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Joe Beef
Category: Restaurants Gastropubs Gastropubs [Edit]
2491, rue Notre-Dame OuestMontréal, QC H3J 1N6
(514) 935-6504
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
45 reviews for Joe Beef
Review Highlights
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"The foie gras was melt-in-your-mouth good and very..." In 4 reviews -
"And the oysters have been fresh and delicious." In 10 reviews -
"Ok so the chalkboard menu and wine list are a little..." In 4 reviews
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43 reviews in English
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Review from Jules G.
5/14/2012
Joe Beef's reputation stretches all the way to L.A., so when I found myself in Montreal, there was no way I wasn't going to find out what all the fuss is about.
We had been warned over and over again that getting into this place was akin to strolling into the Pentagon without clearance. But somehow, with enthusiasm and ambition, we were able to stroll into the Pentagon around 8:30p on a Saturday, and get seated right away.
We started with a dozen oysters, which were tasty and fresh. Ok, not the BEST oysters I've ever had (see my L'Orignal review), but solid.
Next, we ventured to the fresh burratta that was flown in from Italy that day. Prepared with carrots 4-ways, it was a very original twist on the traditional salad. Buttery and tangy, the cheese bounced nicely off the crispy, semi-sweet carrots.
For our main courses, we split the Joe Beef Steak and the reconstructed lamb (I forget the Polish term used for this style of taking all the meet and arranging it around a bone). The steak was tasty, but nothing special. In fact, I only took about two bites of it before concentrating all of my attention on the lamb dish, which was phenomenal. The meat was tender and succulent, and the accompanying escargot and pieces of fried bacon, pearl onions and reduction sauce were pretty unforgettable.
Heavy fare for sure, but so worth it.
The fries dusted with parmesan and the creamy polenta made for well-matched starchy sides to our very rich main courses.
Everyone on the staff we interacted with, from the bartender to our waitress to our busser, was friendly and knowledgeable. It was very apparent that they're all proud of being part of this establishment. The fantastic service and the pleasant atmosphere of our garden-side table rounded out a really wonderful dining experience. -
Review from Mark S.
4/18/2012
Joe average Beef. Absolutely not spectacular. Hyped over the press and the rep but Anthony Bourdain was wrong. Love Montreal and with so many restaurants this is missable.
Way overpriced and trying too hard to be out there with options. Could not even impress with the signature steak.
Even for Montreal the service was uninspired.
At half the price and no wait it would get 3.5 stars.
Thankfully the company was 10 stars and it saved the night. -
Review from Hope C.
After anticipating the meal at Joe Beef for nearly two months, it's my fault that this mecca couldn't live up to my mammoth expectations.
A good meal is much more than just good food. It's the feeling you get the moment you walk into a kitchen or a dining room. It's perusing the menu, catching whiffs from the kitchen, pleasant conversation, delectable alcohol, dim lighting, a comfortable background din (or good music), anticipating the courses - a moment of suspension in time. A good dining experience cocoons you in the moment, in the here and now, taking you away from the routine of everyday life. The end result in this case is that Joe Beef could very well have been a great restaurant, and a great meal, to many people, but to us on that Friday night in April, it was not.
Our reservation was for 7pm and it was still bright outside. The dining room was tiny, a few large tables and several 2-tops crammed about one inch apart --the whole table had to be physically moved out and turned sideways for the person against the wall to sit down. Being crammed into a small area when it's still bright outside is uncomfortable. Once the sun has set, this feeling might not be so grating. The chalkboard menu was also very irritating. It was so large and obtrusive in an attempt to be unpretentious that, erm, it was pretentious. So you have a menu that changes frequently, we get it. Forcing people to stand crouched over in front of an overpriced blackboard after making reservations for months in advance is pretty obnoxious. See the contradictions here?
I wanted to order the truckstop piglet, but the waitress (granted, very pretty and seemingly well-intentioned), told me not to order this because it wouldn't be enough to share. Instead she steered us towards the rabbit dish, which in retrospect I don't know how I let her do, because I much prefer pork to rabbit and I'd just had rabbit in Quebec City. But it was one of those panicked moments where I wanted to please HER and thought I'd just put my trust in her hands and let her lead me down this culinary road.
We started with raw oysters which were good, but not "spectacular." The next course was the foie gras double down - two pieces of foie gras battered, deep fried and placed together with a strip of melted cheese, bacon and maple syrup drizzle in between. It was a little morsel from heaven. This was the best course for sure, but there was only enough for 1.5 bites each (got the half order). The rabbit course was fine - two rabbit legs that were not particularly tender or off-the-bone or generous in size, covered with a mushroom cream sauce that was very tasty. There were a few mushrooms in the bowl and some dandelion greens, but not much else. I felt my heart drop when I saw the truckstop piglet (a beautiful rectangle of smoked pork covered with a crunchy piece of skin) presented to the man sitting next to me. His partner got the schnitzel, and a generous portion of that, may I add.
The meal left us unsatisfied, and given the crammed quarters, inability to hear each other, awkward chalkboard menu, inadvertent misguidance of the server and the "trying too hard to be hip and humble" snobbery of the place, paying nearly $170 for a good but not GREAT meal was disappointing. I like loud, frenetic bistros with chalk menus and adventurous food and good wine, but this place felt...forced.
Joe Beef: a little like the emperor's new clothes. Try it and decide for yourself! -
Review from M B.
