummy hushpuppies- tasted just like they make èm in Memphis :) Enjoyed a delicious grilled shrimp pasta. Wine list was extensive and yet still affordable. Overall lovely experience. read more

Had a great time here. If you are not a fan of spicy food this is NOT the place for you. I would say that we enjoyed the appetizers more than the entrees. The ambience was great as well as the service. I would recommend the cocktails! read more

Went on a Tuesday. Service was excellent & we were served with a smile. My boyfriend had the gumbo as an appetizer but it was horrible, and lacking a flavour. But the shrimps in it were excellent. We enjoyed our main courses which were jambalaya and the shrimp pasta. The shrimps were the best part, but as much as we liked those, we wouldn't come back. It was average in our books. read more