In the luxurious Le St. James Hotel is a one stellar bar: the XO. First of all the room is the height of old-school luxury: columns, mouldings, height, drama, rich finishes. All of this is bathed in a combination of fixed incandescent light (subdued) and LED lighting that slowly cycles through jewel tones.
The bartenders are calm and expert. They are also most hospitable and kind with no aloofness from working in such a rarified atmosphere. Observing their technique makes the drinks taste even better. They make all of the classics plus some special St. James drinks. They will make any drink exactly to your specifications.
The bar food menu has some great items. The Montreal "Smoked Meat" Sandwich with fries is not to be missed. It may be the best pastrami sandwich ever. For dessert, consider the strawberry dessert, which features fresh Quebec strawberries, strawberry gel, strawberry paper, maple crumbles, hazelnut ice cream and stracciatella cream (wow!!).
For an after dinner drink, try "Neige" which is a local apple ice wine aged three years. It is an utterly complex nectar.
The XO Bar is not inexpensive, but if you order carefully, you can experience a bit of luxury without pretense for a reasonable tab.