Nightlife · Minneapolis · United States
Minneapolis nightlife
Where the evenings happen in Minneapolis, from early drinks to late nights.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Farragutful, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Minneapolis has a serious live-music scene anchored by First Avenue, a strong theatre district, cocktail bars in the North Loop and dozens of taprooms in Northeast. Bars generally close at 2am. The main areas are Downtown and Hennepin Avenue, North Loop, Northeast and Uptown and Lyn-Lake.
Key facts
- Nightlife areas
- 4
- Stay near the action
- Downtown
- Local drink
- Craft beer
Where to go out
Downtown and Hennepin Avenue
First Avenue, 7th St Entry and the big theatres of the Hennepin Theatre District, plus late bars.
North Loop
Cocktail bars and restaurants with bar seating in converted warehouses, busy on game nights.
Northeast
Taprooms, dive bars, live music venues and a laid-back local crowd.
Uptown and Lyn-Lake
Bars and patios near the lakes popular with a younger crowd.
Nightlife tips
- Check First Avenue's and the theatres' calendars before you go; many shows sell out.
- Light rail runs late, but use rideshares for Northeast, where taprooms are spread out.
- In winter, many bars and venues are skyway-connected downtown, so you can skip the coat check.
Evening sights
Architecture · Mill District
Guthrie Theater
Even without a ticket, walk out onto the Endless Bridge for a free view of the river and the Stone Arch Bridge.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes, or an evening for a show
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Views
- After dark
Experience · Downtown
First Avenue
Look for Prince's gold star on the outside wall, and check the calendar for gigs at both the main room and 7th St Entry.
- Time needed
- An evening
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- After dark
- Iconic
- History
Neighbourhood · Northeast
Northeast arts and taprooms
Rent a bike or use a rideshare between taprooms; they are spread out across several neighbourhoods.
- Time needed
- Half a day
- Cost
- Low cost
- Art
- Food
- After dark
- Off the beaten path
What to drink
- Craft beer — A 2011 state law allowing breweries to sell pints on site led to dozens of taprooms opening across the city, many with food trucks parked outside.
Evenings through the year
Sunset and the overnight low decide how long the outdoor part of a night lasts. July has the warmest evenings, with lows around 17°C (63°F).
| Month | Sunset (15th) | Overnight low | Rainy days |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | About 16:57 | -15°C (5°F) | 9 |
| April | About 19:58 | 1°C (34°F) | 10 |
| July | About 20:57 | 17°C (63°F) | 10 |
| October | About 18:29 | 4°C (39°F) | 9 |
Getting home late
- Tram — Buy tickets at station machines or in the Metro Transit app before boarding; inspectors check fares on board.
- Bus — Metro Transit buses cover the whole city, including rapid-bus lines with fewer stops on major corridors such as Chicago Avenue and Lake Street.
- Walking — Downtown, the Mill District and the North Loop are close together and walkable, and in winter the skyway lets you cross downtown indoors.
- Ride-hailing — Uber and Lyft are widely used for evenings and for trips to areas such as Northeast or Paisley Park that are awkward by transit.
Late-night bites
- Cheese curds — Bars, brewpubs and baseball games at Target Field; the State Fair in late August.
- Hmong and Southeast Asian food — Hmong food courts and markets in Saint Paul, such as Hmongtown Marketplace and Hmong Village, and Vietnamese restaurants on Nicollet Avenue's Eat Street.
Staying safe at night
Most visitor areas are safe with normal precautions; downtown can feel empty late at night, so use rideshares after dark. Car break-ins happen, so keep valuables out of sight. In winter, frostbite and icy pavements are real risks: dress in layers and wear boots with grip.
- Emergency number
- 911 (police, fire, ambulance)
Where to stay for nightlife
$$$ · Best for first-timers, nightlife and solo travellers
Downtown
Downtown Minneapolis has the main concentration of hotels, linked by the skyway's second-storey footbridges so you can reach restaurants, shops and the Target Center without going outside in winter. Hennepin Avenue's theatre district includes the Orpheum, State and Pantages theatres, and First Avenue is a few blocks away.
- Good
- Light rail to the airport and Mall of America; Skyway access in winter; Wide choice of hotels
- Watch out
- Quiet streets after office hours on weekdays; Parking is expensive
- Nearby
- Hennepin Theatre District, First Avenue, Nicollet Mall, Target Field
Questions travellers ask
+Where is the best nightlife in Minneapolis?
Downtown and Hennepin Avenue, North Loop and Northeast. First Avenue, 7th St Entry and the big theatres of the Hennepin Theatre District, plus late bars.
+Which area of Minneapolis is best for nightlife?
Downtown: Office towers, theatres on Hennepin Avenue and the enclosed skyway network.