Located in the heart of Montreal, Shandaar Cuisine offers authentic South Asian food, also known as desi food. From your favourite Karahi to the ever-loved biryani and the famous doodh patti to the refreshing mango lassi, Shandaar Cuisine's menu has the best desi food in town. Your go-to desi restaurant with a breezy and vibrant ambience, Shandaar Cuisine is the perfect destination for an unforgettable dining experience.
Shandaar Cuisine is described as a warm, inviting spot delivering authentic Pakistani and South Asian flavors with consistent excellence across karahi, biryani, butter chicken, naan and chai. Diners praise the welcoming ambience, attentive service, and meals that feel like home cooked; dishes are fresh, richly spiced, and generously portioned, with favorites including Karahi, chicken tikka, lamb biryani, fish pakora, and a strong chai and mango lassi. A recurring theme is hospitality and attention to detail, with staff going above and beyond to ensure a memorable visit, and the option to host events in a private space. While a few notes mention value for money and occasional longer wait times, overall the restaurant is seen as a standout in Montreal for true desi flavors, where the food, warmth, and atmosphere invite repeat visits.
Aucune fausse note dans ce restaurant. Au milieu de Cartierville, qui n'est pas vraiment un quartier reconnu pour son animation, on a une sacrée perle avec cette maison tenue par des gens très accueillants & qui nous ont reçu un midi en plein mois de ramadan.
Le Karahi, le Biryani, les naans, incroyable.
Des saveurs profondes, pas mal d'épices oui mais très efficaces.
Très bonne cuisine qui goûte vraiment familiale.
Total Disappointment - Fake Ratings & Pathetic Service
'I was completely misled by the high ratings. Visiting Shandaar Cuisine for their Iftar buffet was a terrible mistake. Despite the $30+ per person cost, there was no actual buffet spread. We were told food would be served at the table, but it took 30 minutes just for two naans to arrive. The Karahi chicken followed 20 minutes later & was just a tasteless bowl of tiny, bony pieces. When we asked about the rest of the meal, they begrudgingly brought small, unappetizing portions of biryani, chole, butter chicken, kebab & pakora. The food quality was so poor it literally caused nausea. Worst of all, when we called ahead, they urged us to'hurry up,' yet when everyone complained, the owner simply blamed a lack of staff. If I could give zero stars, I would. Beware-do not trust the hype.'
If you're looking for a place in Montreal that truly lives up to its name, Shandaar Cuisine is it - shandaar meaning'magnificent' in Urdu, & that's exactly what this dining experience is.
From the moment you step inside, you're greeted with warm smiles & an inviting aroma of freshly cooked South Asian delicacies. The ambiance strikes a perfect balance between cozy & elegant, with soft lighting & tasteful décor that makes you feel right at home.
The food is nothing short of exceptional. Their Karahi bursts with rich, aromatic spices, the biryani is perfectly layered with tender meat & fragrant rice, & the doodh patti chai is the kind of comfort in a cup you'll crave long after you leave. The mango lassi is refreshingly smooth - a must-try for anyone visiting.
What truly sets Shandaar Cuisine apart is the attention to detail. Every dish feels like it's been prepared with love, & the staff go above & beyond to ensure you have a memorable experience.
Whether you're a fan of authentic desi flavors or just curious to explore them, Shandaar Cuisine is a gem that will leave your taste buds dancing & your heart full.
Excellent restaurant pakistanais ! J'ai essayé le biryani au poulet avec la viande, & tout était délicieux : le goût, la sauce, la cuisson, vraiment rien à redire. Le service était impeccable, rapide & très chaleureux. Une très belle découverte je recommande sans hésiter !⭐?⭐?⭐?⭐?⭐?
