Vargas Steak-Bar-Sushi

We were searching for a good steak house and, by chance, came across this place - and we are really glad we did. After a day's worth of traveling, we were certainly more casually dressed, but they found us a walk-in table, and we had an impressive meal. The bone marrow was exceptional, and the Caesar salad was good (but I tend to like mine with a little more punch). The steaks were absolutely perfect, and the sides were delicious. Service - perfection! I'd definitely go back.

My wife and I celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary by having dinner at Vargas. It was absolutely amazing. My wife had the prime rib, which was done to perfection, accompanied by the garlic mashed potatoes. She absolutely enjoyed it! I had the Beef Wellington. It was also amazing! I also had the lobster mashed potatoes, and oh my goodness, they were brilliant! We followed up our meal with the strawberry cheesecake. Wow, it too was amazing!! Our waitress/bartender Amy was very friendly and extremely professional. She is a great conservationalist and wise beyond her years! You are very lucky to have such an amazing employee. Bravo!

Great lunch menu. Considering the amazing staff, atmosphere and dishes, prices were very reasonable.

I’ve been to Vargas a few times over the years and I always find the steaks to be hit or miss. It’s hard to knock a place for the steak not being tender and when I’ve told them about it they’ve always made something new. Unfortunately it’s been 4 out of the 5 times I’ve gone that someone in our group has had a bad steak. Most recently I had the prime rib which was surprisingly very tough but they replaced it with a filet and a free dessert. The crème Brûlée was probably the best I’ve ever had. I was there with my son and he got the burger. For kids they charge you 12$ which is nice but it’s the same burger on their menu minus the bacon. My son and I both agreed it’s probably the best burger I’ve ever had in my life. It was really good but it was a tad spicy so if that’s your thing you’ll love it.

Steak was fine. I had the salmon. 30 min later I was having severe diarrhea at home. Not what should be expected from an expensive place like this. Will not visit again nor recommend it.

Dinner for 4: The food was not fresh... 3 plates out of 4 were returned because one plate was overcooked, another undercooked with the wrong steak requested, and the fish smelled very bad and tasted funny. They ended up replacing the fish plate with a salmon plate, which was much better. The other two steaks were replaced without a problem. The waitress's service was super nice. I have nothing to say about that. We took two bottles of red wine for our meals and both bottles were very cold. Red wine shouldn't be that cold... it spoils the taste. Will not be going again.

Food was good but overpriced, dessert was also fine. Drinks were good. Overall good place but nothing out of the ordinary for a steakhouse

Excellent service by Roberto. We enjoyed his recommendations. He was very courteous and knowledgeable! We are looking forward to our next visit!!

One of the best restaurants in Montreal. All of the food was amazing. The service could be more warm, welcoming, and attentive. The French Onion Soup had perfectly bold beef broth. The Tuna Tartar was good. But next time I'd like to try the Beef Tartar or the Salmon Tartar. The sushi Lobster Robusuta Roll was excellent with lobster inside and out. The Bone-in Rib Cap steak was phenomenal. They focus on the outer marbleized flavorful part of the ribeye steak and cook it with a wonderful char, nicely seasoned, and cooked to a perfect medium rare. The side dish of Cipollini Onions (like pearl onions) was good. The side dish of Sauteed Mushrooms was addictive. The Truffle Fries were nice thick and light. The Dulce De Leche cake was good. We love it that they have Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc wine.

Pros: Great ambiance Excellent, friendly service Beautiful dining room Vast wine menu Enjoyed the Vargas salad with shrimp Sushi menu also available Cons: My steak was overcooked and kind of tough It lacked flavor - disappointing since this is an upscale steakhouse Pro tip: Park in the adjoining lot and it's an easy walk. Try the seafood; there's a lot on the menu.

This place was delicious. The service was great. It's right next-door to the Fairmont hotel very walkable great ambience and it includes steak and sushi so if you're not in the mood for steak, eat the sushi. I got the ninja roll. It was amazing. Here's a picture. Bring your wallet your wallet with the biggest credit card,it's not cheap!

