Reviews describe Hayat as a standout for authentic Middle Eastern flavors with generous sharing portions, praising dishes such as baba ghanouj, fattoush, lamb shank, short ribs, soujouk, and muhammara, plus baklava pancakes and Syrian ice cream as highlights. The atmosphere is repeatedly praised as warm and stylish, with a lively vibe and a pleasant terrace, making it a good pick for dates, celebrations, or casual meals. Service is commonly noted as attentive and friendly, though some reviews report variability and longer waits during busy times and changes in management that affected consistency. Reservations can be necessary, as seating options vary between bar and table, and some guests would prefer to book a table in advance. Prices are sometimes described as high for the portion size, though many feel the quality justifies the cost. Overall the place is seen as a top halal fine dining option in the area, with standout drinks, hospitality, and a strong sense of care from the staff.
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.
une superbe expérience au hayat montréal la nourriture était pleine de saveur, les cocktails surtout le butterfly incroyable! La serveuse celia nous a super bien aidé à faire notre choix parmis tous ce qu'ils proposent !
Had a beautiful patio dinner here one evening in June. Ordered a cocktail & two appetizers, which was more than enough food for one person. They also brought out complementary breadsticks with labneh & za'atar to accompany the cocktail, which was very kind.
Servers were lovely - attentive without being overbearing.
Restaurant serves higher-end food in a touristy part of town - the prices reflect that.
Overall, a great meal & I would definitely return again.
We had the most amazing experience. Every plate of food was delicious! The flavours were perfect & there was not one thing that we ordered that wasn't loved. As a big group we ordered several plates & ate family style & it was perfect. The cocktails were also beautiful & delicious! Our server was lovely & super helpful as well.
Les cocktails étaient bons, particulièrement le chamomile whiskey sour! Pour les entrées, la salade fattoush & le houmous & shawarma sont vraiment excellentes! J'aurais pris plus de betteraves dans l'entrée de betteraves rôties. Le plat de morue noire est délicieux ainsi que les côtes de boeuf braisées. Les portions sont parfaites. Par contre, concernant le service, je n'ai pas été impressionnée. Malgré une salle pas très achalandée, nous devions appeler la serveuse pour commander autre chose. Jamais elle nous a demandé si nous voulions du dessert.
Food & service was excellent. I had lamb shawarma with humus & I liked it. I recommend you try the eggplant beef as appetizer & the Sumac smash cocktail.
Dec 2, 2024
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C'était notre première fois à ce resto & on a adoré! Les cocktails sont jolis & excellents. Les plats commandés étaient frais & savoureux! Nous avons bien aimé notre expérience & le service offert par Alycia!
Cuisine exquise & raffinée Les cocktails délicieux & que dire du service! Excellent. Un seul bémol pour le bruit mais cela est inévitable quand la salle est pleine. Merci pour la belle soirée nous reviendrons assurément.
The restaurant inside is not big at all but cute & cozy. Our waiter i believe his name was Dean was super fantastic! The food was also amazing! i didn't take pics of everything because we dove right into it. I'm very picky with food & with this food being my traditional food i was even more skeptic so as we all say our mom makes it better lol. However to my surprise everything was amazing! Fatoosh was so so good & Shish Tawook also so tender & melts in your mouth! We were too full & couldn't order dessert but i really really wanted to try the famous Baklava Pancakes so we ended up going the next day just to have that. DONT miss it....it's amazing!!!! Save room for dessert. The wine was also Great as well as the Butterfly cocktail I believe it's called. Next time we are in Montreal I will definitely be coming back!
Oct 26, 2024
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Superbe soirée, les plats étaient excellents, les portions très généreuses. Un gros merci a Khaled pour les cocktails personnalisés & l'ambiance chaleureuse. Je recommande sans hésiter ❤️
We sat outside & had a party of 7. Our waiter was friendly & was a joy to interact with. We had cocktails & the Beirut beer which were all fantastic. We shared a variety of dishes but the ribs were an absolute delight. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for Lebanese food.
Food was good, cocktails were fine too! I hope you land on Nathaniel as your server! He knows all about the menu & its details! A true gentleman passionate about his job & it shows! Thanks for having us!
Jul 24, 2024
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Je recommande ce restaurant fortement. Merci à Nathaniel pour son impeccable service. Il nous a été d'une grande aide dans le choix de nos plats & cocktails, qui étaient succulents
Excellent Restaurant!!! Acceuil impeccable ! Merci à Nathaniel pour le très bon service. La nourriture était savoureuse, les cocktails qui nous ont été proposés étaient parfaits. Merci à tout le personnel très accueillant !!!
The nicest terasse in the old port. My friends & I had a great time & cant wait to come back. Highly recommend sharing so you can try everything. The cocktails are amazing & the server Chris really knew his menu & even convinced us to try our first lebanese wine which everyone loved. Cant wait to come back
Juste Wow! Une expérience culinaire incroyable du cocktail au dessert 🥰✨ Belle découverte de la cuisine syro-libanaise! Un service au top! Merci tout particulièrement à Gaëtan & Mathilde pour leur accueil chaleureux 🙏 Vous pouvez y aller les yeux fermés!
