Come and join us for an enchanted Syrian evening located Montreal’s chic and gastronomic heart of Outremont, on Van Horne Avenue. At Restaurant Damas, a uniquely comfortable microcosm will greet you with warm colours, velours, carved wood, and multicoloured lights.
Reviews portray Damas as a standout Montreal dining experience, renowned for its rich Syrian flavors, fresh in-house pita, and bold mezze that include dishes like lamb, octopus, fattoush and kebabs, with the tasting menu and wine pairings often highlighted as a must try. The atmosphere comes across as warm, elegant and intimate, and the service is generally attentive and knowledgeable, with a strong drinks program to match the food. Some guests question the value for money, noting high prices and varying portion sizes, and a few report slower service or occasional misses during busy times. Brunch is also praised for its flavorful, well composed offerings and cross cultural flair, making Damas feel like a Montreal institution that many would return to for special occasions or to explore more of the menu.
We had a fantastic time at this restaurant. One of the top food experiences in Montreal thus far. The flavours are deep & unique, & very delicious. You can appreciate the use of high quality ingredients & expertly curated dishes.
The lamb was the best dish we tried.
We ordered several dishes & they were all fantastic. This restaurant is on the Amex platinum dining list, so you can use your annual $200 credit here.
We had high chairs, & the group was great with the children. The service is fantastic, your water will always be filled, & you can appreciate the attentiveness of the staff.
Ambiance:
The restaurant is very large, nearly 4 whole rooms. It's beautifully decorated, quite warm & inviting. I wouldn't say it's cozy, nor would I say it's an overtly elegant vibe.
Service:
Friendly but distant. Food was explained as it came, but none of our servers seemed particularly passionate about the food. Plates were changed with each service. Nothing that added or detracted from our visit.
Food:
What can I say about the food? Damas offers elevated middle eastern cuisine that would wow those who have not had very much of it. The mezzes were good, but not better than mezzes served by any good Syrian (or Lebanese or Jordanian) restaurant, including a breakfast spot. The hot mezzes were good, but not ground breaking. Flavours were not elevated, they were just solid representations of the standard (cumin, Aleppo pepper, yogurt, etc.) Most damning was the meat - we ordered the filet mignon medium rare & received it medium, the lamb medium & received it well done. At a restaurant charging these prices, this was quite unacceptable.
Furthermore, for a restaurant charging these prices & presenting itself as being high end, the pace at which our dishes came out was overwhelming. We ordered a total of 10 dishes. We received our cold mezzes as a pair. Very quickly after we began to eat, 3 hot mezzes appeared. & very shortly after that, another 4 hot dishes! There was no pause between plates, which made us feel very rushed & anxious about the food becoming cold. We would've appreciated more thoughtful coursing of the dishes & more time to enjoy each dish, without it becoming cold.
Overall, Damas offers a decent dining experience at what feels like rather exorbitant, fine dining prices. Service & ambiance are nothing to write home about. The food is not the best representation of the true breadth & depth of Syrian cuisine, but it may wow those who are not from the region.
Apr 8, 2026
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Very different middle eastern food, good ambience, wonderful service & great dessert.
We had the tasting menu, most of the things where kind of different, with a variety of taste.
I don't eat seafood, they were happy to accomodate my requests.
The kibbeh & the main course lamb were outstanding dishes, others were also good, but these 2 standout.
The dessert was also very different, never had something like that ! Must go place in Montreal
Lamb tartare is out of this world. I remember fish dishes were much better in its first location in Montreal. Service was good though. Seating by the bar is a good option for intimate, quieter dates.
Everything in this place makes you want to come back as fast as possible. The food menu is varied & the taste is so good. The service is impeccable whether at reception or at the table. The waiters know the dishes & help you understand the differences. I highly recommend.
The dishes were high quality & the service was fantastic. Our server, George, was attentive, kind, & very helpful in guiding us through the menu options. The food was served quickly, & everything was excellent.
We ordered the baba ghanoush as a starter, followed by the eggplant lamb kebab & the lamb shank, all of which were delicious.
It's on the pricier side, so it's a great choice for a special occasion.
Amazing atmosphere & the staff were very attentive to details. The food… my god the food was phenomenal. We had the rack of ribs & the braised ribs as mains, with lamb dumplings & spicy potatoes as apps.
They also gave us complementary dishes for the delay in the service, (which we didnt mind at all) but just the attention let us know what kind of establishment Damas is.
Would highly reccomend, even if its a bit pricey. It is worth it. I will definitely come back!
Feb 16, 2026
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Such an amazing place! My first time & I enjoyed very much ☺? From come in inside you can see stylish decorations. Professional & friendly stuff helping with the choice,explaining clearly all ingredients 👌 & such am amazing dishes 😋 Definitely will come again ,i enjoyed my time there.
Damas offers a brunch experience that is as curated as it is flavorful, blending influences from both Eastern & Western cultures for a unique culinary adventure. The restaurant operates on a set-price menu, starting at $55, with additional charges depending on your selections. While it would be nice to see an a la carte option, the structured menu ensures each dish is thoughtfully prepared & cohesive.
The coffee is a standout, beautifully brewed & aromatic, setting the stage for the meal ahead. The dishes themselves are vibrant, richly spiced, & layered with flavor, making for a wonderful introduction to Syrian cuisine. Each bite is carefully balanced, showcasing both boldness & nuance without ever feeling overwhelming.
