5 senses Resto Bistro Bar - breakfast, lunch, dinner, art — Restaurant in Montreal

I’m rating it 5 stars, but this is a negative review. Let me explain… 5Senses, I love you. I’m sorry for never having left a review while you were still open before being bought by this terrible new owner, who decisively chose to remove all the magic, love and fun that made this place so beloved. This restaurant had been my favourite spot in downtown Montreal for years. The food was excellent, the deco was amazing, the vibe was great, the people were awesome. Literally no complaints, just perfection, especially near a student hotspot, which is great when we need a solid, tasty meal with friends in a charming environment after exams. I was gone for a little over a month. They closed down in the meantime. I was craving it so much, to the point I came back three times (only to find it closed each time), and the fourth time was the charm! I was so happy to see it finally open again, but I walked in to DISASTER. Seriously, is this a joke?? What have the new owners done to this place?? They replaced all the fun and varied seats with boring red catering-style chairs and red booths. They removed the awesome counter display. They put ugly black high chairs by the bar. They removed so much of the original deco, and I believe they’re planning to get rid of the entire og design and menu eventually. The waiters are dressed all black?? What is this, a funeral? Might as well be with the way they downgraded the place so much. Now, I ordered the same thing I always order. The portion was - and I am not mincing my words here - THREE TIMES SMALLER than what it usually was, for the SAME price!!! It was the baked salmon, and to make the plate look full, they had the audacity to put the salmon down in the middle and surround it with a few leaves of salad on each side (the salmon is usually served resting on a hearty salad). How cheap can you get? That’s highway robbery! I couldn’t believe how fast I finished my food - literally, 10 minutes. Total of like, 5 bites. I am a slow eater, and eating at 5Senses usually takes me at least 30mins. I was so disappointed. The food tasted the same, except for the fries which were so obviously cheap frozen fries, so at least it was yummy. But man… I was crushed. And to think it’s only going to get worse from here… I knew that this would be my last time eating at this location. As a regular, I hope the original owners and staff of 5Senses will re-open at a new location and bring back the amazing cozy vibes and delicious food the original had. You guys were the best, we truly lost a gem. 😭 PS - Do not bother going to whatever mess the new restaurant is. You’ll pay 40$ for 5 bites and a lukewarm...

I don’t normally post negative reviews, but I think it’s so important to warn people about this spot. We reserved for breakfast for four people on a Sunday. We ordered at the counter, and paid a 15% tip with our food. The first thing we noticed was that it was expensive - $35 for a plate of regular breakfast for two people and a coffee each (non-refillable). We were also handed a buzzer in order to pick up our own food at the counter. We went back to our seats and waited for our filter coffees. We were one of three occupied tables in the whole restaurant. After waiting 20 minutes, our coffee was ready (filter coffee took 20 mins to be ready). We picked them up at the counter and carried them to our table. Everyone took a sip and looked at eachother - they were totally cold, and so weak, they looked like tea. We couldn’t drink them. Another 20 mins later, 3 of our breakfast plates were ready, and we picked them up from the counter. They were also cold, and the eggs were undercooked (clear, snotty surface that means they haven’t been cooked adequately). The fourth plate - an avocado toast - wasn’t ready with the rest of the food. Our friend sat and watched us eat for 20 mins, and then asked the server if perhaps they had forgotten the order. The server said that she would bring it out. We waited another 15 minutes with our friend, and still, no toast. We asked the server if it was on its way, and she said she could “give it to us to go”. This was now 1 hour and 15 minutes after ordering a piece of toast in a restaurant that had only 3 tables occupied…. They offered to refund the toast (which was $20 by the way!?). The staff appears to have either no training, or the owners just don’t care - or maybe both. I know that sometimes restaurants have bad days, but we paid $30+ per person plus tip in order to serve ourselves substandard food, and wait around for food that was promised but never arrived. We ended up having to go somewhere else to feed our hungry friend. The decor and the architecture is beautiful - but as for our experience, that was the...

5 Senses Restaurant has a lively boho vibe and a surprising amount of space—it’s so much bigger on the inside! (Dr who wink) The music and ambiance are wonderful, and the art and greenery throughout the space add charm. I loved the windows and plants setup!

However, once you step inside from the windows and entryway, the decor feels like walking into a museum—while that sounds fun in theory, you don’t want to eat somewhere tasting ancient and dusty. So it personally didn’t work as a restaurant for me. The crowded, thrift-store aesthetic, with busy ceilings and dusty hangings, felt misplaced and detracted from the dining experience. A cleaner, more cohesive look would better suit the space.

Came with my girlfriends for Girl Brunch and the circular table helped us in sitting together and spilling tea. Also, has comfortable sofa couch seating that is really comfy, makes you want to stay longer, and gossip.

The food was delicious, with generous portions i highly appreciate. Unfortunately, the staff was inattentive, with slow service and frequent forgetfulness. Whether it was a takeaway box, a glass of water, the bill, or even a bag, we had to repeatedly ask for the same things, which was frustrating.

The aesthetic and seating made our Girl Brunch enjoyable for conversation and bonding, but the overall experience was let down by the poor service.

Food: 5/5 (no complaints) Pricing: 3/5 Atmosphere: 3/5 Staff: 2/5

This place has potential but needs to refine its service and aesthetics to truly deliver the great dining experience its...