Les Enfants Terribles — Restaurant in Montreal

I visited Les Enfants Terribles yesterday with my girlfriend and her two kids, and unfortunately, the entire experience was extremely disappointing—especially considering it was my birthday.

For starters, we ordered calamari and beef tartare. The calamari cost $20 and we received only 10 small pieces—yes, just 10. For that price, the portion was shockingly small. The beef tartare, listed at $19, came out as a very thin layer of beef, with such a tiny portion that it wasn’t even filling for one person.

For mains, we ordered two bacon cheeseburgers, seabass, and steak frites. The seabass and burgers were decent, but the steak was a complete letdown. Presentation was a 1/10—just a thin slice of beef placed on a plate with no care or garnish. We asked for medium rare, but what arrived was dry, chewy, and overcooked. For $40, the portion of beef we got was nowhere near worth the price—you could easily buy enough beef at the grocery store for $40 to feed six or seven people.

After complaining to the waiter, they offered to bring another piece of beef as compensation. This time it was slightly larger and topped with a blob of butter (which wasn’t included with the first one), but again it was overcooked—closer to medium-well than medium-rare. While it was a small step up from the first attempt, it still didn’t justify the $40 price tag.

On top of the food issues, the atmosphere was unbearable. A large group of about 20–30 people gathered near the bar, not even sitting, just standing there loudly chatting and taking over the entire space right beside our table. Their volume was so excessive that it ruined the experience for us. While guests conversing at their own tables is normal, this kind of disruption was unacceptable. What made it worse is that no staff member addressed it. It gave the impression that a bunch of well-off people could stand around, disturb everyone else, and the restaurant wouldn’t bother to intervene.

To make things worse, the cocktails were $20 each and came in half-filled glasses packed 60% with ice. Paying $340 for four people, we left the restaurant still hungry and extremely disappointed.

What was supposed to be a special night out ended up being frustrating and unsatisfying. My honest suggestion for Les Enfants Terribles: either reduce the prices or increase the portion sizes, and please start caring about the dining atmosphere for your paying guests. There is a big difference between fine dining and simply overcharging while neglecting service and environment.

Overall rating: 3/5

Would I recommend it? Honestly, no—not for the value...

Location: Place Ville Marie, Rue Cathcart, 9pm, Tuesday, Aug 27th, 2024.

As a classically trained culinary gastronome, I rarely take the time to provide reviews unless the experience is either exceptional or terrible.

THIS WAS EXCEPTIONAL!!!

1st time back to Montreal in decades. Had a long day @ an international medical Symposium in The Bonaventure Hotel. The concierge & front desk both recommended the eatery that was close & had decent cuisine.

I arrived after 9pm but they're thankfully still serving.

I was alone & as usual, parked myself @ the bar to get up close & personal with the staff & had a view of the open kitchen.

JC quickly attended to me, l asked by chance if they served the 1792 Full Proof Bourbon (Double Gold Winner in 2 of the 2024 World Spirit Competitions: in San Francisco & Singapore), which disappointingly, they did not. I ordered a glass of water instead, which l commented was very good....compliments to the Montreal community water system.

I wanted FISH & CHIPS, but they were "86" (out) of it by then. JC unhesitingly recommended the EUROPEAN SEA BASS. I reluctantly took his advice. Fresh seafood is rarely properly done in a high volume commercial establishment & l expected an average @ best product. But, l was hungry & I didn't quibble with JC.

Refreshingly, it came quickly & l could immediately see that it had been expertly prepared: The skin of the Sea Bass was seared to just the right crispiness. The flesh was perfectly done, neither over or under cooked, an often difficult skill. It had a good flavor & texture. Likely the best piece of Sea Bass l've ever tasted. The green beans were sautéed just right (tender yet still firm....al denté). The accompaning fennel was also done well & flavorful (Would love to have frond strands included). Not to forget, the remoulade was also distinctive, rich in umame texture (anchovy added depth of character) with a slight spicy bite to add to the ying-yang balance of the Sea Bass. I wished l had a slice of french bread to sop it all up. My promise to JC to return the next night unfortunately, went unfulfilled. As was my desire to acquire their distinctive black t-shirts with their restaurant moniker. My final note is to the well run operation. All of the employees, JC, most of all, were exemplary in their cordial, courteous & efficient, knowledgeable attention to patrons & service details. I watched the choreographed teamwork & if their fastidious attention to the work of cleaning their glassware is any indication, they exemplified proud dedication to their duties.

Richard Xia Kansas...

I recently had the unfortunate experience of dining at Les Enfants Terribles with family visiting from out of town thus showing him the nice view of Montreal. We had a reservation for 7:30pm and arrived promptly. Despite placing our orders by 8:00pm, my meal was conspicuously absent which was a simple regular burger. While the rest of my table received their orders, I was left waiting. When I approached our waiter, Yanis, at around 8:30pm, he informed me that my burger had been burnt and a replacement was being prepared.

By 9:30pm, my meal had still not arrived. At this point, all my guests had finished eating. I expressed my frustration to Yanis and requested to cancel my order. In an attempt to appease me, he offered a chocolate mousse, a dessert... while I still haven’t eaten anything. When I asked to speak with the manager, I was told he was too busy, despite the restaurant being only half full. I asked for the managers contact information and he said he did not have that information and did not want to disclose.

After a lengthy wait, I noticed he went to speak to a group of workers in which one was the manager but someone who didn't appear to be the manager approached our table. He disclosed that my order had never been made, contradicting Yanis' earlier explanation. At this point, it had been over an hour and a half since we placed our orders, the manager asked me what can we offer you a dessert or your meal in a to go bag but I had lost my appetite and did not want the meal. They ended up offering to comp my tables 2 drinks.

On top of these service mishaps, the restaurant has moved from its previously coveted top-floor location to the 3rd floor of the Place Ville Marie Building. Despite the change in location, Les Enfants Terribles continues to charge premium prices for its view. Unfortunately, the slow, inconsistent service and poorly trained staff make it hard to justify these prices.

Overall, my experience at Les Enfants Terribles was deeply disappointing and failed to meet even basic standards of service and...