MAKAō transcends being just a restaurant, offering an unforgettable experience that ignites curiosity, tantalizes the palate, and transports you to a realm where the East seamlessly unites with the West in exquisite harmony.
Relish the deep, rich traditions of Asian cuisine—the flavors and techniques developed over centuries—and let them also introduce you to the bold innovations that characterize modern Western cooking.
Nestled in the heart of Montreal’s Chinatown, MAKAŌ is the ultimate destination for those seeking an authentic and immersive cultural experience.
Overall, MAKA? earns consistently positive notes for a chic, cozy, contemporary vibe and attentive service, with a lively dining room and well curated music that suits both date nights and groups. The menu delivers bold Asian fusion flavors with standout dishes like truffle udon with grilled shrimp, bang bang shrimp, surf and turf, sashimi and dumplings, and a popular teriyaki salmon, complemented by creative cocktails and desserts, though a few items are described as underseasoned or too salty and some cocktails as not as strong as hoped. Portions vary, with some mains described as generous and others felt small for the price, and some guests noted a gap between online promos and in restaurant offerings. The service is repeatedly highlighted as friendly, patient, and professional, with staff going above and beyond, although a few visits mention slower pacing or occasional miscommunications. In sum, MAKA? is a stylish spot in Montreal that shines with flavorful fusion dishes and excellent service, making it a strong pick for those seeking a vibrant ambiance and a memorable night out, even as expectations on value and flavor depth differ.
Beautiful restaurants, very nice aesthetics. Portions for rice dishes are tiny for their price point but served in ginormous bowls. Staff are inattentive.
This wasn't an incredible experience. I will say that the decor & ambiance were pretty & enjoyable. Also, the service wasn't bad (but not necessarily great either). Only the food was much disappointing. Me & my friend ordered the fried rice shrimp, which wasn't tasty, kinda bland & the shrimp still had its shell, which made it difficult to eat. Another friend ordered the Udon noodles which was the best meal on our table, but still just regular udon. Someone also ordered a steak, which tasted regular & not too good too. My last friend got the Shanghai fried rice (I believe), & she didn't really like it as well. My take on this is to come if you don't really care how good your food tastes, & just want a pretty restaurant.
The hype was very high but the experience was far from the expectations. The plates are all tapas style, so be ready to order 2-3 dishes per person. The atmosphere was great, loved the decor & the colours. The service was acceptable but not exceptional. We started off with 5 starters, they were all on the cold/warm side. The spring rolls were overcooked, the general Makao chicken, which supposed to be their signature plate was leaning towards the cold side. The taste wasn't anything spectacular, just tasted like a General Tao. The rice & noodles came after, these plates were hot. Unfortunately, they both tasted very similar as they both were very salty (drink lots of water if you order) - it's unfortunate because I feel like they have something nice to show, but after eating there, I felt like I only got half the experience
The fusion food was great! The highlight for me was the roasted beet salad which had a great mix of flavours, I appreciated the fig & jelly along with the toppings. The fried rice & the general makao chicken were quite flavourful. The fried calamari themselves were good however I'm not sure I liked the tzatziki dip they were served with, I would have preferred something along the lines of a sriracha mayo. Service was attentive, drinks came up quickly, water was refilled promptly. There was a slight mixup with 2 food orders, but that can be forgiven by how it was handled & resolved. The right orders were put in quickly & we even got to keep an order of the extra rice. The atmosphere is nice, the restaurant is on the smaller side so it feels more intimate. The music is great.
Food: best way to describe it is like airport/convention center food. Description sounds good but the execution is poor. Fried rice was awful - tasted like frozen veggies, the wrong kind of rice, bad spice/sauces, & we didn't know the chicken would be fried. The bang bang fries were pretty good flavor, chicken was a little overcooked, but edible. Beet salad was fine but nothing special. Overall we felt it was very overpriced for what we got. We were tucked into a corner & had to ask for water refills three times (leave the pitcher, give us bigger cups, or make sure to include the hidden table in the water rounds.) Service was pretty non existent. Very beautiful decor but sadly...would skip this one!
Oct 19, 2024
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I was a bit disappointed by the Roasted Beet salad. It's described as Roast yellow & red beets, Cherry tomatoes, Parmesan Reggiano, Figs, Red onions, Apple cider vinaigrette. However, there were no figs in the salad! :( The Vegan wild mushroom dumplings were good (carrots, green beans, shiitake). The dipping sauce is savoury, slightly spicy & tangy. Good enough to eat with rice. :P The restaurant is a bit small but with a beautiful setting.
