Darbar
RestaurantTop Pick
Darbar
Opens Today at 4:30 pm
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm |
| Thursday | 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm |
| Friday | 4:30 pm - 10 pm |
| Saturday | 4:30 pm - 10 pm |
| Sunday | 4:30 pm - 9:30 pm |
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Display Allindian(111) darbar(96) chef(92) recommend(48) naan(39) dishes(36) family(34) authentic(30) flavor(30)Page 1 of 2 - 31 Reviews
Dimpy
Disappointing Service Despite Good Food
We visited this restaurant as a family traveling from the USA, including our young child. As tourists unfamiliar with French, we relied on the English names provided on the menu. We assumed the descriptions listed below each item were explanations of the dish contents, not realizing they needed to be translated to understand properly.
Unfortunately, this misunderstanding led to confusion when ordering. Instead of assisting us with patience & understanding, the staff responded with inconsistent & frustrating remarks such as,'we told you,''you should translate,' &'it's written clearly.' There was a clear lack of empathy & customer care, especially toward tourists.
To make matters worse, it took over an hour just to receive our appetizers. When we asked about the delay, the explanations kept changing, which only added to the frustration.
Eventually, when the food did arrive, it was undeniably good. However, the poor service & the dismissive attitude left a lasting negative impression. It took considerable effort on our part just to get the staff to acknowledge their role in the confusion.
In summary, while the food was enjoyable, the overall experience was disappointing due to the lack of proper service, empathy, & clear communication. As tourists, we expected a bit more kindness & guidance.View more
Francesco
Darbar is a wonderful family-run restaurant that truly cares for its customers. You feel it in the warm hospitality & the consistently excellent food.
The entire team-both in the kitchen & at the front-was kind, attentive, & really knew what to recommend to enhance our experience.
We started with the murg malai, served in a sizzling pot-such a unique & fun presentation! The seekh kebab was beautifully plated, & both dishes were absolutely delicious. The yogurt sauce with the kebabs was light & refreshing, while the spices in the murg malai built up to a deep, flavourful finish.
For our mains, we had the chicken jalfrezie & the nihari lamb. Paired with their crispy, doughy butter naan, the lamb was one of the best bites I've ever had. I literally had to close my eyes to take it in.
We ended with two orders of gulab jamun because my wife loved the first so much-she said it tasted just like her grandmother's, & we couldn't leave without having another.View more
Peter
FANTASTIC!
We have rarely, if ever, had a more pleasurable & enjoyable culinary experience.
Owner / Chef Simar Anand greeted us at our table & spent meaningful time discussing our food likes & tastes. He walked us through his menu & his recommendations. As he talked, you could feel his deep passion for food & his family's restaurant. We put ourselves entirely in his hands, & he created a spectacular meal for us.
My wife has celiac disease & can not eat gluten. When I made the reservation online using Google Maps, I mentioned her dietary restriction in the notes field of the reservation form. Chef Simar knew before he talked with us that our meal needed to be gluten-free & indicated he had made GF naan for my wife. He also said all the dishes are made from scratch, & that he would ensure all food would be prepared gluten-free. For those of us who have celiac or are celiac adjacent, you know this type of care is almost non-existent.
The setting is cozy, the service is beyond excellent, the food fabulous, juicy & perfectly spiced & the cost is SO REASONABLE.
DO NOT HESITATE - GO & ENJOY the entire experience.View more
Dorothy
Hidden gem that is now my favourite Indian restaurant in Montreal! Chef Simar Anand & his wife gave my family & I such warm hospitality & got to know us before making personal recommendations from his winter menu. He not only considered our dietary restrictions but also our spice tolerance levels & preferences across the meal.
We were 5 people celebrating a birthday & started off with 2 entrées: the samosay pakoray (plate of samosas & onion bhaji) & the murgh malai, whose presentation wowed us. Then Chef Anand recommended sharing 4 plates family style accompanied with enough rice & a variety of naans. We discovered the Saag Paneer (& option that never dissappoints), the Lamb Nihari, the Murgh Tikka Masala (the best tikka masala/butter chicken we're EVER had), & a new creation: Shrimp marinate for 9 hours in a spiced coconut sauce, currently being refined for the summer menu. Every single dish brought unique warmth in their spices, blended beautifully in their creamy sauces, & adjusted perfectly for our spice levels. Ending with a sweet note were the Gulab Jamun & the Ras Malai, which we all got to share & enjoy. I won't forget to mention the unique & fragrant teas on the menu, carefully selected & crafted by their in-house expert. Both the Leela & Firdaous teas delighted us, having herbs or spices we didn't know & don't normally see in tea blends.