Our waiter was amazing so this review is not in correlation to him whatsoever. This was a birthday dinner for my mom so it was really disappointing: Not pictured - Chicken satay - 8/10 ( sauce a bit sweet) Bone marrow - 10/10 ( melts in mouth ) Pictured: Baby octopus - 7/10 ( served cold and a bit rubbery) Braised Lamb Shank - 9/10 ( delicious and generous portion Lamb chop x 2 - 4/10 ( meat was tough , 0 seasoning , over charred & burnt ) Virgin Cesár - 9/10 Espresso martini - 9/10 Bottle water- not worth paying 8$ since it's water Verdict : do not recommend the lamb chops or octopus & if unsure about what mains to get , maybe get a few appetizers to share and drinks . Would I go back? Most likely not. Thank you Yohan/Johan for your amazing service

We were seated promptly. We had good service throughout the meal. Oysters were nicely presented. They were fresh and tasty. Caesar salad was very good. My friend and I both got the lamb shank as it seems to be one of the more popular items. It was very tender but somewhat bland. I liked it but my friend did not care for his.

Felt like a steak as wanted something close. Vargas did not disappoint. It hit the spot. The food was very good but it was our waiter that made the meal extra special. Pascal was incredible! Started with a salmon tartar that was slightly spicy but was good. Next was a foie gras that was melt in your mouth good balanced with a maple syrup sauce. Main was a 45 day aged rib eye. Cooked perfectly and a great size to share. All in all a great meal. Don't forget the truffle fries. Again it was the staff that made the night.

Vargas was our first place to dine in Montreal and it was extremely tasty! Started with the oysters and a lemon drop martini so good! I had the braised lamp shank and it was flavorful and tender, definitely a must try dish and cooked to perfection. Our server was great! It did get a little busy later into the evening and towards the end she needed help but she went above and beyond to the best of her availabilities. There's also a bar area that looked chic and trendy!

Service was great! However good or the main meal was extremely disappointing. The lamb chops had no seasoning and tasted unsavoury like yr just eating cooked meat. The braised lamb was good. Grilled octopus for appetizer was great. The baked bone marrow was amazing. However it was disappointing after getting that type of meal.

We found Vargas strolling around central Montreal and looking in the windows it looked perfect for us. Although it looked crowded for a Saturday night, we were seated quickly. Wine list was great and we ordered salads, prime rib and even creme brulee. The wait staff was pleasant and informative as well as prompt. The beef was wonderful and the entire experience was great. As a US citizen the exchange rate made it even more fantastic since the bill came in about 25% lower in Montreal than NYC,

It's been a long week, but we accomplished a big goal today so we shall dine like kings! I've walked past this place so many times and dreamed of eating here, but I told myself I wouldn't until I got to a certain point. Well, here I am and here's how Vargas was! Atmosphere/Appearance: This is a very nice, upscale, elegant and mature establishment. You expect nothing less from this place the moment you walk in. From the music, the staff uniforms, decor and spacious interior... it whispers of success and a place you want to be. Upon walking in from the side entrance you are greeted by the aging locker lit up very nicely showcasing many different cuts of dry-aged meats. Once through you're greeted at the host stand where they'll then take you to your seat. The main dining room is a decent size and it butts up against a pretty major intersection where you can do some people-watching through the huge glass windows! Lol. There's another more private dining room further down, but in the other direction is the bar... where there's happy hour! More on that later... Service: I mean, come on. Of course Etienne was awesome. We had everything we ever needed even before we asked for it. Lol. Food: We got there a little early before our reservation and guess what? It was still happy hour! Apparently it runs until 7:00pm and only in the bar area. Well, we weren't seated in there, so I bought a glass of wine at the bar then brought it to my table. Lol. I then repeated that process until happy hour expired. Now, for dinner! I went for the 2nd biggest steak they offered, merely because the biggest cut was almost twice as much. Ha. I also got a side of sautéed mushrooms and grilled asparagus to accompany my 22 oz. Bone-In Rib Eye. Everything was just freaking fantastic. I don't even need to describe it, find out for yourself. Value: Bank-breaking to be honest. Lol. All prices are in $CAD. My steak was $65.00 and it's a la carte. The mushrooms were $8.00 and asparagus was $7.00. So after taxes and tip, my bill was $110.00, just for myself. I deserved it and it was worth it. Treat yourself! In conclusion I legit thought about coming back here today, but... I didn't. Maybe I'll catch happy hour tomorrow! Just know I'll be back some time!

