We had a phenomenal experience at Patente et Machin, both with the food and the people/service. One of the most delicious food experiences of our lives - everything was cooked to perfection, with dynamic, pleasing, and unique flavors. It was a great pleasure to meet and talk with Francois - thank you for the conversation and the delicious ice cider!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sharon Ullrick
Delicious menu! Challenging location with the street repairs, but fantastic experience once you're inside. Only in Quebec City a few days. This was a highlight.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sylvain LAVAZAIS
Best dinner restaurant I've ever had in Québec City. There are not so many choice, but everything was great. The waiter describe us each dishes by heart and even describe the composition in details. The cook did an awesome job from the beginning to the end. Anyway, I greatly recommend this address
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Andrew Cumming
Five stars aren't enough for this place. The service was impeccable, the vibe was cozy and welcoming and the food was peerless excellence. I had the wapiti, which was delicious, but I think I enjoyed the vegetables even more.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Harrison Richer
Total madness, but they’ll cook circles around anyone with one of those red signs!
Tr Alamazoo
Unique delicious food in a local atmosphere. We are from NYC and love to escape the tourist area. Food and wine selections awesome.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Vincent Rousseau
Great upscale but not pretentious restaurant
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Elizabeth Ransom
You’re destined for a flavorful journey at Patente et Machin. So don’t be deterred by the large yellow backhoe parked at the door. Rue Saint-Joseph West is being repaved, and the construction crew hasn’t realized they are blocking a portal of culinary delights.
Walking in was like stepping into another era, with tunes from the 70s playing and nostalgic nicknacks adorning the walls. Apparently, the decor features remnants of its first cook’s bachelor apartment—including a ship steering wheel and a shelf of old cassette tapes.
It felt like entering a private dinner party. Sous chef Jordan was hovering over three steaming plates at the open kitchen table which doubles as a bar, carefully placing colorful greens. He looked up and smiled, asking if my husband and I would like the window seat. Why yes!
We sat under a rough-edged chalkboard with cryptic menu clues — “Tartare | Céviche | Tomates | Poireau Vinaigrette | Viande | Pétoncles | Canard | Saucisse | Flétan”
Simon*—a friend standing in as a waiter that night—elaborated on the offerings in delicious detail. We swilled a Prosecco recommended by Chef Jeremie to pair with our starters, braised leeks and cauliflower cooked three ways, each with edible flowers and intricate sauces applied in cheerful round dollops. Then grilled scallops wrapped in bacon and plump sausages on a bed of white beans, both made with meats from the neighborhood butcher.
Jordan brought wines to match the 2nd course and entertained us with stories of the restaurant’s history. Anthony Bourdain reviewed sister restaurant L’Affaire est Ketchup, in his series Parts Unknown. The name comes from an old French-Canadian saying translating “put ketchup on it; it will be fine” or “everything’s cool.” The chef prepared everything on an ancient electric stove, creating magic in his unglamorous open kitchen. When demand for tables outstripped his space, he launched a new offshoot a few blocks down. Patente et Machin, another Québecois slang-derived moniker, roughly translates as “serious stuff and thingies.” These creators don’t take themselves too seriously, but their artistry is worth witnessing.
Jordan heard me mention my husband’s birthday and whisked out a scrumptious buckwheat cake with mint and strawberries topped by a candle. Then he ran into the kitchen and retrieved a festive balloon and a bottle and joined us in a complimentary shot of something scrumptious.
Construction obstacles notwithstanding, I highly recommend dining at Patente et Machin!
