Champlain Restaurant

Do your self a favor, stick with course meal with wine pairing. It’s delicious and as I am typing this. I am drunk as fuck.
Thank you.

Having been to Quebec City once before, we returned with determination to spend some time in the intimidating Château Frontenac over New Year’s weekend. Dinner at $ 275 each was a little steep, but brunch at $ 75 was a more affordable luxury, even if the later seating was full. We arrived at 10 AM full of anticipation and were instantly dazzled by the scene: a beautiful view of the Grande Allee outside, and luxury at every turn within — the circular bar alone is a scene worthy of a postcard.
Immediately after being seated, we were offered champagne cocktails and coffee and directed to the buffet «as many times as you like,» the waiter purred smoothly in accented English. We were absolutely stunned when we entered the room: scores, if not hundreds, of options abounded, from cold salads and fish to warm chicken supremes with steamed garden vegetables. There was a veritable bakery with fresh pastries and breads (the flaxseed was my favorite, with raisin-​walnut a close second,) a beef wellington carving station, made-​to-​order omelettes, hot soup and a granola-​yogurt bar. And in the center, the most dazzling display I’ve ever seen at a brunch buffet: a huge snowman ice sculpture surrounded by tables with dozens and dozens of gorgeous pastries.
We ate far, far more than we would have liked, but it was all so excellent it was hard to stop! I think we liked the seafood the best: my favorite were the tilapia medallions with toasted almonds in a lemon-​butter sauce; my husband ate at least a dozen crab claws, and our friend kept going back to the smoked salmon. Over the next couple of hours, we ate and drank leisurely, trying to find a little more room in our bellies with each trip back to the buffet. By dessert, we were only able to try a few bites each, but what we had was amazing — a cream puff plucked from a colorful tower, a square of white chocolate fudge with dried fruit and nuts, a homemade marshmallow draped in dark chocolate. Amazing, all.
Our only quibble came with the bill: at $ 75 a person, you would think they could throw in a champagne cocktail or two, but they were an additional $ 10 each, and neither the reception desk nor the servers made that clear. They actually charged us for two cocktails each, although we’re pretty sure we drank more than that — so the whole arrangement was rather puzzling. Service in general was rather casual, perhaps because a 15% percent charge was automatically added to the bill; after initially checking in with us a few times, the waiters were much less visible, especially toward the end of the seating when they were busily preparing for the next wave. I think $ 100 each, with alcohol and service included, would be a more fair price, even though it’s almost exactly what we ended up paying.
The other patrons were impressively dressed (in fact, in khakis and a cashmere sweater, I felt a little underdressed; most women were in long dresses) and well-​behaved, even the children — I’m sure it helped that there was a mini-​buffet just for them, with corn dogs and jello and moose-​shaped cupcakes, but still, coming from a country where everyone’s dress and manners are usually a few clicks more casual than I would like, it was a pleasant surprise!

I took my daughter to the tea service for her fifth birthday and she had a magical time! She couldn’t believe she was going to a tea party in a real castle and the menu even said it was for princesses.
We are vegetarians, so our sandwich course took a little longer, but this means it was extra fresh and made just for us! It was creative and well thought out.
They brought my daughter a piece of cake for her birthday and it was gorgeous!
The desserts were good but my only complaint is that they weren’t replenished throughout the hour, so after a few minutes, there were no more pink macarons to be had.
The service was more formal and distant than we are used to, but I think that is cultural. Our waiter was very prompt and attentive.
If you go, make sure you ask for a seat by the window for the best view!

I went there to celebrate my wife’s birthday… last time we came to Quebec City, we went to the restaurant St-​Amour and I wanted something similar. First off, it’s in the Château Frontenac, which is beautiful. They have a parking, which is kinda far from the restaurant to my taste…
Aside from the parking, everything was amazing! The service, the food… highly recommended.

With limited time in Quebec, we were inclined to venture out of the hotels for all of our meals. There was a deal you couldn’t beat, however, on the tasting menu for Château guests and we knew the food would be great, so we landed here and couldn’t be happier. The whole experience was outstanding and our service from Mathieu and team made the experience truly remarkable. I highly recommend this restaurant for a unbeatable value.

Great ambiance. Expensive for the goods and services provided. Average service. Servers did not have any real understanding of the food served. They do not serve cocktails, so they brought a drink menu from their sister restaurant. I ordered 1 of the 6 cocktail on the list. The server came back and told me they don’t have several ingredients to make the drink. Seriously? I ordered another drink. It was watered down. My wife ordered her drink. Due to lack of ingredient, she has to chose another drink. Main course (filet and sea bass) were ok. Small portion. Dessert (crem brûlée, assorted chocolate) were below average. I expected better service and food for what I paid. They have significant room for improvement.

