Jadriansd

September 2009

Taboo has rebounded. Yes it is only because Adonis closed, so then Taboo absorbed most of the dancers and customers from that bar, who were originally Taboo's dancers and customers ANYWAY... There is a healthy roster of 15-20 twinks on the weekends. Weekdays are another thing, as early in the week there can be as little as two (2) dancers. The place needs some money inside and outside. Outside: paint job and replacing the Taboo signs (only one of three is still up). Inside: tables, chairs, light system, stage... Private dances are fixed at $12 a song in an open salon, which is stupid considering Stock Bar and Campus offer $10 open curtain dances in separate booths. Drinks are overpriced compared to other strip bars. A "REV" is $8 in Taboo, anywhere else is $6.50. Domestic beer is $5.50 (usually $4.50). So yeah, try buying rounds for four in this place. Whereas in another bar $20 will suffice for the round and the tip, at Taboo you will pay +$25 for the same round.

I hate loud music

This aspect really brought my rating down. I am used to working in a bar, but this Club has its sound system set so high that you can't understand a guy screaming into your ear! I have been there about 6 times this year and it's always the same atmosphere. There is no place to sit down. The crowd is very young and of mixed gender. There are 2-3 gogo boys on raised platforms in the middle of the main dance floor. Go there if you like dancing.

If drag queens are your thing...

The best nights to see drag queen shows are Tuesday, Friday and Saturday. The rest of the week the place is mostly empty with only a few regulars. Cabaret Mado is owned by a drag queen called Mado Lamotte. She is French-Canadian and when she hosts she speaks in French, which for an Anglophone is specially exasperating on Thursdays (Bingo Nights). Something important to note is that if you arrive in the clothing of the opposite gender you will NOT be charged a cover fee (usually $8 - $12) on show nights!!

The best, but not that great...

What makes this place the best is that this is the only gay stripper bar in Montreal which is open Monday to Sunday from 3PM to 3AM. It is the bar that has the biggest roster of dancers, arriving in three shifts, 3PM, 5PM, 9PM. Though the bar is known as a muscle bar, here you will see young hunks, some twinks, and also old muscle. There is only cover charge on Sundays, for ladies' nights. The crowd is an older crowd, they are all for the dancers, so it's NOT a cruising bar. The type and quality of dancers varies. The smaller guys are only allowed to arrive at 3PM or 5PM, with most arriving early. After 9PM many of these are gone home and the bigger/older guys start arriving. Early in the week you won't see that many dancers, only those that really need money. Ironically, the best day to go here is Sunday night, that is if you don't mind the women hollering. The (straight) dancers that choose to come that day are all ga-ga over the ladies, so nobody will hustle you for dance$ in the back...