Darbar is widely praised as an intimate, cozy, family run Indian restaurant in Montreal where flavors are rich and dishes are prepared with care and from scratch. Reviewers note attentive service and a warm, personalized dining experience with moments such as the staff coming to the table to explain dishes and tailor them to spice preferences. The menu is described as authentic and varied, with balanced spices and fresh ingredients and occasional seasonal highlights. The ambiance is consistently described as cozy and charming, with real candles, dim lighting, and a mix of quiet dinners and lively jazz on select nights, plus a winter indoors and summer patio vibe. Pricing is considered reasonable for the quality and for sharing plates with friends or family. Dietary needs are well accommodated, including gluten free and vegan options, and staff are noted for asking about spice tolerance and customizing dishes. While most experiences are outstanding, some reviews mention slower service in a small, busy space and a few dishes that were less impressive. Overall, this spot is seen as a standout for authentic Indian cuisine in Montreal and a must visit for food lovers.
Darbar has been one of my partner & my favorite restaurants in Montreal & we often celebrate special occasions there. The chef & staff are always accommodating & friendly & the food & drinks are fantastic. We always try something new when we're there & are always amazed by the complexity of the flavors & the quality of each dish. It's clear how much work & intention goes into every detail. Last night we went for my partner's final night in Montreal before he leaves for the summer & we had a wonderful experience. We ordered the non-vegetarian thali, the seekh kebabs, & the madrasi bakra to share & were blown away by everything we ordered. I also highly recommend the cocktails on the menu, especially the whiskey sour which is phenomenal.
My partner & I had an amazing date night dinner here. The veg thali & egg plant Bartha were both excellent & we really enjoyed that the chef came out to explain the menu & ask us how our meal was going. Highly recommend!
Ordered the Non veg thali for $30 today. Whole ordered costed me $50 including tax & all. Very disappointed with what I received. Only one curry with two little pieces of chicken & chickpea curry & two spoons of rice & a naan. For the price & hype about this place. It's not worth it at all in my experience. Very disappointed as I waited to come to Mtl to visit this place.
We had the butter chicken, lentil soup, & thali, & for dessert, we tried the gulab jamun & rasmalai, everything was absolutely delicious! The chef personally came to our table to introduce himself & checked in a few times to make sure everything was perfect. I really appreciated that. We'll definitely be coming back!
I've been going to Darbar since before the pandemic. Amazing every time. When the dad was running it & now when the son has taken over: still just as excellent. Family business with very reasonable prices. Such nice people & great attention. Food is delicious. The chef comes & talks & listens to every table. Another wonderful evening.
This time, we had the vegetarian thali, bhindi bhaji, garlic naan, tamarin & cumin lassi, & a Taj Mahal. We ordered way too much a as always because everything looks & smells so good. Had a good-sized doggy bag after stuffing ourselves.
I had one of the most delicious, flavorful Indian meals ever at darbar the other evening. I am so glad I discovered this special place. The vegetarian thali platter was exceptional, as was my appetizer of sizzling chicken on skewers served with mint sauce. Plus, wonderful chilled white wine on a hot Montreal evening. I will be back whenever I'm in town; so many dishes on the menu are mouthwatering! The staff is so incredibly friendly & gracious, as is the chef/owner Simar. I also love that darbar is off the beaten path. The real deal, authentic, family run. I highly recommend!
Aug 28, 2025
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I've been visiting this restaurant every time I'm in Montreal from the U.S. because the food used to be consistently delicious. Unfortunately, my most recent experience was disappointing & far from what I've come to expect.
My family & I ordered three meat thalis, one chicken tikka masala, & one saag paneer. The meat in the thalis didn't taste fresh & seemed like it had been reheated. While the chicken in the tikka masala appeared fresher, the flavor was lacking. The saag paneer was especially underwhelming-the gravy was bland, & the paneer was rubbery in texture.
While we were prepared for a bit of a wait, as we've been here many times before, the food still didn't justify it. The only highlight was the rasmalai, which was excellent.
Unfortunately, the overall dining experience was disappointing, & we left feeling unsatisfied. One additional note: while our server was polite, basic hygiene standards need attention. A strong body odor was noticeable, which detracted from the dining atmosphere. In a restaurant setting, this is something that really shouldn't be overlooked.
Regrettably, I won't be returning on future visits to Montreal.
I knew this restaurant was going to be an incredible experience when the executive chef came out to introduce himself to almost every table. My partner & I ordered the samosas & onion bhaji to start. They were delicious! The tamarind sauce was so tangy it paired perfectly. We also each ordered a thali. It came with rice, naan, papadam 3 stewed dishes & a piece of tandoori chicken. Everything was so delicious I could go on for a while. It was so much food, we could not finish our plates.
On top of the incredible food the staff were all fantastic & very welcoming. Some might consider the service a bit slow, but I believe that is intentional as the chef prepares each dish individually. I for one enjoyed it as it allowed my partner & I to have time to chat & sip our cocktails.
We sat on the patio, its was very comfortable but the noise from cars on the street could be loud.
We had the Samosa starter & Thali, & boy were we stuffed! Excellent all around & the head chef Mr.Anand was charming as well. The food was spectacular, we'll have to come back for the next seasonal menu.
I have been to that restaurant a lot since I moved to the neighborhood but I won't go back. Price went up by a lot: the Thali who was below 20$ before pandemic & 25$ recently just got increased to 30$. They do not put the price on the menu anymore 😫 so you have to ask.
The portions were not as generous as before & the wait staff will try to upsell you constantly (at least 4 times during the service).
Finally, they were not compliant with law 72 when we visited: their terminals are still calculating the tip on the amount after taxes.
There is at least 8 other Indian restaurants within 500 meters. I will try those now.
Jul 10, 2025
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Found this small cozy spot while looking for nearby restaurants, & was highly pleased.
The hostess & the chef were extremely friendly & accommodating, even offering small changes to the daily Thali based on what we ordered for more variety.
The vegetarian Thali was amazing, especially the korma, & my partner was especially enthusiastic about the garlic naan.
Definitely make a reservation, as this place is small & it was full when we arrived.
Aucun regret! Quelle belle expérience, tout etait délicieux & Simar prend vraiment le temps d'être avec les clients, de leur parler il nous a meme fait des suggestions. :) 10/10 pour le THALI non-végé & les crevettes korma dans une sauce excellente.
I was walking back to my car after an event, hungry & deciding where to eat. From across the street, I could smell the food from outside & decided to walk in! Best decision! The hostess/ waitress was very kind, the food was absolutely delicious (I had the Dahl soup & meat thali), perfectly portioned as well as totally fair priced IMO. I would go there again & recommend in a heart beat!
Nov 21, 2024
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Intimate atmosphere, delicious food, lovely waiters. Food is all cooked from scratch for each meal, so be prepared to wait, but it is well worth the wait! Also, they were very nice to convert the vegetarian thali into a vegan thali. Thank you!
I am visiting Montréal for work & 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 & baigan bharta (went with the server's recommendations), along with butter naan & basmati rice & 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 (& is the chef) was very gracious, welcoming & 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!
I love this place & eat here whenever I'm in Montreal. The spices, smells, textures & everything about it. Most places I have a particular dish I always order because I know it will be good. Here I want to try the whole menu. If you can't decide, get the thali plate, nice assortment that changes daily.
As per the prices charged here, food is not that great! I ordered Non-veg thali & Tandoori Prawns. Thali was sufficient for one person meal it includes 2 sabji, dal makhani rice, roti, papad, & 1 piece of tandoori chicken. Tandoori Prawns was ok it was smelly & too lemony. But they have good options for Cocktails.
