Damas ancre son identité culinaire dans des préparations syriennes authentiques qui mettent en lumière les techniques levantines traditionnelles. Les convives découvrent une vaste sélection de mezzés incluant un houmous velouté et un baba ghanouj fumé, accompagnés de viandes grillées avec une expertise technique. La cuisine privilégie des épices de haute qualité et des produits frais pour construire des profils aromatiques complexes caractéristiques du patrimoine moyen-oriental. Des plats emblématiques comme le fattouh et le kebbé témoignent d'un engagement envers une préparation minutieuse et des herbes audacieuses. La conception intérieure reflète la vitalité culturelle de la région par des textures complexes et un éclairage ambiant chaleureux. Cet établissement représente une destination majeure pour ceux qui recherchent une exploration approfondie de plats d'inspiration méditerranéenne préparés avec une précision rigoureuse. Chaque assiette souligne la richesse du paysage culinaire syrien tout en maintenant un équilibre structurel.
Damas est largement reconnu comme une destination culinaire de premier plan à Montréal, offrant une expérience gastronomique syrienne exceptionnelle, caractérisée par des saveurs authentiques vibrantes et une présentation soignée. Les convives louent fréquemment l'ambiance magnifique et élégante, qui sert de cadre chaleureux et accueillant pour des plats à partager tels que l'hummus signature, les tendres carrés d'agneau et les mezzés savoureux. Le service est constamment souligné comme une force majeure, avec un personnel professionnel et compétent qui se surpasse souvent pour garantir une visite mémorable grâce à des conseils avisés sur le menu et une attention constante. Bien que certains clients expriment des avis partagés concernant les prix et la taille des portions, beaucoup considèrent que le coût élevé est justifié par la grande qualité des ingrédients, la complexité du savoir-faire culinaire et l'expérience immersive globale qui incite les habitués à revenir pour des occasions spéciales.
Overall it was a negative experience but I will break it down:
The service was fantastic. All the staff from the lady who checked us in to our server were very accommodating & friendly. They explained the food options & took care of us. However, everything else about our experience was bad.
The food was average. Nothing special. The server highly recommended the tasting menu so that is what we ordered. Unfortunately that was the wrong decision. All the serving sizes were small. The taste was ok. It was overhyped by the server so we thought it was going to be good but we did not like it. You get the same food at a regular supermarket.
The restaurant was noisy & very dimly lit. Everyone around us was using their phone flashlight to look at the menu. We had the same urge but we knew it was too distracting so we resisted it.
The worst part & the thing that ruined our night was the bill. It was unbelievably expensive. Way to high & not worth the experience we received. It was insanely overpriced & we just felt tricked.
$200+ per person is insane. Google Reviews does not even have that option in its system haha. The maximum you can tap is'$100+' & we had to pay more than twice that amount for a bad experience.
Couldn't say anything bad about Damas. The ambiance is incredible & the restaurant has so many cool details throughout. We loved the cold Mezze, shrimp, the braised lamb, & chicken dish. Everything blew us away. The flavor, presentation, & creativity is unmatched in Montréal. In addition our waiter Diego was extremely professional, kind, & knowledgeable on the food & wine. We loved the tea to end the dinner as well
Great service from Theo! We also sat at the bar & the bartender Juliette was so kind & friendly to us! She gave us recommendations for bars & delicious cocktails (would recommend their hibiscus cucumber drink).
Unfortunately, we did not have a good experience at Damas. We booked the Christmas Eve tasting menu experience in August for December, & had high expectations based on the restaurant's strong reviews.
We had a 6:00 pm reservation, & our first drink was served 50 minutes after we arrived. The first course was served 1 hour & 20 minutes after arrival. Two other couples arrived around the same time & were served faster; they had food on their tables within the first 20 minutes.
The next two courses were served, & then a we mentioned that service was slow & that one course had been skipped. A new waitress took over, was very accommodating & understanding of the situation, & informed our assigned waitress about the missing course.
After we raised concerns about the delays, a few courses were delivered at the same time.
At around 8:30 pm, we still had two courses left: the duck & dessert. I asked whether they could be served at the same time, as I had another commitment at 9:00 pm. Unfortunately, this was not possible, so I asked for the bill.
Two waitresses came to confirm that we were okay leaving without the two remaining courses. After we confirmed, the manager came to double-check. We explained the issues we experienced, & the manager adjusted the bill to ensure we were paying a fair amount given the poor service & incomplete meal.
When our waitress, Joseph, brought the bill, he confirmed that the restaurant was short-staffed on Christmas Eve.
The food was tasty, but the service delays caused significant distress & impacted our ability to enjoy both the meal & the experience. Given the level of the restaurant & its price point, I am not sure I would return to Damas.
This was my first time at Damas, the service was exceptional & the food tasted amazing. I ordered the lamb chop, the octopus & the kebabs. I highly recommend the octopus for seafood lovers & the lamb chops because it was the star of the evening. Over all the everything was delicious as well as a great experience.
