Hawa Beirut Restaurant & Lounge — Restaurant in Toronto

THIS PLACE IS A SCAM. THEY CHARGE PEOPLE FOR NOTHING AND TRY TO FIND ANY POSSIBLE WAY TO TAKE YOUR MONEY. STAY AWAY.

We called this restaurant in advance to make a table reservation. Over the phone we were told that reservations could only be made through the app. So we booked a table for two through the app, arrived on time, gave our name and were seated. However when we arrived the hostess was literally taking phone reservations from other guests right in front of us, so clearly there are double standards. Some people can book over the phone while others cannot. That already felt unprofessional and disrespectful. We were also never informed that this restaurant has a mandatory minimum spend of 55 dollars per person. Even if you do not order that much, you will still be charged the full 55 dollars per person no matter how little you actually order. About 40 minutes after we arrived a friend joined us but we continued sitting at the same two person table, not taking any extra space. Our total order was around 70 dollars, when we asked for the bill it came to almost 160 dollars, as we were charged for three people instead of two. The table was reserved for two and we only used space for two but still they made us pay for three. Another thing is that the restaurant has a strict two hour time limit. If you stay longer you will simply be asked to leave. The administrator was completely unprofessional and disrespectful. He was literally beefing with clients and has no idea how to communicate . The worst part came after we left. About 30 minutes later I received a notification in the app saying “We are sorry you could not make it to your reservation.” The next day I noticed that an additional 80 dollars was charged to my account, supposedly for a “no show,” even though we were there, ate, paid and left on time.This is pure dishonesty and customer deception. Is clear that this place only cares about taking as much money as possible rather than treating guests with respect. I strongly do not recommend this restaurant. There are many much better and more upscale hookah lounges in the city with fair pricing, professional service and genuinely nice.This place is not worth your time,...

My recent visit to Hawa Beirut, a Lebanese restaurant near St. Lawrence Market, was a delightful experience. The restaurant came highly recommended, and it certainly lived up to the praise.

Upon arrival, we were warmly greeted and promptly seated in the dining room. The modern and inviting atmosphere immediately set a pleasant tone. I especially appreciated the thought and effort put into the design. The overall aesthetic is beautiful and contributes to a lovely ambiance.

The waitstaff were exceptionally friendly and honest, which I truly valued. Our server's guidance on our order, advising that we might be ordering too much for two people, was incredibly helpful and saved us from over-ordering. This kind of thoughtful service makes a big difference.

We ordered a selection of classic Lebanese dishes: falafel, hummus, tabbouleh, and chicken tawook.

• The Hummus was a standout, perfectly creamy, well-seasoned, and delicious (9/10).

• The Tabbouleh was a testament to freshness, with a perfect balance of flavours (9/10).

• The Falafels were well-cooked and flavourful. While they were a little dry on the inside, the overall taste was still very enjoyable (8/10).

• The Chicken Tawook was good, though the flavour was subtle and the chicken was a bit dry (7/10).

Overall, the food was high quality and very satisfying.

While we had a great time, there were a couple of small things that could be improved upon. As a lounge that offers shisha, a stronger ventilation system would be beneficial, as the smoke occasionally drifted into the dining area. Additionally, a minor detail I noticed was that some of the tables were not perfectly aligned, and a few chairs needed a light wipe-down. These small things slightly detracted from the otherwise well-cared-for appearance.

Despite these minor points, our experience was excellent. The staff were friendly, helpful, and attentive, and the food was delicious. Hawa Beirut is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood, and I would gladly return to explore more...

The seating and the aesthetics of the restaurant are beautiful! It really is such a huge shift from any place that serves shisha and has an elegant and elevated atmosphere. The shisha they serve is fantastic and surprising well priced for downtown Toronto (starting at $30). The flavour lasts and is overall a great experience. When one dines here, they bring out delicious, fresh pita on a stand with Zatar as welcome bread. We tried their potato Wagyu, gold lamb chops and spicy kebab. Every dish was cooked to perfection! The food definitely was well above my expectation and will have me coming back for more. Reason I give it 4 stars and not 5 is the overall welcome and serving experience. I went with a few friends on a Friday for drinks and shisha around 7:15 (our reservation was for 7pm). I was told we have to vacate the table by 9pm as they have belly dancers and DJ after 9 and the minimum spend is $55 pp after 9pm, this would be above what we have spent between seating time and 9pm. Odd we thought. But decided we ll make a game time decision. 9pm came and went. No belly dancer and there were plenty of tables available around us well. Might I add, they did not ask us to leave and neither did they impose the $55 spend. Service on this day was spotty and we had to keep hunting down the server for drink orders. I went the following day with my husband to try the food since it looked so good. The server on this day was a female and super nice and attentive. On this day, we did not have a reservation and were told again that we have to give up the table in less than an hour. We ended up sticking around just around 1.5 hours. Again, there were tables available when we left. I understand there are reservations and they likely have to ensure tables are ready for patrons. But somehow, same messaging and lots of availability around gave an impression of inflating the demand.

Would I go back....