This restaurant is a disappointing fake. We reserved 4 months in advance having dined here 2 years ago. When we arrived at the Château Frontenac we were anxious to see the newly renovated restaurant. Divided into 2 sections the best tables are clearly on the terrace looking the St Lawrence. We requested that our table be there and were told it was not possible. We spoke to our Concierge who called in the request. When we arrived the first table offered in a dark corner was so inferior I almost walked out. A table in the center was better but not on the terrace. The receptionist who seated us said that priority was based on early booking. Really? The manager fumbled some lame excuses too which left me feeling abused. The wine list is very weak for a place that touts itself as gourmet. None of the first courses appealed to me — my husband ordered a cold asparagus soup cleverly presented with crabmeat in an upside down glass that is removed in front of you. It was ok. My friends had the hot and cold lobster– also ok but misleading description. The chicken presented in two dishes was a gimmicky way to serve ordinary chicken. I would have liked some side dishes — a veggie or starch would have been nice. My husbands lobster was undercooked — he should have sent it back but he was too aggravated from the seating fiasco. The dessert selections were not appealing at all.
The prices are very high for a fake gourmet experience– don’t waste your time or money in a town where good food can be found on every corner.

Located in the Fairmont Hotel in old Quebec City, this is a restaurant that gives you some excellent local cuisine options. Sheep, guinea hen and venison are all on the menu. The ambience is great and the view is excellent of the St Lawrence River.
Service is excellent and attentive.
The downside is that the host is responsible for 3 restaurants and bars and the line, even with a reservation, is too long. The wine is WAY overpriced. The Canadian wine selection is listed as $ 17 on Vivino, but Chaplain is selling it for $ 49. In fact you can’t find a bottle under $ 45. It qualifies as a tourist trap.
With the food options and service, it may warrant the $$$$ that you pay, but be careful, the Fairmont gas a high opinion of themselves.

Je suis allé là pour notre anniversaire, moi et mon ex (rien de magique dans le château donc, ça n’a pas duré!). Nous avons été impressionnés par la salle à manger, on se serait presque cru dans le château de Versailles! Des gros fauteuils en suède, cloutés d’or, de belles tapisseries sur les murs, bref, la classe.
Le repas nous a vraiment impressionnés aussi, d’autant plus qu’il fut servi à l’ancienne, sous de grosses cloches d’argent et mon agneau fut flambé devant nous! J’ai aussi adoré les crevettes en entrée, ce qui est un exploit, car je dé-​teste les fruits de mer, c’est pour vous dire à quel point le chef est fort.
Notre serveur contrastait un peu avec l’endroit, ce qui était très bien, il n’était pas trop formel, et se permettait de faire de bonnes blagues fort appréciées dans ce cadre assez sérieux.
De A à Z, une réussite. Un endroit où aller si vous voulez, l’espace d’un souper, vous sentir comme des rois et reines.

We did the brunch at the hotel.
Up front I’d like to say I more of a lunch person than a breakfast person. So I avoid the whole typical breafasty bacon, sausage, eggs, French toast deal. They did look good though especially this thin triangular French toast with maple syrup.
Anything seafood seems to be popular with the crowd too, cocktail shrimps and scallops were flying.
What I liked
–Cheese table, you have to take notes to write the sheer variety of cheeses available to self-​slice from. Probably around 10 different types. Tres cool.
–Croissants. Soft inside but an edge crisp flakiness. Done proper.
–The chicken fingers — yes that’s right from the kids table with the pogos (corn dogs), pizza and jello
–Dynamite Rolls (maki), yup another surprise was okay with the wasabi from the toothpaste squeeze bottle. lol
–Silverware
–Beef Wellington and Lamb, good as expected.
–Professional service, available at a moments notice and friendly.
It’s up there $$$$, but anything inside the old town is about $ 25 a dish.

We came here for brunch on the last day of our Quebec City weekend. The brunch was a decent buffet with the variety of cheese, meats and desserts being what stood out. The service was good and the room was impressive in that grand old hotel kind of way. You get a good view of the St. Lawrence if you are near the window, but those seats seem to be reserved for guests of the hotel. My only real complaint was the prices — $ 160 for two people with taxes and tip (just the buffet and one mimosa each) is quite something for brunch, even considering it was in the Château Frontenac.

