This spot has been a bar since 1933. Some regulars claim the Plateau's first gay pride parade departed from here in the 1960s, back when it was the Taverne Lincoln.

Whatever claim to fame you’ll hear about its address, André Martineau opened Quai des Brumes in the mid-1980s and quickly built it into the neighbourhood's beating musical heart. The deal he struck with artists remains unchanged: the room is free, the sound person is covered, and the performers keep every dollar at the door. It's why big names keep coming back long after they've outgrown the room.

Programming runs nightly across two connected spaces—Quai des Brumes downstairs, La Rockette above—with French literary nights and art shows rounding out the calendar. Over time, the staff will memorize your name, your drink order, and anything else you care to divulge.