Hayat is often described as a standout Lebanese and Syrian restaurant in Montreal's Old Port, with elegant decor, a warm atmosphere, and a lively yet comfortable vibe. Reviews praise generous portions, fresh ingredients, and a variety of signature dishes such as baba ghanoush, shawarma, hummus, fattoush, lamb shank, and baklava pancakes. Service is repeatedly highlighted as a strength, with many noting attentive and professional staff and a welcoming front of house, though a few guests mention occasional slower moments or seating that could feel more intimate. Bar and patio options add to a flexible dining experience, suitable for dates, celebrations, and casual meals alike. While many describe consistent quality and a memorable overall experience, some reviews mention the price and portion sizes being out of balance. Overall, Hayat is seen as a top choice for authentic Middle Eastern flavors in Montreal, offering delicious food and a warm atmosphere, with room for improvement in service consistency and value.
Very delicious dishes specially the lamb dishes. The souce with each food is special with unique taste.
Respectful service & helpful.
Great place for date, special family gatherings & formal meetings.
Fair price.
We had a wonderful experience at Hayat. The place is beautiful & very classy, the food was excellent, & the service truly stood out. Hajar took great care of us, she was friendly, professional, & made our visit even more enjoyable.
Mar 29, 2026
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Had a lovely time at Hayat last Saturday evening. I was showing a prospective student around the city & chose this restaurant as our final spot to end our tour. We were sat at the bar where the very engaging Otis took great care of us. We ordered dips as starters, which we shared, & honestly I had to cancel my main dish because there was more than enough food to fill us both up. We chose the baba ghanoush & the shawarma & hummus, which was served with two types of fresh bread, & the portions were plentiful. Our cocktails were also delicious. We both stated we would love to come back & try the mains, but we would need to work up a bigger appetite!
The design of the restaurant is lovely & the atmosphere was good. The only hiccup was that when I made our reservation, we only had the bar as an option, however when we arrived the restaurant was almost empty & it did not fill up by the time we left 2.5 hours later. Although our corner seats at the bar were cozy, we would have appreciated the option of booking a table.
Je suis venue manger avec mes amies & les plats étaient juste délicieux !
Le service également était tout simplement parfait. Un grand merci à Maxim qui était au petit soins avec nous.
Je recommande, l'expérience était plus que satisfaisante
Excellent service grâce à Maxime ! Souriant, professionnel & de très bon conseil. Il a rendu notre expérience encore plus agréable. On reviendra sans hésiter 👌
Une tres bonne adresse pour découvrir cette cuisine savoureuse.
Le menu de st valentin a ete une découverte extraordinaire.
Des entrées a partager offrant un choix de saveurs toutes aussi délicieuses & étonnantes.
Le dessert a ete une surprenant & savoureux.
Le service est courtois & aux soins de leur clients.
Merci de nous avoir fait passer une si belle soiree.
My partner & I dined at Hayat to celebrate valentine's day, & within a few hours, we were both very ill. For an appetizer, 2 small plates, 2 glasses of wine each, & dessert, it costed us upwards of $300. The server was kind but terribly inefficient, he took an awkwardly long time (like several minutes standing there struggling) to be able to open the wine bottle he brought to the table to fill our glasses, & spilled wine everywhere & made zero effort to clean it up. We were done eating & waiting to pay for over 20 minutes & even got his attention & it still took another 10 minutes to even be brought the bill. While the service was severely lacking, the biggest issue is that the food made us sick. For the price of this place, I expect to be able to trust the safety of the food. Beware.
The experience was amazing at Hayat. Our server Maxim was a great host, went above & beyond to insure a great service for us. The food was fantastic & every dish from starters to main were delicious & tasted like home. Would recommend to everyone & anyone I know, you should definitely book your important dates & anniversaries & everything in between at Hayat!
Waww 10/10 food was amazing , everything was top , Otise the guy who serve us he was very very adorable , customer service 10 on 10 , omg i dont dont drink alcalooj so i asked him for mocktail , usually its not good but wow its was délicieuse cominf back for sure!!
