Le Violon made an immediate impact on the Montréal dining scene when it opened in June 2024, and by 2025 it had already landed at No. 29 on North America’s 50 Best Restaurants list. Opened in the former Maison Publique space in the Plateau, this neighborhood bistro has become a go-to destination for diners who want serious cooking without the stiff formality — and it earned a listing in the MICHELIN Guide along the way.

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Location: Montréal, QC ·
Ranking: No. 29 North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 ·
Michelin Status: Listed in MICHELIN Guide ·
Hours: Monday–Saturday 5:00–10:30PM ·
Address: 4720 Rue Marquette, H2J 3Y6

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact current dish prices (no item-level pricing publicly available)
  • Whether dress code is strictly enforced or advisory
  • Confirmed legal owner entity
3Timeline signal
  • Opened June 2024 at former Maison Publique site (World’s 50 Best)
  • Rapid acclaim through summer 2024 (World’s 50 Best)
  • Listed 2025 awards season — No. 29 NA 50 Best (World’s 50 Best)
4What’s next
  • Reservations mandatory via DINR or direct call
  • Menu updated for 2026 season with market specials
  • Continued industry buzz expected

The table below compiles the key factual details about Le Violon from authoritative dining sources.

Field Detail
Restaurant Name Le Violon
Location 4720 Rue Marquette, Montréal, QC H2J 3Y6
Cuisine Style Fine dining, neighbourhood seafood
Michelin Guide listed ($$ price level)
Ranking No. 29 North America’s 50 Best 2025
Chef Danny Smiles

Is there a dress code at Le Violon?

Le Violon expects diners to show up in smart casual attire at minimum. According to user-reported dining observations on TripAdvisor, staff and patrons have been sighted in everything from suits and ties to sweater-and-dress-shirt combinations. There’s no publicly posted dress code on the restaurant’s own site — so enforcement appears to be on an informal, “you know when you see it” basis rather than a strict gatekeeping policy.

What is the 3 finger rule dress code?

The “3 finger rule” is a fine dining convention some Montréal restaurants quietly reference: no elbows on the table, no hands below the table edge, and generally keeping posture and presentation tidy. At Le Violon specifically, the informal smart casual expectation aligns with this mindset — polished but not formal.

Can I wear jeans to Le Violon?

Based on available reviews and reports, raw denim or worn-looking jeans would be the noticeable outlier. For a restaurant where servers and knowledgeable diners are visibly dressed up, clean dark jeans might pass in a pinch, but they’d stand out. If you’re aiming to blend in with the crowd, swap them for chinos or tailored pants.

The catch

Le Violon has no written dress code on its site. What you’re seeing in reviews reflects the clientele it attracts — a young, stylish crowd that treats dinner as an occasion, not a casual meal.

Is Le Violon Michelin?

Michelin Guide lists Le Violon as a Guide restaurant — not a Star restaurant, but officially recognized within the MICHELIN ecosystem. The guide classifies Le Violon at the $$ price level, indicating mid-range fine dining pricing, and describes the menu as borrowing from both English-speaking and French culinary traditions.

Le Violon in MICHELIN Guide details

The Michelin listing highlights roughly a dozen dishes on the regular menu, plus market-inspired specials that servers walk through at the table. The guide notes that the menu changes as ingredients rotate through seasons — so what you eat tonight may differ from next month’s lineup. This dynamism is typical of the Michelin-recognized neighbourhood restaurant style.

Michelin Guide restaurant authority

The contemporary menu borrows from both the English-speaking world and the French.

Who owns Le Violon restaurant?

Chef Danny Smiles is the name most directly associated with Le Violon as its chef and operator. His Italian and Egyptian heritage shows up in dishes like beef tartare kibbeh nayeh-style, monkfish fish and chips, and gochujang-glazed sweetbreads. The restaurant opened at the former Maison Publique site, which had operated at the same address before Le Violon took over the space in June 2024. Corporate ownership structure or investor details are not publicly disclosed at this time.

Danny Smiles connection

World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 notes that Le Violon was already attracting a star clientele within months of opening — a pattern that often signals a chef with serious industry connections and a distinct point of view. The restaurant’s rapid ascent to No. 29 on the North America list in 2025 reflects that recognition extending beyond casual diners to the professional food world.

World’s 50 Best Restaurants ranking body

No surprise, Chef Danny Smiles’ restaurant was already attracting a star clientele since opening in June 2024.

What is Menu de Le Violon in English?

Le Violon operates a concise menu — roughly 12 dishes plus seasonal specials that servers introduce directly at your table. The Michelin Guide has published English descriptions for many of these items, making Le Violon one of the more accessible fine dining reads for English-speaking visitors to Montréal.

Menu de Le Violon PDF availability

There is no publicly available PDF of the full menu. Wheree restaurant listing aggregator notes the menu was last updated in 2026, and recommends contacting the restaurant directly for current pricing and availability. This is common for neighbourhood-focused spots where seasonal ingredients shift week to week.

