Canal Lounge — Restaurant in Montreal

This bar is simply stunning. The venue is a repurposed boat with a gutted inside to offer ample seating. They have a dozen or so tables along both sides and a bathroom at the back of the boat near the bar. When you're sitting down, you can feel the boat swaying back and forth. You can also open the windows and say hi to people passing by on paddle boats.

This bar has two outdoor seating areas; one at the front, which can be challenging to get to as you need to swing around the side of the opening into the bar, and another one at the back, up a ladder. Personally, I preferred the front outdoor seating area, as it offers a gorgeous view of the canal and has gorgeous flowers to admire. Be aware that you are exposed to the elements outside of the boat and it can get quite chilly. The chairs are also not affixed to the boat, so one slip and you might end up in the canal. The rear outdoor seating is just a set of cushions in a wooden box, but it feels a lot more secure.

The outdoor seating areas fill up immensely quickly, so you have to be lucky to get one, but the other tables indoors are gorgeous as well.

I ordered La Bouee, which was a delicious drink, and a Perfect Storm, which I enjoyed mixing to my taste. My friend ordered a Malibu Seabreeze and said it was absolutely delicious. We also got chips to share, but I thought at $7 it was quite overpriced.

Do note this bar has a 2 hour limit on stays, but this wasn't a problem in my experience. We weren't asked to leave, but also went on a weekday when the bar was nearly entirely empty. Keep it in mind if there's a line waiting...

[Updated after business response]

We visited Canal Lounge expecting a unique dining experience after seeing several videos and reading reviews all of which presented it as a restaurant. We were turned away at the door because we had children with us. There was no signage, no clear warning on their Google profile and no age restriction mentioned in any of the content we saw.

In response to my review the business explained that they are legally classified as a bar and by law cannot allow minors. I understand and respect that. However, this isn’t about the law, it’s about transparency.

Their website still opens by calling it a “restaurant” and the 18 plus restriction is buried at the very bottom of the page. Google also doesn’t list this KEY DETAIL. If you’re turning away families for legal reasons make that obvious before people show up.

It’s simple: update your site’s wording, add signage at the entrance and manage expectations on platforms that list you as a restaurant.

Legal restrictions are valid but misleading branding and unclear communication are not. No one should find out at the door what should have been clearly stated online.

We’re disappointed in the lack of clarity signage and consideration for your guests. If you’re legally unable to serve minors please be upfront, it will save others from experiencing the same discomfort and...

At the beginning I wouldve given this place 5 stars. We came here it was just opening, we got a cute place at the top of the boat with a nice view. It ia Covid-19 so obviously we are expected to be seated alone. We were 2 sitting at the top but we can tell it fits 6 people cozy. 2 more girls come and request to sit outside and our waitress, obviously careless of pur feelings towards this tells us to squish to the back so they can sit ON THE SAME CUSHION as us, doesnt disinfect the area these girls are about to sit it (we legit touched everything) I told her my feelings towards it, that its Covid19 and we should be 2 meters apart. She claims outside is 1.5 meters and totally disregards my comment and doesnt even offer for us to sit inside at that point. We bought a bottle of wine and a whole charcuterie board, our intentions were to stay till sundown and keep purchasing...we felt as if they didnt care about our feelings simply cared about filing in the spots to make more money. Ill never come back, the lack of consideration towards our feelings during these hard times. I mean WE MUST WEAR MASKS everywhere including the inside of their boat but here they are seating girls not even a meter apart from us. What if I live with my grandmother ? I havent been out since March... I am expecting Covid19 protocol to stand everywhere. Shame...