Review Resto Gare Bistro - Winnipeg

Absolutely wonderful!!! We had our wedding there in August and everything was more than amazing. Linda was very kind, accommodating, and helpful. Especially when Covid-19 restrictions kept changing and we'd have to adjust certain details for our wedding. The staff were and are always lovely. The food was delicious! Our guests couldn't stop talking about the Prime Rib and how good it was. A great restaurant that our families will continue to come back to for birthdays and special occasions.

First time at Resto Gare with my partner for my birthday and it was fantastic! Eric was an amazing server, he was professional, prompt, and gave my partner and I amazing hospitality. I appreciate the service he gave to us. The train is beautiful, its definitely a must see and as well as the restaurant. When we went there was a large party in the back of the train and because of the sizing of the train the volume could get quite loud, so it was a bit hard of hearing and had to increase volume to have conversation. But it really did not damper our experience! We were still able to have an amazing dinner ! Thank you to all staff at Resto Gare!

I was really excited to finally visit this place. Meals were good, very classic, nice portion/price ratio. However I don't know if it was because they are trying to keep it classic, but all three mains that I ordered were served with the same sides; potatoes (grilled or smashed) with steamed carrots and broccolini which felt lazy. It would have been nice to have a variety. In general I had a good experience, I was attracted to the restaurant because of their train car dining space, which needs some care. Food wise it's good, but there is room for improvement, thought, and updates. I would think of this place more of a Bresserie (not that they brew any beer) but not a Bistro, based off their menu style and prices.

Old world service meets today's culinary magic. Few places left in Winnipeg like this gem. If you are looking for a special place to take someone who means something to you or mark a special event this is the place. Food was simply perfect, attentive service and great decor. Make sure you consider this restaurant, one of the top places in Winnipeg.

A fantastic bit of Winnipeg's culture, and delightfully french fine dining. The restaurant is a train smushed into the old train station, with every bit of its interior and exterior oozing with character. Cozy carpeteting, china cups and crystal chandeliers. They reportedly get packed on live jazz nights.

First time at Resto Gare and Train Bar Bistro. Not much space for parking. However it was really nice inside. Decor just needs a little touching up. The food is delicious. I had the French Onion Soup for starters, it's delicious. Then I had the special for the main course, rib eye steak with mashed potatoes, vegetables, and two onion rings with gravy sauce on the bottom. That was delicious too.

I'm a picky eater and so read reviews about that place before going. Several comments were complaints about the food being overpriced. I still wanted to get my own experience though and form my own opinion. As a seafood lover, I went for their Tresor de la mer. My expectations were high and reasonable for a $110 dish! And this was such a letdown. The scallops, shrimps and vegetables barely had any flavor. Don't be fooled by the picture of the dish! It looks good but it has nothing special. Charging $110 for this should be illegal. Needless to say that I will never return to that place, or recommend it to anyone. Bummer.

We recently moved to the neighbourhood and decided to drop in for a jazz night. We didn't have a reservation and the patio was very busy, but the owner/manager found a table for us even though we only wanted to stop by for a couple of drinks and an appetizer. The patio is beautiful and the menu looks great. We will definitely be returning.

Went for my birthday dinner on Sat evening and I had not been there before. My fiance surprised me with where we were going, and I have to say that everything I ate that night was fantastic. We had one of the dinners for 2. Steak with veggies and grilled mushrooms with potatoes and a béarnaise sauce. The steak was cooked to perfection almost (1 piece was a little more rare then medium rare) and was so tender it almost melted in your mouth. I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a new place to try. Our server seemed to be the only server that evening so she was all over the place but she never forgot about us and was on top of our drinks most of the night. I had a fantastic evening there and am looking forward to the next visit!

Was here recently for a birthday celebration and unfortunately I was not impressed overall. Though our server was pleasant enough, he did not come back and check in with us to see if we needed anything else during our meal. At one point, he looked directly at us and and walked by our table when it was obvious that we were seeking his attention. We waited a long time for our meal to be served and when it was, I was disappointed with it. The portion was very small given the type of meal I had ordered. In addition, the chicken was dry and very salty. Despite being hungry, I could not finish it. I had been looking forward to this night out and to dining here for the first time. Sadly, I do not think that I will return, nor will I recommend Resto Gare to others. 😞

we were there yesterday for dinner and jazz music. Excellent experience. Our water glasses were kept filled. Our waiter was very attentive without being annoying. He was knowledgeable about the foods and the specials. The food was really good and the portion sizes satisfying. If you like lemon you have to have their lemon tart for dessert. I will definitely go back.

Had r 12 year Anniversary dinner here Saturday Sept.23...started with calamari - fresh lightly crisp - then I had Lobster bisque soup - to die for - I would come back just for this sweet creamy soup with lobster a shrimp & flaky tomato breadstick. I wanted to lick the bowl but declined. Then we both had the Bourguigon - braised beef in wine which u didn't even need a knife for it was so tender with choice of starch & lots of lighty cooked veggies. The sauce was so rich and tasty. Since the cart of desserts was sitting by us all night we had that too. My husband had his eye on the apple pie which also had peaches. He loved. I had the raspberry peanut butter cheesecake. OMG!!! Other dresserts were a lemon tart, gluten free chocolate cake, maple syrup pie plus plus...incredible dinner. Oh and great Long Island ice teas!!! We will b back😋

The food was very good. Great flavor in all except the calamari. Found it very bland. The cook of the calamari was perfect. I do prefer a bit of spice so this is just a personal flavor. Was not a fan of can pop to drink as was charged $3.00 per can. Fountain would be better and more environmentally friendly. The maple sugar pie was good except that artificial maple flavor was used. Otherwise great restaurant and great service.

