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.
Damas earns widespread praise for its refined Syrian and Middle Eastern cuisine, with a wide mezze spread, standout lamb dishes, octopus, and a balanced mix of bold and subtle flavors that many describe as deeply satisfying. The presentations are often praised as beautiful, ingredients high quality, and the open kitchen and warm ambiance add to a special night out. Service is repeatedly lauded as professional, attentive, and knowledgeable, with staff guiding guests through the menu and wine or cocktails, though a few experiences mention slow pacing during busy times or inconsistent timing. The tasting menu and wine pairing are a highlight for many, offering generous portions and a cohesive culinary journey, while others feel the price point is high for the portions or that some dishes do not justify the cost. Brunch is also highlighted as a good value and a way to sample the kitchen, while some reviews note that the atmosphere can be loud or the room crowded. Overall, Damas is regarded as a top Montreal dining destination for rich flavors, elegant service, and a memorable, if premium, dining experience.
Here's a refined & polished version: --- We came here to celebrate our 4-year anniversary after it was highly recommended by some friends who visit regularly. & it did not disappoint! We booked online a couple of weeks in advance without any issues. From the moment we arrived, we were warmly greeted by several staff members & promptly shown to our table. The décor was exquisite, just like in the photos, creating a charming ambiance that was sophisticated yet unpretentious. The seating was comfortable, & we had the choice of still or sparkling water as we browsed the cocktail menu. I tried the Aleppo gin sour-a vibrant green cocktail with strong coriander notes (a word of warning if you're not a coriander fan!). It was fantastic; I ended up having two. My girlfriend enjoyed two different gin-based cocktails & loved each one. Being our first time, we decided to try the tasting menu, & it was outstanding. While I'm not deeply familiar with Syrian or even Lebanese cuisine, I was blown away by each of the 12 dishes, each offering unique textures, an abundance of nuts, pomegranate seeds, & complex spice blends. Our server was exceptional (blond woman, didn't get her name, MERCI BEAUCOUP !) - attentive & personable, asking if we had any food preferences or intolerances. My girlfriend isn't a fan of raw meat, like tartare (which I personally love), & our server graciously provided her with an alternative dish. The rest of the staff was equally attentive, efficiently clearing plates & replacing our utensils throughout the evening. In short, an unforgettable experience. We'll definitely be back! It is on the pricier side, but for a unique, top-tier dining experience in the city, it's worth every penny. Bravo to the entire team! Gros merci encore.
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!
One of the best meals I've had in a LOOOONNNGGG time! Everything was cooked to perfection with strong savory flavors & a nice smokey finish. The Filet Mignon Kebab was particularly tender & flavorful (which is difficult to acheive with a Tenderloin. It has to be medium rare!). We didnt try any desserts but that pleasure will have to wait till next time. HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS RESTAURANT
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
High-End Syrian Restaurant & one of our favourite restaurants in Montreal. This is where you go for a fancy celebration dinner. Make sure to make a reservation in advance because this place books up quick. Service is okay.
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.
Oct 6, 2024
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The experience at Damas was immaculate. Food was perfect, service was really great & the place is simply beautiful. Can't wait to come back the next time I'm in Montreal!
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.
Food was amazing, so many wonderful choices, we tried most of the menu. Service was 5 star, so attentive, friendly & helpful. Ambiance was inviting & comfortable. We will be back every time we're in Montreal!!
I recently had the pleasure of dining at Damas Restaurant with my family, & I can confidently say it exceeded my expectations. From the moment we walked in, the ambiance was so unique, elegant yet welcoming, setting the perfect tone for our evening. One of the standout features of this restaurant is the generous portion sizes. Each dish was beautifully presented & packed with flavor, making it a delightful experience for the palate. I ordered the rack of lamb, & I was pleasantly surprised by how hearty the serving was-definitely enough to share (though I didn't want to!). The service was impeccable, with attentive staff who were knowledgeable about the menu & eager to make recommendations. They truly elevated our dining experience without being intrusive. Overall, Damas is a fantastic choice for anyone looking to indulge in high-quality cuisine without leaving hungry. It's perfect for families, groups, & date nights, showcasing its versatility & welcoming atmosphere. I can't recommend it enough & can't wait to return for another memorable meal!
I'm originally from Syria, but I live in the States. I wish we had a Damas in Southern California. I highly recommend this restaurant. The food was delicious & gorgeously presented. The staff was so nice & welcoming. Our server, Morgan was so lovely. I'm definitely coming back next time I'm in Montréal.
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.
