Outstanding food and service. Some of the best Indian food I have had. Had a great evening!

Intimate, culturally decorated interior, personalized service, and the best Punjabi food I've had from a restaurant in North America. The owner is also the chef, who has a lifelong, storied history in the building. He personally came out to check up on his guests and entertained personal conversation. read more

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After 14 years, we've come back to Darbar, and were delighted to see it's as wonderful as ever. 14 years ago, the father who opened the restaurant was the ever-warm presence of conversation, who went into the back to cook as well. Today, his son has taken over that role, and excels in both as well as his father did. Super friendly and kind, asked how we liked our food, and made it deliciously spicy as we requested (even altering the Thali to make sure the dish my wife wanted could reach the heat she was hoping for). It was really just an awesome experience period. We started with their pakora/samosa starter, which were fried perfectly and had very good chutneys, then we did one veg and one non-veg thali, all dishes in both were fantastic. The restaurant has a nice modern Indian vibe, clean and well maintained. Highly recommend if you're in Montreal and craving Indian! read more

Darbar - Delicious pakora & samosa starter - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

I highly recommend this business although the chef/owner scolded my daughter (20) for using the bathroom thinking she was off the street. Apparently they've had problems with this but she certainly didn't look homeless. He did apologize but set a tone for the eve. He came to our table and recommended the special lamb dish that's the most involved on his menu. The BEST Indian dish we've ever had. Highly recommend this spot ! read more

Absolutely the finest food and experience! We blindly stumbled into this restaurant after not finding a different restaurant. The chef came out to guide us and gave such great advice that truly made everything so much better. The salmon tandoori is a difficult dish and I rarely see it on any menu. It's not to be missed here, juicy and tender with the perfect char. Exquisite! read more

Special dinner at Darbar! The chef was on the floor explaining dishes and ties to his family heritage which made our experience stand out. We also heard the chef discussing mannny changes/modifications to the menu for guests with dietary restrictions. The samosa and pakora app was out of this world. So delcious and perfectly spiced. We had the chicken tikka masala and the vegetable korma as mains, with a vegetable biyrani and a garlic naan. Everything was delicious!! Not too oily or heavy but left us so full and happy. One garlic naan was enough for us to share and we defintily had a lot left over at the end- so portion sizes are generous. Would 100% recommend! read more

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One of the best Indian restaurants around (probably the best in Montreal). My family and I ate here last night and everything we ordered was delicious, authentic, and spiced exactly according to your taste. Love the ambiance and decorations (like a place court, as reflected by the name Darbar). Great cocktails and the best mango lassi I can remember having, ever! We started with the Samosa Pakoray then went with the saag Gosht, shahi paneer, Bhindi Bhaji, Chole Buturay, butter naan and onion kulcha, and veg biryani. Everything was great! The chef personally came out to the table to welcome us and manage our experience throughout the night. As a family owned restaurant, they really seemed committed to having each guest have a wonderful experience from start to finish. And the best part on top of the great food was how affordable it was for a family of 4! With inflation and prices going crazy everywhere, this place is a rare exception where you get high quality, authentic, high class food at a reasonable price. Great food, ambiance, price and most importantly, great people. As I'm from New York and have experienced an eclectic and wide variety of Indian food, this place ranks as one of the best without a doubt! read more

Excellent Indian food. Very fresh, flavorful, delicious!! Also nice atmosphere and great service. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!

Some of the best food I have EVER tasted. I can taste the spices. The people were super kind. Would without a doubt go back

What an incredible meal. The owner personally came out to meet with us and made suggestions based on our tastes and spice level. Everything is so fresh and delicious! They also have great beer and the terrace is an absolute treat! I highly recommend and will definitely go back again soon! read more

I had the pleasure of dining at Darbar this past weekend with a group of 9 to celebrate my sister. The experience there was absolutely amazing and I cannot say enough about how enjoyable our time was! The service was fantastic and everyone truly made us feel welcome and well cared for. The family aspect of the establishment was clear and helped the whole experience feel even more delightful. The head chef, who owns the establishment, was involved every step of the way and made several recommendations, while coming out to explain the dishes when they were served. Every single thing we ordered was fantastic. The experience felt so personalized and intimate and we will be talking about this meal for some time to come. Thank you so much to the team and family that makes up Darbar for such a truly wonderful experience! read more

I am visiting Montréal for work and was looking for a good Punjabi/Indian food! Ate vegetarian thali at Darbar today! A sumptuous meal with a portion each of dal makhani, saag paneer and baigan bharta (went with the server's recommendations), along with butter naan and basmati rice and a couple of veg pakoras! Was my only meal for the day, so ordered a lachha parantha as well. Everything was absolutely delicious! Authentic North Indian flavors! Simar who runs the restaurant (and is the chef) was very gracious, welcoming and super friendly! He runs this business as a passion which was clearly evident in the food flavors! Maza aa gaya yaara! Will definitely come back next time I am around! read more

