No four star or five diamond please
Prefer bistros ^

In Old Quebec....

Les Ancien Canadiens (sp?) (French Canadian)
Cafe Parmesan (Italian)
Le Continental (French)

All have really good food, comfortable atmosphere, and somehwat moderate prices (although Continental can get a bit pricey).

Kinda depends what, where and when you're looking for...

Can you be more precise?

Check out this link, it has a a great selection of different places at various price ranges. It also has a rating system along with reviews.

http://www.fodors.com/miniguides/mgr...uebec_city@127

Sorry, have to vote "non" on Aux Anciens Canadiennes...ate there on the tour book's reco on our first visit to YQB, and thought it was extremely overrated (food wise) and service was atrocious.

Pub Sainte Alexandre is located in Vieux (Old) Quebec City on Rue Ste. Jean. It has the ambience of an irish pub, with rich darkly stained carved woods decorating the floors, and walls. The pub was pleasantly not too smokey inside. They offer an enormous selection of beers including many from Belgium. They get extra points for having the correct glass to go with each beer. I had a Kwak which came in the traditional mini yard-style glass with accompanying holder. The food is amazing for a pub. I had the steak tartare and it was one of the best I've had. Very good price too, cheap. My friend had the sausage plate, which was equally good. He gave me a sample, it was delicious. They do fries really well here. It's a happening place, quite lively, and a bit noisy, but not so loud that conversation is difficult. The crowd and the ambience make you feel like you are among friends. The service was excellent and quick. The tables are very close, so you can expect to get to know your neighbor, which in our case wasn't such a bad thing. http://www.flyertalk.com/dining/ftdining_forum/wink.gif Bon appetit.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts so far.

as cyberdad put it...
good food, comfortable atmosphere, and somehwat moderate prices...

...which I would consider to be $30 US for two without alcohol.

Am I correct in assuming that we will find fixed price plat du jour at many restaurants?

Thanks so much for this information. We weren't looking for an "irish pub" but you're description was so vivid that we have added it to our list. And I do love to try different beers! ^

Well, its been a few years. Sadly, this is the sort of thing that happens. I also would say that even under the best of circumstances, getting out of here for $30 for two is not realistic.

It's not an Irish pub, it just has the type of atmosphere that reminded me of an Irish pub, with all the rich dark colored carved wood. I really liked this place; I hope you do to. Have a great trip.

P.S. There's also a great little place that serves mussles that rivals the quality you'd get in Brussels. I forget the name of the place, but if you go to the Dufferin Terrace (located just behind the Chateau Frontenac) and take the long staircase (or funicular) down to the village below, it's located down there. They usually have a sandwich board on the sidewalk advertising "all you can eat mussels." If you ask around down there, it shouldn't be hard to find. It's great if you like mussels, and not expensive either. I think it was about $15 or so for all you can eat mussles. They offered mussels in about 9 different styles if I recall correctly.

Another place worth mentioning is Cafe Buade, located aptly enough on Rue Buade, very close to the Chateau Frontenac. They have two floors. Downstairs is very inexpensive, and is like eating in a cafe. Upstairs is more elegant with candlelit ambience, better food, and is a bit more expensive, but should be more or less within your stated budget requirements. I believe they also have a prix fixe menu (3 or 4 course meal for a reasonable fixed price). Happy dining.

And yes, you will find many establishments offer a prix fixe menu, although my wife and I found that we often prefer to just order off the regular menu because sometimes we don't like all of the choices offered on the prix fixe menu. You should be able to find many many places that offer a quality dining experience within your budget ($30 for 2) more or less, within old Quebec.

There is something called "Table d'hotes", which is often fixed price but also fixed menu. It typically comes in three price ranges, and you can certainly find something in the price range you're looking for.

I don't really know where you are planning to go. There are (there were, I should say) numerous good spots on Grande Allee, outside the walls, between the provincial legislature building and the Concorde hotel.

My family and my in-laws still live in the 'burbs, but I go only once every third year or so and I'm rarely allowed to escape my mother's cuisine. Still, I find that restaurants inside the walls typically not so interesting as those on Grande-Allee. Grande-Allee is much more european in style with tables on patios, a very relaxed atmosphere and serious babewatching. Of course, the assumption here is that you are going on a beautiful summer day. Grande Allee is also right by the Plains of Abraham National Park.

The Pub St-Alexandre is ok, but go there for the beer, not for the food.
When I lived there, there was a micro brewery called L'INOX, I believe on St-Paul Street near the old Port. It had quite an atmosphere and the selection of local brews was very nice, plus the food was quite decent. I have not been there since summer 2000, and things change...

I like the old city best for the cafes, like "Chez Temporel" on rue Couillard. In my days, it was fantastic for desserts (chocolate cake, in particular), and it remains a must whenever I go back.

Some restaurants allow you to "bring-your-own-wine". You basically buy you bottle at the SAQ and they will uncork it for you, usually at no charge. Considering the price of wine in restaurants, it's sweet deal. I know there are some such restaurants in the suburbs, but I don't know if there are some in the more touristy places. Anyways, it's worth asking.

BTW, I know it's stuffy, but the Sunday brunch at Chateau Frontenac is quite fantastic. It's expensive, but quite a show to see the waiters in period costumes. Plus, the view is absolutely unbeatable. If you want to try this, you will need to make reservations.

http://www.quebecregion.com/e/restau...earch&lnPage=1

Perhaps you can browse the list and recall a favorite you would recommend.

Thanks again.

I completely agree! Was there just aftere Christmas 2004. We found the service to be so completely atrocious that we were (almost) rendered speechless. The food was fine, but quite overpriced. They try to pack so many people in the place that it's impossible to move around.

I had the opposite experience in April; we sat upstairs, which was fairly full, and had excellent service. I thought that the food was excellent, and had a sampler of elk, bison, and venison filets that were perfectly cooked. It was a bit pricey, but given the difficulty of getting that type of cuisine where I live, I wasn't put out by the prices. Perhaps we just got lucky; based on the posts here, it certainly seems that the service is inconsistent.

The Champlain Room in the Chateau Frontenac was also excellent, but definitely not bistro type dining.

I stayed at the Hilton just outside of the wall. I call the Chateau Frontenac the 'Chateau Tabernac'... it's very expensive. I got two connecting rooms at the Hilton for less than one at the Chateau.