Maison Publique

Fantastic eating experience here, we made reservations about 2 weeks in advance and only early or late times were available. We arrived right at opening time (6pm) and it was already buzzing. They have a chalkboard/index card menu in the middle of the restaurant so if you can’t see it from your table, you just have to take a picture to study! The dishes are pretty much tapas style (but slightly bigger portions) so we got 4 things to share - asparagus, baked oyster, calamari, and gnocchi with morels (see details below). Everything was delicious, especially the baked oyster, which is their signature dish and indeed quite unique in preparation, taste and presentation! Ambience was very laid back and fun, the bathroom was very dark though (watch out for the step down), staff was very friendly and knowledgeable but service was quite slow (so don’t come here when you’re in a rush!). Definitely recommend! Asparagus - the garlic aioli is one of the best ever, perfectly creamy, I could just eat it on its own. Asparagus was tender and delicious as well especially with crunchy bread crumbs on top. Baked oyster - this is a MUST HAVE. So special and unique and amazingly flavored. Even if you don’t like marmite, don’t let that turn you off! Gnocchi with morels - the morels especially were delicious and the sauce was excellent with crispy sage on top. Didn’t love the peas. Calamari - I almost always order calamari so I’m kinda an authority on this topic. And these were good but not super special and not the most tender (certainly beats the fried version though, and the capers and sauce were a nice touch).

Delicious creative food in a neighbourhood restaurant setting. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable, walking us through the menu and recommending good natural wine. The dishes are all sharing and ideal for 2-4 people. Sleeper item on the menu are the roasted carrots which are very sweet and taste as good as any barbecue meat. Will definitely go back again.

A hidden gem, in Montreal’s Plateau-Mont Royal. Service: 5/5.  Servers have eyes on the floor, genuine smiles, and heartfelt pride in accommodating your needs and listening to your questions. Food/Wine: 4.5/5. Simple concepts.  Delicious flavors, and creative experimentation.  Only 3 cooks in the kitchen. I was amazed.  Great wine list; I had “orange wine”, from Italy, and the bartender treated me to a shot.  What a guy!  Dessert: delicious butterscotch cream thing and a Spanish cheesecake.  Two thumbs up! Atmosphere: 4/5 Rustic and comforting.  Tucked away in a safe neighborhood where locals frequent the outside patio and bring their friends to the bar.  Odd kick knacks on walls, and inconsistent music (sometimes no music, or too loud) seemed out of place.  Dining room used to be a butchery for horse meat, many years ago. Overall my experience with memorable.  I enjoyed my conversations with the waitstaff, who work in seamless harmony with each other, the customers, and the kitchen.  This place truly seemed magical to me.  A PERFECT place to dine out.  Don’t miss it. Overall score: 9.5/10

Had a amazing dining experience here at Maison Publique. Make sure you have a reservation so they can accommodate you well! (Maybe 2-3 months in advance) The food tasted incredible and the staff (esp JP or was it PJ? I can’t recall) was so kind and accommodating all night. The food was nothing I’ve ever tasted before. Their menu changes from time to time so you’ll never try the same thing twice! I definitely want to come back here when I’m in Montreal again.

Very good food, excellent service, and lovely low-key neighborhood vibe. Loved the vegetable dishes and the halibut fritters we had were excellent, among the best fish fritters I’ve had—light, crispy, and flavorful, with an excellent tartar sauce. This was a special, as were the roasted mushrooms, which were excellent. Porchetta was tasty and surprisingly large serving after the other small plates. Crudo was alright. Service was excellent, very friendly and accommodating in English, with good drink recommendations. Would happily come back. Note: can be noisy once it fills up, which happens around 7:30 when we were there.

What an amazing meal I had here. I asked for a tasting menu and they did not disappoint. Everything from the crudo appetizer to the house staple dessert, the pot de creme, was on point and prepared perfectly. I also had a wonderful mocktail with dinner; a dark and stormy, a ginger beer and lime based drink. It was perfectly balanced and we'll presented. I am so thankful for the amazing team there that made my night special. Everyone was extremely kind and very knowledgeable.

It’s a typical London pub feel serving exquisite fine food in Montreal’s Plateau area. We tried out a number of dishes as presented for the day (see pics ) and all are tasty, delicious and stimulating. Even the Brussel spouts can become magic. Some must try dishes include beef tartar, sweetbreads, halibut, oyster (baked in salt), squids and wild boar pasta. Waitresses were both friendly, courteous and eager to introduce and explain individual dishes. Wine, beer and alcohol selections were plenty. The ambience and fellow diners were warm, cordial and civilized. Marvellous experience to din. Parking is a bit of challenge but you can ask the staff where to park. There is a public parking down the road before hitting Mt Royal.