Authentic Indian food. We tried Darbar for dinner, a random find on our trip to Montreal. The food was freshly prepared with care and attention to detail. Each dish (esp. the chicken curry) was perfectly balanced, offering a blend of flavors without overwhelming it with excessive heat. Moreover, the warmth and hospitality of the chef added an extra layer of enjoyment to the meal, making us feel genuinely welcomed and appreciated as guests. read more

Great place, food was excellent, even made some special food for a person in our party with allergies.

Nous avons bien apprécié la cuisine de ce restaurant bien sympathique, l'accueil est agréable, les serveurs souriants. Nous avons pris le ''Murgh pakora, le Lamb Nihari, des légumes assaisonnés, du riz et pain Naan " tout était délicieux. 8/06/2023 read more

Nice place. A little small. Enjoyed the owners personal explanation of the dishes. Turned out quite pricey. Many of the dishes were quite good. The pace was a little slow but we were in no rush. Make reservations. read more

Absolutely spectacular experience! I came in with my large party of friends during my bachelorette and the staff couldn't be sweeter. The chef came out and and talked to every table, he personalized our meal. Everyone was friendly, the food was AMAZING, and the ambience was superb. I highly recommend! read more

By far my favorite Indian food I've ever had. We make the trek from Vermont across the border specifically to come here for dinner and go right back to the US. The food is phenomenal, and this place has such an amazing back story and wonderful people who run it who are so accommodating. Best vindaloo ever. Couldn't recommend Darbar more. Make sure you get a chai to cap off your meal! read more

Darbar - Aloo gobi, dal makhani, lamb vindaloo, garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

The absolute best meal we had in Montreal. Worth the travel just to go back. The chef and his family were welcoming, customized and generous. Grab a reservation as soon as you can. read more

This is my favourite Indian food place in town by FAR. Wonderful staff, chefs, and owners. A real treat to visit. The food is out if this works! The chicken tandoori (and other tandoori options I assume) is an absolute must. It's cooked to order and come out sizzling... SO GOOD!!! But pretty much everything else is great too. Honestly, you can't go wrong here. And do try their deserts... both of them. Memorable way to finish. Did I mention that they've got beautiful cocktails too? They do. But please drink responsibly. Translation: you'll need to become a recurring patron of Darbar. And you'll be grateful, trust me! read more

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Words can't describe enough how much we enjoyed Darbar. We wandered up from the Lumiere festival to this very small and intimate restaurant. We were a large party of 8 and luckily there was room for us. Within 5 minutes of being seated, the owner/chef (and also Attorney) came out to greet us. Our French was limited so he helped us browse the menu. He made recommendations and allowed us to swap a few things for our needs. For starters, see the photos- the presentation is amazing! We had our daughter and friend's daughter (9/10 y/olds) and they were delighted to see the gold layering on their dish. The flavors were exquisite, and complex, with a definite hint of SE Asia influence. Even the steamed milk the kids got was infused with powdered rose hips. Every single dish had something special added to it, not to mention amazing flavors. I wish I had taken pictures of the dishware as well~ hammered brass plates, ornate cups and forks, and lots of little details. We will certainly be back during our next Montreal visit. The last thing to mention, the playlist was outstanding, a mix of calming Indian music, some eclectic newer songs, and everything in between. I can't recommend this place enough. Do know there is limited seating, maybe 25 people at most. Enjoy! read more

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Seasonal menu with locally sourced ingredients. Small indoor seating with larger outdoor seating. Ordered samosa, skewered chicken, chicken korma, chicken tikka masala, and rice. All was incredibly delicious! Be courteous as this this not your fast Indian food restaurant, everything is made from scratch. Highly recommend! read more

Excellent choice for Indian food in the Montreal metro area. The curries are excellent with the right amount of flavor and consistency. The real gem in this place is the GARLIC NAAN. The waiter told us that they are known for their naan and boy were they right. The bread was toasted to perfection with a crispy crunch on the outside and chewy softness on the inside. The garlic seasoning/flavoring on the outside was one of the best I've ever had on any naan. Super flavorful and satiating - this went extremely well with all the curries. I'd come back just to get the garlic naan again! read more

