My favorite discovery this year was Montreal. I only wish I had visited this city earlier in life, but better late than never, as they say. I have seen some threads discussing how amazing Montreal is, including enthusiastic praise from respected members of the forum, but I haven't seen a data sheet thread that offers a thorough breakdown from top to bottom. It is only right that as the New Year approaches us, that I pay homage to one of my favorite cities in the world and a place that changed my life this year (I went four different times in 2011). In fact, if it weren't for the harsh winters, I would probably live in Montreal. Summertime in this city for me is second to none. So, with that being said, here it goes!
Transportation
Public transportation within Montreal is actually pretty good. The subway system closes at 1am and opens at 5:30 am. The fare system is the most reasonable I've seen anywhere for a major western city. You can get a daily pass, weekend, or weekly pass for very reasonable prices and that give you unlimited rides on both the subways and the buses. The city is also centralized so you can get to all the major points using metro.
This pass even applies to the express bus that goes from downtown MTL to the airport and vice versa--which is normally $8. That's a very good deal.
Taxis are also very reasonably priced. These are a must in the late hours if you've got to get somewhere and don't want to wait on the bus.
Getting to and from the airport by bus from downtown takes anywhere from 20-45 minutes depending on traffic.
Flying into Montreal from a US city can be expensive, due to international fees and surcharges. Like other major Canadian cities, Montreal is within 100 miles of the US border. Every big Canadian city has a big American city counterpart on the other side of the border. For Vancouver, that city is Seattle; for Toronto, it is Buffalo; and for Montreal, it is Burlington, VT. It is significantly cheaper and more cost-effective, depending on your budget and time, to fly into the nearest big American city, and then bus/drive into Canada. Burlington, VT is like 2 hours from Montreal and has an international airport.
Amtrak offers train service along the Eastern Seaboard. I have friends who have done this, but it takes a long time. 11 hours from NYC and 14 hours from DC. However, you can get up and move around while the train is moving, and you can bring food and booze (the food sold on the train is pricey and limited in options).
One of the more increasingly popular options, however, is Craigslist rideshare. There are almost daily listings of rides going to and from NYC and Boston. Check out this link for an idea: http://newyork.craigslist.org/rid/
Because most rideshares involve a group of strangers, your personal cost is lower. Rides can be as cheap as $35-50 pp each way, and that includes gas. Some drivers offer round-trip discounts. Depending on the wait at the border, it could take 6 1/2 to 7 hours to get there from NYC, and probably 5+ from Boston. Lots of the vehicles on rideshare are vans and SUVs so the ride is generally comfy. I've actually met some really cool and interesting people this way.
Make sure that, if you do rideshare, the driver is an American or Canadian citizen. If not, your wait at the border could be much longer.
Lodging
Personally, I'm a private apartments kind of guy. I think for Montreal this is your best bet. I can't recommend a better site than http://www.airbnb.com. I went to Montreal four times in 2011, all during summer, and booked plush spots in different areas of the city each time. I recommend staying in Old Port, Mont Royal, Downtown, Saint-Laurent, or Westmount.
If you insist on a hotel, instead, check out Hotel Nelligan (which has a nice rooftop bar with a sick view), St. Paul Hotel, The W, or Hotel Place D'Armes. There's also Montreal Luxury Apartments on 400 W. Sherbrooke.
Nightlife
Now, this is for me what Montreal is all about. IMHO, it has the best nightlife in North America, and rivals among the best you may find around the rest of the world. There are so many spots, and this doesn't begin to capture it all, but I will try my best.
One thing worth noting, though, is that the drinking age in this part of Canada is 18. In certain bars in areas like St. Laurent and Crescent St, you will meet girls of this age that are cute but flaky when it comes to returning phone calls, etc. This has happened to me and my boys, even with chicks we've groped and made out with. When dealing with girls of this age group, aim for the ONS. If it doesn't happen, don't keep your hopes up. I even got to a point where I was not taking numbers.
