Yan's Deli feels like an elevated yet comforting Montreal deli, blending classic pastrami and brisket with bold modern twists and a bright, playful space with custom Lego decor. The food earns praise for quality and generous portions, from perfectly brined pickles and house challah to deeply savory brisket, standout pastrami, latkes, and thick, rich milkshakes, with cocktails and celery soda adding a contemporary edge. Flavors come through as honest and well executed, and much of the menu is made in house, highlighting freshness and depth. Service is typically friendly and attentive, helping create a welcoming vibe, though a few visits note occasional hiccups or longer waits and some items can feel pricey for the portion and context. The concept blends comfort food with elevated technique, making brunch, lunch, and dinner viable options, and the overall impression is that Yan's Deli is a place with heart, personality, and staying power, likely to draw locals back despite cost considerations.
Brought some friends from Europe. We had a wonderful time! Thank-you. I had a pastrami sandwich, huge latkes & a huuuuuuuuge carrot cake. Cherry soda was nice too. It's like going to heaven. Here is a picture of a huge black & white cookie my friend ordered.
Brunch on Sunday. Was a wonderful experience. I had the Shakshuka. It was delicious!!! The party sandwiches were next level of amazing. Device was great. Can't wait to go back!!
Mar 28, 2026
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We felt very comfortable walking into the Deli & realizing that what we were smelling wasn't a marketing strategy. It's brisket. It's pastrami. It's onions softening on a flat top somewhere behind the counter. It's the honest, homey aroma of a deli that understands exactly what it is.
This isn't a place trying to manufacture nostalgia with Edison bulbs & ironic menu fonts. The nostalgia here is incidental. Accidental, even. It comes from real food made by real people, served without theatrics. All the good things a deli should have? They have them. Pastrami that respects your appetite. Beef bacon that doesn't apologize for itself. & the pickles. Perfectly brined, crunchy, & just sour enough to make you sit up straighter.
Behind the counter, the vibe isn't some corporate'brand story.' It's plastered across the walls in art, photos, random decorations, & a delightful custom Lego set of the building itself. We loved that detail! It tells you everything: they care, but they're also having fun.
About the food.
🥪 The tuna melt. Generous tuna salad, not gloopy, layered thick between golden, griddled bread that had that perfect crunch.
🍔 The onion brisket sandwich. Deeply savory, tender brisket piled high, carrying that slow-cooked richness. It was bold & hearty.
🥤& then, the milkshakes.'Powerful' feels like the right word. These are not polite, airy shakes. They are THICK. The Biscoff one was bliss in a cup. The baby Guinness frappé-absolutely delicious-balanced sweetness & depth.
The menu doesn't stop there. Brunch items? Check. Specials? Of course. Alcoholic drinks menu? Yes, because sometimes your pastrami wants a proper pairing. Snacks, things to go, comfort food staples-they have it all.
A deli that stretches into modern territory without losing its roots.
& here's the part where I speak plainly: I pay for my meals. No comps, no influencer hush money. Just me, my wallet, & my honest opinion. We absolutely loved everything we had here. Truly.
But.
My meal-tuna melt, one milkshake, & three cows in a blanket-came out to $40 plus tax & tip, totaling $53. That's not cheap. The food was very, very good. But there's a point where the price-to-quality ratio starts to wobble. At a certain number, it doesn't matter how delicious the brisket is or how perfectly the pickles snap. It just feels like a lot.
Would we go back? Yes.
Would we go back casually, on a whim, without checking our bank balance first? Maybe not.
This is a excellent place. It's heartfelt. It's delicious. It's doing a lot right. But like their milkshakes, it packs a financial punch. & sometimes, no matter how good the food is, the bill has the final word.
The food is really incredible!! I highly recommend the sandwiches. The latke was also insane! Everything was better than I expected. Though the steak was quite expensive for what it was. Nevertheless, I would definitely come back.
Dinner at Yan's Deli is comfort food done with precision & soul. Beautifully grilled meats, perfect sandwiches, & a sense that every detail actually matters. At the heart of it is Benji Greenberg, cooking with confidence, respect for the craft, & a genuine love for feeding & making people happy.
