Bar Vivar: A Montreal take on a Spanish way of eating

Bar Vivar, two Montrealers’ take on a Spanish restaurant that opened in the winter of 2024, is in many ways a place that sets a record straight.

Servers here will say a menu is ‘tapas-style’ to describe how it's shareable, something to encourage ordering a few plates and a few bites at most for everyone at the table. But spots true to a combination of Spain’s cuisine, portions and way of eating—closely knit dining rooms surrounding a bar and terrasse, drinking with truly smaller plates slowly eaten during conversation—are none too common in Montreal.

Bar Vivar breaks that trend: A 40-seat spot from chef Georges Greiche and sommelier Patrick Oakes designed with personal touches—decorated with flea market trips and 1970’s artwork—has a left-hand side of intimate banquettes and tables, while the right has the standing bar setup often found in casual spots of urban and rural Spain. A TV might be on in background, as well.