Boris Bistro

This was a neat place! They have a beautiful courtyard that you can see from inside the restaurant. Intimate, romantic ambience. I had the best mojito I’ve ever had in my life here. We just went for drinks, but I’d definitely go back to try the food!

Great lunch. Had the table d’hôte for about 23 can$. The salmon tartare with french fries was fresh and very tasty, and the soup du jour with sourdough bread unbelievable. Very friendly staff too.

Excellent French cuisine with a very nice outdoor urban jungle feel seating area. They have a wonderful menu with reasonable prices. Waitstaff were super friendly and provided excellent recommendations!

Le Boris Bistro offre une terrasse incroyable dans le Vieux-​Montréal. Les prix sont raisonnables et la nourriture assez bonne, par contre, aucun Wow! Superbe option pour les gros groupes. Les cocktails pourraient être plus généreux.

We had arrived at Le Westin, Montréal, after the short flight from Newark, NJ and were hungry! After consulting with our concierge, we were sent off on foot with a map marked with the route to the Boris Bistro. As it is not very well marked from the outside, we had a bit of trouble finding it.
But it was well worth the walk and search; we were not disappointed!
Since it was August, a café setting in a terrace was perfect. We received prompt service and ordered the seared scallops over risotto, with lobster oil. Asking for the lunch portion we were perhaps misunderstood to be asking for the large portion. What a happy mistake: this entrée was fantastic! Even the bread served us beforehand was wonderful. Highly recommend this hidden gem, which feels to be a secret garden only few are privy to, despite it being crowded. We will be back next trip to wonderful Montréal!

This was the best meal we had during our week in Montréal. The shaded terrasse was wonderful during the heat wave. All 5 of us loved our food – we had the chilled leek soup, tuna a la boris, duck risotto, grilled scallops, beef sirloin, and neapolitan tagliatelle – and we ate every morsel. The kids fought over my soup and I should have ordered another bowl because they ate it all. Our favorites were probably the seared tuna and the beef which was cooked perfectly (my son was able to cut it with his butter knife because he didn’t notice the steak knife) but everything was excellent.

A solid 4 star review!
If I’ve learned anything about summers in Montrral, it’s all about the terrasse! In my short visit to this city, it’s probably my favorite one.
Very spacious terrasse and tucked away behind some iron gates on McGill, walking in somewhat reminds me of the Secret Garden. It was perfect for a hot summer day.
I ordered the salmon tartare entrée, which included died of duck fat fries (if you read my other reviews you know how I feel about DFF), salad, and a glass of ceviche. You heard me right — 3 sides for one main dish! All three were delicious — the tartare was seasoned perfectly, the ceviche reminded me of Peru, and the DFF were parfait. Full as my dining partner and I were, we also ordered dessert — white chocolate and raspberry spring roll with maple ice cream. Perfect and light for a hot summer day.
I will be back you can bet on it!

This restaurant was recommended by a local resident. We wanted a place with atmosphere that was not touristy. This place was amazing and I highly recommend it. We started with the mushroom and cheese app. Had the scallops and risotto entrée and tuna entrée. They were both very tasty, and beautifully prepared. For dessert we chose the lemon and praline eclare. Not one item was i disapponted with. The outdoor garden is a must to sit in. Situated in an old shell of a building, completely open except for the brick façade. Truly a memorable dinner. Enjoy!

Great outdoor atmosphere with the trees, and muted lighting. The food was terrific, as were the drink pairings. Enjoy this cozy place when in Montréal.

