Montreal Is Bringing Sexy Back
With the death of Rue St Laurent a few years ago and all of those institutions no longer monopolizing Montreal’s nightlife, there has been an explosion of sexy cocktail bars all over the city. Whether you want to hang in the Plateau, Chinatown, Mile End, Griffintown, or the Old Port, there is no shortage of choice when it comes to getting your drink on.
We’ve narrowed it down to our Top Ten favorites, and it wasn’t easy.
Bar George, Downtown
1440 Drummond St
This Renaissance Revival House is plopped in the middle of the bustling bar district of Drummond Street. The main bar area is very British and majestic and heavily wood paneled, with warm lighting, creepy dark paintings, plush seating, and lots of gold. The cocktail menu has an extensive offering of whiskies, gins and various and sundry liquors.
>> Read The Full Blog Post
Courtesy of Bar George
Bar Henrietta, Mile End
115 Avenue Laurier West
A neighborhood locale with a 60’s Portuguese twist, Bar Henrietta is spread out over two levels, with the upper section offering a view of the kitchen. Expect to enjoy classic cocktails prepared to perfection, or indulge in a choice of signature house cocktails – like La Belle Jaune and Les Cinq Etoiles – and Quebec beers on tap, by the glass and by the pitcher. The wines are all privately imported, most of them natural and organic. Share one of their dishes that include chorizo, cheeses, Portuguese sandwiches, pork piri-piri), chicken, and popcorn topped with Manchego cheese.
Courtesy of Bar Henrietta
The Coldroom, Old Montreal
Rue Saint Vincent (corner of St Amable)
Shh. It’s a secret. First you need to knock on an imposing black door on the corner of St Amable and St Vincent streets. Then the doorman will appear and ask for your mobile number. Give it to him, because he will call you within 30 minutes to let you back in. Make sure you respond, because seats go fast in this sub-terrain dimly lit bar that has charmed the pants off Montreal’s élite and some shiny celebrities. This stylish speakeasy offer classic drinks with a twist.
Courtesy of The Coldroom
Big Bar In Japan, Plateau
4175 St Laurent Blvd
An extension of the restaurant by the same name, Big In Japan Bar is accessible by a little red door on the corner of St Laurent and and Rachel streets (a happy accident, as they had apparently run out of money to repaint it). Both modern and intimate, tt has that ‘speak-easy’ feel when you walk through the heavy curtains and get a visual of all those whiskey bottles hanging in their places. Great cocktails will impress and delight, each and every time that you visit.
Courtesy of Big Bar In Japan
Les Enfants Terribles, Outremont
1257 Bernard Ave
A fixture for both locals and visitors, the interior is simple yet sexy combining black with wood in a chalet Suisse way. The friendly staff & chill back atmosphere make it one of those spots where you want to keep coming back. Indeed, every time we came back it was chalk full of happy local Montrealers and it was hard to find a free seat to enjoy one of their many Gin cocktails.
Courtesy of Les Enfants Terribles
Atwater Cocktail Club, Downtown
512 Atwater Ave
This much-a-do-about club on Atwater is owned by the folks of Foiegwa just around the corner, and through a dingy alleyway. Atwater Cocktail Club draws a crowd of hip 30-somethings looking for after-dinner drinks such as a classic Old Fashioned, Jim Beam, port, and blackberry liquor. Thanks to its sister restaurant, it also offers a full menu, including upscale snacks (garlic escargots, salmon terrine) and mains (truffle spaghetti, black angus steak frites).
>> Read The Full Blog Post
Courtesy of Atwater Cocktail Club
Bar Le Mal Nécessaire, China Town
1106B St Laurent Blvd
Sandwiched in a strip of nail bars and bargain shops, submerged below ground level with only a neon pineapple sign to beckon you in (or down), and then down a narrow staircase, you will be surprised by a low-lit and intimate bar full of people and cocktails. Indeed Tiki cocktails are their specialty. Expect to find things like Argentinian Sours, Jungle Birds, Bahama Mamas, and Painkillers. Painmakers, more like it. Or so I thought the following morning. I probably should have ordered one of their Cantonese snacks — the Chili Calamari or the Singapore Noodles, perhaps — but I was too busy having fun.
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Courtesy of Bar Le Mal Nécessaire
BoHo, Old Montreal
436 Rue Saint-François-Xavier
It feels like Miami and it feels really good. Bold stripes, palm leaves, and a fuchsia-and-teal color palette make you feel like you’ve temporarily gone south for the evening. Indeed, the cocktail list didn’t miss a Miami beat with names such as Venice Beach, Miami Vice, Santa Monica, and Clanedestino. Our personal favorite? The Lazy Lover that mixes rum with prosecco, coconut and passion fruit.
Courtesy of Boho
Mimi La Nuit, Old Montreal
22 Rue Saint Paul East
A nightclub-slash-bar in Vieux Montréal, it’s a small place to make a pit stop for a drink and some yummy nibbles. Choose from a plate of charcuteries, cheeses, crostinis, and some heartier selections. Exposed brick walls, stream-lined tables, wooden beams, and accents of metals and glass make it feel, well, just like Old Montreal. Bonus: the kitchen is open until 2am!
Courtesy of Mimi La Nuit
L’Express, Plateau
3927 St Denis St
This iconic staple of the Plateau opened its doors in 1980. With waiters neatly in their penguin suits, a black and white check floor tile, a hand-written menu, classic French cuisine, and a wine list longer than one has the time to read, you can’t help but relax and pretend for a couple hours to be transported to somewhere Paris.
>> Read The Full Blog Post
Courtesy of L’Express
