Hurley's Irish Pub

Hurley's Irish PubHurley's Irish Pub
Hurley's Irish PubHurley's Irish Pub
Bar, Eatery

1225 Crescent St
Montréal, Quebec, H3G 2B1
Canada

(514) 861-4111 | map
hurleysirishpub.com
PLACE STATS
Average:
3.72
Reviews:
21
Ratings:
27
pDev:
15.05%
View: Place Reviews
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Ratings by tittymcj:
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Reviewed by tittymcj from Connecticut

3.85/5  rDev +3.5%
vibe: 3 | quality: 3.5 | service: 5 | selection: 3.5
Hurleys is more laid back than any of the other places we visited in Montreal. The atmosphere was pretty laid back. There were a few separate areas, so it wasn't like one big party. There was live music playing in one room, then two separate dining/drinking areas, then the bar area.

Most of the clientele was 30+, and it seemed like everyone there knew they were there to just chill and enjoy, rather than to party.

Our waitress was fantastic, very friendly and sociable, and made sure we were taken care of very well.

Selection was a little scant, but we were really only there for some Guinness anyway. Got that and some Carlsberg, which tided us over, and didn't really expand to others.

Overall a very relaxing place to drink some decent beer without having a bunch of skanks or douchebags all over you.
Mar 14, 2009
More User Ratings:
Photo of Shanex
Reviewed by Shanex from France

3.88/5  rDev +4.3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 3.75 | food: 3.75
It was a pub close to my hotel on a winter night in Montreal and needed a couple of beers just after landing off the plane.

Not an extraordinary selection, small but the atmosphere was cool and relieving after my flight.
Apr 21, 2016
 
Rated: 3.73 by misternebbie from Pennsylvania

Feb 10, 2015
 
Rated: 2.5 by AnHeroicHippo from Canada (QC)

Aug 07, 2014
 
Rated: 5 by gingerman from Minnesota

Apr 08, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by BierBliss from New Hampshire

Apr 04, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by edugasmtl from Canada (QC)

Jan 26, 2014
 
Rated: 3.5 by davegray from California

Nov 14, 2013
Photo of LittleDon
Reviewed by LittleDon from Texas

3.41/5  rDev -8.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.25 | service: 4 | selection: 2.75
Long on atmosphere but short on selection.

This would be a great place to make your local pub. Friendly, good service, no surprises (including the taps). Not having been to a pub in Ireland, it would be hard for me know if this is what the typical Irish pub was like. The entrance is one level down off the street. The small 10 seat bar is immediately in front of you as you walk in. There are a few small rooms behind the bar. The place has low ceilings and lots of stone. It was slow the night I was there and the service was good. The bartender was even nice enough to suggest bars where I could find a selection from Unibroue on tap (which was surprisingly hard to find downtown). Ten or twelve taps, most of what you'd expect (Guinness, Boddingtons, Murphey's, etc.) with a few Candadian beers thrown in. This would make a great regular place to meet with friends to play darts, but not a place to discovery the breweries that Montreal, Quebec, or Canada have to offer.
Aug 08, 2013
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Reviewed by kwjd from Canada (ON)

3.56/5  rDev -4.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 2.5
This pub was close to our hotel and we felt like a beer, but none of the brewpubs were open yet (they open at 3, this was at noon). There were several rooms, we sat at the bar just beside the entrance. Nice cozy feel the place because the room wasn't huge. The bartender said it gets really busy during the evenings, but there were people at about half of the tables when we were there. Tap list has some macros, with a few of the more common Quebec micros. I didn't eat, so can't comment on the quality of the food. Bartender was really good. Pints of Murphy's Irish Stout were just over $8 each, so a bit pricey.
Nov 08, 2010
Photo of plaid75
Reviewed by plaid75 from New York

3.63/5  rDev -2.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 3.5
Located on the lively Crescent Street in the seemingly English speaking area of town.

