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Best of MTL, Nightlife

Best of MTL 2020: Nightlife in Montreal

by Cult MTL

Your picks for the top bars, clubs, events, libations and substances that light up the city by night.

Best of MTL 2020: Nightlife in Montreal

This is the bitter in the bittersweetness of Best of MTL 2020. Homestyle drugs and drinks aside, the entirety of this section is closed or otherwise inactive. Well, with some exceptions. Cinema Politica is streaming documentaries online and Burgundy Lion is delivering food, while a few of the performers on the list have had some visibility online. Congrats to Hurley’s for increased visibility in the Bar categories, and to Miami Minx (a boylesque artist new to the Best Burlesque Top 5) as well as Charlie Deville and Sisi Superstar, new to the Best Drag Queen/King category. St-Henri’s Bar de Courcelle and Mile Ex’s Notre Dame des Quilles are as popular as ever with our readers. We’re all hoping public health will announce some physical distancing guidelines for all bars with terrasses, at the very least. Until then, we have our memories.

Best Bartender

Andrew Turbo Best of MTL 2020 Nightlife Montreal
“Didn’t see this coming! I’ve gotta say that I’m missing all my customers and friends and Montreal nightlife. Can’t wait to be able to have a pint with you guys at Hurley’s.” Turbo, Best Bartender #1 (Hurley’s, Best Bar #4) (Best of MTL 2020: Nightlife in Montreal)
  1. Turbo (Hurley’s)
  2. Gern F. Vlchek (Grumpy’s)
  3. Rashta Kruger (Blue Dog)
  4. Maya Rice (Brutopia)
  5. Megan Turcotte (Burgundy Lion)
  6. Catherine Guida (Nesta)
  7. Chris Desjardins (Bootlegger)
  8. Tracy Trash (Cabaret Mado)
  9. Vito Ciocca (Mano Cornuto)
  10. Curly Temple (Bar de Courcelle)

Best Bar

  1. Turbo Haüs
  2. Grumpy’s
  3. Notre Dame des Quilles
  4. Hurley’s
  5. Bar de Courcelle
  6. Casa del Popolo
  7. The Wiggle Room
  8. Vices & Versa
  9. Brutopia
  10. Burgundy Lion

Best Dive Bar

  1. Barfly
  2. Bar de Courcelle
  3. Grumpy’s
  4. Bifteck
  5. Brasserie Beaubien
  6. Turbo Haüs
  7. La Petite Idée Fixe
  8. Snack N’ Blues
  9. Blue Dog
  10. Foufs

Best Wine Bar

  1. Vinvinvin
  2. Loïc
  3. Pullman
  4. Vin Papillon
  5. Buvette chez Simone
  6. Rouge-Gorge
  7. Vin Mon Lapin
  8. Larry’s
  9. Elena
  10. Henrietta

Best Club

Bord'elle Best of MTL 2020 Nightlife Montreal
“We stand with all our fellow restaurateurs and friends in hospitality and nightlife. We have been amongst the hardest hit and our world is still filled with great uncertainty. However at Bord’Elle we pride ourselves in bringing joy, entertainment and great food to the masses and we are certain that things will get better soon. The human spirit is richer when we are able to share and celebrate special moments in life, and we will be there for you when the time is right.”—John Edward Gumbley, John Jay, President Jegantic Group, President Bord’elle, Best Club #3 (Best of MTL 2020: Nightlife in Montreal)
  1. Datcha
  2. Stereo
  3. Bord’Elle
  4. Sky
  5. Nesta
  6. Cabaret Berlin
  7. Bar le Ritz PDB
  8. Turbo Haüs
  9. Unity
  10. Apt. 200

Best Club Night

  1. Glitter Bomb
  2. Mec Plus Ultra
  3. Moonshine
  4. Blush
  5. LuvHaus

Best Live Music Venue

  1. M Telus
  2. Théâtre Corona Virgin Mobile
  3. Turbo Haüs
  4. Casa del Popolo
  5. La Sala Rossa
  6. Hurley’s
  7. Diving Bell Social Club
  8. Bar Le Ritz PDB
  9. Club Soda
  10. Foufs

Best Underground Music Venue

  1. La Plante
  2. The Bog
  3. Durocher Lofts
  4. Fattal Lofts
  5. Traxide

Best Promoter

  1. Blue Skies Turn Black
  2. Evenko
  3. Greenland
  4. Hot Tramp Management
  5. Hello Darlin’
  6. Worst Dad Ever
  7. Extensive Enterprises
  8. Ricky D

