Main Deli Steak House

Everyone talks of Schwartzs (im not a speller) but when we tried to go there it was closed for a Holiday Party. Low and behold across the street was the Main Deli. OMG just go there and get some meat, some beer or wine, and you’ll be in heaven. Super affordable and apparently its open crazy hours :)

The owner contacted me from my last revue and invited me to the shop to try it again.
I must say I was impressed with the apology and the gesture.
He has changed the focus of the business away from smoked meat and toward grass fed organic burgers. His goal is to refocus the business and expand/​franchise it.
He was welcoming and kind. The meat was much better, though is still not house made.
Cheers to the kindness of the owner, and best of luck with the new venture. The smoked meat being still store bought is a bit of a downer. The quality is good.

Late supper with the BF. Got the fatty smoke meat combo with fries, coleslaw and a pickle. Very enjoyable. We came here cause we originally went to Schwartz and it smelled really bad inside. Plus the price here was way more affordable. I enjoyed the smoked meat better then Dunns :) if I’m craving smoked meat I’d com back ! Losing a star because the environment is old not original

This is what you come to Montréal for.
Several Vancouver places have tried to claim best smoked meat outside of Montréal or even claiming they fly it fresh from Montréal, but nothing comes close to the real deal.
My buddy Nachiket P referred me to this place. Better than Schwartz and no line. Sure enough as I arrive I see the line at Schwartz and no line here.
Chef smiles and greets me in English. It was nearly empty and he says ‘Any table boss. VIP service!’. Love it.
Classic diner seating. I order the lunch special with comes with coleslaw, fries, and a big pickle. The slaw had great vinegar kick. Usually hard to find a good slaw.
And the main event made me smile after the 1^st bite. Juicy all the way through. Perfect amount of fat. Mustard and bread didn’t distract.
Merci meat man. Merci.

I really prefer this place over the across the street competition. When I am in Montréal, I make an effort to stop here at least once. There is always an open table and the staff are very friendly.

I once wrote a glowing review of The Main, which was my favourite spot in Montréal. But man, have times changed. Unfortunately, the original owner of The Main passed away a few years ago, and it was purchased by a new group. They’ve made a lot of changes since then, and not necessarily for the best.
What was once a chill environment with a classic Jewish deli vibe, is now a brightly-​coloured sports bar-​esque joint with large TVs and bright lights. It’s tacky and bizarre.
As for the food, the good news is that they kept a lot of the old staff, so the food is somewhat consistent. Although, apparently the smoked meat is no longer made in house, and some feel it doesn’t taste a good as the old brisket.
BUT, the big issue is that the food prices skyrocketed while portion sizes have shrunk. I understand that food costs have gone up over the past few years, but everything on the menu is 30−50% more than it was 5 – 6 years ago, and some items have even doubled in price! That is a massive leap. Couple this with the fact that the smoked meat sandwich and poutine sizes seem to have shrunk quite a bit, makes this place not the value it once was. In fact, it’s pretty damn expensive now for what you get.
My friends and I were diehards of The Main and would meet there all the time. Now? I’ve been once or twice in the past year. I can still enjoy a meal there, but it’s just not the same. The old adage persists: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

4.5 stars. The long continued debate goes on and the final result is truly what you enjoy. On my latest mission, I sacrificed my stomach to rest out the bigger names on the Montréal smoked meat arena. They are all very similar but I found I enjoyed the flavor profile of The Main than the other 3. Table service was a little lost but Mike’s work more than made up for that little stumble. The sandwich was well assembled. The meat not dry and cut into the oh so yummy melt in your mouth slices piled high. Washed down with a dark cherry cola (apparently imported from Toronto), perfect duo. I will be back to try the other offerings but definitely this place is a-​ok in my books

Mediocre overall, as I entered the deli. The place is an exact copy of Shwartz but has a tad better service. The deli is old, narrow and unappealing to the eye. The service was crude. The woman was friendly but impatient as f*ckkk. I waited 5 – 10 minutes for my sandwich and some fries. The sandwich was dry and probably had the same technique Schwartz has. The fries were really bad and tasteless!!! No seasoning, bitter taste and completely soft mash! Complete garbage. I’m kind of disappointed with the lack of enthusiasm these deli’s have in general! All they got going is the number of years they have stayed in operation. Wont be too long until they close down ! The younger generation know what other offer and what more they can get elsewhere! People are not so stupid anymore

Choose the Main, skip the tourists, stay warm!
How can we not compare The Main with Swartz accross the street, where all the sheepish wait in line in freezing cold temperature just to be seated crammed between annoying smelly loud tourists on tables reminiscent of prison cafeterias? To eat their overhyped dry sandwich, then trying to clean your hands in their cruddy wc…
The Main has an actual FULL MENU, comfortable PRIVATE seating, NO LINEUP, less tourists, the waiters are friendly, the roast beef is delicious, the smoke meat is delicious.
I’ve been to Swartz many times before I decided to try The Main and I have never been back. The Main is a great cheap deli, not a factory. Try it once and you will also never go back to Swartz.