Signature dishes

The Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants 2025 flags the Ferme d’Orée lamb chops marinated in anchoïade, served with La Valletta chickpeas and tomato broth, as a house classic. From the Michelin description, other standout items include bluefin tuna with tomato and olive oil in a gourmet pan con tomate style, monkfish fish and chips with gribiche sauce, and beef cheek bordelaise with Joël Robuchon-style potato purée.

Air Canada enRoute travel dining publication

Le Violon, a neighbourhood restaurant nestled in Montréal’s Plateau, highlights seafood and seasonal ingredients from Quebec.

The upshot

Le Violon runs a tight, seasonal menu that changes regularly. If a specific dish matters to you, call ahead — the kitchen pivots as ingredients come and go.

Le Violon menu price

The Michelin Guide classifies Le Violon at the $$ price level — mid-range fine dining. There are no per-dish prices published publicly. For context, a two-dollar-sign fine dining dinner in Montréal typically covers appetizers in the $15–$30 CAD range and mains from $35–$60 CAD, before wine or dessert.

Menu de Le Violon price details

Michelin Guide confirms no itemized prices appear on the restaurant’s listing. The $$ designation is the Michelin standard for mid-range fine dining — upscale ingredients and technique, but not in the star-tier pricing bracket. For precise 2026 pricing, contact Le Violon directly at +1 514-209-1181.

Set menu options

Le Violon does not appear to offer a formal multi-course tasting menu (sometimes called a “7 main course menu” or full tasting sequence) as a standard option. The model leans toward à la carte with attentive server-guided specials — diners pick from the menu and take recommendations from staff on what’s freshest that day.

Bottom line: Le Violon is a Michelin-listed neighbourhood fine dining spot where the menu stays concise and seasonal. For visitors: expect $$ pricing in the $35–$60 CAD main range, dress smart casual, and call ahead for reservations since the restaurant books up quickly. For food-world regulars: the lamb chops and monkfish fish and chips are the two most-cited reasons people come back.

Confirmed facts

  • Michelin Guide listing ($$ price level) — Michelin Guide
  • Address: 4720 Rue Marquette, H2J 3Y6 — Le Violon Official
  • Hours: Mon-Sat 5PM-10:30PM, Sun closed — Michelin Guide
  • Ranking: No. 29 North America’s 50 Best Restaurants 2025 — World’s 50 Best
  • Chef: Danny Smiles — World’s 50 Best
  • Opened June 2024 at Maison Publique site — Canada’s 100 Best

What remains unclear

  • Exact per-dish prices in CAD (not published)
  • Strictness of dress code enforcement (advisory, not written)
  • Legal entity or confirmed ownership structure beyond Chef Danny Smiles

Related reading: places to eat near me · Go Rendez-Vous Quebec guide

Elite North American venues like Gordon Ramsay Steak Vancouver menu mirror Le Violon’s approach, offering transparent pricing, reservation tips, and refined dress code expectations for discerning diners.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the four main menu types?

Le Violon works from a concise à la carte base with seasonal specials. There’s no formal tasting menu published, but servers walk through what’s fresh. The style blends English-speaking and French influences — roughly a dozen regular dishes plus rotating market items.

What is the most popular type of menu?

The à la carte approach with server-guided specials tends to be what diners highlight. The lamb chops and monkfish fish and chips appear most frequently in reviews and award write-ups as must-try items.

What is a set menu?

A set menu is a fixed multi-course sequence where the kitchen decides what you eat. Le Violon does not advertise a formal set menu — it operates primarily à la carte with specials communicated verbally by staff.

What is a 7 main course menu?

In fine dining terminology, a “7 main course menu” typically refers to a tasting sequence with seven savory courses — an extended progression beyond the usual 3–5 course format. Le Violon does not offer this as a standard option.

Is Le Violon the best restaurant?

“Best” is subjective, but Le Violon’s No. 29 ranking on North America’s 50 Best 2025 places it in the top tier of the continent. Whether it’s “the best” for you depends on your taste, budget, and whether a concise seasonal menu appeals to you. For seafood-focused fine dining in Montréal’s Plateau, it sits near the top of local conversation.

Where is Le Violon located?

Le Violon is at 4720 Rue Marquette, Montréal, QC H2J 3Y6, in the Le Plateau-Mont-Royal neighbourhood. It’s open Monday through Saturday from 5:00 to 10:30 PM and closed Sundays. Reservations are recommended.

For visitors landing in Montréal’s Plateau wanting a restaurant that balances serious cooking with an approachable neighbourhood vibe, Le Violon checks both boxes. The move-up from Maison Publique to a Michelin-recognized, 50 Best-ranked spot happened fast — but the food and the atmosphere justify the buzz.