Tough call. I’m stuck literally between a 3 and 4.
The ambience was exactly what we needed on a serene summer day and the food was good enough, but in the context of Montréal it was just ok.
Boris Bistro is located on Rue McGill and hosts an outdoor terrace that transports you to a secret garden in the middle of a bustling city. This earns them 4, maybe 5 stars as it is the perfect respite for a relaxing lunch, brunch, or dinner.
The menu holds its own in a city like Montréal with offerings such as bison tartare, lamb shank and duck confit sandwich just to name a few. The drinks were solid and they have happy hour specials on the beer (it leaves much to be desired but at least they offer something). I tried their sangria which was good, my friend had one of their cider beers (she seemed less than amused), and the boys got a sparkling red wine which was delicious. They score a ¾ on drinks.
My party started out with the charcuterie plate which disappeared almost as quickly as it arrived. It was a tough call for me between the duck sandwich, the risotto, and the fish offering (I forget what it was), but I’m a sucker for duck (done right) so I went with that. I have to say, I don’t think I’ve experienced duck quite like that before. I imagined something shredded, succulent and flavorful in between 2 pieces of bread… at least it was shredded. It wasn’t a bad experience, it was just different. The duck was served almost in a waldorf chicken salad style over sprouts in between 2 slices of a nut bread. It was enormous with a more than generous amount of duck. The combination worked, especially the nut bread… I just wasn’t what I expected so I was slightly disappointed. I wouldn’t get it again, just from personal preference.
My friend ordered the lamb shank, and lets just say the next thing we knew all that was left was a bare bone, so I guess that was good! The other 2 ordered the bison tartare which they said was good but I didn’t get an «out of this world» vibe from them. The food is a 3 – 4.
In a different city, this may earn a much higher rating but with so many other options in Montréal, the main reason to come here is their cozy outdoor terrace on a beautiful summer day (maybe for drinks and apps).

Très belle terrasse et serveur très charmant. Nous étions 4 et nous avons tous aimé nos plats! Ça fait longtemps que j’étais allée, mais j’y retournerai certainement dans un délai plus rapproché!

Great late afternoon spot for glass of wine and snacks. The mushroom and cheese nem — was awesome but would have been easier to understand if they called it an egg roll. Relaxing and attentive service

We had the duck risotto, grilled scallop risotto and cheese nam appetizer and everything was wonderful!. We (my wife) make some of the best risotto I have ever tasted and we know the effort involved to get it this good! And boy was this good! The cheese nam was also excellent and
Something we will be making at home in the very near future! Great service, good beer and wine! Really like if there was an IPA on tap! :-). But all in all we will be back!

Food **** Good
Beer *** Ok
Service ***** Great
Ambiance **** The Boris Bistro is a very nice place to dine, especially out side on their patio

We went there in the middle of the afternoon for drinks and snacks. Beautiful relaxing terrace with an amazing façade facing the street (maybe to maintain the old world integrity of the area) and nice trees on the inside. Perfect place to hang out with old friends. Inside looked very modern and a good alternative if the weather is not cooperating for the seating on the terrace. Food was good although they were out of cheese for the poutine so I decided to go for a similar style dish that is more of a Portuguese style, not sure if it is even on the menu since it was suggested by the wait staff as we felt like poutine that day. The mayo on the side was delicious so do not forget to use it as a dip for the fries. The second app was grilled scallops with risotto and lobster oil. I am not a fan of risotto so not sure why I ordered this dish, probably because of the scallops. Liked the two scallops, however the quantity of risotto overpowered the overall dish. I would go for something else next time. Service was good. I would recommend this place to others

Had a prefix dinner on V day. Was a bit skeptic but after every dish I was pleasantly surprised as to how much I enjoyed everything. Even their desserts were soooo tasty but not filling. I’d say the taste is great! Small portions. Nice waiters. Not muh bang for the buck but very yummy.

Great food & nice atmosphere. Wish it had been warmer as the patio looked wonderful. I had the rabbit which I haven’t had outside of France. It was a simple meal with rice, broccoli and a sauce. C’etait Bön and wasn’t too heavy. My husband got the risotto which was amazing but very rich. For dessert we shared the Cheesecake Ice cream-​a must!
Service was friendly and attentive.

Llevo un mes en Montréal y es con diferencia el mejor restaurante donde he comido. El sitio es precioso tanto dentro como fuera. El servicio perfecto, amable pero no agobiante y siempre atento. Y la comida excepcional… yo ví el rissoto en una una mesa y lo pedí por la buena pinta que tenía y Dios mío que cosa más deliciosa. La morcilla de mi amigo deliciosa como la de España. Y el cordero de mi novio se deshacía en la boca… volveré seguro. Y el postre pequeño pero perfecto con lo intenso que era

Boris bistro differs from other restaurant in the old port area as they offer a cute terrace, well built and lit for summer nights.
As a result, the restaurant offers a quiet and romantic dinner or business dinners ;)
As for the food, I really enjoyed my rabbit as I got to eat a bunny that was roasted for hours along with brocolis that was served in their sauce that was house made. I could also argue that the plate was pretty small and it doesn’t really fill you up 100% but I guess you’ll still get to enjoy the great quality of the food .
My partner had the risotto, which was able to fill her up and based on her comments, she really appreciated it.
Last thing, the lemon juice is literally house made and is probably a necessary drink if one is thirsty during one of the epic hot day of Montréal.