Was there the other day for supper with 7 others. The service wasn’t prompt or extremely attentive either. I can’t speak for everyone’s meals but I can say mine I had maybe 2 bites (I got the duck and I don’t think on the menu it says anywhere there is cinnamon in the dish but I’m not a fan of cinnamon and it was soooo strong in the dish ppl from the other side of the table could smell it. I’m surprised that I don’t think it was in the description cause not everyone likes cinnamon and it’s such a distinct taste So of course I didn’t eat it but I also didn’t complain ( waitress a while after asked the table quickly how the food was some ppl said ok and she quickly left. My bf got the steak and frites. The fries looked good but didn’t taste how they looked they were drenched in some kinda garlic butter or something and it was way overpowering and made them soggy. Steak was cooked to order but had a different kind of flavour. Either way my review is mostly on our two dishes that we didn’t eat( boxed them up but then at home they went straight in the trash.) just expected way better meals and service for the high priced dining experience. Oh and I should mention it wasn’t busy yet while we were there

First time we went, it was amazing, I would of given it a 5/5 stars (group of 6) but this time we went w a larger group approx 20, and had good service to start but then it got very busy and our server became overwhelmed and was irritated w our group, was rushing us to order, was short w us, and even bluntly rude to some of our guests (after they asked for coffee 3 times over 20-25 mins) also 2 steaks were over cooked (and the server even told one of our guests that it wasn't, that that's what medium is, maybe not to you, but it is, while the 3rd steak was undercooked. We had to send back 3 plates of food and some ppl just ate their food bc they were so hungry. Also the steak + frites, the fries were so salty, they were inedible, but never fixed bc they were w the "not over done steak" and after being treated this way, wasn't going to argue again because it would of turned into a fist fight if our server was openly rude again. I don't know if I will go back, definitely not w a large group. The food is usually sooo delicious, but we were all sadly disappointed this time. Thankfully the desserts were good, so we left w a little bit of a better taste in our mouths.

I had the immense pleasure to return to your restaurant Saturday evening with my wife and sister (who introduced me to the finest French eatery in Winnepeg only a couple of years after you originally opened!) We had a wonderful experience dining with Christine as our server. The cuisine was excellent as well as the atmosphere! My wife and I came here for our belated honeymoon back in 2005! Now again in 2017...too long between visits. Please keep in mind, it is a five hour drive for us and we had decided that a special dinner at Resto Gare was to be one of the highlights of the trip! Thank you for being "That Place" for us in Winnipeg!

We were there for Thursday night Jazz on the patio. The food was very good, the service fine and the music excellent. It is expensive, but when all the stars align as they did for us, it is well worth it. A delightful summer evening in Winnipeg. God I love this city in summer.

I've been there a handful of times and every time, the service is top notch, the atmosphere feels like Europe & the food is so incredibly delicious. They also have unique cocktails. I'm usually a beer person but I had to break from tradition for this sort of martini they have with a rose syrup... Sorry can't remember the name.

My husband, our 5 year old daughter and I dined here tonight and we had a lovely experience. We were at the train area and it was a beautiful ambiance. All the food we ordered were delicious. Our server Matt was the best, he was so attentive and warm, made us comfortable and feel special. We even got a view of the fireworks from a nearby event. We are already planning to come back here to bring our family and friends.

The best food, atmosphere and service I've had! Would recommend in a heartbeat. Definitely returning sooner rather than later. Thank you for an lovely evening

Great food with friends. Great atmosphere to enjoy . Thank you Linda for the great meal and service.

Fantastic duck liver appetizer and filet mignon special. Service was very quick and our server was great. Perfect meal and experience from start to finish. Will be coming back for sure.

We celebrated Valentines day tuesday evening, the restaurant is very beautiful, the staff are very polite and helpful. We sat in the train car, our server's name was Sandra. we started with the bread course with olive oil and balsamic YUM. Then we both enjoyed and devoured an appitizer called escargots et champingnons ( snails and mushrooms ) OMG YUMMMM. Then we savored the french onion soup, WOW! best i've ever had.My hubby had steak et frites and I had the crepes de mer DELICIOUS!!! Didn't have desert too full,next time for sure. thanks Sandra you were great.😋

Took my fiancé out for lunch. I was in the mood for some good French cooking. I had heard from a few friends it was a good place to eat. We sat down ordered a appetizer fois gras which was amazing and we both ordered their signature dish poutine bourguignon. <br/>It took ten minutes to get our appetizer and waited an hour and never received our meal. The waitress kept on saying it might be reading soon after the 4th time her saying it, I asked for our bill an our wait was long enough for lunch. <br/>The table beside us ordered two minutes before we did they had already received,ate and paid for their meals . The waitress talked to the manager and only the manager offered was if by chance it was ready before we left would be interested in taking it to go!! I said no I wanted a hot meal not a meal to eat cold later. The manager wouldn’t even come to our table to talk to us and left it to the poor waitress. <br/>As a chef in my restaurants I have always offered a complimentary app or salad but nothing not even a refill on our drinks. You can tell the waitress felt sorry for us as she would not even look at us when walking by.<br/>First time in my 30 years as a chef I left a restaurant hungry.

Ingredients are of the finest quality, food is meticulously prepared, menu is great blend of traditional favorites and adventurous nouvelle cuisine.  Try the seafood for 2, it is pure heaven.  Sommelier Curtis always has a treasure in store from his cellar...and at a very reasonable price.  It is my go to for a great evening, whether it is casual or fine dining and whether it is family or friends.  The flexibility of having an intimate diner for 2 in the trainbar or a larger group in the main restaurant is a huge bonus.

Great service! Very welcoming when we first come in. They're very helpful with menu recommendations and always nearby to refill your water. I booked the reservation online and it was very simple and convenient. The food was tasty but the portions a little small. I guess for a high end restaurant these portions would be expected but the quality and presentation wasn't there to deserve the price. The ingredients could have been a little fresher. The atmosphere was cool in the dining care and was neat to try out once but the air conditioner/heater was really inconsistent. Around $50 for two dishes in the pics.

