Downtown Nightlife

Pictured: Parlor Burger, Brit's Pub, Rock Bottom Brewery, First Ave.

Drinks & Dining

• Parlour: If you’re looking for an intimate, dark bar for late night, after dinner conversation, this industrial, underground destination is pretty dreamy. The menu of drinks and snacks is on the short side, but everything earns its place, with a perfectly crafted cocktail for every spirit (plus a tight list of beer, wine, and bottled sodas). Local tip: The Parlour Burger, a meaty blend of ground chuck, ribeye, and brisket, simply topped with white American cheese on an egg bun, is legendary—so don’t miss it!

• Pizza Luce: Perfect for before or after Twins baseball games, Pizza Luce stays open late and offers a robust menu of pizza flavors. Grab a classic like the Baked Potato Pizza, crust smothered in buttery, garlic and topped with baby red mashed potatoes, broccoli, fresh-diced tomatoes, cheddar cheese and chopped bacon. Or try something off their rotating seasonal menu.
  

• Cowboy Jacks: There's always some fun happening at Cowboy Jacks and they make sure to keep they party going real late. Whether you're there for the beer specials or just looking for bar with all the action this is your late night hot spot.

• Nicollet Diner: Open 24/7 means that you can hit up your late night cravings whenever the party lets out. Here you'll find typical diner food—burgers, fries, malts and of course an all day breakfast menu.

• Barrio: Prefer bites of many different dishes over savoring one hearty serving? Barrio is the small-plate, tapas-style dining lovers dream. Grab some made-to-order guacamole and a couple tacos, tostadas, and empanadas, pair with an updated Margarita—think blackberry blood orange with ancho chile or passionfruit with muddled pepper—or any of Barrio’s other Mexican-inspired cocktails, and let the plate passing commence. Decked out with a colorful mural and bustling vibe (plus a great urban patio in the warmer months), Barrio’s Nicollet Mall location is open until 11pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

Entertainment & Activities

• Concert at First Ave: No visit to Minneapolis is truly complete without a pilgrimage to this temple of the local music scene, one of the longest running independently owned and operated clubs in the United States. For over fifty years, the historic venue has been the epicenter of downtown dancing and music discovery with two distinct concert spaces collectively hosting over 550 concerts each year.

• The Dakota: Sit back and enjoy some live tunes with farm-to-table fare at the city’s most storied jazz club—but the music doesn’t stop at jazz. The all-ages calendar sees the cabaret-style stage packed with a wide variety of genres, from soul and blues to gospel and afro-cuban rhythms.
  

• Crooked Pint Ale House Weekly Trivia: This craft beer bar hosts Trivia Mafia every Wednesday starting at 8pm, where you can bring your know-it-all skills to the test. You can also catch “Big Games on the Big Screen” on the biggest television screen in downtown Minneapolis, and if you cheer up an appetite you can dig into a full menu of Lucy-style burgers, from the Wrangler Lucy stuffed with jalapeños and cheddar to the Totcho Lucy stuffed with American cheese and topped with a smashed jumbo tot, sour cream, romaine, more cheese, chopped bacon, and green onions.

• Brit’s Pub: The perfect spot for the late-night anglophile, this piece of the UK in the Twin Cities has something British for every season, from lawn bowling on the rooftop deck in the summer to cozy nights by the fireplace with a pint of Boddingtons with the snow falling outside. Join the crowd for soccer football and rugby events and monthly pub trivia, close your eyes, and picture yourself across the pond.

• Bad Axe City Center: One of the largest Bad Axe facilities to date at 8,000 square feet, this venue features 18 targets and it's located right in the center of all the downtown Minneapolis action. If booked ahead of time, throwing slots are open until 11:00pm.

Uptown Nightlife

Pictured: Barbette, Nightingale, Volstead's Emporium, Bryant-Lake Bowl

Drinks & Dining

• Volstead’s Emporium: A candle-lit speakeasy tucked away in a nondescript alley off of Lake street marked only by a red light above the entry, Volstead’s might just be the ultimate “hidden” gem. Make a reservation via the ultra minimalist website to score directions and save your spot at a cozy booth to enjoy the constantly changing cocktails and decor from another time.

• Barbette: This romantic neighborhood brasserie is decked out with candles, leather banquets, and an eclectic collection of wall art (featuring both reclining nudes and reclining dogs). The late-night menu is thoughtfully sourced, featuring charcuterie and artisan cheese plates, steak frites, and hearty sandwiches that will stand up to a night of drinks and dancing.

• Nightingale: This husband-and-wife owned, local-ingredient focused Uptown gastropub offers late-night nosh until 1am, with unexpectedly upscale treats like a meat plate with house-smoked duck pastrami Reubens. Nightingale is a bit more upscale than you might expect from a late-night spot, so you’ll probably avoid some of the more raucous nightlife in the area while satisfying your inner gourmand.

• Spyhouse: If you need a pick-me-up before continuing with your late night plans this is your spot. Open until 10pm Spyhouse will fulfill all our your caffeine needs so you can continue with your night out on the town.

Entertainment & Activities

• Icehouse: Standing up for concerts is overrated. This intimate, two-story music venue hosts an eclectic roster of low- or no-cover shows (think jazz, americana, West African, and local singer songwriters), all of which you can watch from the comfort of your dinner table.

