Meilleur / Best Smoked Meat

[Doc Holliday]

Ben's used to be okay, but as someone mentionned, it's closed. Not only closed, but the building totally demolished!

Another place that hasn't been mentionned is Dunn's. It's located on Metcalfe, near Ste-Catherine street. It's a typical grease pit. I hate it. Not only do i hate their smoked meat, i hate everything else that they have on the menu, including their overcooked fries.

There was a time approximately 15+ years ago that Dunn's was a favorite place of mine & many. But oh, how these times are-a-changin'......

 

[EagerBeaver]

Abie's

A juicy hot smoked meat sandwich, kosher pickle, greasy fries and a cherry coke.....best in the west end is Abie`s on St.Jean Rd .
It`ll kill you .....but its to die for.

Abie's is owned and operated by a former manager of Schwartz's and his son, or so I was told. I therefore presume that the Schwartz's methodology of food preparation is applied at this place. The reports I have heard on Abie's corroborate what Cloudsurf has reported, but have not yet tried it myself.

The best smoked meat I have had personally in Montreal was at Schwartz's and Snowdon Deli. I prefer New York pastrami to smoked meat, but likely because I grew up with it.

 

[bond_james_bond]

I have to say that I did not like Schwartz's

IMO, it was a) expensive, b) too far from downtown, c) good, but not worth the extra trouble.

La Belle Province has a good smoked meat sandwich, comes with plenty of fries, and is easy on the wallet, as there is no tipping involved.

Reuben's is great too for a treat, and its convenient location mitigates the extra cost.

I actually like Dunn's and their 24 hours are useful.

 

[iamwill]

Smoke meat

Hey every one,
I went to Pete to Schwartz's to Jarry, i prefer Jarry !!!! but when i have friend's over i go to Quebec Smoke meat in Pointe St Charles of corse i make it myselft Quebec Smoke Meat is a delicatesen ( charcuterie )

 

[the big g]

Nyc

2nd Ave Deli
Katz's
Pastrami Queen

In Montreal,
Schwartz's is overated, and a dump, not worth the line-up
The Main is run down, but is OK
Snowdon Deli is excellent
Abe's is very good, and a clean place
Dunn's is excellent (not the downtown one it is a dump)
Reuben's is average & overpriced (new location, old one is a dump)

Cheers!

 

[benxxx]

2nd Ave Deli
Katz's
Pastrami Queen

In Montreal,
Schwartz's is overated, and a dump, not worth the line-up
The Main is run down, but is OK
Snowdon Deli is excellent
Abe's is very good, and a clean place
Dunn's is excellent (not the downtown one it is a dump)
Reuben's is average & overpriced (new location, old one is a dump)

Cheers!

WOW, i didn't know it was such a tradition in montreal to serve smoked meat in dumps...
by defenition it would mean the food is garbage? just wondering...

 

[Morris Wanchuk]

http://www.thejc.com/news/world-news/21264/one-man-fight-save-jewish-delis

 

[Regis Philbin]

I do not know about the Main Deli today, but they use to have a big roach problem 10 - 15 years back.

 

[Roadyvh]

I do not know about the Main Deli today, but they use to have a big roach problem 10 - 15 years back.

If they haven't taken care of the problems, today they probably would be farming roaches. Grilled roaches might be interesting.
The city of Montreal provide information on which restaurants have been fined.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Schwartz's is overated, and a dump, not worth the line-up

Considering all the money they're making, i can 't figure out why they haven't refurbished the place. You're right, though. I've walked in front of the place several times & peaked inside & it does indeed look dumpy. I'm also extremely satisfied with other places in regards to smoked meat sandwiches that for me, it's not worth going all the way to where Schwartz' is located & having to wait in line like a total idiot, on top of that.

Another place i used to go to a few years ago was a restaurant inside Place Alexis-Nihon. It was called 'Deli 88' or something like that. I liked their smoked meat sandwich very much. Is it still there?

Another place where i've eaten smoked meat is Nickel's. Smoked meat was okay, but i didn't like the greasy fries. I'm not a big fan of that restaurant chain. It's a grease pit!

 

[rumpleforeskiin]

Considering all the money they're making, i can 't figure out why they haven't refurbished the place. You're right, though. I've walked in front of the place several times & peaked inside & it does indeed look dumpy.

Some of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in look like dumps. In fact, in Chinatown, both in New York and Montreal, the quality of the food seems to be in inverse proportion to how dumpy it appears.

Did someone say that Schwartz's is overpriced? $4.50 for a thick smoked meat sandwich overpriced?

 

[Doc Holliday]

Some of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in look like dumps. In fact, in Chinatown, both in New York and Montreal, the quality of the food seems to be in inverse proportion to how dumpy it appears.

