Intimate music venue. I'd say there is seating for about fifty, but they could likely fit more during a standing only show. Full bar with reasonable prices. read more

The restaurant at Sala holds a special place in many MTL'ers hearts and memories, but I hadn't been in a long time. Recently Jeremiah Bullied took over as owner chef and I was excited to go see what this travelling, pickling, kindly master of deliciousness was doing with the old Spanish social club. We went last night to check it out and though the changes being made so far are subtle they are a great indication of new life and exceptional cooking happening in the lovely old room looking out over St Laurent. The classics are all still there, just better: the bread is all homemade and is so freaking good. The goat cheese balls are still changing people's lives, the rapini now comes with kale and preserved lemons and is way better than before, and the chorizo is juicier and tastier than it has been in years. We tried the specials, a pumpkin soup with caramelized onions and toasted seeds and it was unlike anything I've eaten before and I want to eat it every day until May. The other special was Southern-friend quail in lemon gravy on pickled brussels sprouts. Everything about this dish was amazing, except I'm not a quail fan, I think it's stupid, but that's just me. The team here is making tiny changes to the room and the menu and I look forward to going back often to seeing how it all progresses. The fresh coat of white paint feels clean and amazing, and the other little tasteful updates to the decor are smart and good looking. Well worth a revisit, go get it!! read more

See all

Dear Sabrina, I cannot believe it has only been one hundred and three days since you left me. With my heart looming heavy, I stumbled into a concert at La Sauternesnea--a new venue in the basement of La Sala Rossa this evening--in a melancholic, gewürtztraminer-soaked haze. The lacklustre "punk" bands that played did nothing for me - swathing the room in rich hues of pink and blue, but taking me no further than the proverbial camera eye. The popcorn offered to me by our generous bartender, elegantly bathed in fleur de sel and Normandy butter on the other hand, had me ecstatic. What other flavour could better encapsulate our bitterly melancholy split, my dearest? I hope that one day, we can once again share the company of one another, breathing deeply into each other as we inhale the rich aromas of this enlightened corn. Peace be upon you, my love. Yours truly, Gordon read more

It was really quiet on a Wednesday night, it definitely deserve more recognition! The newly renovated space kept its original charm while adding a bit more 'hip' vibe. All our dishes are great: Grilled Octopus $12 - fresh &tender, it passes the test to be a legit Spanish bistro(portion: S). Tortilla de patatas $10ish - very filling, great for sharing (portion: L) Rapini in cheese & citron confit $10ish - thx to them, it's now my new favorite veges! Can't wait to try other vegetarian choices there next time (portion: M) Special: Beef tail - $15 - tender meat in wine sauce, it can't go wrong! (portion: M) Tapas are in perfect size to share by 2,3 or 4 people and they definitely don't break your wallet (2 dishes / person) unlike many other tapas restaurants in this area. read more

Not impressed. There's a dumpy feel to the place. You walk in and say "this might be cool" but at the end you're like "really... 90$ for that?" The food was ok. Not the best Spanish food in town. Not at the price they charge. Spend another 25$ and go to Pintxo or Tapeo. It's worth the difference. I really wanted to like it. I live 5 min away by foot! But I won't go back. read more

I played a gig here last weekend, and it was great. I'd been to Casa many times, but first time here. From a performance perspective, the team there were awesome and really helped us sound good and were quick and efficient. We got some drink tickets, so I went down for food/drinks. I sat at the bar, and ordered 2-3 gin tonics and some calamari, and it was awesome. Great gin tonics, good tapas, and good prices. Friendly too. More friendly than bar folk at Casa, though I love that place. Will definitely return, most likely if there's a band playing etc, I'll go eat downstairs first. Totally. Most places in Montreal like this, with a reputation, I've found to be overhyped and a bit of the past, but Sala stood up for me. read more

The restaurant on the first floor is one of my favorites in Montreal, especially for a large group of people. They serve a great selection of tapas and the paellas are amazing. I suggest sharing a couple of tapas dishes (1 per person) and then ordering a paella (1 is good for 2-4 people). The potato croquettes are delicious. The sangria is also a must-have. I just simply love the ambiance; it feels like you're having dinner in a family restaurant in the middle of Spain. I suggest you make a reservation, especially if you're planning to go there on a Friday or Saturday night. read more

