Montreal, I missed you.
Walking through the cobblestone streets in Montreal Old Port, you will find Philemon at a huge giant with a roped entry, yet a small unassuming sign.
The doorman was probably one of the nicest I've seen in a LONG time. No power trips, and let us in right away through the tiny door, once again in contrast to the giant entry gate outside.
The place was packed on a Saturday night. The DJ played a mix of well, everything, with some great 90s stuff thrown in. It was WAY too loud to have a conversation, but heck, a great place to get your drink on. The crowd was a good age - late 20s to late 30s, and you could find people in heels and dress shirts, as well as casual groups in jeans and t-shirts just looking for a good time.. and of course the odd few in wife-beaters and fedoras pretending to be a Backstreet Boy. It's all good.
Service was a tad bit slow, but I get it - the place was packed. Drinks were well priced.
The best part of Philemon was that by the end of the night, people had gotten up on the bar and the speakers to dance on, and seemed to have a blast. We cleared the place out at 3 when the lights came on.
Definitely a very Montreal vibe. A lot of fun!