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O'Thym
Category: Restaurants French French [Edit]
1112 Blvd De Maisonneuve EMontréal, QC H2L 1Z5
(514) 525-3443
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- No
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
16 reviews for O'Thym
Review Highlights
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"A delicious palate cleanser, share at least between 2..." In 3 reviews -
"...we were to bring our own wine, a concern that was echoed by..." In 2 reviews -
"This is one of my all time favorite BYOW restaurants." In 4 reviews
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15 reviews in English
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Review from Tim H.
4/14/2012
My first question is: why is this not more popular on Yelp??
We found this restaurant through Urban Spoon, and the menu really appealed to us. We were looking for a great French-inspired meal, and we found it.
We were offered soup as a starter, and it was a vegetarian blended soup. We then moved on to a mixed board, which included Chorizo, chicken liver pate with a port jelly, duck foie gras with a maple liquor, and a duck rillette. Fantastic.
We opted for the "palate cleanser," which was a lime sorbet with a citrus vodka.
For our main course, we ordered the veal shank, and one of the day's specials, the veal rib chop. Both were absolutely mind blowing.
Finally, we finished with the molten chocolate cake, and a layered desert which had cooked pear (if I'm not mistaken) with layers of marscapone.
Overall, this was one of the best meals I have had in the area. However, there is one big con: Bring Your Own Wine. While this is great for locals, for those of us on the road, it can present a challenge when we're short on time.
Overall, excellent food, and I would come back in an instant! -
Review from Greg M.
5/12/2012
Best hidden Montreal gem. I moved from Montreal when I was 24, and I have to say this is hands down my favorite restaurant. It's an amazing byowine place that changes is menu based on what food is in season. Service is amazing, they make you feel like and king and I have never been let down by the food. They even got me into eating baby deer. One thing that is annoying is that certain nights (or all nights) they only take seats at 2 times.
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Review from Max L.
10/21/2011 6 photos
I have been here several times and brought everyone from the most strict vegetarian to the biggest meat lover, and everyone has left wishing to come back!
Service is fantastic, BYOB is always a plus, and the food has a unique Quebec flavor to it. It may be considered french, but you'd be hard pressed to find most of these dishes in your standard french cuisine.
Menu is pretty consistent, with a few specials each day, but the chef will cater a dish to whatever you need. Although almost nothing on the menu is vegetarian, friends of mine have had dishes made by the chef many times and always loved it.
Make sure you get the Trou Normand in between courses! A delicious palate cleanser, share at least between 2 people.
A great place to stretch your boundaries, anything on the menu is guaranteed to be great! -
Review from Jonathan B.
Westmount, QC
1/2/2012
Very good food. Meat heavy and loud place, but the quality is there and the price is right. It's BYOB, so that's a plus!
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Review from Mike S.
11/19/2011
This is one of my all time favorite BYOW restaurants. The food is always good, and I mean always. I won't go into what's good about it, it just is. Try it. If you don't love it, come on back and let me hear about it. I've been about 10 times and I'll probably be going back soon! As far as price, well it's about as fair as you can hope for considering what they serve up on the plate.
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Review from Toni M.
10/11/2011
This was another recommendation by our B&B hosts. We made 7:00 reservations and walked over. We were greeted warmly but w/ the concern that we knew we were to bring our own wine, a concern that was echoed by our server. We explained that we did, but only one of us drank wine, so it wasn't practical for us to bring a bottle. Had we known before dinner at Steak Frîtes a couple of nights ago about bringing our own wine the bottle would likely have lasted me three dinners.
We were brought the English menu and our server explained which dishes were no longer available and what had replaced them. We decided to share an appetizer of pumpkin and walnut ravioli and grilled calamari. Alan ordered the fish special (a white fish, the type I can't remember) and I ordered the rack of lamb. We were brought a sliced baguette in a graceful Nambé-like elongated bowl accompanied by a small ramekin of butter. Unexpectedly we were both brought bowls of a squash-cabbage soup. It was thick and beautifully seasoned. Completely delicious.