You have to have to have to come here for tapas and flamenco show on Thursday night. This is a quaint little institute - it is not a restaurant really, it feels like a Spanish expat social club in Montreal. Once you step in, you are in Spain - not Barcelona but this small Spanish town by the sea. The free show starting at 845 every Thursday is terrific. It is actually the first flamenco show I saw. I was astonished by how beautiful and fun it was. The female dancer was full of passion. The musicians were happy, cheering. They put together an unforgettable performance. Yes, I tried the goat cheese fried ball with honey. It is indeed delicious. So was the grilled squid. The paella was OK. It is not an expensive restaurant and not fancy but very cozy. It is not the great tapas you get in a fusion tapas restaurant, but you feel more in Spain then in any other Tapas place. Love love loved it, will def take another out of town guests here :-) read more

I'm surprised there's so few reviews for a place like Sala, a long time fixture in the Mile End/Plateau 'hood, the younger (but bigger) sister to Casa del Popolo, and a favorite venue. I'm not an expert when it comes to acoustics, so I can't speak to that but I CAN say that when The Walkmen played there last year it sounded AWESOME. The tapas restaurant at Sala and the venue aren't really the same business, but for our purposes they may as well be. First, the restaurant. It doesn't hurt to make a reso if you're 4 or more but chances are you won't need to. I like it here best in the fall or winter (it's cozy and warm) with 2 or 3 friends, a litre of the house red (which is cheap and drinkable, and that's about all i can say about it) and plates of chorizo, calamari, garlic shrimp, rapini, and fried honey drizzled cheese balls that should be on the dessert menu. With 3 people the bill would be what? 70 bucks with tip? Sala Rossa upstairs is great. They book a wide selection of bands and events (DJ nights/occasional readings and performance) and it's large enough that it can feel like a total party but small enough that that party feels organic. It gets pretty not in there some nights. I don't have much love for the bar selection - no bourbon, no wine, beer might be warm - or the bartenders. Some of the same people have been there since way back and a few of them seem tired, a little unpleasant. Like, I'm doing you a huge favor right now, so let's just appreciate that. Know'msaying? But the drinks are cheap and it's a pretty minor woe in a place where everyone is usually friendly. A tip: The restrooms at Sala upstairs are pretty small and often just freshly out of toilet paper, so if you're faced with a line up follow the staircase all the way to the basement where you'll find both men's and women's restrooms with 4 stalls each. Dig! read more

Gotta be one of the top indie rock venues in the city. I've seen a number of great shows here, including the late, great Jay Reatard (R.I.P.). It's the epitome of a good concert hall - cool looking, great sound, and cheap beer combined with quick service. And as other reviewers have posted, they're pretty quick on the turnaround between sets, which doesn't hurt. I should also note the coat check - important for going out in the cold (and I think was only $1). This was one of the first places I went after moving here and it felt like home to me. As long as they keep booking the top indie acts, I'll definitely be in the crowd. read more

La Sala Rossa is a great venue, on the small side with a bar, scattered tables and a nice stage. They book great shows here ( caught Mt.Eerie in the Spring) and it's run by the same people as Casa del Popolo (NOTE:some of the reviews on the Casa..page are for La Sala Rossa). There's also a restaurant downstairs but I've yet to check it out. read more

Went back for a friends birthday, was happy to go back. Ordered one dish per person average and managed to have a nice meal! with the decent bread basket, people who didn't want to drink could try a ton of delicious things for like $20 For those who got wine, they had one of my favourite affordable ones for a small markup. The cheese balls were amazing, the leeks amazing, quail quite nice. Avoid the the croquettes; shrimp I liked, the beef thing we got was also wonderful. STRONG recommendations, especially for big groups. Several others had parties there and it was just great. read more

Very good tapas. Paella not so great... The rice is a bit soggy. Overall quite good, the sangria is great - it has more wine than in most places, so it's not watered down by juice or soft drink. read more

This is a great, low-key Spanish tapas restaurant. We ordered a 1/2 of pitcher of sangria to start (this didn't sway the review!). Then proceeded to order the goat cheese and honey, pulpo (octopus), and the croquetas. We got the albondigas (meatballs), but they were a little on the dry side. Have I been to Spain? Yes. Would this compare to the food in Spain? No. Would it satisfy a craving? Yes. read more

