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Restaurant L'academie
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
38 reviews for Restaurant L'academie
Review Highlights
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"And also the bring your own wine thing." In 3 reviews -
"...and I've shared some good meals with good friends at your..." In 3 reviews -
"...there's a liquor store right next door, so while you wait..." In 3 reviews
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35 reviews in English
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Review from Carl K.
Montréal, QC
4/12/2012
The quintessential French restaurant. If you want to give an out-of-towner a speedy does of French-style cuisine, you can't go wrong with L'Academie. It skirts the line between a high-quality bistro and a cheap BYOW restaurant; just a few blocks from Prince Arthur and ten times the quality of any of the tourist traps there.
I have never had to wait long to seat a modestly-sized party; the waiters are harried and busy but generally leave you alone to drink the wine you bring from the SAQ across the street. The food is hit-or-miss; nothing horrible, and nothing exceptional (except the mussels which are to die for). When eating with guests, I recommend one of you order the frog's legs (just to give that French twist) but order some mussels for your guests. The pasta is okay, nothing good. The desserts are nice.
If I'm hard up for a place to take friends and I'm looking for a nice place to settle into a wine-induced stupor, I'll always pick L'Academie. -
Review from Mike S.
4/17/2012 1 Check-in Here
Solid 3 stars right down the middle. They never accomplished a top performance. But they are consistently good enough.
For the money and considering its a bring your own wine, L'Academie gets a C grade! Why eat at home when you can go out for a minimal cost? -
Review from Vitold P.
Montréal, QC
4/12/2012
Food is decent. Service is so-so. It is a so-called fast / semi fine dining. What can you expect from a bring-your-own-wine place?
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Review from mari s.
Montréal, QC
5/2/2012
I suppose it's a good place if you like bringing your own booze, otherwise they pressure you to order lots of food and the food is not really the showcase. I had the pasta and the price was right, but there are just better options.
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Review from Eric V.
Pierrefonds, QC
4/9/2012
Food is great!
The decors is marvelous and the bathroom is just spectacular.
The staff are very friendly and professional.
Cheers,
Eric Van Nguyen -
Review from Kim D.
Montréal, QC
10/26/2011 2 photos
Disgusting.
Everyone goes on about this place but they shouldn't. -
Review from Aurora N.
2/11/2012
I am so surprised at all the negative reviews. This is a place we have been known to queue up in the snow to eat at. It is always on our itinerary when we visit Montreal. A trip up there without dining at L'academie would feel incomplete. I have never had a bad meal here. I usually get one or another variety of the moules et frites. I'm a big fan of the curry ones but most of the ones I've tried have been fab. The penne a' la vodka is delicious too as are the grilled langoustines. The restaurant is BYOB and there's an SAQ conveniently right across the street. I much prefer to come here during lunch. It's a little cheaper, you avoid the crazy dinner queue, and it's less manic. Plus I love to sit by an open window on a sunny afternoon and enjoy my meal.
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Review from Silvia V.
8/1/2011
We were a big party of 15 and were seated at two tables on the third floor on a Friday night. The decor is nice with rustic exposed brick walls and large windows overlooking a busy street. It's a very big restaurant with vibrant atmosphere.
I was quite surprised with the restaurant's BYOB policy. A big plus. Our Montreal hosts brought very good wine. The bread and butter they serve at L'academie is amazing.
I ordered mussels and fries Provençal and was very happy with my dinner. It was delicious. My husband had halibut and was not happy, the fish was dry and tasteless.
We shared a Creme Brulee, which was pretty good.
Overall, I would say this is a very good restaurant for large crowds with a decent choice of entrees. -
Review from Mitchell R.
8/4/2011
Went here with my co-workers. Excellent food. We bought wine across the street at the SAQ and took it to dinner. No corkage fees, must be a Montreal thing. I've been twice now and have had consistently good meals of mussels and duck.
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Review from Yann L.
12/29/2010
This place is great. I used to go there everytime I had friends visiting Montreal. This restaurant is loud and very busy, which is great for impressing them :).
The food is very good. I think it is relatively cheap for what you get. -
Review from DAVE I.
Montréal, QC
12/26/2008
I finally got around to eating at L'Académie this Friday. The restaurant gives off this air of Zen grandeur and European opulence at the same time while serving a fusion of Italian and French fusion cuisine. What it is really is a lot of pretentiousness and posturing, form over function, appeal over taste.
