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The Main Media Inc. 2026

✦ Built By Field Office
    The Main

    Montreal's Cultural Directory

    Help us improve! Share your thoughts on how we can make your experience better.

    Leave feedback

    For partnerships and collaborations:

    partnerships@themain.com

    Content

    • Articles
    • Food & Drink
    • Arts & Culture
    • History Lesson
    • Bulletin
    • Events

    Guides

    • All Guides
    • Best Restaurants
    • Best Cafés
    • Best Bars
    • Best Brunch
    • Best Bakeries

    Explore Montreal

    • Browse Directory
    • Restaurants
    • Bars
    • Cafés
    • Bookstores
    • Leaderboard
    • Editor's Picks
    • New Places

    About

    • About us
    • Subscribe
    • Shop
    • Advertise
    • Pitch us
    • RSS Feed

    Legal

    • Terms of service
    • Membership Terms
    • Privacy Policy
    Follow us
    InstagramTwitterTiktokLinkedin

    The Main Media Inc. 2026

    ✦ Built By Field Office
      --°C|Monday, April 27, 2026|
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      --°C|Monday, April 27, 2026|
      Subscribe today to get 3 free articles per month.Get 50% off your first 5 rides with Lyft
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      |
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      The Main Logo
      Magazine
      Sections
      • Arts & Culture
      • Beyond Montreal
      • Design
      • Food & Drink
      • History Lessons
      • The Bulletin
      Explore
      Popular Guides
      • The Best Restaurants in Montreal
      • Best new Restaurants
      • Best Cafés
      • Unique Boutiques
      • Romantic Restaurants
      • Best Bookstores
      • See all Guides
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      • Downtown
      • Le Plateau-Mont-Royal
      • Mile End
      • Mile-Ex
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      • See All
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      • Café
      • Boutique / Store
      • Bar
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      • See All
      Near the Metro
      • Peel
      • Mont-Royal
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      Food & Drink

      Willie's Clubhouse Brings an Elevated Billiards, Darts, and Cocktail Lounge to Downtown Montreal

      This swish take on the 'bar ludique' creates a new recreational hub inside the Montreal Forum.

      ByJ.P. Karwacki

      April 15, 2025 · 5 min read

      Willie's Clubhouse brings an elevated billiards, darts, and cocktail lounge to downtown Montreal
      Photography by Aidan Matthews / @aidanc.m

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Willie's ClubhouseMontreal Forum

      The recreational landscape continues to evolve beyond the traditional bar scene, and activity-based venues are gaining momentum thanks to home teams focused on offering up alternatives.

      First there was the revived relic of Montreal Bowling, then the indoor driving ranges of the alt-country club Muni, and now? The latest entrant, Willie's Clubhouse, transforms a mothballed, 3,230-square-foot space in the Montreal Forum into a refined space that combines classic billiards, darts, and cocktail culture.

      Stepping down into the pool hall.
      The smoky backroom with dartboards.

      In development since last summer, what started as aspirations for "just another pub" evolved into something more ambitious: a trendy English-style pool hall connected to a sophisticated dart room with distinct personalities.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      The Main

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      Welcome to The Main's comments section!

      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

      No comments yet. Be the first!

      Follow on Google
      Minnibar Is Serving Pizza Omakase and Caviar Add-Ons Downtown
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Minnibar Is Serving Pizza Omakase and Caviar Add-Ons Downtown

      A nightlife operator known for late-night destinations pivots to an all-day café, bringing a flexible menu and a few unexpected draws to a quiet stretch near the Bell Centre.

      Nita Tout Garni Is Closing After Five Years in the Mile End
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Nita Tout Garni Is Closing After Five Years in the Mile End

      The team signed off this week with a note of gratitude to their regulars.

      An Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip Mall
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      An Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip Mall

      After decades in Quebec, Abdul and his family built a restaurant where traditional Afghan cooking has earned a following that extends well beyond the South Shore.

      The Mile End Is Back, But Who Is It For Now?
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Mile End Is Back, But Who Is It For Now?

      As a new wave of restaurants has revived the neighbourhood’s energy, questions remain about who gets to shape (and belong to) the scene now taking hold.