The interior was broken down in to numerous cozy dining areas toward the left as you walk. The main bar is to the right, surrounded by a dining area/band stage. The upstairs featured a secondary bar and lounge type atmosphere.

The beer list consisted of the usual suspects. The appearance of Beamish (alongside Guinness) was a nice surprise. The food was decent, and again typical fare.

The live music started around 9:00 PM and the place packed out.
Nov 28, 2009
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Reviewed by HopBacchus from Massachusetts

3.95/5  rDev +6.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 3.5
My favorite Irish pub in Montreal the atmosphere is extremely social and laid back everyone there is just there to relax and chat. It's an older crowd

The quality of everything there is pretty good they have most of your mainstream Irish macros with a few Canadian craft beers mixed in, nothing special, most people order Guinness

Service is awesome all bartenders knowledgeable and friendly

Selection is pretty good, if you won't drink macro beers then options will be more limited, they have an impressive single malt selection

Good quality pub food with a impressive variety of options
Aug 29, 2009
Photo of hammerhead24
Reviewed by hammerhead24 from New Jersey

3.13/5  rDev -15.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3
We stopped in here after dinner and beers at brutopia. This place had a warren of rooms, which made it easy to get lost or sidetracked on trips to and from the bathroom.

We got a booth in a backroom away from the band, so we could talk. The service was very slow, especially for midweek. At one point, me and a mate went to the bar to order our own refills after waiting too long for the waitress.

The tap selection was very typical for an Irish pub, focusing on Guiness, Smithwick's, Harp and Bass. There were a few wild-card choices though. I went for a Boddington's (mainly because nobody in my group believed me when I told them it looked like a liquid Twinkie), a St. Amroise and a Blanche de Chamblay. My buddy got a Kronenburg, which also surprising to see on tap.

As others have said, the prices were a little high, but it was OK. Many of my friends went back the next night. But, we went to another pub next door to the Peel Pub.
Mar 13, 2009
Photo of zerofear13
Reviewed by zerofear13 from New York

3.89/5  rDev +4.6%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
Hurley's isn't very hard to find. Along Crescent Street between Rene Levesque and St. Catherine's so it's considerably less busy around this area than one more block north. It's hard to miss Hurley's; they have a lot of block-front property - there are like four doors.

I went on a nice night, so most of the crowd was outside. I chose to sit inside, away from the bar in the downstairs level, in a small room. It was nice because we had the room pretty much to ourselves. The waitress was very friendly with impeccable English, which is a bit of a rarity in Montreal. The bartenders were incredibly friendly as well. The atmosphere was great. More of a pub and relaxed atmosphere than the more hectic areas of Crescent Street and St. Catherine's.

Tons of taps at this place. All served in pints. I saw quite a few taps were reserved for Guiness. There was Murphy's, Kilkenny, Carlsberg, Newcastle, and a bunch of others. Almost no generic macro to fall back on, so really a great beer-lover's bar.

My only complaint was the pricing. Eight dollars for a pint is a bit pricey, considering there wasn't even the option to get them in 12 ounces or in pitchers. I suppose that's all part of the "traditional Irish pub" feel they were aiming for. I'd say: stop by here and enjoy a few pints, but if you're aiming for a long, long night of drinking, you might want to eventually go somewhere else, because staying here all night will eventually destroy your wallet.
Aug 12, 2008
Photo of LeTonneau
Reviewed by LeTonneau from Canada (QC)

2.93/5  rDev -21.2%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 2 | selection: 2.5 | food: 2
I do not know if that is a typical Irish pub but the atmosphere is great. At least, if that is not authentic, it is doing a great job for the atmosphere. Have to admit that it is quite expensive. 1 or even 2$ more than others. I guess that their great location pushes the prices up. Not a question of quality but the few thing I hate were not very good. Their Irish nachos are simply horrendous. The available selection is not very wide but at least you can have some Black & Tan. The waitresses always seem to get lost when it's time to pay the bill. I've never had my bill right the first time. Good thing I keep count of my drinks otherwise I would have payed for someone else...
Apr 04, 2008
Photo of deltatauhobbit
Reviewed by deltatauhobbit from Maine

4.65/5  rDev +25%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
Hurley's is one of my favorite pubs to visit. It has a great atmosphere, I usually stick downstairs. One of my best memories there has a U2 cover band playing all night, spending time with my soon-to-be girlfriend and having about 10 pints of cider (not considered beer anymore on this site, but I'm still a cider nut).

