Nili
Restaurant
Nili
Neighbourhood Moroccan/French eatery and hangout. Fresh cocktails and wine.
Opens Tomorrow at 5 pm
| Monday | Closed Today |
| Tuesday | 5 pm - 11 pm |
| Wednesday | 5 pm - 11 pm |
| Thursday | 5 pm - 11 pm |
| Friday | 5 pm - 11 pm |
| Saturday | 5 pm - 11 pm |
| Sunday | 5 pm - 11 pm |
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Info & Location
Neighbourhood Moroccan/French eatery and hangout. Fresh cocktails and wine. The unmistakable, colorful, bold, vintage vibe, as well as the community are our inspirations at Nili.
Amenities, services & more
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Reviews often mention
Display Allcouscous(31) cocktail(16) moroccan(15) recommend(12) dessert(11) vibe(10) bar(10) chicken(9) highly recommend(7)Page 1 of 1 - 26 Reviews
De
This place leans heavily on the strength of its concept-playful, stylish, & strategically nestled next to the iconic St-Viateur Bagel, it's definitely designed to catch attention. The atmosphere is cute & well-thought-out, & it offers a fun, Instagrammable experience. However, the emphasis on branding & ambiance feels stronger than the focus on food quality.
The menu is carb-heavy, especially among the starters, & presents a kind of Mediterranean belt fusion with a surprising nod to Malaysian satay. Dishes are visually appealing-couscous is served in a creative way, & the boulettes de merlan stand out in presentation. But while the plating is inventive, the flavors don't always live up to the look.
Desserts, too, are on the heavier side. We tried the msmen, which was overly oily. Described by the server as'baklava-like,' it was an interesting comparison-& perhaps a telling one, as it leaned more toward indulgent than refined.
Service was friendly & attentive, although at times a bit too much so, with staff hovering until we subtly asked them to ease the pace.
Overall, it's a cool spot with real potential. But to achieve longevity-& to truly earn the title of'restaurant' in the restorative sense-it needs to refocus on food quality & affordability. Right now, it feels more like an experience than a place you'd return to for the meal itself.View more
Micayla
This place blew us away! The staff were so warm & welcoming, the service was amazing & the food was absolutely incredible. The atmosphere is intimate & cozy & you just feel so comfortable in there. We ordered the hummus, focaccia with tapenade, mozzarella, tomato, pesto, the chicken satay & the star of the show was the Moroccan couscous with merguez sausage. I will think about this meal for a long time!View more
Saeed
It is very simple but delicious food.
The sandwich was very tender. The baguette is super well.
The couscous is also very different from other places.
The presentation of foods were very good.View more
Claudine
Très déçue du couscous…sans légumes…& trop peu de sauce verte, c'était sec & servi avec du pain !? Le cocktail bon mais trop de glaçons. Prix élevés pour ça ! Servie okView more
Katia
Un des meilleurs restaurant que j'ai pu faire à Montréal.
Boulette de Merlan, couscous, cocktails & tarte banane, tout était délicieux & très bon service.
Bravo à toute l'équipe!View more
Kathleen
In short, highly recommend : easy 4.5. FOOD Started with the artichoke dip. Safe to say that it was the best I had ever had. Chunky , flavourful & delicious. Could have eaten 3 of them. Mom ordered the Moroccan couscous, which had raisins, slivered almonds, walnuts & some other vegetables, with some humous on top. She found each bite to have a different flavour, but would have like there to be more vegetables. Presentation was beautiful. My partner ordered the fish balls & they were cooked to perfection. Soft & tender with a tomatoey sauce. I personally found it a little bland, but he loved it. I ordered the chicken pastillo & it was easily the winner of the night. Flaky, moist with rich flavours & the most delicious combination of ingredients. Perfect proportion size for me. Also incredible presentation. Swear I could eat that 4 times a week. Another highlight, was their slightly spicy & salty homemade sauce. It paired well with EVERYTHING : the artichoke tip, the couscous, the pastillo & the fishballs. I would love to see it available for purchase in jars. Order the MSEMEN for dessert & it was okay.The size was too big for one person, & I felt like it could have used some vanilla ice cream, of apple slices, or a coffee. SERVICE Cannot speak highly enough of the server : super attentive without being invasive. Friendly, authentic & prompt. Great personality that shined through her service & her style. Easily one of the best service experiences I have had in a long time (& I use to be a server). AMBIANCE Comfortable seating with clean tables & amble space. Interesting & engaging decor. I found the music a bit loud (we were right under the speaker & I am slightly hearing impaired). Overall I really enjoyed my first experience & will be returning hopefully soon - especially if they get coffee & star selling the special sauce in jars ;).View more
Christiane
First time at Nili- wow! A chic & chill ambiance with friendly staff providing impeccable service. Every dish was fresh, exquisite & delicious. The cocktail was to die for. I cannot wait to try the couscous next time. Merci!View more
Ryan
Very tasty meal, the Moroccan Couscous is definitely the winner although the spinach salad was tasty. Excellent service & cocktails, will definitely be visiting again!View more
