Disappointing service. Apparently server hates Montreal. Would not return. Please read this before reserving.
Went to Cabaret L’enfer for my birthday. The tasting menu took an absurd 3.5 hours for 7 courses. Our first plate was served 75 mins after seating.
To start off, despite reaching out multiple times about allergies and dress code, my email and reservation notes went ignored—I had to call repeatedly for a response.
The experience started off awkwardly; the restaurant wasn’t even fully set up when we arrived for the first seating at 6 PM. Service was inattentive, with odd moments like the male server re-folding my partner’s napkin as if it wasn’t good enough and forgetting to bring the wine pairing with the meal. The female server from France openly complained about “how much she hates Montreal” and spoke in French exclusively to my partner, despite knowing I preferred English. Worse, I overheard staff in the bathroom (getting dressed at 6:05 PM no less) making derogatory remarks about anglophones. Our main server Rosemary (Rose-Marie?) did her best, and she was the best part of the evening, but even she made the night feel uncomfortable at times. Lastly, nothing quite like having my server say to my face: "I really thought you were going to be difficult, but you're actually really nice and fun." What a birthday dinner, huh?
The food? Unremarkable. Nothing stood out, and some dishes were served on chipped dinnerware. Things that I did enjoy include the bread, the burrata, trout and two desserts. At $600 before tip for two with wine pairings and a few add-ons, price wasn’t the issue—value was.
In case management reads this, I want to be clear—the kitchen staff were lovely and friendly, but front of house honestly pissed me off.
I had high expectations, but this was not worth it. I behaved, I paid my 15% tip and I chose not to walk out mid-service. Would never go back. I heard the chef de cuisine is out of province right now, maybe this affected my experience.
Dietary restrictions: My email, reservation notes and early phone calls went unanswered. I finally got someone to pick up the phone the day before my reservation about a life-threatening allergy. Although they confirmed they did not have any of this food or risk of contamination on the current menu, they made it sound like I was the difficult one. Shame, since their website FAQ highlights that they are supposedly happy to accommodate.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
L j
Everything fell flat
Lise Venne
Mtl in lights 2025 We visit the place for a gastronomic experience. A meticulousness in the presentations and flavors are there. The invoice is accordingly. Harald with impeccable service. Wine pairing not always to our taste. Not very inviting this skull for dessert but I presume significant with the name of the establishment
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pâté En Croûte
ChrissEEdrummer
Exceptional! The food and service was on point! The buratta though!!!!!!!!
The owner has great energy and really knows his food!
Worth every penny! A must try!
Gauthier STRIEBEL
It’s hard to give more.
Booking at 7pm everyone was there at 7:30pm. Our first bite started at 8:40pm… now let’s maybe assume the kitchen is not used to a large group or got surprised (which should not happen as everything was booked in advance, but staff management and cooking are two different things)
The starter was made of microscopique « foi de volaille » and a flatbread covered of cheese and truffle. Then it basically went downhill from there until the desserts, which were delicious.
It’s not my first rodeo in « fine dining », Cabaret l’enfer was a match made in heaven. And it just didn’t work out.
For 140$ I was expecting better flavors from the starters and the mains, and overall a better quality/price ratio, especially when the portions are that small. The sauces were okay, lacking acidity while the rest of the dish was just too salty.
If you don’t wanna put foi gras on the menu just don’t replace it by foi de volaille… just make some homemade delicious creton and serve that.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Kévin Lacasse
The food is good, the food is delicious, but the service is terrible. It took us 2 hours to get the first two services of a series of 6. And we booked in advance..
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
Anne-Andrée Daneau
CANCEL ME A RESERVATION ON VALENTINE’S DAY? Seriously? Never seen anything like this. We are told that we must respect our reservations, while this restaurant does not care about its customers. A call at 2:40 p.m. the same day?
I am told that the 3 courses at 10 p.m. are not offered. Even though I booked SEVERAL days in advance and the option was there.
Not everyone wants to eat a multi-course meal at this time. I'm told they can serve it quickly. It's not really the best thing to do when you're having a nice evening. Eat 6-7 servings in 1-30 hours. Well yes. The ideal.
TO AVOID.
Pierre-Marc Auger
Great experience
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Christine Deschamps
It was very good, but at this price, it's basic. It lacked a bit of creativity. The sauces were a little salty. The service and ambiance lacked consistency.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 3
Yohan Di Rago
A remarkable evening at Cabaret de l’enfer ✨
The warm and refined atmosphere, combined with impeccable service, immediately won us over The dishes, homemade and prepared with seasonal products, revealed exceptional quality and finesse. A big congratulations to the chef and his assistant whose talent and creativity are clearly highlighted in each plate. The staff, both professional and attentive, contributed to making this evening a particularly pleasant moment.
