Today, I want to talk about Montreal reception halls. With 30+ years of doing wedding events, baptisms, engagements, birthday parties, you can say that I’ve been to all the Montreal receptions halls more than a few times. In fact, if you hand me a photo, I can tell from the carpet which reception hall the photo was taken.
With over 800 events filmed and photographed at these reception halls, I practically lived in these numerous receptions halls and can tell you so many stories, some good and some not so good. 
When you get to the reception hall early and leave late, you get to see a few things that are, well, umm questionable. Especially, when I have to use the back door and going thru the kitchen.
Montreal Reception halls have had a huge transformation over the last few years, starting in about 2019, many of these Montreal reception halls have spent big money on renovations. The results are spectacular and very modern. This isn’t the same hall that your parents got married in. About 80% of halls have undergone huge renovations.
Ever since 2020, there has been an increasing trend of celebrating one’s wedding event to restaurants or an outdoor venue (i.e. golf courses, rented locales), mainly because the wedding guest list was reduced in size from 80 to 150 people. Long gone are the days of 400 to 500 wedding guests.
Restaurants are great, but they are limited. Each venue will have its advantages and disadvantages, but today we’ll focus on reception halls.
Montreal reception halls have come a long way in the last 5 years, with renovations, large menu selections, decorations, ambience and so much more. They offer a stress-free, “we’ll handle everything for you” approach. In the past, there were some bad Montreal reception halls, but those halls have since closed down, and what is left now are premium choices and you can’t go wrong. You have Montreal reception halls like Madison, Chateau Classic, Marina, Chateau Briand, the large PMG group selection of halls (just to name a few). Yes, some are premium halls, meaning that it’s gonna cost you more for a dish plate than some other “lower quality” halls. You can find dish plates starting at $120 to $250.
Just to mention that the PMG group runs a number of great halls throughout the Montreal area including Plaza Antique, Plaza Volare, Plaza Rizz, Plaza Rive-Sud, Le Challenger, Embassy Plaza and a few more.
As a Montreal wedding photographer who has been in these reception halls numerous times, I can say that service was always excellent -they way they treated the band, the photographer and videographer speaks volume. There is an exception to a reception hall located just outside of Montreal, just let’s say it’s in the Vaudreuil area. I would not recommend this place at all. I’ve seen and had bad experiences at almost every visit I had there, and its been about 15-20 visits.
I could rate the Montreal reception halls in a future post, but today I want to focus on an east-end reception hall, called Chateau Classic. Located at 6010 des Grandes-Prairies, Saint-Leonard, Quebec H1P 1A2. I also want to say that I have not been paid or endorsed by Chateau Classic to write this review.
It has 4 dining halls that can accommodate anywhere from 40 to 800 people. The dining halls was recently renovated. There is tons of parking and they offer valet parking as well.
They offer a wide variety of foods, cocktails, coffee bar, midnight sweet table, the list goes on and on. They also offer catering services as well, which is a nice touch. The food has always been fresh and delicious every time I have been there (and it’s been at least 10x). They have a vast selection and variety of foods. The hall has been always kept tidy and clean (including the bathrooms!).
The service has also been great! As a Montreal photographer, some places consider you “less important” and not a guest, thus ignoring you when trying to grab a drink or some food. The service table, which is usually where the band/DJ and photographer/videographer sit, more than often “we” are ignored completely. Asking for a glass of water is a huge undertaking at some places. But at Chateau Classic, they always took good care of the “service table”, with quick and attentive service. This tells you a lot, as to how they also treat your guests. We also get served at the same time as the guests! Their staff has always been smiling, and no attitude issues towards the “service table”.
The halls are large and spacious, and the air conditioning is excellent! (Yes, some places the A/C is so low or inefficient when you have 100+ people dancing).
The cons about this reception hall is that it is in the east end of Montreal, and maybe a bit far from certain churches or for downtown photos & videos. Another minor con is that it’s located in a parking lot. The front facade isn’t glamorous but you’ll enjoy the tons of parking spots available.
Their prices are highly competitive, and the portions are generous. The food presentation is excellent, the service is outstanding, and you really can’t go wrong with them. They prioritize quality and always deliver their best. In all the times I have been there, it has always been a positive experience.
Chateau Classic:
6010 des Grandes-Prairies,
Saint-Leonard, Quebec H1P 1A2