La Banquise
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This is a well-oiled machine. Even with the long lines, this place is so efficient. If you're looking at the restaurant, the line on the right is for dine-in, and the line on the left is for take-out. I dined in, and the wait was maybe 10 minutes tops. I sat in the patio, and it's fully covered. Most of the staff know very good English. Our server was slow to bring us the check, but that's my only quibble. I got the La Rachel (of course), which is a vegetarian poutine with green bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions. It was absolutely delicious!! The gravy was out of this world! This was the best poutine I had in all of Quebec.
We ordered 3 poutines. The best by far was the smoked meat one. The vegetarian was basically burger toppings of tomatoes, lettuce, pickles with some cabbage. The mushroom and pepper poutine was underwhelming. Smoked meat poutine only way to go ! They don't skimp on the meat. Fries, curds, and gravy delicious. Prices fair.
I was in Montreal for a day to walk 100,000 steps, and 1 of the 4 food requirements I had for myself was poutine. I'd never had the French Canadian heart-attack-on-a-plate, and was a little nervous as it just looks like it has A LOT going on. I sludged into La Banquise dead sober at 4:11am, as this is a legendary spot that is open 24 hours. I sat down in a bustling no frills atmosphere and remembered my deep appreciation for a 24-hour diner. You see people for who they really are this early in the morning. A couple in front of me was in a heated argument about what "being exclusive" really meant, while two separate groups of 4 to my right were feeling no pain and enjoying a poutine night cap. There I was, sipping on my black coffee mentally prepping myself for the 45 mile (72 km) day I had in front of me. The dichotomy of life. I asked the server what the most popular item was, and he said La Scooby. This monstrosity consisted of fresh cut fries, cheese, gravy, ground beef, bacon, onions, fried pickles, and caesar dressing garlic sauce. I got the small ($12.40 usd), but this thing was a TANK. It was bigger than my head and I have a HUGE head. The large must be a family style portion or somethin. Upon first bite, it was damn good. I completely see the poutine appeal. Is it an ideal meal dead sober at 4:11am? No, absolutely not, but this is an S-tier hangover food. Also, if there is ever a day when I need some extra calories, it's on a 100k step day. All the staff was so welcoming, and surprisingly chipper this early in the morning. SHOUTOUT TO LA BANQUISE! THANK YOU FOR FUELING THE JOURNEY! IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo
Doing a pouting tour of Quebec. Made it to LA Banquise. Service was friendly and seating was fast. the seating area is tight. So yes you do feel like sardines, but I rather have that than a wait. I ordered the regular classique. The gravy is rich and thick. I must've got the bottom of the curd bag since mine were relatively small ones. There was a lot of gravy which melted almost all of my curds. The fries became soggy which wasn't that pleasing. Overall a good experience. Next time I would ask for less gravy. Customer service was excellent and friendly. I will be back.
So glad we got to try poutine, a local specialty, in this greet restaurant. The line outside is long but moves quickly and it is definitely worth the wait. We had our poutine with smoked meat. The large wad perfect size for the 3 of us. They also have a kids menu in case your kid isn't into the poutine, but I was pleasantly surprised that ours loved it!
If you want the best poutine in Montréal, dine here. Outstanding selection. There are other menu items but why? Fast service. Cool patio spot outdoors (no alcohol outside). Anyway. Go here - get delicious poutine. We timed it well but, if you don't, worth the wait.
Great visit to La Banquise! Heard so many great things and this had to be a must visit for us in Montreal. There was a small 20 minute wait to get in, and they had 2 lines, one for take out and one for dine in. We had. Nice employee come by and check on us to make sure we were in the right line, so really good service right from the start! Once we got in, we ordered the large La Shoot Out (9/10 rating). This thing was loaded and it was all so good. It came with smoked meat, bacon, spicy sausage and pepperoni on top of the traditional cheese curds and gravy. Totally worth jt for $28.60 CAD. Their Blanche beer (8/10) was light and refreshing and balanced out the savory poutine. The ambiance in the restaurant was loud and busy. The tables were a tight fit and every table and seat were filled. There was some decor and throughout the restaurant. Overall, great experience to try authentic Canadian Poutine! Highly recommend!
