Bobby’s is the kind of bar Montreal forgot it needed

Really good neighbourhood bars have a number of criteria that make them feel just right.

The newly-opened Bobby's on Beaubien Ouest in Mile-Ex ticks off many of those boxes, and if you're a fan of homey, old-school Quebec tavern vibes, welcome to what is potentially your new favourite hangout.

"The one thing that all of the co-owners kept saying is that we just wanted Bobby's to be a great neighbourhood bar," says the bar's frontman and co-owner Dan Haber, who runs the place alongside Trevor Barnes. "Those are the bars that we've always loved (and lost) in this city—places like Snack N' Blues, The Green Room, and Bethlehem XXX."

Early 2000s staples like Korova, Blizzarts, La Petite Idée Fixe and Primetime also come to Haber's mind.

"Montreal has lost a lot of the bars that weren't trying too hard, the ones that just relied on local people to make them what they were," he continues. "We wanted a bar that was a little more stripped down, catering to people who live and work nearby."

"Something like ten of the best restaurants in Canada are within a 20-block radius from here. I want those people to come by after they finish work."

A classic in the making

Suffice it to say, there will be no fancy tartare, gut-destroying double IPAs, or $25 cocktails at Bobby's. This new kid on the block is keeping it simple and honest, and in so doing is filling a growing gap in Montreal's bar scene.

The place feels new and old already; an instant classic. The vibe is a mix of 70s living room and illicit bookie's den-cum-clubhouse, with some snazzy touches in the lighting, wallpaper and wood panelling. The skylights in the back pool room are a great feature, a remnant of the address's past tenants La Marelle and Diplomate.

The menu is a straight-up selection of Pabst, Carslberg and Sapporo, basic cocktails, and snacks to line stomachs. If you’re expecting a seasonal small plate, you’re in the wrong bar.

The food runs from cornichons and pepperettes to a bag of chips or a bowl of almonds—salty, satisfying, and exactly what you need between sips. Cocktails stick to the classics: Negronis, Margaritas, Martinis, nothing fussy. There’s wine if you want it, bubbles if you’re feeling celebratory, and enough shelf booze to get you through a rough week or a really good night.

"If you want something to drink, chances are we can make it, and if we can't, you probably don't need it," says Haber, a man of many one-liners who was also one-half of legendary sketch comedy duo Pretty Loose Videos.

"This bar ended up being a series of good decisions, then mistakes, then finding solutions in a creative way. A lot of the stuff in the space is repurposed and it all came together organically. We often found what we needed somewhere else in the space."

The decor and name are all personal touches, explains Trevor Barnes.   

"One of our partners, Sarah Watts, suggested we name Bobby's after my late father. We've had a few close family members pass away in our ownership group, and we wanted a sense of comfort and nostalgia to surround us. It's full of the ghosts that we hold dear to our hearts. Taking decor from our own homes and sprinkling it around the bar really evokes a sense of that."

Inspired by a pantheon

Montreal is an old city, it's never been puritanical, and it has always enjoyed a drink. It has a long history of (in)famous and unassuming watering holes that were bursting with character.  

Ma Heller's, Toe Blake's Tavern, the Swiss Hut, the original Dominion Square Tavern (now revived as Bar Dominion), and Winnie's during the Richler/Auf Der Maur era are all fondly remembered, having served as meeting spots for the city's eccentrics, flâneurs, blowhards and mischief-makers - talented, employed or otherwise. 

Bobby's is firmly in this tradition of down-to-earth, unpretentious spots, full of faces you either know or are pretty sure you've seen before.   

How long does Haber think he can keep the pints at $8.00? 

"As long as possible! Hey, we can't help young people with their rent, we can't help 'em with the cost of living, but we can help keep their beer a little bit cheaper. Come by!"