We just arrived and needed a bite to eat and a space to decompress before bed. Sarah B's was perfect! Sylvain prepared excellent drinks and recommended a sandwich to share! We watched hockey finals, talked to others, ate, cheered, relaxed - yes! The game went into OT so we had time for dessert. Sylvain recommended the house made orange cake cake and crème brûlée. Both were fantastic and hit the spot! The orange cake was warm, sweet & moist with vanilla ice cream on the side. What a lovely evening, thank you!!! read more

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This is a pretty cool place where the backs of the chairs match the spoons that hold the sugar. It's fun to watch the water drip over the sugar cube into the absinthe at the table. I've been to bars where they just make the absinthe at the bar and bring it to you and this was definitely a better experience. Place was slammed and I thought for sure they would fail the "stress test" but staff handled it no problem. read more

Sarah B. - Absinthe - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

(Visited 12/19/2019.) So while staying in the InterContinental Montréal I had the opportunity to check out this place! I mean, who REALLY wants to get out in the cold to go walking somewhere? Lol. So as I was walking around the lobby I spotted this place and that it said "absinthe bar". I never have been to an absinthe bar, but absinthe has a special place in my heart due to how I met my future wife, so I had to check this place out! Atmosphere/Appearance: This place has a very unique vibe and I really loved it. It has a real "downtown-where-the-cool-kids-hang" kinda vibe. The restaurant sign graces the right wall as you walk in the main entrance and the bar lies right across from it. As you walk further into the restaurant you encounter a set of booths that sit right below some windows to the outside world. To the left the bar continues to wrap around and leads you into a set of open rooms that are a bit ducked off from the main room for groups of people. On the other side you have an entrance into Osco, the other restaurant in the InterContinental. Service: I can't remember the young lady's name that took care of me repeatedly, but she was awesome. She was very knowledgeable about the different absinthes, the drinks they'd be good with and just a good conversationalist. Food: I started out with their "Spicy Chicken Wings" and they were an absolute joke. Like, why do y'all even sell these? They weren't spicy AT ALL, small and served with barbecue sauce. I was all around confused, plus they tasted exactly like some I had at a different hotel AND another restaurant. Lol. Like, how is that possible? Montréal doesn't do wings well, but there are a couple places that do. Hats off to them. Moving on, the steak and vegetables I had though! VERY good! It was a huge piece and it was just straight-up good. Value: It's a hotel restaurant, so you already know what to expect. It's all so worth it though. I can't remember any of the prices, but I came here twice in the same week so it was totally worth it. In conclusion, I really loved it here. Absinthe, good service and good steak... what more could you want? Just stay away from the wings. read more

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Came here because I was staying at the hotel on our first visit to Quebec. The bar is cozy, the service is excellent (friendly, helpful, professional, not pushy and hovering). Was great to just hang out drink and have the really good bar food made at the next door restaurant . My first try of Poutine and it greatly exceeded my expectations. Figured it would be something like loaded fries back in the US covered in melted cheese and heavy gravy. Way off. More of a reduction sauce over cheese curds and great frites. Excellent read more

Sarah B. - Poutine with chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Came here on a weeknight. Service was slow (perhaps just one server?). It took a while for us to have our orders taken, then long waits for drinks and food and then again for the check. I got absinthe and the salmon. The food was really good! Not overly filling and just the right amount. They are known for their absinthe preparation here and even though it was basically like licorice (which I dislike) it was fun just to try. The server apologized for the wait - I think just overwhelmed with customers. read more

Sarah B. - Absinthe service - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Was really excited to visit this place having never tried absinthe before, and was delighted to find how pleasant it is. Sarah B. has a solid and somewhat simple drink menu, which is nice because I wasn't overwhelmed with choices. I also tried their poutine, which was solid but also pretty standard. It was nice that they had a lot of food options for the bar, though. It's also nicely situated inside a hotel, and I had excellent service from the bartender. Wasn't blown away, but would recommend checking out this place for a drink or two if you're into absinthe (or at least trying it in a pretty casual setting). read more

Sarah B. - two cocktails on a bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

