Food excellent, service not

This was our sixth visit to La Chronique first in the new location.
Overall impressions: Ambiance 3; appetiser 5; main course 5; dessert 5; wine selection 3; cost of wine 2; SERVICE 0.
The new location is interesting, much brighter then the old. The foie gras was excellent, interesting combination; my wife had the veal and I had the ris-de-veau:... plus

Impecccable

Delicious from the first bite - we had fresh breads, salmon tartare, salad with smoked duck (amazing!!) and goat cheese, scallops, beef with 5 different mushrooms. Oh, and the tapioca creme brulee. YUM.

We had a spectacular meal at La Chronique. We hadn't been there since its move to its new location. If anything, it's more beautiful and appealing than before. Food was amazing, service impeccable, music was perfect (how rare is that?), and the total experience wonderful. Bravo!

The best of the best

I am a lover of food, I have always been. In my home town of Montreal as well as when I travel around the world, I try to find restaurants where I will be treated to an exceptional experience.
Montreal has become a dedicated foodie city with lots of restaurants opening and a very intense community of gastronomy afficionados who... plus

One of the best ever

This is one of the best meals I've ever had - delicious food, beautifully presented. Best a series of little courses - and trust the waiters for excellent wine pairings with each one. Just splendid. And they're very kind if your French stinks, though it is a very Francophilic place.

One of Montreal's best

Great venue but still a few details to work on and improve to be the best.I enjoyed my evening but felt it wasn't worth what it cost... So I might go back, but only if I get tired of Europea!

Best restaurant in Montreal

Yes, this is a very expensive restaurant but you can absolutely ignore all the bad review of this restaurant. There are a lot of very good restaurants in Montreal but I am 100% confident when I say that this is the best one.

Very good food well presented

Went Saturday night with a friend, The restaurant is very urban in feeling but with lots of class.
The service was excellent though we went early and a only few other couples were there,,an older crowd very well dressed,
The food was quite good. I had 2 appetizers and desert: foie gras served on a crisp toast and pieces of... plus

végétarien wow

Un super lunch végétarien. Super délicieux! Des choix surprenants. Vraiment une expérience des plus interessantes!

Excellent, as usual

We've been to La Chronique many times over the past 6-7 years and never had anything but an outstanding meal, including entertaining servers. This is, arguably, the best restaurant in Montreal.

Amazing experience

This is our fourth time at this amazing restaurant and I chose for a special gathering for my wife's birthday. The food was great, as usual. The tartare was to die for. The Belle Glos Pinot Noir was a find (hunting the wine store tomorrow). Fantastic ambiance, great service, I have no problem recommending the place to anyone.

Best Foie Gras I've ever eaten

My husband and I had a romantic lunch here. The restaurant had an excellent prix-fix lunch menue! The wine selection was also well chosen. We had the most amzaing Fois Gras ever! Our server also recomended a wine to compliment the dish which we happily accepted! The staff was excellent and did not try to over sell the more expensive... plus

Dissapointing Brunch

I reserved Brunch for 2 at La Chronique on Mothers day and was utterly dissapointed with the quality of the cuisine. I had heard so many good things about that restaurant that I felt it was a sure bet. Unfortunately, I was wrong. I ordered the beef and my mother the duck. Both dishes were tasteless and the meat overcooked. I would not recommend for Brunch

Excellent but expensive

The experience was very good overall: the atmosphere is very nice (not too loud, not too bright), the service outstanding (availability, politeness and still very friendly) and the food great too. However, we found it a bit overpriced: no entrées under 40$... For that price, we would expect to be blown away and that was not the case. Don't misread me, the food WAS indeed very good, but just... plus

Best Foie Gras Ever!!!!

Truly amazing French food! We have been to many French restaurants and this is one of the best! Elegant food done with exceptional attention to detail. The pan seared Foie gras is a must!!! Priced well for the quality of the food! If this restaurant was in NYC it could easily charge 3 times the amount!

Not what it used to be

I had been to La Chronique a few times at its previous location. It was cozy, intimate, and made the evening feel special. New location is bland, generic 'fine dining' with no atmosphere. Disappointing. Food is still generally very good, but for those prices, there are more enjoyable and interesting options. Will not be going back.

