Restaurant Da Emma

Yes met all expectations. 3’out of 4 of us had the roasted pig. Superb. For appetizer we had the Burrata with prosciutto. Delicious. Recommended. Check out the wall of celebrity photos who had visited this historical location. Restaurant is an old prison in the below ground cellar.

I had astronomically high expectations following recommendations from friends. Da Emma did meet many of those expectations however the price:quantity ratio left a somewhat bitter aftertaste. Service was good if a tad slow despite it being a relatively quieter weekday evening. We found ourselves having to catch the attention of the waiter in order to get some service (bread basket was empty, etc) so it did lack some attention given that it was a 5* establishment. Food quality was good. The suckling pig was definitely the highlight of our evening. The meat was tender and well marinated and totally impeccable and out of this world. The veal ravioli was also exceptionally tasty with a classic simple but delicious red sauce. The lamb, however, was dry and tough and certainly not the melt in the mouth, pull it apart with a fork experience that we had anticipated. What was terribly disappointing were the appetizers. Dont get me wrong. The smoked salmon and prosciutto were fresh and tasty but I would suggest you think twice before ordering $25-$30 (each) appetizers that had nothing more than 3 slices of prosciutto or salmon or one burrata. Those steep prices would have easily warranted far heartier quantities. In Italy, this would have created a riot in the streets! :p All in all, a good night was shared by all but I certainly wouldn’t go all out to dine at Da Emma’s since there are other Italian places that offer a far better bang for your buck. Unless seeing and being seen is your utmost priority, both your tummy and wallet could be happier elsewhere.

A Must Do. What a beautiful historical Space! Service is important to make an experience memorable. Serge our server was attentive. As soon as we were seated, a delicious bruschetta was served. Affordable wine selection is always a bonus, u der 100$. Menu selection is varied and perfect for every palate , also at a great prices. We each had an entree and each a main course and shared a dessert, we were stuffed! Cant wait to go back!

Da Emma is a delightful gem that offers truly authentic Italian cuisine. The beauty of their dishes lies in their simplicity, staying true to the essence of Italian cooking. The smoked salmon appetizer was a delightful starter that showcased the perfect balance of flavors. The combination of the smoked salmon, arugula, and a touch of lemon juice created a refreshing and satisfying appetizer that prepared our taste buds for the main course. The mushroom pasta was executed with great finesse, striking the right balance between richness and subtlety. The velvety, creamy sauce allowed the earthy flavors of the mushrooms to shine through, resulting in a memorable pasta dish that was deeply satisfying. We complemented our meal with a glass of red wine, which added another layer of enjoyment to the dining experience. It truly felt like a celebration, as if we were being treated to a special homemade meal by an Italian mother on a joyous occasion.

I wanted a good pasta on a weeknight so I walked to Da Emma and sat at the bar. I got a mocktail suggested by my bartender. By the way, the service was very good, my bartender was friendly, kind and basically really good at his job. I enjoyed my experience so much that this is something I will repeat. Cuisine was steady and just as good as every time.

Amazing service, fabulous staff, very caring staff who gave us absolutely free dessert. The food was very unique & fresh. I have tried many Italian restaurants in Montreal. This is the finest Italian I ever had. I highly recommend everyone to try this restaurant. It'll be memorable.

Sure, I’ve had better Italian food.. but the experience! The experience is worth my 5 star rating. Alexandre was a fantastic server. My husband and I were celebrating our one year wedding anniversary and enjoyed every minute of our visit here. We ordered a bottle of Legit Cabernet, two of the soups of the day, blue cheese ravioli, and cheese ravioli. When our server found out it was our anniversary he brought out their homemade tiramisu which was so flavorful we finished every bit of it even though we were so full. I love the ambiance and the fact that this pace is known for all the celebrity visits. I highly recommend!

The best restaurant in all of the city. Amazing service from Alex, and even more so from the owner! The food is amazing and probably the most authentic Italian food you can get it Montreal, and the service is simply exceptional. I now come weekly and highly recommend this restaurant!

Very good. Basement location with warm atmosphere provided by exposed old stone foundation and wood beams especially appreciated for a night or bad weather experience since there are no windows. Traditional Italian food very good. Steak is perfect but ask them to cut it like shown in the pictures which is much better. Otherwise, they will bring it whole just like a normal steak.