This fun little gem is located inside the intercontinental hotel. Might I recommend for those staying at the hotel to pre-drink at the free guest bar first. The Sarah B. bar is an absinthe bar. Unfortunately it isn't the absinthe from the good ole days, but cool nonetheless. The decor is quite nice as well...for example, if you go down stairs towards Java U, the wall alternates between deer hair and worm wood. Jeffrey anyone?? Along the interior of the bar there are classic absinthe paraphernalia devices. They also have some private rooms in the back with wrap around couches and curtains in lieu of doors. The good: I have fond memories of burning the shit out of my hand at this establishment attempting to drink some absinthe in alternative ways...From what I recall they had free snacks at the bar. The bad: add an extra $ on the price description, drinks aren't cheap, it is the intercontinental. read more

Forget sitting at the bar. Lots of complaining from by the staff - somewhat attentive - or not. The duo bar persons are mostly concerned with themselves. Nice bar - good vibe and relaxed atmosphete. Adjoinding restaurant and discreet room. The chaos behinf noise the bar can ruin the mood. Good food. read more

Love love love. If youre in Montreal, come here for a fancy, but unique experience. Hidden in a classy hotel, is this small but intimate Absinthe Bar. Try to get a room in the back, with curtains and plenty of couches to lounge on. Beware, its hot as balls in here. However, there are various types of Absinthe to try--the waitors even make suggestions..keep in mind they even run out of kinds. I tried the $15 dollar kind, my friend and i were ballsy and each got our own. Its an experience in itself to watch the process, with the apparatus and sugar cube. It really is fun and worth getting. However, you will be drunk off of one 'drink'. They make it with water * 3 parts * and the sugar, but my friend and i ended up pouring more in because it was rough. The waitor came back twice to check up on us and over all we truly enjoyed this place. Yelp says it closes at 12 on a night, but that was wrong..if anything this place seemed to come alive the later the night progressed. PS...ask the concirege downstairs to call you a cab & theres free wifi. read more

Sarah B. - Absibthe menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Located inside the lobby floor of the Intercontinental Hotel in downtown Montreal, this absinthe bar is like nothing I've ever experienced. I walked by it multiple times to access my room before noticing it being advertised in the hotel's elevators and two words stuck out like sore thumbs and managed to speed up my heart rate with excitement and curiosity: absinthe bar. Yep, that's right, a freakin' absinthe bar. The green fairy. This mysterious alcohol that everyone knows one but few have tried. Sure, I've tried it a few times at other places, mostly in Europe but this was the real deal. One night as my parents, who I was spending time with in Montreal, went out to a business dinner and I found myself alone, I figured that checking it out for dinner and some drinks would be interesting. I sat at the bar, which unfortunately had no TVs in it. The television was actually 180 degrees behind me, against the wall. A shame really, it's in an awkward position where few can see it. I ordered up some grub, in this case a wonderful and heartily-sized portion of French onion soup which was pipping hot and delicious and along with it a Jacques Cartier Collins (absinthe, absolute pear, limoncello, sweet & sour mix & cola) which was surprising but amazing. I then figured I'd join the big boys club and order some straight up absinthe which came served with a glass jar on some kind of stand with a spout in it, enabling the patrons drinking it to control the dilution of their absinthe themselves - really cool, interactive, gimmicky; I like the concept, it's neat. The place is reasonably priced, the food was good, and they even have tapas (including a 3 tapas for $15 deal) and some pretty good music as well. The service was friendly (obviously, it was a Canadian person, thus normal...) - I'd go back again, I had fun, even alone. read more

Sarah B. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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For a nice, high end feel/vibe with pretty good mixology, this seems to be the spot. It's very tucked away, or at least it seemed that way when we tried finding it from the "underground city." Service was pleasant and I loved the fact that they have their menu on tables with pictures of the drinks so you know what to expect. Overall a nice quick stop during a night out for a quick drink. read more

Sarah B. - Lounging in style, and comfort! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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My friend and I went there exclusively to drink absinthe in one of those fancy fountain... It's quite a pleasant experience and there's a wide variety of absinthe cost and colours! We ended up in a small private room that only the two of share and it was very entertaining. I would highly recommend that you reserve one of these if you are going to give this drink experience a shot with a bunch of friends. read more

