Rumi restaurant

Today, my friend (one of the best reviewers) and I went to Rumi for lunch. We tried some appetizers. The presentation and the taste of the appetizers were great. I did not expect to see one ball only of “Kuftah” as we always have 3-5 sticks (the way we know it in our cuisine). The price of this appetizer is a bit high for one ball of Kuftah (13.5 $). The beef tastes great and fresh with some pistachios and pomegranate molasses around. I ordered saffron rice but I got basmati rice. The bowl is so small for 5$. The ice cream was a game changer. It is so delicious and has many tastes in it. It is worthy. The waitress we had was new so she was so anxious and stressed. We asked her to get us some water 2 times. I ordered my drink with no ice and she brought it with ice. She dropped the utensils while taking the plates. I ordered soft dark chocolate ice cream but then I asked to change it to the other ice cream as the description of the first one was different from what I saw. It took them 15 minutes to get my ice cream after asking one of the waitresses to check what happened. All in all the restaurant is nice and cozy and the food we got was delicious but the service was not up to standard.

Delicious Mediterranean dishes with a very cosy atmosphere, right between the Plateau and the Mile End. Their cuisine is a fusion of Turkish, Iranian and Indian, making for interesting and complex recipes. I’ll definitely be going back to try their desserts!

Good food cute place. Lack of personal and service but it a reality in a lot of restaurants. The deserts, more specifically thrice cream was to die for. I am a dessert person but I would go back just to have this again. Saffron pistachios rose and maple sirop!!!

We went for a musical show which was a great addition to the ambience. The food was good but a bit expensive for the portions and quality. We paid over a 100$ for 2 including tax, tip and spectacle fee (8$/person), and we only had a soup each, a juice and shared a main meal. Service was a bit long too.

This place is so good, it’s surreal. We thoroughly enjoyed our time, their food and service. Can’t wait to be back in town so we can visit again!

Food was okay on the expensive side. Service wasn't great and the waiter didn't know their menu very well as they couldn't answer simple questions.

I ate here this summer and it was an absolutely magical dining experience! 💯 Rich aromatic spices from the silk road in delicious dishes, Sparkling lights and twisting vines on the artistic wrought-iron decorative fence in the garden terrace… The poetic name of the restaurant had enticed me every time I rode my bike past, and when I finally took a date to sit down and eat there, the experience was well worth the wait! 💯 I eagerly anticipate my next meal there!!! I’ve been meaning since summer to write a review of this oh-so-worthy restaurant, now I’m sitting in an airport so it’s a good moment to catch up, and savor this delicious, dare I even say, Sublime memory! And that’s not a word I use lightly, or that I have ever used about a restaurant before…

A Tasteful fusion of middle-eastern food from Morocco to Afghanistan. Great service , exceptional dessert and Persian tea to end. Absolutely recommend an evening on the patio. Mehran’s Hard lemonade with Arak👌🏽

Everything was perfect. The white fish and salmon were prepared well. The lemon chicken is just like how I slow grill it at home. Service was great. Nice atmosphere

Rumi serves a fusion of North African and middle eastern cuisines and does it exceptionally well. Loved the eggplant caviar in their grilled squids appetizer. The chicken was good - just a general grilled version with olive oil and Mediterranean seasonings. Their lamb shank dish (Fez) is one of the best lamb dishes I've had. Very well done and delicious. Service was okay. Cozy atmosphere. It's a bit overpriced but at least their foods aren't disappointing. We were just very sad that they didn't have their infamous ice cream!

Extremely beautiful restaurant, with middle eastern decor. I was wondering if I would find a lamp with genie inside. The service was top notch. Our waitress was nice, friendly and super efficient. I was with my friends, the vibe of the restaurant was very pleasant. My food was super delicious especially Yaffa (butternut squash with red onion and zatar sauce), and lentil soup. My layla salad was strictly okay. Then we ended our dinner with a nice, warm and soothing Moroccan tea. The prices of the food is slightly high, but the quality of the food was in high level. Definitely, a place not miss.

