Rotisserie Romados

Rated this place:

115 rue Rachel Est, Montreal, QC, H2W 1C8

Portuguese chicken: Magic. Why settle for pizza when you need a quick dinner before a night on the main? Walk 2 blocks east on Rachel and you'll get a huge pile of potatoes and spicy BBQ chicken with salad, for less than ten bucks. Also try the baked custard pies.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• portuguese chicken

Cock N Bull

Rated this place:

1944 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montreal, QC, H3H1M4

Themed dive: Who can say no to a dive that has... Monday: Arts 'N Crafts; Tuesday: Bingo; Wednesday: Karaoke; Thursday , Friday, Saturday, Sunday: Live Music, cheap beer, and Great Halloween and Saint Patrick's Day parties? If you haven't been, get your ass into gear and check it out.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Themed Dive

IKEA

Rated this place:

9191 Cavendish Blvd., Montreal, QC, H4T 1M8

Swedish furniture store: Convince your friend who has a car, grab some people you love, and then embark on an emotional journey you won't soon forget. Observe the marvel of an entire civilization built out of sawdust and glue. Pick up a few artefacts as souvenirs. End the day with a delicious dinner of meatballs and berry sauce. Try to break into the playroom full of plastic balls. Bonus points if you can carry out a complete sexual encounter "dans les balles" as the French say.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• swedish furniture store

Vincent Sous-Marins

Rated this place:

1325 Laurier Ave. E, Montreal, Quebec, H2J 1H4

Vintage hot dog shop: The place hasn't changed in decades, and they still serve excellent classic quebec fast food. Also some good italian subs.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• vintage hot dog shop

Molivos

Rated this place:

2310 rue Guy, Montreal, QC

Greek seafood restaurant: One of thoese places where you pay by the pound for your fish, which you choose from a selection of raw fish brought out to you before you eat. An exquisite dining experience, necessary for fish-lovers. Worth the price tag.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• greek seafood restaurant

Byblos

Rated this place:

1499 avenue Laurier Est, Montreal, H2J 1H8

Persian restaurant: Full-service Persian specialties by evening, breakfast place with a long lineup on the street by morning, this beautifully-appointed place has lots of natural wood tones and a library of middle eastern picture books. Make a reservation, the locals all know about this place.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Persian Restaurant

L'Academie

Rated this place:

4051 Rue Saint Denis, Montreal, QC, H2W 2M7

Place to dine well because of an academic institution: Everyone, from the maitre d' to the guy who makes your coquille st-jean, is in training at a fine culinary/catering/hoteliery school. I give them an A ! At least for the price, which is shockingly low.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Place to dine well because of an academic institution

Cinema du Parc

Rated this place:

3575 avenue du parc, Montreal, QC, H2X3P9

Independent movie theatre: What he said. Seriously, though. What I love more about this place, as a non-movie buff, is that they don't stick to the arty stuff my friends suggest, but some classic mainstream repertoire. And the popcorn is like a third the price it is at an AMC.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• independent movie theatre

Chu Chai

Rated this place:

4088 rue Saint-Denis, Montreal, QC, H2W2M5

Place to bring your vegetarian friend: It's like magic: you'd swear it was shrimp; or crab; or chicken or even beef. But it's all hand-crafted sneaky tricks in tofu. And it's amazingly accurate in texture and flavour. A novel concept and a modern ambiance make this the perfect destination for a girls' night out (I figure).

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Place to bring your vegetarian friend

Korova

Rated this place:

3908 St Laurent, Montreal, QC, H2W 1Y2,

Place to look at kids wearing skinny jeans dancing to old r&b while drinking pbr: Get it? It's the name of the milk bar from Clockwork orange. A unique scene, definitely "worth the trip" as michelin might say if they could be this damn hip. DJ's spin old R&B, everyone pretends to recognize it, they even have cocktail-style pac-man, and the PBR is cheap. When someone suggests the place, I'm powerless to say no.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Place to look at kids wearing skinny jeans dancing to old R&B while drinking PBR

Reservoir

Rated this place:

9, avenue Duluth Est , Montreal, H2W 1G7

Brew pub north of pine avenue: Comparable to Benelux in some ways, the beers offered have a distinctive, fresher texture and the excellent menu is decidedly upscale. Get a spot on the nice brick balcony and spot passers-by on duluth street.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Brew pub north of Pine Avenue

Café Campus

Rated this place:

57 Rue Prince-Arthur Est, Montreal, QC, H2X 1B4

Place to play a show: After Le Swimming closed, this became the coolest place in or near the McGill ghetto to take your young band and give your music to the beginnings of your grass-roots following. The Petit Campus below is now a swanky, remodeled show-bar and the upstairs is still packed with UdeM kids grinding to the oldies.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Place to play a show