Our waitress was the coolest ever, even looked Irish and understood English very well. She had to deal with some really bad drunks one night, which we also got to watch and she basically told them off, haha, but she treated us very well and was super quick to refill our drinks. I even got a picture with her, haha :)

The place has a very cozy vibe to it although it gets fairly packed, but I really liked the brickwork they did and the way it's set up. Although more bathrooms could be handy.

Can't say much for the selection as I didn't venture past the cider, but I do remember they had plenty taps going, at least 20. Food was pretty good for pub stuff, didn't get full meals but kept the appetizers going.
Jan 12, 2008
Photo of DoubleJ
Reviewed by DoubleJ from Wisconsin

3.79/5  rDev +1.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.5 | selection: 3.5
This Irish pub sits on the south end of Crescent and has the honor of being the establishment where I had my very first pint of Guinness (June 2006). I came back on December 16 to re-visit a fond memory. Quiet and relieving at noon, but rocking with live bands at night. The staff is dressed well and knows how to pour the pints. I should note that the service can slow to a crawl at night, so be patient if you plan to visit at night, but during the day that shoudn't be a problem. 25 taps sit behind the bar, but 5 of them are dedicated to Guinness. Some of the non-Guinness taps include Tetley's, Murphy's and two McAuslan offerings. Bottles of major brand lagers are sold as well if you don't want something made with top-fermenting yeast. Beware of the prices though, pints will set you back an extra dollar compared to other places. Overall, a fun place to hang out at.
Dec 25, 2007
Photo of jjboesen
Reviewed by jjboesen from Maryland

3.05/5  rDev -18%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 1 | selection: 3 | food: 4.5
Located next door to Brutopia (see my reveiw) Hurley's is your typical sprawling faux-pub that consists of a warren of brick-walled dining areas with a central bar in the middle and a large terrace in the back.

Also typical is the beer selection: Guinness, Smithwick's and Kilkenny's, the latter being unavailable in the states.Great burgers that fill you up in preparation for the night ahead, which might involve listening to live music. Of course, I would've enjoyed that but decided to make an early departure (to McKibbins) because of the horrid service - I think Hurley's actually derives from the Gaelic term "hir hool he," which can be roughly translated as :He who sits at the bar and gets little service." Anyway, not the high point of Montreal's nightlife - unless you don't care.
Jun 12, 2007
Photo of papat444
Reviewed by papat444 from Canada (QC)

3.98/5  rDev +7%
vibe: 5 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3.5 | food: 4
i've been a couple of times here (recently in Feb.) & every time, it reminds me of my trip to Ireland. Mind you, nothing compares to an authentic Irish pub in Ireland. I especially like the fireplace in winters! The usual suspects for beers, but i think you don't come here for vast selection, you come here to chat with friends in a relaxed atmosphere. Pub food is good, especially chicken wings (as per my friend). live music on certain nights & moderate number of TV's. many different nooks & corners to sip your beer. a must on your visit to montreal!
Mar 06, 2007
Photo of bignick
Reviewed by bignick from Massachusetts

3.19/5  rDev -14.2%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3 | service: 3.5 | selection: 2.5
Hurleys is a great Irish pub right in the center of the nightclub district of Montreal. The atmosphere is great, with live music and friendly people. The non-rotating beer selection is pretty mediocre, and can be found here: http://www.hurleysirishpub.com/index_en.htm. On my visit, I had a Murphy's, which was fresh and well-poured, but a bit pricey. I like Murphy's as a place to drink the night away, but it is pretty lacking in beer selection.

