Yo ho ho… Everyone likes to relax on the poop with a bottle o’ rum now and then. So here are some of the best places around Montreal to take a break from hauling lines.
Editors’ Pick:
Miami
3831 St. Laurent
A real dive: Miami is small, shady, probably home to Norway rats, and, oh yeah, awesome. It is the inevitable final destination for any McGill-Daily-related social gathering. If you’ve had a few, their disproportionately heavy pint glasses make you feel like your beer is bottomless, and the bizarre collection of knick-knacks above the bar just keeps getting more interesting. Plus, pool is free on weeknights, and the friendly owner has been known to give his female clientele complimentary “Miami Promotional Drinks.” Also, the back room of the bar is a dubiously legal smoking room (think of it as a terrace with a roof), so nicotine-fiends should take note.
Bily Kun
345 Mont-Royal E.
Steal a seat by the open window to watch the
world flow by on Mont Royal. Order mojitos or pick from a variety of beers on tap. Small circular tables let you get intimate with your drinking mates, under the watchful eyes of mounted ostrich heads. For real.
Cock ‘n’ Bull
1944 Ste. Catherine O.
Furl your sails and pull into this cove for Arts and crafts Mondays, bingo Tuesdays, karaoke Wednesdays, and cheap beer. A favourite of Solinites!
Foufounes Electriques
87 Ste. Catherine E.
Long-time wave-maker in the city’s punk scene, Foufounes reliably plays solid pop punk and hosts shows as well. They tout a burger joint too, which is worth the trip alone. Thursday nights offer an unbeatable $5 cover that includes four beers and a coat check.
Blizzarts
3956A St. Laurent
Do you study the Vice “Do’s” with scholarly intensity, love Justice, and split your allowance between cocaine and American Apparel? Then Blizzarts is the bar for you.
Blue Dog Motel
3598 St. Laurent
This sea-blue addition to the St. Laurent barhopping circuit opened last spring. A killer soundsystem and a free keg on Sunday nights sweeten the deal, but the real appeal is its close proximity to other St-Lo mainstays Blizzarts and Korova.
Dieu du Ciel
29 Laurier O.
One of Montreal’s finest brasseries, Dieu offers a fleet of outlandishly-flavoured beer; must-haves include the Elixer Celeste and the Rigor Mortis. And for the daredevil in you: there’s one that tastes a like a juicy strip of bacon, but we’ll leave it for a surprise find.
Else’s
156 Roy E.
A fine anchorage with a serious whiskey menu, delicious hot cider, and a smoky, relaxed ambience. The tunes ain’t bad either. The catch? Else’s license requires patrons to buy food.
Upstairs
1254 McKay
Less bar, more jazz club, but their ‘Jam Sessions” Mondays tend to be a good time if you’re into drifting with the current, or just want a change. And there’s hookah to boot.
Thomson House
3650 McTavish
A short walk up MacTavish, the grad building Thomson House is a more like a pub than a bar, offering a full menu and a warm atmosphere. A good place to study or talk with a friend over a pint. But, if you’re an undergraduate, you can’t just sail in, be sure to bring a grad student along.
Green Room & Main Hall
5390 St. Laurent
The Green Room has a bar at the bow, and a comfortably intimate dance space at the stern. And there’s no cover. Expect to see dolled-up hipsters and awkward shufflers dancing side- by-side. It’s conveniently located below Main Hall, a former concert space that now holds its own all-you-can-dance parties, like Faggity Ass Fridays, which benefits Head & Hands’ peer-based sex education program.
Korova
3908 St. Laurent
Its makeover gave it a “so hip it hurts” vibe, but Korova is still a great place to get drunk and get on down with your bad self. The various theme nights – a different mix of music types each night of the week – give Korova a bit of something for almost every taste.
Peel Pub
1196 Peel
Guys, seriously, just stop going here. If you absolutely have to make out with a froshie, hike up to rez.