Having old fashioned tea at Le Château Frontenac with my girl friends has become a yearly tradition for my birthday. This year was my fifth time coming here for tea and afternoon snacks. I secretly love to dress up and indulge in fancy things from time to time and this definitely fits the bill. Tea is served in a separate section with floor-​to-​ceiling windows so it feels more like being in a quiet boudoir than in a busy restaurant.
The afternoon tea service begins with smelling a dozen different loose leaf teas to help make our choice while eating a plate of fresh fruits. Then, they bring out the petits fours, scones and pastries, which are plenty and delicious. Trust me, the best thing to do is to make a reservation when they open at 1:30 pm and only eat a light lunch before hand because you will get full.
Every time we were here, the service was very attentive. Once, the waiter brought us some extra scones after (we suppose) having heard us rave over how good they were. The second year, they were more than happy to substitute the foie gras petits fours for something else at my request.

We couldn’t get in for high tea so we ‘settled’ for Sunday brunch. Wow.
I won’t be able to hit on everything they offered because there was just so much.
All the things I tried were a least very good, I’ll mention what really stood out to me. By far my favorite was the Beef Wellington. It was so expertly prepared I would go back just for that alone.
The crème puffs were also outstanding, easily the best I’ve ever had. The crepes were very good, really the entire dessert table was excellent.
The service is exemplary, always a doting staff member within view. Speaking of the view, it’s wonderful. Try to get seated near a window, we’d asked when we made our reservations. They only seat couples at the windows but our party of three was seated as close as possible (still a great view.)
Treat yourself and go!

Met and exceeded all expectations! I heard this is one of the top restaurants in Old Quebec City, a town reknowned for fabulous food. As we were already staying in the Château, we had to go and see for ourselves. First of all, it is expensive as hell, but so is all of Quebec, and being from NYC I’m actually used to high prices, especially at cache restaurants. This is definitely a special occasion restaurant.
The décor is romantic and classic with old burgundy wood, a roaring fireplace, old paintings and a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River. The service was immaculate, attentive, polished and knowledgeable. The tableside preparation for many of the dshes (bananas foster, cote du boef, chateaubriand) was unparrallelled. There were some amuse bouche and palate cleansers that could have been courses on their own, which were quite surprising and refreshing.
I don’t have a single thing to complain about. This was the best restaurant I tried in Old Quebec hands down.

loved it! fantastic dining experience. definitely an expensive meal, but worth it for a special occasion.
service was impeccable from the start. our server was very friendly and helpful in going through the menu and sharing recommendations.
i went for the pre-​fixed menu that comes with an appetizer, soup, sorbet, main, dessert and coffee. priced at $ 79 per person. everything was amazing! the soup was one of the best tomato and basil soups i’ve had. the chocolate mousse dessert was delicious and presented very well.
my husband had a table-​side selection, which means the chef/​server prepares the meal right by your table! he had the Flambéed Beef Fillet with Green Peppercorns. he loved it. perfectly well-​seasoned and prepared to his liking. the entire experience of seeing a meal prepared in front of you was incredible.
again, it was expensive ($ 250 for dinner for two including drinks) but definitely worth every penny.
it’s a dressy place — jacket for men is highly recommended.

Our visit to Quebec City was incredible, highlighted by a great dining experience at Le Champlain. We chose the table side service Ceasar salad prepared by Claude our waiter Wow I’ve never had a tastier salad! The Chateaubriand was served beautifully. The chef sent a chocolate tort to celebrate our 25^th anniversary the presentation for all of the dishes created a culinary delight, Oh and the wine list was superb
Highly recommend this Restaurant for a special occasion
We are looking forward to our next visit soon

This review is for the brunch served on Sunday here. Two seating’s 10 AM and 1 PM. I would recommend calling in ahead as the good seats can get picked up real fast.
It is pricey for starters but the ambiance and the food make it worthwhile for sure. Definitely one of the classier brunch places in North America. Servers are trained old school and anticipate your needs without asking a mark of a solid dining establishment.
There is a huge smörgåsbord of seafood items and the usual brunch favorites such as omelet station etc. What really appealed to me was the beef wellington something you don’t see much of as of anymore. There was even some sushi but didn’t look appealing. Good wine list but again pricey justified IMO as we are in fine hotel. Desserts are quite good actually. I wish they had dress code here as this place screams jackets required.
The mesmerizing view and the old world charm makes this one of the best buffet brunch spots in North america.
Highly recommended to everyone visiting this unique city.

