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.
This place is just a knockout. I've been twice now & it just keeps getting better. This is easily one of my favorite restaurants ever. The food is exquisite, the drinks are gorgeous & well made, & the service is some of the best I've had not just in Montreal but worldwide. Our waiter told us these are family recipes & you can just feel that love in the food. Our drinks were never empty & our server checked in on us enough so that we never were waiting to order something else but not so much that it was intrusive. Everyone was just so friendly, warm, & genuine. It really made us feel so comfortable. When I asked him about the espresso martini he told me there was a new recipe that was being released next week which is better & was able to let me order than even though it wasn't on the menu & it was fantastic. The ambience is top tier, the place is gorgeous. The nice soaps & towels in the bathroom are a luxurious touch.
I accompanied my sister to this restaurant for her birthday. I've never been to a Mediterranean/ Lebanese place before & DID NOT DISAPPOINT. Our server, Otis, brought so much life to our experience! His knowledge of the plates & drink were impressive & made great recommendations. We really enjoyed our time. SHOUT OUT TO OTIS!!!!!
I went to hayat today & OMG!!!
The bartender Otis was so amazing & his creativity with the drinks was amazing
I sat down & ask him to make me singing with tequila & a lil sour & let me tell you I was not disappointed
Also a great thank you to the manager ceyla /cila I don't know how to say it
Hayat has a nice ambience, but the overall dining experience was underwhelming. We ordered Fattet Chicken, Barak, Shish Taouk, Lamb Shank, & Hummus with Shawarma.
The chicken dishes were dry, while the lamb shank was tender & delicious.
Everything without chicken tasted good. Portion sizes were disappointingly small-especially for the price.
Service was adequate, but water was served warm & refills were slow due to the decorative container servers used.
Most guests seemed to come for drinks & leave quickly… should've been a hint. After spending $180, I was still hungry.
Superb restaurant, great atmosphere, very good service & lobely staff, but food too expensive for the portions. We got the 60$pp discovery package, & we only got 1 or 2 small pieces of chicken each with a bit of sauce - a tad disappointing. The drinks are expensive too. Beer pricing quite decent at 10$ each.
Sep 21, 2025
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Please be aware if you are over 50. My husband & I got seated on the patio & a few minutes later 4 young persons were seated next to us. Our waitress finally came by with water & started to pour, saw the young people nearby & immediately left us with no water despite our being parched. She again went to their table to take an order before us. Luckily, they weren't ready to order so she came to us. Almost 30 minutes after placing our order, my drink came AFTER my food. We originally went for an appetizer, but spent more than an hour just waiting: waiting for water, waiting for my drink, waiting for our check. On a Sunday evening it was busier than usual, but watching so many other tables get service before us was frustrating.
The atmosphere was fantastic, & the staff very welcoming. We were there for my friend's birthday dinner, & Otis took excellent care of us-paying close attention to detail, bringing great energy, & offering excellent drink recommendations. It was a great night, & we'll definitely be coming back!
My experience here was amazing, came with my friend for a drinks on a random Monday night ! I've met Ceylaa on manager duty for tonight & it's was her first night she definitely have the drive & professionalism for it !
Experience at Hayat was amazing. Otis, our server, was incredibly attentive, hospitable & charming. He made the experience above & beyond, especially with the customized drinks. The food was impeccable & had presentation was great.
Really great food & service! The owner & waitress were super attentive. The only issue is that its very expensive for what you get (a non-alcoholic drink was close to $20) but the portion sizes are decent & it has a nice vibe on the inside.
Oct 16, 2024
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Good shawarmas. Nice ambiance. Friendly staff. A wee bit expensive. We spent around 100 ca$ for 3 adults. It takes them some time to serve but food is tasty. My friends & I really enjoyed it! To enhance customer experience further perhaps the restaurant can use some idea of welcome drinks or juices to mitigate the long waiting period for the food. They also serve alcohol. Note if you are non vegetarian but do not consume beef( an Indian dilemma 😅), there are exactly 3 items you can order. Also kind of low on veg options. They have good indoor & outdoor seating arrangements. The washrooms are neat & tidy. The tissue papers are very good. Almost like towels & feel premium.
My husband & I dropped in for a late dinner, & we're so glad we did. Everything-from the atmosphere to the service, food, & drinks-was simply perfect. Nathaniel was our server, & he ensured we had an exceptional experience. He strongly recommended we save room for the baklava pancakes for dessert, & we're thrilled we took his advice. It's easily one of the best desserts we've ever had. This was our final dinner during our weekend in Montreal, & it was probably one of the best meals we had here (which says a lot, considering how much incredible food we've had). We'll definitely be returning on our next visit!
Amazing food here! Came with a huge group & we were surprised as to how quickly they brought out the food. I really enjoyed the rose garden drink. It's great that they had plenty vegetarian options as well! The service could have been better, but food & atmosphere was fantastic!
lovely atmosphere, beautiful drinks, & delicious food! i think the portions could be a bit bigger given the price, but the taste is so incredible. attentive, friendly staff as well.
