Review Marven's Restaurant - Montreal

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 :)

Honestly, best calamari in town. I have been coming here since I was a very young child and their calamari has never disappointed me. The staff is also very friendly. The fries are not the style I usually prefer, which is fat and fluffy, and i'd say they are not seasonned at all. Not even with salt. I think it's becayse it meant to be eaten with ketchup mainly. The steaks are big, not always juicy, depends on the evening. The pork chop is perfect, juicy, tender, so good with such simple seasonning. Highly recommend this dish. The gyro meat lacks seasonning when eaten alone but they have very good tzaziki sauce so it didn't bother us. Love their greek salad. Nothing bad to say about it. And their bread comes out super warm and toasty, very well seasoned with spices. Overall, very good family friendly restaurant, the portions are generous, the price is appropriate, the calamari is the best. This place is a Montréal staple.

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

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 n'avais pas de bons souvenirs de cet endroit. Par contre avec la côte sur Zomato, je voulais donner une autre chance. Ce resto était rempli un mercredi soir. À l'époque, il n'y avait pas de pieuvre. Il y a plus de choix de fruits de mer maintenant. J'étais bien contente de la salade grecque avec pieuvre grillée. La cuisson du fruit de mer était tendre. On a aussi pris les côtelettes d'agneau. Ma première bouchée était bonne, mais après je me suis vite aperçue que la viande était coriace. J'ai trouvé ce plat très cher pour la qualité. J'imagine que les gens qui aiment Marven's c'est pour les assiettes copieuses. Moi, je retournerais pour la salade grecque à la pieuvre, mais sans plus.

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.<br/><br/>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?)<br/><br/>Great, fresh food, great service, huge portions.<br/><br/>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

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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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.<br/>

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!<br/><br/>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! <br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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. <br/><br/>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!<br/><br/>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.<br/><br/>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.

The place is fine. I didn't know it was a restaurant until we were in. It's not my type of food so I didn't specially enjoy it but the people who were with me sure did. So I guess if ur into it go for 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!

Over cooked salmon. I reallly liked the calamary it was amazing....but dont take the salmon...it wayyy too cooked...and i asked medium...they told meh thats how they cook it

Delicious Greek Food That Hits The Spot. I usually visit Marven's about 1-2 a year. We were in the area this time and decided on dinner at Marven's. The calamari was our starter and then we shared a 2 Gyro Pita Plate. The Calamari were big and delicious the portion was large for 2 people and will likely satisfy you. I could not get enough of their sauce I even used it for the fries. Then our Gyro Pita's were terrific the lamb was delicious and tender.<br/><br/>Happy with our visit and will be back, I just wish they would take Debit or Credit Card.

Hadn't been here in a long time. It's still good. Double souvlaki pita platter is still almost impossible to finish

YUM. Loved loved it. Especially the sauce. Does anyone know what in the sauce?

Don t bother calling an order by phone for a pick up <br/>the waiters do not have patience in taking the order <br/>Very rude <br/>I told him what's wrong with you Because he was rushing me <br/>Then he hung up on me. I<br/>I called back he hung up again<br/>Spoke to manager and the manager was as rude as the waiter jimmy <br/>I Asked who the waiter was , he said why , you are speaking to the manager <br/><br/>Rude rude rude <br/>No telephone etiquette at this establishment

Real and simple. In my top greek resto in mtl great taste and great price

Real and simple. In my top greek resto in mtl great taste and great price

OPEN HOURS??????

Established Greek eatery offering delicious generous portions at normal prices. Must haves: calamari, lamb chops, chicken

Amazing calamari and fantastic service. A friend took me there for lunch. From the outside, it didn't really look like a restaurant, is very strangely located, and definitely does not look inspiring. Walked in, expecting the worse Greek restaurant ever, and beginning to worry about my friend's taste. As soon as I walked in, it became evident that the design had been done by a very famous greek/italian/sailor interior designer in the 1950's. The place was full; most people looked like regulars, suits and blue-collars, and their plates were very diversified from chicken brochettes, to seafood, to steaks, indicating that most items on their menu is good.<br/><br/>I had the calamari, their specialty. It was amazing ! Extremely tender, batter not too thick, and even the sauce was great. The menu said the plate came with salad and either fries or rice. In reality, they bring you a rather large plate of salad (nearly large enough for a meal), a large plate of rice, and a huge every larger plate of calamari. HUGE portions ! I usually eat large portions, but in this case I had to take half of it back home.<br/><br/>The service was excellent and prompt. The waiter was very attentive and courteous throughout the whole meal. The prices were very good for the quality and quantity of the food served, and it did not have to be boosted by $20 to pay for the latest design and furniture. Nor did it have to be boosted by 4% to make up for the restaurant’s credit card fee. And to be totally honest, I do not think this would qualify for the most healthy food, but if I'm going to cheat on my diet, this is definitely the place I will go ! ! !<br/><br/>Just to show you how good the service was, when I asked for a doggy bag, the waiter came back with 3 foam containers so I wouldn't have to mix the salad and the rice with the calamari... So whatever difficulties they had in the past, they appear to have remedy to them, and bravo for that.<br/><br/>Oooops ! And remember they don't take credit cards, so if you don't have any cash, you'll need to go to the machine downstairs...