While in Montreal we had to try poutine and this place was the most recommended restaurant. To start off, be prepared to wait in line. The line wasn't too busy when we went, we waited about 20 minutes to be seated, which wasn't bad at all. But, we were told it can get long. The restaurant itself is super busy and tables are pretty close to each other. It has a cool and modern vibe to it. There is also outdoor seating. Their menu has over 20 different types of poutine. We decided to get the La shoot-out - this has smoked meat, bacon, spicy sausage, and pepperoni. We shared the large portion and it was massive. I give it a 9/10 - it was delicious! They loaded it with a lot of meat, the fries were soft with some crispiness, the gravy was soooo good, and the cheese curds were yummy. This whole concoction was great! To drink we ordered one of their beers - La Banquise Blanche - nice beer! Service was good, our waitress was nice and helpful. Overall, this a must if you are in Montreal. You can't miss eating poutine.
We arrived around 1pm with only 2 people ahead of us. We were almost immediately sat on the patio. It was a hot day and were able to get a seat near a fan. Service was quick and friendly. Our first time having authentic poutine we went for La Classique. I really liked how crispy the fries were, the gravy was rich with a hint of sweetness and the curds were plentiful. We also got a hotdog with cheese and bacon. It was perfection!
We stopped by for our second poutine in Montréal and really enjoyed it. The poutine was excellent with fresh cheese curds and flavorful gravy. We also ordered fries with bacon for our daughter, and she loved them. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the service was quick even though the restaurant was busy. Not much wait time for 8pm Wednesday summer. We tried the La Taquise poutine, and a great choice too!
This poutine place was recommended by a lot of travellers so we picked this place for our poutine meal. There was a line up already when we arrived. But lineup wasnt too long, we waited for about 15mins All of the poutines on the menu were tempting and we decided on the la savoyarde which has bacon, onions and sour cream. It was very good! the gravy was on point for its saltiness and consistency. Went very well with the sour cream We also tried the chicken burger and the classic coleslaw. It was definitely one of the best coleslaw i have tried. Not creamy and it has the right balance of tanginess. It was also a good price too for the given large quantity Service was absolutely friendly and efficient. I would love this poutine restaurant to open up outside of montreal!
La Banquise is a must when visiting Montréal to get their poutine. Poutine is their main staple in this joint from the plain classique to many other offerings with various toppings from hot dogs to ground beef to chicken and various vegetables. For me I like to be a purist and order the classique here. The fries are crisp yet covered in the rich brown gravy. I did wish that I had more of it in our dish this time around. The cheese curds were perfect with the right chew and squeak as you eat them. My daughter was in love having her first poutine from here. We did take out, but hopefully next time we will get to dine in. We will be back in future.
If you want a really good poutine experience, I recommend coming here. The smoked meat they put on top of the poutine fries reminds me of brisket from Texas. Very flavorful, juicy, good amount - they don't skimp on the serving. I washed it all down with a banana wheat beer which was perfect. I tried their chocolate cake dessert because I didn't feel like going out and searching for a dessert spot. It wasn't for me but it was still pretty good.
