La Banquise, une petite crémerie à ses débuts, a vu le jour en mai 1968. Son fondateur, Pierre Barsalou, un pompier du quartier, transforma celle-ci en casse-croûte ouvert 24H dès l’automne 1968. On pouvait alors y déguster d’excellents hot-dogs et des frites succulentes. La poutine fit son apparition au début des années 80, avec la poutine classique et l’italienne. Devant le succès populaire, et à la demande répétée de plusieurs clients, les choix de poutines se multiplient. On compte maintenant pas moins de 25 poutines différentes. La Banquise est encore aujourd’hui une entreprise familiale. La fille cadette de M. Barsalou, Annie, a pris la relève dans les années 90, en compagnie de Marc Latendresse, son conjoint. Ils continuent ensemble de perpétuer la tradition de qualité et la renommée du Restaurant La Banquise. À l’été 2006, La Banquise fait d’importantes rénovations et agrandi considérablement sa salle à manger. Une quarantaine d’années plus tard, La Banquise est devenu bien plus qu’un simple casse-croûte ou une «place à poutine». Il s’agit également d’un endroit convivial et chaleureux où l’on peut déguster des bières de micro-brasserie, un menu du jour complet ainsi que d’excellents déjeuners. Merci beaucoup à notre fidèle clientèle, les oiseaux de nuit, les groupes d’amis, en passant par les travailleurs, les étudiants, les petites familles, etc... d’avoir façonné à votre image, l’histoire de La Banquise et d’en avoir fait le succès actuel.
La Banquise est décrite comme une institution de la poutine à Montréal, avec un éventail impressionnant de variantes allant de la poutine classique à des assemblages originaux comme smoked meat, guacamole ou onion rings, tous généreusement chargés. Les portions sont généreuses et la fritte est croustillante, le fromage fondant et la sauce riche font rêver les amateurs, et les convives apprécient aussi les options végétariennes et les déclinaisons plus audacieuses. Le cadre est animé et chaleureux, le service est rapide et efficace même en période d’affluence, et le personnel est globalement sympathique. L’endroit attire autant les touristes que les habitants et, malgré la file d’attente notamment le soir, l’expérience vaut le détour. Le choix est si vaste que chacun peut trouver une poutine qui lui ressemble, avec des combinaisons allant du classique au plus extravagant, et même des plats à partager avec amplement de quoi rassasier. En somme, une expérience montréalaise incontournable pour les amateurs de poutine, où la saveur et l’abondance restent au rendez-vous même lorsque la salle est pleine et animée.
I ordered the same meal at both locations. The primary one on Rachel & the ghost kitchen one on Saint-Denis & the difference is that if you go & order in person at the location on Rachel (the famous one) it's less expensive but you get less, if you order via app for take-out it's more expensive but you get slightly more, the differences are in the photo. I ordered the Fred Caillou & came to $21 at restaurant tax-incl & around $25 at ghost kitchen (only pickup). The ghost kitchen is almost invisible if you're driving but it's a small entryway that snakes down into a kitchen but it's there. When I went I thought it was a mistake & another drive also thought same so we both drove to Rachel & told the guy but turns out it's there just very hard to find since signs are barely visible if you're driving. Both taste the same, but guess they don't want too many people waiting around so they setup a ghost kitchen to deter people from going to Rachel. Too busy is a good problem! Great food the quality of the meat, cheese & sauce is great much better than average even at late night which is rare. Bon appetite! (ps the staff working the graveyard shift was very cool, perfectly bilingual & patiently heard our issue with ghost kitchen. all good).
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.
25 mars 2026
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One of the best, best, best poutines I've ever had! We ordered the Hot Dog & Chicken poutines. Both were amazing & incredibly delicious. The chicken poutine had a unique & special flavor that really stood out. The staff were very polite when they noticed we weren't satisfied with where we were sitting, they immediately offered us the first available table. Even with the crowd & the busy atmosphere, this attention to customers is truly impressive. Service was fast & efficient despite how busy they were.
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
I don't know why this place is so good, but it is! We decided to go on a whim, & ended up waiting outside in -12 degrees for an hour & I don't regret a minute.
I generally don't enjoy poutine. I don't hate it, but it can be a bit soggy & gross. Their poutine made me a believer! The staff was friendly (& it was busy) & the food was just simply delicious.
For the record, they are taking credit card - so we didn't have to pay with debit or get cash out of an ATM. Although we were prepared to pay with debit.
Must go place. Amazing service..lovely vibe.. delicious food.
We ordered a meat poutine. It was next level yum... We could barely find the fries. Full-on meat. (5/5)
Maple cake (4/5) must try.
They are so kind. I overheard them guiding a guest how to use the parking metre in the street even in that busy time.