I'm shocked!! Actually, no.....i'm not surprised at all. Chinese restaurants routinely get busted by the health inspector whenever the food inspection dept. does its rounds. It's also not uncommon to find out that rats have been hanging around their kitchens. I for one tend to avoid chinese restaurants due to their long history of bad hygiene practices in the kitchen area (not surprising, considering almost everything they make is with chicken. You know...chicken=salmonella.)

For me, the cleanliness & overall look of a restaurant is more important than the food taste. I know many don't care about that kind of stuff, but i do. I rarely will go to a place that looks run-down. I've heard way too many (and proven) stories about what goes on in many kitchens at the back of restaurants. I've even heard stories where people in the kitchen were jerking off on pizzas & others would spit into hamburgers. Yet patrons would later state that they ate the greatest pizza they've ever eaten & that the hamburgers were absolutely fantastic....the juiciest & tastiest burgers they'd ever eaten!

(Anyone remember a few years back when Peel Pub was closed down? I"ve heard many stories which many would find unbelievable....but were they? By the way, is this how you spell R-E-C-Y-C-L-I-N-G ?)

 

[protagoras]

Some of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in look like dumps. In fact, in Chinatown, both in New York and Montreal, the quality of the food seems to be in inverse proportion to how dumpy it appears.

It seems that Chinese restaurants are dumps all over the world. In an unhealthy Chinese restaurant in São Paulo they even found a crab (siri in Portuguese) in the restroom. In a similar thread like this one on the GP Guia (Restaurantes em São Paulo) a poster gave the adress of two or three "respectable" Chinese restaurants with Peking duck. The unsalubrious one was on that list!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJiK7xfT-SQ

 

[bond_james_bond]

Some of the best restaurants I've ever eaten in look like dumps. In fact, in Chinatown, both in New York and Montreal, the quality of the food seems to be in inverse proportion to how dumpy it appears.

Did someone say that Schwartz's is overpriced? $4.50 for a thick smoked meat sandwich overpriced?

I remember paying $12 for a smoked meat sandwich (not very big, imo), fries (not much, imo), and a soda in a 12 oz. can (no straw, no glass, no ice). Plus tip. And had to sit at a crowded, diner-style bar that looks like it's from the 50s (not nostalgia, the real 50s ). I didn't even think about using the bathroom there, or seeing if they took credit cards.

For that money, I could've eaten at Reuben's where I could've gotten some ambiance, eye candy, and some modern conveniences.

 

[BobKnob]

Dump

Doc

The whole point of Schwartz's, aka Montreal Hebrew Delicatessen, is that it has been around for 80 years on the Main, serving up "mediums", and has survived countless food fads and fast food chains.

Call it "character".

I used to go there often during college days cuz it was 1) very good 2) cheap 3) fast 4) open odd hours, and 5) entertaining - the old waiters were hilarious, pre- Don Rickles comedians who abused you once they got to know you.

The idea of renovating this place misses the point - a famous dumpy joint with great smoke meat. Who needs another fast food chain with sterile decor and standardized food?

To avoid the lines, try going alone 10 minutes before closing, and ask to sit at the counter.

BobKnob

 

[ocean]

my money is on chenoy's.

 

[YUL514]

St.Laurent Deli on St.Louis in Ville St. Laurent

 

[CWipes]

I too miss Ben's in Downtown. The location and atmosphere matched the quality of the Smoked Meat sandwich. It was like taking a trip back in time whenever I walked in. Yes I know it's long gone and there is a new building in it's place, but I wish they would consider opening another location once the new building is completed.

- CWipes

 

[master_bates]

St.Laurent Deli on St.Louis in Ville St. Laurent

Never thought I would see a schill in a food thread in the lounge LOL

 

[Mike Mercury]

Smoked meat. What's not to like about a fat ridden, salt imbibed pile of sliced brisket tumbling out of two pieces of rye bread.

Anyway, I'll vouch for:

Schrwartzes (Montreal Hebrew Deli...) on the Main. Crowded, crowded, crowded...but it is THE sm instution par excellence in mtl.

Smoke Meat Pete on Ile Perrot. Very popular. Pete's likes his Blues and Blues Bands, he has a stage fopr the musicians. You can eat outside in summer and the get a Dairy Queen next door.
He used to be in a real hole when he was located in a basement on Ile Perrot Blvd.

Deli-Bee in Valois, on Baie de Valois Ave., near Donegani. Right next to the tavern not far from the train station. You can see it from Donegani. It has room for about tewnty inside and it also serves thru a hole in the wall into the tavern by the way, great if you like beer & billards with your smoked meat.
Anyway it is owned, I believe, by Smoke Meat Pete's brother. In fact it used to also be called Smoked Meat Petes for a year.