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.
La nourriture était très bonne, là-dessus je ne suis jamais déçue. Par contre, ça a été un peu long pour être assis. La serveuse a pris notre commande, nous a fait payer, mais comme nous n'avions pas donné tout le pourboire suggéré sur la facture, elle a dit que ça allait mais elle nous a totalement ignoré le reste de la soirée alors qu'elle passait sans arrêt à côté de nous. Les plats ont pris du temps à arriver (des gens arrivés en même temps que nous ont eu leurs plats bien avant nous), un serveur différent nous a emmené notre commande (lui était serviable & souriant). Il y a beaucoup trop de monde, impossible d'avoir de l'intimité. C'est un resto que je recommande pour la nourriture mais j'aurais préféré qu'ils nous fassent payer après avoir mangé pour que le pourboire reflète le service reçu.
3 juin 2025
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It was one of the most recommended places I've been to & they didn't disappoint at all. The different options for poutine is nuts & everyone will find something to eat, from meat to vegan options it's all there. I did got the La Bonheur Poutine & it was so good that I could have gotten a second plate. The hype is well deserved.
We had the shoot out poutine & spicy sausage hot dog. The fries weren't anything special, the sauce was oddly thick & extremely salty & it didn't have a lot of cheese curds. There was a lot of meat on the poutine, all of it extremely salty. The spicy sausage hot dog was supposed to have a creamy coleslaw & you can see from the photo that there was hardly anything there. Would not recommend.
One of the best poutines ive ever had & i am not usually one to have'specialty' poutines. I usually prefer a typical poutine with curds. My hometown in northern ontario has 2 chipstands both ranked top 10 in the world so im well versed in poutinery knowledge & La Banquise''Southwestern' ( i think) poutine with the onion rings & guac was amazing!
Only con of this place is its very small & loud but some people might dig that. Seems like a place people just go in for a quick snack then leave, not hangout for too long. Definitely recommend!
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!
Absolutely loved this place, couldn't eat the whole thing, service was great, food was amazing, so many varieties of poutine, such a simple menu & it works!! 10 outta 10 would recommend & definitely will be back!!
The food here is absolutely outstanding! From the appetizers to the dessert, every dish was bursting with flavor. The ambiance is warm & inviting, with a cozy, upscale vibe. The staff is attentive & knowledgeable, always ready with a great recommendation. The menu offers a variety of options, catering to different dietary preferences. Highly recommend the seafood pasta - it's a must-try! Overall, a fantastic dining experience, perfect for a date night or a special celebration
La Banquise is a must-visit spot in Montreal, especially for poutine lovers like me. During my trip, it was the first place on my list, & it definitely lived up to the hype. The place was packed, but we were lucky to grab the last available table. However, others had to wait quite a while for a seat.
We tried three different poutines: breaded chicken, smoked meat, & La Savoyarde. The smoked meat poutine was by far the standout - it was absolutely mouthwatering & a must-try! The breaded chicken poutine was also really good, with tender, juicy chicken. While La Savoyarde was an interesting twist on poutine, it wasn't our favorite, as it was a bit different from the classic. Overall, I highly recommend La Banquise for an authentic poutine experience.
28 mars 2025
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Amazing poutine'must visit' if you're on the search for it! Melanie was an incredible server, all the others appeared very pleasant!
Highly recommend as a US citizen!
The bacon poutine was amazing & so much food for the regular portion. I also tried the chicken club sandwich. Servers were friendly & service was great. Highly recommend.
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!
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.
3 févr. 2025
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Super pour découvrir la poutine à Montréal ! Prix abordables : 9,9 $ la classique régular, portions très généreuses & service de qualité! On recommande!
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!!!