Such a cool vibe...step down into this restaurant that feels like a cave...apparently the building was the first women's prison in Canada! Service was super engaging and hilarious (dry sense of humor) with great recommendations---kitchen was slow though. Recommend the Arugula salad with Parmesan, porcini mushroom pasta and salmon with broccoli. Best thing...you can order half portions! Enjoy!

Off the beaten path, and unmarked by a street address, this restaurant was very difficult for us to find. In fact, our Uber driver stopped to ask a local man where it might be situated before successfully taking Diane and me there. But after descending the outdoor stairs and entering the stony, dungeon-like space inside, one finds the dining room's ambiance to be rather unique and charming in a medieval fashion. A bowl of hot Pasta Fagioli was sleek and satisfying. A half-order of very lemony Salmon Carpaccio with arugula and olive oil was a nice substitute for a traditional salad. And Agnolotti al Ragu, veal stuffed raviolis with Pomodoro Sauce, was a rich and very filling pasta dish. Long lengths of slightly soft Roasted Potatoes added a welcome starch. Meanwhile, Diane somewhat enjoyed an entree of Mozzancolle Gigante al Vino, jumbo shrimps bathed in white wine. The restaurant's menu of culinary choices was quite limited. Wait service was good.

Best authentic Italian restaurant I have been. Everything is made freshly on the day by Emma. It's a family owned restaurant. They are open everyday except for Saturday's Everything they serve you is imported from Italy directly. This is considered a 5 star restaurant so $$$+ As soon as you are seated and ordered they bring you a slice of bruschetta and also fresh bread with oil and vinegar If you go here you must have the gorgonzola ravioli, the burrata, the peppercorn steak, the lamb, the pistochio turtufo etc .. The best burrata ive had, and I've been to many places, it's crazy how fresh the cheese is. Everything on the menu is very good from the entrees to the desserts. The hardest part about going here is to make a decision on to what to get and not to over order. The soup of the day changes everytime and always so yummy. Always served well no complain about that It's always full when you go, to get reservations you need to call them In the summer they also have a big patio outside. They also have free of charge valet parking. This place is located underground This place is perfect for couples and also for but groups. If you loved authentic Nona made food this is the place to go. Definitely a must try, I would off given it 5*+ if I could

Absolutely delicious veal, meatballs, mozzarella, AND they make some amazing cocktails that aren't on the menu. I have never had a more delicious Amaretto sour. Also loved their espresso martini. Be sure to get the prosciutto mozzarella.

Second time here, still rocking it! The ambiance is amazing , brick , warm and inviting. Service was excellent and the food was amazing!

I ate here years ago, and I still remember that this was one of my favourite restaurant experiences. The inside of the restaurant is beautifully appointed with stone walls, just gorgeous! The food is melt in your mouth amazing. Come here for a special experience you won't soon forget!

Great service, the pasta was very good. Nice ambiance and music. Portions were a bit small.

So good! We got the artichoke appetizer, veal ravioli, and polpette al sugo. 12/10 recommend! The best pasta and meatballs we have had! Service was reasonably paced - we didn't feel rushed or that it was slow. The waiter was super friendly as well, total experience, taste and ambience was perfect.

I don't even know where to begin. Our reservation was for 8:45 on a Saturday night. The restaurant was about 80% full. The service was absolutely terrible. We kept trying to get our waiter's attention and he kept blowing past us. If one of us was able to get his attention and order a glass of wine, he spun and sped away before the next person could make a request. We'd think, okay, we'll get him when he comes back. He'd come up from behind us, drop something off, and run away before we could ask for something else. From the time we ordered to the time our food came out was an hour and 15 minutes. We're not blaming him for the kitchen being slow, but there was an extreme lack of attentiveness. The other weird thing was that I was drinking tea for (I'm not exaggerating) two hours before he asked me if I wanted lemon with my tea. The restaurant was really quiet... which subconsciously seemed really weird and was making time seem to really drag on. Almost at the end of the 2 hours and 45 minutes this meal took, they suddenly turned on music. Before I became a lawyer (I'm a lawyer who owns a non-profit that protects human trafficking victims) I worked in the service industry for 9 years. I tip really well. Even when service is not great, I still tip. The service on this night was offensive, so I refused to tip. The waiter then decided to argue with me as we left the restaurant. Sorry, I'm not going to tip someone who ignored me for three hours, was annoyed when I was able to get his attention, and never bothered to tell me his name. I ordered the swordfish with roasted potatoes. The potatoes were burnt and rock hard. The fish was undercooked and the sauce was sour. My friend ordered a pasta dish and the pasta was much more than Al dente. It was HARD. Luckily, my third friend said her lasagna was okay. The only reason I know his name (Hamadi) is because it is on the receipt. My friends and I were dressed nicely, we weren't drunk, loud, or obnoxious. We have reasonable good table manners. Despite all of this, I did not feel we were welcome there. If I were the manager I would have a really stern conversation with the staff. (Just to add, the two other friends both currently work in the service industry and agree with everything I said, and agree that had they given such bad service to customers they would not expect a tip either. The fact that the waiter argued with us about the tip was really shocking. I want to know, did HE think he gave us good service? A tip is a choice. Like I said, if service is exceptional, I wouldn't think twice about leaving a 100% tip (which I've done four times this year already). If service is bad, 10%, and if you leave feeling as rejected as we did, no tip.)

