We brought our two sons to try lamb chops for their first time...they loved them...calamari was excellent as was pikillia...however we were disappointed with the grilled octopus... The service was great and very accomodating ...we will return!
I have been stopping by this restaurant since the late 1970’s. At that time three brothers owned the place. The calamari was excellent in those days but the quality has gone down. Way down! The moose looking down on us must be crying. Can’t get the calamari tails any more nor is the batter light a tasty like it used to be. Luckily the pita wraps are still good.
Je vais a cet endroit pour le calamar frit et le ribsteak. Le service reste a désirer mais avec comprehension car ils sont tellement occupés ils ne peuvent pas repondre a tout les clients. Il y a toujours une file d'attente lorsque je vais la. Les prix sont très abordable et les portions sont extremement généreux. J'y retournerais bientôt pour la nourriture.
A classic greek restaurant situated on a quiet street corner in the Parc Extension neighborhood.
A Montreal favorite. Huge lineups. Busy, noisy, crouded. Typical 70's decor with stucco walls, long rows of rectangular tables and those paper placemats with publicity spots printed on them (do those actually help someone's business grow?)
Great, fresh food, great service, huge portions.
A must try!
I couldnt hold myself from writing a review for this. The calamaris , ive never tasted something like that yet. Heavenly. The souvlakis are so so. I think its only worth their calamaris. Their tzatziki disappointed
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Marven's is literally a hidden gem in a quiet neighborhood in Parc extension area, I wouldn't have noticed it if I just walk by. The restaurant looks exactly like other residential houses along the street. I arrived during happy hours on a Saturday, at first, i thought it was closed as the windows are small and high, the front door was shut tight and it looks dark inside. Fortunately I went to the side of the house and saw a head moving through a small window, so I opened the front door myself and walked straight inside, Sure enough, there are actually quite some people dining there, but there are many empty tables, so the waiter asked me to pick any table I want.
Their menu indicated that it's a greek restaurant as I can see a lots classic greek dishes including various souvlaki, gyro plates, greek style grilled chicken etc. I asked the waiter for recommendations, he told me that, Calamari, rib steak and lamp chop are their signature dishes. At the end, I ordered a half portion calamari and the lamb chop.
I'm very impressed with the calamari, it's probably one of the best in town. I like the fact the calamari ring was very lightly breaded and fried perfectly so the bread did't overpower the meat inside, the thin coat of bread is crunchy but still with some moist so it doesn't feel too dry, the calamari meat inside is thick, elastic and meaty. It tastes pretty good already without any source, but their house made source make it even better, at the end, I felt a bit addicted to it. This would be really a treat in summer paired with a bottle of chilled beer.
The lamb chop was not bad either, but looks a bit burned and overcooked, if you ever order it, make sure you eat them when they are still hot as I found the taste dropped sharply when it's cold.
Portion of both dishes are good, even though I only ordered half portion of the calamari, at the end I still need a box to pack the left overs.
The Calamari is truly their star, will definitely return just for it, but next time I may just order a full portion of it alone. Can't get enough of it.
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Marven's is one of those institution type of places in Montreal, open since the 70s. They specialize in down home, old-world Greek comfort food. I heard about them on Anthony Bourdain’s The Layover, always a trusty source!
We made our way over to the Parc-Extension neighbourhood on a Friday night and upon arrival at the restaurant we were greeted with a long lineup that wound its way onto the sidewalk. This seemed to be a great sign of just how beloved and popular this Greek haven truly is. Our wait to get in only took about half an hour, which wasn’t all that bad. Once inside we were able to marvel at the untouched 70s decor. So many classic restaurants in Montreal share the exact same feel and vibe that this place has, and it’s so perfect to see. This space was boasting tacky faux brick walls and strange wooden indoor roofing - exactly as you would hope it to be! They should never change a thing. Rows of tables are crammed into this room and they certainly need every single seat as there was a person sitting in each one. This causes a bit of a ‘communal seating’ situation, which I personally do not have a problem with. Just jam me in someplace and feed me!
Our friendly server was super busy tending to a packed house, so I was pleasantly impressed when we were always taken care of and when our food arrived promptly. We were first given freshly baked bread and butter to begin things with.
