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.
The server was the sweetest & nicest! I don't frequently drink alcohol & they helped me pick just the right cocktail for me which turned out to be the best alcohol drink Ive ever had! It was called Nice Paloma. I also loved the atmosphere, they have this vintage vibe going on all over the place, truly feels like you're back in time. Too bad we got there at 2am, only an hour before they close so we didn't really experienced everything about the bar. But it was still the best & will definitely visit again the next time we visit Montreal!
Apr 2, 2024
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Menu almost too big! Very unique drinks. Server was very helpful in explaining the different options. Quieter vibes for a late night. Very happy we came.
I had a few cocktails that were all quite tasty & introduced me to different whiskeys. The cucumber basil salad was not only beautiful, but refreshing. The bartender was attentive & very good at his job. The vibe is very speakeasy & chill.
Amazing service from Ghita Iraqi! Super friendly & polite! Will definitely come back for sunday jazz night :). Lovely vibes overall. Great choice of cocktails.
Great bar. Underrated & always lively in a great way. Music was awesome & the waiter was extremely knowledgeable. Had the Jameson IPA & it was delicious. Will be back for sure & to try the Jameson Stout next time around. Some of the best vibes in the city for sure.
Mar 3, 2024
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Lovely spot! Stopped by for a late night snack, & kitchen was open until 1am. Oysters were great, & drinks were fantastic. Cool vibe, & friendly service. Must see spot in Montreal!
The bar's vibe is a bit all over the place & confusing. The service wasn't the best, but the cocktails were very good. Did not try the food but the kitchen is right in the main room so you will smell all the food being cooked. Might come back for the whiskey tasting.
Feb 4, 2024
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Loved the underground type vibe of this bar. Tony our server was very knowledgeable & friendly. He even gave us recommendations for similar bars since we were from Toronto . It was also cool getting to see how the drinks were made, it was an entire show. Drink also tasted phenomenal & the presentation was very good
Great food, beautiful cocktails nice ambience, good music, good vibes!! The staff should try to be a little more friendly & welcoming. But I still had a great time. Will definitely come back.
May 6, 2023
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My group was so excited to go here after I presented it to them. We are all from the west island, & dont get downtown too often anymore, so this was supposed to be a great night.
I made this reservation a week before. When my group showed up we were seated in this front area with just a couch. No tables. I was pissed. & they said everything else was reserved. If i was told because we were a certain amount of people we wouldnt get a table i NEVER would have went. Not only the hostess was very rude to us.
We ordered drinks & some appetizers when we got there & it took a long time for everything to come.
Our waiter was very nice...but some bad personal hygiene made it very hard to have him close to us & take our order. It was almost unbearable.
Reservation was for 815. Only got our main course close to 10. & also there were so many open tables we had to go back to ask if we can finally sit at a table to eat our meal.
Food was good drinks were great & the vibe is a lot of fun.
I wish my first experience was better.
You should have a note saying if you are more than 6 people you likely wont get a table no matter how far in advance you make a reservation.
Let's start with the pros! Very cool place with a neat vibe. The name itself is very alluring. The whiskey options are out of this world. So many to select from that it's nearly impossible to choose.
Cons: service was slow. Although the service started well, it ended up being rather slow. Waiting often to order more drinks & food. The food was nothing special & we understand it's not a restaurant, but it really didn't stand outI at all. We were disappointed to learn there was no band. We were told this has been since Covid started. Would of been nice to know beforehand,maybe something indicated ion their web site or something, No biggie, just something we were looking forward to. .
Apart from that it was a nice evening out with friends & the place is nice in appearance.
