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Méchant Bœuf Bar & Brasserie
Categories: Restaurants Brasseries Restaurants Gastropubs Brasseries, Gastropubs [Edit]
124, rue St-Paul OuestMontréal, QC H2Y 1Z3
(514) 788-4020
- 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:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Méchant Bœuf Bar & Brasserie
Review Highlights
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"The poutine was awesome." In 5 reviews -
"The DJ is also a sight to see, I won't spoil it." In 6 reviews -
"...it was fantastic (especially the braised pork on top -- wow." In 2 reviews
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27 reviews in English
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Review from Gregory S.
Montréal, QC
2/25/2012
Been to Mechant Boeuf a few times for birthday celebrations, and for small gatherings. So I have seen the service for both very large groups (25 people!?!) and for small (4 people).
The place is always packed, so its important to call ahead.
The service has been mostly adequate with a couple mishaps that weren't too obtrusive to the overall dining experience.
The food is not bad...I have always gotten the Mechant Burger (hope you like gruyere) when I go and it usually doesn't disappoint.
The atmosphere is very trendy and the crowd usually reflects that. There is a DJ who plays an eclectic mix of music (he is sporting a gigantic beard now).
It's a great place to celebrate something or to have a romantic meal. -
Review from Wade V.
1/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
Service was pretty good, bar service too..
Ordered the rib steak, and it was cooked to my liking, but NO TASTE. I'm betting they took it straight out of the freezer and onto the grill without letting it rest.. that's just my armature assumption, but as a big steak lover I can say I've had MUCH better elsewhere and even on my own grill. Maybe in the future if I go back I'll try my luck with the burger.
As for atmosphere it seemed nice and the bar looks like a good spot to have your meal. The location is well situated in the old port. -
Review from Caroline S.
Montréal, QC
11/30/2011
Merchant Boeuf is a fun place with good cocktails and a mix of good live music or dj's. I always have a fun time here, unfortunately the food is really inconsistent. Have eaten there three times - first time good, second time bad, third time average. It is also slightly overpriced, but so are many places in the neighborhood.
I am torn on this place though because I really do like the atmosphere, music, staff and cocktails. Go for a good 5 a 7, stay for some music, and if you need something to nibble on go for a noncommittal appetizer and save dinner for later.
One recommendation would be the tartare sampler which I actually liked. Stay away from the raw bar.... not a disaster, just not at all tasty. -
Review from Greg M.
5/18/2012 1 photo
DON'T FORGET TO MAKE A RESERVATION!
Oysters, beef tartar, shrimp ceviche, a dirty martini and an awesome/eccentric dj! I don't normally eat in old Montreal but this place has a great local vibe. Food was really amazing, and I had force myself to eat slowly so I could enjoy it longer! -
Review from Hope C.
4/13/2012 1 Check-in Here
More like Mechant-douche! A bunch of holier-than-thou yuppies who masquerade under the pretense of "cool." Get your dark rimmed Michael Kors spectacles, davidoff cologne, skinny Levi's, Kenneth Coles and pop a fresh one!
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Review from Lara P.
3/22/2012
Very good poutine and burger. My boyfriend and I had the Mechant Burger and boy were we glad we did. Hefty and full of flavour with a side of poutine with pulled pork and melted curds. It was overkill and I saw my boyfriend weave in his chair a bit from eating too much. The burger patty was packed with meat but it still held its shape throughout the meal. As for the vibe it was a bit crowded and the servers were a little overworked but they were as attentive as they can be. They had a DJ spinning but the tunes were good for a sexy meal on Saturday night. Will come back here again for drinks at the bar and get gussied up to stay and enjoy the evening crowd. But we were happy to drink our wine and pat our full stomachs back to the hotel.
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Review from Jonny C.
11/10/2011
I love this place, aided significantly by the fact that raw bar chef Jason Nagy served as both purveyor of fine shell fishies, and generally as a kick ass guide / friend in Montreal. Mix that with resounding hospitality from the bar staff (Sabrina in particular) and this restaurant saw ample of my time and dollars during my four day business jaunt through the city.
Steaks are fabulous, and actually a strong value compared against chain beef merchants (Ruth Chris, Morton's etc). I will also go on record as saying that the poutin is worth dying for; which is good, because if you ate it regularly, you'd die.
I would recommend a smattering of apps (include the tartar) the raw bar especially during happy hour and lots of booze. Make it during a happy hour, if for no other reason than to peep the DJ....and i dont mean his musical set.
Exceptionally cool, delicious and perfectly located. -
Review from Ephraim D.