Top class food, classy restaurant

There's a reason this restaurant continues to be one of Montreal finest: food is of exemplary quality, the kitchen has skills, ingredients are sublime, service great and the restaurant itself a true little gem (cozy, elegant). My review in text and photo of a stellar meal I had there: tinyurl.com/qd469og

Montreal's best restaurant, period

It has been a year since my last TA review of La Chronique, and since then we've visited a number of times, most recently last night. The menu is always changing, and depending on which day of the week you visit, either Marc De Canck (still very much there, despite what a previous reviewer implied) or Olivier de Montigny will... plus

Worst dining experience of 2013

A wedding anniversary dinner gone completely wrong. We were excited to try La Chronique and chose this rue Laurier resto for our 30th wedding anniversary. We were seated in a upstairs corner with views of the undecorated walls. A lobster -wine pairing 5 course meal was highly recommended by our server. We do not eat red meat so this option... plus

excellent food

I am not a huge fan of the restaurant's layout but that is where my complaints end. The service was friendly, informed and professional. The food was excellent and, by way of disclosure, my wife and I are fairly hard to please. We both had the beef and foie gras ravioli to start with. For main course, I had the... plus

Very good restaurant

My wife and I visited La Chronique on a Saturday night and enjoyed a very pleasant meal. My wife had the foie gras which she found to be among the best that she had ever eaten; I chose the smoked salmon appetizer which was nicely presented, complete with white asparagus. For our mains, she chose the veal entree while I... plus

Great attentive service , good quality food but limited choice

We visited the week between Christmas and New Year s , it was a quiet night for this supposedly super busy restaurant. service was very good , but a limited menu and waitress refused to ask chef if he can prepare hors menu ( am not sure if the Chef is arrogant or waitress fault ) . The menu was... plus

First visit as part of "Taste of Montreal

Best foie gras you will ever taste - I promise! Very lightly seared, very very light texture, accompanied with Apple. The people here are great at wine pairing. Lovely atmosphere, old world, elegant yet casual. It took a while to get a menu, but once that came, service was attentive.

The Epitome of Correctness

This is a high class restaurant. Everything is done according to the book and done well. The food is delicious and the wait staff is completely professional, though in most cases fairly stuffy. It's not a restaurant that gives you a warm friendly feeling in general. Prices are very high.
We were lucky to have a rookie waiter who was... plus

Wow! What a great find in Montreal! This restaurant doesn't show up much on reviews just yet... We found it recommended by Lesley Chesterman from Montreal Gazette. Absolutely fabulous food and wine selection! Wait staff were excellent, knowledgable and very accommodating of my imperfect French. A pricey evening but well worth every cent. Will definitely go again when we are back in Montreal.

A travesty

What a shock our dinner turned out to be. We had been looking forward to dinner at La Chronique--just look at the reviews and you'll know why. But the meal was terrible. My "cerf" was as tough as nails and I could barely cut it even with the very sharp knife I had been given. And the vegetables were so... plus

Montreal's best

A restaurant for foodies.
We eat here on a regular basis.
The food has always been outstanding. Marc de Canck, is recognised unanimously, as one of the most original and constant chef in Québec.
May look pricey to some people, but really not that expensive if you compare to similar level of cuisine in NY or Chicago.
Service is flawless.... plus

Best of a poor selection

I had a 3 course lunch here, it was good though not exceptional and at $112 rather expensive. The restaurant is small and the space is attractive, white walls, black and white photos, brown leather-look furniture, and the service was pleasant and attentive.I assumed Montreal, because of its French associations, would have a very high standard of cuisine. I was... plus

Too focused on presentation and not enough on taste

Everything put in front of you is gorgeous! The plating is just amazing but the flavours are often lacking. The exception was the beef ravioli. The stuffing was just fantastic with a rich and deep flavour. The problem with the ravioli was it was $20 for ONE RAVIOLI! We don't mind spending a lot on dinner (we spent almost $500... plus

Most Enjoyable

This really is one of Montreal's finest! We were impressed! Staff are professional and attentive, sommelier well versed. Our chosen courses were delicious and meticulously prepared and plated.

