Dress Codes....
 

I have reservations for Toque, La Express and Moishes in September...what is the dress?<BR>Any advice would be appreciated!

"Business casual" OK. (i.e. no shorts, T-shirts or sneakers). <BR>

I concur with Louis. By the way, Excellent restaurant choices! But if you like Steak and seafood, may I recommend Gibbys or Queue de Cheval as opposed to Moishes. Been there a few times, so its just my personal opinion.

Dan, I agree with you. Queue de Cheval is much nicer and just as good as Moishes (if not more).<BR><BR>JennS: Queue de cheval is located corner Ren&eacute;-L&eacute;vesque & Stanley.

L'Express and Moishes are more casual. But Toque is fine dining. In Montreal, people dress for dinner. Your finest attire is more appropriate for finer dining. A jacket and tie or a very nice dress would be better, even in the hottest weather (it's cool inside).

For Toque I wore a black pants suit and high heels.<BR>L'Express I wore black trousers and a nice top.<BR>Could I also suggest a great place on Peel St called Cafe Ferraire? Portugese seafood,you must make reservations,great music,service,food!<BR><BR>

http://www.canada.com/montreal/aroundtown/viewLocation.asp?class=Location&id=44637<BR>This is a great site for looking up restaurants.

You should be able to pretty much figure out the "dress code" considering the tariff. It does not take genius mentality to realize that the higher the prices, the fancier the place. Or, you could have inquired upon reserving and ask "what attire is most appropriate?" Should you wish to expend that much effort, anyway. They will tell you, if you ask. If you're hoping, as most Americans do, that you can "get away" with just about anything, you will, if you just don't care about how you present yourself and won't feel the least bit uncomfortable if you look ridiciulous in whatever you happen to be wearing.

You have made three excellent choices. The only one which IMO requires some degree of dressing up is Toque. Smart casual is fine for Moishes and l'Express.<BR>Strongly disagree about Gibbys and Queue de Cheval being better than Moishes. IMO Moishes has no equal for beef, some fish and especially its side dishes side dishes. Not only is it good, its ultra consistent. I have been eating there for almost 50 years. I have never not been satisfied. That is not always the case at the other two places.

marsha,marsha,marsha,<BR>you must learn to control those feelings of resentment! you sound like such a bitch!<BR>jenn,<BR>ignore her.she forgot her pills today.

I found that the Americans we saw in Montreal were just as nicely dressed as everyone else. Montreal is full of students from the Universities and there is a nice casual atmosphere. The best advice was that you can tell by the cost of a restaurant how well you should dress.<BR>I also think Marsha is out of line to be so insulting to Americans. Canadians are not usually so rude.

Marsha, your venemous comment towards Americans is a clear sign of what a bitter, ignorant, envious little person you really are. Americans are usually dressed in expensive, modern attire. If you cannot contribute friendly advice to visitors, then stay off this board.

I am an American, appalled by how many of my fellow Americans dress when visiting find dining establishments. Who wants to look at dirty feet in sandals or hairy legs on the folks at nearly tables? Too many Americans think they can go anywhere in shorts and other sloppy attire.

Shannon:<BR>"Americans are usually dressed in expensive, modern attire."<BR><BR>Where????

Thank you all for your helpful insights, but I should say most of you!<BR>Marsha, I believe that you are out of line, you make the assumption that because I ask I am interested in dressing casually and inappropriately. If anything I overdress...so it would do you good not to make assumptions.<BR>Again, I thank all you who have been so helpful!

Marsha <BR>you have managed to not only offend the Canadians but your fellow Americans also with your bad manners and ugly attitude.<BR>I hope you stay home and spare others that unpleasantness.

There is no question but that one observes many Americans in fine dining establishments dressed as though they were headed to Wal-mart or the laundamat. The students in Montreal tend to frequent the more casual establishments, but if you see they at Toque, they are dressed for the occasion. There is definitely a BIG difference between how one would dress to visit L'Express or Toque. If you think being dressed in shorts, tee shirts/sweatshirts with allegedly clever logos and sayings, huge white sneakers, fanny packs, nylon windbreakers, jogging suits, is appropiate for fine dining, you're just wrong. But, often they are turned away SO politely! "I'm so very sorry Madame/Monsieur, we simply cannot find your reservation and we are fully booked tonight so it would be impossible to accomodate you..."

I am in Montreal often and we go to Toque every visit. I have never seen anyone dressed inappropriately nor have I seen anyone turned away for being dressed too casually.<BR> Most people have a clue when they go to places like this and dress accordingly. And with those prices, very few students are eating at Toque, unless like the ones we met a few months ago, they are visiting with their parents.<BR>Most Americans that I know like to dress nicely for a night out and when they are in doubt, they ask. Just like Jenn. That might be why you see "Americans dressed well".