Resto Gare is an authentic French restaurant located in a former train station in St. Boniface. The place was revamped and had turned into this elegant restaurant when the train station was abandoned. Nowadays, customers have the option to sit either in the station or the passenger coach for a nice dinner. It's quite an experience. <br/><br/>The restaurant used to be one of the best fine dining restaurants in the City (it was on par with 529 Wellington). However, when the original owner passed away, the restaurant underwent some major changes. It has become more casual. Despite changes, Resto Gare is still a fine dining restaurant and it is one of my favourite French restaurants in town.<br/><br/>Resto Gare is an excellent place for date nights and special occasions! The food is excellent. It has excellent service and it is quite reasonably priced. <br/><br/>For all those out there with a sweet tooth, you'll love this! At the end of the meal, the servers always bring out a dessert cart for a wide selection of home-made desserts of the day. <br/><br/>I'd highly recommend you to check it out if you have never been!

We arrived early and were seated. We felt a bit cramped in the dining car and asked to be seated outside. The beer was good, the sun was shining. The service was slow. Did not understand the hype, as the restaurant is somewhat isolated, and located just off of a busy road.

Traditional french food, superb service and overall a wonderful experience. <br/>I had the boeuf bourguignon and crème brûlée, which is admittedly the most french thing you could order.<br/>The wine cellar is fairly large, and the server know's what to recommend so don't feel shy about asking.<br/><br/>I don't know what to say about this place other than to go try it. The french do things right.

I love french cuisine but had avoided going to Resto Gare due to the number of negative ratings.  Luckily, my experience was very different and I had an excellent experience.  I ordered the salmon with lobster risotto.  The risotto was rich and flavorful without being overpowering.  The asparagus had my preferred amount of crunch rather than being overdone like so many places.  The salmon was well prepared but I've been spoiled with fresh salmon and mid continental really can't compete no matter how well it is cooked.  I have been a server before and ours was a consummate professional.  He was knowledgeable and able to answer all my questions about the wine list and made a great recommendation on a chardonnay.  The food is incredibly rich but that is what I prefer.  I rated as 4.5 because the lemon tart was not as committed to the lemon flavor as I would like (rather bland).  All in all, we all had a great experience with tasteful music, historical decor and flavor, and attentive but not overbearing service.

We had been looking forward to eating here all week<br/>and overall were quite disappointed with the quality of food that we received. I ordered the French onion soup which was quite tasty. The broth was flavourful but the gruyere( presumably) was distinctly lacking.<br/>The tourtière was VERY disappointing. The crust was browned to a point that it seemed as though it had been cooked twice and was gummy in an leftover kind of way. The actual flavour was mediocre,very salty ,and the filling was somewhat pasty in consistency as though it was puréed.<br/>Another person in our party ordered the Crepe de la mer and was unable to eat more than a few mouthfuls. It had a lot if cheese which was unappealing in flavour and hardly any seafood.<br/>The atmosphere/decor was interesting and the service was standard.<br/>We would not return here or recommend this place to <br/>friends.<br/><br/>

Food was ok but not great. Maybe we had higher expectations for this place being such a classic StBoniface landmark.<br/>Service was A1.<br/>The one thing that was a total turnoff was one of the waiters taking dessert from the dessert cart to be served to customers with his bare hands! Yukk. Really couldn't believe this and needless to say we never ordered dessert

We had a very disappointing meal at Resto Gare.<br/><br/> First impressions we're that the restaurant's old time train aesthetic was tacky and forced. They could have just used the nice old building space as an elegant backdrop to the restaurant but instead used themed drink menus, phoney posters, and a train car dining room to turn the place into a gimmick restaurant. <br/><br/>We were seated promptly due to the place being nearly empty, never a good sign, but beyond that the service was amateurish verging on incompetent. I and several others in our group started out with cocktails off of the house specialty list, the best of which was mediocre and the worst being undrinkable. The cocktails were loaded with sugar to the point of being syrupy and we're presented in water glasses with bendy straws, not exactly elegant or what you might expect for an $8 drink. I couldn't finish more than a few sips of mine because of the sweetness. It was cleared by our server without asking if anything was wrong and it remained on the bill. <br/><br/>Our shared starters were the highlights of the meal. We began with a charcuterie board that arrived after a long wait which the server said was her fault not the kitchen's. On the board there was an average chorizo, pretty good chicken liver mousse and a fairly bad pork terrine. The chorizo was mildly flavoured and the terrine waso chewy and tasted like leftover meatloaf. The mousse was by far the best thing all night as the meal went downhill from there. The next course was escargot served with rubbery mushrooms in a rich sauce. The snails were acceptable though had little flavour of their own, however anything would taste good covered in butter and the salty reduced beef broth in which it was served. <br/><br/>We ordered a bottle of wine for dinner which was severely marked up and misrepresented on the wine list. The Zontes Footsteps was listed at $55 (retail $17.95) under the full bodied red category and the description likened it to an Italian Amarone. Once the wine was poured quite unevenly between the tables glasses is was obvious that it was a medium bodied red with none of the depth or richness of an Amarone or even an average Chianti.<br/><br/>The main course was the biggest disappointment however. Though some of the group were satisfied with their entrées, my duck confit was something particularly unappealing. The duck leg was lightly confited with none of the typical seasoning or flavors, not even the saltiness or oily richness one would expect from duck confit. On top of the already mediocre meat was a sickly sweet ginger orange sauce that they called a glaze but seemed like it had been spooned on cold thus ruining any chance of crispy duck skin. I had been skeptical about ordering the dish as it had an Asian fusion sound to it and wasn't sure if that would be a good idea at a French restaurant but I thought duck confit would be a safe bet from an overall unexciting menu. My fears were confirmed by the mushy, bland vegetables that accompanied my duck served a top a bed of rice that tasted as though it had either been made hours before or was made from a box of instant minute rice. The one good part though was the two pieces of roasted carrot put next to the token piece of not-overly mushy steamed broccoli that came with everyone's meal.<br/><br/>After the server cleared my mostly uneaten plate, again without comment, we were treated to the dessert cart. A cart of unflatteringly arranged pies and cakes was wheeled out and we were asked to choose from a selection of uninspired desserts still sitting in their messy baking dishes. The few bites of lemon tart I had were not bad, but entirely unremarkable. The creme brule was good but ultimately soured by the overall experience.<br/> <br/>Would not ever recommend and would definitely not return.

