Bistro Nolah

Bistro Nolah is a standout if you want spicy, soulful, New Orleans-style comfort food done well in DDO. It hits the right balance between authenticity and sophistication, has warm service, and delivers robust flavor. If you’re in the mood to treat yourself, this is a great choice. I’d go back, especially for brunch or for the blackened catfish + bread pudding combo. Staff are attentive, knowledgeable, and friendly. From what I saw, they seem genuinely invested in the food and the guest experience.

An Exceptional Dining Experience – Truly Memorable From start to finish, our dinner was nothing short of superb. We began with a seasonal salad that was fresh and beautifully presented, setting the tone for what would be a truly impressive meal. For entrées, the Jambalaya and crab cake were absolutely delicious—packed with flavor and perfectly prepared. As mains, both the blackened tuna and the shrimp and grits were standout dishes, cooked to perfection and full of bold, satisfying flavors. We spent nearly three hours at the table, yet time flew by thanks to the seamless service and warm atmosphere. Our server, Chris, was exceptional—attentive, friendly, and full of great recommendations that elevated the experience. Even the small details were on point. The young lady handling the place settings and water service was incredibly attentive—our glasses were never empty, and fresh bread appeared without us asking. From the kitchen to the front of house, it was a true team effort, and it showed. Simply a “wow” experience from beginning to end. Highly recommended!

Amazing service, delicious food and easy parking in parking lot! I would recommend Bistro Nolah for southern dishes !! I came yesterday with a friend for the first time, and we tried the hush puppies, peach &beets salad as appetizers. Our main dish was the blackened Catfish (my favorite and good spices!!) and the Braised short ribs (Tender and tasty) both were very good! Comming back soon :)

It is an unforgettable and amazing experience from appetizer to dessert. We had Jambalaya and Southern fried chicken as appetizers. We had southern style beef short rib and Duck Conflict in dirty rice as main. We had Banana Pecan Cheesecake and Bread Pudding in Bourbon sauce as dessert. We emptied everything and we will definitely visit again.

Always a hit at Bistro Nolah! The food deserved a standing ovation. I had the lamb shank with oyster mushrooms and my wife had the seared scallops on a bed of sweet potatoe mash and pearled couscous. Service was also impeccable. Definitely recommend!

Our brunch at Bistro Nolah was an absolute delight, enjoyed on their charming outdoor terrace. The dishes were nothing short of extraordinary—we indulged in the exquisite surf and turf Benedict and the perfectly crisp fried chicken Benedict, complemented by a half plate of ham egg Benedict and a decadent side of praline bacon. Each bite showcased high-quality ingredients and impeccable presentation, making for an unforgettable experience.

Absolutely amazing.!!! Great food and great service, i had brisket. It was delicious. Im already planning to go back.

5/5 would visit again. I wasn’t impressed with the crab cake appetizer. I enjoyed the shrimp and grits. The food surpassed the service. The waitress did not check in often so that meant getting our bill took a long time.

If youre looking for quality served with care and intention. Real restaurant! Double up on the fried chicken, ask for their hot sauce, talk to the staff and enjoy! You'll be back.

Food service ambiance 5 stars but I want a fan of one of the waiters want the nicest but the food is fantastic.

FIRE! This was a delicious Cajun/Creole hideaway! The food and service was impeccable! Chloe was our server and didn't have us waiting! I thought I had pics but my phone didn't eat first that night! The three of us had the top 4 apps on the menu and the Catfish (Ermahgerd)... going here again!!!

Great classic southern food! Love it and I go back every time I can! If you're craving southern classic food, this is your spot in West Island!

Hubs took me here for my birthday! I enjoyed trying different cuisine but I wished there were more vegetables on the menu, especially greens. That said my blackened fish came with a side of delicious vegetables. So not a lot of healthy choices, but all very delicious. This is a very cozy place (read small) and it has kind of a jazz bar vibe. It's so nice when places in this province spend time on decor and make their place look nice; it's a rarity. We liked all the food and the cocktails were great. Curious about their patio in the summertime. So many good restaurants are in ugly strip malls or in industrial areas where you have to really work to distract diners from their surroundings. I suspect the food and drinks will help greatly with that.