Marven's has the best lamb chops!!!

Marvelous marven's. Outstanding fried calamaris and lamb chops, super generous portions, friendly service.<br/>Don't go there for the polish and decor ... But a satislying meal at low prices is what you will get.<br/>Enjoy, it's worth the detour.<br/>Niky Papachristidis

Recently sold feel ?. Went there 2 years ago and had gone there previously , but that last time in 2011 it felt like something had changed , new ownership? Not sure but Definitely with a capital D it was not as good as pre-11' . This establishment has likely existed for 30+ years it's very small for it's popularity , which i believed was established and created a huge following , most times you will be greeted with lineups out the door , i went on really off times but it did not take long to pack in , a little difficult to manage go there with young children so be prepared to be patient , food was fantastic , now that last time not so good , still the Calamari is a must and above-average( this is where i first tried and liked calamari(rubber lol) portions are good enough you will leave full (unlike Subways) I think it's a tradition somewhat like Hockey Night In Canada , but in a few years like HNIC if they don't watch out they(Marvens') will become history too !!

Great food and great service!. I love the food, been eating there often. I especially love that calamari!<br/><br/>The place is small and can get crowded during most of the nights, people have to be patient with the staff though. They're all always fast and friendly!

Very good food just red head waitress is rude and not a very good server never came by to check up on us, never refilled drinks and argued and told us the client we were wrong about what we ordered eventually changed it and then she had the nerve to expect a tip and tell me how much I should give her is usually leave a 6$ tip for 20$

Best calamari in Montreal. Huge serving sizes with cheap prices! One meal comes on 3 plates. One full plate of salad, a full plate of thick cut fries, and a full plate of thick cut calamari! They also give you garlic bread with your order. All of this for less than 20 dollars. Could definitely feed 2 with one meal! Souvlaki pitas are also very good! No need to order 2 full meals for 2 people, order one meal and something from the extra menu.

Overrated. Too dirty!!

Good spot. Although the food isnt out of this world amazing I always come back, especially for the calamari and special fries sauce....yum!

I really WANT to like this place. So, after hearing about this place, and being someone who genuinely enjoys greek food (and has tried a fair amount of greek spots in the city this summer), I got a chance to visit Marven's last weekend.<br/><br/>I just barely avoided the line. When I got in, the place was almost at capacity, and there were plates and plates of calamari (what i hear Marven's is known for) being put on people's plates, which got me excited for the meal ahead of me.<br/><br/>My friend and I split the Calamari plate, consisting of bread, greek salad, fries, and the calamari. <br/><br/>The bread and salad came out. Bread was ok - a little dry tbh. It was toasted with some herb on it, but not bad (i would have been happy with a bitta butter or oil). Salad was a mediocre greek salad, common in a lot of Greek spots, but it was our app so i didn't care. Same with the fries. <br/><br/>Anyway, the calamari comes out, with the special sauce (which I had been told is a must-have with the calamari), and I start digging in. Now, the calamari was decent. But not at all what I was expecting. I've had better elsewhere. <br/><br/>I think Marven's appeal stems from all of the clients who have been going there for years. Nostalgia can be a powerful thing with restos like this. The people who I know who have suggested it have grown up with it, and have gone for years. They associate it with growing up, family, etc. As someone who has not grown up with it, I don't see what the big deal is. Would give it a second try, but will not get my hopes up if I go again.

The place is dirty and smelly, and the waiter is so rude. I m not going back there

Yuck! I dont know what the buzz is about this place is! It was gross my salad swam in dressing too garlicy.. Calmar was soggy.. Overall greasy... And the service is horrible.. Wont go again

Horrible experience every time I have been (I gave it a few tries). Rude staff, below average food, crammed seating. <br/>Avoid.

Just a huge slab of meat not even cooked well with a huge amount of starches on the side and a crappy salad. Sure you get an enormous amount of food but when it is about food court quality I would rather go some where else. I don't see the hype about this place at all

Good for price. It's basically a simili-greek cuisine fast food restaurant. Unfortunate for them we were greeted by a waitress with extreme lack of inter-personal skills, rudeness. The whole seemed a bit disorganized, but that's what you get when you super fast patron turnover. They want you in and out within 20 minutes. <br/><br/>I went to greece to I'm a little spoiled when it comes to comparing greek food. The food was good. <br/><br/>Their greek salad is NOT greek salad so that turned me off.<br/><br/>Their meat was good, lamb was tasty. Their tzaziki was creamy, thick and nice'n'garlicky.<br/><br/>If you want fast simili-greek food with rude and somewhat chaotic staff, this is your place. This place is well known so they don't really care about how you feel. You're just another mouth with $$$ associated to it.

