So good, on a cold day or a
Nice summer day it’s an indulgent treat, a smoked meat pouting and a couple of “steamies” hits the spot! So good dim as taste it!
Great poutine place with really nice staff. Good guilty pleasure snack. Fries have a really homemade taste and feel and the sauce is a step above normal gravy, has a kind of special nature that I have only noticed in some european cuisine. I went in for a take-out order and was surprised at the staff member who was super nice and even let me have a bit of extra sauce in a container (I ordered fries and sauce). I am also a fan of the spruce beer. This place will be around for a long time. Not the nicest place to eat-in and not a very big menu, and I wouldn't say this is the best poutine place in the world, but it's a staple for sure. A warning to customers, there is a really upset, sometimes to the point of harassment, guy who runs a nearby corner store and seems to really value his store's parking spots even if someone is getting a takeout order and will only be 3 minutes. So be careful.
This place is awesome. Been coming here about once a month for 4 years and 90% of the time it's perfect. Tonight they nailed it!! Had the galvaude. Was freaking fantastic!
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Very Good Poutine for a Very Dirty Restaurant. I've been coming here for years, and have always had good to great experiences. I know I can 'do it better' at home, but I'm oh so lazy after slaving away in a hot kitchen myself all day, so it's nice to eat out and treat yourself once in a while. This is one of those places that'll keep you coming back, but not for a few weeks to a month. No one in their right mind should be eating this type of food more than once every few weeks, it's just so damn unhealthy! But what keeps me coming back are the pleasant (though sometimes crass) staff, the always pleasant and accommodating owner, and the good to great food they have made for me in the past.
Now the bad...nothing that hasn't already been said by some of the other reviewers on here, the place is just very dingy and sometimes downright unsanitary. Being in the industry, I am obsessed with cleanliness and order in my kitchen, and have passed that down to every sous chef or even dishwasher who has worked under me. However, when you take out the 'hierarchy' of a restaurant and you have 'owners' or 'workers' sometimes the tendencies, or rather, shortcomings of key individuals are passed down and shared among staff. In this case, this place could use a total makeover and facelift. They should completely renovate the kitchen and improve the layout, and eliminate a lot of the clutter and 'flare' that has become a bit tired and worn out looking.
One last thing, wait times are always misquoted! If they say 15 mins on a Friday/Saturday night, assume that means 30+
Good poutine, but that's about it.. This place has really good poutine. If you like poutine, you should try here. I like being able to add vegetables and other ingredients to poutine. I hate going to the restaurant though. It is not centrally located and there is nowhere to park. The staff is friendly enough, but the atmosphere is far from professional. The restaurant is also not very clean. The wait for food was way too long for a couple of poutines and a hotdog. I didn't really care for my hot dog either, the bun was all wrinkled and soggy. Over all, I would come back here and get another poutine to go, but only if I was in the area for something else anyway.
C'est parfait!. Quebecois fast food done right, with real cheese curds, jovial staff, and great value. I'd eat here everyday but I'd have a heart attack.
Best poutine joint in victoria. Awesome place, best poutine in victoria. Owner is great as well. I know some of you are complaining about the staff but this does not reflect on the owner who himself is a very nice, genuine guy. Consider the demographics of the area and maybe see how the staff may not be the "best."
First time. Today was our first time at The Belle Patate. For the type of food offered the atmosphere was appropriate and i couldn't see there being a better varoety of poutine anywhere else in town. It's also a great place to sit outside on a sunny day.
Awesome poutine. I love La Belle Patate! The staff are always friendly and the food is always great. We often go for the Tuesday Special and will usually add on a Steamie hotdog to enjoy on the walk home. I also recommend adding mushrooms to your poutine! Yum!
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Awesome Place, But.... La Belle Patate is always my go-to place for the best poutine in town, without a doubt. Ever since I promised myself I wouldn't live on a diet of poutine alone, this is where I go for my one a month or two splurge. Everything tastes so fresh, the price is reasonable, and the staff are friendly.
