Bombay Mahal

3.5 star rating
16 reviews Rating Details

Category: Indian  [Edit]

1001 Rue Jean-Talon O
Montreal, QC H2R 1V6
(514) 273-3331
Price Range:
$
Accepts Credit Cards:
No
Parking:
Street
Attire:
Casual
Good for Groups:
Yes
Good for Kids:
Yes
Takes Reservations:
Yes
Delivery:
No
Take Away:
Yes
Waiter Service:
Yes
Outdoor Seating:
No
Wi-Fi:
No
Good For:
Lunch
Alcohol:
No
Noise Level:
Very Loud
Has TV:
No
Wheelchair Accessible:
No
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16 reviews in English

  • Review from tasha c.

    •  
    • 4 friends
    • 1 review

    Montréal, QC

    5.0 star rating
    10/21/2011

    My favourite restaurant in Montreal hands down.

    If you go and don't like it, it's because you're not ordering the right thing.  My boyfriend and I have gone every 6-8 weeks for the last 4 years and we have tried a variety of dishes, but now, we always order exactly the same thing.

    Chana Samosa - crunchy, spicy, saucy.

    Baingan Bharta - velvety pureed eggplant with a kick

    Chicken Korma - creamy dreamy yogurt-y sauce with tender chicken.

    garlic naan - amazing to dip in the bharta and korma.

    Buy yourself a bottle of wine, grab a friend, and try the above mentioned  menu next time, (all for about $35).

  • Review from Magdalena O.

    •  
    • 24 friends
    • 13 reviews

    Montréal, QC

    1.0 star rating
    2/11/2012 1 photo 1 Check-in Here

    Well. I've heard soooo much about this place, so I was super amped and brought a friend with me before we headed off to a party. What a disappointment in every way.

    Ambiance: None. It's loud. The decor is tacky, and dirty. There's two rooms in which everyone is squished like sardines. Sidenote: I wouldn't mind this if the food was delicious (see Kazu for example).

    We were asked in line that if we are out in less than an hour we could be seated because there was a reservation at our table. We agreed as we had somewhere to be. We sat down and I got the chicken thali and my friend got the lamb vindaloo. I am a newly formed still-rare occasion meat eater, but I do know what good meat tastes like. The chicken in all my dishes was dry, rubbery and without flavour. The chicken tikka was dry and tasted like it was frozen for years before coming out of hiding. The sauces were boring, metallic tasting and dulled the palate. The rice was the only thing that was edible. I didn't even finish my butter chicken (?!) because it was that disgusting, and I'm poor so I never want to waste food and will usually eat people's leftovers. My friend's vindaloo was also questionable and he was pretty disappointed I took him to such a dump.

    I will say that the pakoras and their sauce was delicious, even if too greasy, saved the night.

    Seriously, how do people give this good ratings? I grew up in Toronto where I ate at many Indian homes and have a plethora of delicious Indian restos to consume, so maybe that's why?

    I went to another place on Jean Talon that has high reviews, and it was much better than this but definitely forgettable and not worthy of repeat visits.

    Oh, and then there was a line up to pay. Seriously.

  • Review from Stéphane S.

    Montréal, QC

    3.0 star rating
    1/13/2012

    Food is good, setting is basic. Nothing is spectacular but it's fine Indian food for Montreal.

  • Review from Ray C.

    •  
    • 0 friends
    • 2 reviews

    Montréal, QC

    3.0 star rating
    1/16/2012

    I have been to this place a couple of times and always enjoyed the food. Service is OK , establishment looks marginally clean. A good place to bring your friends with beer or wine , not a good spot to have a date though.

  • Review from Kim B.

    •  
    • 20 friends
    • 11 reviews

    Montréal, QC

    4.0 star rating
    4/19/2011

    Just went for the bajillionth time (okay, it was actually the quintillionth if it's specificity you're after) on Saturday night and I still adore this place. Maybe it's the fact that I have a perennial soft spot for Bring Your Own Wine restaurants. Maybe it's the fact that their food is absolutely delicious, fresh and rather inexpensive. Maybe it's the fact that I get my eyebrows done at Dee's across the street and Bombay Mahal is great comfort food when my entire forehead is throbbing in pain. Whatever it is, I keep going back.

    My favourite dishes include the palak paneer, which has a brilliant, strong flavour to the spinach, the creamy lamb korma and the vada sambar, which I had for the first time the other night but will definitely be ordering as an appetizer in the future. Their garlic nan is also a treat!

    If you're heading there for lunch, they have a $5 veg thali that is not only to die for, but surprisingly filling despite appearances. I definitely looked at it with uncertainty when it first arrived, thinking I might have to order an extra side, but I soon discovered it was more than enough.

    On Friday and Saturday nights, it does tend to fill up, so you'll want to head over with about ten-to-fifteen minutes to spare. Besides that, the service is quick and friendly and it's a great place for a casual BYOW meal.

  • Review from Dean A.

    •  
    • 4 friends
    • 60 reviews

    Montréal, QC

    4.0 star rating
    1/22/2011

    I think this restaurant is great, but the owners are sneaky. I have been a dozen times, a noticed something VERY interesting - hear me out.

    IF your party is visibly drunk, they will totally decrease the meat-to-sauce ratio in all the dishes thinking you won't notice. It has gotten really bad, I mean two small pieces of chicken in a Jalfrezi swimming in a giant bowl of sauce. For TWO PEOPLE. So you wind up getting full on wine and Naan soaked in sauce, which is kind of how I like it anyways.