Boris Bistro is a hidden gem in old Montréal. I pass by from time to time and always assumed it’s a pretentious overpriced restaurant. However, after I finally got a chance to try it, I fell in love with it immediately.
The best part of Boris Bistro is their terrasse. It’s only open during summer time and looks like an abandoned back yard brought back to life by the merry guests. Very few things can beat the feeling of sipping a refreshing drink under the trees in a breezy summer night.
Boris Bistro has a nice wine list and surprisingly cheap happy hour drinks that can make sure you are drunk before the night comes.
Of course, the food is the highlight as well!
I tried their red tuna, grilled to perfection. And the dessert! The combination of chocolate and salted caramel is just divine!
I’ll definitely go back there for more drinks. :) The waitress told me that it’s better to go before 5pm, or it may be hard to get seats.

La terrasse est exceptionnelle en été ! Agréable et jolie vous pourrez y passer un très agréable moment autant en couple qu’à plusieurs.
J’y suis allée à chaque fois le soir, les assiettes sont belles et assez généreuses. C’est aussi agréable pour un 5@7 car vous pouvez choisir plusieurs de leurs entrées et donc les partager.
Je n’ai jamais été déçu autant sur les plats que sur le service. Mais c’est un restaurant qui reste un peu plus cher que la normale.
Je le recommande fortement surtout l’été !

A group of six friends made a late reservation for a birthday dinner, we were seated immediately and the magic began!
The service was spot on the waitress was attentive yet unobtrusive. The food was fantastic especially the duck risotto with orange cream sauce! A must try if you are visiting Montréal-​especially in the evening, the garden is amazing!

When first arriving at the address listed this looks like an office building, but a few feet further you’ll see the preserved heritage stone façade that opens on to a leafy lovely terrasse. When I called in advance Boris couldn’t take my reservation for 10 for 5pm but assured me there was a good chance we could be seated when we arrived, don’t know if it was the cloudy skies or the fact that we knew we’d be done by 7 but they seated us no problem (much to my relief) and accommodated all our extra guests without batting an eye.
The staff in general I found super sweet, attentive without hovering, and just generally professional.
Nom-​wise I enjoyed my wine immensely, and the rounds of duck fat fries with the mayo-​ketchup-​Harissa dip were definite crowd-​pleasers.
Overall, a great option to have in your pocket for downtown /​old Mtl terrasses.

Pour commencer, j’ai pris un mojito Boris à l’apéro sur la magnifique terrasse qui est un vrai petit oasis en pleine ville! Le service était courtois et rapide malgré l’achalandage de l’heure du lunch. J’ai dégusté le thon rouge saisi façon Boris et je n’ai pas été déçue! Je le recommande!

On né sort pas déçu de ce restaurant français!
Plats gouttus, service raffiné, décoration chaleureuse!
Un vrai petit plaisir d’y faire un tour!

