Classic Games and Tasty Drinks: The Arcade MTL

I’ve had the opportunity to stay in Montreal for a few days, and there has been plenty to see in this wonderful city. Lots of great food, people, and entertainment no matter what your interests may be. Given my interests, one place that stood out to me in particular was the Arcade MTL. Located on St. Dennis street in Montreal, this place is a great spot for people who are fans of old school video games to grab a drink, play some games, and chat with others who share the love games as well.

Viewing the establishment from the outside gives a taste for what lies inside. The brick wall is painted with a red ‘Pacman’ ghost (Blinky), and the main door displays images from the classic Donkey Kong cabinet.

Walking up the stairs into the bar, I was greeted by an employee, and given the basics of how the place worked: There is a $7 cover charge to enter, after which all games are free to play for as long as you want. However, on certain days between 5 and 7pm, there is no cover charge, so it’s absolutely free! This time period is also ‘Happy Hour’ for certain drinks, including their house beer, “Mario Brosse”. Along with traditional drinks that can be made upon request, there is also a menu consisting of video game inspired mixed drinks, from a ‘Pina Galaga’ to a ‘Falcon Punch’. Not only are the drinks cleverly named, but they taste great as well! For those that don’t drink alcohol, but still want to enjoy the atmosphere, they offer non-alcoholic drinks as well.

As mentioned earlier, there are a number of arcade machines, as well as console games that are free to play. Some examples (though not all) are Galaga, Punch Out, Street Fighter II, Ninja Turtles, Smash Bros. Melee, Mario Bros. 3, Castlevania, Donkey Kong, and others. Each arcade cabinet has a conveniently placed cup holder on the side, allowing you to have your drink readily accessible as you play to your heart’s content.

One possible downside others may point out is that there isn’t really any food served here. However, I have heard that they do allow food to be brought in from outside, and have even allowed for food to be delivered to the establishment. Though it would be nice to also have some video game inspired food items, I think the positives greatly outweigh this possible negative.

As I mentioned, this is a great place to spend some time, play some games, and possible chat with others doing the same. I had an instance where I was playing at the Donkey Kong cabinet, and had a conversation with some guys from Toronto playing the Galaga machine next to me. We had a fun, light conversation about high scores, old gaming consoles, and other related things. It was a nice little experience, made possible by this establishment.