This is our 4th trip to Montreal and therefore our 4th dinner at Da Emma. The complimentary bruschetta is so delicious that I always wish we had more. Tonight we enjoyed salads and the husband had the lasagna and me the cheese ravioli with marinara sauce. Delicious. The wait staff all seems to share tables here and each was friendly. They were unfortunately out of beer (!) but the issue was out of their control. Nice evening.

What a fantastic Italian restaurant in Old Montreal. Set in a cavern like room this place will not disappoint. Prices are very fair and the quality is outstanding. Pastas are amazing. The tomato sauce is delightful. The steak was a bit of a disappointment as it was a bit fatty for my liking. Next time I would get the sirloin. Staff there are fantastic and will make your night special.

Good food but I was not blown away. Some dishes lacked salt. The service was just ok. The place is a staple in Montreal because of the cool dungeon which was a women's prison before but I wouldn't go back. Steep prices for simple food. Best dish was the Gorgonzola ravioli and the burrata. The rest was ok. I think the chef might have changed.

Food was not fresh. Tomatoes were mushy and not edible. Pasta was overcooked. Meat was disappointing. Very sad state of affairs. Pungent smell of sewage throughout the restaurant. Never experienced anything like this in all my years.

We were very excited to go to Da Emma - it was on many best of lists and the room looked so beautiful online. I thought the menu was a bit limited (apps were all variations on a theme - veal the only base for most pasta) but we went for it. Our waiter was gruff and we were a bit put off initially but...ok. We were celebrating my best friend's birthday in Montreal so nothing would bother us. Prosciutto and buffalo mozzarella for a start. Very good but, a pet peeve, no basil or arugula on the plate. Server did come with a very large pepper mill - hmm. Really? Entrees ordered - meatballs (which were touted in reviews) and swordfish. Would I like pasta on the side with meatballs? Yes please. Entrees came and both swimming in marinara. And not a seasoned marinara. More of a bad passata - watery tomato sauce with virtually no flavor. Meatballs weren't terrible but very dense. No love there. Pasta was fusilli that was overcooked and laden in watery sauce. Swordfish indiscernible in sauce - only thing you could taste. Pepper? No thank you. Cheese, sure. But the cheese was very powdery and had absolutely no wonderful parm flavor. Overall, we didn't eat much and we were shocked with how lazy this kitchen is. There was no care or inventiveness in this food. Good Italian is a passion of mine and this was shameful. Kicker was friend who ate the swordfish got violently ill after we left. Gordon Ramsey needs to stage an intervention. 1/ 10 recommendation.

Great ambience Tasty pasta Wish my lasagne was hotter It was Luke warm Great olive oil Awesome desserts. Tiramisu and most of the other desserts delicious Saw Scarecrow from Scarecrow and Mrs. King dining tonight

A must to go and go back again. Went for the first time and was blown away with the interior, service and food Emma is like your gonna cooking for you I started off with a cocktail. My drink was very good and the bar accommodate my substitution request without a hiccup The waiter filled our glasses with water and placed a good size bruschetta in front of us. Was tasty! The waiter reads you the black board menu and explains the selection in great detail that you would think he was a sous chef. I started with minestrone soup and it was so delicious! I wanted more! I then had a meatball is tomato sauce! Amazing ! My main was a leg of lamb. The side was a chilled potato salad and steamed broccoli. The lamb was out of this world delicious. So flavorful and I enjoyed every morsel. I took tiramisu for dessert and was not disappointed. Also had a very good espresso to finish off. As for the atmosphere well it was great. Tables and seating is well spaced. We spent 3.5 hours there and were not rushed out. The place was busy too. My only complaint is the bathrooms. There was no toilet paper the 2 times I went Nd my guests complained the same. Glad I had Kleenex. Perhaps leaving some extra rolls around would be a good take away

Best Italian ever! I recommend to all. It's an experience, the restaurant is beautifully designed and decorated. Food and wine is wonderful.

