The quintessential French restaurant. If you want to give an out-of-towner a speedy does of French-style cuisine, you can't go wrong with L'Academie. It skirts the line between a high-quality bistro and a cheap BYOW restaurant; just a few blocks from Prince Arthur and ten times the quality of any of the tourist traps there.
I have never had to wait long to seat a modestly-sized party; the waiters are harried and busy but generally leave you alone to drink the wine you bring from the SAQ across the street. The food is hit-or-miss; nothing horrible, and nothing exceptional (except the mussels which are to die for). When eating with guests, I recommend one of you order the frog's legs (just to give that French twist) but order some mussels for your guests. The pasta is okay, nothing good. The desserts are nice.
If I'm hard up for a place to take friends and I'm looking for a nice place to settle into a wine-induced stupor, I'll always pick L'Academie.