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.
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.
Tried the Veggie Reggie after seeing some of the reviews. & it's totally worth it! Best poutine ever. Must try.
There's usually a waiting if you're dining in, but not for takeaway.
Jan 26, 2026
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Went for my yearly winter visit for a poutine. Portion getting smaller every year. Taste still good. Very noisy. The distance between chairs makes it every uncomfortable.
En regardant sur internet & en évaluant les différents restaurants où ils servent de la Poutine, mon dévolu est venu à ce restaurant.
Service impeccable, ambiance conviviale, les serveurs/serveuses très agréable.
La Poutine était délicieuse... Je pense que je reviendrai la prochaine fois que je retourne a montréal.
Je recommande vivement ce restaurant.
Jan 17, 2026
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Best poutine ever! Comes packed with toppings. Forget what the one with guac, spicy chipotle sauce, & an onion ring is called but it is my favourite. Amazing!
Un restaurant incontournable ouvert 24/7. Sûrement les meilleurs poutines de la ville. Il y a bien sûr débat sur la question mais la Banquise & ses nombreux choix de poutines ne laissera personne indifférent devant le dilemme du'laquelle je vais prendre!!!!'. La portion régulière est déjà copieuse & la grande demande un solide appétit. On y revient encore & encore!
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!)
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.
Pedimos o Poutine clássico e um com carne e ambos estavam muito bons e muito bem servidos, além da cerveja muito boa também. a parte ruim fois a fila de quase uma hora no inverno.
Good food, great service. Wanted to try Montreal poutine. The only reason it's a 4 star & not 5 is because the line up was very long & we were standing in the cold😭