The appetizer arrived and we were very sorry we hadn't brought the camera because the presentation was so beautiful. The calamari was atop the ravioli and artfully arranged atop the calamari were delicate sprigs of herbs. Under and around the ravioli were finely chopped tomatoes and tentacles. Alan took the calamari and cut it in half while I took the ravioli (I should say raviolo because there was a single one) and cut it in half. We exchanged halves and sprinkled some tomato and tentacles on top. It was very tasty and we enjoyed it but would have appreciated a bit more generous portion for the price, like two ravioli. We used the last of the bread to sop up the delicious sauce in the bottom of the bowl. We were offered a lemon-vodka sorbet as a palate cleanser between courses but Alan declined and I didn't have any either.
When our mains arrived they were again beautifully presented and accompanied by an interesting assortment of vegetables. My lamb had a couple of small potatoes that had an appealing smokey flavor, a couple of barely cooked baby carrots and a mixture of shredded red and white cabbage. It was a wonderful mélange. The lamb was cooked medium rare and it was very tender. Alan's fish was accompanied by thin slices of kumquat and a variety of vegetables. He loved it and the bite I had was excellent. After all that we had no room for dessert. We had a lovely conversation w/ the people at the adjacent table, Swedish parents visiting their college age son here. It's the kind of conversation you sometimes fall into while traveling. Service was seamless, personable and smooth. The noise level was a bit high because the ceilings are high and the walls are brick. We enjoyed our evening here. 4.51 rounded up.Listed in: Ah oui! Montréal!
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Review from Paul L.
3/10/2012
For the last night of our honeymoon, we were looking for something special. We found it and more at O'Thym. We were staying nearby, popped in to make a reservation, and were told that dinner seatings were at 6 and 9. We chose 6, and were greeted by a gentleman who was kind enough to warn us off of the table near the door,"because of the smokers" and seated us near the window. Our waitress Vanessa was cheerful and helpful in a genuine way, not with a forced smile for the American tourists.She was very busy but attentive, an excellent waitress. We brought our own bottle of French red that we had purchased earlier, I only wish we had brought a better wine to complement the delicious food. We started with an entree, my wife had a veal liver dish with pistachio and star anise, I had foie gras in a pastry with fig sauce. The flavors were intense. The Trou de Normand, or palate cleanser, was a lemon sorbet in citrus vodka served in a martini glass with rind and a sprig of mint. It was the ideal setting for the next course. My wife's lamb chop plat was superb, and my filet mignon was the finest piece of beef I've ever had. For dessert we both had a concoction of spiced pears, Cointreau, tamarind, and cream that was the perfect ending to a wonderful meal. Any anniversary visit to Montreal will certainly include a return to this place, it was a consummate ending to our week of celebration.
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Review from Anthony C.
2/16/2010
What a way to start off my visit to Montreal! Delicious.
I called and made a reservation for two 45 minutes prior to our arrival to allow for enough time to stop by the SAQ and pick up some wine - BYOW, what a great way to dine! Buying wine at the liquor store we were able to drink VERY well - Chateau Margaux and Chateauneuff du Pape!! Must have saved over $100 compared to buying those wines in a restaurant.
On our way to the restaurant, my sister called and asked to join us, and O Thym accommodated no problem: we had to wait 15 minutes for a table for three to open up, but our waiter was happy to seat us and open one of our bottles while we waited for my sister to arrive and switch to the other table. Being Ville Marie (or The Village, depending on who you talk to) it is nearly all Francophone. The menu was chalked up on a board entirely in French, a lovely characteristic, but our waiter was happy to bring us an English menu - not even of a flutter of snobbery. Throughout the meal he made a much-appreciated effort to speak to us in English, and did a bang-up job at it, topping off our fabulous experience.
