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.
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.
Dec 23, 2025
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It's a bit far from the city but totally worth the ride. Great ribs & smoked meat, old school seating & some good old live blues... can't beat Pete's meat!
You can't beat Pete's meat! Stopped by on New Year's Eve for a quick smoked meat sandwich before hitting the road, & it did not disappoint.
The place had tons of Christmas decorations up, which made for a really cozy vibe. The atmosphere is always fun with live blues on stage, & the staff & owner were so friendly the owner even invited us to their NYE party (so sweet!).
Ordering is simple: you head to the counter, pay, & then grab a wooden table. I went for the smoked meat with fries, pickle, & coleslaw yummm absolutely delicious. If you like it lean, it's a couple bucks more, but I personally love it the classic way.
They even bring a little starter of hot dog, liver, bread, coleslaw, & butter. & I finally tried the ribs this time - wow! Super tender, sweet, & packed with flavor. Highly recommend them.
This place might be known for its smoked meat sandwich but the ribs is where it's at. Great menu with mouth watering options (& amazing portions too!). The service is very impressive as well.
We arrived & it was the Sunday Jam!
This place exceeded my expectations. Large portions of food, either smoke meat, ribs or brisket with plenty of coleslaw & pickles.
We were so lucky there was live music! Even Pete himself was there & played the guitar ! Excellent ambiance also children friendly.
Really good tunes, great music & the waitresses were very nice & friendly.
Nice little gem!
Aug 3, 2025
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An absolute delight!
Every time I am in the Montreal area, I try very hard to pay a visit to this place. It's probably close to 15 years since I was introduced to Smoke's, & it's one of, if not my favorite place for Smoke Meat.
The service is top-notch, portion, quality, & flavor excellent.
For myself, it's also very convenient when I am entering or leaving the Montreal area. Next to the Dairy Queen Ice Cream Parlor, It's practically on Highway 20, which is an alternative, more scenic route to take.
This time, I also tried the ribs. & they were an excellent choice as well.
Also, the atmosphere is great although I had take out, this place was popping, filled with excitement, both with a lively patrons & a very friendly staff. It's also equipped with a cover patio for the warmer climate, I'm guessing. The structure, furniture, & paraphernalia are filled with character & a certain quaint, cozy popping atmosphere.
Live band in the evening, night.
This is definitely a nice place to put on your hit list of places to eat.
BTW, great coleslaw 👍🏾👍🏾
& another recommendation: get the 1lb special to go (cold), this is to enjoy when you get back to Toronto.
It's about $35 with all the fixings.
My husband & I usually come here when we crave BBQ. We love the BBQ ribs; they are the best, along with the roast beef. The lady owner is also very nice.
Thank goodness Pete is back & we can enjoy our sandwiches & ribs again. Always enjoy a great sandwich but the four stars are for really tight to get a seat have more tables than usual but he probably did that for get more of us in again. Please take one or two tables away we had to have people enjoying their food stop eating to get to the middle part. My second is for the sandwiches being too lean. We don't ask for lean but it's what I & my friends keep getting. Maybe we need a code word. lol. Oh & for the review of the meal, check the pictures, worth two thousand words. Thanks for reading & HAPPY BIRTHDAY to a great man. Yes went back today & the sandwich was delicious medium with just enough fat. Amazing change to 5 stars
I love their ribs. My stomach can't take smoked meat anymore. I'm sure their smoke meat is very good, but I order their half rack of ribs, for $29. See pics, I've done it multiple times. It's a bar type atmosphere, playing blues music. You order at the counter, & go sit down, & a few minutes later, the waitress will bring you your order. I go at 2pm, so there is no crowd.
The ribs are fall off the bone, the sauce is sweet, but not crazy sweet. The portion is very generous (I gave up on Baton Rouge, I like these better). I have to admit, I don't understand all their sides. French fries are good, lafleur style, coleslaw is good (vinegar, not creamy). But then they give you a small piece of liver & a thin hot dog (I thought kernautzel, but it wasn't). If you notice only one of the pics has it, I give it back now. Then some rye bread? & some dill pickles..I feel I need some smoke meat, then that would make sense. Some needs to explain that to me.
Anyway the ribs are good, French fries are good, & coleslaw is good. I ignore the rest.
They have live music, I think Thursday to Sunday night, but call their number to confirm.
Mar 12, 2025
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One of the best smoked meat spots. No reservations needed, however it's almost always full. Service is great, whether you speak French or English. Live band performances sometimes. I recommend the ribs, just get the entire rack, it's really good.
Mixed opinions about the takeout experience... I''ll start with the good. Upon arrival there were some pretty extravagant decorations & lights, very nice! The lady working the cash who I assume was the owner, very kind, outgoing & welcoming. She took the time to explain which packaged meat & size for takeout would be appropriate for my group. Appreciated. However, a number of things could be improved & it's not even about the food. First, takeout is advertised outside the restaurant, & the digital sign in the parking lot says to call to place the order. After calling, they say you can only order if you physically walk into the store to order, & dont take phone orders. The area for takeout feels like a crowded airport, long queue & minimum space to wait for your order, while customers & staff are uncomfortably trying to weave around you. This issue could be solved if you are permitted to call ahead. Second, the menu for rack of ribs takeout says it's for cold takeout only. I ordered the ribs with the assumption that it wasn't heated (suitable for the transport during a long drive). Maybe i should have clarified, but I did not know it was an option given the menu says COLD ONLY for takeout orders for ribs. Anyhow, when I got my order from the wait staff, it was cooked/ heated. I asked the young gentleman if it should be packaged cold, as that is what i thought the menu said. He gave a condescending response pointing out the obvious saying the other item i was holding was cold, but the ribs are hot (no kidding, I can feel that with my own hands right?) No apologies, & rude response. In fact i did not care much tbh if it was cold or hot, but rather was put off by how the staff responded. I didn't make a big deal of it & left. Just wanted to point out the takeout setup could lead to misaligned expectations of what customers are getting vs ordered , & the way it was dealt by the staff was just flat out rude. I dont think I would return regardless of how the food tastes.