Westmount, QC
5/8/2012
Love love loved it! We received the Joe Beef cookbook as a gift and were very curious about the restaurant.
What a great evening. The ambiance was cozy and warm, the service was fabulous. As for the food, fantastic. I had the lobster spaghetti which was to die for. Two in our party had the calf liver and another the lobster sausages. Yum was the consensus! Really really good.
What a lovely treat, thank you. -
Review from Rod M.
Wow that was good. So in January I though that it would be fun to have dinner with some friends at Joe Beef. It had been some time since I'd eaten there and I'd been hearing so many good things about the restaurant I felt it was time to go back. As the restaurant is in my neighborhood I passed by and asked to make a reservation for 5 on a Friday or Saturday night, well the first available spot was over two months away.
For the past two months my friends and I have been anticipating our dinner, it was no disappointment. Great food, great atmosphere, great fun!
We were a group of five so we were able to sample a good amount of the menu and nothing disappointed. The portions are large and the food is very rich so sharing is a good strategy if you want to get a taste of multiple dishes.
We started by sharing the Foie Gras Double Down - two pieces of deep fried foie gras with cheese and maple syrup in between. If you're going to share something, share this entree. I don't think that it is humanly possible to eat this and then go on to finish a main course. Other highlights from the entree list were the Eel Croquettes which melted in your mouth and the giant Baked Oysters.
For my main dish I had the Lobster Spaghetti. Had I only had the accompanying sauce I would have been pleased. The dish was very rich, but terrific.
Although we were all stuffed we could not resist a dessert so the 5 of us shared a beautiful looking meringue covered in raspberry sorbet, chocolate sauce and fresh mint. The meringue was so light and delicate and each of the other flavors set off a party in your mouth one after another. Even though your gut is about to burst you just can't resist having another mouthful.
Given the decadence of their food Joe Beef is certainly not the type of place you can eat at everyday. But it is a wonderful treat. Be prepared to spend your money because nothing is inexpensive, but it is all worth it. They really do deliver a complete package, a fun experience with good food and good service.
Enjoy! -
Review from Emily F.
Scarborough, ON
3/27/2012 4 photos
I think the best food I've had in a long time...perhaps ever! I planned a trip to Montreal just for Joe Beef but hadn't made reservations in advance. I was so lucky to sneak in at 9:30 on a Saturday night for dinner, and am so happy that I did!
The food was the best I've eaten in...since I can remember! I chose the cheval with fries and a cress salad and my friend had the pork schnitzel. Both were so much better than I thought they could be! We also shared the beer cheese....fantastic!
The staff was all friendly, helpful and warm. I felt like I could (and should) have spent all night there!
Though I did spend a lot of time twisted around trying to read the menu (which is only written on a chalk board...nothing to read at the table!) I think that we chose the perfect wine for our meal. The list was HUGE and I doubt that anything on the menu was bad.
Overall, the most happy and comfortable place I've eaten in to date. These folks really understand what is important about food. I wish I lived closer so that I could eat here more often...then of course, my pants might be happy that I don't! -
Review from Ty S.
Montréal, QC
4/27/2012
I had great expectations for Joe Beef because it took us two months to score dinner reservations. The ambiance is a very intimate setting. It's like walking into a bed and breakfast kitchen diner. Everyone is squeezed in together tightly. The host takes your coats and hangs it up and we sat in a small booth for five. Dinner menu was written on a chalkboard wall that was barely legible.
Our waitress was easy on the eye. She was beautiful so when she informed us we only had two hours for drinks, appetizer, dinner and deserts we all just agreed to the rules and nodded our heads. Two hours later on the dot. We empty out our purses and wallets and walked out of the restaurant happy and full. -
Review from Joomi K.
5/8/2012
One of our foodie acquitenances- Peter Meehan - said this was one of the best restaurants that he has been to in the world. So even though we read that it was overpriced, we decided to give it a chance. The ambience is cute - very typical LES restaurant with menu on the chalkboard, hipster servers, casual seating. There were about 15 starters and 15 mains, plus a lot of it was in French, so we didn't know what to order. Our server made some recommendations, but nothing really seemed that amazing, so we decided to go on our own. We ordered:
- foie gras terraine with toast - we are in French territory after all so we had to have some foie gras. It was actually pretty eh. The foie gras was very fresh and clean tasting, but the toast was just a piece of bread, not French bread or even toasted. There was a raspberry/Dijon jam on top, but it wasn't sweet enough. Would not order this again
- corn flake eel nuggets - this sounded pretty interesting, but it actually turned out to sound better than it tasted. It's basically round breaded nuggets with little bits of smoked eel.
- oysters - Not very frenchy but I really wanted some. These turned out to be one of the best dishes, though. SUPER fresh and delicious.
- Spaghetti with lobster - I really wanted to eat this, but it sounds so typical so we went back and forth on whether to order it. The server said it was their classic and always on the menu, so we decided to get it. It was about a pound of fresh lobster with spaghetti and red sauce. Very fresh and cooked to perfection, but it was very "typical" and I wish in hindsight that I had something more unique.
Summary: I would not recommend this place, not because the food is bad but because I think there's better for better value. there really wasn't anything exceptional about the place, and I don't think the prices justified the outcome. -
Review from Ms. V.
