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.
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.
Truely incredible experience. The poutine is legit. Gravy is full of flavor. Cheese curds are fresh & squeaky. Fries are absolutely perfect & loved seeing the buckets of prepped potatoes waiting to be fried! Might be the best poutine I've had.
21 mars 2026
sur Google
🍽️
Sachez où manger à Montréal avant tout le monde.
Découvrez en primeur les ouvertures les plus branchées, des menus secrets et les coups de cœur de RestoMontreal.ca. Rejoignez plus de 50 000 foodies.
La Banquise delivered exactly what we came for: legendary poutine & a fun, lively vibe. I went for the smoked meat poutine - L'Obélix - & it was outstanding. Perfect fries, rich gravy, plenty of cheese curds, & that smoky, tender meat on top took it over the edge.
My brother ordered La Elvis, which was loaded, indulgent, & exactly the kind of over?the?top poutine you hope it will be. Our niece kept it classic with La Classique, & even the simplest version was spot?on. When a place nails the basics, you know the rest is going to be great.
They also have a surprisingly good craft beer selection, which paired perfectly with the food & the atmosphere.
If you're in Montreal & craving poutine - whether you want traditional or something wild - La Banquise absolutely lives up to the hype. I'd go back in a heartbeat.
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.
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
8 févr. 2026
sur Google
🍽️
Sachez où manger à Montréal avant tout le monde.
Découvrez en primeur les ouvertures les plus branchées, des menus secrets et les coups de cœur de RestoMontreal.ca. Rejoignez plus de 50 000 foodies.
Loved our food! The classic poutine was a must as this was my first experience. However,'La Shoot Out' was an excellent alternative to try. The smoked meats on top were to DIE for, & my highlight of the experience. Everyone was accomodating & friendly, which made up greatly for the tight seating. Great spot.
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.
26 déc. 2025
sur Google
🍽️
Sachez où manger à Montréal avant tout le monde.
Découvrez en primeur les ouvertures les plus branchées, des menus secrets et les coups de cœur de RestoMontreal.ca. Rejoignez plus de 50 000 foodies.
Classic, great diner atmosphere. Fun to go with friends, delicious poutine & fries. The peppercorn sauce is surprisingly amazing! Portions are huge. Parking was a pain. They only seat your group if everyone is present, but the turnover is steady so we didn't have to wait too long while we waited for one friend parking the car.
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 tried their Classic Poutine. It was my first time at Montreal but I loved it & had great time. I went there solo but had a good time & amazing friendly people.
First time in Canada & was staying nearby. Stumbled upon this accidentally but knew I had to try poutine. This was amazing. I would 100% come back here if I come back to Montreal again. The servers were friendly. We got to take the leftovers away in a takeaway box. The whole experience was very enjoyable.
29 nov. 2025
sur Google
🍽️
Sachez où manger à Montréal avant tout le monde.
Découvrez en primeur les ouvertures les plus branchées, des menus secrets et les coups de cœur de RestoMontreal.ca. Rejoignez plus de 50 000 foodies.
If you get the restaurant & there is no queue, you're lucky! I was in this case. Super friendly & efficient service, no complaints whatsoever... Regarding the large Classique Poutine? Decent portion but it was served slightly warm & not enough sauce. Also the flavour wasn't anything to brag about as I've had hundreds of poutines btw so I know what a good poutine is.
Worth it, sure, but not worth a trip across town.
Honestly disappointed. First trip back to Montreal in a decade, & I may as well have eaten at Smokes in Toronto. Fries - mid. Sauce - good. Cheese - ZERO SQUEAK.
I found myself so disappointed that I went to Belle Province later & (sadly) had a better poutine.
I was not surprised to hear that ownership changed. Someone is missing the core of what made La Banquise special. An exceptional core poutine with fun toppings after that. Now it might as well have been shredded cheese.
Portions are good. Service is fast. Quality is FINE, but not worth putting effort into seeking out.
Side note: 4.75 for a small glass of chocolate milk is criminal.
La Banquise is where most poutine journeys begin, & for good reason. It's Montreal's most famous spot, an institution known for its dizzying array of takes on the classic Quebecois dish. While the menu spans everything from'Elvis' to'La Obélix,' there's an undeniable pleasure in sticking to the original: perfectly crisp, golden fries, squeaky fresh cheese curds, & a rich, savory brown gravy.
Admittedly, for a seasoned poutine connoisseur, La Banquise might feel a little like a tourist rite of passage-there are indeed hidden gems across the city offering arguably'better' versions. However, this vibrant, 24-hour spot is the perfect, delicious introduction for the poutine novice. It sets the standard & provides the ideal starting point before you level up to the more refined competition. Go for the classic, savor the experience, & let the curd life begin!
It's not worth waiting in the cold for this. There are other similar places. The smoked meat topping tasted good, but the fries, cheese, & gravy were just average. You can't even wait inside for takeout - they have a bad attitude & ask people to wait out on the street. The server at the door had such an arrogant attitude, like they're doing you a favor just by serving you. Very ridiculous.
Remember to ask for utensils. They don't provide for takeouts