Planning a trip to Montreal and unable to get a reservation at the two well-known popular spots, after recommendations from friends I booked Maison Publique -- and I'm quite happy I did. Especially after I learned chef/owner Derek Dammann is not only a fellow BCer, but a fellow Vancouver Islander, hailing from Campbell River. It's a very small, unassuming pub-like spot on a residential street that was quite a long taxi ride from my hotel near McGill. But as we pulled up and the driver saw where we were going, he said "Oh, this place is really good." -- a good sign. After checking vaccination passports, we were shown to a table that was conveniently right under the menu, which is only written on chalk squares on the wall. Since my French vocabulary usually trends to more pedestrian fare, our excellent server was happy to walk us through the options, suggesting four to five plates shared amongst two people would be an excellent meal. Given that the menu was in French and on a chalkboard, I won't be able to accurately describe every dish we had. But I'll let the pictures do the talking. We began with what was probably my favourite of our dishes: the mushroom toast. I was a bit sad I had to share it, and tried to slow myself to savour every bite. A delicious medley of sauced mushrooms, on a delicious fancy mayo on toasted rye. Divine. Next we had our second vegetarian dish, a delicious pumpkin-stuffed pasta. Delicate homemade pasta, flavorful pumpkin filling, cheese and a balsamic drizzle. I could have eaten two plates myself. My only thought would be some nuts would have added a nice textural contrast. But really good. Moving on to the meat courses, up next was baked cod with vegetables and a sauce that I forget but was quite tasty. The cod was amazing soft and tender, like butter. But I was a bit disappointed. I would have liked some crisp or roast; it was a bit bland and unseasoned and relied too much on the sauce. I tried for a few minutes to find an angle to capture just how massive this lamb leg was. It was huge. The two of us did our best but couldn't quite finish it. It was expertly prepared, the meat tender and delicious. I'll admit I'm not a big lamb guy, but this was pretty good, and the showcase of our meal. Finally, I did manage to save space for desert. A slice of cheesecake with red wine prunes, if my memory of the server's translation is correct. It was fantastic. Graham cracker crumb, which to me is essential to cheesecake but is often overlooked. The cheesecake itself as divine, creamy and smooth and close-your-eyes delicious. Fruit topping a nice complement. It wasn't cheap -- definitely a #TreatYourself meal -- but the food and service were excellent and it ticks the boxes for what you want from a fancy meal out -- quality ingredients well-prepared for dishes you couldn't make yourself. Definitely recommend a visit when you're in Montreal.

We had a near perfect dinner last night at Maison Publique. The interior -- bar plus restaurant -- was lovely. My Canadian wife says it is decorated like your great aunt's parlor, if your great aunt was a French Canadian. The service from our waiter and the wine-expert manager was outstanding. The playlist was lovely and was not too loud. We were able to talk without raising our voices. And above all the food was excellent!!! The menu is limited to maybe a dozen items on a chalkboard. The food is meant to be shared. The waiter whose name I did not catch helped us select. - We started with excellent crudo de thon albacore. Super fresh. With a lovely sauce that complimented the flavor of the tuna. - Then came an endive salad with blue cheese dressing. A delightful surprise. - House-made cavatelli with a beef ragu was excellent. (The portion was a bit skimpy. My recent trip to Italy taught me that a restaurant portion of pasta should be 150 g plus the sauce.) - Bakewell cake with the most delightful peach sauce. (Apparently "Bakewell" is a kind of cake that originates in a little British town called Bakewell. Canadians know what this means. I had never heard of it before.) Don't forget to order bread to mop up all the lovely sauces. I would have licked the plate otherwise. Add to that cider and wine and it was a beautiful evening in a lovely restaurant. So here's the five-star question: should you drive across Montreal to eat at Maison Publique? We only walked two blocks from our AirBNB. if you're looking for an elegant, white-table cloth, upscale experience, no. If you're looking for a lovely, but casual meal in a warm, embracing ambience, yes, it is worth hoping in tour car and driving 15-20 minutes.

Incredible food. Attentive, pleasant and knowledgeable staff. Great ambiance. Next time in Montreal will definitely return. Worth the price.

The place is awesome and the food is great. Truly Canadian style menu with an English pub flair. We came late for brunch but got a nice table. The staff was really friendly and attentive and helped us decide and translated the menu. We decided on the smoked salmon... it was like butter!!! The best! Ever... sausage with tomatoes...and cheese and this combo was fantastic, simple but fantastic. And my kid had the small portion of the most delicious, fluffiest pancakes ever. And we even got complementary soft serve ice cream... and it was delicious, berries and cream. Truly enjoyed everything about my experience here.

