Sumac earns praise for bold Middle Eastern flavors, fresh ingredients and generous portions, with falafel, muhammara, shawarma and the house pita often described as standout items and many reviewers calling the pitas some of the best in town. The menu includes strong vegetarian and vegan options and both dine in and takeout experiences are described as reliable and quick, with friendly service. The ordering flow at the counter and occasional extra charges for add ons can feel cumbersome and some dishes are described as oily or dry or pricey for smaller portions, but portions are usually large and the overall quality is strong. The ambience is warm and convivial, staff are noted as friendly and attentive, and the restaurant is seen as an authentic option that delivers consistent quality and memorable sides, making it a solid choice for a satisfying meal with friends or family, even if some visits lean toward the higher end of cost.
I've tried everything on the menu & love it all. The cooked salad is definitely a must try. &, the labneh is a hidden gem. Update: not to be missed are the labneh (with a generous pile of dukkah & garlic), & the harira soup.
If you're looking for generous portions of unbelievably delicious food, Sumac is the right place. The staff exudes warmth & expertise, & the consistent high-caliber of the food sets a standard few can match. Everything is delicious, but for a real treat, try the salade cuite with the grilled pita- it's a mouthwatering dish that's utterly addictive.
Oct 26, 2023
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
Fast casual done impeccably well. Truly blurs the lines between a sit down restaurant & quick service. Could be the best, creamiest, well seasoned hummus, fluffy fresh pita, vibrant salads, & friendly service. A++
Sumac just hits the spot everytime. Everything I've eaten there is delicious, from the meat, pitas to the salads. It is a little bit on the pricier side but definitely worth it !
The wait staff is also very nice & pleasant.
This is not my first visit & every time I go I just love it.
The food is excellent & the staff always willing to help.
The pita bread is the real thing & unlike anything else I've had before.
The Sumac French Fries are excellent as well.
Baba Ganoush is very good as well as the chicken & the salads.
This is a few steps above the typical Lebanese restaurant we have in Montreal.
Love middle eastern food, & kept seeing this one recommended.
Had late lunch (2pm) on a Friday afternoon. Serious problem with acoustics. Although the restaurant was nearly empty, the noise level was deafening. Every conversation + music echoing & reverbing off the high bare walls.
Service was less than stellar. Although the restaurant was empty, the server refused to turn down the music & seemed completely unconcerned that the noise level was too high. Having to order at the counter was a bit weird, given that there were lots of servers. A different server offered us hot sauce, which we both accepted, but forgot to come back with it until we were finished eating.
I quite liked the food, especially the walnut puree thing. The kefta was good, the hummous very creamy, & the cooked salad was rich. Though pricey if you're used to Boustan, Amir, or Basha, everything was tasty.
It seems to have potential, good food, good location, fresh airy decor, but the execution is off. Must do something with the acoustics. & the sourpuss servers.
Tried it once, no need to go back. I only wanted to try the Falafel, that was recommended in a Gazette article. It was very tasty, as was the Baba & Hummus & pita. The fried eggplant 'salad' left much to desire. The chicken tasted like Chinese 5-spice chicken, & was almost disturbingly moist/soft (like at a Chinese buffet).
The service was quick & friendly although the ordering setup with the one cash register needs to be changed. What is stopping them from having their numerous servers taking orders from clients sitting down, at the tables? (considering this is how you order more food or drinks, if you wish).
My suggestion: get a takeout order of the hummus & baba & pita & pick up some chicken from Adonis to make at home.
Cheers!
Feb 26, 2015
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
The ambiance & the restaurant was great! Simple as it gets in terms of decorations, yet that is what I like. The food in general was delicious, unlike many other restuarants who have a heavy hand on the salt, Sumac was perfect on the salt. At last a restaurant that doesn't rely on only salt for flavor.
Our meal arrived to our table in a matter of 10-15 mins, while the restaurant was packed. So I was impressed with that. While our meal was very tasty, it lacked warmth. It wasn't cold, but borderline of being cold. Nothing was too warm. Disappointing!!
My biggest disappointments: The method of ordering your food & the dessert. When you walk into the restaurant you first have to wait for a table, then order at the counter. There was one person with one cash taking all the orders. Because they only have one cash available. When you have a full house of 40+ people, you need more staff than just one person taking all the orders. So we waited 20-25 mins for our table, plus another 10 minutes to place our order. Very disappointing!!
Our dessert was the Nutella brownie, with a cinnamon whipped cream not at all a Lebanese dessert yet, I was curious to try it. My question is.. Where was the Nutella? I honestly didn't taste one bit of of it! Luckily the whip cream was not out of can or spray, at last a restaurant that uses the real thing! Yet, it lacked taste. Bottom line, Sumac opened very recently & it needs time to make some improvements. My biggest suggestion to them, serve the food warm & not dry & semi-warm.
The best thing: Their Hummus, Felafel &, all their salads. They were superb!!!
Tried this restaurant but would not go back. The food was less than average, & definitely not worth the price. I get better middle Eastern food at the fast food chains than that restaurant. It's inevitable to wait for more than half an hour as you can't make a reservation. The ambiance is loud, not in a good way, & the music (hip-hop) really not suiting the place. Tried the kafta, the meat was chewy & dry. The mouhammara (red pepper paste with walnuts) was good, the baba ghannouj (eggplant side dish) was average, & salads average or less than. The owner was there & was very rude.
