Welcome to GIWA, where authentic Korean flavors meet modern creativity. Enjoy shareable plates, local wines, and fresh, seasonal dishes in the heart of Verdun. Join us for a unique dining experience!
GIWA is widely praised for innovative Korean cooking in a focused, small menu that highlights sotbap rice dishes, carefully crafted banchan, and inventive desserts such as doenjang creme brulee and perilla oil ice cream. Flavors are described as authentic yet refined, with standout items including fried chicken, beef tartare, gimbap, seafood platters, and a balance of textures and seasonings that feels like elevated dining. Several reviews note a warm, intimate atmosphere and attentive service, though some mention occasional seating or heat issues and pricing questions. Overall, GIWA is seen as a rare, high quality Korean dining experience in Montreal, a place to return for thoughtful preparation and presentation, with desserts often singled out as memorable.
The dining experience was absolutely phenomenal! The food was incredibly delicious & packed with flavor. To top it off, the staff were amazing, friendly, & wonderfully attentive throughout our entire meal. Highly recommend
Only issue I had was, when reserving on the phone, they said a 18% service charge would be added for a group of 6+, which was fine by us.
After the supper, waitress said we should put a 20% tips for a group of 6+, which we found to be dishonest/confusing/misleading.
Service charge can be added as a mandatory fee for large groups & belongs to the owner, which is taxable, & owner chooses to distribute it back to waiters as they see fit.
Whereas tips are made directly to the waiter, often at 15%, & also often not required when service charge is included in the bill.
Anyway, we still gave 5 stars for the food, & we still gave a 18% tips, as we have initially agreed upon.
Excellent Korean restaurant. The food is authentic & delicious. The esthetics are appealing & the taste is amazing. For Korean food, it is on the pricier side; however, it is well worth it. The waitress is knowlegeable & explains every dish. I truly recommend the yukhwe (beef tartare) & the haemul jang (raw seafood platter). The sotbap was excellent too. The rice & beef come with many side dishes.
I have no pictures of the food & the vibe of the place, but trust when I tell you this restaurant is a must! 💯
The service was good, the food tasted authentic & delicious, & the portions were perfect for us! Don't go there expecting oversized North American portions. But you'll definitely leave feeling full & satisfied.
We had 2 appetizers (seaweed rolls & fried chicken), & we had the braised short ribs for our main. It came with rice, radish, & kimchi on the side.
FYI, the kimchi was fire! Loved it 😋
We were way too full to order a dessert, but we'll be back!
We went to Giwa for a birthday & what a beautiful suprise it was.
The fried chicken was excellent & the smoked Gouda foam was definitely one of those things that makes you go WOW.
But the definite great surprise for me was the Doenjang creme brûlée which was a complete surprise & a very unique flavor profile that I haven't really seen anywhere else. A must try !
Première visite & j'ai vraiment aimé l'expérience. Ce fut mon introduction à la nourriture coréenne & j'ai été rapidement conquise. Nous avons débuté par le tartare de boeuf en entrée, suivi du SOT-BAQ au poisson & des nouilles au boeuf. J'anticipais un peu que ce soit trop piquant pour moi, qui trouve la sriracha presque too much, mais finalement le niveau de piquant était très tolérable.
Pour terminer, nous avons pris le Hodomaru, un délicieux dessert chocolaté présenté avec beaucoup d'élégance & énormément de saveur. Le tout accompagné d'une tisane à l'orge très réconfortante.
Le service était sympathique & convivial. On pouvait vraiment sentir que le serveur était fier de présenter les plats de son pays d'origine, avec toutes leurs saveurs & leur complexité.
Le seul point à améliorer serait, selon moi, la carte des vins, qui ne comporte que deux ou trois choix au verre, pas très intéressants. Autrement, tout était parfait ! Merci!