Wow! We came here last night to celebrate an anniversary and every part of almost everything we ate was amazing. I've been trying to come here for a special occasion for a few years and I'm so glad I finally made it! It was their first day reopening their terrace (which is just a few tables on the street but lovely all the same) after being closed due to covid for months. You would never know it though, the service was excellent. Everyone was very friendly, very helpful and very attentive (kept my water glass full which I always appreciate.) We started with the salmon crudo which came with tomatoes and tomato jelly, a fun texture. I didn't expect much out of it to be honest but it was very good. The scallops were super tasty and thick. Next we had the baked oyster which we were told was one of their specialties. I was suspicious that it only came with one oyster, but it was the biggest oyster I've ever seen (and was cut into 4 pieces.) It's topped with a super savory marmite/mayo mix. Next we had the cavatelli with homemade lamb sausage. This was maybe the less spectacular of things we ordered but that's not to say it wssnt great. There was a nice carrot puree that made it special and the sausage was very good and the whole dish was very well salted. The smoked pork was amazingly fatty (which we are both into) and tender. The chimichurri and sauce underneath made it perfect, and the white asparagus were a nice addition as well. For dessert we ordered the rhubarb bakewell tart and strawberry ice cream. I've never had a bakewell tart and it was excellent. Great rhubarb flavor, nice texture and not too sweet. we also had a few digestifs based on recommendation. Overall this is exactly what I hope for when I go to a restaurant. Great food that I can't make at home, or in this case haven't even thought of making. Every dish had something that made it unique and extra tasty. I would definitely come back again!

Was seated for 25 minutes before waiter even came to our table and when they took our order they were very rude. Asked for a glass of water and it took ten minutes. Ordered the smoked Berkshire pork chop, it took 40 minutes and was raw in the center. Went to bathroom and looked like it hadn't been cleaned in a month. Will never go there again.

In 2018, Maison Publique has been nominated as number 13 best 100 restaurant in Canada. With an English pub vibe to it, Maison Publique is strictly using only Canadian ingredients. There's no way I could have taken a picture of the deer sausage without it looking inappropriate or unappealing. A sausage still remains a sausage! Unfortunately Maison Publique did not impress me with their brunch menu as I am constantly comparing every brunch restaurant to La Fabrique. I wouldn't say it was a bad- it was good, but not amazing. Priced at $14.00, the deer sausage was paired with tomatoes and blue cheese. The perfect balance in my humble opinion. How was your experience at Maison Publique? I'm genuinely willing to give it a second shot, but maybe for their dinner service.

I can't believe we haven't been to Maison Publique sooner! It was rated #6 in Canada in 2018 and I think that rating is on point. I'm not sure why its rated as a 4 star resto, we definitely had a 5 star + experience! Maison Publique serves creative dishes with interesting flavour pairings and adventurous ingredients but in a very casual cozy setting. The resto is split into 2 rooms, both are dining rooms but I really enjoyed being seated at the back near the window because it was quieter than the front of the restaurant. We could have ordered all the dishes on the menu but we settled on 13 dishes. We were 5 people with average appetites and we shared 9 plates + 4 desserts. Dishes that stood out and would certainly order again: -albacore tuba with grapefruit and black radishes -baked oyster, which was huge!! We were all able to take a sizeable mouthful to taste! -roast pork with vegetables desserts: All were delicious but I found the grandmother tart to be the most unique! It was a custardy pie with roasted pine nuts on top, very very good! I highly recommend Maison Publique, I'm really looking forward to going back!

Very cute corner restaurant serving dishes to share made with local ingredients at @maisonpublique and its one of the Canada's 100 best . First time trying swordfish and its meaty and incredibly firm texture has taken me aback! My absolute fave was the huuuge baked oyster with marmite and bechamel sauce. Decadent Thank you for the treat !

We were so excited to try Madison Publique with my boyfriend. We got there and we were seated right away, we wanted to sit by the bar where we can see the kitchen too. We got our beers and had to go to the back of the restaurant to see the food menu, which I thought was kind of cheesy for a high class restaurant where you spend more $$$, anyways we took a picture of the wall menu because it's was weird to stand there and obsess over what to order. Menu was all in French and not offered in English which I thought was a minus on their side. We googled and browsed and decided what to order, I feel like the bartender could have been more help while he was standing in front of us while we were trying to decide what to order. A brief explanation of the menu would have been nice, especially cause we told him it was our first time. Over all food was great, but portions are small. Service could have been better for the amount of money you spend there. Tapas menu have been the norm nowadays.