Racist, bad food - avoid at all cost. This dining experience was so bad that I had to write my first online review. My partner and I are both Asian (Chinese/Korean) were celebrating our anniversary and heard this place was one of the best Italian restaurant around. Everything went downhill the moment we got seated. The waiter, "Hamadi" according to our receipt, showed us a chalkboard menu (Italian, no English or French) then proceeded to leave us alone for over 10 minutes. Had to get another waiter to call him back. After asking him to explain the menu to us. He asks - Do you want me to explain the appetizers? Do you want me to explain the pasta? Do you want me to explain the meat? Do you want me to explain the fish. Each time we said yes, he rolled his eyes and impatiently described each dish. We got the soup, 3 cheese medaglioni, and lamb with vegetables (it turns out to be just boiled broccoli). He took our drink menu away without asking if we wanted wine. We did. At this point we already felt unwelcomed. We had no idea why the service was so bad. Then we noticed he was actually pretty pleasant serving the tables around us. Yet he neglects us for some reason, our water was gone before the dishes came and it was never refilled throughout the night. The soup and pasta was decent, nothing mind blowing though. The lamb however was inedible. The meat was overcooked to the point where the bone was broken into pieces everywhere. This was extremely dangerous. Most people would have choked if they were not careful. At no point during the meal did he come and check on us. Thus we did not get a chance to order wine. He did however pay attention to 3 other tables with enthusiasm that we did not receive. Like asking if they wanted more wine, if their food was good etc. We were literally one table away and he did not bother with us. The other tables were full of white men and women. As he took the plates away, more than half of the lamb was uneaten - he did not ask why. I had to say out loud that the lamb was awful and that there was bones everywhere. He replies with "oh" and proceeded back to the kitchen. We were then left alone for another good 10 minutes. He did not come back to ask us if we wanted desert. He was serving other tables while ignoring us. I had to get another waiter to call him for the bill. Then he abandoned us again for yet another 10 minutes. We also noticed the bill was wrong, he charged us for dessert. At this point the table next to us, this Italian couple, couldn't help but feel bad for us actually shouted out for the waiter for us. He just snatched the bill/card and vanished once again. The table beside us kept telling us maybe he was having a bad day but you can tell they felt ashamed because even they could tell we were discriminated against. He came back having charged my card already, I guess they do not have portable card machines. I pointed out that the bill was wrong, we did not order dessert, he then argued and said it was our fault. wtf? We waited for another 10 minutes before another waiter noticed our sour faces and got our bill for us. I tried asking for the manager from another waiter to make a formal complaint but my wife just wanted to leave the place. The only conclusion we can come up with is that we were the only Asians he was serving and he was just racist. The soup was $5, the pasta was $25, and the disgusting lamb was $35. The price is fair but there was much better Italian restaurants in Montreal nearby like Graziella and Le Serpent with MUCH more modern food/atmosphere and more importantly better service which is the most important aspect of fine dining in my opinion.

Incredible experience! The servers were amazing recommending and guiding our journey, we had the best steak and shared a huge pasta, wine paring was great and the dessert topped everything making it a day to remember, we were celebrating a bday and the staff sang with us, we walked around the place remembering every movie we have seen it in and I definitely think this is one of those places you need to visit at least once in the old port! Great food, great people, unforgettable experience.

We were a party of 8 and were seated promptly, however the waiter was not very personable borderline rude. Most of our meals were very good but an entree of T-Bone was awful, a lot of nerve, not fatty but nerve for $45CAD. There are too many excellent restaurants in Montreal to waste your time and money here.

I don't like posting negative reviews but this restaurant is pricey and people need to be aware of what they are getting into. I ordered lamb and it was rubbery and dried out. It felt like chewing a piece or cardboard. I was so excited to eat here and my meal was a disappointment to say the least. Our waiter had such an attitude. I asked about my lamb being dry, I didn't want to embarrass the host of our dinner so I just chewed on a few pieces and didn't ask again about why my dish was so badly cooked. I tried the pasta from someone else's plate and it was super bland. Their dishes are suitable to older generations. Italian cooking has come a long way since the 50s. If you are stuck in group thing to go here, stay away from the meat dishes. I won't be going here again. I have added a photo for you to see.

