Few things are more rewarding or feel better than finding a sweet happy hour spot. Whether it’s on a weekday after a long day at the office or if you start the weekend early on a Friday, it’s tough to beat cheap drinks and tasty food. If you’re in search of the best happy hour Minneapolis spots, you’ve come to the right place.
Minneapolis is a bustling city that’s packed with great bars and restaurants, but not all of them have great happy hours. For those looking for a bargain along with delicious drinks and food, this article will serve as your guide to finding and enjoying them.
Our Top Picks for the Best Happy Hour Minneapolis Offers
1. Pat’s Tap
We’ll start our delicious journey in downtown Minneapolis on Nicollette Avenue at Pat’s Tap. Pat’s Tap is one of the best happy hour Minneapolis locations because it has one of the longest happy hours. Every day, including weekends, it’s from 2 PM to 6 PM.
Pat’s Tap features margaritas, Moscow mules, and martinis on their happy hour menu for just $7. They also offer a vast wine selection for $5 per glass.
As a cherry on the top, you also have the chance to choose a mystery beer or seltzer for just $3! They also have all your favorite Minnesota comfort foods at discounted prices, including cheese curds, mussels, onion dip, fried house chips, and more. You’ll leave Pat’s Tap with your thirst quenched and your belly full.
2. The Loop
Our next stop is at The Loop on North Washington Street. This delicious and stylish eatery and bar earns its place as one of the best happy hour Minneapolis spots because of its simple but effective happy hour menu. It’s from 2 PM to 6 PM from Monday to Friday but excludes weekends.
During happy hour at The Loop, all premium rails, beer on tap, and glasses of wine are $2 off. Additionally, you’ll get to take an extra $3 off every appetizer or pizza you order in this time frame.
3. Barbette
Next up, we’ll head to Barbette for one of the best happy hour Minneapolis locations with a French twist. Barbette’s happy hour is every day from 2 PM to 5 PM, including weekends, and their menu is one of the fanciest happy hour menus you’ll ever see. Rather than the traditional discounted beer and appetizers, Barbette takes things to the next level.
For example, you can get a bottle of Lambrusco and a Charcuterie Board for $34 or a bottle of bubbly paired with a dozen oysters for $38. If you’d rather keep things simple, however, you can opt for select wines, rails, drafts, and snacks for $5.
Barbette also offers slightly more expensive wine and cocktails for anywhere from $7 to $9, which is a nice discount from the regular price.
4. Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery
Look no further than Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery for a true and traditional happy hour consisting of beer, pizza, appetizers, and other delicious bar foods. Their happy hour is every weekday from 3 PM to 6:30 PM, which is nice for those who get off work a little later than most.
They offer a variety of draft beers, appetizers, and snacks at discounted prices during these hours.
However, the only thing better than the happy hour drinks, food, and prices is the quality service you’ll get at Rock Bottom. They pride themselves on treating everyone as an honored guest, and you’re bound to be blown away.
5. Hai Hai Restaurant
We’ve looked at the best happy hour in Minneapolis with a French flair. Now let’s look at the best with an Asian flair. Hai Hai on University Avenue offers fresh, clean Asian-inspired eats and some of the most refreshing cocktails in Minneapolis. Their happy hour starts at 3 PM every day except Monday, the only day the restaurant is closed.
You’ll be able to choose from juicy cocktails, beer, wine, and spirits during one of the best happy hours in Minneapolis, as well as a small food menu.
6. The Lowbrow
The Lowbrow is one of the best happy hour Minneapolis locations because it takes a two-pronged approach. You get a happy hour from 2 PM to 5 PM every Tuesday through Friday, and you’ll also get it from 9 PM to closing time, which is 10 PM. That means you can spend two different stints at The Lowbrow eating and drinking affordable products four days a week!
The Lowbrow’s happy hour menu is short and sweet but delicious. Their beer, sangria, and house wines are $2 off the normal price during both happy hour stints. They also offer their house-made concoction of loaded nachos with scallions, jalapenos, salsa, and sour cream at half the regular price.
7. Hideaway Cabin Bar
If you’re looking for one of the best happy hours in Minneapolis with a menu and timeframe that’s easy to understand, look no further than the Hideaway Cabin Bar. Rather than having lots of different happy hour timeframes and options, the Hideaway keeps things short and sweet.
Happy hour is from 4 PM to 6 PM every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. You’ll get $5 draft beer and $10 pizzas during that time. Although it doesn’t sound like much, the Hideaway is known for having some of the best beer and pizza in Minneapolis, and getting them at discounted rates is hard to beat.