      North America's Only Malagasy Restaurant Is a 20-Seat Room in the Plateau
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      North America's Only Malagasy Restaurant Is a 20-Seat Room in the Plateau

      At 325 F, Bryan Rajarison cooks from memory, family, and a cuisine that rarely travels this far.

      Montreal Lands Four Spots on North America’s Best Coffee Shop List
      Food + drink
      AnnaClare Sung

      Montreal Lands Four Spots on North America’s Best Coffee Shop List

      A global ranking places Café Pista, Café Saint-Henri, Micro Espresso, and Café Eclair among the continent’s top 100, judged on quality, experience, and community impact.

      Food & Drink

      Willie's Clubhouse Brings an Elevated Billiards, Darts, and Cocktail Lounge to Downtown Montreal

      This swish take on the 'bar ludique' creates a new recreational hub inside the Montreal Forum.

      ByJ.P. Karwacki

      April 15, 2025 · 5 min read

      Willie's Clubhouse brings an elevated billiards, darts, and cocktail lounge to downtown Montreal
      Photography by Aidan Matthews / @aidanc.m

      Discover the places mentioned in this story

      Willie's ClubhouseMontreal Forum

      The recreational landscape continues to evolve beyond the traditional bar scene, and activity-based venues are gaining momentum thanks to home teams focused on offering up alternatives.

      First there was the revived relic of Montreal Bowling, then the indoor driving ranges of the alt-country club Muni, and now? The latest entrant, Willie's Clubhouse, transforms a mothballed, 3,230-square-foot space in the Montreal Forum into a refined space that combines classic billiards, darts, and cocktail culture.

      Stepping down into the pool hall.
      The smoky backroom with dartboards.

      In development since last summer, what started as aspirations for "just another pub" evolved into something more ambitious: a trendy English-style pool hall connected to a sophisticated dart room with distinct personalities.

      Free account required

      For readers who care about Montreal

      Create a free account to read this story and access 3 articles per month, plus our weekly Bulletin.

      Independent. Local. Reader-supported.

      or

      Already a member? Sign in

      The Main

      Comments

      Welcome to The Main's comments section!

      Share your thoughts and join the conversation. Please be respectful and constructive.

      No comments yet. Be the first!

      Follow on Google
      Minnibar Is Serving Pizza Omakase and Caviar Add-Ons Downtown
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Minnibar Is Serving Pizza Omakase and Caviar Add-Ons Downtown

      A nightlife operator known for late-night destinations pivots to an all-day café, bringing a flexible menu and a few unexpected draws to a quiet stretch near the Bell Centre.

      Nita Tout Garni Is Closing After Five Years in the Mile End
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Nita Tout Garni Is Closing After Five Years in the Mile End

      The team signed off this week with a note of gratitude to their regulars.

      An Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip Mall
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      An Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip Mall

      After decades in Quebec, Abdul and his family built a restaurant where traditional Afghan cooking has earned a following that extends well beyond the South Shore.

      The Mile End Is Back, But Who Is It For Now?
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Mile End Is Back, But Who Is It For Now?

      As a new wave of restaurants has revived the neighbourhood’s energy, questions remain about who gets to shape (and belong to) the scene now taking hold.

      North America's Only Malagasy Restaurant Is a 20-Seat Room in the Plateau
      Food + drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      North America's Only Malagasy Restaurant Is a 20-Seat Room in the Plateau

      At 325 F, Bryan Rajarison cooks from memory, family, and a cuisine that rarely travels this far.

      Montreal Lands Four Spots on North America’s Best Coffee Shop List
      Food + drink
      AnnaClare Sung

      Montreal Lands Four Spots on North America’s Best Coffee Shop List

      A global ranking places Café Pista, Café Saint-Henri, Micro Espresso, and Café Eclair among the continent’s top 100, judged on quality, experience, and community impact.

      More Food & Drink

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      Chinatown is now home to a classic casse-croûte
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Chinatown is Now Home to a Classic Casse-croûte

      The chefs behind Dobe & Andy and Buboy decided all the neighbourhood needs is a solid source of steamies and poutine.