Outstanding Italian restaurant food was fantastic, service was superb. atmosphere is like a speak easy very sexy good for date night or large party. We were a business meeting of 10 and everyone enjoyed all the entries. I would have taken a picture but the food was so good that I finished before the thought hit my head. Prices are a bit high but u get what you pay for and it is worth it. You would do well to have Amedio as your host he made the night!

Beautiful spot, perfect for an intimate date. Absolutely incredible food. The burrata was 12/10 delicious! The gelato was a perfect lightweight dessert. Authentically italian

Phenomenal authentic Italian restaurant in the basement of an old women's jail. They have an amazing wine list, great service (my server had been working there for 27 years), and the 76 year old female owner still works in the kitchen every. single. night. Had the Spinach and Ricotta Ravioli, as well as the Jumbo Prawns. I would HIGHLY recommend both! They bring a chilli oil to the table, but beware, it's hotter than you might think. The real winner though, was the Tiramisu, I would easily say one of the best I have ever had in my entire life... Do yourself a favour and don't skip it.

So I know this place is very popular and gets recommended a lot. But I have to be honest about my critic and not give it a high score just because everyone else did. So here is my take on Da emma. Walked-in to this old dark place, very little lighting, which wasn't a big surprise as I knew this use to be a prison. Sit down and waiter comes immediately, please take into account that this is my first time at this place, and we tell him this. Then he says okay okay I will bring you some nice artichoke to start then I will bring you our famous delicious rack of lamb with potatoes on the side, I will also bring you pork chops, which I told him I don't eat pork. So then it's like he got thrown off, okay okay then I will make you veal breast with rosemary and spaghetti with a nice rich homemade tomato sauce. So we said okay, And he left, I kept asking myself if the had menus but didn't see anyone with it so I just presumed this is how it work. 5 minutes later our appetizers arrive, he brings me a plate of prosciutto and and a small plate of artichoke .... Ummmm didn't i just mention I don't eat pork??? Anyways, then the waiter just stand at our table waiting for us to eat (that really annoyed me) artichoke sucked to hard, too oily. Then the main meal came, OMG the veal was over powered by rosemary, you could 't actually taste the meat, the lamb did not smell good and was too dry. The potatoes were also overwhelmed by rosemary and the pasta was not good at all. Honestly if your homemade sauce is tomato paste you need to rethink about your recipe. With our food we had ordered a bottle of flat water and a glass of wine. So like I mention since we never got a menu we never knew the prices either. At the end we just didn't enjoy our food and just wanted to get out of there, we declined coffee and dessert. We asked for the bill. 289$ Are you crazy????? Omg that much money for that mediocre food. Ughhh I will never go back and I definitely will not recommend it. Oh by the way as I was leaving the restaurant, we realized they had a menu, its written on a blackboard that they bring to your table. Our stupid waiter never even mentioned it. Royally pissed off!

We went to this restaurant and my friend and her daughter were looking very forward to ordering the swordfish. When it arrived, her daughter said she didn't like it. I tasted it and it was very fishy. I suggested they send it back and get something else. They did and a few minutes later the chef came out with raw swordfish on a plate, handling it, yelling at us in Italian. I have no idea what she said but she actually came out and was picking up the swordfish and turning it over and making angry faces and yelling at us in front of the whole restaurant. This is not an inexpensive restaurant and to treat customers like that is disgraceful. The side pasta wasn't very good either.

I look at reviews as an important consideration to selecting a restaurant, but in doing so take the reviews "with a grain of salt." You can take this short comment as a true reflection of our experience. The food was delicious overall. You can discern a combination of fresh ingredients and refined flavors honed through experience. It's almost a country, family style like comfort food with a big step up into high-level restaurants. We enjoyed veal ravioli and cheese and spinach ravioli. We started with eggplant parmesan, which was exceptional though the tortellini soup fell a little short on flavor with pasta a bit too firm. The environment of the restaurant is at once cozy and romantic, which seems highly unlikely for a space that served, in the distant past, as a women's prison. Our waiter was charming, knowledgeable, engaging as he put on his practiced show. He scored with us by making two very good wine recommendations. Don't let mixed reviews deter you. We highly recommend this restaurant. Every experience here is individualized and, for us, a very a sumptuous welcome to Montréal!

