Le Taj
RestaurantTop Pick
Le Taj
11:30 am - 2:30 pm, 5 pm - 11 pm
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About us
Known as a Montreal institution, Le Taj has been deeply entrenched in the downtown core for over 3 decades.
The decor at Le Taj represents a true synthesis of the complex, the colourful, the simple and the elegant. Carefully curated with handmade wooden carvings from the early 18th century, juxtaposed with the 12-foot mud wall adorning the backdrop of the dining room - which was in fact the central installation from the Indian Pavilion at Expo ‘67 - the decor often leaves our guests speechless while maintaining a certain feeling of warmth that mirrors the cuisine. At the rear end of the restaurant, our tandoor (traditional clay oven) is visible through a glass wall, leaving guests with a window into the world of our chefs, who can be seen cooking tandoori delicacies from fresh naan to our signature tandoori chicken.
Owner, Vinod Kapoor, opened the restaurant in 1985, with the idea of creating a space where Indian food could be devoured within the respected setting it deserved: white table clothes, fine wine and a decor that highlights the rich cultural and artistic history of his native India. Having previously been a collector and dealer of Indian art and antiques, his keen eye for interesting pieces has made its impression on the ambiance of the restaurant, where most of the artwork is one of a kind (including a piece from the Indian Pavilion at Expo ’67!).
It is with this same passion that Mr. Kapoor, who can still be seen buzzing around the dining room on a busy night, continues to maintain the high quality and exceptional service to old and new clients alike. Over the years, Le Taj has become a staple for many Montrealers and international clients, with a number of patrons having grown up dining with us and coming back over time with families of their own. In that respect, our own family of dedicated staff members - many of whom have been with us since the very beginning - are in large part how we have built our reputation of excellence for over 30 years. With a large number of our regular patrons making up a who's who, and having been as loyal to us as we have been to them and to our classical recipes, we hope to continue our journey in the mastery of culinary arts and service for many years to come.
The decor at Le Taj represents a true synthesis of the complex, the colourful, the simple and the elegant. Carefully curated with handmade wooden carvings from the early 18th century, juxtaposed with the 12-foot mud wall adorning the backdrop of the dining room - which was in fact the central installation from the Indian Pavilion at Expo ‘67 - the decor often leaves our guests speechless while maintaining a certain feeling of warmth that mirrors the cuisine. At the rear end of the restaurant, our tandoor (traditional clay oven) is visible through a glass wall, leaving guests with a window into the world of our chefs, who can be seen cooking tandoori delicacies from fresh naan to our signature tandoori chicken.
Owner, Vinod Kapoor, opened the restaurant in 1985, with the idea of creating a space where Indian food could be devoured within the respected setting it deserved: white table clothes, fine wine and a decor that highlights the rich cultural and artistic history of his native India. Having previously been a collector and dealer of Indian art and antiques, his keen eye for interesting pieces has made its impression on the ambiance of the restaurant, where most of the artwork is one of a kind (including a piece from the Indian Pavilion at Expo ’67!).
It is with this same passion that Mr. Kapoor, who can still be seen buzzing around the dining room on a busy night, continues to maintain the high quality and exceptional service to old and new clients alike. Over the years, Le Taj has become a staple for many Montrealers and international clients, with a number of patrons having grown up dining with us and coming back over time with families of their own. In that respect, our own family of dedicated staff members - many of whom have been with us since the very beginning - are in large part how we have built our reputation of excellence for over 30 years. With a large number of our regular patrons making up a who's who, and having been as loyal to us as we have been to them and to our classical recipes, we hope to continue our journey in the mastery of culinary arts and service for many years to come.
Our Specialties
Buffet, Chicken, Curry, Grill, Rice, Tandoori, Vegetable dishes, Vegetarian
Amenities, services & more
Capacity: 80 We accept: Master Card, Visa, AMEX, InteracMore details
For weddings, birthdays, office parties and office meetings at an affordable price.
