Born in may 2007, Santos is the quintessential old Montreal tapas bar experience. Open from tuesday to saturday, it specializes in traditional Spanish food and offers a large an original selection of spirits, cocktails, wines, sangrias and mojitos. Live DJs every night and many special events. Santos is ideal for your 5 to 7s, late night dinners, corporate bookings and live musical events.
ORIGINS OF SANTOS All the streets in Old Montreal are named after saints. Located on the corner of Saint Paul and Saint François Xavier and given that the food served is Spanish, it was only natural to name place "Saints" in Spanish.
OUR MISSION "Feed & Amuse", that's our promise because we strive every day to feed your imagination, soul and appetite. As for amusing, we do it through our fun staff, cool events, self reinventing décor and the music, always the music.
Reviews of Santos Tapas Bar describe a vibrant Old Port venue that blends a chic, energetic dining scene with a late night club atmosphere, where the music, decor and overall vibe create memorable evenings for many guests. The menu is praised for fresh, tasty tapas and seafood and cocktails that are flavorful and well balanced, with the bar staff often noted for guiding guests through the menu and delivering well crafted drinks. At the same time several accounts highlight uneven service and long waits, especially for drinks or the bill, along with moments of disorganization, crowded seating and delays during peak hours. While the atmosphere and social energy are frequently celebrated, some diners feel portions are small or prices high relative to what is served. Safety and security concerns appear in a few reviews, including experiences with entry lines and bouncers that left some guests feeling uncomfortable, and a few comments about not feeling completely welcome. Overall Santos Tapas Bar emerges as a place that can offer excellent drinks, lively nights and high energy, but improvements in service consistency, seating logistics and safety would help ensure a standout experience for every guest.
We were here on a Saturday night with a group of 6 people. It was our 3rd stop for the night. Service was so slow that it killed the buzz & we just wanted our drinks so we could pay & head back to the hotel. We were there for over 30mins before we got our drinks.
Feb 19, 2026
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My go-to spot in the Old Port. The food is always delicious, the drinks are great, & the staff is genuinely amazing. Perfect place for a girls night out, every time! Awesome vibes if you want to stick around & dance after dinner.
The atmosphere is electric, with the perfect blend of chic décor, great music, & that unique Old Port vibe that makes every night feel special. The food & drinks were on point - flavorful, creative, & clearly made with care.
A special shout-out to Genieve, the supervisor, who took the experience to another level. Her professionalism, warm personality, & attention to detail made us feel genuinely welcome. She checked in on us multiple times, made thoughtful recommendations, & ensured everything was perfect from start to finish. It's rare to see that level of service, & she delivered it with ease & a great attitude.
My friends & I visited Santos on our trip to Montreal! & we had a great time; good atmosphere, food & drinks! Gen the manager was super helpful & made sure we excellent service all night!
Oct 23, 2025
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Had so many great nights at Santos for the club part , music & drinks were always great! Recently came for a girls night where we tried the food & it was soo good! Will definitely be back.
The food was great. I don't drink alcohol, they made me a special spicy mocktail with mango. The service was amazing!!! Everything was really good. Great night out with my girls 🥰
Great place! Went for a few cocktails & the music was amazing but the bar staff made the experience special for us! Specifically Max, he was super engaging & spent time to explain the food menu & drinks! We will be back for sure !
