The most beloved and unassuming bar on the entire stretch of Saint-Laurent. Barfly has no signage worth noticing, no social media, and no interest in being discovered by people who need Instagram to know a bar is good. The whisky selection is extraordinary for the prices. Live music most nights. The regulars will ignore you until they don't, and then you will have made a friend for life in Montreal.
The room is Plateau-Mont-Royal · $ · 5pm–3am daily's answer to Montreal's broader hidden gem scene. The bartenders take their craft seriously without making a show of it, and the menu rewards repeat visits rather than first-timers chasing the obvious order. The No Frills programme is the right place to start.
Best time to visit is mid-week between 6pm and 9pm when the bar settles into its rhythm. Weekends fill up and the room takes on a different energy. Reservations are recommended for groups, and on Friday and Saturday for couples.
Barfly sits in Plateau-Mont-Royal · $ · 5pm–3am daily, one of Montreal's most distinctive drinking neighbourhoods. The crowd skews toward thirty-something locals on weekdays and a slightly younger international mix on weekends. The lighting is low. Conversation works at the bar; the booths handle small groups.
Dress code is smart-casual. The bar is most rewarding for an unhurried 90-minute visit between 7pm and 9pm — early enough to talk to the bartender, late enough that the room has filled in. Tags worth knowing about: No Frills, Live Music, Whisky.
Barfly accepts walk-ins mid-week before 8pm. After that, expect a wait — reserve in advance through their Instagram or by phone. The bar takes cards. Tipping follows local convention in Montreal. Most regulars order two drinks at the bar, then move to a table when one opens up.
What to order
- 01
The No Frills programme
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Editor's Pick
- 03
Off-Menu Request