Now, to the food! Oh the food - scrumptious. I started with the sweetbreads while my fellow diners had the smoked duck salad and the salmon & avocado tartare. Forkfuls exchanged around the table, all quite tasty. We followed that with a palate cleanser of sorbet, and then I had the venison and the rest of the table the filet mignon. Once again, all delectable. For dessert we shared a cheese plate, the creme brulee, and the flourless chocolate cake. No let down here either! The meal was paced perfectly, and we were the last ones in the place.
Coming away from a meal like that without having broken the bank was just so refreshing. The BYOW along with mouth-watering food and top-notch service all in an unpretentious setting: this is bistro dining at its best!Listed in: Anthony in Montreal
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Review from Tee F.
Montréal, QC
5/15/2011
Definitely the best BYOB French you can get in the city.
I had the veal sweetbreads and they were amazing. The other 4 diners at my table agreed. The salmon tartar was good, too. For the entrées, I would recommend trying the sweetbreads! Having tried lots of different things, but not a huge fan of organs, I was really surprised. Sooo good!
As for the mains, the bison is very good as is the newly-added duck-confit leg with barley risotto. Unanimous around the table as a great main.
I would recommend the second service as there is little pressure at that time to leave the table. That being said, the service is not very fast, however the staff is very nice and knowledgeable.
For your BYOB needs consider paying about $10 more for your main to have great food.
Will return.
One sad note is their website needs a makeover. Just a detail. -
Review from George L.
8/14/2010
I was looking for a good bistro near the B&B i was staying at (Le Simone) and the reviews on this place, though only two, seemed quite good. I tried to walk in and get a table Saturday evening but it was booked up so set a reservation for Monday night. As with many places in the area of Montreal where I was staying it was BYOB but not too hard to find a Couche-Tard close by to get a few bottles of wine.
The place has a great atmosphere and the night I went it was raining and my group was by the window. Being from Arizona I am absolutely fascinated by seeing rain so for me, a great spot, but it is a long restaurant and I am sure if asked one could get a table toward the back.
All the food my group of four ordered was delicious. One person ordered the salad with sautéed duck gizzards and they were melt in your mouth tender. I had to try the foi gras (might have spelled that wrong which on this night was served room temperature and mixed with a bit of honey that gave it a slightly sweet texture (the other option is the more usual sautéed version). I was on a duck roll that evening and also had the grilled duck breast that was served (correctly) quite rare and sliced thin and then fanned out. Two other people at the table had the salmon and thought it was well done.
I liked this place enough that when I go back to Montreal I plan on a return visit. It has that classic bistro feel that makes you feel that you could just as well be in Paris as Montreal (viva la France!). I promise you, if you go, you will not be disappointed! :-) -
Review from Philip K.
7/12/2010 1 photo
The host at our B&B recommended this place for a modern take on French cuisine. He tried to explain how the name "O'Thym" is a play on words, but I don't remember how that worked out... We loved the atmosphere and I remember thinking that it felt like we were in NYC or back home in Chicago. I can't really speak as to the quality of traditional French food, but it tasted real good, looked real good, and we felt real good sitting in the space.
As tourists in the city, it is a safe bet that this place will set the mood for a wonderful evening in Montreal.
We'll go back. -
Review from Suzanne G.
6/2/2010
I'll write a full review on one of the other listings for this restaurant, so be sure to check it out.
This place is divine. I'd give 6 stars if possible.
I love the idea of bringing one's own wine to a fine restaurant. I wish it would catch on in the Boston area. -
Review from Ari S.
Ottawa, ON
11/10/2008
Montreal is over-saturated with French bistros. Seemingly hidden on every side street and kitty-corner, they should be approached with caution. I generally pause to parse over the menus and maybe glance at the laminated reviews in the window as I walk by them. No more than that. Most are pricey and I'd say they aren't worth it but I haven't eaten at enough of them to make that judgment. But on my modest income, limited budget (if I ever bothered to sort one out) and meager debt-ridden existence, if I'm going to go out and spend 50 hard-earned dollars on a meal, it better be worth it. There's nothing worse than a disappointing and expensive meal. Okay, there's a lot worse than a disappointing over-priced meal (like cancer) but you know what I mean.
