HENI specializes in the vibrant culinary traditions of the Middle East, emphasizing charcoal-grilled meats and authentic Lebanese flavors. Skilled preparation centers on seasoned skewers, freshly prepared hummus, and an array of traditional mezze that highlight robust spice blends and high-quality ingredients. The kitchen maintains a focus on consistent execution, delivering plates that prioritize the smoky profiles inherent in open-flame cooking. Patrons experience a direct reflection of regional staples through meticulously assembled platters and hand-stretched breads. This establishment balances structural simplicity with an unwavering commitment to traditional Levantine preparation techniques. Each menu selection serves as a testament to classic flavor profiles, ensuring that the essence of the grill remains the focal point for every visitor seeking an authentic experience within this specialized culinary landscape.
Heni is widely regarded as a standout culinary destination in Montreal, celebrated for its innovative and flavorful Middle Eastern fusion cuisine, particularly the highly recommended tasting menus. Diners frequently praise the artistic presentation, fresh ingredients, and the extensive selection of unique, high-quality wines. While the atmosphere is generally described as cozy, hip, and welcoming, with many guests highlighting the exceptional and knowledgeable service provided by the staff, some visitors noted challenges regarding noise levels, portion sizes relative to price, and occasional wait times. Despite a few mixed experiences regarding specific dishes or beverage options, the majority of patrons report a memorable dining experience and express a strong desire to return.
Had such a pleasant experience. This place just opened & everything flowed effortlessly. The staff & service were great, & the food was amazing. You can then go down to the speakeasy Badin to grab a drink to wrap up the evening. There is a great selection of unique drinks. Highly recommend this gem!!
We started our night upstairs at Heni. Offered the tasting menu & we were blown away, not only by the food but the service. Every employee was incredible in explaining the dishes, in taking attention to us & as a picky eater, I had every thing & loved it. The desserts (the crepe especially) were incredible We then went down to the little speakeasy & had an incredible service there too. The whole experience was honestly a 10/10. The music is the perfect level, not too loud to hurt your eardrums but loud enough to groove. 100% recommend:)
The experience at Heni was beyond my expectations. The food was next level, the ambiance was so cozy & perfect for a date night. Amber & Noah are truly so great & add so much to the experience! Definitely would recommend it to anyone!!
We wouldn't have been so surprised by the food if we'd known that the chef had previously worked at Pastel. While we like middle eastern food, we don't usually associate it with originality & refinement. Here, classic Lebanese dishes are deconstructed & reinvented. The fish "tagine" had only a few tablespoons of delicious couscous next to a filet which had been cooked perfectly sous vide. We enjoyed the exceptional raw beef kibbeh with their excellent flatbread, warm from the oven. The Lebanese white wine was served at the right temperature & made a satisfying accompaniment. The interior is finished in comforting warm tones. Service was genuinely friendly. & finally, we were surprised how little we spent for the quality of the food.
What an amazing culinary journey we had at this Lebanese-inspired gem! The menu is creative, flavorful & so much fun! The service was excellent , the music was on point & the amazing wine selection elevates the overall experience. It is a dining destination not to be missed. PS: ask for their music room, you won't be disappointed ;)
Incredible experience. Food, service, & atmosphere were top notch. Thank you Noah, Ava, Hamel & crew for everything. Wine selection is very good & recommend ordering family style. Incredible attention to detail & fixation on experience.
I walked into HENI, wanting to break my fast during Ramadan & craving something comforting that my mother would've made (reading "fatteh du moment" on the menu was what made me confirm my reservation). We were immediately greeted by one of the owners Rami, who made the experience at the restaurant feel as though we were dining at a friends home. The service was warm, & as he explained the concept behind the menu it was very obvious that this was a curated labour of love for him & the team behind HENI. The menu takes you on an explorative journey to the SWANA region: bringing culinary traditions from my own home growing up, like mouneh (a historical practice in our mothers & grandmothers kitchens: a seasons bounty in a jar, preserved or dried foods)-to life in Montreal. On the menu you will catch glimpses all the way from Iran (the khoresh-e-fesenjan) to Morocco & Tunisia (the tajine al samak). As a Syrian I chose to err on the side of familiarity for my first time there, & we ordered the seyadeye, the shish taouk & the shish barak, dishes I've eaten my whole life. What we got was honestly so impressive: these dishes were recreated perfectly using local québécois produce in a way that can only be described as symbiotic. If you're arab & reading this; I know we are an extremely skeptical community when it comes to anyone trying to reshape our dishes (& we have a right to be-what the hell is the chocolate hummus stuff in grocery stores anyway?)-BUT: this dining experience is a must. I felt it perfectly described my history & melded it with my experience as a person living in Quebec. The shish taouk made with celeriac was such a surprise, spiced exactly right, with fresh take on our typical side salads using black garlic & pear for an extra oomf. The shish barak tasted like my mums & that's saying something-with the addition of black trumpet mushrooms that added a next level creaminess & textural contrast to what we're normally used to. The seyadiye rice was cooked the traditional way, but with scallops instead of the usual fish, my only complaint here was that I could've eaten 5x the serving cause it was delicious. So: order 5-6 dishes (we also did the mouneh & the canard) but you can easily do more if you're a large group. Chat with your servers about the customs that gave birth to the menu. But overall come here to dine & experience something that pays an homage to both your old roots, & the new ones you're trying to set here. :)
Overall good experience dining at HENI. The restaurant is beautifully decorated & the service was nice & attentive, albeit it was a quiet night. The food was very tasty but I wouldn't describe it as exceptional. Do note that they charge extra for their pita with the appetizers without any mention of it anywhere (in describing the appetizers, the waiter said it is served with their homemade bread). After looking at our bills, we asked our waiter where it was mentioned on the menu since he didn't specify it & he replied "it's not written anywhere". I do believe it should be, for transparency.
