I had promised my husband a steak before we left Montreal and this place was within walking distance to our hotel. I was a bit dismayed to find out it was a chain (we have a strict no-chain-policy when we are dining out on vacation) but since we had never heard of 'The Keg' we decided to go for it. And I'm so glad we did!
It was a pretty happening place so on a Thursday night we were told the wait would be about 45 minutes. They had a very nice patio and we were lucky enough to snag a table while we waited. The waitress came over with a drink menu but it was all in French. My husband inquired about a menu in English but the waitress couldn't find one and said it didn't really matter, that alcohol translates the same way...lol. Ordering a beer and a sangria for me wasn't too difficult so I guess she was correct!
The patio was loud but enjoyable nonetheless. Soon enough our pager started buzzing and we were seated. The atmosphere alone is worth one star. Perfect lighting, soft music playing, and a corner booth that was pretty private. My husband had been wanting a cup of French onion soup and was pleased to see it on the menu. He went with that, the wedge salad and a steak. I'm not a big fan of beef - I went with a tossed salad and the Teriyaki chicken. After practically licking the bowl my husband said he could 'eat that soup every day of his life'. I think it cured him of his French Soup craving! His stake was very pink, tender and delicious, just the way he likes it. My salad was a bit hard to eat - long thin strip of vegetables topped the lettuce. While it looked nice, I would have preferred a normal tossed salad. The chicken was very tender and juicy and the teriyaki sauce quite good. Since we were there celebrating my birthday I received a dessert on the house (Billy Miner Pie) complete with a sparkler in it.
The reason for 4 and not 5 stars was the service. There were a few missteps along the way - such as not receiving the lemon for my water I asked for until the very end of the meal - which was a bit odd. Why bring it at all. We were never sure who our waiter was as there were 3 different people working our section. It was probably meant to be efficient but was just confusing imo. For a bill well over $100 I would have expected the service to be better. But will I go back - yes, I will. Because when I got home I looked up the Keg and found out there's one in Windsor, just across the river! :)