Hey Beck. There's not much action on this forum these days.
I know Montreal very well, although I don't live there. Probably spend 25nights a year for work. Anyway, the Marriott Residence on Peel is a really central place to stay. I usually stay there when I'm in Montreal. Many bars and restaurants are on Crescent Street - roughly a 3 block walk. Subway station is next door. Lots of shopping on Sainte-Catharines. I would strongly suggest staying on Peel vs on Jeanne Mance for convenience sake.
You might try checking out this site for some ideas:
http://www.go-montreal.com/Let me know what kind of cuisine and bars you're looking for and I can probably make some recommendations.