Our “evolutionary Bistro”, whose name is inspired by the founder of Quebec, Samuel de Champlain, highlights the most recent culinary trends in an informal setting with an open concept kitchen and a creative mixology concept. Le Sam's glass roof offers an exceptional view of the St. Lawrence River.
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Our Specialties
Our Bistro features the latest culinary trends in an informal setting with an open kitchen and a creative mixology concept.
Le SAM Bistro Évolutif is widely recognized for its stunning location within the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, offering guests breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River and an elegant, sophisticated atmosphere. Many diners praise the gourmet quality of the food, highlighting dishes such as the lobster roll, filet mignon, and the iconic French onion soup as standout menu items. The service is frequently described as attentive, professional, and welcoming, with many guests noting that the staff goes out of their way to ensure a memorable experience for special occasions. While some visitors find the pricing reflective of its premium setting and occasionally experience inconsistencies in service speed or food preparation, the overall consensus points to a memorable dining destination that is highly recommended for its unique ambiance and consistent attention to detail.
It was 11:30 am on a Tuesday & we were looking for lunch near the Fairmont Hotel. We'd eaten at Bistro Le Sam in 2022, so we knew the food would be good, albeit pricey.
We didn't have a reservation, so we could not be seated near the windows overlooking the terrace. We were seated in a comfy half round booth.
I ordered the Caesar Salad with Chicken. My wife ordered the French Onion Soup & the Lobster-Crab Arancini.
My salad was excellent. Her soup was also excellent. Her Lobster-Crab Aranacini was not good. It was mostly devoid of any seafood at all.
French onion soup was great , cocktails were good ($28 for a basic cocktail better be good) ,
Pork ribs on the other hand were dry & old , definitely not cooked on a same day, it would have been okay at a cheap neighborhood pub for like $23 , but it definitely not okay when you charging $45 for them.
Service not the best eithe
Sep 1, 2025
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Overpriced & underdelivered. With so many food choices in Quebec city it is amazing this place is even open. We are actually staying at the Frontenac hotel & ate at the restaurant based on the recommendation of the concierge. It is really not a good choice in this city.
Ma copine & moi avons adoré notre expérience au Bistro Le SAM
La nourriture était raffinée & l'ambiance très agréable.
La décoration du restaurant est magnifique & contribue à rendre l'endroit unique.
Nous avons particulièrement apprécié la belle table qui nous a été attribuée pour célébrer nos 13 ans de couple.
Un immense merci à notre serveuse, Annie, pour son accueil empreint de gentillesse & son service irréprochable. Je lui attribue un 10/10.
Merci beaucoup :)
This was our second time visiting this restaurant. The first time, during Christmas, we had a wonderful experience & were seated by the window. That's why this time, on an important family occasion, we brought our parents here for dinner.
However, to our surprise, we were told that all the window seats had to be pre-reserved, likely due to the fireworks. As visitors from out of town, we felt this was a bit unfair, since OpenTable did not mention any paid option or special reservation note for window seating. We had no way of knowing that window seats were already pre-ordered & unavailable.
Our reservation was at 8:15, but we were only seated at 8:35-& the seating was a very small, makeshift arrangement of three tiny round tables pushed together near the entrance. For a family of five, it was extremely uncomfortable. The hanging lights above each table also became a problem once the tables were combined-two of our family members accidentally hit their heads on the metal lamps, which was unpleasant & even dangerous.
The food was very good, but unfortunately we didn't get to enjoy the view, we waited 20 minutes past our reservation time only to be given cramped temporary seating, two people got hurt by the lights, & the waiting time for dishes was also long. Overall, this visit left us with a disappointing memory compared to our first experience.
Assez déçue, je pense que ce resto a changé de chef cuisinier. Nous y sommes allés à quelques reprises & l'expérience avait été satisfaisante. Aujourd'hui, pour l'assiette de Fish & Chips, les frites semblaient avoir été réchauffées. Tièdes, pas croustillantes & pas très bonnes finalement . La panure du poisson était très épaisse, & encore une fois, la pièce semblait réchauffée. Les arancini de l'apéro aussi ont peut être fait 2 bains d'huile… dans l'ensemble, pas un très bon rapport qualité prix & décevant d'un grand hôtel Fairmont. Le temps entre les entrées & le plat principal, extrêmement lent.
Un premier dîner dans la verrière du Bistro le Sam, notre serveur Gautier nous a donné un service hors pair de par son professionnalisme, sa connaissance du menu & sa gentillesse. Je vous recommande le Sam dans la section de Gautier & vous aurez envie de faire comme moi, y retourner avec des amis.