In summary, this place is extraordinarily hit or miss. The location is great and the ambience is nice - you feel like you're in the great room of an old Spanish Home. The shrimp and patatas bravas are fantastic - so don't miss that. However most other things we tried were below par. The squash/cheddar croquettes tasted like potatoes more than anything else. The paella was flavorless - and we eat a LOT of paella. The calamari was soft (coating), rubbery and under seasoned. Good thing was the service though - friendly staff and a welcoming set of customers. The drinks were good too. Fix the food and we will be back for sure. read more

****restaurant review only**** i used to love la sala rossa. just went this week end with 2 other friends and service was awful. none of us got our food together, the waitress forgot to order some of our appetizer and potatoes, then blamed it on the kitchen (NO-NO!!!) waited for the end of the meal to ask us if we wanted anything else to drink, and a couple of days later, 2 of us realized they completely overcharged our cards! this is a definite "never-ever" no matter how cool the place used to be. a disaster of a dinner. read more

The worst place I've been to in Montreal. The food was disgusting. There was one good thing I ate, the potatoes and you can't really mess those up. It was bad just don't go. read more

came here for popfest to see thee oh sees and the fresh and onlys. what was smart about the setup was in order for there to be less time in between the last two bands, the headlining band had their instruments set up on the floor, away from the stage and ready to play. i wish more places would do this, as it kept the energy level constant. people went crazy, i mean really crazy, prompting the singer to ask "what is wrong with you people?" but i think that was in reference to the guy who, for some reason, decided to take his shirt off and jump on top of the crowd. still, it's refreshing to see an entire room of people dancing at a show instead of just standing around posing (i'm looking at you NYC.) the venue is on top of a restaurant and bar. i can't imagine the racket the people below must have heard with the floor shaking from everyone jumping up and down, but i think the restaurant portion was closed by then (the shows start on the later side.) drinks are cheap.. 3.50 shots 4.50 mixed drinks. they didn't have bourbon. other than that i really liked the place. read more

I came here with a group and simply had a great time. The group menu was super affordable, offered variety of dishes and was really accommodating for people with allergies. read more

This is my new favourite place for brunch! I cannot rave enough about the delicious food!!! There's a good mix of vegetarian-friendly options and meaty dishes. The food is creative, well-prepared and the price point is totally fair. The decor is simple, clean but charming and the staff is welcoming. Their brunch is relatively new (maybe 6 months now) so it's still a bit of a well-kept secret and there's no lineups despite the location being prime Mile-End. Seriously y'all, you gotta go check it out!!!! read more

We have been going here for decades and can never get enough of it. It's always great being greeted by charming Monica, the services is always top notch. Great prices on drinks and food is very reasonable. What makes this so much fun is the mix of cultures that mesh together. read more

Played a gig here on St. Patrick's Day at the bar. Can't comment on the food, though I saw it coming in and out of the restaurant while lugging gear up, and I was sure jealous of the people who were getting to eat it. Pretty laid-back, considering what day it was. They treat the bands well, which is no small thing. Sound is pretty good, if a bit cavernous (think talent show at your high-school auditorium, but a bit more refined); it's nice to be at a venue that's built around performance. read more

It's good cuisine! Spanish cuisine... It's a good place to go to, not the best in the world, but you're not paying that much for it so it's all right. Try it out! read more

One of the greatest places to go see a live performance. The bar is ok, the place looks nice.

WORST SERVICE I HAVE EVER ENCOUNTERED. I would give 0 if it were possible, but I am forced to give a minimum of 1 star. I had made reservations, but when my friend and I got there the first waitress who came to me seemed completly lost. She checked my reservations then left to attend another table without a word. She seemd to have completly forgotten about us. A second waitress came by to seat the new customers. She did not even think to ask if we had been served. My friend had to intervene to say that we were there first, therefore we were to be seated first. Furthermore, while the whole time my friend and I were at the restaurant (a little over 1 hour), NOT ONCE did a waitress check up on us to ask if we were OK or if we needed something. When we asked for a doggy bag at the end of the meal, the waitress just put a carboard box on the table and left. Therefore, my friend and I decided the waitress only deserved a 10% tip du to the poor servie we got. However, THE WAITRESS HAD THE NERVES TO ASK WE TIP HER MORE saying "Did you have a problem with the service because your suppose to give a minimum of 15% tip?" HOW INSULTING AFTER ALL THE HORRIBLE SERVICE WE GOT! read more

