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.
Assez decu. C est supposé être une institution de la poutine & c est l une des pire que nous avons eux. Manque de poulet de fromage & de sauce. Je sais pas si c est depuis le changement de propio mais tres decu (nous etions 6 a tables à étre déçu )
Been coming here for years. One of my top to go poutine places, especially when I feel like spicing up my poutines with different ingredients! Must try if you're new in Montreal!
The food is always good, but has never bern all that fast. Probably due to the constant line ups. Being open 24/7 is a plus but their service isnt much to brag about. There's usually always a line up. I hadn't had a banquis poutine in about a decade & really had a craving. After all this time, they still haven't graduated to providing better takeout containers to hold up to the heaviness of a poutine. It's a shame. Then again, we are living in a time where they think providing,'wooden forks' & paper straws are sufficient. Walk with your reusables guys. Trust me, you'll be happy you did. The smoked meat poutine was delicious though.
I had the La Scooby (the smaller size) & it was delicious! It was loaded up & almost overflowing on the plate. There wasn't much of a wait when I arrived, but I could see there was a long line up for most of the time I was there eating. Service was quick. Only thing I would note is that it's very cramped in the building. It felt like my partner & I were forced to join the tables beside us. I understand that they're maximizing seating space so that they can have a better throughput, just felt a bit uncomfortable. However still an excellent choice for the first poutine stop in Montréal. Lots of options on the menu!
Tried out La Banquise after hearing all the hype about it being a Montréal must-visit spot for poutine. I went in with high expectations but honestly, the meal was just… okay. I ordered the'La Frites Rex' & their classic poutine-both were edible, but neither really wowed me. The fries were fine, the gravy was salty without much depth, & the cheese curds didn't have that squeaky freshness I was looking for.
It wasn't terrible, just very average-something I'd rate around a 7/10 or 3 stars. For the amount of hype this place gets, I couldn't help but feel it was overrated. Maybe it's more about the late-night atmosphere or the sheer number of topping options than the actual quality of the food.
Would I go back? Probably not anytime soon. There's better poutine to be found in Montréal if you're chasing flavour over novelty.
Sep 20, 2025
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What a fun restaurant with friendly service & fantastic poutine! It was hard to choose which one I wanted, but I settled on La Matty which had bacon, mushrooms, & onions. I ordered the regular size & am glad I did. The large is a double order of the regular & there's no way I would've finished that.!
