Minneapolis-St. Paul’s Best Gay Bars, Clubs and Gathering Spaces

BARS

19 Bar

One of the country’s oldest operating gay bars, 19 Bar is a deeply beloved dive bar that offers a laid-back, no-frills (except occasionally on patrons’ outfits) space to play pool, yap with friends, flirt with a stranger, or simply unwind with a cold one. The 19 has been a bar since the end of Prohibition and has catered to a mostly LGBTQ+ crowd since the mid-1950s.

In 2025, it reopened after a fire forced it to close for nearly a year. If you’re looking for colorful cocktails in delicate glasses, this might not be the place for you, but if a down-home, come-as-you-are reception is what you need, this is the right spot.

A Bar of Their Own

Better brush up on your women’s sports stats before popping over to this bright, friendly sports bar in Minneapolis’ Seward neighborhood. Only women’s games grace the TVs here, and the weekly trivia prominently features questions about professional women’s local and national games.

You don’t have to watch on an empty stomach either: loaded totchos (nachos, but with tater tots), killer cauliflower “wings,” and a variety of home-run burgers. While the bar doesn’t cater explicitly to the LGBTQ+ community, there are plenty of queer women who come to cheer on their hockey, softball, basketball or soccer crush.

Black Hart of Saint Paul

At first blush, this soccer-centric LGBTQ+ pub is your basic sports bar, but it’s much more than that. From every televised footie game available to “RuPaul’s Drag Race” watch parties to first-timer burlesque performances to rowdy weekly BINGO games that fundraise for HIV support and prevention organization the Aliveness Project, the Black Hart has something for just about everyone.

Want to escape the cheering crowd? A generous back patio (lovingly overseen by a massive Megan Rapinoe mural) offers a chill space with rotating food trucks, a bocce court (rent a set for $5) and an outdoor TV so you won’t miss a moment. Goooooal!

EAGLE|MPLS

It wouldn’t be a queer-friendly town without at least one bar with a leather night and a showtunes night, and the Eagle is the place for both. (Not to mention monthly underwear nights, perhaps better enjoyed during the short Minnesota summers.)

The Eagle is practically in the shadow of U.S. Bank Stadium, but it’s not the sportiest spot in town; see the bars above for more athletic-focused landmarks. While the room skews male most of the time, the Eagle welcomes everyone who wants to have a good time.

Roxy’s Cabaret

Hankerin’ for some good, down-home drag brunch? The Roxy is your best choice for eggs with a side of legs. And not just on weekends, either; you can order breakfast anytime.

It’s not all lip syncing and lipstick, though. There are board games and big-screen Mario Kart for when you don’t feel like getting dolled up, weekly camp-classic movie screenings, and an extensive menu of both classic and deliciously chaotic cocktails (like a smoked banana old-fashioned).

CLUBS

Gay 90s

It’s right there in the name, though it wasn’t planned that way: This long-standing downtown Minneapolis LGBTQ+ joint opened as a supper club in the 1950s (its name refers to the prosperity of the 1890s). It didn’t become primarily queer until the 1970s, when it merged with neighboring gay bar the Happy Hour.

Now two floors and seven bars’ worth of dancing the night away, the Gay 90s is still the cornerstone of LGBTQ+ nightlife in the Cities. According to local oral history, the 90s was always a haven for trans folks, and its open, inclusive, fun and flirty programming continues to welcome everybody who just wants to have a good time.

LUSH

Another drag-focused spot that gives DJs their day is this somewhat nondescript-looking hangout in Northeast Minneapolis — a longtime favorite for the local LGBTQ+ community. LUSH was the neighborhood's go-to from its opening in 2008 until its abrupt closure in 2020. Reopened under new ownership (including a former employee) in 2021, it’s not only going strong but is seeking to become the first nonprofit LGBTQ+ bar and theater.

Don’t miss the famous Ultimate Bloody Mary and its outrageous garnishes: candied bacon, deviled eggs, chicken wings, and a mini donut.