This is one of the highly rated restaurants in Montreal and we decided to try it out for their steaks. Was not impressed and not sure what the fuss is all about. The appetizer platter gives you a good mix of different dishes to try. The mini burgers were really good and so was the hot sauce. They have a full bar for those who are thirsty! For the main course, I chose the Rib Eye Vargas Cut as it is the specialty of the restaurant. The sauce the steak came in was good but I personally dint care so much for the steak. Not that it was bad.... it just was not great. My colleagues tried the lamb shank and a rib eye. Their feedback on their dishes were similar to mine - nothing out of the ordinary. The kung fu style fries did not satisfy my palette either. Service was just fine. The restaurant is located in downtown Montreal and can get busy during peak hours. Making a reservation would be advisable. Pricing : Moderate to high. Not worth the money given the food was average. Will I return? : Not on my own will ;)

Beautiful restaurant, with high ceilings and fresh atmosphere. Their table d'hôte at lunchtime is extensive and has something for everyone (a fish du jour, sushi plate, ribs, a hamburger). Excellent, attentive service.

One of the best steaks that I've had, didn't try the sushi but looked great, can't wait to go back for another date night

We had a steak (filet mignon) and a steak-with-sushi for entrees. All was excellent. Steak was cooked just right, the peppery sauce with one of the steaks was very nice and the sushi was also very good. Service was top notch. We felt it was definitely worth the relatively high price.

The food was incredible. Went here on business. Had quite a few items. Every dish was fantastic. Bill was pricey but a treat. Had a few drinks as well.

Great service with mediocre food. I really want to have loved this steak house, but even though the staff was extremely kind and on top of it...the food was not. My sirloin was tough and bland. For a restaurant who claims they are proud about how they age their beef, there was a reason they left the salt and pepper shakers on the table. My wife's filet mignon was veined and lacking flavorful. The side Caesar was overly dressed and goopy and croutons were from some local supermarket probably. What a joke. The mashed potatoes were bland and the sautéed kale was swimming in oil. Who is overseeing the quality of this food? Certainly not someone with any culinary knowledge. My children's burger we're charred and the buns were burnt. I spent almost $300 for my family and we literally decided to go to Mc Donald's afterwards for dessert because we were tired of being ripped off. Sorry, I really tried to love this food, but besides the decor and service, everything served was inedible.

Whats not to like about Vargas. It is an upscale steak and sushi restaurant. Everything is 1st class about this restaurant. The staff are truly professionals and at the top of their game. The bartenders create the perfect environment for drinking and experiencing some of Quebec's finest liquors. The decor is very rich and the atmosphere is very enchanting. The food is very inviting. I tried several sushi rolls. All were very fresh and prepared nicely. On a second visit, i explored the meat side of the menu. I tried the braised lamb shank. It is everything you see in the photo and more. Flavorful and tender lamb shank, braised, placed on top of whipped potatoes surrounded by a brown mushroom gravy. C'est Bon. Bon Apetit.

Nice ambiance, service and food. Typical steakhouse, just a bit confused with the sushi though.

Great service, totally deserves 5 stars. Food was delicious. The reason why I'm giving 4 stars is because I had much better mashed potatoes. However the lamb shank was exquisite and well cooked.

This was the only restaurant I've seen that offers a ribeye cap! Perfectly prepared. The meat just melted off the lamb shank. Best I've ever had! The chocolate cake is a must for dessert. Staff was very nice with exceptional service. I definitely will go back again.

Ana and Alex were amazing tonight! The sushi recommendations, conversation and drinks at the bar topped any restaurant I visited while in Montreal. You can't find a bartender better than Ana in North America! Ana is someone that brings patrons back to the restaurant with her personality and bartending skills!

I was really in the mood for a steak with a nice peppercorn sauce so we decided on this place. I ordered the steak frites. The steak was very good and cooked to order but I was disappointed with the peppercorn sauce. It was far too pungent. It was crying out for some cream to subdue the intensity of the flavor. My husband had the eye of ribeye steak that came with a maple and Jack Daniels sauce and said it was excellent. We ordered a lobster tail that was very small. Two bites small actually. That's $10 a bite. I know it's lobster but still... I couldn't taste it anyway after eating that palate killer peppercorn sauce. I found it odd that there was a little pile of lettuce at the bottom of the bowl of mushrooms. Could it be that they were trying to make it look like there was more than there actually was? Our waiter was very amiable but seemed a bit stretched. He said he would bring us some bread at the beginning of our meal but he never did bring any. Regardless, on the whole, the service was pretty good. For dessert we had a three tiered chocolate cake that would have been excellent if it was a bit fresher. We still managed to polish it off though.

