318 Café
318 Water St., Excelsior; 952-401-7902
While it's a café/coffee bar by day, Excelsior's 318 is a lively music venue and wine bar by night.
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331 Club
331 13th Ave. NE, Mpls.; 612-331-1746
In 2005, Northeast’s neighborhood bar got a makeover—a coat of paint and a slew of other improvements. It was time, since it’s been a fixture since 1899. But the 331 Club remains a cozy, railroad–style watering hole: narrow enough to keep things intimate, but not so cramped that the furniture kills elbow room.
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400 Bar
400 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls.; 612-332-3844
Go for a show, stay for the . . . show. The black exterior of this corner bar more or less previews the sparse, dark interior. But ambience and mood lighting are not the characteristics that have drawn crowds to the place for decades.
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7th Street Entry
701 1st Ave. N., Mpls.; 612-332-1775
Some of the most influential and revered bands of all time have rocked the stage at the Entry—before hitting it big. With that in mind, any show at First Avenue’s minor-league stage has the possibility to turn into tomorrow’s lore.
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Acadia Cafe
329 Cedar Ave. S., Mpls.; 612-874-8702
When you stop by for a beer and some tunes, don’t expect to hear any Beatles tribute bands or
Stairway to Heaven covers. Acadia only books artists who perform original songs, most of which are local acts and often come back multiple times. The menu is by no means stingy either. Everything from breakfast favorites to salads and burgers are reasonable and diverse. The beer is where Acadia really shines, however. Tap selections of organic local ales and Irish stouts from Cork complement both the innovative music and neighborhood atmosphere.
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Artists' Quarter
408 St. Peter St., St. Paul; 651-292-1359
If you can actually hear the musicians over a handful of regulars grumbling, "I liked the old location better," this jazz club is as close as it gets to catching some swinging cats in the Village. In the dark basement of the Hamm Building, the AQ, with its candlelit bar, black walls, intimate tables and chairs, and velvet curtains behind the stage, looks and sounds exactly the same as it did in Lowertown. Musician-owned, it attracts the best local, national, and international touring ensembles. This is a jazz purist's heaven. Live music Monday through Saturday.
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Bar Lurcat
1624 Harmon Pl., Mpls.; 612-486-5500
The hipster clientele wandered down the block to Nick and Eddie, leaving the groups of ladies from the Hills and the Lakes to gossip and giggle among the foodies and downtowners who mingle around the curved bar—there for the edgy comfort food and Italian–rustic-meets-Italian–contemporary décor. While the bar still attracts plenty of groups, the wall of windows and view of Loring Park makes for one of the most romantic settings in town.
Prime time: Early evening provides the most divine view, and we’re hard-pressed to find a vista in the Cities that captures the sunset like Lurcat’s does.
Try the: Wine list, characteristically D’Amico.
Crowd: As close as we’ve come to a café society—beautiful people and bright young things in artfully arranged duds—both designer and thrift.
Late-night bite: The wine-infused sliders are superb.
Don’t be surprised if . . . you stay for more than one bottle of wine.
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Barbette
1600 W. Lake St., Mpls.; 612-827-5710
This lively Bohemian bistro may be best known for its simple French fare, including, of course, its salade Niçoise. But it's also great for after-work cocktails or late-night eats.
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Black Forest Inn
1 E. 26th St., Mpls.; 612-872-0812
An Eat Street institution since 1965, everyone seems to have a story that begins with: “One time at the Black Forest Inn . . .” The restaurant features variations on the German meat and potatoes theme, and the helpings are generous enough to split three ways. Indoors, the atmosphere is appropriately dark, but the Black Forest really gets going during the summer, when its outdoor beer garden is in full swing. Beers from all over the world are available from the bar, and the occasional live band keeps the conviviality going all through the night.
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Blue Nile
2027 Franklin Ave. E., Mpls.; 612-338-3000
Enhanced with colorful East African décor and friendly service, the Blue Nile remains a hip, multicultural nightlife spot despite its relatively low profile in the Twin Cities. Patrons love the spicy Ethiopian and Mediterranean fare, especially when accompanied by the long list of beers on tap (including Surly, Bells, Sam Adams, and several imports). Located in Minneapolis's Seward neighborhood, the Blue Nile also features a nice outdoor patio and a dimly lit lounge, which houses live international music and dancing most nights of the week.
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