Restaurants Open on July 1/Canada Day/Moving Day?

[EagerBeaver]

I am wondering about how many downtown restaurants will be open on July 1/Moving Day/Canada Day. A few years ago, July 1, 2007, to be exact, I ran into a problem that made me aware of this holiday. I had pre-booked Karyna, then fairly new at Eleganza, for a 5 hour dinner date. I assumed restaurants would be open everywhere - it was the middle of Jazz Festival, for Pete's sake. You don't throw a Festival and then shut down. But that day I called a few restaurants downtown near the Omni, where I was then staying, and was shocked to hear that they were closed because of "Canada Day" or "Moving Day." Honestly, I was shocked, and I was pissed. I was pissed because it was the middle of the fucking Jazz Festival, downtown Montreal was brimming with tourists, and you are telling me restaurants are closing, leaving all those tourists and their dates to fend for themselves? It was not making any sense to me.

I recall very specifically calling Sho Dan on Metcalfe and determined they were closed, as well as a few others. Fortunately, Zen, a Chinese restaurant in the Omni's basement which has since closed, was open that night, and they bailed my ass out big time. That's where I ended up taking Karyna for dinner.

I am hoping the locals will help me out and tell me the names of some downtown restos that will be open on Canada Day in the event I am able to make it up that night and need to scramble. Thanks.

 

[JH Fan]

I am wondering about how many downtown restaurants will be open on July 1/Moving Day/Canada Day. A few years ago, July 1, 2007, to be exact, I ran into a problem that made me aware of this holiday. I had pre-booked Karyna, then fairly new at Eleganza, for a 5 hour dinner date. I assumed restaurants would be open everywhere - it was the middle of Jazz Festival, for Pete's sake. You don't throw a Festival and then shut down. But that day I called a few restaurants downtown near the Omni, where I was then staying, and was shocked to hear that they were closed because of "Canada Day" or "Moving Day." Honestly, I was shocked, and I was pissed. I was pissed because it was the middle of the fucking Jazz Festival, downtown Montreal was brimming with tourists, and you are telling me restaurants are closing, leaving all those tourists and their dates to fend for themselves? It was not making any sense to me.

I recall very specifically calling Sho Dan on Metcalfe and determined they were closed, as well as a few others. Fortunately, Zen, a Chinese restaurant in the Omni's basement which has since closed, was open that night, and they bailed my ass out big time. That's where I ended up taking Karyna for dinner.

I am hoping the locals will help me out and tell me the names of some downtown restos that will be open on Canada Day in the event I am able to make it up that night and need to scramble. Thanks.

Galliano's used to be open on July 1st ???

Maybe try this one. Usually some hotel restaurents stay open.
http://aubergeduvieuxport.com/index_en.php

Or http://www.bateaumouche.ca/en/

 

[voyageur11]

Dont take any chances stay home and take care of your roaches infestation.

 

[EagerBeaver]

It's hard to believe in a city the size of montreal that it is not business as usual for restaurants and clubs, in the little place i am from it is business as usual. Say it isn't so because i maybe in montreal also on july 1st. Hopefully on that day the corner stores are allowed to sell beer, i was surprised on my last trip to montreal i got in town very late because of a delayed flight and found out corner stores can't sell beer after 11pm.

There were at least a few restaurants closed back in 2007 on Canada Day. I think Zen was the 4th restaurant I called that night and I was 0 for 3 before that call, which would have been a strikeout at baseball.

It seems like it should be business as usual. There are tons of tourists in the City and if you are in the restaurant business you are nuts to leave money on the table.

JH Fan, tourists do not come to Montreal to eat in the hotel restaurants. Most of the hotel restos I have eaten at in Montreal have sucked, one notable exception being the Delta Centre Ville.

 

[protagoras]

I'm surprized to learn that some restaurants are closed on Canada Day. This year it could be different because Canada Day is a Thursday and some places will not work Friday instead of Thursday.

 

[JH Fan]

JH Fan, tourists do not come to Montreal to eat in the hotel restaurants. Most of the hotel restos I have eaten at in Montreal have sucked, one notable exception being the Delta Centre Ville.

I could say Aix Cuisine terroir and Verses were very good place I've been but anyway...
1st - best to know which kind you're looking for (as much the type of cuisine and ambiance).
2nd - call on them before coming in Mtrl.

In Mtrl, restaurent don't make money just out of one day, specially Canada day. It's festivals' city so they usually make much during grandprix and good money all summer long during festivals.

One thing people seems to forget is the proximity of both St-Jean Baptiste and Canada day.
Usually you can take only 4 days out of your vacations day and get around 10 days vacation with both week-end days and both celebration day.

This has shape this period of the year into the right time to moove, so there is a break in the 'business as usual' more than if it was only a one day celebration.

 

[bond_james_bond]

I know that Canada Day is a statutory holiday.

I know that in the US, there are ramifications for businesses that have employees who work on statutory holidays (i.e. this will cost them extra, or they can't make employees work on the holiday).

Is it the same in Canada? That may explain it.

 

[EagerBeaver]

Guys, tourists coming in to Montreal don't really care about local politics and don't have any vote. We just want to know whether the restaurants will be open on July 1, or not. In the past, I found this to be a problem. Personally, I think it should be up to the restaurants themselves as to whether they should be open on any day. That seemed to be the case in 2007 with Zen being open, but several other nearby downtown restos were closed.

