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.
Per the guide the best place to get poutine. When you get to the restaurant there are two lines. On the left is takeout. On the right is for guests that want to be seated. The wait was not long. We were seated fairly quickly. The poutine was yummy but definitely had to share. It's a huge plate of fries drenched in gravy & curd cheese. Add whatever variety of toppings you need.. you can't come to Montreal & not try a poutine.
An iconic spot in Montreal for poutine enthusiasts. Offers a wide variety of poutines, from the classic version with fresh-cut fries, rich gravy, & squeaky cheese curds to inventive variations with toppings like smoked meat, guacamole, & pulled pork. The atmosphere is casual & vibrant, making it perfect for any time of day. service is quick, & the portions are generous (def good for sharing!!) ensuring a satisfying experience for both locals & tourists. For an authentic taste of Montreal's beloved dish, La Banquise is a must-visit!
May 21, 2024
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The fries were good. They have vegan cheese option, which is amazing. But the gravy wasn't enough or hot enough. It didn't even melt the cheese! The smoked meat & sausage toppings were really good. But the breaded chicken tasted like stale frozen chicken tenders.
Always good service even super early. The poutine gravy was too salty & the bottom of my eggs were gray (like the pan list is color onto my eggs). Beside of that it's cool to have really breakfast served with a smile.
Your poutine restaurant exceeded my expectations! The fries were perfectly crisp, the cheese curds were delightfully gooey, & the gravy had an incredible depth of flavor. The portion size was generous, & the attention to detail in each element of the dish made it a truly satisfying experience. The cozy ambiance & friendly staff added to the overall enjoyment. I'll definitely be recommending your restaurant to friends & returning for another delicious poutine fix!
Went there after knowing that it is very famous for its poutine. Utterly disappointed with the taste. I'm not sure why they put little to no gravy on the poutine. Don't fall for the hype. If you want better poutine just go to LaBelle. Not worth the 30 minutes or so wait to get a table.
Honestly not worth the hype. The food wasn't bad, per se, but the poutine at costco is better. There's better poutineries in Montreal. Very crowded, tables too close together. Gravy not that impressive, & fries are so-so.
Feb 22, 2024
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Poutine was good, gravy is very salty (in a good way!). You pay before receiving your food after 9:00pm, so not much service to be had... however, the food came out ~5 minutes after paying & was hot & fresh. Overall a good experience, would recommend. Also, the regular is PLENTY for one person... almost too much 😊
The best Poutine ever!!! There is no doubt that La Banquise provides the best Poutine I have had. Before I came to Canada, I haven't thought I would love wet French fries. To me, fries must be crispy or it will be a disaster. So it was a culture shock when I knew Canada has wet fries ,that is Poutine. Actually, it is French fries & cheese curds topping with brown gravy. It was not bad but I still prefer dry one. But I had different thought after trying the one from La Banquise. It was amazing. That day I ordered La Royale flavor(apple, bacon, & pulled pork). I had never thought poutines can be cooked like this. The pulled pork made the poutine not too boring-chewy, & it was delicious & without boar taint. Apple played a refreshing role. Really love this combination. Just a reminder for ordering: the serving is a lot. The photo is already Regular size! By the way, before having La Banquise's, Costco had the best poutine to me🤣
You know what? It's good, it's really good. This is the number one place everybody keeps telling me to for pouting. "The number 1 poutine in Canada!" They said. I agree, you can't find this in Toronto. It just tastes different. The quality of the curds & the gravy is outstanding. It's a place open 24 hours a day & has a line 24 hours a day. We waited for quite a long while, I'm not too sure if the line was worth it though. I think it's definitely worth it if I were to get it to go or if the line was a bit shorter. But the outstanding poutine doesn't translate to the line for me. Don't get me wrong, I love poutine, but not this much. I definitely recommend here to all my friends to try out poutine in Quebec, but it's not so I'd wait in line for again. You get a really large menu, like you get a lot of things on your poutine. Mine personally came with bacon & mushrooms & sour cream & I think it's the best one to be honest. It was called La Panoramix. My friend said topping to fries proportion was off (too little fries) & I agree for hers. I think the only reason I'm giving it a four star is for personal note. It's too hyped up, even though everything is amazing. I'll definitely come here again, but for takeout or something. Thank you for having me! :)
Jan 6, 2024
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Key Poutine Spot! 🍟 🔑 If you are looking to get some poutine, La Banquise is a popular spot, & for good reason! La Banquise is a go-to poutine spot, that was recommended to me by a long time Montrealer. They have probably over 20 different type of poutine options for you. Their gravy is vegetarian, so if you get the classic poutine, it is vegetarian. They have 2 or 3 other options that are vegetarian friendly as well, including a veggie sausage. The poutine overall is great, savoury gravy with thinly sliced curds. The restaurant has seating for a lot of people & is quiet cozy. They are open 24 hours too! The service was nice as well.
