The ultimate guide to nightlife in Montréal

If you’re looking for a wine bar in Montréal:

For many Montrealers, there are few sights finer than a table littered with tiny plates and long-stemmed glassware. Raise a glass with an old vintage or a new favourite at any one of the city's exceptional wine bars.

• Vin Papillon (Little Burgundy): Part of the Joe Beef restaurant family, but with a distinct identity of its own, Le Vin Papillon is a long-time favourite among locals and tourists alike. It boasts a superb natural wine list and an inventive menu of seasonal, sharable small plates.
• June Buvette (Pointe-Saint-Charles): June Buvette is best described as chic, but approachable. Expect natural wines and thoughtful, upscale interpretations of comfort classics. 
• Buvette Chez Simone (Mile End): The pioneer of the wine bar scene in Montréal, Buvette Chez Simone has been running strong for over fifteen years. Its well-earned legacy status comes from its strong selection of international vintages and a tapas-style food menu. 
• Buvette Pastek (Old Montréal): A clear and open tribute to by the wine bars of Paris, Buvette Pastek is both laid back and sophisticated, with a tasty, straightforward menu and a robust wine list that leans both French and natural. 
• vinvinvin (La Petite-Patrie): Montréal’s only “Nordic wine bar” does a few things differently. Its wine program explores lesser-represented wine regions, it organizes its wine menu by palate (such as mineral, funky, and highly drinkable), and explores some biodynamic offerings—the punk rock of viticulture. 
• L’idéal bar & contenus (Quartier des Spectacles): Part busy, buzzy wine bar, part podcast recording studio available to rent, L’idéal bar is a unique hybrid concept that fosters a sense of community in more ways than one. It also offers a private room to reserve for group events. 
• Ratafia (Little Italy): Refined and lively, this Little Italy buvette stands out with a strong showing of inventive and elegant desserts, offering almost as many sweet menu items as savoury ones. Nothing like a cheeky glass and an indulgent treat. 

Interested in Montréal’s craft beer scene?

Montréal's own Molson Brewery is the oldest North America, so it comes as no surprise that we are passionate about our beer and, with it, the local craft beer scene. Exceptional brewpubs can be found all over La Belle Ville with a diverse range of sudsy offerings.

• Dieu du Ciel! (Mile End): Running since 1998, Dieu du Ciel! is one of Montréal’s most beloved microbreweries. Reliably lively, people flock to this brewpub day and night for its creative house beers and generous tasting flights.
• Will’s Beer (Mile-Ex): A cool, industrial neighbourhood brewery known for its carefully crafted beers. During the summer, the outdoor space transforms with picnic tables, fairy lights, and a rotating food truck; looking for a cold can to go? Swing by their dep next door.
• Isle de Garde (Petite-Patrie): A favourite among Montréal beer lovers, pouring 24 rotating taps of crisp lagers, farmhouse ales, and seasonal brews. Over next door, their tiny dep-café-boutique, Chez Popo, turns out killer breakfast sandwiches. 
• Réservoir (Plateau): Staying strong on the Plateau’s charming Duluth Avenue since 2002, Réservoir is known for its upscale pub fare and thoughtful house brews. First-timers should consider one of their classics such as the slightly tart rhubarb wheat ale or their rich and creamy oat stout!
• BENELUX (Quartier des Spectacles and Verdun): This downtown staple is best known for its Belgian-influenced craft beers and its fun menu of European-style snacks (sausage or pretzels, anyone?). They’ve also got a second location in Verdun, set inside a beautiful old bank, making it a great option if you’re visiting Montréal’s Sud-Ouest.
• Le Cheval Blanc (Village): One of Montréal’s pioneering brewpubs, established in 1987, Le Cheval Blanc is still pouring house-made beers in bar that is at once lively, divey, and historic. It’s the perfect spot to grab a pint, watch the game, or catch a show.
• McAuslan Brewery / 4 Origines / Messorem Bracitorium (Lachine Canal area): Make a day of it doing a brewery crawl along the Lachine Canal, hopping between a Montréal brewing institution and two modern taprooms known for their bold and innovative contemporary craft beers, all boasting summer terraces that are as hazy and laid back as their brews.

