Smoke Meat Pete is widely praised as a standout for smoked meat in Montreal and a landmark in the city’s tradition. The atmosphere is repeatedly described as lively and old school, with live blues, a friendly staff, and a vibe that makes the wait part of the experience. The meat is tender and richly flavored, with standout fries and coleslaw and ribs and poutine also receiving praise. Several reviews discuss value, noting portions or prices have shifted over time and that some days feel pricey for the size. Crowds and noise are common, especially when live music is on, but the energy is part of the appeal. Service is often described as fast and friendly, with the ordering system at the counter and options for takeout or bundles. Overall the reviews converge on a memorable Montreal experience where the food, music, and atmosphere combine to justify a trip.
I've only eaten in once, so I can only really speak for takeout: it's the absolute best smoked meat. The fries are fantastic too & so is the smoked meat poutine. We tried the roast beef & it's really good, too.
Stopped by this restaurant from a friend's recommendation & this place did not disappoint. I thought the restaurant ambiance looked spot on & had a smokey bbq theme. Ordered a pound of sliced smoked meat & made some sandwiches. The amount given was generous & exceeded the pound. Needless to say the meat tasted very very good. A must visit.
I've been going here for nearly 30 years now & I never walked away dissatisfied. Pete's smoked meat is reason alone, but the people who work there & the atmosphere put it over the top. Smoked Meat Pete is a landmark & well represents Montreal's unique smoked meat tradition.'You can't beat Pete's meat,' & his fries are damn good too!
Feb 1, 2026
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We had an amazing experience! The team accommodated our group of 50 people on very short notice, & everything exceeded expectations. The service was organized, friendly, & efficient, & the food was absolutely delicious. Managing a group this size isn't easy, but they handled it seamlessly & made everyone feel well taken care of. Huge thank you to the staff for going above & beyond.
I brought my cousin from out of town here to have some promised good Montreal smoked meat. We opted to come here because it is a historic place for good smoked meat & it's closer than downtown. The prices we're reasonable, the fries are amazing, the smoked meat good but the portion seems smaller than expected & mine had too much fatty meat...which made me wonder why I wasn't asked what cut of meat I prefer? Maybe it's my fault that I forgot to ask or maybe you don't have a choice on what you get 🤷 Too bad because otherwise it was a nice venue if you like reminiscing & going back in time 😊 This is the perfect experience for an original Quebec highway casse-croute/pataterie & smoked meat venue to bring people from out of town, & also for the locals! Note that you must order & pay first & then pick a table where they will serve you the food. I will go back & try to get a lean cut next time!
Smoked Meat Pete is one of those places that feels timeless. We tried the classic smoked meat sandwich, the full rack of ribs, & the smoked meat poutine, & everything was excellent. The smoked meat is rich, tender, & full of flavour, easily among the best you can find in Montreal & the surrounding area. Honestly, if this place were located downtown, it would probably be considered the best smoked meat in Montreal.
The ribs were generous & well done, & the poutine with smoked meat was comforting & satisfying. Their coleslaw is also very good & pairs perfectly with the main dishes.
The atmosphere is friendly & welcoming, & you can really feel that this is a place people have been coming to for years. It's always busy, especially in the summer when lineups are common, which says a lot. They also have a varied menu with things like pasta & ice cream, making it great for families & groups.
If you want to experience truly great smoked meat at a place that's stood the test of time, Smoked Meat Pete is absolutely worth the trip.
I went with a friend & we placed our orders one at a time at the counter, she placed it before I did, they ere both exactly the same. I had my meal brought to the table in a coupe of minutes. We waited for a while & no meal yet for her. She noticed that the fork had some left over food still on it. We had to ask the server about the missing meal. Why the delay & forgotten meal? My sandwich was greasy & hers was dry.
I've been to this restaurant MANY times. We visited friends in Vaudreuil yesterday & stopped in at Smoke Meat Pete on the way home. It's a five or so minute drive from their home. We had our dog with us so we couldn't leave him alone in the car. We got a couple of meals to go & ate in the parking lot. His Highness may have gotten a bit of smoked meat as a treat. Great meal as usual but the sandwich was a bit sloppy. You couldn't help it because of the confines of the car & the to-go box. Fries had a bit of a sweet taste to them. Loved them. Smoked meat was piled high on the sandwich. Loved it. Whenever I'm in the area, I stop into this restaurant for my smoked meat fix. Ile Perrot is much easier to get to than trying to get to Moe's or Ben's or Schwartz on the Island by crossing the bridge on the 40. I've never been in the evening when they've had the live band playing blues but that's hopefully remedied soon. I will be back.
First time here, from out of country. Recommended by a local friend, & I truly loved it. It was described as the best smoked meat, & it lived up to the expectation. Amazing smoked meat; good flavor, good texture, moist & tasty. Incredible ambience. Only down was I did not come on a night of live music which I saw the stage for. I really must come back to enjoy that, & especially get more smoked meat. I also enjoyed the poutine.
Nov 18, 2025
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A must visit for leaving or entering Montreal. Great smoked meet & fries, great coleslaw & poutines. Great for take out. Can get busy do get there early.
It's mid. The atmosphere is the best thing, the food is known for the famous smoke meat. You get a good portion of meat when you order. 3 people 2 sandwiches 1 combo 3 drinks. Cost $75 bucks. Kinda pricy. Location is very close to the airport.
We had a run in with other local tourists that promoted rudeness & shellfishness. That killed this review. The staff serving me was also a bit tough to deal with & not very friendly with English/french people.
You order at the cash & then grab a seat & they bring you your food. Paid about 24 bucks & a 3 dollar tip for their Pete's smoke meat plate. Not sure if I needed to specify or not, but a third of my smoke meat was fat & not edible(unless you love eating nutrition-less fat). Maybe I have a big appetite, but the sandwich did not fill me, even with the fries & small container of slaw. Now, the size of the sandwich would have gone unnoticed if there wasn't so much fat scrap on the meat...feels like I paid for fat & that I got rooked. 27bucks not worth it. Could have gotten a decent meal for that price. The taste of the smoke meat wasn't bad.
