The 15 best dive bars in Montreal for getting your buzz on

With the weather turning cold in Montreal, it can be tough to get your buzz on without having to spend all your money at the bar.

In order to enjoy a night out without drinking, you need to find a place that suits your preferences. We’ve gathered our favorite spots that offer a great atmosphere to kick back with a beer or glass of wine.

If you don’t know where to go in Montreal to get a buzz on, here are some of the best dives that will give you that “in-the-mood” feeling.

Where to find the best dive bars in Montreal

1. Les Verres Stérilisés

Whether it’s the club’s name or the distinctive neon signs that gets people interested in it, the fact that this dive bar is so classic seals the deal.

On tap, you’ll find a wide variety of beers, all poured into a newly washed glass, and tall bottles of well-known beers like Laurentide and Labatt 50 are reasonably priced.

Plainspoken taverns like these may have found the promise of a clean glass to be both cheeky and enticing back in the day. Don’t forget about the pool table, the VLT machines, and the hockey games shown on the wall for amusement.

2. La Petite Idée Fixe

When dive bars become mainstream, they may retain their aesthetic, but they may lose their gritty character.

La Petite Idée Fixe is a dive bar in every sense of the word, notwithstanding the attractive Mile End clientele it attracts on a daily basis.

While you’re waiting for your turn at the pool table, grab a copy of the Idée Fixe classic. A Jameson boilermaker is made with a large bottle of Labatt 50.

3. Barfly

Barfly is a typical bar and music club where you can get a cheap pint of whatever’s cold and enjoy their live acts of blues, bluegrass, jazz, and rock.

When you stand up and dance with the rest of the bar, your beer is likely to drop on the floor. Even if you try to enjoy it. Don’t worry about the dog in the corner having a beer.

4. Bar des Pins

Bar des Pins attracts a youthful, party-loving clientele of McGill students. Depending on when you arrive, a beer pong night may or may not be scheduled, so plan accordingly.

This is a place for the college student, the competitive drinker, and the session drinker alike. Come on in.

5. TRH-Bar

The Trash Bar, also known as the Foot Clan’s lair from the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film, is a gathering place for skaters to watch the operating skate bowl while sipping PBR long cans.

Check out the metal toilet on the rear bar for cheap beer and a good view of the skating rink if you’ve got any tricks to show. It may be a bit shabby, but at least it’s warm.

6. Bifteck

The Main’s most famous dive bar, this two-story establishment is a local institution. Drinks like Boréal or Blue and Five Star Rye are affordable at Bifteck.

Bifteck’s notably free popcorn may be enjoyed as you play pool or people-watch from the open windows in the summer. Enjoy their tailgate culinary competition at the end of the Super Bowl.

7. Snack N’ Blues

This jazz and blues club has been open since 1991, and it feels like it’s been there for a long time. After all, thirty years might seem like an eternity.

They provide free sour keys and chocolate-covered almonds, so you remain because of that. In the name, “snack” isn’t simply for show; it’s a real word.

Avoid asking for sophisticated cocktails and instead stick to what’s on tap if you want to appear cool on a date who doesn’t give a fuck about what you drink.

8. Taverne Cobra

This tequila-soaked version of The Goonies meets a Bangkok night market in terms of mood at this quirky drinking place drenched with 1980s nostalgia. This dive has it all.

The karaoke bar, movie theaters, ice hockey, and arcades are all great options. They’ve got whatever you’re into. It has the most eye-catching decor of any dive bar in town, and that alone makes it worth a trip for a drink and a shot.

9. Bar de Courcelle

Bar de Courcelle, Saint Henri’s local dive bar, is like a town square in terms of atmosphere. Bar de Courcelle is a great place to meet old friends or make new ones while having a few drinks.

Chilli con carne and cheese platters are also available on the bar’s limited menu. It’s there if you’re looking for it.

The neon cat and the modest gathering of residents at the intersection of De Courcelle and Notre Dame Street on weekends are good places to look for each other.

10. Brasserie Beaubien

While it’s true that this is a dive pub, it’s mostly known as a concert venue.

One of the greatest spots in Montreal to see up and coming bands and visitors from out of town in an intimate environment is Beaubien, an unassuming brasserie that serves VLTs and cheap shots.

Bands of many kinds may be found here, from avant-garde jazz trios to country musicians and emo revivalists.

11. Bar La Remise

Bar La Remise is tucked away on a quiet side street next to a supermarket store’s industrial loading dock. In an area where cigarette smoke fills the air, the neon sign that seems like it was drawn in MS Paint will tell you you’ve arrived.

A large bottle of Belle Gueule costs $6.25, and it’s recommended that you have a few of these before going to the karaoke on Saturday night.

12. Casa Del Popolo

Music festivals Suoni per il Popolo and Pop Montreal, as well as a dive bar for younger Montrealers, have made it a Mile End fixture for indie bands. This dingy pub has been reduced to the bare essentials by Casa.

Everything you’d expect from a traditional dive bar is here: a comfortable setting, low-cost beer, plus a few tasty nibbles. Even if you consider it a more refined alternative, a dive is still a dive.

13. The Wheel Club

An NDG institution, this is where actual country music, not Keith Urban country, is played in Montreal.

Come by on a Monday for Hillbilly Night, which has been going on since 1966 and only permits music from that year to be played that night.

If you want to feel like you’ve stepped back in time, the wood paneled interior of this retro-themed joint is a great location to do just that while listening to some vintage country music and splitting a pitcher with some buddies.

14. Turbo Haüs

Turbo Haüs defies the usual concept of a dive bar by combining it with an art gallery and a place for punk shows. For the most part, we’ve picked this venue because of the dingy bar atmosphere that it radiates.

To go along with a decent drink list and inexpensive beers you could find a metal band, stand-up comedy, Dungeons & Dragons adventures or live band karaoke. The best reason to go is to take advantage of their fantastic happy hour specials.

15. Grumpy’s

On Monday through Wednesday, Grumpy’s, a local pub in the heart of Downtown Montreal, sells pints of blonde for $4 and is known for its bartenders’ refusal to mix anything more complicated than a two-step drink.

You’ve got yourself a reputable institution that cuts corners in the finest of ways when you combine that mentality with good musical performances on Wednesdays (jazz) and Thursdays (bluegrass) and a free for all on weekends (typically independent bands).

Conclusion

The 15 best dive bars in Montreal for getting your buzz on. These are places where a cheap beer or a glass of wine is always available, where you can sit back and watch the game, listen to good music, or enjoy a good conversation.

Whether you’re looking for a quiet, intimate bar, or a place where you can let loose with a bunch of friends, these are the best dive bars in Montreal.

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