To begin with I couldn't believe the menu or more to the point how 30 years ago it was. What self-respecting fine dining institution with any sense of modernity still serves Coquille St-Jacques, Escargot with garlic butter and Parmesan Fondue as entrée? Really? In 2008? Tortellini Cardinal is not fine dining it's now been reduced to cafeteria food. All good plates when well prepared, but preparations that are passé and no longer original.
I started with the Insalata Italiana or Italian Salad.
Lovely greens, very fresh and some cherry tomatoes that tasted just awful and sticks of Parmesan Regiano with a nice Balsamic vinaigrette. Most restaurants drown their salads in vinaigrette, L'Académie seems to fear this very same thing by not putting enough dressing on the salad and the salad tasted dry.
Then as my Primo Piatto, or Plat de Resistance
I went for the Filet Mignon with a Port reduction. I'm just a sucker for steak. It was served with potatoes that had been fried whole and some veggies. The only thing that was remotely good was the Port reduction. Ok maybe the corn cob which tasted a bit funny because it was obviously not from Québec soil.
The Broccoli bouquet was undercooked and completely tastless. The carrot was also seriously undercooked. There's a difference between Al Dente and undercooked; a chef should know such a simple difference.
The Potatoes... how can a chef screw up a staple like potatoes? We all eat potatoes, we can expect better than fried whole potatoes that have absolutely no seasoning or taste, are dry and crunchy; just so wrong.
Last but no least on the hit list, the Filet Mignon. Now correct me if I'm wrong because I'm no steak expert but I eat enough steak in steakhouses and consider myself a bit of a connoisseur, but Filet Mignon shouldn't be marbled with fat and nerving right? Well I had to chainsaw this Filet Mignon and after three bites I was done.
That was it. Three bites of my steak and one half of a potato and I couldn't eat anymore. I was beyond disappointed. I knew I wasn't stepping into a high end restaurant, but it does hold up a promise of fine dining. This was ridiculous, flavourless and pretty much revolting.
Desert... there was no desert;
I couldn't take any more disappointment this evening. Why is it restaurants or chefs can't prepare simple things like a steak? This is Montreal, a world renowned steak town and this supposedly fine dinning restaurant can't prepare a decent steak? When I try out new restaurants I go for the simple items on the menu, because that's the true test of a chef. If I go to an Italian restaurant and I order the ever classic and simple Alfredo and I can taste that it comes from a starch filled envelope, when it's quite possibly the easiest sauce to prepare, I will never set foot in that restaurant again; as I will do with L'Académie.
A generous 1 outta 5.Listed in: WTF?
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Review from Ian M.
8/19/2010
I'm rating this on behalf of my friends and I, because a lot of what they ordered during our latest visit helped with the overall rating.
BYOB/AVV is the popular thing to do, and it's convenient that there's a nearby store to pick up a bottle. It's always busy and loud around dinner time so avoid coming here if you want to have a quiet dinner. No doubt, the goings on at other tables could stimulate conversation at your own table.
If you like seafood, the mussels are a must. This is where my friend's dishes come in to play. Each of them ordered a different mussel dish and were surprised at how many mussels they received on their plate and how delicious their plates' respective sauces were. I've always ordered a pasta dish and have never been disappointed with my choices.
Service has always been pretty good every time. The wait staff is generally attentive (and they don't look that bad either). The chairs are quite comfy even though seating is a bit tight. Prices were pretty reasonable. -
Review from Barney B.
8/15/2008
Friends had a dinner for all their wedding guests from out-of-town here a few years back. Great experience, and the BYO aspect made it not such a killing when the check came nay hours later.
Warranted a return visit on a recent trip up with a friend - and happy to say that, while I missed the atmosphere of a bunch of people coming together to share in our friends' happiness, even just a simple dinner for 2 completely satisfied.
the soupe aux poireaux took me back to my teenage days in Wallonie. The moules as well. Service was bang on, and the line up was long but we were sat relatively quickly. -
Review from Aubri L.
10/18/2010
Good place. BYOB. Pricey food. Awesome atmosphere.
I think essentially it provided a great backdrop for the bachelorette dinner I attended, not so much for the food but for the zen and modern decorations. And also the bring your own wine thing... Helps with an SAQ next door. The experience was fun but mainly because of my group, not so much the restaurant itself. -
Review from Mitch S.
