Dera Restaurant is praised for authentic Pakistani and Indian flavors with fresh naan, flavorful curries and standout dishes such as paya, haleem, nihari, biryani and tandoor items, while the service is described as friendly and the family friendly atmosphere and good value for money for both dining in and catering. Reviewers frequently note generous portions and spices that appeal to desi cuisine lovers, and many say the restaurant is a reliable go to for meals with family or groups. At the same time experiences are mixed, with a few dishes described as bland or overly heavy on masala, some meals arriving cold or lacking freshness, and concerns raised about cleanliness and ambiance. Dessert options are hit or miss, though several diners highlight kheer and halwa puri as highlights on other visits. The paya and haleem are repeatedly singled out as among the best in the area. Overall the restaurant is seen as a solid, approachable choice for authentic desi cuisine in Montreal, popular for lunch and dinner and for events, with room to improve presentation and consistency to elevate the dining experience.
Whenever I miss my loved ones & crave that authentic desi taste, Dera is the place I turn to. I've tried food from many Indian, Pakistani, & Bangladeshi restaurants, but nothing comes close to the quality & hygiene they maintain here.
It's not just about taste - it's about the feeling of comfort their food brings. You can truly sense the high-quality ingredients in every bite.What also impressed me is their staff - many have been working there for a long time, which is rare in this industry. It shows how well the place is managed & how much people enjoy working there.
My all-time favorites: Nihari, Biryani, & Naan. Highly recommended for anyone looking for real desi flavors.
The service here was amazing & the staff definitely try to create this sense of home through the restaurant & food.
The taste of the food was good according to my family's palate, but if you're someone who likes heavy masala & oil, this place is not for you. The food is a bit bland &, in some instances, warm but not cold. They don't ask for mild or hot preferences for food, but there is little to no spice in all of their dishes. However, their naan were clearly hot off the oven & tasted like traditional naan - quite good.
This restaurant attempts to portray itself as a high end restaurant & they offer catering for all types of occasions. However, their atmosphere needs work. Staff were all dressed in sweats & were given a Dera Restaurant baseball cap to wear - in my opinion, staff should have a clear uniform. This doesn't mean they need business attire…just not sweats.
Additionally, while cleaning off tables, staff were not provided gloves & were instead cleaning & picking up used dishes, cups, tissue, etc. with their bare hands. Additionally, the lighting at night was terrible & reminiscent of a run down hospital. The bathrooms were relatively clean but the toilet seat in the women's bathroom had been removed & dumped to the side in one of the stalls & the garbage was overflowing. So cleanliness needs some work.
Overall, for the price we paid to eat, you're literally getting what you pay for. We paid $50 with tips for a family of four, which isn't even close to what we would pay in the GTA. If you look at this in a monetary context, then this place is actually perfect.
Dec 29, 2025
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Second & third experience (5 stars): I visited for breakfast. Halwa puri was perfect! My family enjoyed the food & service. We appreciate the experience.
I am glad that I gave them a second chance. I will be visiting for the breakfast here often.
First experience (1 star): I visited late night. Despite a decent interior, the dining experience fell short with below-average food.
The chicken kabuli pulao lacked freshness, & cold when served. The butter chicken had a stale odor. The naan, though okay, couldn't redeem the overall disappointment.
Additionally, it's worth noting that almost all of glass cutleries on our table had broken corners.
The consensus among workers (cleaning the floor around us) was a bit gloomy, except for one lady who seemed cheerful & kind to my kids.
This restaurant has been a stable for the past decade the food , the quality,etc . I can confidently say that they have the best naan bread in all of Montreal . Strongly recommend
Service is amazing & ambiance as well.
Chicken corn soup,Fish pakora,Dahi bara & falooda ,you cannot go wrong.Naan,nihari,tikka,kebab & karahi are good.
They are fast so if you don't have a lot of time this is the place.
Last week, eat buffet Iftar Party with friends. The atmosphere is excellent, & the sitting arrangement is nice. Pakora, Samosa, & roll well cooked. Specially mutton karrai is out class. Fresh Naan & sweet was good. Worth place for family & friends getting.
Mar 25, 2025
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Edit: Went there for iftaar buffet. Iftaar items were fresh & tasty . Loved the fish & shrimps. Main course were okayish.
Edit: So we tried daal channa today & tandoor naan & omg the dal was super tasty , authentic pakistani taste & their naans are always a hit!!! 🥘
Edit: visited again & tried Haleem!! Wow best beef haleem in Montreal. Authentic pakistani taste 😋 their garlic naans are also fluffy & tasty! must try
Tried their Nihari & Paya , loved both. The taste was authentic pakistani desi . Perfect amount of spice . Best halal desi restaurant. Recommended
Had supper here recently & while the service & ambiance was pretty ok, we were quite disappointed in the food & its quality. We had chicken korma, beef biryani, khari pakora, nihari & naan. The meat was tough in all dishes & seemed unfresh. The pakoras in the khari were also very hard. Best item was naan but that's not saying much :(
This is amoung one of the best Pakistani restaurants in Montreal. . Beef paya, chicken karahi, mutton karahi, sheek kabob, garlic or simple naan, chicken maali kabob, nihaari, chicken Tikka, Qaari-pakora, Kheer & Gulab jamun are the best one in there menu ,,,, especially Beef paya has no Match ! . No designated parking for the restaurant, but you can find parking on the road. . Dinning is huge, but sometimes cleaning is not up to mark. . Service is quick.
Let me tell you, if you're lazy to cook on a Thursday, check this place out. Everyday they have specials with reasonable price + on Thursdays it's a whole chicken karahi special with 6 naan & salad. So worth it.
Feb 27, 2024
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La nourriture est excellente, surtout il y a aussi un rapport qualité/ prix. 3 x pains naan our seulement cinq dollars. Nihari très goûteux, mais il m'a quand même un peu de viande pour le prix. Le Briani est bon avec du poulet qui est frais.
Nice airy, clean place.
Service staff is wonderful. We had a lady in a black baseball cap help us (didn’t get her name) but she was lovely.
However food was a let down. Maybe it was the type of things we ordered. We had a long trip back to Ontario right after lunch so we didn’t want to eat anything overly spicy or oily. So we ordered the mixed grill platter, naans, daal makhani, beef biriyani, mango shakes. Everything was very average. Not the big pop of flavours I expected having read reviews.
Prices are fair & there is parking at the back which is a huge plus point in Montreal. There’s parking around the Barclay School as well.
Overall, I’d give it a 2 star but giving an extra star for service & parking.