8. The Sample Room
If you’re on the northern side of town and looking for one of the best happy hours in Minneapolis, the Sample Room has you covered. The Sample Room is a quaint, folksy bar and eatery that offers a wide variety of small plates, appetizers, snacks, cocktails, wine, and beer.
Their happy hour is from 3 PM to 6 PM every Monday through Friday, and you’ll have a chance to sample their appetizers, beer, wine, and cocktails, for $4 and less.
9. The Corner Bar
With a name like the Corner Bar, you know this place has to have one of the best happy hours in Minneapolis. It just so happens that their happy hours live up to the fitting name of this bar and grill.
The Corner Bar happy hour is from 4 PM to 7 PM every weekday from Monday to Friday, and the menu includes $2.50 domestic taps, $3 wine, $3.50 specialty taps, and $4.50 premium taps.
Don’t worry about food because there are plenty of appetizers to choose from, ranging in price from $3 to $5, including cheese curds, cheese bread, shrimp, chips, chicken tenders, and much more. You’ll even have a chance to try the Corner Bar’s “almost world-famous” Joey wings!
10. Tracy’s Saloon and Eatery
Tracy’s Saloon and Eatery has one of Minneapolis’s most creative and innovative happy hours. They offer what they refer to as the wooden nickel, which is redeemable for BOGO beer that you can redeem at any time and on any day of the week. Tracy’s doesn’t have a true set time for happy hour because it’s whenever you want it to be.
However, for the best value, the best time to use your wooden nickel is on Monday, when Tracy’s offers 40% off burgers.
11. The Pourhouse
Just as with the Corner Bar, you know that a place named the Pourhouse will have good food, drinks, and one of the best happy hours in Minneapolis. The Pourhouse is a sports bar by day and early evening and nightclub by night.
It’s the type of bar where you show up for happy hour and stay for the rest of the night to take in one of their many concerts and events.
Happy Hour at the Pourhouse will keep you out of the poor house and is from 3 PM to 6 PM every weekday. You’ll have craft beer, homemade cocktails, and delicious burgers.
12. Stella’s Fish Cafe
Happy hour at Stella’s Fish Cafe is slightly confusing, but it’s also among the most rewarding. Happy hour is on Monday through Friday from 3 PM to 6 PM. It’s also on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 5 PM and from 9:30 PM to 11:30 PM.
The menu during this time is modeled after a BOGO concept as you’ll get buy one get one for $1 for tap beer, wine, rails, and calls. As far as food is concerned, you’ll be the beneficiary of discounted shrimp, quesadillas, truffle fries, and much more.
13. The Blue Door Pub
It only seems fitting to wrap up our list of best happy hour Minneapolis hotspots with arguably the best option in the city. The Blue Door Pub is one of the city’s oldest and most renowned establishments, and they have locations in both Minneapolis and St. Paul. You’ll want to hit up the University location for the best happy hour in Minneapolis.
Happy hour at the Blue Door Pub on University is from Tuesday through Thursday from 4 PM to 5 PM and from 8 PM to 9 PM. On Friday, it’s from 2 PM to 5 PM and again from 9 PM to 10 PM. On Saturday, it’s from 9 PM to 10 PM, and on Sunday, it’s from 8 PM to 9 PM, so make sure you show up at the right times each day.
During each of those times, you’ll be able to take $3 off most cups of wine and tap beer. You’ll also be able to take 50% off select snacks and appetizers.
Tive to Visit the Best Happy Hour Minneapolis Offers
No matter where you are in the city, you’re never too far away from one of the best happy hour Minneapolis hot spots. There are plenty of options to choose from. Just make sure you show up at the right time and take full advantage of discount food and drinks.
Explore our Minneapolis Best Food and Drink page where you’ll find a number of amazing food and beverage options in the Minneapolis area.
If you are visiting the Minneapolis area or looking for something new to try, be sure to check out our Minneapolis page for everything to need to know about this great city, including some amazing things to do there!
Still hungry? Then continue exploring Minnesota food and drinks for a complete culinary adventure!
Still looking for more fun adventures? Then checkout all the great things to do in the Twin Cities!
- About the Author
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Born in Madelia, MN, to a now 5-generation Minnesota family, Ryan’s MN roots go deep.
A painter by day, Ryan founded Life in Minnesota in 2013 with his wife Kelly to chronicle their musings on everything Minnesota. Ryan and Kelly are raising their 7 kiddos in Maple Grove, MN.
When he’s not shuttling his kids around to hockey practice, you might find him in the shop working on his leatherwork. Undoubtedly, there will be a family trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area every summer, and of course weekends at Grandpa’s cabin up north in the summer.