Want a whiskey? Or feeling beer? Maybe you want a frozen marg of some sort? You’ll find it all on Quincy Street in Northeast Minneapolis. Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery always has a selection of seasonal cocktails, and just down the block there’s Indeed Brewing, known for its Day Tripper pale ale and the reliably excellent Mexican Honey lager. Between the two, you’ll find Centro, which has tacos, tap beer, and several styles of margarita. And just next door to Centro, there’s a sister bar, Bina’s—a modern dive with pull tabs, pool tables, and some pretty wacky bathroom decor.

The intersection of Lake Street and Lyndale Avenue is full of great bars, each with a distinct vibe. There’s Bryant-Lake Bowl, an old-school bowling alley and bar, where you can see if you remember how to keep score by hand—no computers here! Volstead’s Emporium is a speakeasy with killer cocktails; it feels swanky and secluded, provided you can find it.

Moto-i was the first sake brewpub outside of Japan, and we can’t say enough good stuff about their ramen, if you’re looking for something substantial to soak your sake up. Speaking of which, Wrecktangle Pizza is a great place to get a Banana Daiquiri or a Pisco Sour and pair it with a pan pizza. There’s also Up-Down Arcade Bar, which has enough pinball machines, skee-ball lanes, and classic arcade games to keep you entertained for hours, and Beckett’s, which is like a sports bar that’s owned by your coolest, most stylish friend. (Plus, they serve cocktails in buckets. What’s not to love?)

Head down Lyndale Avenue a few blocks, and you’ll find another grouping of great bars waiting for ya. At the corner of 26th and Lyndale, there’s the CC Club, the storied dive that was once a hang for members of Husker Du and Soul Asylum, and served as the inspiration for The Replacements' song "Here Comes a Regular.” Just four blocks away, at Franklin and Lyndale, you’ll find Mortimer’s, which has 2-for-1 happy hours, pinball machines, and, often, live music in the back room. And in between, there’s Nightingale, one of the best spots in town for a nightcap; Bulldog Uptown, which has great pub food and a big beer list; and Dreamstate Cafe, a vegan restaurant with a gorgeous central bar and killer cocktails.

It’s easy and fast to get here from Lyn-Lake: Just catch a cab or hop on a bus. Or, take a walk—it should only take you around 20 minutes to get from Beckett’s to Mort’s.

If you like dive bars, you can’t do better than Northeast Minneapolis. Take a walk down Fourth Street, starting at Mayslack's, where you’ll want to get a beer and a roast beef sandwich. You’ll pass The Knight Cap, Jimmy’s, and Grumpy’s on your way to NE Palace—all of these old-school bars are situated within a few blocks of each other, less than a mile apart. And if you don’t mind getting off Fourth Street a bit, you can also work in a stop at bars including 331 Club, where there’s almost always free live music, and Stanley’s Northeast Bar Room.

Eat Street! It’s not just the street where you eat—it can also be a great place to grab a bev. Your options along this stretch of Nicollet Avenue, which is known for packing a globe-trotting array of restaurants into a few short blocks, include the Black Forest Inn, with its incredible beer garden, and Centro, with its tap margs and tacos. Eat Street Crossing is a wonderful food hall with a little bit of everything, and you’ll find great drinks at its ESCape Bar. Just off of Eat Street, there are wonderful bars like the vibey, ultra-cool Little Tijuana Neighborhood Lounge and the cozy, my-granddad-would-love-this-place Prodigal Public House.

There’s lots to do—and drink!—along the downtown stretch of Nicollet. Brit’s Pub is an absolute Minneapolis classic, where you can catch a soccer or rugby match or, during warmer months, head up to the 10,000-square-foot lawn bowling green. Barrio has bold Latin cuisine and lots of tequila; for a more Irish experience head to The Local for a Guinness and Gaelic Whiskey Bites. The News Room is the only bar we can think of locally that also has a giant ship in the middle of it, and you can start or end your bar-hopping at The Nicollet Diner—it’s open 24 hours a day, every day.

Few stretches of Minneapolis are as densely packed with drinking and dining options as this little sliver of East Hennepin. There’s Zhora Darling, where you can also find local and touring bands taking the stage, and Nye’s Bar, where you can sing along during live piano karaoke. Speaking of karaoke, this stretch is also home to Otter’s Saloon, a classic dive where there’s karaoke every night of the week, every day of the year, and The Terminal Bar, which offers karaoke, live music, and comedy depending on the night.

Mac’s Industrial and Stray Dog are great spots to catch the game, and we love the wings at Ray J’s American Grill. You can’t beat Sidebar at Surdyk’s if you want to eat a fancy little snack while you grab a cocktail and a glass of wine, and Whitey’s Old Town Saloon has a comedy club in the basement. Finish your night with dancing at Ground Zero Nightclub, a very fun goth club, or Jetset Underground, an excellent gay bar.

On Washington, on the blocks between N. First Avenue and N. Eighth Avenue, you’ll pass so many wonderful bars: Runyon’s, which is also known for its excellent chicken wings; Public Domain, which also houses a tiki bar called Vern’s, NOLO’s Kitchen, along with its Basement Bar; and Cuzzy’s, an old-school bar where the walls are blanketed in dollar bills. (Just around the corner from Cuzzy’s, you’ll also find Modist Brewing Co., Bricksworth Beer Co., and Graze Food Hall—these spots are a great place to go before or after a Minnesota Twins game.) There’s also Barcelona Wine Bar and Borough and Parlour (the cheeseburger here is unmissable), along with Bunker’s, a perfect spot to catch some local live music.