Things to do/Places to go/stay in Montreal

[peate]

November all the leaves will turn colors. I would add a trip to a leafy place (the lookout on Mount Royal, or a restaurant/bar with a view of the mountain would be nice).

By November 19th the only leaves left are the ones in Toronto.

 

[Lshap]

By November 19th the only leaves left are the ones in Toronto.

I love watching the Spring foliage in Toronto when the leafs fall right before the playoffs.

 

[Uber Coca]

Sounds like Gilford is a hotbed of these places. La Raclette has been there forever (great place for Swiss food, plus you actually see them cook in the open kitchen...). I'm hoping that Yoyo-Resto Humeur is still open, but your suggestion sounds like a good plan as well. Classical French fare: pan-seared fois gras, steak tartare, rabbit, bavette steak, and deer as well. It pays to go off the beaten path, although that said, these places are always full, even weekday evenings.

Thanks for the reminder, you should definitely make a reservation if you want to go there.

I don't know much about the other restaurants on Gilford, will try for sure. And yeah, Le Quartier Général simply delivers. The food and the service are top notch, everytime.

 

[Mrb1p]

I love Montreal. I hate to in Montreal.

 

[Bieber fever]

Le Stock is a nice bar to hangout with the boys

 

[Mrb1p]

Le Stock is a nice bar to hangout with the boys

Why... why do you do this to poor lads.

 

[Price My Man Crush]

I now want to go somewhere and order myself a poutine with gravy while putting on my most try-hard anglo accent. Will report back.

What, always thought you were an Anglo-Quebecer. Guess I was wrong, then.

 

[coolasprICE]

As for tickets. I currently live in Ottawa and hail from Montreal. I can tell you $114 won't get you out of the nose bleed section for a Habs game. If you want tickets, cheap, just look around on Kijiji and the likes. You can try scalpers, but they aren't what I'd consider a good deal.

Add stubhub. Last minute.

Great resources in that thread. Very helpful.

From what I read:

Get poutine with gravy.

Avoid Molson ex-zone

Pubs: it sounds like Hurley's is best pub to go to and also Champs and ye olde orchard mentioned. Station des Sports and 281 and anywhere on Crescent, St. Denis and St. Laurent

restaurants: burger de ville, schwartz, baton rouge, the keg and queue de cheval

Hotels: Marriott Chateau Champlain, Sheraton, Hyatt regency, novotel, sofitel

Transportation : bus 747 from airport.

guided tours on bell centre: 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. in English

I'm ready for November.

Look at urbanspoon, yelp.. the area in close proximity near bell, downtown essentially, is often referred to as ''golden square mile''. Don't forget to check out old montreal for architecture, and Mont-royal. Queue de cheval is now replaced by Bier Mrkt. Baton Rouge - don't waste your money. Keg - they have one in old montreal and one not too far from downtown... but you can have the keg in Ottawa (it's a chain). Tonnes of better choices in a foodie city like MTL.

Schwartz's is a must do for any first trip in Montreal - it's Montreal's Katz's deli, just better.

Another typical Montreal thing is our bagels - fairmont or st.viateur, in mile-end..they blow NYC bagels away don't listen to anyone that says otherwise. Have some for the ride to Ottawa if interested.

You should like MTL, it's got history (for n.america standards) and lots of character.

I've been an expat for 13 years, but when I was living in Montreal, one of my favorite aspects of life there was French Bring-Your-Own-Wine restaurants.
http://www.urbanspoon.com/ft/67/6626/15/French-BYOB-Montreal-Restaurants
http://localmontrealtours.com/top-5-best-bring-your-own-wine-montreal-restaurants/
http://connectedmontreal.com/bachelor-party/bring-your-own-wine-restaurants-in-montreal/

My old favorite was Yoyo, at Gilford & Marquette, since either renamed Humeur or closed. http://www.qdg.ca/restaurant/humeur-restaurant
Can also vouch for La Colombe, mentioned in that third link.

Can't believe the old link alludes to foodies without even bringing this up.

One of my old room-mates used to call this type of place, if you take a date, "panty-remover".

This guy knows what he's talking about.. Good post!

 

[HBDay]

Evey body is pretty well nailing it for montreal must do's.

Yes go to Schwartz. I don't care if there is better. Get the black cherry soda with it. Don't ask me why, even after you've had it you won't know why, but do it k. trust me.

Get a bagel. All other bagels in the world pale compared to a montreal bagel. Eat it plain fresh out the oven when you first get it. It will soak up that booze. The next day treat it like a regular bagel, except don't, toast it, put slice processed cheese on it, and microwave it for 20 seconds.

But most of all, which no one has mentioned, get a steamie, you must have a steamie. You must. They are amazing, go to La Belle Province (it's a chain they are everywhere) order 2 steamies they will say something along the lines of everything on it. Say yes. They may ask you if you want mayo on it, say yes or nod. Enjoy steamie.

 

[coolasprICE]

Evey body is pretty well nailing it for montreal must do's.

Yes go to Schwartz. I don't care if there is better. Get the black cherry soda with it. Don't ask me why, even after you've had it you won't know why, but do it k. trust me.

Get a bagel. All other bagels in the world pale compared to a montreal bagel. Eat it plain fresh out the oven when you first get it. It will soak up that booze. The next day treat it like a regular bagel, except don't, toast it, put slice processed cheese on it, and microwave it for 20 seconds.

But most of all, which no one has mentioned, get a steamie, you must have a steamie. You must. They are amazing, go to La Belle Province (it's a chain they are everywhere) order 2 steamies they will say something along the lines of everything on it. Say yes. They may ask you if you want mayo on it, say yes or nod. Enjoy steamie.