Ideally, you'd like to come here for lunch especially if you work around downtown. The service is extremely fast. We came here as a group of 24 for lunch last week and we were well served. We were hastly seated and was greeted right away to ask if we had any questions or if we wanted any drinks. Their wine list was very long. I'd guess that the choice of wine must be great for those who know their wine very well. On the food side, I had a beef satay as an appetizer and a tri-tip sirloin with fries as a main dish (special of the day - it varies I think). I really liked the satay as lot as they delivered a lot of flavour, and the peanut dipping sauce was great to pair up with it. As for the steak part, I asked for a medium-rare and it did come out rather medium, and wasn't to my liking. Since we came here on lunch, I did not have the time to return the item. I'm sure if it was cooked the right way, it would've been better. However, don't let that distract you from visiting here especially for lunch. Great for business casual lunches or trying to finalize a deal over lunch.

It was getting late and we really needed to eat before going back to the hotel. We were walking and found Vargas. We loved it. All of it. It is great. I had never been to a place that has a full steakhouse menu and some of the best sushi you will ever have, I was in heaven. We decided to share food. The Prime Rib was perfect and we ordered mashed to go with it and oh my God. It was wonderful. We also ordered various sushi and a sushi sandwich. Okay, we spent a lot of money, but it was so great and there was not one thing we did not love. Their wine list is extensive and the server will help you out. She/he will also tell you what is the freshest fish to have and what is just great. The service is great and you can linger if you want. The place is spotless, it is beautiful and you will love it. I can't wait to go back.

Was on business trip and came here. I do not know how it compares to the other steak places in montreal. But compared to toronto it was ok. Felt like the Keg. Food wise: they have a prime rib for $36 that was ok. Nothing special but isnt bad. Alcohol was about $8 a beer. Reservation: they take reservations and they speak english. Went there around 9 it wasnt busy

Exceptional meal, terrific surf and turf, cooked to perfection, and the crème brûlée for dessert was the best I've ever had, only tiny complaint was the Caesar salad came a touch soggy, but I was part of a very large business group with pre fix ordering so they probably had to get them all together for me along with 40 other people before serving so it was no big deal.

Really underwhelming. The 10oz medium rare filet was more on the medium side and the char on the steak overpowered the already weak flavor of the beef. The seared foie gras was really a well done piece of foie gras... as in it was burned on both sides and the center was hard and spongy instead of on the rare side. The maple bacon mash potatoes were good. But nothing special. The best parts of my meal were the glass of scotch leading up (A nice 18 yr single malt) and the Bordeaux I had with dinner (Rothschild). Hard to get those wrong. This was a block from my hotel and I was lured in from the cold by what looked like a swanky place with a great ambiance. I was suckered... Service was good. I was at a table in the bar and they had an event in an adjacent room that had spilled over... lots of loud, obnoxious, drunk business men... I hope I'm not like that!

Loved the ambiance, decor, staff and of course, the food. Recommend the Vargas Salad, Sushi Pizza and the Flank Steak. Yum!

I wanted a special place to celebrate my husband's birthday while in Montréal. Vargas delivered. It's a beautiful restaurant with great service, without being too pretentious. Prime rib and ribeye were cooked perfectly medium. The garlic mash and asparagus went well with the meal. I don't want to forget the hot rolls at each table, yum. Needless to say, hubby had a good birthday.

We were there for an office Christmas party. So this review will focus around that. The good: Lots of space to move around. Lots of tables and chairs. Waiters walking around with trays of food, on which the food was terrific! Good drinks. Good ambiance. Main dishes are okay. Service was good. The bad: Portions a little disappointing. Main dish food were okay. When you leave door, it is hard to get to the streets as there is a crowd of smokers glued to the door (and suffocating). If they could only check snd keep the exit clean, then this would be a wonderful place.

Amazing! The best French onion soup we had in Montreal. They accept Amex which was also very important. Our server was sweet and helpful! The food was delicious! The Vargas burger was delicious! The restaurant was quiet and we made reservations through open table!

Enjoyed the appetizer combo plate. Ordered the ribeye with mashed potatoes. Service was just ok... same for the food. Steak was not cooked to my request. I would come back in a pinch.

