Joe Beef

The restaurant that launched a thousand ships, this is a definitive Montreal dining experience thanks to its one-two punch celebrating classic dining with a banquet-style celebration of good food.

Since 2005, this Little Burgundy institution has shaped the city’s dining scene, turning classic French techniques into something unapologetically Montreal. Founded by Frédéric Morin, Allison Cunningham, and former partner David McMillan, the restaurant pays tribute to 19th-century tavern owner Charles “Joe Beef” McKiernan, whose legacy of excess and generosity lives on in every over-the-top plate.

The menu, scrawled on a chalkboard and dictated by what’s fresh, blends Quebecois bounty with a bistro’s indulgence: foie gras, roasted bone marrow, and a perennial lobster spaghetti. The wine list leans classic, but there’s room for natural selections and deep cuts from smaller producers. The space itself—cluttered, candlelit, a little chaotic—feels like the kind of place where a dinner reservation could turn into a multi-hour feast. Expect to leave full, maybe a little tipsy, and with a renewed appreciation for why this spot remains one of Montreal’s greats.