Pretty disappointed. Not good, as long as you know what good food is like. We ordered the charcuterie plate, escargot, pickerel, and duck confit. The chicken liver pate was really good but the rest of the charcuterie was just ok. <br/><br/>Escargot was ok but much too rich. My pickerel main was also surprisingly heavy. It seemed odd to me to pair a nice white fish with gnocci, mushrooms, onions and brown reduction sauce, all of which overwhelmed the fish. <br/><br/>My partners duck confit looked and tasted like cheap Chinese take-out. The wine we chose was also disappointingly bland and watery for a $60 bottle which was advertised as full-bodied. The menu is boring, the decor is tacky, and the food is much too heavy.

Absolutely stunning. Pricy but well worth it. Took my gf here for our 1 year anniversary and they didn't let us down. First of all the place is stunning and gorgeous, brings you back many many decades. The service was perfect and the food was exceptional. This was my 3rd time here and I've brought many people who can all agree with this. Worth having a wonderful fine dining experience. This is the place!

This was an amazing restaurant. We celebrated our 23 year wedding anniversary here yesterday. We used to go to a place in St Boniface called the red lantern. But it closed years ago. I am so glad I tried this restaurant. Vanessa was an awesome waitress. She knows the entire menu and was so kind in helping us chose from an incredible menu. It was delicious, fancy and awesome. We want to go back soon. When we want French cuisine, this is where we will go and highly recommend to anyone we know. You cannot go wrong with anything on the menu. It's all good! And have dinner in the train car, it's cool.

Came here for a birthday and sat in the train. I loved the vintage details and felt that it added to the experience. Food was decent. I wouldn't order the escargot here because it was way too rich. <br/><br/>Mussels were spicy and had a good broth. The salmon and risotto was the best thing we ordered. Charcuterie was good, but not the best in Winnipeg. Prices are average for this kind of restaurant. I would come back if I were in the area, but not because I craved anything.

Lovely atmosphere - music was truly perfect, food was well prepared and excellent quality. Service was professional and friendly. A full dining experience with all the elements as they should be. The ambiance of the train car was refreshing, a little older but so elegant - a real pleasure. Definitely coming back. !!

Recently visited Resto Gare for a special occasion. The dining room is cozy, but the accoustics weren't good - the dinnertime din was a little louder than we would have liked but the space is unique. Ours was a group of 8 - 4 locals and 4 from out of town.<br/><br/>The service was good; our waitress was friendly and the manager/supervisor that table touched was polite and accommodated our comments.<br/><br/>The food was great - my boyfriend claims the mashed potatoes to be the "best ever". My sister's lamb was perfect (though a different kind of perfect than one dad makes at Christmas). Grandma's salmon was just right.<br/>Portions are generous and none of us were left wanting.<br/>But not to have missed out on the experience, we had dessert. A vanilla creme brulee and a lemon tart were shared by the table. The tart was rich, but delicious and the creme brulee - to die for; the crack of the caramelized top was music to our ears.<br/><br/>And we got to ring the bell at the end.<br/><br/>Overall, it was a great experience. In the cozy neighbourhoods of St Boniface, it is a bit out of my immediate stomping grounds, but I would definitely make the trip back again.

2nd time I have been and both times I left full and satisfied. The Atlantic salmon with lobster risotto is amazing! Staff is very friendly. Highly recommend a visit to the very unique restaurant.

Aside from the distinctive facade... No good. Second time there, first time We were seated in the back corner of the restaurant, which would have been not so bad except for the fact that the dessert prep area was a table out in the open? Servers were slicing cake, spraying whipped cream the whole while we were eating. <br/>During the Dine about event, looked forward to special menu items, including as another reviewer noted the french onion soup, too bad they had none left!<br/>Second visit there for a special occassion with a group, thought it would be fun to book the train. Arrived on time and the party before us was given our table but to.d they would have to be done for our reso. They made us wait 45 minutes. The food was beyond underwhelming. Steak frites, pretty simple... Steak was chewy and not close to how we requested it be cooked. 4 different desserts all BAD except for the creme brulee. Steak entrees taken off the bill,but damage already done, wouldnt go back ever.

Absolutely Wonderful!. I had the pleasure of dining with family members at Resto Gare on January 16, 2015. The food was delicious, the seating comfortable and conducive to visiting with family. Staff was very pleasant and accommodating. It's been a long time since I've has such a fantastic dining experience in Winnipeg. At other restaurants, there is usually something wrong with either the food, service, or ambience. Last night, everything came together perfectly, right down to the desert and coffee. We started off with Thai curry soup (not french, but still yummy. We all had the red snapper with spicy risotto. Delicious. The lemon tarte and the tarte de sucre melted in my mouth. The cafe americano, full of body, not flat as in other restaurants. There is a definite sense of charm and history there. I say this without alcoholic influence. I was pleasantly surprised. The only I would change, would be to play more french music over the speaker. Our compliments to the chef and staff. We'll definitely be back.