My wonderful personal Yelp guide to Montreal, Mister O., and I met to try out Vargas on a cool evening last week--perfect weather for a carnivorous foray into one of the city's premiere steakhouses. We arrived a bit early for our reservation, so decided to indulge in a drink at the bar. All beautifully polished wood, the bar (and restaurant itself) was quite large and the bartender, friendly. Unfortunately, she seemed not to be terribly familiar with how to prepare his martini or my lemondrop martini, which came out a bit frothy and not nearly citrusy enough for my taste. Still, my companion and I enjoyed sitting at the bar, chatting about hockey, and stealing glances at the NHL game on the bar TV. When we were ready to be seated, we were led through the grand dining room to a table near the window. As I read through the menu, I realized there wasn't any sushi. I know, not odd for a steakhouse--except for one that touts having a sushi chef, as I'd read about Vargas in several places. In fact, the only sushi I saw was a roll on the appetizer menu. Regardless, I was more than happy enough to stick with steak. After deliberating between the rack of lamb and rib steak, we decided to order both and share, with me selecting the Montreal-spiced rib eye. Both entrees came with a choice of potato (baked, twice baked, fries, Yukon gold mashed) or seasonal vegetables. Mr. O. went with the vegetables and a side order of fries, while I got the twice-baked potato. We both started with a Caesar salad, which was surprisingly large for a side salad. The dressing was creamy and cheesy, and quite delicious. When the steak arrived, it seemed to overwhelm the plate, and the twice-baked potato was nearly obliterated by its 17 oz. heft. I had ordered it medium-rare, and to my taste it could have been a bit more rare. As I took my first bite, the Montreal spice (seasoned salt, pepper, various herbs, mustard seeds) hit my tastebuds--a little salty but very good. The shiraz we'd ordered was perfect with the steak, as it was able to hold its own against the spices. Service was always attentive, but rather amusing. The waiter, for whom English was not his first language though he spoke it impeccably, had a catch-all phrase that he used throughout the meal, "The worst is over." When I placed my order, he said, "The worst is over," and again when he poured my wine, and at various other points of the meal. I had to ask Mr. O. if this was a Canadian phrase and he said it wasn't. But it was charming and funny. In all, the evening and meal were very pleasant. For Vargas, I give 3 stars. The minuses were the bad martinis and slightly overcooked steak. The flavor of the steak was a definite plus. If I were reviewing the company alone, I would give 5 stars to the experience of dining with Mister O.--a true raconteur and superb guide to Montreal, without whom I would have missed a lot of wonderful food. Merci!

The Food was hit or miss. The service was not great . We had hard time getting our drinks refilled. the steaks were not cooked like we ordered. But were tender. The soup was hot and had good flavor. Over all I would not rush back here. There are many other places to try.

Went for a quick work lunch with two colleagues. Ideal since we managed to get seated, order, eat and pay in 40 minutes. Service was really good and the lunch menu is affordable. I had the côte de boeuf which was alright, lacked accompaniments except a small bowl of vegetables. This place is good for business and work lunches if you work in the area.

Everything here was excellent. My only complaint is the wait for the food which our server apologized for. Got the VIP platter for two. Everything on it was really good. Also got a poutine and some sushi. The martinis are also top notch! Try the pina colado martini!

this was by far the worst dining experience I have had in a long time. The only positive was how nice the waitress was. The food was at best mediocre. I ordered a medium rare filet mignon and it arrived medium to medium well... The waitress tried to take it back but the manager came back to argue that the steak was done perfectly and if we wanted it redone it would take some time. Needless to say, we will not be going back.

I travel and dine out quite frequently, this was a fantastic experience. Outstanding ambience and personal service. Easily the best prime rib I've ever had. Incredible crusted pepper, very lean...Given that this is prime rib. An incredible portion. Flavor was incredible! The Sides could use a little work. Rather small and each side is not meant to really be shared. My wife had the fillet mignon and it was delectable! We shared a bottle of red Chianti wine which was also delicious and fairly priced. Finished with the volcanic chocolate lava cake and it was also phenomenal! As this was an anniversary dinner, we couldn't have been happier with the way it all turned out. Thanks for the wonderful service.

In town on business and this restaurant was recommended by a fellow co worker. Overall the prices were fairly decent or at least what one would expect for a city center restaurant. However the quality was very good as well. I order the sushi as my main course and the gyoza as an appetizer. Both were very good. The location inside was very nice as well. When I'm back in Montreal , I wouldn't mind give me this place another shot.