Whether "Marsha" is or is not American (I doubt that she is), she certainly is a vulgar, offensive, tasteless woman. Nationality is not important, but manners are. We also have our frumpy dressers in Canada. As does every country. I would rather associate myself with someone that is the opposite of Marsha.

Lyla dear, what have you been smoking? Your babblings sound as though you cannot even afford to dine-out or dress-up! You're just envious of everyone! Are you related the the bitter hag, Marsha?

You all are positively nuts. I can tell you that I've been hostess for more than 30 years at several places, and whenever sloppily dressed potential patrons with reservations appear, we have them step aside and wait a long while. Sooner or later classier folks appear without reservations, whereupon we tell the folks waiting we can't find their reservation. Or, if the table may go empty for the evening, we decide if we'll let them have it or not. Sometime we seat the slobs, often we don't. So, there.

Gee, I have always seen Americans dressed nicely. But I have seen some sloppy locals and visiting Irish folks that do not bother to change into something more appropriate when going to a formal restaurant. And that's because they want to be comfortable and are not fussy about those things. I like to dress accordingly, but my relatives are a different story.

Last September my husband and I had dinner at Toque. It was very hot that week with temperatures well above normal. However, we had brought "appropriate" clothes. My husband was in jacket and tie and I wore a dressy pants suit. We were seated at a nice table. However, we felt WAY over dressed. There were several patrons in shorts and polo type shirts. Others were in "business casual." My husband was the only man in a jacket and tie. <BR><BR>We were disappointed in the restaurant. In our opinion it did not live up to the hype. However, IF we ever did go back, we would not "dress up" as much.<BR><BR>

I'm a restaurant hostess, too. Fifi makes a good point, if a bit bluntly. We are always booked up on weekends, and usually every weeknight. We turn away people who are not appropriately dressed. We tell them we cannot find their reservation. We know the table will not go empty, that we are sure to receive a call from a hotel concierge requesting a last minute table. The concierges all know which destinations to recommend based upon the attire of the patrons.

Concierges all know what restauants to recommend based on the attire of patrons?<BR>Really.....so if I go down to the lobby, dressed in my "casual" clothes, making enquiries as to different restaurants, how do they know how I am going to dress for dinner? And most people who are choosing fancier or more expensive dinner places have made these choices a bit earlier than when they come downstairs all dressed in our finery to go out the door. We KNOW what to expect and dont expect a reservation at 8pm on Saturday night. <BR><BR>I will tell you a funny story:<BR>went downstairs around 2:00 pm after checking in, casually dressed from travel, not sloppy just casual, requested restaurant suggestions for "high end italian", "excellent atmosphere/romantic/food etc." These were my criteria. Was given two choices, reiterated my requirements, was assured they both were perfect. Went back to my room, discussed with my husband, picked one and called. Needless to say, when we arrived, it was a "middle of the road" type place, very casual, not our type of choice at all. Found somewhere else to go. Upon returning to the hotel, stopped by the concierge desk to express my disappointment, they asked for my room number and name in order to speak to the concierge who made the recommedation and get back to us, and when I gave them our room number they said "We would never have recommended such a place had we known your room number!" We happened to be staying in a large suite. So.....sometimes they have no clue either. And make the wrong assumptions. Just a warning.

It is definitely true that hotel concierges "size you up", just as maitre d's and hostesses do at restaurants. I wonder why "needless to say" went downstairs instead of phoning. Concierges may not always be right, but they're never wrong.

Mora,<BR>The answer is simple: we had just checked in, and I came down to check out the facilites. Get a look at the pool, fitness, spa, etc. Stopped by the concierge desk. My point is; regardlesss of how I was dressed, when I asked for "high end, very romantic, excellent service etc." I expected to be given restaurants that met my criteria. Not some young concierges idea of what I could afford based on my attire. And also, just as a side note, this was not a low end hotel. Standard rooms start at 350, suite type rooms start at 600.

We stayed at the Omni a couple of years ago, when I asked the concierge for a casual place for dinner, he sent us to Le Caveau. <BR> And believe me , that was NOT based on the attire of the moment!<BR> This is so ridiculous to say that someone working in a hotel would recommend a restaurant based on the persons attire at the time!<BR> Here in NYC, they aren't that concerned about what you are wearing, it is the money you are spending. <BR>

I can positively assure you that your presentation is critical. It is not only your attire, but your DEMEANOR that counts. Le Caveau is a dump. You can count on being pretty much ignored (lest you are a regular local) and dismal food (even IF you are a regular local). As for NYC, there is no question but that you are "received" based upon your shoes and your jewelry as no one can tell otherwise what you have to "spend".

But Kathi-<BR>you aren't shopping, you are eating. Since when do restaurants allow you in according to if you have money to spend?<BR>This has turned into the most ridiculous thread! With all of these ignorant opinions.

Marsha & all your other aliases, you must really believe all the crap that flows from your toothless mouth. Get off your high moose, no one is buying your manure!