Experience memorable evenings at Balam with the mesmerizing sounds of our DJs, while savoring exquisite dishes and refreshing cocktails. Get ready for a unique sensory experience!
Our Specialties
Guacamole, Tacos & Ceviche
Amenities, services & more
We accept: Master Card, Visa, AMEX, Interac, Mobile Payment, Contactless Payment
Every Friday & Saturday, come and experience memorable evenings at Balam with the captivating sounds of our DJs, while savoring exquisite dishes and refreshing cocktails. Prepare yourself for a unique sensory experience!
Balam offers an elevated Mexican dining experience with a warm, inviting vibe and a chic, Tulum inspired setting that many guests describe as beautiful and immersive. The menu features fresh, flavorful dishes such as ribeye tacos, ceviches, duck and seafood, with cocktails regarded as artful and delicious. Service is frequently described as attentive, friendly, and professional, helping guests feel welcome and well taken care of. The atmosphere, music, and decor create a festive night out, and the overall experience is widely described as memorable and worth returning for. Some notes mention price and portions or pacing, but the consensus emphasizes high quality ingredients, striking presentation, and a vibrant, high end vibe that makes Balam stand out.
This will be a long review, but I hope it's taken as constructive feedback. It's not just about the food, service plays a major role in the overall experience.
I want to start by saying the food was good. I would have considered coming back for it. However, because of the overall experience, I won't.
We chose this restaurant for a birthday celebration. The décor is beautiful, cozy, clean, & exactly the upscale Mexican vibe we were looking for.
We had reserved for 15 people but ended up being 16, our mistake, & an additional table had to be added. This was done before any orders were taken, & no one changed seats during service.
Throughout the evening, there were several service issues beyond timing & billing. Drinks were accidentally spilled on members of our table, & at one point a drink was knocked over by management. They did replace them, which we appreciated, but it contributed to the overall disorganization of the night.
Meals did not arrive together. Some sides were served long before the mains. Mocktails were delayed. Billing was extremely disorganized, & it took nearly an hour to correct multiple incorrect receipts.
After all of this, as we were finally preparing to leave, the manager approached our table & loudly stated that a Gigot d'agneau had not been paid for.
He referenced us having'changed seats,' implying that this caused the billing confusion. As mentioned earlier, the additional table had been added before any orders were taken, & no one moved during service.
At that point, after the cumulative issues of the evening, his accusatory tone was the final straw for me. I reacted strongly & raised my voice. I could have remained calmer, but being spoken to in a way that questioned our honesty after everything that had happened made the situation escalate.
It's important to mention that the manager was also yelling during this exchange.
Following the argument, I offered to pay for the'missing' dish to resolve the situation immediately. The manager declined & said it was not necessary.
Mistakes happen, especially with large groups. We were patient for most of the evening. However, professionalism & communication matter just as much as food quality. The situation could have been handled calmly & discreetly instead of escalating publicly.
If accommodating large groups is difficult, that is understandable, but it may be better not to accept them.
I hope this feedback helps improve future guest experiences.
Had a blast! Went with my girlfriends for valentine's day & we had the best time. The restaurant itself is beautiful, easily instagrammable, & it's perfectly located right outside the mall so it has it's own space/vibe. I have to give much respect to Abdullah who gave us incredible service, our experience was elevated thanks to him. The specialty cocktails were REALLY good too. I can't say much about their regular menu since they had a special set menu for valentine's day. The appetizers were so good too, I preferred the street corn (NOT on the cob) & bone marrow tartare. & THEY HAD FRESH CHURROS FOR DESSERT!!! Balam team, excellent job.
Feb 17, 2026
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I've had nothing but great experiences here. The food is authentic & full of flavor, the atmosphere is warm & welcoming, & the service has always been attentive & professional. It's a beautiful Mexican restaurant with a great vibe definitely worth visiting.
Located next to one of Montreal's best malls, Balam offers amazing cocktails & delicious food. I visited on a Saturday night & it was completely packed. Great DJ, & beautiful Tulum-inspired decor that really sets the vibe. Thanks Stacy for the great service!
Great authentic & full of flavours. My new go to spot when I'm at Royalmount. Super fresh & service was simple friendly & fast. No frills just a great meal in a beautiful place.
'I'm a Mexican living in Montréal, & knowing the authentic flavors of Mexican food, I'm amazed at how close the taste is here. The mole with duck leg is delightful, & the dining area has a beautiful view. I highly recommend this place!'
Dec 7, 2025
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Absolutely loved this place! The service was warm & friendly, & every dish was full of flavor & beautifully prepared. You can really feel the passion in the kitchen. I'll definitely be coming back & highly recommend it to anyone looking for a great dining expérience, Valentin is a very good manager & highly professional
This beautiful & amazing place is truly charming!!! My friends & I were warmly welcomed by a wonderful & attentive team☺?☺?☺?. Nadir & Nizar made our lunchtime a truly memorable experience. They welcomed us & made feel us right at home.