Mont-Royal, QC
3/13/2012
Our dining experience here felt like we were invited to hang out at a very cool friend's very cool house with very delicious food. In spite of its ridiculously long wait-time to snag a reservation, the place is far from pretentious and the service was casual and warm.
Our table wasn't quite ready when we walked in so we were invited to sit at the bar where the host poured us wine and made small talk, modestly downplaying the success of the restaurant, giving huge props to the great kitchen staff and talking about the various dishes on the menu as though they were children he could never be forced to choose between.
Every detail of the decor feels random and perfectly kitsch-y but expertly placed; from the makeshift library of cookbooks near the bar to the giant gallon of gin and six pack of bitters above our table. The music was equally eclectic - from Dolly Parton to rap in one sitting!
My only pet peeve is chalkboard menus which force you to squint and invade other diners' personal space...but its a necessary evil of fresh cuisine.
The menu was seafood heavy on our visit; as a meat eater I asked our host for a suggestion and was directed to the "chou-croute" which was a huge pot of sausage and cabbage with potatoes and a rich broth....impossible to finish but delicious!
Our waitress, Samia, was fantastic. Sensing how full we were after dinner she brought us a serving of their home-made ice cream - a light concoction of rum and pineapple and all manner of goodness - and chatted with us like an old friend.
The prices were more than reasonable - an entree, main, glass of wine and tea came in at under $60.
Definitely worth the wait for a reservation! -
Review from Jeff M.
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
Joe Beef provided me with the best meal I have ever had in Montreal. The establishment is dark and intimate. The service was very friendly and knew the menu well. Rumor has it that this is where David Chang likes to go when in town. (This probably is most likely the case since he wrote the introduction for the Joe Beef cookbook) The dishes have some Momofuku-like attributes but its unfair to compare Joe Beef to Chang's restaurant group. They are similar in the way foods are paired or as I like to say mashed up; like the musical genre
When I think back to the food Joe Beef served us it make me imagine this is the type of food a cook would serve to guest in his home. We started with fresh oysters that spoke for themselves. My large group doubled down on the double down foie gras; we ordered two of the entrees that sandwiched bacon and cheese between to pieces of lightly battered and fried foie. This was pretty ridiculous and good. I thought the foie was a bit over done. The eel nuggets were nice but failed to excite. The best starter for me was the clams, riz and squid. The squid stuffed with rice reminded me of being in Spain. Tentacles gently placed inside the opened clams completed the great presentation.
The Cote du Boeuf for two was a bone in rib eye steak served Peter Luger style cut and served with spoons to serve each person. Bone marrow and a potato, sort of au gratin, accompanied the dish. The grass fed beef spoke for itself but came out closer to the medium side. We didn't specify temperature. Maybe it was my fault for assuming unless otherwise specified beef comes out medium rare. Lobster and spaghetti featured perfectly cooked lobster mixed in with a bit of pasta in a very light cream sauce. Although I appreciate the bite of al dente pasta I thought Joe Beef's could have been cooked more. The star of the meal for me was the crab stuffed whole artic char. This was one of the best things I have eaten this year and the reason why I will try to make it back to Joe Beef the next time I am in Montreal.
We tried each of the deserts. A take on a backed potato that consisted of two meringues was forgettable. The carrot cake was very good. The sorbet was maybe the best sorbet I have ever tasted. The worst part about the experience was the terrible, terrible espresso. It was like if someone brewed the most bitter coffee they could find then squeezed a lemon in it. It was so bad that the fellas and me ended up going somewhere near by for a digestive.
The meal had some ups and downs but all together it was a stellar meal. This was a great place and meal for a group of six guys celebrating a birthday. There was a group of older gentlemen behind us doing the same. The only other thing I can advise is that Joe Beef only has to seatings; one at 7p and another at 9:30p. -
Review from Liz B.
Montréal, QC
3/10/2012
Joe Beef is definitely delicious, but a little steep for the end product. I ate there on a cold March evening, and it was filled to capacity. There is a good ambiance, and the staff works in sync.
The menu is written on the chalkboard behind the main seating area, as it changes frequently. The wine list is also featured on the board, with the cheapest beIng around $40/bottle.
We shared an appetizer, each had a main (lobster spaghetti & rabbit with foie gras) and we shared a dessert... save room for dessert, because ALL of them looked amazing and well-thought out. For example, our "baked potato" consisted of meringue shaped like a potato with homemade orange ice cream as "sour cream", candied orange peel and almond "bacon bits" and burned caramel "gravy."
The food was rich, just the right quantity, but about $15-$20 overpriced for the mains.
I am glad we didn't drink, because with a shared app, two mains, a Coke, coffee and dessert, we were at $175 including tip.
Watch your budget and treat yourself to Joe Beef some day. -
Review from Reid R.
4/27/2012
Fantastic dinner. Went here to celebrate graduation with my girlfriend. I had a perfectly cooked Rib Steak. It was quite large and very filling. The service was very friendly. The menu was a little hard to read since it was on a chalkboard. Overall, this was one of the best steaks I've had in my life. I would highly recommend coming here.
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Review from Chris D.
9/18/2011 2 photos
I've been holding on to my Joe Beef experience because humans, especially those with OCD, place an unreasonable amount of significance on round numbers. When I realized I was coming up on my 250th review, I figured I would save the honor for what I consider to be one of the top five dining experiences in my lifetime. Yeah, it was that good.