Calamari !!!. Everytime i go there its always the same plates i take!!<br/><br/>The fried calamari is so tasty, fresh and just right crispy. hardly anybody can bet their fried calamari. the Rib-steak with saute mushroom is just perfection.<br/><br/>I brought many friends from other countries because i wanted them to taste the uniqueness of this place. <br/><br/>not the typical restaurant to bring to a date but definilty a restaurant u want to bring to discover montreal.

Great souvlaki and really nice t-bone steak<br/>Before the main courses comes,they serve you a huge Greek salad and galic bread .<br/>I had to be careful not to over eat as the the steak was huge !<br/>We also shared a calamari plate .<br/>We were really stuffed ...but it was really good food<br/>The places is always crowded and expect long waits to be seated and sharing tables

Horrible experience. Waiter who said he was the manager ate off the plate of calamari he was bringing over to us. He said, "it was just a little". He later said he wouldn't complain if we did it. I guess you could go there and eat off anyone's plate. The management wouldn't complain. We cancelled the order and after some arguing in which the waiter manager felt he was entirely justified in eating off his patron's plates we left. Took a long time to be served and the glasses were dirty. Won't go there again.

Good - Annoying Wait. Food was good. Questionable whether or not it was worth it is worth the wait

NEVER AGAIN. We had lunch at Marvin's and was not impressed! First of all the place is filthy!!! I needed hand sanitzer after handling the menu. We ordered chicken pita's and my daughter's pita had a calamari in it!! She has severe sea food allergies. When we told the waiter of this...his response was "Calamari's thrown around the kitchen"!!! He offered to replace her pita....we declined and payed our bill and left. I will never return there again!!

The food is still very good. But the portions have become smaller and they have to do something about that carpet. It has to go! Carpet in a restaurant? I don't think so.

Meilleur grec a mtl

Delicious! But Crowded/Busy. I was warned that Marven's usually has a line, so we decided to go around 3pm on a Sunday- and there was still a huge line! The restaurant is a bit crowded but with good reason, the food was delicious and came quite quickly. The wait staff seemed a bit stressed/busy but were still friendly

Steak and lamb chpps. The portions are HUGE - my favorites: steak, lambchops and calamari :) enjoy! Prices are very reasonable!

Stopped coming here years ago because the quality had dropped drastically. Decided to come back and try it again based on what some people said, and boy did Marven's deliver! The Calamari appetizer was spectacular. Their calamari was one thing I always liked, and I was afraid it wouldn't be the same. Well, it wasn't the same, but it was better. Super fresh, non rubbery, and not overly fried LARGE calamari. Just amazing. Also had a 1-gyro pork plate, which was very good and reminiscent of the old days. I wasn't impressed with their rice, but their fries and salad are solid. Good tzaziki as well, and the gyro wasn't drowned in the tzaziki (which could be a good or a bad thing). Jimmy Red is the best waiter honestly, he's quick, super polite and even changed my friends plate because he felt his pork was too dry. A must try place if you haven't come in years, and especially if you've never been here before!

Best steak.. Out of the 5 times I've been, I've only been deceived once, because the grill tasted like charcoal.<br/><br/>The other times, fantastic.<br/>Steak is juicy, and yummmmmyyyy

Mmm Calamari!. You don't go to Marven's for the décor.<br/>You don't go to Marven's for the service (hit or miss.)<br/><br/>You go to Marven's for the Calamari and authentic Greek pitas. <br/>You go again, and again and again...<br/>LOVE IT!

I used to love this place. But I don't anymore. Inconsistent at its best. Even their signature dish, the fried calamari, is different every time I go. I used to love coming here for the calamari, very lightly breaded and flaky, and now it's just heavily breaded and greasy.<br/><br/>The place is also riding on their past fame, and is consistently packed and it is difficult to get a seat. There's better.

Amazing place. Just need to wash ur clothes once you get out. But A-mazing.

Great Greek food but what I love the most is their steak it's cooked to perfection. I've had steak at pricy steakhouses but marven's is hard to beat.

Mmm, "Special, one & one." One stick, one pita. And a shot of Marven's sauce on the fries...

Fantastic calamari. Sometimrs a line up but well worth the wait

Great calamari!!!! Be there early

Best calamari in Montreal. Be ready for a line up.

One of a few inexpensive restaurants, in Montreal, giving you happiness by their GENEROUS amount of tasty comfy food.

It was sooo goood. But I was so full and so overwhelmed by the amount of food served to us.<br/><br/>I swear...every plate could be shared by at least 2 people!!!<br/>

Many people go there for the calamari and swear by it. So of course I tried the calamari (along with a pork and chicken stick.) The calamari is good, but it's not something I would rush back for again. The meat sticks were just ok.

...once you enter the restaurant, the decor is also rather bland - except for the giant moosehead hanging on the wall that stares into your soul - and yet, you will still see a huge line-up at the door. Why? Great food and huge portions.