Hey Bros: That Hooters is Now Open Downtown on Crescent

Hey dudes, do you need a new hang spot to knock back some brewskis and brewchachos while surrounded by scantily-clad servers? You are in luck, as after a nine-month wait, Montreal proper now has its very own Hooters.

The new Hooters fits right in on Crescent Street, known to some as a hotspot for American tourists to get drunk.

It comes from Shah Mohammad Naziri and Neil Steffense, who own the only other Hooters in Quebec, in Greenfield Park on the South Shore. That location previously ran afoul of Quebec’s liquor authorities for serving alcohol without meals (which is required at venues with restaurant licenses to serve alcohol), and for holding a bikini contest without a permit (anything deemed a “show” needs a special permit): but those happened under a previous owner, and Naziri and Steffense have had few issues since taking over.

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Originating from Florida, Hooters is the largest of several so-called “breastaurant” chains in the United States, and has made concerted attempts to bring its chicken wings served by wholesome “all-American girls” to international audiences in recent years. Hooters even started its own airline, although unfortunately you can’t score a first-class Hooters Air ticket to Crescent Street, as it shut down a decade ago.

As a chain, Hooters has faced criticism in the past, centred mostly around the prominent role of “Hooters Girls” in its restaurants. Complaints include that the practice objectifies women, and opens them up to sexual harassment at work. Hooters’ take on these issues is along the lines of “it’s just fun!”, an attitude apparently echoed by the tagline for Montreal’s newest location, which could politely be called unpretentious: “delightfully tacky, yet unrefined”.

If it wasn’t already obvious, this is what you can expect (and if you don’t want to look, it’s mostly just women toting greasy bar food):

STATUS — Hooters is open 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily at 1433 Crescent Street.

• Hooters Montreal [Official]
• Hooters to Open Downtown Montreal Restaurant on Crescent [EMTL]
• Bikini contest puts Hooters in hot water [Montreal Gazette]
• Hooters Plans to Build a Global Breastaurant Empire [E]
• Hooters Air [Wayback Machine]