Toronto, ON
5/11/2009
A good BYOB if you're a big group. The restaurant is so massive that they can sit pretty well any size group anytime. Also, they don't ask you leave after you're done, so you can keep on drinking.
By no means is this a bad place, I just tend to gravitate towards places with really amazing food. L'academie is reasonable food and a reasonable price, not some place I'd go if I'm looking for a special night out. -
Review from Tim L.
12/5/2009
This restaurant gets pretty decent ratings from me for its ability to accommodate so many patrons, very decent food and providing all this for reasonable pricing.
Despite the restaurant itself having a pretty modern and hip decor where they could easily follow other restaurants in the trend of charging higher for style instead of substance, they have had enough restraint to keep the prices decent.
The BYO aspect also make it decent as you can easily provide as much liquor as you want for your meal without getting charged a restaurant markup for your wine.
The food they serve is a fusion of Italian and French and while no dish really stood out as being truly innovative for fusion, their dishes are tasty enough to warrant repeated visits.
They are most famous for their Moule Frites which a few friends who were with me decided to order and were more than happy with.
I ended up getting the special Chicken Supreme which had a pretty comical name in my opinion but turned out to be quite delicious.
It was a chicken stuffed with canneberge, caramelized apple sauce and pears.
The desserts were all very delicious with Tiramisu being the fan favorite at our table.
Service was attentive and efficient, with finished plates always being cleaned up within minutes of completion. This might have something to do with the long lines that this place can see, although at no point during the meal did we feel rushed. -
Review from Totally I.
9/15/2008
Walking up St-Denis one night looking for a place to eat we passed restaurant after restaurant, hemming and hawing about what to choose, and finally we spotted L'Academie and remembered it as being on a list of recommendations and so we dove right in.
It was fantastic, a great save for Montreal after several mediocre dining experiences. The food was excellent, just outstanding, and the atmosphere was very comfortable on the third level, in a nice quiet area.
I'd love to go back. -
Review from Rebecca H.
North Vancouver, BC
6/4/2010
I have very mixed feeling about l'Academie. I've eaten here on four different occasions, and every time it's been a completely different experience. Everything from the food to the service to the entire restaurant atmosphere can vary greatly.
The last time I was there the service was impeccable. Despite it being a busy Friday night, we were seated swiftly in a quiet area. The waiter quickly brought us water, opened our bottle of wine, and poured us glasses. I had several questions concerning the menu (high cholesterol makes one ask about the butter and cream content of dishes - sometimes something that looks like it won't be cream heavy is...) that were answered with expertise. When our waiter didn't know, he promised to go and ask the chef; he returned within 3 minutes with a detailed answer.
I decided to go with the tuna steak with coriander-lime vinaigrette; I had ordered this dish on a previous occasion and had been much impressed that they had cooked it per my request. Unfortunately, I don't think the dish I was served on this second occasion had anything in common with the first. I asked for my tuna to be cooked rare, almost blue. I order tuna at restaurants because I find that the slight searing beautifully complements that raw interior; it's like sushi but better. Unfortunately, the steak of tuna that was brought was cooked all the way through, to an extent that it was almost chewy and tough. It was like tuna out of a can, but worse.
My companion ordered a filet mignon cooked rare; alas, his dish was similar to mine. The sauces were very nice, but the fact that the meat was so overcooked destroyed the whole dish. I hate to be left wanting when I'm paying $25 for a dish, yet that is what happened.
However, on the other hand, I have had some very good meals here. The first time around, the tuna was cooked to perfection, as was my friend's steak. The gnocchi with blue cheese is a delightful dish; I would probably order it every time, if I did not have that slight aversion to cream. The rest of the pastas are fairly standard, nothing incredible, but a decent meal for a decent price. I've only had Moules et Frites once, but it was incredible. I polished off every last morsel in the largest bowl of mussels that I've ever tackled. The veal is again a hit and miss dish; I've seen people rave about it, and I've seen left on the plate.
In conclusion, this restaurant gets three stars because of its high variability. I've had a meal here that I would give five stars, but another that I would give one. My suggestion is to stick with the pasta and the Moules et Frites; they're a little bit cheaper, come in generous portions, and tend not to disappoint. -
Review from Mohammad R.
2/11/2010 3 photos
I spent one long afternoon for lunch here. The place was empy and airy, bright considering it was grey and wet outside. Such a pleasant place to sit and watch Montreal stroll easily in the rain. I ordered caesar salad, it was nothing special. Definitely in the lower range of my caesar rating. The linguini dish that came later was not a disappointment, but just OK.