Saint-Laurent
This is one of the most famous streets in all of Canada. There is a strip of bars and clubs on both sides of the street that seem to go on forever (between Sherbrooke and Pine streets). A Friday or Saturday night in the summer here will involve the most concentrated number of beautiful women you have probably ever seen in your life. St. Laurent is considered the anchor of the French nightlife in Montreal. Though most girls here are bilingual, you may often hear them speak English with a Quebecois French accent (which I find hot) or they just only speak French (which can be good or bad![[Image: wink.gif]](https://rooshvforum.network/images/smilies/wink.gif)
. However, you will also meet many who speak English with little to no accent. Since there are so many women out on the street, you can decide where to go just by asking the hot ones where they are going or just observing where they are going. Play it by ear (bar/club hopping here is effortless). With that being said, there are still a couple of spots I want to specifically highlight.
Wood 35 - Upscale restaurant that turns into a dance club at night. I saw a bartender here one night that was honestly in my top 3 of the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on. The chicks in here are dressed to kill and smoking. I remember passing by this spot for the first time as it was emptying out and me and my boy being astounded by the staggering number of talent that was pouring onto the street. It's unreal.
Note: The bouncers here are kinda douchey, so make sure you get there before it gets packed and be sure to look the part.
Orchid Nightclub - This is the best upscale hip-hop nightclub in Montreal. Fridays are the best nights because there is an open bar for ladies.
Muzique - High end nightclub usually full of chicks. Here are some pics.
Ivy Nightclub - More hot chicks.
Tokyo Bar - Good spot for gaming younger (easier) chicks.
B-Side - Formerly known as Buddha Bar, this is an excellent bar to meet trendy and feminine local university chicks.
Crescent Street
This street HOLDS IT DOWN for English-speaking Montreal. Like St. Laurent, you will see some of the hottest women ever in this area. This is also where most Americans visiting Montreal tend to party (English-speaking, go figure). I've even met American chicks here who have visited MTL multiple times without ever having stepped foot in St. Laurent or the primarily French areas of the city *gasp* (way to rep stereotypes). You'll find a few American college students from Vermont and upstate New York, whom you will probably ignore with lightening speed. Though it is a small area compared to St. Laurent, what Crescent lacks in size it makes up for in potency. Crescent Street begins at the intersection with Sherbrooke and ends at Maisonnueve. It is easy to explore and is ideal for bar/club hopping. Here are some spots worth mentioning:
Light Ultraclub - Hip-Hop and House on two separate floors. The most well-known club on Crescent. This YouTube clip is sick!
Club Seven - Amazing chicks. Hip-Hop and House both Fridays and Saturdays. Dress to impress.
Newtown -Great lounge atmosphere and trendy decor. Hot chicks. Hip-Hop and House music.
Mt. Royal (Plateau)
This is another great scene in Montreal. It's more for those into the bar scene rather than dance clubs, with just a couple of exceptions.
Salon Doame - This is one exception: the primary dance club in the Mt. Royal area for those who like electro/house. The chicks in here run the gamut from Latin American, European, and French Canadian. I pulled a girl out of here and back to my apartment my first night in Montreal.
House Nightclub - The only massive upscale dance club in the Mt. Royal area. This is a glamorous type of spot full of gorgeous girls. You'll need to bring some cash and your A-game.
Bily Kun - This is an awesome bar near Salon Doame. GQ Magazine named it one of the top bars in the world for the beautiful crowds. It has a high reputation for quality. The decor and ambiance is just dope. It serves great beers, including a few famous Czech ones, and it's a place where you can find some seriously attractive chicks. This is my favorite bar for beer in Montreal.
Laika - Simply amazing bar and restaurant full of beautiful women and ideal for people watching. Great spot to game chicks.
Blizzarts - Great place for dance-themed nights from Dancehall to Dubstep.
Downtown
Cavali - This is a very glamorous high end club for those who want to see and be seen. This is where one should go to do it big. If money is no issue for the night and you feel like popping bottles, this is your spot.
Peel Pub - This is my favorite pub. It's the best place to watch a sporting event while in Montreal. They have amazing drink specials everyday (i.e. a 32. oz Rum and Coke for $10). Me and my boys went here to watch a UFC match and got a 160 oz. pitcher of Hoegaarden for just $40. You can also get a Stella or Becks pitcher (among others) for the same price.
