Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

stangelj

Alberta (Canada)

4.55/5  rDev +3.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

Was there last week while in Montreal on business. I walked from the Hilton Bonaventure, it took 45-50 min walking at a good pace, you would need to be used to walking a fair bit otherwise I would recommend taking a cab or the subway from downtown. I walked up St. Laurent which had the sidewalks torn up for the first number of blocks. One of the shops along the way was having a "no sidewalk sale", cute.

The atmosphere once inside Dieu Du Ciel is pretty much as others have described, relatively small, dimly lit but not too dark that you couldn't read a book or newspaper, with the bar at the back and the fermentation tanks on one side behind glass. Behind the bar were lots of empty bottles from all over the world, everything from Rogue to Rochefort.

I sat at the bar and ordered a Peche Mortel which was outstanding. Also had the cheese plate which included a small loaf of bread that the guy behind the bar heated up in a toaster over, 5 different cheeses, nuts, dried fruit and olives. The cheese plate complemented the beer nicely and I very much enjoyed my private beer and cheese tasting.

Service was good, the 2 guys working there both spoke primarily French but had no trouble understanding my English. I was there on a Tuesday night and the place was about half full. Prices were quite reasonable with a glass of Peche at $4.50. My only complaint is I didn't get a chance to try any of the other beers as I had a 2nd Peche Mortel that was enough for me for the night.

I very much look forward to returning on my next visit to Montreal and sampling a greater variety of their brews. Highly recommended!

10-16-2006 01:30:43 | More by stangelj

olivianjeremie

Quebec (Canada)

3.86/5  rDev -12.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 3 | selection: 4.5 | $$

Lots of beer on tap. I had the Chaman, an American double IPA. very good beer, but not too hoppy. My friend had the Fortunella, an IPA. It was very good as well. Great atmosphere, service was OK. Looking forward to the terrace being open during the summer.

05-12-2013 01:00:13 | More by olivianjeremie

Retemnav

North Carolina

4.88/5  rDev +10.7%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | $$

Completely lived up to the hype! Went on a Friday night around 7 pm, afraid that it was going to be packed, but we JUST missed the rush and got one of the last 2 tables available. Pretty soon there was a line waiting on tables, although it never got truly packed like I've experienced in some bars stateside. A note on service - this is not America, do not sit passively at your table waiting on someone, they will assume you are still deciding. A hand raise, "excuse me," and/or eye contact with your waiter/ess is not rude. After we got someone's attention, the service was spot on and I don't think any of us had a empty glass in front of us for the rest of the night.

I was really looking forward to the Peche Mortel, which I ordered first. And while it was very good, I was blown away by two other offerings - the Corpus Christi rye beer and the Chemin de Croix "old east indian porter," sort of a super-roasty Black IPA. It reminded me most of Duck Rabbit's Hoppy Bunny ABA, but better. Their version of the Imperial Pilsner (a style I'm not overly fond of) is also the best I've had. My only disappointment was that Route des Epices was not on tap, although the Corpus Christi more than satisfied my rye quotient. The half-pint is the perfect size to be able to taste a bunch of their beers and still get a good read on each one, AND still be able to walk afterwards.

I don't think I even noticed the prices, because for beer this good it doesn't really matter. They were pretty standard for Quebec, though. We didn't get any food because we were heading out for a late dinner afterwards.

10-01-2012 17:59:08 | More by Retemnav

GarthDanielson

New Hampshire

4.39/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 4 | $$

Was up in Montreal for a weekend trip, and this place was #1 on my list to visit, both from previous reviews as well as recommendations from fellow BAers. And, after the visit, this place completely lives up to the reputation! There is a small outdoor seating area directly in front of the bar where people can smoke while they drink, if that's your thing. My wife and I promptly went inside. The staff was very helpful and prompt, and despite there being a varying level of comfortableness and functionality with the English language/language barrier, if you are patient you can easily get what you are looking for. Having been to other places in Quebec, this is actually saying quite a lot in their favor. There was a great beer line-up, including a cask offering. Tremendously crafted ales, and bottles are easily found in bottle shops throughout the city, also. I didn't push my luck with the language barrier to ask about growlers, although I will on a return trip because the beer is worth bringing back in quantity.

07-09-2012 03:18:52 | More by GarthDanielson

InturnlDemize

Quebec (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

Excellent little bar. One of the best places for beer in the city of Montreal. The neighborhood is cool and usually it's not very difficult to find parking.

