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.
We had a wonderful time here. The ordering was very easy & the staff was so friendly. We loved the food & the vibe was very nice. I'll be coming back to try different things on the menu. This is a great spot for anyone looking for a positive & enjoyable experience. Highly recommend!
Had a pleasant time dining here with friends. The ordering process was simple, the staff treated us very well, & the food was satisfying from start to finish. The overall vibe felt cozy & enjoyable. I'd visit again for sure.
May 13, 2026
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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.
La Banquise is a must-visit spot if you're in Montreal & want to try authentic & delicious poutine. The variety on the menu is impressive, with so many creative toppings & combinations that there's something for everyone.
The food is rich, flavorful, & very satisfying-perfect comfort food, especially after exploring the city. The portions are generous, & the experience feels very classic Montreal.
The food is affordable & definitely worth the price. It's not expensive at all considering the portion sizes & quality you get. You really feel like you're getting good value for your money.
What really stood out was the staff & overall vibe-everyone was friendly, energetic, & clearly enjoying the atmosphere. Even though the place is often busy, the staff keep things moving smoothly & still manage to stay welcoming & upbeat, which adds a lot to the experience.
Overall, La Banquise is a fun, iconic, & delicious stop in Montreal with great food & an amazing vibe. Definitely worth visiting at least once when you're in the city.
While La Banquise is a Montreal'classic', I don't think it's the best poutine in the city or anything. It's worth it if you want to eat an outrageous poutine with pretty amazing meat combinations but the fries & gravy themselves are pretty average.
Basically, I would recommend going there for the novelty but if you are just looking for good poutine, it's widely available across the city. Plus, the place tends to be very busy & is cramped so it's hard to sit down & just enjoy yourself.
Lives up to the hype! OMG from the classic to the most elaborate variations, this place is heavy on earth for poutine lovers. They also serve sandwiches & burgers in case you're not in the mood for fries. I'd recommend to go with enough time since lines might be long depending on the time of the day. They also have 24 hour delivery 🔥
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.
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.
Mar 7, 2026
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If you want a really good poutine experience, I recommend coming here.
The smoked meat they put on top of the poutine fries reminds me of brisket from Texas. Very flavorful, juicy, good amount - they don't skimp on the serving.
I washed it all down with a banana wheat beer which was perfect.
I tried their chocolate cake dessert because I didn't feel like going out & searching for a dessert spot. It wasn't for me but it was still pretty good.
It's a staple for a reason… highly recommend the Montreal smoked meat with mushrooms & sour cream poutine!! Fries were a bit cold at my last visit which was a bit disappointing given it wasn't very busy on a winter evening
Feb 8, 2026
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Loved our food! The classic poutine was a must as this was my first experience. However,'La Shoot Out' was an excellent alternative to try. The smoked meats on top were to DIE for, & my highlight of the experience. Everyone was accomodating & friendly, which made up greatly for the tight seating. Great spot.
I don't know why this place is so good, but it is! We decided to go on a whim, & ended up waiting outside in -12 degrees for an hour & I don't regret a minute.
I generally don't enjoy poutine. I don't hate it, but it can be a bit soggy & gross. Their poutine made me a believer! The staff was friendly (& it was busy) & the food was just simply delicious.
For the record, they are taking credit card - so we didn't have to pay with debit or get cash out of an ATM. Although we were prepared to pay with debit.
Must go place. Amazing service..lovely vibe.. delicious food.
We ordered a meat poutine. It was next level yum... We could barely find the fries. Full-on meat. (5/5)
Maple cake (4/5) must try.
They are so kind. I overheard them guiding a guest how to use the parking metre in the street even in that busy time.
Classic, great diner atmosphere. Fun to go with friends, delicious poutine & fries. The peppercorn sauce is surprisingly amazing! Portions are huge. Parking was a pain. They only seat your group if everyone is present, but the turnover is steady so we didn't have to wait too long while we waited for one friend parking the car.
