Damas — Restaurant in Montreal

Edit: Gave it a 2 star initially, now giving it a 1 star. It's been 2 nights since I went and I have food poisoning from their beef tartare. I have NOT eaten anything else that was different aside from Damas. Incredibly upset. Worst culinary experience ever!

Sorely sorely disappointed with my experience here. Chose to do the $135 (per person) tasting menu and the food was subpar. The first dish was Pastirma and a quail egg which looked good but immediately tasted overly salty. No big deal, i thought - its just the first dish, perhaps it was meant to taste this way, since air-cured meat is typically a bit on the saltier/seasoned side; there was cheese inside which helped to balance it out but still..quite salty. The next dish was the Fattoush and Halloumi: nothing special. Just a salad (that you can make from home) tossed in a citrus balsamic vinaigrette and 4 pcs of goat halloumi. The beef tartare was mediocre.. was a slab of cold "seasoned" beef with some onion-- not a fan of how basic it tasted. Nothing about it was elevated for "fine dining". The falafel...its hard to screw up a falafel right? Wrong. Mine was UNNECESSARILY SALTED AGAIN! The hummus and babaganoush/ beet/eggplant dip was yummy for sure, but why the heck was my falafel salty?! Why! It was as if someone did a final shake of kosher salt over the falafel before serving it. At this point, I'm very hungry still and was only getting more upset. The grilled shrimp and octopus arrived and I was excited only to be annoyed again at how SALTY (see the pattern yet?) the shrimp was. Now, I felt so parched by how salty everything was, i ordered a tea. The server brought out my tea in what seemed like a fancy shot glass..now maybe this is how tea is served in Syria, but I just thought that I would've had at least a teapot to refill it myself.. considering how dinky the glass was. (Managed to get about 2 gulps of tea). The octopus had no bounce..the texture was like none other. It wasn't chewy..it was more like octopus steak than it was grilled. Again....salty. Finally the lamb arrived. My partner's lamb was blue and just seeing that compelled me to lose my appetite. He enjoyed it but I did not. The ONLY thing on this tasting menu that was ok was the desert which was a sweet pastry filled with ricotta cheese. The portions are so small, its a joke. Overall 2/5 due to the soaring price for what COULD have been a great dinner. STOP SALTING YOUR FOOD TOO MUCH!!!! As you can see, i stopped taking photos because it went downhill and my experience was tainted by salt. Yes im extremely salty at how salty my food was, im sorry. For someone to ruin delicacies by over salting it...cmon...

So me and my partner really wanted to go somewhere special but different for our one year anniversary. We're from Vermont so we thought that the cuisine would be a wonderful detour from what we usually have available. Our experience however, was not very good, and I don't think we'd come back again. To start, we got seated and we knew we wanted the tasting menu, which is 7 courses, so we ordered that and we each had a cocktail. They whisked the menus away and we were excited. Then the first course came, then the second, by the third we were both finished with our cocktails and were politely waiting for our server to come back to ask for a refill. I was facing the restaurant and I watched him stop by other tables except ours. I tried to make eye contact with him, to no avail, it seems he was uninterested in helping us anymore, as he refused to even look our direction. At the point of the fourth course my partner had been waiting on a water refill for 15 minutes. 15! I finally just started staring and trying to flag waiters down until one (very nice) man came over and asked if we needed something. We asked for a wine menu, ordered. And then were promptly left alone again. Then when dessert came around, (we made this reservation 3 months in advance and put in the notes it was our anniversary) the person who came said "its somebodys birthday???" Which while it would be fine if that was the only blunder, but when you've been dismissed the entire night and had to fight for a water refill it Definitely feels on purpose and rude. And then we had to fight again to get the check. I just felt like if you're spending $500 on a dinner youd think they could keep the water refilled. Let alone notice that your cocktail is empty and ask if youd like another. Or at least CHECK IN and make sure everything is going fine. I don't know if it was because we looked younger than their usual clientele, or if that is policy to leave you to your devices after ordering a 7 course meal. But we will not go there again. And it's so disappointing because the food was phenomenal!! But I would never recommend anyone go there. It felt like we weren't their target clientele, and I got the impression that we weren't welcome.

Edit: Well, we left our reviews. And the owner actually reached out to us! They were really apologetic, and really tried their best to make it right. Even saying "we want to do better next time. Let me know when you're coming in next and I'll make sure to make it up to you". While we aren't planning on going to Montreal very soon. We may be back just because that seemed like a genuine owner really wanted to do right by...

From the moment we walked into Damas, we were greeted with warmth and professionalism that set the tone for an unforgettable evening. The atmosphere was inviting, with a perfect balance of class and comfort. But what truly elevated our experience was the outstanding team that took care of us.

Behind the bar, Theo and Kodjo were nothing short of magicians. Their passion for mixology was evident with every drink they crafted. Each cocktail was a masterpiece—perfectly balanced, visually stunning, and bursting with flavor. Theo’s creations were bold and innovative, while Kodjo’s cocktail suggestions and welcoming personality left us genuinely impressed. It’s rare to find bartenders who not only understand the art of cocktails but execute it with such finesse. Their recommendations, paired with Elliot’s thoughtful beverage suggestions, created a seamless experience that carried through the evening. Not only were they incredibly skilled, but they were also genuinely friendly and easy to talk with, making the night feel personal and memorable.

Our server, Elliot, was equally exceptional. His attentiveness and kindness made us feel right at home. What really stood out was his knack for wine pairings. Every suggestion he made complemented our dishes flawlessly, enhancing the flavors and making the entire meal feel harmonious. It’s clear he has a deep understanding of both wine and food, and his recommendations were spot-on.

Dimitri, who served our dishes, took the experience even further. His knowledge of the menu was impressive, and he took the time to describe each dish with detail and passion. His insights made us appreciate the flavors and ingredients even more.

A special mention goes to Livianne, who ensured our water glasses were always filled with a smile. It’s a small gesture that often goes unnoticed, but her attentiveness made us feel genuinely cared for throughout the evening.

The entire team worked seamlessly to make sure our space was always clean and well-maintained, adding to the relaxed and polished atmosphere.

Damas isn’t just a place to eat; it’s a place to experience exceptional service, masterful cocktails, and perfectly paired wines. Huge thanks to Theo, Kodjo, Elliot, Dimitri, and Livianne for making our evening truly special. You asked if we were happy? For this amazing moment in time, you helped us feel the happiness found with good food and even greater company. We are infinitely grateful to you all and will...