Thirsty? Here are 50 Montreal bars opening with great drinks, gorgeous terrasses and good vibes galore

While all bars in Montreal have not yet been given an exact reopening date, there are some that have been permitted to open. The reason comes from a loophole of sorts where, if a bar is able to serve food with its drink menu, they are able to open up alongside restaurants in Montreal that have been given the green light. 

The city can finally start taking back some of its summer with brunch, lunch, 5 à 7s and dinner either inside with limited capacity or out on the best terrasses in Montreal, but these bars are also now open (or will soon be open) to pull taps, mix up cocktails and more.

The only thing you need to know is that each of these bars have tweaked their hours somewhat, so it's best to check in with their social media or their websites to see revised opening hours and whether or not reservations are required. Expect servers and bartenders to be wearing PPE and seating will be limited as well with diminished seating capacities.

Where's that terrasse at?

Every bar in town with a halfway decent terrasse in town is all about reclaiming the days of summer you missed out on drinking at the best picnic spots in Montreal. Right now you can drink al fresco at Riverside in Saint-Henri (bonus: Riverside also serves up scoops of ice cream alongside the Lachine Canal), on the inner terrasse of Burgundy Lion, in the back alley digs of Bar Palco, or in the spacious seating of Benelux in Verdun (their Sherbrooke location is up and running as well). You can also—also!—grab drinks at Terrasse Nelligan, Terrasses Bonsecours, Marché des Éclusiers and (if you want something more beer-based) Hurley's Irish Pub. Soon enough, you can visit Station Ho.st and its long terrasse along Ontario Street for great beers or Microbrasserie 4 Origines in Pointe-Saint-Charles, both opening as of June 25.

For more places to check out, look at the beer bar announcements below; many of them sport great places to drink outside.

If you want wine?

Wine bars in Montreal often have a solid menu to accompany all of the great bottles they have. As of right now, Montrealers can start ordering up some stellar glasses—shoot, order the whole bottle if you want—in great company at places like VinVinVin, Rouge Gorge, the wine lists at Wolf and Workman (though they're equally good at pints and cocktails, too), Bar Mamie in Rosemont, and Vendetta Bar à Vin in Griffintown (one of the newer arrivals in town, having opened in February and then subsequently forced in close in March). Soon enough, more will join the selection that's available in the city; Pullman opens on June 25 as well as the solid wine lists at Boxermans, Le Majestique opens on June 29 and Furco following on July 2.

How about some cocktails?

It's an exciting time to (re)discover some amazing cocktail bars in the city, especially since several of the names that made the Canada's 50 Best Bars 2020 list are reopening their doors. There's Atwater Cocktail Club and its restaurant group's youngest child Milky Way, as well as Le Royal serving its cocktails out of its upstairs affiliate Le Rouge Gorge, all of which are currently open. You can also hit up the subterranean digs of Nhậu Bar below Restautant HÀ in Old Montreal, slip into the Miamian speakeasy Boho, or sip some choice mixology under the plant-covered skylight of Bar Suzanne in the Plateau while snacking on dumplings.

Grab some beers here

Brewpubs and microbreweries in Montreal are among the types of bars in Montreal that definitely have good eats to pair up with whatever's on tap and enjoy some awesome terrasses while you're at it. If you're one for craft beers, Brasserie Dieu du Ciel !, Brasserie Harricana, Siboire, La Succursale, Pub Pit Caribou Montréal, Yïsst, Les Soeurs Grises, EtOH, Helm, Bar le Vestiaire, Le Cheval Blanc, Vices & Versa and Le Saint Bock are all up and running right now.

If you're looking for something more straightforward, check out Le Blind Pig in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve; Ping Pong Club or Bishop & Bagg up in Mile End; the zero-waste pub La Cale or Le Saint-Édouard in Rosemont; the Mad Hatter Pub or Midway Tavern downtown; Taverne St-Sacrement up in the Plateau; or hit up Bar Social Verdun or the new bar arrival, Verdun Beach Bar.

Tomorrow on June 25, Bar de Courcelle will be reopening (with its terrasse) and Pamplemousse will be opening the following day on June 26. 

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