Stopped by late at night to see if the competitor of Schwartz also had smoked meat we could take back to the states and they were very generous to do so
They cut ½ lb portions for us and vacuumed-​sealed them so they would make it through immigration the next day. It was slow when we came in, but the staff was super friendly.
Can’t wait to open them up and make a sandwich!

Main is the Schwartz’s *main* competitor (sorry). They’re across the street from each other, and both serve Montréal smoked meat sandwiches, among other meats. The *main* difference (sorry again) is that Main is open late. Swung by at 3am and was able to get a sandwich and some fries. I wasn’t a big fan of the fries (they were soggy and really sweet), but the sandwich was a great late night option. Not as good as Schwartz’s, but it definitely hit the spot.

Go enjoy a nice, juicy smoked meat sandwich at the Main, right across from the over-​hyped Schwartz’s. For the life of me, I can’t figure out why the Main is always empty and Schwartz’s always has a line, when the Main’s meat is light years better.
Smoked meat, fries. pickle, cole slaw, black cherry. Enjoy.

Located on the other side of the street from the famous smoke meat joint, Schwartz. I was quite surprised that the smoked meat is just as good. I liked their coleslaw, which was particularly a good complement to the greasy fries and smoke meat.
What I find sad however, is the fact that the smoke meat sandwich is not edible without the help from the pickle. coleslaw, and heavy mustard.
Despite the terrasse, the servers didn’t seem particularly happy/​proud about their job (prolly wishing they had as many customers as Schwartz since they serve same quality food). And my order of smoke meat platter took over 10min to get out of the kitchen (and I was the only ordering customer).
But yeh, people should still consider the Main Deli next time they find themselves waiting in line under the hot summer sun for Schwartz. In terms of ‘Montréal Smoke Meat’, the two shops serve comparable food.

Face à la queue impressionnante pour chez Schwartz’s, nous nous sommes rabattus sur le Main Deli Steak House et nous n’avons pas regretté !
L’assiette de viande fumée est copieuse et délicieuse. Les frites et la salade de choux qui l’accompagnent sont à la hauteur.
Des prix un peu élevés qui se valent dans l’assiette.
Une étoile de moins pour la rudesse de la serveuse qui nous a rappelé de façon peu cordiale de laisser un pourboire, ce que nous étions sur le point de faire.

Passing by Le Main on a hot summer Sunday, we marveled at the block-​long lineup across the street at Schwartz’s. Meanwhile, Le Main’s streetside patio still had a couple of empty tables.
We ordered smoked meat sandwiches (medium fat). They arrived in minutes. We scarfed them down with glee. This is definitely a quality sandwich with very moist, well spiced, above-​average meat. (Note: must be washed down with Cotts Black Cherry pop).
Even as I write this review, those poor people are still waiting in line for their sandwich at Schwartz’s. Is Schwartz’s meat really that much better? Those poor shmoes should’ve gone to Le Main!

Delicious smoked meat!!! You should also try the roast beef which is actually so freaking good! I’d come here over schwartz — just as good, sans lineup.
The boss lady or server was really rude for whatever reason to our table, but super friendly just to the people next to us. I dont know I hate playing the racist card but… We were a table of asians hahahaha so…

I mean… what can I say? They have smoked meat. They have poutine. They have a lot more space than the across-​the-​street Schwartz’s. All of those are a win for me. Oh, also, their borscht is pretty dang good, if you’re into that sort of thing.
It’s super dodgy inside, the service is fairly unfriendly, the lighting is dark, but that’s all part o’ the deal. It’s an experience I would recommend. Generally full of characters. And you will be rewarded with some pretty decent food.

This is why you come here. Though I think their rib steak is great too. Perfect smoked meat sandwich, fries, stash of cherry Cott’s, sour pickle, good coleslaw (a bit sweet for me but just a touch).
They décor is old school and a bit diner/​dive. I don’t care. You come for the food and it’s legit. Maybe it’s a memory, or you’re having a new experience, but you picked the right place. Old-​school Jewish deli menu, and stuff to soak up the alcohol if you’re out late at night.
I don’t understand why people line up at the place across the street, but let them. I’ll keep The Main to myself.

