Hands down the best speakeasy or cocktail bar we visited while in MTL. It's behind a hidden door…read morenext to the smallest bar in Canada, which is so fun. You want to be brought in and it's dark and moody with the BEST craft cocktail list. The theme is duck - which is so fun. Our bartender was OUTSTANDING. He gave not only the best drink recommendations, but also gave us a hand written list of his favorite spots in MTL (drinks, dining, activities, etc). I wish we would've gotten his name because I cannot praise him enough!

The Coldroom is a fantastic bar and definitely worth visiting. We actually ended up going twice…read moreduring our trip, and each visit was a little different. The first time, the music was extremely loud, and it seemed like they were short-staffed. The bar was completely packed, and there was only one bartender making drinks, so the wait was a bit longer than expected. We decided to give it another try, and I'm so glad we did. The second visit was amazing! The bartender working that night was incredible--she clearly knows her craft and made our drinks quickly without sacrificing quality. Every cocktail was delicious, and the overall experience was much more enjoyable. Overall, I highly recommend The Coldroom. My only suggestion would be that, with a space that busy, the bar could really benefit from having an additional bartender during peak hours. It would help keep wait times down and make an already great experience even better.

Anytime is coffee & cocktail time right? Well apparently it is at Cafécoquetel! Right in the heart…read moreof Villeray, you can either enjoy your favourite third wave coffee (Zab), mocktail, cocktail, cider, beer, or glass of wine anytime from 9am to 9pm from Thursday to Monday. Dark'n'Stormy, Expresso Old Fashioned, Hot Toddé are alcohol-free but you can always add a shot depending on your mood. Order a Penicillin, Cayenne Negroni, Pomme Collins, or a custom classic of your choice if you feel line something stronger. Today, a Nordic shrimp roll was calling me but will reserve that when I return with friends over a glass of white vino... for now, I opted for the menu du jour grilled cheese, and their signature latte with steeped rose petals and pink peppercorns - a brighter, fruitier, milder in spiciness than the black peppercorn. Opened in February 2021, headed by Pénéloppe Tancrède (Brasserie Harricana) and Gabriel Lavallé (Café Paquebot), is a wonderful addition to the neighborhood. What a beautiful first experience this was, and certainly won't be the last. Hope you get to discover this hidden gem!

Vibe was amazing! Ashley is a genius with her talent for know exactly what we need!!!!read more

Excellent hidden gem in downtown Montreal. No set menu or cocktail list. The bartenders/mixologists…read morecreate drinks based on what you are looking for. Everything we tried was fantastic! It is a cozy spot. Great for small groups or date night. Great experience, hoping to visit again!

This is a #ThankYouThursday covid-19 review. I am walking down streets in my memories and thinking…read moreabout some of the ridiculous fun times I've had in Montreal bars. Our nightlife is what makes our city and I really hope the provincial and federal government get together behind some actual coordinated support for these crucial local businesses. I used to live near Hemisphere gauche and have walked by all kinds of different crowds gathered outside, it's so awesome to see how different kinds of communities can feel welcomed in live music venues and bars and I love walking by and feeling, not just unthreatened, but somehow welcomed in their midst. I've sat on the window ledge here and enjoyed a cheep beer and the people watching, and I've rolled in here with a crew of badass lady friends after another bar closed and the staff let us take over their karaoke set up and drink whiskey and sing all our frustrations out till closing time, no fuss.

Awesome Staff! Took amazing care of us and even jammed some SLAYER for me. Thank you for the…read moreRespect. I will be back on my next trip.

I don't drink often. I also don't love bars. However, if I am going to go to a bar, or drink, I'm…read moregoing here. So, I was quite happy when I realized this was literally right across the street from my air bnb. This is the bar my friends and I went to during our undergrad and so when I was recently visiting Montreal with a friend and she wanted to grab an early drink, I knew this is where I was taking her. Personally I like fruity mixed drinks that don't taste like alcohol. My friend is a scotch drinker and goes for stronger drinks. We both were able to find something that made us happy. La Distillerie does mixed drinks like no other. They also do it with a heavy hand so while it may seem pricy to some, you definitely get what you pay for. My friend and I had some beer before arriving and then two drinks each here and both walked out very much not sober. The vibe is chill and a bit nostalgic and the menu options are exceptional. Definitely one of the best bars I have been to!