If there was a way to give negative stars that would be my choice. Walked in to the establishment with a party of 6. I recognize we did not have a reservation but is was roughly 7:00pm. Hostess told us there was nothing available but if we wanted to come back in 20 minutes or call she had a reservation that had not shown up yet and she was going to hold the reservation for 20 minutes. That is normal and so we asked if there was a bar we could wait at and the reply was "yes but there are people at the bar" NEVER have I been told anywhere that I can't wait or have a drink at a bar while waiting for a table. Top that with the fact that the bar is visible from the outside and it had more than half of the chairs unoccupied. My take is that the establishment is "selective" about its patrons which in my world equates to profiling. Our party was white Caucasian well dressed but not Canadian. Their loss on multiple levels. We went to another restaurant where we were seated, had an excellent meal with excellent service and had a total check of over $700. To the management of this establishment I say to remember that we live in a digital world where one unsatisfied customer can prevent many other patrons from walking through their door.

Great location for a business meal. I like the fact that they have good steaks and sushi :-)

Rivals some of the better LA sushi establishments - and they serve steak! Prices were reasonable and the selection for both sushi and entrees was great. My only gripe was that they did not offer more sake choices - only two kinds are on the menu and neither are unfiltered (the most flavorful IMO). Great service - but we went on a Sunday night and it wasn't at all busy - a pleasant surprise considering how many great reviews the place has. Excellent. One last note - the food - quality & portion - sushi pieces are bite sized (like authentic japanese sushi should be) so if you're expecting huge pieces of fish you'll want to go elsewhere - and the wife raved about her steak, which was cooked perfectly. You will not be disappointed!

I recently tried Vargas after passing it several times between my hotel and the convention center. After getting out of the conference late one night, I stopped in here with my mom. At first I was worried about being underdressed (in just a top and jeans) but once I saw how the person at the front desk was dressed, I felt fine. I ordered the lobster and crab patties ($17) and garlic mashed potatoes ($6) that were fluffy and the perfect amount of garlic. Another night, I ordered six seared scallops ($35) and for dessert shared a chocolate lava cake. All the food was delicious, if a little overpriced. Definitely order a side or appetizer if you order the seared scallops. Even though the scallops were delicious it just wasn't enough food for dinner. Overall, I like the atmosphere and location.

Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees.

It took me so long to finally try Vargas Being a block away from The Keg, I never bothered with any other steakhouses. This place seemed a bit stuffy and business. The service is top notch, the food very well executed and the prices are not as insane as one might think. I had the filet mignon with scallops and it was pretty good. Only downside, I upgraded to a side poutine and it came with melted mozzarella cheese! They do have a terrace in our short summer, it's overlooking a busy street, but it'll do.

Had dinner at Vargas on Saturday night celebrating a friends birthday. Ethan was our server and made the experience at Vargas fantastic! The dry aged ribeye was tender, the lobster tail cooked to perfection and the lobster mash creamy and delicious. I highly recommend the apple dessert...it was so good I wanted more. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone!

