Champs Bar & Restaurant

4/5 for Champs. Continuing down along the list of Top 10 Places to Watch Habs Games, Champs ended up being next in the running. During the Sochi 2014 winter Olympics this sports bar was shown throughout the men's gold medal hockey game whenever they showed Canadians watching in Montreal.

ROUND 3, GAME 2 and armed with the knowledge that "Champs Bar & Restaurant is a classic sports bar located on St-Laurent that’s as packed with customers as it is with sport paraphernalia. There’s a big hall with banquet tables on the top floor, so you can bring your team." We were ready for more hockey. We attempted to make a reservation, but were told that if we showed up about an hour in advance of the game, that we shouldn't need one. Located on the always bustling Saint-Laurent, this Plateau sports bar is an awesome blast from the past. We headed up the stairs to the second level, and it was true that we didn't need reservations because when we arrived the place was completely empty. The room is a fair size, divided into two halves that are separated by the bar in the middle. One half is quite large, lined with rows of tables and a massive projection screen. The other side is more intimate and cozy, has windows that look out over the street, a smaller projection screen, and you'll also find the VLT machines on this side. We opted for the latter for a bit more natural light and less congestion. This bar is far from the modern sports bars that open up these days. While the walls are still covered in TV screens, the rest of the place screams of memories from the 70s. All of the furniture is very retro (none of today's clean lines) and it matched the overall cramped-in style. Every inch of space that isn't occupied by a TV is covered in vintage sports memorabilia. It's a warm atmosphere that felt a lot more like going home, which was nice.

Our server was very friendly and listed all of the night's specials for us. Of course they were all beer-related and I asked her what I could have that wasn't beer. The first suggestion out of her mouth was an Amaretto Sour - one of my favourites. She warned that the bartender likely won't keep making mixed drinks once the game got started, but I only wanted one drink anyway. Perfectly delish! Maybe a little bit too tart, but expertly made with the frothy top and sugared rim. No complaints here.

We had already eaten dinner, so instead of ordering an entire meal of food the plan was just to get a snack. Had dinner been in the cards, I think that I would have chosen the Club Sandwich, which is usually a pretty reliable bet. There were mainly things like hamburgers and fries on the menu. I also liked the sounds of their chicken wings. Instead, we found the Chefs Chocolate Cake ($5.00) at the bottom of the menu, under the "End of Game" section of the menu. Truth be told, I was hoping for a rich and moist spongy cake, but the server clarified that that is not what to expect. It was more like an Italian style cake with layers of ice cream and icing and a bit of cake as well. It had a coffee flavour to it and was served with a heaping amount of vanilla ice cream. It wasn't exactly what I had had in mind, but it was still pretty yummy anyway.

Once the place filled up with other customers the game-time atmosphere was a lot of fun. Clearly everyone present was there to cheer on the game, and everyone was very vocal about their displeasures and celebratory towards the victories. It was an ideal place to feel included in the entire event. It was laid-back and easy-going enough while still maintaining the right types of excitement. I would come back to this classic place for sure.

Canadiens LOST 3-1!