Darbar - Chicken tikka masala, saag paneer, garlic naan - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Darbar might seem like a slightly upscale restaurant at first with its modern interior and dim lighting, but prices were very reasonable and almost inexpensive, especially after converting to USD! My friends and I came here for dinner a few weeks ago during our trip to Montreal. I had the saag paneer and we ordered two samosa appetizers to split among the four of us. There were two per order, so we each got one. The samosas were served on a fancy plate that had the sauce dish attached to it and hovering over the plate. They were delicious. I definitely thought about getting another order of the samosas. The saag paneer was standard. It was served with some pomegranate seeds sprinkled on top, which I had never seen before and thought was an interesting touch. I did wish that they gave a larger portion of rice because I ran out of rice before I was even halfway done with the saag paneer. Taste | 4 Atmosphere | 4 Presentation | 4 Service | 4 OVERALL | 4 read more

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We decided to have dinner at Darbar. Husband and I ordered a Vegetarian Thali to share and our friends ordered two meat curries with rice. Everything was surprisingly delicious. I had walked by this establishment several times but never eaten here. My friend had tried the food at Darbar and urged us to meet them for dinner here and give it a shot. The food felt like it was home cooked, tasted authentic and felt healthy to eat! Our Thali had Chanay Curry, Vegetables Mix Sabzi, Samosa, Garlic Nan & Rice. The prices are reasonable! We were extremely happy with the service. Everyone was friendly, helpful and attentive. Would definitely recommend this spot! read more

Darbar - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Wow... there are over 200 reviews on Yelp on Darbar! What can I add to it! First of all, one of the best Indian restaurant in Montreal. Today, we celebrated our friend's birthday and we wanted be authentic, so we took the seats on the floor. The mini tables were silver. The dishes were silvers, gold and copper. We had mango lassi, plain naan, Garlic naan (a recommendation by the manager... it was wow), madras lamb (spicy and delicious), chicken vindaloo (amazing), shrimp biryani (jumbo shrimps and very yummy), baighan bartha (smashed eggplants blended with great spices), ras malai (best milk desert) and masala chai. Everything was perfect! I ate so much, that I couldn't breathe anymore. My mouth wanted more but my belly had enough. The service was awesome! Highly recommended!!! read more

Darbar - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Excellent food. We appreciated the chef and owner spending time telling us about his business and offering to custom prepare any dishes we desired based on our tastes for Indian food. We had a large work party behind us whom were loud but that didn't diminish us enjoying the excellent food. You can taste the custom prepared nature and spices and local ingredients in each dish. As an Indian Food world wide eater, I really liked this food. The Mali Kofta and Dal Fry were particularly good. read more

Delicious authentic Indian food. Tried the samosas which were filled with curried potatoes. Both the pastry and filling were well made and tasty. For mains we had a chicken thali, substituted the chicken curry for lamb vindaloo. Each item on thali was well prepared and individually spiced. The vindaloo was more than a hot red curry that is sometimes not well flavored, it was well spiced and also very hot at the same time. One of the best we have tried. Also had the lamb biryani which was well cooked and had a good ratio of meat to rice. Very very tasty. In the cold Montreal winter, I can't imagine a more satisfying meal! read more

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Authentic North Indian food. Very delicious. The hosts were helpful and caring. Overall great experience. We had ordered Malai Kofta and Chole Bhatture. The garlic Naan was excellent. read more

Amazing food. Family owned. Enjoyed the vibe and food so much. Would definitely return and recommend!

This is my new fav Indian restaurant in Montreal. Indian cuisine is one of my all time favourite so finally I decided to give it a shot. Arriving there, I saw how cute the decor is as well as traditional. I was already totally in love with this restaurant. The waiter helped me to get seated, he gave me options to have my meal on the cushions on the floor with the little cute silver table or the regular table with chair and I went for the first one. I had to remove my shoes to be seated on the floor with the comfy Indian cushions which is of course how people eat in India traditionally. I was fascinated by this gesture as it's amazing to re-create those feelings when you've having your food. I was given the menu and it totally stole my heart as they have a story of how they started and the history of the authentic North Indian food. The cover is so well represented with designs. So, I opted for the chicken thaali. After waiting for like 10-15 minutes, my food arrived and I got so excited to eat and it didn't disappoint. Their naan, omg are so soft and crunchy. Love the presentation of the thaali. It consisted with the dal, the chicken curry, side of tandoori chicken and vegetables curry and salad with the chutney. I just crushed it all and I would say excellent way to present your food, the decor, service, attention to details. I just LOVE IT and will recommend it to all of you if you really want to try authentic Indian food. The price was reasonable for the thaali with so much food, I paid $16.10 including taxes which is amazing! So much good things about the restaurant and food. One word: Exceptional read more

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It's good food, not stellar. Lamb korma was a bit sweet for me. Pillar rice is good. Garlic naan, a bit synthetic. But good value. read more

