Thanjai Restaurant

Indian restaurant · Savane

Thanjai Restaurant

Indian restaurant · Savane

1

4759 Ave Van Horne, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1H8, Canada

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Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null
Thanjai Restaurant by null

Highlights

Thanjai is your go-to casual spot in Montreal for drool-worthy South Indian fare, especially their legendary dosas and vibrant Indo-Chinese dishes, all in a friendly BYOB atmosphere.  

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4759 Ave Van Horne, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1H8, Canada Get directions

thanjaigroup.com

$$ · Menu

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4759 Ave Van Horne, Montreal, Quebec H3W 1H8, Canada Get directions

+1 514 419 9696
thanjaigroup.com

$$ · Menu

Reserve

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Last updated

Jul 6, 2025

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"Thanjai owner Kumaresan Muthukrishnan, originally from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, came to Montreal to work in IT but saw an opportunity to import traditional flavours from back home. The restaurant is popular for its idli, dosa, and chicken 65. But it also prepares Indo-Chinese dishes, such as gobi manchurian (cauliflower tossed in a sweet, tangy soy sauce-based dressing) and kothu parotta (shredded, flaky flatbread mixed with vegetables, meat, and eggs)." - Valerie Silva, JP Karwacki

Montreal’s Best Indian Restaurants - Eater Montreal
View Postcard for Thanjai Restaurant

neeks s

Google
Good atmosphere but overrated outlet. It’s quite expensive from value for money perspective. I travelled half way across the city to try out some good South Indian food, but was left disappointed. Service and sitting is nice with tall ceilings offering a good breather and it’s quite clean. Ordered naans, parotha, chicken curry and chicken 65. All breads would qualify as baby naans due to their size. For almost 4 dollars each these are a ripoff. Currys were pretty average, mostly bland and watery. You’ll find the two dishes mostly similar in looks and in taste. Overall, not worth the brand name.

Prabha Karan

Google
Nice Indian place for dine in , they had great menu like Rasam, dosa, appetizers for travellers, we have been out of home for a week and was looking for simple home cooked food, this menu totally satisfied our needs with rasam and chicken 65, we also tried their dosa it was good , the biryani was just mediocre for us and rest of the dishes we tried were really great, we could see lots of people coming and having food from locals, that shows the food is really good here!!! The chicken noodles we tried was also good.

Vikram Kumar

Google
Positive review: Ambience: 9/10 Basically food is so good. I tried on SPECIAL MEALS on april 14th, it was so nice. I'm living in montreal since 2021, most of the time we used to go to Toronto for full meals. After tasting here, there is no need to go for that. Feels like home. Food: 10/10 Worth for money: 10/10 Noe they introduced morning tiffen on weekends - mini tiffen. We enjoyed a lot and we had nice breakfast. Must go and try!!!

Emily Wilkinson

Google
Delicious South Indian food in a casual family friendly atmosphere. Their many varieties of dosas, and their biryani and kothu are all delicious. We also had great appetizers. They even do their samosas in house. Service was very friendly and helpful. Great value for money too.

Shylaja Sobha

Google
We have ordered Veg kothu parotta and paneer butter masal from Thanjai. To be honest, one of the worst paneer butter masala ever had. It was just like a colour powder and sugar added in water and gave. Totally not worth the money and not recommandable. P.S - Veg kothu taste good, no complaints Updated based on the reply from the owner : This wasnt my first experience. Earlier when I visited ordered masala dosa and rava onion dosa. When it was delivered to table it was Rava masala dosa(P.S - Rava dosa delivered as Rava masala dosa). The actually problem is with the masala, it was stale.We informed the same but it was really suprising to hear the response that the chef didnt get the smell. But in the final bill the restaurant didnt charge for the rava dosa, if its really not the case then this deduction wont have happened. Some time things happen out of control but this restaurtant is not ready to accept it. We request to check the quality before its actually delivered to dine in/take out. We do see your restaurant has won awards, but all days the taste of the food is not same is our only concern. We have visited Thanjai thrice so far hoping each time we get better food but each time it was disappointing in one way or other.

Ken

Google
I will confirm the food taste good and it has the authentic flavors. Note to the cook. For those that are used to eating spicy food. This is a great spot. But please remember that if we ask for "mild" spicy, you have to advise us if it is possible or not. Spicy food is good but "too" spicy can be dangerous for some that has had an ulcer.