TLDR: horrible servers, disorganized restaurant, decent club atmosphere
Came to santos for a bachelorette party. We booked well in advance for the group menu & for wall seating. We arrived right on time only to wait 30 minutes for our reservation as they were booting another party (who also had a reservation) out of our table. After 30 minutes of waiting we were sat in the mezzanine which I intentionally did not book as it is quite warm, but by this point we were starving so we took the table. We get up to the mezzanine to see were being sat at two small tables as a group of 8- again, being hungry & with no options we just sat shoulder to shoulder completely squished. Servers arrived to take orders & walked away without clearing any wine glasses to make more room. We asked 3 times to clear wine glasses so we finally cleared them ourselves to which the server visibly was annoyed. Took atleast 30-40 minutes to get the first course, to which the portion sizes are INSANELY disappointing, especially after you've been waiting so long & are starving. We constantly ended up with empty drinks & no server around, & when we would finally get her attention she would take one order & leave without asking the rest of the group if anyone wanted more drinks. The service was so bad even another bachelorette group beside us asked if we were having the same issue (their experience was worse than ours). Sushi took forever with no communication to me until I complained that they were behind on sushi. Apparently their sushi chef left so one of the managers was making it himself. The food service took so long that the bottom floor started becoming a club before we were even done eating, at this point we had been there for over 3 hours. Manager sent us shots to try & compensate but it was too little too late- 3 hours of zero communication, waiting around, & dirty looks & attitude from our server was enough. I will say, the ONLY professional people were the blonde manager & the bus boy. Manager offered a very fair compromise (after some discussion) at the end to compensate for how bad our experience was. She ensured the rest of our night was fun, to which it was. This place is a great club but simply not fit for a restaurant until their servers learn higher standards.
Loved everything from the food to the atmosphere to the drinks. Took the shared plate, wide variety of food which made us taste various new things! As for the drinks, the bartender, Max, eased every step of the way when ordering by being quick & responsive while still making great cocktails :)
Max is a phenomenal bartender! Made our entire evening honestly went above & beyond. Marco & coco are also incredibly hospitable & lovely. The team here are so fun.. drinks & food are great too. I'd come back anytime thank you so much for such a fun evening! I'll remember this evening & recommend this place to everyone. Please try ask for MAX
Honestly, this bar is amazing. Max, one of the staff members, was very attentive & offered us fantastic recommendations for activities & places to visit in the city. Thanks to his suggestions, we enjoyed our stay to the fullest. The atmosphere of the bar is great, & the drinks are delicious. The food surprised me; it's of a really high standard! I will definitely return & recommend this place to my friends!
Dec 22, 2024
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Sincerely, I underestimated the Santos I went there for food & drinks at the bar & ended up with the bar chef there Max! I have received an excellent service from him. the food is amazing & the drinks are great! I greatly recommend!!!
My beau & I popped into Santos for a drink after having dinner at a nearby restaurant. It was early, so it wasn't so busy when we arrived. We made ourselves at home at the bar where we were welcomed by the bartender, Max. We were there for more than an hour till it became too busy & conversation became a challenge. Max was lovely - charming, engaging & attentive. After a couple of drinks, I asked him to make me a mocktail that would soothe my sore throat. He created a concoction consisting of white cranberry, mint, cucumber, & soda that was delicious. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Thank you, Max!
After wandering around not knowing what we wanted to dinner we stumbled upon Santos. We were kindly greeted outside by the chicest gentleman we've ever seen. We were quickly seated & given the most incredible service. The food was unbelievably delicious, bright flavors, unique combinations & perfectly portioned. The "earth" gyoza was a must have for us, we would go back for that alone. In addition to the tentative waitstaff & the beautiful atmosphere, the happy hour drinks deal was unbeatable. For four entrees & three drinks each, we were shocked by the reasonable dare I saw inexpensive total. At the end we were lucky enough to meet Chef Anne, the creative mastermind behind the menu. The gentlemen that originally sat us generously sent us off with a yuzu sake tasting. Santos is a great recommendation for friends looking for tasty sushi & strong drinks for a great price. Also everyone that works there looks like they model.
My experience was totally contrary to the previous reviews. We were lured in with the happy hour deal (2 for 1 drinks from 5-8) & affordable+delicious sushi. We each had 3 drinks & a full meal of the best sushi I've ever had for $110 Canadian. Additionally, we meet the sushi chef & got a complimentary pallet cleanser. One of our best experiences in our long weekend in Montreal. The promoter was incredibly well dressed & did a great job, you should give him a raise.
