Symposium in Rivière-du-Loup

364 Rue Lafontaine, Rivière-du-Loup, QC G5R 3B3, Canada

★★★★☆
(299 reviews)
Categories: Restaurant

About

Modern establishment with a patio offering a range of global bistro dishes, cocktails & draft brews.

Website
symposiumresto.com
Address
364 Rue Lafontaine, Rivière-du-Loup, QC G5R 3B3, Canada
Plus Code
RFJ7+GG Rivière-du-Loup, Quebec, Canada
Time Zone
America/Toronto

Business Hours

Sunday
Closed
Monday
Closed
Tuesday
Closed
Wednesday
Closed
Thursday
4–9 PM
Friday
4–10 PM
Saturday
4–10 PM

Services

Service options
Outdoor seating Delivery Takeaway Dine-in
Highlights
Great cocktails
Accessibility
Wheelchair-accessible toilet
Offerings
Alcohol Beer Cocktails Coffee Happy-hour food Healthy options Late-night food Small plates Spirits Vegetarian options Wine
Dining options
Lunch Dinner Catering Dessert Seating
Amenities
Bar on site Toilets Wi-Fi Wi-Fi
Atmosphere
Casual Cosy Romantic
Crowd
Family friendly Groups
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Credit cards Debit cards NFC mobile payments Credit cards
Children
Good for kids High chairs Kids' menu
Parking
Free of charge street parking

Photos

Reviews

4.4
★★★★☆
299 reviews

Most Mentioned

food presentation (40) price (18) beef tartare (7) general tao chicken (6) vegetables (6) crab cake (5) salmon (5) julienne (3) veal (3) blackened cod (2)
5 stars
192
4 stars
69
3 stars
18
2 stars
4
1 stars
16
★★★★
October 7, 2022

Great place. Super clean and friendly staff. They even spoke a bit of English which helped us along. However, kids meals were $15+ and adults $22+. I did feel the kid's meals were very over priced. In the end our boys ordered off the adult menu. But the food hit the spot great.

★★★
September 4, 2022

Kinda disappointing dining experience given the very high Google rating We came to this restaurant with high expectations since it has an outstanding Google rating. Unfortunately the restaurant did not live up to its reputation. The location is excellent, right in front of the historic Princess theatre. Parking was free on street. The decor was tasteful, also had an artsy vibe. Staff was very friendly and accommodating, also pleasantly surprised that they were bilingual. What came up short was the dishes. One big problem was the food temperature, pretty much everything we ordered came out lukewarm, even those fried calamari and fish and chips were not hot and crispy, they taste like prepared frozen dishes from grocery stores. Husband had the 2 salmon tartar, he said it was average. My blackened cod was cooked to perfection, but I was the only happy camper in my household of 4. :( Final bill was on the higher end too, so we will probably not return, unfortunately.

★★★★★
July 31, 2022

What a great restaurant - this was an impromptu stop for us on our way through town but will be remembered as one of the highlights of our trip. The waitress that served us was serving a lot of tables yet was still incredibly attentive and helpful. They also brought us English menus which was much appreciated. And the food was phenomenal - we had the Ze burger and fries (so so good!), the General Tao chicken (pleased our pickiest eater), the pork loin (excellent) and the blackened cod with hollandaise sauce and butternut mash (absolutely amazing!). Highly recommend this restaurant!

★★★
October 2, 2021

Great service on Thursday afternoon 4 customer in . As big fan ove squid and crabe cake bit disappointed. Squid was ready 3 min after my order he was small and socking fat . The crab cake was my most deception soaking in roasted peppers sauce , taste a bit cheesy and also find out that the filling in the crust was shrimp and goberge . You can’t sell something that doesn’t have what in there . 3 starts for charming service

