Their menu incorporates Russian foods as well, but I went to take Georgian dishes only…read more 9.5/10 - The Khatchapouri (basically fired dough with melted cheese, a sort of cheese pie) was practically perfect. Oily, crispy and a perfectly melted stringy cheese inside. 8.5/10 - The Blintchiki with cabbage (fried crepes with cabbage stuffed inside) and a side of cream-cheese was extremely good, like some crispy, oily, cabbage roll. It might have been slightly too oily but otherwise great. 4/10 - The Tolma (basically rice-stuffed grape leaves) were not on par at all with the usual Lebanese version. It was very mushy, it fell apart and the spices were odd. 8/10 - The Borscht (beet soup with vegetables) was fantastic, however I personally prefer the version with dumplings inside (i.e. Polish version). It was nonetheless very good and heart warming, however it had a more pronounced vegetable-like flavor than what you'd get from the Polish version. ~/10 - The Khinkali (meat-stuffed dumplings), I'll withhold judgement because I personally don't tolerate meat that's fatty and I also don't tolerate cilantro. However, if you like a more fatty beef stuffed into dumplings with cilantro, that's for you. 8.5/10 - The Chuchkella (walnuts coated by some sweet chewy roux/candy shell), it's extremely good and it's one of those things you could cut up into pieces and snack on them all day long. It's a unique flavor I personally never had before but I could summarize it as sweet-coated walnuts. As for the ambiance, it was very cozy. It has that oldschool classical brown & red decor and the place is very small. Overall, I give it a 8/10. Worth it.

My husband and I decided to visit here as part of our vacation to Montreal. We both had never had…read moreGeorgian food and were looking for a new experience. Decor/Ambiance: The primary reason this is a 4 and not 5 star review is because the place is kinda tough on the eyes. It had some odd bright art and the background music was what we could only assume was a Russian pop music video station. Honestly, we ended up finding it charming but it will definitely raise a foodie's skeptical eyebrow. Wait staff: Out waitress was Russian, with a heavy accent and little reticent to suggest our dishes... but she knocked it of the park and beamed with pride over the food. There's really nothing like someone who cares about the place doing the serving. Food: So delicious. We can't speak to it's authenticity (first timers and all), but everything was delicious. I had the Chicken Kiev which came with a unique Georgian plum sauce that could make shoe leather delectable. My husband had a authentic Georgian beef dish (the name escapes me) cooked with garlic, spices and walnuts. It was also unique and delicious! We will definitely return in the event that we are back in Montreal.

Nice place, good atmosphere and feels a bit more date night than casual. Food was tasty but…read moreportions are on the smaller side

good overall experience. the mezze was better than the mains in my opinion. still enjoyed…read moreeverything, just didn't feel mind-blowing. nice place for a calm dinner.

Great spices and unique menu, but portions seemed smaller than expected for the priceread more

Absolutely wonderful food, completely worth the hype. Low key dining ambiance but high quality…read morefood. I would recommend this for groups of four or more so you can try many things -- they're fairly accommodating with tailoring dishes ala carte vs one person entrees and absolutely everything I ate here was delicious. Flavorful and spicy (not necessarily hot) in the best ways, nothing tasted showy or try-hard. The stand outs were the vegan platter (just everything was delicious, and I'm not vegan) and the Chicken Taouck (marinated in a garlic and pomegranate molasses sauce that was just brilliant). The lamb and shrimp skewers were also stand out but a little more basic (not a problem for me, I loved both). I wish I could have tried even more but we were stuffed and satisfied as is. My one complaint, and this could be a bonus for others, was they are fairly pushy on trying to sell you on letting them curate a tasting menu for you. When I asked the waitress if she had any favorite dishes she wouldn't even humor me -- do the fixed menu and you'll find out. Sorry, but that's just not my style! I could see how that might work if you've never had this kinda food and this all feels super foreign, but (and I don't pretend to be an expert in Syrian or Armenian cuisine by any means) it felt a little overtly up-selly to me. In the end we chose our own way and had a delicious meal anyhow. Would absolutely come back next time I'm in town.

This was one of my favorites in Montreal. The restaurant itself is dimly lit, decidedly moody and…read morehad an overall good vibe. Service was friendly and efficient without making us feel rushed. We split a mixed order of pierogi for our app that were so good, we bought three dozen to bring back to New York. For entrees, my husband had the pork chop, which was fine, but he definitely had FOMO when he tried my krokiety. Insanely good!!

I really wanted to love this place because the old-school decor is amazing and the location is…read moregreat. The borscht and pierogies were solid comfort food, perfect for a chilly day. But the mains felt a little heavy and plain, and it took forever to get our check at the end. It's a cool spot to try once for the unique vibes, but I probably wouldn't rush back anytime soon.