However, I wanted to mention the problem regarding the businesses next door. I had an 'interesting' experience next door when I went for poutine this afternoon. The parking for La Belle Patate was full, so I pulled into the parking lot of the convenience store (Fraser 25 Convenience Store) right next door. I noted all the signs indicated they would tow any customers for La Belle Patate. However, I went inside and said the following "Hi, I want to buy some stuff here but also want to place an order next door. Is it okay if I park here for a little?". The guy working asked how long, and I estimated about 10 minutes. He said no, and that he'd call a tow truck immediately.
I couldn't believe my ears. I thought maybe he misunderstood that I was intending to buy from his store, but he didn't misunderstand at all. I'd like to note that the parking lot was completely empty. I was able to park a short walk away, which wasn't an issue, but it's sure a bummer that a great place like La Belle Patate has to be parked next to businesses as rude and shortsighted as this.
Anyways, I got my poutine, I'm happy, but I also know never to give any of those places my business in future.
Yummy poutine, horrible location. The food is great here (portion sizes are good, lots of variety to put on your poutine, feels authentic etc) but getting to the place is like pulling teeth. No convenient parking and not many places to sit once you get your food. Those aren't deal-breakers but they do detract from the experience.
It's ok. Being a poutine junkie, would probably tentatively rank it 3rd among poutine places in Victoria behind L'Authentique Poutine and Poutine 66 both in terms of quality and portion sizes. Had the smoked meat poutine - gravy was kind of bland and fries weren't particularly crisp. Service was friendly and it's a popular place among the locals judging by the amount of people walking in off the street who the owner seemed to know. Maybe I'll give it another try as one visit might be too small a sample size to evaluate a place with. Ambience was kind of uh, rustic so more of a takeout place than a sitdown place and there's nothing wrong with that.
Delicious. I am from Quebec and the Poutine reminds me of home !! Very good !
This place have the best poutine, me and my friends always have to get the large wwhich is huge but it always leaves us wanting more
Authentic Montreal Style Greasy Spoon. I am from Victoria and my partner is from Montreal. He told me there are many places in Montreal with the same vibe as La Belle Patate and that the food is very authentic. It reminds him of the food he would get from similar places back home.
Personally, I love this place. The food is a tasty grease-fest. The décor is kinda dingy but you don't go there for a fancy meal. If you want a seriously calorie laden meal with no regard to health concerns this is the place.
I find the service friendly and better than most counter service places. The boys that work there rock it out in the kitchen, they work hard and have smiles on their faces.
My fave is the Belle Burger. It's huge! And dripping with sauce.
And my guy and I always share a smoked meat poutine. All elements are delish and of course the curds are squeaky!
Always solid. Owner gave me a spruce beer for free becuase he didnt hear me order it and just said get me next time. Don't find that kind of considerate behavior often these days. Glad to support him.
MMMM. Quebecois Cuisine brought to the Island! I went here for the first time and boy was i surprised! i ordered montreal smoked meat poutine. Ginormous proportion, with every bite SO satisfying! It is tucked away in esquimalt, but a restaurant you dont want to miss! I will be back to try the sandwiches and hot dogs for sure. Parking is a bit of a pain because their neighbors are evil. They scream at you if you park in the parking lots, say they will call a tow truck *surely they are just jealous that la belle patate gets all the business*. Have no fear if you continue up the road for just a minute there is a huge grocery store parking lot, only a few minute walk!
Well I liked it. But my husband was not impressed. He ordered bacon for his poutine and instead was served with non-meat product bacon bits.
Also our cheese curds were cold and hard....not sure if they're supposed to be....
Gravy is delicious though.
Be sure to bring a defibrillator. This is gravy, fries and cheese curd in all it québécois glory. We had the smoked meat poutine and it was a decadent delight. Go Habs go!
Milkshakes.. A tasty sweet delight alongside a poutine. Excellent gravy.
Gawdilovethisplace. The only authentic Montreal smoked meat experience PERIOD. Dont be fooled by imitations, if you've ever had the real deal then try this - you will not be disappointed.
Best. Poutine. In Victoria. The burgers and dogs aren't so bad either.
Regular Classic Poutine. My trip to La Belle Patate from central Victoria was well worth it. The Poutine speaks for itself, closest I've tried to real Montreal Poutine. The fries are crisp, but soft on the inside. The gravy is savory and tangy with the perfect consistency, and lots of it as well. The cheese curds are the real deal, they're chewy, squeaky and bring the whole poutine together.