Cest sur une envie de viande épicé orientale que j'ai choisi ce restaurant. L'emplacement est vraiment parfait pour une ballade nocturne car les quartiers s'y prêtent bien. Le restaurant qui respecte le mesure covid à la lettre possède un décors oriental très agréable. Le menu assez varié nous a offert une entrée à base de purée d'aubergine de fromage et des herbes dont je ne me souviens plus. La viande fut également pleine de saveurs et bien cuite. L'endroit pas trop bruyant laissait place à au discussions sans avoir à trop élever la voix. Expérience à refaire.

Being a fan of Mevlana (Jalal ad-Din) Rumi, I was super excited when my friends booked this place for dinner on a Friday night. Apparently, it was difficult to get a reservation (especially during a peak time) so make sure to book a few days in advance. Tucked away in the lovely Outremont area, Rumi is not difficult to miss. I immediately fell in love with the place from the exterior and was even more blown away by the interior. The layout and arrangement are similar to Turkish restaurants (low tables with hard-cushioned seating). The interior however, has Arabic, Persian and Turkish influences - all reminiscent of traditional Islamic art & design. Intricate floral and geometric patterns on rich carpets and tapestry, dim lighting and interesting paintings - we happened to be placed right next to a large painting of Rumi himself, in the central 'raised' seating part. The menu has a variety of Persian/Turkish/Moroccan dishes. We ordered many dishes to try but found the portion sizes very small. For our starters, we had the Baba Ganoush, Kibbeh and Yaffa with naan. Everything was very delicious, the naan is a must as it is freshly made. The Kibbeh could have been better - we were a group of 4 and our server told us (quite rudely) that it is only 3 kibbehs per portion. We asked to add an extra and didn't mind paying extra but she argued that we would need to order 2 plates. I had the 'Dervish' for my main course, delicious beef & lamb patties with rice and vegetables. It was delicious but again, I found the portion (or meat quantity for that matter) quite small for the price. My friend had a tagine which looked very appetising! We were all drawn to the 'Rumi pomegranate with mint & orange blossom water' drink on the menu that sounds divine on paper. The very dark purple concoction was presented beautifully but in reality tasted like a certain cough medicine! Very very disappointing, none of us were able to handle more than a few sips of it... It was actually non-drinkable! Food, price and service could definitely be better. It is slightly overpriced for what you get, the portion sizes are small and the waitresses could be more polite with a better understanding of the cultured menu. However, the place is too inviting so I would definitely go again, but mainly for the ambiance. It is a beautiful and ideal restaurant for a date or with friends as it is intimate & cosy.

Rumi used to be the fusion MENA food place with nicely detailed Sufi themed decor that I liked taking my friends who had never eaten any Middle Eastern or North African food to. It was not 'authentic' from either of these regions, but it was a tasty mishmash of all made to suit Western European palate. Less spicy, less herby, less oily etc; but it was good food. I cannot say the same now though. Quality has gone down quite a bit but the prices haven't; the servings are smaller too. Not sure if management or chef changed, but it is not really a place I would take friends to any longer, nor would I go myself. Sure, the food is not bad, but it is nowhere good enough to warrant the price point.

We had a great experience here. I ordered the Moussette cocktail, which was a bit strong on the pastis but very different, so I appreciate it. Our appetizer salad was very fresh and delicious and my shawarma was so tasty! My hubby got the Sultan and it was very tasty and juicy! Not sure about why ppl complain about the small portions. I think they were pretty generous. Of course, you have to make sure to order from the main meals and not just the hot mezes. We will definitely be back since it's a nice stroll from our home. Can't wait to try their other items!

Truly a five star restaurant at four fork prices. Beautiful old world dining. Classic service and ambiance. Great presentation and style. Delicious hummus,muhamara dip,naan bread,fattouch salad, Moroccan tea is a must. Everything was perfect. Ignore the reviews written by the unsophisticated,cheap, naysayers. I am in Montreal for vacation. This helped make my trip memorable and special.

