No Section

The List of Lists 2011: Bars + Clubs

August 17, 2012 at 8:56PM

Best bars in Uptown

  1. Bryant-Lake Bowl
    1. The Independent
      1. C.C. Club
        1. The Bulldog
          1. Liquor Lyle's
            1. The Herkimer
              1. Cause Spirits & Soundbar
                1. Moto-i
                  1. Stella's Fish Cafe
                    1. Lyndale Tap House

                      BEST BARS IN NORTHEAST

                      1. Psycho Suzi's
                        1. Nye's Polonaise
                          1. The Bulldog N.E.
                            1. 331 Club
                              1. Grumpy's Nordeast
                                1. Mayslacks
                                  1. Elsie's
                                    1. The Sample Room
                                      1. Whitey's
                                        1. Spring Street Tavern

                                          BEST BARS IN THE WAREHOUSE DISTRICT

                                          1. Clubhouse Jäger
                                            1. Gluek's
                                              1. Kieran's
                                                1. The Loop
                                                  1. Bar La Grassa
                                                    1. Imperial Room
                                                      1. Monte Carlo
                                                        1. Cuzzy's
                                                          1. 112 Eatery
                                                            1. The Depot

                                                              BEST BARS IN ST. PAUL

                                                              1. Sweeney's Saloon
                                                                1. The Happy Gnome
                                                                  1. The Muddy Pig
                                                                    1. The Liffey
                                                                      1. Turf Club
                                                                        1. The Bulldog
                                                                          1. Barrio
                                                                            1. Moscow on the Hill
                                                                              1. Chatterbox Pub
                                                                                1. McGovern's

                                                                                  Readers have (mostly) seen past the abundance of douchey bars in Uptown and the Warehouse District, astutely choosing neighborhood bowling alley Bryant-Lake Bowl and the North Loop dance-pub Club Jäger as the best bars in their respective regions. In a landslide, Psycho Suzi's earns top honors in Northeast, while Sweeney's takes the St. Paul crown. Is it a coincidence that all of these picks have prime outdoor seating? We doubt it.

                                                                                  BEST HAPPY HOURS

                                                                                  1. The Independent [temporarily closed]
                                                                                    1. Liquor Lyle's
                                                                                      1. McCormick & Schmick's
                                                                                        1. Chino Latino
                                                                                          1. Moto-i
                                                                                            1. The Bulldog
                                                                                              1. Rudolph's
                                                                                                1. Crave
                                                                                                  1. Kitty Cat Klub
                                                                                                    1. The Blue Nile

                                                                                                      Uptown is still the place to be when it comes to putting 'em away on a budget: The Independent, Liquor Lyle's, Chino Latino, Moto-i and other favorite happy hour spots are all clustered along Hennepin and Lyndale. The Let-Down-Your-Hair Award goes to a fancy downtown joint: McCormick & Schmick's. Dinner plates go for about $30, but at happy hour, the restaurant offers apps starting at $1.95.

                                                                                                      BEST GLBT BARS

                                                                                                      1. Minneapolis Eagle
                                                                                                        1. 19 Bar
                                                                                                          1. Lush
                                                                                                            1. Jet Set
                                                                                                              1. Saloon
                                                                                                                1. Gay 90's
                                                                                                                  1. Brass Rail
                                                                                                                    1. The Town House
                                                                                                                      1. Camp

                                                                                                                        BEST BREWPUBS

                                                                                                                        1. Town Hall Brewery
                                                                                                                          1. The Herkimer
                                                                                                                            1. Great Waters Brewing Company
                                                                                                                              1. Barley John's Brew Pub
                                                                                                                                1. Fitger's Brewhouse
                                                                                                                                  1. Rock Bottom Brewery
                                                                                                                                    1. Granite City

                                                                                                                                      Best places to drink before a Twins game

                                                                                                                                      1. Kieran's Irish Pub
                                                                                                                                        1. The Depot
                                                                                                                                          1. Imperial Room
                                                                                                                                            1. Monte Carlo
                                                                                                                                              1. Gluek's
                                                                                                                                                1. Hubert's
                                                                                                                                                  1. The Loon
                                                                                                                                                    1. Cuzzy's
                                                                                                                                                      1. The Loop
                                                                                                                                                        1. Bradstreet Craftshouse

                                                                                                                                                          BEST BARS FOR GAMES

                                                                                                                                                          1. Chatterbox Pub
                                                                                                                                                            1. Brit's Pub
                                                                                                                                                              1. Herkimer
                                                                                                                                                                1. Half Time Rec
                                                                                                                                                                  1. Williams Pub
                                                                                                                                                                    1. Nomad World Pub
                                                                                                                                                                      1. Dave & Buster's
                                                                                                                                                                        1. Mortimer's
                                                                                                                                                                          1. The Bulldog NE
                                                                                                                                                                            1. Leaning Tower of Pizza