I would say that Hurleys is worth a stop for those who enjoy Irish pubs, but for someone who is looking for something new and different to try, there are much better options (such as Brutopia right down the street).
Mar 30, 2006
Photo of brewandbbq
Reviewed by brewandbbq from New Hampshire

3.21/5  rDev -13.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 3.5 | service: 2.5 | selection: 3
Hit up this place on a Friday night, after having some great beer close by at Brutopia.
Dissapointing beer selection, bad service and great atmosphere.
Couldn't even get our waitress to tell us what was on tap, all she kept saying was "Guiness? Guiness?- we close soon, so please order".
I insistently inquired about St. Ambroise, and she said no-twice.
Anyways, Guiness it was-big bucks too!
Whatever, it was after midnight, we were in Montreal and there was the coolest fiddle players ripping up the place.
This place was packed,too. We were outside in like a courtyard,
under the stars, with a stone wall enclosing the area.
I was surprised how early they were closing up, we only had time for one before they started flipping the chairs up, and we were just getting started!- This is Montreal-right?
Anyways, there was a great vibe going down at this place, everybody was freaking happy. People singing with the fiddlers, some were doing the jig, others were having intimate conversations in the outskirts of the interior of the joint.
And hotties! OMFG, at the time I was single- and talk about Montreal foxes!
Finally, the fiddlers blew my mind with a scathing rendition of "Enter Sandman"..WTF? It was paradise for a short few minutes.
On the way out the door, the crowd had thinned enough so that I could actually see the taps at the bar, and there was the St. Ambroise.-
Whatta bitch.
May 07, 2005
Photo of Jacobier10
Reviewed by Jacobier10 from New Jersey

3.26/5  rDev -12.4%
vibe: 4 | quality: 3 | service: 3 | selection: 3.5
Hurley's is a quiet, dark, Irish pub located right in the heart of Crescent Street. The quality of the Newcastle that I ordered wasn't up to par. Very watered down and almost no head. I tried some of my other friends' beers and they weren't too great either. The selection is very average. I was hoping for something a little more exciting. About 20 beers on tap, but nothing you can't find anywhere else. When I asked the waitress if they served any Unibroue, she started to mock it and tell me that there are much better beers brewed in Quebec. I don't doubt this, but c'mon, there's nothing wrong with Unibroue.

Overall, this place wasn't as bad as I'm making it to sound, but maybe I was disappointed by it. It was VERY expensive and I wouldn't buy more than one or two beers here. It looked like a nice place to bring a date at best. For a better time, head next door to Brutopia.
Apr 13, 2005
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Reviewed by 3Vandoo from Canada (QC)

3.7/5  rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4 | selection: 3 | food: 3.5
I discovered the Hurley's one drunken night, after we end out toward the McKibbin's but it was too crowded. The Hurley's is fun to go at, as every night it is different. I can go on a thursday and the place will be so jammed with people you cannot walk, and on another thursday there no one and you can have a nice calm chat. Its two storey high and in both there is a band or a singer(second(band) first(singer). Also there is a section for the non-smoker who has nice seating. As for the beer, it can be compared to any "Irish" pub in Montreal except they do have Saint-Ambroise. The owner is very friendly by the way if you get a chance to talk to him he's like to hear your feedbacks.
Jul 23, 2004
Photo of Scoats
Reviewed by Scoats from Pennsylvania

4.14/5  rDev +11.3%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4
After being dragged to two corporate could-be-anywhere bars by a Bulgarian friend who lives in MTL, I finally got through to her the difference between real local places and homogenized corporate places.

Hurley's has all the Irish bric-a-brac one would expect, but the place is real. And they have St. Ambrose on tap. Finally a place with St. Ambrose on tap!

The Atmosphere: Hurleys is in an Anglo part of town and the default language is English. Listenting to the voices, the place seemed to mostly be populated by Amercians, non-Quebec Canadians and assorted expatriot Brits. Their mode of dress was the businessperson on a weeknight after work look.