★★★
September 4, 2021

First off, I want to acknowledge how great this place smelled. It definitely added to the atmosphere, and it is not something I generally notice when I visit a restaurant. The service was good, but not great. I did notice quite a few servers had their masks below their nose, which was a bit off-putting. Maybe they wanted to smell the fragrant restaurant a little bitter! The food was quite good, but it felt a bit pricey for the quality. It seems like they're definitely going for a sophisticated vibe, and the price reflects that. I enjoyed my BBQ Ribs Poutine, though it was a bit soggy. The sweet potato fries with the BBQ sauce, the ribs, and the curds were a very good combination that I don't think would have been achieved with regular fries. My partner ordered the beef tartare and we both enjoyed it. The edges of her toasted baguette were charred, and inedible, but otherwise it was a great dish. We were also given sushi at the start of our dining experience, as I guess the sushi restaurant nearby closes early, and Symposium gets their leftovers and gives them to customers? We were a bit confused, as our French isn't the best, but we were happy with the surprise nonetheless! The beer menu wasn't anything to write home about, which is disappointing, as I think a good beer could really compliment some of these dishes. We tried two beers of the few beers on their menu, and while they were good, a bigger selection would have been appreciated. If you are looking for a higher-class, more sophisticated dining experience, Symposium seems to do a decent job with that.

October 30, 2020

Service was poor. Bbq ribs poutine had great flavour; too bad it was cold. The beef tartar acceptable flavour; however, it was vulgarly cut. Last, the Roquette would have been good, had we not found a long strand of hair in it. Not to mention, it was freezing in the restaurant.

★★★★★
August 8, 2020

Great food, everything so tasty and great customer service! Definitely coming back!

★★★★★
July 27, 2019

The service was excellent. I started my table d'hôte with calamari frito which was really fabulous, especially with the mayonnaise épicée! I had the steak frites, very good, but a little too lean. Finished with a café KGB. Try it out!

★★★★★
December 9, 2024

I recommend the veal flank steak with its succulent vegetables, the chef knows his way around cooking. Friendly atmosphere, very good service and very good wine cellar. I left Quebec expressly to experience it and I was not disappointed. Affordable menu for all budgets.

★★★★★
August 23, 2024

Excellent place to discover. Beautiful warm atmosphere and welcoming service. THANKS!

★★★★★
August 23, 2024

I had the grilled salmon with cauliflower puree. It was cooked to perfection, hot and very well seasoned. Lots of new items on the menu, I definitely recommend!!!

★★★★★
August 23, 2024

Fresh, very good products, warm welcome. Wonderful evening.

★★★★
Local Guide
August 23, 2024

Very nice discovery. The dishes are hearty and generous. The service is efficient and attentive. I highly recommend this restaurant

★★★★★
August 23, 2024

Excellent food, braised beef ravioli au gratin wow. Nice atmosphere & good service.

August 23, 2024

Very disappointing having already been there The quality of the food really doesnt live up to the bill that comes with...dry fried squid and way overcooked, hard as rubber with a ton of fried onions, more than the squid; burnt fish with a sauce that still tasted like the powder we used to make it; general tao chicken for my son without sauce and chicken on the verge of being burned with dry rice Last time and Im sure there are plenty of other restaurants around that are really better. Having already recommended it, well now I no longer recommend it

★★★
Local Guide
July 23, 2024

The modern atmosphere brings a significant new experience. The meals, General Tao chicken for me and the breaded haddock tacos for my partner the presentation on the plate was neat. For the taste and the search for flavors, it was passable. Nothing surprised our taste buds. The term Resto Boutique, I did not understand its meaning in this restaurant... The menu offered was limited... we would have appreciated other proposals...

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

The food was excellent and the portions generous without being overdone. The waitress, Julie, took good care of us. Kind and efficient. The restaurant offers gluten-free options.

★★★★★
July 23, 2024

The sauces are exquisite. The salmon steak with cauliflower purée is excellent, the best crème brûlée in town.

★★★★★
Local Guide
June 23, 2024

Varied and flexible menu with adjustments as needed, modest selection of drinks with perfect cooking and beautiful cleanliness. The service is excellent and friendly, easily part of the top 5 on Lafontaine Street.

★★★★★
Local Guide
June 23, 2024

We celebrated our wedding at the Symposium. All the guests loved their plate. Exemplary service with great respect during the testimonies. Thank you to all the team for making the perfect wedding possible. Dietary restrictions: Peanut allergy taken into account

★★★★★
May 23, 2024

Thank you tonight,wwwoww! Excellent service. , food quality Thank you!

★★★★★
Local Guide
April 23, 2024

Always nice to meet Nicolas and his Gagne for lunch or dinner. The food is excellent and the service too. The menu changes from time to time and youre sure to find something you like. I recommend without hesitation.

