This small Irish pub, with its original Irish music and wide selection of beers, is a popular spot with locals. Live entertainment takes place every night. The pub sports two levels and also has a terrace. Its nine theme rooms include music rooms, a game room and a medieval bar. Cigar smoking is permitted in the game room.

There's a saying that everyone is Irish on St. Patrick's Day. It's not a stretch to add "and in an Irish pub" to that statement. At the Irish Embassy, the mood is always cheerful and the Guinness is always poured just right. Live music is scheduled Thursday-Sunday. Food is a bit more upscale than you'll find at most pubs and with a little more of a global approach, but it's satisfying and tasty in a way only pub food can be. Fun and lively, especially on weekends.

More than a dozen beers on tap, tasty and filling pub grub and a convivial atmosphere make the Old Dublin one of Montréal's most popular hangouts. It's been around since 1978, so it obviously does something right! There's live music every night of the week, and the warm, woody atmosphere makes it easy to lose a few hours here. Along with good beer, the pub stocks a great selection of single malt scotches.

For a real taste of local flavor, head over to this neighborhood pub, which has been an area favorite for many years. People congregate here for drinks (beer especially!) and socializing, and it's a great place to meet people. Another perk is the terrific local music that you'll find. Québécois singers serenade the crowd with folk and pop tunes, and everything is sung in French. Much of the conversation happens in French, too. Still, don't let that stop you from coming. You don't have to dress up, and everyone's very friendly; even a non-French speaker may have one of the best evenings of their trip. Outdoor patio available during warm weather.

The St. James's clubby atmosphere, with lots of dark wood and leather upholstery, is popular with workers from nearby office buildings, especially for the $20 open bar happy hour (Wednesday-Friday, 5-7pm). The food menu is contemporary and a mite upscale (no bangers and mash, although you can get a modern version of fish and chips); the beer and wine menus are quite respectable as well. DJs get the crowd moving as the night progresses.