Al Vento (Wine Bar)
5001 34th Ave S, Mpls.; 612-724-3009
The candlelight in this South Minneapolis Italian cucina creates a golden glow that'll remind you of Tuscany, and its extensive list of Italian red wines will get you that much closer. At the bar, you can snack on bruschetta while you while sipping a glass of red, or go for a designer pizza—the smoked salmon and goat cheese, perhaps. Bottles are half-price every day from 4:30-6 p.m., or all night on Sundays and Mondays.
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Amore Victoria
1601 W. Lake St., Mpls.; 612-823-0250
Amore is the perfect place to start or end a first date. The quaint little bistro is just off Uptown’s beaten path and draws a quieter crowd than most of its surrounding sibs. It’s not a place for a guy’s night out, but it’s perfect for unwinding over a glass of wine and an appetizer or two. Summer brings great outdoor sidewalk seating, where the buzz from nearby Barbette provides the background to your conversation over crème brûlée. That’s amore.
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Aura
3001 Hennepin Ave. S., Mpls.; 612-821-0008
It’s a little slice of calm in Calhoun Square’s nightlife scene, a solid choice for the post-college crowd that wants to avoid the over-imbibed at the Independent and Figlios. Aura has a few dozen tables, a full bar, and a wine list—plus wood-fired pizzas and some upscale snacks. There’s no standing room, so full tables mean a full bar, and the late-night DJs fill the remaining space with dance beats, despite the lack of a dance floor. The beauty of Aura? Happy hour means happy afternoon, evening, and night—drink and food specials last from 4 p.m. to midnight.
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Bar Abilene
Lagoon and Fremont, Mpls.; 612-825-2525
The southwestern-themed bar and grill calls itself the “Texas Margarita Grill”—though it should take a cue from the Lone Star State and adopt the slogan, “Bar Abilene is for Lovers.” It’s the kind of place that gets wild after 9 p.m. on the weekends—the DJ warms up, the dance floor gets packed with tequila-shooting partiers (the place offers just about every tequila imaginable), and suddenly, you’ve met the love of your life (or some alternate duration). If you are offended by PDA, head to Stella’s down the street.
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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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Bryant-Lake Bowl
810 W. Lake St., Mpls.; 612-825-3737
Bryant-Lake Bowl isn't just a bowling alley (and serious gamers who come to roll strikes and spares may find themselves disappointed). But if a forty-three-bottle globetrotting wine list that includes Minnesota wines, a contemporary American menu served past midnight, or the adjacent theater-cum-performance space appeals to you, this might be a fit. And if you just want to fling ten-pound balls down the rough and tumble lanes with a knowing irony, or at least hyper self-awareness, that's okay, too. Where else can you enjoy a Belgian Trappist ale and ill-fitting rental shoes?
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Café Maude
5411 Penn Ave. S, Mpls.; 612-822-5411
Enjoy an inventive cocktail or glass of wine in this South Minneapolis neighborhood gem, which goes by the tagline "civilized leisure." The happy hour or “Leisure Time” is only an hour, but it happens seven days a week. There is a comfortable bar area with a special corner set aside for live music on Tuesday and Wednesday nights—usually jazz. Wednesday nights are often busy with locals, regulars and newcomers.
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Cause Spirits & Soundbar
3001 Lyndale Ave S, Mpls.; 612-822-6000
Located in the up-and-coming Lyn-Lake neighborhood near Uptown, Cause attracts the kind of clientele you'd expect in the area: young, hip iconoclasts who like loud music. Inside, you'll find dim lighting, two bars, and an eclectic array of contemporary art. If you're looking to be part of the “it” crowd with the option of head-banging to the edgy metal band playing in the back room, then Cause is the bar for you. Don’t order conventional drinks, either—that “spirits” in the name is your first clue that they take bartending seriously here.
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CC Club
2600 Lyndale Ave. S., Mpls.; 612-874-7226
Since prohibition ended, the CC Club has been abetting local inebriates from Tom Arnold and The Replacements to your overweight uncle and that creepy neighbor kid with the punk hairdo. People don’t go to the CC Club for fancy drinks (don’t try to order no fernet and coke), they go for the people. Whether you join the middle-aged crowd at the bar, or the artist’s palette of characters in the back rooms, someone at the CC Club will be waiting for you with a smile and a smart-ass comment. One day, that someone might be you.
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Chatterbox Pub
2229 E. 35th St., Mpls.; 612-728-9871
This Chatterbox is a little dingier than the newer St. Paul location, but it has the same great concept—beer and board games. Choose from dozens of classic board or video games, and then order a brew off the pub’s specialty menu. We suggest the Chatterbox Lager.
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