Restaurant Méchant Boeuf — Restaurant in Montreal

Our worst and most expensive meal in a week of eating out in Montreal. I was expecting something primal, exquisite, a symphony of beef, a taste equivalent of an evening on the town with Elvis. Instead I felt like I'd got the dining equivalent of being stuck in an elevator with Yoko Ono. We arrived on a Thursday early evening. A stylish place, dark woods, dark walls, dark lighting, dark plates, all a bit funereal, but the only thing that died here was my hope and appetite. Our server Emma was personable and got us some drinks and menus. We informed her that we'd come for a dry-aged sharing steak but we're dismayed to learn that they literally had only one single piece of dry-aged aged steak and it wasn't even sharing a cut! This would prove to be an ominous portent and we should have made our excuses and legged it. Yet we were now settled in with our 3 year old and so selected a 45oz Tomahawk (priced at 155 C$) from their allegedly prime 'Butchers Cuts'. I suspect these 'butchers cuts' despite the weasel words are the wet packed type that budget supermarkets flog to those unaware or uncaring about the provenance of their meat. Our steak was as disappointing as homemade cocktails or an office party. It was of poor quality, badly cooked, completely lacking in depth of flavour, unappetising to look at, totally under-seasoned, and difficult. A properly cooked and rested medium rare steak should have a lovely uniform pink blush and a golden crust. This poor thing had lots of grey banding, some pink colouring and lots of rare to the point of raw bits. The rare/raw parts were also not warm which created for a very unpleasant and challenging eating experience in attempting to chew and swallow big lumps of cold, wet, fleshy dreary beef. A lot of the fat was also unrendered which added  to the collective co grimacing now going on at the table Emma did appear midway through our steak to ask if everything was good. I politely responded with the words that the steak was "okay" but with the intonation and accompanying facial expressions of near deranged disappointment to leave no room for misinterpretation that I thought the steak was NOT okay. She read the room and kindly shouted my wife a small glass of red wine on the house (but no drink for me interestingly?). The meat was served with some acceptable and colourful boiled veg and some unseasoned fries. If you don't season the fries immediately when they jump out of the fryer the salt later just bounces off when the customer attempts to season them themselves. Three small pots (the size of little mouse buckets from a Wendy-house) of sauce were also served. The bearnaise and pepper were not bad but the chimichurri was more of a chumpichurri. It should be vibrant, tangy, bursting with fresh herbs and not a swamp coloured oily sludge. My little boy selected a pasta dish with butter and parmesan from the kids menu, but his dinner was a lazy endeavour. Some boiled claggy unseasoned pasta ribbons with a mean dusting of hard cheese atop. No discernible butter, no emulsification, no effort. Not impressed. We were also presented with another table's bill at the end of the meal. Human error and completely unintentional but it added another final bum note to our evening at Merchant Boeuf. We paid and tipped, and later laughed at how we'd just been mugged off at paying so much for such an inferior meal. If the Merchant Boeuf team are proud of the steak they served us then perhaps they have lost 'the eye of the tiger', just like Rocky Balboa did in Rocky III when he got complacent and lost the fire and hunger and that edge. I'm not suggesting the team needs to go for a twelve week training camp in Los Angeles with Apollo Creed like Rocky did to get the 'eye of the tiger' back, but they can do better than this.  Anyway, no harm done, it wasn't the end of the world and what a great holiday we'd had in Montreal. Incidentally we had a very good steak dinner for half the price in Vieux-Port Steakhouse in old Montreal. Thanks for reading if you...

Today, I went to Méchant Boeuf with my friends to experience their special New Year's Eve menu. We were initially very excited about this experience, but it turned out to be extremely disappointing.

Menu: Starting with the first appetizer, the seafood plate—it was very average. Two small oysters, two shrimps, and half a lobster tail. Nothing noteworthy, just the original taste of the ingredients. The second appetizer, lamb chop, was better. The doneness was well-controlled, and the sauce complemented the dish nicely.

Then came the main course: a 32oz shared bone-in ribeye. This is where things started to go downhill. The steak was thick and overly fatty. While the surface was crisp, the inside was completely flavorless. The quality of the meat was subpar, lacking the juicy, fragrant essence of a good steak. Halfway through, it became hard to swallow.

Dessert was an even bigger disaster. I could recreate the same dish from any Metro supermarket’s dessert aisle. The quality and presentation were indistinguishable from store-bought goods.

Service: The service was equally terrible. I understand the pressure of serving on the last day of the year, but this level of service was simply unacceptable. First, we didn’t receive the complimentary sparkling wine promised in the menu. I noticed other tables received it, but we didn’t. Second, no one introduced the menu to us, and we didn’t even get the bread basket before the meal. Only after finishing both appetizers and noticing other tables had bread did we realize we were missing it. We had to ask for it, and even then, it felt like an afterthought.

When we asked for more bread and received confirmation from the staff, it never came—even after we finished our meal. Additionally, when our table got dirty, no one came to clean or address it. We had to clean it ourselves.

After the meal, I even had to check the menu on my way back to confirm what was included and what wasn’t. No one explained anything, and no one cared about our needs. I didn’t see any genuine effort from a fine dining restaurant in Old Montreal to provide a premium New Year’s Eve menu or create a memorable experience. All I saw was chaotic service, poorly executed dishes, and greedy business practices.

In the end, I tipped 10% out of respect for those working on the last day of 2024. The $203 per person bill was absolutely not worth it. I’d rather have gone to McDonald’s.

I do not recommend this restaurant...

Prepare your taste buds for a remarkable dining experience at Merchant Boeuf, the renowned steakhouse nestled in the heart of Montreal. From the moment we stepped through the doors, we knew we were in for a treat. Our exceptional waitress, Ludovie, elevated our evening to new heights with her impeccable service and genuine warmth.

Merchant Boeuf exudes an air of sophistication and elegance, with its sleek interior and cozy atmosphere. The flickering candlelight creates an intimate ambiance that sets the stage for an unforgettable meal. The restaurant's commitment to excellence is evident in every detail, from the carefully curated wine list to the perfectly cooked steaks that await.

Speaking of steaks, the culinary offerings at Merchant Boeuf are a cut above the rest. The menu boasts a tantalizing selection of premium cuts, each carefully sourced and expertly prepared. Whether you prefer a tender filet mignon, a juicy ribeye, or a perfectly marbled New York strip, you can trust that your steak will be cooked to perfection. The accompaniments, such as the velvety mashed potatoes and seasonal vegetables, are thoughtfully crafted to complement the star of the show—the steak itself.

Ludovie, our exceptional waitress, was a true standout throughout the evening. Her extensive knowledge of the menu, coupled with her genuine enthusiasm, elevated our dining experience to new heights. She expertly guided us through the wine selection, ensuring that each sip perfectly complemented our chosen dishes. Ludovie's attention to detail and her genuine passion for delivering exceptional service were truly remarkable and made us feel like honored guests.

To top off the evening, we indulged in the decadent dessert offerings. The rich and creamy crème brûlée was the perfect ending to a flawless meal, leaving us with sweet memories that lingered long after the final spoonful.

Merchant Boeuf truly lives up to its name as a top-tier steakhouse in Montreal. The combination of exceptional service, meticulously prepared steaks, and an inviting atmosphere make this establishment a true gem. Whether you're celebrating a special occasion or simply seeking an unforgettable dining experience, Merchant Boeuf is the perfect...