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.
I rarely write bad reviews but im writing this for the safety of consumers. I ordered oysters. I immediately noticed that they smelled sort of like a dirty bathroom. I'm from the coast of maine. I know oysters should not smell. Especially like that. I knew they were bad & sent them back. Politely I may add. & they STILL CHARGED ME for them. Plus, they need to learn how to better shuck an oyster as well. Then, my friends & I ordered a pour of cask strength whiskey. Being part of a whisky club & having tried many whiskies, that was not cask strength. & not only was it not cask strength, it tasted like a gold rum. We Politely asked to see the bottle that he poured from & he wouldn't show us. Then he reluctantly told us he did not pour the cask strength whiskey we ordered. So, naturally we asked the tender to pour us what we ordered, & he had the scruples to ask us if we were going to pay for both. Technically he had already committed theft & fraud. So, no we were not going to pay for something we did not order. It's one thing to just have a one off or a bad night at a restaurant/bar, but this was just unsafe, unacceptable, & bad for business as a consumer. Unfortunately this will not be a business I will tell others in the industry or in my community to visit. Although my friends see it as a funny story, I'd prefer to stay alive & know what im eating & or drinking at all times.
Dec 19, 2025
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We had a great experience at Bootlegger! Remi was very knowledgeable about the drinks & super kind to us! We had fun & learned a bit about Whiskey in the process.
Super bon service & choix de cocktails, la carte de whiskey & simple malts est impressionante, une ambience très agréable, dans un décor des années 20!
After a full day of sightseeing, this spot was the perfect place to relax & recharge. The atmosphere was vibrant yet cozy, with live music adding a wonderful energy to the evening. Our server was attentive & knowledgeable, offering great recommendations-including a whiskey we truly enjoyed. The ambiance was charming, with Victorian-style picture frames adorning the walls & seating thoughtfully arranged for intimate conversations. Highly recommend for anyone looking to unwind in style & comfort.
Great bar with an amazing selection of whiskey! Vincent, the bartender, was very knowledgeable & friendly. He recommended the Talisker whiskey flight, & it was very good. I think I've found a new favorite! The Shelby Lte was also very good. We really enjoyed our after dinner drinks here. Everyone was very friendly!
La cuisine, le menu , latmosphere & selection de Whiskey est impressionnante!
Par contre attendre entre 30 a 50min recevoir un verres ou un entree est tres long... Sa pourrais etre nettement mieu de ce coter !
We ended up at The Bootlegger as the bar we were going to had a 45 min waiting list. We arrived there, the design was really nice & intimate. However, it was abnormally hot considering it was only spring. The drinks were alright but I could live without the constant & perpetual up-selling of our server Tony. When I asked which whiskey cocktail he would recommend, he snobbed us & said'I don't come here for cocktails that have egg whites & all that stuff. I hate cocktails'. Considering this place is called Bootlegger Cocktails Bar & Cuisine, that comment is absolutely unacceptable & misplaced. Cocktails were decent, however I would much rather have waited the 45 minutes at Le Mal Nécessaire. Shout out to Tony who asked us to leave to leave a great review, well here it is.
This place was the absolute best bar/speakeasy/whiskey bar in Montreal, can't convince me otherwise. My boyfriend & I came here together & had such a fantastic night & experience having Peter as our server & the bartender making sure we would like our drinks before we ordered. We just had to come back! We sadly! Didn't try the food but it smelled absolutely DELICIOUS & it seems the cooks/kitchen take their time preparing & making each meal with excellence , wish we tried it now that we aren't there:( As we came back a second time we had come with a group making us a total of 6 on a Saturday night, it was very busy but the host was so generous & helped us get in & had us at the most perfect table for our group. Our server was Tony & I've never had a better service & experience (other than with Peter since they're best friends!!) I highly highly recommend coming here whether it be for drinks, food, or just vibes you will NEVER be disappointed. THANK YOU GUYS!!!
Mar 23, 2025
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Notre petite visite au Bootlegger était un véritable joyau! Le service est incroyable, des vrais mixologues sympathiques & qui veulent nous donner une expérience simplement géniale. Nous avons beaucoup apprécié le service & le bonheur contagieux de Félix derrière le bar. D'ailleurs être assis au bar c'est une super expérience, on a une vue sur le jazz band (si vous y allez le dimanche soir) & sur les étagères remplies à ras bord de whiskey. C'est impressionnant, pour peu dire.
La promotion des huîtres le dimanche etait en premier lieu ce pourquoi nous étions venus, & nous avons pas été déçus! La sauce piquante maison est vraiment délicieuse. Je recommande fortement pour une soirée entre amis, en date ou même pour un petit plaisir personnel en solo, surtout quand le band de jazz est présent:)
Felix served us & was great! He made very enlightened recommendations based on our taste. We tasted a total of 6 whiskey & we'll be back for some more! We had 1$ oysters & the charcuterie plate extra foie gras were delish! We will be back for the jazz show next time!
Dec 1, 2024
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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.
Beau moment a déguster de leur collection de whiskey. L'ambiance branchée, le concept unique de l'etablissement & le service impeccable de notre serveur en fond mon incontournable pour me réchauffer en cette la période froide !
Hidden Gems of MTL! A great variety of drinks, specializing in absinthe & whiskey! We tried a smoking lisa. On Sundays, you can enjoy oysters for just a dollar! The only problem was that I think there was a mistake with our bill, as they charged us for nachos twice. We ordered nachos once, & for the next round of drinks, we asked for fries. However, the waiter brought both fries & nachos. We told him we didn't order nachos again, so he took them back, but it seems we were still charged for the extra nachos we didn't have!