We have eaten dinner here several times while in Quebec (although we don’t stay at the Château Frontenac!), and it is in every respect five star. The menu emphasizes Quebec special ties, and the lamb is the best. Great for a romantic night — don’t be in any hurry if you plan dinner here.
One caution — we tried the Sunday brunch buffet during our most recent trip to Winter Carnival this February, and were a little disappointed. The food was great, but the service — and, most importantly, the maintenance of food presentation on the buffet tables — was sub-​par. They appeared not to have enough employees maintaining the serving area — serving utensils were left in the food, dropped food from sloppy guests and children was lift where it fell, empty dishes were not promptly replaced, and a few of the dessert selections were no longer available when we were ready. Buffet service is always sloppy when compared to individual table service, but I thought they needed a few more employees on hand to straighten up the mess after the kids went through the line. Tough to do, but it is Le Champlain…

My husband and I had dinner here a few nights ago; we had received a gift certificate for the restaurant as a wedding gift, and I am so happy that we did!
Our waiter was very friendly and had a great sense of humor. He was happy to speak English with us, but had a little fun at our expense when we attempted to order in French. It was good-​natured teasing and made us smile.
We each started with soup; Mark had parsnip and tomato soup garnished with basil oil and a sweet garlic dumpling. It wasn’t the best soup he’d ever had, but he did enjoy it. I had leek and sweet pea soup garnished with lobster, smoked bacon and mushrooms. Best. Soup. Ever. The soup was thick and hearty, the lobster was sweet and tender, and the bacon was crispy and salty… what an excellent combination!
After the soup, we were served the most delicious chocolate sorbet; I should mention that things move slowly here, but this is definitely a good thing. I appreciated having time to do a little digesting between courses.
In addition, a man came around with a bread basket featuring 4 or 5 different types of bread/​rolls, and he was very liberal with the extra servings. The breads were delicious and as strange as this may sound, the butter was the best we’ve ever tasted!
For my main course, I had medallions of veal with morel cream, served with crispy parsnips and herbed mashed potatoes. The veal was cooked perfectly; slightly charred on the outside, but tender and juicy inside. The sauce was the perfect compliment to the veal, and the parsnips were wonderful dipped in the sauce.
Mark had guinea fowl with maple cream, served with shiitake risotto, foie gras and assorted vegetables. The meat was delicious (so says Mark… I am a lot less adventurous than he is, and wouldn’t touch guinea fowl with a ten-​foot pole). The risotto and vegetables were also excellent.
Despite feeling stuffed, we ended with dessert; chocolate mousse which was incredibly dense and perfectly bittersweet.
Le Champlain is definitely a «special occasion» restaurant, and it is absolutely worth the time and cost. It was the highlight of our honeymoon.

Can’t believe no one has Unilocaled about Le Champlain yet! Here’s yet another FTR!!! Oui oui!!!
Dining at this super posh French Canadian restaurant was the highlight of my trip in Quebec! C’etait vraiment magnifique! Located inside the famous Le Château Frontenac hotel overlooking the St-​Lawrence River, this elegantly decorated old world dining room will definitely make your day very special. If you want to celebrate a special occasion, this is THE PLACE!!!
chandeliers: check!
flowers and candles: check!
romantic view of the river: check!
dress code (dress smart!): check!
great service: check!
fancy presentation: check!
quality meal: check!
You have the perfect setting for a romantic dinner. If you still can’t make your GF fall in love with you, then it’s you, not the restaurant.
We decided to do $ 125 for 2 persons «First Nations Special Menu», which consisted of the following:
1)First Peoples bannock
2)First Nations smoked salmon flavored with herbs, cold corn emulsion
3)Huron-Wendat traditional soup
4)Red deer spare ribs with molasses and maple
5)crème brûlée
6)A bottle of Jackson-​Triggs Esprit
7)coffe/tea
Featuring mostly regional ingredients such as game meat, maple syrup, Quebecoise cheese, etc., you get to enjoy various nouvelle and regional cuisine. Everything was beautifully prepared, and I especially loved the red deer spare ribs! Although it was my first time eating deer meat, the way they prepared it was tasty! C’etait si bon! Mmmm! I also recommend ordering a selection of Quebecoise cheese. Sooo good!!! Overall the appetizers were a bit weak, but I’m gonna be generous and give 5 stars because I had a fabulous time. Make sure you save some room for the gigantic crème brûlée… it’s the biggest crème brûlée you’ll ever see!
Even if you can’t afford to stay at Le Château Frontenac, I highly recommend you dine here! Totally worth your money!