Will be back soon!
This place is the perfect pouting restaurant! Fast friendly service, good prices. The food is delicious. And has a honest appeal to it. My only complaint would be the cleanliness of the restaurant.
Authentic. I've never been to Quebec but the poutine here tastes like how I imagine it was meant to taste. I'ts perfect! I get mine with half gravy, and extra cooked fries. The amounts of cheese they add is wonderful, and the gravy is simmered to perfection. This is my guilty treat at least once a week ;)
Juicy smoked meat? Yummy handmade burgers and fries? Squeaky cheese curds? Affordable prices? Put it all together with the best f@$#in' gravy I've ever had and you've officially found my favourite new spot. All thia and the owner is humble gem. Bon appétit!
Late Night Tasty. The sound of craving some greasy food at night is familiar when it comes to La Belle Patate. Although the outside of the establishment and the inside decor doesn't make the place look welcoming, the poutine is a delightful mix of sweet and savoury.
Steamies can be passed, but the people generally go there for the poutine.
Having recently been to Quebec, personally I believe that La Belle Patate is fairly quick, simple and tasty. Although the portions may not always reflect the price, the aroma of having this treat is gleeful. Plain and relaxing greasy spoon is where the home and heart is.
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Hidden gem in esquimalt. I have been going to all these "high" end places as of late, and by far most of them have been disappointing. I have heard mixed review regarding La Belle Patate, mostly stemming from the food. So I went to La Belle without high or low expectations.
Location: Place is on the main road of esquimalt...you just can't miss it.
Parking: Lots of place to park, and its free.
Interior ambiance: Hey, its a burger joint, what do you expect? It is clean and that is good enough for me. There is a Lego version of the place on display.
Service: Polite individuals. Good service. They are real individuals that you would interact face to face everyday.
Food: Ordered the La Belle Burger. It has been a while since I have eaten anything fast food. Yes, it was big and greasy but this is what I call a real burger. The bun was fresh, patties were juicy, and thick, and dressing was ample (maybe too much). Overall, I enjoyed it.
Remember, this is a burger joint. You know that what you are getting, so don't complain if it doesn't look healthy. Go buy a bag a salad if you feel guilty for eating at La Belle Patate.
This place is amazing! The smoked meat poutine was great.
Really good poutine and a cool laid-back place. The one thing I would say for feedback is that the cheese curds are larger than most poutines so it doesn't melt as much. Still very good though!!
It is very good! I'm from Québec and it is exactly the same food or even better.
Try the Italian poutine! Its delicous!!
It's all that. First, a confession: I have not eaten poutine anywhere east of the Rockies, and am not a citizen of Canada.
Now, the scoop: the poutine here is better than any I've had anywhere in western Canada or the US (well, duh). The friendly staff even helped me with proper pronunciation so when I do make it to Quebec, I won't totally embarrass myself while ordering. Also, the cheeseburger my wife ordered was pretty epic in itself. Never mind the decor, go here for food if you are anywhere nearby.
We came with our teens who were delighted with the idea of having fries for dinner. The Spruce beer is a must try for those who enjoy beverages like ginger ale & sasparila.
Had poutine here and it was great. definitely the real thing!
This place is incredible. If you love poutine done right, squeeky cheese curds and thick gavy, this is the place for you. the smoked meat is well made, gooey and fall apart chunks smothered in more of that delicious gravy. Fast service, friendly and a perfect price for the food they serve. Will be going back often for more of this authentic canadian heart attack food!
They should offer blindfolds while you wait.... It's not much to look at, or perhaps smell, but I'll be a monkey's uncle if it's not the best poutine this side of Riviere Du Loup, Trois-Rivieres and Petite Rivière St-François. Tabernac!
At first glance, the small, (outdated) shack looks like it might be a bad idea, but their grills are good and clean, and all of the (young) staff are super nice, helpful people, that you can tell actually care about what they're doing. the montreal smoked meat poutine is INSANE. chunks. of. tender. meat. get. in. my. face.