★★★★
Local Guide
February 23, 2024

Great discovery! If I had more access to a more complete menu at dinner time I would have given it 5 stars! The food is excellent and the prices are good. The restaurant is uncluttered, you dont feel stuck! There is a nice view of the busy street. I would have liked a little more music but at the same time I am sure that I would have had this atmosphere in the evening. I recommend and cant wait to return

★★★★★
January 23, 2024

Impeccable location and service. The food is excellent. Private room for groups. Really worth discovering!

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

A nice dinner with my sweetheart. Very good service

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

excellent

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Good food but a bit too salty for me, on a low salt diet. Impeccable service.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

We had a delicious meal here. The service was excellent. We had a drink with our meals.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

A great discovery! We are from Montreal and we wonder why we dont have one like that there. Well done to our waitress Julie and the whole team Not just good service, but a great experience

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

All I can say is: WOW! Julie not only gave us good service, she gave us an experience thank you!

★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Cold imperial rolls, shrimp salad with forgotten shrimp, $24 poutine with tiny pieces of ribs and they forgot the green onions. It was still good but really ordinary for the price.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Best cheesecake ever

★★
December 23, 2023

Expensive dishes for the quality. We ordered crab cakes, but there was very little crab and it looked more like hash browns. Then we ordered lobster and shrimp ravioli (menu of the day) and it was difficult to taste the lobster and the shrimp had no taste, probably coming from cans. In the end we were quite disappointed with our experience.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Great atmosphere, with a very friendly waitress who agreed to serve us around 8:15 p.m. while the kitchen closes at 9 p.m. The dishes are delicious too. I recommend!

★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Very disappointing experience. We were a group of 15 people following a funeral. As there were 15 of us, we were given a group menu (4 choices) table dhôte... children and adults alike (no way to have a normal meal). Salty bill for ordinary food. Burger that tastes like spicy bbq sauce, Tao chicken that tastes like frozen from Costco. Avoid for the family $$$ Luckily the waitress was extraordinary unlike her manager or team leader who rebuffed us in a cavalier manner that we had no choice in TAKE THE GROUP MENU. We didnt even have a closed room, we were separated in the restaurant because the children were at another table... we will eat for the group.

★★★★★
December 23, 2023

Simply excellent! Bib gourmand level in the Michelin guide

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2023

Good atmosphere, but the dishes are almost always disappointing and the service a little slow.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Better service and more polite staff

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Restaurant with a pleasant atmosphere with slabs to rent, lots of space. The menus are interesting but slightly expensive. Reasonable portion and pleasant service. It s a restaurant of choice in RDL and I recommend it at least once!

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

EXCELLENT!

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Delicious and great service!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Excellent meal, quality/price, beautiful atmosphere.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Very clean restaurant, menus are good and updated.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Excellent service and delicious food. I liked their General Tao and really loved their jalapeno poppers. Great discovery in a city that I thought I knew.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Nice

December 23, 2022

VG meal salad, very small portion, very few vegetables! I asked if it was an entry...paying $22! I shared my dissatisfaction and the fact that I was still very hungry, I was entitled to a $2 discount on my bill Very disappointed, I will not go back!

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Burger and Tartar to take away... Still excellent...

December 23, 2022

Extremely high price for a salad from a bag of premade salad with very little vegetables (carrot and edamame) overall very disappointed with the dish and the price overall too high for the content. Friendly service on the other hand!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Good food, and staffs are very nice

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Great food and decoration.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Always excellent

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Beautiful restaurant, competitive price and the food is good.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Braised beef ravioli!!!!!!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

A warm welcome, very good meal, top waitresses!

Local Guide
December 23, 2022

The place was loud. Their signature burger was over cooked, smothered in sloppy bbq sauce that rendered the bun inedible. Overpriced and disappointing.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2022

Pleasant time spent at the Symposium. Good food and very friendly staff. I recommend !

★★★★★
December 23, 2022

Very good atmosphere, excellent food Thanks to Julie for the outstanding service :)

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2021

Excellent cuisine and impeccable service. To remember for your evening in good company with family and friends.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2021

Great service and the food (vegetable cream and general tao chicken) excellent!

