Sometimes, being a woman sucks. There are double standards, sexual harassment, glass ceilings and high heels, not to mention the not-so-pleasant week when your ovaries feel like they're made of expensive cutlery.

Yet at the same time, any female knows there are numerous perks: intuition, smooth skin, voluptuous curves, and one which the friendly nightlife industry is pleased to present -- Ladies' Night.

Sure, getting free or cheap booze based on your gender is a strange concept, but on a budget, I'm not going to complain. Drink specials, fancy giveaways and reduced (or free) cover are common components of bar nights designated for the lady population. But whatever the bonuses may be, chicks are not the only benefactors. Like any other business, bars are in the game to make bucks, meaning they've got to bring in the crowds not just on weekends, but every night of the week. How do they do this? Women.

The number of women a bar can attract greatly affects its reputation and, in turn, its profits. As much as we'd all like to think bars just want to treat us gals because we're so fantastic, Ladies' Nights are designed with dollar signs in mind.

A big part of bar culture revolves around the possibility of meeting that special someone (or at least hooking up with them). A good bar needs a healthy mix of people who are attracted to one another, allowing the swapping of numbers, or the swapping of spit, to entertain the masses. At least in the hetero sense, if a bar can get women in the door, then men and their wallets will be close behind.

"Ladies' Night" is a less crude way of saying "Anti-Sausage Fest Night." Cash-wise, the boys may be shelling out a bit more, but after a survey of Twin Cities Ladies' Night crowds, you'll see men are willing to pay the price in order to be in the company of fabulous females. And the bargain prices just mean that women are paying less than usual for men to gawk at them.

So where should you and your best gal pals go to find those discounted sips? Depending on where you and the crew like to crawl, specials can be found if you know where to look. While every bar near the U of M campus has deals galore for the womenfolk, Uptown seems to have completely ruled out Ladies' Night. Downtown Minneapolis and St. Paul each have a handful of healthy specials, usually a bit more extensive than what's on tap. Whatever your fancy, take advantage, ladies -- because on Saturday night in Minneapolis, there's no such thing as a free drink.

Just remember, even if you didn't have to pay for your drink, you still need to tip your friendly bartender.

Bootleggers

If you feel like dressing to impress, being girly and getting pampered like a princess, hop in a taxi to the Warehouse District on a Thursday night. Bootleggers not only offers free drinks from 9 to 11 p.m., but with a reservation, women can enjoy complimentary chocolate-covered strawberries and champagne. The bar also hires professionals twice a month to give hand massages and manicures. And if that's not enough, Bootleggers also lures ladies with weekly drawings for Coach purses and tanning packages.

Free stuff aside, the Bootleggers' waitstaff alone attracts business. The handsome men in suspenders have tables of ladies vying for attention. College student Katie Basara and her friends chill at Bootleggers every Thursday, batting their lashes amid a table full of sweets. "I already have a Coach purse," Basara blushed. "I'm here for the hot bartenders."

Other women find Bootleggers to be a good spot for mingling. "I don't get the creep vibe here," said Alison Hanson, another college student who was visiting the bar with her girlfriends. Depending on what you like, that could be a plus or a minus.

• View the full venue listing

1 | 2 | 3 Next page