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple

      Meatballs from a family recipe, martinis refreshed before you ask, and a room dressed in heirlooms: eat with your hands and make a mess.

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution
      Food & Drink
      Anick Jasmin

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution

      Owner Jermaine learned to cook from his grandmother in Jamaica at six years old. Everything at Boom J's still carries those teachings.

      Where Montreal's food writers and photographers loved to drink in 2025 (and what they ordered)
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Where Montreal's Food Writers and Photographers Loved to Drink in 2025 (and What They Ordered)

      From cocktails 45 floors above the city streets to neighbourhood wine bars and timeless martinis, here's where the city's insiders raised a glass in 2025.

      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today

      The Cloakroom founder on value over flash, the scene's missing middle, and what Montreal's bar culture still needs to figure out.

      Marchigiani became a Montreal institution by staying old school
      Food & Drink
      Jason Gisoo Kim

      Marchigiani Became a Montreal Institution by Staying Old School

      Three generations and 65 years later, this family business is having its busiest run yet.

      Latest from The Main

      Food + drinkMinnibar Is Serving Pizza Omakase and Caviar Add-Ons DowntownFood + drinkNita Tout Garni Is Closing After Five Years in the Mile EndFood + drinkAn Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip MallBeyond MontrealThis Off-Grid Forest Retreat in the Hautes-Laurentides Starts Where the Road EndsHistory LessonThe Day a Downtown Campus Burned and What Came After

      More Food & Drink

      Related Classics

      From our archive.

      Chinatown is now home to a classic casse-croûte
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Chinatown is Now Home to a Classic Casse-croûte

      The chefs behind Dobe & Andy and Buboy decided all the neighbourhood needs is a solid source of steamies and poutine.

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Figata is Saint-Henri's New Italian-American Red Sauce Temple

      Meatballs from a family recipe, martinis refreshed before you ask, and a room dressed in heirlooms: eat with your hands and make a mess.

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution
      Food & Drink
      Anick Jasmin

      How Boom J's Went From a Home Kitchen to a Jamaican Institution

      Owner Jermaine learned to cook from his grandmother in Jamaica at six years old. Everything at Boom J's still carries those teachings.

      Where Montreal's food writers and photographers loved to drink in 2025 (and what they ordered)
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      Where Montreal's Food Writers and Photographers Loved to Drink in 2025 (and What They Ordered)

      From cocktails 45 floors above the city streets to neighbourhood wine bars and timeless martinis, here's where the city's insiders raised a glass in 2025.

      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today
      Food & Drink
      J.P. Karwacki

      The Fancy Cocktail Bar Isn't Dead, But Andrew Whibley Wouldn't Open One Today

      The Cloakroom founder on value over flash, the scene's missing middle, and what Montreal's bar culture still needs to figure out.

      Marchigiani became a Montreal institution by staying old school
      Food & Drink
      Jason Gisoo Kim

      Marchigiani Became a Montreal Institution by Staying Old School

      Three generations and 65 years later, this family business is having its busiest run yet.

      Latest from The Main

      Food + drinkMinnibar Is Serving Pizza Omakase and Caviar Add-Ons DowntownFood + drinkNita Tout Garni Is Closing After Five Years in the Mile EndFood + drinkAn Afghan Kitchen That Rewards the Detour to a Longueuil Strip MallBeyond MontrealThis Off-Grid Forest Retreat in the Hautes-Laurentides Starts Where the Road EndsHistory LessonThe Day a Downtown Campus Burned and What Came After
      @canada.gov.ca’s accidental archivist John Batt is reshaping Canadian culture

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      @canada.gov.ca’s Accidental Archivist John Batt is Reshaping Canadian Culture

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      GOODEE's Flagship Westmount Space Combines Curated Global Design with Montreal Roots

      GOODEE's flagship Westmount space combines curated global design with Montreal roots
      @canada.gov.ca’s accidental archivist John Batt is reshaping Canadian culture

      Previous

      @canada.gov.ca’s Accidental Archivist John Batt is Reshaping Canadian Culture

      Next

      GOODEE's Flagship Westmount Space Combines Curated Global Design with Montreal Roots

      GOODEE's flagship Westmount space combines curated global design with Montreal roots