Always a pleasure to dine here!. I have had meals at this restaurant for many years when it was called La Vieille Gare and continue to enjoy the Resto Gare.<br/>After 30 years of dining here I have yet to be disappointed.<br/>I dined today at lunch with my wife and sister in law and were pleased to see Linda Love (owner) who carries on the the family pride which her mother and father had in this great restaurant and Linda continues on with the passion for excellent quality food and pleasing her multitude of happy customers. Staff are well trained and know how to please.<br/><br/>If you have not been to the Resto Gare....I would highly recommend it!

Never A Bad Meal. Always a wonderful dining experience, the service and food are consistently great and the atmosphere is absolutely charming. The escargot, orange and beet salad and tourtiere have my votes for must try dishes for any first time diner, but the mac and cheese is right up there too! In the summer the patio is an especially beautiful place to enjoy your meal.

Great food - a must try. We went to Resto Gare for the first time on Sept. 24th, 2014 and I must say we will return. The food was great and the ambiance in the Coach was fantastic. We had a male waiter whom I think his name was Scott but I am not sure - he assisted us with the wine and as well with the food. My mom had Duck Confit and I must say it was by far the best she had ever tasted. I also tasted the Duck and agree it was tender and not fatty at all. The flavor was outstanding. Our whole experience was awesome. I hope people give this restaurant a chance.

SwizzleStyx. This place is fantastic! I eat here often and have never been disappointed, the food is fabulous. The patio is spectacular and wonderful to enjoy during the summer months. Our favourite server Eloi (Aka 1073) always entertains and provides great service. This place is a true Winnipeg gem!<br/><br/>July 2017 - the Swizzle Styx dined here again last week and it was excellent. We had a beautiful day and were able to enjoy the beautiful patio. We dined on chicken livers, calamari, the seafood crepes, beet salad, smoked gold eye, croque monsieur, and quiche and everything was fantastic!

Yes please.... Great food, great service; Resto Gare never disappoints!

Superb Food. 6 different meals. Every one of them superb. From filet mignon, pot of seafood . steak Diane. Very, very tasty. Will definitely go back in a few weeks. Also desserts wonderful.. Resto Gare is a wonderful surprise. I highly recommend it.

Went for our anniversary dinner the place is just beautiful so romantic! We ordered the sea food platter for two and the pickerel tasted frozen and everything else was meh. Was nice to enjoy the atmosphere once but due to the food wouldn't return.

Large group. The food was great. We had a large group, 17 people, and I ordered mussels to start, and the filet mignon with blue cheese. My wife had the soup of the day, and the salmon filet. Everyone else was happy with their apps, and main dish. It was nice and laid back, however the mains could have been out quicker. We had finished our apps, and it still took about 40 mins for them to bring our mains out. Also, it was quite chilly in the building so wear a sweater.

My boyfriend and I have been wanting to try this place for a while, so we finally decided to try it tonight. I see why we never did.... The calamari was soggy..... Onion soup was burnt....not sure how they managed that... 17 dollar salad came with 5 salty shrimp which wasn't anything special... I ordered salmon with a lobster risotto... The salmon still had the slimy skin on it...let's just say it wasn't very appealing to look at...but the salmon still tasted good...rice was very under cooked with a horrible flavor... which ruined the lobster.... My boyfriend had the duck dish with duck sausage and a drum stick.... He said picture pork and beans from a can dumped at the bottom of the bowl then vegetables slapped on top with the duck meat half Barried in it.. Yuk.... Waiter who was very nice offered a new meal....Which unfortunately was not any better... He got a steak sandwich with burnt onions...asked for medium cooked... And Some of the steak was blue...although fries weren't eaten they were probably the best part of the meal..anyways was a huge waste of $120 I wouldn't recommend going from our experience plus we were still charged for the duck meal..

Loved it!. I went here with my husband for our wedding anniversary. The food was great. There's no way else to explain how we loved it, we just loved it. We love the cozy place, we had a table at the train, the dining looks cozy too. We had a full course meal, from appetizer, to deserts, we enjoyed it all. Service was awesome too, very friendly, and professional. I would definitely recommend this place. To try it here is a MUST.

Romantic!. A group of friends celebrated a birthday here last night. It was a happening restaurant with a great intimate atmosphere. The food and service were good. It is higher-priced, so be prepared to pay above average, but it is not outrageous. I'd recommend this restaurant to someone looking for a unique date place with nicely presented selections. If you want to impress on a first date, make a reservation at Resto Gare!

Amazing meal. I had never been here so when arriving, we were glad to be able to experience the train seating. It would be a little chilly for a middle of winter but as this has been a warm November, easily comfortable.<br/><br/>I had ordered the Beef Bouguignon which was some of the tenderest meat I can recall in a very long time. It was prepared to perfection and the meal was so good every bite just called for another until there was nothing left to eat. The way the beef blended with the vegetables and the gnocchi had ever bite bursting with flavours. <br/><br/>Just looking through the menu I knew there were several other things I would like to try and will have to be making a return very soon to try some of the other menu options or even the non-menu specials.

Love 'n the French 1/4. Went here tonight for the first time in over a decade (since it was under the the former title). I was pleasantly surprised by the delicious, large portions at very reasonable prices! The scallops were among the best I've ever had, and while I wasn't crazy about the gnocchi, it came with lots of great veggies and was a great big hearty meal. <br/><br/>Long since past are the days when you used to pay high prices here for small, delicate plates. <br/><br/>This is another reinforcement for why St. B has so much to offer.

We had dinner here tonight, my third time, and it was fabulous this time! My first two visits were so-so, both on the train cart. This time we were at the dining area. We had a GC for a gift so it was a shot to try them again. The service was great, the food was fantastic from soup to dessert. We ordered the lobster chowder, beef la bourguignon, strip loin on couscous (special) and finished with maple pie desert. It was all great!!! I asked if we can buy a whole pie, and the server said we can pre-order them.