I had a really great time here last night. The food was amazing. The beignets were mind blowing. Everything just tasted very good. I can't wait to visit again soon.

Good but Totally NOT worthy! Way too expensive for what it is. Even kinda ridiculous. Also the cake was ridiculously very NOT fresh! Will never go back. So 2 & half stars. -Braised short ribs (35$): Fresh & good but not worthy 35$ -Crab cakes (18$): Not that fresh, Not tasty, very small portion. Way Too expensive for what it is. -5 piece of fried chicken (24$): Nothing special about it. It is wayyy too expensive for what it is and its also just fried chicken! -Chocolate Torte (12$): just NOT fresh & NOT tasty, very old!

Braised short ribs egg Benedict served with an in-house made hollandaise sauce with creole seasoning. Brabant potatoes with trinity vegetables: onions, peppers, celery, and 14 seasonings. This dish has been my personal favourite and I hope it is here to stay. Tender, juicy and savoury meat with an extra kick. I am a sucker for hot sauce. Their hot sauce is not for the weak soul and that's how I like it. I'll be completely transparent, we all know West-Island is old and probably not trendy like certain places in Montreal- I mean, come on, nobody needs to lie about this, you know damn well it's true. But I truly believe Bistro Nolah has talents and a lot of potential to offer. Sure you're not in an Instagram environment, but ask yourself if you're truly here for the food or that fake ass life? At this point, I've given up on being a size zero so damn straight I'm going to make each other these calories worth it. Now someone needs to help me button my pants because I'm definitely going back to Bistro Nolah.

My friend from the West suggested a meetup on her end and hence came Bistro Nolah on my radar. I have heard of them on social media a few times around but it never occurred to me the theme was NOLA styled cuisine. I have been to New Orleans-so this location was a must to try. The drive out to the west is a long one from the south shore, and tucked in a strip mall kind of parking lot is this lovely bistro. There is a terrace that was closed the day I went. The decor really captures the colors and culture of New Orleans, from Bourbon street to Mardi gras art. The menu was very typical of NOLA cuisine. I loved the fried chicken (5/5), it was very soft and juicy. Followed by the shrimp grits (4/5)-served with huge shrimp. The mac n cheese (2/5) I wasn't crazy about since the cheese was too overcooked. The dessert was my highlight- the Cafe du Monde styled beignets (5/5) so cute and fresh! Can't forget the banana foster cheese cake (5/5), a traditional NOLA dessert. At this point I was already in a food coma. This bistro really exemplifies Montreal's culinary diversity, its worth making the drive out!

I always jump on the opportunity to try Southern cuisine. New Orleans style? Yes please! We came here for a friend's b-day supper and I was looking forward to try some authentic meals. The Good - Charming little bistro like setting, not much space indoors (I'd say it seats about 25) with a large patio. Closed for winter obviously. Setting is pretty chill and appropriate for the food. Intimate even. Good vibes. - Hushpuppies were delightful. - Desserts are seriously amazing southern delights, we tried the beignets (delish!), the bread pudding (I didn't dig the alcohol, that's just me though) and the Mississippi Mud Cake (seriously rich and orgasmic!). - Dark and Stormy Cocktail was exactly what it needed to be. - The wait staff were great all night long. The Neutral - Their menu has a limited selection and specialize to Southern cuisine. They do have "daily specials". I was seriously hoping for the pork belly but alas it was not available... (I died inside). The scallops I ordered were decent and I tasted a few other ribs such as the beef short-ribs and jambalaya and they were good. - This is a gastronomic somewhat pricey meal... don't expect your main meal to fill you up. The Bad - No Bads! I expect to be back, I'd love to try their brunch menu!

