Meeting up with friends in Montreal and need help finding trendy places to eat

[brianm21]

Hi All

I will be meeting some friends in Montreal over Grand Prix weekend and I would like to take them to a few trendy places to eat that are not super pricey. I dont mind paying for a good meal but do not want to get jacked. Here are my criteria
*Trendy
*Good People Watching -if possible
*Moderate pricing - not cheap and not super expensive
*Most of all good food

Thanks in advance for your help
B

[Daveyy]

Try Pintxos on Roy, went last night, place was packed, dinner was delicious, service top notch and prices reasonable for quality ($60 per person inc. drinks wine and tip). They have a menu dégustation for $30 which includes 4 tapas and main course.

[superbossmom]

Whatever you decide, call and reserve now; this is the one weekend where it's crazy busy in the downtown area, and even at the better places in Old Montreal.

[olivier1665]

I would suggest Garde Manger in Old Montreal because it should be crazy and I've always enjoyed the food. Ariel on Drummond hasn't been jammed lately, so there's a chance you'll be able to get what you're looking for food-wise there, and they opened a tiny terrace too.

[cherylmtl]

If you want "trendy" and "good people watching" over Grand Prix weekend, you can assume that those restaurants will have special menus for the weekend, and yes, you will be getting "jacked". Moderate pricing would depend on what your definition of moderate is. Expect to easily pay $50 pp plus drinks for anyplace on St. Laurent or Crescent that fits that description, and while the food will be fine, it won't be anything special. If you really want good food, you'll have to give up on some of the other criteria - especially the good people watching and trendy aspects - I guess you'll have to decide which are most important to you.

[brianm21]

Thanks for the advice. I would prefer good food as opposed to the people watching now that I think about it.. There will be tonnes of people to watch that weekend. I would rather have a memorable meal!!

[Maximilien]

except for a few exceptions, most "trendy" and "good people watching" restaurants are not "good" or "moderate" in prices.

All the action will be aound St-Laurent Blvd.. (between sherbrooke and Prince Arthur) and in and around the Crescent/Bishop area (between sherbrooke and St-Catherine)

The former has 3, 4 "people watching" restaurants (Buena Notte, Globe, Med, Blanc, ...) that are only "good" and mostly over-priced, but that's not the reasons people go there.

The later has a lot of bars, and few good restaurants (that I'm aware of); and the street will be closed during that weel-end.

All the "high class" (derogatory) restaurants are probably already all booked (thurday, friday and saturday evenings); so your best choice is to go "off-center" to get the best food available and the best settings; even less "trendy" restaurants in the downtown core and old-montreal will be full.

St-Laurent, north of Prince-Arthur (up to Fairmont have a good selection)
St-Denis has a few good ones also.
Mont-Royal can have a few nice surprises and the vibe will be completly different.
Laurier St. also.

Good luck and have fun.

[chefjeannine]

Out of the "people watching" restaurants, as they are all over priced and only "good", I would have to say my choice out of them would be Globe. Portions are considerably larger then those of Med, and not to mention much better.