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.
I spent an hour getting there via public transport It was a great place with a greater waitress All of them were polite The taste of the putine was good It was my first time First, i can tell you that the base of putine for all of them is french fries with cheese & barbecue sauce, & the topping is what is changing in the menu I'm originally from iran, so usually we have more spices & the taste of our food is stronger like Indian's & Pakistanis & ... But the taste of the putine if you try to taste the material separately for me the taste of cheese was like just something with no taste The sausage on the top was a little bit salty But the combination was good Also, that place is one of the most popular in montreal So if you want to give it, try This is the best place I ordered a regular dish, & i think that's enough even if you are a gluttonous person 😜 I will definitely try it again with another item so i can fill the difference The price is a little high, which makes me think that it is a pain for its size.
Went there after knowing that it is very famous for its poutine. Utterly disappointed with the taste. I'm not sure why they put little to no gravy on the poutine. Don't fall for the hype. If you want better poutine just go to LaBelle. Not worth the 30 minutes or so wait to get a table.
J'y ai été 2 fois, la première fois j'étais très déçu (ne prenez pas la Idéfix, manque de sauce, recette qui n'a aucun sens même si je l'ai choisie). La deuxième fois c'était la bonne avec la B.O.M (ça rime & ça rame comme tartine & boterham), assez de sauce, viande & fromage. On m'a peut-être un peu trop vendu la Banquise. Oserais-je dire que c'est surcôté peut-être pas mais pas loin. Certaine recette sont à revoir je pense ou à changer, comme la Idéfix (désolé d'insister). Tester plusieurs enseignes & faites vous un avis (abonnez-vous svp)
L'institution, la légendaire Banquise, certainement l'enseigne de poutine la plus connue de Montréal & on peut le comprendre. Service 24h/24, toujours ou presque de la file à l'extérieur & un chaos ambiant dans une odeur de poutine. La royale est bonne mais grosse mention special à la B.O.M. qui est très bonne. La grande portion est grande, ayez l'estomac bien accroché, vous pouvez toujours emporter mais si vous la commandez vous vous devez de la finir, stop être faible. Nécessaire de parler des défauts tout de même, le fromage qui manque de répondant & de couinement, le manque de sauce parfois & certaines recettes qui ne font pas toujours beaucoup de sens. Bref, la Banquise est bonne & une adresse à faire mais de meilleurs poutines existent à Montréal.
First & foremost: after 9PM you must pay for your food in advanced. Thank you! This is my favourite practice in general. No longer will I be trapped waiting for the server to come back so I can pay my bill & leave. I can just sit down, eat, & then leave. Might be off putting for some, but I am a fan. Food - got La B.O.M, was absolutely fantastic. Even the regular size filled me. I thought it would be overly salty, but not all. Atmosphere - chaos mostly, but that is part of the charm. Constant flow of people going in & out, understandable with how good the food is I suppose. Staff seemed well accustomed with the chaos, service was great.