I was looking forward to dinner at Da Emma's given my boyfriend's rave reviews. Boy was I disappointed. The atmosphere was nice. Dimly lit but not overly so. Reasonable noise level. Tables were spaced apart enough that we could have our own private conversation. The service was pretty good as well - no complaints there. But the food was OK at best. Realistically deserving of three stars but the fact that it was overpriced, I took away another star and am giving Da Emma two stars. Here's what we ordered: - agnolotti (stuffed with meat): Average. I've had better and I've had worse. - tiger shrimp in wine sauce: Again average. There were five shrimps on the plate... for forty-five bucks. - veal stew: BLAND... TASTELESS... FLAVOURLESS. Am I being ambiguous? It's possible Emma had an off night but I'm not dishing out another couple hundred bucks to find out.

What a dining experience! After hearing many people rave about Da Emma for quite some time, I decided to give it a go. Located on De La Commune in the western part of the Old Port, what once was a women's prison is now a charming Italian eatery. Where to begin? I decided to split the tortelloni with my wife. Stuffed with 4 different cheeses and minced prosciutto topped with a Gorgonzola sauce, this pasta plate is NOT for those who are lactose intolerant. Very rich, very creamy, very good! Next was the meatballs in a marinara sauce. I highly recommend this for anyone who loves italian meatballs like their Nonna used to make them. Finally, I had oven roasted lamb which was cooked in it's own juices with white wine and olive oil for over an hour. The house specialty. The meat was succulent, melt in your mouth goodness! Each bite was better than the last. For a meat course, this is the way to go. For dessert (yes I decided to stuff it all in!), I shared the tiramisu which was the perfect way to end a great meal coupled with a beautiful cappuccino. Great great meal, and the lobby filled with Hollywood A-listers clearly agree. ***Note to all future diners: be prepared to walk it off. Luckily it is located by the waterfront with a beautiful view of the city.

This is a restaurant that I was so excited to try that I made the dinner reservation before booking our hotel reservation. All I can say is that the meal was absolutely incredible. I am baffled that this wonderful establishment recieved negative reviews. If you enjoy great food, service and booze - This is the place to be. We started off with a very warm welcoming from the hostess and two waiters. We recieved a complimentary bruschetta followed by two drinks shortly thereafter. After we finished the delish bruschetta (the olive oil was trenendous) our waiter, Franco, greeted us with a warm welcoming smile and asked if we would like a walk through the menu. Naturally, we said yes, and Franco went through every item on the menu with absolute precision. We would stop Franco to ask questions and suggestions to which he responded gracefully. Thank you Franco. My wife started off with the minnestroni soup and I ordered an appetizer portion of the fettuccini au funghi porcini. For our main course my wife ordered the Lasagna and I ordered the Veal scaloppine alla zingara. We ordered a bottle of chianti as well. The entire meal was delicious. I come from a very traditional New York Italian family, so I like to think that I have good taste in Italian food. Franco suggested not to add cheese to the fettuccini and I complied. Good thing because I can see the salt from the cheese could throw the flavors and balance off of the dish. Well said Franco. The minnestroni soup was fresh and delicious. Yum. My veal dish was the best and most tender veal dish that I have her had. I've eaten at restaurants like Il Milino, Don Peppes, Carmines, and my mother's kitchen and I still believe this was the best veal dish that I've had. My wife loved her lasagna. I thought the gravy was a little sweet, but she loved it - she's has great taste too. After dinner, we had a lovely conversation with Franco regarding Montreal, sports, family, etc

Went to Da Emma on Friday eve, June 28, 2019, with two girlfriends. Both had food poisoning later that eve, and it started at the exact same time, so clearly it was what they ate at this restaurant. They both had prosciutto, one more than the other. My one friend was so ill she spent an hour in the bathroom stall at a bar we were at later that eve, and I had to take care of her and carry her to a cab. My other friend went home and was pretty nauseated all night, and she only had a small bite. Luckily they got my order wrong and I didn't have any prosciutto and was fine. Also, when our pasta arrived it was lukewarm - I will say that the waiter we had was extremely kind and even though there were a lot of mistakes that eve, he was lovely and we didn't need to pay our bill at the end. Although only after a bit of indirect pressure on our part for some kind of compensation. But the food poisoning was a dangerous scenario so I have to post this. My friend was so sick I was nervous I was going to have to bring her to the hospital. Luckily she is fine.

