La Banquise, originally a small ice-cream shop, first opened its doors in May 1968. In fall of the same year, its founder, local fireman Pierre Barsalou, decided to transform the enterprise into a 24-hour snack bar. At the time it specialized in exceptionally good hot-dogs and great fries. Poutine first appeared on the menu at the start of the 80s and originally just two varieties were offered, classic and Italian. However, in response to repeated requests from very satisfied customers, the restaurant’s poutine varieties quickly multiplied. Today we offer no less than 25 different types of poutine. Today, La Banquise remains a family business. Mr. Barsalou’s youngest daughter Annie took over in the 1990s along with her partner Marc Latendresse. Together, they maintain both the tradition of quality and the excellent reputation of the La Banquise Restaurant. In summer 2006, La Banquise underwent major renovations and a much larger dining area was made available. 40 years on, La Banquise is now much more than a simple snack bar or poutine joint. Today it is also a warm, friendly venue where customers can enjoy micro-brewery beers, a complete menu du jour and excellent breakfasts. So here’s to you, our loyal customers, the night owls, the groups of friends, the workers, students, families and more, because all of you have contributed to shaping and enriching the success story that is La Banquise today. Many, many thanks.
La Banquise is a legendary Montreal poutine spot known for enormous bowls piled high with crispy fries, squeaky cheese curds, and rich gravy, with a wide variety of toppings from classic to bold. The atmosphere is lively and friendly, service is fast, and staff work hard to accommodate guests even when the place is busy, with vegetarian, vegan, and meat options widely praised. Although crowds and noise are common and the space can feel tight, the generous portions and flavorful poutines make the wait worthwhile, and takeout or enjoying a meal in the park add to the appeal, solidifying La Banquise as a go to for poutine lovers.
Truely incredible experience. The poutine is legit. Gravy is full of flavor. Cheese curds are fresh & squeaky. Fries are absolutely perfect & loved seeing the buckets of prepped potatoes waiting to be fried! Might be the best poutine I've had.
We got a poutine on Uber Eats & it was good but not ground breaking. I definitely wish we went in to the store because I think if it was hot it would've been perfect
On our first trip to Canada, we HAD to try poutine in what has been called'the best poutine in Montreal'.
Admittedly, I don't know much about poutine (since this was my first experience) but I can say that the poutine was DELICIOUS!
My 7 year old grand daughter fell in love with poutine there & has asked me to make it for her homemade.
Not only was the food excellent, the service was fantastic & the atmosphere lively but not over the top!
Thank you for having us & introducing us to a Canadian staple❤?
Mar 14, 2026
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An eclectic & insane selection of poutines & open 24/7? What's not to like! Certainly worth the hype & a visit if you are in Montreal & want an authentic or crazy poutine. The service was great & this place is awesome.
Really good poutine. But the reason why I'm giving only 2 stars is because the server told me that I needed to tip more. I was quite taken aback by that as tipping is to the discretion of the customer. I already tipped a reasonable amount, but the moment I heard that, I wanted to cancel my tip. Tipping is NOT something that is required, it is an act of courtesy. Overall I had a bad experience because of the server, & I'm probably never returning.
Beaucoup de monde donc il faut prévoir l'attente (pour nous 20 min avant d'avoir une table & encore 30 min avant d'être servi) !
Un lieu très réputé mais la qualité des ingrédients n'était pas à la hauteur de mes attentes.. nous avons pris une poutine régulière & une poutine végane.
La poutine régulière avec poivrons verts était correct mais pas exceptionnelle pour le prix. Quant à la poutine végane, dommage d'avoir un fromage râpé qui fond & ne respecte pas l'authenticité de la texture du fromage en grains ! Les frites étaient correctes mais vites molles avec le trop plein de sauce…J'aurais au moins aimé du fromage vegan en dés qui aurait moins fondu.. dommage que la seule option végane ne comporte pas de légumes ou autre supplément pour améliorer le plat.. sans parler du prix qui était plus élevé que des poutines comportant de la viande
L'ambiance est correcte & sympathique notamment en terrasse quand il fait beau !
La Banquise delivered exactly what we came for: legendary poutine & a fun, lively vibe. I went for the smoked meat poutine - L'Obélix - & it was outstanding. Perfect fries, rich gravy, plenty of cheese curds, & that smoky, tender meat on top took it over the edge.
My brother ordered La Elvis, which was loaded, indulgent, & exactly the kind of over?the?top poutine you hope it will be. Our niece kept it classic with La Classique, & even the simplest version was spot?on. When a place nails the basics, you know the rest is going to be great.
They also have a surprisingly good craft beer selection, which paired perfectly with the food & the atmosphere.
If you're in Montreal & craving poutine - whether you want traditional or something wild - La Banquise absolutely lives up to the hype. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
One of the best, best, best poutines I've ever had! We ordered the Hot Dog & Chicken poutines. Both were amazing & incredibly delicious. The chicken poutine had a unique & special flavor that really stood out. The staff were very polite when they noticed we weren't satisfied with where we were sitting, they immediately offered us the first available table. Even with the crowd & the busy atmosphere, this attention to customers is truly impressive. Service was fast & efficient despite how busy they were.
