Award winning cocktail bar tucked away in a Montreal Chinatown. Authentic Cantonese food available for clients who want to snack while enjoying an all-natural libation. Live DJ sets every night.
Bar Le Mal Nécessaire is described as a stylish cocktail bar with a cozy, intimate vibe that can feel upscale depending on the room and night. Cocktails are frequently praised for creativity, balance, and strong flavors, with standout drinks like strong water, negroni, and pina fuego, though a few guests find prices high and portions small. Service is noted for being attentive and friendly, with staff offering knowledgeable recommendations and occasional courtesy substitutions that enhance the experience. The atmosphere and music receive mixed reviews, ranging from lively DJ nights and live acts to nights where the sound can be loud and conversation difficult. Food options are limited to small bites, and mocktails can be less exciting, but overall the experience is memorable and many would return.
Perfect bar spot to finish the evening. We went fairly & upon exit we realized there was a bouncer & a waiting line so it's a popular spot. The bar seats were nice & the bartenders know exactly when to come by & check on you. We also saw them climb the alcohol shelves to grab a bottle for us. The drink menu is so much fun & we wanted to try every glass. The pina colada was slushy & stayed cold for almost an hour. Everything was on the expensive side so this is a once-in-a-while-only-for-special-occasions ba
Had a great experience at Bar Le Mal Necessaire for our first night in Montreal. The service from start to finish was 100%. Bouncer was great at keeping everyone informed as to how long the wait would be to enter & let us wait inside for 10 minutes before out seats were ready. We sat at the bar & was served by Jess & Jackson. Both gave exceptional service, giving delicious recommendations of what cocktails to try based on our preferences - Jackson's recommendation of the housemate coconut cream (I believe) added to the espresso martini slush was delicious. Would definitely return on another trip to Montreal.
Apr 20, 2024
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I just left this cocktail bar with my sister, & I just have to say that this place is officially one of the highlights of our 29th birthday trip! The drinks were amazing, as well as the staff (met a fellow Georgian (US)), & funky, soulful music from a DJ who you can tell loves what he does. This place was an experience we won't forget! Will certainly be a return customer.
Waited about an hour in line before getting in. Location was smaller than I expected but still had a cozy vibe. Drinks/ shots would take a while to come out (~20 minutes per round) however considering all ingredients are made in house I did not mind the wait. Drinks were PHENOMENAL, especially the "Champagne Papi", which was why I came here. Bouncer & staff were very nice as well. Played house music in the background that gave the place a chill vibe. Would recommend to anyone who is looking for a place to sit down & talk with friends for a couple hours.
Jess & Adri were the bees knees of service Jackson was very attractive & also VERY skilled at his job (I actually enjoyed his service the most) Love the strong water also, definitely crowd pleaser. The pineapples were excellent I was there on a Friday & had the best time of my entire life. I would live there if I could. Bathrooms are incredible & very spacious.... I live life only with necessities & this bar is Mal Nécessaire.
Not quite understand the drink as much. It is instagramable. Service is overwhelmed by numbers of customers even weekday. Hard to get their attention. However, they are friendly & the drink was ok. Location: great, close to China town Ambience: amazing Service: Meh Taste: Average Price: $$$ 1 drinks could cost about $30-40 at least the one that I ordered. I do not know what in the mix as the server did not explain, copied order from others. Speakeasy? Not quite Just another cool bar. Worth to visit if you come in a group Oh yeah, live DJ
Mar 19, 2024
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Hidden gem! This is a definite do not miss while in Montreal. We had the pleasure of stumbling upon this cocktail bar with amazing vibes, staff & cocktails. Jess the manager went above & beyond to make our experience top notch, so good we visited twice. Can't wait to get back to Montreal & our now fav spot, Le Mal Necessaire🥂
This place is such a vibe, & Eric is an absolute gem working there. 10/10 would recommend as a cool Montreal spot. Cocktails are amazing & it's a great date spot. Music was trendy.
Feb 21, 2024
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This place is fantastic with some of the best service in Montreal. I was in from Toronto & stopped in before heading out for the night. The DJ was spinning groovy vinyl & my server turned out to be the bar manager. Not only did she make recommendations based on my drink preferences but once she founded out I was looking to come back with friends she helped insure we could get a spot, then her & the bartender invented drinks for us based on our preferences & hand wrote us note to help us get into another hot spot. This place is a must stop for anyone coming from out of town & it puts most Toronto louges to shame.
Awesome place with nice atmosphere & drinks. The pineapple drink is absolutely gorgeous from look to taste, love it! & staff is super nice ❤️Definitely will come again.
Drinks are awsome. They dont have food but they will get you from the restaurant next door. Drinks are special, service is good & friendly .Music was good but a bit too loud for a place were you are supposed to sit & talk. Overall its a great place to have nice cocktails 🍹 🥥 🍍🍸
Feb 11, 2024
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Très belle place pour un petit drink original, beau cachet. Cependant, la musique est assez forte, si vous désirez discuter, je vous suggère un endroit plus calme.
We explored several cocktail bars in Montreal & though all were fantastic this one took the cake - 10/10 would recommend, today, tomorrow, & the next day.
Mise à jour: j'ai revisité le Mal Nécessaire dernièrement, durant une soirée fortement achalandée. Il semble effectivement, comme la direction l'a souligné après mon commentaire initial, que les changements qui s'imposaient ont été appliqué. C'est tout à leur honneur & une raison de plus pour y retourner. Excellents cocktails, excellent service, tout en français, & un professionnel de la sécurité qui accomplissait son travail tout en retenue & courtoisie. -- "Against the wall!" C'est de cette façon que la brute de la sécurité du Mal Nécessaire reçoit ses clients: en nous criant après comme si nous étions du bétail. Comme service à la clientèle, on a déjà vu mieux. C'est bien dommage car ce bar que je fréquente depuis l'année de son ouverture est par ailleurs toujours fidèle à lui même : excellents cocktails, bon DJs & une ambiance qu'on ne retrouve tout simplement pas ailleurs. Oui, c'est plus cher que d'autres endroits mais jusqu'à hier, samedi 25 février, je me suis toujours dit que ça vallait le coût. Après avoir lancé un "merci & bonne soirée" au mec de la sécurité pendant qu'il nous dévisageait comme si nous étions de purs criminels, il faut malheureusement en arriver à la conclusion que les belles années du Mal Nécessaire sont derrière nous. Après avoir eu affaire à l'approche grotesque & agressive de ce petit dictateur à la porte, je catégorise maintenant le Mal Nécessaire comme bar à éviter. Heureusement qu'il y a maintenant d'autres bons endroits dans le coin où on nous reçoit avec le sourire, en commençant par le Point Carré juste en face. PS: je m'interroge aussi sur la logique d'engager un agent de sécurité qui ne parle pas un traître mot de français. En cas d'urgence, il faut mieux parler la langue de Shakespeare j'imagine...