Sarah B. - Absinthe with cold water fountain. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

I knew about this place several years ago when I took a guided tour in old montreal area. Our tour guide took us there to use their bathroom. Years past I went to use their bathroom several other times when I was a guide to my friends and families. This time I finally found a time to pay them back. My husband and I spend a good money there. We were really interested in a fine experience of absinthe tasting. Our waiter introduced four bottles to us. We took a good sniff before we chose. The price varies from 11$ to 42$ per glass. We avoided the expensive ones. Since we had dinner already, we ordered a cold platter 24$. We liked the food but found it a little pricy. I really like my drink after I added enough iced water to the liquor, almost filled the cup full. My waiter also explained to us that the milky look after adding water is from the essential oil in liquor. The change of transparency looks magical and assured the quality of the liquor, I believe. Really fun experience. Not sure I will back because the decor, the seatings and the prices are not to my taste. read more

Sarah B. - Cold platter $24 very good - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

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Really tasty cocktails, fair service, average nibbles. The 2 for 1 deal as an IHG member made this an acceptable happy hour, but otherwise it felt a bit overpriced. read more

I am really happy about having a bar like this in Montreal. When you are sick of the same old bar routine every weekend you can try this unique place out. It offers drinks I have never heard of and one is enough to turn your mood into something you do not normally experience. The decor is very different and can fit all sorts of occasions. For example, you can experience sitting at the bar or an open table or a private room or a more romantic semi private booth. The servers are knowledgeable, bilingual and funny. For food I ordered the chicken wings which were tasty but not something I would go out of my way for. I had a good time and would come back. read more

Sarah B. - This is some good absinthe! Whoa - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

Great atmosphere. Friendly service. Relaxing place for a cocktail. Given that it was an absynthe bar, I was expecting more of a selection of traditional prohibition drinks (like a Sazerac) on the menu. Rather, there were very interesting concoctions (one with cognac, absynthe and pistachio syrup), but after tasting two, I found them much too sweet for my taste. So, if you're looking for interesting twists on absynthe, go experience, but those like me who like a stronger and less sweet cocktail, this might not be the one for you. read more

great little absinthe bar, good selection, quiet, with comfortable seating in the back. All these folks complaining that they don't serve "real absinthe" seem a bit clueless, since absinth was banned in the US in 1912 and it was put back on the market in 2007 with the only limitation being that it cant pass 10ppm of thujone... I doubt anyone commenting on yelp was of a reasonable drinking age in 1912, and there were plenty of commercially available absinths on the market prior to 1912 with less than 10ppm of thujone. read more

I've been three times in total: a couple of times with a girlfriend at the start of our night out (a Saturday from about 9-1 and a Wednesday from 8-10), and another time with a work friend (Wednesday from 6-9). I really like it. Unlike other hotel bars, it has some ambiance, and doesn't appear to be frequented only by hotel guests and business people. It is nicely chic, but accessibly friendly. Of course, it's original with its offering of absinth, (which, in case you're wondering, is a lot like pastis or ouzo or raki, but not sweet, and a lot stronger). The curtained off fireplace area is cosy if you're on a date, but according to my friend you can be overlooked by the wait staff. I started with a cocktail the first time. I can't remember which one I had, but it was fruity, tasty, decently alcoholic, and an average price for a cocktail. I like this as a soft lead in to the experience. I then graduated to the absinth experience, with the iced water dripping over the sugar cube. There are different sorts of absinth (you can see them behind the bar), ranging from the regular one to the smoother one (which I think is Swiss), and it's a fun tasting experience. I recommend this for a chic date, a sophisticated night out with more mature friends, or for a really different way to get plastered. ;-) read more

First on the list, Le Sarah B., an absinthe bar. They are self-proclaimed absinthe purists (note: I don't condone the use of this word in any context), so they don't burn the sugar cube. Instead, the pictured contraption drips ice water on the slotted spoon to dissolve the sugar cube so the alcohol becomes diluted. But really, can you still be a purist if it isn't real Absinthe??? FYI, the wormwood content in their absinthes is about 1%. Still, it's a super classy place, and despite being purists, the servers were very friendly. And they gave us a free drink in exchange for a pic that my friend took on his Blackberry. Winning. read more