Not so great. We had the special which was T-bone porkchop , and tenderloin steak. The food was a big disappointment. The porkchop was tough and chewy. The steak was overcooked and not medium as ordered. All 4 meals ordered were only warm and not hot. Desserts were also not tasty. Service was mediocre at best. Not what I expected. Won't be returning .

The place to be.... Good food, good service and atmosphere. I ordered for the pork chop and  my friend the beef. It was so tender and cooked to perfection. Nice selection of wines and the owner is very nice. I won't hesitate to go back and try other menus.

Excellent food; questionable service. We've been to this place twice and both times, the food has been excellent. The food was cooked and flavoured perfectly. However, the service has always been a little neglectful. Not exactly expected at a semi-formal restaurant. On both occasions, the waiter seemed a little overwhelmed and did not return to our table unless we waved him down. The second time we went was with a party of 6 and we were asked to vacate our table after an hour & a half because we were there "too long". It was a little embarassing seeing how we were the ones who recommended the restaurant to our friends and it was their first time there. After that, we haven't been back. There are way better french restaurants in town with friendlier service.

Wedding Experience. I should have done this review up a long time ago but was busy typing up a negative review of another restaurant tonight and I kept thinking that we should have gone to Resto Gare instead.<br/><br/>We had our wedding reception there last September with a group of about 25 people.<br/><br/>All I can tell you is that everything was perfect. The food quality was amazing, the price came in significantly less than we thought and the service was excellent. Even the timing was spot on with meals coming out all at the same time with no indication that anything had been sitting in the kitchen waiting for other things to be prepared.<br/><br/>They gave us the entire train section for ourselves, never rushed us and charged us about half that which another comparable restaurant in the same area quoted us.<br/><br/>This was our second visit to RG and we are long overdue for a return visit.<br/><br/>For value, taste and service, I would recommend Resto Gare to anyone.

Wonderful!. I recently had my wedding dinner there and everything was fabulous! I made first contact with them on Monday and we had everything set up for the Saturday of the same week for 35 people! <br/><br/>The menu and food was fabulous! The staff was very accommodating, and a special thanks to Linda for helping me in planning everything short notice. <br/><br/>The price per person was way less than some other places that would simply offer a general buffet and the food was to die for. <br/><br/>It hasn't even been a week, but I am already dying to go back!

I had a fabulous boeuf a la bourguignon for my birthday dinner. The Framboise 75 is a pretty tasty cocktail too

Resto gare has great food. The service is poor, but not for lack of trying. They are understaffed and the staff are either lifers or freshly hired. The atmosphere has so much potential however due to lack of management the diners experience never lives up to the atmosphere the beautiful room and train cat create. It's too bad. I ate Thursday may 16 2013. Probably wont go back :(

Waiting. I seem to be the last person served at Resto Gare. Everytime I go there they leave me sitting and waiting for too long. Get it together guys

10 good 1 bad. It was a very nice place with amazing food but the poutine was waaaay too salty and it was swimming in so much gravy it was more like soup but the filet mingon was amazing and the mash potatoes and turnips were great too the server was also a great great guy he made himself part of our company in a good way and the wine he paired our meal with was a dry white wine that was also a great great wine I enjoyed

Loved It!. I went here for lunch, it was slow so I got a table on the train! It was so cool. The mussels were amazing and my favorite part was that they have little photo albums on each table to see an early Winnipeg.<br/><br/>I went again last night for dinner, it was even better! their gnocchi is amazing! I already want it again, they also cooked my steak perfectly.<br/><br/>I do not like desserts except pies, because I have had so many pies I am somewhat picky. Their maple pie was out od this world. I want to go back and just buy a pie.

Came here to celebrate my anniversary, could not have picked a better place. Food and service was perfect.

Atmosphere great, food just OK. Visited Resto Gare for the first time in ages for a late lunch on Friday. By the time we arrived they had run out of all the daily specials (one of which was the reason for the visit in the first place). Seated in the rail car section of the restaurant which is always a kick, although the patio area seemed very appealing on a beautiful afternoon too. Ordered escargots off the appetizer menu which were fine, sauteed with mushrooms and garlic. Had a delicious soup of the day which was roasted red pepper with coconut, and a croissant with Ham and Gruyere cheese which was a little dry and unremarkable. A friend had the house version of Mac and cheese with ham which he found pleasant enough, although he said it got a little tired and heavy towards the end. In all I would be tempted to return just for the ambience, although the food left a little to be desired.

Superb. I have had dinner here twice and both visits were wonderful. I was especially pleased with the patio - magical garden setting. The service was top notch. The French Canadian theme to the menu is lots of fun and the food was great.

My wife and I recently had dinner here and it was okay. It wasn't bad, but it wasn't up to expectations either. The steak was cooked well, but the rest of the meal we ate was just really not up to stuff. The dish was well-thought-out, it just wasn't well executed. For restaurant of this quality I would've expected a lot more for the price. It was a nice atmosphere, the wait staff was friendly, everything was very nice, it was very easy to get a seat, set up reservations, except again the meal we ate was Ok It was not enjoyable experience all around.

Good - Overated. This is a nice place. Great ambience and service. The food is the only thing that is not that special. Like the food is good but its pretty average for a french restaraunt. 7/10

Good Food - Good Atmosphere. My wife and I ate there this past Saturday, Was there once before and it was mediocre. The restaurant was busy but we had a reservation and were seated at a nice table for two. I had the French Onion soup and the salmon, both were delicious. My wife had the Coquilles Saint-Jacques and the beef tenderloin with peppercorn sauce, both again were great! Crème Brule was the dessert of choice. The service was good enough, a little quicker with the water refill and the offer of coffee would have made it perfect. The ambience was nice and all together an enjoyable evening. With a beer, pop and tip …$100.

