Anyone who's ever had a crush on someone else in Montreal has suggested that they go for drinks at Else's. It's cozy, unpretentious and at the comfortable intersection of St Denis East Plateau franco cool, St Laurent hipsterdom and a quick saunter away from the McGill student ghetto. That means that Else's is pure Montreal where you can switch back and forth between eng and fr. It's kindova jam-packed place with the tables tucked in pretty close so if you're bilingual, you can get in some choice eavesdropping while you're having yourself a nice drink. They've got cider on tap as well as a pretty respectable selection of Quebec microbrews and hard liker.
Food-wise, I like: the samosas. They're nice and greasy though the Indian platter feels a bit sparse. The chilli's where the money's at, in my book. You get a nice full bowl of thick red-bean tomato stew with some nice cumin and chili highlights and a plate full of corn chips to go with it. Cheese and no cheese options are available.