Damas centers its culinary identity on authentic Syrian preparations that highlight traditional Levantine techniques. Diners encounter an expansive array of mezze including velvety hummus and smoky baba ghanouj alongside expertly seasoned grilled meats. The kitchen prioritizes high-quality spices and fresh produce to construct complex, layered flavor profiles characteristic of Middle Eastern heritage. Signature dishes such as fattoush and kibbeh exhibit a commitment to meticulous preparation and bold, aromatic herbs. The interior design mirrors the cultural vibrancy of the region through intricate textures and warm, ambient lighting. This establishment represents a significant destination for those seeking a comprehensive exploration of Mediterranean-inspired dishes prepared with technical precision. Each plate emphasizes the rich, diverse culinary landscape of Syria while maintaining a focus on structural balance and traditional ingredient sourcing.
Damas is widely celebrated as a premier culinary destination in Montreal, offering an exceptional Syrian dining experience defined by vibrant, authentic flavors and meticulous presentation. Guests frequently praise the stunning, elegantly designed atmosphere, which serves as a warm and inviting backdrop for shareable dishes like the signature hummus, tender lamb racks, and flavorful mezze. The service is consistently highlighted as a major strength, with professional and knowledgeable staff members often going above and beyond to ensure a memorable visit through thoughtful menu guidance and attentive care. While some diners express differing opinions regarding the pricing and portion sizes, many view the premium cost as justified by the high quality of ingredients, the complexity of the culinary craftsmanship, and the overall immersive experience that keeps patrons returning for special occasions.
I was so excited to come dine here & it really met my expectations! The atmosphere of the restaurant is like no other, the staff is friendly & professional. I had the tasting menu which was amazing. The pastirma, shish taouk chicken & fattouch salad was simply incredible. The cocktails were unique & good. The staff presented everything meal which is appreciated. The mint & saffron tea was a must 👌🏽🍵. I had a great experience, Thank you!
Exceptional dining experience. We both had the tasting menu, with wine pairing. Atmosphere was excellent, the wait staff were exceptional, did a great job making sure everything was perfect, wine selection was outstanding. The food... was simply Devine, great presentation, flavours, & nice size portions Highly recommend, ,we will certainly be going back
We spent a wonderful evening at this restaurant. The service was excellent, & the food was beyond delicious. If it's your first time there, you must try the TASTING MENU.
Had a wonderful time at Damas celebrating a birthday. This was our second time & exceptional in comparison. The staff is on top of their game, know the menu & are quick with cleaning the table & replacing cutlery & plates in between courses. We opted for the tasting menu. Only negative is the pricing at $160 per person. We've dined at Michelin star restraunts in Toronto that cost less. Rest assured, the quality & quantity of food is just perfect. All the dishes were mindblowing. Olives were decent. Fattoush salad was fresh. The appetizers (Kibbe, fish, shrimp) & kebabs (lamb chops, skewer) were too good & flavorful. Shish tawouk could be a little more juicy. It was a bit dry but also white meat. We're glad we opted for the tasting menu. The ambiance is very beautiful & cozy. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
I realize that this review will not make a dent in the overwhelmingly positive reviews, but I wanted to share our experience to add another perspective. We arrived with very high expectations due to the hype & went for the tasting menu with the premium wine package. In total we spent around $750 for two persons, a price level which obviously comes with expectations. The meal was completely fine, but underwhelming. The highlights were the amouse bouche, shrimp, & the "kiwi" dish. The rest was quite average. We never got to taste the dessert. Wine is, of course, a subjective matter, but while the sommelier seemed knowledgeable, many of the wines were too untraditional & special for our taste. Perhaps the regular wine pairing would have been a safer choice. The restaurant itself was nicely decorated, but the noise level where we were seated was very high. It was a struggle to keep a conversation going, requiring us to lean in & often repeat ourselves, which is not what we expect when spending that much on a couples dinner. We saw multiple other groups of customers getting moved to other parts of the restaurant, & assume they might have asked for that, to escape the noise. In hindsight, we should have done the same. While highly praised in other reviews, unfortunately the worst part of our experience was the service. Every single employee we were in contact with seemed nice & friendly, but while the waiter on water duty was attentive, unfortunately our main waiter was not. He excused himself after the first serving, assuring us that he had not forgotten us, but as the night wore on, it seems that he did. After finishing the servings of grilled meats, we sat for 40 minutes with no one approaching us or making any attempts to move on to the dessert. When we finally managed to get the attention of our main server, we had spent more than three hours on the meal & were more than ready to leave, so we ended up forgoing the dessert as we simply did not have the patience or energy to spend more time in the restaurant. Other customers that arrived much later than us, had finished their desserts, before we decided not to wait for ours. I am convinced that most other customers do not have the same experience that we do, but unfortunately it feels like we just threw a lot of money at something very disappointing.
A friend & I splurged on the tasting menu - still dreaming about the lamb & the fattoush among other things. Every item we tried was absolutely delicious. Highly highly recommend for a special occasion or to turn a normal day special. Great service too! Highly recommend, cannot rave enough about the quality of the ingredients & just the whole culinary experience.
One of the best restaurants in the city. Excellent food & service. Very pricey but you get what you paid for. I've tried the tasting menu several years ago & it was very good & way cheaper than it is now. I've also tried a la carte. Lamb is excellent. Everything is executed well. Definitely a special meal for a special occasion unless you have the wallet to eat here more than once a year. Highly recommend.
The tasting menu is FANTASTIC! Karel is a true gem - & her suggestions & pairings were perfect. Highly recommend for anyone who wants the full experience!!!!
Amazing experience. Had the tasting menu & although a little expensive it definitely was worth the experience. Every single plate was unique & packed with flavour. The meat was also extremely tender.
This was our first experience at Damas as we were recommended it by friends & we were not disappointed. With this price point (It was a birthday celebration so we splurged), we had very high expectations. However, from my first phone calls to ensure a nice table, to the drinks, the incredible food & the impeccable service, we were truly overjoyed with our experience. We enjoyed the tasting menu & were so thankful for, not only the presentation of this truly gastronomic experience, but also the equally amazing service & explanations of each dish. (We ended up having 1 principal server & 3 other servers ensuring that our evening was unfolding well & that we were well taken care of throughout our evening!). They were very conscious of a dietary restriction & ensured that it was addressed at each tasting. Bravo to the service team & chefs at Damas! Highly recommended & looking forward to our next experience there soon!
