Located in the heart of Rosemont-La Petite Patrie, Nickels offers a unique experience. Taste the best food ever, with family or friends. Recently renovated - New admisnistration! Best smoked meat cutter in CANADA.
Overall impressions of Nickels Deli & Bar are mixed, with some diners praising the retro, family friendly vibe, open and comfortable interior, and comforting staple dishes like smoked meat and classic poutines, while others note strong nostalgia and good value alongside occasional slow service and uneven attention from staff. Several visits are described as enjoyable for atmosphere and flavor, including fast service and tasty desserts, though a few encounters mention rude or unfriendly treatment and mistakes with orders or billing. Hygiene concerns were raised by at least one party after spotting mice, and there was mention of a technical issue affecting gift cards, plus conflicting guidance on tipping. A common thread is that portions tend to be generous and the ambiance is a highlight, but consistency in service and kitchen timing, plus better upkeep, would elevate the experience and reduce disappointment for future visits.
Eating a smoked meat at Nickels Deli adds another layer of emotion. Nickels started back in 1990 as a classic North American family diner, co-founded by Céline Dion & a group of friends. Even the name comes from her lucky number 5, the nickel. One bite in & it makes sense that Céline sneaks into your head: big feelings, nostalgia turned up to eleven, comfort food with diva-level intensity. #NickelsDeli #Montreal
The service is terrible; they treat you like they're doing you a favor. Besides, they're not very friendly.It's not that cheap, but what I did like was the place itself.
Nov 1, 2025
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At first, everything seemed perfect. The food was tasty, & our waitress Josianne was friendly, attentive, & made us feel very welcome. We ordered the entrecôte & fish & chips + poutine. The dessert, gâteau praliné, was really good too & Josianne even gave us the name of the distributor, which we appreciated. Additionally, we were impressed by how fast the service was!
But unfortunately, things took a turn. We saw mice running around the restaurant, which was really disturbing & made us question the hygiene standards. Someone, possibly the manager, did come over to apologize for that. But for a restaurant, the presence of mice is simply unacceptable.
Then, when it was time to pay, we found out they weren't accepting gift cards due to a'technical issue.' We only learned this at the end of the meal, which was frustrating, especially since it seems the issue has been ongoing. There was no prior notice, which felt misleading & disappointing.
Overall, the experience left us disappointed. We don't recommend this location & probably won't return anytime soon.
The food was fantastic but we were given a hard time by the waitress because we wanted to share our dish. I simply wanted to enjoy the burger & my partner only wanted poutine. I didn't want to waste the extra fries that would have come with my burger as a separate dish
She said she would have to charge us a'sharing fee' of 4 dollars if my partner ate some of my food & that it's restaurant policy. I didn't like to be policed in such a way so I won't be back.
Tout ce qu'on peut attendre d'un brunch dans un diner. C'est budget friendly, il y a plein d'options, & les serveuses sont toujours vraiment très nice.
The brunch here is one of my favourites--lots of classic options (including healthy ones!). The service is always super prompt & attentive. This place has a kitsch retro decor, which isn't to my taste, but I still love it because the ambience is warm, thoughtful, & friendly.