21 days ago
After landing in Montréal, I was so hungry and craving a nice plate of poutine -- an iconic Canadian specialty. So I popped on Yelp to look for a spot near by with great reviews. La Banquise wasn't far from where we were staying and I discovered that it was a favorite of locals! I mean, at 11pm the place was packed to the brim! A very promising sign. Once we stepped inside this cozy establishment, it almost felt like a diner, with fun painted tables. Our table had Elsa & Anna on it! Their menu is outstanding, offering plenty of different loaded poutines. Poutine is typically fries, gravy, and cheese curds. So I decided on La Scooby, which had meats, a Caesar salad dressing, and fried pickles on top! The flavors all worked together so well! This was my first poutine experience and by far my favorite. Merci, La Banquise!! read more
15 days ago
This is a well-oiled machine. Even with the long lines, this place is so efficient. If you're looking at the restaurant, the line on the right is for dine-in, and the line on the left is for take-out. I dined in, and the wait was maybe 10 minutes tops. I sat in the patio, and it's fully covered. Most of the staff know very good English. Our server was slow to bring us the check, but that's my only quibble. I got the La Rachel (of course), which is a vegetarian poutine with green bell peppers, mushrooms, and onions. It was absolutely delicious!! The gravy was out of this world! This was the best poutine I had in all of Quebec. read more
We ordered 3 poutines. The best by far was the smoked meat one. The vegetarian was basically burger toppings of tomatoes, lettuce, pickles with some cabbage. The mushroom and pepper poutine was underwhelming. Smoked meat poutine only way to go ! They don't skimp on the meat. Fries, curds, and gravy delicious. Prices fair. read more
I was in Montreal for a day to walk 100,000 steps, and 1 of the 4 food requirements I had for myself was poutine. I'd never had the French Canadian heart-attack-on-a-plate, and was a little nervous as it just looks like it has A LOT going on. I sludged into La Banquise dead sober at 4:11am, as this is a legendary spot that is open 24 hours. I sat down in a bustling no frills atmosphere and remembered my deep appreciation for a 24-hour diner. You see people for who they really are this early in the morning. A couple in front of me was in a heated argument about what "being exclusive" really meant, while two separate groups of 4 to my right were feeling no pain and enjoying a poutine night cap. There I was, sipping on my black coffee mentally prepping myself for the 45 mile (72 km) day I had in front of me. The dichotomy of life. I asked the server what the most popular item was, and he said La Scooby. This monstrosity consisted of fresh cut fries, cheese, gravy, ground beef, bacon, onions, fried pickles, and caesar dressing garlic sauce. I got the small ($12.40 usd), but this thing was a TANK. It was bigger than my head and I have a HUGE head. The large must be a family style portion or somethin. Upon first bite, it was damn good. I completely see the poutine appeal. Is it an ideal meal dead sober at 4:11am? No, absolutely not, but this is an S-tier hangover food. Also, if there is ever a day when I need some extra calories, it's on a 100k step day. All the staff was so welcoming, and surprisingly chipper this early in the morning. SHOUTOUT TO LA BANQUISE! THANK YOU FOR FUELING THE JOURNEY! IG @johnny.novo Tiktok @jnov__ Substack @johnnynovo read more
10 days ago
Doing a pouting tour of Quebec. Made it to LA Banquise. Service was friendly and seating was fast. the seating area is tight. So yes you do feel like sardines, but I rather have that than a wait. I ordered the regular classique. The gravy is rich and thick. I must've got the bottom of the curd bag since mine were relatively small ones. There was a lot of gravy which melted almost all of my curds. The fries became soggy which wasn't that pleasing. Overall a good experience. Next time I would ask for less gravy. Customer service was excellent and friendly. I will be back. read more
5 months ago
So glad we got to try poutine, a local specialty, in this greet restaurant. The line outside is long but moves quickly and it is definitely worth the wait. We had our poutine with smoked meat. The large wad perfect size for the 3 of us. They also have a kids menu in case your kid isn't into the poutine, but I was pleasantly surprised that ours loved it! read more
If you want the best poutine in Montréal, dine here. Outstanding selection. There are other menu items but why? Fast service. Cool patio spot outdoors (no alcohol outside). Anyway. Go here - get delicious poutine. We timed it well but, if you don't, worth the wait. read more