Great authentic Italian food in a neat atmosphere. A little sketchy when you first pull up in the alley but don't fear once you get down the ramp to the front door, it's worth the effort. Great selection of pastas and wine. Neat atmosphere in an old women's prison and plenty of interesting architecture while you are there.

There seems to be a lot of Italian food in Montreal, and I'm not totally convinced that this is the best. It's very solid food, authentic, and tasty but it's a bit on the pricey side. I suppose with all the celebrities touted on the wall, they can rest on their laurels a bit and command a pretty penny for their food. Don't get me wrong, the food was good, but I think I could find a better meal or better Italian food in Montreal for cheaper. The ambiance is pretty cool, as it was in what used to be a women's prison. There are no printed menus, so don't go searching or asking for one when you sit down - they will bring you a written menu on a chalkboard to your table (all written in Italian), and will explain it to you. They will also bring you a piece of bruschetta to start your meal. We were a party of 4 and shared all the dishes family style, which I would recommend so that you can try a little bit of everything. The best dishes were the eggplant parmigana, fettucini with porcini mushrooms, and the shrimp. The eggplant parmigana had really good flavor and was decently sized. The pasta was homemade, fresh, and you could just taste all the flavors of the porcini - don't leave without getting this pasta. The shrimp was very fresh, large, and really dense. Well seasoned and perfectly cooked. We also got the caprese (good, but not outstanding), the smoked salmon carpaccio with arugula (good, but I can make this at home), and the veal ravioli (good, but just tasted like a pretty standard meat ravioli to me with tomato sauce). All in all, good food, authentic, and delicious. Some of the dishes were certainly better than others, It was pricey for Italian food - we each paid about $75 CAD and didn't drink any wine. I enjoyed my meal but don't think I'd come back here again and again.

I can't say enough about how amazing everyone at Da Emma's was....We were a large Italian family celebrating our newest McGill grad. The food was divine and the wonderful atmosphere was perfect.

Probably my fvourite Italian in Montréal! Delicious wines and outstaning, super simple Italian dishes. Grandma Emma still cooks and rocks the kitchen. Simply amazing!

My preferred Italian restaurant in Montreal. The setting is elegant and intimate with excellent service. The food is very authentic Roman cuisine, and served in generous portions. The suckling pig roast is not to be missed.

Another amazing dinner! The Nonas in the kitchen is a visual reminder that you will be enjoying home cooked meals but restaurant quality! The 7 frames of photos with celebrities and athletes shows you it's a place to be. Meal was excellent. Fresh burrata, homemade tortellini soup, stuffed pasta with braised lamb and veal. Too boot the waiter graciously gave us dessert wine and biscotti on the house because we were too full for dessert.

Worst customer service ever! Our server Mark was condescending. I asked for selections of wines and he responded with such snarky remarks. The food was good but I really could not enjoy the food because of how horrible our service was. Not only to mention it took ages to get water, order, the bill etc we wanted to order desert but by the time he came by to check up on us or appetite had left and we just couldn't wait to get out of there. I eat out a lot whether it's fine dining to holes in the wall and at such an expensive restaurant I would not expect such horrible service to the point my appetite was lost. This resto has a chance of being great it's really neat how it's underground in a brick vault but please do something about your service. I will strongly recommend for you to spend your money elsewhere as Montreal has endless amount of restaurants and with great service.

The food in this place is not bad, it is nothing you will remember for its quality, but is not bad. The service was another thing. It would have not been so bad if they would have not pour some tap water in a glass with sparkling water or ask "what is that?" when asked for a ristretto (isn't it an Italian restaurant?)

Disappointed. Very odd place. Good and Bad. Plenty of pricey wine to buy. First plate of Bruschetta was good. Table bread was the first BAD bread we got in ten day food trip here. Doughey, heavy and tasteless. Cheap packaged butter? There was a menu shortage so waiter read the menu to us. Felt a lot of pressure to decide instantly. Waiter then changed my order to a half portion of pasta and just two meatballs for me. He said I would be too full. $35 entree for two good raviolli and two meatballs. Finished my dinner in three minutes. Salad was actually very poor with a bland dressing. Only two choices for desert, neither I cared for. I left having to find a place to get some more food, coffee and dessert. When you go there you spend a lot of money and they are in charge of your experience. Time to retire.