A small corner restaurant in a relatively residential neighboorhood, Maison Publique would be easy to drive by without realizing. It's a good thing my boyfriend loves good food and just plain cool restaurants. We visited Maison Publique in the middle of a snowstorm in late December after making a reservation on the app Resy (it was very quick and easy-- I recommend it). We were seated at the bar, which was truly the best seat in the house as we were able to view the chefs in the kitchen whipping up all manner of adventurous and delicious food. Surrounded by eclectic decor and buzzing patrons, we were ready to place our orders. We began with a delicious and well-balanced Boulevardier cocktail-- the bourbon was a warm welcome from the winter chill still on our coats and in our bones. After taking a look at the menu, which is essentially a wall with hand-written specials tacked up, we decided on two dishes we did not want to go without (the sweetbreads and foie gras with gingerbread and cranberries), and then had the staff give us their recommendations for our other 5 dishes. Maison Publique is best enjoyed when you are with dining partner(s) who do not mind sharing (again, enter the joy of having a partner who is curious and voracious an eater as I am). We began with a bitter salad of endive, radicchio, pear, dressed with a tangy vinaigrette, then moved onto the next plate of fish crudo in another vinaigrette with toasted buckwheat and thinly sliced radishes. Next we moved onto the fois gras served with gingerbread and cranberries. It was exquisite-- everything we could have dreamed of. Since it was my first time trying the dish, I was instructed to take a slice of the gingerbread, pile it high with fois gras, top it with some onion and cranberry, and enjoy. Next, we enjoyed the sweetbreads-- breaded and gently fried on a vegetable puree, and topped with an elegant agrodolce. Wow. just wow. It was almost like it melted in my mouth, and the bitter/sour shock of the agrodolce complimented the rich fattiness of the sweetbreads so so beautifully. Our final savory dishes were a white fish and a lamb ragu on homemade pasta with a broccoli rabe pesto (?? I want to call it pesto, but it was so much more than that). Our meal had the perfect end punctuation of a superb homage to Canada: a maple pots de creme with a shortbread cookie. We cannot wait to return to Montreal for another amazing dining experience at Maison Publique.

Our last minute weekend getaway to Montreal brought us to this neighbourhood gem. We were fortunate to be seated at the bar directly in front of the kitchen window to see all of the action. Left it up to our server to choose everything, and he scratched out a series of words (duck, oyster, pork, beet, hamachi). Hamachi crudo, baked oyster, duck in an esca beche, beets with almonds, and pork cooked two ways - I couldn't help but appreciate the great oils and sauces used to highlight the star of each dish. Picking favourites was not easy since every dish felt well conceived; I used both recency and bacon bias in naming the pork as mine, while my girlfriend favoured the oyster. We finished the meal off with an apple cinnamon soft serve, which led to me buying an apple pie on the way back home the next day.

This small restaurant has a lot of charm, perfect dinner place for couples. For a change the menu in on the wall on a black board. Don't be surprised if you see people taking pictures of that board. I was seated next to it, therefore I didn't take any pictures. The place is a bit dark, wich makes it an even cosier place for the winter season. You will find inside, on the shelves, old and retro items from books to figurines. The food is very good, it is a very well know establishment, where your taste buds will be more than happy. We had the oyster au four, magret de canard and the fish of the day. The oyster was amazing made with beer, ognon and a bechamel sauce. The magret de canard was tender and melting. And the fish with beats was good. The plate are served one after the other and are made to be shared. Under the table you will find a small drawer with cutlery and napkins. They serve amazing drinks, we had a casual gin tonic. Finally, i can say that the service was very decent, our waiter was more than happy to explain each plate and what comes with it.

I could not have been happier with my experience at Maison Publique. I normally do not write reviews, but Maison Publique was truly spectacular. I was traveling alone when I arrived at the restaurant, but Brendan and the staff made me feel completely at home. I was new to Québécois cuisine, so I told them to make me a tasting menu. Their recommendations were truly wonderful. I had halibut cheeks, a Welsh rarebit, a smoked squash dish, a steak dish and foie gras. It was topped off with an incredible butterscotch pudding and great locally brewed beer. If you come to Montreal, this is the place to sample the local cuisine. The dishes were reasonably priced and it was truly one of the better dining experiences I've ever had.

Toujours bon, très bien servi au bar. Très belle terrasse dans un beau coin de la ville, les vins sont très bons. C'est " laid back " et sexy en même temps, idéal pour une " date ". C'est une valeur sûre où tout le monde devrait trouver son compte. Le staff est généralement de très bon conseil aussi. Fortement recommandé.

First time for us. I only wish I lived in Montreal so I could dine here more often. We were a party of two for dinner. At first I was disappointed that they were seating us at the bar but that turned out to be the best seats in the house. We had a bird's eye view into the kitchen and we had Jack to guide us through the evening. Jack patiently walked us through each dish all the while asking us questions about our taste preferences. We had 5 plates to share each was more delicious than the previous dish. So stop reading and make a reservation.

