The weather is finally cooling, but a warm front of new bars is about to hit the Twin Cities.
"People want neighborhood bars," said Jack Riebel, standing at the site of his much-anticipated Butcher and the Boar. "There was a time when every neighborhood needed a bar -- and I think there's a renaissance going back to that."
Yes, these spots will cater to locals, but each has the potential to draw crowds from all over. Here's a look at the season's most hotly anticipated new bars.
BUTCHER AND THE BOAR
Where: 1121 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.
Opening: First week of February.
Who's behind it: Jack Riebel. Also: Tim Rooney of Bar La Grassa and Barrio.
What to expect: The hot trends in bargoing are craft beer, heritage liquor brands and artisanal bar food. Butcher and the Boar feels like a culmination of all that. The bar's all-American stance will include 30 domestic craft brews on tap, 50 bourbons and a serious selection of smoked and cured meats. Best of all: The beer garden out back will seat 150 people.
EAT STREET SOCIAL
Where: 18 W. 26th St., Mpls.
Opening: Late January.
Who's behind it: Joe Wagner and Sam Bonin, owners of Northeast Social.
What to expect: Cocktail nerds have been pulling their hair out as they await the opening of this drinking destination. While the new restaurant's farm-to-table menu is enough to coo about, much of the fervor relates to the bartending wizards behind its beverage program. Nick Kosevich and Ira Koplowitz of Bittercube have a vaunted pedigree (the former opened Town Talk Diner, the latter spent time at Chicago's Violet Hour). They've designed a stunning drink list and are training the staff in the art of the cocktail. Also on tap: a real-deal soda fountain.
ELI'S EAST
Where: 815 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls.
Opening: Monday (maybe sooner).
Who's behind it: The owners of Eli's Food & Cocktails.
What to expect: The guys behind Eli's in downtown Minneapolis didn't travel far for their second location. They've rehabilitated the old O'Brien's Decoy Pub on E. Hennepin, outfitting it with Eli's classic-comfy style. The dark wood interior will feature antique lighting, leather booths and a copper-top bar. Though some of Eli's signature plates (like the mac and cheese) will migrate, much of the menu will be new and a bit more polished. Bartender Richie Rivera has designed a new cocktail list.
DEVIL'S ADVOCATE
Where: 89 S. 10th St. Mpls.
Opening: Early February.
Who's behind it: Erik Forsberg, owner of the Ugly Mug.
What to expect: If downtown Minneapolis is missing anything, it's a craft-beer gastropub like the Happy Gnome in St. Paul. Forsberg thinks that concept will work wonders in the space formerly home to Subo and the Inn. He's adding a larger front bar and building a new bar in the back. He'll have 40 draft lines and American bistro grub. What's with the name? "We're taking a break from the norm," Forsberg said, "and creating a new argument."
BLUE DOOR LONGFELLOW
Where: 3448 42nd Av. S., Mpls.
Opening: Late April, early May.
Who's behind it: Blue Door Pub's Jeremy Woerner and Patrick McDonough.
What to expect: "We like to joke that we're going from tiny to small," Woerner said of the Blue Door's second location, three blocks north of the Riverview Theater. Unfortunately, the St. Paul burger joint's slightly larger Minneapolis outpost is still in the paperwork stages. They've signed a lease and are working on getting the beer/wine license. In the meantime, diehard Blucy lovers will have to contend with 45-minute waits in St. Paul.
ICEHOUSE
Where: 2528 Nicollet Av. S., Mpls.
Opening: May.
Who's behind it: Matthew Bickford and Mike Ryan of Be'Wiched Deli.
What to expect: The long-talked-about rock bar/deli/cocktail den still has a long way to go. But they finally broke ground this month on Eat Street. An intimate listening room will have seating for 125, but also include a mezzanine. On the bar side, La Belle Vie star Johnny Michaels is designing a cocktail bar built for churning out complicated drinks at high speeds. "He's gonna have his own little cockpit," Bickford said.
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