Live DJ playing ambient music on the weekends. Staff are generally nice.

I suggest not going with a large group as the place is a little small and gets full very quickly. Every time I go, i've got to wait to get a table. One time, I even had to walk out because I was waiting to line.

Atmosphere is very relaxed, sit back, grab a pint and enjoy the beer and a nice conversation.

Try it, you won't be disappointed.

05-17-2012 13:31:19 | More by InturnlDemize

dbexpert

Massachusetts

5/5  rDev +13.4%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5 | food: 5 | $

This is in the French side of Montreal. About 3 miles from St Catherine's street. We walked, taking us about 30 minutes. This place definitely lives up to the hype and ratings. We had 17 offerings on draft. With pours in 6/12/20/60 ounce pours. They also had a cask offering. It was an ipa that was fantastic. The best cask expeirence I have had(I have had quite a bit, fyi)This place is a must. Simply amazing. o' and the food, Well it is as good as the beer. I am truly impressed by these guys and am thrilled to have a go to place in Montreal.

05-16-2012 22:00:07 | More by dbexpert

Digimaika2

Ontario (Canada)

4.5/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 3.5 | $$

Dieu Du Ciel is a must-visit for anyone visiting Montreal. Atmosphere is always lively and quite busy it seems, no matter what time it is, with a dark (literally) and comfortable vibe inside. As other BA's have pointed out, the main reason to visit is the exceptional offering of amazing beers (~15 taps & ~1-2 casks). The selection also rotates quite frequently so there is usually something new and exciting (and delicious) that I haven't tried before whenever I go. Food menu is mainly snack items from what I remember, but the nachos are tasty and of a generous portion. Service is relaxed with interruptions only when glasses are empty. What else can I say- One of the best brewpubs in Montreal.

01-02-2012 04:54:19 | More by Digimaika2

nickfl

Florida

4.38/5  rDev -0.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | $$

We showed up at about 3:15, just after they opened, and while it wasn't crowded when we got there, by the time we left two hours later it was packed full. The place is, honestly, kind of a hole in the wall. Smaller than I expected and with a kind of feel more similar to the Toranado than I would have thought. Still, the service was good, if a little relaxed (but hey, Bienvienue a Quebec). The beer was of course, excellent and quite a selection with 18 house brews on tap. I didn't try the food, but based on what I saw I would agree with other reviewers that said you shouldn't plan on having dinner here. All said, it was a good experience and I would definitely make time for Dieu du Ciel next time I am in Montreal.

12-23-2011 23:02:57 | More by nickfl

tkarsies

Ohio

4.45/5  rDev +0.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4 | selection: 5 | food: 4 | $$

After trying several of their bottled offerings, I was excited to visit on a recent trip to Montreal. Actually ended up going two different times...once during the early afternoon and a second time on Friday night. It is about 3 miles away from Old Montreal; we walked during the day (1 hour each way); 20 minute cab ride on Friday night due to traffic. A reasonable selection of restaurants around if you want dinner before coming here.

On the visit during the afternoon, we were one of a handful of guests there. Sat outside on the patio. Service was fantastic. The server was very knowledgeable, willing to speak French and English equally well, and excited to sample one of the beers he hadn't tried. They had 18 beers on draft + 1 on cask; one of these was a guest tap. Great variety of Belgian, UK, and American styles. Food was simple but good flavor and quality.

Friday night was also great although a very different atmosphere. Sat inside this time (patio was full). Service was a bit slower with 2 servers for the entire place, but it was never unreasonably slow. The bar was loud enough to drown out the DJ that was there. great energy and a fun time. Altogether, both experiences were fantastic. Would love to have a this transplanted to where I live. Highlights for me were the Saison St. Louis and Mild-end (English mild). Worth the hype for sure.

09-25-2011 01:52:33 | More by tkarsies

schlimenhaumer

New York

4.5/5  rDev +2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | $$

I visited Montreal for a weekend and this was on the top of my list of places to visit. It's a bit far from downtown, but the nearby subway station makes it pretty accessible. I really enjoyed the intimacy of the space, with its dim lighting, hand-written beer menus and closely packed tables. Service was attentive despite how crowded it was, and I felt the selection of around 14 beers was generous. Even if you're only in Montreal for a day, this is definitely one of the places you should visit.

08-30-2011 19:10:56 | More by schlimenhaumer