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.
Amazing poutine'must visit' if you're on the search for it! Melanie was an incredible server, all the others appeared very pleasant!
Highly recommend as a US citizen!
The bacon poutine was amazing & so much food for the regular portion. I also tried the chicken club sandwich. Servers were friendly & service was great. Highly recommend.
C'est un endroit mythique ! La poutine y est excellente. Je n'ai pas écouté les avis & j'ai pris la taille la plus grande. Impossible de finir & la regular convient parfaitement à un gros mangeur comme moi. Mais d'un autre côté emporter les restes pour continuer le plaisir plus tard fonctionne très bien aussi !
Mar 12, 2025
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De passage en provenant de France avec mon ami, nous souhaitions goûter la fameuse poutine du Québec !
Nous avons été super bien accueillis par les restaurateurs, super belle découverte. Je projette de revenir lors d'un prochain voyage à Montréal :) C'était vraiment excellent & la bière était bonne.
The classic poutine wi the Montreal smoke meat was the best I've had! We also tried a Mexican approach with guacamole which was surprisingly delicious as well. If you're not a fan of gravy on fries, definitely try the one with guacamole (forgot the name). Can't wait to go back!
Mar 3, 2025
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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.
vraiment bonnes poutines 🙂
un peu cher quand même
service un peu trop industriel (une fois assis, on sent un peu une pression pour partir vite, mais en vrai ça va)
& le pourboire se base sur le prix taxé 🙁
Je suis venu à Montréal en vacances, & honnêtement, c'est sans doute la meilleure poutine que j'ai mangée ici ! En plus, l'ambiance est très agréable & les serveurs(se) sont super sympas.
Feb 20, 2025
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2 mois que je suis en Ontario, 2 mois que j'attends mon voyage à Montréal pour goûter la fameuse poutine.. tous les réseaux sociaux & bouches à oreilles me disent de foncer à la banquise, & je les remercie. Quel restaurant incroyable, la poutine est délicieuse & je pèse mes mots !! De plus, la sauce est végétarienne donc accessible pour tous !! Le staff est super sympathique & l'endroit chaleureux, même la file d'attente a été agréable grâce au chauffage ! Merci à vous
Went here for lunch, it was fairly packed but I didn't have to wait. I got the large southwest poutine which came with guacamole, onion rings, bbq sauce, & everything else you'd find in a normal poutine. La Banquise has a big reputation & thankfully I'd say it lives up to it. Definitely not the cheapest poutine you can get in the city, but due to the massive amounts of customizable toppings you can defintiely find something that fits your taste. 24h operations is also a plus
Bon lieu pour manger une poutine ! Le plat étant assez bourratif, ils proposent de repartir avec ce dont on a pas mangé dans une boîte pour éviter le gaspillage 👌
Le service était rapide & efficace, même pour rentrer nous n'avons pas eu à attendre. Ce n'est pas très fancy, c'est plutôt un fast-food, mais ça en vaut la peine de tester.