Laura Simard

Google
Very good South Indian food. It’s so refreshing to have this restaurant in Montreal where Indian restaurants have mostly North Indian dishes.

Cryogenics Dz

Google
Yogita gave us an amazing service her recommandations was so good and she was so kind We had the opportunity to test so many different flavours the food was so tasty thanks to the chef Everybody was so welcoming we will come back every weekend go this summer that for sure :-)

Jean-Francois C.

Yelp
Je suis allé pour le brunch un samedi matin. Une cuisine indienne du sud. Jai choisi le Idly Vada J'avais 1 Vada un petit beignet salé au fine herbes et aussi e Idly des petits beignets blanc. Va vient avec 3 accompagnements pour tremper les 4 beignets. J'ai aimé les trois accompagnemeng du sambar et du chutney. Jai aussi gouté au Dosa Massala un autre excellent choix. Enfin côté qualité prix c'est dur a battre Wow. Le resto est spacieux idéale pour des groupe un mélange de table et de belle banquettes. Excellent service rapide et de bon conseil. Un jolie resto invitant qui nous donne envie de voyager. Je vais y retourner c'est certains pour souper!

Solomon W.

Yelp
We visited Thanjai today with group of 5 families and the food was ultimate! We were traveling from Dallas and glad that we came across this restaurant. I would highly recommend this place if you are looking for Indian food

Jeremy H.

Yelp
Stopped by for lunch with some colleagues. Food was great. Service was kind and friendly. The rava dosa with lamb masala was on point.

Jimmy M.

Yelp
Thanjai is an excellent South Indian restaurant. Absolutely loved the Pepper chicken ,parathas, Chicken 65 and dosas. The service was impeccable and the owner who happened to be present that day was a very nice host. I highly recommend the place if you are craving South Indian food in Montreal.

Karthi N.

Yelp
Visited first time from Albany, USA. Good authentic South Indian taste. It would have been perfect with an extra kozhambu for the rice. Naan is soft. Desert is sweeter (for me). Will recommend it to anyone.

Ajay J.

Yelp
They have mediocre food, last time I came they were playing horrible instrumental music as if I'm in old age home. I thought id have a change of heart, but no, today I ate again, was severely disappointed. Biggest concern is that they have rats. I saw one under my table, someone on Google has also mentioned this. please avoid!!

Dipen B.

Yelp
Food was delicious we enjoyed it. The service was ok but due to lack of staff members. Overall we had a great experience.

Rabbiya A.

Yelp
We came here for their famous Dosa and ended up ordering many things to try! We were four people so we ordered several appetizers to share. We started with their Paneer Pakoras and Samosa Chaat. Both were average and I wouldn't recommend ordering. We got an Idly Plate. I wanted to try it from here so I'm glad I ordered it but I wouldn't necessarily order this from here again. Would recommend trying it once though. We ordered their chai which was spot on! It tasted exactly like tea back home! We loved it so much, we ordered several cups of chai through our meal. And then finally we got our Dosas. I had ordered the Mirchi Dosa which has a rare chilli spice added in with the potatoes which makes it very spicy. My threshold for spicy food is extremely high so I wasn't worried. But the Dosa was surprisingly delicious and very very spicy! Will definitely make the trip to Thanjai for this Dosa very soon!! I was pleasantly surprised at the authentic flavours and the spices used! I highly recommend it!!

Diviya B.

Yelp
Great find for south Indian food! Dosa varieties are really tasty and satisfy the South Indian craving

Bertha F.

Yelp
So sad to report that the food quality in this establishment has waned significantly in the past year. It used to serve reliably delicious dishes from the south of India. But they must have a new chef or new management because they food is now very run-of-the-mill, at best. For example, they now serve samosa chaat without any sauces, even though their e-menu describes the dish as "Samosa is broken into pieces with green and sweet chutney garnished with onion, coriander, hot spices and a dash of curd." When we enquired about sauces, we were told that the dish is no longer served that way. Another source of disappointment was the plain basmati rice. It was far too wet and overcooked, messy and sticky. And to top it off, they were displaying a campaign poster for a municipal political party. Yes, it's their right to to express their political stance to their patrons if they choose to do so, but in response, I choose to never spend another dime at Thanjai.

Sehrish N.

