It’s a nice restaurant with delicious food. I ordered the brunch menu with flank steak, and it tasted amazing. However, the service felt somewhat cold and inattentive. I’m not sure if it was a language barrier, but my experience was noticeably different from some other tables. When I arrived on time for my reservation, I waited at the entrance for about 10 minutes while two staff members were right next to me using the computer, but I wasn’t greeted or acknowledged, nobody said a word to me. There was also no explanation of the menu, so I chose the brunch option on my own. It included a black coffee or latte, but I wasn’t asked for my preference when ordering. I had to bring it up myself after my main dish was served. I wonder if I am getting the beverage at all had I not brought it up. Throughout the meal, the service felt minimal—the server placed the dish on my table without saying anything, and when I thanked her, there was no response, she just turned and walked away. I also noticed there’s a little bug flying around my table. Overall, the food was good, but the service experience could be improved to match the quality of the cuisine. Maybe it’s a one-off during a busy day but it did make me feel unwelcomed.
Reviews / Ratings for Chez Boulay-bistro boréal
Lovely restaurant with excellent menu, I had the special that night, which was a venison dish and my husband had the beef cheeks both were delicious meals
Everything was as good as expected but a special “thanks a lot” to our server. She was laid back and funny and made the dining experience all the more special!!
We enjoyed our dinner here. The music was great and both the food and service were very good! 👍
Nice
This is brunch with a twist :) Steak, trout and pulled pork for brunch :) But everything was so tasty and the presentation was really impressive. Excellent food, excellent service.
Wow, staff is really knowledgeable and willing to make your experience the best one. They were able to provide lots of choices for coeliac people. Highly recommend!
We had a very special birthday night chez Boulay. Can’t go wrong there: delicious food, professional service and great atmosphere!
Overall, a memorable dining experience but with some flaws. Beginning from the door and host desk: a very friendly greeting and all the more so as I bone-headedly mixed up my own reservation date of March 14 and we were a day early. Given it was a later seating time, they graciously accomodated us with a table for 3, for which I commend them! Service staff are young, energetic, fluently bilingual, and very knowledgeable about the varied menu - a bonus given that exotic boreal dishes benefit from some explanation and help. We ordered two cocktails and a bottle of white wine. An apple cider rum concoction that my 25 year old son loved. My martini was superbly mixed, but the olives were small, pitted, and under-ripe. Get better martini olives and it goes from a "3" to a "5"! The wine took almost 10 minutes to arrive after the cocktails because they were out of the chardonnay we ordered. The wine manager needs to communicate stock-outs to the staff else customers and table servers will be disappointed. We were. On to starters: we spilt two between us - the smoked whitefish and a medly of exotic mushrooms. Both dishes were exceptional. The bold and smoky fish was beautifully balanced by the accompanying puree. The mushrooms mixed textures - some crispy browned, others more gently seared and tender. Amazing! Mains: son planned to go conservative with flat iron steak but our server backed his decision to try braised beef cheek. It was spectacular and a nice experience to try a less-common cut of beef. I ordered the duck breast and was disappointed. The cook was a perfect medium rare but the meat itself was impossibly tough and chewy. I noted raw bits of blubbery, unrendered fat under the skin which tells me they seared the duck in a hot pan vs. starting cold and raising the heat to render the fat before crisping/colouring the skin. This will unavoidably tighten the meat, even more so if the resting period is rushed. Duck breast is wickedly technical to prepare, but I very much looked forward to a Michelin-level treatment and was sadly disappointed. Suggested wine pairings from our server (a different red for each of the mains) were spot-on! Son doesn't care for red wine generally but became a convert on this one. I actually forget the dessert we shared, because it was so delicious, I entered a dessert-dream-state and became foggy on the details! Overall, a very memorable experience, which we'd happily repeat - perhaps ordering differently from the duck.
Loved the food. My daughter, friend, her niece and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner. Service was top notch. Will definitely be back my next trip to Quebec City!
Honestly the best dining experience I’ve had in Quebec City. Not only were the the atmosphere and service top notch, the food and especially the duck was at the same level as the one I’ve had in Paris. The taste, presentation, and how everything came together harmoniously really shows the mastery of their duck handling and gastronomy. My husband really liked the slow cooked and dry aged beef cheek. I think they deserve the Michelin Guide! You won’t regret this one.
We had a fabulous dinner at Chez Boulay in the depths of winter in early January. Very creative and inspiring dishes, all perfectly executed. There were many standouts: their French onion soup is one of their signature dishes (absolutely three thumbs up), seabuckthorn meringue pie (very "lemony-y" satisfying). I was enjoying dinner so much I forgot to take any photos of our main courses, one of which was beef neck (?...which was very tender and flavourful). The service was attentive with just the right amount of friendliness. All in all a memorable evening and we'd definitely return at the first opportunity!
A must if you want to taste original super-local french-style upscale bistro: everything was excellent, including the service: contrary to many bistros, we are not pressured to move on.
Amazing food and service—this was our first meal after arriving in Quebec City, and it set the bar high. Every dish was delicious, the service was warm and welcoming, and the overall experience exceeded expectations. The price point was also very reasonable for the quality. If you’re visiting, this spot is absolutely worth adding to your itinerary.
Very nice for brunch!
Been twice. Soooo delicious
Friendly service and a relaxed dining atmosphere. The food is also of great quality. Highly recommended!
Excellent customer service! Needed to charge my phone and one of the waitresses could help me! Also, the menu! Exquisite
Food was fabulous and service was excellent! French onion soup is a must, the best we’ve ever had!
In my opinion, Chez Boulay – Bistro Boréal is one of the best places in Quebec City. The food was absolutely incredible — the salmon, the steak, the greens, and even the dessert were unbelievably delicious. The service was wonderful, and the restaurant itself feels very cozy and atmospheric. They are listed as Michelin Select in the Michelin Guide, but honestly, in my opinion, they deserve much more. ✨🍽️
Best meal I’ve had in years.
Exceptional service. Helpful explanation of menu and suggestions. Attentive. Food was innovative, bursting with flavours and textures - without trying to do too much.
Helpful friendly staff and really tasty food - a great and special experience all around.
The food was fine, nothing bad but not really impressive either. For around 70 per person, it doesn’t feel that worth it. The desserts, though, were excellent — definitely recommend trying those!
Can I give 10 stars for service? Our wonderful Antoine provided exceptional service and the food was as wonderful with unique flavours and well crafted textures - thank you for your expertise and kindness ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Opening hours
- Sunday Closed
- Monday 17:00 - 21:45
- Tuesday 17:00 - 21:45
- Wednesday Closed
- Thursday Closed
- Friday Closed
- Saturday Closed
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