Montréal’s supper club scene:

Everybody needs to experience a supper club at least once in their lives; the restaurant-cabaret-nightclub atmosphere makes for a truly one-of-a-kind night out. What follows is a non-exhaustive list of some of the city’s best.

• Time Supper Club (Downtown): A long-running staple of the city’s supper club scene, Time is in a league of its own, consistently delivering elegant opulence with the quality of its dinners, its DJs, and its dancing. 
• Santos (Old Montréal): Santos is a consistently buzzy spot where cocktail pitchers, a Mexican-forward tapas menu, and reliable DJs make for a festive and welcoming party-forward supper club.
• Bord'Elle (Old Montréal): Dinner is served with a side of cheek in this glamorous cabaret. Inspired by prohibition-era entertainment, the party unfolds after plates are cleared with sultry performances and late-night dancing.
• La Voûte (Old Montréal): Set inside a spectacular former 1920s bank vault, La Voûte is lavish, elegant, and high drama as it transforms during its evolution from cabaret supper club to full-blown party nightclub throughout the night.
• Bowie (Old Montréal): Hidden beneath the cobblestone streets, let your dinner evolve into a party at this sleek, moody dining room is all velvet, chrome, and 1980s nightlife glamour. 
• Name’s on the Way (Plateau): This cheekily named supper club—often just called Name’s— is known for its chic surrounds and playful energy that always nails a seamless transition from lively dinner locale to dancing hotspot.
• Yoko Luna (Downtown): This luxurious supper club takes its inspiration from Japan’s steak houses and whiskey bars in a glamorous, dreamy atmosphere presided over by a golden geisha. 

If you’re seeking out indie music venues in Montréal:

Montréal has long been known for its thriving music scene, and there's no better way to experience local acts than at its show bars. For just a few bucks (or sometimes even free) you can hear independent acts of all stripes any day of the week.

• Casa del Popolo / Sala Rossa / La Sotterenea (Mile End): These three sister venues, long integral to the city’s rich countercultural music scene, provide intimate, sonically impressive settings for local and international indie, alternative, and experimental acts. They are also home to Suoni Per Il Popolo, Montréal’s annual avant-garde music festival, hosted in June. 
• Brasserie Beaubien and L'Hémisphère Gauche (Little Italy): Located a few addresses down from each other, these beloved Little Italy dives are host to some of the city’s best alternative acts. The suds are cold, and the sound is good!
• Théâtre Fairmount (Mile End) and Bar Le Ritz P.D.B. (Mile-Ex): These two venues, which host musical acts across all genres, are the kind that a local or touring band will play before they hit it so big, you’ll be seeing them in a venue four times the size. Enjoy the opportunity for more intimate performances with plenty of space to dance. 
• Barfly (Plateau): Anchoring Saint-Laurent Boulevard since 1996, Barfly’s stage continues to showcase a genre-spanning selection of live music and routinely draw crowds with its legendary, weekly Bluegrass Jam night.
• L'Escogriffe Bar Spectacle and Quai des Brumes (Plateau): Practically next door to one another, these neighbouring venues have held down the fort on St-Denis for decades, hosting some of Montréal’s best live alternative acts from the francophone music scene. 
• Turbo Haüs (Quartier Latin): Both a beloved community pillar and hardcore haven in the Quartier Latin, Turbo Haüs has put itself on the map for its for high-energy shows and its enthusiastic, tight-knit audience.
• Les Foufounes Électriques (Quartier des Spectacles): Affectionately referred to as “Foufs” by locals, this downtown punk and punk-adjacent institution has been doing its thing since 1983, often hosting multiple acts each night across its two stages.

Where to get the best of electronic music in Montréal:

Montréal holds its own when it comes to electronic music, offering spaces, festivals, and dance events devoted to the genre. You’ll have no trouble finding an irresistible sonic vibe around town.