Montréal, QC
3/7/2012
Salt, salt, my kingdom for some salt. Is this a contest to see how damn bland you can make a meal? Then we had to ask the waiter for salt and apparently he disappeared as he hunted down for the elusive salt that the chef apparently won't use. The fries were awful, greasy and a mess and the onion soup must have been flavoured with bitters.
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Review from James M.
1/6/2012
Horrible services which completed compromised the food quality. This was punctuated by the seemingly disconnected host who apparently was completely ambivalent to people arriving for dinner reservations. It was as if he would have preferred that not one showed. My suggested - Don't Show.
We started dinner with a cheese plate, which was possibly the highlight of the meal. Once finished we sat for at least 10 minutes and did not see the waiter. Figuring that this might be a natural pause between 1st & 2nd course we didn't think twice. This is until a back up waiter (not ours) brought out our main dishes. The plates were on FIRE from sitting under a heat lamp. My burger (ordered medium rare) and my girlfriends steak (ordered medium) were both fried to a desert-like well done. Completely dry. I might have said something to the waitress, but she simply passed by without even asking about the meal. I even needed to chase her down to request a bill.
Bummed we tried this place. -
Review from Shah S.
8/27/2011
Just awesome!
OK, the name means "Mad Beef'. We went there around 6 pm and the place filled up quickly. The food was very good and the service was excellent. I had the steak tartar and grilled tuna. Both were quite good.
Loved the Janis Joplin cover band. They played some Norah Jones which was refreshing.
Overall, this is a nice trendy place. It will get crowded fast and the whole point is to go with the flow and enjoy the crowd & vibe -
Review from Chris T.
7/15/2011
Stayed at the Hotel Nelligan next door and thought we would try this place out. Sadly, we were left disappointed.
Service
Agonizingly slow. 15 minutes to have waiter come take order for drinks/meal. Another 20 minutes to receive drinks and bread and so on.
Appetizers
Ceviche(14$) - consisted mainly of cubed shrimp. Decent flavor but would not order again
Tartar Sampler(14$) - three meats; tuna, salmon and beef. Well seasoned and the highlight to my meal
Entrées
Wife and I ordered medium-rare Merchant Burgers with Poutine(23$ each). Both burgers arrived well done. For a beef joint I would expect burgers to arrive medium-rare if ordered. Spoke to the waiter he said that it must be the lighting. Wrong. There should be a little red juice with my burger and pink center. This was bone dry. Sent it back only to get another identical well-done burger. In addition, my wife mentioned that the meat had a spoiled smell to it. It makes me wonder if they intentionally over cooked the burgers because meat was not fresh. . At least we did not end up with food poisoning! In all we ate about 2/3 of a single burger between us. Gave up and asked for check. Although the waiter had been extremely slow with service he offered to take one burger off order.
All in all - we would never return. -
Review from Dean A.
Montréal, QC
5/7/2011
Mechant Boeuf is one of those resto-bars that will morph into whatever you like. If you're in jeans and a sweater, you can treat it as a place to get a tasty burger and chill. If you're in a suit, the decor gets outright glitzy near the bar and far wall so you feel like you're in a trendy supper club. On a date, with friends, whatever, Mechant Boeuf seems to fit the bill.
The service is typically average, and the food is actually really good - I've been a dozen times and always found it to be delicious, albeit not the most adventurous menu. In any case, I don't think the point was to experiment too much, just get the basics across (good burgers etc) without too much fuss in a beautiful setting. Works well! -
Review from Larry W.
3/2/2012
We came here for dinner (couple of 2) because we were told that this area had plenty of restaurants to choose from and it was in Old Montreal. In the freezing cold this was the third option. For starters they make you check your coat at the door before entering, and once inside it is a multitude of small boutique tables and a full dinning room. This was on Friday night so we thought it would be busy. The service was mediocre and lacked personality. Was not rushed by any means but felt awkward by waiting twenty minutes for a small cocktail shrimp entrée and what should have been one hr dinner lasted about two and a half. The waiter had far too many tables than he could handle. Never the less when the bill came we were very surprised by the amount, taxes were outrageous and when asked if we would like to tip the waiter added the percentage of the tip on top of the taxes, making our dinner overpriced and a little waste of time. The venue is sexy and well styled. There was DJ playing house music, and a sushi bar, which added creativity. The food was better than good but not great. Fifteen dollar veggie burger and five dollar dime amount of ice cream will have you re thinking why you went in there in the first place.