If there is one dish that I’d heard a lot about, it’s their calamari. Some even say that it’s the best calamari in Montreal. So the Calmars (Squid appetizer - $14.00) were our first order of business! We decided to order Tzatziki ($4.50) on the side since the calamari are served with nothing but big slices of lemon (which we squeezed liberally over top). The portion was generous and the pieces of squid were hefty! I liked the breading because it wasn’t too heavy and it added the crunch and texture that you want with calamari. Inside, the squid was cooked really nicely, not too chewy. The added tzatziki is a must!! I loved their fresh and crisp version of it, packed full with cucumber.
People in the know will usually recommend (highly) that the massive rib steak is ordered as a main course. I didn’t feel like I could handle a dinner plate-sized slab of meat on this occasion. Instead, I opted for one of my favourite meats, especially when prepared with delicious Greek flavours; The Lamb Chops (Served with rice and fries - $24.75). This dish is served with Greek Salad, which I was also excited about. So much fresh goodness! I absolutely loved the bright ripe tomatoes, kalamata olives, the large cube of feta, and of course my most favourite, the peperoncini! This salad was supposed to be a starter size, but it was huge. There was nothing not to like about it.
Not my favourite cut of lamb, but I was hopeful for the best. The rice and fries were pretty forgettable, although I did enjoy the bit of sauce that had been sprinkled over the fries. The lamb was the star of the plate as it should have been! I liked it a lot. The meat was ultra tender and seasoned incredibly well. Parts of it were a little bit too fatty, but otherwise the lamb was sublime. I also dipped my meat morsels into the tzatziki, a match made in heaven. A perfect example of what the Greeks do with lamb and how deliciously they cook it!
The food at Marven’s was pretty good and the prices were reasonable while the portions were giant! People love this place and I can see why. I didn’t find any of the food to be especially different or interesting, but the flavours were classic and good. If you need some reliable Greek food in your life Marven’s is a safe bet!
The steak was crazy good. Maybe the best steak I have ever had. I also had the calamari and it was also pretty darn good. They had a special marvens sauce that went really well with the calamari and french fries. Way better than ketchup or mustard.
I really like the atmosphere of Marven's. Everybody seemed to be in a great mood and it was contagious. The staff was also very polite and welcoming. I was served by a young guy who was very nice and I tipped him more than I usually do. It felt like me and my girlfriend were eating at a relative's house. Nice and warm and cozy. It was honestly just the night out we needed. :)))
Amazing souvlaki, amazing homemade sauce, fast service, good price. Calamaris are very good to, and there special sauce is very good too. Very packed, always a lot of people but totally worth it.
Food here is amazing. I honestly don't love the atmosphere. It's super loud and tables are too close to one another. I get it, it's a hole in the wall and had been around for ages but it needs to be a little bigger. You're sitting way to close to each other. The food was amazing. Chicken souvlaki pita, gyro, the calamari - delicious!
Finally got to visit this iconic restaurant. The calamari was to die for... Light flaky batter on the outside and super tender on the inside and they're HUGE!! We also had the chicken giro and pork chops.... Admittedly we ordered the pork chops by mistake as we wanted to order the lamb chops but at least that gives us a reason to go back. Staff was friendly and service was quick. Reason for one less star is the washrooms could use a little "freshening up".
If there is one restaurant that the quality, taste and amount has never changed - it is Marven's. I use to go to it every week 15 years ago before moving out of Montreal. Finally was able to come back to it yesterday. There is no words to the taste and quality. In a five star rating, I would give it 10. And the staff are amazing. Specially Andre. He added the cherry to the evening.
This place doesn't look like much but trust me, it's a hidden gem. Small family vibe restaurant with quick and great service and charming staff. Heed my warning: the portions are huge! If you can't finish it all, you are welcome to bring the rest home.
Everything is good and affordable here; their specialties are the fried calamari (huge portion - can be split between 3 people), the delicious steak (you can meantion your cooked preference), the pitas and gyros.
With each our meals, we had a fresh greek salad for entrée.
High recommended to try it here. In rush hour time, you might wait a good 20-50min before being seated but it's worth it imo :)
The squid rolls are very delicious, and they are very delicious without any sauce. The lamb is very tender and juicy. The bread presented is the most eaten by my parents. They like it very much.
The size is big and the price is reasonable. Also, the service is very welcoming and the foods are delicious.
This is the type of restaurant you would like to bring your friend or event a night out for some casual foods.
Love it and will come back again next time I visit Montreal
Make sure your stomach is empty before going there! Small neighborhood restaurant with amazing food, always the same taste! The steak and lamb chops are tender and perfectly cooked! The fried calamari is a must have!
We shared their signature calamari as an entrée. Always need to order it when we visit. The steak was perfect. We got out with our stomach full
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