Great visit to La Banquise! Heard so many great things and this had to be a must visit for us in Montreal. There was a small 20 minute wait to get in, and they had 2 lines, one for take out and one for dine in. We had. Nice employee come by and check on us to make sure we were in the right line, so really good service right from the start! Once we got in, we ordered the large La Shoot Out (9/10 rating). This thing was loaded and it was all so good. It came with smoked meat, bacon, spicy sausage and pepperoni on top of the traditional cheese curds and gravy. Totally worth jt for $28.60 CAD. Their Blanche beer (8/10) was light and refreshing and balanced out the savory poutine. The ambiance in the restaurant was loud and busy. The tables were a tight fit and every table and seat were filled. There was some decor and throughout the restaurant. Overall, great experience to try authentic Canadian Poutine! Highly recommend! read more
While in Montreal we had to try poutine and this place was the most recommended restaurant. To start off, be prepared to wait in line. The line wasn't too busy when we went, we waited about 20 minutes to be seated, which wasn't bad at all. But, we were told it can get long. The restaurant itself is super busy and tables are pretty close to each other. It has a cool and modern vibe to it. There is also outdoor seating. Their menu has over 20 different types of poutine. We decided to get the La shoot-out - this has smoked meat, bacon, spicy sausage, and pepperoni. We shared the large portion and it was massive. I give it a 9/10 - it was delicious! They loaded it with a lot of meat, the fries were soft with some crispiness, the gravy was soooo good, and the cheese curds were yummy. This whole concoction was great! To drink we ordered one of their beers - La Banquise Blanche - nice beer! Service was good, our waitress was nice and helpful. Overall, this a must if you are in Montreal. You can't miss eating poutine. read more
We arrived around 1pm with only 2 people ahead of us. We were almost immediately sat on the patio. It was a hot day and were able to get a seat near a fan. Service was quick and friendly. Our first time having authentic poutine we went for La Classique. I really liked how crispy the fries were, the gravy was rich with a hint of sweetness and the curds were plentiful. We also got a hotdog with cheese and bacon. It was perfection! read more
3 months ago
We stopped by for our second poutine in Montréal and really enjoyed it. The poutine was excellent with fresh cheese curds and flavorful gravy. We also ordered fries with bacon for our daughter, and she loved them. The staff were friendly and welcoming, and the service was quick even though the restaurant was busy. Not much wait time for 8pm Wednesday summer. We tried the La Taquise poutine, and a great choice too! read more
This poutine place was recommended by a lot of travellers so we picked this place for our poutine meal. There was a line up already when we arrived. But lineup wasnt too long, we waited for about 15mins All of the poutines on the menu were tempting and we decided on the la savoyarde which has bacon, onions and sour cream. It was very good! the gravy was on point for its saltiness and consistency. Went very well with the sour cream We also tried the chicken burger and the classic coleslaw. It was definitely one of the best coleslaw i have tried. Not creamy and it has the right balance of tanginess. It was also a good price too for the given large quantity Service was absolutely friendly and efficient. I would love this poutine restaurant to open up outside of montreal! read more
La Banquise is a must when visiting Montréal to get their poutine. Poutine is their main staple in this joint from the plain classique to many other offerings with various toppings from hot dogs to ground beef to chicken and various vegetables. For me I like to be a purist and order the classique here. The fries are crisp yet covered in the rich brown gravy. I did wish that I had more of it in our dish this time around. The cheese curds were perfect with the right chew and squeak as you eat them. My daughter was in love having her first poutine from here. We did take out, but hopefully next time we will get to dine in. We will be back in future. read more
If you want a really good poutine experience, I recommend coming here. The smoked meat they put on top of the poutine fries reminds me of brisket from Texas. Very flavorful, juicy, good amount - they don't skimp on the serving. I washed it all down with a banana wheat beer which was perfect. I tried their chocolate cake dessert because I didn't feel like going out and searching for a dessert spot. It wasn't for me but it was still pretty good. read more
Everything they say about the place (and the poutine) is true. Find a little time to stop by, your soul will thank you. The interior was colorful, cozy, bustling, and friendly. Service was warm and fast. The poutine was an absolute highlight of my time in Montreal. This shop may have ruined Massachusetts poutine for me, I fear I'll be doomed to chase my memory of La Banquise every time I see poutine on the menu elsewhere. read more