This is a wonderful place to have a few pints with a friend. The service was excellent. I would definitely come back. I am looking forward to coming back some evening and listening to some Celtic music.
Apr 22, 2004
Photo of tommy78
Reviewed by tommy78 from North Carolina

4.55/5  rDev +22.3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5 | food: 5
Hurley's is also my favorite pub in the western world. Every time I am in Montreal, I make it a point to pay a visit to Hurley's. I will tell you why.

First, the atmosphere is very warm and friendly. From the bartenders to the servers, they greet you with a smile. Second, the food is incredible. I highly recommend the grilled chicken sandwich. The cooks use a "special sauce" in the sandwich that makes my taste buds go nuts. Third, Hurley's has a large selection of beers and spirits. They have both Guinness and Guinness Extra Cold, and the bartenders know how to pour a perfect pint. Finally, the music is the coup de grace. If you catch Salty Dog with Miranda playing the fiddle at Hurley's, then you are in store for an exciting and fun-filled night. Hurley's has a knack of bringing good live music to their faithful customers. I can't wait to go back to Hurley's in March. Salut!
Jan 23, 2004
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Reviewed by ChrisBowers from Virginia

4.65/5  rDev +25%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 4 | food: 4
This is my favorite bar in the world. Period. While not truely a "beer bar" it doesn't slouch in that category. What is absolutely amazing about this place is the atmosphere and the music. How many Irish pubs have you been to in your time with that cheesy manufactured Irish look? They've got Guinness crap all over the walls straight from the distributor, and that makes the place an Irish pub? Thats a place trying to be Irish. This place IS IRISH.

There are two bar areas... there is the main area (depending on who you talk to) on the ground level, actually a little below street level. This is a dark cavernous area with various rooms and nooks and a decent sized square bar. To the back of the bar is one of two small stages Hurleys has. Every night they have live Celtic music at Hurleys. Featured on most weekends is Solstice.... a duo of fiddle player Jonathan Moorman and guitarist/vocalist Pat Lesyk. You will never hear a better fiddle player in your life, I garauntee it.

Upstairs is a larger bar area. It is more open upstairs, and bands with more pieces play up here. I spend most of my time downstairs as I like the atmosphere (and the music) more, but thats me.

The service at this place is quite good. The bartenders are all quite friendly and most are actually Irish. The waitresses can get overworked at times, but they do a better job than most that I've seen, even when they're swamped.

Now for the beers. Hurleys has about 20 or so tap selections, most in the Irish/English/Scottish sector. Lots of stuff you can't find on this side of the border, such as Kilkenny, Cafferys, Smithwicks and Tartan. They also have an unbelievable oatmeal stout on nitro called St. Amboise. It is brewed in Quebec. Don't miss that one. They also have Hoegaarden, Murphy's, Boddingtons, Newcastle, Harp, Bass, Keith's, and of course Guinness on tap, to name a few.

If you're ever in Montreal, do yourself a favor and drop into this place.
Dec 10, 2003
Photo of francisweizen
Reviewed by francisweizen from Washington

4.22/5  rDev +13.4%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 3.5
Hurleys is a very nice Irish pub in downtown Montreal. The atmosphere is great as it is a very dark place, with dark wood all over the place and a very traditional look. There is a real fireplace going in the Winters and this pub is a great place to warm up to a pint during the cold Montreal winter months. The tap-list leaves somthing to be desired, but i'll be damned if this pub isn't the best place in the whole city to drink some Tartans special with some fine Irish natives. The servers are nice, with the one female Irish bar-tender I had being very pretty and attentive. She even gave me a whole pint of Tartan for free...

a classy place...good prices too, around $5 (CAD) for a 20oz of Tartan!

F
Aug 05, 2003
Hurley's Irish Pub in Montréal, QC, Canada
Place rating: 3.72 out of 5 with 27 ratings