Le French Line Bar: A new classic at Eaton Centre 9th Floor

While the iconic 9th floor of Montréal’s Eaton Centre reopened this spring with its event room and Île de France restaurant, now Le French Line Bar, a classically inspired bar, is unveiling as well. We told you about it in The Best of Gentlemen – July 2024, but the place is so interesting it deserved its own article. Discover it with us. 

How to get to Le French Line Bar

After passing through the doors of 1500 Robert-Bourassa, we find ourselves in the historical entrance hall, which guides us into the imposing corridor and then up the 9 floors in one of the elevators, which certainly have their share of anecdotes to tell, where another corridor filled with various historical objects awaits you, before arriving at the reception desk where you can either head for the Île de France restaurant or, where we were going for part of our evening, Le French Line Bar. 

The place is masterfully run by the team behind Le Cloakroom and Bar Dominion, two Montréal institutions. Although the latter is more recent in the cocktail world, having been a restaurant under a different administration, the talent of its team, overseen by Mr. Andrew Whibley, owner of all 3 establishments, is near to perfection, having been there a few times. Let’s return to Le French Line Bar. 

The Decor

The decor, in the style of the 9th floor, is a reference to the great French cruise ships and the 1930s. It is classic and intimate, both in ambience—with a pianist and a singer during our visit—and in aesthetics, where high chairs and banquettes blend perfectly, not forgetting the superb bar, which I’ll talk about below. In this small, more intimate part of the 9th arrondissement, metal is combined with nobler materials such as wood and leather. The gilded wood floor only enhances the feeling of clarity. Even the candles are real, making you feel you’ve stepped back in time. 

The Bar and the Cocktails

Le French Line Bar, with its collection of interesting bottles, is superb, and the mirrors add a sense of grandeur to the modest space. Note that there doesn’t seem to be a DJ, which is really interesting and allows you to talk at a normal volume, even if the presence of the piano can make the music a little louder on certain tones, which is so much nicer. 

As for the cocktail menu, it’s very interesting. Note that it’s on paper, no tablet or QR code here. It must be said that it differs from that of the Cloakroom, where there is no menu as such. In fact, Mr. Whibley, whom I mentioned earlier, is behind the cocktail menu. He is assisted by Ms. Tamara Diaz. The cocktails are based on classics, with a “Le French Line Bar” twist.

Think of the different Martini variations (I personally think that one is missing in 007 fashion, i.e., with a cocktail shaker rather than a spoon), the Negroni, the French 75, not forgetting the whisky and so on. The addition of several other classically inspired, yet resolutely modern cocktails diversify the menu and allows us to discover the extent of the team’s talent. Cocktail prices start at $17, with fast, impeccable service. It would be interesting to add a Martini cart, a bit like London’s Connaught, which would enhance the experience, and add a unique element that can push the bar to cloud nine and can also be added to the restaurant. As for the wines, I haven’t had a look at the menu, but there’s certainly no shortage of choice in this establishment.

 

The Food Menu of Le French Line Bar

The food menu at Le French Line bar, created in collaboration with Restaurant Île de France chef Liam Hopkins, devotes a large part of its offering to fish and seafood. The restaurant’s raw bar is breathtaking, especially with master oysters opener Mr. Daniel Notkins present on certain evenings. In addition to oysters (raw or au gratin), you’ll find caviar, scallops and lobster, or at least that was the choice for the seafood section during our visit. Add to this market vegetables, gougères, crab and shrimp fritters, beef tartare, a burger and chickpea pancakes with tapenade and cheese. Speaking of cheese, I certainly would have added a cheese platter to the menu. Don’t forget that if your appetite is whetted, you can drop by the restaurant next door and there’s sure to be a place for you in this piece of Quebec history. 

The view

Although there’s no terrace (patio), the upstairs has been classified as a historical monument by the Quebec Ministry of Culture since 2000 and cannot undergo any major modifications. The view is magnificent, with the Quartier des Spectacles in the distance and beyond. The many windows provide sublime natural lighting, adding to the personality of the place.

To visit now

Tuesday to Saturday, 3 p.m. to midnight (please note that the guard at the lower entrance may not be aware that Le French Line bar opens at 3 p.m. and not at 5 p.m. like the restaurant).

Address

1500 Robert-Bourassa, Suite 900 (In the Montréal Eaton Centre)
Montréal, Qc
H3A 3S8

Tél. 514 317-9809

Visit the website