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"Looking forward to an evening of quiet dining, a comfortable group of three, we were offered a table right at the open kitchen - service area. When we requested a more quiet area, there were three tables open, we were told THOSE were only for four people. ??? A table for three is the same as a table for four. Don't know that we will try to go back with SO many choices in the area. We did have an amazing time two minutes away where we were welcomed with open arms."
Teléfono: +15146978989
Dirección: 3541 St-Charles Blvd, Kirkland, Quebec H9H 3C4, Canada, H9H3C3
Ciudad: Kirkland
Platos: 43
Comodidades: 21
Categorías: 5
Reseñas: 92
Given the great reviews on Trip Advisor and elsewhere, my friends and I were excited to have our girls night out here. We normally do brunches, but opted for a dinner so that we could have more time to chat. We only meet up 3-5 times per year since we live in different cities, so we appreciate our time. Sadly, this restaurant did not meet even our baseline expectations.Pros:1. reservation confirmed via email in a reasonable period of time.2. good selection of wine and cocktails with tongue and cheek names. Impressed that a caparinha was on the menu...but more on that later.3. the bread was warm4. lots of options on the menu5. Girls Night Out menu on Wednesday - by a cocktail and get a starter and a main (limited choices) for $15.00.6. Pricing - meals are reasonably priced as are cocktails.Cons:1. Seating - we were originally seated at one of the worst tables in the restaurant. When we asked to be moved to an empty cozy corner table, we were told that those tables had been reserved. We were given the choice of two other tables, but none of them were as nice as the cozy table. In the 3 hours we spent at the restaurant, not one person occupied the cozy table. Not sure why we could not be seated there.2. Service - was bad mainly because there were only 2 waitresses servicing a 75% full restaurant. The waitresses were generally average, but the wait time was atrocious...15 minutes to initially take our cocktail order (we were not provided with wine lists, then waited another 10 minutes for that)...30 minutes after that to take our order for mains and cocktails...so long that the second waitress came and asked us if we wanted any other drinks. Then, as soon as our mains were cleared, literally 1 minute for dessert...why? because we were told that the kitchen was closing "very soon", and if we wanted dessert, we had to order now. We were not offered seconds for coffee, and were given the bill without asking for it. After paying, the "Closing Time" music started playing (no joke), and we were told that the restaurant was closing. This was at 10:30 pm on the restaurant's Girls Night Out! I have never been asked to leave a restaurant before. 3 groups of 4 girls night out left on masse as we were all kicked out at that time. In Montreal, most restaurants have people around until at least 11:30 pm, sometimes after midnight. Ridiculous, given how slow the service was all night and the fact that it was advertised as a girls night out. Perhaps it should be a Mommy's Night Out on a school night since that's what that timing implies.2. Food - I had the fillet mignon sandwich. I only had this because something that I was allergic to was in the first 3 dishes that I tried to order. I would not associate those dishes with that food allergy, so I was surprised. The sandwich was average. Perhaps the sauce/jus might have helped it, but I could not have that because what I am allergic to is also in the sauce that comes on the side. The fries were OK, crispy, well salted, but occupied 80% of the plate and were just too much. The sandwich looked like a tea sandwich compared to the proportion of fries on the plate. I had carrot cake for desert. The cake itself was not bad, but the icing was a bit too sweet for my liking. It was nothing special. Coffee was tepid. No one at my table was overly impressed with their pasta (a jerk chicken pasta with no jerk seasoning to speak of) and chocolate cake. 3. Location - this is in a strip mall in the West Island. Not the most interesting place and very had to get to by public transit. Ample parking though.4. Cocktails - these were generally OK, but a Caparinha without muddled limes is not a true Caparinha in my book.5. Decor - there are two levels, The upper level, has a fireplace. The lower level has tables near the serving hatch, and along the windows and doors. Not comfortable on a cold day. There is nothing overly special apart from perhaps the fireplace and the chalk board with some house wines.Overall, this is an average to below average restaurant. The servers were not rude and tried, but asking customers to leave does not leave a good impression. They need to hire more servers during busy periods. As for the positive reviews on TA, I think the pricing is affordable and perhaps some people have not tried the more "exotic fare" that this restaurant has on its menu at places that specialize in the specific dish/style of cuisine. I found this to be a jack of all trades and master of none type of food experience.My friends and I were at the restaurant and had already started talking about who would actually try this place again. Two of us were nays, one was a yay on the premise that maybe they were having a bad night. Our fourth member was neutral. My truest foodie friend was hoping to add this to her go to list, but was bitterly disappointed. In the competitive restaurant world, sometimes you just don't get second chances to make a good impression.
I have been to this restaurant twice, once for lunch, once for dinner and I will return and highly recommend it! The food is cooked to perfection, the salads fresh and crisp and every single dish is beautifully presented! Besides the food itself, which I cannot say enough good things about, several other things about the experience impressed me so much. The restaurant itself is not very big at all, but that just adds to it's friendly, comfortable feel and while we were waiting for our food, which was not long at all, I really took note of several things. The servers, only three for a Saturday night, are friendly, very observant of your needs, refills, etc. and it seems that rather than the server handling designated tables as in most places, they are just all keeping an eye on everything in general, any table, and quickly take care of orders, etc, without seeming to be rushed. This results in excellent service. You can see the chef working behind a half counter, so you see that there is no frantic rushing around in there, calmness and organization prevail, little to no noise from this area! Another thing that is a stand out for me is the acoustics in the room. This may not seem like something that should be reviewed but I know for a fact that things like that affect my decision to return to a restaurant. Here, I noticed right away that tasteful, pleasant music was playing, I could easily hear every lyric, yet never had to raise my voice to talk over it to my husband. I love that!! I also noticed right away that even though the place was full, and there were children, as well as a small birthday celebration going on, conversation amongst ourselves was at normal volume ! I really cannot praise the food enough, but all of these other things are what have combined to make this place so awesome. You guys have put together a winning combination of things that, for me, make your restaurant very special!
First time at Bistro Merlot and thoroughly enjoyed it! They had a set menu for Valentine's Day with 6 choices. Order an entree if desired, we had the Goyza (dumplings) they were tasty. We both ordered the soup which was cream of lentil and fennel. OMG delicious. To the point that my boyfriend asked if there were refills hahaI had the Aphrodite Pork - delicious. Did not leave anything on my plate. And my bf had the Beef Wellington. So tender and tasty. Both meals were really enjoyed!!Seeing as it was Valentine's Day we couldn't pass up dessert. I had the toffee brownie (worth the calories let me tell you!) and my bf had the cheesecake!! Yummmmmm so rich and delicious!!Playing was really well done! The restaurant although is a bit on the small size is not overly crowded and you can have a decent conversation even with the music playing in the background!We are already planning on bringing my parents for dinner! I have heard the jalapeño soup is a must try!
The entire experience was wonderful. From the ease of making reservations for our large group to the quality of the food...it was all terrific. The wait staff were friendly, efficient, personable and adaptable. The food was delicious with creative presentation, diverse flavors, savory spices and fresh ingredients. The most impressive was their ability to cater to a ten year old with a life threatening food allergy. The wait staff knew immediately what was safe to eat. And they even had a dessert he could eat. "This was the first time I have ever been at a restaurant that had a dessert I can eat!!!" Kudos to Bistro Merlot!
Looking forward to an evening of quiet dining, a comfortable group of three, we were offered a table right at the open kitchen - service area. When we requested a more quiet area, there were three tables open, we were told THOSE were only for four people. ??? A table for three is the same as a table for four. Don't know that we will try to go back with SO many choices in the area. We did have an amazing time two minutes away where we were welcomed with open arms.
