The Top 5 Bars & Nightlife in Minneapolis

A neighborhood craft brewery taproom with a no-frills, community-first atmosphere that locals genuinely love. The beer is excellent — especially the stouts and porters — and the cash-only, bring-your-own-food model keeps things unpretentious. It's small and can fill up fast on weekends, so arrive early or on a weeknight.

Surly's destination brewery in Prospect Park is the Twin Cities' big-league beer hall: a soaring industrial space with a full food menu, huge patio, and the freshest Furious you'll ever drink. It's family-friendly by day, loud by night. Caveat: weekdays it doesn't open until 3 pm, so plan around that.

A beloved local distillery with a spacious, welcoming taproom that pours its own spirits in cocktails, shots, and flights. The cocktail menu is creative and approachable, and the industrial-chic space is large enough that it rarely feels claustrophobic. Note that it's a distillery taproom, not a full bar, so beer and wine options are limited.

A genuine neighborhood dive bar on Eat Street that has been a local anchor for years, beloved for its unpretentious atmosphere and strong, affordable drinks. It draws a mixed crowd of regulars, artists, and service industry folks who keep it feeling authentic. Don't expect craft cocktails — this is a place for whiskey, beer, and good conversation.

A sleek, dimly lit cocktail bar attached to the acclaimed Parlour restaurant, known for some of the best burgers in the city alongside serious cocktails. The bar program is thoughtful and the space has a cool, moody energy that works for dates or a stylish night out. It gets busy late on weekends and reservations aren't always easy to snag.

A tiki-themed bar and restaurant on the Mississippi River with an iconic outdoor patio that is one of the best in the city during summer. The drinks are fun and tropical — go for the tiki cocktails and enjoy the river views. Waits can be very long on summer weekends and the food is secondary to the experience.

A lively Uptown bar with a strong cocktail program, excellent happy hour deals, and a fun, slightly irreverent atmosphere. The patio is a prime Uptown people-watching spot in summer, and the food menu holds its own. It can get loud and crowded on weekends, which is either a feature or a bug depending on your mood.

The rooftop bar and lobby lounge at The Hewing Hotel offer some of the best elevated drinking in Minneapolis, with a rooftop hot tub scene and skyline views. The cocktails are well-crafted and the setting is genuinely impressive for a hotel bar. It skews toward a dressed-up crowd and prices reflect the hotel setting.

Named after the Prohibition-era congressman, this Uptown bar has a speakeasy aesthetic with solid cocktails and a good whiskey selection. It's a reliable spot for a quieter, more grown-up Uptown experience away from the rowdier bar strips. The space is intimate and the staff is knowledgeable, though it can feel a bit formulaic on busy nights.