School me on Montreal...

[radam]

My girlfriend and I are heading up to Montreal for the weekend. We've got a place booked near one of the metro stops just outside of downtown. With 2 1/2 days in the city, what things should we definitely hit?

I saw somewhere that all the museums are free on Sunday, so that's probably a likely activity... but which ones are most worth it?

We may rent a pair of bikes while we're up there, also. Any recs on coolest bike paths? Sounds like there's tons to choose from.

Looking for some cool eateries, as well. I definitely want some poutine. Good coffee will be a must. I also heard that some (a lot?) or restaurants do bring your own beer/wine...is this just the dumpy ones, or nice places, too?


Whats everyone got?

[coolcheech]

Musée des beaux-arts de Montreal (http://www.mbam.qc.ca/en/index.html) - small with some great works and across the street from another museum that was closed when I was there.

Maison du Jazz (http://www.houseofjazz.ca/) - small restaurant, with a live jazz. Decent food, great music and atmosphere; if you like jazz.

Basilique Notre-Dame - An old cathedral near Vieux-Montréal (Old Montreal). It's just a tourist spot really but the interior architecture is amazing.

For poutine any late night pub should have it, it's gravy cheese fries really, still good at 1am though.

For good beer you should check out Brewtopia (http://www.brutopia.net/brutopia.htm). It's a mixed crowd, young and old, can get loud, but they've got great beers, ok pub food, and depending on the night some good live entertainment.

Downtown Montreal is where I stayed, you've got a ton of restaurants there. Nightlife is there as well, Rue Cresent and Rue St. Catherine is a lot of bars and cafes.
If you go up the hill, near McGill College, there are some bike paths/walking paths, and some great views of the whole city.

Old Montreal (Vieux-Montreal) is nice for half a day. It's on the water, has a lot of small art galleries, cafes, cobblestone streets.

That's all I can remember for right now, I loved it there though.

[back bowl]

Do not miss Au Pied de Cochon. Make your reservations now.
http://www.restaurantaupieddecochon.ca/

Lemeac is also really good.
http://www.restaurantlemeac.com/

[Nobody Famous]

Had you not said you're going there with your GF, I would have pointed out Montreal is a primo city for girl watching, well dressed, well groomed, in shape women are everywhere. It's amazing. Beats out NYC by a long shot.

[back bowl]

Oh, and if you can be there for the fireworks competition, that is not to be missed. Shit is badass. They choose ten of the best fireworks companies in the world and each shows their best stuff one night during the summer, then at the end of the summer there's a big awards thing. They close down this big bridge and launch the fireworks from an island in the middle of the river and you can go get shitface drunk out on this bridge right under the best fireworks you've ever seen....

http://www.montreal-fireworks.com/schedule.html

[advres]

Club Super Sexe

[coolcheech]

Also you won't need your car when you're there. Subway is really easy to figure out.

I forgot to mention Boulevard Saint Laurent. The area over there reminds me of Park Slope Brooklyn. You must check out Schwartz's Deli (http://www.schwartzsdeli.com/), and get a smoked meat sandwich. I usually don't eat food like this but all the tourist books mentioned it, and it's really that good. The place is just a grimy little deli with a few tables and a counter. It's always packed, but the smoked meat sandwich, pickle, and a coke combo is awesome.

Also in that same area is a little sandwich shop, Cafe Santropol (http://www.santropol.com/) that makes some really unique and tasty sandwiches. It's got a quirky coffee shop vibe to it, but it was off the beaten path a bit, and I liked it.

There are a lot more restaurants in the Boulevard Saint Laurent area. I was traveling alone, so going to some of the nicer places was kind of weird, but based on what I read at the time there was some good stuff there.

[coolcheech]

Had you not said you're going there with your GF, I would have pointed out Montreal is a primo city for girl watching, well dressed, well groomed, in shape women are everywhere. It's amazing. Beats out NYC by a long shot.

So damn true, it's scary.

[JimmyCarter]

Club Super Sexe

is awful, though the one female body builder they have dancing there provides great comic relief at a bachelor party, especially when your friend doesn't see it coming.

I'd say go to club downtown - apparently Montreal fathers put U.S. fathers to shame on the "mental damage you can do to your daughter" scale.