Montreal Gem

Let me first start by saying that my wife and I have eating at many Michelin Star restaurants all over the world and this is one that deserves all 3.The restaurant knows their food ,if you looking to see and be seen this is not the place but if your looking for a restaurant that knows how to make outstanding... plus

Excellent rating because of the food, not the staff

Previous reviewers wrote of its new location and its ambiance, so I need not review that. I agree that the food is delicious. BUT
I did not appreciate the arrogance of the sommelier: when I commented that the wine was delicious, he said that of course it had to be, he chose it. His loud voice interrupted our conversation, and... plus

Still my favourite Montreal restaurant

This was our first visit to La Chronique since they moved to their new location, directly across the street from their previous address. The vibe in the long, narrow ground-level restaurant is trendier and not as cosy as the previous location—although the dark-brown banquette seating running down one wall is very comfortable, overall it contributes to the ambiance feeling less... plus

Pompous and cold

The restaurant recently moved across the street. A long corridor with a brown leather banquette along the wall and some black and white photos. No atmosphere whatsoever.
Food is still good but service is still pompous as though this was Robuchon's. The red wine by the glass was a Vosne Romané at $30!!!! Ridiculous considering that it`s already been opened... plus

Fresh, Attention To Quality And Detail

The location does not allow for easy parking but once you are in the door, everything starts to come together. The service is attentive, their relatively simple menu has everything you need to enjoy a very good meal. Their wine list is respectable and pricey. It is not a big restaurant but the atmosphere is cozy and comfortable.

This resto recently moved across the street into a slightly larger slightly more elegant space, with a room upstairs for groups. Fortunately, the menu, staff, and wine cellar are unchanged.

We had the tasting menu, seven superb little courses from amuse-bouche through mains, cheese,and dessert, with a carefully chosen glass of wine to go with each one. The staff really knows their wine, and... plus

Excellent but expensive

Just visited la Chronique and we had the tasting menu with the lower price wine selection. The tasting menu had the addition of truffles to all dishes, except desert.
It was a delicious, wonderful experience. The dishes from lobster bisque, halibut, duck confit with foie gras, lamb two ways, cheese and dessert were memorable, the wines were very good although... plus

One of the first things that strikes you about this place as you walk in is how small the dining room is. There must be, at most, fifteen tables. The atmosphere is modern, slightly stark, with bright splashes of light and curated shadows. The automatic sliding door to the kitchen, frosted with images of cutlery made me wonder if we were walking onto the set of "Chopped".

One of the slight... plus

small and quaint, do not miss

We made reservations for New Years Eve based on reviews and research done on trip advisor etc and it was amazing! I only wish i didn't get so full so early! the food was so fresh and unique and traditional french but brought up into a 2013 modern standard, very clean and presented exquisitely. The wine was out of this... plus

excellent place for wine says the Wine Spectator

It was 12hr30, lunch time and I was walking by the bay window of restaurant LA CHRONIQUE on Laurier street close to the corner of Clark. I recognized Jean Aubry the wine columnist for the elite French newspaper Le Devoir, sitting by the window with 4 or 5 glasses of wine in front of him alongside a spittoon container for... plus

Not to miss

I am a food "fan", i was on Laurier and i decided to lunch at La Chronique. I know the place, i dined already there and i enjoyed it. I wanted to try their lunch menu... Well i was not disappointed. Food is delicious, good quantity for a "gourmet" restaurant and everybody is so friendly. The bonus is that lunch... plus

Excellent food but the service is average

My wife and I had dinner at La Chronique yesterday as the restaurant was offering a special for the Montreal à Table festival. The food was excellent (technique and execution of the chefs are indeed superior), advices on wine pairing by the sommelier were very good.
However, we were disappointed by the service which was only average, if not poor.... plus

Exquisite

Far from the glamour of downtown or the scenery of Vieux Montreal, almost sitting at the corner of Laurier avenue and St-Urbain is a little restaurant that delivers BIG on everything.
La Chronique has been serving excellence for many years now and it still holds an excellent level of service, great quality products and an impressive wine list.
If you... plus

An Exceptional Find in the Midst of Flavorlessness

For our anniversary in Montreal, we received a local's recommendation for what he considered the most elegant and romantic of any exception meal possible. By the way, if you visit Jean Talon, you Must go to Epice de Cru=Phenomenal Spices/Staff. We chose the tasting menu, and were not disappointed in the presentation, flavor or variety paired with wine. The staff... plus