If you go here I recommend letting the server know just how long that you plan to stay, if you are on a time restraint, knowing that there are really no booths, only boutique tables, paying for a meal that is good but not great, and lastly tipping in cash. -
Review from Daniel N.
5/3/2011
I've eaten here a few times. The steak is delicious, beer can chicken is excellent and quite the sight!
Very cool vibe. The DJ is also a sight to see, I won't spoil it. -
Review from Mr G.
Montréal, QC
5/7/2011
Went there on a Friday night mid-April.
Arrived around 5:30 for an early drink.. sat at the bar, the place was empty.
Clientele was a mix between tourists and locals..
The place started to fill up around 6:30 and by 7:30 it was packed!
(++++)
- Decor is very cool.. definitely trendy.
- Cool lounge like atmosphere, with live DJ
- Good cocktail selection
- Great deals on drinks and finger foods during 5 @ 7
- Tartar trio was good, best one being the tuna
- Fries were great!
(-------)
- We had to wait a long time for our simple burger food order
- The famous Méchant Burger is not that great. The beef patty is huge but way too salty!! I understand that it has bacon and bleu cheese on it but still.. Eventhough we waited a good 45 mins just for that, the burger was almost thrown on my plate..
- And the thing that bothered me the most about this place is that it seemed we were the only ones who didn't know the whole bar and wait staff. Therefore all around us, other customers were getting bottled water, bread, visits from the chef, the maitre d', wait staff was ultra attentive to their needs, ..etc.. While we were getting warm tap water, no bread, definitely felt weird.. It made for a very pretentious vibe..
Will I go back? Not sure.. if I do it'll be just for a quick drink before going somewhere else..
Cost: for 2, with 2 drinks each, before tax&tip: around 100$ -
Review from Cheryl B.
6/18/2009 1 photo
A dinner out with some of the Sales Execs led us to Mechant boeuf ... amid the myriad of restaurants we are making our way through during each business visit to Montreal. The atmosphere is inviting, nice color scheme and the water wall feature is relaxing even through the many conversations tableside as well as the bar in this eclectic restaurant.
Our evening began with libations, of course, from Lychee martini to Argentinian wine to a standard Cosmo. Appetizer split between the four of us was the Tasting Tartar which included beef, salmon and tuna. Very large portions, so glad we were all consuming this offering...served with crustini and a spicy ponzu style sauce.
Dinner - we ended up with identical orders - NY Strip set on a bed of creamy cheese potatoes and crowned with an onion and bacon topping. The side was a mix of summer squash and zucchini simply sauted.
The meat was not as tender as I would have liked and there was certainly some fatty stuff on the sides that could have been trimmed prior to service. The potatoes were ok, although a bit too creamy to support the meat as a platform. The veggies were bland.
Dessert - a decadent chocolate cake with a very rich icing...not house made but a nice way to end the meal.
What I found interesting on the menu was "Beer Can Chicken"....hmmm, not a BBQ joint, not a Roadhouse, and certainly not located in rural VA, so why I ask you would that appear on a menu with tartar, assorted cuts of steak and nice shrimp offerings???
Can't say it would be a regular place for me, especially since there are so many more choices of eateries we have yet to try! -
Review from Derrick V.
7/10/2010
Cool vibe at this Old Port spot specializing in beef. An eclectic DJ spins 80s-ish tracks.
The oysters were some of the best I've had in a while, nice and briney. The carpaccio was fine, served with a tasty ceasar salad.
The signature burger is wet aged for 30 days and had a slight cured taste. I didn't like the soft bun though.
The poutine was awesome! The gravy makes this dish and theirs was spot on.Listed in: Montreal
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Review from DAVE I.
Montréal, QC
1/18/2009 1 photo
After my first visit at Mechant Boeuf I gave it a pretty damn good review. Well I'm gonna take most of what I said BACK. Because this week I went back for a friend' birthday dinner party and I almost choked on the level of crap I witnessed at this restaurant. Things have changed.
THE GOOD
As an entrée I combo-ed two of them after I saw the same dish fly by to another table and the waiter was kind of forced to comply with my request. I had the Sliders which they call the Burger Flight and with Charlevoix Poutine with braised pork, Migneron cheese. I must admit that the sliders were awesome with the little tangy mayonnaise, cherry-tomatoes and perfectly tasting meat. And the poutine was very good as usual. The service was still very friendly and casual. The Good ends there.
THE BAD
Anyone who knows me, knows I live for steak. If you wrap it up with bacon its even better, if you slather it with Foie Gras sauce, I have a complete mental collapse from the goddness. This is what they offered.