Yelp
This was my first time eating at Thanjai but it definitely won't be my last. First off I have to say the servers were very kind and helpful. They checked up on us regular which we really appreciated. There are many vegetarian options so my friend and I were able to enjoy our meal from the vast choices available. We obviously had iddly (non fried) and it was amazing! Their coconut dip is soo good. We doused all the sides over the idly and it was great. The seasoning was perfect and so was the flavour. They have many options for idly so I definitely plan on tasting the other. We followed with a plate of spinach paneer (perfection). The paneer just melts in your mouth. It is a creamy dish so be careful for those with lactose intolerance. We also had the fried cauliflower manchurian and this has to be my favourite from everything. We asked for medium spice intensity, which was respected and was great. I did not think cauliflower would taste this good. I was disappointed that they don't have naan. They said they order from outside but in actuality I think they were Costco naans. I ordered a paratha, it was very thick because it has many layers. I would probably just order the paratha next time with a side of rice but not the naan. We sat upstairs, where there's quite a bit of seating available. They do have a party hall, located in the basement.

Maggie K.

Yelp
While we were visiting Montreal one of our friend planned Thanjai for lunch. It was a little long drive for us as we had to drive from downtown, however it was worth the trip. The owner and staff made our experience excellent. We ordered tons of food and shared the portions. I got chicken Briyani (not the Hyderabad style) and I loved it, the flavor was great with tender chicken pieces. The kids loved the crispy dosas, the curry, the breads, masala omelette and rice was equally delicious. It was an absolute blast to enjoy the authentic South Indian meal. The place is spacious and service was outstanding. The ambience speaks of the town "Thanjavur" which is in South India. Parking is on the street, we were lucky to get it close by.

Yojna J.

Yelp
Finally, I decided to try this authentic South Indian restaurant after hearing so much about it. It was a Sunday afternoon around 6 pm and when I arrived there, it was so busy so the waiter took me to my table and gave me the menus. I went through the menu and then the waiter came back around 5-7 minutes. I decided to go for the samosa chaat and chicken masala dosa. After 10-20 minutes, my samosa chaat arrived and at first bite, I had that tangy, spicy flavour I wanted and the onions added that crunch which was delicious to the palate. I crushed my starter and then within span of minutes, the dosa came and it was so good! Totally authentic food and served with the sauces on the side with the dosa added more flavours. They were consistent, spicy and I paid around $20 with tips. Good for a night out and treating yourself when you want to try new cuisines. I'd return for sure. For sure, you get the quality for what you're paying for

Norine A.

Yelp
I came here for my birthday in March with a group of 20 ppl. We requested in advance to be seated in their basement (it's a 2 floor restaurant) but they refused. This is where the giant Jenga pieces start falling for me- oh dear. We were seated at two tables smack in front of the entrance. Traffic was at a max-which took away from the event. We came for the 6 ft dosa but there were "technical problems" with the batter. Seems kind of unrealistic when normal sized ones are coming out at the speed of light. So we were offered two 3ft dosas. Upset (the whole purpose of my event got ruined) we got the two 3 ft dosas. Wait-it gets worse! They decide to give us one serving of fillings and chutney for a table a table of 10! YIKES. So we agreed to pay extra for additional fillings that came frozen/ literally just thawed and plopped in a bowl - I could taste the ice pellets melt in my mouth. Then the cherry on top: the waiter was so overwhelmed my friend helped divide the bill, clean up and pack!!!! Unbelievable!! So in summary: DON'T order the 6 ft dosa or come in a large group. Stick to a normal sized one to have your happy ending.

C H.

Yelp
We travel to Montreal often for business and we are always looking for different restaurants to try. I have had Indian food in the city and was looking for a new place close to the airport. Stumbled upon this place and was very pleased to have tried it. Came back a second time a couple weeks later. I am a fan of the typical dishes like butter chicken (which was very good here as well) but was even more impressed by the Dosa and variety of Dosas to choose from here. I have never had a Dosa before and was impressed. We had one of the fermented ones with potatoes, chili, and onion. Very good. I would say it's a mix between a hash down skillet and crepe. Pro tip- dunk your Dosa in the butter chicken sauce! Mmmmmm. We also had the chicken chettinad which had a unique flavor. Keep in mind this dish was chicken on the bone. Will defiantly return!