An experience that I highly recommend and that I will not fail to repeat
Horrible service It has been 2 hours to get 1 service of food.
Food is mediocre, we even had a reservation and they made us.
So much worth the time and the money.
Linda L
The service was acceptable, but it was really the presentation of the dishes by the chefs that added a very welcome touch of luxury. Food-wise, some of the dishes were incredible, including the brown butter ravioli and the duck, the latter being a local favorite, although I preferred the ravioli. The mixture with the caviar was surprising but successful. On the other hand, the first course was a little confusing. The desserts were excellent.
I chose to take the food and wine pairing: half of the pairings were masterful, the other simply correct. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, although I don't know if I would recommend it. Might be worth the price, depending on budget.
Special mention to Luca for his service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pomme Noire, Dessert Aurore Du Cassis, Pâté En Croûte, Dessert À la Meringue
Arielle Eust
I was very impressed by this restaurant. The food, the service and the ambiance were fantastic. The chef is also very personable and speaks to pretty much everyone. Get a seat at the counter if you want to watch them put everything together with care. I also appreciate the dishware and how they use it. The food is colourful and plated very well which enhances the experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Richard Young
We had the 3 course late night menu and while it was very good, be aware that it not not a full meal. The 3 dishes are taken directly from the much larger tasting menu, and size is not adjusted, we left hungry.
The food was great though, especially the celeriac tortellini and the black apple dessert. The ribeye was a bit underwhelming compared to the other two dishes, and overshadowed by the sauce but still excellent.
Service was very good, we enjoyed being greeted and served by the chefs, allowing for us to discuss a bit about the food they were presenting. Very cool. The sommelier/ servers were also professional and did a great job.
Atmosphere was the big let down of the evening, music was too loud, lights were too bright, and the whole dining area felt a bit cold. The lack of window coverings and the large empty space in the middle of the room probably contributed to this effect.
Overall an excellent restaurant and I would love to return to try the full tasting menu.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Outstanding Desert
D. B. Wienke
Disappointment in tasting menu that is overpriced. I've dined in Michelin restaurants with better plating, more imagination and creativity. It is shameful that others believe this spot is a "must"
My unfortunate experience happened on the night that a new tasting menu was introduced and different from the listing on their website. Careless mistakes of burnt tostada, cold entrecote loaded with sinew and granita so warm when served it was liquid .
Who serves champagne in a pinot noir glass? They do. Top restaurants offer plates that dramatize the food presented; see bland white plates in the pictures.
Disappointing service. Apparently server hates Montreal. Would not return. Please read this before reserving.
Went to Cabaret L’enfer for my birthday. The tasting menu took an absurd 3.5 hours for 7 courses. Our first plate was served 75 mins after seating.
To start off, despite reaching out multiple times about allergies and dress code, my email and reservation notes went ignored—I had to call repeatedly for a response.
The experience started off awkwardly; the restaurant wasn’t even fully set up when we arrived for the first seating at 6 PM. Service was inattentive, with odd moments like the male server re-folding my partner’s napkin as if it wasn’t good enough and forgetting to bring the wine pairing with the meal. The female server from France openly complained about “how much she hates Montreal” and spoke in French exclusively to my partner, despite knowing I preferred English. Worse, I overheard staff in the bathroom (getting dressed at 6:05 PM no less) making derogatory remarks about anglophones. Our main server Rosemary (Rose-Marie?) did her best, and she was the best part of the evening, but even she made the night feel uncomfortable at times. Lastly, nothing quite like having my server say to my face: "I really thought you were going to be difficult, but you're actually really nice and fun." What a birthday dinner, huh?
The food? Unremarkable. Nothing stood out, and some dishes were served on chipped dinnerware. Things that I did enjoy include the bread, the burrata, trout and two desserts. At $600 before tip for two with wine pairings and a few add-ons, price wasn’t the issue—value was.
In case management reads this, I want to be clear—the kitchen staff were lovely and friendly, but front of house honestly pissed me off.
I had high expectations, but this was not worth it. I behaved, I paid my 15% tip and I chose not to walk out mid-service. Would never go back. I heard the chef de cuisine is out of province right now, maybe this affected my experience.
Dietary restrictions: My email, reservation notes and early phone calls went unanswered. I finally got someone to pick up the phone the day before my reservation about a life-threatening allergy. Although they confirmed they did not have any of this food or risk of contamination on the current menu, they made it sound like I was the difficult one. Shame, since their website FAQ highlights that they are supposedly happy to accommodate.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
Everything fell flat
Mtl in lights 2025
We visit the place for a gastronomic experience. A meticulousness in the presentations and flavors are there. The invoice is accordingly. Harald with impeccable service. Wine pairing not always to our taste.
