What's good in Montreal? | GTAMotorcycle.com

What's good in Montreal?

Mina

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Planning a small road trip for the first few days of October. Driving down, not riding.

What are some things to do while visiting?
 
You should definitely try to find a club that ep1x is DJing at.
 
Bring a bike trailer and buy another toy.
 
I went thru there in the middle of the night once and got severely turned around in a super sketchy industrial area and I was getting panicky because I don't speak French, have poor night vision and it was still above 30c/almost100% humidity but I found a Tim Hortons where they couldn't/wouldn't speak to me in English. Think it's tough making friends at 2am in Canada? Try Montreal with the deck stacked against you. Luckily there are many highways leaving in all directions, if you can hook up to one. Enjoy your trip.
 
There are so many interesting places to eat, you might want to know a few before you go. Don't be like me and end up having to settle for a crappy Tex-Mex joint because you were pressed for time

but I found a Tim Hortons where they couldn't/wouldn't speak to me in English

The language police are always watching
 
There are so many interesting places to eat, you might want to know a few before you go. Don't be like me and end up having to settle for a crappy Tex-Mex joint because you were pressed for time



The language police are always watching

They must be every where because on my first trip into enemy territory (MontTremblant superbike races) I walked into the local Timmies and brazenly ordered up in loud English. I swear everybody seated at the table I could see snapped their head around to my direction.

end thread jack/
 
After 6 years in Ontario, I forgot how to order a "sausage biscuit" in French. Tried English and I got the same sort of reaction. Estranged from my own service-industry peeps. Tragic.
 
They don't have the Maple Leafs playing there.

Can get some nice bagels.
 
Good poutine...Old Montreal is great...Notre Dame...Mont Royal is a nice view if the weather allows it. We always enjoy walking through the city when we get there. Outside of that...just another city.
 
There are so many interesting places to eat, you might want to know a few before you go. Don't be like me and end up having to settle for a crappy Tex-Mex joint because you were pressed for time



The language police are always watching

So if someone from Quebec comes to Ontario to visit, should they be offended that no one speaks french to them?
 
Old Montreal is really nice to wander around. If it's a boys trip take Kellen's suggestion. The biodome was very cool.
 
So if someone from Quebec comes to Ontario to visit, should they be offended that no one speaks french to them?

It's different when you're in an area where you KNOW they can speak English (and often heard them doing so beforehand) and they won't simply because you have "ONTARIO" plastered on your forehead. I used to spend a lot of time in QC and it's happened to me.

If the tables were turned and Toronto was nearly 100% bilingual but residents copped attitude and refused to speak french to someone from QC when they'd blatantly heard them talking french just moments before, I'd think they'd be rightfully offended..yeah.

That said, FWIW, try to speak a few words in French and it usually helps, - basically, make an effort - more people are willing to speak english to you at that point, or if they legitimately don't, at least try to meet in the middle as best as possible.

 
Hit up China Town or stay downtown and cab it to Old Montreal.

If you enjoy shopping, there is St Catherines St.

For nice patios on Cresent North of St Catherines. Pubs, bars, restaurants etc.

South of St Catherines, I believe there are some Irish pubs with live music. Depends on the evening.

If the ballet is on the menu, then Chez Paree, Downtown are good. Regular talent and not too hard on the pocket book.




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Firstly doing downtown park at Eddy's Parking lot, then walk east down St. Catherine St. If you're single, or out for a bash, try Sir Winston Churchill's Pub. It is a world famous singles bar with a fantastic terrace where you can buy a pitcher of Sangria and watch the beautiful people with their Ferraris, Aston Martins etc, and model-beautiful girls Saturday night. People a little older will like Winnie's upstairs. There used to be a fantastic dance club called September's on Mountain St. south of St. Catherine. I think they changed the name but you won't find a place more chock full of hot dancing babes.

The old main, St. Laurence Blvd. (St. Laurent Blvd en Quebecois), is pretty alive with nightclubs too. You might want to walk north and go to Schwartz's Delicatessen and have a smoked meat sandwich - a true, genuine smoked meat sandwich. Venture east on St. Catherine again and head to St. Denis St. if you want to visit the deep French nightlife area.

Old Montreal is great during the day, especially if you have kids. But if you want a delicious meal the restaurants there are very, very good.

Good fast food for drunks:

Kojax Souvlaki on St. Catherine St. just west of Crescent or...

Lafleur's Restaurants (there's a few of them). Try their Michigan hot dogs. Also, you won't find better fries anywhere.

Then there's Chenoy's Restaurant on St. Jean Rd. just north of Hwy 40 (the T-can) on the left side. Smoked meat pizza there is to die for.

All the SuperSport guys used to park in a row on St. Catherine near this big amusement arcade east of Mountain. At one time you could count 200 bikes on a good night. I think that's all over now but it sure was cool back in the day.

And yeah, Club Supersexe is good but it's pricey. If you want sleazy and easy try the lower Main (St. Laurent south of St. Catherine).
 
Lot's of good suggestions so far. I usually go about 3 times a summer to hang out with friends there. We used to stay in the McGill off campus housing for super cheap (called Solin Hall). Now we stay at my wife's best friends place which is super close to the mountain.

One thing I always like to do when there is go and check out the tam tam's on Sunday at the Mount Royal park. On a nice day there can be a few hundred drummers in a massive drum circle and I've been there before when there have been over 500. There are some hacky sack players that are out of this world they are so good. There is a medieval fighting thing that happens which is really weird - where about 100 people all dressed up in medieval gear fight each other with cardboard swords and stuff.

There is a lot of grassy areas to watch the goings on in the park and we always bring a frisbee and drinks. In fact there are many restaurants we go to that will allow you to bring your own bottles of wine, so we always bring a few. Always a great place to go to on Sundays after a nice brunch somewhere nearby.

There is a triple decker sandwich place on St Urbain - Cafe Santropol - one of my favourite sandwich places anywhere.

Not sure what kind of music you are into, but there are many good afterhours parties we go to - some warehouse style and others in proper bars and clubs. Amazing nightlife scene there. I really like Piknik Electronik on the island for a lazy Sunday music filled party, but I think that ends by early October.

We used to also buy the smoked meat to take home... about 10lbs every trip there - it's that good at Schwartz's. Fresh bagels are great too.
So much to do there - going back again in a few weeks.
 

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