Vegan-friendly
Lacto
American
Organic
Western
Beer/Wine
Canadian
Montreal veggie cafe attached to a hostel; previously name L'Utopik. Features a special each day. Approximately 1/3 of the menu is vegan or can be made vegan. Uses mostly organic ingredients. Live shows every night starting at 6pm. Reported closed October 2020.
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Last update on 08 Oct 2020 by helenedrouin
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19 Reviews
First Review by kennyp353
mainelark
Points +30
wonderful food wonderful venue - Edit
We had a phenomenal time here! Got the vegan pizza and the burger. The food is pretty light fare but delicious. If you’re starving maybe share a few things. The music acts we caught were amazing. Very cool decor and ambiance to this place. Great service. Note that it is counter service so you don’t waste time waiting at your table. Would highly highly recommend to anyone looking for a fun chill spot for a lighter meal and some good entertainment.
Read moreIt is a little tricky to find and would be easy to miss if you’re not looking for it. It is upstairs and you go through a glass door between two other businesses.
Pros: great venue, delicious inventive food., friendly staff
Cons: tricky to find.
Guest
Guillaume67
Points +11
Excellent - Edit
Restaurant assez atypique, le personnel est très sympa, et la nourriture est assez bonne. On a pris un plat à partager, ainsi que 2 bières, pour pas cher. Je recommande !
Read moreGuest
SouthBayKevin
Points +38
Really a 1 star rating - Edit
I have never visited an establishment that requested a tip before we had service we ordered our food and she gave us the total and let us know that the tip was not included in the total and that we needed to tip her 8.00 we said ok and sat at our table she brings us the drinks we ordered and confronted us about the tip asking “if we forgot about it” food was ok customer service was horrible and the bathroom was disgusting think an port potty after a 3 day music festival
Read morePros: Food was edible , Food was edible , Food was edible
Cons: Customer service , The bathroom , The bathroom
Guest
violettbla
Points +313
Boring burger, nice place - Edit
Honestly I thought the burger was pretty dry and boring. I ordered nachos and salsa with it and the salsa was very watery, good taste though. I think the place was very nice and is great for taking a beer with your friends.
Read morePros: Cosy location, Good music
Cons: Boring burger , Watery salsa
Guest
VínDahlborg
Points +150
Probably better during the day - Edit
A lovely place with great music and nice drinks; although the food was more of a obligatory snack.
Read moreThe environment was very loud (which in our cases was expected since it was Saturday at 11 pm).
Pros: DELICIOUS chili brownie, Lovely staff , Not too expensive
Cons: Not that much food , Orders got late and contained the wrong thins
Guest
ChristianLajoie
Points +431
L'Escalier - Edit
Parking downtown facile. 5$ de parcomètre. Plus de quêteux que de piétons en deux coins de rues.
Read moreL’entrée sentait le tabac et faisait très bar (c’est un bar). Il y a pas de place où mettre mon manteau et on se trouve difficilement une place assise dans le fond. Le style est n’importe quoi avec mutiplugs sur notre table.
C’est un resto végétarien. Mais, lorsque je pose des questions sur la contamination laitière possible, je suis immédiatement rassuré. Le vegan est bien identifié dans le menu, et il y en a. J’ai pris un végé-burger à 6$ et ma bière commerciale préférée en bouteille. Le menu est très bar, et c’est un bar pour végés!!!
Beau burger pour le genre de place, il était suffisant, beau et gros.
J’étais pas mal plein, mais j’aurais payé quelques piastres de plus pour avoir un ti-à-côté vert ou…
L’ambiance était quand même très hot.
À la sortie, boom vieilles cigarettes dans ton nez!!!
Updated from previous review on 2018-03-27
Pros: Fun, Bar végé, Propreté de la cuisine
Cons: Sale, Cigarettes
Guest
Barbara_beccafico
Points +99
Many vegan options ! - Edit
Their vegan options and delicious and the price is very affordable. It's a nice little place, where the staff is really cool. And they have live music all the time.
Read morePros: good food choices, price, live music
Guest
Herbiv4
Points +2021
Loved the food and music! - Edit
The pizza was excellent. A little slow to come out but worth the wait. The live music was lovely and this is might be a place I could return - just for the food/music. However, it's a bit of a grungy spot (as in there may be folks sitting in the vicinity with the bare feet up on the chairs and it may smell a bit musty). It sort of reminds me of a very casual spot close to a college campus (and it could very well be - as I'm not from the area; but you get my drift).