The ambiance enhances the experience: warm wood tones, magical lighting, & cozy decor create a welcoming & almost enchanting atmosphere that complements the food beautifully.
Overall, Damas delivers a brunch that is flavorful, memorable, & culturally immersive. For those seeking a thoughtful introduction to Syrian cuisine with a touch of cross-cultural flair, it's a satisfying & elevated way to spend the morning.
We ordered the three most popular dishes - Fattouch salad, shish taouk (chicken) & rack of lamb. With several cocktails.
Let's start with the good. The cocktails are some of the best we've ever had before. We sat at the bar (I recommend) & were delighted by a performance of drinks on display. We had the Aleppo gin sour & the cherry sour & both were an absolute delight. Very well balanced, better than drinks at most exclusive cocktail bars in town, all using fresh juices & herbs. Truly a first class experience, much thanks to the bartender Amjad who saved the night for us for what was otherwise a very lackluster experience.
My fiancée had a reaction in her mouth to the fattouch salad where the roof of her mouth was burning but as far as she knows she has no food allergies.
The chicken was good, juicy & flavorful. I would recommend this dish. The rack of lamb was severely charred (beyond maillard reaction to pyrolysis) causing it to taste bitter & we only were able to eat a fraction of it. This is caused by cooking above 180C & the difference is instead of browning, simply burning the meat. Such a shame on such a beautiful piece of meat!
Other problems are the wait times. This is a very big restaurant with clearly a smaller kitchen that can't keep up. We were often waiting in excess of 20-30 minutes between each dish for the next to show up. Also, as many reviewers noted for the quality of the food the prices do not justify.
I would honestly only return to have their amazing cocktails. Unfortunately otherwise we were disappointed.
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I first tried Damas during COVID & ordered almost all the appetizers - they were absolutely fabulous! That's really what they do best.
Later, I went back to dine in & ordered a steak, but it was way overcooked, & I didn't enjoy the meal as much. The restaurant itself is nice, but I find it quite overpriced for what it offers - mostly rice, potatoes, & meat.
Overall, the appetizers are excellent, but the rest of the menu feels a bit average for the price. I'd still give it another try, maybe for different dishes, but it's not as impressive as it used to be.
beautiful syrian restaurant with excellent service! we took the omnivore & pescatarian tasting menu. it was very filling & delicious but nothing extraordinary from the flavors (maybe to someone who is not at all familiar to this palette tho!). a lot of the dishes were lacking salt & one was heavily oversalted. i would recommend this restaurant but not necessarily the tasting menu. my favorite drink was the aleppo sour & my favorite dish - very simple but delicious - the fattouch salad. thank you for the fun birthday experience!
From the moment we walked into Damas, we knew we were about to embark on something special-but nothing could have prepared us for just how exceptional the experience would be. We have tried the tasting menu & it was absolutely the perfect choice!
The ambiance is warm & enchanting, beautifully combining elegance with the rich cultural essence of Syria. The soft lighting, the detailed décor, & the welcoming atmosphere set the perfect stage for an evening to remember.
But let's talk about the food-because this is where Damas truly shines. Every single dish was a masterpiece, crafted with such depth, authenticity, & care that we felt transported to the heart of Damascus. From the tender, aromatic lamb dishes to the vibrant & perfectly balanced mezze, every bite told a story. The flavors were bold yet refined, traditional yet elevated, & undeniably delicious. You could taste the passion & heritage in every element of the meal.
Special thanks to Alexander who guided us through the menu & made us feel at home throughout the evening. His hospitality added a personal touch that elevated the experience from amazing to unforgettable.
Damas has truly mastered the art of Syrian cuisine, blending tradition with fine dining in a way that few can. We left feeling full, grateful, & already planning our next visit.
Thank you, Damas, for an extraordinary night of food, culture, & warmth. You've set the gold standard for Middle Eastern dining in Montreal.
First time trying Syrian food, & it was an interesting experience to see an elevated take on the cuisine. The flavors were good & enjoyable, though it felt like something was missing. Maybe we just needed to order more dishes to get the full experience. Definitely try the mushroom hummus; it's fantastic!
Absolutely fantastic. The food was amazing, the service was on point, & the atmosphere was classy yet relaxed. We split 4 mezze & two main dishes between 4 people - it was just a little more than we could eat. Everything was delicious, but the standouts were the grilled octopus, the mouhammara, & the samak meshwi.
Service was excellent. Our server Emil was very knowledgeable & kind & provided great recommendations without us asking. We did the tasting menu & they were very accommodating of the vegetarian diet. My meal was just as elaborate & thoughtfully done as the meat dishes & they even accommodated the no egg requirement. That is usually not the case. Each course was excellent & better than the previous course…all up until the dessert. We had told them it was our anniversary & they brought a plate with a deconstructed panna cotta & lemon coolie of sorts, with some crushed up chocolate cookie on top. It was so basic & underwhelming compared to the other dishes in the tasting menu. It sounded like the desserts rotated so guess it wasn't our lucky day. Price is definitely on the higher end but I guess you're paying for the creativity & presentation. Overall an awesome meal & I would highly recommend this restaurant.