L'Escalier - This is usually a bohemian live music kind of joint, but on Sundays, it's Latin night! Montreal is known as the Latin capital of the North, and spend any time there you'll see why. It's just a different way of life unfamiliar to the Anglo-Saxon world. The women are feminine, and the culture is French-derived (i.e. Latin). There are lots of girls from South America and the Caribbean in this city and they like to come out here to dance some salsa.
Le Saint Elizabeth Pub - Hidden gem that has one of the best terraces in Montreal. Cheap beers and young attractive crowd.
Altitude 737 - Club on the penthouse floor of the tallest building in Montreal. Amazing view, but you pay for it in the price of the drinks and food.
Circus Afterhours - Montreal's main after-hours (past 3am) partying spot with a faithful clientèle. The hip-hop room has a serious underground feel. This is one of the best places to pick up a lizard for the ONS.
Club La Boom - Montreal's downtown you-name-it spot. Whatever music you're into, they have it. There's a mild dress code in effect so don't dress down.
Old Port
This is my favorite area in Montreal. This is for the twenty-something crowd. I've gotten my most flags here. It's the old part of the city, full of cobblestone narrow streets and historic architecture. It's quite beautiful. There are more areas than just the following spots, but these merit special attention on your radar.
Santos - This is one of my favorite bars on the planet. It is just damn HOT. This is a place you can bring a date or find a local flag. The ratio here on a typical weekday evening is advantageous. I actually prefer that time over the post-11pm hour from Thurs-Sat when it opens up as a dance floor. You'll need to apply some indirect game because most of the women are in groups and sit at a table as opposed to a club. I took a girl I met at a dance club nearby here during our first meetup and then smashed at her place later. Sophisticated veteran playboys will appreciate this spot. It's got a much better ratio and consistent quality than anything you'd find in NYC.
The W Hotel Bar - A diverse crowd that dresses to impress. It's mostly for that hip-hop trendy set. It's worth a visit once.
L'Confessional - This is a reasonably upscale bar on McGill Street in Old Port. There's no cover and it's cool to check out for about an hour. This is the kind of place where you go in to swoop something decent and fast. It can get packed, but the crowd is well-dressed and you can find some nice chicks in here. I met a couple of sisters, both blonds that looked Polish, from Kelowna, BC. They went home with me and my boy that night. The bouncers here are mad cool.
Velvet Speakeasy - This is probably the best spot to really party in Old Port. It's even been mentioned in the NYT. The music is that hard electro stuff, but the women in here is some of the best you will find. The partying takes place downstairs in a cave-like space that looks like it's from the medieval era. The chicks here are very feminine and very European looking. I met a hot brunette here with green eyes and nice tits who I got to leave her friends to join me for a cigarette outside. She gave up the digits, we met at Santos a couple of days later, and the rest is history. Fellas, make sure you hit this spot when in Montreal.
Time Supper Club - Leading supper club in Montreal that attracts celebs from Akon to Tommy Lee to Christina Aguilera to Timbaland. It's best to make dinner reservations at 9:30pm and stay until they kick everyone out at 3am. Very close to Akon's Hitlab factory/bachelor pad.
Day Game/Shopping
St. Catherine Street (Downtown) - This is without a doubt the best place in Montreal to shop and apply day game. There are LOADS OF CHICKS going about their business here everyday during the summer. It's absolute madness. This street also hits two major universities--Concordia (the bigger and more prominent of the two English-speaking universities in Quebec) and McGill (the top university in Quebec and one of the best in Canada). There's malls, coffee shops, underground malls, bars, stores, and all kinds of places to find women ripe for day game. I recommend sticking the section of this street that's between Guy and St. Urbain streets (a very long stretch).
St. Denis - This is a very long street in the French side of town that has strictly pedestrian parts, which are expanded during the summer. There are many bars, restaurants, cafes, etc. that are full of chicks ripe for day game. I recommend sticking to the area between St. Catherine and Mont Royal streets (a very long stretch). Club Cactus is a Latin club you also want to check out.
Strip Clubs
Montreal is known for having some of the best strip clubs in all of North America. I didn't partake in this endeavor, but I've heard of a couple that I may check out during a trip I am sure to take at least once next summer.
Club Supersexe - Upscale strip joint on St. Catherine St. Known for having some of the hottest strippers.
Wanda's - Another upscale joint on De Maisonneuve and de la Montagne streets. I hear this is considered one of the best.