Buuuut since you're going with the gf, i'd say check out old town - good restaurants, looks alot like boston.

[radam]

Thanks so far, keep 'em coming. Specifically, does anyone know any really excellent bakeries for bread? Pastries are good too, but I'm more partial to good bread.

Wish we going to be there for the fireworks, that sounds pretty awesome. It's been a couple years since I've seen a truly awesome fireworks display.

[thin cover]

Club Super Sexe

yup 1234

[lionelhutz]

Jardin botanique is very cool and the japanese house there and their bonzai trees are awesome - easy to get to via subway.

Chez-l'Epicier is a great place to eat. Walking distance from the old port hotels. A little slow service but food is creative and very tasty.

[schuss]

There's a lot of good bread (it's french after all). Also check out Crescent St., just crazy hopping at night with a great atmosphere.

[brice618]

Good cheap burgers and great diner atmosphere at patati patata on st laurent.

Patat au four (check spelling) is the best baked potato you will ever eat. Great Turkish couple run hole in the wall. Get the baklava. It's near st laurent can't remember the cross street right now, I'll edit it in later. Edit - ave des pines. It's on google maps...

Second brewtopia.

check out any of the farmers markets the largest one is amazing, but you'll be taking the subway pretty far north.

Go see the isle de st helains where they did expo 67. Fun bike riding around there.

Alot of places are byob, ranging from good to bad.

China town has great vietnemese but not so great Chinese IMO.

The contemporary is pretty nice as well as the CCA (Canadian centre for architecture)

there are a few mies van der rhoe buildings if you like Modern architecture.

Best poutine is at cafe du monde (i think that's what it's called) on st laurent just "Montreal north" of schwartz's. Speaking of, schwartz's line can be massive unless you're ok eating at off times.

Definitely check out the parc and go see Tam Tam.

Sorry I don't have the patience to link these on my iPhone. There are several threads on this topic jong!

Google the places I said and check the old threads.

Montreal is probably my favorite real city. Get bikes and ride them everywhere it's way more fun than hoofing it.

Enjoy!

[brice618]

Also I find crescent to be a bit of a shit show. The side streets off st laurent are where it's at besides prince arthur.

There's one specific bar I liked alot but can't think of the name for the life of me. I'll figure it out and edit it in.

[advres]

is awful, though the one female body builder they have dancing there provides great comic relief at a bachelor party, especially when your friend doesn't see it coming.

Weird. It was good when I used to go about 10 years ago. Haven't been since then (used to go a lot between 18-21 due to legal drinking). Maybe it has gone downhill.

yup 1234

I always enjoyed it!

[JimmyCarter]

Weird. It was good when I used to go about 10 years ago. Haven't been since then (used to go a lot between 18-21 due to legal drinking). Maybe it has gone downhill.



I always enjoyed it!

Might not have been the A team on when we went - we were pretty creepy that weekend and I couldn't tell you what time of day we might have been in there.

[coolcheech]

Might not have been the A team on when we went - we were pretty creepy that weekend and I couldn't tell you what time of day we might have been in there.

I was there in September. After the years of hype this place, and Montreal strip bars in general, have gotten I was very very let down, especially with Super Sex. I grew up with the mantra of "Dude, Montreal Strippers are craaazy, they'll let you do anything. Super Sex, blah blah blah." So with that in the back of my mind, I wasn't expecting bouncers checking in private booths, some with no curtains, cameras everywhere, and girls actually pretty scared to do much besides your general lapdance. That said, the girls at Chez Paree were still gorgeous and still fun, Super Sex, not that good looking and not fun, and skeevy. I went to some other places that fall into place somewhere between the two.

I know I sound like a perv, but hey, it was my post break-up present to myself after a 6 year relationship. And who doesn't like waking up smelling like glitter and rainbows?

[hafilax]

If you're touristing and not looking to go for a long ride you can take the Bixie bikes. It's $5 to start and after the first 1/2 hour they start charging at some rate. Thing is you can lock them up before the 1/2hr is up for 5 minutes and take another one for another 1/2 hr without charge. You can keep doing that all day.

