9 Best Bars in Montreal

Montreal’s sophisticated European feel and distinct Quebecois culture means it’s a great place to dine, and to drink wine and beer–it’s the home of one of the best natural wine scenes in the world. But the city has been a bit slow at adopting a cocktail bar culture that keeps up with the excellence of Toronto and other North American cities. I spoke to Maximilien Jean from the Cloakroom Bar, who shared the historic reasons why, and Danny Pavlopoulos from tour company Spade and Palacio, who let me in on some decidedly untouristy spots. 

I visited many of these best and brightest bars when I was across the border in late February for Montreal en Lumière, the amazing annual outdoor Winter festival of food, arts and culture. Fans of gastronomy who understand that colder weather inherently means you can eat and drink more should consider visiting during this uniquely Quebecois event. 

Wine Bars

“Buvette” is the French word for wine bar, and there are plenty to choose from in Montreal. “Our city has been one of the pillars of the natural wine movement for 40 years now,” says Jean. “We were the smallest of the four cities that kicked off the whole trend–Paris, Tokyo, New York, and tiny little Montreal.” 

“If you want to do wine in this city, you have to do it well,” says Jean. There are dozens of buvettes, offering great food and affable service, along with lengthy wine lists by the glass or bottle. Pro tip: Don’t bother asking for “natural wine.” The trend is so ingrained in the Montreal wine scene that most of the wine served in buvettes and restaurants fits, or even defines, the category.

Fun fact for wine lovers: Spade and Palacio recently launched a Women in Wine Walking Tour, which leads visitors through an afternoon of sampling wine and snacks at five different spots, while discussing the impact of women on Montreal’s history, winemaking, and local industry. 

La Buvette Chez Simone has been serving wine and snacks in Mile End, at the foot of Mount Royal Park, for over 15 years. Offering local cheese, housemade charcuterie, small and large plates, and a compelling list of  wine from Europe and Quebec, it remains one of the coolest spots in town. 

Le Plongeoir, on Boulevard Saint Laurent, is a divier option (even the name means “diving board”), with a pool table set smack in the middle. Pavlopoulos likes to “lock in” here for the evening and guzzle beautiful wine with great friends and recommends you do the same. 

Tavern Culture

Both Jean and Pavlopoulos told me that until the 1980’s, Montreal was full of “tavernes,” men’s-only bars populated with heavy drinkers and slot machines. A few of these have been “hipsterfied,” says Pavlopoulos, for general consumption, but mostly they’ve just disappeared. 

Taverne Atlantic gently nods to this dive bar history in a plant-filled, organic wine drinking kind of way. The large terrace and fun menu of pizzas and “casse-croute,” snack bar food like hot dogs and poutines, make it an easy place to while away an afternoon in Mile Ex. 

Cocktail Bars

The cocktail scene started ramping up 10-15 years ago. “When I started in the industry 15 years ago,” says Jean, “everybody was drinking gin and tonic.”

Timeless Classics

Cloakroom Bar, now managed by Jean, “is one of the first cocktail bars from the second wave, the more technique driven cocktail bars.” There is no menu in this intimate 25 seater–the bartender assesses your preferences to find you the perfect drink, often accented with bitters and tinctures made upstairs in the lab by Jean and his team. My request for a not-too-sweet cocktail with tequila got me a delightful rosita riff, made with campari and a blend of house vermouths.

Bar Le Mal Nécessaire, an iconic low-key tiki hut, opened in 2014 in a grimy basement in Chinatown, then moved a few blocks to a much bigger downtown venue in 2024. Building on my love of agave spirits, I ordered the Amer du Sud, made with Volcan tequila, Cynar, mezcal, tonic, and grapefruit for a bitter on bitter on bitter delight. I did not get to try the summery slushies like Piña Colada or Espresso Martini, but on my next visit, I’ll do a 50/50–a layered mish mash of each flavor. 

Opened in 2016 in Little Burgundy, Atwater Cocktail Club brings exceptional cocktails to a cozy neighborhood den. The brilliant and balanced Vieux Limari cocktail with Pisco, cava and guanabana (soursop fruit) exemplifies their Latin bent; the menu of freshly shucked oysters, truffled spaghetti, and chicken liver mousse takes you right back to a Montreal bistro. 

Recent Arrivals

Two newer bars show the industry’s recent evolution. At Bar Bello in Little Italy, aperitivo culture is celebrated by Arnaud Savard and team, to the tune of a trio of spritzes, a long list of digestivi including an tiramisu cocktail that will cure you of espresso martinis forever, and a restored pop machine that dispenses a rainbow of bottled negronis that you can buy with a token from your bartender. 

A few blocks down Boulevard Saint Laurent at Numéro, the slick stainless steel bar warms up quickly with the help of the personalities behind it. Precision drinks include the Cherry Bomb, a clean gin and tomato number with a hint of passion fruit and drops of basil oil,  and the Presto, an equally immaculate icy martini adorned with thinly shaved parmesan. 

“Holistic” Bars

During my conversation with Max Jean, he used the word “holistic” to describe the type of “resto-bar” where folks enjoy everything from a draft beer or a strong old-fashioned to a multi-course feast accompanied with multiple bottles of wine, and perhaps a few after-dinner drinks to close the night. Montreal does this type of venue particularly well–spots that open their doors early for the 5 à 7 (happy hour) crowd and keep it going late. 

Majestique, or, as locals like Danny call it, “Le Maj,” exemplifies the perfect resto-bar. There are french fries and a seafood tower, 12- inch hot dogs, and rhubarb and white chocolate meringues, local beer and cider on tap, pages of global wine by glass and bottle.  Food is served until 2 a.m., so maybe you get hungry again and order a plate of beef tataki to share with your last cocktail. Experience a summer night on the terrace or a cozy winter snuggle in the lavish, lounge-y dining room and come home feeling more like a true Montrealer.