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.
At La Banquise, poutine lovers will find a legendary range of toppings, from classic to inventive, piled high on crispy fries with squeaky cheese curds and savory gravy. Generous portions and a lively, welcoming atmosphere make it a go to spot for sharing or a hearty solo bite, with options from traditional to bold specialty poutines and even late night hours. The line often moves quickly and the staff are friendly and efficient, keeping the energy high and the experience memorable in Montreal. A true Montreal staple, it delivers comforting, craveable food that hits the spot after a day of exploring.
La Banquise absolutely lived up to the hype. It was recommended to us by multiple friends as the #1 place to get poutine in Montreal, & it certainly did not disappoint. We waited about 10 minutes for a seat, but it was obvious right away that this place is incredibly popular. There was a steady stream of people coming & going the entire time - long lines before we arrived & long lines after we left. You could really tell people come here for one thing: great poutine.
The food itself was delicious, the portions were huge, & the prices were very reasonable for what you get. The atmosphere was lively & fun, & despite how busy it was, the staff were very friendly & welcoming. The waitresses were especially kind to our little one, which we really appreciated. Since we are visiting Montreal, we have had a number of different'kids menu' meals & our little one never ate any of them
as well, as he ate that cheese toast from here.
Overall, it was a great experience with good food, great energy, & excellent value. Definitely worth checking out if you're in Montreal.
At La Banquise, you have to be patient because it gets crowded, but after the wait, you're rewarded with a delicious poutine topped with that squishy cheese. There's nothing quite like poutine, a cold beer, & a good time. Thanks, Quebec.
I ordered the same meal at both locations. The primary one on Rachel & the ghost kitchen one on Saint-Denis & the difference is that if you go & order in person at the location on Rachel (the famous one) it's less expensive but you get less, if you order via app for take-out it's more expensive but you get slightly more, the differences are in the photo. I ordered the Fred Caillou & came to $21 at restaurant tax-incl & around $25 at ghost kitchen (only pickup). The ghost kitchen is almost invisible if you're driving but it's a small entryway that snakes down into a kitchen but it's there. When I went I thought it was a mistake & another drive also thought same so we both drove to Rachel & told the guy but turns out it's there just very hard to find since signs are barely visible if you're driving. Both taste the same, but guess they don't want too many people waiting around so they setup a ghost kitchen to deter people from going to Rachel. Too busy is a good problem! Great food the quality of the meat, cheese & sauce is great much better than average even at late night which is rare. Bon appetite! (ps the staff working the graveyard shift was very cool, perfectly bilingual & patiently heard our issue with ghost kitchen. all good).
Highly recommend the Elvis which comes with a generous portion of meat.
On a slightly negative note, my girlfriend got the classic poutine which was mostly just fries. For some reason there was only a small amount of gravy & cheese curds in the very middle.
Place was very busy so I'm going to assume this was simply a rare mistake.
Still enjoyed the food, it's a classic poutine spot, but it's by no means the best you can find.
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.
Mar 21, 2026
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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.
Go in person. The take out is shit since they transferred it to a central kitchen expediting orders. Barely any cheese curds & a pool of sauce at the bottom. Absolutely terrible.
Honestly disappointed. First trip back to Montreal in a decade, & I may as well have eaten at Smokes in Toronto. Fries - mid. Sauce - good. Cheese - ZERO SQUEAK.
I found myself so disappointed that I went to Belle Province later & (sadly) had a better poutine.
I was not surprised to hear that ownership changed. Someone is missing the core of what made La Banquise special. An exceptional core poutine with fun toppings after that. Now it might as well have been shredded cheese.
Portions are good. Service is fast. Quality is FINE, but not worth putting effort into seeking out.
Side note: 4.75 for a small glass of chocolate milk is criminal.
La Banquise is where most poutine journeys begin, & for good reason. It's Montreal's most famous spot, an institution known for its dizzying array of takes on the classic Quebecois dish. While the menu spans everything from'Elvis' to'La Obélix,' there's an undeniable pleasure in sticking to the original: perfectly crisp, golden fries, squeaky fresh cheese curds, & a rich, savory brown gravy.
