A MICHELIN-listed French room where the front brasserie delivers Bastien's cooking for half the dining-room bill. Book it to close a deal.
About Monarque
Monarque is the rare two-room restaurant where the cheaper room is half the reason to go. Jérémie Bastien opened it at 406 rue Saint-Jacques in 2018 with his father, the veteran Montreal chef Richard Bastien, and split it down the middle: a loud golden brasserie up front, a hushed dining room behind. Both share one kitchen and one French foundation, learned during Jérémie's training in Burgundy with David Zuddas. The Old Montreal power-lunch crowd has kept it full since day one, and the inaugural 2025 MICHELIN Guide Québec made the listing official. A dining-room dinner runs about C$70 to C$120 a head before wine; the brasserie does the same kitchen for less.
The Kitchen
Bastien cooks classic French with Quebec produce and the odd swerve toward Asia, and the swerves are the interesting part. The textbook signature is roasted bone marrow with Burgundy snails, red-wine jus and persillade — rich, precise, exactly what you would expect. The dish that tells you who Bastien actually is, though, is the beef tartare cut with kimchi, gochujang and Nordic shrimp ($24), or the foie gras turned out with apricot, honey and Avril amaretto in a brioche feuilletée ($28). Order one of each and you have the whole argument.
In the salle à manger the menu is built à la carte: starters around $24 to $28, mains from the $50 halibut and $50 guinea fowl to a $52 lobster, with the dry-aged P.E.I. côte de bœuf at $195 for two. The brasserie out front does steak frites, oysters and the bone marrow for a quicker, cheaper bill — which is the value play. For the wider city read the Montreal dining guide, the best French restaurants worldwide, and the best fine-dining rooms, or compare the tasting-menu polish of Toqué!.
The Room
The two rooms give Monarque genuine range. The brasserie is loud and golden — marble, brass and walk-in buzz, built for a fast lunch or a sociable night. The dining room behind it is the opposite: high ceilings, spaced tables, and the kind of hush a real conversation needs. Service is polished without being stiff, and the wine list runs from long French classics to natural-leaning Quebec bottles. Dress smart-casual in the brasserie, a notch sharper in the back.
Best for Closing a Deal
Book the dining room at Monarque to close a deal: it is quiet enough to talk, the French cooking is serious enough to signal you mean it, and the rear room keeps the buzz of the brasserie at arm's length. Order the bone marrow to share, let the sommelier open a Burgundy, and let the courses pace the conversation. For more options read the Montreal guide to closing a deal, or compare the seafood-led Ferreira Café.
Not for
Not for a quiet, intimate dinner if you only book the front brasserie — it runs loud and bright. Ask for the rear dining room, or look elsewhere for a hushed first date.
Frequently Asked
What is Monarque known for?
Monarque is known for classic French cooking from chef Jérémie Bastien in Old Montreal, split between a lively brasserie and a refined rear dining room. The signature is roasted bone marrow with Burgundy snails, red-wine jus and persillade. It was named to the inaugural 2025 MICHELIN Guide Québec.
Who is the chef at Monarque?
Jérémie Bastien is the chef and co-owner, alongside his father, the veteran Montreal chef Richard Bastien. Jérémie trained in Burgundy with David Zuddas at the one-star Auberge de la Charme, and that French foundation runs through the menu.
How much does dinner at Monarque cost?
A dining-room dinner runs about C$70 to C$120 per person before wine — starters around $24 to $28, mains from $50, the dry-aged P.E.I. cote de boeuf $195 for two. The front brasserie is cheaper, with steak frites and oysters for a quicker bill. The wine list spans classic Burgundy and natural-leaning Quebec bottles.
What is the difference between the Monarque brasserie and dining room?
They share a kitchen but feel different. The brasserie up front is loud and golden, good for a walk-in or a fast lunch; the rear dining room is quieter, with spaced tables and the full tasting-led menu. Book the dining room for a conversation, the brasserie for a buzzy night out.
Is Monarque good for a business dinner?
Yes. It is one of our picks in the Montreal guide to closing a deal. Book the rear dining room, order the bone marrow to share, and let a serious French kitchen and a deep wine list carry the evening.