Solid Gold - This is on Saint Laurent and is said to be a "contact" place during bachelor parties. There are also rumors of things going down in the back rooms, but I can't confirm as I have not been.
Festivals
From May-September, Montreal comes alive with beautiful summer weather and constant festivals. There is always a festival going on during this time of year, sometimes several going on simultaneously.
Montreal International Jazz Festival - This is one event you simply can't afford to miss. It is the largest jazz festival in the world and draws more than 3,000 artists from over 30 countries. There's more than 650 concerts, including over 450 free outdoor concerts. More than 2.5 million people attend this event every year, a significant number of them being tourists. If you can't get laid during Jazz Fest, cut your dick off and call it a day.
![[Image: montreal-jazz-festival.jpg]](http://www.jazzhostels.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/montreal-jazz-festival.jpg)
The Montreal World Film Festival in August is also pretty cool for those who like indie flicks. Lots of free screenings, including those that take place outdoors, offering opportunities to game chicks.
Good Eats
Montreal is well-known for the quality of its food (of all price ranges). These are just a few suggestions of places to grub.
Jardin Nelson - This is one of the sexiest and exclusive restaurants I've ever dined at. It's got a discreet gated entrance with a courtyard garden obstructing the view from the outside looking in. Truly elegant and incredible food.
L'Assommoir - This is a fantastic upscale restaurant and bar. A chick I approached at a bar one night actually treated me to dinner here later that week. I can't vouch for it enough. There are a couple of locations in Montreal, but I went to the one in Notre-Dame in the Old Port neighborhood. Excellent dining experience.
Boustan - Great Lebanese food spot on Crescent St. ideal for post-partying 3am gorging.
Moishes - Said to be the best steakhouse in North America. Location in NYC too.
Sir Winston Churchill Pub - A staple on the Crescent Street scene. Worth a visit, not least to pay respect to the memory of the man for whom it is named after.
Rotisserie Romados - Best local spot for grilled chicken. Rave reviews on Yelp, and there's even YouTube clips showing how they get down. Portuguese-style french fries. Excellent.
Schwartz's - Legendary Jewish deli that's been around since 1928. Amazing smoked-meat sandwiches. Any famous person that stops through Montreal usually makes a visit here while in town. Several big money offers have been made to the owners here to license franchises across North America, to which they have always refused. IMHO, this place blows NYC's Katz Deli out of the water, and the prices here are significantly better. It's also open 24-hours.
La Banquise - For those who are unaware, poutine is a fast food dish that originated in Quebec. There is no better place to have this classic dish, in every variety (toppings) imaginable, than La Banquise. Lines are usually long, especially late at night (24-hour spot), as poutine is considered the classic comfort food after a night out drinking.
Juliette & Chocolat - This is a famous dessert and coffee spot that girls absolutely love. There are many opportunities for indirect game here, or it can be a place where you take a chick (depending on how you feel). There are locations on St. Denis and St. Laurent. You can find chicks in both places, but I think the hot chicks at the St. Laurent one are more consistent. There are usually short lines to get in during the evening.
Fairmount Bagel - Been around since 1919. Enough said.
Activities
The great thing about cities in Canada is that nature is always nearby.
St. Lawrence River - One of the funnest things I've ever done is swim in the St. Lawrence River while I was in Montreal. In the Verdun neighborhood, there's a bike path along the water and docks where people hang out in swim attire and then plunge into the river. The current is reasonably strong most of the time, so you shouldn't try it if you're not a decent swimmer, or don't venture too far out in the water. It's a great way to relax and, surprisingly, the river in Montreal is quite clean, especially for being in a major city.
Mont Royal - This is the mountain from which the name Montreal is derived from. It's an excellent place to get a view of the city, day or night. I recommend going on Sundays at 1pm for this weekly ritual called tamtams. There are drummers, dancers, vendors, and a drum circle. For all you weed smokers, this is a good place to find some and/or light up.
Montreal Casino - Right on the St. Lawrence River near Verdun.
Old Port of Montreal - This is worth exploring during the day. Start at St. Paul and walk through the various streets that lead to the port.
