Whether it be a Sunday evening or a Friday night, the streets of St. Laurent and Crescent are filled with crowds of people queued up to get into some of Montreal’s most famous clubs and bars. When living in a city known for its nightlife, it can sometimes be tricky to pick the best place to go to for a night out. To help you plan your nights in advance, the Tribune has put together a list of clubs that are a must-try for McGillians. 

1. Café Campus

Located at the intersection of St. Dominique and Prince Arthur—just off of hectic St. Laurent Boulevard—this nightclub is notoriously popular amongst McGill students. Boasting a two-story dance floor and multiple bars, this is definitely the place you want to be to show off those freshly-learned moves and get shwasted under the glitzy red lights. 

With Retro Tuesdays, Thursdays 2000, and X-Large Fridays and Saturdays, there is a theme for everyone to enjoy. The tickets, at $16 including taxes and fees, can be bought online and the price is the same every night. The drinks are a bit expensive, but they’re worth it to experience their famous retro nights at least once. 

2. Muzique

Muzique is another popular dance club, located at 3781 St. Laurent Boulevard, which you can’t miss due to the long queues outside it every weekend. It has two big rooms for dancing and lounging, and a rooftop where you can get a glimpse of the cross on Mount Royal—but drinks cost $1 more for the terrace view. It tends to get crowded on Friday and Saturday nights, so if you’re going with a group, it might be worthwhile to reserve a table and score some extra space for yourself. 

You will find a diverse range of music to dance to, as the DJs draw from all kinds of genres and places around the world. They offer a coat check and, although the drinks are already not too pricey, there is also a special discount for women before midnight. If you’re interested in attending one of the events they host, consider going to their 13th anniversary event on Oct. 4 where Fedde Le Grand will be performing. 

3. Mad Hatter

For a more chill night out, head to the Mad Hatter Pub, at 1240 Crescent Street. This pub offers a wide range of drinks as well as some delicious Canadian cuisine for when hunger takes over. Although this is more of a sit-down place, the music can reach high volumes, prompting people to have their own small and impromptu dance parties. 

Mad Hatter is a fun place to go to with a group of friends as it has some pool, foosball, and ping-pong tables that can bring out your competitive side. While the prices are reasonable and it’s not too heavy on the pockets, it is currently offering a “Jack’s 777 special” on Wednesday nights, which means you can order a special Jack cocktail, a Jack burger with fries, or two shots of Jack for $7 each. 

4. TRH Bar

With a skating bowl, a terrace, and a bar, this place hosts an interesting mixture of people that you must experience at least once. Located at 3699 St Laurent Boulevard, TRH––pronounced “trash”––often has a queue on weekends. Although it is known as a skater’s bar and those with skateboards get to skip the line, non-skaters can have just as much fun here. 

The music tends towards hip-hop and electro and it has limited spaces to sit, so you’re made to stand and vibe with the tunes. Often you’ll find some experienced skaters showing off their entertaining moves in the bowl, guaranteed to keep you entertained for a while. It’s really popular for serving PBRs so if that’s your taste, this will be the perfect fit!