Delicious food, clumsy restaurant. I had dinner at the Resto Gare in Saint-Boniface with a group of colleagues. I had eaten at the Resto Gare before, and had been very pleased with the atmosphere, especially in the romantic train car area. This time, we were seated in the main space. The food at this (supposedly) Franco-Manitoban restaurant continues to be absolutely delicious. I certainly recommend the Manitoba pickerel (doré) dinner, served with lots of greens and rice.However, the service was clumsy. The server spilled a complete glass of water over one of us, with barely an apology. While Resto Gare claims to be a French restaurant in this French-speaking part of Winnipeg, the server wasn't able to express himself clearly in French (although he tried!). So there is a bit of a disconnect between the reality here and the cultural heritage that this long-time restaurant is supposed to represent. Good food, therefore, but inconsistencies in the service and the overal image.

Delicious. My boyfriend and I made reservations. We were seated right away. Waters were brought to us shortly after. We had the Coquilles Saint-Jacques to start. Amazing! It was so good. I had the Boeuf Bourguignonne and my boyfriend had the Filet de porc. Both were very good. The one thing I will say is that I had finished my water after the appetizer and our waitress didn't refill them until after I had finished my entree. Other than that, it was a very good experience. We will definitely be back.

Best salmon I've EVER had!!! And my boyfriend, who is a picky eater, was in heaven with the Mac n cheese lobster. So glad we found this gem of a restaurant! Delicious!

I agree with Jannie -- not worth the drive. The wait was long, the food unappealing.... fish done poorly, tenderloin anything but tender. The waiter was unapologetic. The wine, however, was very nice, but I could have stayed home and had a nice glass of wine for less than $100!

We went for dinner on the patio with live jazz and the atmosphere was very lovely. It took a very long time for our server to take our drink order. Then we waited about fifteen minutes for our wine before we approached the server to remind her about our drink order. Finally we got our drinks. This wasn't a great way to start the evening. The food, however, was delicious and made up for the very slow service. To be fair, other servers seemed quite attentive - we just ended up with one who seemed uninterested in her job. All in all, I look forward to returning because the food really was delicious.

More than could be expected!. Was there for our anniversary dinner on August 11. It was absolutely perfect. We sat in the outdoor patio while the jazz quartet played. We had the calamari appetizer and the dinner specials - coconut salmon for her and duck saugage for me. Very well prepared and tasty. Serving staff were friendly and attentive. Way to go!

I liked the atmosphere, service was good, drinks were good and reasonably priced. My wife's halibut was really good but my steak was quite bad, I couldn't finish more than a few bites. When you drop $90 on a meal I'd at least like to eat it. Maybe it was just my steak but I was disappointed.

Je me souviens. I have gone to Resto Gare many times, this includes when it was the Vielle Gare. The resaurant is charming inside, it is very warm and cozy. I have had some excellent meals at the Resto and some not so good. Their soups are usually excellent. I really wish they would change their cheese plate, it is pedestrian and should probably not be served. I have also recently tried their resotto, it was more like a standard rice dish, then the creamy deliciousness risotto should be. The Chateaubriand makes me sad, it is served with mashed potatoes and some sad vegitables, it is nothing like dish they used to serve with vegitables done in the traditional manner, which is now a dying art form, if not dead. Not to mention the meat, which should be the star of the dish, is a somewhat faded version of what is should be. Please bring back your old Chateaubriand! <br/><br/>The Resto Gare is a fresh take on the " french" experience, but it makes me yearn for some of it's authentic french past.

Great french bistro style cooking. While the view out the windows of the train car portion of the restaurant are less than stellar, they were pretty much the only downside about our visit. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the presentation of the day for his foie gras appetizer and my moules et frites were cooked with skill (mussels plump and fresh and fries w/garlic aioli were perfect). We ordered the braised manitoba bison short ribs and classic beef bourguignon as main courses and both were amazing, especially the bourguignon with the surprising addition of gnocchi dispersed throughout the dish. The creme brule itself was perfect, however, the individual who burnt the sugar on top could use some practice. My husband had a slice of the homemade maple sugar pie, which he chose from a selection of deserts on the restaurant's old fashioned dessert cart. Overall a great dining experience that left us satisfied and happy with our choice in dining destination (given that it was on the opposite side of town from where we live).

Great service!. The mussels were too salty, but tasty.<br/><br/>i like how they have a dessert trolley. genius!

My New Favorite Restaurant!. The experience was amazing! We sat in the train car, which is beautifully decorated, and quite cozy with romantic French music playing -- it was easy to feel like you were really in Europe. For our dinner, we split a starter of mussels (with mussels with chorizo, saffron, fennel, basil and tomato) and shared a 'grand' entree of gnocchi (with butter, black truffles and parmesan) -- BEST GNOCCHI IN THE CITY by far! For dessert, we had vanilla crème brûlée and red velvet cake... both were amazing, the cake was a huge slice, moist and delicious with a lovely dollop of fresh whipped cream, and the crème brûlée was made with real vanilla bean. I also highly recommend the delicious Rose Champagne (with peach schapps and rose syrup -- and adorable tiny roses on top!) at $6 a glass. Everything was delicious, and our service was fabulous. I don't have a bad word to say about this place, even the prices are definitely more than fair for the amazing quality and taste of the food and drinks!

I go here at least once a month for work lunches. the atmosphere is a nice departure from most restaurants. The service can be hit and miss, but the food is good. Too bad the shelves the seafood bisque, I always ordered it no matter what my main course. They have the best gnocci I've had anywhere in the city.