Tamara H.

Yelp
They have some seriously delicious and good quality food at Thanjai! I was there last night as part of a large group for my friend's birthday, and while the service was on the slow side, the food more than made up for it. My sister and I shared the samosa chaat and chili chicken while we waited for the 6ft dosa (or so we thought!) We asked for medium spice on the chili chicken and proceeded to lose feeling in our lips and tear up a bit haha but it was so good #worthit. The samosa chaat was a generous portion and great appetizer for 2 people, though it could have used more sauce and the onions should have been chopped more finely. It would be great to have a yogurt dip/sauce prepared when they serve very spicy food! But they were nice enough to accommodate. We had to repeatedly ask for water - they should be more on top of that. Also, we were a little disappointed when they announced that they could not make a 6 ft dosa as advertised, but rather 2x 3ft dosas. Still delicious, more practical but not as show stopping. The fillings they served the dosa with were all delicious (mashed potatoes, coconut, tomato carrot... etc). I like that the restaurant is BYOB, definitely made for a fun night! And overall, great food and I will be going back to try other variations of dosas.

Jennifer M.

Yelp
It's been a while since my original review, so I thought it would be good to update over 4 years later. So the most recent time I ordered a few different dishes: samosas, curry chicken, lamb biryani, and chili paneer. Each dish had it's own spicing so the flavors could be detected even when on the same plate. The heat level was fairly high for me, probably the hottest I'd like while still being able to taste the rest of the ingredients. However, there was something immensely satisfying about each item, and I wouldn't hesitate to try a number of other dishes in future. Also, you can now order via Just Eat, which makes it incredibly convenient.

Gabriella F.

Yelp
Unfortunately I don't like Indian food so my review is biased. But we went there for someones birthday. The service was very slow I found. It took a very very long time to get our food. About 1 hour. The food, EVERYTHING, was SO SPICY!!! I really had a hard time eating and finishing my plate. According to everyone else it was very good. But not for me.

Eden L.

Yelp
I have been here twice. First time I had mango lassi, dosa, and a curry shared with my friend. Second time I had buttermilk and the lunch only big set of dishes. You won't go wrong if you want to try these. The masala tea is kind of like a hong kong milk tea to my Chinese taste but with a hint of spice. The waitress told me that ginger. I think it's a very old ginger which gives you a subtle spicy taste. That's a nice Indian style. I like it. I like the spices they use in the dishes. Dosa is so unique and worth trying.

Tina C.

Yelp
Overwhelming selection of food, slightly underwhelming service. The menu items also seems to be a bit of hit and miss. For example, a friend ordered the spring paneer dosa which was deliciously flavourful, meanwhile my coriander dosa fell short of expectations and it tasted quite bland---sadly it was more mashed potato than anything else. The server later forgot our dessert order and we had to flag them down to remind them we had actually ordered something. If you're visiting, get ready to flag folks down for service, but otherwise, it's a spot worth visiting and I will be back!

Shahanaz B.

Yelp
When you get inside the restaurant, you can feel it's an Indian restaurant for their color schemes and pictures of their gods and goddesses. I think Thanjai is the only one in Montreal that caters South Indian food. My favorite dish is without a doubt idly. Their repertoire of dosa are vast. Every time I go there, I try different dosas. The service is pretty long either it's super busy or they slow in the kitchen, but the servers are amiable. In the end the food is worth it. Highly recommended! It is untypical type of food compared to regular Indian restaurants who has basically the same menu.

Ryan K.

Yelp
This place has been on my radar for a while as I'm a huge fan of Indian cuisine. Finally went and I was blown away! The place is pretty large and yet the service was still fantastic. The waiters and waitresses were super helpful and really friendly too. As for the food, wow! The flavours were fantastic. I shared a whole bunch of plates...and ordered way too much. One dish I highly recommend is the Manchurian chicken. It was really spicy but I absolutely loved it! The one thing I didn't have was a dosa, which is really their specialty. Almost everyone around me had one. I definitely have a reason to go back! All in all, one of the best food comas I've ever had (and I mean that as a compliment )

Melvin-John H.