First, special thanks to my friend Mike H. for pointing us in the direction of Joe Beef. I was laser focused on eating at Au pied de cochon during our time in Montreal and prior to him enlightening me, had never heard of ole Joe. We ended up eating at both restaurants and in my (not so) humble opinion, Mr. Beef blows the other place out of the water.
I have to admit that when we walked in to JB, everything about it was uncomfortable. The lights were dim, the music was loud and the small space was so chocked full of tables that you couldn't help but feel everyone was staring at you. This feeling was amplified by the fact that our waitress asked us to study the blackboard menu on the wall while they pulled our table out for us. The two things of note here are that there are no paper menus, so the person with their back to the board needed to decide before they sat, and the tables were so close the staff have to let you in and lock you down... like some sort of culinary roller coaster.
Our food came from nearly every part of the animal kingdom. We had oysters. Great. We had foie gras. Fantastic. The wife had schnitzel. Good. I had a horse steak (yeah, horse... or is it naaay, horse?). Very Good. Everything was expertly prepared and presented in a "Hey, we like food but we aren't all prissy about it" sorta way. I don't like prissy. I liked this. The drinks were just as expertly prepared and equally as delicious. Putting a raw oyster on top of my Bloody Caesar? Uhhh, brilliant. (see pic)
Truth be told, the food was not the highlight of the meal. Our waitress, Vanya, may very well be the best server we've ever had. Not only was she knowledgeable, efficient, witty, professional and everything else you look for in wait staff, she was quite simply... lovely. There was something about her warm and friendly way of interacting with you that made you feel like you were the Greatest Person to Have Ever Walked the Planet. I know what you're thinking, Chris is just a sucker for blondes and his enthrallment with Vanya was probably because he'd love any blonde that feeds him. That's not an entirely invalid perception, however my wife had pretty much the same opinion of Vanya... and she's not in to chicks... or so she says. Hmm, give me a minute. Where was I? Oh yes, Vanya. We loved her.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about the restaurant, besides the buffalo in the bathroom, was just how homey it became by the end of the night. I can see how people wouldn't like the close quarters, but have a few cocktails and suddenly the tables around you are welcomed dinner companions. For what it's worth, I went from telling my wife "I don't want to eat dinner with them" to high-fiving one of the two guys eating next to us by the time we left. We didn't have to pop our collars. We already knew we were cool.
I firmly believe Joe Beef is going places. They don't have a ton of reviews, but with some of the press they've been getting lately, I expect that number to explode. If others' experiences are anything like ours, they will be firmly rooted at 4.5 stars well into the triple digits. They deserve it.Listed in: 6 Stars, Baby France, eh?
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Review from Helen Adilia A.
Westmount, QC
2/15/2012
Ok, so this is a very very pricey place for the regular foodie. Be smart and ask the incredibly knowledgeable staff what their favorites are, this may also be necessary because of the dark ambiance in the resto. Ask and you shall receive I had the beef bourguignon which was amazing and decadent.Joe Beef is for those that enjoy rustic and fancy blended into a delicious combination of wow! If you love food this is a place that is very close to foodie heaven.
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Review from Chaka K.
2/26/2012
Had a great time at Joe Beef.
GOOD: The eel croquettes were insanely good. The duck breast and braised cabbage was the best I had ever had. Period. The service was really excellent--friendly and casual but professional. There was a good selection of wine with some reasonably priced options.
BAD: The foie gras double down. You'll wish you hadn't. My friend and I shared it. I finished about 2/3 of mine and wanted to call it an evening. I felt sick.
The Double Down is more of a novelty rather than something I'm actually willing to review the restaurant for. The only reason why it gets a 4 instead of a 5 out of five is because it's quite pricey; you pay for every bit of goodness you get here. -
Review from Maria S.
9/20/2011
Full disclosure, I'm not a foodie. I'm a lady who likes great comfort food and fair prices. DON'T go here if you are like me. First two positives: this place is very cute inside and the staff is great.
Negatives:
- menu constantly changes, so if you liked a dish in the past or were recommended a dish on Yelp, odds are that it is not present
- the menu is on a chalkboard (due to the menu turnover), very awkward to read it standing around other diners
- the menu seems very French and experimental, the chef may be the French-Canadian version of Gordon Ramsey. This is great for diners who are wealthy and can experiment with odd food combinations
- VERY expensive, dinner for two with wine will run you around $135. -
Review from Abul R.
9/5/2011
Recently there for a bachelor party, thanks to Hurricane Irene, we had a smaller crew than we originally expected (Joe Beef can only accomodate a max party of 6).
Thank goodness for that.
First came the Prosciutto and Melons. The prosciutto was quite possibly the best I ever had (this includes the stuff I had in Italy!)
Then I tasted the Melons... OMG (yes, I just raved like a teenager about Melons - but they were definitely the best I ever had).
I had the foie gras appetizer - and the duck breast entree (yes a little over-doing it for sure), but both could've used a little more salt I think and were quite good, but my friends' Entrecote de Beouf blew it away.
Wait-staff was extremely friendly even though we had to wait almost an hour past our reservation time to sit. Our waitress went out of her way to recommend other bars/restaurants for our crew to visit while there. Maybe it's just coming from NYC, but the staff's friendliness was above and beyond the call of duty. -
Review from Josh G.