★★★★
December 23, 2021

Delicious dishes. Tasty soup, tender and fresh cod. Warm service. Clean and disinfected place.

★★★★★
December 23, 2021

Great lunch menu. Pan-fried cod and delicious Julienne fries. Tomato soup too. Attentive service. An unbeatable glass of white for less than $5! Right in front of the cinema and the Charlie Chaplin sculpture. A stop worth it.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2021

Nice surprise, we stopped for dinner on the road, without waiting, and it was delicious! Good service, nice atmosphere, excellent table dhôte menu: great discovery!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2021

Very good restaurant, absolutely worth visiting! We liked the food, the atmosphere, the service and the music. Excellent service, great food, nice music and a super nice place to eat. Go visit it, absolutely recommended.

Local Guide
December 23, 2021

Horrible service and attitude from Bar tender! Screwed up our order 2 times, didnt even apologize!! Avoid if you can..

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2021

There were 8 of us arriving without a reservation and we were welcomed like kings. The team opened a private room for us which allowed us to chat and get together in peace. The meal was delicious and our two vegetarians were surprised by their larger-than-life hamburger. The service is also top notch. Thank you for opening your doors to us.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2021

I enjoyed a corn and bacon chowder then a crab cake! Everything was perfect! Even my Mojito was delicious! Great service too! I will definitely go back!

★★★★★
December 23, 2021

WoW Superior hospitality, service and quality of food. We really enjoyed . In addition, the prices are more than reasonable, we will definitely come back, thank you.

★★★★
December 23, 2021

Very good food, very good service and reasonable price.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2021

Warm welcome and pleasant staff! The dishes are just delicious. I highly recommend

★★★★★
December 23, 2021

Welcoming staff, efficient and courteous service. Affordable restaurant considering the quality of the menu. The flavors are there and the atmosphere is good. Really a nice place for a dinner with friends or colleagues.

Local Guide
December 23, 2021

Dinner on a Saturday evening to mark a birthday, I choose a flank steak of veal, the waitress asks me what cooking, I ask for medium rare but more rare than medium, I receive my dish and immediately upon noticing three thin charred meat patties I say to the waitress what do you think of the cooking? She eagerly takes the plate back, saying she will bring me another one. Very quickly another person dropped off my dish without saying anything. My waitress came back a few moments later and said to me, I dont think its much better, Ill change it for you... but no, thats enough, if I had been a cook that evening I would have been ashamed of serving such an atrocity to a customer. The worst steak I have tasted in my life. I still have the taste of ashtray in my mouth. In fact I hardly ate any. Honestly, take it off the menu if you cant serve it in anything other than boot sole. There are better restaurants nearby. I dont recommend this place.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2020

Food, atmosphere and impeccable service!

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2020

Burger overcooked! Super long service!

★★★★★
December 23, 2020

The special poutine of the week was to die for

★★★★★
December 23, 2020

Excellent service: thanks to our waitress Émilie! In fact, the entire team really operates ! Excellent meal! Every bite was a real delight! Perfect atmosphere! Thank you for this wonderful evening!

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2020

Excellent fast restaurant and courteous service. A little expensive. But the food is really good.

Local Guide
December 23, 2020

I order the vegetable soup that the waitress doesnt even know whats in it and still responds stupidly as if we were disturbing her. My medium/well-cooked entrecote is charred and COLD my baby potatoes are inedible because they are so black and to top it off the waitress walks past us but completely ignores us

★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2020

Fish and chips were from Costco, probably microwaved. $20+. The rest of the restaurants on this street are about the same.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2020

What a great experience! We recommend the crab cakes as a starter and the braised beef ravioli as a main course. Super attentive service worthy of a great restaurant. THANKS!

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2020

Fish and chips looks weird but is very good! Calamari also good, light batter. Shoestring fries. Friendly staff. Covid measures in place but no contact tracing.

December 23, 2020

You should change your stupid menu. Now food has a genre? Meeeeerde hahaha wake up, its 2017. We can see that its in the region :)

Local Guide
December 23, 2019

After the meal we got sick

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Beautiful atmosphere, beautiful decor, excellent food and very good service

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Nice atmosphere, decent meal. To redo

★★★★★
December 23, 2019

Friendly staff

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

One of the very best restaurants in Rivière du Loup. The food is excellent, the service fast and the staff attentive. Its a safe bet. I go there once a week.