When in Canada, poutine is almost mandatory. I knew I wanted to try some while I was visiting the city - but where? After some research I found La Banquise and made it my intention to check them out. My desire was augmented by the fact that I also visited Ma Poule Mouillée which is their direct competitor that sits catty corner. Wanting to see how La Banquise compared, we made plans for a late lunch. As we approached, we were (expectedly) greeted with a line. It's organized into two sides - one if you're planning to dine in and another to order takeout. We were in no rush, so we decided to wait and see how long it would be for a table - and surprisingly, it took less than 10 minutes for us to be seated. The decor was super casual, filled with color pictures everywhere depicting figures from pop culture. The space is also fairly large, though because of its popularity it was super crowded with tables close together - we were packed in. It almost goes without saying, but the star of the menu is poutine - so many poutines in a variety of flavor combinations. While there are a few other items on the menu, we were there for poutine - and judging by what was on the surrounding tables, so was everyone else. The selection is almost overwhelming, but I ultimately went with the La Savoyarde. In addition to the standard ingredients, this contained bacon, onion, Swiss cheese, and sour cream. The dish was good - fries were crispy, and the extras worked well with each other. I was especially impressed with the bacon as the flavor was definitely there but it didn't overpower any of the other ingredients. Service was fast, as expected - they need to turn over those tables but at the same time we didn't feel rushed. Overall, I enjoyed my La Banquise experience; I think their competitor has a slight edge, but that's really more my personal taste and honestly my opinion could have been different if I had ordered a different poutine. That being said, I would definitely return - and since they're open 24 hours, that should't be a problem. read more
This 24/7 poutine shop was unassuming and quiet on the outside on New Years's Day but packed inside and by the time we left there was a line 15 people deep standing in the freshly fallen snow. The classic is excellent - well flavored gravy generously poured on hot and crispy fries with cheese curd tucked in throughout the pile of fries, not just the top. They also pile on the extra toppings if you order them. The regular size looks small but very filling and the large is enormous, not for the faint hearted (pictured are regular sizes). read more
This is the spot for poutine. They're open 24 hours. They have a line on the right for dining in and to the left for take away. I was here past midnight, and it took almost an hour from getting in line to getting my number called with the order. I ordered two small sizes: classique CAD$9.95 and T-rex CAD$15.50. I liked the T-rex better. Is this the best poutine in Montreal? I haven't eaten enough poutine to be the judge of that, but I honestly thought it was good. Also the 24/7 hours is convenient. Credit card/Apple Pay accepted. Bathroom inside. read more
Checked off this meal from my Montreal bucket list and it was 5/5 experience It was worth the hype and the wait. We got lucky and were given a perfect table by the window. The options were endless but we settled on ordering the regular size classic poutine, La Fred Calliou (meat lovers) and classic burger. The food came out quickly and we ate it just as fast! The Fred Calliou was our favorite and all the different meats we're delicious and juicy. Definitely don't come alone! The portions are extremely generous and sharable. I'd love to come back to try their other innovative options. Service was also awesome... everyone was kind, attentive and welcoming. 5/5 experience across the board read more
Came here as this place has sooooo many reviews. No wait time weekday around noon. Very tight dining room where your shoulder to shoulder with others. $11.44 1 regular (not large) original poutine. Cheese curds were standard. There were enough. Gravy was good, wish there was more. Fries were very sweet which was interesting. Cooked well, I personally would have liked them crunchier/more cooked. I can't imagine eating 1 full one myself. Poutine to me seems more of a side than a main meal. So many fries. Overall maybe just me but north worth the hype especially if you would have to wait. read more