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Reviews for Le Taj
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Display Allindian(176) recommend(76) naan(72) chicken(54) indien(52) quality(51) highly recommend(44) attentive(42) indienne(37) dishes(32) authentic(31) qualite(30)Page 1 of 3 - 42 Reviews
Nicole
This place does not feel like authentic Indian cuisine, Keema Naan was nice but malai chicken came with no malai sauce. Good if you want to try out Indian food & are nervous about the spice level.
Sébastien
Le Taj offers a beautifully warm & elegant atmosphere, with vintage Indian décor that creates an inviting & authentic setting. Service was professional & attentive, & the ambiance alone sets a high expectation for the dining experience.
We opted for the'feast' menu, which included a salad, appetizer, main with a vegetarian side, & dessert. The cucumber & tomato salad was refreshing, if a bit oversized. My fish appetizer was flat in flavor & oddly textured, though my partner's papdi chaat was crisp, tangy, & truly excellent.
For mains, the butter chicken had perfectly cooked meat, but the sauce lacked the depth, spice, & balance expected from such a signature dish. My partner's lamb vindaloo, however, was a standout - bold, rich, spicy, & deeply satisfying. On the side, the paneer masala had a beautifully balanced tomato-based sauce, while the saag paneer was watery & underseasoned. The naan was exceptional, & the basmati rice decent, though a bit soft.
Desserts were pleasant but unremarkable - gulab jamun was as expected, & a milk-based paneer dessert was unique but not particularly memorable.
The low point of the evening was unquestionably the cocktails. At $20 each, both the mango mojito & mango martini were disappointing - overly sweet, poorly balanced, & lacking noticeable alcohol & technique. They tasted more like juice than proper cocktails, which felt out of step with the overall experience & definitely a disappointment.
In summary, for the overall modest cost (about $120 per person), the experience was fair - beautiful ambiance, attentive service, & a few excellent dishes made it worthwhile. Still, based on its 4.2-star rating & reputation, we expected a bit more across the board. We've enjoyed more flavorful meals at lesser-known Indian restaurants, & with a few refinements - particularly in the cocktails & consistency of dishes - Le Taj could truly shine.
While the restaurant itself merits a solid 4 stars, the cocktails were disappointing enough to bring the overall experience down a notch to 3 stars. Fix the cocktails.
Anupriya
Ordered: Mushroom do payza, Chicken korma, Tandoori roti, Mango Kulfi, Gulab Jamun
Verdict: seems like uses quality ingredients, fine dining setting, okay taste, small portions, not value for money, servers were rude, hurried us to order (kitchen was closing soon so may be because of that)
Mango Kulfi & Gulab Jamun : quality ingredients & delicious
Tandoori roti: served hot & crispy; ask for buttered roti (it tastes better)
Chicken Korma: Okay. Didn't feel authentic kroma tatse . If you are having korma for the first time you might not notice any difference.
Mushroom do pyaza: they serve it dry here. That is not how it's supposed to be served. Tasted okay to me.
Tayani
I recently ordered takeout from Le Taj, & it was a fantastic experience from start to finish. Even at home, the quality & flavors were top-notch.
The food was packed carefully & arrived hot, fresh, & full of aroma. I ordered the butter chicken, basmati rice, & garlic naan, everything was absolutely delicious. 🤤 The butter chicken was creamy with just the right hint of spice, & the naan was soft & still warm, perfect for dipping.
The portion sizes were generous, & you can tell the ingredients are fresh. The flavors are authentic & comforting, just like what you'd expect from a high-end dine-in experience.
Le Taj really knows how to deliver restaurant-quality Indian cuisine straight to your home. It's now one of my go-to spots for takeout.
Final Verdict:
Authentic Indian flavors, generous portions, & excellent takeout service. Highly recommended!
Anthony
If I could give 6 stars for service I would! We were served by Suneil (Sunny) & he was among the best we have had. He was friendly & made great suggestions. He went above & beyond to make us comfortable & to make us feel like he cared about our experience. I had Chicken Xacutti & my wife had Tikka Masala along with naan, rice, samosa, & chicken kebab. Everything was delicious!
