Bootlegger Cocktail Bar & Cuisine is described as a cozy, vintage speakeasy with warm lighting, tasteful decor, and live jazz that makes for a standout atmosphere; reviews praise creative, well balanced cocktails made with fresh ingredients, a strong whiskey selection, and an oyster focus that many find excellent, especially during happy hour; food earns praise for some dishes and vegetarian options, while a few entries note variability in quality and portion size and occasional kitchen misfires; the staff are repeatedly cited as friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable, with many guests appreciating personalized recommendations, though some experiences mention slow or uneven service and wait times or noise that can be a drawback for a quiet date; overall the venue is seen as a special spot for drinks, oysters, and live music, offering a memorable vibe and top tier cocktails that keep guests returning, while noting that prices can be high and consistency sometimes wavers.
Wow! Do you like jazz? Do you like whiskey? Do you like waiters who know their way around a bottle? If you answered yes to these questions, you should definitely come to bootlegger. Our waiter Antoine was awesome. Knew his stuff. Could grab a drink with him. Peace.
Sitting at the bar top provided an intimate experience that will be hard to top. An excellent view of the stage, where a phenomenal trio set a lively but smooth jazz ambience, & an opportunity to watch the bartenders as they skillfully crafted high quality cocktails while exchanging playful banter amongst each other created the perfect atmosphere to end a weekend (or start a week). Even with a relatively tiny area to work in, the kitchen staff flew through orders with quiet & calm grace. Bootlegger was a delightful surprise, & I look forward to visiting again. Ps. Thank you Chris, for your hospitality & commitment to your craft.
Nov 24, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
I had an absolute fantastic time at Bootlegger. I trusted the Google Reviews & this place deserves every star they have recieved. From the fantastic & fun service from Christ 🫡 (plus everyone else), the DELICIOUS grilled cheese/fries/aoili, to the groovy live Sunday night Jazz quartet, it was great. Looking forward to my next visit.
We absolutely LOVED Bootlegger! Tyler was friendly, outgoing, knowledgeable, & attentive. All the staff we came in contact with was great, in fact - they greeted you with a smile & were genuine. Sunday nights they have live Jazz, which added to the already soothing, speakeasy-vibe ambiance. From the flights to the drinks to the food to the service & atmosphere, we can truly say nothing negative about it! Would recommend to anyone without hesitation, & look forward to coming back when we come back to Montreal!
Had a pretty good first experience at Bootlegger for a Sunday night. Cozy room, buck a shuck oysters, fantastic bar program & we were lucky enough to have live jazz. The only negative feedback is I had asked what the speed rail vodka was because I just wanted a dirty martini, I was shocked to see it was 19 dollars with a 1 dollar charge for olive juice. If I knew a basic, non premium martini was going to be 20 dollars I would have tried one of the cocktails from the menu, a little steep.
Cocktail menu is unmatched in creativity & length. My table of four was delighted with our choices, some made with the help of our server, Tyler, who was an exemplary host to us. By the end of the night he had given us a list of his favorite local hotspots so we could round out our vacation on a high note. The list for our next trip to Montreal has one item so far: Bootlegge
We've been here a few times already & this time went with my scotch loving in laws & as usual Bootlegger came through. The Sunday 1$ oyster deal was awesome. The oysters were fresh & the drinks were great. Also Felix was awesome! Definitely will be back soon!
What hidden gem! If you enjoy expert level crafted cocktails that are amazing & complex! In a cool vibe & atmosphere, along with delicious food.... This place is a must stop! Felix by the way was awesome! The perfect host & he offered many great suggestions at Bootleggers, & in & around Montreal.
J'ai passé une très belle soirée d'anniversaire avec mes amis au bootleggers! Tony a été au petit soin avec nous & était un super serveur! Je recommande la place pour l'ambiance & les bons cocktails également! Merci pour cette belle soirée ☺️
Jun 2, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
I discovered Bar Bootlegger by googling lounges near me. The pictures & menu caught my eye so I decided to try it & they did not disappoint! Delicious drinks for all tastes that are so much fun to watch being made! I came on a Sunday night in which I had the pleasure of enjoying their live jazz music. Sadly I came too late & missed the $1 oyster deal as they ran out, so I recommend you come early for the special! Overall lovely experience!
Had high hopes for Bootlegger but they were dashed. Came for the Sunday night oyster special that they have every Sunday & they were out of oysters by 745pm. For a place that also sells oysters every day. Our server was lovely, but there were only 2 for the whole restaurant so service was extremely slow. Unfortunately that also meant our food was lukewarm when it hit our table.Not sure lf they had sick calls or this was their normal staffing levels on a day when they have an oyster special & Jazz music. If it was normal perhaps they need to rethink their business model.
The whole experience at the bootlegger was amplified by our server Antoine. Based on his recommendations both of our cocktails Naked N Famous & Aku Aku were delicious & boozy. Definitely a must visit cocktail bar.
The charcuterie board was good but a bit underwhelming for 30$ in my opinion. Cocktails were well made. I had the smoked lisa & the presentation with the hickory smoked at the table was great. The place was unfortunately under staffed for Thursday night ahead of a long weekend. It took a solid 30 minutes to receive our poutine. We ordered the bootlegger poutine & it was quite disappointing: big wedge of potatoes feeling dry & overwhelming sauce. There was no sign of cider & maple flavor & I failed to find the wine reduction. I would not recommend it
Mar 28, 2024
on Google
🍽️
Know where to eat in Montreal before everyone else.
Get the first look at the hottest openings, secret menus, and RestoMontreal.ca's weekly top picks. Join 50,000+ foodies.
I was able to reserve a spot at Bootlegger for my friends & me last night. The drinks were a bit pricey but very tasty, with a wide variety to choose from. Although the atmosphere was great, the service was poor. Our waiter seemed very enthusiastic but was passive-aggressive & unprofessional at times. Despite that, we had a good time & enjoyed Bootlegger's drinks & the artsy environment.
Came to Bootlegger because it was billed as one of best Jazz spots in Montreal. To find there was only a DJ on a Saturday night was very disappointing.
Bootlegger is amazing!
Loved the ambiance.
The service was courteous, knowledgeable & friendly.
The food was tasty & plentiful.
The drinks were exactly what we were looking for!
Cannot believe we have not been going here all this time!
A definite find for whisky, scotch & tequila lovers!!
Highly recommended!!
