Montreal is world famous for its nightlife, and offers the full range of options, from the most upscale to the most low budget bars. No matter what your scene, there is something for you.  

One popular area for bars and nightlife is Rue St. Laurent , which is especially filled with dance clubs and upscale bars. The Rue Crescent area also tends to be very active and popular at night. 

Many visitors end up on Rue Ste-Catherine , the infamous bar and nightlife district that never seems to sleep and which boasts more than a few seedy characters and its share of adult-oriented entertainment places.  One fun bar near St. Catherine's is an Irish pub called Hurley's , or try O'Regans Irish Pub ( Montreal's only Irish-owned and operated Irish pub ).  Churchill's and Electric Ave . are also popular spots for dancing.  Also try St-Elizabeth's on the corner of Rue Ste-Elisabeth and Rue Ste-Catherine. it's a little hard to find but it's a local favorite, especially for university students.

On St-Denis, right above Rue Ste-Catherine, you'll find a plethora of bars with great outdoor terrasses (patios). St-Sulpice and St-Ciboire (infamous for its apple beer) have two of the largest terrasses in the area and fill up quickly on the weekends. In the same vicinity, you'll also find a great jazz bar called Beebop on the corner of St-Denis and Ontario. All are great choices if you just want to sit and people watch, or if you feel like getting drunk enough to puke on the sidewalk.

Montreal also has a huge gay community; Montreal was host to the first world Outgames. If you're looking for some fantastic drinking spots this year in the gay village, take a walk down St-Catherine St E. There is something to suit everyone's taste. Looking for a night filled with dancing and drag queens? Visit Sky, they have both and a rooftop terrasse. Make sure to stop for a few drinks first at Caberet Mado. Parking is also a great alternative if you're looking for a good gay club. Feel like karaoke? Paul, the owner and host, will make you feel right at home at Club Date.

Most bars and clubs in the city close at 3 a.m., however some play it by ear in the summertime (especially true for  St-Denis), and can stay open until 4 or 5 a.m. If you're still looking for a place to dance in to the wee hours of daylight (and past) Stereo (858, rue Sainte-Catherine Est), an after hours club, opens at 2 a.m. and closes around 10 a.m. - sometimes later.

Chinatown , which runs along La Gauchetiere between Rue Jeanne-Mance and  Rue St-Laurent, is a great place to have dinner and shop for some souvenirs beforehand.

There is much more to nightlife in Montreal than just bars and dance clubs.  As one of the largest cities in Canada, there are plenty of well-known performers and not-so-well-known musicians playing around the city on any given night, and in winter, there is always a Montreal Canadiens game to consider taking in.

In the summer, it's festival after festival, starting with the Francofolies ,  Jazz Fest in July, coinciding with the Fringe Festival , followed by the Just for Laughs comedy festival and many more. Alot of the venues are free. Montreal is especially alive in the summer and some may say rival New Orleans when it comes to being the city that never sleeps.