In my previous review I raved about their Foie Gras sauce but the restaurateurs went and changed it to save of food-cost most likely and cut it down with pepper sauce. It completely changed the sauce and ruined it making the appeal of the main fly away like a bird.
Next up was what I dunk in my sauce, the steak. I love eating meat, show me a way I've never eaten before and I'll try it. But the good ol' standards stick with me and a tasty steak tops the list. I've had steak all over North America. There's only one way to eat steak and properly enjoy its flavour, its texture, its juices and that's RARE. You can eat Flank Steak and if it's properly prepared it'll be tender despite being the toughest but yet most flavourful cut of meat.
I ordered a NY strip rare and what I got was a piece of rubber I could hardly cut through without having the steak slip and sliding all over my plate. Chewwing? That was impossible. I wanted to install a mandibular grinder to pre-grind my meat for me. So impossibly chewy steak with disgustingly peppery Foie Gras sauce. But WAIT, it's gets better?
THE UGLY
I of course called up the waiter to complained about the rubber boot on my plate and this is where it gets sad and yet funny. The waiter goes and talks with the manager about the situation and comes back to tell me that it's normal for rare steak to be chewy. WHAT THE FUCK? WHEN DID THIS WARP IN THE UNIVERSE HAPPEN? Talk about crappy client service, piss poor knowledge of meat preparation and total lack of respect. In most restaurants where I pay 40$ for a piece of crap meat, the manager has the decency to come over to my table and talk to me personally and makes a deal. This time no deal other than to re-fire my steak, which duh, would have given me a medium steak and a steak that has already cooled down after cooking cannot be re-heated. Go ahead and try it, it's horrible because it boils the meat.
Someone else at my table ordered the Pan-Seared Foie Gras at 13$ a pop. This was the biggest joke of the night. It was barely a quarter of a liver and it was burnt to a crisp. I wanted to scream bloody murder. If it weren't for the fact that it was my friend's birthday party I would have exploded.
This is obviously a case of retards with no experience who have no place opening a restaurant who decided to open the next trendy go-to hot spot. All form and no function. It looks cool, it's pretty, it's trendy but the food is horrible. Méchant Bœuf can sling some tasty burgers but that's where they peak.Listed in: WTF?
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Review from Chris R.
Nanaimo, BC
1/3/2011
My review needs to be read when considering the conditions. I was here on New Year's Eve, along with about 14 others, as part of a large-party reservation. As a result we had a limited menu, and the music was very loud - but both of those were to be expected, considering the time and the night.
I'll start with service, because it's nearest and dearest to my heart as a life-long server. Service was great, bordering on wonderful, considering the challenge of our table. The orders were taken when we wanted and the drinks were always full. When my brother tried (twice!) without success to get a beer he wanted from the server - the first time the keg was dry, the second time the server recommended one he didn't like - she apologized with a round of shots for the entire table! Woah! Very impressive! A couple of minor mods were missed (eg: burger came with mustard that was asked to be excluded) but nothing heart-breaking.
The food itself was quite good, but not worth the price tag of $60.00 for the fixed price table d'hote. Again, I understand that since it's NYE there's a certain premium to be paid. That said, the only part of the meal that was full-value was the appetizer. The foie gras was divine. The burger I had was ok - nothing I'll remember, sadly. It was a bit on the small side, and the fries that came with were nothing special... just fries. And the dessert - a stack of three macaroons - was WAY too sweet. I can't imagine most people enjoying it unless they had a career as Willy Wonka's tester in their back pocket.
Ultimately, the price felt high for the food that we received, and while the food wasn't bad - it was probably overpriced by a fair bit, even recognizing the unique circumstances of the night.
All said, I probably wouldn't come back - but I also wouldn't slag it seriously to a friend. It's about as evenly neutral a memory as one can have. -
Review from Houston T.
Montréal, QC
1/22/2010
Bleh. Uninspired.
Went to dine at Mechant Boeuf yesterday during the Happening Gourmand.
Chose the goat cheese appy, Mechant Burger, and chocolate mousse for dessert.
Nothing particularly good or bad.
I would rate the food comparable to typical bar food.
The bar is clearly the draw here ... might return for beverages but not to dine again. -
Review from Avitania B.
Toronto, ON
2/18/2010 1 photo
I'll admit that my expectations were low when we walked in. By the time I walked out, though, I was pretty impressed.
