Cowboy boots and a cocktail program might not seem like a natural pairing, but Bottes & Whiskey makes the case—loudly, and with neon. Set in the former Distillerie space on Mont-Royal, this honky-tonk bar channels the Southern barroom energy its owners brought back from Nashville and filters it through a local lens. Think bourbon-heavy cocktails, a wall of whiskey bottles, live country sets, and enough Americana signage to light up a saloon. Co-owner Carlos Adam says the shift isn’t just aesthetic—it’s personal. After years in more buttoned-up establishments, he’s finally working in denim and Timberlands. The food menu stays in lane: giant pretzels, pulled pork sandwiches, and beer by the bucket. It’s not trying to reinvent anything—it’s trying to let loose. And it’s part of a broader trend in Montreal’s bar scene: less preciousness, more personality.