If you’re fortunate enough to have experienced a meal in the Middle East, you know all about their warmth, ambiance and extravagance. Whether it’s on a terrace accompanied by an afternoon tea, or sipping Arak in the evening, the “joie de vivre” can’t be missed.
Having successfully recreated the magic, our chef Joe Awad and his team have put together a menu featuring traditional flavours reimagined with a modern flare.
Our friendly and attentive staff will make you feel as though you’ve walked through the fabric of time to the other side of the world. Prepare your tastebuds, they’re in for an amazing experience!
SHAY delivers a warm, stylish Lebanese dining experience with a lively yet welcoming vibe and consistently attentive service. The menu shines with vibrant, well presented dishes and an array of mezze, lamb, kebabs, and brunch classics like shawarma eggs Benedict and baklava pancakes, all made with fresh ingredients. The brunch and dinner experiences are repeatedly praised for generous portions, bold flavors, and creative twists that honor tradition while feeling modern. The atmosphere, on both the dining floor and the terrace, is frequently described as beautiful and energetic, with knowledgeable staff guiding guests through thoughtful recommendations. Overall, SHAY stands out for reliable quality, standout dishes, and a memorable, friendly guest experience that makes it a go-to for meals with friends or celebrations.
I loved it here! The location, ambiance, the beautiful terrace the service, the cocktails were so different, mature & flavourful with tastes of the middle east. Food was delicious. It was all the familiar flavours of middle eastern food but upgraded.
Fantastic & classy restaurant!! The menu items were quite diverse & creative. We found out there is an eclectic mix of Lebanese, Armenian, & Italian here but you could sense the sophisticated modern twist as well. Portions were large for a fancy restaurant. Lovely cocktails as well. Restaurant is perfectly situated for a meal before going to the Belle Center or just enjoying a nice part of downtown. We were visiting from Portland, Oregon
My friends & I reserved a late brunch this past Saturday & were greeted with a warm smile & welcome by Talia. She told me on arrival that she had noted my request to be seated away from the front door, & not close to any serving areas, & said that she had taken the liberty of reserving a lovely booth for us & pointed it out. We were ecstatic as the place was jumping & people were pouring in, & we were a few minutes early. Talia suggested we have a seat at the bar if we'd like a cocktail in the mean time, & we did so. Once at the bar we were told we would get an even better table, a boott at the front window which was just perfect! We even had a little heater blasting hot air as it was frigid still out. Later the manager, Olivier came over to check on us to see if we were happy with everything, the service, the table, the meals? Everything was just spot on! The meal (benedict with lamb & hollandaise) was superb, our drinks were frothy & strong & our dessert of Baklava Pancakes was to die for, ambience just warm without music blaring either, & they happened to play a favorite piece of music of mine :) I normally don't write reviews but everybody was so welcoming & the food well worth it that I couldn't resist. If you're an out of towner, this is just a treat to have such delicious & beautiful food served in your Montreal assiette! Enjoy. You must go, & reserve ahead!
Bons cocktails, service très professionnel quoiqu'un peu rushé car la table nous est allouée pour un maximum de 2 heures. Par contre on nous a offert une belle alternative pour continuer de profiter de notre soirée au bar. Les plats étaient très goûteux. Merci à Velentine, Mauricio & Alizée pour leur acceuil chaleureux & leur courtoisie.
Jan 15, 2023
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Nous avons partagé 5 plats (amplement suffisant!) & tout était savoureux! Très bon service courtois & professionnel. L'ambiance était bonne & on s'entendait parler (chose rare!).
Bon cocktail mais un peu léger (en alcool) pour le prix. La carte des vins (rouges) n'est pas tres originale & les options sous 80$ plutôt limitées.
J'y retournerai certainement!
The best restaurant in the city! Food is always spectacular, the service is amazing & the cocktails are delicious. I can't recommend this place enough!
Excellente ambiance, nourriture délicieuse & très grand choix de cocktails. Les lieux sont très beaux & le personnel courtois! C'était notre première fois, & certainement pas notre dernière visite!
Oct 22, 2022
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Magnifique! Nourriture super savoureuse, cocktail incroyable (le drunken sultan) & service impeccable. J'y retourne! Peut-être tamiser un peu les lumières, même si la déco est top!
Tout était parfait (service, ambiance, décor, cocktail, nourriture) & en tout respect de mes demandes spéciales pour le 21e anniversaire de notre fille ! Un peu dispendieux, mais ça vaut l'expérience...
What a spectacular dining experience we had! Such a great menu & very welcoming staff. We went for brunch with 2 young kids & everything on the menu was so tempting..made it hard to decide. The pancakes are out of this world & an absolute must! Cocktails are delish...& they have bottomless mimosas!!! (Something I'll indulge in when I'm not with the little ones lol). Highly recommend & look forward to going back soon.
Everything was delicious & the space is beautiful. The lamb chops & hummus with mushrooms are highly recommended. The cocktail list is very creative. The only downside was that the food arrived so fast & the servers checked in so frequently that it felt very rushed. Less than halfway through our seating window we were surprised to be finished. But it was a delicious meal.
We had a reservation for 8 people for the brunch. The food was ok but I didn't really like my choice ( La Merguez). The cocktails menu is simple & pretty basic but tasty.
The problem is that although we had the table for 2 hours, 30 minutes before they were already telling that there was another group coming & the waiters were constantly around our table after that so we didn't really appreciate that constant pressure.
Place/decoration: 4/5
Food: 3,5/5
Drinks: 4/5
Ambiance: 4/5
Value for money: 4/5
Staff: 3/5
We ate at Shay for the first time today. It was amazing. 10/10. Service was outstanding, the cocktails were delicious & original, the food just blew us away. We were super full when we left, & even brought home some leftovers (which we can't wait to eat tomorrow). We can't wait to go back! Great vibe & amazing food & service. Highly recommend!!