Darbar - Lamb korma. Garlic naan and pillau rice. - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

When a northern Indian person reviews a North Indian restaurant you better believe it;) The owner is from Punjab and has stayed true to many of the classic North Indian dishes, like saag paneer, channa patouray (deep fried fluffy naan like bread with chickpeas on the side).... I absolutely enjoyed eating at Darbar, the saag paneer consistency and taste reminded me with what I grew up eating at home. I went with the vegetarian thali with the option to chose one of my own dishes for an extra $3, which is a great option because you get to try onion pakora, papadum, rice, 1/2naan and 2 vegetarian dishes for less than $20. I didn't get to take a picture before I started devouring it!! The ambiance is also nice with an option to sit on cushions in secluded sections and experience traditional Indian style eating. Would definitely go back! read more

Very good food close to home cooking. Simmering & perfectly spiced, tempting appetizing Indian food. One should try this Darbar, for sure. read more

Hands down the most unique and delicious Indian food I've had to date, and my whole table agreed with me. Wonderful service and incredible food! read more

Initially, I reserved for 8 people. In the end, we were down to 4 people. To communicate my reservation with the waitress, it was not easy at the beginning but we eventually settled the reservation date and time correctly. When we arrived, the place was packed with customers enjoying their dinner on a beautiful Saturday evening. One of my friends arrived late but the waitress still takes out his order despite him being over an hour late. The service was top notch for an ethic restaurant and I was pleasantly surprise at the professionalism in this place. I ordered the butter chicken, I didn't like it that much because it was a bit too spicy for me. The naam cheese bread, the mango lassi and the dal soup were very delicious. Now, I am going to be raving about the Naam Cheese bread whenever I think about this restaurant. Overall, it was a very pleasant experience and I hope to come back to try other dishes in the menu. read more

Darbar - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Absolutely enjoyed the atmosphere and food. We made reservations for 5pm, which was a great time to go to beat the rush. Ordered the Shahi Paneer & Malai Kofta...yum read more

We decided to try this place after seeing rave reviews on Yelp. It was about a 10 minute walk from our hotel, so we went ahead and made reservations. As we got to the restaurant, we saw two women standing outside with menus - maybe there to invite people in. We were seated promptly. The restaurant is small but nicely set up. Loved the cozy ambiance. This place is family run as I could see the owner's mom is Indian clothes taking the check to other customers, while speaking fluent French. The owner took our order. I wish I was hungrier as I wanted to try several things on the menu. But my husband and I ordered one dish each. - Papad to start with. - Chole Bhatura (this is listed as Chef's specialty): I have eaten this dish at many restaurants, including in India, so I know what good chola/bhatura (chickpea/fried bread) tastes like. The chickpea was cooked perfectly. Most restaurants don't boil the chickpea enough, leaving it hard. This was perfectly cooked and the spices were blended in to perfection. The Bhatura was not the huge fried bread that you see at most restaurants (see the picture I posted). I wanted to go back to this restaurant during our trip to eat this again. Yes - it's that good. - My husband got Chicken Tikka Masala and cleaned out his plate. The chicken was tender and tasted as good as it does in India. We were too full to try any dessert, but I wanted some tea. But since I was pregnant, I wanted something non-caffeinated. The owner recommended trying their Ginger Tea which is made fresh in the kitchen. The tea has a blend of ginger, orange peel, lemon peel, anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon. There is no milk in the tea. OMG - the tea was sooo good!!! I am craving that tea as I sit at my office desk right now. This restaurant has excellent service, and great food. A must try if you are looking for Indian food during your stay in Montreal. read more

Darbar - Chola Bhature - sooo good!!! - Indian Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Oh my!! This has been my favorite place I've tried this weekend in Montreal. Darbar has nice ambiance for a date night. I got the thali with saag paneer, thanks to the suggestion of the lovely waitress. I also ordered the vegetable korma, which had a nice kick of spice. Both were creamy and flavorful. You also can't go wrong with the mango and sweet lassi. Bomb cheese naan. If I come back to Montreal, I'll be back for more! Overall, you can't go wrong: good ambiance, reasonably priced, and delicious!! Bless the hands of the chef! read more

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Darbar has been and continues to be my favourite Indian restaurant for dinner. I believe the restaurant is run by a small family and the mother and son who are frequently working at the register are extremely friendly. They are keen on helping you navigate their extensive menu and extremely accommodating to diverse dietary restrictions, including a variety of meat and vegetarian options. I always opt for the window seating near the front. For awareness, it may be tricky to go to the bathroom as you'll need to pass through another floor seated table to leave the area - but I've never had any major issues yet. This is my go-to place every time I go to Montréal and I highly recommend their Baingan bhartha read more