The best bars to visit in Montreal

Montreal is one of the most popular cities in Canada to visit, with around 11 million people making the journey to the great city every year. Lying in the French region of Canada, Montreal experiences magical winters filled with snow, however those that cannot tolerate the cold so well are best visiting between June and September for a more temperate climate. 

With so many iconic sites in the city, some of the top attractions include Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal, the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, Saint Joseph’s Oratory of Mount Royal, and the Montreal Botanic Gardens to name a few. And while the city is a great experience for families, couples and groups of friends alike, there is a great night scene too with many reputable bars and restaurants to hit up after dark.

Below, we’ll take a look at some of the best bars to visit in Montreal that you must include in your itinerary for your next trip to the city. 

Milky Way 

If you’re looking for a unique and classy location for early evening drinks then this cocktail bar is the perfect stop. As part of the Barroco Hospitality Group, Milky Way has a mystical setting where guests enter the restaurant through a black-lit wormhole staircase, into a galaxy style setting, complete with a jungle terrarium skylight and vaporwave accents.

In addition to the exciting yet classy theme, guests benefit from an extensive cocktail menu with tiki style drinks, as well as offerings from South and Central America. For those that fancy a bite to eat too, you are able to order from the pizza menu of the restaurant below – Fugazzi, sweetening the deal even more. 

Bar St Denis

If you’re looking for more of a casual setting, Bar St Denis offers the perfect blend of casual and classy. Once a dive bar that only offered tall bottles of beer and video lottery terminals, the place has been taken over by ex Au Pied de Cochon chefs and has been transformed into a local hotspot.

Top of the list are the small places that are on offer, making a perfect start to the night if you’re looking for a drink and a small bite to eat before making a night of it. The drinks perfectly complement the small plates, with an extensive cider list on offer, in addition to great local beers and natural wines. 

Snowbird Tiki Bar

Located in La Petite-Patrie, Snowbird is an exciting tiki bar that offers an elaborate array of different cocktails. If you’ve had enough of the cold weather then this is the place to head, where the bamboo seating and kitsch will have you feeling like you’re in a tropical setting. 

Most suited to groups of friends, the bar offers Zombie style drinks, Mai Tais, Jungle Birds, and their famous painkillers go down well too. They also offer party sized vessels that are perfectly suited to those having a wild night out. On the humorous side, the drinks are listed under the following categories on the menu –  I work tomorrow, I’m calling in sick, I’m texting my ex, and I lost my cell phone.

If you’ve had a few too many and don’t fancy being out for the rest of the night, it doesn’t have to mean the night is over. You can still benefit from the most entertaining casino games without making it to the casino, with live blackjack, poker and the best online slots on offer from the comfort of your own hotel room. 

Messorem Bracitorium

Messorem Bracitorium is a fascinating bar that roughly translates to ‘The Grim Reapers Brewery’ in Latin. The bar itself is highly popular with locals, in which the thick and creamy, yet sour IPA’s go down especially well with the larger fan crowd. 

With a spacious canal side trace this bar is a perfect option for the warmer summer months, although there’s also a cozy taproom for winters too. The vibe of the bar has an undiscovered secret setting charm to it where its off the beaten path location works in its favor. 

After a bite to eat too? Their kitchen offers the perfect selection to go down well with the drinks. 

Overall, Montreal is one of the greatest cities to visit, with its unique French culture and charming architecture. Whether you’re on a trip with friends, as a family, or are having a romantic getaway, there are many great bars in Montreal that promise a great time and fantastic new experiences to be had.