I wouldn't normally suggest this to a tourist, but I guess it makes sense for a hockey fan.. Steamies and Hockey go hand and hand..

Decarie Hot Dogs is the mecca for greasy hole in the wall joint... Anything closer to the city, similar to Decarie hot dogs? Sending the OP to cote-vertu is just depressing... And La Belle, depending on the location, often falls short.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Gotta go to Lafleurs for steamies and fries.

 

[HBDay]

I wouldn't normally suggest this to a tourist, but I guess it makes sense for a hockey fan.. Steamies and Hockey go hand and hand..

Decarie Hot Dogs is the mecca for greasy hole in the wall joint... Anything closer to the city, similar to Decarie hot dogs? Sending the OP to cote-vertu is just depressing... And La Belle, depending on the location, often falls short.

I know, but it would come in handy, I have found it almost impossible to get into a pub and get food before a game, and have ended up at belle province for before game bites more than once.

The one bar that did have seats was I believe it's called the Bar-B Bar, and it was strange in there...

 

[Jack Adams]

I got fooled on the 281.

Someone in the sticky thread said they didn't like poutine with gravy and he got a lot of grief and rightfully so. Apparently there is american poutine with cheese curd and ketchup? I'll get the real thing.

Poutine and a Labatt's or Molson.

 

[TassieHab]

Spending a week in Montreal from Oct 16t-23rd. Hoping to get to at least one of the games in that stretch, will see how the finances are after backpacking round the US for a couple of months beforehand though. This and the larger thread is a godsend, thanks to everyone who has contributed.

 

[Mrb1p]

Evey body is pretty well nailing it for montreal must do's.

Yes go to Schwartz. I don't care if there is better. Get the black cherry soda with it. Don't ask me why, even after you've had it you won't know why, but do it k. trust me.

Get a bagel. All other bagels in the world pale compared to a montreal bagel. Eat it plain fresh out the oven when you first get it. It will soak up that booze. The next day treat it like a regular bagel, except don't, toast it, put slice processed cheese on it, and microwave it for 20 seconds.

But most of all, which no one has mentioned, get a steamie, you must have a steamie. You must. They are amazing, go to La Belle Province (it's a chain they are everywhere) order 2 steamies they will say something along the lines of everything on it. Say yes. They may ask you if you want mayo on it, say yes or nod. Enjoy steamie.

This is a beautiful monologue that every tourist should read, yes even that asian woman with the golf half cap and shades.

I got fooled on the 281.

Someone in the sticky thread said they didn't like poutine with gravy and he got a lot of grief and rightfully so. Apparently there is american poutine with cheese curd and ketchup? I'll get the real thing.

Poutine and a Labatt's or Molson.

Dont have to get a Molson or Labatt, you can order anything you want except your crappy american beer.

 

[nilan30]

When my wife and I went in December we ate at several restaurants:

Courtier Bar on Ste Catherines - ok, nothing extraordinary

La Traite -- This little deli on the corner of Bleury and Mayor was awesome. My wife had a poutine which she said was amazing and I had some hot dogs with a type of meat sauce that was simply unreal. I'd definitely recommend this place for a quick lunch. It was cheap too.

Baton Rouge -- THis is a chain bar and grill type of place that we went to right before the game as it is right beside the Bell Centre. I had one of the best burgers of my life here. The place was expectedly busy before the game but worth the wait. I think this place is known for it's ribs but they had a limited menu before the game. (i'm not a rib fan anyway)

La Crepe to Go -- We had breakfast in this little tiny hole in the wall on Bleury. It was pretty good if you're into that type of food.

Reuben's - On Ste Catherines. Another good lunch. Smoked meat piled high.

On our last night we went to some place we thoufht would be a nice Italian place but the dance music from the bar side was so loud we couldnt even talk. Can't remember what it was called but don't care either. It was on Universite Ave.

 

[Stjonnypopo]

If you want to experience the typical Montreal Anglo bar, you can pretty much go anywhere on Bishop/Crescent not far from St-Catherine and you're good.

If you want to experience the more francophone area head east (St-Laurent) and you'll see it's completely different.

 

[VirginiaMtlExpat]

Regarding smoked meat, I've been to all of the well known places like Schwartz', but the best sandwich to be had in Montreal, in my view, is a tie between the Special Mix sandwich and the Smoked Meat sandwich at Specialité Slovenia on St-Laurent.
http://www.montrealplus.ca/montreal/venues/specialite-slovenia-boucherie-charcuterie-fr
This is only a stand-up counter though, or take-out, not a sit-down place. It's ridiculous how good this place is. I never understood why they don't make it into a sit-down restaurant...

Another place that I like is Frites Alors on Du Parc; the burgers are pretty good, but the fries are something else. Apparently they are not cooked in vegetable oil, but animal fat. By comparison, fries at other restaurants are healthy. Also, you get Belgian-style freshly made mayonnaise, under various guises, including one with terragon. Subversive.

 

[Le Tricolore]

I got fooled on the 281.

Someone in the sticky thread said they didn't like poutine with gravy and he got a lot of grief and rightfully so. Apparently there is american poutine with cheese curd and ketchup? I'll get the real thing.

Poutine and a Labatt's or Molson.

Wanting to get a poutine with a Molson or Labatt is as bad as wanting one without gravy. There would be a ton of other local beers you could get at most places that would be better than those two. They're essentially the Bud and Coors of Canada.