• Société des arts technologiques (Quartier des Spectacles): Better known as the SAT, this pioneering digital arts centre hosts cutting-edge electronic performances and immersive audiovisual shows beneath its spectacular domed roof. It serves as a primary venue for Montréal’s internationally renowned MUTEK festival.
• New City Gas (Griffintown): A famed industrial-scale event space hosting major touring DJs, large dance parties, and festival-sized EDM nights.
• Bar Datcha (Mile End): A favourite for underground electronic music, pairing craft cocktails with a steady rotation of DJs in a cozy setting.
• Piknic Électronik (Parc Jean-Drapeau): Piknic is the city’s beloved summer Sunday dance party series, where DJs spin all afternoon in a laid-back, outdoor festival atmosphere overlooking the Saint-Lawrence River. 
• Beachclub (Pointe-Calumet): It’s a journey outside the city, no doubt, but the trip is worth it for this legendary open-air EDM venue. Beachclub is famous for its massive summer parties and celebrity-filled DJ events, where Spring Break is a perpetual vibe. 
• Stereo (Village): Stereo is the internationally acclaimed after-hours club in Montréal; a true pilgrimage site for serious dance music fans, known for marathon DJ sets and a world-class sound system featuring primarily house and techno. Visitors should know it doesn’t serve alcohol, only consistent good vibes.

EDM fans should keep an eye on the lineup for îLESONIQ, Montréal’s flagship electronic music festival that routinely draws big-name international DJs each summer for two straight days of unbelievable beats.

And what if you wanted to find all kinds of dancing in Montréal?

The city’s nightlife is richly diverse and has all kinds of dance floors to offer. Here are seven genre-spanning places to go dancing, whether you’re looking for hip-swingin’ Latin rhythms or boot-stompin’ country.

• Salsathèque (Downtown): One of Montréal’s oldest Latin dance clubs, where neon lights and tropical rhythms reign supreme. Seasoned salsa pros enthusiastically share the dance floor with curious would-be wallflowers and all that matters is to surrender to the groove. 
• Balattou (Plateau): Lush and beloved, this world-beat venue is the longtime home of the International Nuits d’Afrique Festival. For over 35 years, Balattou has been the place to go for vibrant live music and energetic dancing.
• Taverna (Plateau): Taverna holds a special, near-mythical, spot in the heart of many Montréalers. On Thursday through Saturday nights, DJs fire up this legendary discotheque with bangers that range from reggaeton to retro pop. 
• Cat’s Corner (near Frontenac metro station): For the last twenty years, this swing dance school has opened its doors every Friday for a quick beginner lesson before the floor fills for a Lindy Hoppin’ good time. If you’re looking to scratch the swing itch earlier in the week, you need only walk across the street to Café La Ligne Verte, whose weekly swing dance nights are on Wednesdays. 
• Spaghetti Western (Petite-Patrie): This bar is a homegrown Québecois tribute to the the honky-tonk, which takes its name from mid-century European-produced Americana, and you bet your boots there’s a dance floor. Texas two-step or try your hand at line dancing at this sincere but totally kitsch locale. 
• Electric Avenue (Downtown): If you’re looking for a club with a disco-lit dance floor playing nostalgia-fuelled retro bops from the 80s, 90s, and 00s, this is the place. Lose yourself in the spirit of a pre-smartphone era and enjoy some unselfconscious revelry.
• Club Unity (The Village): This inclusive club has been a community force in Montréal’s Gay Village for over 20 years, and it’s a favourite for good reason. All are welcome, safe, and celebrated on its dance floors (not to mention its awesome rooftop terrace).

Where to get a frosty pitcher and watch the game in Montréal:

Nothing beats watching a your favourite team play live, but there's no denying the electric energy that crackles through a sports bar with an enthusiastic crowd cheering and jeering at a big screen.