Other Neighborhoods
You might hear some stuff about the Mile End, which is an up-and-coming hipster/gentrifying neighborhood I would liken to Williamsburg or Park Slope in Brooklyn. It's neighborhoody and comfy, with some cool local bars, but it's usually dead during prime going out hours and it's not where the hot chicks are. It might be worth checking out if you've got extra time to kill and are curious about that side of Montreal.
Montreal Facts and History
http://wikitravel.org/en/Montreal
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/montreal
Transportation
Public transportation within Montreal is actually pretty good. The subway system closes at 1am and opens at 5:30 am. The fare system is the most reasonable I've seen anywhere for a major western city. You can get a daily pass, weekend, or weekly pass for very reasonable prices and that give you unlimited rides on both the subways and the buses. The city is also centralized so you can get to all the major points using metro.
This pass even applies to the express bus that goes from downtown MTL to the airport and vice versa--which is normally $8. That's a very good deal.
Taxis are also very reasonably priced. These are a must in the late hours if you've got to get somewhere and don't want to wait on the bus.
Getting to and from the airport by bus from downtown takes anywhere from 20-45 minutes depending on traffic.
Flying into Montreal from a US city can be expensive, due to international fees and surcharges. Like other major Canadian cities, Montreal is within 100 miles of the US border. Every big Canadian city has a big American city counterpart on the other side of the border. For Vancouver, that city is Seattle; for Toronto, it is Buffalo; and for Montreal, it is Burlington, VT. It is significantly cheaper and more cost-effective, depending on your budget and time, to fly into the nearest big American city, and then bus/drive into Canada. Burlington, VT is like 2 hours from Montreal and has an international airport.
Amtrak offers train service along the Eastern Seaboard. I have friends who have done this, but it takes a long time. 11 hours from NYC and 14 hours from DC. However, you can get up and move around while the train is moving, and you can bring food and booze (the food sold on the train is pricey and limited in options).
One of the more increasingly popular options, however, is Craigslist rideshare. There are almost daily listings of rides going to and from NYC and Boston. Check out this link for an idea: http://newyork.craigslist.org/rid/
Because most rideshares involve a group of strangers, your personal cost is lower. Rides can be as cheap as $35-50 pp each way, and that includes gas. Some drivers offer round-trip discounts. Depending on the wait at the border, it could take 6 1/2 to 7 hours to get there from NYC, and probably 5+ from Boston. Lots of the vehicles on rideshare are vans and SUVs so the ride is generally comfy. I've actually met some really cool and interesting people this way.
Make sure that, if you do rideshare, the driver is an American or Canadian citizen. If not, your wait at the border could be much longer.
Lodging
Personally, I'm a private apartments kind of guy. I think for Montreal this is your best bet. I can't recommend a better site than http://www.airbnb.com. I went to Montreal four times in 2011, all during summer, and booked plush spots in different areas of the city each time. I recommend staying in Old Port, Mont Royal, Downtown, Saint-Laurent, or Westmount.
If you insist on a hotel, instead, check out Hotel Nelligan (which has a nice rooftop bar with a sick view), St. Paul Hotel, The W, or Hotel Place D'Armes. There's also Montreal Luxury Apartments on 400 W. Sherbrooke.
Nightlife
Now, this is for me what Montreal is all about. IMHO, it has the best nightlife in North America, and rivals among the best you may find around the rest of the world. There are so many spots, and this doesn't begin to capture it all, but I will try my best.
One thing worth noting, though, is that the drinking age in this part of Canada is 18. In certain bars in areas like St. Laurent and Crescent St, you will meet girls of this age that are cute but flaky when it comes to returning phone calls, etc. This has happened to me and my boys, even with chicks we've groped and made out with. When dealing with girls of this age group, aim for the ONS. If it doesn't happen, don't keep your hopes up. I even got to a point where I was not taking numbers.