In a perfect world more restaurants would specialize in Welsh Rarebit. In the meanwhile we'll always have Maison Publique. Their grilled duck hearts are tattooed on my brain forever. Very tastefully done. Killer pasta. Top top shelf service. Comfortable accomodations. Everything is class.

Great place to eat. We had the beef tartare, carrots and calamari and it was delicious. The ambience is very Canadian

Oh my God.. where do I even begin.. It was a snow storm! And I desperately needed a date night with my hubby! So we got dressed and decided to check out this place.. I dont know how but we managed to find parking right in front in the middle of the street with all the snow.. we walked in and the place was empty! Maybe 2 people were there enjoying a winter meal.. now something my husband and I always do is seat at the bar/ kitchen.. we love to interact with the cooks / chefs , watch them cook ect it's part of the fun. Anyways .. we decided to just try everything .. one of the things was dear tongue.. I can't believe I'm writing this but it was the most decanted dish I ever had. I still talk about this dish to this day! .. the ambuance to the place was amazing and it's such a cute little cozy restaurant.. the snow storm just added a nice touch to it!

We had an amazing meal last night at Maison Publique. Lovely service, beautiful terrace and each dish was delicious and uniquely prepared. We had the champignons, the haricot verts, the squid and the clams with pork. Amazing flavors. Before we left we made another reservation for next week.

Really lovely friend date here this weekend!! We rolled up on our bikes around 8:30pm to this warm glowing little gem on a leafy Plateau street without reservations. We waited about 10 minutes while they sorted us out and we were cozy inside by the big open window in no time. Our waiter was kind of abrupt at first but he warmed up as the night progress and in the end we really loved him, and his wine recommendations! We managed to eat 4 very delicious vegetarian dishes here, which can be tough in these terroir oriented places, and all were super delicious and innovative. Damage for 4 dishes and 4 glasses of wine was $60 each including tax, which is fairly standard for this type of place these days in Montreal. In all, it was a beautiful cozy room and a kind and delicious experience, definitely a place to come back to.

Wow, what an epic meal at this place. I went with a large group and they put us in the back room and delivered, over roughly 3-4 hours, an unending firehose of truly amazing food and wine. I completely lost count the number of courses that showed up. I think they basically brought us everything on the menu and every single thing was sooo freaking good. By far the single best meal of my entire life, and the price was way below what I've paid in the past for food that wasn't half as good. Can't recommend highly enough.

Pancakes, pancakes, pancakes. Order these! Made with so much butter, poached pears, and smothered in real maple syrup - simply fabulous. Also the breakfast sandwich tasted like a hipster, egg Big Mac - a high compliment.

Wow. One of the best meals I've had in Montreal. Every single dish we ordered was above excellent. Service was a little weird, though. It took kind of forever to get the waiter's attention, because he was very busy with several other tables. And when we ordered (one entrée and one main each) we were informed, rather than asked, that we would be sharing every dish, because they would come out of the kitchen one at a time. Ok then, that wasn't the plan, but fine.... And then the food started to arrive and we forgot about the rest!!! We had the pâté de foie and the horse carpaccio, then the tuna and the quail. All perfect, ingredients and flavours perfectly blending together. For dessert, the 'milles crêpes'. I can't even tell which was my favourite part. Can't wait to come back!

I live across from Maison Publique and have been coming here for years. Finally might as well leave a review, in which I simply want to express how great this place is. The food is ALWAYS quality, the atmosphere cozy and inviting, and the staff attentive - overall I think the restaurant nails it and I'll keep coming back as long as I'm around. The brunch has made this place famous in my 'hood, but there hasn't been a night I've been let down, after probably 30+ or so visits the last several years. The food is local and they serve some of the best wine Canada produces.

I love pancakes. Especially on a Sunday - for some odd reason. And I'm picky about my pancakes. I want them to be golden brown and ever so slightly crispy on the exterior edges - but fluffy without being dense. And I want real maple syrup with my pancakes. And bacon. Because, well, it's bacon!! Back home in Montreal my very favourite place for pancakes is Maison Publique in the Plateau area. Incidentally, I once lived in that very neighbourhood. But of course, I only discovered Maison Publique after I had moved away. Still, I'd make a trek there - for their pancakes, which are topped with their crispy bacon and some hot peppers...giving it just the right kick! And let's not forget the real maple syrup. Yup, this is the real deal. You're welcome in advance ;-)

