Forget the “go big or go home” adage, alter it to “go small and stay out” at the smallest bar in Canada, right here in Montreal.
With an interior of only 150 sq ft, El Pequeño Bar is proof that size doesn’t matter. With room for only ten (nine standing patrons and a bartender), the Old Port’s Cuban cocktail bar was once a tiny gift shop.
The team behind the underground speakeasy Coldroom transformed the tiny spot into one of Canada’s 50 best bars.
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El Pequeño (“the small” in Spanish), pays “tribute to Havana’s storied past,” says the bar’s website. The bar boasts a beautiful ornate glass chandelier, marble countertops, and a bunch of Caribbean rum and Cubano sandwiches.
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Cram yourself into El Pequeño as the bartender shakes up iconic cocktail classics from the 1920s, including mojitos, daiquiris, and Cuba Libres.
While speaking with Daily Hive, El Pequeño’s co-owner Kevin Demers says the charming Cuban bar came to be while he was “in a tough spot” and that he was on the verge of going bankrupt.
Demers says he used the success of Coldroom on a “shoestring budget” and turned the space into a “bigger idea.” The owner says his team’s job is to always prioritize “quality of service” — no matter how big or small the hosting venue is.
The co-owner admits El Pequeño’s most popular item is the mojito, “by far.” He says the spot makes the best mojito in Montreal, maybe even Canada. “We did extensive research and testing to have the best-tasting mojito.”
During the summer months, Canada’s smaller bar nearly doubles in size by hosting another 20 seats on its terrace, facing the Old Port’s constant foot traffic.
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“What makes the space so unique — and it’s something we never took into account — is that when you’re in there, you’re kind of forced to talk to whoever is next to you and it’s beautiful,” Demers continues. He says it’s a “magical space.”
El Pequeño, which placed seventh on the country’s best bar list, is open from 6 pm to 1 am, Wednesday to Saturday.
Have a big time at Canada’s smallest watering hole.
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