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.
Le Taj offers authentic Indian flavors with generous portions and warm attentive service in a classic elegant setting, and the ambiance, the kitchen and dependable quality have made it a Montreal favorite for years; diners consistently praise fresh ingredients, flavorful dishes from naan to curries, and a hospitality that feels welcoming whether dining in or taking out; the lunch buffet is noted for value and variety, and the overall experience blends great food with friendly staff and a memorable, comfortable atmosphere.
I have been to le taj on different occasions over many years but recently during my visits i noticed the quality of food is not the same anymore. The food quality has degraded alot specially avoid going to valentines days occasion as the menu is limited & the prices what they charge for fixed menu is ridiculous. They serve chicken soup made of yellow daal which was really bad & we do not expect such quality of food from there.
Apr 23, 2024
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Very average food, or should I say below average? Well let's go with'Below Average'. We tried garlic shrimp, chicken malai Tikka, butter chicken, chicken curry & veg biryani. Supposed to be'Cheese Naan' was actually'Paneer naan'. The only item we liked & enjoyed is'Gulab Jamun'. Must try. Nothing significantly bad, but definitely the taste didn't live up to the hype. Had to wait for more than 1.5 hr on a Saturday evening. Will definitely recommend a reservation. Not worth it. Disappointed. Do not recommend it to someone with taste buds for authentic Indian food. Difficult to find parking. Has nothing to do with the restaurant though. Plan accordingly.
My absolute favourite dining experience for fine Indian cuisine. Outstanding service & food! The perfect table was reserved for my business meeting with my client. The Butter Chicken is out of this world! I highly recommend Le Taj for any occasion. Lovely atmosphere, amazing cuisine & service. Don't forget to try the homemade Pistachio Ice Cream!!! Simply outstanding. I am always happy to continuously bring my real estate clients here before & after visits~! Candis Noble (candisnoble.ca)
great naan bread & great butter chicken!! the staff are so sweet & the food is amazing!! i come & buy their fresh naan bread every week! totally worth it. thank you guys for the great work!
The vibe was great & food was delicious as well. Over 40 years of service. We ordered lamb chops, Naan, paneer masala, chicken Tikka tandoori. Lamb chops were amazingly marinated. Chicken was juicy & cooked to perfection. Naan was soft & buttery as well. BUT the paneer wasn't that good. Do book a reservation as it's always packed. The place was little cramped & the spicy is not spicy at all.
Feb 19, 2024
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Came on train Tuesday Jan 16/24 Made reservations for 17th before we left based on reviews & proximity to hotel. Was not disappointed. Great service, great food & staff are terrific. Vindaloo Chicken on the train ride home on 18th. Great meal all over again. Will eat there again when in Montreal.
The appetizers were amazing, but we were sorely disappointment by the mains - we had beef korma & butter chicken. Both were underwhelming in the spice department & were way too creamy lacking in all other flavours. Unfortunate because the service & ambiance were great, but we left disappointed after $200+ meal.
This is only feedback for the restaurant & would not like to share on customer's platform.
We visited for the first time & we ordered a vegetarian thali & a non-vegetarian thali. Somehow we didn't like much the taste of the chicken item we ordered. So, we requested if the chicken item could be changed. The item was changed which tasted good but we were also told that they were doing it only that time. There was only one chicken item with such limited quantity & if we didn't like the taste, we are not forced to eat. If it couldn't be changed then we should have been told that it couldn't be changed instead of saying they were doing it only that time as if we did the same number of times or they had any previous experience with us. Other than that experience was good.
They still can't wait to see us leaving for the next customers to seat & get money from. Feeling to be in a hurry is not an OK experience. Also, pieces of meal are reduced for a higher price (5 small bits of chicken for a 24$ plate)
Oct 21, 2023
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Le service est excellent, l'ambiance calme & agréable & le butter chicken est un délice, l'un des meilleurs que j'ai mangé !
Ce restaurant est assez haut de gamme, une très bonne adresse !
Wonderful service, Trendy atmosphere, & delicious food. I went with a friend of mine, we ordered the Butter Chicken, as well as the Xucetti Chicken. I would definitely come again.
May 14, 2023
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Excellent service & great food. My only negative would be that no mango chutney or tamarind was served with the Papadoms. But the meals we ordered were delicious. We had the Onion Bhaja, Lamb Korma, Chicken Tikka Masala, plain rice & a garlic naan.
Superb Indian cuisine. The Lamb Tikka, Chicken Tikka Masala, & Baigan Bhartha (eggplant) are all excellent. & the service is courteous, unobtrusive, & friendly.
We recently enjoyed the feast at Le Taj & would highly recommend it. Plan to spend about 1.45 hours & bring a big appetite. Each course was well-presented, of high quality ingredients, & excellent taste. We particularly loved the Chicken Malai, Butter Chicken, & kheer pudding. Service was highly responsive & the ambiance, lovely.
Always enjoy dinner at le TAJ. Great blend of tastes overall & service was great as well. Our chicken tandoori masala was a little pink & the waiter had it changed immediately for another dish! I would recommend this restaurant!
This was our third visit in the past two years. We now try to go every time we visit Montreal (from Ottawa). Superlative, attentive service. The food is fresh & delicious. The naan bread is to die for! We each had the Thalis meals, my spouse with the Lamb Vindaloo & myself with Chicken Tikka Masala. Both were flavourful & served piping hot. Raita was refreshing. Would recommend Le Taj to anyone looking for Indian cuisine. Just wonderful!