Restaurant Roundup continues its journey through la belle province this week with our first of two stops in Montreal. Today, Jason Lee from Shut Up And Eats takes us on a tour of Montreal's best BBQ joints. If you missed it, check out our last Quebec post where Marie Asselin showcased Quebec City's bistros!
If you’re anything like me and love summer, you’ve probably spent the past couple of weeks trying to squeeze the last little bits of summer you can out of your patio furniture and barbecue grill trying finding reasons to still wear flip-flops and swim in a pool of denial. I love summer and more importantly I love summer barbecue.
Luckily for us, there are a bunch of awesome spots in the Montreal where one can get their barbecue on all year around despite the weather and regardless if your wardrobe is weather appropriate.
Icehouse
An awesome spot for Texan barbecue is at Icehouse. Chef Nick Hodge offers some of his childhood favourites, naming his small Plateau eatery after repurposed ice-shacks that operate as open-air bars found all over rual Texas. You must try the impossibly crispy and crunch buttermilk fried chicken or his famous Dr. Pepper BBQ sauce ribs that are thrown on your table - they literally line your table with butcher’s paper and slop of big ‘ol bucket of ribs on your table!
Icehouse is located at 51 Roy E, Montreal
PH: 514-439-6691.
Diablos Smokehouse
Home to Montreal’s famous smoked barbecue beef rib, Diablos Smokehouse’s behemoth cut looks like it was plucked right off a dinosaur. Mopped in a sweet and smokey sauce the beef rib is fall off the bone tender and begs to be eaten with Diablos’ awesome cast-iron corn bread or fried dill pickles pickles. Be sure to check out their extensive list of tiki cocktails which features one called the “Fish Bowl” which may or may not feature gummy goldfish and served in an actual fish bowl. Look out for their second location coming soon to The Main!
Diablos Smokehouse is located at 3619 Boulevard Saint-Laurent
PH: 514-564-8666
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Moonshine BBQ
Moonshine BBQ does not subscribe to a particular school of barbecue cookery but bills themselves as “Traditional American BBQ” joint. Their juicy and tender brisket is served with a drizzle of their homemade sweet and mildly spicy barbecue sauce. If you’re into ribs, Moonshine has a great choice of pork and beef ribs that are served with a choice of sides such as sweet potato fries, mac and cheese and even tater tots.
5625 Boulevard Decarie, Montreal
PH: 514-508-5511
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Editor's Note: Moonshine has closed since this article was originally published.
Blackstrap BBQ
There isn’t talking Montreal bbq without mentioning Blackstrap BBQ. Headed by Dylan Kier (current Quebec Barbecue Grand Champion) this modest spot in Verdun has been feeding and educating Montrealers on authentic Memphis style BBQ is and smoking up the nieghbourhood. His grilling and smoking credentials garnered a showing at the Jack Daniel’s World BBQ invitational competition which landed him and his Balckstrap team a finish in 13th place of over 80 teams.
The delectable brisket sandwich or pork ribs are the dishes you’ll have to order. Masterfully smoked, these pork ribs epitomize what competition caliber BBQ is. Smokey in aroma and lightly sweet in flavor, everything pulled from the pit is a clinic in what proper barbecue is supposed to be.
Making a decision is tough, but Blackstrap remedies your barbecue lust and offers the “Big Boss” platter that is basically a portion of everything that’s on the menu… including the fried mac and cheese!
Blackstrap BBQ is located at 4436 Rue Wellington, Montreal
PH: 514-507-6772.
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Jason is the writer and stomach behind Shut Up and Eat a popular Montreal based food blog about all things delicious. He vowed to not leave one hot pot lid unturned, snail shell hollowed, or souvlaki foil emptied until he can safely say that he ate his way across Montreal.
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Hello Jason, You are so right about BBQ in Montreal! My preference is Moonshine over Blackstrap, but their hours of operation somehow don’t coincide with my schedule (for example, they are closed for lunch on Saturday afternoons). Blackstrap is always open; the BBQ is always good, and it’s a comfortable place to land after a long day. I haven’t tried Icehouse, but I will based on your recommendation. Unfortunately Diablo on Saint-Denis is closed. Too bad.
Anyway, my website focuses on cookies, not BBQ. If you have a minute, please come see what I’m doing at http://www.thefinercookie.com.
Thanks for your article!
Best, Kim