9/5/2011
Best meal I had during my entire trip to Montreal. Amazing food and in a completely unpretentious atmosphere that's cool, comfortable and casual. It's a unique space with friendly people and while it's expensive it's not overpriced at all. Well worth every cent we paid. Suzanne was our server and she was awesome. Everything she suggested was spot on. Plus she was just so friendly we actually joked that it would be nice to ask her to join us for dinner. Weird, right? But weird in the best way possible. Definitely check out Joe Beef! You'll be glad you did.
PS, don't be intimidated when they tell you the strip steak is a large portion. It is like a meat brick! But days later I'm still having dreams about how damn good it was. -
Review from Tim O.
8/5/2011 3 photos
Joe Beef is a big dude, and his place is larger than life.
We ate here with friends who are locals on the hottest night of the Montreal summer. Without exaggeration, it was at least 92 degrees (yes, Fahrenheit) inside the restaurant. Despite our sweat and misery, we had a legendary meal.
But before a few words on the meal, a toast to the real star of the night: the bison in the men's room. What a guy.
OK, the meal: We ordered off the blackboard menu. The tomato salad and cold soup were perfect amid the perspiration. The cocktails, Chilean red and Willamette Valley pinot kept us as cool as could be as a snap thunderstorm pierced the heat and humidity. Then, the beef, and lots of it.
It's hard to imagine how great this place would be with air conditioning.
Hats off to Mr. Beef and the bison. -
Review from Stephanie Y.
6/14/2011
If you love foie gras and if you love it fried, this IS the place to go!!! We came here JUST to eat the double down that our friend so highly recommended. Seriously, if you have any heart issues, eat with caution. It's SOOOO freaking amazing and it will definitely give you heart burn. I suggest adding fries to soak up the duck fat rendered by this phenomenon. The table does come with bread, so you can use that too.
Every single bite of 2 fried foie gras, aged cheese, a little mayo and bacon was heavenly. Not only that, they brought out home made donuts with aged cheese on top.... very interesting. The donuts were very fresh and soft. The little bit of cheese made it a little savory, interesting and also will give you a heart attack if you haven't had it yet. -
Review from Mike Z.
4/25/2011
Had a reservation for a group of four at 7pm which apparently was first seating. We arrived 15 minutes early and were the first guests there. I thought the chalkboard menu was quite charming but I can see how it could be annoying to some. I noticed many diners standing behind a table full of guests, just to look at the menu. I'm sure I'd find that annoying if I were sitting there. We had no problem since we were seated perpendicular to the menu/wall. The menu itself is written in French, but the waiter was nice enough to give us a run down of ever item on the menu. We would've been lost without it and worse, we would've stuck with the simple stuff we could understand and missed the gems like the horse filet and veal chop.
The food was spectacular! The veal chop was juicy and charred just enough. The mashed potatoes, presented in a small All-Clad pot, were some of the best I've ever had. I tried a friend's horse filet and it was surprisingly tasty. There were no complaints from the other two in my crew with the lobster spaghetti. I don't eat seafood, so I wouldn't know anything about it.
All in all it was one of the greatest meals I've ever had and wished there was a Joe Beef in NYC.
Oh yea.... there's a surprise waiting for you in the bathroom! -
Review from D M.
1/10/2012
Food ? Top Marks.
Pretense ? 10 out of 10!!
First we were shown to the blackboard menu on the wall (they do not give you a printed menu), so you have to stand, with other diners, in a cramped dining room, and decide on your meal & wine, while standing over other diners (I later experienced this, with people standing behind me throughout my meal, bit weird).
First issue, most things are spelt in French, second issue, a lot of things lack decent descriptions, so if you have a question, you have to wait standing and ask a server.
The wines are very overpriced too.
Next major issue, they have cramped the tables in so close that they have to slide the thing out from the wall so you can sit down and you have to get their attention to do this every time you want to use the restroom. Crazy carry on. You are way too close to the strangers either side.
The food is excellent but everything else takes away from it.
I would not recommend. -
Review from Mister O.
Montréal, QC
10/22/2010
Five stars. Five. For courtesy, attitude, ambience, and simple good manners.
No, I didn't expect to be writing that, either. Not after having read the previous reviews here, at least. But I've been there twice, now, for oysters and a drink after vernissages at Parisian Laundry a few blocks away, and both times I've been quietly treated like Royalty by their barman. And the oysters have been fresh and delicious.
Don't expect to be able to read the menu, though. If you need supper there some night, just sit at the bar, and ask the barman to read you his cheat sheet. You'll be taken care of.Listed in: Where to eat at the bar in…
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Review from Amber M.
3/31/2009
Are you kidding me?
Imagine a mid-life crisis taking place in a tiny New York style restaurant that insists on reservations for the bar (4 stools in the traffic zone to the kitchen) even if the bar is empty? Luckily I did make reservations earlier in the day with a snotty hostess.
Joe Beef is full of the crap I'm guessing Joe's wife said 'no way' to when they combined their belongings 25 years ago in wedlock.
Maybe they broke up, maybe he finally opened the restaurant of his dreams. Whatever happened, all that stuff is now in an overpriced restaurant in Little Burgandy.
Look, I appreciate fresh ingredients and a menu that changes so quickly that you can't be bothered to print menus, but really? Making your patrons stand in the middle of a tiny dining room, in the way of servers and freaking out seated diners by looming behind them, gawking at a blackboard that is so jam packed with overpriced food and seriously overpriced wine? That's just mean Joe.
