Otter Saloon
617 University Ave. NE, Mpls.; 612-331-4169
Karaoke in a tiny neighborhood bar is a hazard—everyone
just might know your name, so you can’t sink into relative obscurity after a particularly bad melody mangling—but it’s also a boon. After all, there’s plenty of moral support at the Otter because patrons know that by stepping through this Northeast bar’s doors on any given night, they’re going to hear a range of talent. It’s OK if you can’t find middle C. The audience might not be able to either—and they’ll love you anyway.
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Palmer's Bar
500 Cedar Ave. S.,, Mpls.; 612-333-7625
Thank goodness for Palmer’s. This misshapen, rough-around-the-edges West Bank staple hasn’t changed in decades, and we like it that way. Located in the Seven Corners neighborhood, Palmer’s welcomes all serious drinkers, from middle-aged Blues enthusiasts after a show at the Cedar next door, to the construction worker, to young, raucous U of M students blowing off steam. The bartenders don’t mince words, the drinks are strong, and the patio is a guaranteed good time, even in the winter. You can buy a pack of peanuts or a couple Slim Jims, but you’d be better off sticking to drinks and gossiping with the bartenders and eclectic cast of regulars
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Plum's Neighborhood Bar & Grille
480 Snelling Ave. S., St. Paul; 651-699-2227
A favorite hangout for the college crowd (St. Kate’s, Macalaster, and St. Thomas are all within a mile radius), Plum’s usually has a line flowing out the door on Thursdays through Saturdays when school is in session. Things slow down considerably in the summer, though the patio scene attracts its share of summer-schoolers. Saturdays are DJ night, and mainstream rock from various decades is usually the playlist of choice, but local rock bands play there occasionally as well. The décor features plenty of wood, a few booths, and mostly small bar tables. Burgers and sandwiches are available in all the familiar configurations, and the beer and drink selection is adequate to wash it all down, but not much more.
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Republic at 7 Corners
221 Cedar Ave. S, Mpls.; 612-338-6146
The rustic-chic atmosphere of Republic attracts the graduate and law-school set from the nearby university, as well as the theater and music crowd. And the food attracts pretty much everyone. Set inside a century-old brick building, Republic adds stained-glass windows featuring flowers of Canada and stuffed heads of bears, bucks, and moose to keep the place whimsical and masculine all at once. The menu steers clear of the furry creatures on the wall, offering instead a hip, substantial mix of burgers, mussels, fish tacos, and other gastro-pub standards. To fit in, pair your order up with a local beer and start discussing transactional law or postcolonial performance theory.
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Sally's Saloon and Eatery
712 Washington Ave. SE, Mpls.; 612-331-3231
Oh, Sally's, sweet den of iniquity! Sally's, home of how many drunken college nights, how many forgetful twenty-firsts? Sally's, whose rooms are a naughty Pandora's box of alcoholic temptation. Sally's, for a cheap drink! Sally's for pool, or a round of Big Buck Hunter, or a pitcher with your buddies! University of Minnesota students have been singing such praises for Sally's for more than a decade, and many a formative college experience has been had here, to be sure. In case you didn't know, Sally is a female gopher, invented as a companion for the U's presumably lonely mascot, Goldy. It's hard to be lonely at Sally's, though--unless you've already graduated and your chugging days are behind you.
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Shorty & Wags Country Bar
3006 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls.; 612-824-7859
Forget these Shorty and Wags fellas, this place is known to most simply as the Country Bar, a karaoke-singing, beer-swigging haven for people hiding a tattoo under their long-sleeve button-ups—you know, because they have a little bit of an edge, but not enough edge to let everyone else know they have an edge. There really isn’t much of a “country” component to the Lyn-Lake bar, other than the cowboy silhouette-inspired signage, country-fried foods (trust us, you will smell like you’ve been country fried when you leave), and the fact that the place looks like it was built in 1860. But it’s a solid neighborhood spot with what regulars swear are the best chicken wings around—the secret is in the batter. . .
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Shout! House Dueling Pianos
650 Hennepin Ave, Mpls.; 612-337-6700
Grab a seat at one of the numerous tables around the stage and get ready for a night of raucous, piano-pounding fun. Singing along isn't required, but the atmosphere is so collegial and spirited, you'll want to join in—especially after you’ve had a few. The dueling pianists play all the golden oldies, and they don’t stop, so it just gets crazier as the night goes on. Wednesdays are '80s nights!
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Sneaky Pete's
14 N. 5th St., Mpls.; 612-333-8820
When watching MTV no longer fulfills and you’re looking for the closest thing in real life to a music video, Sneaky Pete’s awaits, dance floor packed, poles erected, booties being shaken on the bar. The staff tries to maintain a vibe of beach-chic sexy and friendly, Dionysian fun. A disco ball keeps it dizzy, and when live bands aren’t rocking the place, DJs are mixing it up from the booth.
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Solera
900 Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612-338-0062
Enjoy plates of Chef Jorge Guzman's tapas with queso, grilled pork sausage, and beef pintxos , at this Hennepin Theatre District art nouveau bar and the rooftop patio Seemingly bereft of any sharp angles, the flowy design is ornamented with tile mosaic on the tables and the floor. And, if you do tire of undulating to whichever DJ is tucked away in the corner and need a late-night pit stop, you won't be forced to go to Block E. And in the summer, don't miss the rooftop bar that hosts DJs, movies, and more.
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Terminal Bar
409 E. Hennepin Ave., Mpls.; 612-623-4545
Everyone these days seems conflicted about Terminal Bar. The thumbnail history is that Terminal used to be a hangout for the old Northeast crowd, but then punks moved in, and the punks were eventually squeezed out by the new Northeast condo crowd. But the fact of the matter is that Terminal Bar is an everyman’s place that caters to an eclectic crowd and has bands most every night, featuring music of almost every kind. The Monday night open mic is particularly popular with the regulars, and the cover never runs much more than $5. The drink prices have gone up over the years, but then, Terminal wouldn’t be quite the same if there weren’t
something to gripe about.
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