Saint-Laurent
This is one of the most famous streets in all of Canada. There is a strip of bars and clubs on both sides of the street that seem to go on forever (between Sherbrooke and Pine streets). A Friday or Saturday night in the summer here will involve the most concentrated number of beautiful women you have probably ever seen in your life. St. Laurent is considered the anchor of the French nightlife in Montreal. Though most girls here are bilingual, you may often hear them speak English with a Quebecois French accent (which I find hot) or they just only speak French (which can be good or bad
. However, you will also meet many who speak English with little to no accent. Since there are so many women out on the street, you can decide where to go just by asking the hot ones where they are going or just observing where they are going. Play it by ear (bar/club hopping here is effortless). With that being said, there are still a couple of spots I want to specifically highlight.Wood 35 - Upscale restaurant that turns into a dance club at night. I saw a bartender here one night that was honestly in my top 3 of the most beautiful women I have ever laid eyes on. The chicks in here are dressed to kill and smoking. I remember passing by this spot for the first time as it was emptying out and me and my boy being astounded by the staggering number of talent that was pouring onto the street. It's unreal.
Note: The bouncers here are kinda douchey, so make sure you get there before it gets packed and be sure to look the part.
Orchid Nightclub - This is the best upscale hip-hop nightclub in Montreal. Fridays are the best nights because there is an open bar for ladies.
Muzique - High end nightclub usually full of chicks. Here are some pics.
Ivy Nightclub - More hot chicks.
Tokyo Bar - Good spot for gaming younger (easier) chicks.
B-Side - Formerly known as Buddha Bar, this is an excellent bar to meet trendy and feminine local university chicks.
Crescent Street
This street HOLDS IT DOWN for English-speaking Montreal. Like St. Laurent, you will see some of the hottest women ever in this area. This is also where most Americans visiting Montreal tend to party (English-speaking, go figure). I've even met American chicks here who have visited MTL multiple times without ever having stepped foot in St. Laurent or the primarily French areas of the city *gasp* (way to rep stereotypes). You'll find a few American college students from Vermont and upstate New York, whom you will probably ignore with lightening speed. Though it is a small area compared to St. Laurent, what Crescent lacks in size it makes up for in potency. Crescent Street begins at the intersection with Sherbrooke and ends at Maisonnueve. It is easy to explore and is ideal for bar/club hopping. Here are some spots worth mentioning:
Light Ultraclub - Hip-Hop and House on two separate floors. The most well-known club on Crescent. This YouTube clip is sick!
Club Seven - Amazing chicks. Hip-Hop and House both Fridays and Saturdays. Dress to impress.
Newtown -Great lounge atmosphere and trendy decor. Hot chicks. Hip-Hop and House music.
Mt. Royal (Plateau)
This is another great scene in Montreal. It's more for those into the bar scene rather than dance clubs, with just a couple of exceptions.
Salon Doame - This is one exception: the primary dance club in the Mt. Royal area for those who like electro/house. The chicks in here run the gamut from Latin American, European, and French Canadian. I pulled a girl out of here and back to my apartment my first night in Montreal.
House Nightclub - The only massive upscale dance club in the Mt. Royal area. This is a glamorous type of spot full of gorgeous girls. You'll need to bring some cash and your A-game.
Bily Kun - This is an awesome bar near Salon Doame. GQ Magazine named it one of the top bars in the world for the beautiful crowds. It has a high reputation for quality. The decor and ambiance is just dope. It serves great beers, including a few famous Czech ones, and it's a place where you can find some seriously attractive chicks. This is my favorite bar for beer in Montreal.
Laika - Simply amazing bar and restaurant full of beautiful women and ideal for people watching. Great spot to game chicks.
Blizzarts - Great place for dance-themed nights from Dancehall to Dubstep.
Downtown
Cavali - This is a very glamorous high end club for those who want to see and be seen. This is where one should go to do it big. If money is no issue for the night and you feel like popping bottles, this is your spot.
Peel Pub - This is my favorite pub. It's the best place to watch a sporting event while in Montreal. They have amazing drink specials everyday (i.e. a 32. oz Rum and Coke for $10). Me and my boys went here to watch a UFC match and got a 160 oz. pitcher of Hoegaarden for just $40. You can also get a Stella or Becks pitcher (among others) for the same price.
L'Escalier - This is usually a bohemian live music kind of joint, but on Sundays, it's Latin night! Montreal is known as the Latin capital of the North, and spend any time there you'll see why. It's just a different way of life unfamiliar to the Anglo-Saxon world. The women are feminine, and the culture is French-derived (i.e. Latin). There are lots of girls from South America and the Caribbean in this city and they like to come out here to dance some salsa.
