World famous Schwartz's, serving the best smoked meat from the original recipe of spices since 1928. Imagine walking through the door and taking a step back 75 years into "Main Street" history in Montreal. A "true" Montreal landmark that has welcomed celebrities and visitors from all over the world.
Schwartz's Deli is widely celebrated as a Montreal institution, famous for its world famous smoked meat, a bustling old school deli atmosphere, and generous sandwiches that many say melt in the mouth; despite long lines, service is generally fast and efficient and the line often moves quickly, with takeout next door for those pressed for time. Reviewers praise the tenderness and bold seasoning of the meat, the classic rye bread, and the accompanying pickles, fries, and poutine, while some note variability in meat greasiness or portions and occasionally uneven service; overall, it remains a must visit for meat lovers and a memorable slice of Montreal history, though a few say the price and crowds can be a drawback.
Go elsewhere for a classic Montreal smoked meat sandwich. No need to visit this place, a tourist trap all through & through. First of all the meat was dry, very fatty & tasteless. The pickle which was really soggy doesn't even come included with the sandwich (crucial mistake, smoked meat sandwiches need a pickle). The service was quite bland, employees on their phone & unwelcoming. The price for two small sandwiches & a small fry came out to 45$ which is insane for how small the sandwich was. Id recommend 5 other places in MTL for smoked meat before Shwartz.
Apr 13, 2026
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I did not see this one coming ! Visiting this place was not really my top priority I just wanna try because so many people recommend this to try out. I am soooo happy I made the right decision to try. Upto now I am still dreaming about this smoky meat flavor. I got the poutine & it was phenomenal! Truly this is the Montreal's a must try !
The sandwiches are really great! It's a pretty small store, but the counter was open for us & we were able to dine in. The #4 meat sandwich & #2 poutine were recommended to us - the sandwich was a simple sandwich with a LOT of meat & mustard. Very yummy, the meat was super soft too, but I wish there was a vegetable
When we went to Montreal, my dining companion insisted we come here for the smoked meat sandwich, & we were not disappointed!
The food was delicious & the service was fast, the restaurant has a real family feel.
This place is always packed & has long family-style tables, so you will likely be sitting with strangers. & people will DEFINITELY touch you as they walk by, due to the crowded nature of the place.
I would definitely recommend this place for their food & their efficient (bilingual) service, but if you have sensory issues/hate crowds it might not be the place for you.
Visiting Schwartz's Deli in Montreal was an incredible culinary experience that lived up to all the hype! The world-famous smoked meat sandwich is an absolute masterpiece-tender, perfectly spiced, & piled impressively high on fresh rye bread. I highly recommend ordering it'medium' for the perfect balance of flavour & juiciness, & don't forget to pair it with a classic black cherry soda & a large pickle. Despite the nearly constant queue out the door, the service is remarkably fast & the old-school atmosphere adds so much character to the meal. It is a legendary landmark for a reason, & easily some of the best comfort food I have ever tasted!
Feb 25, 2026
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The poutine & smoked meat sandwich were delicious, the price was pretty good for what we got, & the service was quick; only a few minutes to get everything to us, despite it being relatively busy.
The space is a bit cramped, but that's actually part of the character of this place, & I think it would've felt strange if it weren't like that.
The history about it was pretty interesting, too. It was one of the points of interest on our tour & was really neat to hear about how long they've been open, as well as the celebrity connection that kept it open during hard times.
Yummy, but nothing too crazy, would recommend going to the take out line, cuts crazy amount of time comparing to dine in. Prices are touristy as expected, once in a lifetime kinda thing.
The bread is very soft, & the layers of beef are well seasoned, tender, & rich with a nice fatty aroma. Personally, I think it tastes even better with a bit more yellow mustard.
The fat distribution could be more even - some parts were a little dry & firm, while others were quite fatty.
Highly recommend having it with pickles, which really balance the richness of the beef.
Very busy place. Long line- I felt that the service was lacking though, no smiles from whoever served us. Very cold. No refill of water, or even checking up on us. (Which was surprising as we were sat on the bar)
The food was good but from the service & also how they were aggressive with tips, I do not recommend unfortunately. (We also saw the lady kept asking others for more & more tips… so unpleasant)
Jan 2, 2026
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The food is good, pretty decent. However, staff were really rude especially to my mom. When we walked in the place we kept on being pushed off the door (where we were told to stand) rudely by the manager.
When we sat at the counter, we were practically neglected for the first 10 minutes, the staff (dude, asian as well) explained the menu in detail to the other customers at the counter but not us. We had to get his attention multiple times just to order.
The staff bitterly & in a low voice asked our order & if we want lean, medium, or medium fat meat. My mom is not fluent in English, so she misheard it as the meal sizing (small, medium, large). He intentionally exhaled loudly at us & just repeated it rudely without explaining (which is his job).
I ordered a cherry soda & the staff placed it in front of my mom. She held the can attempting to move it to me, but the staff immediately snatched it out of her hand for no reason. He placed it in front of my brother & when he was about to pass the can to me, the staff did the same thing.
We were utterly disappointed & offended with the service treatment so we decided to not tip. The cashier forcefully shoved the tipping jar towards my mom, & she had to flee from being harassed.
All in all, the food is not THAT good to get mistreated. Definitely NOT tourist & foreigner friendly, will not recommend to my friends & anyone who's visiting Montreal.
The food was extremely bland. The best way to describe it would be boiled meat served with mustard & bread nothing memorable or special. The fries used for the poutine were burnt, which further affected the overall quality. Combined with the long wait, the experience was disappointing. Overall, the wait is not worth it, & I would not recommend this place.
Our experience here was so great. Immediately helped to a seat & had drink orders & water right away. They are so busy so expect that it will be packed. Everything was very streamlined & we had a delicious meal. Our waiter even asked if I wanted our picture taken & took the best picture, without even being asked. He was not bothered, I am guessing he has taken lots of pictures 😂 definitely recommend stopping in if you have the opportunity.
This place came highly recommended & it did not disappoint. A very old-school deli/diner style. I ordered the smoked meat sandwich, the pickle & a cherry cola. This food was well priced & tasty 😋🤤. Love classic style joints like Schwartzes & would recommend.
Nov 12, 2025
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Une véritable légende à Montréal ! Schwartz's Deli est un arrêt obligatoire. Le smoked meat est d'une tendreté & d'un goût inégalables.
?Petit conseil d'initié : plutôt que le sandwich, je vous recommande vivement l'assiette de smoked meat pour vraiment savourer la générosité & la qualité de la viande sans être limité par le pain.
?Un must absolu si vous visitez la ville ! 😋👍👏👏👏
A true legend in Montreal! Schwartz's Deli is a mandatory stop. Smoked meat is of unrivalled tenderness & taste.
Insider tip: Instead of sandwiching, I highly recommend smoked meat platter to really savor the bounty & quality of the meat without being limited by the bread.👍👏👏👏
Food was fine, just average beef taste. However, I don't recommend to eat in dining, because some of waiters were bit rude attitude especially the old guy who was wearing white shirt looks like manager. He didn't order mine for a while even I was seating down, some Indian guy who was nice chef got my order hh
Even though, your history is great for a long time, your histories of services to customers was terrible. I didn't want to pay for tips of service, but I payed for that. Never come again 👋
This place is a must go if Montreal
I don't think I had a place more recommended to me on any of my trips I ever been on & it's for good reason.
We got the smoked meat sandwich & a poutine the sandwich was an easily the best one I ever had & the poutine was up there as well.
Despite the lineup being very long for the takeout they are moving different in that kitchen & actually make the food so fast & efficient it's not bad at all & worth the wait.
