1640 Bistro focuses on a diverse menu that balances rustic pizza preparations with versatile bistro fare. The kitchen utilizes traditional ovens to achieve consistent crust textures and balanced flavor profiles across all savory dough-based offerings. Classic culinary techniques dictate the preparation of ingredient-driven plates that favor seasonal freshness and simple, robust seasoning. The physical environment features a functional layout designed to accommodate varied group sizes without compromising individual space or accessibility. Patrons encounter a selection of standardized hot and cold morning options that emphasize reliable staples such as eggs, fresh breads, and artisanal toppings. Every dish reflects an adherence to standard bistro conventions where efficiency meets quality in a focused, accessible setting. The establishment maintains a streamlined operational flow that prioritizes clear presentation and culinary precision throughout the service.
1640 Bistro is widely celebrated for its exceptional food, with many diners praising the flavorful beef cheek, duck dishes, burgers, and high-quality pizzas. The restaurant's prime location near the Chateau Frontenac offers a beautiful backdrop, especially for those enjoying the cozy and inviting patio or the charming, sophisticated indoor atmosphere. While service experiences can vary, many visitors highlight the friendly, professional, and accommodating nature of the staff, who frequently go out of their way to ensure a memorable meal. Guests often appreciate the generous portions, unique menu selections, and the welcoming, dog-friendly environment, making it a highly recommended destination for both breakfast and dinner in Old Quebec.
Unfortunately, this was the only restaurant during our week-long trip in Quebec that I felt deserved a negative review.
We ate at 17 restaurants during this trip. I left 6 positive reviews & didn't review the other 10. This is the only negative one - & it is not because of the price. In fact, most of the restaurants we visited were more expensive than this one.
The biggest issue was the combination of poor service, poor value, & an impatient attitude from the staff.
We asked for a high chair for our child. It was brought over exactly as shown in the photo - folded/unassembled - & simply left there for us to figure out ourselves. Throughout the meal, there was very little service, & the attitude we received felt impatient & unwelcoming.
We ordered a very small bowl of plain butter pasta for our toddler - no meat, no vegetables, just pasta & butter - & were charged $18. I understand restaurants are free to set their own prices, but even at some of the fine-dining restaurants we visited, a children's pasta was around $12-15.
We also ordered the seafood pasta, which was around $40. The shrimp in it were extremely tiny - some were barely larger than a sunflower seed. For the portion, ingredients, & overall quality, the price felt very difficult to justify.
Again, my issue is not simply that this restaurant is expensive. Its location near the square is excellent, & I understand that comes at a premium. The problem is that the value & service were, without question, the worst of the 17 restaurants we visited during our week in Quebec.
With such a good location, the restaurant will probably continue to get plenty of walk-in customers regardless of reviews. But I still think this review is necessary, because restaurants that genuinely put effort into their food, hospitality, & service deserve to be recognized & supported.
Unfortunately, based on our experience, I would not recommend this restaurant.
Une excellente expérience au Bistro 1640 ! Tout était absolument délicieux, de la soupe au tartare, chaque plat était savoureux & vraiment bien préparé. 🤩
Le service était incroyable : attentionné, chaleureux & professionnel. L'ambiance était également parfaite, très agréable & conviviale. & le choix de la musique était vraiment excellent, ça ajoutait une super touche à l'expérience ! 🎶
On a passé un très beau moment du début à la fin. Je recommande vraiment le Bistro 1640, tout était délicieux & l'expérience était parfaite. Nous y retournerons sans hésiter !
The food was absolutely delicious - everything we ordered was fresh, flavourful, & beautifully prepared. We were also so happy that they welcomed our dog on the patio, which made the experience even better.
Great food, welcoming atmosphere, & genuinely friendly service. We had such a wonderful time & would happily come back again. Highly recommend!
Extremely disappointing & unacceptable experience at 1640 Bistro.
While visiting Quebec, we made a reservation at this restaurant & even stopped by earlier in the day to confirm our booking in person. However, when we returned at our reserved time, it was pouring rain, & the restaurant refused to let us inside because of the heavy rain.
We clearly explained that we had a confirmed reservation & that we were there to dine, yet they still refused to let us enter. Being left standing outside in a downpour despite having a confirmed reservation was not only frustrating, but completely unacceptable.
In my view, this shows an astonishing lack of basic hospitality, professionalism, & simple human consideration. A restaurant can serve good food, but if it cannot show even the most basic respect & care toward its guests, that says far more about the establishment than any menu ever could.
I would never return to a business that treats customers this way, & I certainly would not recommend it to anyone. There are plenty of restaurants in Quebec that understand both hospitality & basic decency. I would rather spend my money at one of them.
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Une expérience extrêmement décevante & totalement inacceptable au 1640 Bistro.
Lors de notre voyage au Québec, nous avions réservé une table dans ce restaurant & nous étions même passés plus tôt dans la journée afin de confirmer notre réservation en personne. Cependant, lorsque nous sommes revenus à l'heure prévue, il pleuvait à verse, & le restaurant a refusé de nous laisser entrer à cause de la forte pluie.
Nous avons clairement expliqué que nous avions une réservation confirmée & que nous étions là pour dîner, mais ils ont malgré tout refusé de nous laisser entrer. Nous laisser dehors sous une pluie battante alors que notre réservation avait été confirmée était non seulement frustrant, mais tout simplement inacceptable.
À mes yeux, cette attitude révèle un manque sidérant d'hospitalité, de professionnalisme & de considération humaine élémentaire. Un restaurant peut proposer de bons plats, mais s'il n'est même pas capable de traiter ses clients avec un minimum de respect & d'humanité, cela en dit bien plus long sur l'établissement que n'importe quel menu.
Je ne retournerai jamais dans un établissement qui traite ses clients de cette manière, & je ne le recommanderai certainement à personne. Il existe beaucoup d'autres restaurants au Québec qui comprennent à la fois le sens de l'hospitalité & le minimum de décence envers leurs clients. Je préfère largement dépenser mon argent chez eux.
Jolie, our beautiful server, provided our table of 5 with OUTSTANDING service!! She was happy to answer all of our questions with a smile & recommended the pork chop to me & it was the best pork chop I've ever had. Definitely recommend 1640. Thank you, Jolie.🥰
Quel bon moment passé dans cet endroit. L'esprit bistro parisien y a été reproduit avec une ambiance plus feutrée. Le repas à été très agréable & bon. Les assiettes dont servis avec une belle présentation & le personnel très professionnel est attentionné. Je vous recommande vivement cet établissement au pied du château Frontenac.
We had such a wonderful experience here! The food was absolutely delicious, & the location is beautiful with a great view. We especially loved that the restaurant is dog-friendly, which made our visit even more enjoyable. 🐶❤?
A special thank you to Jason, who took amazing care of us. He was incredibly friendly, attentive, & always had a smile on his face. The service was excellent from beginning to end & made us feel very welcome.
Delicious food, beautiful location, great views, wonderful service, & dog-friendly - we will definitely be back! Highly recommend! ❤?
I highly recommend this place. I had the Sus-vide Duck. Our server, Lea is an angel. She was very helpful, accomodated all our requests & shared a lot of insights about the city & culture without impeding her speed & service. Her manager should be so proud of her. Wish all restaurants had such pleasant personalities. We will be back soon for more!!!