"Uh, sir? What was that you'd said you wanted in your Martini?" "Vermouth." "Oh. Don't get a lot of requests for that." Christ, Jesus. Wondering why most of my reviews are for places in New York City? Well, there you go. If someone knows where I can get a decent 2:1 or 4:1 Martini in Montreal, please PM me. Finder's fee paid. First one's on me. But I digress. Americans have been very, very kind to me. Absurdly kind. And therefore, when a Montreal-bound American Wet Coast yelper stumbled across my few Montreal reviews and PM-ed me a whole lotta sincere questions about smoked meat and Globe and automatic weapons and local cannibalism indices and poutine, it ended up with us meeting in a downtown steakhouse for a slice of (non-human) protein and a lie-of-the-land chinwag. Vargas was drawn out of a mutual hat; close to her hotel, and a redolent meat-smelling place I'd frequently walked past and wondered about. They won the coin toss. It's not a *bad* restaurant. Really. Let me explain. Drinks at the bar... Well, young lady, Martinis should have been covered in your basic bartending manual. I didn't ask for a dry one. I only tipped you properly because you were courteous enough to *ask*, and because what you finally re-mixed for me was in fact drinkable. After downing our libations, we asked to be moved to a broad, flat surface, there to ritually devour the Flesh of Animals™. This was accomplished briskly. Good table, but the room was nearly empty, so we served as window candy. No problem. I had a clean shirt on. We began to peruse the menus. Mademoiselle turned hers upside-down a few times before wondering aloud what language it was written in. I called the waiter over, and asked if an English version existed. Provided in an eyeblink, without a murmur. Bienvenu a Montréal. Linguistically sorted, my foreign conspirator opted for a rib-eye. I defaulted to my "when you see rack of lamb on a menu, order it" setting, with an agreement to swap forkfuls. "Potatoes, sir? Fried, baked, or mash?" "Fries, please." Ordered a Caesar salad alongside. Glass of house Shiraz to wash it down. Big, stupid, happy fighting wine. I'm no sophisticate; I just like the stuff with coarse red meat. Their house Shiraz is as sweet as the village idiot. I wanted to crawl into the glass with a warm muzzy smile. The Caesar salad was very nice. Rich dressing, crunchy lettuce, good portion. A bit above my average expectations for a decent starter salad. Lamb, ordered medium rare, arrived medium rare. With a decent, interesting pile of pan-fried vegetables. And *mashed* potatoes. Mashed. Note that I'd ordered fries with that. The potatoes and vegetables were both around blood temperature. The lamb was piping hot. *Everything*on my plate tasted superb, though, temperature notwithstanding. The lamb's rosemary sauce was thick, rich, tasty, and wholly appropriate. The vegetables had been seasoned and cauterised by an expert. And the mashed potatoes, while exactly not what I'd asked for, were too luscious to send back. I also traded a bit of my sheep for a couple of cubic inches of mademoiselle's steak, and it was wholly as good as anything I'm able to cook on my charcoal barbeque. These people can handle open flame real well. Table service was a bit quirky; our waiter was a character, somewhat, but effortlessly courteous and responsive nonetheless. He worked for his tip, and his manners and attentiveness almost made up for his and his kitchen's lapses. What the place needs to embrace, seriously, is attention to detail. To wit: A barkeep who doesn't recognise vermouth (fucksakes!) as a Martini ingredient; getting mash when I'd ordered fries; lukewarm potatoes and vegetables served with proper-hot meat. Didn't ruin the experience, exactly, but it's what I'll remember and talk about. And write about. (Oh, look. Duh.) If you fetch up here? You'll be treated well, yes. Nice room. Very polite staff. Tasty food. Their cooks do know how to spice a steak and make a sauce. Clean restrooms. But bring a chalk and slate, because you may need to spell some things out to the front line staff. Like what a goddamned Martini's made of. And what a fried potato looks like. (Hint: "Fried" does not mean "Hammered Flat".) Three stars, mostly for meat, manners, and attitude. They do appreciate your business. They just need to figure out how to earn repeat visits. RTFM, d00ds.

Everything was good. Poutine, truffle butter fries, broiled salmon, glazed salmon, lamb. (My family likes to trade food samples). The vibe was upscale and classy, and surprisingly affordable. I would definitely go back.

In Montreal for a Bachelor party and walking away from the Hell that is the Time Supper Club. Devastated that our fabulous weekend had just been completely ruined in the span of 30 minutes, we trudged dejectedly back to our hotel. We had thrown in the towel, we were done, we were ready to go to bed, to end our weekend right then. However God was smiling down on us this night. As we walked my dad glanced to his left and noticed Vargas. "Hey guys I read this morning that, that place is a pretty good steakhouse". Having not eaten we decided to give it a shot, what did we have to loose? Walking up to the door we could smell the steak in the air. Pulling the door a wonderful sound washed over us, after the godawful pounding Techno music at Time SC, could it really be? ... it was Old Blue Eyes crooning from the speakers. Never before or since have I been happier to hear Sinatra. Looking at my best friends I simply muttered "I think we're gonna be OK here." I didn't know at that moment but I've never been more right. We were seated almost immediately, moments later we had bottles of wine of the table. We ordered appetizers, the calamari & the stuffed portabella mushrooms, absolutely fabulous! Now for the main course, Porterhouse, all around. Outside of Peter Luger's it was the best steak I've ever had. Barclay Prime, Del Frisco's, Ruths Chris, Morton's, The Palm, they can all take a back seat to this steak from Vargas. Perfectly seasoned with a Montreal Style steak spice. It had been grilled to a perfect medium. I savoured every bite. I probably would've eaten the plate. It was that good. In conclusion Vargas single handedly saved one of the greatest weekends we've ever had together from ending on a terrible note. If that's not worth 5 stars then nothing is. In fact I give it 6.