This brings me O Thym, a bistro that stands out amid this cluttered market. First things off the bat - it's BYOW. This already makes the price of a meal that much more reasonable since wine can tack on at least a dollar sign or two to any meal (and who wants to eat at a French bistro without a bottle of wine? It's like eating corn on the cob without butter. And it's even better when you can bring two or three bottles and feel extra extravagant without paying forty bucks a bottle). But, yeah, there are other French bistros that are BYO (specifically on the Plateau which has about six of them that I can name off the top of my head) so this plus has to be backed up by the food. And this unassuming bistro off of de Maisonneuve in the Village is the best BYO bistro I've been to (better than Au Petit Plateau, Colombe and a few others I forget) . The decor is minimalist and tasteful (it actually doesn't look like much from the outside - could be a fancy sandwich joint) with a daily menu chalked on a large blackboard. Prices are fairly reasonable considering it's French and BYO (something like 22 to 35 for main courses). I had the best ostrich I've ever had in my life there. Sure, that may not say too much since I've only had ostrich a handful of times in my life but this one was cooked to absolute perfection. Great food, good unpretentious service and the bill only worked out to forty per person with an appetizer and main course (including tax and tip). -
Review from Suzanne G.
6/16/2010
My husband and I just might have had the most wonderful meal in all of Montreal at O Thym during a recent visit. We found this place quite by accident, after realizing the place we had wanted to book for dinner was closed on Mondays, so after a bit of searching on his iPhone for BYOW places, we selected O Thym. What good fortune for us that we got reservations.
The place itself is in a residential/business area. There is a pet shop and hardware store across the street. We were staying in Vieux Montreal and walked there, Metro'd home from the nearby station.
Love the water menu. Loved the modern/simple decor. Emphasis here is on delicious food and good service.
For starters I had the salmon tartare with pureed avocadoes. Fresh and superb products. Husband had rocket salad with smoked duck and parmesan. Wonderful touch of balsamic reduction--killer good combination of flavors.
We then moved on with our meal: my main course was the lamb chops with roasted garlic. Cooked rare, just as I requested. He had the filet mignon (bleu--and it was) which was served with wild mushrooms. How spectacular were these meals I cannot even tell you. Perfection.
Dessert--we shared a wonderful creme brulee. Heaven.
At the end of our meal we told our server that our meals were exceptional and he remarked that he is the owner of this place and 3 other similar ones, and gave us the business cards.
On our next trip to Montreal I hope we have the chance to try them all. Fantastique, eh! -
Review from Nina G.
8/21/2011
We spent 10 days traveling (and eating) throughout Quebec and this restaurant was our favorite. All aspects (service, food, atmosphere) of this restaurant should receive 5 stars (save wine service since this is a BYOB). The servers were so friendly and informative. They were also very passionate about the food being served; knowing it and describing it perfectly. A friendly welcome often sets the tone for the whole experience and these folks win here. The atmosphere is energetic bistro with enough sound dampening to allow for a pleasant personal conversation. The food was to die for: exploding with the primary flavor of the dish yet complimented by herbs and spices. I had the sweetbreads as an appetizer. These were served with a light, slightly sweet sauce of fruit and maple and topped with coarsely prepared herbs that was so light yet exploded with flavored and textures. We also had a brilliant Halibut with black garlic and mango that was perfect for a warm summer night and delicately prepared. We trusted the chef so much we had creme brûlée and a trio of sorbets for dessert - things we would NEVER order in lesser hands -and they did not disappoint. The creme brûlée was rich and delicious and the brittle crust perfectly executed. My sorbets were anything but the usual; they expressed their flavored to a T: pear, fennel and blueberry. In addition there was an amuse bouche of gazpacho and an interlude of lime sherbet in vodka all part of a perfectly paced (2+ hour) meal. Add the fact that you can bring and have a wine you couldn't afford from most restaurant wine lists and you have an exceptional night out. This place is a must.
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