*Simon’s mother Josée Rousseau is an artist who sells copper plate etchings of Québec City. You can find her on Artisans’ Street near the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. We took home one of her exquisite impressions of Vieux Québec.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Liam Wilson
Went here for the last meal of the Quebec City trip with my mom last night. We were celebrating her 59th birthday. It was the best meal of the trip by far. The service was exceptional; the wine memorable; the atmosphere cozy; the food deliciously unique and well-portioned. The location was a little bit out of the way due to construction. It didn’t look like much from outside but we were pleasantly surprised. At the same time, we kind of expected that it would be good because of the reviews online. But they still exceeded our high expectations. The waiter might have been the co-owner or at least it seemed like it. He really knew what he was talking about and had the whole menu memorized. There was only one waiter and one chef for the whole restaurant. Despite this, the wait times were not unreasonable at all. Nothing too pretentious or experimental about the food, which is always a risk with these higher end places. But it was still like nothing either of us had eaten before and so I had to leave a review.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Darryl Bennick
We ate dinner here this past Saturday night. Best dining experience of our vacation. I think 3 guys basically do everything there. Seat you, take your order, make your drinks, cook, serve. We loved how they ran the place. We loved the concept of them explaining the menu to a group of tables at the same time. Fantastic. Food was killer. There was a lot going on in each plate. Scallops were delicious, with the celery root puree, along with a blood pudding croquette which was exceptional. Duck breast spectacular, with a cherry foie gras sauce. Tomatoes, with basil pesto. My Old Fashioned's were delicious. The music/playlist was varied and well thought out, clearly coming from guys who showed care in assembling it. I run a small business myself, and also take pride in making playlists for it, and so when I hear a good one, I notice. More than anything, the guys treated us like good friends. Put it this way, I got back to my hotel and was thinking that if I switched careers and opened a little restaurant with a few other friends, I'd want it to be like Patente et Machin. Job well done, guys. You made our last night amazing.
Must try if you are in the area! Unique atmosphere and service
Cant go wrong with the steak frites 😄
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Kim Buttemer Devermann
Chef Jeremie is phenomenal. Five menu items ordered and all were superb. We couldn’t get into their sister restaurant but glad we came here instead.
Definitely sit at the bar if you can. And beware of the server who loves taking selfies on your phone…
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mallory Weaver Lelak
We dined here on a Monday night. It certainly isn’t a typical restaurant experience as the menu is on the chalkboards and not explained immediately upon arrival, but in waves with other tables. Our waiter knew the wine list well and was able to help us choose something we would enjoy. The food was nothing short of incredible. The veal sweetbreads are one of the best things I’ve tasted in quite a long time. We each had fish for our main course (scallops, seafood pasta, cod) and everything was impeccable. We finished with the maple bread pudding and the lemon merengue dessert. We could not have had a more delicious meal and truly enjoyed every bit of it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Shawna Sklar
The food is spectacular, made with love and attention to flavour. Make sure to order dessert, there’s a reason the house specialty has been on the menu since the beginning.
We had a phenomenal experience at Patente et Machin, both with the food and the people/service. One of the most delicious food experiences of our lives - everything was cooked to perfection, with dynamic, pleasing, and unique flavors. It was a great pleasure to meet and talk with Francois - thank you for the conversation and the delicious ice cider!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Delicious menu! Challenging location with the street repairs, but fantastic experience once you're inside. Only in Quebec City a few days. This was a highlight.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Best dinner restaurant I've ever had in Québec City. There are not so many choice, but everything was great. The waiter describe us each dishes by heart and even describe the composition in details. The cook did an awesome job from the beginning to the end. Anyway, I greatly recommend this address
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Five stars aren't enough for this place. The service was impeccable, the vibe was cozy and welcoming and the food was peerless excellence. I had the wapiti, which was delicious, but I think I enjoyed the vegetables even more.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Total madness, but they’ll cook circles around anyone with one of those red signs!
Unique delicious food in a local atmosphere. We are from NYC and love to escape the tourist area. Food and wine selections awesome.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Great upscale but not pretentious restaurant
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
You’re destined for a flavorful journey at Patente et Machin. So don’t be deterred by the large yellow backhoe parked at the door. Rue Saint-Joseph West is being repaved, and the construction crew hasn’t realized they are blocking a portal of culinary delights.
Walking in was like stepping into another era, with tunes from the 70s playing and nostalgic nicknacks adorning the walls. Apparently, the decor features remnants of its first cook’s bachelor apartment—including a ship steering wheel and a shelf of old cassette tapes.
It felt like entering a private dinner party. Sous chef Jordan was hovering over three steaming plates at the open kitchen table which doubles as a bar, carefully placing colorful greens. He looked up and smiled, asking if my husband and I would like the window seat. Why yes!