This place is fantastic. The restaurant itself is very charming, and they have a nice terrace open during the summer. We were lucky enough to score a spot on the terrace and stayed late enough to catch the fireworks from our table! The food was incredible, we ordered a bunch of things and couldn't say one bad thing about any of it! Their meatballs are seriously delicious and the ravioli was too, those were my two favourite things we ordered. Definitely worth the money!

My husband and I arrived in Montreal after a long days flight from Las Vegas Nevada. The girl at the desk at our hotel, La Dauphin Montreal, recommended Da Emma, and our cab driver seconded the idea, so off we went. When we arrived, the interior reminded us very much of a wonderful restaurant that we had visited at another time in another town where we were also strangers. No tables were available, but there was room at the bar where we received excellent service, and a good view of a happy group of people eating wonderful food! At the end of our meal, the manager called a taxi for us, and we were on our way. We raved about our experience to our friends when they joined us on our Holland America cruise along the coast of Canada and New England. We may never pass this way again, but we tell everyone we know about our delightful dining experience!

Best place yet. Rivals nonnas meatballs, but don't tell her that! Everything was absolutely spectacular. Service was amazing, atmosphere was amazing, everything was amazing. 10/10 recommend. The even have a wall of celebrities who've been there, including Jonny depp and vin diesel!

This restaurant was amazing, service from our waiter Renato was impeccable and he recommended some of the top dishes made by Emma. My husband and I each started off with a salad and shared the Gnocchi with veal meat sauce (holy cow!!). Renato explained the Gnocchi to us like this "they are little clouds that melt in your mouth" he was 110% accurate. For our main course we had the suckling baby pig brisket and veal chop, both incredibly tender, tasty and phenomenal. Last but not least, Renato asked if we wanted to meet Emma and we did, she is a amazing woman who has actually met so many celebrities. Thank you for the meal, we will be back!

I was recommended by a friend to come here for some Italian food and was not let down. Our waiter translated all of the menu to English for us and was very attentive - possibly some of the best service I have gotten at a restaurant. We shared the salmon carpaccio and prosciutto with cheese for appetizers. Both dishes were flavourful. As for the main course, I had the fettuccine with mushrooms and being the pasta lover I am, despite being quite full from the carbs, I knew I couldn't waste a single bite! The pasta dish was simple but delicious and cooked perfectly.

I love this place. Probably my favourite Italian restaurant. The food is simply amazing!! When alone, or with a friend, I really enjoy sitting at the bar. The bartenders are cool and you always end up meeting regular clients.

Mediocre at best. Who knows maybe it's because these are Covid times but the overall experience was just BLAH. The food wasn't anything special. In fact it left us regretting our choice of restaurant. I know hole-in-the-wall Italian joints all over the city that have better homemade pasta and sauces. This place is famous for the Nonna who cooks. I understand that traditional Italian is simple dishes with exceptional ingredients. Nothing about this meal was exceptional and the waiter made us feel rushed. We won't be going back.

I hesitate to write resto reviews as I am not a qualified food writer. However tonight, on behalf of innocent tourists everywhere, I make an exception. On the recommendation of a friend - and a respected guidebook - my wife and I dined at Da Emma in Old Montreal. I should have known better when, upon entering, I noticed several dozen celebrity photos along the walls (notoriously a red flag within the industry). Although buoyed by the interesting character of the room - a former prison - and the busy bustling crowd, dinner was a major disappointment. Two appetizers - eggplant and a caprese salad - though large in size, were bland and indifferent. The tuna secondi, albeit cooked to order, was drowning in a red sea of tomato sauce that even Moses could not have parted; and my agnolotti pasta tasted as though it had bought from the nearest IGA and then forced to sit in the steam table for hours on end. It's as though the kitchen was manned by automatons going through the mechanical motions of preparing the founder's recipes. The only thing going for our experience was our Tunisian waiter, however even he gave up on us towards the end, forgetting to remove our plates, and bring us the bill. In a city renowned for its restaurants, there has to be better examples of memorable Italian cooking.

Love the decor of the place - very interesting to dine in a former prison. But I can't say we enjoyed either the food or the service. Appetizer of burrata and prosciutto was very good. The rest of our dinner wasn't great. They have a t-bone steak which was bland and tough. To their credit, it was cooked to the correct temperature. Their mushroom pasta was strangely unappetizing - the mushrooms themselves were good, but the pasta was overcooked and granular. We mentioned this to the waiter who just walked away and didn't return. Their bread was okay if you like sourdough. So all in all, not a great meal. Not sure why this place is so hyped.