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.
The Special is just plain delicious! Don't think of the bologna like Oscar Meyer. This is some tasty & substantial stuff. Pickles are great too. Staff is wonderful & if you can manage to go when you can have a seat at the bar, it's too much fun. We'll be back. Highly recommend.
Lightning fast, super friendly service! Gnocci tastes delicious! Where else can you find such a good portion of a tasty meal for 6$? I was so full, I almost couldn't finish it!
Aug 3, 2025
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Lovely historic deli! I visited Wilensky's as part of a food tour, & it was a very fun peek into Montreal's culinary history. It makes a very cheap, quick lunch if you're in the area, & I appreciate that the deli still feels like a 1920s movie set. The staff is super friendly & feels extremely passionately about their mustard -- so don't try to ask for a sandwich without it -- & it feels like a lovely neighborhood joint. They specialize in the Wilensky special, which includes grilled bologna, salami, cheese, & mustard on a Kaiser roll, which my fellow food tour guests seemed to really enjoy. Their vegetarian alternative had egg salad & mustard on a Kaiser roll, which was tasty, but honestly not my favorite part of the tour; the bread was a little bit too dry, & it felt rather one-note with just the egg salad. Even so, it was a really fun visit, & I'm sure it's better for folks who eat meat.
Who could ever forget about the famous & iconic most likely 1st business open selling sandwiches in fallbrook. I personally remember welinsky's from their delicious bread they serve best sandwich bread me & my bois dom & nick would grab as an after school snack.
Wait times fasttttt af boi or gurl...
& topping it all off the customer service along with all staff & sandwich artists are top tier always got a smile on their face being professional it doesn't matter what kind of past or broken relationships that have been raptured. They keep it pop ruling their tasks on cycle.
Who can forget an order when it's all written & quoted for in the big book. Don't order 6 times a day tho. Cuz that book will turn into a 6 figure sequel of non stop tasty bread in the 6 libraries across NC.
Not too many MC's got dissed but the whole flock couldn't evade their associations in stuff I'm too lazy to by a new suit for. Just like her I'm sayin Thank you next, tryna get atleast another 36,000 people in the association that'll be enough motivation to not only wine n dine in but also write down the names of each little one of Santa's helpers not leaving & race religion or body dismorphia attributes behind cuz we're all equal :)
I'll camp out the big house for 72,000 minimum.
Freedom of speech is cool but impeding & shredding up someone's privacy civil rights now that's just radical
I'm sorry
The best place for a 5$ sandwich & never changed the taste of them in 15years i know this place. Its such a tasty sandwich for fans of salami & mustard bread. Hope this restaurant keeps there door open for several years again.
As great spot for a quick & tasty bite. Classic place to stop by when touring Montreal, & even as a local! Don't ask them to adapt the sandwich as it's a winning recipe, they won't change it 😅
Oct 21, 2024
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You can't walk past this place twice without stopping in for a soda & then let the nice people behind the counter convince you that you need to order a sandwich & a pickle. Very simple place with stools & standing room. Super friendly staff. Delicious sandwich & very tasty beverages.
The vibe is very unique & so is the food. We got the egg sandwich, meat sandwich & a chocolate milkshake. They were quite tasty for the price point! The staff were very friendly.
Jun 15, 2024
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Visiting from Melbourne, Australia (on a very cold, snowy March day) - Wilensky's was a must visit destination in Montreal with a timeless experience that you just don't get back home. It's a simple concept - pop yourself onto a counter seat, get lost in time & let the super friendly (& in close proximity, this is a great thing!) staff know what you feel like eating out of their hot or cold sandwiches, or a hot dog if that's your craving, & what you would like to wash it down with & it will be in front of you before you know it. For me, I went with the Wilensky Special, an all-beef & all-bologna hot sandwich with mustard & swiss cheese. I meant to say, I had two because I had to quickly re-live the first experience immediately & crunched on a sour pickle to tickle the palette on the side. The sandwich hit the spot as a tasty pre-lunch filler & was matched by the tastiest cherry cola that is made in-house that i've ever had in my life. As I pulled out my wallet, I was shocked to learn how little I was to actually spend on all of that tastiness - the lovely server even helped me understand how to make sense of the toonies, loonies & other coins that I had put onto the counter. Of all of the fond memories that I went on to make in Quebec, making the trek out to a beloved institute that my culinary & cultural heroes were once in & getting to experience the same sensation of time travel is one that I will cherish forever.
Ooooook. So. This is nuts. Wilensky's hits different as the kids like to say. You step into a place that really hasn't changed in forever. You confidently sit down at a stool & order a special. If you're me, you rock up with an order of 2. After all, we're not here to play games. You think you did it right but then they hit you with "with cheese?", ruh roh, uhhhh, yes please! "What kind? Swiss or Cheddar?", RUH ROH! One of each I say confidently! You look around for a few seconds & your first special lands in front of you. I'VE NEVER BEEN SERVED THAT FAST. It's like, better than Amazon. You say you want a thing, & then it appears, instantly, in front of you. Hot, melty, tasty, mess of a frickin' sandwich. The Swiss is good but hooooly is the frickin' cheddar way better. Like waaaaaay better. & the Swiss is already way better than other stuff. I had a side of pickles, which are the Moishes kind (salt & vinegar, not garlicky). & a CREAM SODA. A cream soda that took me back to when I would roll up to the Perrette's with my buddy. I finished all that, & ordered a THIRD special. I want a fourth, but I shouldn't, but I want it. Everything was so so good. Everyone was so so friendly & attentive. I'm going to be here all the time. I'm embarrassed it took me so long.
I was so pleasantly surprised to discover this place. There's a reason it has over 4 stars with only a few items on the menu. It's so simple & good! The special doesn't look like much but it's so tasty, salty & tangy with the mustard. The hot dog was so good on the onion top bun. I loved it! The service was beyond fast. The place has this rustic, original look like it hasn't changed since it opened in 1932.