Darbar is a restaurant where you take your time for an amazing meal, rediscover classic indian flavours, & feel the love & care in their meals & service in a way that stays grounded & authentic through it's spirit!View more
Jookie
Darbar is by far my favorite restaurant in Montreal. The flavors are amazing & everything is just spicy & delicious. The service is on point, always friendly & attentive. I highly recommend it, you won't be disappointed. It's a family owned restaurant & I have fond memories of the father, Babu. I've been eating there for years. Believe me, you'll want to go back!View more
Kashmira
I visited Darbar on a Saturday evening with my family & discovered a hidden gem in Montreal serving the best Indian food. Everyone at Darbar was so warm & welcoming, which is rare these days. Will keep visitingView more
Jason
For the past few years, I've done my best to come here a few times a year. It's a little inconvenient, & Montreal has no shortage of great Indian food, but this place is special. Before saying a word about the food, it's worth noting the resiliency of this establishment. Faced with barriers, literal ones put up by the city's slow-moving roadwork, it has continued to fight on to preserve the memories of the family that created it. I consider going here, in some ways, a political act. That said, given how good the food is, it doesn't take much to get inspired to go. The presentation of the food is as wonderful as its flavors - the small touches, like literal flowers, bring every dish to the next level. I find that everything I try here is always an elevated version of the comforting flavors I've had elsewhere. The chef is sensitive to spice tolerance (I can handle the heat, but my partner less so), which makes it a good spot for everyone. I've been treated with the experience of trying new desserts in the works & given great advice on wine pairings. I brought my toddler once & they went out of their way to keep her occupied with little snacks along the way so we didn't feel we had to manage her too much or rush out. All of this to say, that if you're looking for a delicious meal from a place that earns every penny it makes, go here & you will not be disappointed!View more
Mehul
Best Indian food we tried in Montreal, we were there with friends last weekend & tried Indian food at two places, Darbar & Le Taj (one which is rated as #1 restaurant in Montreal). Darbar food & the service hands down beat Le Taj. The warmth & love with which chef welcomes you & takes care of you, it feels almost like you are eating at your family home. Space is limited so please do reservation. We will definitely be back for food at Darbar, wont mind driving from upstate NY all the way to Montreal just of the dinner - with regards to Le Taj, not so much.View more
Amrit
One of the best Indian restaurants around (probably the best in Montreal). My family & I ate here last night & everything we ordered was delicious, authentic, & spiced exactly according to your taste. Love the ambiance & decorations (like a place court, as reflected by the name Darbar). Great cocktails & 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 & onion kulcha, & veg biryani. Everything was great! The chef personally came out to the table to welcome us & 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. & the best part on top of the great food was how affordable it was for a family of 4! With inflation & 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 & most importantly, great people. As I'm from New York & have experienced an eclectic & wide variety of Indian food, this place ranks as one of the best without a doubt!View more
Shannon
Highly recommend! We stopped in on a Saturday night without a reservation & they were super accommodating even though it was busy. Maybe call ahead to give them a heads up if it's a weekend night, this place is in high demand! The food was insanely good-- very dynamic flavors, each dish distinct from another. It all felt healthy, fresh, & tasty. The service was lovely & the chef-owner greeted us & gave some background about the restaurant's roots. We came to visit Montreal & it was important to us to support locally owned businesses & Darbar is just that. This is a family restaurant, well worth the visit & the wait if it's busy. Definitely try Darbar.View more
Plant
Our favourite Indian restaurant in Montreal. The food is outstanding; presentation is lovely, flavours are delectable. Great vegan friendly options as well. We always visit Darbar when our family is visiting from Australia. A memorable evening on the terrace thanks to the great ambiance & hospitality of the staff & owners. Looking forward to our next visit. Highly recommend! Thank you Darbar team.View more
Shriya
Hi - I came from Toronto to Montreal with my parents who had come from India. Wanted to treat them to the best Indian place in Montreal & hence chose Darbar. I had done some reading on Darbar in my quest to find a nice place for Indian dining & was pretty impressed by what I read on the exec chef / owner's hospitality & his background story about parents. The food was good; loved the shahi paneer & butter naan(softest i have had ever); & of course the rasmalai. The garlic naan was a miss. The food is cooked fresh after ordering & takes time which is told at the time of ordering itself. We had also ordered aloo go hi , dal fry & sweet lassi which were good. Because I had told everyone in my family about the stories & posts I have read about the owner & seeing that they went & interacted with every table except ours was pretty awkward & embarrassing. My husband was just asked from afar how the food was but for each table while we were seated ; the owner went & chatted up, explained the dishes & made the guests feel comfortable. Even though the food was good; this experience left a sour taste.View more
