Lesters Deli s'impose comme une institution incontournable du smoked meat montréalais, proposant un bœuf fumé et mariné avec précision, coupé à la main pour garantir une tendreté optimale. Chaque sandwich présente de généreuses portions de poitrine épicée, empilées sur du pain de seigle et rehaussées de moutarde jaune traditionnelle. Le menu se concentre sur les classiques de la charcuterie, offrant des frites croustillantes et des cornichons acidulés pour compléter la profondeur savoureuse de la viande. Les clients découvrent un environnement dynamique caractérisé par un décor fonctionnel et une efficacité marquée, reflétant l'atmosphère authentique des charcuteries historiques. Cet établissement priorise la qualité de son processus de fumage, assurant un profil gustatif constant qui maintient sa renommée locale. Chaque sélection témoigne d'une maîtrise des techniques de préparation qui définissent cette spécialité culinaire emblématique depuis plusieurs générations.
Lester's Deli est largement reconnu comme une véritable institution montréalaise, apprécié pour son atmosphère de casse-croûte historique, son accueil chaleureux et ses sandwichs à la viande fumée emblématiques. De nombreux clients soulignent la tendreté et la saveur de la viande ainsi que l'excellente qualité des frites, comparant souvent l'expérience avantageusement aux endroits plus touristiques grâce à des temps d'attente réduits et un service attentionné. Bien que les avis sur les prix et la taille des portions varient et que certains suggèrent que quelques rénovations pourraient moderniser les lieux, la majorité des visiteurs vantent le personnel toujours amical et le charme nostalgique qui font de cet établissement une destination incontournable pour quiconque recherche une expérience locale authentique.
We decided we needed to try a smoked meat sandwich during our visit to Montreal in mid-May 2026 & wound up visiting Lester's Deli in the Outremont area. As a side note, if you're trying to get here & are looking at street numbers on Bernard Ave, the numbers skip from 300s to 1000s due to the old numbering system they used (we thought we were 7 blocks away but then saw the signs for Lester's & were confused).
We ordered the Smoked Meat Sandwich ($16), All Dressed Hot Dog ($4.5), Regular Poutine ($10.5) & added a dill pickle for good measure.
The shop wasn't very busy at the time, which is a definite plus... didn't want to wait in a huge line like some other places.
The sandwich itself was pretty good. It was piled high with meat & the meat was tender & not dry. The hot dog was better than expected too with a thin bun, mustard, sweet relish, & crisp onions. The poutine had lots of gravy & cheese & was well balanced. We wound up taking some of the smoked meat from our sandwich & mixing it with the poutine & that kicked it up a notch. If we weren't already so full, we would have eaten more.
Been here three times now the poutine was pretty bad burnt tasting & rubbery cheese but the hot dogs are great & smoked meat was comparable to Schwartz not my favourite either way
27 mars 2026
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Visiting Montreal from Thunder Bay with my wife for the second time. I was looking forward to trying the smoked meats around the city. I hunt & prepare my own meats, so I like to see what locals eat when it comes to meats. I made a point to stop by Lester's because I only managed to hit Schwartz last time & I heard the consensus is split between which is better.
As a meat lover, I found the smoked meat here to be slightly better than Schwartz (I even made a trip back to Schwartz to compare because I needed another taste after 2 years). The moisture of the meat is well balanced, flavorful & not overly chewy or stringy. It has that classic smoked flavor that you only get in the high-quality product.
Experience with the three staff members was memorable & more personal than Schwartz. It was clearly a close-knit family dynamic with the staff which made the atmosphere very welcoming.
The young American lady at the counter greeted us & answered my questions about the menu as well as some friendly small talk with my wife. She was knowledgeable about the shop's history & showed great positive attention to my wife who likes to talk a lot (fortunately the store was empty so she didnt keep anyone from their job). The American woman recommended a hotdogs for my wife, which she loved & ordered a second. The young lady recommended a carrot cake. I dont usually eat desserts for my health, but I tried a bite of my wife's & had to take a few more. The cake was excellent as was the hotdog according to my wife.
Meanwhile, I chatted with the gentleman who prepared the meat, Louie, who told me a bit about the process. I could see he is a master of the craft.
Overall, the atmosphere, service, & flavor exceeded Schwartz, & I believe it was largely due to the care & attention paid by the workers. As a small business owner, seeing these types of people who are knowledgeable & passionate show that the business isn't hiring just anybody to do the most important work, preparing the high-quality smoked meat which Lesters is known for.
4.4 / 5 is a great score. Takeout Uber - arrived in 20 mins on a Wednesday lunch to my hotel.
Fries were handmade & delicious (but soggy as a wet dog by delivery). No ketchup, mayo or any condiments included.
Smoked meat was large & delicious! Extra mustard requested & added. Would eat this 10x in a row. Got the Swiss cheese. Doesn't make a huge difference. The meat is the star. Only thing I'd change - I think it's medium hand cut & I prefer shaved. But, this was so good I might switch.
Hot dog (glitzy). I think it was $6 so I had high hopes for low cost. It was okay. Tasty but smushed. Would skip on delivery maybe try in person.
Super ambiance à l'intérieur! D'une autre époque, mais très joli! Sandwich à la viande fumée bien humide (certains endroits en servent parfois du trop sec), bien tendre & généreux. Ah oui, & délicieux! Les frites étaient vraiment bonnes également. Le petit hic serait au niveau de certains cornichons; un sur deux était tachetée à l'intérieur d'une couleur blanchâtre un peu suspicieuse... goût un peu vieillot aussi. Attention. Ah, & j'ai aussi pris un hot dog, & honnêtement, c'était un banger! Solide hot dog, un peu cher par contre. Expérience pas parfaite, mais presque! Je donne 5 étoiles quand même!
