Bistrot Pape Georges (Le) — Restaurant in Quebec

Great atmosphere. Love the dark wood ceiling and rustic Stone walls decor etc. Great location lower old quebec on a quaint picturesque st. (Section covered by multicolored umbrellas) 1 block away from the best view in my opinion (looking up at the little up castle hotel from the port at night). We visited before 10 pm so luckily we could grab a bite and a drink with our 2 girls (4 and 8). It was quiet but a few locals came in - always a good sign. The server was welcoming low key very friendly and helpful. Truthfully the experience made the trip for us since we were limited on what to do travelling with 2 kids. We wanted to try an authentic out of the way place and not be overcharged. We only had the cheese tray but the cheeses were amazingly good and the baguette was the best we ever had (must be parboiled and finished there). Even our girls took a break from the tablets and helped devour it. Our server made very good recommendations without trying to upsell us. I enjoyed my Bordeaux and my wife's tempranillo was good and to her liking (honestly the fruit overpowered the cheese a little for my taste- but not the wines fault -she wanted to order it). Slight knock US music classic rock and pop mixes enjoyable but slight detractors...

If you don't like or have no interest in trying hearty pub fare in a nearly 400 year old building, don't come here. If you expect to be pampered by hip servers and trendy dishes, this isn't the place for you.

BUT.

If you love buildings with great history and staff with stories to tell, then put Pape Georges at the top of your list! The pub is dark, the ceilings are low, and the food is fantastic! I loved how Chef Diony (?) (when I asked, he said to pronounce it sort of like "Denny" lol!) cooks everything in a tiny little kitchen right at the bar. He had, like, 10 pots going at once, all stacked on top of each other - I feel like this is the kind of place Anthony Bourdain would spend an entire day savouring!

I ordered nachos (recommended addition: firebarn sauce!!). Warning to US visitors - these nachos aren't like our nachos but they're so good! Instead of ground meat and salsa, theirs is loaded with chili (lots of beans), chopped veggies, and a white sauce of some kind... like I said, different but delicious! And if you like a little flavourful heat, add that firebarn sauce!

I'm back in Chicago today but, when I return to Quebec City, Pape Georges is at the...

A Disappointing Experience – Avoid This Place

My visit to Bistrot Pape Georges was one of the worst dining experiences I’ve ever had.

Food: The quality was abysmal. Everything was clearly frozen and lacked any effort or freshness. For a restaurant in a tourist area, this level of mediocrity is simply unacceptable.

Service: The staff demanded a mandatory 15% tip, which was outrageous given the poor food and overall experience. When questioned about it, the waiter became extremely rude and dismissive. It’s appalling that they expect tips to be handed over regardless of the service provided.

Cleanliness and Atmosphere: To make matters worse, there was water overflowing from a gutter inside the building. Watching staff try to clear it up with a coffee cup was shocking and raised serious hygiene concerns. It was disgusting, to say the least.

This place doesn’t deserve your time or money. Rude service, unhygienic conditions, and terrible food, just an overpriced tourist trap—what more can I say? Spend your...