Yelp
Ambience: Thanjai has a splendid and thematic decor and an educative menu on the culture. There is a huge Dosa life size replica on the wall that teases you to come back with friends to eat and share! Definitely coming back Staff: very quick, friendly and attentive Food: Appetizer and Main Appetizer "Masala Vada"$3; it was full of tasty and aromatic spices but a bit too salty and dry in the centre. Overall very enjoyable with the coconut chutney. Main "Mini Dosas" $12; although it there were 4 different types of Dosas I really couldn't tell the difference between them. Still very tasty and filling especially wth the 3 chutneys it's served with.

Katya P.

Yelp
The great thing about Thanjai is that everything is delicious! I got to sample food I never heard about and wouldn't find at just any traditional Indian restaurant. It's a small place that gets full quick, reservations strongly recommended. I tried the onion bhaji as an appetizer, these are like onion rings but less greasy and with a finer crisp, served with tamarind sauce. Everyone comes here for the dosas: thin crepes stuffed with delicious savory potatoes, cheese, tomato and whatever else you like. They are paired with perfect dipping sauces and are easy to eat. I also tried prawn curry and biryani which were very flavorful but there's no kidding around with the spices, despite asking for it "mild", my mouth was on fire. The only drawback was concerning the prices and portions - for 14$ the curry seems expensive and there were very few shrimps, it's not served with any rice or naan either. Worth a taste, stick with the basics, like dosas and you won't be disappointed.

Uma M.

Yelp
Horrible service and extremely negligent staff. We went it for lunch and ordered Biryani and Bisi Bell Bath. We got both items quickly but the quality of food was very mediocre. The bisi bele bath was actually Sambar rice. And it was served with old and soft papad. I asked the waitress for a fresh hot one and she showed her displeasure at my request immediately. We were waiting for the fresh one, but it didn't look like they made an effort to even get a new one made. The chicken biryani was made with regular rice and not basmati like most other places. It tasted fine though. While checking out , we still hadn't received the new papad and got a response that the kitchen was too busy to make a fresh one. If you want to desperately have Indian food - you can visit this place. But don't expect any kind of customer service.

Feifei L.

Yelp
They bring their spices from India. They specialize in South Indian food. They are serious about it. Best Indian food I've had in Montreal. Having been to Southern India 4 times, I vouch for the authenticity. I recommend the different dosas and the biryanis. The curries were also very flavourful. My colleague from India picked this place, and what a place it is! Story goes that the owner, a consultant working in a large firm, started in the restaurant business as a side job, in a little alley with 4 tables. Today they have a mid size restaurant with a private part room, and are planning to open a second restaurant somewhere downtown in the spring.

Nupur K.

Yelp
I ordered 2 Masala Dosa, 1 cheese dose and 1 Gobi Manchurian through Doordash from Brossard Thanjai. This was going to be our valentines special dinner, however, it turned out to be the worst nightmare for us. Reason being: 1. In place of masala dosa, we received pav bhaji dosa - I later received the email informing me that masala dosa was out of stock. However, they didn't bothered to ask me my preference if masala dosa was out of stock. They assumed that we like 'Pav bhaji' Dosa and send us that, albeit, charging us extra $7 for the same. Imagine opening the box to eat our fav masala dosa but you literary find out another food. 2. My kid, while eating the cheese masala dosa showed me the long hair coming out of his dosa- I was very angry now, however remained silent not to ruin the occasion. Next, he showed me another hair- this time it was short and then I took over his plate and found out 2 more small hairs. That was it- I can't let my kid eat this shit. Then it was turn for my spouse to found another hair in pav bhaji dosa- and we had to throw away the complete food. We've to cook our dinner. I took photos of the hair coming out of food and will attach the same- albeit now I see there's no attachment facility here The food taste was plainly BAD but I wouldn't have took out time to write a bad review had the quality been acceptable. THIS IS TOTALLY SHIT FOOD. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT YOUR CUSTOMERS TO EAT YOUR HAIRS?? Worst experience to say the least and will inform everyone in my friend circle to avoid this outlet at every cost.

Fred H.

Yelp
Very clean, great service and reasonable prices. Had lunch on this occasion. Great for vegetarians and meat lovers alike. Large choice of dishes on the menu, decent portions and authentic dishes and presentation. Food is very tasty, fresh and well presented. The waitress is super nice and patient; she will make sure to describe all the dishes if you aren't familiar with them. They will even ask if you prefer the food spicier or not spicy at all. Street parking only with payment at the meter. They accept all major credit cards and have Wifi.

