Restaurant Wilensky's has been a Montréal tradition since 1932, known for its grilled-meat sandwiches. The food selections are limited to a few sandwiches at very low price: Salami sandwiches, hot-dog sandwiches... This place serves drinks typical of the old-time soda fountain. Talk about tradition
Wilensky's is described as a Montreal institution with a timeless neighborhood vibe and a deliberately simple menu that has stayed true for decades. The Wilensky's special, a grilled salami and bologna sandwich with mustard and cheese on a Kaiser roll, is praised for its straightforward, satisfying flavor, often paired with house made sodas such as a cherry cola made at the counter. The experience feels nostalgic and unpretentious, with seating at the bar, quick service, and a sense of community as regulars and newcomers alike mingle. The atmosphere is punctuated by old photos on the walls and a kitchen that embraces tradition, attracting both locals and visitors seeking something different in a city known for its food scenes. Practical notes recur in reviews: limited seating, affordable prices, a no tipping policy that benefits charity, and occasional parking challenges, with some calling it a living museum and a must visit for an authentic slice of Montreal deli heritage.
Great place. Seems like nothing has changed in there since the 50s. Their sandwich is pretty great for how simple it is. Their sodas are pretty great, too. They also sell t-shirts.
There is nothing much need to say about Wilensky, it isn't a place for gourmet food nor Michelin stars, but it is a star on it's own. The taste of tradition.
J ai commencer a aller chez wilensky en 1963 a ce moment la le spécial ne coutais 0.35 ou 0.40 cents .chaque fois que je passe a montr.al je me rend chez wilensky prendre 2 spécial & un cherry cola un délice . merci a toute la famille wilensky. je suit rendu a 82 ans & je ne peux plus sortir comme je voudrais MERCI..
Simplicity pulled off with precision & excellence is how places become institutions. Wilensky's is absolutely an institution & you are doing yourself a disservice if you don't go for lunch when you visit the city.
If you live here & you haven't been yet, what are you doing??
The best breakfast sandwich ever in Montreal' the special with Swiss or Cheddar cheese' with a sour pickle & the homemade cherry cola. An experience like nothing else ✨?.
Les meilleurs choses sont souvent les choses simples est la phrase que je donnerais à ce resto. Ce petit restaurant historique de Montréal avec seulement 8 tabourets pour s'asseoir sert le même sandwich depuis 1932. Visuellement, la nourriture n'a l'air de rien, mais c'est vraiment bon & je comprends pourquoi ils n'ont toujours pas changé leurs façons de faire après tant d'années. Gros coup de coeur aussi pour le coke au cerise maison qui est fait devant nous. J'ai beaucoup apprécié également de regarder les vieilles photos du restaurant à travers son histoire sur les murs.
Went as a tourist looking for a cool old spot & it did not disappoint. Service was friendly & the food was what we expected, which was great. Worth a visit if you're looking for something different. Sit at the counter, if there's room.
One of the most unusual diners you will ever visit anywhere in the world. A 1930's semi-rundown decor with a spacious interior yet only 8 or so seating spaces, serving simple, standardized bologne sandwiches, yet it has somehow become Montreal's (a city seen by many as a top foodie destination in North America) must-visit spot with a constant flow of visitors - both locals & people from all over the world. A complete'glitch in the Matrix' of the modern cutthroat restaurant business environment - a place that really shouldn't exist anymore, yet somehow does, & even flourishes.
This was the second time I came here & I was trying to sense the heart of this place to understand its mystery & it dawned on me that this place's survival strategy was to become, for the time being, what almost feels like a victim of it's own success - let me explain.
From staff consisting of tight-knit family member crew who seem almost defensive & unwelcoming as you walk in, but who actually open up quickly & become quite warm, personable & friendly once you sit down & make smalltalk with them. To warnings on walls in large font about not daring to ask for a sandwich without mustard or to have your sandwich cut for you for no other reason other than that it's been like that since 1932, yet having a huge selection of great tasting sodas. On top of that, a strict no tipping policy (all tips donated to charity if you do tip - no exceptions big or small). Clearly, something very interesting & unusual is going on here - the mystery deepens.
This is what I understood - this diner longs to be once again the local neighbourhood deli it once was, with regulars knowing each other & the family who owns the diner by name & personally, & coming back for decades & generations. This also explains the lack of seating yet a very spacious interior - the interior was designed to be full of people talking to each other while eating standing up, then coming back to the bar for another sandwich or soda, then going back to talking to someone else while eating/drinking soda. Looking at the old photos on the walls it seemed to me that this is exactly what this place was a long time ago - not just a deli but a central community hub. You didn't come here just for the sandwich but to see familiar faces & make new neighbourhood acquaintances.
Times changed though - the area became gentrified, communities moved on or got dispersed, lots more food places popped up everywhere, social media became the new gathering hub. One-time, one-off visitors (both tourists & Montrealers who want to visit this iconic place once in a while) seem now to be the biggest client base & the ones keeping it afloat financially. &, despite all pressures, this deli serves their new clientele fair & square, keeping up with the honesty, family dignity & tradition of budget friendly prices (& not selling out & turning itself into a tourist trap like other places have done) - but you sense the deep underlying longing in the atmospheric fabric of the diner for the re-emergence of the days gone by (not in the sense of just being stuck in the nostalgia for the past, but in a genuine hope & yearning to be able to serve the community as it once did - the true reason this diner was founded by Moe in the first place in 1932), when the real product of this place was not sandwiches & soda, but community connection & togetherness in getting through tough times.
History never repeats itself, but it rhymes - who knows, maybe in our modern reality of ever increasing prices & disillusionment with social media, superficial social interactions & deep isolation of lone wolf mentality, this place will again shine bright one day as an authentic, tangible social hub of genuine human to human connection.
Come with an open mind & discover this total business paradox for yourself (with enough curiosity we can all learn a thing or two from this place), & have a budget-friendly, good tasting meal while at it, that has been enjoyed for almost 100 years.
This place has a special kind of magic. Often, well-known or iconic spots can feel rushed or unfriendly, but that wasn't the case here at all. Sharon was incredibly kind & welcoming-happy to chat, answer questions, & genuinely interact with guests.
The special sandwich is delicious in its simplicity, letting the flavours speak for themselves, & the cherry cola is a perfect match. If I return to Montreal, I'll definitely come back. This is truly a must-visit in the city.
Muy Rico 🤤
Dec 25, 2025
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I go here every day for lunch when I'm visiting Montreal. The building is a nostalgic step back in time. The food is a simple menu of delicious comfort food with homemade sodas at their soda fountain. The people who own this & work here all such wonderful people. Wish I could get here more often.
Was the special sandwich the best thing I ever ate, or a'if you don't stop here you didn't do Montreal justice', no. It's not that. But it's just downright simple & delicious & unique. Where else do you get something like this? Give it a go & you won't regret trying it. What I'd really love to come back again for are the handmade sodas! I usually hate cherry anything but my wife wanted to try the cherry cola & it was fantastic. I wish all pop was like that.