Admittedly, for a seasoned poutine connoisseur, La Banquise might feel a little like a tourist rite of passage-there are indeed hidden gems across the city offering arguably'better' versions. However, this vibrant, 24-hour spot is the perfect, delicious introduction for the poutine novice. It sets the standard & provides the ideal starting point before you level up to the more refined competition. Go for the classic, savor the experience, & let the curd life begin!
It's not worth waiting in the cold for this. There are other similar places. The smoked meat topping tasted good, but the fries, cheese, & gravy were just average. You can't even wait inside for takeout - they have a bad attitude & ask people to wait out on the street. The server at the door had such an arrogant attitude, like they're doing you a favor just by serving you. Very ridiculous.
Remember to ask for utensils. They don't provide for takeouts
Tried out La Banquise after hearing all the hype about it being a Montréal must-visit spot for poutine. I went in with high expectations but honestly, the meal was just… okay. I ordered the'La Frites Rex' & their classic poutine-both were edible, but neither really wowed me. The fries were fine, the gravy was salty without much depth, & the cheese curds didn't have that squeaky freshness I was looking for.
It wasn't terrible, just very average-something I'd rate around a 7/10 or 3 stars. For the amount of hype this place gets, I couldn't help but feel it was overrated. Maybe it's more about the late-night atmosphere or the sheer number of topping options than the actual quality of the food.
Would I go back? Probably not anytime soon. There's better poutine to be found in Montréal if you're chasing flavour over novelty.
Like everything else is this city when it comes to F&B this place changed & not for the better.
Food:
Taste - the main & only ingredient being used is salt. There was no flavors in this poutine like it used to be, it's just salty
Portion - not in the bowls they used to have that were truly big & well plated with lots of cheese. Also for 26$ plus tax perhaps put the toppings on your full plate not just half of it as per the picture
Service:
Unfortunately we got stuck with potentially the worst waitress in the restaurant. Miss'self love' tattoo should have a little more'respect for others'. Horrible attitude from taking the order to giving the bill when I was denied a copy of my receipt because she assumed I didn't want & never asked & printed her copy. Working in this industry is not for everyone. I feel bad for the other hard working staff members that were picking up her slack & serving us after. It sucks to pool tips with someone like that who doesn't deserve it.
Atmosphere:
Lively, fast, buzzing with people & energetic vibe. From tourists to locals side by side & loud conversations with laughter & anecdotes. Thank God one thing remains the same...
We ordered the guacamole poutine & the spicy meat poutine. Both were delicious & very filling, so be sure to order your portions right. The cheese & gravy was definitely something different, & the poutine itself was delicious. This place really shows how poutine is done properly-like an actual meal. It's surprising they're open 24/7, but I definitely recommend the food. The atmosphere was unique too, with beautiful art styles on each table & a very tourist-friendly vibe.
We had the shoot out poutine & spicy sausage hot dog. The fries weren't anything special, the sauce was oddly thick & extremely salty & it didn't have a lot of cheese curds. There was a lot of meat on the poutine, all of it extremely salty. The spicy sausage hot dog was supposed to have a creamy coleslaw & you can see from the photo that there was hardly anything there. Would not recommend.
This is such a gem. I usually get to visit Montreal once a year for a few days, & as much as I feel I ought to try different eateries, I just can't bring myself to skip La Banquise any time I visit. It's fun, energetic, the service is great (& always very understanding of my rudimentary French, quick to switch to English so I'm not flailing), & this is definitely the best poutine. So many incredible options. & great burgers too. I leave nourished in my body & soul - seriously. It's such a comforting meal. They also have great beer options, & non-alcoholic options. The only thing I can possibly imagine to make it better would be one or two sweet/dessert options. While the meals are very filling, once in a while it would be nice to share a dessert with a friend after the main course. Maybe something fried, to stay on theme? Beighnets perhaps? Or even just a basic cheesecake or lemon tart.
If you're in Montreal, definitely don't miss La Banquise. It's a treat. Every single time.
