Moishes
Steak house · Downtown Montreal ·
Steakhouse serving charbroiled meats, Jewish sides, & chicken
Steakhouse serving charbroiled meats, Jewish sides, & chicken
"A long-standing restaurant whose origins are recounted on the tour as being in part due to a failed gambling bet, a detail that illustrates the colourful local history shared during the itinerary." - Ivy Lerner-Frank
"Set to make a comeback in Square Victoria, the celebrated Montreal steakhouse Moishes will reopen in the former Houston Avenue Bar & Grill on the corner of Viger, with construction slated to begin in May and hopes to welcome diners in the late fall. Purchased in December 2018 by Quebec’s Sportscene Group — with Lenny Lighter, son of founder Moishe Lighter, becoming corporate director — the restaurant first opened in 1938 and had its lease at 3961 St-Laurent expire in 2020, though the pandemic delayed its planned move downtown. Plans developed alongside Lighter call for three dining areas: one decorated with artwork and similar lighting from the Main location, a second with large windows and a bar, and a third with an open kitchen and a more modern look aimed at the downtown office crowd. While its steak, coleslaw, and pickles will remain staples, the menu will be revamped to reflect current dietary preferences and expand fish options (its 2018 menu already included organic salmon, Alaskan black cod, and grilled shrimp). Sportscene also owns the rights to Moishes’ retail products sold in grocery stores and plans to expand that side of the business, and Forbes has named it among the world’s top 10 steakhouses, underscoring its role as a Montreal gastronomic landmark for more than 70 years." - Valerie Silva
"An iconic Jewish steakhouse on the Plateau, Moishes is moving out of its longtime home and will eventually reopen downtown near Square Victoria, but will take a “hiatus” because of the COVID-19 pandemic with no fixed return date. The 82-year-old restaurant grilled its last ribeyes at its opulent, second-level location on St-Laurent (3961 St-Laurent) in March; its lease there expired at the end of 2020 and the new downtown address has not been announced. Management — now led by corporate director Lenny Lighter after Sportscene purchased Moishes at the end of 2018 — began construction at the new location in early August but decided to delay reopening because the downtown office and tourist crowds are largely absent; the move had been planned to allow lunch service for the office crowd and a larger after-work clientele. Sportscene owns Moishes' branding and retail products found in grocery stores, and Forbes has named it one of the world's top 10 steakhouses, while it has been a Montreal gastronomic landmark for more than 70 years." - Tim Forster
"I noted that longtime steakhouse Moishes has started using its kitchen to help local non-profits, with reports that they are working to supply meals to the Old Brewery Mission in Old Montreal." - Tim Forster
"Known as a steakhouse, Moishes is among the iconic establishments whose sign the borough has temporarily protected from removal as part of a project to determine which signs should receive longer-term, heritage-equivalent protections." - Tim Forster