My guilty pleasure. Excellent and very tasty poutine. Plenty of cheese curds, nice gravy and well-cooked fries. Not really much else I can say. Recently I've started to order the chicken poutine and have been impressed.
The only downside is the dining area. Cramped and basic next to fridges. Not very aesthetically pleasing but I go there for the food.
QC in Victoria. A little bit of Quebec in Victoria, nothing fancy: function over form. Poutine included real cheddar cheese curds which is a must. Mine was too heavy on the gravy, but with a little less it would rival almost anything outside La Banquise and Patati Patata from Montreal. Hamburgers/Hotdogs/Smoked Meat was just ok, would stick with the late night Poutine.
It's grrrrrrreat. Easily the best poutine in town. The owner is a great guy and the staff are always nice. I really like this place!
I will be back my next visit to Vancouver Island. Awesome burger and great service. Go Flames Go!
Great Food. Had a bacon cheese burger, poutine and a spruce beer. The burger and poutine was awsome and the spruce beer was like drinking a x-mas tree very tasty The service was fast and the staff very freindly.
My Kind a Burger!. I've been hearing for quite a long time to stop by and me and my daughter finally did. My daughter had the club, I had the baby Belle burger and we shared a med Poutine! This is where fast food came from. You want bacon, they grill it to order. Real turkey and not some round pressed roll. The burger was outstanding, messy like I love but grab some napkins!!! Real double dipped fries, curds and gravy just like Quebec. Thx everyone just found my new place!!!!!
Awesome Poutine. Man this place has great poutine. I have eaten here many times and its my favorite Saturday morning hungover spot.
Excellent portions and the cheese curds are squeaky and perfect, great gravy as well. The Montreal corned beef poutine is a bit much for me but i can see how others would like it. Great place.
The place is pretty dirty though, I try not to think about it when I eat there.
Great taste huge monsterous portions for the price all around good
Yummy. Not a low cal type of place, but food is delicious!!!
BEST POUTINE IN TOWN HANDS DOWN!!!! really good POUTINE bit not the best building ( dirty )
Best Poutine in town!. Check this place out if you want the closest thing to the real deal without having to Fly across the country.
Very nice food- particulary the poutine. Try to see past the surly exterior and you will be pleasantly surprised.
The La Belle Burger is by far the best burger in the city! The poutine is also very good too! Try the beer next time, it's not what you think!
Good food, well it's not health food, but that's why it's so good. And the owner is a great guy, so that makes it even better.
Delicious. So deelish. The smoked meat poutine is yummy, and the cheese curds are squeaky like they should be.
Warning: Don't try and do anything constructive after eating the poutine. Best you just go home and fall into an awesome meat coma. :)
Best poutine in town. Hands down the best, most original poutine in town. Burgers are excellent, steamies are really good.
Sometimes during a rush it can be a bit of a wait, but they do take orders over the phone, so by the time I order and drive from downtown to Esquimalt the order is usually just being packaged up.
I would recommend the La Belle Burger, but it is not for everyone. It is hard to eat, greasy, but so delicious, not exactly the best food for a date, but since I am already married, honey pass the napkins! Wish they were open on Sundays!
Woah! I had la belle special, poutine with: roast beef, onions, green peppers, mushrooms and an un believeable amount of cheese curds. Delicious! However, for the price of 15 bucks with a coke, it had better be.
Best Poutine in Victoria. This is a stop more times in my weekly routine then I care to admit. The owner is friendly and personable, my food is always super fast and searingly hot.
At this point I've had the smoked meat poutine, I don't like smoked meat enough to order it again with it's heaping portions of meat but it was delicious.
My main order is the standard poutine, the gravy is flavourful. The cheese squeaks all the way down and the fries are hot and fresh.
I also love the steamies. A simple steamed hot dog with mustard and coleslaw (pickled cabbage).
I love dives so I don't mind the rugged, worn interior. I'd rather love the food then eat crappy food in a sparkling palace.
Lastly, be warned, the Belle burger is massive, greasy and gut-wrenchingly delicious.
I love this place. Feels like I'm getting real home cooked poutine with extra love. Their regular poutine is the best (I guess I'm old fashioned like that) and their Montreal smoked meat sandwich is also not bad! Tuesday they have a two for one small poutine but you can get a large for a small difference and way more food (especially if you're not eating alone). The owner is always there, working hard, and alwayshas great suggestions - so don't be afraid to ask him what's good.
