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 described as a Montreal icon with a legendary smoked meat sandwich that is tender, generously stacked on rye and often paired with pickles and a cherry soda. The atmosphere is old school, bustling, and communal, with long lines that move quickly and shared tables that add to the nostalgic vibe. The sandwich is repeatedly praised as top tier or the best many have tasted, with meat that is flavorful and juicy and options to choose lean, medium, or fatty cuts, though a few reviews note occasional dryness or uneven fat distribution. Poutine and fries are common accompaniments, sometimes great but occasionally criticized for being soggy or underseasoned; service is described as fast and friendly or brisk and crowded, depending on peak times. The experience is widely called a must visit for meat lovers and a defining Montreal experience, with many commendations of the history and atmosphere that make lines feel worth it. Some comments surface about price and crowding, but the overall sentiment remains strongly positive, framing Schwartz's Deli as a legendary staple that delivers a memorable smoked meat experience worth waiting for.
I love the food here & especially the pickles... I bought a few jars to take home about a year go & just cracked into third, but to my surprise, they were completely spoiled :( The expiration was for 2027, & my pantry is temp controlled so I don't know what went wrong with them. I would suggest the owner contact the manufacturer, as someone could eat one & get botulism.
Beyond the fame & tradition, I have to say this was the most disappointing sandwich I've ever had. Maybe it's great if you're comparing it to McDonald's but realistically there is nothing notable about a hunk of meat thrown between two half slices of extremely mediocre bread. I don't get what's all the rage.
Niesamowicie dobra kanapka - mi?so kruche, delikatne, pe?ne smaku. Proste a niezwyk?e. Niestety obs?uga wydawa?a si? ma?o przyst?pna - da?o si? wyczu?, ?e zaraz po jedzeniu chcieli aby opu?ci? lokal bo s? kolejki i przewija si? du?o klientów. Cena troch? z kosmosu za kawa?ek chleba z mi?sem. Nawet z tradycj?. Koniec ko?ców by?o warto.
Nécessaire. Vital. Viscéral. Le sandwich incontournable à Montréal. On n'a rien fait de mieux depuis l'invasion du jambon beurre. J'en ai pleuré de joie. J'y suis retourné le lendemain, le surlendemain & les 4 années suivantes. Allez-y les yeux fermés 💖
Jan 17, 2026
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Pedimos a tradicional batata frita e smoked meat-sanduwich. Muito bom, com sabor diferenciado das carnes defumadas que já tinha provado. Muita fila quando visitamos, 10 janeiro 2026. Qdo terminamos a última batata, a conta chegou na mesa. Uma forma discreta de pedir pra desocupar a mesa. Ri muito, mas é a realidade. Vale a vista, mas se nao conhece o pao com mortadela do mercadao de SP, vai achar melhor ainda.
Endroit incontournable à Montréal. Le service est rapide mais attention, il peut y avoir du monde aux heures de pointe. Rien à dire sur la cuisine, c'est bon & efficace.
Mediocre & overpriced food with poor service, but an extremely rude & aggressive cashier without any social graces who demands money & tips from you. I told my friends who are local to Montreal about this & they said it's common, which is why they avoid this place.
This place is definitely a tourist trap. They also charge you $3 extra for sharing food (see the attached picture)…
There are better smoke meat options like Pete's that you should choose over Schwartz's.
Amazing roast meat, & don't let them fool you-their poutine is seriously undersold & ended up being the best thing on the menu. This place is just as good as they say it is. I'd definitely come back
Jan 7, 2026
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Very busy place. Long line- I felt that the service was lacking though, no smiles from whoever served us. Very cold. No refill of water, or even checking up on us. (Which was surprising as we were sat on the bar)
The food was good but from the service & also how they were aggressive with tips, I do not recommend unfortunately. (We also saw the lady kept asking others for more & more tips… so unpleasant)
I really wanted to try the smoked meat sandwich here so that is what I have ordered. The bread was soft but thin & to be honest the smoke meat was not so tasteful that I need to add ketchup to enhance the taste but meat was really very juicy & generous portion. Sandwich size is just enough for one person. However, I was expecting to taste a special & unique flavor of the meat but again good thing it's really juicy & almost melts in your mouth. The fries has crispy burnt taste. The price is like around 30$ per person if you will have fries & a drink with it. The ambiance is like 80's or 90's era & I like it.
The staffs are pleasant & they serve fast. Overall, good to try for tourist as it has its history.
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.
