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 is widely celebrated for its exceptional Middle Eastern and Mediterranean-inspired cuisine, with many diners highlighting the flavorful dips, generous portions, and expertly prepared dishes like the shawarma eggs benedict, lamb, and baklava pancakes. The restaurant offers a chic, cozy, and vibrant atmosphere that makes it a popular destination for both brunch and dinner. Guests consistently praise the warm, professional, and attentive service provided by the staff, who are frequently described as welcoming and genuinely caring. While experiences are overwhelmingly positive, the restaurant remains a top choice for groups and special occasions in Montreal, leaving many eager to return.
We are foodies who frequently visit Montreal to dine. Shay was a wonderful find in Griffintown. The restaurant specializes in Lebanese dishes with influences from other Middle Eastern & Mediterranean cuisines. Every course we ordered from the mezza dips to dessert was absolutely delicious. I highly recommend the Armenian kebab which was tender & tasty, so satisfying. We sat at the bar of this classy restaurant & were glad we did. Gaspard, our waiter/bartender, was a charm. He explained all the dishes & made spot on suggestions. He was attentive but not overly so. Shay offers a winning combination of delicious food & a welcoming vibe.
This place was a fantastic atmosphere, so much so that I was momentarily worried about the prices when we walked in. Luckily the food was very well priced, but delicious far beyond what I was expecting. The dishes were creative & every flavour went together perfectly. This is my new favourite brunch spot in Montreal. Our server Shawn was attentive & welcoming. My girlfriend & I were able to be seated at the bat with no wait, but you probably need reservations for a table. Great spot, I will be back to try the rest of the menu.
First edit: I went back to Shay with a friend for brunch & unfortunately it did not live up to the quality of the first experience. We ordered the shawarma eggs benedict & the Dubai chocolate pancakes. Somehow, the Dubai chocolate pancakes did not come with any chocolate, only cocoa powder... I am trying to understand if we ordered the wrong thing but there is nothing else on the menu to confuse it with. See photos for what we got versus what was on their website. Furthermore, while the first time the food was delicious enough & the portions large enough that we did not really miss having a side. The second time, that was not the case, & in particular the eggs benedict really lacked something else. I don't know of any other brunch spot which doesn't give any sides with their meals, & unfortunately this time, we really noticed the missing pieces.
The food arrived like a story told through flavor-rich, authentic dishes that spoke of tradition, care, & home. Every bite felt intentional, comforting, & full of soul.
Shawn, our server, moved through the evening with a quiet kindness-attentive without ever intruding, present in a way that made everything feel easy. There was a natural grace in the way we were looked after. Completed with the nice shots on house!
& then there was our corner-cozy, tucked away, almost like a small world of our own. The noise of everything else faded into the background, leaving space for real conversation, for a night that passed like a glowing star.
A beautiful night, held together by good news, good food, & the kind of company that turns moments into memories.
Apr 26, 2026
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Amazing service & incredible food. I had accidentally booked our reservation for the wrong day, but when we showed up a day early with a party of five at 10pm, they accommodated us right away without any issues.
It's clear this restaurant is very well run-everyone was welcoming, attentive, & consistently checked in without being overbearing.
The food was outstanding. We ordered a variety of dishes, & the highlights were the baklava pancakes, the mezze dips, & anything featuring their lamb-absolutely delicious.
A special shoutout to our server, Leyla, who was fantastic & made the experience even better.
Also the playlist at the restaurant was a vibe.
Overall, a great experience at Shay-we'll definitely be back!
Brunch at Shay delivered the kind of experience that reminds you why the ritual of brunch deserves to be done well. From the moment we sat down, the service set the tone. Layla, our beautiful bubbly server, brought warmth & attentiveness that elevated the entire meal, while the floor manager moved through the room with the kind of thoughtful presence that signals a restaurant that truly cares about hospitality.
The bottomless mimosas were generous & consistently refreshed, the kind of offering that feels celebratory without becoming intrusive to the flow of the meal.
We ordered several dishes to share, which proved to be the right approach given the restaurant's notably generous portions. The shakshuka was deeply flavourful, its rich tomato base layered with light spices that made it both comforting & satisfying. One portion was more than enough for our table of four, & we still had some left behind.
The shawarma eggs benedict offered a creative twist on a classic. The dish balanced savoury shawarma spices with the richness expected from a good benedict, resulting in something both familiar & distinctive.
The lamb & eggplant tartine was perhaps the standout of the table: buttery, decadent, & beautifully composed. The combination of tender lamb with silky eggplant created a dish that felt indulgent yet balanced. It was my first time trying it, & it alone is reason enough to return.
For something sweet, we got the baklava pancakes. Fluffy & well-structured, they captured the nutty, honeyed essence of baklava without tipping into overwhelming sweetness. They are undeniably filling, so sharing is the wise choice.
The atmosphere tied everything together. The DJ played a relaxed selection of R&B that added energy to the room without overpowering conversation, a small but thoughtful detail that made the brunch feel lively yet comfortable.
Overall, Shay delivers a brunch that is generous in both flavour & hospitality. The menu rewards sharing, the service is attentive, & the atmosphere strikes the right balance between vibrant & relaxed. It's the kind of place you leave already planning your return, as we did.
Also, we were honoured with tasting their upcoming drink, we are excited for the summer.
We had one night to eat in Montreal & I'm so glad we chose this place! The food was incredible & the service was beyond amazing from the hostess to the servers. Jasper, the bartender, was a gem during his service. The chicken & beef in our dishes were very tender & flavourful & the baklava tiramisu was heavenly. It is pricier, but portions were fair & it was worth it. I look forward to trying the tasting menu next time!
Everything was exceptional, we had several dishes & hard to pick a favourite because each one tasted fabulous & was beautifully plated. However, the fingerling potatoes do not belong on the menu. We were craving fries & since those were no longer on the menu, we reluctantly went with potatoes. Clearly these are recycled from another dish because for a restaurant of this caliber to just slap 5 or 6 potatoes on a plate & charge 20 bucks doesn't make any sense unless you're trying to get rid of leftovers at an outrageous price. Other than that, absolutely fabulous!
This place seems to be all the rave recently in Montreal food circles, & for good reason.
I'm always a little skeptical when it comes to restaurants primarily serving mezes (small shareable plates), but we left absolutely stuffed & enable to eat more. The portions were really generous.
The food itself was very very good, it still tasted Lebanese (which is what we wanted) but with a slight modern touch. I genuinely cannot say how I would improve any of the dishes we had, they were all delicious.
The restaurant is very nicely decorated, with upscale look & a very nice bar. Staff were generally knowledgeable & courteous.
It is pricier, but totally worth the money & perfect for any special occasion or nice business lunch (which there seemed to be lots of on a Wednesday night).
We will definitely be recommending this place to everyone we know.
Overpriced & little portions, we were at a social event so I didn't pick the restaurant.
Mediterranean menu with no special theme.
I've have taste same type of dishes at a restaurant on Jean talon & way more affordable & more generous portions.
We were a table of six & the bill was 100$/ person even when splitting the order.
Also their interact machine was not compatible with my card or bank. I had terrible time trying to pay, it took forever I had to try several times with my credit card & the waiter insist I should pay with debit which was rude since the problem was their machine.
Service was decent, staff was currently filling water, removing plates & delivering the food. The atmosphere was casual. However, I Don't Recommend it & I Won't be Going Back.
