Behesht Restaurant specializes in the preparation of authentic Persian cuisine centered on the art of the traditional charcoal grill. Guests encounter a menu defined by succulent skewers of marinated lamb, chicken, and beef, each served alongside aromatic basmati saffron rice. The culinary selection emphasizes the use of fresh herbs and bold spices consistent with regional culinary traditions. Beyond the grilled meats, the kitchen prepares a variety of cold and warm salads, featuring ingredients such as cucumbers, tomatoes, fresh mint, and yogurt with shallots. These vibrant vegetable components provide a crisp balance to the savory, flame-seared proteins presented at every table. The preparation techniques remain focused on highlighting the quality of raw ingredients through expert heat management. The dining environment maintains a consistent focus on the delivery of these staple Persian dishes for all patrons.
Behesht Restaurant is widely regarded as a top destination for authentic Persian cuisine in Montreal, frequently praised for its flavorful, high-quality grilled meats, fragrant rice, and generous portions. Many patrons appreciate the restaurant's warm, traditional decor and welcoming atmosphere, which often provides a cozy, home-like experience. While the service is frequently described as friendly, professional, and efficient, some visitors have encountered inconsistencies regarding long wait times, occasional ventilation issues, and varying quality in certain dishes. Despite these mixed experiences, the majority of guests highlight the restaurant as a standout spot for celebrating special occasions, enjoying fresh ingredients, and receiving attentive hospitality.
First time trying Persian cuisine. We went on a weekday, so the restaurant was calm with no big crowds.
Atmosphere & decor: 10/10
Service: 10/10
Tea: 10/10
Food: 6.5/10. The lamb shank had too much tomato sauce & wasn't very enjoyable. The kobebiahs were delicious they were juicy & tender. However both dishes were unfortunately not served hot. The soup was tasty & warm. The salad was also good.
J'ai été hier soir au restaurant Behesht pour le souper avec des amis, on a adoré ! Je recommande fortement pour ceux ou celles qui veulent goûter à la cuisine perse. Le personnel est sympathique, aimable & toujours disponible pour répondre à nos besoins. Le restaurant nous a offert du thé à la fin de notre souper, ce qui est franchement sympa.
Jan 5, 2026
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The mixed chicken & beef skewers are delicious & affordable. They even include a soup in the price. For the price, it is extremely filling. The black tea is also nice & soothing after the meal. Great restaurant to eat!
I literally WASTED MY MONEY.
Compared to Diba Restaurant, where I usually order from, Behesht Restaurant had a very weak presentation. The salad came with an uncut cucumber & one large slice of tomato, for $8, which is honestly ridiculous.
With the koobideh dish, I only received half of a small tomato, which was bordering on unacceptable, especially since the portion included two kebabs. The food was overly salty, & the soup was extremely basic & plain.
There was no garnish at all on the food.
When you order from Diba, they generously include yogurt, plenty of garnish, lemon, torshi, & even doogh or Coke in the box, but none of that was offered here.
Fesenjoon was incredible, as was everything I ate! Loved the lentil soup especially. Only comments would be the music was a little loud so it was sometimes hard to communication with the server.
This restaurant isn't ideal if you're looking to find a bite somewhere & expect to get seats immediately, neither is there any space to wait except 2 chairs in a cramped foyer & entrance. We waited over an hour to get seats & quite frankly the set up, ambiance, & the practicality of the restaurant's atmosphere were not worth waiting that long for. & neither was the food. If you really intend on waiting because your heart desires Iraqi food more than anything, I suggest having one of your own members from your party line up for you so the rest of the entrance isn't crowded & you don't feel hot & claustrophobic.
Inside the actual restaurant, the atmosphere is is stuffy, poor, & under ventilated. If you have problems with feeling suffocated, do not go to this restaurant. My sister experienced severe nausea from the lack of oxygen flow throughout the rest of the stay there (a universal experience for her whenever she is in a poorly ventilated area). She ended up having to leave her meal midway & step outside to breathe. You'll find yourself sweating & the employees will be asking themselves what is up with the AC (a literal conversation I overheard). The architecture & design inside isn't anything relatively new but reflects quite traditional styles so it isn't all bad, but it feels stuffy & humid everywhere which veers you from noticing anything nice Additionally, just from standing in line you can see the understaffed work environment. There aren't enough employees working & delays are everywhere in the restaurant. The servers themselves are nice, & the hospitality efforts are great, but it's very messy. It's more on the amount of the employees than it is on the actual employees themselves, they are not the problem; the number of them are.
The food was okay. My family & I have tried many Iraqi dining experiences & this one was mediocre. It is not worth spending 3 hours just to wait in line, wait more for food, & then eat. The wait for the food itself isn't terrible. We got 2 orders of the chenjeh, an order of the vaziri, & the lamb shank. The lamb shank was a favourite for me & the koobideh was decently flavoured but nothing that stood out at all. The chenjeh was okay too. Lentil soup is nice & salad quantity is decent but it's just an average salad with thousand island dressing. Complimentary tea is provided after your meal, & our total for 4 meals & 2 drinks (Ayran & a soda) was around 153 bucks CAD.
While the service & hospitality are sure to meet your standards, they unfortunately don't make up for the uncomfortable atmosphere of the restaurant & excessively + unreasonable wait times. If you value your time & money I suggest opting for another spot that is more accessible friendly & can accommodate you better overall.
What impressed me the most about the restaurant was its beautiful ambiance - from the lovely paintings on the walls to the elegant decorations & the soft traditional Iranian music playing in the background.
As for the food, I really enjoyed it. It was tasty, the portion sizes were just right, & overall, I'd give it a solid 4 out of 5. We ordered kebab Torsh & Koobideh, both of which were well-prepared. The meal came with a choice of salad or soup, & it ended nicely with a cup of tea.
Also, the lady who served our food was very kind & friendly, which made the experience more pleasant.
I found the food to be very salty & just so so. May be the nice decor in the restaurant gets your expectations high.
Don't even bother with lamb shank no matter how much good they tell you it is.
The mixed koobideh was so good! & the lentil soup was so delicious. My first try was with uber, i had the choice between a salad or a soup. I picked salad, it was alright for me. Second time at the restaurant, I picked the soup & it was the best. Would go back again to try another dish!
