Aux Anciens Canadiens specializes in traditional French-Canadian cuisine featuring regional staples such as tourtière, bison, and elk. The menu highlights locally sourced ingredients prepared using classic grilling and slow-cooking techniques that reflect historical culinary practices. Patrons encounter a setting defined by authentic architecture, thick stone walls, and woodwork that creates a dense, rustic atmosphere. This establishment prioritizes rich, savory flavors through hearty meat preparations and classic vegetable pairings characteristic of the surrounding territory. Every dish aims to present the fundamental essence of regional gastronomy with precise attention to traditional seasoning and cooking methods. The consistent focus remains on authentic, robust flavors served within a structural environment that mirrors the heritage of the region through its preserved interior design and consistent, reliable preparation styles.
Aux Anciens Canadiens is widely celebrated for its charming, historic atmosphere and its dedication to traditional Québécois cuisine, with many visitors praising the authentic setting housed in one of the oldest buildings in the city. Guests frequently highlight the attentive and friendly service, particularly when enjoying the popular lunch specials, and many consider the maple syrup pie and various meat dishes to be standout offerings. While the vast majority of diners describe their experience as memorable and delicious, some reviewers note that the food quality can be inconsistent, with a few guests finding certain dishes to be overpriced or underwhelming compared to the historic reputation of the institution.
Authentic Quebecois restaurant with traditional food & atmosphere. You cannot skip it of you are in the old town, & the prices do not look like a rip off. Definitely recommend the smoked bison fondue Parmesan. Stellar service by Nicolas!
We went here on out trip recently because the reviews were very good. We made a reservation for 5:30 pm. We were seated shortly after & the service was good. The restaurant vibe was interesting. The decor didn't seem on par with an upscale restaurant. We decided to get an appetizer which was crab cakes. They were good but the price was a bit steep at $22.00 for 2 cakes. I ordered the filet mignon for my dinner. The steak itself was incredible but the sides were just okay. The fries were kind of mushy & not crispy. It was also a huge portion of fries. My husband got the 3 filet dish which had red deer, bison, & elk. He really liked the meat but again sides were just okay. You expect a bit more at nearly $60/per plate. We then finished off with a dessert - chocolate pie & bread pudding. Both pretty good but again the price was a bit steep. I think each were about 16 dollars. So all in all, it was good but for the prices? No. I wouldn't recommend & I wouldn't go back. The dinners we had on previous nights were much better & worth the higher price.
tout simplement incroyable, je pense que le bourguignon de bisons est le meilleur plat que j'ai mangé de ma vie. Quelle sauce !!! Un grand merci c'était génial. La formule du midi est parfaite c'est l'endroit où aller pour bien manger à Québec & manger Quebecois !
Apr 19, 2024
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If you are looking for a dinner that can give you a wide taste of local foods, this is a wonderful choice. We were looking for a place to eat at 4 after missing lunch. The restaurant we were considering was closed until 5, so we continued down the road & found that Aux Anciens Canadiens was not only open but still had the lunch prix fixe prices. It is possible the dinners are larger, but the lunch was more than enough for us. We shared our meals with each other & were able to try pea soup, smoked bison fondue, meat pie, meat ball ragout, & deer, bison & elk tenderloin with a lovely blueberry sauce. For dessert, we had maple syrup pie & maple bread pudding. Everything was very good & we felt like we had the perfect culinary review of classic Quebecoise foods. We could have chosen the poutine, but we were concerned that we were not going to make it to dessert & since the woman behind us was telling her friend that this place had the best maple syrup pie, we didn't want to risk it.
It was an interesting restaurant, & we popped in to be taken to quaint styled interiors. Staff are friendly & attentive. Food arrived on time & delicious. Escargot was nice but a bit overcooked for me. The open meat pie was nicely done & balanced. My partner's Bison pie was interesting. The poutine was nice & the wine was decent. The pudding, Maple syrup pie tasted great, & so was my partner's Apple pie. We chose the set menu, & it was fairly priced. Overall, the experience was good apart from a little indigestion I experienced after.
We had a fantastic experience at Aux Anciens Canadiens for our first night in Québec City! The food was delicious, & Samuel our waiter was wonderful - very friendly, polite, & checked in on us regularly. His recommendations are the best! The service was well timed over the three courses, so we didn't have to wait long at all between dishes. We felt very relaxed & cosy in the restaurant. I would recommend this restaurant to friends for sure & I'll be dreaming about the Bison bourguignon with creamy blueberry wine sauce until my next visit. We did the 3 course meal with wine or beer.
A must-visit in the center of Quebec City. My party stayed in the city for 2 days, during which we dined at several traditional & First Nation restaurants. This one pleasantly surprised us. Initially, we were unsure about it because the restaurant is often advertised in hotels, which can be a negative sign. However: The staff was genuinely friendly & efficient. We opted for the lunch menu, priced at 40 Canadian dollars, which included an appetizer, main course, dessert, & a glass of wine. We chose to pay a bit more for the meats that are not easily found elsewhere, such as bison, elk, & deer. I wholeheartedly recommend it! These uncommon meats exceeded the quality we experienced at another, more expensive restaurant we visited the previous night. The puff pastry that accompanied the bison was crispy but not dry, complementing the meat perfectly. The sides served with the bison, elk, & deer dish allowed us to pair each meat with vegetables that complemented them well. & the traditional, remarkably simple & warm maple syrup pie was the perfect finishing touch! The staff was always eager to answer our questions, & once they learned that we needed to rush to the train station, they promptly brought the bill, always with a smile. Last but not least, experiencing the ambiance of the oldest restaurant in Quebec City was a remarkable part of our visit. Out of my week-long stay in Canada, this was the first & only place where I was happy to leave a (generous) tip. P.S. - food is larger & more filling than portrayed in the photos attached.
The atmosphere & vibe is really cool! The food is great. I had dinner set which includes a house wine/ beer, an appetizer, a main course & a dessert. The meat pie is highly recommended. It's a great balance between the savory of the meat, the flaky crust & the sweet-ish taste of the ketchup on the side. I had the bison bourguignon for the main course & it was delicious but I was hoping the meat to be more tender as it's a bit dry. For dessert I had the maple pie to go as the portion is pretty generous & I didn't have room for dessert. However, the service wasn't that good & I did not feel welcomed. For example, no bread was served at my table while the rest of the tables were. The waiter was trying to rush through my order/service. The waiter helped the other table packed the to go box but just threw the boxes at me & I had to do it myself. I would not think it would be a big deal if I didn't see how the other guests were treated - well packed & were put in a bags & were ready to do. For me, there is no bags provided & I had to asked for it & was told they may not have bags. It just ruined the whole experience. & that's after I gave 15% tips...
Nous avons étés servis par Sylvie que je remrcie fortement pour son service impeccable & sa bienveillance.
Un restaurant magnifique qui reflète l'histoire de son emplacement. De la vraie bonne cuisine québécoise, les saveurs sont exquises & les portions sont généreuses.
Mes favoris: Bourguignon de bison, poulet cordon bleu, velouté de carottes, crème brûlée à l'érable.
Je reviens à ce restaurant à chaque fois que je visite Québec.
Personally I don't get the food so maybe it's not my thing. There's a lot of other foods that I think taste better for the price point but this is a historic restaurant so maybe give it a try if you're into home style french cooking. I got the beef Wellington & my partner got the bison. I liked hers better but found the bison a bit dry. My Wellington felt overcooked so tougher than I like.