I started to wander why there were always crowds in front of this restaurant before dinner? The food was nothing to brag about. It must be the space and the BYOB, with SAC right next door and all. -
Review from Ken X.
Scarborough, ON
8/14/2011
Pros:
-BYOB = save lots of money especially in a big group
-Complimentary bread was good, better than most others
-Relatively cheap prices compared to other fancy restaurants: most entrees were under $30 and appetizers under $10 each.
Cons:
-You get what you pay for, food was sub par: I ordered a medium-rare fillet mignon and it was tough as nails. My friend ordered a medium regular steak and it was actually more tender than mine.
-Portions were meager, expect to go home with half a stomach full of bread.
-Other friend ordered frog legs and it was not marinated at all so it was bland even after numerous dippings in sauce, I know because I also tried a piece, so did half the table. It was so bad that she could not finish half the dish and after we complained to the waitress, she waived the entree off her bill.
-Very noisy atmosphere for a fancy restaurant, probably due to the 3 storey design. -
Review from Maria S.
10/16/2008
Great food, atmosphere and service. It's BYO and there's a liquor store right next door, so while you wait to be seated, which can take upwards of an hour, you can peruse the wine selection, which while not huge is good enough for the untrained palate.
The second we were taken to our table, the waitress took our wine, opened and iced it. I was impressed by their attention to detail when they weren't getting tipped for the alcohol purchase nor charged a corking fee. America take a hint!
The pasta was great, as were the mussels. I remember their gnocchi being fantastic as well. I tried their dessert, but don't remember what I went with but that it was good. The food was awesome, and it definitely didn't break the bank. The same meal in the same restaurant across the border would cost significantly more. Worth the trip and the wait! -
Review from Cathy W.
7/19/2009
Great spot because prices are reasonable, the staff is friendly, it's big so you're likely to get a seat, you can people-watch like crazy (inside or outside through the big windows), and there are lots of food choices. I had mussels and frites, a salad to start, and split a dessert with my daughter. The bill for the two of us came to just over $50.
I wasn't familiar with the BYOB concept but found it refreshing when the waiter offered to wait if I wanted to run across the street to buy a bottle of wine. Casual place, lots of energy, great for a group, but fun for two as well. I saw a couple having a more romantic (quiet) meal at the back of the second floor in a corner table, so there's something for everyone.
A fun neighborhood, so definitely check it out! -
Review from Al A.
3/16/2010
BYOB. Expensive. Bad food. Bad service. Great atmosphere. Good location.
I'm sorta sad this place didn't burn down when the restaurant next door burnt down. It is a shame because that next door restaurant was better in every single way except atmosphere. -
Review from Dawn A.
1/31/2011
Oh, how I miss you, L'acadamie! I love your mussels and the BYOB option, and I've shared some good meals with good friends at your tables. The wait, however, is killer... although usually quite worth it.
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Review from Ari S.
Ottawa, ON
9/30/2008
Overrated, not worth the lineup, yet I still like going there occasionally. Why? It's quick, convenient, a good place for groups, and, most importantly, it's BYO. Call it fast food bistro food. I'd say avoid the upscale stuff on the menu (not worth it) and stick to the pasta or the mussels. Personally, I always eat the mussels which are pretty good, if not spectacular (although I avoid them during the warmer months when you tend to get the fat mushy kinds that have the consistency of glue). One of the challenges of the place is to slow down the too fast service which generally tries to clear you out of there as soon as possible to make way for the hordes lined up outside waiting to get in. Bring lots of bottles of wine and keep drinking them so they can't get rid of you.
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Review from sally w.
9/7/2011
This was our first time here. Came here on a saturday night and there was a wait. Surprisingly, we didn't have to wait long for our table as there was an upstairs seating area. We saw that everyone brought their own wine and figured it was BYOB. We grabbed a bottle of wine across the street at Saqs to complete the meal. Service was extremely slow but I think it's a general Montreal thing because everywhere we went, service was SLOW. Anyway, we ordered the rack of lamb and the mussels. The mussels were amazing and were devoured in seconds. The wine butter broth was delicious. The lamb was cooked perfectly (medium rare) but the raspberry sauce wasn't flavorful enough. The food was mediocre but nothing special. But the byob and mussels are enough reason to come back here.