Le Saint Elizabeth Pub - Hidden gem that has one of the best terraces in Montreal. Cheap beers and young attractive crowd.
Altitude 737 - Club on the penthouse floor of the tallest building in Montreal. Amazing view, but you pay for it in the price of the drinks and food.
Circus Afterhours - Montreal's main after-hours (past 3am) partying spot with a faithful clientèle. The hip-hop room has a serious underground feel. This is one of the best places to pick up a lizard for the ONS.
Club La Boom - Montreal's downtown you-name-it spot. Whatever music you're into, they have it. There's a mild dress code in effect so don't dress down.
Old Port
This is my favorite area in Montreal. This is for the twenty-something crowd. I've gotten my most flags here. It's the old part of the city, full of cobblestone narrow streets and historic architecture. It's quite beautiful. There are more areas than just the following spots, but these merit special attention on your radar.
Santos - This is one of my favorite bars on the planet. It is just damn HOT. This is a place you can bring a date or find a local flag. The ratio here on a typical weekday evening is advantageous. I actually prefer that time over the post-11pm hour from Thurs-Sat when it opens up as a dance floor. You'll need to apply some indirect game because most of the women are in groups and sit at a table as opposed to a club. I took a girl I met at a dance club nearby here during our first meetup and then smashed at her place later. Sophisticated veteran playboys will appreciate this spot. It's got a much better ratio and consistent quality than anything you'd find in NYC.
The W Hotel Bar - A diverse crowd that dresses to impress. It's mostly for that hip-hop trendy set. It's worth a visit once.
L'Confessional - This is a reasonably upscale bar on McGill Street in Old Port. There's no cover and it's cool to check out for about an hour. This is the kind of place where you go in to swoop something decent and fast. It can get packed, but the crowd is well-dressed and you can find some nice chicks in here. I met a couple of sisters, both blonds that looked Polish, from Kelowna, BC. They went home with me and my boy that night. The bouncers here are mad cool.
Velvet Speakeasy - This is probably the best spot to really party in Old Port. It's even been mentioned in the NYT. The music is that hard electro stuff, but the women in here is some of the best you will find. The partying takes place downstairs in a cave-like space that looks like it's from the medieval era. The chicks here are very feminine and very European looking. I met a hot brunette here with green eyes and nice tits who I got to leave her friends to join me for a cigarette outside. She gave up the digits, we met at Santos a couple of days later, and the rest is history. Fellas, make sure you hit this spot when in Montreal.
Time Supper Club - Leading supper club in Montreal that attracts celebs from Akon to Tommy Lee to Christina Aguilera to Timbaland. It's best to make dinner reservations at 9:30pm and stay until they kick everyone out at 3am. Very close to Akon's Hitlab factory/bachelor pad.
Day Game/Shopping
St. Catherine Street (Downtown) - This is without a doubt the best place in Montreal to shop and apply day game. There are LOADS OF CHICKS going about their business here everyday during the summer. It's absolute madness. This street also hits two major universities--Concordia (the bigger and more prominent of the two English-speaking universities in Quebec) and McGill (the top university in Quebec and one of the best in Canada). There's malls, coffee shops, underground malls, bars, stores, and all kinds of places to find women ripe for day game. I recommend sticking the section of this street that's between Guy and St. Urbain streets (a very long stretch).
St. Denis - This is a very long street in the French side of town that has strictly pedestrian parts, which are expanded during the summer. There are many bars, restaurants, cafes, etc. that are full of chicks ripe for day game. I recommend sticking to the area between St. Catherine and Mont Royal streets (a very long stretch). Club Cactus is a Latin club you also want to check out.
Strip Clubs
Montreal is known for having some of the best strip clubs in all of North America. I didn't partake in this endeavor, but I've heard of a couple that I may check out during a trip I am sure to take at least once next summer.
Club Supersexe - Upscale strip joint on St. Catherine St. Known for having some of the hottest strippers.
Wanda's - Another upscale joint on De Maisonneuve and de la Montagne streets. I hear this is considered one of the best.
Solid Gold - This is on Saint Laurent and is said to be a "contact" place during bachelor parties. There are also rumors of things going down in the back rooms, but I can't confirm as I have not been.