Loved, loved, loved this place! From the laid back tavern like ambiance to the deliciously prepared food and amazing discovery of Canadian wines, this place is as solid as it gets! We were lucky enough to sit at the bar and have a view of the kitchen as the line cooks expertly dished out each plate with TLC. Our waiter happened also to be the bar man and expertly picked out a wine that fitted our tastes. Their wines are mostly Canadian which had me very hesitant at first since what kind of wine could be possibly produce with our cold climate?! But a real surprise as a gamay from Ontario delivered across the board! The menu changes quite frequently but given that it was our first visit we opted for the timeless items. We started with the parfait of foie gras, served with pickles and their house bread. Delicious! The texture was beautiful and packed a punch of garlic flavour that only complimented the taste of foie gras. We continued with the maiale tonnato which was a house made pork charcuterie slathered with a Dijon mayo sauce and topped with shaved parmesan. I'm not a huge fan of cold cuts but was pleasantly surprised. Not too salty as charcuterie can tend to be and the fatty part of the meat wasn't too greasy tasting either. We continued with the cappallacci à l'ortie stuffed with ricotta. Divine! Best pasta dish I've had since Italy! Cooked al dente, the ortie adding a bit of freshness and the ricotta was just perfectly grainy in texture. Drizzled in a bit of olive oil, I would have eaten 20 of them! We also tried the fried rabbit. First time eating rabbit for me and I was quite surprised at how light the meat tasted. It was covered in a very light batter and served as a very generous portion size. For fried chicken lovers out there, you gotta try this dish! Finally we ended with the Meyer lemon tart. Thin crust, nice consistency to the filling. Meyer lemons are not as tangly as a regular lemon and this tart highlighted that we'll both in its brightness and sweetness. Overall, I couldn't have been more pleased with my experience. Will definitely be going back to try everything else on their menu as well as brunch!

Maison Publique is ranked #21 of Canada's 100 Best Restaurants for 2016. It's a sneaky, inconspicuous restaurant. Their website and the restaurant's atmosphere bely a normal, neighborhood, corner gastropubs. But, their menu and chefs are anything but. They create a new menu everyday based on the ingredients they can source from local farms and friends; the sockeye salmon came from their fisherman friends in B.C. All four of us decided on the eight course tasting menu. It included salmon carpaccio, smoked rabbit, heirloom tomato and blue cheese salad, home-smoked meats, buffalo pantacotta, and a beautiful spread of desserts. The wine list is all local, there's a full bar, and a wide beer selection. Easily our best meal so far on our road trip between Saratoga Springs, Kingston and Montreal.

Went there with a group of friends ... we had the tasting menu ... without saying it was not good I was not impressed .... i still don't get how this place makes the list 100 best restaurant in Canada. I was served a beets Salad ... which that i could definitely say it did surprised me ..... it was original and very refreshing .!!! The rest? Not so much. The worst part of the evening was the service .!!! Rushed and inattentive.

This was a great restaurant and beyond surprising. First off we had our 21 month old son with us and they were awesome in accommodating us with him. We made a reservation right when they opened (6pm) and called ahead to make sure kids are OK, they said they had 2 highchairs so it worked out great getting there early. There aren't any "kids" menu items besides the Welsh Rarebit but he enjoyed some of the pork on the salad we got and the chef even drew a picture for him & offered him the markers to draw with. The whole staff was amazing with him and made us feel welcome. As far as the food for us the drinks were on point & they make a good old fashioned. The food was great, we started with the oyster which was one of the highlights and an indescribable umami taste. As for the other highlights my wife had the chicken dish and the pot de creme at the end was a great quick dessert. In short, if in Montreal don't hesitate.

I was really excited to come to Maison Publique for the first time; however, it turned out to be a disappointment. When we were seated, the server immediately told us we had the table for 2 hours. That wasn't a problem because that is plenty of time for us to enjoy dinner. After we ordered drinks, we asked him for recommendations on the dishes and he said "Are you difficult? I can put together a menu for you. So, are you difficult?" His demeanour made us uncomfortable and we thought his question was rather rude. We chose the dishes on our own and the food was delicious. Before we were done eating the final main dish, the server asked us if we wanted the bill. At that point, there was still 45 minutes left until the end of the 2 hours. We felt pressured to finish eating and leave. Overall, I think that the one server severely tainted our experience. He was rude and ruined our first time at this highly reputed restaurant. While the food is delicious, it is not enough to convince me to return.