Been twice. Both times, service mediocre, food mildly above average (and not to par with what you can make at home), good ambiance, prices a little high.

Bistro Nolah is a favorite restaurant of ours that never disappoints and last night was no exception. There was a steady flow of people coming and going. I requested via CHKPLZ pick up at 6:30 and when I called, the food wasn't quite ready so Nolah called me back a few minutes later. The order was well packaged and arrived home 12 km later still hot. All 4 dishes were perfectly executed, not a fault. Mac cheese creamy cheesy unctuous rich. Grits with butter & mascarpone-no more said. BBQ Shrimp jambalaya with chorizo had loads of flavour, perfectly cooked succulent well seasoned shrimp over delicious chunky chorizo laden rice. BBQ brisket melt in your mouth with sweet/tangy/mustardy sauce topped with meaty oyster mushrooms all sitting atop creamy buttery mashed potatoes. Both mains left a nice heat tingle in our mouths! Somehow managed to share an OMG bread pudding sitting in a dreamy pool of the best bourbon sauce ever.

Another incredible culinary journey was had on the 2nd night of Nolah's St-Valentines menu. The welcome by our server Chris, the menu choices and prime bar seating (our choice...best seats in the house!) were spot-on, and after making our choices and ordering cocktails, we sat back to watch the maestro Chef Richard Taitt run the pass, making sure that every plate that left was exactly the way he envisioned them being. Within a few minutes, we were served warm bread with herb butter and complimentary hush puppies, to open the palate. Apart from the V-Day menu, they were also featuring oysters done 2-ways: classic on the half-shell and a baked version. We tried them both, despite typically staying away from cooked oysters, simply because Chef Richard came over, smiled, and insisted. Thank goodness he did, as they were fantastic, using a recipe he discovered from his last visit to New Orleans. The rest of the night progressed as it always did with a steady stream of mouthwatering dishes flowing from the kitchen to our bellies...salmon ceviche & Bao buns, Cajun shrimp & pan-seared tuna, chocolate torte and chocolate "pots de creme", and excellent wine selections paired with the food. The best part of the somewhat late evening was when Chef came over as we were leaving and we fell into a spirited 20 minute discussion about travel, specifically Spain. We pray that he gets the chance to go and spend 10 days cruising through the north of Spain & the Basque region, experiencing the people and food that are engraved in our heart, and tastebud memories. Thank you, Nolah...we'll see you soon (beef cheeks next week? YES PLEASE!)

Great new Orleans/southern style food. There is not other restaurant that you can find like this in the greater Montreal area. I love the seafood, especially the gumbo with shrimp. I would say its even better than the food I had in new Orleans itself. I highly recommend if you are looking to try a new cuisine or have a Cajun craving

If my food checklist had alligator kn it, I can now checked this off. It's not what I was expecting to take but when in a cajun restaurant, it's a good time to try new things. One look at their menu and first thing I realized was that I was going to have to come back. There were too many interesting items to take. We ended up taking the Louisiana crab cake and the alligator as entrees, the shrimp jambalaya and the blackened catfish as main meal. Only thing to say about the food is WOW... for everything. The food tastes fresh and well spiced. It's a bit spicy but that is to be expected with cajun food. The shrimp jambalaya was the spicier thing, getting spicier with each new bite. They also bring you warm bread and a hush puppy, which is a bite made of sweet potato that is fried. Excellent When I said that I would have to go back, after eating the food the question is not will I go back... it's more when. I would say that nolah is one of my top 3 restaurants in the west island.

The food here is awesome the management is friendly and very generous great group of people

If you're looking for a local taste of New Orleans /Louisiana fare, this is definitely the place to be. The location itself may not be great, but once you walk through the doors the outside world goes away. We were seated on the terrace and it felt like we were nowhere near a city. The ambience was great and the waiter was excellent, making every dish on the lunch special sound wonderfully appealing. My wife had the shrimp creole and loved it. I indulged in the jambalaya entree and sausage gumbo, finishing with an excellent bread pudding. Will definitely be back!