They really need to add some vegan menu items. I had a bean dish as my main course as this was the only choice available to me. It wasn't at all the quality or creativity of what I would expect from a restaurant meal. It's as thought it was an afterthought. If you're a vegan avoid eating here until they have more and better options available.

We went for brunch a couple of weeks ago based on me randomly searching for shatshuka. I was really pleased to find this gem, and it's charming terrace. The drink orders was taken promptly, and then we waited for a bit. Got our drinks and ordered our meals, then waited some more. And more...I'd estimate about 45 minutes at the very least. Once the food arrived it was absolutely delicious, including the home-made naan which isn't pictured. However, the dragging wait to get one dish each is almost beyond reason - luckily the setting was just what I needed to unwind that day. And since then some friends of mine visited for dinner and had great service, so perhaps brunch wait-times are entirely different from those during week-day evenings.

The food was delicious. It's why I'm giving this a 2 stars and not a 1. It was a very expensive restaurant for what you get, and the service was so slow. It's not like the restaurant was busy so I really don't understand why the waitress took so long to take our orders and serve us. We were a group of 4 on Wednesday night. There were about 3 other couples in the restaurant and that was it. We ate outside and their outdoor seating is ok but she gave us a table far away because we might have expanded to a group of 6 so we needed extra seats. The table was next to the door that led to the bathroom, not exactly prime seating. Every other table was empty, I feel like she could've figured out something better given that it wasn't going to be busy. I don't understand the appeal. The food isn't something special, even if it was good.

The menu touches Iranian, Turkish and Lebanese meals. The portion is not plenty but enough. Slightly overpriced. Decoration reminds you of cafés in the Middle East. A bit dark. The lamp just over my head would project my own shadow on my plate!! Staff nice and friendly. The appetizers make a meal and are yummy. Make sure you order Naan. It is a must. Desserts go very well with tea. We stayed an hour after the closing time of the restaurant and sensed no complaint or inconvenience. I would go again but I have reservations when I consider the prices.

Not Great. Being from a Middle-eastern background, I do know what good middle eastern food is. Unfortunately, this does not measure up. Keeping an open mind, when you try and create an unorthodox and unauthentic food experience, it has to surpass original dishes. It didn't deliver, from the hummus on to the main plates. The use of the word artisanal was used everywhere and the sad part is that artisanal didn't equate to delicious. The only reason this is a 2 stars and not 1 is because the decor and setting is beautiful.

I've come to Rumi several times and find it pleasant but a bit over priced. They have beautiful decor, low seating and normal seating. Teapots and lanterns on every turn. Their food is typical Mediterranean food, complete with all the "salads" (hummus, Baba ganoush, etc.) and lamb, chicken, meatballs. They are halal which is a bonus for me. The meals are large and hearty, one can definitely share or eat family style, and they have an extensive tea list. The lentil soup is my favorite in the city and their Moroccan mint tea is very authentic. Rumi has large tables for big groups and intimate areas of the restaurant. It's rarely packed, but I always make a reservation in advance. I appreciate how such a magnificent restaurant is tucked into a quite part of Rue Hutchinson, which makes street parking accessible.

It's a nice and cosy place, with a traditional cuisine of the Middle East, North Africa, & Central Asia. Service is okay, food is not bad, which is the main reason I just gave it a 3 stars. I would not consider it an exceptional place, certainly not one of my favorites.

People seem to mistake Rumi for a Persian restaurant, or Arabic restaurant or Turkish restaurant or Afghan restaurant or Moroccan restaurant. In reality, it's a mish-mash of all of the above. Run by 2 Jewish brothers who became Sufis (people who practice Sufism, which is a form of Islamic mysticism), Rumi is named after Jalal ad-din Rumi, the medieval Persian poet and father of Sufism, who was born in present day Afghanistan, wrote in Persian and lived and died in present-day Turkey and the restaurant's decor and food is a testament to all these different regional influences as well. The food is delicious, particularly the hibuscus flower drink and the roasted lamb shank with apricots. This is a wonderful place to come to for dinner with a friend or two.