The Why: Recommended by a Montreal contact when I inquired about a classy/classic French restaurant where I could take my mother and aunt without breaking the bank, La Chronique struck me as a great place to start off our dining in Montreal. Knowing full well that my family does not have the same appreciation for haute-French as I, Chef Marc De Canck's take on provincial French seemed to strike... plus

Excellent and I would definitely return

I have been to most of the most acclaimed restaurants in Montreal and I think that the food here is excellent. The technique and execution are superior, the menu understates the dishes making me think that they will lack creativity and be boring however which turn to be delicious, with nice combinations of ingredients and herbs and sauces. The portions... plus

Best restaurant in Montreal

This was my fourth time dining at La Chronique, which I consider to be Montreal’s best restaurant and on a par with the finest I’ve enjoyed anywhere in the world. The menu changes over time, most nights offering the option of multi-course tasting menus or ordering à la carte, except on the last Wednesday of each month when there is... plus

We had an amazing 5 course tasters that each bite left you wanting more.

Excellent food, beef cheek ravioli was amazing!
Impressive one man service.

Intimate location, attentive service, and excellent food

The location is small with only 34 seats. Between the waiter and sommelier you feel very well looked-after. We had the tasting menu and enjoyed the variety and freshness of the food. The sommelier was very knowledgeable and picked some very good wines. Overall an excellent dining experience.

Very nice tasting menu and good wine pairings. Small space, but attentive service from the waiter and sommelier. One of my favourite dining experiences yet. Certainly the best I've had in Montreal.

Great modern french food with local ingredients. Good service.

Would definitely come back here again. Every dish I tried here was expertly prepared and presented.

They offer some great cheese assortments for dessert.

Simply a wonderful restaurant which is on par with anything in NYC. The overall experience is excellent.

La Chronique is decorated as a traditional bistro, but the food and the service you will find inside can only be described in superlatives. The tasting menu is exceptional, and the wine pairings are exquisitely chosen to match the flavour palettes of each course. The waitstaff are extremely knowledgeable and passionate about food and wine, and contribute to an unforgettable experience. Do not... plus

Always a good experience

Dining at La Chronique as a Mother's Day treat, we enjoyed the usual good service and hospitality. Top quality ingredients, perfect quantity, interesting combinations made this a memorable meal. Despite a somewhat limited menu with few choices, we each found something to suit our tastes, everything being perfectly cooked. Would not recommend taking children to this restaurant.

Impressive event in every respect

First time visit to La Chronique on a Saturday Night proved to be a wonderful experience. There is only one menu, a five course dinner complete with wine pairings ideally selected. I am allergic to red wine so the sommelier had to substitute an alternative and he did so very ably. The Guinea Fowl was the best I've ever encountered:... plus

WOW not spoken here, only $$$$$, Do not walk away from this restaurant, RUN AWAY

We traveled to Montreal form Orlando, and La Chronique was listed in the Montreal En Lumiere program with a "Belgium Meets Montreal " menu, so we booked it. Pre fix for $125 with wine. First and foremost, no one at La Chronique cares what you say about their food or wine. They are always right. Some dishes were great, 'the... plus

Inconsistent - so you take your chances

This used to be one of our favorite high end restaurants in the city - but after the last meal we had there (very expensive, lousy service, and the food just so-so - I hope the chef had the day off - I'm sure the chef had the day off...), we've decided to spend our bucks elsewhere. Sorry guys -... plus

Superb food and variety

We just keep coming back to La Chronique. Attention to detail, wine pairings and special imports, and superb cuisine exceptionally well prepared and presented. Never disappointed with this restaurant despite the price which is up there with the best in Montreal.

Very good French resto

One of the better French restos in the city. Not quite at the top level, but not far behind.

Amazing NYE Dinner - A tad pricey

Hubby and I had dinner here along with a friend of ours, we enjoy good quality food in Montreal and this was my first time after my husband raving about this restaurant for months.
Menu was 150$ per person for a nine service.
Selection was amazing, seafood was fresh and every single dish was delicious!
From their caviar, lobster, langouste,... plus

Not great value

Food was excellent, but we were taken by surprise by the prices on the menu. Trip Advisor indicates $50 per person. This might buy you your main dish if you're lucky. Starters are in the range of $20-25; mains are $40+. My biggest criticism is the wine list, with 4-5 choices of red starting at $50-60, and then leaping to... plus

Great food, excellent wine list and wonderful service. We did the tasting menu, but did our own wine choices (with the sommelier's advice) and had a fabulous, leisurely celebration.

