What to Do Near Guy-Concordia at Night

If you’re around Guy-Concordia at night, chances are you’re either a Concordia student, avoiding going home immediately after class, trying to survive downtown Montreal rent prices, or looking for something to do that is more interesting than staring at your phone in your apartment.

The good news is that the Guy-Concordia area actually has a lot going on at night. Between cafés, bars, comedy shows, shisha lounges, food spots, and late-night hangs, it’s one of the busiest parts of downtown Montreal.

Grab Coffee at Café Myriade

If you want something quieter, Café Myriade is one of the best coffee shops downtown. It’s small, cozy, and always full of students, artists, freelancers, and people pretending to work on their screenplay while drinking espresso.

It’s a great place to decompress after class, catch up with a friend, or romanticize your academic suffering for an hour.

Go to a Comedy Show

If you want something social without committing to a full nightclub experience, comedy is honestly one of the best options near Guy-Concordia.

Comedy on Mackay hosts English stand-up comedy shows every Tuesday at 8 PM and 10 PM at N sur Mackay, only a few minutes from Concordia. The shows feature local Montreal comedians, themed nights, guest hosts, and a mix of professional and up-and-coming comics.

It’s a good way to laugh, meet people, and temporarily forget your assignments exist.

Grab Chinese Comfort Food at Maison Bao

Maison Bao is at 1480 Blvd. De Maisonneuve Ouest, steps from Guy-Concordia. It’s a solid pick when you want dumplings, xiao long bao, noodles, and other Chinese comfort food without spending your entire grocery budget for the week.

The portions are filling, the prices are student-friendly, and the menu is built for a quick sit-down before you head back to campus or your apartment. Split a few plates with friends or grab a noodle bowl on your own — either way, it beats another night of shawarma and caffeine.

Hang Out at N sur Mackay

N sur Mackay has become one of the more interesting bars near Concordia because it feels social without being aggressively loud. The space has more of a neighborhood speakeasy vibe than a sports bar atmosphere, which makes it easier to actually talk to people.

Whether you’re meeting classmates, going on a date, or ending the night after comedy, it’s one of the better spots downtown for conversation and cocktails.

Try Shisha at Arabica Lounge

If your idea of relaxing is sitting somewhere for three hours talking about life while drinking tea and listening to music, Arabica Lounge is a solid option.

The lounge serves Mediterranean food, shisha, cocktails, and has a more laid-back late-night atmosphere than most downtown bars.

Walk Through Downtown at Night

Honestly, sometimes the best thing to do near Guy-Concordia is simply wander around downtown Montreal at night. Walk toward Old Montreal, the Bell Centre area, or the Concordia campus tunnels during winter if you want to avoid becoming one with the snow.

Montreal at night has a strange energy to it. It’s chaotic, slightly sleep-deprived, artistic, bilingual, and full of people trying to figure their lives out in public.

Photo: Guilhem Vellut / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)

Karaoke and Group Nights

If you’re with friends, karaoke near downtown is always an option. Pang Pang Karaoke is popular because private rooms make everyone less self-conscious.

Usually after one terrible ABBA performance, the entire group relaxes.

Cheap Student Nights

One of the best things about the Guy-Concordia area is that there are constant student discounts, cheap eats, happy hours, open mics, improv shows, and random events happening throughout the week.

You do not need a huge budget to have a good night downtown.

Sometimes all you need is one friend, one cheap drink, and somewhere to be that is not your apartment.

Because honestly, after a long day at school or work, that already feels like enough.