Stopped in for a quick drink to unwind. The bartenders are friendly and drinks are good. Had a great selection of absinthe serves the traditional way. A great selection of cocktails made with absinthe as well. Sat at the bar so didn't have any food but drinks were excellent. Prices are to be expected from The Intercontinental. read more

Sarah B. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Montreal, Quebec

They just served me a drink with lime, lemon, grapefruit juice, tonic water, and I believe zero alcohol. I ordered an Old Fashioned, so this was obviously a mistake. I told the bartender, hey, I ordered an Old Fashioned. She said yes, that's it. ... wtf? Wt flying f? I took a picture of both the drink and the receipt, because it's the worst drink I've ever been served in my entire life. Some day I'll have kids, and if one of them makes something worse, I'll actually be proud of them. F- read more

Had to pop in and try the 60%, as they don't burn the sugar cube, but drip the ice water over it to sweeten/dilute the absinthe. Very nice indeed. read more

This place gave a very sad excuse for a Sazerac. A Sazerac is composed of rye whiskey or cognac, bitters, and sugar or simple syrup with a lemon or orange peel garnish. Sometimes the oil in the peel is squeezed out to add additional aroma. I've even seen some bars light the oil on fire for a fun effect. The ice is always strained out. The bartender here used some rail quality Canadian whisky. He used angostura bitters. He served it with ice. There was no sugar and no garnish. He basically gave me a whisky on the rocks with a dash of bitters in a glass with an absinthe wash. As a result the drink tasted mostly like a Canadian whisky, smoky and rough. So this was hardly a Sazerac. By failing to deliver something even close to the drink I wanted, this place earns a rare 1/5 stars from me. read more

Amazing. Simply amazing! Food was fantastic, the atmosphere was beautiful, and the Absinthe was divine. My partner and I will return EVERY time we are in Montréal in the future. Le Sarah B is an emerald gem in breathtaking Montréal. read more

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We stopped in for some Absinthe, they have a pretty good selection considering how rare finding the stuff in a bar is. Good recommendations, nice staff, who spoke much better English than I speak French. The charcuterie board was also very good, with a bit of nice strong mustard and some flavorful cheese. I'd definitely pop in again if I were in the area. read more

Just not at all my vibe. Nice enough, just so businessy with bits of awkward decor that feel a bit copy pasta'd from Plateau and Mile End bars. There are absinthe props around but the prissyness of the decor suggests the green fairy keeps her secrets far from here. Honestly, a perfectly fine hotel bar for business folks, intimate and all that, just utterly not what I want from an absinthe bar, or a cocktail night out with my Montrealers. read more

This is one prime example of how a hotel bar should be. It was never too crowded, but never dead. A TV to watch sports, a decent selection of beer and a lot of spirits. The folks behind the bar were great too and remembered my drinks on my second time there. Great service! read more

The only problem with our Saturday in Montreal is that by 6 p.m., we'd caved to the temptation of a great breakfast, steak frites lunch and afternoon cocktails and snacks. For us, Le Sarah B was the perfect stop for the evening "meal" - Rose and chicken wings! Those wonderful chicken wings, perfectly seasoned and fried. Recommended seating is around the corner behind the curtains - banquettes and pillows invite one to respectably sluggardize. Bok bok! read more

Authentic absinthe! We didn't hallucinate but we did get a little loopy! They have a large selection of absenthe so choose from so look closely at the menu and make the choice of which is best for you but it will be an expirence! Their menu looked great but we got there too late to eat! read more

This bar was weird. The decor as you enter is great, ie., absinthe spoon chairs, green lights. that's where it ends. Generic hotel bar atmosphere throughout. No absinthe on the menu. No absinthe visible at the bar. When we asked about getting some absinthe, the rude bald waiter said "I will bring you some absinthe." I don't get to choose? A bar that bills itself as an absinthe bar should have an extensive absinthe list available. boo. I was hoping this would be better. read more

Had absinthe for the first time here! Server made my boyfriend and I (who dressed casual) a little unwelcome. Besides that, fun place located in a chic hotel. read more