Excellent food but

Been to Montreal two times and haWve had great meals here 2 x. The food is excellent fresh and presented beautifully. The tasting menu is excellent. The sommelier was wonderful with explaining the wine even if you were just ordering buy the glass. Two complaints one can be major if you are not aware of it. There is no bar... plus

"""Small sparsely decorated quarters, Service with a smile, very attentive, but there were only 3 parties at dinner. The food is innovative simple well prepared & beautifully presented. Not the best I've had in Montreal but certainly among the top 10. Would """

"""Nice neighbourhood bistro, always good food. Attentive service staff."""

"""Very good French bistro, quintessential Montreal. Polished, polite service."""

the best meal in town

I just love this place. Olivier and Marc de Canck are a winning team. They should qualify for a Relais & Chateaux status!

"""Wonderful, creative food; one of the most enjoyable meals I had in Montreal."""

"""Fantastic food, exquisite service and a divine cheese course (over 20 local cheeses to choose from!). Definitely one of the top restaurants in Montreal."""

"""One of Montreal's finest restaurants, though they have little regard for those who do not eat fish/seafood"""

Nobody in the dining room at times other than a bewildered busgirl and customers.

simply the best

"""Great food, very small portions,and hated the ambience"""

"""Superb. One of the best in Montreal, by a long shot."""

"""The fixed menu with paired wine offerings is incredible. They explain the food origin, preparation, inspiration, and then the wine origin, taste profile and reason for pairings...as they talk you the chefs (Olivier or Marc) peep from the kitchen - i want"""

this is the best and the others are the rest.

Not as good as it was when the owner was in the kitchen

pricy but distinctive

The food is good but the waiters are stuffy an snobby unless you are a regular. It's expensive but not really worth the cost.

Fabulous tasting menu - best in the city!

Excellent food, wine, and service. I strongly recommend the tasting menu.

Food is good - but nothing special, and due to low turnover is not so fresh. $25 for 1/2 glass (!!) of average champagne as aperitif is outrageous. Dinner was nearly $400 with tip. To be avoided!

best haute quebec dining

Tasting menu has been superb on 2 occassions, service is very friendly, wine pairing always generous and excellent, decor is a little lacking for the caliber of restaurant although the food more than makes up for it.

Had a great lunch at this restaurant. Great fresh food, beautifully presented. Nice service. Very good lunch table d'hôte deal.
Much better lunch than Lemeac right down the street.

Great food, not sure of value

This is one of the top restaurants in Montreal and the food didn't disappoint. Most was very good.
May be too expansive for what it is though, especially for wine.

Yum, yum. Go on Sunday or Monday for Chef's Choice

We booked our dinner here mostly because it is one of the few "fine dining" restaurants open on Sunday night. How lucky were we!
Turns out that the only thing offered Sunday and Monday is a choice of either the 5-course or 8-course tasting menu. We opted for the $75 5-course that started with a delicious corn soup with purple... plus

We took the tasting menu* with matching wines and were just blown away by the quality of the food and drink; some unique and rare wines. ($150/person) Recommended without reservation as one of the best resto's in Montreal.

*Tataki de thon rouge/ wakame / champignons honey, avec Morellino di Scansaon d.o.c., Poggio Valente Reserva 2005, Fattoria Le Pupille

Dorade royale/ poireaux aux... plus

I had one of my worst experiences ever

The food is very good, but the staff was so bad, that my wife sent the chef an email. A huge disappointment and we spent over $800 for two.

Very good North American Fine Dining

Dinner at La Chronique
Friday November 20th, 18:00
-Octopus/Romesco/Chorizo.
Amazingly tender and very tasty chunk of octopus, oozing with an impeccable enjoyable char-grilled flavour. Intense rich tasty mouthfeel. The subtle tasty romesco sauce was not overwhelming, letting the octopus shine with all it's splendeur. Finally a table that understood the importance of not mixing up big chunks of... plus

The tasting menu was amazing and the service was perfect.

