Review: Houston Avenue Bar & Grill, Montreal

When staying in Montreal for an extended weekend, my husband and I wanted to get out of the hotel for a quick bite. Right next door was the Houston Avenue Bar & Grill, which had an outdoor seating area blocked off from the sidewalk, perfect for the fine late-summer weather.

As it was early evening, the restaurant was relatively empty, but certainly started to fill up after we were seated. I had a chance to glance the interior of the restaurant, trendily lit in red with a long bar and wine wall separating the front of the restaurant from the back. We took a corner table outside and ordered drinks — a Bloody Caesar for me (the Canadian version of a Bloody Mary, just swap out the tomato juice for Clamato) and a Moscow Mule for him. Both drinks were delicious, and we definitely had seconds.

For dinner, we both had the steak and fries, which I was pleasantly surprised with. While not being a choice cut of meat, the steak was surprisingly well cooked (even though I always request well done) and served in a red wine reduction alongside seasonal vegetables and skinny fries. The fries were seasoned nicely and were the perfect texture when brought to the table.

As the restaurant began to fill up, it did get a little loud, which I wouldn’t have preferred had I been there later. The outside area did dilute some of the noise; however, and ambient lighting set the mood as the sun went down. It was the perfect spot to people watch as tourists went from their hotels and out again for the evening.

Houston Avenue Bar & Grill

1001 Rue du Square

Victoria, Montréal QC H2Y 2K3

514 875 9669