The Saloon

If there were a time machine that could take you to an early 2000s gay dance club, you’d basically wind up at The Saloon, so why not just go there? Lose yourself in the glitter and glam of a drag show or sweat out your troubles during a bumpin’ DJ set.

And when you need late-night fortification, don’t worry: There’s macaroni and cheese bites, fried mushrooms, or mini corn dogs to fuel whatever you get up to.

Twin Cities Queer Contra

If the term “gay club” instantly calls dancing to mind, the Twin Cities Queer Contra night at the Minneapolis Eagles’ Club belongs on this list. It might not feature the bright lights and slinky outfits other venues are known for, but judging by the tight-knit community and huge smiles at this monthly night, you better not knock it ’till you’ve tried it.

Contra dancing is a kind of folk dance that resembles (but is rather different from) square dancing, and this gathering queers tradition by eschewing the usual male-female dance roles. A rotating cast of live musicians and dance callers like The Clementines, Mattie Rynkiewicz and Box the Gnat add their own special touch, and you may be surprised to find yourself adding it to your regular dance-night rotation.

GATHERING SPACES

Midwest Queer Zine Fest

Storytelling, poetry, subversion, DIY, and creative nonfiction abound at this grassroots celebration of self-published art. Zine makers from around the Midwest set up booths selling autobiographical, fantastic, critical, and just plain weird written and drawn work as well as stickers, patches, prints and other lo-fi brilliance.

Aside from the wares on offer, the vibe alone is worth a visit: There’s an absolutely palpable feeling of everyone rooting for everyone else at this event. If you make zines, bring some along: Many vendors are willing (even excited!) to trade.

Queermunity

There was a time when the only LGBTQ+-centered spaces were bars and nightclubs, which, while fun for many, don’t always fill the need for holistic, engaged, face-to-face community during daylight hours.

Enter Queermunity, a community venue among the first of its kind with a café, co-working space, event host, and rentals from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. From AA meetings, weekly Afro Yoga classes, résumé-writing workshops, a 55+ tea dance that starts at 4 p.m. and mercifully ends at 8 p.m., and much more, this center invites you to come as you are and leave a little bit changed for the better.

Quatrefoil Library

The nation’s second-oldest circulating LGBTQ+ library sits in the beating heart of Lake Street, equidistant between Mercado Central and the Midtown Global Market. Since 1986, the library has been a haven for information, connection, history, events, and artifacts of queer life in the Twin Cities and beyond.

Named after one of the first American books that positively depicted queer life, the library boasts an impressive collection of books and e-books, DVDs, CDs, magazines and more. Apply for a library card and find your next favorite read, or join the all-volunteer team that helps Quatrefoil stay a vibrant and necessary part of the local queer ecosystem.

QUEERSPACE Collective

If you ever wished you had an elder queer to take you under their wing when you were younger, guess what: Now you have a chance to be the change you want to see in the world by becoming a mentor to an LGBTQ+ youth in the Twin Cities. QUEERSPACE pairs youth between the ages of 12–17 with mentors aged 25-plus for group and one-on-one hangouts over the course of a year. (Sorry if you’re 25 or older and just learning that you’re an elder…)

The organization arranges monthly events for mentor/mentee pairs — from crafts and workshops at its Lowry-East community center to sports outings and zoo visits — and offers ideas, free tickets, and support for pairs to hang out on their own.

The Rainbow Wardrobe

“Express yourself” really means something at this gender-affirming clothing swap spot operated by Twin Cities Pride, where fashion is free and style is priceless. Anyone can make an appointment to peruse donated items of clothing without the stigma that can come with shopping as a queer, trans or gender-nonconforming person in a traditional retail store. The Rainbow Wardrobe stocks identity-supporting undergarments like binders and tucking underwear as well as casual and dress wear, all available by appointment.

Don’t need anything at the moment? Consider donating items to make someone else’s day even more fabulous.

Find out more about what makes the Twin Cities' LGBTQ+ community so special .