We first visited just a few days after the opening & it was sensational. The pastrami was juicy, the bread warm, soft, & thick. Hands down the best pastrami sandwich we've ever had. It melted in our mouth. The party sandwich was just as impressive.
We returned today &, unfortunately, everything was off. The meat was overcooked & dry, the breads weren't warm & moist enough, & the overall flavour was lacking. A disappointment compared to our first visit.
Great food , Benji served up an authentic & delicious Jewish style brunch. The latke was HUGE , eggs & salami delicious , salmon plate decadent. Service was friendly. I very much enjoyed the dish-ware too.
I also went there for dinner service.
-We ordered the chopped liver to start. It was a pate style chopped liver. It came with pickles , challah roles & a delicious everything bagel seasoned compound butter. Yum.
-for main I had the chicken noodle soup. Awesome ! Top tier matzo ball & kreplach (don't tell bubby)
-we ordered the steak frites which consisted of a specially prepared brisket & fries in a decadent mushroom sauce. Wonderful! & great sauces to go with the fries.
-we ordered the special of the day which was a latke sandwich of steak tartare , topped with a devilled egg & caviar??? Delicious innovative haute cuisine that we've never tasted before & loved.
-throw in the home made celery soda to drink & the very friendly & attentive service & you're in for a great experience.
Dec 6, 2025
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10 stars for service if I could. Food was amazing as well. I had the chicken soup & the sandwich special which was their brisket & corned beef on challah. Our server Matt was super accommodating & energetic. Thanks Matt!
Came to Montreal from Ottawa to meet a client & had to give Yan's Deli a shot & wow, what a gem. I had their special soup & sandwich, & it was absolutely fantastic. The quality is top-tier, & you can tell they put real care into what they serve.
Tried their celery soda too… incredible. You have to try it.
This place is definitely becoming a staple for me whenever I'm in Montreal. Can't wait to work my way through more of the menu. Highly recommend. 🙌
I got the pastrami sandwich & it was incredible. The best sandwich I've bet had in my life. The service was amazing & the atmosphere feels like a family kitchen. 10/10 would recommend for anyone.
Hat's off to these guys. They know what they are doing. Great vibe here. Business lunch for 2. Incredible! We ordered:
2x Matzoh Ball Soup with Kreplach.
2x Club Sandwiches
2x Diet Cokes
= $65
Looking forward to trying some deli next time. I cannot wait for my next visit!
Oct 30, 2025
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The interior is well designed, & very bright.
We ordered the brisket & the BLT sandwich, a side of smoked salmon, orange juice & tea.
I think their service needs a bit of work. I got my BLT which didn't look like a BLT. We asked the waitress if that's a BLT ( while the sandwich was opened to see the ingredients). She brushed us off & said yes. We insisted that is your BLT without lettuce & tomato?
She said wait & came back after a couple of minutes & took it away, with no explanation of what's happening. Then after a while she brought out the new BLT, which was a completely different sandwich. Again, no explanation & no apology for the mix up!
Love the tea they use (creamy earl grey), it's my fave tea & the orange juice was super fresh. We also really liked the smoked salmon.
The beef bacon in the BLT was too sweet for my liking.
Yann's deli is incredible. The food is comforting (& quality) staples, we had the lox, pastrami, massive latkes & more… everything amazing. Ambiance was friendly, airy & comfortable.
I wish we would have tried the sandwiches but will definitely be back
Yogurt was topped tier. They strain it through cheesecloth & it's so good. Definitely go, breakfast options are great, especially the party sandwiches. Service amazing too!
Aug 10, 2025
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Amazing food & amazing ambiance. Each dish was so unique & clearly had thought & effort put into every single aspect. We especially loved the smoked salmon sandwich on the most amazing homemade English muffin.
The restaurant is beautifully decorated, warm & welcoming.
Now we need to come back a few more times to taste the entire menu!
An elevated brunch & deli, with a homey but modern environment.
The smoked salmon sandwich in the fresh English Muffin, deviled egg, & crispy potato was sooo delicious!!