The food was delicious, with a wide variety & an excellent selection of drinks!!! & the setting itself is absolutely stunning
This is definitely a place worth visiting!!! I would not hesitate to return....& I will be sure to recommend it to others.
It is an unforgettable moment!!!
Balam was an outstanding experience from start to finish! The restaurant was recommended to us by Derrick at RH the rooftop next door, & it couldn't have been a better choice.
As soon as we stepped in, Nizar welcomed us warmly with a big smile that immediately set the tone for the evening. Then Nadir took the experience to another level with a beautiful performance using their essential oils before walking us to our table; such a unique & memorable touch that made us feel truly special.
The food & drinks were absolutely delicious, perfectly prepared & beautifully presented. On top of that, the service was flawless; attentive, friendly, & genuinely 5-star.
This place is a gem, & the team here really knows how to create a remarkable dining experience. Highly recommend!
Oct 2, 2025
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Sadly, the service was here was just terrible.
We waited for so long we decided to leave after our appetizers. We had the queso fundido with chorizo which was good & the Balam ceviche which was also good but missing lime juice in my opinion. I was looking forward to trying the fish tacos but the server never came e back to take our order. We asked for the check which never came either so we had to go inside to pay.
The restaurant itself is beautiful & the food is ok but we won't be coming back.
Beautiful restaurant & amazing vibe/atmosphere BUT the service needs to be improved. I was excited to come here but we waited a very long time for the food even the DRINKS!? we order drinkks & it took 45mins to get them & the food? Im here still waiting for it at 941PM! FIX this! Even other customers are complaining & haven't even gotten their food! Disappointing. If you're coming here just avoid it & that's not a joke
Absolutely amazing experience from start to finish! The atmosphere was warm & welcoming, the service was top-notch, & the food-wow. Every dish was packed with flavor & beautifully presented.
First of all the vibe & the aesthetic of the restaurant is incredible, everything is beautiful & the food is fresh & flavourful! & then the staff is very nice & accommodating, 100% recommend!
Jun 22, 2025
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Dinner out with girlfriends.
Restaurant atmosphere nice vibe. Very loud music.
Food was beautifully presented & tasty.
Drinks equally delicious.
Guacamole & chips good, tacos ordered by friends looked great, Halloumi cauliflower dish good as well.
We did not have reservations so we were told from the outset that we would have to vacate our table after 1.5h. Fair.
At the point where we were to vacate our table, we had just finished eating, & were still enjoying each others company, so we moved to the outdoor terrace which was completely vacant ( as it had rained 1 hour earlier). We sat there for 2 hours. NOT ONCE, did a server come to offer the dessert menu, ask if we wanted more drinks from the bar, or at the very least fill our water glasses.
When it was time to collect for the bills, the restaurant (? Host) came to apologize that we had been neglected as they had other issues to solve…… at which point he offered us some water……. So very disappointing. They had a large party that evening & we felt neglected. Unfortunately a turn off & unlikely to return.
Disappointed Despite the Beautiful Setting - A Birthday Letdown at Balam Restaurant
I visited Balam Restaurant on June 5th to celebrate my birthday, & while the setting & food showed great promise, the overall experience was deeply disappointing due to the poor service.
We had a 7:30 PM reservation & were seated inside the restaurant, which was notably empty - we were the only guests indoors, while the terrace had a few occupied tables. Despite this, the service was shockingly slow. We waited an average of 20 minutes per drink, which made the evening drag far longer than we intended. In total, we ended up staying until 10:30 PM, not because we were enjoying ourselves, but because we were constantly waiting on basic service.
We asked for coffee four separate times, & although the waiter assured us he would make it himself, it never arrived. Instead, we received the bill - & even worse, the'complimentary' birthday dessert they offered was charged to us without explanation.
While the food was very good & the ambience is undeniably beautiful, these positives were completely overshadowed by the unprofessional & inattentive service. To top it off, we noticed food flies buzzing around the corner near the DJ booth, which raises questions about hygiene.
Unfortunately, this experience has made it clear that I will not be returning to Balam. If the restaurant wants to live up to its potential, serious improvements in service & attention to detail are urgently needed.
Really cool place, very good hi-end Mexican food, elevated & very tasty! Beautiful restaurant decor & very friendly staff! Fast service even when busy.
Ceviche dishes were incredible.
Food was incredible! I highly recommend the Rib eye tacos & the Pato ( 12 hour braised duck… delicious) The Decor is a beautiful vibe, & the drinks were very tasty.
Nadir is exceptional & Maddie is very talented. Thank you for a wonderful night