Beautiful restaurant and many options sure to appeal to meat-eaters, vegetarians, and gluten-free folk alike. As a vegetarian, I had the dal which was very good though not necessarily a step above other dal. I also had the butternut squash in tahini which was very good. My table raved about the baba ganoush; it was slightly smokey and packed with flavor. The naan was very good but, again, not necessarily stand-out. The meat eaters at the table thoroughly enjoyed their lamb entrees.

Came here a few days ago and everything was delicious. Got the hummus, labneh, tagine and grilled chicken. Would come back here again.

Delicious and very tasty food!! The nan bread was incredible, also the service is good. I tried rumi labneh it was really good, babaganoj and hummus are good too . My friend ordered kebeh and she liked it so much.

Took my staff for lunch Everyone was very satisfied, the food was sooooo tasty. Great place, not busy at lunch time. Looking forward to going back with the family

We had our engagement party here last night. The staff could not have been more accommodating and attentive. The food was absolutely delicious and plentiful. Would highly recommend this place for any sort of group gathering since the atmosphere is great, the decor is beautiful, and literally everything was delicious. Big thanks to Alex, who helped us put it all together.

Went recently with a Groupon, and instead of a starter and a main each we just split a bunch of appetizers and that was definitely the way to go. The dips and the kibbeh were excellent, and the bread is served piping hot. Desserts are equally good, but very sweet. Would definitely go back.

Vert very bad value for money Difficult to find something to really say about this restaurant, the food is your typical Lebanese food, ranging from good to ok Unfortunately when we were there we could not order the hot plates and had to settle for cold and hot mezze Humous was pretty blend the rest was ok / good but not exceptional Strangely if you order Humous, babaganoush or other spreads you don t get bred with it. You have to order it and pay for it and they don t even have Lebanese bred and only nan This is my main problem with this restaurant is that they are taking you for a ride: order cold mezze you have to pay for bred, order $17 hot mezze you get 4 small ones poorly presented with nothing special All in all $70 for 2 no alcohol just tea for an average experience if not below average ... I let you judge but I m never coming back

Lovely place, many dishes from all over Asia and Africa. Tasty but portions are ridiculously small. We thought it was a joke. The flavour is there, the presentation is there , the ambiance is lovely . Our waitress was clueless and indifferent. Would not recommend it as portions are too small fir your paying. There are many better restaurant in the area.

I came here with much higher expectations. The service is extremely slow, unprofessional and not welcoming. The bread before meal was freezer cold and it took them 15 minutes to warm it. Some of their staff behave in very rude manner. Their selection of wine is incomplete and doesn't have options to please people with different taste. Food is mediocre and not close to what it should taste. Specially the wait before dinner makes it more difficult to enjoy it. Their plates and glasses are not very clean. All these negative points made me to not wait a minute to write this review to not to forget how bad was my experience.

The food here is DELICIOUS. Truly! The hummus was fresh & tasty, albeit a small portion, but it doesn't come with anything - like pita...!! How can you have a dish on your menu that requires you to order something else just so you can eat it?! The Kafke, wholesome all natural angus beef, was melt in your mouth sublime! We were lucky enough to get comfortable in the one cushioned booth. I wish all their seating was like that. The regular tables & chairs lack the comfy authenticity that the food and general ambience boasts. Food quality 4 star, but comfort & pricey hummus solo just plain pissed me off.

Delicious and affordable ! Just my type of place ! Food is great, tea is good ! Simple :) I'll go back

Had a wonderful dinner at this resturant two nights ago. The service was very good, and our most attractive server very helpful with suggestion. We sat outside with lots of other people, a very cozy neighborhood atmosphere. I had the best soft drink of my life, "iced mint lemonade" unbelively good, lots of crushed ice, and vibrant, fragrant mint cut up very fine and of course the lemonade. Served in a attractive tall jar. We had a rio of mezes, babaganoush, fresh cheese, olive oil, and spices and a new one on me Sunna squash with a dash of maple syrup and hot paprika, very good. And of course nanan. We,then had oven roasted leg of,lamb covered with spics and a thick tomato sauce, grilled vegetables and basmati rice executed perfectly. Worth a try if you like middle eastern food.

