Stem Bar — Restaurant in Montreal

Exceptional from start to finish. STEM does not take reservations, but when we arrived on Friday at 7pm, we went straight up to the bar, where there was plenty of seating. We were greeted warmly by the staff who were very helpful in recommending what to eat and drink.

Although STEM appears to be a bar first and a restaurant second, everything we ate was truly exceptional—well presented dishes which were original and the perfect sharing portion.

The cocktails are straightforward and no-frills, but prepared well. The wine selections by the glass were the perfect pairing to the meal, a light crisp red perfect for summer nights.

We sampled the smoked trout fritters, which were topped with caviar—crisp on the outside and creamy in the middle. Next we had a pile of crisp brussels sprouts which had a great balance of flavour and texture. This went well with the unique salted pancakes with burrata. Underneath the burrata was a pile of delicious truffle shavings which elevated the dish, it was truly delicious. Finally, we had the spinach rotolo which sat on a pool of delicious and creamy tomato sauce. The meal was filling and the perfect portion for sharing.

There are many more dishes on the menu that we would like to try and we will most definitely return again!

Overall, the atmosphere, cocktails, wine and high-quality dishes make STEM bar an excellent value and a great date night locale in a neighborhood known for...

TO AVOID: 30 min wait for NOT GOOD FOOD, $1 stickers, and no trash

This place looked cute so my kids and I thought it might be interesting to try on a nice sunny day. We ordered, grilled cheese, halloumi toast with apples and kale, salad, and tomoato soup. It wasn't particularly crowded but I waited with my two little ones for more than 30 minutes to get out food! While we were waiting, I saw stickers (no price) and thought it might be nice for the kids...turns out they were $1 each (after I had just spent over $50 on food!).

The food itself was practically inedible. My kids were starving by the time we got our food and they eat everything (from escargot to brussel sprouts!). The fact that they wouldn't eat the food despite their hunger says a lot. The tomato soup was peppery, the halloumi toast had no apples, and the grilled cheese was greasy and had some sort of weird pepper spread. Honestly, if you list a classic like grilled cheese on the menu...it should be grilled cheese unless you say otherwise.

On top of the wait and the bad food, they provided places to eat outside their restaurant but no place to put the trash. Someone came in with what was left of their take out asking and they were told there was a public trash bin half a block away! If you have a place for people to eat, provide a place for them to throw out...

This might have been one of the least pleasant dining experiences I have had in Montreal.

To start off, the dishes were indescribably underwhelming. The idea of deconstructed food is not an inherently bad one, and can be wonderful if done right. This was not the case. The chips and dip was not bad perse, but it was strange that the chips were store-bought and served inside the bag. The beef tartare was not a beef tartare, but a flat pancake of lightly cooked ground meat with celeriac sprinkled on top. The courge delicata was nothing but a few stingy slices of delicata squash swimming in cooking oil and buried under a pile of uncooked spinach.

The food was well seasoned, and the music choice and atmosphere were cozy. Unfortunately, this only makes the experience even more frustrating because the food is so lackluster. Not to mention the pricetag of $65.54.

Personally, this place was nothing but lackluster and a waste of money and time. I wish anyone who comes here a good time, but I would not recommend it...