Bar 5295

Very good looking spot with nice 50’s music, but:
1. It took forever to get our drinks (we were 4).
2. The waitress was actually unable to «deliver» them! She was shaking so much that I had to take them from the tray myself.
3. The place is divided in two areas and the atmosphere in the back is not as nice in the front.
4. The waiters are very young, and inexperienced which for a place like that just doesn’t fit.
5. It is really a shame there’s no space to «dance» (I don’t mean like in a club, just as in a casual bar) while there is so much empty room and the music is so lively!

My boyfriend brought me here on an Indian Summer Saturday night. It’s Rick’s Café from Casablanca as you walk in, with the potted plants, square tables and wicker chairs (could have done with tiles on the floor though), not to mention the tuxedoed staff.
Further back, it’s a Moroccan salon, through a circular opening in the wall, into a cosy den with low seating, where Moroccan lamps throw faceted light shadows on the ceiling, and Middle Eastern rugs add comfort.
Apparently they sometimes have live music, with a piano and a double bass player. I didn’t see that, but the music was good — Latin dance music: salsa, cha cha, rumba etc., which wasn’t too loud.
But the best bit is of course the cocktails. They give you a few printed suggestions but can do whatever you like. I’m a margarita fan, and I have to say that it was one of the best margaritas I’ve had in Montréal. You could really taste the tequila, and the mix was perfect. At $ 14, it was a decent price. He had a gin and tonic, which they offered «cucumber». Again, it was really well prepared. Additionally, compared to some places, we didn’t have to wait ages to get our drinks either.
I can see me organising a «Casablanca» evening here, or at least coming back to sample some different cocktails.

Bar 5295, No Name Bar, The Emerald Hotel… un bar de nombre confuso que añade unos cuantos grados al frío montrealés. Elegante decoración colonial, camareros y camareras vestidos de esmoquin, grandes plantas interiores y una buena carta de cócteles hacen de este local uno de mis favoritos para tomar una copa en el Mile End.

Great staple of the Mile-​End bar scene. Lounging on the front stoop is in the summer is where the cool kids are.

A really classy cocktail lounge. It has the ambiance of the 1950’s mixed with modernity and damn tasty drinks.
I came here with some friends and we found a space one of their extremely comfy leather couches. I had an awesome Manhattan as well as a brilliant drink (whose name escapes me) but it has gin, lime/​mint, cucumber and simple syrup, it was one of the best gin based cocktails I have ever had. The décor is interesting with cool green plastic plants, couches, a piano (that my cousin was tempted to see if it was in tune) and servers wearing tuxedos. Everyone I was with really loved their drinks, and I agree with a previous poster, it really could use some tasty munchies like a cheese or charcuterie plate or something. Either way the drinks are fantastic. Only other complaint was that the servers were a little bit scarce sometimes, but it was quite busy so I am going to let that one slide. Would definitely come back for more of that cucumber/​gin/​mint/​lime concoction.

Really disappointed. Service was slow and disorganized. We had reserved for a large gang of 30 and they crammed us in a small area while an adjacent larger space was reserved but mostly unoccupied. The hair that broke the camel’s back was when a staff member asked our group to cram into our space to clear a path for staff and followed this with a request to «keep our voices down, this is a quiet area of the bar.» The only thing I liked was the Jamaican Mule cocktail but not enough to worthy a second visit.

Went here for my birthday. The drinks are amazing (as one of the bartenders put it «you won’t find a blue drink here»)– really strong classic cocktails (each one we sampled was mind-​blowingly complex and delicious). The staff are friendly and a delight. Great ambiance and gorgeous décor (music was a touch louder than I would have liked in the back room). All and all a really great place that I would both want to tell everyone about (because it’s that awesome) and keep secret (because it’s that awesome). The only reason I give it four of five stars is the lack of simple munchables (I kept thinking how awesome my drink would be with a charcuterie plate or similar).

Enjoyed the ambiance here when I passed through for a book launch shortly before the holidays. Ideal for a literary evening, or for a conversation with a well-​suited friend at the bar, the space feels like it’s tucked with décor brought home from long travels. Hints of Havana and East India in the 1950s when the light is just right. I only had a beer but glanced over the cocktail menu and would be curious to return.