FR
Montreal Restaurants
RestaurantsReviewsArticlesWhat's On

Logo RestoMontreal.ca

Restaurant

Kawalees

A cultural Arabic cabaret for contemporary performance art
Mile-End
4.6$$
CLOSEDOpens Wednesday at 8 am
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Kawalees Montreal Restaurant: Menu, Reviews & Reserve (2026)
LebaneseMiddle EasternBrunch
We are here to weave Arab speaking cultures and serve as a catalyst to create diverse art experiences for the Arabic communities and their friends in Montreal.

Amenities, services & more

Suggested Articles

5★
71%
4★
20%
3★
7%
2★
2%
1★
0%

The 10 Best Mile-End RestaurantsMore

Rumi

5198 Rue Hutchison
(1406)

Events NearbyMore

Reviews for Kawalees

Food
Service
on Google4.7 (200+)
*as of 2026-02-15
5★
71%
4★
20%
3★
7%
2★
2%
1★
0%

Reviews often mention

vibe(4) evenement(3) music(3) libanese(3)

Review Summary

Kawalees comes across as a true cultural spot in Montreal, with a warm atmosphere, vibrant events from music and theatre to stand-up, and real support for artists through solid amenities and smooth organization. Vibes are social and inviting, the crowd friendly, the food generally good, and service efficient enough to make visits feel easy and worth repeating, especially on busy nights. New Year’s Eve nights showed teams handling high demand with well arranged tables while a lineup including Arabic oud, an international singer, a belly dancer and a DJ kept the energy high. It is not a fine dining venue, but the lively entertainment and welcoming space add up to a memorable experience, and the place now serves hearty breakfasts. Some menu items miss the mark for a few reviewers, such as hibiscus tea tasting off and a Lebanese burger with a cold bun and non-Lebanese ketchup, though the cashier was super nice. Drinks can be pricey, but the live sound, fresh flavors, cute and roomy space and student-friendly budgets keep it appealing. The venue suits comedy nights, conferences and other social events, and the overall sentiment is that Kawalees is a hidden gem with lovely people, amazing shows and good food.
Page 1 of 1 - 19 Reviews
4.0

C'est très mignon & grand étonnamment ! Le personnel est hyper gentil !!

Seule hic : la bouffe est quand même chère pour ce que c'est. C'est vraiment pas adapté à un budget étudiant.

Autrement, super endroit pour organiser des soirées d'humour ou tout autre événement de type conférence/chill. :)

Feb 3, 2026
on Google

Kawalees est un vrai lieu culturel à Montréal. J'adore l'ambiance chaleureuse & l'énergie des événements qu'ils organisent : musique, théâtre, stand-up & plus encore. L'équipe rend les choses simples & accessibles pour les artistes, avec de vraies commodités & une organisation fluide. On sent un réel soutien à la scène artistique

Jan 2, 2026
on Google

I'm impressed by this spot & really sad I did not try it earlier. The vibes are great, the people are nice, the food is good, & the service was prefect enough to make me want to visit again.

I was there for the new year's eve, & was a bit skeptical about the spot. It all faded the moment the evening started: there was 3 persons handling the whole service & in my opinion they did really good job.
It's not the kind of fancy restaurant & don't expect anything perfect especially on such a busy night.
- This place has the cool & social vibe: the guys who took care of preparing & serving the food were beyond efficient & handled everything perfectly well.
- tables were well organized in a way not to bump with anyone while seated or moving around. Add to it, you don't need to turn around to watch the show.
- the show was great with some short comedy breaks between the different sections: arabic oud, mixed international singer, belly dancer, & a DJ.

It wasn't perfect but in the end it's how you feel after you leave this place & I was really impressed.

Jan 1, 2026
on Google
5.0

Absolute gem of a place with beautiful arabic music! It also now serves delicious & hearty breakfasts!

Nov 22, 2025
on Google

I must've ordered all the wrong things because i didn't really enjoy it that much. I had the hibiscus tea (cold) & it just tasted like 7UP, & I had the libanese burger which was not that libanese & the bun was cold & ketchup isn't very libanese.

Update: the cashier was super nice though

Jun 28, 2025
on Google
4.0

Good sound for live music but be prepared to pay over $10 for a bottle of beer.

Jun 27, 2025
on Google

Ça fait toujours bu bien d'aller à Kawalees. Such good entertainment & fresh tasty food.

May 24, 2025
on Google

Un bel endroit accueillant.

May 23, 2025
on Google

We weny there for the one man show which was great! The food took a White to arrive & they may take care of their bathroom!

Apr 20, 2025
on Google

Cuisine délicieuse & super endroit pour les événements sociaux. Wow.

Feb 22, 2025
on Google
5.0

I love this spot, I've only been for queer line dancing but the decor is great & the vibe is sweet

Jan 10, 2025
on Google
5.0

One of the hidden gems in Montreal! Lovely people, amazing shows, & good food.

Jan 1, 2025
on Google

Very nice & familial place Food is great

Dec 26, 2024
on Google
4.0

The food is good but very slow to be served; & the atmosphere with the stand up comedy was very nice.

Nov 7, 2024
on Google

C'est bien

Nov 7, 2024
on Google

Absolutely love this place! A safe space for local artists, musicians & community builders to feel seen & supported. Always brimming with beautiful energy. A big thanks to the owner & all the staff ❤️ Highly recommended!

Nov 5, 2024
on Google
5.0

I rented the cafe for a birthday party. The staff was so incredibly helpful & accommodating, I had such an amazing experience. 10/10, would highly recommend.

Nov 3, 2024
on Google
5.0

Incredible live shows!

Oct 6, 2024
on Google

Nice place, good vibe, you can enjoy live music & dance

Sep 23, 2024
on Google