Doesn't look like much when you walk past the restaurant since it's hidden in a small mall on St-Jean Boulevard. However, once you walk through those doors, you find yourself in a busy restaurant with a few tables filled with people eating delicious looking food. We were lucky enough to have a table for brunch since the waitress told us that they are usually fully booked on Sunday's. They have a very small brunch menu (around 10 items) but all the dishes that we ordered were amazing. That southern New Orleans inspired food was well cooked, well seasoned, well made. Will definitely be back if I'm ever in the West Island area.

This is one of those restaurants that I was VERY excited to try. Having worked in the West Island for the past 2 years, I heard nothing but good things about Bistro Nolah. I went with my friend on a weeknight for dinner. Without a reservation, we were seated near the window and right away had friendly service. To start, I ordered a cocktail which was very "NOLA" in spirit and was recommended by the waitress. Delicious - it was strong and tart with a hint of sweetness. The name of the drink slips my mind but I believe it had "Captain" in the title. They brought us a hush puppies on a creamy & spicy mayo on the house. Presentation was cute and the taste was a bomb of flavours. Then we were served homemade cornbread with whipped butter, as well as our friend chicken appetizer, all delicious. For our mains, we ordered the catfish and the shrimp & grits. While both meals were good, we both LOVED the shrimp & grits and would order it again. Lastly for dessert (even though we were full and I had to take 1/2 the catfish plate to go), we ordered beignets because how could we not in a New Orleans style resto, but I was let down as I know how fluffy and light they are supposed to taste but I felt these were a little dense. It's not a cheap restaurant so expect to treat yourself if you go. Worth the experience!

Wonderful and super tasty food every time! The fried chicken is amazing! The mac n cheese, the polenta...one of my favorite places in the West Island

New Orleans inspired restaurant, they didn't disappoint! The waitstaff is so polite! & we got complimentary smoothie shots which was so sweet of them! The brunch menu just looked amazing , we took duck confit eggs Benedict & fried chicken French toast , we had a nolah cocktail & beignet for desserts! First of all the cocktails was literally the drink of the summer! Absolutely nailed it. It's a Jack daniels & lemonade with their secret touch! It was out of this world. Then for the eggs Benedict , I was even more impressed that they used a toast bread rather than the usual English muffin. It changed the dish completely. The egg was perfectly poached , the duck confit was delicious!! & the potatoes! Just the perfect amount of seasoning! The fried chicken & waffles was really something yummy! And not your typical fried chicken & the best for last ...The beignets!! Holly molly! Man just stop reading this & GO to this place!! You won't regret and you can totally thank me later ;) I'm definitely coming back to this restaurant & I'm already excited and looking forward to it

Pro: The food at Bistro Nolah is wonderful and unique. The New Orleans flavors are spot on! They offer a small menu for dinner and brunch on Sundays and it's so flavorful with just the right amount of spicy. Favorites include Shrimp & Grits, crab cakes, sausage gumbo and their macaroni & cheese. Very fresh and beautifully plated! Con: The restaurant is small and tables only. I wish they'd move to a larger location! They also don't do delivery or take away. I'm sure the small kitchen has something to do with their policy of dine-in only.

We made a reservation weeks in advance for a special occasion, with special request to be seated at a quiet area by the window. We arrived and were told that we had to sit next to a very large group away from the window while there was a table by the window that was not taken. They told us it was reserved. We explained that we had requested the same many weeks ago. They looked into their booking system and decided that we could take the table. We were seated, had our water, and were about to order.  Then, the maître d came to our table and asked us to move. She didn't provide any explanation why our reservation was not honoured but yet another customer's reservation request was. Apparently, "allowing" us to seat at the table by the window was "a mistake". It was certainly difficult to continue to stay for our special evening after being treated as such. We can't think of any establishments that adheres to a basic understanding of customer experience that would do such a thing. Due to the fact that Nolah couldn't pull their act together, the customer experience was compromised. We left and have not gone back since.

