Le Bateau-Mouche at the Old Port of Montreal — Attraction in Montreal

I came on this dinner cruise for my bf and I's 1st anniversary together and had such terrible service from our waiter that we had to ask to be served by another waiter after our entrée because he was seriously ruining our experience with his cold and arrogant attitude and after he swore while leaving our table (I won't go into detail about the situation because literally every interaction with this waiter was disappointing). He made me cry during the supper and ruined our anniversary. Not to mention that the food was just alright for a 310$ experience (over 400$ with drinks included) when the boat was half full since it was off season. I called to complain about the situation the next day and was told I would get a call back Monday. Friday, still no call back so I called again and had the manager call me back shortly. The manager, which I still can't believe, was extremely rude over the phone defending his waiter cutting me off on everything I was saying and actually said to me ''This is not Occupation Double (a Quebec reality TV show) I don't have time for gossip'' when I was being really polite and patient and just trying to describe to him exactly what happened in my evening. I mean the least he can do is listen to me after what happened and not insult me!! Initially he was willing to reimburse me only the fees of the pourboire (which is only on the supplemental alcohol bought) and the window seat fees which were 20$ per person. After I said that I was not satisfied by that I felt like I should at least be reimbursed 50% since I would have left the boat if I could literally after the entrée and for having our anniversary ruined. Then he says well I'm going to reimburse you for nothing now because you're not satisfied with my proposition. So no compensation and ended with an even worse experience than initially. Honestly I was flabbergasted that a manager could even speak this way. Never dealt with such an experience in my life and very dissapointed by all this. Never going back on this boat again. *Since I can't reply to the manager's answer to my review, I will add my reply here. For some reason, he seems to think that I'm not making this complaint with my boyfriend and that we don't speak to each other? We are literally reading your response first thing this morning waking up together. The amount of lies he is saying to cover his tracks are incredible. I only called ONCE after waiting 6 days for a call back because I was told I would get a call Monday (2 days later) and I only called 1 time literally the next day the event happened to place my complaint. And the reason I tried to explain the situation in detail again over the phone was because at the beginning of our conversation he admitted that he didn't read the complaint email that was written but he heard about it briefly. So how could he have investigated it in depth before speaking to me? We tipped on the drinks because it was the other waiter serving us at that point and because we actually are righteous people. And using my boyfriend to try to defame my character is really disgusting and borderline sexist. Like I said over the phone, he was the first to complain about the service and he was the one to convince me to complain about the situation. The bathroom situation obviously never happened. You can tell alot about how this company runs by how you are responding again to this situation. I should have listened and recorded our entire conversation as proof but I tend to trust companies being good intentioned. You can lie as much as you want here but I've already spread this incident to all my friends and family. If you knew us at all, you would know what we have very respectable careers and really have no reason to be doing this at all. But really, no matter who anyone is, no one deserves this kind of treatment and that's really my point here. I'll take my "very disrespectful and rude" self to all the other amazing restaurants and places in all of Montréal as we always do and in which we never have this...

A Disastrous Experience for an Exorbitant Price

We had reserved a dome for six people on February 22 at 7:15 PM, expecting a memorable and high-end dining experience. Unfortunately, the evening was marked by poor organization, nonexistent service, and disappointing food, all for an outrageously high bill.

Extreme Delays from the Start

Upon arriving on time, we were told our dome/table was being cleaned and that it would take 10 minutes. However, we ended up waiting 40 minutes, while other groups, including another party of six who arrived after us, were seated before us. A frustrating and unacceptable way to start the evening.

Inefficient Service and Absent Staff: • Only one physical menu for the entire table, which was inconvenient for a group of six. • We chose the six-course menu to simplify service, yet this did nothing to improve the incredibly slow experience. • One hour after being seated (9pm), we finally received water, which should have been provided from the start ( our reservation was for 7:15pm). • The mises en bouches that were supposed to be included in the menu were missing. When we asked about them, the waitress simply responded, “Oh, we’re out of them, we’ll deduct it from your bill,” with no apology or alternative offered. • Our signature cocktails were flavorless, tasting more like mocktails with no trace of alcohol. My drink was undrinkable, and I had to request a replacement, which was exchanged for a glass of white wine—hardly a fair solution. • No staff follow-up whatsoever—whether to refill water bottles or check in on the meal’s progress.