Read morePros: live music
Cons: frat-type feel
Guest
Doro*
Points +543
tasty pizza, nice vibe - Edit
Went here because it was the closest veg* place close to my accommodation. I guess if I had not checked happy cow before and just walked along the street, I wouldn't have noticed it. It's on the 2nd floor, look for a glass door with a stairway right behind it.
Read moreAlso, I didn't know you have to order at the counter, but after some minutes I asked the guy sitting next to me, so that "problem" was also solved.
I had vegan pizza which was very tasty with a super thin and crunchy base and unconventional, but yummy toppings such as hummus, caramelised onions and black sesame.
Would absolutely recommend this place to everyone who likes alternative places :)
Ps: pay in cash
Pros: tasty vegan pizza, alternative place, nice staff
Guest
mcsnv
Points +3484
Bar bohémien et "laid back" avec plusieurs options véganes - Edit
L'Escalier est un établissement assez unique et atypique à Montréal. Une fois qu'on trouve la porte d'entrée sur Sainte-Catherine (elle est relativement discrète) et qu'on gravit les fameuses marches, on a le sentiment de rejoindre un groupe d'amis dans un appartement d'étudiant. La clientèle semble justement être composée, en grande partie, d'étudiants de l'UQÀM. Le bar est divisé en quelques pièces principales, chacune avec de la décoration différente mais avec assez de chaises, divans et fauteuils pour accueillir autant des petits que des grands groupes. À chaque soir ou presque, il y a un band qui joue dans une des pièces situées près de l'entrée. Le niveau sonore reste toutefois largement correct. L'ambiance est très "hippie" (for lack of a better word) et laid back. Quasiment trop, au final: j'ai dû attendre un peu plus d'une heure pour que les plats commandés arrivent sur la table. La nourriture en tant que telle est OK: les prix sont bas (pour 2 entrées et 2 plats principaux, j'ai payé 30$ avec taxes et tips inclus) et vous obtenez ce pour quoi vous payez. J'apprécie toutefois que l'entièreté du menu soit végétarien et, surtout, qu'il y ait beaucoup de choix véganes. Je considère donc L'Escalier comme une bonne option pour aller prendre un verre entre amis (ou même étudier ou travailler si vous aimez l'ambiance!) et manger un petit quelque chose en plus mais, par contre, je ne le recommanderais pas si vous cherchez simplement à manger. L'Escalier me semble beaucoup plus proche d'un bar que d'un "vrai" restaurant.
Read moreQuelques choses à savoir cependant:
- Des pâtisseries véganes sont disponibles!
- Commande au comptoir (on vous donnera toutefois une figurine à poser sur votre table pour vous apporter la nourriture)
- Argent comptant seulement (il y a un ATM sur place)
- Essayez de garder un peu d'argent en main pour pouvoir en donner au band à la fin du set
- Attention à la marche située entre l'entrée et la pièce à votre gauche, elle est dangereuse!
Guest
MarieFerron
Points +31
Food is awesome! - Edit
My boyfriend who is not vegan found this place for us before going to a show, and we were not disappointed. We had kimchi burritos with a delectable mushroom soup served with home made salsa and chips. One of the best burritos out there!
Read moreThe place is roomy, old, comfortable and you feel home when you get there. The people there are really nice and if you stay past 6pm, you'll have nice music from local singers to accompany your meal!
Pros: Food is good , People are so nice !, Hippie style place......l-o-v-e-l-y
Guest
Babette
Points +2113
Great place to study or watch musicians - Edit
It's taken me years to visit this restaurant, and I wonder why. The ambiance and decoration make you feel at home... that is, if you like hippie things.
Read moreThe tapas I had would have been good if it had been served on crackers, but it was served on toasted bread.
I had the pasta with tofu, tamari and sauteed veggies and it was delicious.