Theatre Maisonneuve, Place des Arts

Rated this place:

175 rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest, Montreal, QC

Acoustic concert venue: If you're looking at jazzfest shows or any other acoustic event, this venue is the most consistent in town for great sound and beautiful mid-size concert hall ambience.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Acoustic concert venue

Service NDG Electronique

Rated this place:

5450 rue Sherbrooke Ouest, Montreal, QC, H4A 1V9

Electronic repair place: The owner, "Diamond," is super-helpful and always has great deals on stereo components. THE place to go for a new needle for your old turntable, or to bring the thing in to get it working good as new.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• electronic repair place

Tutti Frutti

Rated this place:

543 Queen W, Toronto, ON, M5V2B6

Renegade chez cora operation: The great rebellion of 1997 led to the formation of many ex-Cora loyalists to band together in a rebel force of breakfast chains that still feature plastic chickens and curly-cut fruit, but which have slightly re-worked menu item names so as to avoid legal action by Ms. Tsouflidou. And the one in Westmount is damn good, better than many Chez'.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• renegade chez cora operation

Scotiabank Theatre

Rated this place:

900 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC, V6Z 3G5

Cheap movie theater: A pretty normal looking megaplex from the outside, and for 6 nights of the week that's what it is on the inside also. But go on Tuesday and you can see everything (including IMAX) for FIVE DOLLARS.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Cheap movie theater

Chez Cora

Rated this place:

3465 Ave du Parc, Montreal, QC

Quebec-wide breakfast chain: Stare into the sun... 3 curved lines communicate the ultimate in inner peace, while at the same time perfectly conveying the image of a day that's too hungover to get itself off the ground. Also, they have fun creations like the bobby button and a cool array of crepes. A safe bet wherever you are, my fave location is on Park above Sherbrooke.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Quebec-wide breakfast chain

Gibby's

Rated this place:

298 Place d'Youville, Montreal, QC, H2Y 2B6

Steakhouse: Set in the basement and ground floor of a classic stables dating to the 1600's, this place oozes charm. Perfect for a family outing or a nicer night out but perhaps not a romantic evening, their rib-eye is perfectly done, and the monte carlo potatoes are a must.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Steakhouse

Benelux

Rated this place:

245 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal, QC, H2X1X7

Belgian, dutch, and luxemburgish-themed brewpub: Pints under $7, a rotating cast of excellent beers brewed in the back of this funkily-lit place where the McGill kids and the local crowd brush shoulders. Formerly a bank, the building features a lounge in the vault at the back.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Belgian, Dutch, and Luxemburgish-themed brewpub

Westmount Veterinary Hospital

Rated this place:

349 avenue Victoria, Westmount

Veterinary hospital: Careful, patient, bilingual staff, they sell environmentally friendly kitty litter. You'll be welcomed by the mascot, a fat calico. Specializing in dogs and cats, they also sell a good selection of holistic and up-market pet food and treats.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Veterinary Hospital

Le Toasteur

Rated this place:

1310 Avenue Laurier Est, Montreal, QC

Breakfast place on laurier: When you live where I do, you have your fair share of convenient breakfast nooks to nurture the hangover and kick the day off with the right measure of eggs and toast. I pass 4 other rather good places to get to this one, where the service is attentive, the coffee abundant and the potatoes sympathetic.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Breakfast place on Laurier

Moe's

Rated this place:

2214 Maisonneuve west, Montreal, Quebec, H3Z1X0

24-hour greasy spoon: No matter when it is, you can get a Big Ed (signature double-cheeseburger) and a Poutine. Or a grand slam breakfast. At 4 am if you like. Classic decor including old jukeboxes.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• 24-hour greasy spoon

Le Flambard

Rated this place:

851 rue Rachel Est, Montreal

French restaurants: Absolutely gorgous, intimate, simple interior decor and old-fashioned service, but bring your own wine. Bring a french-english dictionary for the menu, but everything is good; try the veal.

Bar Bifteck

Rated this place:

3702 St Laurent, Montreal, H2X 2V4

Place to be served popcorn: Brush shoulders with the hip McGill kids who have no idea that Bifteck means steak and are even less bothered by the fact that the place hasn't served it for decades. On the other hand, pool and foosball complement a nice selection of affordable drafts, and unlimited salty popcorn seals the deal.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Place to be served popcorn

Chez Queux

Rated this place:

158 rue Saint-Paul Est, Montreal

Upscale french restaurant: If for a night money is not an object because you need to impress a business associate, a date, or your sig-oth, this place is perfect. Wines from 40 bucks to the moon, and meals and service that are unparallelled in the city.

• favourite thing(s) at this place:
• Upscale French Restaurant