Sans Soleil Bar — Restaurant in Montreal

Cute speakeasy tucked under a restaurant. This building has been in Chinatown ever since I could remember and the previous business owner (maybe building owner? I think Mr Wong) of the gift shop still lives upstairs!

The sound quality was incredible, I think 4 speakers around the room, they had a decibel reader for the DJs to look at throughout the night. We got there around 8pm to eat and chat and grab a drink and even thought it was full, you could easily hear yourself and it wasn't loud. There is good sound absorption and I'm quite sensitive to sound and was happy. The DJs actually spin on vinyl as well it was a whole vibe.

We got some food which was good to great. Attention to the toppings was 👌 Maiden tartare: good, wish there was more fish marinated veggie: little palette cleanser Crispy soft tofu: real tasty and satisfying, so good (though wasn't crispy at all even at the non soaked in sauce part) cold ramen: my least favorite of the bunch, too salty and lemon forward, was okay, meat in it was good Service was friendly but could have been more attentive. We had to always ask for more water, it wasn't refilled otherwise. A chopstick fell and one of us couldn't eat and asked for a new one the waitress forgot and we had to ask again after a while had passed.

Then after 10pm the chairs and tables get taken away and it becomes more dancy, the music wildly ranges tho depending on what the DJ wants to play. The music wasn't one I'd dance to yesterday but I enjoyed listening to it. We stayed in the back room to sit and chat while the main room got packed.

Would go back. Great for a small group or date!

Reservations...

We were a small group eating at Fleurs et cadeaux, spent over $600 there. Food was amazing, service was amazing.We then decided to go downstairs to Sans Soleil we ordered a couple of drinks and were sitting there for about 3 hours. Music was really good and we decided to dance because the dancefloor was empty. Then the barman told us to go to the bar and pay because we were ordering "too many drinks"?! So I went up to pay for the group. He asked me how many drinks we ordered, I gave him an approx, but I asked him to show me what he input in the machine since I don't know what everyone ordered throughout the night. He basically added extra drinks and asked me to pay for them. I told him no, show me what you have entered in the machine and that's what I'm going to pay for, he told me no and told me I was agressive because I was asking to see what we ordered...he told me he couldn't retrieve it...I was asking for a PROOF of what we all ordered. Pretty much illegal what he was doing there. I needed to know what I was paying for. He became so agitated and yelled at me that i was agressive, when all I was asking was to show me our order in a very peaceful way. He was almost going to slap me. I ended up paying for extra drinks and left cause he was scary...worst bar ever. The guy who served us was a bald guy..proabably coked up...and lost track of our orders throughout the night so he decided to input whatever number of drinks he wanted!? We ended up leaving cause he was getting more and more agitated. Please avoid this bar at any cost..WORST...

Sans Soleil is an absolute standout for food and cocktails in Montreal. Tucked away in a tiny space, this charming speakeasy is an adventure to find but well worth the effort. While it seems to be a popular nightlife spot for dancing and music, the real stars are the inventive dishes and expertly crafted cocktails.

My new wife and I visited Sans Soleil while honeymooning in Montreal. The lovely and passionate server Lily guided us through the menu, explaining each item with such attention to detail. We were blown away by the quality and unique fusion of French and Asian flavors, especially at these reasonable prices. The sashimi was incredibly fresh and converted me into a raw fish fan. The duck sashimi style was a revelation - if you've never tried it, you must.

Every dish was meant for sharing and arrived one after another in a progression of flavors. Subtle, complex tastes were artfully arranged in ways I didn't expect from this unassuming spot. Lily delighted in making recommendations, practically ordering for us after hearing what we liked.

The cocktails were just as strong, flavorful and inventive as the food. Each one came with an unexpected twist. The music and dance floor didn't appeal to us that night, but some regulars mentioned it was an odd night for the usual scene.

Make sure Sans Soleil is on your Montreal bar crawl list. This soulful hidden gem delivers an absolutely memorable food and cocktail experience...