Festivals
From May-September, Montreal comes alive with beautiful summer weather and constant festivals. There is always a festival going on during this time of year, sometimes several going on simultaneously.
Montreal International Jazz Festival - This is one event you simply can't afford to miss. It is the largest jazz festival in the world and draws more than 3,000 artists from over 30 countries. There's more than 650 concerts, including over 450 free outdoor concerts. More than 2.5 million people attend this event every year, a significant number of them being tourists. If you can't get laid during Jazz Fest, cut your dick off and call it a day.
The Montreal World Film Festival in August is also pretty cool for those who like indie flicks. Lots of free screenings, including those that take place outdoors, offering opportunities to game chicks.
Good Eats
Montreal is well-known for the quality of its food (of all price ranges). These are just a few suggestions of places to grub.
Jardin Nelson - This is one of the sexiest and exclusive restaurants I've ever dined at. It's got a discreet gated entrance with a courtyard garden obstructing the view from the outside looking in. Truly elegant and incredible food.
L'Assommoir - This is a fantastic upscale restaurant and bar. A chick I approached at a bar one night actually treated me to dinner here later that week. I can't vouch for it enough. There are a couple of locations in Montreal, but I went to the one in Notre-Dame in the Old Port neighborhood. Excellent dining experience.
Boustan - Great Lebanese food spot on Crescent St. ideal for post-partying 3am gorging.
Moishes - Said to be the best steakhouse in North America. Location in NYC too.
Sir Winston Churchill Pub - A staple on the Crescent Street scene. Worth a visit, not least to pay respect to the memory of the man for whom it is named after.
Rotisserie Romados - Best local spot for grilled chicken. Rave reviews on Yelp, and there's even YouTube clips showing how they get down. Portuguese-style french fries. Excellent.
Schwartz's - Legendary Jewish deli that's been around since 1928. Amazing smoked-meat sandwiches. Any famous person that stops through Montreal usually makes a visit here while in town. Several big money offers have been made to the owners here to license franchises across North America, to which they have always refused. IMHO, this place blows NYC's Katz Deli out of the water, and the prices here are significantly better. It's also open 24-hours.
La Banquise - For those who are unaware, poutine is a fast food dish that originated in Quebec. There is no better place to have this classic dish, in every variety (toppings) imaginable, than La Banquise. Lines are usually long, especially late at night (24-hour spot), as poutine is considered the classic comfort food after a night out drinking.
Juliette & Chocolat - This is a famous dessert and coffee spot that girls absolutely love. There are many opportunities for indirect game here, or it can be a place where you take a chick (depending on how you feel). There are locations on St. Denis and St. Laurent. You can find chicks in both places, but I think the hot chicks at the St. Laurent one are more consistent. There are usually short lines to get in during the evening.
Fairmount Bagel - Been around since 1919. Enough said.
Activities
The great thing about cities in Canada is that nature is always nearby.
St. Lawrence River - One of the funnest things I've ever done is swim in the St. Lawrence River while I was in Montreal. In the Verdun neighborhood, there's a bike path along the water and docks where people hang out in swim attire and then plunge into the river. The current is reasonably strong most of the time, so you shouldn't try it if you're not a decent swimmer, or don't venture too far out in the water. It's a great way to relax and, surprisingly, the river in Montreal is quite clean, especially for being in a major city.
Mont Royal - This is the mountain from which the name Montreal is derived from. It's an excellent place to get a view of the city, day or night. I recommend going on Sundays at 1pm for this weekly ritual called tamtams. There are drummers, dancers, vendors, and a drum circle. For all you weed smokers, this is a good place to find some and/or light up.
Montreal Casino - Right on the St. Lawrence River near Verdun.
Old Port of Montreal - This is worth exploring during the day. Start at St. Paul and walk through the various streets that lead to the port.
Other Neighborhoods
You might hear some stuff about the Mile End, which is an up-and-coming hipster/gentrifying neighborhood I would liken to Williamsburg or Park Slope in Brooklyn. It's neighborhoody and comfy, with some cool local bars, but it's usually dead during prime going out hours and it's not where the hot chicks are. It might be worth checking out if you've got extra time to kill and are curious about that side of Montreal.
Montreal Facts and History
http://wikitravel.org/en/Montreal
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/canada/montreal
