Smoke's Poutinerie — Restaurant in Winnipeg

I have coeliac disease, I purposely asked the person working last Saturday afternoon if the fries were gluten-free, and if they were fried separately from onion rings, and anything else that contains gluten. I was told yes she assured me that they were safe for me to eat. I then pulled out a allergy card, and showed it to her and said this is very serious. If you’re wrong, I am going to be very sick; are you sure? She again said, yes, then apparently double checked with the kitchen staff and came back and assured me that they were safe for me to eat… I had about four fries and decided that I didn’t trust the whole situation… Now just within a few days later and I’ve had a wicked gut issue, - nausea, and I’ll keep the rest of that part private- but i am very sick; all my joints flared up and I couldn’t move my neck, I had to go seek medical attention, I also have a coeliac rash on my face, and headaches 3 days in a row- and this is just from eating 4-6 fries because I was given false information. This is absolutely a serious matter. It should be treated as such. And the staff should be trained appropriately and knowledgeable, and they absolutely should not be l guessing and therefore misrepresenting products based out of lack of knowledge when it comes to someone’s health, especially given the level of danger that celiac’s face when they eat gluten. I’m disappointed, and furious, and I want to see what other measures I can take about this because this should not happen to anybody. I am aware that there is always a risk when you’re eating out, but there shouldn’t be a risk of being lied to. I called the shop today to confirm that the fries indeed were gluten-free and now they’ve told me no actually the breaded onion rings or fried in the same oil.

I also would like to clarify, the teenage girl that answered these questions falsely… I’m not upset with her, and I hope she doesn’t get reprimanded; what I’m upset about is that there were three people working, and it seems as though none of them have a basic understanding about cross contamination. The management/owners are the ones at fault here and they need to do better.

*edited due to typos/ and wanting to make this...

Note this review is assessed before the new owners took over and I will edit it more once I have gone there again but I did change the atmosphere from a 1 star to a 5 star I will never go here again and will be seeking legal against this establishment I tried to go in there with my service dog and I was asked to leave this is discrimination and is legally against the law they should be ashamed of themselves for not allowing people with disabilities that need an animal for aid service dogs don't fall under pets or animals they fall under human rights acts and are allowed in restaurants and all other buildings as well as public transportation schools hospitals you name it shame on them they should know better discriminating against people with service animals is no different than discriminating against a person of race or color and is liable to a fine of $5,000 first time offense and $10,000 second offense and a third offense they'd look at jail time or loss of business license now all my paperwork has come in for my service dog I'm going to try to go there again and see how they treat me and I'm going to have a body cam on me next time I go there I Have just talked with the owner this place is under new management and he said he welcomes service dogs so I look forward to...

As an American visiting Canada for the first time, I kept hearing about this legendary dish called poutine—and Smoke's Poutinerie was my first stop to try it. Let me just say... wow.

The second I walked in, the place had this awesome, rock 'n roll vibe that made it feel like more than just a restaurant—it felt like an experience. The staff was welcoming and patient with my wide-eyed, first-timer questions. I went with the traditional poutine (wanted to do it right!) and grabbed a side of their smoked cheese curds.

Let me tell you, the hype is real. Those fries? Perfectly crisp and golden. The gravy? Rich, savory, and comforting. And the cheese curds actually squeak when you bite into them—which apparently is a very good thing. The smoked curds on the side were just next-level good—creamy, smoky, and addictive.

The portions were generous, the flavors unforgettable, and now I totally get why Canadians are so proud of this dish. If you're an American looking to try poutine for the first time, this is the place to do it. Five stars...