★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Very nice place. First service nothing to say. On the other hand, the second number which was repeated never came back to my table

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Excellent for food, regional products and service!!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Excellent dishes, excellent service. Perfect

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Good food for sure

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Great dinner!!! You have the choice between two menus...girl food or guy food and I chose the fettucini with mushrooms and duck confit, great choice I highly recommend you try this restaurant

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Excellent

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Excellent service from Marie Pierre!! Food to die for!! Especially the fried squid!

★★★★★
December 23, 2019

Very bob service and very good food

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Thank you very much Madam waitress

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Very good food and very good desserts

★★★★★
December 23, 2019

Food as excellent as ever

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Very good, very tasty and good service

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Qualité de la nourriture et goût sont satisfaisant quoiquun peut trop sucré au niveau du dessert. Sinon le service, il est convenable dans lensemble, si ce nest que se faire quasiment jeté une assiette sous le nez est assez opposés au règles de bienséance. Les vins proposés sont de qualité. Attention grand mangeur cette place peut vous revenir cher.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

It was perfect

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Great service and excellent and affordable food for the quality

Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Bin ordinary lunch menu not much and julienne fries wow have not evolved on the fries side..disappointed first time and last...

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

A good table...

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Went there for a funeral reception. Ordered tequila shots for everyone. Was worth it.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Superb as a place and very warm rustic and very nice clientele very well served also the food magnificent service and vrm delicious waitress number one. Its a magnificent chic restaurant, thank you very much, not to be missed

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Very good food, beautiful decor and good service. I recommend this restaurant.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Excellent place to eat. Great service.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Service ok, good food, good atmosphere.

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Good vibe to this comfort food restaurant, a bit on the pricey side but super burgers and very nice bavette too.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

I found the atmosphere chic but relaxed, the service was fast and courteous and the food excellent! Good value for money.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Great restaurant with excellent service and a friendly and warm atmosphere!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Fast and attentive service. We had the veal flank steak which was excellent, as were the small vegetables. The room is very quiet. We recommend.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Good, super relaxed meal, good value for money

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Lovely place...

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Great service and delicious food! Perfect portion!

★★★★★
December 23, 2019

Nice frame. Very nice waitress and very good Quebecois burger. Very reasonable price for the quality of the meal. Little extra: the pretzel-style burger bun is super nice

★★★★★
December 23, 2019

Beautiful decor, very good service and good food!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Great and friendly staff, and top notch food!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

Very good restaurant.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2019

The food is good, the service smiling.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Delicious, gluten free meals and nice ambiance & decoration. And a terrace to enjoy sunny days

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Thank you it was very nice!

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Super good and the service is EXTRA!!! Thank you :)

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Interesting menu exceptional service

★★★★★
December 23, 2018

Amazing!!n

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Have visited several Symposiums. All are good and concistant.

December 23, 2018

je donne une etoile mais bon ...je suis totalement deçu....commande 3 cafes bresiliens ...supposer avoir de l.alcool a l interieur mais nous avons detecter une faible apparence ...je suis desoler de comment le.personnel a reagis sur le.probleme ...aucune reaction valable ....jespere que vous allez survivre ...je le recommande pas a personne cette place

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

My compliments to the chef

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Alright

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Very pleasant for a meal with friends or family. Very good table service. Excellent food. Smiling staff who know the products offered well.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Loved it, good food and service

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Great concepts. Long live guys nights.

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Excellent meal...very good service and a reasonable price. To discover

★★★
December 23, 2018

I liked the staff, they know the products offered and are very kind

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Good value for money. Hearty dishes

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

A very friendly waitress and great food. I can recommend this restaurant. We were the only guests early afternoon. I hope that more guests enjoy the hospitality here.

★★★★★
December 23, 2018

Excellent service, beautiful place, I highly recommend

★★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Really beautiful reno....well done Nick

★★★★
Local Guide
December 23, 2018

Superb place and exceptional staff.

★★★★
December 23, 2018

Me and my partner find that it is always too dark in this restaurant. But on the other hand... the staff is always smiling. We had very good service. And my tartare was delicious.. thank you