The food was not bad but really, if you cook anything in a stick of butter (steak, potatoes, greens) it will taste just fine. Either sass up the menu to match the high prices or clear out some of your swag and take a more honest, down home cookin approach to your price list.
Oh and minus three stars for the spoiled 21 year olds running back and forth from the bar to the bathroom doing coke. Ew. -
Review from Michael H.
5/11/2010
Other Yelpers' complaints about Joe Beef:
Chalkboard Menu
Wine List
Prices
My take on these:
The chalkboard is charming and in French even! Tetes de violins are fiddleheads, don't you know? (Figured that one out myself!)
The wine list-I don't care! I don't drink. Thank you Bill W.
Prices. Are you kidding? My portion was ultra large. Well worth it.
Now, to the meal. Our waiter brought out an amuse bouche of pork rillette and pickled vegetables. Very good and as far as amuses go, one of the largest servings ever. It could have been passed as an appetizer.
We ordered appetizers of parfait of foie gras with plum jam and ricotta gnocchi with those fiddleheads and ham. Both were delicious. The gnocchi were so tender, the fiddleheads crunchy and the ham added the saltiness and flavored the sauce. The foie gras was melt-in-your-mouth good and very spreadable. It tasted great on the brioche it was served with along with the plum jam and a sprinkle of sea salt-like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for aristocrats. It's a good thing we had extra bread to mop up the gnocchi sauce and finish the foie gras.
The main course came-duck and lamb with seasonal vegetables and each meat was served in a sauce reduction. It was a fairly straight forward presentation. The plates were delicious. The meat was very tender. We weren't expecting sides to be served, but we got scalloped potatoes and root vegetables which made our ordering of asparagus seem like overkill. But, we happily ate it all and shared the beignets for dessert.
The service at Joe Beef is fabulous. The wait staff was very attentive (and cute), filling water at the right time, clearing plates and seeing to our well-being. Our waiter was very well versed in understanding the menu in two languages.
I say hooray for Joe Beef!Listed in: The Rewards Of Gavage
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Review from Karine L.
6/14/2011 3 photos
We had a reservation at the bar at 9:30pm
the place was jammed but it probably always feels like that since it is so small. The outdoor patio is impressive but mostly their garden, it is crazy! It's huge and it makes you feel good as you know you will be eating fresh from their backyard!
The staff is very nice and the food is great.
WE had oysters from PEI, wish there were more choice but at least they were fresh!
We were served cocktails from jar, original.
We tried the chichitos which were excellent, and also the amazing beignes dipped in maple syrup with house smoked cheddar melting all over them!! Mmmmm!!! It was delicious.
We didn't eat much because I noticed that the plates were overwhelming, meaning way too much food!!! Not the typical french restaurant portion.
Personally, I prefer to try several small plates than 1-2 large one and feel stuffy.
I will go back and thanks to Nic for the excellent service.
PS Be careful, there is a bison in the bathroom!! -
Review from Lee M.
6/26/2010
Clearly, based upon the prior reviews of this place, Joe Beef is as polarizing as cilantro. Unfortunately, I'm in the camp that didn't care for it at all. I generally don't have such a huge problem waiting a few minutes for a reservation, but this place doesn't get it. There is virtually no space at all to wait inside the restaurant, so you're either waiting on the sidewalk or packed in like sardines by the tiny bar.
We opted to be cramped by the bar with no seats and watched the bartender/oyster shucker cut his finger while trying to open one of the oysters. Ok, so he can't shuck an oyster, but what made it worse was that he proceeded with finishing the order without cleaning up his bloody finger. Shortly thereafter, said shucker then smelled another recently shucked oyster, made a face, poured out the liquor and put it on the tray. Needless to say, I was passing on the oysters.
After watching that horror show for about a 45 minutes (we had a 9:15 reservation and were seated about 10:00) we were finally seated against the wall with the chalkboard menu. (We asked for a seat in the courtyard, and were told that we were getting one - their response was, "oh, sorry about that. no seats outside.")
Fine, since my wife couldn't see the menu, and doesn't speak french, we asked the server for some help. Some people at the bar were sharing what looked like a veal chop with fiddlehead ferns - he said that it was a lamb shank and that it was spectacular. We thought he knew what he was talking about.
Given the late hour and the fact that we were grossed out by the oyster debacle, we skipped on starters. Fast forward another hour. I try to summon our server to ask where our food was. His answer - well, your order didn't go in right away since you didn't order an appetizer. Seriously? It's 11pm, bring me my dinner that I ordered an hour ago.
The food came, and it was not the same thing as what the guys at the bar ordered. It tasted fine, but at that point, I was so disenchanted that I couldn't even enjoy it. One thing that stood out was that it was a little too gamey. My wife wound up eating some fiddlehead ferns for dinner since she couldn't get over the gaminess of the lamb. The server came back to apologize and brought us dessert on the house - but who cared at that point.
If I could give this place negative stars for my overall experience I would. -
Review from Melissa O.
3/15/2009
When visiting Montreal in November 2008, I read a rave review of this restaurant in Fodor's Montreal & Quebec City 2008 guidebook: "Dining at Joe Beef is a little like being invited to a dinner party by a couple of friends who just happen to be top-notch chefs." We were not disappointed!