Best meal I had in Montreal. I was shocked that it wasn't packed at brunch. The shakshuka was heavenly! I cannot wait to eat here again the next time I visit.

I have such great memories of meals with friends and family at this restaurant, but my last meal was rather disappointing. The reason I always loved Rumi was because of the sunna mezze, (squash, tahini and maple syrup) even if the portion is very small. However, that was when the prices were a lot cheaper and ordering a mezze of sultans was actually cheaper and not equivalent in price as ordering individual mezzes. The portions are just perfect, but the prices have now become exorbitant for such as small plate. I can no longer justify ordering a mezze of sultan no matter how delicious they taste, especially since I have to pay $3 for each piece of naan! As for the main courses, this is a reminder to myself to steer clear of grilled meats in the future. The shish kabob and chicken were definitely on the dry side. The cornish hen stuffed with apricots and raisins was tasty and not too dry. After I finished my meal, I realized that the reason I enjoy going to Rumi is because of their flavorful stews and I really regret not choosing one this time. I remember Rumi as an affordable and casual place for supper, but after this last visit, I don't think the food quality justifies the price any longer. The service is very friendly and the atmosphere is lovely, but I would think twice before bringing out of town friends to this restaurant again. If you do decide on going, definitely try the sunna and the wali, they are truly delicious!

Came with several friends and acquaintances this past Saturday night for a birthday dinner. I'd never had Iranian/Central Asian cuisine before, and man, did this place deliver. Beautiful interior, good service, great food (I was starving and ordered a truckload), and good company. The naan bread, lamb and beef appetizer, and plate of saffron rice and carrots with lamb hit the spot and left me almost unable to move from my seat by the time we were ready to leave! I will definitely want to be back next time I come to Montreal!

Yeah. Nice but miss. Very flavourful but overpriced for what you get. Left full but not satisfied, you know what I mean? I'd go back if I had to but I wouldn't really recommend it. If I want really good Iranian/Lebanese/Jewish/Mystical Islamic food or whatever it is, I'll keep looking.

I'd like to say something about the food but can't. Last time I was there, we were sat at a table and then ignored for 15 minutes - and then we left. I marked it 3 stars because it's what they're already ranked at now and I don't want to actually damage their ranking. Like I said, I haven't had the food, so it would be ignorant to give it any kind of star ranking - maybe the food is actually good; I would have loved to have found out, but again - *ignored* by wait staff for 15 minutes.

I went with Luisa who posted a very detailed description of the food here already. I want to add that the food and the atmosphere here keep me coming back almost every time I'm in Montreal. In the summer, you can eat on the corner terrace in this lovely green neighbourhood just a little outside MIle End. On a cold winter night, it's as warm and inviting as a persian rug! The food, as mentioned by others already, is kind of a fusion of North African, Persian, and Afghani and I find the flavours and seasonings to be much more intricate than the more "in your face' spices of, say, Indian food. I've had all the lamb dishes they offer, and all are delicious, but the one with apricots is my favourite! This is a stand-by for me, when visiting Montreal - it never disappoints me.

Went here for a girls' night once. There wasn't anything particularly bad about the place (it's cute), and the service is on par. But the general consensus at the end of the night was a 'meh' all around. There was nothing that stood out for us enough to warrant the price of the menu. I honestly can't even remember what I ate there, aside that the meat was on the dry side.

A lovely space hidden away in a residential neighbourhood, across the street from Mile End's iconic Croissanterie Figaro. Middle-Eastern / North African menu, with an Iranian influence but not traditionally Iranian, slightly Moroccan, but not overly so. Friendly service on a busy night. Really wonderful lamb stew dishes -- so filling, we could have had one between us. Dal soup full of subtle flavour. Traditional Moroccan mint tea. I'd happily go back here over and over, and work my way through the entire menu.