My first time at Sala Rosa was incredible, albeit, the place was packed, and do expect to wait for food. This I can tolerate, because the food was outstanding. I shared the goat cheese balls, delicious, with the quail and the calamari. This too was a tuesday evening. I had nothing poor to say. I then returned for my friends birthday. We made reservations for 6 and went on a Sunday night, and I can understand being understaffed, but there was one waitress on the floor, and the place was practically empty. My five friends and I ordered tapas and wine to share (a fair bill, which would commend a nice tip). Our 6th friend, the birthday girl ordered paella, as she was not keen on the tapas, this with a diet coke. We received our tapas, which were mediocre, overcooked, and yet seemingly still cold, as if they sat waiting to go out for too long. An hour passed, and we realized that paella would be about 45 minutes to cook. The waitress ignored the table. Finally we tracked her down, and asked about the paella, to which she looked horrified. She ran away, and came back and whispered to the birthday girl, that she had forgotten to order the paella. Considering the time we had spent waiting, and would continue to wait, the birthday girl cancelled the order all together, as we had finished our tapas and the three bottles of wine were now gone. It was at this point we realized that the diet coke had not come either. The only consolation for the issue, was offering the birthday girl an order of one tapas of her choice. She declined. Now I have been a server, and during that time, when I made a mistake, I would offer to pay out of my tips to rectify the situation. This usually is paid back to me in the appreciation of the table via tip. For this situation, I would have comped at least one of our bottles of wine...it's only courtesy, as the birthday girl went hungry. The waitress instead, yelled at us and again disappeared. When we went to pay the bill, she passive aggressively split the diet coke on five bills, 33 cents a piece. I have to say that this situation, and the decline of the food, even for a sunday night, soured my entire experience of this place, and subsequently I have refused to return. read more

Look for the unassuming street entrance and ask to sit near the flamenco music on Thursday evenings. Wonderful tapas and paella! Go with friends so you can sample many different menu items. read more

This place is home away from home. The entire staff are professional and so much fun. The room is cozy and the music is always good. I highly recommend the calamari, grilled squid, and chorizo. Ask Jasmine for proper wine recommendations. read more

I can't believe I have never reviewed la Sala Rosa. Although I have been to many shows at its venue, in this review here, I am reviewing the restaurant. I'm very impressed that over the years, the food quality at Sala hasn't changed, there is still passion there. It's a 5-star restaurant. 5-star attentive staff who know exactly what they are doing, 5-star entertainment on Thursday nights with a live flamenco show while you eat!! 5-star original atmosphere where you feel cozy, comfy and yet part of the action. 5-star price-quality ratio (it's cheap!). And, most importantly, 5-star food. Tapas galore. Try the croquettes, the fried goat cheese & honey, the melt-in-your-mouth mussels and use bread to soak up all the delicious sauces. Order anything, it will be good. They also have a big back room that can host huge parties. After dinner, you can head upstairs where they have a live venue hosting bands. read more

Was my favourite place for many many years. I fell in love there. I got married there. All the best things they ever served are off the menu now. Grilled calamari, garlic rapini, goat cheese balls with caramelized onion. If you recommend this place based on past experience, I'm sad to say, it's over. read more

The chef has new specials each week and uses local, seasonal ingredients when possible. The portions are fairly generous and everything I've had there was fresh and tasty. My favourite brunch dishes so far are the Croquetas de Bacalao (an interesting take on eggs benedict) and the Huevos Divorciados. It's kid-friendly at brunch. read more

where you can see a good concert and enjoy a good paella = paradise !

If you love authentic Spanish tapas, then this is the place to go Though its not the fanciest place on the block, the food more than makes up for it. This place has a cool vibe from the community center feel to the great people that go there to eat. I highly recommend the goat cheese balls with honey or the chorizo cooked in wine. Otherwise, try some of their daily tapas specials, you can never go wrong. This place is great for big groups too! read more