Atwater Cocktail Club

512 Atwater Ave, Montreal, Quebec

It’s all about the cocktails, amirite?

At Atwater Cocktail Club, the drinks ARE the experience.

This hidden bar & lounge not only masters flavour mixing, but also executes a one-of-a-kind experience alongside every drink that comes your way. Each cocktail is handcrafted using high quality ingredients ( syrups, spirits, garnishings, etc.) and perfected via hours of testing in an in-house flavour lab. Their presentation makes them that much more exciting — whether they're served smoked, rimmed with exotic fruits or in funky glassware.

Not quite sold yet? Well, you don't have to take my word for it: Atwater was ranked third in Canada's top 50 best bars in 2020 and the full Atwater scoop is even featured in the infamous goop magazine. Says a lot if you ask me.

This place is cool, hidden and low-key. You’d never expect what’s on the inside just from looking at the outside. And their quality of food, drinks and service sure does not disappoint.

When our Uber dropped us off, I thought for sure we were at the wrong place. We waited in a small lineup in a hidden alleyway. I was a bit skeptical at first, not going to lie, BUT when we finally got in, I recognized the unique chrome seating and stunning behind-the-bar liquor wall from their Instagram page.

Turns out that graffiti alleyway would be the grand entrance to an excellent night out. It goes without saying, but just don't judge Atwater by its 'cover'.

The experience hadn’t even begun for me yet, but the upbeat music and ambiance made me, well, just want to dance 🙈. Inside was lively but in the most sophisticated and mature way possible. Small tables, chrome covered booths and bar-tops made lots of room for drinks and good bar bites with, of course, a side of good conversation. This felt more like an elevated bar-going experience— think cooler and more relaxed than Yorkville's dBar but also not as casual as King West's Ruby Soho (Toronto).

Atwater is not your traditional club, nor does it turn into one late night. But permitted you've got your groove shoes on, take a sip (or three), feel the music and dance if you want to. There's plenty of space for that.

The service was excellent all around. Our waitress was patient and helped translate what we didn’t understand in French to English. She was also very informative with her own recommendations and insight into guest favourites from both the food and drink menu.

What to wear?!?!

A dressy casual denim moment would fit the vibe perfectly fine as would a dress and some heels. So whatever you're wearing, Atwater approves.

The drinks were palate awakening flavour-wise, so unique and strongly infused with all the GOOD stuff ;) Both of the drinks we ordered were fantastic, well worth the money and NO joke from a quality and strength standpoint. You get what you pay for and more!

I’ll break down the food. But first, the drinks:

Smoke Show

11/10

Plantation 3 stars white rum, Pagès blackberry liqueur, lemon, thyme, blackberry, blueberry

Berries SOAKED, infused, braised, even, in white rum 😍 …. SO good! This drink is sweet and fruity, but unlike most fruity drinks (aperol, sangria, etc.), didn't taste like pure juice. No hiding the alcohol in this one. Very strong.

This drink is also a whole production in itself, hence its name. It came served like a real smoke show. I mean, just look at the grand entrance it made:

Loosing My Rind

10/10

El Gobernador Reservado Pisco, Yellow Chartreuse, Campari, Bittered sling grapefruit & hops, watermelon, lime, basil

Watermelon lovers, this one’s for you. Whether it's the summer or middle of winter, this drink combines all the right hints of citrus, sweet and fruity. Just look at that presentation though 😱. Oh, and that piece of juicy watermelon you see, believe it or not, is meant to be eaten, unlike the questionable, dried up 'fruit' that's often cautioned to stay away from at most bars out there.

@atwatercocktailclub

Here’s what we had to eat:

Fries, Parmesan béchamel, truffle - $14.00

8.5/10

Béchamel covered hot & crispy fries. The fries themselves were great, quality-wise — real potatoes all the way! The truffle parmesan béchamel sauce was good, but strong. Having it drenched over the entire plate of fries felt a little bit heavy and overpowering for me. I would have loved a lighter drizzle of béchamel on top with the rest on the side for dipping. I’ll ask for it like that next time around so I can enjoy the two parts at my own fry:sauce ratio ;) Nonetheless, they were warm and comforting and well priced for the quantity.

Escargots ‘en coquille’, parsley garlic butter - 6x - $14.00

9.5/10

This was my first time trying escargots. It's hard to pinpoint in writing their taste relative to other familiar flavours in my palate archive, but I give these a 9.5/10. They were seasoned so well that they didn't taste much different from something like a smoked, meaty mushroom or tender cut of some kind of light protein. Overall, for a first timer, surprisingly good! I would definitely recommend giving them a try.

Parmesan homemade spaghetti with butter & black truffle, 64˚ egg yolk, Parmesan — $27.00

7.5/10

So, here's my truth going into ordering this: I like truffle, but I'm a subtle truffle type of girl. This was too strong for me. If I were suggesting something for my sister, the true truffle queen, I’d vouch for this without a doubt. The richness and flavour combinations were great, but I could only hold out a few bites before I felt overtaken in the battle of Me VS Cream!

Don't get me wrong, though, this pasta IS heavy BUT does not disappoint from a flavour standpoint. Alone, this would be a mission to finish, but definitely a great option for sharing.

The béchamel fries and truffle pasta together was a lot; very filling and heavy in the dairy department. Just make note of that, and gauge your level of hunger (and lactose tolerance!) before ordering both.

What we NOW know: Atwater epitomizes bougie simplistic cocktails. These dedicated cocktail creations have wild characters of their own and do NOT fail to keep you and your party wanting more.

FYI: No reservations accepted. Just walk-ins at the moment due to Atwater's (very deserving) popular demand.

Let me know your verdict when you try this hidden gem for yourself!

Until my next dose of YUM,

xx Sab