Boz X.

Yelp
Where do I start... First off, I'm not an indian food connoisseur so what I'm saying here might not reflect its authenticity, but from my experience, the food here lacks in flavour. We had lamb curry, chicken curry, and chicken biryani. All three contained a vast array of flavours, but they still tasted... rather bland (for indian food). Chand palace, in comparison, serve stronger tasting food. About the dosa, everyone liked it, but I found it average: 1. A bit too salty 2. Very oily on one side. Otherwise it was crispy, but my impression of the dosa was similar to eating rice crackers or chips. Pricewise, it is more expensive than the indian restaurants on Jean Talon West. And as usual, I felt bloated after the meal. Probably won't come back.

Hannah B.

Yelp
While I love a good French crêpe (and who doesn't?) dosas just ignite some mystical dormant savoury crêpe love in me. If you haven't had the pleasure of trying South Indian cuisine (if you've had unspecified Indian food your whole life, you likely haven't tried South Indian) I couldn't urge you more to start the culinary adventure here. It really feels like they have everything on that giant menu. If you're like me and can't choose one dosa among the 50+ on the menu, ask for a recommendation; you won't be steered wrong. Additionally, the service is among the warmest I know- I have yet to have anything short of a fantastic and gregarious reception when I eat here. The prices are definitely a tad more than your standard Indian, particularly within the neighbourhood, but it's absolutely worth it.

David A.

Yelp
When we discovered this gem (thanks to yelp) we came here first with a little trepidation. We love dosa but have been a little spoiled by India, Singapore, and Jersey City. Well this is our second time here for brunch and guess what: we are coming here for dinner too! Yes, it is that good. The staff are awesome. Friendly, very pleasant, and efficient too. For those of you unfamiliar, dosa is like a 24 inch crepe except it is made from lentil and rice flours. You judge them the same way. They should be crispy around the outer 6inches or so, at least, gradually giving way to a softer centre where the filing is. A really GOOD dosa is crispy further and is even crispy on top over the filing. And of course this is precisely what you get Thanjai. The choice of fillings is very extensive. If you like Indian food it is impossible you won't be spoiled for choice. The difficulty is settling on one. If dosa isn't your bag, don't worry. Aside from all the other for bread based dishes (idly etc) there are all the usual curries and rice based dishes. And of course nans. Enjoy.

Dhilip R.

Yelp
Proper authentic South Indian cuisine. CHICKEN KOTHU !!! - must try. Was good to hear a lot of ppl conversing in tamil. Loved the sambar. I got the rava dosa, medu vada.

D'Arcy L.

Yelp
It takes a lot to blow my mind when it comes to food. In Montreal there are many good and great restaurants that can prepare and serve a meal. However Thanjai truly is exceptional. If you are into the real flavours of Indian food you must come try This South Indian treasure. They deliver something intriguing and tongue tingling (flavour wise ). Also it's about a chef who can mix and deliver Indian spices that compliment and can contrast flavours in a meal. With over 60 Dosas on the menu I had to try one. For those who have never tried Dosa it's a crispy crepe type texture filled with potato and spices whereby you break off small pieces and dip by hand in one of the three accompanied sauces. The Dosa I ate for lunch was PHAV bhaji (Mumbai street style). One of the sauces was a chickpea very nice and light. The other was a milk or yoghurt base which was cooler milder and the other was a creamy one. Healthy and flavourful and crazy amazing! After my meal to continue on with the great flavour I ordered two dishes to go for dinner that evening. One was vegetable biryani the other chilli chicken. The chicken was ordered as a medium which was adequate spice level for me. Chicken was in a rich red sauce which was sweet but had some good spice kick to it. The biryani was so flavourful of mint, coriander and cardamom that I need to come back and indulge in more. On the menu I LOL about the spice levels: of Spicy, Super spicy or Supreme spice. I can only imagine the heat level of a Supreme spice. It could be akin to seeing new colours in the air and Hindu characters dancing around you while in a hallucinating dream land. They claim to be able to do a six foot family style Dosa. It would be a great place for a group event for those who are hungry! I asked the people working there if they were from Tamil Nadu and they confirmed yes. Then I complimented them on the fantastic flavours of the meal and said how much I enjoyed it. If you want real deal South Indian food eat here. If you don't then I'll enjoy it thank you!