Best Strip Club

  1. Chez Parée
  2. Café Cléopâtre
  3. Cabaret Kingdom
  4. Kamasutra
  5. Wanda’s
  6. Les Amazones
  7. 281 (RIP)
  8. Solid Gold
  9. The Wiggle Room
  10. Stock Bar

Best LGBTQ2+ Bar/Club

  1. Notre Dame des Quilles
  2. Sky
  3. Chez Mado
  4. Bar le Cocktail
  5. Le Renard
  6. Unity
  7. Cabaret Berlin
  8. Le Ritz PDB
  9. Le Stud
  10. Wiggle Room

Best Burlesque Performer

  1. Lavender May
  2. Tristan Ginger
  3. Miami Minx
  4. Sugar Vixen
  5. Lou Lou la Duchesse de Rière
  6. Mado Lamotte
  7. Samsara Brown
  8. Celesta O’Lee
  9. Mimi Cherry
  10. Lady Josephine

Best Drag Queen or King

  1. Mado Lamotte
  2. Uma Gahd
  3. Charlie Deville
  4. Rainbow
  5. Sisi Superstar
  6. Tracy Trash
  7. Abby Long
  8. Big Sissy
  9. Anaconda La Sabrosa
  10. Denim Pussy

Best Pool Hall

  1. Fats
  2. Fitzroy
  3. Forum
  4. Le Skratch
  5. Montreal Pool Room

Best Bowling Alley

  1. Quilles G Plus (including Rose Bowl)
  2. Notre Dame des Quilles
  3. Bowling Darling
  4. Forum
  5. Laurentian Lanes

Best Film Screening Series

  1. Cinema Politica
  2. Trannavision
  3. cELLEuloid
  4. Minuit au Parc
  5. Drunken Cinema

Best Comedy Venue

  1. Bordel Comédie Club
  2. Comedy Nest
  3. Diving Bell Social Club
  4. Le Terminal
  5. Art Loft 
  6. The Wiggle Room
  7. Montreal Improv
  8. Comedy Works (RIP)

Best Comedian

  1. Tranna Wintour
  2. Mike Ward
  3. John St. Godard
  4. Sugar Sammy
  5. Akeem Hoyte-Charles
  6. Arnaud Soly
  7. Louis-José Houde
  8. Edith Ronne
  9. Elspeth Wright
  10. Joey Elias

Best Comedy Night

  1. Open Mike (Le Bordel)
  2. Battle of Wits (Diving Bell Social Club)
  3. Squad Laughs (La Plante)
  4. Stand Back (Notre Dame des Quilles)
  5. There’s Something Funny Going On (Blue Dog)
  6. Voix de Ville (Wiggle Room)
  7. Witty Wednesdays (Diving Bell Social Club)
  8. Bishop & Gags (Bishop & Bagg)

Best Karaoke Bar

  1. Pang Pang
  2. Club Date
  3. 3 Minots
  4. Notre Dame des Quilles
  5. Bar le Cocktail
  6. Normandie
  7. Le Vieux St-Hub
  8. La petite place
  9. La Remise
  10. Bar K Karaoke

Best Drug

  1. Marijuana
  2. MDMA /Molly
  3. Cocaine
  4. Mushrooms
  5. LSD/acid
  6. Ketamine
  7. Hash
  8. Heroin

Best Drink

  1. Beer
  2. Gin & tonic
  3. Bourbon/whiskey
  4. Wine
  5. Old-fashioned
  6. Vodka with various mixers
  7. Dark ‘n’ stormy
  8. Negroni
  9. Coffee

Best Cocktail Bar

  1. Atwater Cocktail Club
  2. Coldroom
  3. Le Mal Nécessaire
  4. La Distillerie
  5. Cloakroom
  6. Bootlegger l’authentique
  7. Le Lab
  8. The Wiggle Room
  9. Sparrow
  10. Kabinet

See the rest of the Best of MTL here:

Best of MTL 2020: Nightlife in Montreal

Posted in Best of MTL, Nightlife
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by Cult MTL

Contributor
Cult MTL is a daily news website and monthly magazine focusing on Montreal culture, music, arts, news, politics and city life. Along with interviewing local and visiting artists, promoters and entrepreneurs, we feature analysis and criticism, curate a daily To-Do List and run the annual Best of MTL readers poll.