La Chic Régal

If you’re looking for a dark bar to hide away in and drink, this is the spot. The drinks are very affordable and the atmosphere is relaxed. It’s certainly no fills but they’ve got big screen TVs playing hockey and following the game they play fun music on the speaker system. I’ve gone here a few times for drinks with friends after dinner. It’s nice too because it’s never too loud so you can have a conversation without yelling.
One year at my Christmas party, in order to give my neighbours a break from noise, at midnight I herded all my guests over to Chic Regal. The staff welcomed us warmly despite the fact we were a little bit tipsy on wine already and rowdy from the Christmas spirit.

Parfait pour y boire une grosse O’Keefe en faisant ses choix pour un pool de hockey. Un petit bar de quartier sans prétention, la pizz n’est pas mauvaise non plus et la terrasse est agréable en été.

So Andrea and I wanted to meet up for a friday eve drink. We said ok — let’s meet halfway between St Henri and Pt St Charles and head over to Burgundy Lion. Mistake. It was packed to the gills with people more finely dressed then when I go to work and with nice and intimidating haircuts. Same deal across the street at Joe Beef and that other place. It was like Crescent in the South West and man, is gentrification ever going down… So we said, let’s go to the old-​man-​bar at the Corner of Charlevoix and Center.
And off we went on our bikes.
La Chic Régal is no-​frills. There’s big screens showing hockey and dudes playing pool. But it’s got the touch. Nice tunes on the stereo (Bön Jovi, Guns), Rickard’s Red on tap if you’re too wuss to buy the Big Beer Bottles (une grosse). There’s free popcorn though it’s not vegan friendly. Throughout our stay, the staff were friendly and attentive. Twice, a waitress came over to see how we were doing and if we needed more popcorn. What clinches it is the wood panelling everywhere and photographs of old STCUM buses and Montréal Canadians paraphernalia from yore. It’s like a weird half-​assed museum that you can drink at.