Looking for LGBTQ+ Businesses and Venues in Montreal?
A few Montreal food terms to know in advance:
- "5 à 7" : literally translates to 5 to 7 and is our "happy hour" with drink discounts
- "dep": corner store or bodega, short for "depanneur"
- SAQ: liquor store. These government-owned shops are the only places you can buy bottles of liquor.
- "toute garnie"/"all dressed": everything on it
- "casse-croûtes": snack bars
- "poutine": fries with gravy and cheese curds
Other Montreal restaurant and bar tips:
- Quebec law mandates that restaurants offer you the ability to split the bill. It is common practice for each member of a party to pay separately.
- Tipping is a common/expected practice. Quebec law mandates that credit card machines suggest tip amounts before tax.
- Tax on prepared food and alcohol is 14.975%, so if you are wondering how much to tip, you can usually make it a bit more than the tax.
- Typically credit card machines are brought to the table for you to tap or insert your card (you don't have the American practice of the waiter taking your card away from you and bringing a receipt back for you to sign).
- The legal drinking age is 18. 21 is the legal age for cannabis consumption (and it can be bought at the government SQDC).
- Beer is usually served in glasses or pints.
Bookstores
Librairie L'Euguélionne: Queer Feminist Bookstore [1426 Rue Beaudry]
Joie des Livres: queer-managed Sci-Fi, Romance, Fantasy, and Horror Bookstore (originated with queer-owned, but now closed, Saga Bookstore). It is also a cafe and bar. [5163 St. Laurent]
Bakeries
Sophie Sucrée: queer woman-owned vegan bakery and pastry shop [3770 St Laurent Blvd]
Violet Bakehouse: queer woman-owned, special orders [https://www.instagram.com/violetbakehouse/]
see also: Royal Ginette under cafés
Cafés
Cafe Dispatch, queer woman-owned (2 locations in Montreal: St. Laurent and McGill University)
Cafe La Graine Brûlée [921 St Catherine St E]
Cafe Reine Garćon, queer women-owned [611 Av. Duluth E]
Cafe Nueva Era, queer women-owned (also a stationary store) [301 Rue Émery]
Royale Ginette, lesboqueer/ queer-women owned [5800 Rue de Normanville]
See also: Joie des livres
Restaurants
Dep Le Pick Up [7032 Waverly St]
Breweries
Brasserie Harricana, queer women-owned brewery [95 Rue Jean-Talon O]Bars and Clubs
Aigle Noir, gay men's bar [1315 St Catherine St E]
Bar Exotica, gay men's bar [417 Rue Saint-Pierre]
Bar Le Ritz (hosts many queer events) [179 Rue Jean-Talon O]
Bar le Stud, gay men's bar [1812 St Catherine St E]
Bar Taboo, usually a gay-men-centered space but Sweet Like Honey, a sapphic event that highlights BIPOC talent often host their events here [1950 Boul. de Maisonneuve E ]
Cabaret Mado, famous drag performance bar [1115 St Catherine St E]
Campus Bar & Strip Club, gay men's bar [1111 St Catherine St E ]
Champs, lesbian-owned sports bar that hosts Dyke Nights and queer events [ 3956 St Laurent Blvd]
Club Unity, gay men's bar [1171 St Catherine St E ]
Complexe Sky, gay men's bar/ queer nightclub with multiple floors [1478 St Catherine St E]
Notre Dame des Quilles, queer bar with events such as lesbian speed dating [32 Rue Beaubien E]
La Sala Rosa, hosts many queer events [4848 St Laurent Blvd ]
Le Cocktail, gay men's bar [1669 St Catherine St E ]
Le Date, gay men's bar [1218 St Catherine St E ]
L'ideal Bar et Contenus, lesbian-owned bar [151 Ontario St E ]
Motel Motel, gay men's bar [1276 St Catherine St E ]
Normandie, gay men's bar [1295 Rue Atateken]
Renard Bar, gay men's bar [1272 St Catherine St E]
Stock Bar, gay men's bar/ nude dance club [171 St Catherine St E]
Turbo Haüs, punk venue that hosts queer events and daily 5 dollar 5 à 7 [2040 Saint Denis St ]
Wiggle Room, burlesque cabaret [ 3874 St Laurent Blvd]