I'm stupid. I thought La Distillerie No. 1 was a distillery, and we were visiting a place to taste…read morebespoke liquors. It's a nice pub/bar run by pleasant folks. There's nothing special about this place, and normally I would never schlep 30 minutes to get here.

From the owner: Chez Josie is a cozy bar in the heart of Villeray perfect for a dinner with friends, no matter the…read moresize of the group. Our menu is inspired by cuisine from around the world that we enjoy and we hope you will enjoy it as well. After dinner, we hope you will join us for a cocktail from our curated menu of favorites and enjoy the sounds of our DJ from Thursday to Saturday.

Nice location and cool, mellow vibe. Excellent pizza chorizo , then a nice prosciutto plate washed…read moredown with a tasty local 77 Double IPA. Scotch selection average.

It's funny, just when I was thinking "this area needs one more bar" Huis Clos pops up. Sitting on…read morethe sunny side of St Denis, corner Villeray, and opened by the same crew that brought you Monsieur Smith out in HOMA, Huis Clos is most definitely welcome. It's a little on the edge of fancy for my taste, but with a nice selection of cocktails around the $10 range I am not mad at them. The Mojito and Ceasar were classic and strong, and the $22 charcuterie sharing plate was actually big and hearty and plenty for two people, with neat tastes like the pickled egg and vegetables, and the beet mustard. The big backlit lettered sign with drink specials looks great and helps prevent the feeling of squinting at a chalkboard in a dim bar so popular around town. There's a sizeable booth in the back nearby windows into the kitchen, but the prime seat for me is right in the front in the setting sun, I'll be back earlier next time to try and slip into it. Service was slow but super friendly, I think they'll ramp right up into excellent.

The Brussels sprouts with hummus and the ceviche Barranco are delicious, and service was prompt.read more

This is the tale of two restaurants. The first one is all the waitstaff trying to do their job, and…read morepresumably the cooks as well. My waitress was very nice and helpful. Food came out in a reasonable amount of time. The other tale are all the, what, managers? Owners? Hosts? Running around with their heads cut off, each of them with a tablet with their seating plan. Yelling at one another, getting in the waitstaff's way, and generally making it look like the end of the world is going to happen. It was absurd and it made everything pretty unpleasant. I think I was watching the owner get really concerned about a dj, hanging out with him, and then bolting to go to talk to a manager. Finally, I know a lot about Peruvian food, including traveling to Peru. The food at this restaurant is not that good.

$1 oysters all day Sunday!! Great place to sit outside and have a glass of wine. Excellent service!…read moreGreat drinks!

Visited this bar on a Monday night. The ambience is really nice. Dark, moody... good music. Very…read morenice establishment. I ordered the Parmesan fries (7/10) and two cocktails: the Martingale (7/10) and an old fashioned (7/10). The order of fries was huge which is good, but the fries are the top were hot while the ones towards the middle/bottom were only warm. The drinks were a little too sweet for my liking. Service was good tho. No major complaints other than those mentioned above.

Upon arriving there, for a nice beer on the terasse (isn't that what all should do on a warm, sunny…read moreafternoon?), I kept in my a previous not-so-great experience that occured in the spring at the location. Upon arriving, the waitress was quick to welcome us and to offer (yes, offer. I do believe the word's definition got altered in the restaurant business) drinks and ordering. We ordered, my guests going for burgers and fries and I am going for appetizers. Well, let me say, the experience was great. The food was good, the beers cold and the waitress was fast and reliable, while being discrete. A huge improvement from this spring (which I didn't bother rating). A nice pub to go.

Absolutely Amazing…read more Great food. Great beer. Great ambiance. Very friendly and unpretentious Irish Pub. Kilkenny on-tab!