Pros: Very friendly staff, Sofas and armchairs, Nice decoration
Cons: Vegan dishes are not all labeled, Could be more tidy, Hard to locate
Guest
JonJon
Points +20860
Musical veggie restaurant - Edit
I've been there several times because the place is very pleasant and the food is good and cheap. They have several vegan options, including desserts. Food was always good and fresh, even if some sandwiches were sometimes a bit dry because of the bread and the lack of sauce. The staff is friendly and the place has a good vibe! You must go when there is music groups, it's really fun!
Read morePros: cheap and good food with vegan options, nice place and music, friendly staff, good vibe
Cons: sometimes dry sandwiches
Guest
Astonangel
Points +193
Quick and cheerful with delightful music - Edit
Had a quick meal here to wonderful live jazz music. Hit the spot as we wanted a small meal but something vegetarian. Excellent ginger and lime juice - just the thing in the cold. The chèvre chaud however was just a regular goat cheese salad not a hot cheese crostini combination.
Read morePros: Live music
Cons: Limited menu, Not child friendly
Guest
jacqui2
Points +146
Local flavour - Edit
Without happycow, I would never have found this place (being up the stairs without an obvious sign). It looked a bit like a locals hangout but they were friendly to my non-french speaking tourist self. I went for lunch and had the special with a juice that was reasonably priced for Montreal and it was freshly cooked. The decor was eclectic and arty, with nice local music and wifi access, and I really enjoyed the whole ambience. It isn't fine dining, but the food was tasty. The only disappointment was the lettuce in the salad that needed a wash.
Read morePros: nice food, reasonable price, ambience
Guest
TRaeCH
Points +384
Quirky Spot for Good, Cheap Food - Edit
As a Montrealer, post-graduate, art enthusiast and overall thrifty guy L'Escalier holds a place in my heart. This quaint, quirky loft space (formerly a hostel) serves good food at very reasonable prices in an atmosphere that caters to a relaxed crowd.
Read moreBlink and you'll miss it along Ste-Catherine street. Located through a narrow door between "Au Pain Dore" and "Pour Emporter" you walk up a flight of stairs (escaliers, in french) and find yourself facing the bar where you can survey that day's menu. All orders are placed at the bar - get your food and then be seated.
The food, based on my numerous visits, has always been tasty. Everything is prepared fresh from delicious light salads to more hearty meals. It's not fine dining but nothing about L'Escalier implies that it would be.
The layout is probably the most intriguing aspect of the place. There are countless little nooks created throughout the space. They have all sorts of board games, conversation pieces, etc. so that you can never be bored. There is also more traditional restaurant seating available too closer to the music stage. That's right, many nights there will be live music to accompany your dining experience making L'Escalier a great spot to discover some out-of-the-ordinary music.
All in all, L'Escalier is a Montreal gem. If you find yourself in the area with a stomach that isn't full, a place to spend time with a few friends, a craving for live music or a spot to browse the web on your laptop head on up the stairs and enjoy.
Pros: Atmosphere, Good, cheap food, More than just a palce for food
Cons: Live music not always a positive
Guest
raphalla
Points +776
Family friendly for late lunch - Edit
We have never been there for evening as we have a toddle and dont think the bar/jamming scene is family friendly at that time. We normally go in weekend afternoon for late lunch (around 2-3pm), it is quiet and friendly enough for our toddle. Waitress/waiter is always friendly, but the food servicing is always slow. i think they just take their time to prepare the food. May be that is the reason that the food is always well done and taste good.
Read morePros: Food, ambience, price
Cons: service a bit slow, may not family friendly at certain time
Guest
philjdomm
Points +945
my hangout - Edit
whats a best place to be where u can listen to live music, work on your internet computer and eat awesome healthy food at same time...i can live there!
Read moreGuest
kennyp353
Points +1774
Food's secondary to the venue - Edit
This is a gig venue, I went at 10pm on a Friday night, it was too busy to sit anywhere except at the bar. The food's very much secondary to the bar and the concert venue. I had the soup and pizza special of the day - it took about 40 minutes and was neither pleasant nor unpleasant, but it was so cheap it was practically free so it didn't really matter. Beer was cheap and plentiful too. The kitchen's open til 2am every night. You don't have to pay the cover for the band if you sit in the part of the bar where you can't see them. In short, a good option if you're out drinking in Le Village or the Latin Quarter - throw some cheap food in your face over a beer or three and then hit the town.
Read morePros: extremely cheap
Cons: nothing fancy
Guest
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