• Bryant Lake Bowl: This happening spot offers a 3-in-1 night out—part late-night bar and eatery, part theater, part bowling alley. You could truly spend all night here, bowling a few rounds, catching some live local music, or enjoying some sketch comedy.

• Uptown Collab: Endless entertainment awaits here, including an artist-designed mini-golf course, a rooftop patio, lively speakeasy and a black box theater. The goal here is to showcase local artists and have a little fun while doing it.

Northeast Nightlife

Pictured: Young Joni's Back Bar, Bad Axe Throwing, Psycho Suzi's, Centro

Drinks & Dining

• Northeast’s Walkable Pint Crawl: A charming cluster of breweries, cideries, and distilleries—612Brew, Bauhaus Brew Labs, Indeed Brewing Co., Tattersall, and Sociable Cider Werks—invite strolling between flights. Most host live music, food trucks, and trivia, so you can truly make a long night of comparing and contrasting the varying taprooms atmospheres and sips.

• Young Joni’s Back Bar: Through a door lit by a red neon light in the alley behind Ann Kim’s award-winning wood fired pizza destination, the Back Bar features raw wood walls, warm light, and a creative list of custom craft cocktails until midnight, every night. Local tip: Place your name on the waitlist at the main restaurant, and head to the bar until your number is called.

• Psycho Suzi's: A quirky spot to spend your late night out, Psycho Suzi's isn't just a restaurant it becomes a experience. At the heart it's a take on a Tiki bar, but come during different times of year and you may find the place transformed into a specific theme. Check out their website for what's on tap this month.

• Centro: Cocktails on tap? It’s a thing. Order up a Guava Goddess Slushy—with mezcal, guava nectar, lemon, and guava kombucha—or any other cocktail on tap, then settle in with some street tacos to soak in Centro’s vibrant colors and casual, urban feel. Bring some friends and order every taco on the menu to share!

Entertainment & Activities

• Nye’s Piano Bar: The classic piano bar may not be as popular as in decades past, but the tradition is alive at Nye’s. Formerly home to a beloved polish and polka restaurant owned by the current owners, the “new” Nye’s offers classic drinks (no food) and piano-accompanied karaoke.

• Otter Saloon Karaoke: You can sing Karaoke from 8pm until 2 am any night of the week at Otter Saloon. That, combined with their$3 rail drink happy hour, make this the perfect neighborhood dive when you’ve just got to croon.

• Bad Axe Throwing: Grab some friends and head to “the world’s largest axe throwing company” with a “group date” reservation to secure a dedicated axe throwing coach to teach you the technique and two hours of tossing time in a reserved lane, or check the walk-in axe throwing schedule for some shared time in a communal throwing lane. You can even bring your own food!

• Lush Minneapolis: At Lush, there’s something for everyone. Enjoy a variety of drag shows, including Drag Revolution—featuring weekly special guests from across the Twin Cities and around the country—Saturday and Sunday Drag Brunches and the participatory Drag Queen Bingo. You can also catch a burlesque show a few times per month. Remember to tip the performers well!

South Minneapolis Nightlife

Pictured: Riverview Theater, Hola Arepa, Matt's Bar (picture by: @themoderngent), Hook and Ladder Theater

Drinks & Dining

• Hola Arepa: This South Minneapolis hot spot serves up Latin street food centering around arepas—cornmeal griddle cake sandwiches stuffed with a huge variety of fresh fillings—in addition to other snacks like oyster mushroom tostadas, empanadas, and plantain tostones topped with shredded beef and tamarind. Local tip: The mocktails are fresh and delicious!

• Taco Taxi: Open just as late as Taco Bell, you can’t pass up this homestyle Mexican spot crafted by two brothers from Jalisco, Mexico as the finale to your night on the town. Snag some highly customizable tacos and burritos until 3am Friday and Saturday, and 2am every other night.

• Matt's Bar: Greasy cheeseburgers are definitely the best kind of late-night food and Matt's specializes in just that. Home of the Jucy Lucy, Matt's no frills, cash-only spot is exactly the type of atmosphere needed after a long night out.

• Lawless Distilling Company: January thru October, the cocktail lounge features seasonally shifting made-onsite spirits, and November through December the space is transformed into “Miracle at Lawless,” a holiday pop-up bar bedecked in Christmas lights and decor shaking up holiday-themed drinks.

Entertainment & Activities

• Riverview Theater: Watch some of the Hollywood's biggest blockbusters in this 50's inspired theater located in the Longfellow neighborhood. Be sure to grab some popcorn—topped with real melted butter—and don’t miss their annual Oscar-nominated short film marathon each January.

• Cardinal Tavern: That quintessential neighborhood dive bar where you just might learn everyone else’s name, even if they don’t know yours yet. Every Monday is bingo, Wednesday means meat raffles and trivia, and select Fridays are karaoke. They also have food specials each night of the week, if the activities aren't enough of a draw (think Taco Tuesday and Friday all-you-can-eat Fish Fry).

• The Hook and Ladder Theater & Lounge: Take in some live music at this artist-driven, affordable venue located inside the The Firehouse Performing Arts Center, featuring local musicians, tributes to legends, and traveling artists from around the country.

• Memory Lanes: Add some throwback fun to your nightlife with cosmic bowling every night and all-day on weekends at Memory Lanes (yes, there’s a full bar and food menu to fuel your best score).