Molenne — Restaurant in Montreal

Very rarely does a restaurant get everything right, as there are trade-offs. Attentive and knowledgeable service usually comes with pretension. This is where Molenne comes in and displays a masterclass in service and cuisine without the pretension.

The atmosphere has old accents and modern touches, ushering in the new while paying homage to the rich culture of Montreal. You can feel that the night is going to be an experience with the level of service that you can see in the room.

Alex (one of the owners) is very knowledgeable about food and wine. He is approachable, there to make sure you have the best experience. (He also curates a mean playlist.)

The wine list created by sommelier/partner Miro is expansive, showcasing the best wines and spirits that complement the seafood-forward menu perfectly.

The menu showcases the best of local produce, ethically raised beef, and sustainably caught seafood. Everything I tried was thoughtfully prepared. The seafood was elevated with different sauces and garnishes to accentuate the natural sweetness and flavor of the seafood. The Basque cheesecake at the end of the meal... now that is something else. Dense, but light and not overly sweet with a generous topping of savory grated cheese.

Alex, Miro, and the team at Molenne are absolutely crushing it. You NEED to visit Molenne just once to truly understand the magic of what a well-run...

The decor was pleasant, with personal touches that caught the eye and high-quality materials. However, the noise level was unbearable, consistently reaching unsafe levels above 100-105dB. This was not due to music, but rather from the reverberating voices of the patrons. It’s baffling that a mid-range restaurant like this would neglect such a crucial issue.

The bar and kitchen staff were knowledgeable and expertly prepared all drinks and dishes, which our party of six thoroughly enjoyed.

The service was a complete disaster. From the moment we arrived, we were left standing with our coats on for five minutes without any acknowledgment. To make matters worse, we received only half of the food we ordered. The waitress took away the wine list before we could even order the bottles we wanted and had to wait a while to get it back. To add insult to injury, everything was almost systematically served to the wrong person, usually at the other end of the table. White wine was poured into red wine, and ustensils kept going missing, never replaced by the staff. It was clear that the staff was confused and lacked effective communication. The wait for the bill was an eternity. I’ve never encountered such disorganized and poorly managed service.

Let’s hope the breaking-in...

Food was on Point - as were drinks. Atmosphere and staff were very pleasant. Wait was very long / and noise level high making casual conversation strained but party ping and celebrating is fine. But for the price point number of things still left to be desired in our opinion. While all dishes were great with duck cannelloni and the lamb being high points on the meat side; the fish main was also delicious - fish and seafood starters were a little stingy. Wine list impressive - but a bit of a shame the number of options should you choose not to spend over $100 … We did love the food, we weren’t hurried so the wait was ok that night, but we won’t hurry back as the price point puts it on the same level as some serious competition in the city, Decor was great too. Pet peeve : we ordered one dessert to share, as the food had been 1st rate and we were curious if dessert was on par + it was a celebration…. We were brought 2, we pointed it out, told one was on the house… but both were on the bill…. We discovered at check time… would love to try Molenne...