El Pequeño Bar

El Pequeño is a Cuban cocktail bar in Old Montreal so small that its roughly 150 square feet hold about ten people, the bartender included, with a summer terrace adding about 20 more seats. The team behind the underground speakeasy Coldroom turned a former gift shop into the room, which pays tribute to Havana's storied past with an ornate glass chandelier and marble counters.

The drinks are 1920s Havana classics: mojitos, daiquiris and Cuba libres, poured with Caribbean rum alongside Cubano sandwiches. The mojito is the top seller, and co-owner Kevin Demers told Daily Hive he considers it the best in Montreal. The tiny bar has earned an outsized reputation, ranking #29 on North America's 50 Best Bars in 2022 and #27 on Canada's 50 Best Bars in 2024.