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.
Amazing find for vegetarians! Service was so friendly & recommended us to get substitutions. We decided on getting the tofu red curry & veggie spring rolls & it did not disappoint! Can't wait to come back & try some of the other options.
Super pour découvrir la poutine à Montréal ! Prix abordables : 9,9 $ la classique régular, portions très généreuses & service de qualité! On recommande!
Jan 17, 2025
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La Banquise is the best poutine spot in all of North America. There's just nothing quite like it. There's a wide selection of different poutine's to try, but just the original classic poutine on its own is SO GOOD. It may even concert a poutine hater to a poutine lover. Now I know what you're thinking, "It's just fries with cheese & gravy on top. How good could it be?" Well it's pretty darn good because we have kept coming back time after time on our visits to Montreal & we're from Toronto. I've attached pictures & videos of our visit on two separate occasions, one year apart. Here's something you have to know: you will have to wait & it will be crowded. There are so many people that want to try this poutine & come back because it is quite literally world famous so there's always a line out front. Also, once you get inside, it is a pretty small restaurant, but there are many tables that are very closely placed together so you might feel a little bit cramped. However, the service is quick because they need to be to accommodate all the people constantly coming in & out, & they're pretty helpful at helping you choose what you might like. We recommend the classic poutine & La Royale. We also heard that a lot of locals prefer the poutine across the street at La Poule Mouillée but we realized they only serve one type of poutine there so we chose to try a well-known & widely popular restaurant instead, & we're glad that we did. It lives up to the hype & you have to try it the next time you're in Montreal.
One of the most popular poutine spots in Montreal. We tried the classique poutine, but found the gravy a bit too salty & the overall dish wasn't anything special-it felt a bit overrated. We went on Christmas Eve morning, & the atmosphere was warm & cozy. The restaurant is on a charming street, & the service was great-everyone was friendly. I wouldn't recommend coming just for the poutine (the menu is quite diverse, so it's worth trying other dishes & enjoying the small-town vibe.
Incredible poutine & that's coming from a Canadian. I ordered the Savoyarde poutine & it was so delicious & filling especially in the cold weather. Highly recommend you checking The Banquise out.
male host with long curly hair had an attitude with almost every guest (maybe he was having a bad day). service was very nice & food was so quick & delicious. this place definitely lives up to the standards! & you get so much for the price you pay. there was a line, as expected for the quality but it was quick & so worth the little wait time! RECOMMEND!!!
I'm not personally a poutine fan, but as I was visiting the city, I thought I should try this place thanks to the recommendations. The poutine was delicious & loaded with meat, fries & cheese curds. It was really busy the day when I went, so called in placed an order & went to collect it. There was a lineup to collect the food when my group went there & the place was filled to the brim. I'll surely recommend this place to anyone who visits Montreal & have any of their offerings. The quantity is generous.
Dec 4, 2024
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Nous avons passé un très bon moment. Les poutines étaient délicieuses, très copieuses, & le serveur très agréable. Nous recommandons cet endroit : excellent rapport qualité-prix.
I have visited multiple times La Banquise, always a great place to eat the traditional Poutine, I recommend Shoot-Out, amazing taste, highly recommended
Very pleasant place to eat a great poutine my boyfriend ordered a t-rex poutine & i ordered the scooby poutine best poutine ive ever had if you like deep fried pickles i highly recommend will be coming back. Very friendly staff & very clean environment. We drove from Gatineau to try it
Exactly what you want after a winning Montreal soccer game, when you're visiting this town & want to eat at 10pm. I cannot recommend this place more highly. Recommend getting some add-ons to your dish, they're on the next page in the menu ;)
Étant de passage à Montréal, en vacances, il était obligé de goûter, la mythique poutine ! On nous a conseillé la Banquise. En arrivant, serveurs très souriants, agréables. Au niveau de la déco, très vintage, un peu décalé mais qui rend le lieu assez chaleureux. Au niveau de la cuisine, quantité très généreuse (nous avons pris une reguliere : une bacon pour mon copain & la Rachel pour moi). Je recommande ce petit restaurant !
Sep 19, 2024
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Service was okay, I had to ask for coffee 3 times before I got it 2 minutes before I left, so I didn't even drink half of it. With that being said, I went for the poutine, which was delicious. Atmosphere was nothing fancy, very casual would recommend a stop if youre in the area & hungry.
Nous voulions goûté une poutine classique & ce restaurant nous a été recommandé, nous avons pris à emporter, il n'y avait pas trop de monde donc ça été rapide , l'accueil sympathique. Le prix m'a semblé un peu élevé pour la portion choisie mais c'était bon
Amazing Food !!! Definitely can't miss , unforgettable experience. Loved loved the food drinks poutine ! Made for great trip in Montreal. Highly recommend trying. Amazing service , experience, Great restaurant!!