I ordered the "Burger Flight," which consisted of three cute little sliders that were accompanied with separate condiments of thousand island dressing and caramelized onions. The buns, which tasted brioche-y, were nicely toasted. The meat was a little bit dry, but it wasn't too bad. I have a little problem with their calling it a "flight," though, because I think of flights as being an assortment. It would be a flight if each of the three burgers were different. But, whatever -- to-MAY-to, to-MAH-to.
I also ordered a side of poutine -- my first on this visit to Montreal, and I thought it was fantastic (especially the braised pork on top -- wow!!), barring one weakness: the cheese curds were really big, and some hadn't fully melted. Thus, it was hard to get a good ratio of gravy-potato-cheese-pork. Granted, my poutine experience is quite thin, so take my opinion with a grain of salt. ;)
My husband ordered the sea bass, which I thought was going to be awful -- I mean, the place is called Mechant Boeuf, not Mechant Poisson. ;) However, the fish came out cooked PERFECTLY: moist, with nice, crispy skin. The accompanying fingerling potatoes were nice and buttery, with a touch of mustard. Yum.
Con 1: LOUD music. It was an acoustic band that was playing on the Wednesday night we went, but my husband and I practically had to yell across the table in order to have a conversation. Not pleasant.
Con 2: Service was spotty. It took about 15 minutes for a server to come over and take our order after we were seated; we were seriously considering walking out when the server finally arrived. Glasses were never refilled. i'd actually rate this place 3.5 stars due to the service, but since Yelp doesn't allow half stars, I'm rounding up.
Thumbs up!Listed in: Vive Montréal!
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Review from Jim J.
Montréal, QC
9/29/2010
Such a great decor and vibe....that gets soiled by bad food. Had a steak that wasn't marinated evenly. Fries are served with Hellman's Mayonnaise...at this price is homemade mayonnaise too much to ask?
Service was ok considering we were a large group but they didn't bother to offer us coffee or dessert.
It's really too bad because this restaurant has everything to succeed but the menu needs a complete upgrade, and so does the food. -
Review from dean c.
10/8/2009
Found this lively restaurant on a wet Friday night while checking out the old port area.
Once we saw the funky DJ and heard the eclectic tracks he was laying down we knew this was our kind of place.
The food was unpretentious while still being good. I haven't had calamari as good as this in a long time.
Highly recommended. -
Review from Melinda M.
Toronto, ON
9/8/2009
Our Via train from Toronto to Montreal arrived an hour late due to the train staff's failure to close a door at one of the stops. As a result, we arrived in Montreal at 11PM thirsting for some alcoholic beverages, and maybe a bite to eat.
After quickly dropping off our luggage and cleaning up, we walked down to Old Montreal to find the perfect place. It took us about 20 minutes of either places closing up shop for the night or simply tacky tourist dives serving nachos before we found the Merchant. It was crowded at midnight and still serving.
Service was a bit slow as we were adjacent to a large birthday group that was just breaking up and asking for separate bills (another conversation entirely!). The host realized the problem and began taking care of us; we had sparkling water quickly and a bottle of red soon after that. We decided to share the beef carpaccio and Cesaer salad appetizer, and it was delicuous. All the food we saw looked delicious, it's a fun rowdy atmosphere, and the DJ was playing great "old" music from the early 90s.
We liked it so much we returned the next night for drinks after the Killers concert. This place is popular and I can see why. -
Review from Megan H.
6/5/2009
Not astounding, but then again, not bad. I had heard that the sliders and poutine were pretty great, and they were. The sliders were probably the best thing we tried - great flavor to the beef and tasty accompaniments on the plate. Second best thing was the poutine, and it was rich and delicious although I could feel my arteries clogging moment by moment. The third item we tried was the tartare trio, and it was definitely underwhelming. On the plate were three small servings of tuna, salmon, and beef tartare. The only one with a really good flavor was (surprise) the beef. Both the tuna and the salmon were overwhelmed by green onions and what I could taste of the fish wasn't that great. 2 out of 3 isn't bad, and the restaurant itself has a fun vibe and great decor, but I probably wouldn't go out of my way to eat here again.
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Review from Adam S.
8/4/2009
Found this place while strolling down the cobble stone streets of Montreal. The inside is really neat, it looks like a night club; only odd thing I noticed, was that they had TV, but they were set to an old western TV show (not sure if that's the norm). I took a seat at the bar and was greeted by a very friendly and attractive bartender. I sampled a few of the local (Canadian) wines and cheeses and all were very delicious. Ended up meeting the restaurant manager as well and he was very hospitable.
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Review from Stephanie B.
Montréal, QC
6/23/2010
Dishes are above average. No complaints.
