Upon hearing of the opening of a new bar-loft with the cryptic name of ‘Apt 200’ on St. Laurent, I was understandably skeptical. I headed there on its opening night expecting to find another establishment trying to be too many things, and failing at all of them. I was proved wrong.
Apt 200 is located in the lower Plateau area of St Laurent (3643 St. Laurent), between Pins and Prince Arthur. I arrived while the night was still premature, and entered through a non-descript door, pausing in the dimly lit hallway to wonder whether I was in the right place. The stifled pulse of music and faint buzz of conversation allayed my doubts. I took the stairs full of anticipation, turned the last corner and finally found myself in the bar.
Apt. 200 took over the space once occupied by the Ballroom nightclub. Attempting the capture the ambience of a loft party, it makes clever use of varied seating options to simulate divisions in its open space. A hodgepodge of couches, bar stools, kitchen tables, and beds are made to accommodate groups of any size. The soft light, dark walls, and rustic reclaimed wood furniture succeed in giving the bar space a cosy and intimate ambience. Wall to wall windows on the street side look out over the bustling St Laurent nightlife. The decor can best be described as eclectic, bordering on the purposefully random, with the walls decorated with everything from animal heads to chandeliers made of glass bottles. It pulls it off. When you let your mind wander, you can almost be convinced that you’re in an apartment rather than a bar.
This impression is reinforced by the inclusion of a semi-enclosed faux bedroom, bed included. With its open cage walls the bedroom is not exactly a private place, but its layout is designed for a small group, making it a VIP room of sorts. Early in the night three or four people were playing cards in the bedroom. Later on people were mostly lounged having conversations away from the music.
The open loft space is dominated by the bar, a twenty-foot slab of wood facing the door. On the opening night, it was terminally packed, and obtaining even a sliver of bar space proved a challenge. However, waiters were also circulating around the room, and drink menus were on the table. In respect to drinks, Apt. 200 is hardly the cheapest joint in town, but their special offers somewhat eased the burden on the wallet. At $5 the SuWu pint is quite affordable, but overall, Apt. 200 did not stand out for its drinks selection, which was typical for a Montreal bar.
To your left as you enter, sandwiched between a maze of couches and a sixteen-foot kitchen table, is the DJ booth. The music was definitely geared towards dancing, but the small, carpeted dancefloor was inadequate for the whirling crowd that rapidly filled it to the brim. The biggest open space was at the back of the loft, but back there the music was a lot quieter. For me, this was the biggest flaw in the bar’s layout. The noise gradient in itself was a good thing however: if you want to escape the music and have a breather, you can head to the back and chill on the couches while watching people shoot hoops or play pool.
While not necessarily the first thing you see, arcade games are a central part of the Apt. 200 experience. Most of the arcade games are lined up against the wall across from the bar. Classic games like Galaga, Time Crisis, and Punch Out will take you down an adrenaline charged memory lane for a measly 50 cents. On Sundays the arcade games are free.
Last thursday’s opening seemed to be a success. The bar was unusually full as early as 8:30 pm, and by midnight it was jam packed, with a line stretching halfway up the block. In its attempt to replicate a loft party, Apt. 200 succeeded, and its diverse decor and activities were a welcome change from the pre-fabricated binging dens that line the lower segment of St Laurent. All in all, it’s definitely worth a visit.
By Nate McKenzie