I had a very engaging meal at Lawrence recently. The small and comfortable dining room is rounded…read morewith soft textures of wood, glass and linen. Indirect light, as the evening fades, gives into caramel tones framed in black. I ordered à la carte. First came a colourful summary of late summer: pieces of golden cherry tomatoes and melon, hiding pieces of halibut crudo. The lovage oil was vibrant green, and the dash of heat on top contrasted nicely with the refreshing crunch of the melon. Then came a pretty little shell, presenting scallop, seaweed linguine topped with caviar, and a curious kidney-shaped pink thingy. I started with the latter. A little burst of sea flavour revealed an animal origin: scallop roe! I had never encountered that before! If the dishes had ever seemed dainty so far, it was about to change. Next came tuna belly two ways, sitting on a bed of Bomba rice. The crispy rice bits and smoky flavours gave impressions of bacon and Japan. Doubling in decadence was the next dish: cabbage and pork brain gratin, under a generous layer of truffle shavings. The translucently delicious cabbage only contributed to the richness of the delicate brain, tender and white under the candlelight. Nose to tail never fails! Next was a smoky corn soup, from which clams and chanterelles complemented each other in texture and taste. As the New York strip and anchovy toast landed in front of me, I realized that I probably over ordered. But how can you resist the glistening bone marrow as it is scooped onto golden crispy bread? The saltiness of the anchovies is all that is needed to spike each bite, and the fresh mint in the tender fava beans was wonderfully refreshing. Very English! My chin was as shiny as the plate by the time I was done... I confess that I still ordered a dessert. The blackberries and sheep milk frozen yogurt were refreshing, and herbal tones were brought in from the olive oil and liquor. Service was kind and attentive. It was really inspiring to see Chef Marc Cohen soloing the evening, and I hope to sample new dishes of his in future seasons.

Had the tasting menu at Lawrence and it was outstanding! But sitting at a bar for this was very…read moreuncomfortable for several hours. I highly recommend this restaurant but make sure to request a table. Service was terrific.

The service is always great here. The food is delicious and they have a huge selection…read more The vibe is always good regardless of you come for brunch of dinner. The only thing, I wouldn't order a bloody Ceaser as it wasn't really good but every other cocktail and coffee we had were great!

We wanted some good, simple middle eastern food, and thought Shay would be a good option…read moreThe plates were small, the hummus, which we ordered for our table of 4, came in a bowl that would be maybe enough for a single not-too-hungry person. The pitas were dry and toasted, not fresh like you'd expect from such fancy place. We hoped that the falafel would hit the spot, but instead we got 5 dry balls, for which we paid $20.00! That's $5 for a small ball of falafel, which they cover in some veggies, maybe to hide the disgrace. Some other dishes tasted ok, but all small and stingy and expensive. I'd go to any hole-in-the-wall falafel place before going back to Shay.

Top 5 dining experience of my life! We started with the fattoush, which turned my salad-hating…read morehusband into a believer. We followed that up with the batata harra, which were spicy, acidic, crispy little morsels of perfection. We rounded out the meal with the lamb and hummus dish, along with the filet mignon and little pickled peppers. Everything was perfection. Beyond the amazing food, the restaurant itself was beautiful and service was friendly, attentive, but never intrusive or annoying. These guys are doing everything right. I don't know when I'll be back in Montreal, but I can promise I will be right back here when that happens.

This was my first time having Syrian food but was told this is one of the best restaurants in…read moreMontreal. We came here for lunch. I will say that the online reservation system was confusing. It made it look like we could only do a tasting menu but in reality, you can also choose not to. The two main dishes that stood out to me was he chef's mezzas. It comes with 4 small dishes or dips, and they were all amazing in their own ways. The other dish reminded me of a shakshuka. Our waitress was nice but I think she had to large of a section. She could definitely use lot help. Was Damas good? Yes. Is it the best restaurant in Montreal, I don't think so.

As a tourist, best meal I had in montreal. This dish gave me a culinary tour of the region which i…read morevery much appreciated. My favorite part of this meal was the baked beans! The man at the helm that day was very nice as well, recommending dishes and places to go in the city. Would be a regular here if I lived in Montreal!

Came here for lunch on a Sunday and was not too crowded. Ordered the smoked meat sandwich, BLT,…read moretourtiere, poutine, and French onion soup. The smoked meat was pastrami and the sandwiches were good. The soup was flavorful, but the gravy on the poutine was not very flavorful. The meat pie, tourtiere, was fine and came with boiled vegetables, a traditional French Canadian meal. Server was very nice and ambiance was good with tables and counter seating with cute decor. Near the Mont Royal metro stop and near vintage shops on Rue Saint-Denis.