Fine food served by warm friendly people.

quaint, desapointing small dining room hosts one of the most spectacular chef in the city. Fresh Market cuisine with the belgian touch of chef De Canck

There is a poorly advertised (by choice?) lunch for about $30 US - a perfect chance for the frugal traveler to try some top end cuisine. Can't wait to go back for dinner.

My top fave whenever I'm in Montreal.

World-class all the way, among the best restaurants in North America. And if you ask for suggestions of glasses of wines for each course, you'll sample several options, each selected with impeccable taste. The choice is as difficult as deciding which ethe

Consistent,wonderful ,chic!

Pricey, but excellent cuisine for discerning palates

We ate there on a Friday evening in June having declined the option of the degustation evening the night before as we thought it would be overwhelming in food quantity terms.
In retrospect I wish we had gone on the Thursday as well as it was well worth two visits.
Good staff who explained the menu (where necessary) in detail... plus

Excellent food and well located.

Prix Fixe only on weekends

Lovely french cuisine, is you don't mind the small size of the restaurant. A little expensive

The size and space of this restaurant are lovely. The most expensive restaurant I've been to in town and not *quite* worth it.

My fiance and I dined at this exquisite restaurant this past Saturday. The seven course meal and accompanying wine pairings were exceptional. Our server/sommelier took great care of us providing enthusiastic information about every dish and wine pairing. It was not in inexpensive experience but well worth it. We'll be back next time we travel to Montreal.

Where I go when Toque! is full.

Renowned as Montreal's most pricey restaurant, the food is excellent though very little choice for those who do not eat seafood. The tables are much too cramped, so if you like space, avoid this restaurant

Fabulous French fare

Great food with great service. The decor and ambiance are modern, yet warm and understated. A bold and creative (mostly new world) wine pairing selection from the sommelier complemented the world-class tasting menu. The staff was attentive and unpretentious. A most memorable and unique dining experience.

Hidden gem

I live in Montreal and I love food and wine so trying new restaurants is one of my favorite activities in life... Because we have so many good restaurants, it's pretty rare for me to go several times to the same place ... Really hard to keep up with our chefs' creativity... new amazing places all the time...
But la... plus

top notch food. great style, great taste. nice place, lovley service. a "quebecoise" experience at its finest. will be back.

What a fantastic place for food lovers like my wife and I ! Chefs de Canck and de Montigny always impress us with the ideas they come up with for the 'Menu Degustation'. That 7-course meal is what I would recommend to anybody that is willing to leave it to the two co-owner chefs to surprise and dazzle you. If you do take the 'Menu Degustation' take also the wine suggestion. Bon appetit !

La Chronique showcases why Montreal is a food lover's paradise. Excellent dishes that are creative / unique and delicious delivered with the attitude that says they know their food is good but that you should expect this everywhere. Limited menu means you need to be ready for something different.

Out of 5 gourmet restaurants in Montreal, this was the best. Lobster and sweetbreads, duck; lobster bisque, foie gras: creme brule, apple clafoutis were great. Restaurant recommended by Maitre d' at another top Zagat rated restaurant as one he goes to in his neighborhood. We will definitely be back to this one. Staff very friendly despite our not speaking French.

The bread was excellent! We raved about it so much, they gave us a loaf to take home.
I had the duck which was excellent (5 stars). My wife and sister-in-law had the cod & scallops served like a fish stew (3 stars). The entrees were very good (4 stars), although with a bit of pasta. The desserts were very good (3 -4 stars). The reason I don't like this restaurant is that the desserts are all... plus

Good and imaginative cooking. Very limited and mostly overpriced wine list. Service tends to be haughty despite being inefficient.

Nice, unpretentious location. The food was delicious, the service relaxed.

Fabulous place...wonderful food - and located on an interesting and vibrant street.

Mark de Canck's food is creative, his tastes and textures sublime. The sommelier and wine selection are easily among the best in Montreal. Yet, I will never return after spending 5 1/2 hours on a three course dinner, with the waitstaff seemingly more into admiring all of the bottles of Chateau d'Yquem stacked behind the bar than in serving the paying customers. It took two hours to get the bill!

very good

La Chronique is the quintissential bistro Francais that resonates with the ambience of its charming street. The food is delectable and innovative without pretense or affect. The service is homey and warm. The room is small, charming, and alive with the sound of people enjoying their food. One of the best Montreal experiences!