 

[voyageur11]

There are hundreds of restaurants in Montreal most will be open We dont let tourists or resident go hungry.Coming here on Canada day people should expect some inconvenient.Is everuthing open in the U.S. on the 4 of july? There is a 5 star restaurant in the hotel de la Montagne

 

[JH Fan]

There are hundreds of restaurants in Montreal most will be open We dont let tourists or resident go hungry.Coming here on Canada day people should expect some inconvenient.Is everuthing open in the U.S. on the 4 of july? There is a 5 star restaurant in the hotel de la Montagne

That's what I mean. It's normal for some business to slow down and some to be closed but me I'm always calling to reserve anyway when I want to go eat in a fine restaurent wherever I go in the world.

Look in TO...it's not even Canada day yet and some are already closed

 

[Techman]

EB, I think it's up to the restaurant as to whether they will open or not. I did a search on the web and found very little info as to what is and isn't open on Canada Day. They'll probably come out with that list around the 29th. Unlike St-Jean Baptiste, Canada Day is a moveable holiday in Quebec and some businesses will close on July 1st, like gov't offices and such, and others close on Friday the 2nd but I wouldn't expect any problems finding a good restaurant open on either day. Public transit will be on a holiday schedule on both the 1st and the 2nd and parking meters, of course, are still in effect on all holidays so don't forget to feed them.

At the very least you can always get a pizza because July 1st is also "moving day" here in Montreal and I think it's the biggest day of the year for Pizza parlours.

PS: jeff, you can buy beer 365 days a year. But only from 8 AM to 11 PM.

 

[voyageur11]

I take it the liquor stores are closed for sure on july 1st, but at the convenience stores are you able to buy beer on that day or is that also a no no because of the holiday.

I cant imagine no beer on moving day!

 

[EagerBeaver]

EB, I think it's up to the restaurant as to whether they will open or not. I did a search on the web and found very little info as to what is and isn't open on Canada Day.

I also did that search and had the same frustrating result.

I know from my experience in 2007 that some restaurants are open but many may be closed, even in the downtown which is upsetting because that is where all the tourists have converged. So it would seem that it is a play it by ear type of situation and everyone will just have to call and find out if any particular restaurant is opened or not.

 

[Techman]

I'd expect any restaurant in the area of the Jazz Festival to be open. But the best thing to do is call or send an email to any restaurant you might be interested in. You could also check their website to see if they've posted a notice there.

 

[EagerBeaver]

I'd expect any restaurant in the area of the Jazz Festival to be open. But the best thing to do is call or send an email to any restaurant you might be interested in. You could also check their website to see if they've posted a notice there.

As I mentioned earlier, while staying at Omni in 2007, Sho-Dan on Metcalfe was closed as were 2 others I called, one of which I think was Pepe and Carlos on Peel, but I only remember Sho Dan for sure. I think calling ahead or checking websites is something I may be doing. I certainly do not want to be in the same fucked up situation I found myself in back in 2007, where I booked a 5 hour dinner date thinking everything would be open, and then I had to scramble at the last second like Brett Favre trying to complete a pass under pressure. Nobody really likes to have to scramble in such a situation, and at the time I was pissed, but now I know I have to be careful with this holiday and the unpredictability of which restos are open.

 

[Techman]

Is it any different in the US on major holidays like July 4th? Do businesses have a choice or are they either open or closed by law?

 

[EagerBeaver]

Is it any different in the US on major holidays like July 4th? Do businesses have a choice or are they either open or closed by law?

They do what they want, many restaurants in Connecticut employ illegal aliens and payment of them is a non issue since they are not on the books in the first place. I would not have any problem finding an open restaurant in my area. But in Montreal you have a festival going on, many tourists are in town for that festival and they should not be allowed to go hungry or even worse, forced to eat at the hotel restaurants, many of which are serving substandard food and all of which are grossly overpriced as compared to the quality restaurants in the City.

 

[Techman]

I'd also expect all Old Montreal restaurants to be open as the major Canada Day celebrations take place at the Old Port. I don't think anyone will be going hungry or be forced to eat at poor quality restaurants in Montreal.

Johnmbot, movie theaters are open 365 days here also. I think they may well be the only business that never closes.

 

[voyageur11]

They do what they want, many restaurants in Connecticut employ illegal aliens and payment of them is a non issue since they are not on the books in the first place. I would not have any problem finding an open restaurant in my area. But in Montreal you have a festival going on, many tourists are in town for that festival and they should not be allowed to go hungry or even worse, forced to eat at the hotel restaurants, many of which are serving substandard food and all of which are grossly overpriced as compared to the quality restaurants in the City.

Do you think local people will go hungry or bring a lunch to the festival. No they eat at restaurants. like the tourists

 

[protagoras]

I also did that search and had the same frustrating result.

I know from my experience in 2007 that some restaurants are open but many may be closed, even in the downtown which is upsetting because that is where all the tourists have converged. So it would seem that it is a play it by ear type of situation and everyone will just have to call and find out if any particular restaurant is opened or not.

Help some locals who are moving on Canada day...they will pay you wtih a pizza and soft drinks or beer.