Wow if this place could be described I would call it Poutine Heaven! La Banquise is the epitome of poutine in Montreal. The menu is huge with a wide variety of options to choose from! This place is always busy and you will need to wait some time before you get seated. It can get quite crammed in there and it is extremely loud because you are so closely seated with other people! Now let's dive into the food itself, honestly it's probably a top 5 poutine spot in Montreal and all of Canada! I got to try the South West and the The Matty which were both so delicious. If you ever get the chance to come to MTL and want some good poutine this is the place to go! 9/10 recommend! read more
2 months ago
1 year ago
Some say the quality has declined with new Corporate overlords but I have not experienced it Still great fries, gravy and curd Beers are accompanied with the same plastic glass to pour them into And we always try to go between busy times to avoid the lines but still find the place full of happy people Service is ideal for that it is And the diner like atmosphere reigns read more
3 months ago
Stopped by the stand at the food stands at the Canadian Grand Prix, pleasantly surprised that they managed to maintain such good quality in a tiny food stand. Really enjoyed just sitting by the river and eating these as the F2 cars raced to stay out of the crowds. Will plan to properly try the real thing now! read more
This was one of the places on our "to do" list when we visited Canada. We arrived on a Wednesday around 3pm and were very lucky because we didn't have to wait for a table. We sat outside which was absolutely the best place to sit. We ordered many different things to share: La Fred Caillou, La Chicks, La Dan Dan and three hot dogs (two steamed and one toasted). Everything was delicious. My favorite poutine was La Chicks and my favorite hot dog was the toasted. Service was great, the vibe is spectacular and the food was delicious and abundant! We will be back! read more
I'm always a bit worried when a place is overhyped. When doing my research for best poutine in Montreal, La Banquise often came up in web articles and YouTube videos. But we gave it a shot. We arrived around 12:30, so sure enough there was a line. This place was very busy and there was lots of energy as customers eagerly waited for the food, and service staff were rushing around in a very efficient manner. The entrance walls have the poutine options artfully listed, so you can consider what you want while you wait. Once we sat down, we got our menus fairly quickly, but it took awhile for our order to be taken. The order probably took about 10 minutes to prepare which was reasonable. We ended up trying the La Bacon and La Fred Caillou (Fred Flintstone). Having only had poutine in Vancouver, I wasn't expecting the poutine to be significantly better. But it was. Fries were crispy and not too oily. With all the gravy, cheese curds and toppings, it could have too salty, but it was actually really well balanced. We shared two regular sizes, which is enough to get a good taste between 4 people. But looking back, I would have gladly ordered the large plates because it was so good. Service was good enough. It was fast and efficient, which is what I would expect because of how busy it gets. Overall, I'm glad I went. Definitely memorable, and not overhyped as a first time visitor to the city. read more
7 months ago
We ordered one Sud-Ouest and a different one with fromage de chèvre ! All delicious but sud- Ouest hits different with tasty guacamole!:). We arrived before people started queuing outside .... So lucky ! Nice poutines but quite heavy even on a regular size ! Definitely a Must-go place ..: read more
1 year ago
I only had one poutine dish on this trip but it knocked it out of the park! I ordered the Scooby poutine, which was fries, ground beef, bacon, fried pickles, BBQ sauce, and garlic Caesar sauce. Talk about a flavor explosion!! I also ended up ordering it to go because it was very busy inside and the poutine came out piping hot still, which I appreciate. While the regular size take out box looks small, the poutine is piled high in there and I struggled to finish it, which was sad because it was so good! Logistics: - indoor and outdoor seating - limited street parking nearby - separate line for takeout orders. Note takeout orders come out in big batches. read more
1 year ago
La banquise une belle institution reconnue pour ces poutine. Pour ma part j'ai prit la Scooby une poutine avec du steak haché, bacon, sauce à l'ail et des cornichons frit. Vraiment un bon mixte, étrange mais excellent. Le format régulier suffit car faut vraiment avoir faim pour une large Super service A savoir en salle tu peux commander de l'alcool mais pas sur la terasse read more
2 months ago
5 months ago
4 months ago
Solid Poutine spot. Portion sizes are huge, we couldn't finish what we ordered. Servers were friendly, and the interior is a nice vibe but pretty small. read more
5 months ago
We were told it's a must try while in town, it sure didn't disappoint us! Very tasty and delicious food, fun ambiance and large portions. read more
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