Bad service. I have very little to say other than the service was so bad that I'll never go back

Great Decor but the rest is just OK. We went to Resto Gare last night with anticipation after reading all the reviews. We were seated in the train dining car (authentic I think). It is wonderfully decorated with seemingly turn of the century items and rich reds...but alas the meal was not up to the ratings we read here in urbanspoon. My first note was that the menu looked rather large for a restaurant with such a reputation and I wondered how they could handle such a diversity of dishes. The specials were tempting but there were so many offered it was hard to remember what they were. <br/><br/>I started with a sweet corn chowder with chorizo and chanterelles. When it came I dug in only to be disappointed with a milky vapid broth. The corn was sweet and good but the chorizo was overcooked, chewy, and tasteless. I had hoped for a soup with a bit of bite but no...the chanterelles were also tasteless and looked to be just thrown in the broth and boiled. They were soggy without that woody earthy texture that they are so renowned for. Clearly a great disappointment. My main course was seared grouper with garlic mashed potatoes and more chanterelles. The fish was wonderfully cooked and a delight with a slighty seared crispy skin. The mashed potatoes tasted fine but had a glue like consistency - almost slimey. This time the chanterelles were properly sauteed. My wife had the coq au vin which had a wonderful rich broth and very well cooked green beans although we both agreed the the dishes were fine they were not memorable or refined. They were at the level of good home cooking.<br/><br/>At the end I had a coffee and my wife ordered a cappuccino and this was a big mistake. My coffee was poured from a glass pot and tasted like the bitter dregs of a coffee sitting on a heater. My wife's $4 cappuccino was completely undrinkable - there was no coffee taste left but just burnt bitterness. We are not sure that it was even make with an espresso machine but was just coffee boiled down to a thick liquid. <br/><br/>The service was competant, a bit intrusive with the server taking away cutlery and dishes from in front of me while I was eating. The service was quite slow and we waited a long time for our main dish even though the server told us several times it was just about ready. To be fair they had a large group but I suspect the restaurant has too many tables for the kitchen.<br/><br/>I was sadly disappointed because I wanted this restaurant to succeed after reading all the hype about the new chef.

Can't say anything bad.... Visited on a Friday evening in May of 2010. I made a reservation a week beforehand, given the publicity surrounding the new chef, but the dining room was only half-full. <br/><br/>Appetizers of Parisian gnocci with truffles and pork belly with cracklings were both knockouts. The gnocci is probably too filling to really be ordered appetizer (I had the petite size from the entree section), but the price was right and I was dying to try it. Then we made like my parents in the 70's and ordered the chateaubriand for two. It came with haricot vert, garlic mashed potatoes, sauteed mushrooms, and gravy. It was way more food than we could eat, especially after the appetizers, but it was really tasty. While fillet is never my favorite cut of beef, the chateaubriand had good beefy flavor in addition to being very tender. <br/><br/>Service was excellent. We liked the mix of classical and modern styles in the dining room.

A Different Opinion. We (2couples) have been to Resto Gare twice in the last while, in March of 2010 the most recent. All of us enjoyed the atmosphere and the food greatly. The service was wonderful, a young lady, who seated us, and a gentleman who was our waiter, both very pleasant. What we particularily liked is that we were not being rushed between courses and had lots of time to visit with each other and enjoy our wine. This is a restaurant the way they are in Europe, particularily in France, where you don't stuff down your food and run, but enjoy the whole experience. If you are in a hurry to eat and run, then you should go to a fast food joint - this is not the place for that. We found the meals well prepared and beautifully presented and we will be back.

Not worth the drive. I usually don't agree with the Winnipeg Free Press restaurant reviewer but on this one I do. The food was actually terrible. Boulabaisse was not good neither was my sandwich. Only thing I enjoyed was the train car and my glass of wine.

Fun, cozy,romantic and deliscious. The newly renovated setting is cozy and romantic with it's large fireplace .The signature historic railcar has been converted into a contemporary lounge. The food has the essence of a classic French bistro, fabulous.

This beautiful location makes Resto Gare a great place for romantic dinners, and they even host small weddings or other functions upon request. Their site is a former train station that was built in 1913, and a replica train car, built in 1914, sits in front of the main building.

Resto Gare is a strong showcase of traditional French cuisine in Winnipeg. I have to commend them on their focus on detail and making sure the customer is taken care of from beginning to end of the meal. The food, poor seafood aside, was overall good and resembles a best-of list of classic French dishes. Therefore Resto Gare has to be a recommendation for anyone wanting to try French cuisine; make sure to sit in the rail car to complete the experience!

... I ended up having the Gnocchi Maison with sauteed garlic shrimp and Mikey had the Filet Mignon. The gnocchi dish was amazing, perfect proportions of shrimp, gnocchi, asparagus, sundried tomatoes and garlic all brought together with a succulent sauce. The filet, slightly overcooked than the medium rare he requested but very tasty

For years, La Vieille Gare stood as the gem of the French Quarter. Renown for its good food, elegant atmosphere, and unique dining car, Winnipeg residents long regarded La Vieille Gare as one of the best restaurants in the city. In 2008, La Vieille Gare underwent a transformation and emerged as today’s Resto Gare & Train Bar, although the Kerouac family (Linda Love) continues to drive this train.

Resto Gare , the reinvention of long loved La Vieille Gare in Winnipeg’s French Quarter, has been on my hit list since its refreshed unveiling in 2008.  I am pleased to say that I finally got a chance to try their fare at a recent Christmas party. I am always thrilled to be included in the staff celebrations of a diagnostic centre that I work with in my role with CancerCare Manitoba.  I really appreciate that this group is always up to try something different and they have introduced me to a couple of venues I may not have otherwise discovered. Resto Gare Bistro is located at 630 Des Meurons Rue in a Canadian Northern Station Building that will celebrate its 100 th birthday next year.  The attached train car is only one year younger, being built in 1914. The lovely interior is the perfect setting for a Christmas celebration with its colour pallet of gold and poppy red. Warm wood, rustic open beam ceiling and plush furnishings keep you cozy as you gaze out the window at the falling snow