                                                                                                                                                                              BEST KARAOKE VENUES

                                                                                                                                                                              1. Otter Saloon (U Otter Stop Inn)
                                                                                                                                                                                1. VFW Post 246 (Uptown)
                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Vegas Lounge
                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Country Bar
                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Grumpy's
                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Chatterbox Pub
                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Nye's
                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Elsie's
                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Boomtown
                                                                                                                                                                                                1. 1029 Bar

                                                                                                                                                                                                  BEST COFFEE HANGOUTS

                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Spyhouse
                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Dunn Bros.
                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Common Roots
                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Anodyne
                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Blue Moon Cafe
                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Caffetto
                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Urban Bean
                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Caribou
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Bob's Java Hut
                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Muddy Waters

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      Once again, Dunn Bros. comes close to besting Spyhouse, but that's really not playing fair. Dunn Bros. has dozens of locations, while Spyhouse has only two: the beloved original space on Nicollet Avenue, and a quieter shop on Hennepin. Speaking of not playing fair, Common Roots has beer, which seems to have helped readers forgive the seating area's shortage of power outlets. Posting a big gain this year: Lake Street's cozy, off-the-beaten-path Blue Moon Cafe. BEST COCKTAIL BARS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Bradstreet Craftshouse
                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Red Dragon
                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Psycho Suzi's
                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Chino Latino
                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. La Belle Vie
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Moscow on the Hill
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Prohibition & the Living Room (W Minneapolis)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Town Talk Diner (now closed)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. W.A. Frost
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. King & I Thai

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          BEST BARS IN THE SUBURBS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Lord Fletcher's (Spring Park)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Maynard's (Excelsior)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Cooper (St. Louis Park)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Barley John's Brew Pub (New Brighton)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Park Tavern (St. Louis Park)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Any VFW or American Legion
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Grumpy's (Roseville)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Frigaard's (Willernie)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Poor Richard's Commonhouse (Bloomington)
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. White Bear Bar (White Bear Lake)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              MOST AESTHETICALLY PLEASING BARS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Psycho Suzi's
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. W.A. Frost
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Donnie Dirk's Zombie Den
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Barbette
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Kitty Cat Klub
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Loring Pasta Bar
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Honey
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. The Local
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Lurcat
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Prohibition

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  BEST BEERS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Surly Furious
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Grain Belt Premium
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Grain Belt Nordeast
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Fat Tire
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Surly Bender
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Town Hall Masala Mama
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Bell's Two Hearted
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Guinness
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Surly Darkness
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Stella Artois

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      The classic charm and sophisticated ambience of a restaurant like W.A. Frost and Company (No. 2) wasn't quite enough to win this title. You wanted a bar that takes sensorial stimulation to dangerously tawdry heights -- that's right, the newly relocated Psycho Suzi's. With its colorful cocktails, bizarro-tiki flair and a downstairs bar that looks like a VFW decorated by a witch doctor, Minneapolis' favorite motor lounge is the natural pick. Stay kitschy, Twin Cities.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      BEST LOCAL BEER BRANDS

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Surly
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Summit
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Grain Belt
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Lift Bridge
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Flat Earth
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Fulton
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Rush River
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. Schell's
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Finnegans

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        By all accounts, this has been a good year for Brooklyn Center-based Surly. For starters, supporters shepherded the so-called Surly Bill through an otherwise useless Legislature, clearing the way for construction of a destination brewery in the near future -- hooray! To top it off, Surly just unseated the reigning champion in this category, St. Paul-based Summit. It probably has something to do with Surly's unusual suds, which have already become Twin Cities staples -- including Bender, Cynic and Furious. BEST BEER SELECTION

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. Happy Gnome
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Bulldog
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            1. Muddy Pig
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              1. Town Hall Brewery
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                1. Acadia Cafe
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  1. Stub and Herb's
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    1. The Herkimer
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      1. Blue Nile
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        1. The Local
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          1. Williams Uptown

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The List of Lists '11

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Previous Next »

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            about the writer

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            about the writer

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            More from No Section (Assign Gallery and Videos here)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            See More

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No Section (Assign Gallery and Videos here)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Feeling lost choosing a restaurant? Let our Culinary Compass lead the way.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            The Star Tribune’s new restaurant finder matches your mood with an eatery recommended by our food team.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No Section (Assign Gallery and Videos here)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Photos show the damage after the latest missile and drone strike targeting Kyiv

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            No Section (Assign Gallery and Videos here)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            Photos of funeral for slain Minnesota lawmaker Melissa Hortman and her husband