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 widely recognized as a Montreal institution, celebrated for its extensive menu of creative poutine variations and generous portion sizes. While the restaurant is incredibly popular and frequently experiences long wait times and a lively, crowded atmosphere, many visitors find the high-quality food, fresh ingredients, and authentic taste worth the effort. The staff generally receives praise for being friendly and efficient, even during busy periods, though some guests note that the tight seating and occasional noise levels are part of the bustling experience. Whether stopping by for a classic version or trying a specialty, most patrons consider it a must-visit destination for those seeking a quintessential dining experience in the city.
Meilleure poutine on s'est régalé EXCELLENTE !! Par contre après ça on mange pas pendant plusieurs jours après 😂 !! Une petite c'est LARGEMENT suffisant !!
Woh woh woh, this is a great place. I live in Toronto & I visited Montreal for a couple of days & one of my friends suggested me to eat here & wow that place was so good I couldn't get it out of my head the taste the atmosphere. I started checking poutine places in Toronto, but I couldn't find any. It's really something else, A must visit if you are a fooddie of any kind in Montréal visit. Thank you for hosting us.......
The very best place to try the local poutine! You know the place is good when the place is crowded, the atmosphere was welcoming. The menu is big & vegan friendly. The poutine was delicious.
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
Une première expérience en poutine au top. Plat très généreux & à un tarif convaincant. Un service disponible & très présent ainsi que de charmantes tables illustrées.
La Banquise is a must-visit for anyone in Montreal who has a passion for poutine. Famous for its extensive variety of this beloved Quebecois dish, I had heard a lot about it, & my first visit certainly lived up to the hype. When we arrived, I was initially intimidated by the long line stretching outside the restaurant. It was a sunny day, & we had just finished a lengthy walk through the Montreal area, so the prospect of waiting wasn't exactly thrilling. However, to my pleasant surprise, we were seated much faster than I had anticipated. Despite the crowd, the staff worked efficiently, & we were settled into our seats in no time. We ordered the'La Taquise' & the'La Classique', two of their poutine offerings. The'La Taquise' brought a delicious twist with its addition of guacamole & sour cream, while the'La Classique' stayed true to the roots with its simple, yet incredibly satisfying combination of fries, gravy, & cheese curds. The gravy was rich & savory, the fries perfectly crispy, & the cheese curds squeaked just the right amount. It's no exaggeration to say that their poutine is to die for. Every bite was indulgent, comforting, & packed with flavor. The overall experience was fantastic, & for my first visit, I'm already looking forward to many more this year. La Banquise lives up to its reputation, offering a quintessential Montreal poutine experience in a casual, lively setting. Whether you're a local or a visitor, it's a spot you don't want to miss!
Went on a trip from Winnipeg to Montréal with a friend & we came here after hearing it was a well-known/liked poutine spot. However, we were extremely disappointed with the service. First, they made us pay for our food before the meal. I guess this made sense considering that it was late & people may dine & dash, but, when came the time to tip, I reflexively tipped 15%. My friend, on the other hand, did not tip because we had not been served our food yet & the waitress (Melanie) had also barely talked to us at all before she came by to hand us the machines. My friend was thinking of maybe tipping in cash depending on quality of the food & service AFTER the experience, which makes sense. However, the waitress quickly took a rude tone & said (& I quote): "It looks like you forgot to tip me. Would you like to pay for the tip separately or give it to me in change?" My friend calmly responded: "No, it's okay, we'll see". Melanie started raising her voice quite loudly at my friend & went on a long rant about how we're "expected" to tip, that the fact that she's serving us means that it's "unacceptable" for her not to receive a tip, that she "pays taxes" etc etc. This alone made me regret the tip I had given her. It ruined the whole experience for both of us &, although the poutine was good, I would not come back simply due to this experience. This is not something we've ever had happen to us anywhere else we've traveled to, or even in Winnipeg, where we've lived our entire lives.