Les Trois Petits Bouchons was an incredible restaurant. Pricey but delicious.

I was there during the Francofolie last year. Great free concerts if you enjoy French music.

montreal.com has a list of all the festivals. There are lots of them.

[ex-powderbroker]

farmers market and the casa del popolo if you're into not being a tourist jong.

[Crock]

Super Sexx is for the stupidly drunk tourists, ie everyone!

I'll 2nd, 3rd, and pretty much insist you try brutopia if you like beer. They have some amazing brews, and great looking ladies working there. And it's a little "safe" but i'll recommend The Sports Cage, or" La Cage Aux Sport" for a great place to get some beers and grub. When I've been there they have a different game on each of their 10+ huge-ass screen TVs, and again the women working there are great looking (this is a common thing in Montreal).

The Biodome is actually a good time. I didn't think I'd enjoy it as much as I did, but it was fun. If you look college aged, even remotely, tell them you forgot your student IDs but you go to school in the city and you'll save $10 on the admission price.

For great hole-in-the wall type grub, hit up Old Montreal. Tons of history, and a "if it aint broke, dont fix it" mentality when it comes to the restaurants/pubs. Just avoid the touristy shops.

I know I'm forgetting a lot of places, but I guess that's ok considering I've had some of the drunkest nights of my life in Montreal. I can't wait to go back. If you dont have a good time, you're not trying.

[Tippster]

For Poutine ask for your nearest "La Belle Province." It's a chain. It rocks.

2nded (or 3rded) for the Rue St. Laurent area for a fun restaurant/cafe/bar area to hang out in. The Downtown stuff is very touristy and (besides Brewtopia) kinda lame IMHO. I also prefer The Quartier Latin (French Quarter) - basically Rue St. Denis "North" of Sherbrooke to Vieux Montreal for food, if not so much for sightseeing.

Montreal is one of the few world cities you can go Whitewater Rafting in. Do it - it's fun. Also make sure you go to the Mount Royal - the park has a great view of the River, University, and downtown.

The peeler bars come in two flavors: Touch and no touch. The touch bars don't get nekkid - they leave on their panties - but they'll rub themselves all over you. The others are Look only, but I once had the single hottest black chick I've ever seen wink her asshole at me from 12 inches away. Hard to beat.

Strip Joints aside (most of the gals are imported, like everywhere) whoever said that Montreal Femmes beat out NYC wimmen is understating by a ton. Hottest women in N. America in my opinion.

[Deadmonton]

Did not read all of the above replies in detail, so I may be repeating:

Food:

1) Schwartz's deli, on St. Laurent. Not to be missed. Order the smoked meat sandwich (medium fat) with a pickle and black cherry cola. I'm salivating thinking about it.

2) Bagels. Montreal bagels are the best in North America (cue the angry New Yorkers). There are 2 major purveyors, Fairmount bagel, on Fairmount St, near Parc Avenue, and St. Viateur bagel, on St. Viateur, near St. Laurent. Both will have hot, just from the oven sesame bagels, which require nothing additional as long as they are fresh. I also like to get the bagel with cream cheese and lox from Fairmount for breakfast.

3) If looking for a good, authentically French-Quebecois meal, with a slightly higher price tag, I would recommend one of the following (possibly reserving ahead, some are quite small):

- Le Petit Plateau - real good prix fixe meals, bring your own wine.
- Au Pied de Cochon - rich, fatty, amazing. Pretty well known.
- L'Express - I forget exactly where it is, Rue St. Denis I think. French bistro style.

4) Portuguese - Chez Doval. On De Bullion, north or Rue Rachel. Delicious charred meats and fishes. Used to be a Portuguese gentleman's club in one half, and they still had the velvet accented nude silhouette pictures on the wall last time I was there.

Other things to do...

If wanting to do a bit of wandering, see some local produce, buy various ingredients, the Atwater market is a great spot in the Fall. Buy cheeses, bread, wine, whatever else and eat on the grass by the Lachine canal (which is just behind the market) = a pretty good afternoon.

Old Montreal is the touristic, quintessentially "quaint" part of the city, and probably worth seeing if you never have. The restaurants are usually priced higher for the tourists, and not as good as elsewhere in the city.
The archaeology museum is in that area, and while I've never been I've heard it's good.