J’y suis allé pour un 5 à 7 de bureau et je né peux pas dire que j’ai été impressionné. J’essaie autant que possible d’être positif, alors commençons avec les fleurs. La terrasse est jolie et l’intérieur aussi. Le choix de bières est correct.
Mon expérience n’était pas complète (je n’ai pas mangé de repas complet), alors je né peux pas donner des points sur la bouffe. Et c’est peut-​être ça qui ferait monter la note. Et si je voulais être plus juste, j’y retournerais et je mettrais mon avis à jour par la suite. Je doute cependant que cela arrive à cause du pot.
Le pot, donc. Nous avions réservé pour un groupe de 20. Au final, nous étions 21. Un problème qui, à première vue (la terrasse était vide à l’heure où nous sommes arrivés), n’était pas insolvable. Pourtant, le propriétaire nous a expliqué que pour réduire le bruit et en raison d’une entente avec les voisins, il né pouvait nous permettre d’être 21 à une même grande table sur la terrasse. Nous devions soit séparer notre groupe en deux soit aller à l’intérieur à une table de 22. En a suivi une longue discussion entre les organisateurs du 5 à 7 et le propriétaire, qui a refusé de plier, malgré le fait que nous étions un groupe de personnes plutôt calmes (pas exactement l’équipe de football de l’Université McGill, si vous voyez ce que je veux dire).
Un petit groupe de trois d’entre nous est allé s’asseoir à l’écart le temps qu’un des 18 autres quitte pour aller prendre son train de banlieue (15 minutes plus tard). Les trois exclus (on se croirait à une émission de téléréalité) se sont alors joints à notre groupe. Mais, franchement, à mon humble avis, cette mésaventure était du vrai vaudeville et pas très orientée client comme approche.
Bref, je vais peut-​être donner une seconde chance à l’endroit, mais l’attitude intransigeante et même assez hautaine du patron né m’y encourage pas particulièrement. On verra…

Beautiful patio that gets you away from the summer heat. The patio is a hollowed out building with broad leafy trees acting as a canopy to escape the sun.
Friendly staff, lovely wine list. Nice a simple salad choices.
Perfect for a hot day out with friends.

Très belle terrasse intérieure au coeur du centre-​ville. C’est un endroit parfait pour être au calme tout en étant au coeur de la ville. Concernant la bouffe, les frites en entrée sont très bonnes. Menu principal, la majorité des plats auquels j’ai goûté étaient très bons. Je recommande ce restaurant à tout ceux qui veulent relaxer le midi après une promenage au centre-​ville.

Cela faisait une éternité que je n’y étais pas retourné et je le regrette. Mon souvenir était que c’était bon, certes, mais un peu cher et pas très généreux.
Notez que je né peux me prononcer sur le menu du soir car je n’y suis qu’allé que pour le lunch, comme aujourd’hui. Eh bien, j’en suis ressorti (presque) comblé.
D’abord le service était impeccable et attentionné. Ensuite la carte est passablement bonifiée pour offrir un menu midi à plat + 4 $ pour avoir entrée (soupe, salade ou rillettes), dessert ET CAFÉ EXPRESSO.
Juste pour ça, j’y retourne. Là on parle de générosité.
La qualité des plats était correcte+, mon seul bémol étant la sauce des linguinis aux champignons beaucoup trop liquide. Sinon la crème d’oignons et le dessert étaient excellents.
Donc j’y retourne, c’est sûr. Dommage qu’ils né soient pas sur Opentable.

Sehr schönes Restaurant, das auch bei den Montrealern sehr beliebt ist!
(Lustige Geschichte: Wir haben das Restaurant nur durch Zufall entdeckt, gleichzeitig mit uns kam ein Fahrradpolizist am Eingang zum Innenhof an. Wir haben etwas verwirrt geschaut, weil wir erst dachten, er hätte wegen uns gehalten.
Nachdem geklärt war, dass wir hier nur essen wollen und sonst keine Probleme haben, hat er uns zu unserer guten Wahl beglückwünscht und uns erzählt, dass er hier regelmäßig und immer wieder voller Begeisterung isst.
Ich denke, das ist das erste Restaurant, dass mir von einem Polizisten explizit empfohlen wurde)
Das Besondere an diesem Restaurant abgesehen vom guten Essen ist, dass man im Hof direkt hinter der alten Häuserfront sitzt. Es wurde dort quasi ein Haus abgerissen, aber die Fassade stehen gelassen. Das Restaurant selbst hat eine Glasfront zu diesem Innenhof, die im Sommer vollständig weggeklappt wird: Man sitzt also auch im Restaurant irgendwie doch draußen. Und auch wenn man draußen sitzt gibt es doch noch ein dicke, burgähnliche Wand zur Straße, die den Straßenlärm abhält.
Wenn man mit der Familie unterwegs ist, sollte man allerdings beachten, dass man unter 18 nur in den Hof darf und dan auch nur bis 20 Uhr. Das liegt wohl an den etwas strengeren kanadischen Gesetzen zum Alkoholausschank.