Downtown is Alive and Well!
Why go to the dingy bars around campus when you can mosey on down to the groovy and swanky downtown bars?
Maddie Roth
Picture this: It’s a Friday night, finally the weekend. You’re with your closest friends getting ready to go out and maybe drink a little too much. You’ve been looking forward to this day all week.
But where exactly are you headed? A college bar. A rundown, overpriced, sweaty, normative mess of a college bar.
It gets exhausting going to the same four bars around campus. Bloco, Blarns, KK, and Sals are pretty much all the same, filled with all the same people. We’ve all spent over $100 at one of these places and have been body to sweaty body with some random frat guy. How can that possibly be enjoyable weekend after weekend?
Fear not! There are places you can go where you can dance the night away and have the same, if not better, experience as you would at the college bars.
Downtown Minneapolis has a plethora of bars that don’t have sticky floors, where the music isn’t forcing your eardrums to bleed, and drunk college guys won’t creepily hit on you (or say, “Where my hug at?”).
The other weekend I went downtown and hit four bars I had never been to before, having the time of my life. There were actual adults at these bars who knew how to hold their liquor. The best part of the entire night? I was back home and in bed by midnight.
In the past, the argument has been made that downtown is dead, but I am under the impression it has never been more alive. Minneapolis is a vibrant city and has so much to offer the University of Minnesota student population.
Whether you’re going to North Loop or Downtown, here are some of the best bars to go visit instead of the same ol’ ones around campus.
#1: The Saloon
Starting off STRONG with this one! The Saloon does everything the Gay 90s does but with a better, safer, and more ethical experience! Unlike the Gay 90s, this queer nightclub is actually frequented by queers! All forms of life are out and about and cruising here, genuinely expressing themselves in every way possible!
Inside, there are four different bars, three different dance areas, two smoking patios, and actual, real food! On any given night, there are countless different vibes for everyone to enjoy—that’s without even mentioning their epic and wide-ranging live events! And hey, you never know where the night could take you when you’re there.
#2: Gluek’s
Across the street from Target Center, this place holds a special place in my heart. Gluek’s is a German-themed restaurant, so most of what they serve has some connection to the culture. You can get a glass boot filled with your favorite pilsner, if that’s your vibe, or an enormous pretzel with a little Germany flag sticking out of it (the honey mustard that goes with it is to DIE for).
If you’re coming from a Twins or Timberwolves game, Gluek’s will have something to offer you and is a great post-game hangout (especially if the home team loses). The staff is incredibly nice, so if they don’t lift your spirits while you’re there, hopefully the live music they have every weekend does.
#3: Cuzzy’s
Our last example comes from North Loop. The vibe of this place resembles that of a small down bar while being placed in the middle of a major metro city. The “Minnesota Nice” energy can be seen in the patio area where strangers come together to chat about anything and everything.
In my opinion, though, the coolest part of Cuzzy’s is the dollar bills pinned to the walls. Random messages about love, hate, and every emotion in between are scattered on almost every square inch of this place. And for those of us on a broke college student’s budget, prices here are inexpensive compared to the other three places I listed above.