Restaurant GIWA serves a curated selection of authentic Korean dishes that bridge traditional preparation with a modern, contemporary aesthetic. Diners encounter plates centered on balanced flavor profiles, featuring essential staples like seasoned banchan, flame-grilled meats, and hearty fermented stews. The kitchen prioritizes precise heat application and high-quality ingredients to maintain the integrity of classic recipes within a streamlined, polished environment. Every composition on the menu reflects a commitment to cultural authenticity while presenting the food through a cleaner, more minimalist lens. The space focuses on efficiency and clarity, allowing the vibrant colors and bold textures of the primary proteins and pickled vegetables to define the sensory experience. This approach provides a focused exploration of Korean culinary fundamentals for those seeking consistent quality and standard-setting techniques in their meal.
Restaurant GIWA is widely regarded as an exceptional dining destination in Montreal, celebrated for its thoughtful, authentic approach to Korean cuisine that transcends typical expectations. Guests consistently praise the high quality of the food, noting that the seasonal menu is both creative and meticulously prepared, with standout dishes like the sotbap, Korean fried chicken, and unique fusion desserts receiving frequent acclaim. While the menu is intentionally concise, this focus on quality and technique is highly valued, and the presentation of each meal is frequently described as beautiful and elegant. The staff is consistently highlighted for being friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable, often taking the time to explain the ingredients and traditional methods to diners. Although the restaurant is occasionally noted for being on the pricier side or having a small, intimate layout, the overwhelming majority of visitors find the experience to be well worth the cost, recommending it as a must-try gem for anyone seeking a sophisticated and memorable meal.
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
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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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.
Fantastic experience!
We had an amazing time at this new Korean restaurant! Even though it's only been open for a month, everything felt smooth & welcoming. The service was exceptional-Shaun took great care of us, explaining each dish in detail & even guiding us on the best way to enjoy them. It made the experience feel personal & authentic. The food was fresh, flavorful, & beautifully presented. You can tell a lot of care goes into both the cooking & the customer experience. We'll definitely be coming back-& bringing friends!
The only downside was that it was a little hard to have a conversation because of the noise.
I never expected to find such a beautifully prepared Korean meal in Canada.
The stone pot rice was perfectly cooked, down to the last crispy layer at the bottom 🍚
The deep-fried stuffed peppers were crispy with a spicy kick that filled every bite with flavor 🌶?✨
& the yukhoe (Korean-style beef tartare) was incredibly fresh, tender, & nutty-truly irresistible 🥩🥢
Highly recommend this spot to anyone missing the comforting taste of home-cooked Korean food ❤?
We had a 7:30 PM reservation for two & arrived on time, expecting to be seated shortly. There were two empty four-top tables, so we assumed one might be for us. Instead, we were told there were no tables available & asked if we wanted to sit at the bar-which we declined, since we had made a reservation specifically for a table.
We were told to wait'just a second,' but several minutes passed with no update. Then, a group of four who arrived after us was seated immediately, while we were still left standing awkwardly near the entrance. One of the empty tables remained untouched for at least 10 minutes before we were finally seated there. The staff apologized multiple times, but the whole situation felt disorganized & frustrating-especially since the point of a reservation is to avoid this kind of confusion.
We were given tea, which we assumed was a nice gesture to make up for the wait, but no one came by to refill it or offer water, & we were left quite thirsty by the end of the meal.
As for the food:
- The yukhwe was fresh & tasty, though the portion was smaller than expected given the price.
- The sogogi sotbap looked great but lacked the buttery, rich flavor we were hoping for.
- The side dishes were unique & interesting-definitely a highlight.
- The crème brûlée for dessert was the star of the meal. We'd honestly return just to try more desserts.
We were there from 7:30 to about 9:30 & ordered one appetizer, two mains, & a dessert.
Overall, 3/5. The food has promise & the staff were kind, but the seating experience really soured the evening. Hopefully, as the restaurant settles in, they'll improve table management & service flow to match the level of care they clearly put into their food.
This cute little restaurant has very Instagramy food: the dishes are placed in a very esthetic way, nice presentation. However I find the appetizers portion are too small for the price they charge. For example the scallop salad is 22$ for a very small amount...
The wait for the sotbap took forever. The Bol of rice came lukewarm & lacking flavor. The small dishes of banchan are ok. Out of the 3 kinds, we like the vegetarian the best. Rosemary gives a unique flavor to the rice. The fish & beef were kind of underwhelming/bland.
The star of tonight Show is the dessert!!!
We order perilla oil ice cream, it was perfect! It has a roasted nutty flavor. Who knew this can taste so good.
Also the brownie with dark chocolate mousse with maple ice cream was decadent!! (Although we didn't taste the gochuchang in the chocolate, but who cares?)
So conclusion: we would come back for the desserts.
