Jennifer P.
Yelp
The Eaton Centre is the largest and most popular mall in downtown Montreal. There is a part of me that's thrilled that it's still called The Eaton Centre even though Eaton's closed down almost 2 decades ago #sweetnostalgia LOL.
The mall is a part of RESO, the underground pathway, with Place Montreal Trust to the west, Complexe les Ailes to the east (which is the site of the former Eaton's Department store, and I heard that the Eaton Centre is going to reintegrate this Complex back into the mall, which would then make Promenades Cathedrale to the east), and Place Ville Marie to the South. You can definitely spend a whole day shopping and never even go outside!
The stores are mostly stores you would find at any large Canadian mall (e.g. Gap, Old Navy, Aldo, Bath & Body Works, La Senza, etc.). There are no luxury stores like Gucci or Chanel. You'll have to go outside to Holt Renfrew or Ogilvy a bit further west for brands like those. They don't even have contemporary brand stores like Kate Spade, Coach, or Michael Kors. Although The Hudson's Bay Company sells these brands and The Bay is just a bit further east (on the other side of Promenades Cathedrale so you can stay indoors). The Eaton Centre is nothing super special in my opinion, but a good place to walk around.
The food court is on the lowest level and it's mostly chains, but has a few independent stores like Nu-do which has cool hand-pulled noodles and Crito's which sells chimney cakes. If nothing there tickles your fancy and it's a weekday, you can walk towards Place Ville Marie into the "tunnel area" that connects PVM to Centre Eaton and there are more eateries, all independents like Atti Express, Soleil de Saigon, and others. The food shops in "The Tunnel" are mostly closed on the weekends though.
On the top floor of the Eaton Centre is Musee Grevin which is a wax museum.
Overall not the best for actual shopping in my opinion (rarely will I find any good deals), but fun to poke around nonetheless.