Good food! Great Ambiance! Usually service is top! stuff is very helpful and turnoever rate is very low meaning the stuff likes to work there!

Beautiful environment, food and tea. It's not cheap but it's well worth the price. They serve Persian tea (Black tea with cardamon) and Moroccan tea (green tea with fresh mint and sugar). There are books about Sufism on the shelf and the service is wonderful. Meat is Halal and really fresh. Everything I had was seasoned and prepared beautifully.

This is a treasure of a place. Trying to find a place like this in Manhattan. If anyone has a suggestion....

Amazing! My family loves middle eastern cuisine and we came here on our short visit to Montreal. We've tried many of the middle eastern options in NYC and this is up there with the best of them. Also, it's not your average fare...as others have mentioned its a fusion of different cuisines and if you like ME food but are up for a surprise, this is the place to be. I've never had squash at a middle eastern rest and this squash was unbelievable...from the Sunna appetizer to the roasted squash served with mains. Another must try app is babaganoush. It's not your traditional baba...it's sweeter and so delicious w the naan bread. We also had kibbeh, hudja and a walnut cheese spread...all of which were good, not amazing. The entrees were all phenomenal. The sultan lamb dish was so flavorful and complex as were both chicken dishes. And a delicious zucchini caviar w a chicken dish is a must try. We ended the meal w great tea and desserts that were just ok, but we don't really like ME desserts. Oh and I also loved the light but deep lentil soup, great to start. And all these raves don't even mention the wonderful waitress who even wrote down a bakery Rec for us when we asked at the end of our meal. I wish I was coming back to Montreal sooner so that I could go back to rumi!

If you like middle eastern food and/or you will find something(s) on this menu you will like. . . . not because you will find your favorite "signature dishes" but because you will have an affinity for and a general familiarity with the food. The food was delicious - try the sweet potato tahini with naan as an appetizer. The restaurant is in a leafy neighborhood; it was very relaxing to dine outside although the interior space was very inviting as well. Some of the entree items seemed overpriced but that was only ~20% of the menu Servers were very friendly and likeable

I went to Rumi last night with a group of friends on a recommendation. The babagonouche and paprika hommus were wonderful an the lamb shoulder was delicous. Great atmosphere in a great neighbourhood. This was a very pleasant and highly recommended experience for anyone visiting Montreal.

Rumi is pan-middle eastern restaurant. I am from Iranian origin, and I couldn't tell what was Iranian on the menu (other than the poet Rumi). The appetizers are good, the main food is only okay. If you want real persian food, I wouldn't go here. If you do want to go here, I'd suggest going heavy on the appetizers with bread, and sharing the chicken dweshy dish. The salmon was dry, but the mushroom sauce is good, and the lamb dish is reminiscent of a moroccan tagine but not quite the same.

Heavenly delicious and satisfying meal. Fresh generous portions. Amazing home made desserts!

Great middle eastern, with a creative twist, dishes. Try the lemon and mint juice, so refreshing and delicious. The grilled dishes were very good, but so was everything else really

This not Turkish, not Indian, not Persian. Something strange. Waste of money and time.

I went there last night with friends and thought we were going for Moroccan food. This food was tasty but I don't think it's traditional. Still it WAS tasty. We shared a couple of appies - the baba ghanoush and the wali. We ordered this with naan bread. The wali is a dip based on feta cheese and basil that I'd never had anywhere before and I really enjoyed it. I'm going to try and make it myself. Then we shared a couple of entrees - the Djaj Meshwy and the Sultan. The first was a chicken dish with basmati rice and grilled vegetables and the second was a slow cooked lamb dish with basmati rice and squash. Both were flavourful and washed down well with a bottle of Chateau D'Or et de Gueules from Costieres de Nimes. We finished with cappuccinos and a Turkish coffee. My friends didn't like their cappuccino and although my coffee was ok I was expecting to get the little pot of turkish coffee to pour into my little cup and sweeten myself. The prices were reasonable and the service was pleasant.