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 stands out in Montreal as an elevated Korean spot with a cozy, intimate vibe and a small, thoughtfully curated menu that rewards attention to detail. The room feels private and homey, while the focus on precise sotbap rice dishes provides a foundation of texture and a crisp, nutty crust at the bottom, and the banchan is handmade to accompany each course. Dishes such as the seafood platter, beef tartare, gimbap, and dakgangjeon, along with a seasonal marinated seafood platter, are praised for freshness, balance, and presentation, with desserts that push Korean ingredients in creative directions. Desserts like perilla oil ice cream, gochujang brownie, and inventive sorbets receive enthusiastic notices. Service is described as friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable, though some reviews note occasional timing hiccups, reservation issues, or warmth and lighting that affect comfort. The small menu is a deliberate choice that signals confidence and quality, delivering consistently high flavors that feel traditional yet refined, more like a high end kitchen than a casual spot. Overall Giwa is described as a hidden gem in the city, offering a cohesive, memorable experience, elegant plating, and a sense that every dish is thoughtfully crafted for those seeking thoughtful, elevated Korean cuisine.
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 !
We will definitely come back.
Mar 19, 2026
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First off, I have to mention how cozy the place is. Very homey vibe; you're literally walking into an apartment, but it's setup like a resto. It does feel a bit small, but I enjoyed that aspect. Feels a bit more.. private, I suppose.
Next up, food & service. The food was absolutely amazing! We had ordered the seafood platter to share, along with the banchan sides & a few extra appetizers (yuhkwe(beef tartare) & dakgangjeong(fried chicken)). Every bite was incredible & fresh; by the end of the meal, I was soo stuffed, but I still wanted more, hahah.
Service itself was great! Servers were attentive, & explained the menu clearly. We barely had to ask any questions. Although, we did have a slight timing issue with the food.. but that was easily resolved. Everything made it to our table in the end, & satisfaction was achieved!
Thanks again for the food! We'll definitely be coming back. 🤤
A Korean gem to have in Montreal! If there's one thing to emphasize it's their showcasing Korean ingredients & flavours not found elsewhere: omija in a cocktail, mugwort in their tiramisu dessert, marinated egg yolks for the rice dishes, perilla oil ice cream! The menu is small & well thought out, every dish showcases strong elements of Korean favourites & has great variety. The sot-bap (rice dishes) are beautifully presented & come with tasty banchan. The gimbap is airy, crunchy & packed with flavour. The fried chicken is a MUST, the smoked Gouda foam sends it through the roof. & do ask what the chef's dessert is because he's always coming up with a creative combo of Korean ingredients. Sharing some pictures from their holiday special set menu, features regular menu items but in a smaller format for this special menu.
Small menu but everything was so tasty, well prepared, authentic flavours & beautifully presented. I was a bit apprehensive coming here after having read the bad reviews, I worried for nothing. From their appetizers to their creative desserts, every dish was so delicious. The fried chicken was the best I had in years, the sauce not drenched with cheap syrup, so perfect. The galbi jjim was flavourful, not oily, so tender, filling as it came with rice & banchan. The beef sotbap was so good too. Beef was tender, rice cooked perfectly, & the sauce seasoned just right. The noodle soups didn't disappoint either. Don't forget to be blown away by their desserts. Loved their chocolate brownie, the chef creation, & sorbet. If any thing to be improved I'd say is their service. Never been to a restaurant where we were not greeted upon entering nor leaving. Also it took awhile before the waitress brought us water & asked us if we had any questions. This is not Korean hospitality. But we will be back for it's the best Korean restaurant in town.
I had such a wonderful dining experience at Giwa! The food was absolutely amazing. The appetizers were delicious; especially the dakgangjeong. The cheese sauce on top perfectly complemented the sweet & spicy chicken, making it so addictive! The beef sot-bap was also incredible, the meat was full of flavor, & the side dishes paired perfectly with the meal.
& the dessert... wow! I loved how it wasn't overly sweet but still so satisfying & delicious. You can truly taste the time, care, & love the owners put into every dish.
Definitely a must-try! 🥰
Oct 22, 2025
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This restaurant is truly a gem, & unlike anything else in the city.
The raw marinated seafood was one of my favorites - so thoughtful & intentional, especially the raw marinated crab, which is usually hard to eat with the shell but here felt effortless. The other seafood dishes were just as memorable.
The korean fried chicken was beautifully elevated, & the cheese foam complemented it perfectly. I also loved the sotbap with mackerel, made with seasonal ingredients that kept it fresh & special each time.
Other standouts were the beef tartare, the refreshing & beautifully presented watermelon salad, & the gimbap, which felt elevated & refined.
A special mention goes to the desserts. I'm usually not a dessert person, but their korean-fusion creations completely won me over.
Ultimately, Giwa is worth a visit if you're in Montréal. It's elevated Korean food with intention behind every dish.
Wowowow! Small menu but each dish is special in its own way. The service was super helpful & nice helping to navigate the options. The dishes felt very authentic & cooked perfectly. Sat on the patio in the front which is removed a bit from the busy Wellington street. Will come back & try all the things we didn't & & DEFINITELY GET THE CHICKEN AP AGAIN. So so so good.
Tip: ask for extra spicy sauce if you like a little heat.
One of the most memorable Korean restaurants I've had as of late. If you're especially a fan of raw seafood, this is the spot for you. Honestly, just get everything on the menu. All the meals were excellent. Some notable ones were the shared seafood market platter (the crab, scallop & salmon were perfect), the mushroom sot-bap, the chicken gangjeong & the stuffed green pepper. The staff was super helpful in determining quantities & very friendly too. The restaurant is good for groups of all sizes but would recommend coming as 4+ to be able to try a bit of everything.
the fried chicken (dakgangjeon) was super good it surprised me!! beef tartare (yukhwe) & beef noodle (yukgaejang) were also rly good. the gimbap too but feels kinda small for the price
but we mainly came for the raw seafood platter (haemul jang) which was $90 at MP & none of us rly liked it. it was either too salty or slimey or just not to our taste
we reserved & service was rly good, they took the time to explain each dish & how to eat it
Jul 29, 2025
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In addition to Korean BBQ & Korean fried chicken, we can now enjoy authentic Korean food in Verdun. Giwa's menu is not large, but every dish is delicious. We went there twice & tried almost everything on the menu. Our favorites were the gimbap, beef gimbap, & chocolate brownie.
