Your ultimate guide to this year's St. Patrick's Day weekend in Montreal
Green beer, Celtic music, outdoor parties, and the long-awaited return of the parade. That’s what St. Patrick’s Day in Montreal is all about — and that’s all before noon.
The St. Patrick’s Day Parade is a celebratory event for everyone in the city, regardless of their actual heritage. It’s the headlining party for the holiday as it’ll cover its traditional route along Ste. Catherine.
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Once the parade is done, however, there are still plenty of festivities to attend.
St. Patrick’s Day is like Christmas for the downtown spots. It’s shoulder-to-shoulder packed, and everyone’s a wee bit toasty from the morning’s parade.
We’ve put together an ultimate guide to show you what’s hopping and where post-parade. Keep in mind long lineups are not unusual to get into most spots after the parade, but that’s what the outdoor drinking is for.
If you can, now would be a good time to tell your boss about that “dentist appointment” you forgot about on Monday, March 21 (wink, wink).
Honey Martin Pub
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If you want a traditional Irish pub to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day, there’s no equivalent in the city to Honey’s. There’s no Wi-Fi, no TV, just good people, good drinks and good tunes.
Where: 5916 Sherbrooke Ouest
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 10 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
McKibbin’s Irish Pub – Bishop
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It’s tough to find a more vibrant spot on St. Paddy’s Day than McKibbin’s. While all four McKibbin’s franchises will be bustling, none comes close to the sheer madness on Bishop Street.
From McKibbin’s basement to the third-floor dance club, the pub will be jam-packed all day Sunday – if you want people, McKibbin’s Bishop is the way to go.
Where: 5916 Sherbrooke Ouest
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 7 am – 3 am
Cover charge: Yes, $10
Hurley’s Irish Pub
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Hurley’s maze-like bar is a great option on St. Patrick’s Day (but it may get dizzying).
If you’re looking for a pure pint of Guinness, Hurley’s is calling your name.
Located in the middle of Crescent, Hurley’s has enough space to accommodate you and your pals, not to mention two big terraces if the weather holds up.
Where: 1225 rue Crescent
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 8:30 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
Grumpy’s Bar
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Grumpy’s is a salt of the Earth bar. There are no gimmicks, no wild St. Patrick’s Day deals, no fancy cocktails. Just live music, perfectly poured pints and a shot or seven two.
Because it’s so close to the parade route, this dark, basement bar will definitely be packed but a cozy kind of packed. People tend to veer towards the bigger spots, so Grumpy’s might be that perfect spot if you’re with a bigger group of people.
Plus, bartenders Garth, Gern and Ram can pour a stout like it’s nobody’s business.
Where: 1241 rue Bishop
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 10 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
Ye Olde Orchard Pub & Grill
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Olde Orchard is opening a tad earlier than usual for a limited Irish breakfast before the parade. While people are gone, the cozy pub will take out most of their furniture to make room for the masses of people on the way back.
Expect plenty of people, a variety of live bands, and, you know, booze.
Where: 1186 rue De La Montagne
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 9 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
Mad Hatter Pub
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The usually popular pool tables might be tough to access at Mad Hatter’s on Sunday, likewise with the constant Jenga competitions. Because it’s so close to the parade route, you might have to perform your own Jenga moves to navigate around.
Though not every spot offers the tacky green beer, Mad Hatter’s does – and they’re proud of it. They also offer a slew of St. Patrick’s Day deals which is a rarity, especially downtown.
Where: 1240 rue Crescent
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 10 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
Burgundy Lion
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If you want to sneak away from the downtown core but still get a good St. Patrick’s Day vibe, head over to the Lion.
The ever-popular Burgundy Lion is a traditional English pub that will continue to serve their tasty Sunday brunch (from 9 am to 2 pm), even through the parade.
Besides the grub, the spacious pub boasts what they call “the most extensive whisky list in all of Quebec.”
Ask to skim through their whisky list, and you get an encyclopedia, some of which are extremely rare and, overall, well priced.
Take a break on the green beer and enjoy a genuine Irish whiskey.
Where: 2496 Rue Notre Dame Ouest
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 9 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
London Pub
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Located right on the corner of Boulevard de Maisonneuve and rue Crescent, London Pub is a cozier alternative to the big spots around town.
It’ll still be busy, but you might have a little bit more elbow room. Plus, if the weather’s nice, you’ll get a great vantage point of the street side craziness from London Pub’s elevated garage door terrace.
Jukebox and dartboard aside, London Pub has very interactive bartenders who won’t be afraid to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day with you in the form of a few green shots.
Plus, Stogies Cigar Lounge is only a flight of stairs away if you’re itching for a celebratory cigar.
Where: 2015 rue Crescent
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 12 pm – 3 am
Cover charge: No
Sir Winston Churchill’s Pub
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Sir Winston Churchill Pub has three floors, all of which will be crowded, offering different varieties of music, places to sit and drinks.
The pub also has two heated terraces, perfect for checking out all of Crescent Street’s (possibly wobbly) foot traffic.
Where: 2015 rue Crescent
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 9 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
Pub Bishop & Bagg
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Because it’s off the parade route, Bishop & Bagg is the go-to spot if you want to celebrate a quieter St. Patrick’s Day with friends and family. They also boast the largest gin collection in Quebec if you’ve had enough beer.
The British-style pub, however, offers a wide selection of imported beer, scotch and cocktails in a comfy old-fashion interior. The kitchen is cooking up some St. Paddy’s Day specials as well.
Where: 52 rue Saint Viateur
St. Patrick’s Day hours: 10 am – 3 am
Cover charge: No
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