Elena
By far my favorite Indian food, of all the places I've tried in every city I've lived in. I often make the trip from Vermont to Montreal specifically to eat dinner here, walk around St Laurent, & head back to the US. You can feel the love in every dish that hits the table, & when you hear this place's back story & learn more about the amazing family that runs it, you can't help but love the food all the more. Couldn't recommend more :)View more
Nathan
Wow wow wow! Writing this just after eating it all, absolutely fantastic. Came with family on vacation, treated very well by the staff & was guided through the menu by our waitress & the head chef. They helped curate a meal to our tastes. Best food & service I have received on this trip & top tier dining experience.View more
Ashish
3hours for food, Yes, that right, we were there for 3 hours. 8ish-9:30 waiting in the line, because we didn't reserve the table, but even if we had, I am sure it wont have made that big of difference. Anyways, now we are on the table & waiting for the order, we gave order after 15 minutes of getting the table, got our drinks in another 20 minutes, & then we get the food in exactly in another 30 minutes. We were with kids, & it's not worth the wait at all. Family behind us, we talked & they had the same reaction, the long wait. Now comes the food, i am comparing it with what we get in Ottawa, not even close in terms of taste, Paneer softness or, quality of rice, naan. Local Canadian may like the food as the review says, because they don't expect it to be authentic.View more
Annalyn
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 & I cannot say enough about how enjoyable our time was! The service was fantastic & everyone truly made us feel welcome & well cared for. The family aspect of the establishment was clear & helped the whole experience feel even more delightful. The head chef, who owns the establishment, was involved every step of the way & 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 & intimate & we will be talking about this meal for some time to come. Thank you so much to the team & family that makes up Darbar for such a truly wonderful experience!View more
Be
Once again, I am eating in my Punjabi home from home in Montreal. There is no comparison. This is THE most genuine, wonderful restaurant that I visit in my jog around the globe. Thank you to you all, Simar & familyView more
Andrea
Outstanding!!!!!! Amazing service & delicious food. The chef... hats off! We had the wine of the house & the fish with mint sauce --it was from another world! 🤯 you have to try it🤩🤩🤩 I wish I could eat there everyday 🥰😋😋😋 One year after update Darbar is our favourite restaurant, the food is always excellent & the service is fast & friendly. We love going there, we always recommend darbar to all our friends & family 💖View more
Margaret
We had an amazing meal. Food was fantastic. Owner very helpful & his family recipes were on the menu.View more
Jacob
Super friendly & accommodating staff. Food is great & get substantial portions for the price. It deffinatly feels like a family run spot. I suspect some/most 1 start reviews are from a competitors network, or different ethnic Indian groups. Darbar deffinalty deserves a much higher rating!View more
Serena
Not only was the food impeccably delicious, the owners of this restaurant are such a delightful & hard-working family. They radiate with kindness in that place. Please give it a shot, you won't be disappointed. P.s TRY THE PAKORAS!View more
Gregg
Best Indian food we’ve had in years. Fantastic flavors & very authentic. Lovely family-owned establishmentView more
via LibroFamily owned restaurant with traditional dishes! ambiance is great (floor tables & up ones) first look at the restaurant you couldn't tell it is so great... hidden gem. The food was amazing
via LibroAmazing as always. Not our first & certainly not our last visit. Staff treats you like family. Taste & quality is on point. Thank you for yet another amazing priceless experience.
via LibroThis is the type of restaurant we love dining at. Family run with absolutely amazing food (which mom is making), amazing wait staff who were able to explain all dishes ordered as well as make recommendations on the order so as not to duplicate too many flavours. It is close quarter without the cramped in feeling. Everyone in the restaurant was clearly enjoying themselves & their meals. From the appetizer to the dessert & tea everything was exceptional.
via LibroWe Looooove this authentic family owned Indian resto....Great friendly service & delicious food! My fav is the tandouri chicken & my husbands' is the saag paneer....& dont forget to order the homemade naan bread- Its marvellous! Enjoy!
via LibroI heard lovely things about Darbar so was excited to bring dear out of town friends there for dinner. We were thrilled with the whole experience! The food was outstanding--traditional dishes, but impeccably cooked. You could taste the love that this family puts into their meals. Even better, was the friendly & helpful vibe from everyone working there. Such nice people! What a fabulous evening. I live in the neighbourhood & can't wait to go back. The best onion bhaji we've ever had, delicious bhindi, tasty tandoori fish... the list goes on. Bravo!