We made reservations before coming (which is highly recommended since this place fills fast). When we got there, the staff greeted us warmly and explained that the menu was on the chalkboard across the room. Most dishes were in French, so we asked for a translation from our server. She was more than willing to help out, explaining dishes to us with a significant depth of knowledge.
For appetizers: we chose bone marrow (garnished with beef and thinly sliced pickles, served with toasted brioche) and sweetbreads (with a sweet sauce over a bed of rice). Both were fantastic.
For entrees: I ordered the Dover sole and my companion ordered Hot Chicken Joe Beef (a deboned and flattened chicken, cooked in its own juices, served between two pieces of bread). These dishes were unbelievable. They were so good.
We also had dessert, but devoured them so quickly that I was unable to record what they were.
I can't wait to come back. It was fantastic all around, comfortable, friendly, unique, and delicious. -
Review from David H.
2/26/2009
DO NOT BE DETERRED BY THE NAME. This place does not only offer Beef. See website for details.
One of the best restaurants in Montéal. Great wine list, well made drinks and a champion oyster shucker (or so I'm told).
But really it's all about the food. Joe Beef serves up all types of dishes, but the one that you would probably think of when you hear the name is their Rambo sized steak for two, can't say that I've had it but I hear its good. The only other constant on the menu is a pasta dish thats made with a whole lobster. Haven't had that either, and I don't suggest you do. With seasonal dishes constantly updated and their proximity to Marché Atwater there really is no reason to go with the permanent menu items.
When I went there I had an artichoke heart salad that was beautifully dressed with a lemon butter vinaigrette. Actually, my artichoke heart salad came with no artichoke hearts, the wait staff kindly brought me another. My main dish was skate. It was fantastic, braised in a mushroom red wine sauce. My dinning companions had the double thick cut pork chop which was roasted with a nice slight pink interior. Desert was a cream in the vein of english clotted cream with strawberries soaked in balsamic vinegar topped off with mint and a piece of brittle.
I highly recommend this place.Listed in: Montréal
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Review from Lisa M.
Toronto, ON
12/6/2010
Called Saturday afternoon and they had a cancellation so got in for 7pm supper. Husband ordered gnocchi with mushrooms to start, beef short ribs with escargot as a main and bread pudding for dessert. I had smorgasbord to start, followed by a HUGE pork chop (I only ate about a third of it) and Greek yoghurt with honey and fruit.
Apps were amazing. Mains solid and tasty. Desserts yummy. Will definitely return on future trips to Montreal. -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
4/18/2009
This place has huge portions and great good. Also, the atmosphere is really quaint (read small) and therefore reservation are a must.
Liverpool House (same chef and owner) is also worth trying out! -
Review from Melissa T.
3/25/2009
I had been looking forward to going to Joe Beef after reading many positive reviews online. Upon arriving, I was warmly greeted and was seated at the bar as I was dining by myself. The ambience was comfortable but a bit loud with table talk. The bartender, Jan (male), was extremely hospitable. Being a non-French speaker, he was kind enough to tell me the menu options in English as the menu was on a large chalk board in French. I ordered the asparagus salad and the marinated flank steak with crispy Gruyere cheese and sauerkraut.
The meal started with my drink, a gin and tonic, which was perfectly mixed for me as I do not prefer my drinks to be heavy on the alcohol. After some chatting with Jan, fresh bread and butter, was brought out. Then came the asparagus salad consisting of three different kinds of asparagus, shredded endive, julienned apples, arugula, chives, pine nuts, and almonds all tossed in a light creamy vinaigrette. The complexity of flavors and textures was extremely well-balanced amongst the sweetness of the asparagus, the bitterness of the endive and the sweettartness of the apples. The nuttiness of the pine nuts and almonds rounded out the salad. The salad was large enough that two people could share comfortably.
The marinated flank steak arrived about 40 minutes later. The presentation was beautiful and the aroma immediately took hold. The steak was sitting on a bed of saute' sauerkraut . A thick slice of bacon, it seemed steamed, was atop the steak. A caramel-golden rectangle of deep-fried gruyere cheese nestled against the meat. I sampled the sauerkraut first taking in the rich in the juices from the steak. Amazing! I cut into the flank steak and due to the low level lighting, couldn't tell if the steak was cooked medium-rare as I had ordered. A couple of bites into it, it was a little dry and more medium-well. The steak was extremely salty perhaps from sitting in the marinade a little too long. A little disappointed, I cut into the fried Gruyere cheese with some difficulty to find an empty shell devoid of cheese. Apparently, the cheese was left in the fryer a little too long.
On the event that I come back to Montreal for a visit, I would be hard pressed to say that Joe Beef would be my first choice of restaurants to visit. The service was incredible and the asparagus salad was AMAZING! But for the high price, being given a meal that was over-marinated, over-cooked, and over-fried was a little bit of a turn off. There are a plethora of excellent restaurants to try outside of Joe Beef. -
Review from Alex G.