Abhiram A.

Yelp
I am ethnically South Indian and this type of cuisine is what I grew up with, so naturally I'm very picky about good South Indian food. I've not been able to find good restaurants serving South Indian food in the Boston area (where I live), so decided to give this restaurant in Montreal a try. If you wanted to experience authentic South Indian cuisine, then this restaurant is a great shot at doing that. They have a great selection of dosas with different toppings. However, I prefer getting the regular dosa, Sambhar vada, and podi idlis and sharing them. All of them are made very well at Thanjai's. When we went in Mar 2019, we had the masala dosa and the Chettinad chicken. The portions were reasonable and they were well made. The chutneys are also fresh. I've been to many Indian restaurants where the coconut chutney and the tomato chutney could be a little rotten, but I've never run into that at Thanjai's. The servers always have a smile on their face and do a great job serving customers. I can't wait for this coronavirus crisis to end so I can go back to Montreal and have some podi idlis again!

Katthew O.

Yelp
I usually go by myself, order the 6 foot dosa, and settle in for a serious snack fest! Tasty and delicious, one of the best Indian restaurants in town!

Anh N.

Yelp
I love food! Particularly good with a punch. This place delivers bold flavours that will satisfy the not avid food lover out there! Everything we ordered was delicious. Hubby and I shared the Thanjai special soup, an platter with an assortment of appetizers, shrimp biryani, lamb dosa and chili chicken. We usually ask for our food order to be spicier then their usual but decided to follow their "heat" chart. Thank goodness we did lol! Good thing we made reservations because the place was full and people kept on coming in. Very good eats at a very affordable price. Also BYOB!!! Service was excellent even though we received one of our main dish before our soup and appetizer. I mentioned it to the waitress and she was very nice and apologized. It happens and it didn't ruin our evening. I can't wait to come back with a bigger group so I can try the 6' long dosa :)

Teresa C.

Yelp
Best inidian food! First time here. Ordered the lentil Daal soup and the rasam soup. Delicious Their signature masala was yummy too. Perfect Tried the lamb biryani and the rice was fluffy and the boiled egg was still hot. So good! So happy eat here! Service was great! Wonderful!

Vineeth R.

Yelp
Food is as authentic as it gets in Montreal, and service is unfailingly polite, prompt and cheerful. Highly recommended - keep up the good work!

Neel L.

Yelp
Wow. One of the best places for Indian and Hakka fusions. I love both Chinese food and Indian food and Thanjai mixes them to perfection. I loved their spicy chicken (indo-chinese style) because it tastes like general tao yet it also has Indian spices to it. I also loved their palak paneer and dosas. They were also packed with flavor and I must say that this is probably one of the best palak paneers I've ever had. This is also the only place that does a 6 ft dosa! I definitely will be coming back here without a doubt. The wait time can be quite long so make sure to come early or not during peak hours. It can also get quite crowded.

Suganya H.

Yelp
Everything was good. The ghee roast and cauliflower Manchurian were really good. I have been here long back once before two years and did not like it. Never returned back. However this time it was good!!!

Jack D.

Yelp
Some friends of mine invited us to a holiday dinner, which included free food. Yet, the idea of some random potluck over the possibility of some amazing South Indian cuisine just didn't really excite me. Especially cause this was our first time going to the famed Thanjai. It was a Saturday evening and we walked in to a packed house. But luckily for us, it was probably towards the end of the dinner rush so there were a couple tables available (next time I'll make sure to make a reservation). The staff was super kind and attentive, and answered all the questions we had since the menu was huge and everything looked good! Here's what we ordered: - mango lassi: either they make their own yogurt, or they know where to get some really good yogurt, but this was super tasty and you could tell it was made right. I'd come in just for that. - appetizer platter: it was our first time so why not. In addition to the usual samosa (delicious by the way), also included a veggie roll, the bonda potato, the onion bhaji, the medhu (donut looking thingy), and I think the Podi Idly. The mint and tamarind chutney that came with it were essential not just for the appetizer but for the entire dinner. That said, mayyyyybe next time I'll just get one thing because the sampler pretty much made us full. - PHAV Bhaji Dosa: sooooo good. If you're not into onions you might not like this one but we were all over this thing! Also came with a few sauces/dips. - vegetable kothu: wasn't sure what to make of this, my partner said it reminded me of Egyptian Koshery, but either way, it was delish! Maybe I'd try it with meat next time. Overall, the use of spices and cooking technique had our taste buds exploding. There's a place in Berkeley, CA called Vik's Chatt which is our favorite Indian spot, and this place brought back memories and comparisons to that (which is difficult to do)! Also, being able to skip the meat and still enjoy our meal was an added bonus. Can't wait to come back! Definitely want to try the Thali for lunch!