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Review from Lucy W.
11/11/2008
I second most of the other reviews- great, affordable food (especially the mussels au poivre with frites), comfortable modern atmosphere. Service, like everywhere else in Montreal, can be iffy at times but I've never had any real issues. There's a SAQ liquor store next door for BYO wine- saves a ton of $! Great people watching in the summer when all the giant windows are open- I remember getting a third floor view of the jovial aftermath of a France World Cup win (crowds flooded the streets honking horns and waving flags so they had to block off St. Denis).
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Review from Jordan C.
8/28/2011
Visited L'Acadamie with my mother recently since I had been here once before and remembered it was a BYOB. The restaurant can be deceiving from the outside but there are three stories and it can handle a lot of people. We went somewhat early on a Friday night and it was packed already. Since there are three floors the noise level got to be a bit much but it wasn't the reason why I would only give this place two stars.
I ordered the mussels Marinier and my mother ordered the gnocchi gorgonzola. The meal was pretty good, food wise but the service was terrible. There was one guy who gave us water and bread, another guy that opened our bottle of wine and then a third who was our actual waiter. Not once after receiving our food did our waiter return to check on our food or ask us if we needed anything but he had to pass our table multiple times in order to bring out food to other tables, clear things, etc. so it wasn't like we were in the back of the restaurant and he had forgotten about us--it just showed he didn't care.
Since we were planning on having a leisurely dinner anyways we didn't realize how late it was and how long we had been sitting there after finishing our food until all the wine was gone and we had run out of things to say. In total, we were there for 1 1/2 hours! It took us nearly 10 minutes to try and get our waiter's attention just to get the cheque! And when we did he started to clear our dishes and took away my mom's pasta dish which was more than half uneaten without asking if she wanted it wrapped up--we thought it was very rude of him to assume that an uneaten plate of food was to be tossed in the dumpster. He also did not ask if we wanted dessert or coffee/tea which meant he made less on the tip. Overall, terrible service from our waiter (Adil) and since we had to fight tooth and nail to get his attention, my mom thought he deserved no tip at all. He never once checked up on us, asked if we needed anything, nor did he generally show that he was working for his pay. This is the first time we haven't left a tip but he deserved it. -
Review from Kathy S.
2/21/2009
Bring your own wine and hang out in a trendy location in the plateau! The veal scallopini is good. as well as the lobster bisque! The lines are long but if you go on a nice summer evening it's not such a bother as it's a busy fun street with lots to look at! Good for the younger crowd who don't mind hanging around waiting.
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Review from Edward T.
8/22/2010 1 photo
Best place we dined in while inontreal. Also a good people watcher place. Good service and fine food. Definitely the place to see and be seen. Uber urbane
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Review from Kat T.
5/3/2009
A great apportez-votre-vin pre-going out dinner spot. The food can be hit or miss. The moule are usually my option of choice. Try to arrive early, as they don't take reservations. With a large group, you can spend a long time hanging around, drinking your own wines and get the bill just in time for the clubs down the street to open up. Classic french cuisine at cheaper than expected prices.
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Review from L C.
9/22/2008
This place is consistently wonderful. I want to give it 4.5 stars because the last time I went, we waited for a while to get a seat. Although a native, this place opened just before I left for LA so I didn't get a chance to eat here often but I do go whenever I am back in town. Anyone who knows Montreal knows that it is definitely a foodie town...Montreal palates have been spoiled so that many restaurants in other cities which may satisfy pedestrian tastes, do nothing for a more practiced tongue. This modern Italian restaurant (with French flourishes) uses the freshest ingredients and constantly modifies their menu as it is connected with a culinary institute...the students come here to practice how to run a real restaurant. I'm salivating just thinking about this place...hmm...time to book a ticket back home.
*Don't forget to bring your own wine or if you forget, there is an SAQ (government liquor store) right next door. They do not serve alcohol...i don't believe they are licensed for that. -
Review from Cenk S.
12/28/2009
Charming place, great menu, nice to BYOW. The escargots are a favorite starter, and their main courses are prepared with care and always delicious. And the prices are surprisingly reasonable, even with the crummy exchange rates for USD. I try to go for dinner here at least once when I am in Montreal.
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Review from irina k.
6/3/2009
Very nice place! Food is delish.
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Review from Aaron S.
12/30/2009
crazy lines but decent food, not much for vegetarians though
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