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.
Our waiter Nathaniel was excellent & very helpful. Food was excellent as one would expect based on the price. Serving size was appropriate. Would definitely recommend.
I had an excellent experience at this restaurant! The service was outstanding, especially from Hajer, who was incredibly welcoming, professional, & attentive throughout my visit. She made sure everything was perfect & added a personal, friendly touch that made the meal even more enjoyable. Thank you, Hajer, for your wonderful hospitality - you truly made the experience memorable!
Oct 4, 2025
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Our waiter Nathaniel was the best! My wife & I never had Lebanese food so we let him pick out dishes & he didn't disappoint. Food was excellent, must try! The vibe is awesome too!
The food was decent buy the service was pretty average. The server didnt even advise if you need to take bread or anything. Bread was on the house but they barely gave 2 pieces of pita. Overall pricey.
I have to be honest here & I'm so pleasantly surprised that I found such a delicious breakfast place & not only in Montreal but in old Port of Montreal where there are so many tourist traps! @hayat.montreal I can confidently say is definitely not one of them.
This is the type of breakfast that I personally love filled with bold flavors fresh ingredients & more importantly that Middle Eastern flare I've grew up to love. Both times I was there it was nice enough to sit outside but even their indoor Decor is absolutely beautiful. They really pay an extreme attention to detail but be careful the bees there's a lot of sweet stuff & what they make so there are definitely attracted to it LOL.
The star of the show for me had to be the Chicken Fattet! A dish that I have had before but never as good filled with chickpeas rice tahini yogurt crispy Pita that was once upon on the top but I removed it to put it on the side to really show you the depth & levels of layers along with Walnut crumble & pine nuts. If this is your first time there would definitely recommend getting this dish!
Next we have the Soujouk, which is spiced Armenian sausage & a tomato sauce with some fingerling potatoes garlic aioli & parsley a dish that's a little bit spicy so if you're not used to it that would maybe steer away but if you're ready & up for the challenge this is an absolute Banger as well really flavorful eating with the pita or on its own a standout dish.
I'm happy to say this place has been now two times just isn't as consistent & I can't wait to go back for a third if I'm ever in the area again. Going to be my new breakfast Middle Eastern spot for sure!
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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The food was just average, the service was disappointing, & the price was expensive compared to the quality. Honestly, I don't think it's worth visiting again.
One of my favorite restaurants! The food is delicious (love their humus shawarma, sishtaouk & fatouch) & the staff is amazing!! They also have great Lebanese wine selection. Shoutout to Nathaniel for the outstanding service & everyone on the team. If I had on constructive criticism, I wish they played some Middle Eastern music with Afro house. Everything else is on theme. I will be back!! 💞
It was my first time at Hayat Resturant, I enjoyed the food & the taste combinations between the western & midwestern cuisine. I recommend & I'd like to try more dishes in the future.
Tout était parfait. Le service est top, la nourriture est délicieuse, je pense un des meilleurs libanais que j'ai pu manger.
La purée d'aubergines au boeuf était excellente. Merci encore !