Late and Poorly Prepared Food: • Appetizers were served with excessive delays, including dry salmon gravlax that had clearly been sitting out for too long. • The palate cleanser (Trou Normand) was completely liquid, nothing like the description on the menu. • The main courses arrived far too late, and the filet mignon steak, which was only available as “medium-rare” or “well-done,” was fully well-done for everyone who had ordered medium-rare (we have photo as proof). The grilled salmon was cold. • The cheese course was dry and hard, another clear sign that it had been left out for too long.

The Only Thing That Came Quickly: The Bill!

After hours of waiting for our food, the bill was delivered immediately, as if that was the only thing that mattered. No compensation, no sincere apology—just a ruined evening.

An Outrageous Price for a Terrible Experience:

We paid $242 just to reserve the dome and about $160 per person, totaling about $1,200, for an evening filled with unacceptable delays, missing items, subpar food, and nonexistent service.

The Only Good Thing? The Dome’s Atmosphere:

There was no snowstorm, no extreme cold, and the temperature inside the dome was perfectly comfortable. The ambiance was the only positive aspect of the night.

No Excuse for Such Poor Professionalism:

When we expressed our frustration, the waiter simply said that the chef was running late, deliveries had been delayed, and they were short-staffed. These excuses are unacceptable for an establishment that markets itself as high-end, especially given that we had booked a month in advance. Your social media advertising loses all credibility after such an experience.

📢 Avoid this place if you expect service worthy...

Bateau Mouche: an overpriced, cramped and hungry cruise

On Friday, August 29, 2025, I went to Bateau Mouche in Montreal to celebrate my girlfriend’s birthday. We were joined by another couple and, honestly, we expected a memorable evening. What we got was a mix of frustration, involuntary laughter, and growing hunger.

❌ Cons

Confusing location For first-timers, finding the boat is a challenge. The signage in Montreal’s Old Port is poor and not intuitive.

Expensive and limited parking We arrived early but still paid $35 for a spot that wasn’t worth the price.

Overpriced boarding ticket We paid $290.90 just to board the boat — no food or drinks included. We wanted a window seat, but the price was even more outrageous for a difference of half a step between central and window tables.

Rude check-in staff The young man at reception was arrogant and impolite. Clearly not suited for customer service.

Cramped seating We’re four adults averaging 1.80 m (about 5'11"), and the space between tables and chairs was uncomfortable.

Slow service The cruise lasted 3 hours, but we were only served after 2. The excuse: too many orders on the lower deck. Hire more cooks!

Disappointing food We paid $199.98 for two AAA filet mignon dishes. The portions were so small they looked like plate decorations: a handful of beef, sweet potato purée, beets, and baby cabbage (I think that’s what it was). We were so hungry and the portions so ridiculous that we all laughed. Ironically, it was the funniest moment of the night.

Underwhelming mocktail The Voile d’été tasted like sparkling water with a hint of flavor. Very little, though the taste was pleasant.

Feeling ripped off As a cook myself, I find it unacceptable to charge high prices for meals that don’t satisfy. When I pay over $35 and get tiny, bland portions, I feel like suing.

Forced tipping I refused to leave a tip, and the waitress tried to justify it by blaming the kitchen. I disagree — service is a team effort, and the overall experience was poor.

✅ Pros

Friendly captain Despite our friends arriving late, the captain gave us an extra 10 minutes and was always smiling and welcoming.

Excellent pina colada One of the few pleasant surprises of the night. Well made and tasty.

Kind waitress (despite the tip issue) Although she tried to defend the tipping, she remained polite and friendly.

⭐ Final rating: ★☆☆☆☆ (1/5)

The night had its comic moments — especially when we laughed at the tiny portions served. But overall, it was a frustrating, overpriced, and uncomfortable experience. Next time I think about cruising, I might just stay on land. It feels safer…...