Gibby’s Steakhouse In Old Montreal
Gibby’s Steakhouse located in the Old Montreal. It is stones throw to the old port; a quick walk up to Notre Dame.
It is hard to believe the number of times that I have been to Montreal and then the number of times that Gibby’s was recommended to me that this would be my first visit to this establishment.
Some notes about me and restaurants: when travelling I tend to like to eat my dinner early before the establishment gets crowded. Another plus about eating early is that staff isn’t as stressed as they may be during the dinner rush. Plus, when in a strange city, I can hopefully get back to where I am staying before dark.
Gibby’s Historical Past
There are many fascinating facts about the history of the location of Gibby’s. I won’t go through all of them but here are some highlights:
- The entrance archway stands on what was the south bank of the Saint Pierre River.
- In 1833, the river was covered for the construction of St. Anne’s Market.
- In 1844, the market was converted into the Parliament buildings for the government.
- In 1849, the Parliament was burnt down by an angry mob.
- Gibby’s is located in what was once the Youville Stables.
- In 1967, the structure was renovated into office and restaurant spaces.
Getting to Gibby’s
First of all, since it is located in the Old Port area, Gibby’s is relatively easy to get to. Public transportation will get you there. From Berri-UQAM Metro station, either take the Metro to Square Victoria station; from there it is about a 15 minute walk. Or again from outside Berri-UQAM catch the number 715 bus to the Port of Montreal. Get off the bus at rue De Calliere stop, and it is a 5 minute walk.
Link to Montreal Transit info here.
My recommendation is the bus option for those seniors with mobility issues and if climbing stairs would be problematic.
Other Getting There Alternatives
Taxis and Ride-Shares are another option. From the area of Berri-UQAM, it is listed as a 10-minute ride to the resto. That said be ware of construction. My supposed 10-minute Uber ride turned into a 25-minute nightmare of zigging and zagging through the narrow streets of Old Montreal.
Now if you have rented or brought your car. My recommendation is to leave it at the hotel or wherever you are staying. The streets in Old Montreal are narrow and cobblestone and many one way. This is on top of the fact that no matter the time of the year or the year that I go to Montreal, 90% of the streets seem to be under construction!
Once you get there however the historical feel to the area will leave you awed. I walked through the entrance way and into the courtyard and I just absorbed the centuries old feel.
I could imagine the market, the parliament buildings, angry mobs and more.
Location gets an A from me.
Check out my criteria for rating a restaurant or pub here.
Gibby’s Interior is Amazing
Upon entering the restaurant, you once again can feel the history in the building. They have left the old think stone walls intact. The lumber supports are exposed. It feels warm and comforting.
Given that I was early in the dinner seatings, there were very few folks in the restaurant. At this time noise was not an issue for me. But I did notice towards the tail end of my meal, it was filling in and the noise level was increasing. I can’t state it for sure but once full, noise could be distracting. I can’t attest to that though.
Why is that important? As I have gotten older, I have noticed that when noise levels are high for me it is hard to hear the conversation going on around me. I really don’t like to smile and nod and pretend I heard what was going on.
The atmosphere gets an A- with the noise caveat brining it down.
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The Food At Gibby’s
Being a steakhouse, Gibby’s maintains a menu true to that food niche. The menu is not complicated with fusion versions with other cuisines. It is your basic to the point menu.
As it was my first visit, I stuck to the basics. I ordered the filet mignon (medium rare) the blue cheese wedge salad, the Monte Carlo potato and asparagus. Then the crème brule for dessert with an espresso.
The salad was pretty basic. A slice of iceberg lettuce smothered in blue cheese dressing. The dressing was tasty but nothing to write home about.
The main course was sublime. The filet mignon was cooked to perfection – medium rare for me. The asparagus was grilled and still had a bit of crunch to it. The Monte Carlo potato was very good. Creamy potato centre mixed with bits of bacon and sour cream. It was awesome to mop up the gravy with.
Finally, I decided to order some dessert as I had been walking about most of the day. I decided on the crème Brulé. It looked excellent. It tasted excellent. Excellent until I got to a dime-sized section of the ‘Brulé’ and it was burnt.
The unfortunate thing was that burnt taste stayed with me a bit. Even the espresso didn’t wash it down.
I mentioned this to the waiter not to cause a kerfuffle but to let them know. They immediately took the dessert off of my bill which I appreciated.
Overall, I give the menu and the food an A. If not for that small burnt brule piece, I would have given it an A+.
The Tag-team Wait Staff
The staff was very much a tag-team effort. From delivering the menu to checking in, the service was run by three very good and attentive members of the staff. They answered questions and made suggestions like the glass of wine. They removed the crème brule from the bill without me asking or arguing over the issue.
Friendly, attentive, kind service without being in my face gets an A+ in my books.
A Note for Seniors:
One last caveat for my senior friends reading this review. The washrooms are down a set of stairs in the basement. You may want to keep this in mind if mobility issues are of concern to you. I had to need to test them out while I was there, hence I cannot tell you how easy they are to negotiate.
Conclusion
To sum up, Gibby’s was a fascinating visit. I want to definitely get back and try a few other items on their menu. Now it is definitely not budget friendly. The prices are quite high so keep that in mind. (check the menu link above for a price check). So this is a great place if you like me save up for one great meal when visiting a location.
If you have got the time and got the money, Gibby’s when you are in Montreal is a must visit.
Overall an A rating!
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