Natalie
Trendy & Tasty spot in the mile-end. Food was delicious with a unique spin on Moroccan dishes. They have a cool indoor setting & also outdoor option. The service was helpful & friendly. The hummus & yogurt dish was 10/10 . The couscous was more filling than it appears .View more
Doan
Very cute & lowkey bistro in the Mile-End with incredible Moroccan inspired dishes. I & my sister had the Moroccan couscous & hummus. Everything we tried was amazingly delicious & absolutely flavourful. The staff were friendly & we liked the atmosphere when it wasn't crowded. Highly recommend the couscous & hummus!View more
Michael
Another excellent meal at Nili. The food was great particularly the couscous & the merlan balls. Service is outstanding & the owner Mikey is passionate about delighting his customers. Highly recommend this hidden gem.View more
Cameron
Really enjoyed our experience here! They offer many appetizers & great mains. I got the Couscous with Chicken & it was one of the best meals I have had in a long time. We also tried the Chicken Satay & the flavour was amazing with some of the most tender chicken I have ever had. Great date spot or place to go & share a bunch small plates with friends. Prices were very fair for the quality & amount of food.View more
Eduard
Really good food, the appetizers are insane. The hummus... my god it was good & same with the couscous as a main dish. The staff was friendly, pleasant & reactive. @Nili Thank you again for the lovely eveningView more
Zoe
Everything was completely perfect! What is there to say? This is some of the most delicious food I've ever eaten. Yes, the couscous! & I can't wait to go back & try everything else! Save room for dessert which is also perfect. The space is comfortable & has a cool vibe without a hint of pretension. The staff is really nice &, like, authentically nice. This has quickly risen to a top favorite restaurant. Thank you!View more
Tamara
Very cute bistro in the mile end! We had the Moroccan couscous & the Greek sandwich, & then shared the banana tart for dessert. Everything was absolutely delicious, amazingly flavourful & fresh! The staff were friendly & helpful, really nice atmosphere. Highly recommend & the couscous & banana tart are not to be missed!!View more
R
out of this werld . Unreal (had to change the o word because I think google sensors those reviews now - I realized my review was hidden so I suspect that's the reason ..) couscous hummus tower & herb infused oil dipping sauce. My friend loved the banana tart. Was the perfect place to go for a peaceful 1030pm snack . Staff were so cool & the owner was a warm person who made us feel appreciated as we were both sitting down & leaving. Happy my friend recommended it to me & that I finally got around to trying itView more
Serena
Been a few times now & can't say enough good things! I've tried a variety of the appetizers & mains-the couscous, hummus & baked pasta are just some of my faves. Such a cozy interior, the loveliest staff & really good quality food! A true neighbour gem. Can't ask for more. Oh & you MUST get the banana tart & panna cotta for dessert.View more
Gabi
Incredible service & atmosphere & the food was out of this world. My friend & I both agreed it was the best couscous we have ever eaten. 10/10 Can't wait to go back!View more
Farzaneh
We tried couscous & chicken B'stila. Both were fresh & nicely cooked. The portion of couscous looked a bit small but it was heavy & we couldn't finish it. The only thing i would say was that the place is a bit dark, not really my taste.View more
Dinah
Some food is delicious (fish Meatballs & couscous) other is kind of sad & disappointing (baked feta & merguez). All is heavy on the salt. Service is friendly & efficient. Nice vibe. Good but small cocktails.View more
Amelie
Small & quiet location with a soothing decor. The staff was friendly & welcoming. The food was perfect. Filled with flavor, perfect portion & temperature. The menu had just enough choices. I had the Boulettes de merlan & my friend had the couscous Marocain & both were amazing. To add a personal touch, a postcard/buisness card is given with the bill as a souvenir.View more
Gerard
3 of 4 dishes decent. Not sure about those rave reviews of the couscous. One of our party ordered & it was poor. Also someone at adjacent table ordered at left all of their couscous dish. Pricy & hip place.View more
Alexandra
So delicious! Loved everything we ate - especially the orange & olives, couscous, & the boulettes de merlan.
Vibes were great & service was friendly & helpful.
Great spot for date nights, week night dinners, & everything in between.View more
Camille
C’est devenu de loin ma meilleure adresse à Montréal. La cuisine y est délicieuse & savoureuse, notamment le couscous qui est juste à tomber par terre. Les cocktails sont aussi très bon, le thé à la menthe vaut le détour. L’ambiance & le service sont toujours parfaits. Le rapport qualité prix est incroyablement positif!View more
Kimberly
We found Nili through Resy & were happy to see it had reservations available. As vegetarians, we had excellent options from which to choose. I had the vegetarian couscous which was delicious - perfectly flavored. The presentation was excellent. We also tried the cocktails which were all delicious. Lovely waitstaff & a great outdoor seating area.View more