    Also, I know two people on two separate occasions who ate at Bombay Mahal and got violent bacterial colitis (ie. shi-----tting blood for 10 days) from that place. My stomach is iron clad - I've eaten street food in Delhi, India with no problem, so I couldn't care less, but beware!

  • Review from Farin I.

    Brossard, QC

    2.0 star rating
    6/30/2011

    After coming past all the good reviews, I decided to take my wife out for lunch. Having come from indian background, i do have good idea and experience about indian food. The chana samosa was decent but no way it will cost 5 bucks in any other place. My lambplate came with dry out salad from yesterday and the lamb was too dry and dull. My wife's lamb biryani was nothing but white rice mixed with regular lamb curry. People, biryani is something made after a lot of effort and hardwork, fuming the rice with spices overtime rather than the so called lame biryani i had. Last words, food is made completely for dudes who have never been into indian places before and are completely ignorant about indian cuisine. Trust me, i have had better indian food in Montreal

  • Review from Blair M.

    Montréal, QC

    5.0 star rating
    10/22/2010

    as was previously mentioned, this place is nothing fancy but has some of the better Indian food that I have found outside of India. Always very busy so plan on waiting but worth every minute spent in line.
    Another great feature is the fact that it is a BYOB

  • Review from Nikhil S.

    •  
    • 0 friends
    • 46 reviews

    New York, NY

    USA
    2.0 star rating
    7/4/2011

    After being in Montreal for a few days and missing Indian food, we decided to visit Bombay Mahal based on Yelp and Urban Spoon recommendations. Quite a mistake.

    Food is decent and very reasonably priced, but the restaurant is shoddy and grimy, which ruined my experience. If you are up for a quick no-frills bite and can stand the mess, pop in but I wouldn't recommend going out of your way to eat here.

  • Review from Kim K.

    Somerville, MA

    USA
    3.0 star rating
    12/16/2010

    Not really sure what all the hype was about. The food is alright, prices average, decor plain, and service adequate. Definitely not worth a special trip. And the buffet is not offered all the time so make sure you check on that before you arrive.

  • Review from Zendreamer O.

    •  
    • 0 friends
    • 1 review

    Montréal, QC

    5.0 star rating
    4/21/2010

    Nothing fancy but the food is authentic and delicious the best in Montreal quality/price
    Enjoy ;-)

  • Review from pascal t.

    •  
    • 2 friends
    • 22 reviews

    Montréal, QC

    4.0 star rating
    1/9/2011

    This is the best indian place in Montreal that we have tried so far and we've tried many (hence the 5 star rating). My wife comes from Malaysia and Indian food is a big part of their food culture over there. I also lived there for 2 yrs and had indian food almost daily.. Bombay Mahal is the closest to that food that we've had so far outside of Asia. Her parents came over recently from there and also gave it their seal of approval!

    I think what makes their food so good is that they don't skimp on seasonings and especially not the spiceness. It makes you sweat and makes you want to eat more.

    The only miss we've had so far in 3 visits were their chicken curry, which apparently was "meh". Everything else has been great. My favorite is the Idli entree which comes with 2 out of this world sauces..

  • Review from Mohammed R.

    •  
    • 0 friends
    • 1 review

    Montréal, QC

    5.0 star rating
    7/8/2011

    I was realy surprise how delicious it was. Changed my percetion of indian food

  • Review from grant r.

    •  
    • 4 friends
    • 11 reviews

    Montréal, QC

    5.0 star rating
    10/2/2009

    Après habiter dans Parc Extension depuis plus qu'un an, je peut dire définitivement et sans hésitation que Bombay Mahal est le meilleur cuisine indien qu'on peut trouver sur la rue Jean-Talon et possiblement dans tout de Parc Ex - - il reste deux ou trois restos de plus que je n'ai essayé encore.  Je n'ai jamais manger quelque chose ici qui est moins que délicieux.  Oui, quelquefois le service est un peu lent -- mais si tu regardes toi le resto avec attention, tu vas probablement marquer qu'il y a seulement deux serveurs au maximum! Bravo Bombay Mahal.  Apportez votre vin ou bière ou n'importe quoi!
    -----
    After living in this hood for a little over a year, I can say with assurance that Bombay Mahal is the best Indian cuisine that one can find on Jean-Talon and possibly all of Parc Ex...there are still two or three Indian restos that I have yet to try.  I've never had a bad exerience here.  Sometimes the service is slow, but those times are probably a Friday or Saturday night and there are probably only one or two waiters!  Bring your wine or beer or whatever for an added bonus.

  • Review from S L.

    •  
    • 468 friends
    • 96 reviews

    Outremont, QC

    4.0 star rating
    10/30/2009

    I go there from times to times. Their lentil sauce is well executed: enjoyably seasoned and very tasty. Kudos for their Aloo Gobi veggy dish: simple cauliflower/potatoes nicely spiced dish that's all savory. The butter chicken I had there (had it twice by now) was of of utter tenderness and had been savourish on both occasions. Definitely a nice good simple and yet well executed table.

  • Review from Vanessa F.

    •  
    • 11 friends
    • 61 reviews

    Antibes, Alpes-Maritimes

    France
    4.0 star rating
    4/16/2009

    excellent food although their dishes are *spicy*. well-priced. small and cosy. always a joy to come here.

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