Saranya B.

Yelp
We ordered dinner delivery- sambar vada, egg kothu roti and veg biryani. Their portion size is huge. The food tasted delicious, proper south Indian and it had the homemade feel to it. We loved all the dishes we ordered. Would definitely recommend this place for good south Indian food!

Lucy F.

Yelp
The place is definitely not modern, even a little shabby, but it remains very welcoming with traditional deco. The place is actually pretty clean if you compare it with similar establishments. The service is very friendly. The food: everything I had was very good, but the kothu paratha (which to me seems similar to kothu roti) is amazing!!! I tried the chicken one. Perfect blend of spices and textures. If you've never tried, it's basically a flat bread that is cut in tiny pieces and stir fried with meat and spices. It's very filling and just so satisfying. Enjoy!!

Ryan F.

Yelp
Let me start by saying that I've been to this restaurant with family many times and the food and service has been good. However, most recently I was hosting a large family dinner and we tried to order takeout. It took 2 hours and three attempts to finally place our order. The staff tried to be accommodating but management prevented them from doing so. The website was down, then after giving my order to the staff they called back to ask that I put everything in online as the system was "working". After taking the time to go through the online process, the website refused to let me complete my order. The staff at the restaurant agreed to go ahead with the verbal order over the phone....again, they called back saying that I had to go through the process once again online as management demanded it. At least the third time it worked. After all that, the food showed up over 45 mins late and 25% of it was cold. Overall a terrible experience and we as a family will not be returning. Please don't reward this type of business practice by eating here

Annie A.

Yelp
Great food and great service. Best dosas in Montreal. Had the mango milkshake which was great along with the onion bhaji and a dosa, would definitely recommend.

Yogesh G.

Yelp
Good south Indian food, I had "Maysore Masala Dosa" which i would rate 4 out of 5. Sambar- the lentils were the best I had so far in Montreal but it was in a tiny-miny bowl. Usually sambar is what you get to eat the most at least in India. The one thing which I didn't like was the service was slow & I wish I was offered more sambar

Nahush P.

Yelp
Really enjoyed the pody idli and rasam vada. Also the dosa menu is interesting. The dosas we had were good as well.

Rishab L.

Yelp
I'm a South Indian and I live in Toronto. I was in St Jean for 8 weeks and was dying to get a taste of home. My friend recommended Thanjai restaurant. I thoroughly enjoyed the food offered at this place and left with a big smile on my face. I had: Sambar Vada Masala Dosa Gulab Jamun This all costed around 17$ which is an amazing deal. The food quality is top notch and if you are a South Indian looking for some food in Montreal, this place is as authentic as your local dosa joint in Chennai. I also took one of my buddies who's of Caucasian descent m. He was initially worried about the spice as he'd never eaten Indian food before. His verdict was that the food was very well balanced, savoury and not at all spicy. So if you're anxious about dabbling into the Indian cuisine, don't worry, this place isn't going to set your mouth on fire. The quantity of food is also very reasonable at this place. The only thing I would advise you to do is to make a reservation. I spent the day in Montreal and reserved a seat, in advance, on their website and boy was I glad. The place isn't very big and seems to attract a lot of people so do beware that if you don't reserve, you may end up waiting upwards of 20 minutes. PS: this is my first review.

Remy R.

Yelp
First time going here. We ordered different dishes including a plate of chicken noodles which I absolutely loved. The place was busy so we knew it's a good spot to eat some Indian food. The waiter was good. Only complaint was there were no tissues or dryer in the bathroom so after washing my hands I had to air dry lol But definitely a good spot for some good Indian food.

Ayesha R.

Yelp
An overrated place! Went in with so much expectations, but was completely disappointed. I ordered butter naan with chicken manchurian. The butter naan was the one we get in marche just heated up with some butter, so I request you all not to order it. Their chicken kothu was delicious and it is a must try.