Bouillon Albert — Restaurant in Montreal

I discovered Bouillon Albert a little over two weeks ago, and I’ve already been twice, which isn’t something I usually do. The restaurant is new, but it’s run by the same owners who previously operated the tartare steak spot that used to be there. That said, the experience now is completely different! and much improved! The service, in particular, has taken a huge step forward. It’s attentive without being overbearing, and the staff seem genuinely proud of what they’re offering.

The menu is a little short, yes ... but it’s focused. It stays true to the spirit of a traditional bouillon: classic French comfort food, simply prepared, reasonably priced, and made to feel approachable rather than pretentious. Everything I’ve tasted so far was well cooked, well balanced, and presented with care. You can tell the kitchen is aiming for quality and quantity, and it shows.

What really caught me off guard was the pricing. It’s shockingly affordable ! In the best possible way! In today’s dining landscape, it’s rare to find a place that offers this level of execution at such reasonable prices. That’s exactly what a bouillon should be.

Now for the highlights. The rillettes de tours is a standout, light, delicate, and beautifully seasoned. The millefeuille à la verveine honestly blew me away! crisp, airy layers with just the right amount of herbal sweetness. And I know it sounds simple, but the mashed potatoes deserve a mention too, smooth, buttery, and perfectly seasoned. When even the mash is memorable, you know you’re in good hands.

I’m really glad this place opened up. It’s unpretentious, thoughtful, and delivers far more than the price point would suggest. I’ll definitely be going back — probably sooner...

I think the whole experience was very negative. Our reservation for 2 was at 17h on a Sunday, we were told there would be another service at 19h, so we understood that. The waiter forgot to order our roast potatoes, and then a slew of waiters and busboys and busgirls came to try to take away or plates, one after another, and we would have to explain again and again, that no, we were waiting for our potatoes. Then when it was established that our potatoes had been forgotten and on the way, the continuous attempts to clear our plates away continued, as there seemed to be no communication about our situation. When the potatoes arrived, they were undercooked and sent back. The harassment continued. We were told we would not being charged for the potatoes and we would have been fine with all this, we were given a tea, but no teaspoons. What was most insulting was the (I am assuming) manager who got down to our face level and, ina most condescending tone, close talked (!!) to us by telling us that there was a gentleman waiting for our table who was sitting at the bar and we would have to leave, as if our still being there was our fault! It was very disturbing to have someone do that, it felt very demeaning. I will not go back and I cancelled a reservation I had made for 5 this Friday as a result of this terrible service. I was there to make sure the place was good and it was not. It is one thing to turn tables, it is another to make your clients feel uncomfortable because you haven't the wherewithal to communicate...

Overall: 7/10 Food: 7.5/10 Service: 6/10 Atmosphere: 6/10

We visited in mid-March 2025 as a group of four. We had made a reservation a week in advance, but upon arrival, we were seated at a table right in front of the door. When we asked if we could switch tables, the staff was unaccommodating, despite three empty tables being available. This negatively impacted both the service and atmosphere, as every time the door opened, it felt like we were sitting in a refrigerator. That said, we did appreciate the staff’s efforts to keep the door closed to minimize the cold. As a suggestion, installing a space heater or raising the height of the divider could help improve the experience.

For food, we started with the soup as an entrée, but it was disappointing—it reminded us of canned Campbell’s chicken noodle soup. We wouldn’t recommend it. The bread was also underwhelming.

For mains, we ordered the duck, which was decent, the ravioli, which ended up being one of our favorites, and the bouchée à la reine, which was quite good. The rest was pretty average.

Since we were still hungry by dessert, we decided to order one of everything. Out of the five desserts, the profiteroles were the standout. The millefeuille and crème caramel, however, were pretty forgettable.

Overall, while the food had some highlights—especially the ravioli and profiteroles—the experience was let down by poor seating, unaccommodating service, and an underwhelming starter. If you’re in the area, it’s worth a try, but with a 7/10, there are likely...