If you want to go to a more upscale restaurant in the west island, Bistro Nolah is the place to go. The food is nothing short of amazing and the drinks are pretty good as well. The restaurant is fairly small, the decor is elegant and the lights are dim, creating the perfect atmosphere for an intimate dinner. I had the blackened cat fish and although I found it to be a bit heavy (a lot of oil and spices are used in this dish), it was one of the best meals I've had. You should definitely check it out.

Love this place. Went for brunch. Love the unique menu that you will not find anywhere else ! If you want to try something outside of the same old same old, go here ! You will be glad you listened to my advice and went here . Trust.

Amazing food and service! A taste of Louisiana in Montréal! You won't regret it! Make sure to specify if you don't want it spicy! Gumbo is delicious! Beignets are a must! They do brunch too!!!

Absolutely everything on the menu is amazing, service is just as good! Very highly recommended, but book in advance as they fill up fast!

Beautiful place with a nice terrace. The menu is small but crafted with details and the specials of the day add a whole array of excellent choices to pick from. I took gumbo as the main which was more than enough and my husband took the brisket special. We also took hush puppies to share. Everything was amazing. We will definitely be back!

Bistro Nolah is a true hidden gem in the west island. Incredible service and an unforgettable experience for your palette. We were 2 people and started with the fried chicken appetizer and carried through with the shrimp and grits. Everything was delicious and cooked to perfection. Worth every penny!

The service was terrible. I made reservations for a friends bday and the waiter was trying to rush us out. She made it seem as though we did not make reservations and all the other people now attending the restaurant after us were more important. The food gave me stomach poisoning the same day. I'm sure they may of been on one of their off days but they need to treat new clients with respect. I personally would not attend again.

Food was amazing. I travelled to New Orleans yet found Nola's gumbo to be better by far. Service is fast and friendly and the prices are reasonable.

Location: In the West Island, east of the 40. Parking is available and shouldn't be an issue, however watch out for sh*tty drivers coming in and out of the lot! The place: Nolah is small so reservations are recommended. The decor is simple yet warm and inviting, and I love those big windows! I think they have a terrace in the summer as well. The goods: First, we were served fresh bread and a complimentary order of Hush Puppies. I'm not exactly sure what's in a Hush Puppy but can say that it was delicious. The bread was hot and served with a chipotle butter. My friend and I decided to start with the Louisiana crab cakes and we didn't regret it - terrific. They're quite large though! For my main, I ordered the blackened catfish, which was served on a sweet potato purée with a side of lovely fresh vegetables. I have zero complaints about this dish - it was delicious! The catfish was perfectly seasoned and flavourful and the overall portion was perfect for me. My friend had the shrimp and grits and enjoyed every single bite. Both our dishes contained some kind of berry that neither one of us had seen before but they were so very tasty. Too bad I forgot to ask the waitress what they were. For dessert, I tried the chocolate torte. The torte was fresh and I enjoyed the texture (not too 'ganachey'). That said, I found it a bit too sweet for my liking. I prefer chocolate to be more well, chocolatey in the bitter sense of the word. That said, this doesn't take away from the quality of the dessert - it comes down to what you prefer. Service: OK Price point: Both our meals came out to about $53 with taxes and tip. This is a great spot in the WI and I would definitely go back. Next stop - brunch!

Over rated. Not much ambiance either. There are too many better options to eat in the West Island.

I am obsessed with this place and here's why. It is a true foodie living in the West Island dream. They have a creative small menu with a New Orleans theme. The food is delicious. You can tell it was made by a talented chef. The restaurant is small and quaint and they have a terrace!! The service is extremely friendly. They gave us complimentary hush puppies while we waited for our food, they were SO tasty. I ordered the shrimp and grits and my dad got the short ribs. I've eaten a lot of food in my life but the flavours in that dish still stick out in my mind. It was that tasty. The drink list is also very cute and southern inspired. This restaurant is a must visit spot in the West Island! Thank you for opening in the West Island and not downtown!