We sat under a rough-edged chalkboard with cryptic menu clues — “Tartare | Céviche | Tomates | Poireau Vinaigrette | Viande | Pétoncles | Canard | Saucisse | Flétan”
Simon*—a friend standing in as a waiter that night—elaborated on the offerings in delicious detail. We swilled a Prosecco recommended by Chef Jeremie to pair with our starters, braised leeks and cauliflower cooked three ways, each with edible flowers and intricate sauces applied in cheerful round dollops. Then grilled scallops wrapped in bacon and plump sausages on a bed of white beans, both made with meats from the neighborhood butcher.
Jordan brought wines to match the 2nd course and entertained us with stories of the restaurant’s history. Anthony Bourdain reviewed sister restaurant L’Affaire est Ketchup, in his series Parts Unknown. The name comes from an old French-Canadian saying translating “put ketchup on it; it will be fine” or “everything’s cool.” The chef prepared everything on an ancient electric stove, creating magic in his unglamorous open kitchen. When demand for tables outstripped his space, he launched a new offshoot a few blocks down. Patente et Machin, another Québecois slang-derived moniker, roughly translates as “serious stuff and thingies.” These creators don’t take themselves too seriously, but their artistry is worth witnessing.
Jordan heard me mention my husband’s birthday and whisked out a scrumptious buckwheat cake with mint and strawberries topped by a candle. Then he ran into the kitchen and retrieved a festive balloon and a bottle and joined us in a complimentary shot of something scrumptious.
Construction obstacles notwithstanding, I highly recommend dining at Patente et Machin!
*Simon’s mother Josée Rousseau is an artist who sells copper plate etchings of Québec City. You can find her on Artisans’ Street near the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. We took home one of her exquisite impressions of Vieux Québec.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Went here for the last meal of the Quebec City trip with my mom last night. We were celebrating her 59th birthday. It was the best meal of the trip by far. The service was exceptional; the wine memorable; the atmosphere cozy; the food deliciously unique and well-portioned. The location was a little bit out of the way due to construction. It didn’t look like much from outside but we were pleasantly surprised. At the same time, we kind of expected that it would be good because of the reviews online. But they still exceeded our high expectations. The waiter might have been the co-owner or at least it seemed like it. He really knew what he was talking about and had the whole menu memorized. There was only one waiter and one chef for the whole restaurant. Despite this, the wait times were not unreasonable at all. Nothing too pretentious or experimental about the food, which is always a risk with these higher end places. But it was still like nothing either of us had eaten before and so I had to leave a review.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We ate dinner here this past Saturday night. Best dining experience of our vacation. I think 3 guys basically do everything there. Seat you, take your order, make your drinks, cook, serve. We loved how they ran the place. We loved the concept of them explaining the menu to a group of tables at the same time. Fantastic. Food was killer. There was a lot going on in each plate. Scallops were delicious, with the celery root puree, along with a blood pudding croquette which was exceptional. Duck breast spectacular, with a cherry foie gras sauce. Tomatoes, with basil pesto. My Old Fashioned's were delicious. The music/playlist was varied and well thought out, clearly coming from guys who showed care in assembling it. I run a small business myself, and also take pride in making playlists for it, and so when I hear a good one, I notice. More than anything, the guys treated us like good friends. Put it this way, I got back to my hotel and was thinking that if I switched careers and opened a little restaurant with a few other friends, I'd want it to be like Patente et Machin. Job well done, guys. You made our last night amazing.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Excellent!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Must try if you are in the area! Unique atmosphere and service
Cant go wrong with the steak frites 😄
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Chef Jeremie is phenomenal. Five menu items ordered and all were superb. We couldn’t get into their sister restaurant but glad we came here instead.
Definitely sit at the bar if you can. And beware of the server who loves taking selfies on your phone…
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We dined here on a Monday night. It certainly isn’t a typical restaurant experience as the menu is on the chalkboards and not explained immediately upon arrival, but in waves with other tables. Our waiter knew the wine list well and was able to help us choose something we would enjoy. The food was nothing short of incredible. The veal sweetbreads are one of the best things I’ve tasted in quite a long time. We each had fish for our main course (scallops, seafood pasta, cod) and everything was impeccable. We finished with the maple bread pudding and the lemon merengue dessert. We could not have had a more delicious meal and truly enjoyed every bit of it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food is spectacular, made with love and attention to flavour. Make sure to order dessert, there’s a reason the house specialty has been on the menu since the beginning.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
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