Restaurant Chez Noeser

The restaurant had a moldy smell, and the price felt high for what it was. It's April, yet they still have posters saying Christmas is coming and asking people to think about reservations. It seems to me like the passion is gone.

Charming place. If you're passing through Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, bring your own wine and enjoy!

The food was really good, but the service was nowhere to be found. From the welcome onward, there was no warmth, and we had to keep asking for things: water when we arrived, help opening our wine, bread, and more butter once it ran out. The soup starters didn't arrive at the same time for everyone, and the terrine came without bread. They had to redo the bill several times because of mistakes. It was our first visit, with friends, and the evening was extremely disappointing. We gave it a try, but we won't be back.

I ordered à la carte. The lamb chops were very good, but at $47.50 they weren't worth the price. The $12.50 chocolate lava cake wasn't either. The $47.50 filet mignon came as four or five slices instead of one piece of meat, which was disappointing for that price. There were eight of us on a Friday night. The tasting menu is a five-course meal for $65, with the price going up depending on which appetizers or mains you choose. You can also order the same dishes à la carte, and it's bring-your-own-wine. The restaurant has been around since 1988, but in my opinion its reputation is a bit overrated. I had a bottle of white wine and my friend wanted me to try his red, so we asked the owner for another glass. She said they rent them out. I've eaten at lots of restaurants and never seen that before. It was $1.25 for an empty glass, even though the table's bill came to $700. 🤷🏼‍♀️ The service also lacked the decorum I'd expect when paying nearly $50 for a meal. Being greeted with a curt “Hey everyone” made me feel like I was in a sports bar rather than a fine-dining place. The server also kept mixing up whose plate was whose. For groups, gratuity is included in the bill and taxable. I checked with the revenue department the next morning, and that's in line with its rules. After this experience, I'll never go back and wouldn't encourage anyone else to go, unfortunately.