Les avis présentent Wilensky comme une véritable institution montréalaise : un endroit simple et chargé d’histoire où l’on vient pour un sandwich emblématique et des sodas faits maison, dans une ambiance rétro et conviviale. Le Wilensky Special, composé de salami et de Bologna avec fromage et moutarde sur un petit pain à la semoule, est régulièrement salué pour sa saveur et sa simplicité, tout comme les variantes avec Swiss ou cheddar. Les accompagnements tels que les cornichons à l'aigre et les sodas artisanaux, notamment le cherry cola préparé sous les yeux, font partie intégrante de l’expérience. Le cadre est minimaliste et partage un esprit de quartier, avec un service rapide et chaleureux malgré un espace limité et une décoration qui rappelle les années passées. Plusieurs commentaires soulignent les prix raisonnables et la constance du goût au fil des années, tout en évoquant le caractère unique et nostalgique du lieu, parfois décrit comme un musée vivant et comme un lieu de rencontre communautaire qui résiste à la gentrification et au piège à touristes.
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.
2 janv. 2026
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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.
It was an absolute treat to stop here. The service was kind, quick, & very professional. The Special is worth it in so many ways. You might want two. Will be coming back
This place is a Montréal institution!! Stopped in for a quick bite to eat. The place was full at 3:00pm & was greeted promptly by the friendly staff. Ordered an old-fashioned Cherry Cola & the Wilensky Special. The soda was delicious & the sandwich (so simple, yet perfect) was amazing! Perfect ratio of mustard to bread to salami & baloney. Who knew this little grilled sandwich could be so good!
If you are looking for a delicious, cheap, quick lunch, go here. They make fried bologna sandwiches that are ready in about 30 seconds. They also make their own milkshakes & sodas which are all great. The owners are lovely & make you feel very welcomed. It's an old shop with almost 100 years of history & is obviously feeling a bit tired but I love that aspect of it, although I recognize that others may not
25 mars 2025
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I went here last Friday, & the experience was fantastic. As soon as you walk in, you sit down, & they ask what you'd like. The food is prepared in just two minutes-super quick! The staff were friendly & efficient, making the whole process seamless. The sandwich itself was simple yet absolutely delicious. It was so good I had to grab two more sandwiches & a karnatzel for the road.
Amazing, simply amazing. Went for the first time today, chose the Wilensky special with Swiss cheese, an old fashion cherry cola (& an egg salad sandwich to go).
Excellent service, friendly & very quick. I definitely recommend it.
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 😅
Stopped by here as part of a food tour. We each got a sandwich as part of the tour with either Swiss or cheddar cheese. The sandwiches were phenomenal, from the bread to the meat. Must stop for a quick bite to eat.
18 juil. 2024
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I learned about this place after watching No Reservations. Great sandwich. Very cool to see them make cola the old fashioned way. It's a quick 10 minute stop.
One of the classic Mile End institutions- a real gem on Fairmount street. The service is always friendly & accommodating, the restaurant is adorable- a total throwback in time. "Light lunch" is definetely the key words here though- classic cold cut sandwich- no substitutions!! But do expect to be hungry within an hour especially if you are touring this gorgeous neighborhood. Will always come back for a quick bite, thank you guys!
Finally, I visited the renowned place, with plenty of history & tradition inside. The food was good, served quickly, but I missed a more welcoming service.
In town for few days & this place was recommended for a quick on the go lunch. I went in for the special for 5$ & was greeted by a very friendly staff. Had the sandwich in hand in less then a minute as they are constantly making them. First bite, OMG!! Super hot & crispy bun. A good amount of meat to bun ratio. I am now hooked on this delightful sandwich. I was disappointed they are closed Sunday & Monday as I would have gone everyday. I wish I got two specials that day. This is one of the best surprises of our trip to Montreal.
10 mars 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.
Wilensky's is a very special & dear establishment to the Montreal community. For generations Montrealers have parroted this very special restaurant as it has been a multigenerational eatery where my children go & my grandparents went as well. This is not a deli, this is not a fast food though it is superbly positioned as one due to their ability to serve rapidly, this is not a sandwich shop per se though they do sell a few cold sandwiches & of course their classic Wilensky's special sandwich & their superb Smokey thick juicy boiled then grilled hot dogs in a onion top or plain bottom bun. For those who have heard of the famous restaurant be it from numerous social media posts, multiple documentaries, famous movies (such as the Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz - fact, my uncle played the Grandfather to Duddy), word of mouth, TV shows, you tube stations & the list goes on - you need to manage expectations here. There are some people who come & will say "I don't get it, what is the big deal about this pace". & to these people I would respond by saying the big deal is not specific to the food or value per bite etc. If you have never heard about this place you should learn about its history & humble origins as they are quite interesting to say the least. To those who say the place is dated or outdated, again, learn about the history t'as there is a purpose to maintain its rich history as original as possible as its local & loyal clients prefer. Wilensky's is an institution more so than a restaurant. This is a place where locals go to almost connect to their past & to their families of past who patrons this place & introduced it to them or them parents etc. This is a place where people learn about a community & where everyone is welcome regardless of ideology - religion, politics, language, race, color, or sports teams. Everyone is treated with respect & everyone gets to experience the decades old tradition of eating a historic food that generations of past have eaten & enjoyed amongst friends & strangers hunched over the stool eating & drinking one of the few places in Canada that you can order a fresh homemade soda the way it was done way back in the soda fountain & syrup mixing days of past - cherry cola is the favourite of them all but others are amazing too such as cream-soda, pineapple, cherry, as well as other special drinks of past. When you come to eat then world renowned Wilensky's "special" sandwich comprised of a custom made bun with one side covered in crunchy corn meal & the other smooth like a bun, where the two types of deli are grilled between to perfection & always only served with mustard like a religion. I think the only way to receive ketchup is if you are a young child & don't know any better lol. This sandwich is not large nor is it packed with multiple ingredients. It's a simple "special" quick sandwich made by the wife of the original founder who was asked by her husband to make him something "special" & quick as he hadn't time to eat a full lunch during his work day. This same sandwich is made today & millions have been sold to hungry people from around the world. Even famous chef & TV chefs & personality such as Anthony Bourdaine came, saw, delighted, an appreciated the historic value this focused "nosherie" has in this city - not erroneously judging this place based on restaurant review points such as atmosphere, bathroom, service, presentation & so forth. This is not a chi chi fooderie. You cannot rate this place based on typical rating KPI's as it does not even work in this framework. You are not coming to Wilensky's for just the food, it's an experience that in order to for it to be of great meaning you owe it to yourself to to two things (time provided) before you go. 1- read up about the place. 2- learn about the history of this part of the city & its ethnic regional beginnings & ask questions to the servers. This place is awesome & do but a momento & post it to social media. Enjoy.