Good food but it is very busy & very cramped. You will have to squeeze between tables to get through & unfortunately some people don't care to realize that it's not that hard to move your chair a bit so others can get by. The washrooms are a disgusting mess & should be cleaned more often, you will lose your appetite if you go in one of them. Other than that, the place is ok for a quick, tasty poutine.
Poutine. You either love it or you don't .
Regardless, you should have one at La Banquise. The best poutine I ate in Montreal. There are about 30 different combinations. Each has thoughtfully selected ingredients that blend in a gourmand way. The French fries are delicious, good size & well prepared. Extra ingredients & different sauces allow you to personalize the chosen poutine to your full satisfaction. Feel free to take inspiration from the main menu. The sizes, small & large, are very generous. Large poutine might be a challenge to finish. So if you are not sure take two small instead. You will enjoy it even more. The place is not too big but warm & cozy. Uniquely decorated, it gives you an impression of being outside in a nice sunny backyard under a tree around a beautiful table. It can get pretty busy in there but it's definitely worth the wait.
I have been here many times. This time I felt indiffrent. The T-Rex poutine was not my thing. It was salty for me. I also did not like sitting outside in the patio. Other than that I love coming here & hopefully I will try a poutine that I like. This time service was not that good it was alright because it was busy especially during the busy lunch & dinner.
Still I like Banquise & I hope they improve & fix what needs to be done.
God bless La Banquise & the employees & local customers.
Repent & believe. CHristus Est Rex.
John 3:16
12 oct. 2025
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Tried La Banquise last night & it definitely lived up to the hype! The poutine was unlike any we've had before-rich, flavorful, & absolutely delicious. It's a busy spot with a lineup, but the staff are super friendly & efficient. A must-visit for poutine lovers in Montreal!
Second Review: 18 May, 2025. I ordered the Scooby Poutine. & it's a go out & try.
The Scooby poutine was really good. It was perfect & not that salty or greasy for my liking. I end up finishing the whole plate.
The service was okay & the ladies were really nice & kind. We had mix servers so be aware of who you are tipping. Also remember the Gov. takes a lot of tips through tax so please be aware.
Love this restaurant & even though there is a line to get in on busy days the wait is worth it.
God Bless the Owners & past & present employees of this restaurant. We will be coming back.
God Bless you & thank you.
Philippians 4:13
Original Review: Please don't send any negativity or hate towards the staff & anyone else involved. This review is my attempt to report on others & my opinion.
Here is my full opinion on La Banquise. We were 2 people dining. At around 1:00PM. On 08 Dec.
Pros:
A) The food is alright.
B) It has a nice atmosphere.
C) Prices are fairly reasonable.
D) Not a far walk from the Metro & they have some services you can use.
Cons:
A) Service was not the best as the waitress was like pass me your plates. You are suppose to pick them up yourself. Anais is who speaks three languages English French & Spanish was a little rude to us. We feel like she did not want to serve us nor help us after we were done eating.
B) The toilet was flushing by itself. Plumbing problems will be bad later on.
C) T-Rex poutine includes bacon but we did not find it on our plate.
D) The place is too small & if you are a person that needs extra space you will be crammed in there.
E) The employees should be more happy & persistent.
F) Parking may be a challenge to find.
Conclusion:
All in all. It's not my favourite place anymore.
I will only dine in if we have guests or visitors or a group but for me personally.
I will be avoiding this place for dine in & maybe just doing takeout if Alone.
Very very busy place. Went there around 2:30 pm. Have to wait at least 30 minutes to be seated, but it was ok. Food was good but difficult to go in between your table due to not enough space.
La Banquise easily served the best poutine I've ever had in my life-hands down! Everything was absolutely perfect, from the incredible food to the kind & extremely polite staff. Despite the long line & how busy it was, everything moved quickly & efficiently. The service was smooth, the energy was great, & the entire experience was top-notch. Truly one of the best dining experiences I've had-highly recommended!
19 avr. 2025
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They were able to adjust Veggie Reggie to fully vegan, & it was delicious!
We were there around 1 pm. during the week, so they were busy, which I totally understand, but, as we were bounced between 3 different servers, they kept forgetting my drink. Otherwise, a very unusual & delicious experience, highly recommend!
24/7 poutine. We had la classique & la Elvis & I loved the latter more because of the beef & mushrooms. The service was okay. They were very busy at this cozy & lively restaurant.
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.
Great atmosphere for authentic montreal poutine. This place is famous. Be prepared to wait for 30min-50min if its busy. It gets really crowded. Food is bit salty but enjoyed & a lot of menu options there for poutine. Service is not the best you can sympathize how busy this place gets.