Great place for classic original poutine, burgers & fries, dogs, and smoke meat. I frequent la belle and the only thing that can be frustating is lack of service when busy. I have waited 30min for a club house and steamie, other times I have waited less than 10. Overall great place of you know when to show up or call ahead!!
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Best Burgers!. My boyfriend and I went to Belle Patate last night at around 10pm, and I love the fact that they are open late! It is often so hard to find quick, GOOD food after 9 unless you want to sit down and pay a fortune. I ordered the Cheeseburger combo, and was astounded at the portions. For around $10 I received a plate overflowing with fries, the best burger I have ever tasted, and a drink. You can tell that everything was fresh, and the burger was satisfying, but not so heavy that it made me sick, as fast food burgers often do. You can really taste all the true flavours of the burger with delicious, fresh, made to order ingredients. My boyfriend ordered poutine with meat and jalapenos, which he wasn't over the moon happy with. He said that the curdles of cheese did not melt fast enough, although maybe this is the traditional Montreal way of having it. This restaurant is definitely designed for take out, as there are only 2 tables and a few stools. Would definitely recommend to anyone and everyone!
...but I Know What I Like
+4.5
Great fries, wonderful poutine, steamies..... Others have talked about the poutine. I grew up in Montreal, and as Chauvin said, "Patriotism is nothing more than a longing for the food of one's childhood." The smell (and taste) of Montreal fries is unmistakable; I am not sure why that is, but I could smell the "right" odour outside the door! The sauce is a bit thick, but has the right flavours. Curds are white, a bit too resistant to melting, but the overall experience was what poutine should be: a heart attack on a plate of sheer indulgent comfort food.
I love my steamies and make them at home as best I can in a bamboo steamer. The steamies I am used to from Montreal are topped with equal parts chopped cabbage and onion, not sauerkraut, so that was a bit disappointing. All the rest was right though, and I made it through two!
One in our party also had a special burger... she said it was Amazing, Divine, Wonderful, all spoken through dripping juices (always a good sign in a burger). Her husband had the last smoked meat sandwich; it too was moist, from the steam tray not the microwave, and had - as is traditional! - plain yellow mustard! [When I was in Montreal this summer, my "authentic" smoked meat was nuked, with little grey tunnels of microwave burns piercing it :-( ]
And it has been far too many years since I had Spruce Beer. It's sweeter than I remember, but the sharpness of the sap took me back to my Dad picking it up at the corner store, before they were called depanneurs...
Oh but the PICKLES!!!! Super salty sours, they are, and so perfect I brought one home. It's in the fridge. Calling to me...
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The Belle of the Ball. In Canada we have the poutine that most of us grew up with. Frozen fries mixed sometimes with cheese curds, but more often with shredded cheese and topped by too salty instant gravy. La Belle Patate however is poutine made with LOVE. Today I had the poutine with the Montreal smoked meat.
I have a funny way of eating poutine. I like to move the curds to the side and leave them as the piece de resistance, and this time was no different. I was greeted with what I can only assume is hand cut pomme frites with what appears to be HOMEMADE GRAVY. It is rich and delectable with an aroma of real beef. Then you have, to top that off, the BEST montreal beef I have tasted outside of Montreal. Intermittently through your quest to finish the monstrously large poutine you will come across little jewels of familiar clove spiciness that adds and interesting nearly sweet contrast to a traditionally savoury meal.
It took me more than thirty minutes to make my way through this epic gastro-adventure and then I had the curds to contend with. They were salty, buttery and still had that familiar squeaky consistency.
You can tell that the man who has come to Western Canada to share this Quebecois delicacy loves what he does, as he serves you your food with a big smile.
Its hard to find something wrong with such a treasure. But I'll Just say that I had to wait for 12 minutes in the rain because the restaurant had too many people in it to wait for my take-out inside:)
I definitely recommend this restaurant!
In a world where burgers routinely go for $20, La Belle Patate charges $8.50 for something every bit as tasty. Nothing super fancy, but it definitely hits the spot. The poutines are great as well.
