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La Banquise Cover Image
La Banquise Montreal RestoMontreal.ca
La Banquise Montreal RestoMontreal.ca
La Banquise Montreal RestoMontreal.ca
La Banquise Montreal RestoMontreal.ca
La Banquise Montreal RestoMontreal.ca
La Banquise Montreal RestoMontreal.ca
Restaurant Top Pick

La Banquise

La Banquise is known throughout the world for its famous poutines.
Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
4.5$ & $$
OPENOpen 24Hrs
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Casse-Croute (Snack Bar)PoutineBurgersRegionalBreakfastSaladsVegetarianVegan Options

About

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.

Details

Our Specialties

Poutine

Amenities, services & more

We accept:  Interac, ATM machine
We are located near Lafontaine Park. Gift Certificates available.
Paying parking across the street and free parking on the side street of restaurant.
30 seats.
5★
68%
4★
18%
3★
7%
2★
7%
1★
0%
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Reviews for La Banquise

Food
Service
on Google4.4 (20400+)
*as of 2026-07-11
5★
68%
4★
18%
3★
7%
2★
7%
1★
0%

Review Summary

La Banquise is widely recognized as a Montreal institution, celebrated for its extensive menu of creative poutine variations and generous portion sizes. While the restaurant is incredibly popular and frequently experiences long wait times and a lively, crowded atmosphere, many visitors find the high-quality food, fresh ingredients, and authentic taste worth the effort. The staff generally receives praise for being friendly and efficient, even during busy periods, though some guests note that the tight seating and occasional noise levels are part of the bustling experience. Whether stopping by for a classic version or trying a specialty, most patrons consider it a must-visit destination for those seeking a quintessential dining experience in the city.
Page 1 of 5 - 49 Reviews

Very good experience. Best poutine i had in long time. Their chicken (grilled & fried is halal) & their smoked meat is kosher. The gravy is vegetarian. Their fries were fresh & crispy, the cheese & gravy tasted amazing. Good protions for the price & many options/toppings available. They have a nice menu of non poutine stuff too!

Staff was super friendly & as its open 24h there wasnt much wait when we arrived. It got busy by lunch time! Highly recommend this spot when in montreal

Jun 13, 2026
on Google

La Banquise is a must-visit! They absolutely nail their vegetarian options. I tried La Veggie Reggie (loaded with peppers, onions, & mushrooms) & L'Ovni (topped with ground veggie corn dog & pickles)-both were fantastic! The vegetarian gravy is rich & savory, the fries stay crispy, & there are tons of squeaky cheese curds. Fast service & an amazing atmosphere!

May 24, 2026
on Google

vegan poutine always smacks, great versatility for options & fast service despite constant customers

May 7, 2026
on Google

Delicious food. Very busy popular spot, but the waiters ran it very well for its size. Great atmosphere, decent sized seating but takeout option cuts down on wait times well. Very busy, wait times were a little too long but food was incredible. Best poutine I've had in Montreal!

Apr 30, 2026
on Google

You can't go wrong with this place. As always, the food was great. They have many options that you have to keep coming back to try more! I had a burger for the fist time & was gladly surprised.

Apr 7, 2026
on Google

Amazing Poutine & great Vegetarian options!! Highly recommend!

Mar 13, 2026
on Google

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 !

Mar 7, 2026
on Google

The ambience was absolutely electrifying. I think they have figured out their Poutines to perfection. Will have to comeback to try more options in the Menu.

Feb 28, 2026
on Google

Friendly service, delicious food! Has plenty of options to choose from, 100% recommend.

Jan 17, 2026
on Google

I'm a vegetarian & was happy to learn their baseline plain poutine is vegetarian! (They use vegetarian gravy!) But what makes this place is all the varieties of poutine you can get. Several vegetarian options too! I LOVED this Mexican style poutine, with sour cream & guacamole & tomatoes.. it was like poutine nachos. Worth the wait outside (the line moves pretty fast!)

Jan 7, 2026
on Google