• Bar Nadia (Hochelaga): Deeply rooted in the legacy of Nadia Comăneci and the Montréal 1976 Olympic Games, Le Nadia is an inspiring, welcoming space where sport becomes a catalyst for connection. Here, the achievements of women athletes are celebrated, while people come together to eat, drink, talk and share the excitement.
• Champs Sports Bar (Plateau): Champs is an old Montréal institution with fresh new energy, with its rebrand in recent years as both a queer bar and a sports bar. Keep an eye on their Instagram for special event planning. 
• Bar St-Laurent Frappé (Plateau): Another long-standing Plateau sports bar location, Frappé is a great place to catch a hockey game or a soccer match, especially if you’re into billiards, foosball, or Cristiano Ronaldo.
• Ziggy's Pub (Downtown): Ziggy’s is the dependable downtown fixture for catching the game; it's no-frills and fans-first, with sizeable screens and a lot of warmth and charm. 
• NextDoor Pub & Grill (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce): A true neighbourhood beacon in NDG, NextDoor Pub has earned the loyalty of its patrons for its excellent pub fare (shoutout to their wings), quality service, and community heart.
• La Cage Brasserie Sportive (multiple locations): The city’s go-to sports bar chain, known for its sprawling screens and consistency across its every location. Members of La Cage also benefit from a fun promo: if during the game, the Montréal Canadiens score 5 goals, they get 8 free wings. Go Habs Go!
• Monsieur Ricard (Mile End): A curveball pick on Parc, pairing tennis, rugby, and soccer (excuse us, football)  with a splash of pastis and French flair from the old country. Don’t worry, Canada’s national sport is also screened.
• MVP Bar Sportif (Downtown): First opened in 1999, MVP Bar Sportif has been consistent in what it offers: if a game is showing in Canada, they’re screening it, with the volume up and the energy high. Good food, good vibes.

Montréal’s famous terrasses:

Summer means something particularly special to Montrealers. Every spring and through to fall, bars, restaurants, and cafés city-wide as much as double their space by spreading out outside, be it on rooftops, sidewalks, or backyard decks. Below are but a few to keep an eye out for.

• Terrasse Nelligan (Old Montréal): Every summer, locals and tourists alike flock to Hotel Nelligan’s exceptional outdoor rooftop bar for its sweeping views of the Old Port and beyond, excellent service, and polished cocktails. 
• Snowbird Tiki Bar (Petite-Patrie): Snowbird’s second-floor terrace overlooking the St-Hubert Plaza is every bit as colourful, retro, and tropical as its menu of potent cocktails.
• Pub Le Sainte-Élisabeth (Quartier des Spectacles): The patio at this pub is legendary. Hidden from street view, with its high walls covered in ivy vines, it is a courtyard oasis with laid back charm.
• Riverside (Lachine Canal): St-Henri’s Riverside does an outdoor space that is very emblematic of the neighbourhood: it is cool, a little industrial, and very sincere. It also has  a glassed-roof area which promises to keep patrons dry during sudden summer showers.
• Grinder Rooftop (Griffintown): Boutique Hotel Grinder’s outdoor rooftop bar is chic, luxurious, and relaxed, with cityscape views and comfortable seating for maximum chill. 
• Canal Lounge (Lachine Canal): This seasonally-operated boat-turned-bar is more of an honorary terrasse, but makes the cut due to its breezy, dockside experience that’s neither fully indoors nor out.

Looking to go to a drag bar in Montréal?

Montréal has a unique and vibrant drag scene that combines high camp and cabaret into one funny and glamorous entertainment experience.

• Cabaret Mado (Village): The beating heart of Montréal drag, nightly shows are hosted by the legendary grande dame of the city, Mado Lamotte. Her cabaret remains one of the busiest spots in the Village, so come pay your respects!
• Complexe Sky (Village): A sprawling, multi-level club (the biggest gay club in the country, in fact) that hosts regular drag programming as part of its many draws.
• Bar Le Cocktail (Village): It’s nothing but diva after diva at this iconic Village club, which showcases largely local, Québec Queens.
• Café Cléopatra (Quartier des Spectacles): A historic venue in Montréal’s former Red Light District, this second-floor cabaret space has been hosting semi-regular drag and burlesque events since 1976. 
• Notre-Dame-des-Quilles (Little Italy): N.D.Q. is a queer bar and, technically, a bowling alley with a vibrant nightlife scene that showcases local DJs, inclusive drag artists, and community events.
• The Wiggle Room (Plateau): Montréal’s premier burlesque club, where drag and cabaret collide in glittering, late-night performances of contemporary tease.

This is by no means an exhaustive list, with Montréal’s nightlife also being known for its jazz scene, its summer festivals and its winter parties, and a stunning array of hotel bars, just to name a few others. No matter what flavour of nightlife captures your interest, this sparkling and dynamic city has just the place to keep you out far later than planned…and grateful that you did.