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.
So good. They have the biggest selection of poutine I've seen & every single one I've tried so far has been amazing, I make a point of coming here every time I'm in Montreal. The portions are on the bigger side so make sure you're hungry & the large size is definitely one I'd share! The picture is of regular size La Scooby (with La Royale & La shoot-out in the background)
Feb 21, 2024
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Food wise - tremendous. Smoked meat poutine was legit, 10/10, filled me up big in no time. A simple burger was succulent & the patty was enjoyable. & here we come to the main event of the evening! (C) Bruce Buffer The tipping. So on the receipt it says clearly as in black ink on white paper clear: suggested amount of tip with some calculation. The audacity... Since it's not up to the customer to decide & you already did it for him/her, I can suggest a better thing: make it 15 cad tops for 1 poutine & 1 burger & then we'll discuss the tip. You suggest a good price & we as customers will suggest 15% to begin with. Yes/No?
Contrairement à bien des gens, mon expérience Banquise a toujours été couci-couça. Jamais vraiment mauvaise... mais jamais renversante non plus. Service efficace, poutine généralement goûteuse & généreuse, mais sans plus. Au fil des ans, j'ai essayé certaines variétés que je ne commanderai plus jamais. C'est un jeu d'essai & d'erreur jusqu'à ce qu'on trouve la nôtre! Tout de même, je dois l'avouer, en ce qui concerne les endroits spécialisés en matière de poutine, j'ai des adresses à Montréal que je préfère à la Banquise.
Feb 20, 2024
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Not worth it for vegans imo, they had vegan option but the fries tasted weird (sweet) & I've had much better vegan poutine elsewhere (Maynard & MeeT in Vancouver)
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 😊
Fantastic Poutine. A staple of Montreal, I go every time I visit. Portion sizes are great, prices are very reasonable & 24hr service means its a great late night option (although lines at night can get quite long)
À Montréal Classic. Thé poutine is supreme, & the vibes are immersive. You'll have a great time, & it's never disappointed. It being open 24/7 is also a real treat. I also believe they've lowered their prices since the inflation surge, which is a nice touch.
J'ai apprécié la poutine. Les quantités étaient généreuses. Néanmoins, j'enlève une étoile car le service a été pour moi & mes amis légèrement désagréable du fait que nous avions oublié de laisser un pourboire (nous l'avons tout de suite payés). Cependant, il y a des manières de parler aux clients surtout quand on nous reproche quelque chose qui plus est alors qu'on paye avant service & donnons le pourboire avant que le service ait débuté ... paradoxal. À l'avenir, un sourire & une explication sympathique seraient appréciés. Sinon je dois tout de même noter la grande variété de choix de poutines offertes (notamment vegan) !