7/19/2011
Absolutely spectacular - from the amazing, friendly service to the killer food! Wow! We called at 8pm on a Friday, asking for a 9pm reservation - and, although we ate at the bar, the experience was top notch. Just so happened that we ate there the same night as Anthony Bourdain, so we knew it would be perfect. The bartender/waiter was both friendly and knowledgeable, and helped us choose our starter and our steak (plus great wines by the glass and an outstanding dessert). Based on his suggestion, we started with a full, chilled seafood platter; a ton of things, all great, including lobster salad, octopus salad, smoked salmon, huge shrimp, raw oysters, mussels, and salmon a couple different ways - oh, and crab and scallops and smoked char and a langoustine. Mama Mia, it was tasty! He then suggested we share the sirloin with a
side of fries. The steak was huge and cooked to absolute perfection- do yourself a favor and share a steak. Too much food for one human. He chose an amazing desert for us, some layered cake concoction that was outstanding. The owner (the Mrs) came over and talked with us for about 20 minutes; super nice and friendly. This is a great place for dinner, with a hip vibe and the best steak and seafood I've had in a long time. Bravo, Joe Beef! -
Review from Sarah S.
Montréal, QC
2/22/2010
I agree with Amber... I was there on Friday night (Feb 19) and despite the food being tasty, the prices no way near proportional to how tasty. Also, it is incredibly annoying to have to read an entire food and wine menu while standing up in a narrow passage-way. It makes it very difficult to discuss with your dining companion what to share/have (which is usually an enjoyable process). I had to keep getting up to see the menu to remember what went with what. Also, with 2 main dishes included a $49 steak, one might expect more sides than some lonely green beans.
But my biggest disappointment with this restaurant was being lied to in the worst case scenario, or fobbed off in the best. I asked our waitress if the skate was a sustainable fish and she said "oh yes, there are so many of them, they need to get rid of them." with an air of confidence which made it seem as if she knew what she was talking about. This is completely false. According to this website, http://www.montereybay..., "Skates have been severely overfished and most are caught with bottom trawls, which result in high levels of accidental catch and substantial damage to the seafloor." If she did not know the status of sustainability of this fish, I would have preferred she say she didn't know or ask the chef. If she had done so, I would not have ordered this dish. Very disappointing. -
Review from Jonathan M.
Montréal, QC
5/14/2011
This is one of my favourites in Montreal. Joe Beef is able to blend a cozy atmosphere with extraordinary food. It's a little cheaper then it's close sibling, Garde Manger, in the part of town that I prefer. The staff is always inviting and will take the time to help if needed.
The food is out of this world. I've been a few times and I'm always amazed. If you enjoy a mix of rugged meat with refined toppings, you'll love what they have to offer.
Soon they will be expanding so more people can go through the Joe Beef experience! -
Review from David H.
7/26/2010
I really liked Joe Beef. The ribs were some of the best I have ever tasted. Their rabbit gnocci was also great.
I was sated facing the blackboard, which I have to say greatly enhanced my dining experience. unfortunately for my wife she had her back to the menu and was frustrated that she had to be "Ms. Memory". However the kitchen was generous to her and created a special off-menu dish that was exactly what she wanted.
Most of the guests were great, but the guy from Chicago seated immediately next to us was exceedingly loud and annoying. -
Review from Jason P.
7/5/2011
Great restaurant! Definitely lives up to the hype with outstanding PEI oysters, decadent lobster spaghetti, delicious cod fish with five different kinds of sauteed onions - as well as a perfectly cooked filet mignon. Pleasant attentive service and a homy yet upbeat vibe add to the experience - but if you want truly awesome, tasty food - don't miss this place.
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Review from Ella B.
Toronto, ON
1/25/2010
I've had one of the best and most memorable meals ever in this place. It's a tiny resto-pub located pretty far out of downtown montreal.
Nevertheless, they really know their clientele and their menu is great. The Oysters are amazing, and my strongest recommendation. I've also enjoyed the huge portion of Lobster pasta and a beautiful dessert. The staff was super friendly and the atmosphere was so romantic its a great date spot away from traditional Montreal spots! -
Review from Erika F.
11/2/2011
A.ma.zing. They got a number of things amusingly wrong, and yet they earned 5 of my stars. The negatives: We had reservations at the bar for 9:30 on a Friday night, but we weren't seated until 10:30. We ordered 10 oysters (which would mean 11 by their throw-in-one-extra way with oysters) but we got 9. My date ordered the 8 oz sirloin but was served the 16 oz. The positives: they gave us a couple glasses of interesting, delicious wine to ease the wait. All the staff were super in their demeanor and knowledge. The oysters were delicious and the homemade cocktail sauce like nothing I've had before. I ordered the duck steak au poivre and it was, comment dit-on, perfect. My date ordered the aforementioned sirloin, which he says was perhaps the best steak of his life. It was served with wilted greens and a sauce I can best describe as a cross between A1 and chutney. And they charged only for the 8 oz since the upsizing was their mistake.
It's cozy crowded noisy happy.
I would definitely recommend it and go back if I'm ever again in Montreal. -
Review from Kenny T.
Toronto, ON
6/20/2011
We had a great table on the patio - really is cute back there, especially the table for two in the garden. I think the cool factor is high and the crowd is hip - definitely a fun spot. I found the menu creative, maybe to a fault (do we really need duck heart tacos?). I ordered to Burratta, which was ok, but not as good as others I've tried. I also had the schnitzel, which was fabulous, and huge! The oysters were fresh and delish. They are famous for the lobster spaghetti which was good, with generous portion of lobster (but very pricey). The rest of the menu changes regularly and I got the sense that the kitchen was free styling, since what came out was not always what was described by our waiter. So why the 3? It is over priced. 30 / 40 for mains seemed unnecessary. Also there were some misses at our table - including the scallops and the Cornish hen. Also the service was slow, though the servers were very friendly once they got to us.
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