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 is described as an authentic, elegant Indian dining experience in Montreal with consistently flavorful dishes, generous portions, and attentive service in a warm, vintage inspired setting. The lunch buffet earns praise for taste, speed and value, with especially strong naan and a wide selection, while dinner is noted for a refined atmosphere and a solid tasting menu that keeps long time visitors returning. Takeout also delivers restaurant quality flavors at home, and overall the reviews portray Le Taj as a reliable staple known for quality ingredients, thoughtful service, and a welcoming vibe that suits family meals, date nights and groups alike.
This restaurant is just by name Indian not by their food & it is only for white people not for brown people , we told them to make the food spicy but still it was so sweet. Two girls sitting in front of the gate were greeting each & every white person but for us they didn't even reacted (i don't even care but it feels bad when someone from our own ethnicity treats us like second citizens) , whole restaurant was full with while people , we were the only brown people, might be brown people already knows about them , just posting it for those who doesn't know about it
Decor is fine & fancy. We wanted to try some Indian desserts. Upon asking the servers for dessert menu, we were frowned upon. A few minutes later, the manager came & told us that they won't serve us dessert if we don't order main course. Which we found very disrespectful & not aligned to the Indian Culture. It is disappointing to see how they are ok with guests walking away. Disappointed with the behaviour, definitely won't go back ever!
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.
Excellent restaurant with wonderful food, & professional & kind service. I only wish they still had the lunch buffet---a great place to find authentic Indian food.
Nice interior & decor with average Indian food. We were in Montreal for two nights & tried two different Indian places for dinner. Interior is upscale & nicely done, but I'd say that is only thing that deserves 5 stars, things go down from there. we were able to compare this with the dinner at Darbar from the other night & we came back underwhelmed at the best from the quality of food & service. If you want to impress your girlfriend of special one with nice ambiance yeah this is decent place, but if you want to wow them with service & food, I'd stay away from there. Not worth it.
Excellent East Indian food. We had the lamb chops, butter chicken, okra, naan bread, & gulam jamun for dessert. Everything was delicious. Highly recommended.
Not for South Indians & lesser vegetarian options but the place is really great for dinner dates. Got a chaat & veg biryani. It was full of mint flavour & the chaat was served cold usually. Baigan bharta was really good as well. Take everything medium spicy. Indian level spicy is not predicted. Once it was extremely spicy & once it was not very spicy. Medium level of consistency is maintained well all the time here.