Several friends told us we had to eat at Banquise for some "real poutine" in Montreal. So it became our first stop soon after arriving in the city on a rainy Thursday evening. There was a 20-minute wait, which wasn't too bad and gave us time to explore the exhaustive menu of poutine possibilities, from the classic to the meat-heavy to a Mexican version.
We went with two small orders: the classic and another version with bacon, steak and sausage. It was plenty of food for two, and it was in fact delicious, and very decadent.
Keep in mind, though, that many quality poutine options abound throughout the city, and you're just as likely to find dishes just as (and possibly even more) tasty at other establishments. We even had a great poutine layered with smoked meat in the Old Port area--and I thought it was even better than Banquise!
In other words: Banquise is worth a stop, but don't feel obligated to eat here if you're just looking for good poutine.