Cloakroom Bar fonctionne comme un concept de speakeasy intimiste privilégiant une approche sur mesure de la mixologie. Des barmans experts utilisent un vaste inventaire de spiritueux haut de gamme et de sirops maison pour concevoir des cocktails personnalisés répondant aux préférences spécifiques de chaque client. L'intérieur présente une atmosphère raffinée et tamisée, caractérisée par des sièges confortables et une esthétique sobre qui privilégie le confort acoustique. Les visiteurs interagissent directement avec le personnel pour explorer une carte personnalisée dépourvue de menus imprimés traditionnels. Cet établissement agit principalement comme une destination sophistiquée pour ceux qui recherchent une précision technique dans la préparation des boissons au sein d'un environnement privé. Chaque breuvage constitue une composition unique plutôt qu'une rotation standard de classiques populaires. L'attention demeure fixée sur l'art du cocktail et le maintien d'un espace social calme pour les amateurs de culture de boissons artisanales.
The Cloakroom Bar propose une expérience de bar caché unique et intimiste, se distinguant par son atmosphère sophistiquée et son approche personnalisée où les barmans créent des cocktails sur mesure adaptés aux goûts de chaque client plutôt que de proposer une carte traditionnelle. De nombreux visiteurs saluent le savoir-faire et le talent du personnel pour leur capacité à servir des boissons exceptionnelles, faisant souvent de cet endroit une destination de choix pour un rendez-vous mémorable ou une soirée raffinée à Montréal. Bien que le nombre limité de places et la popularité du lieu puissent entraîner des temps d'attente ou un espace restreint, le service attentionné et la nature interactive de la création des cocktails confèrent au lieu une exclusivité qui séduit les habitués. Bien que les avis puissent varier selon les attentes individuelles, l'établissement est largement reconnu comme une destination incontournable pour les amateurs de cocktails qui apprécient les spiritueux de haute qualité et une hospitalité créative.
There was a sign that said wait to be seated, but no other indication of where to go or even where to look. After waiting for a few minutes with no sign of acknowledgement I had the sudden urge to rattle every door in the waiting room or breaking into the nearby clothing shop to see what was going on. Luckily my friend was the voice of patience & reason in this scenario & told me to wait a few minutes longer. Shortly after, an employee came to greet us, preventing me from commiting a criminal act over some cocktails. Which were very excellent. I was skeptical that the would be able to deliver a good sherry cocktail, as few bars even stock sherry. It was fresh & light & exactly what I was in the mood for. My friend also quite enjoyed her more spirit forward drink. The water was always full, service polite & prompt, & the lighting made each table feel private despite being very close together.
Speakeasy setup, tight space inside. Around 25 seats, no menu, entrance through an unmarked door next to a men's suit shop. The best part for me was that the cocktails are built on pre-Prohibition drinks with seriously high-quality essences.
I got here around 4pm on a Sunday, right before opening, & there were already five groups ahead of me. Still managed to snag the last bar seat, a corner spot with almost no room for my legs. Had to turn sideways out of necessity & you end up with a full view of the bar, which I didn't mind.
I'm usually not a huge fan of pre-Prohibition drinks. Two & I'm typically tapping out before I lose all memory of ever visiting the place. But here everything was customizable from aromatics, base to alcohol ratio. My first was an amaro base with a floral essence. It smelled like a standard citrusy amaro cocktail, but both the sweetness & the acid were pulled back. Went down so easy. Then a floral one, lavender & rose. Low-key almost a perfect lemonade.
Then their riff on a La Louisiane. Still medicinal, but spicy, with a bit of cookie dough essence running through it. Funky on the first sniff, then it settled into all these'unpleasant' bitter, spicy, funky notes. My bartender compared it to Vietnamese pho broth, & honestly, that faint aftertaste was there.
For the last one, the bartender suggested a reverse cocktail (liquor ratios flipped). By that point I couldn't focus on the details, but it was essentially a tonic with white vermouth & house-made amaro.
Unless you already know pre-Prohibition drinks well, it can be tricky to get exactly what you want. But for a fun night & a few good surprises, it's absolutely worth it.
Is this place expensive? YES
Are the drinks amazing? YES
Are the bartenders wonderful & the best around? YES
Is it worth it? ABSOLUTELY YES!
Many people we ran into & spoke to in Montreal told us we HAD to go to the Cloakroom during our stay, & we are glad we listened! My husband & I each had two drinks that were all very different & all wonderful & memorable. Our bartender was very kind & listened to exactly what we wanted. He also gave us a rather long handwritten list of restarants we should try while in town after asking him for recommendations, which was great (we went to Monarch, which he recommended & it was superb!)The bill was steep (we did ask for some pricey choices of liquors), but we had a great time & left satisfied that we had managed to grab the last two bar seats in this tiny & very popular establishment. Check this place out when you are in Montreal!
The bespoke cocktail experience was great. My friends & I were skeptical but ultimately happy with our experience. The bar is definitely a tight fit but it has more than enough swagger to make up for it. Great date night spot
We visited the cloakroom on a Sunday evening around 7 pm. We waited about 20 minutes before entering & being seated at the bar. Little did we know it would end up being the best seats in the house as we got to chat with one of the mixologists who was clearly well educated & passionate about his craft. We came here to admire their collection & taste some vintages, as it goes we told him our budget & he brought us his recommendations. After chatting a bit more, he recommended a delightful amaro (pictured here) from 1959. Totally out of my comfort zone & piqued my curiosity into aperitifs. It was a great choice. As whiskey & bourbon lovers we will be back, save the pappy for us ;)