4 Stars — Montréal Smoked Meat rules. Now living in Toronto… I miss you immensely.
Stopped by on a Tuesday evening at 3am after a night at the pubs. The place was about 20% full. Service was extremely quick and friendly.
My first trip to the Main was probably 30 years ago with my parents as a young boy. There was always a debate in my family — The Main or Schwartz. The main usually won because it was less busy. This is obviously still true today and why I picked the Main on this evening.
I do think Schwartz smoked meat is slightly better than the Main (better spice mix on the outside of the brisket)… But not by a whole lot and certainly not enough to wait in line for.
First up — Matzo Ball Soup and it was delicious. Two huge Matzo balls served in rich chicken broth. A great meal starter on a cold evening.
Next — The Smoked Meat Special including sandwich, soda, fries, pickle and coleslaw for $ 12. The Smoke Meat was served medium, just right for me. As good as I remembered throughout the years. All the meal add-​ons were equally good, loved the fries and dill pickle.
I do find The Main is starting to show it’s age a little but some might refer to this as «old school charm». Nevertheless; I think the place could use a fresh coat of paint and updating.
In the end, The Main is always worth a visit if your craving a Smoked Meat sandwich any time of the day /​evening.
BK

Le smoke meat n’est plus ce qu’il a été, la recette semble avoir changée… Dommage. Le coleslaw jadis le meilleur en ville n’est plus également ainsi que son ambiance d’antan

The Main has been my favourite place for smoked meat, since I lived in Montréal. Their smoked meat is super juicy (medium fat) and has so much flavor you won’t be able to resist walking by this place without ordering a sandwich or the famous smoked meat poutine!
I usually went to the Main after a long night of drinking and the food always tasted amazing day or night. My suggestion is either a full platter (upgrade those fries to a poutine) if you’re super hungry, along with a cherry coke. Or if you want to keep it simple and to the point a smoke meat poutine always hits the spot. There is something to be said about the gravy they use. It is almost as if it is an Elixir from the gods sent down to earth for us to enjoy!
This place is awesome and with no line up and much better tasting smoked meat and poutine, I would choose this place over the crowded Schwartz any day!

Honestly I don’t see what the big fuss is with smoked meat. I came here on a hot and humid evening because the line at Schwartz was way too long and we were starving.
Anyways, I have the say that I did enjoy the cherry cola and the portions were huge, but the service wasn’t too great. Perhaps it’s just that I’m not a huge fan of smoked meat but I found that this place wasn’t as cramped as Schwartz (I went the week after) and there was no long wait.
Also, it was really nice that we weren’t jammed packed into a small table unlike at Schwartz. (The 7 of us were packed into a table meant for 4 there!) I liked the coleslaw and the gravy but I found the fries almost too crispy.

L’alternative au Schwartz, ce deli sert un excellent smoked meat! Un peu sombre et kitch, comme tout deli qui se respecte à l’air, on y vient pas pour le décor mais pour la bouffe. Le service est gentil et efficace.
Donc, si on veut éviter les long line up, on traverse la rue!

Bien contente d’avoir essayer le restaurant Main, le spécial du resto sur le steak est vraiment bon tant au niveau du prix qu’au niveau du goût. Pour environ 18 $, vous avez une entrée avec foie+saucisse, salade de choux, frites, cornichon et finalement le gros steak de 15oz. Ils ont bien sûr du smoke meat. Le Main Deli est un vieux dîner mais c’est cool comme ça, on se croirait dans une autre époque à Montréal. Le service est bon et rapide.

C’est Mon restaurant coup de coeur de montréal.
Je lui donne le maximun, j’ai adoré car il a cristallisé tout ce que j’ai pu voir de l’amérique du nord à la télévision.
Je vous le décrit: style routier des Etats-​Unis (comme à la télé) une série de table avec banquette, un comptoir et surtout la serveuse d’âge mure, qui vous accueille eh les ptits gars je vous sers quoi. comme à la télé.
Coté bouffe c’est sans prétention, mais qu’est ce que s’est bon, de la viande pour PAS chère moins de 20 $ tu te fais péter le bide avec de la bonne bidoche. tous les menus sont accompagné d’une salade de choux cornichons et de ses steack de foie et saucisses (c’est génial). Toutes sortes de viandes y sont servies: D .
Bön n’y emmener pas votre moitié, ce n’est pas le resto à sortir une demoiselle, mais bon entre potes et après le boulot
une boréale et entrecôte, ça passé tout seul