Music is everywhere in the city, and there are a couple of jazz clubs, some blues nights, although I'm sure things have changed a bit since I was there in terms of nights and locations. You should pick up one of the local entertainment papers and pick a show or two.

Beer. There are lots of brew pubs, but my favourite before I left the city was Dieu de Ciel, somewhere near the bagel places I mentioned above. They brew beer in smallish batches, and write whatever is ready on a given night up on a chalkboard. Another to try would be Reservoir (on Duluth). Good snacks there too. I like both of those places better than Brutopia.

Right - poutine. Get the smoked meat poutine at a place called Mamma's Pizza, on Ave des Pins, near the intersection of Blvd. St. Urbain. Or for "gourmet" poutine - try a place called Resto La Banquise. It is open very late. Combine a visit there with a night on the town. Enjoy watching the drunk people trying to order.

Mostly the city is great for wandering, finding cool shit, and eating poutine.

Edit- This can't be repeated enough. The women there are so insanely gorgeous. Even the not so gorgeous women kind of pretend they are, and pull it off.

[Deadmonton]

Good cheap burgers and great diner atmosphere at patati patata on st laurent.

Yeah, this too. I used to live a block from there. They sell these little glasses of draft beer for like 2 bucks. Goes great with the strangely small burgers, or fish and chips.

[grapedrink]

belle province poutine sucks, pure horseshit. lafleurs is probably the best poutine if you can find one but if you're only gonna have it once go to la banquise or patati patata for a much much better atmosphere, be prepared to line up. schwartz's for smoked meat, be prepared to line up. if you;re on the west side cosmo's in ndg is a true locals greasy hole in the wall place for breakfast but don't go out of your way. if you're around crescent st the best lebanese in mtl is boustan on the corner of de maisoneuve.

a nice walk (not bike) is take the metro to atwater, walk down st. catherine to st. denis, turn left up to square st. louis, left again to prince arthur, keep going till you hit st. laurent, then turn right, you'll pass schwartzs and patati patata here so take your pick. take a left on rachel and walk to the park. on sundays the park is nice, lots of people around, tam tams, etc.. there are a couple of paths to take to the top of mount royal and there's a fantastic lookout over downtown up near beaver lake. its worth it. you could also walk to st. josephs oratory if you have the time. metro/cab back. at night around st. laurent there are tons of bars, clubs, and great restaurants. there's also crescent st but its a weird mix of cozy pubs and a douchebag gino club scene, worth checking out on night two though, lots of people prefer it. here's a map of the walk i just suggested: http://tinyurl.com/26j7c6k it ends at the lookout so you know where it is. ignore googles routing through the cemetery, there's a much more direct foot path. im sure there's a park map online somewhere

on another day rent bikes and start at lionel groulx metro, check out atwater market (fruit/veggies, meat, cheese, bread/pastries). bike along the lachine canal to old montreal, check that whole area out, its touristy but its our sliver of europe and see if notre dame basilica is open. you could bike up to china town (st. laurent/de la gauchetiere) only a couple minutes away but its nothing special. if its a nice day after you're done with old montreal back track along the canal until the bike path forks and crosses over the canal. bike along ave pierre dupuis which has those weird stacked cube apartments (habitat 67) and a nice view of the city. if you keep going the bridge will take you to ile ste. helene and onto ile notre dame. ile notre dame has bike paths, also has the f1 track you can bike and has a beach which may or may not be open this time of year. the casino is there as well if you're into that.

summer is the best time in montreal with f1, just for laughs comedy festival, the jazz festival, benson and hedges fireworks competition every wed and sat night, etc.. downtown gets very lively not much going on this time of year but the weather is getting nice and its not stupid hot/humid yet so its nice time to visit. i wouldn't bother with the biodome/olympic stadium. its pretty lame imo. i would say fuck the museums too, save that for when you're in nyc, but i'm not a museum type. i guess they'd be something to do if its pouring rain. as far as restaurants for dining there are endless options. i've never gone wrong with tripadvisor when traveling and have had some very memorable meals. pick your budget, cuisine and part of town and read the reviews. there's also sites like montrealfoodie.com