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.
This is one of my all time favourite restaurants. It's expensive yes but it's 10000% worth it, the shish borek (lamb dumplings), & honestly any lamb dish SLAPSSSSS. Also the octopus is amazing. I'm literally salivating thinking about this food. Also the service has never disappointed ! Highly recommend
EDIT: The owner reached out to me after I posted this, & was very apologetic & just wanted me to come back & give Damas another chance. I'm increasing the service rating as this was entirely surprising & made me feel that the ownership genuinely cares about the guest experience. I really wish I could rate Damas in line with the quality of its cuisine-if I could, it would easily earn five stars. However, high prices come with high expectations, many of which were unmet during our visit. A particularly notable issue was our water glasses being refilled only once over a two-hour tasting menu. My partner & I had eagerly anticipated this visit for months, considering Damas the highlight of our trip. Unfortunately, after our initial order was taken, our waiter seemed to vanish, & my partner's attempts to flag down another staff member were necessary just to get another drink. This incident exemplifies the overall lack of attentiveness we experienced. Despite these service shortcomings, the food at Damas is truly exceptional & stands out markedly from its competitors. The lamb in particular was the best bit of meat, I have ever had. For those who don't mind a struggle for basic customer service, Damas could still be a fair choice. For future patrons, I might recommend visiting during less busy times or for occasions where the pace of service isn't of consequence.
So me & my partner really wanted to go somewhere special but different for our one year anniversary. We're from Vermont so we thought that the cuisine would be a wonderful detour from what we usually have available. Our experience however, was not very good, & I don't think we'd come back again. To start, we got seated & we knew we wanted the tasting menu, which is 7 courses, so we ordered that & we each had a cocktail. They whisked the menus away & we were excited. Then the first course came, then the second, by the third we were both finished with our cocktails & were politely waiting for our server to come back to ask for a refill. I was facing the restaurant & I watched him stop by other tables except ours. I tried to make eye contact with him, to no avail, it seems he was uninterested in helping us anymore, as he refused to even look our direction. At the point of the fourth course my partner had been waiting on a water refill for 15 minutes. 15! I finally just started staring & trying to flag waiters down until one (very nice) man came over & asked if we needed something. We asked for a wine menu, ordered. & then were promptly left alone again. Then when dessert came around, (we made this reservation 3 months in advance & put in the notes it was our anniversary) the person who came said "its somebodys birthday" Which while it would be fine if that was the only blunder, but when you've been dismissed the entire night & had to fight for a water refill it Definitely feels on purpose & rude. & then we had to fight again to get the check. I just felt like if you're spending $500 on a dinner youd think they could keep the water refilled. Let alone notice that your cocktail is empty & ask if youd like another. Or at least CHECK IN & make sure everything is going fine. I don't know if it was because we looked younger than their usual clientele, or if that is policy to leave you to your devices after ordering a 7 course meal. But we will not go there again. & it's so disappointing because the food was phenomenal!! But I would never recommend anyone go there. It felt like we weren't their target clientele, & I got the impression that we weren't welcome.
I've eaten here three times so far, & hope to return again! It is also currently my favourite restaurant of all time. The food is delicious, unique, & iconic. I have not had the pleasure of trying the tasting menus, but there are some regular menu items on it that I have loved. A shoutout for the cocktails is needed, & I recommend either the Aleppo Gin Sour or Damascus Blinker. As far as food goes the hummus is remarkable, & the option with the shawarma is a meal on its own. I also recommend the Sour Cherry Kebab & the Samke Harra. The food service is organized around sharing plates, & they run a tight ship replacing platters & utensils. Staff have always been helpful & kind. Not to mention the restaurant itself is gorgeous & has an intimate atmosphere despite its density. Overall, it's worth the price to try at least once. You will probably find yourself wanting to come back!
Apr 13, 2024
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As a Chef & food business owner, I know a little bit about food & customer experience. It's hard to find a place that hits all the points. Thank you Damas! Food taste, textures, aromas & visuals were all outstanding. We sat at the bar, our favourite spot to mingle & socialize with others. Sebieh was our bartender & server. We've met him here before. What a super incredible human! Grateful for all the hard work that went into executing a perfectly seamless experience. Until next time! ❤️
The vibe & food were so beautiful & despite being busy, the servers were so attentive & kind. Made us feel like we were the only customers there. I live near LGA & would strongly consider a day trip to Montreal just for this restaurant (if the plane tickets are cheap lol) Might be my favorite restaurant ever.
had: baba beet mutabbal mouhamara yalanji shish borek friki bamia moujaddara shish taouk first of all- yes very expensive plate prices but unlike most in this range these are big boy & girl portions. so its not SO bad. mezze were some of the best ive had. truly elite stuff. sauteed lamb mains were interest. chicken taouk, while fresh & all, was really boring & kind of a damper in otherwise good meal. so i guess order the interesting stuff. nice place.
Apr 9, 2024
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An absolutely amazing place for a casual dinner with friends or celebratory feast. We had the degustation & the kitchen deftly avoided the food allergies, & the sommelier made some great replacements for the red wines to help my wife avoid the migraines. Amazing service team, really delicious food. Would highly recommend, & visit again!
It's okay. On the menu it said one thing, but on the plate something was missing. Once to try, but there's better places - better tasting & less pricey.
Super restaurant avec des plats extraordinairement bon ! En plus de la quantité+qualité que je n'ai pas trouvé ailleurs. Le service est 5/5, jamais vu pareil !!! Je recommande fortement ce restaurant & j'ai hâte d'y retourner 😉