Hannah
I ordered takeaway &, as a big Indian food enthusiast, I was disappointed. The tikka masala had zero flavor, though I will give an extra star for the tender chicken. The naan & rice were also quite bland
Madelyne
I'm very surprised to see the 4.2 rating as I believe it should be higher!! This was some of the most delicious, spectacular, fresh, belly & soul warming Indian cuisine I've ever tasted. We chose Le Taj for my mum's 60th birthday celebration, coming all the way from Hamilton to spend the weekend in Montreal. Our server Sunil & all his colleagues that supported him in serving our table were phenomenal, so kind, soft spoken, warm, & told us a bit about the restaurant's long history. The ambiance is comfortable, intimate, clean, & luxurious. We ordered aloo ghobi, mattar paneer, & chicken korma as well as an appetizer, a salad, naan, & rice. Everything was fresh & perfectly tasty, medium portions, definitely generous enough. The mango lassi is second to none. The staff made my mom feel extra special with a candle & song for her dessert! If you come here, the in-house made pistachio iced cream is a MUST try!! Not at all what I expected - so fresh & wholesome, lots of real nuts. This place is perfect for any special occasion!
Felipe
Excellent Indian food! Had a butter chicken with traditional Tandoori Nan & Pulao Rice. Will come back next time in Montreal for sure
Katherine
Time out Market: Butter Chicken, Naan, & Biriyani Chicken
Avneet
Le Taj in downtown Montreal is a true gem for Indian cuisine lovers. With its elegant ambiance, impeccable service, & dishes like butter chicken & garlic naan, it's the perfect spot for a chic dining experience.
Danielle
Excellent East Indian food. We had the lamb chops, butter chicken, okra, naan bread, & gulam jamun for dessert. Everything was delicious. Highly recommended.
K.
Not as good as I was expecting. Butter chicken was off. Only the tandoori chicken was good!
Jagadeesh
We bumped into the this place as we were just walking around to find a place (did not want to use google maps...). The food was really exceptional. It is small restaurant in less crowded street in down town. The ambience is awesome. They asked do you have a reservation & we were like what... but they accommodated us with a 5 mins wait. All the dishes we tried was very good, especially their chicken xacutti!!! They are open only for dinner at this downtown place.
Jorge-Alberto
Great location with very nice decor. Has a beautiful intimate vibe with dimmed lights. Their butter chicken was disappointing specifically for the price. You can eat better butter chicken in lots of different restaurants for cheaper. Their garlic nan bread I must say with their samosas were delicious! Good spot to try out once but you can find lots of better restaurants & you will end up saving half of what you spend here on your bill.
Kitty
We ordered dal tadka, cauliflower , raita, naans, butter chicken for dinner. The delivery was on time. Serving size was small.Dal tadka was too spicy, butter chicken was over priced & bland. Curd was sour. Less salt in gobhi masala. We found it over priced
Akash
Pretty decent little spot for Indian food. Tandoori chicken was ok, samosa was really good, dal makhani & butter chicken were fine also. Nothing really special but pretty solid place for your Indian food craving
Jamal
This is one of my favorite Indian restaurants in downtown Montreal. I haven't been here in a while & was in the mood for Indian food. Reservation was easy via google. You get a message 2 hours before your booking to confirm or cancel your reservation which is cool. Don't be fooled by the look of the place (needs a refreshment), the food is amazing. Their mango lasse is probably the best in town & so is their garlic naan, always fresh & out of the oven. I tried their chicken kebab appetizer for the first time & it was delicious 😋 It was tender & had the right amount of spice for most people. I would've liked it a bit more spicy but I'm the exception rather than the rule 😁 If you like fish don't miss their Salmon Tikka, it's my favorite dish, perfectly cooked & spiced. I've had the chicken tikka masala & lamb biryani here before & they were amazing. This time around they were both good but different. I don't know if the recipe was changed. It was well cooked & was good but not what I was looking for I guess. I was full so didn't get my favorite dessert, Ras Malai. You should definitely try it. Instead, I had chai latte which was heavy but really good. I needed my nap at that time, the postprandial coma was kicking in 😂😂 Overall, it was a good experience as always. Highly recommended.
Rolly
I love the naan bread & chicken tikka ❤️🥰 thank you so much for the great service & great food