Charming restaurant, very laid back in it's approach. Semi open kitchen, sizable bar for a place this side. Has a back room. The food truly is the star of the show! We visited 3 times in 3 month with 3 different couples. All were in agreement that the food is exquisite. Ended up doing the tasting menu which means chef's whimsy. *one couple had lots of "restrictions", therefore limiting adventurous plates. Let the chef and waiter decide for you. Be surprised. We were and in a very good way. The Wait and Bar staff are very courteous/friendly. They truly know the product they serve with very good wine knowledge for foods served as well. We had the pleasure of having Guilliaume as our waiter. He mad our visits very enjoyable in all aspects. Thanks for that! Highly recommend you visit the place with an open mind.

Totally fell in love with the homemade strawberry jam here! It is more like a bar than a restaurant, and you can see the chef cooking in front of you if you choose a bar seat. the staffs are nice and friendly. They change their menu according to the food the farm provide to them everyday, but the blood cake is the regular course. it is with high cholesterol and is a little bit oily but somehow very nice with the running egg. the dessert of the day is muffin with cream and strawberry jam. Surprisingly delicious

What a highly unfortunate place. Two stars for sort of feeding my stomach on a night with horrendous weather where every other restaurant was closed in the area and for the nice bartender, but two stars for leaving me $80 poorer, still hungry, and confused as to how this dark, damp bladder of a place even exists. It was a good thing that I drank a giant beer before getting my food and managed to get slightly tipsy, because the tremendous wait time would otherwise have been unbearable. We got the beef pappardelle, which, while not inedible, could have maybe been enough food for a small cat with cancer. Our other entree, a supposed house special, was the pan-fried rabbit, which just tasted tough and dry. The whole thing was covered in two giant pieces of wet lettuce, obviously rinsed in the sink right before adorning our plate. Was this supposed to be the salad component of the dish, or was it supposed to serve as a canapy cover to hide the scabby rabbit leg? We will never know. The saddest part of this establishment may have been the fact that it tried to be an "open air" kitchen, where you could see the cooks prepare your meal. Now, why anyone would want to watch two young, dumpy looking American amateurs hold a conversation with each other while only half paying attention to the food that they were burning in the pan or groping out of plastic containers with their bare hands is beyond me, but I had a feeling that I knew how the food would taste before it even arrived in front of me. After we left this place, we went straight to a diner and ordered a burger and fries for $7. We tried not to think about how we could have instead eaten 11 orders of burgers and fries instead of our previous meal.

I stopped Yelping for no reason in particular but I feel obligated to drop Maison Publique a review because 3.5 stars is simply wrong. I came alone on a Sunday night and though I had a reservation, walk-ins were possible both at the bar and for tables(I saw a table of 4 walk in and be seated immediately. A girl who was also visiting from New York came in and sat next to me and she seemed sane enough so I asked if she wanted to spit our meal so we could try more things and she happily agreed. We ordered the Lamb Tartare, Asparagus, Crab Tart and the Tagliatelle with the deconstructed rhubarb pie for dessert(not what it was called but essentially what it was). Everything was truly great. I don't remember a meal I've enjoyed this much in such a long time. Prices were more than reasonable and we ended up spending $140 CAD total with two drinks each included. I don't think this place is hurting because it clearly receives attention from all over the country but this Yelp rating could not be further off. I'm an American and was sitting with another American and the service could not have been better. Go.

Delicious Quebec style food, good for dates and hang out with friends. From the service from start to finish Maison Publique never disappoints!

Maison Publique is one of those special restaurants with dishes made to be shared and savored with friends. The cozy ambience was a welcome respite from the wet, rainy Montreal weather that evening. We were seated in the back room. First time for that for us. It was really quite nice and comfortable. Our server walked us through the menu and carefully described each dish. We started off with sauteed mixed mushrooms served on toasted country bread. The flavors were savory, rich and umami. I highly recommend them if they are on the menu. Next, we had the huge oyster baked in the oven with a marmite and bechamel sauce. It sounds like an odd combination, but it was totally delicious. The oyster itself was briny and quite flavorful, nicely complemented by the sauce. We nearly ordered a second. The oyster was followed by sweetbreads that were fried and crispy outside and soft and creamy inside, served in a delicious gravy and by an order of the homemade tagliatelle pasta with a boar ragout. The tagliatelle was perfectly prepared. A bottle of delicious Canadian white wine help to make this a most memorable meal.

First time here but will not be the last. Place was packed but plenty of space to eat comfortably in my little corner counter area. Loved the thick 1 inch toasts fresh and crisp. Sausage big and juicy and is well accompanied with crazy bacon end served with hp sauce. The kimchi is super hot and different to have with eggs. Enjoyed the plates with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia sceneries. Just a nice friendly place and the server was just great.

