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.
Lives up to the hype! OMG from the classic to the most elaborate variations, this place is heavy on earth for poutine lovers. They also serve sandwiches & burgers in case you're not in the mood for fries. I'd recommend to go with enough time since lines might be long depending on the time of the day. They also have 24 hour delivery 🔥
We had a amazing moment there be it with food vibes & the service was so welcoming & nice. The poutine were delicious & the portions generous. I recommend 100%
Mar 26, 2026
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Highly recommend the Elvis which comes with a generous portion of meat.
On a slightly negative note, my girlfriend got the classic poutine which was mostly just fries. For some reason there was only a small amount of gravy & cheese curds in the very middle.
Place was very busy so I'm going to assume this was simply a rare mistake.
Still enjoyed the food, it's a classic poutine spot, but it's by no means the best you can find.
If you want a really good poutine experience, I recommend coming here.
The smoked meat they put on top of the poutine fries reminds me of brisket from Texas. Very flavorful, juicy, good amount - they don't skimp on the serving.
I washed it all down with a banana wheat beer which was perfect.
I tried their chocolate cake dessert because I didn't feel like going out & searching for a dessert spot. It wasn't for me but it was still pretty good.
Cher touriste & locaux, en tant que locale, je vous promets (malheureusement) que la file vaut la peine. Il y a plein de bonne poutine à Montréal mais La Banquise reste un incontournable. Les frites sont bien frites, le fromage est parfaitement mou & squick squick, la sauce est authentique & la variété de condiments additionnels aux noms farfelus est apprécié. Si la température le permets, je recommande de prendre pour emporter & manger dans le parc la fontaine. Faites la liste, ca vaut le coup, la bouffe est vrai & les portions sont généreuses. Vive La Banquise.
Feb 17, 2026
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It's a staple for a reason… highly recommend the Montreal smoked meat with mushrooms & sour cream poutine!! Fries were a bit cold at my last visit which was a bit disappointing given it wasn't very busy on a winter evening
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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Even on a snowy day the line to get in the store is large. But the routine is still worth the wait. The Onion rings is too good too. Even recommend that!!!
Sadly, this place is overrated. I get it, it's a good late night snack poutine after a night out, especially knowing they are open late. But the taste is not the best. If it's your first poutine, & you want the best of the best experiment, I do not recommend. The staff & everything else is cool/good, but not worth for a poutine if you have other options.
We arrived around 5pm & waited about less than ten minutes to be seated. We ordered la classique & l'obelix poutines, which were delicious! Alex, our server, provided excellent service & had a great attitude. Definitely recommend & will be back again!
Absolutely loved it.. the food, the atmosphere, the service, everything! The 10 minutes wait time was absolutely worth it!! Would definitely recommend..
We ordered the guacamole poutine & the spicy meat poutine. Both were delicious & very filling, so be sure to order your portions right. The cheese & gravy was definitely something different, & the poutine itself was delicious. This place really shows how poutine is done properly-like an actual meal. It's surprising they're open 24/7, but I definitely recommend the food. The atmosphere was unique too, with beautiful art styles on each table & a very tourist-friendly vibe.