Hidden Small space in the West Island which serves Louisiana type foods. Great option and very different from all other restaurants in the neighbourhood. Nice presentations and good portions. Nice to have something other than Italian or Asian in the West Island. Worth trying! Enjoy!

10 VISITS LATER... ...nothing has changed...NOLAH remains one of the gems of the West Island. In fact, now, along with our dinner, we often order 2-3 dishes extra, and take it home with us. They had Alligator Etoufee the other day (this happens once or twice a year) so we filled up, ordered extra, and enjoyed Nolah in our home. The crab & corn soup was also devoured, then reordered for home. The red snapper ceviche was fabulous, as well. We never make a reservation, but that's because the best seat in the house is at the bar. The staff are easy to hang with while we enjoy our feast, and it's a joy to watch as they prepare their signature cocktails. We always leave here sated, satisfied and a little randy...spicy cajun is passion food!

Excellent restaurant. The staff is friendly and attentive. Furthermore, the food is fantastic. I will definitely be back here!

We have been going to this hidden gem for a few years now. The staff is friendly and helpful and what can I say about the food, simply delicious! We initially started going there for special occasions but now we have made it one of regular dinner spots. Excellent Crabcakes and one of the few places you can actually find Grits. Once of their signature dishes, Shrimp and Grits is awesome, without forgetting my personal favorite, the Braised Beef Short Rib that melts in you mouth.

Love this place! Southern r american flavours. I highly recommend it for brunch or supper

Bistro Nolah is excellent! The menu is interesting and the wine selection is thoughtful. A little bit pricey, but well worth the cost.

Came here years ago for a special celebratory dinner... The waiter was very friendly and helpful in giving us descriptions & recommendations. All the dishes were so unique that everyone in my family ended up sharing their respective meals with eachother! All the food was excellent, and when we gave our compliments to the chef we were given an extra special complimentary dish!! It was probably the most expensive meal in my life, but also the most fancy/high-quality/memorable dining experience I ever had.

Great spot, a little noisy but hey.... best Blackened Catfish I've had and I've had it in Louisiana and Mississippi many times. Crab cakes are also awesome !

We had hush puppies (so good) homemade bread, fried oysters (not enough seasoning) fried chicken with 3 cheese Mac n cheese. Shrimp and grits and bourbon shrimp on sweet potato mash. I would definitely be returning.

We end up eating at Nolan's about once-twice a year - it's a smaller place with excellent food - New Orleans southern style. Great unique choices and excellent service. Summer time you have a great terrace to enjoy outside. Highly recommend it.

Interesting menu and unique flavours (spices)! Really nice spot for brunch, but with limited sitting space.

Excellent cuisine, good service, relaxed small place no noise like big restaurants. Will definitely be going back. Crab cakes and bourbon oysters awesome. Braised short rib and shrimp plates were over the top!

Very tasty and true Louisiana style. The fish tacos were delish. The hush puppies are to die for. I will be back for sure to try the Mac and cheese!

This is the best restaurant I've been to in the West Island without a doubt. Every single dish we tried was mind-blowingly delicious. I HIGHLY recommend the macaroni and the hush puppies. The cocktails and the ambiance are also amazing and the service was great. I suggest ordering as many appetizers you think you can eat! Ask about the specials. When we went, there was a bourbon bread pudding for dessert. I was stuffed at this point but the waitress recommended it so I gave in, and I was almost licking my plate clean it was so good.

This was the most enjoyable "meal out" that I've had in a long while. Intimate but very casual vibe with friendly, helpful and totally unpretentious wait staff. The food was extraordinary. Cajun influenced, but there is a creativity evident that lets you know that nobody is coasting here. Remarkable appetizer of tender fried chicken with a chipotle-honey sauce. Fell for the shrimp and grits plate for my main and quickly realized why it is Nolah's signature dish. Finish with the bread pudding with a sweet bourbon sauce and you will leave a very satisfied diner.