Tied with Leopold's (an odd choice, I know) for the best poutine I've found in town.
Lived in Montreal for a little over a decade and consider myself somewhat of an authority on poutine. Though as the gentleman who ran this place wisely pointed out, Montreal has a lot of crumby poutine restaurants.
Ever place has their own different take on poutine and nuanced versions. Leopold's has crispier fries and the gravy is much saltier. La Belle Patate reminds me more of the top tier street vendors/holes in the wall in Montreal that do poutine.
Do not miss this place if you're in town or a local!
Great experience at this restaurant. Staff and owner are very friendly. Fresh poutine and great vibes. We love the atmosphere! We will be back.
A must for visitors (like us from Colorado) and locals alike. If you want delicious, authentic poutine look no further. Plus, the service was immaculate and the owner is so so friendly ! Definitely try the spruce beer (non-alcoholic, think ginger beer or root beer), and you won’t be disappointed. The poutine is the best and the steamie is a perfect little hot dog with all the toppings. Don’t miss this awesome place !
Best poutine and burgers on the island. The owners and staff are all friendly and attentive. Homemade fries and traditional Montreal style burgers. This place don't miss, I highly recommend this spot!
Thee best hamburgers and poutine délicieuse in the city!! Don't even mess with rest. Fresh local ingredients. Friendly, passionate staff/good positive vibes. 😇
I highly encourage supporting this local business! The poutine options are great. I personally enjoy the loaded steamie along with fries & gravy. Make sure you get their in-house made Spruce Beer (a French Canadian pop). So yummy!! The owner has always been so welcoming to us :)
Got a large smoked meat poutine, which was full of cubes of soft, juicy meat chunks. Got a photo of us taken and a Red Champagne for being the first customers of 2023!
AWESOME! One of the most interesting eating joints I've ever been to. Their poutine has one of the nicest flavors in the gravy I've ever had - on Wednesdays and Saturdays they have a BBQ version of the gravy that is very different; mildly BBQ, not full on BBQ sauce - definitely worth trying. I had one of their burgers too. Nicely toasted on the grill bun and some of the best grilled onions anywhere. A top notch place to have great experience with food you won't find anywhere else. (Don't forget to have a Spruce Beer!) Definitely two thumbs up for Matti and his crew!
Best poutine in town. Fresh house made fries and real deal cheese curds. You can’t ask for anything more. The owner is a great guy and his staff are friendly and attentive.
For a restaurant that may look like it does, it doesn't mean they don't cook and serve excellent food. Keep an eye out for these "gems". You don't know until you try, some of the best poutine in town.
We came up to Victoria to score some of Canada’s best, and we found it. Amazing staff. They were so friendly and welcoming. And the the food was delicious. Out of this world poutine!! I’d drive all the way from Oregon again just to get a fix.
I'd been meaning to try this place for longer than I can remember, and upon finally stopping in, I wish I'd done so much sooner.
Having seen La Bella Patate recommended countless times, it lived up to the hype completely. The staff were quite friendly, creating a relaxed atmosphere, and the food was great. I ordered a small classic poutine and a spruce beer (if you're on the fence, try the beer) and look forward to returning in order to try a hotdog next.
Overall this is a very fairly priced and tasty gem in Esquimalt. Solid 10/10.
THE vibe. Best authentic poutine on the island, no doubt.
The poutine was delicious. One side note they do have a pay phone in case you need to call someone in 80’s.
**Edit: Been coming for years. Can't beat the deal on two steamed hotdogs, fully dressed. It's a place where people bother to learn your name, and everything on the menu is good!
Definition of hidden gem; the staff greet you like you're a real person, cook great food, for a decent price.
Very well known place to get an authentic poutine experience as if you were in Quebec! They have a large assortment of poutine as well as hotdogs and burgers. I got a medium meat lovers poutine and I was stuffed to the gills afterwards. You could easily share a large between two people!
La Belles deserves 10 stars. Atmosphere, food and service is great. Everything feels so authentic, and Matti can't be beat. Double thumbs up!!
Amazing !! ... coming from Ottawa/Hull area - finally home cooking comfort food on the Island 👍. Hot dogs just like the Montreal Forum :)
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