Just checked this out April 2017. Ranked 11 in Canada, so was expecting a lot. I was also happy to venture back to my old neighbourhood East Plateau. Half the pleasure of going to this restaurant is it's great corner local neighbourhood restaurant vibe and super friendly staff. The Old fashioned was almost the best I've ever had (the best being my husband's old fashioned w brandies cherries & orange slice). The food & wine was also great. You order several sharing plates and the kitchen decides the order to serve them to you. Loved the crab tarte, beer salad and capellacio. I wasn't a big fan of the Welsh Rarebit but I may have been too full. But not full enough, since I gobbled down the amazing chocolate lava cake w cherries. A great plateau meal experience. Only recommendation would be to have more salad / veggie options. A solid 4 stars.

After so many experiences there, now I get why it got such a "meh" overall review here. I made sure to call and book a table for my daughter and I. She is very well behaved and kept herself busy with toys so no, her behaviour did not affect my waiter's service. He was not friendly and when it was time to pay, I was still calculating his tip and he rushly asked if I needed any hangs back. To which I replied no... since I felt it needed a bit more $ since the food was amazing, as usual. I was a frequent customer and I am unfortunately no longer one because of that specific experience. ** I used to sit at the bar and today was my first time at a table. So maybe the ambiance tends to differ a bit regarding where you chose to sit. Which I personally think it shouldn't but oh well. Farewell Maison Publique :( You used to be in my top 5 in town**

This place was hands down the best meal we had in Montreal. Not pretentious and delicious. Seriously wished I went there more than once. Service was great, beers were awesome, and the food was amazing.

Had a great time dining here on Friday night. The dishes, along with the quality of service was outstanding. Thank you for creating such a special evening.

This was a great find. It's a corner restaurant in the heart of a very pleasant neighborhood of townhomes, not far from the mont-royal stop on the orange line. We went for breakfast, joining the small group of other patrons clustered outside waiting for it to open at 10:00. The inside had a homey feel, with old patterned wallpaper, a little bit of taxidermy, and framed photos of toddlers, kids and grandparents on the walls. Our server was patient with our limited French and explained the menu well. My wife ordered pancakes and I had sausage, fried egg and grilled squash. The server talked us into ordering a side of their fried potatoes, and we were so glad he did. They had a little sausage mixed in, with chives and a few other savory additions. But the creme fraiche put it over the top! I strongly recommend ordering them!

Super poor service. We made a reservation in advance and when we got there there were no tables available. They never apologized. They didn't even tell us how much we were supposed to wait. We waited for a half-hour (HALF-HOUR!) and at that point I asked the hostess if she could give us at least courtesy drinks and she gave us a very unpleasant attitude. Super rude. We left.

Where to start? Great atmosphere, great food and even greater service. They were incredibly accommodating: we had three kids under 10 and a vegan and they handled it with grace and class. The chef prepared a special vegan meal for us and brought free ice cream for the kids. It certainly wasn't cheap but one of the more memorable meals we've enjoyed in a long while. I recommend for both tourists and locals.

I've done breakfast a few times and dinner once and I do enjoy it here. Food is always a new and fresh experience, and it manages to always surprise the taste buds in a very good way. Atmosphere is awesome, service is great and I love the originality. It's places like Maison Publique that makes Montreal different and unique. I'd best sum it up as commercial free!

Had horrible experience and service there. Food was ok. Although I loved this chef when he was at DNA, he seems to have become somewhat of an ass - maybe his association with Jamie Oliver is giving him a big head. Was impossible to get a smile out of our waiter/floor manager. He also pushed us an expensive bottle of wine when we were looking for 3 glasses of dessert wine - wine was not sold by the glass he told us after opening the bottle and serving us. We didn't really mind in the end, we paid the bill. But afterwards, when we mentioned that he could have warned us, he just ignored us at best. When we raised this issue with the chef/owner, his majesty had a foot on a chair looking down on us and defending his buddy. It was my bday dinner and we had spent a lot of money in this place. Will never return. Just too bad I have to give at least a star because this place doesn't deserve it

Great Atmosphere Small cozy place Feel good neighborhood restaurant Great service Sharing plates Not really into celebrity chef restaurants, those usually tend to be, overpriced,underwhelming and simply awful. This was like a breath of fresh air, surprisingly good experience.The sharing plates is what makes it unique,worthwhile and keeps the diners talking,laughing sharing and above all having fun.Casually. If you're in the neighborhood do try it out. It's way better than reviews indicate. Try the foie gras parfait.

Excellent food, very laid back atmosphere. Comparable to Liverpool House in the exquisite quality of food, but more relaxed.

A wonderful experience. Six people did the eight course tasting menu. Each course better than the last. I particularly enjoyed the deer tartare with whitefish roe and the duck. Each bottle of wine carefully selected. Incredibly knowledge staff and attention. A serious celebratory event. The room is also comfortable and relaxed. I can not say enough!