Not very inviting this skull for dessert but I presume significant with the name of the establishment
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Pâté En Croûte
Exceptional! The food and service was on point! The buratta though!!!!!!!!
The owner has great energy and really knows his food!
Worth every penny! A must try!
It’s hard to give more.
Booking at 7pm everyone was there at 7:30pm. Our first bite started at 8:40pm… now let’s maybe assume the kitchen is not used to a large group or got surprised (which should not happen as everything was booked in advance, but staff management and cooking are two different things)
The starter was made of microscopique « foi de volaille » and a flatbread covered of cheese and truffle. Then it basically went downhill from there until the desserts, which were delicious.
It’s not my first rodeo in « fine dining », Cabaret l’enfer was a match made in heaven. And it just didn’t work out.
For 140$ I was expecting better flavors from the starters and the mains, and overall a better quality/price ratio, especially when the portions are that small. The sauces were okay, lacking acidity while the rest of the dish was just too salty.
If you don’t wanna put foi gras on the menu just don’t replace it by foi de volaille… just make some homemade delicious creton and serve that.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 1
The food is good, the food is delicious, but the service is terrible. It took us 2 hours to get the first two services of a series of 6. And we booked in advance..
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 4
Service: 1
CANCEL ME A RESERVATION ON VALENTINE’S DAY? Seriously? Never seen anything like this.
We are told that we must respect our reservations, while this restaurant does not care about its customers. A call at 2:40 p.m. the same day?
I am told that the 3 courses at 10 p.m. are not offered. Even though I booked SEVERAL days in advance and the option was there.
Not everyone wants to eat a multi-course meal at this time. I'm told they can serve it quickly. It's not really the best thing to do when you're having a nice evening. Eat 6-7 servings in 1-30 hours. Well yes. The ideal.
TO AVOID.
Great experience
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
It was very good, but at this price, it's basic. It lacked a bit of creativity. The sauces were a little salty. The service and ambiance lacked consistency.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 4
Service: 3
A remarkable evening at Cabaret de l’enfer ✨
The warm and refined atmosphere, combined with impeccable service, immediately won us over
The dishes, homemade and prepared with seasonal products, revealed exceptional quality and finesse. A big congratulations to the chef and his assistant whose talent and creativity are clearly highlighted in each plate.
The staff, both professional and attentive, contributed to making this evening a particularly pleasant moment.
An experience that I highly recommend and that I will not fail to repeat
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Horrible service
It has been 2 hours to get 1 service of food.
Food is mediocre, we even had a reservation and they made us.
So much worth the time and the money.
The service was acceptable, but it was really the presentation of the dishes by the chefs that added a very welcome touch of luxury. Food-wise, some of the dishes were incredible, including the brown butter ravioli and the duck, the latter being a local favorite, although I preferred the ravioli. The mixture with the caviar was surprising but successful. On the other hand, the first course was a little confusing. The desserts were excellent.
I chose to take the food and wine pairing: half of the pairings were masterful, the other simply correct. Overall, I enjoyed the experience, although I don't know if I would recommend it. Might be worth the price, depending on budget.
Special mention to Luca for his service.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Pomme Noire, Dessert Aurore Du Cassis, Pâté En Croûte, Dessert À la Meringue
I was very impressed by this restaurant. The food, the service and the ambiance were fantastic. The chef is also very personable and speaks to pretty much everyone. Get a seat at the counter if you want to watch them put everything together with care. I also appreciate the dishware and how they use it. The food is colourful and plated very well which enhances the experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had the 3 course late night menu and while it was very good, be aware that it not not a full meal. The 3 dishes are taken directly from the much larger tasting menu, and size is not adjusted, we left hungry.
The food was great though, especially the celeriac tortellini and the black apple dessert. The ribeye was a bit underwhelming compared to the other two dishes, and overshadowed by the sauce but still excellent.
Service was very good, we enjoyed being greeted and served by the chefs, allowing for us to discuss a bit about the food they were presenting. Very cool. The sommelier/ servers were also professional and did a great job.
Atmosphere was the big let down of the evening, music was too loud, lights were too bright, and the whole dining area felt a bit cold. The lack of window coverings and the large empty space in the middle of the room probably contributed to this effect.
Overall an excellent restaurant and I would love to return to try the full tasting menu.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Outstanding Desert
Disappointment in tasting menu that is overpriced. I've dined in Michelin restaurants with better plating, more imagination and creativity. It is shameful that others believe this spot is a "must"
My unfortunate experience happened on the night that a new tasting menu was introduced and different from the listing on their website. Careless mistakes of burnt tostada, cold entrecote loaded with sinew and granita so warm when served it was liquid .
Who serves champagne in a pinot noir glass? They do. Top restaurants offer plates that dramatize the food presented; see bland white plates in the pictures.
Skip this hyped up travesty.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 2
Service: 3
Loading...