Montclair has roughly 13 consumption licenses, the type that lets a business serve drinks on premise, for a town of 41,000 people. That scarcity is the reason the best bars in Montclair, N.J., aren’t just the ones with buzz. This guide covers the town’s bar and pub scene in full, organized by what you’re in the mood for: cocktail lounges, pubs and restaurant bars, the one brewery, and the wine bar that rounds it out.
Why Montclair Doesn’t Have More Bars
A 1947 New Jersey law set the cap: one consumption license per 3,000 residents, a formula that hasn’t moved much since. It’s why some of Montclair’s best restaurants are BYOB instead of full bars, and why a license here can sell for well over a million dollars when one changes hands. Not every business below competes for those same 13 slots, though. A brewery or a wine shop operates under a different license category, one that isn’t capped the same way. For the complete history, including what a license costs today, read the Pod’s breakdown of Montclair’s liquor license system.
With that context in mind, here’s the full list.
Best Cocktail Bars in Montclair
Bar Franco, 5 Church St. This is the spot with the most Manhattan energy on this list, a cocktail lounge with the feel of a side-street bar you’d stumble into downtown. Outdoor seating is limited, so go early or book ahead if you want a table for negronis rather than a quick drink at the bar. Its sibling restaurant, Fresco da Franco, sits next door at 15 Church St. for a full Italian dinner and more room to sit.
The Splendid, 690 Bloomfield Ave. Montclair’s only rooftop bar, on the ninth floor of the MC Hotel. It feels, as Farnoosh has put it, like a sports bar on the fifth floor of your Upper East Side townhouse: flat screens and a lively crowd on one side, a clear sightline to the Manhattan skyline on the other. It was known as Alto Rooftop until 2025, when Stout NYC Hospitality Group took over food and beverage at the hotel and relaunched the space under its current name. Server Alani Coni described how the room shifts as the night goes on: “You’ll see jerseys during the day, and by 10 or 11, this area turns into a dance floor.” Reservations are worth making on weekends.
Pharmacie Bar + Kitchen, 398 Bloomfield Ave. Attached to the Wellmont Theater, this is the default pre-show stop. Two levels of exposed brick and black-and-white tile set the scene, and the menu leans more ambitious than typical bar food. Order the East Coast Negroni.
Pubs, Restaurants and Bars in Montclair
Beyond dedicated cocktail lounges, most of Montclair’s drinking happens inside restaurants and pubs built around a strong bar program rather than a bar alone.
Egan & Sons, 116 Walnut St. The town’s Irish gastropub, with 28 draught beers and an expanded patio with outdoor TVs for sports. This is the place you go when you want to stay for three hours without anyone rushing you out.
Halcyon, 114 Walnut St. A seafood and raw bar restaurant with a genuinely serious cocktail program, order the Halcyon Days or the Rose Water Gimlet at the bar before dinner, and live jazz plays every Tuesday evening.
Just Jake’s, 30 Park St. A family-run bar and restaurant open since 1997, with live bands on weekends, trivia on Tuesdays and a dog-friendly patio. It’s the most casual room on this list, and the one most likely to have a game on every screen.
Tierney’s Tavern, 136-138 Valley Road. The same family has run this bar since 1934, when it beat out 32 other applicants to secure its liquor license the month Prohibition ended. Order a Guinness, grab the off-menu Buddy Burger and expect a crowd on weekends when bands play upstairs.
Allegory Restaurant and Bar, 690 Bloomfield Ave. The MC Hotel’s ground-floor restaurant and bar, one floor below The Splendid rooftop and run by the same operator, Stout NYC Hospitality Group. It’s the better choice if you want a full dinner and a cocktail without heading up to the roof.
De Novo European Pub, 275 Bellevue Ave. Set inside Upper Montclair’s historic train station building, De Novo pairs a European gastropub menu with a sushi bar run by chef Kenny Mar, formerly of the longtime local favorite Daikichi. The bar is known for one of the better dirty vodka martinis in the area.
Porta Montclair, 499 Bloomfield Ave. A two-story wood-fired pizza spot with imported Neapolitan ovens and a bar scene that gets genuinely loud on weekends, DJ nights, drag brunch on the last Sunday of the month and a second-floor garden that opens up in warmer weather.
Faubourg, 544 Bloomfield Ave. Housed in a former bank and theater, Faubourg is closer to a full French restaurant than a bar you’d pop into for one drink. High ceilings and an indoor-outdoor layout make even a Tuesday night feel like an occasion, and the spicy pineapple margarita is worth ordering on its own merits.
Montclair Brewery, 101 Walnut St. The only brewery in town, run by Leo and Denise Sawadogo, with trivia, karaoke and live music rotating through the week. It’s BYOF here, meaning bring your own food, rather than BYOB, since the brewery is already supplying the drinks.
BONUS: Amanti Vino, 30 Church St. Technically a wine shop rather than a bar, Amanti Vino has run free Saturday tastings since sommelier Sharon Sevrens opened the doors in 2005. It’s the best stop in town for building a night around a bottle instead of a bar tab.
Where to Start
With this many options, start with what kind of night you want. Cocktails and a view, head to Bar Franco then The Splendid. A long dinner with a real bar program, Halcyon or De Novo. A no-frills night with a game on, Just Jake’s or Tierney’s. Check hours before you go. With only 13 consumption licenses in play, this list isn’t going to grow much anytime soon, so it’s worth knowing well. For the full story on how Montclair got here, read the liquor license breakdown.
Image credit: Bar Franco
