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.
It's been a long time since I've been this disappointed in a restaurant. The servers couldn't take our order in French, they forgot it completely, & we waited over an hour to finally get the wrong dishes. I never received the bone broth, & instead of the mini Kartoffelpuffer I asked for, I was served the large one.
Worst of all, I saw a server reuse a dirty straw from the dishwasher area to serve a milkshake. They tried to make up for it with a cookie & a shot of juice, which was kind, but nowhere near enough. The food itself was good, but the overall experience was unacceptable.
Visited Yan's Deli today & had their chef's special menu as suggested by our very friendly & attentive server Jenni.
The burger was amazing. Served in challah bun with an egg on top of the patty was one of the best I've had in Montreal.
The cheesy tomato soup hit the spot. It was hot, fresh, right amount of cheese on top & hearty. Finished my meal with a decadent, fluffy blueberry French toast. Everything was excellent. The space felt warm & welcoming. A great spot for elevated comfort food in Montreal. Highly recommended.
Pros: Delicious & well priced food paired with great service. Parking available.
Cons: Navigating traffic in Decari
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.
Yans Deli is a must dining experience! Gourmet, modern Jewish Deli. Everything about the food was terrific, & the staff were extremely pleasant. The atmosphere is causal & full of good energy. I only wish I could have eaten more food!
I started with the Yaourt Grec & Miel - Greek Yogurt & Honey. It was topped with roasted mixed nuts, white kiwi, giant gourmet grapes, & plums. I felt a bit silly ordering the yogurt, since I eat Greek Yogurt almost daily at home anyway & felt I should explore other options that sound so very appetizing. However, I heard it was fantastic so I had to try it. It turned out to be phenomenal. A yogurt to end all yogurts ;-). It was by far the smoothest, creamiest Greek yogurt with just that right amount of Greek yogurt tang. The drizzled honey along with the fruits & nuts set it over the edge. It was decadent & went well with both the espresso & cappuccino (complements to the barista). I highly encourage both to accompany these wonderful flavors!!
Next I had the Kartoffelpuffer - Large Potato Latka with Apple Sauce & Quark Cheese. Another exceptional choice. The Latka was perfectly crisp on the outer edges, holding together the finest, tiniest shreds of potato. Not sure how they do it but it looks so fluffy & pretty…like the Greek pastry Kataifi. These Latkas lack that typical excess moisture you might get when making them at home. These were nice & thick, yet not dry at all & full of flavor! The Apple Sauce was so pure & the Quark Cheese like silk. A must try, even as an appetizer to share. Oh did I mention it was finished with a perfect amount of Fleur de Sel to make your tastebuds pop!
It's a good thing I went in hungry because the word on the street is that the Pastrami here is excellent. I agree. It's been a while since I've been to the famous Katz Deli but I certainly do not recall it being as excellent as the Pastrami experience here at Yans. The marbling of the meat is robust & gives it so much flavor that mixes perfectly well with the pepper & spices. After tasting the meat solo to appreciate the amazing flavors, I could not resist loading it onto their house rye bread slathered with their special spiced mustard. Absolutely perfect! Plus, I complemented it with a signature Yans Deli Celery Soda. WOW what a treat. Super Refreshing!
I had to top off my special meal with the Yans Deli signature Black & White Cookie. With the black icing made to be vanilla flavor, the white icing was chocolate. It was a decadent surprise to the flavor pallet, covering a very large, very soft & very fresh buttery cookie. It was like a birthday cake I've never had! Very indulgent!
I look forward to returning to dine at Yans, as there is so much more on the menu to explore.
Très belle découverte, les plats sont très bon & le personnel très gentil. Le décors est très jolie.
C'est un belle endroit sympathique pour manger un bon repas!! Une belle recommandation!!
What a delightful experience! A cozy yet bright & charming place. My wife & I enjoyed a few delicious bites to remember, complemented by an amazing & welcoming team we'll be happy to return to. Thank you for the personal touch & for making our first visit so memorable.
Sep 11, 2025
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Wow. Beautiful interior design, super welcoming staff, quick service & insanely good food. Probably the best smoked salmon i've ever had. 10/10 will be back!
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!