We had a great experience at Shandar Karahi. We ordered white karahi, lamb biryani, & chicken tikka, & everything was delicious. The white karahi was rich & creamy, the lamb biryani was flavorful & perfectly cooked, & the chicken tikka was juicy & well seasoned. Portions were good & the food was served hot & fresh. Overall, very tasty food & worth visiting. Highly recommend for anyone who loves Pakistani/Indian cuisine! 😊
Dec 27, 2025
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Amazing food & hospitality at Shandaar cuisine that's run by a beautiful family. It was lovely meeting Uzma & needless to say the food was so delicious. Never found any taste so close to Karachi! We ordered chicken Karahi, chicken tikka, beef kebab, biryani, mint margarita & lassi. We ended up overeating as niyat nahi bhar rahi thi. Must must visit if you're in Montreal! The warmth would feel like home!
I absolutely loved the food. The chicken karahi was spiced to perfection, the garlic naan was fresh & crispy, & the chicken biryani was hearty & delicious. Everything paired perfectly with the cilantro chutney. Also, the food was cooked to order. However, the chicken karahi had a lot of small bone fragments hidden in the sauce, so we had to be very careful while eating. Some special care should be taken while cutting the chicken to avoid this.
The service was great (although only available in English). Someone came in & demanded a shish taouk with tzatziki, but the waiter was very patient & polite, & suggested a Pakistani dish close to that. Very professional.
Tried this restaurant for the first time & I was impressed by their service. Super friendly & accomodating. Food was fresh & tasty. I really liked their Bbq platter, naan, fish pakora & the chicken tikka biryani. I will definitely come back & try their other options. Highly recommend
We went just because we wanted to have pakistani food.. but trust me the food is amazing, we taste is authentic. karahi chicken & garlic naan was heavenly. Lamb biryani was also delicious, it was not too spicy, masalas were perfect.
Overall one of the best experience.
Nov 17, 2025
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Absolutely incredible food. Had the Shandaar Chicken Karahi & Lamb Biryani. The chicken was probably one of the best dishes I've ever had at a Pakistani/Indian restaurant. Service was good. Seemed like only 1 guy was working that took our order & made our food, but we were the only ones there so there wasn't a wait.
All the food was fantastic but the biryani was absolutely fire, it taste like Karachi biryani , one of the best chicken biryani I ate in Montreal, really recommend their biryani & white Karahi & beef bihari.
Très bon Biryani à l'agneau. Shandaar légendaire: vraiment goûteux! Si vous aimez les repas bien épicés : c'est le bon endroit! (Service courtois mais pas en français).
This truely is an authentic Pakistani restaurant. Every dish we tried reminder us of home. We left the place with our hearts filled with joy. Beef Bihari, lamb Biryani, & karhai highly recommended.
The atmosphere is very relaxing & the service we received was very welcome, like we belonged here. The owner Uzma was so sweet & welcoming. Made us feel right at home. Even though we live like 2 hours away, we will definitely be coming here often.
I couldn't post any pictures of the food cuz it smelled so good, I didn't even remember taking pics of food & dove right in lol Next time 👍
Oct 26, 2025
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The food was amazing & service was outstanding.Honestly, the biryani was amazing full of flavor & perfectly cooked. The service was very friendly & again the food was definitely worth the wait. I'll be coming back for that biryani for sure!
It was such pleasant experience at Shandaaar
Everything is Shandaar here from food to customer services
We were hungry like anything & we got the best food with exceptional service .
The lady probably the owner of the place welcome us with her beautiful smile
The moment she said Assalam o Alaikum & speaks Urdu, brought smile & relief on my face.
Staff was not just friendly but absolutely professional as well
They have a huge variety of desi food & drinks which give the customer quite many options to choose from
The biryani was authentic karachi biryani & the karahi was scrumptious with super fresh butter naans honestly We over ate
Lol 😀
They have ample space if any one looking for a private party
Overall my experience was 9.9/10
Absolutely delicious biryani! Perfectly spiced, tender meat, & fragrant rice. Every bite was full of flavor. One of the best I've had-highly recommend!
