L.A. Nik's TOP 3 Venues for the "Mature Partier"
It's getting tougher and tougher to find a comfortable place to go out downtown Minneapolis with your friends if you're in your mid 30's and older. And I feel this way even when I am the most engaged venue-goer in the city at my age (in my opinion). Though I live a life of events, bar spaces, and late night socializing, even I feel that the options we have to comfortably sit and enjoy time with like-minded adults, are narrowing monthly.
Many of the popular (and even not so popular) bars and clubs in Minneapolis cater to younger crowds, which I would classify as 20 somethings. Before I go on, let me say that this age group makes up the biggest portion of people visiting these venues and buying alcohol to all hours of the night. I understand that, but as an adult, like many of our city dwellers, venues do not make it to our "favorites" list when you're faced with these most common challenges.
** Aggressive door guy yelling "ID's please" while spit flies from his mouth. * Music so loud, you can't hear the person directly next to you. * Over capacity bars creating environments for hostility and panic. * Drunken youngsters continuing to be served and causing problems in the streets. *
There are still a few spots however that I want to point out that have great hospitality, appreciate their customers, and know how to manage late night crowds.
7 Ultralounge -Steak & Sushi
This restaurant has a diverse menu that should satisfy everyone, multi-level offerings for classy environments, and the BEST rooftop (in my opinion) in the downtown area. I realize that Seven get's busy on Saturday nights and converts to a club environment late, but they manage their crowd and are very well staffed. The front door is run with efficiency and the Minneapolis Police Department works in front of this venue on the weekends for added safety and security.
7 Ultralounge Rooftop.
Sum this place up with stellar hospitality from the front desk to the back office and you have a "regular" spot to hang out. Here's a couple pics from their fan page. Are you a fan?
Perfection.
All you can eat Sushi, Sunday and Monday.
Front entrance to 7 Ultralounge at 700 Hennepin Ave.
Marin Restaurant & Bar
Marin at Chambers Hotel. is just down Hennepin from my above pick. This is a newer venue from Mill Valley Kitchen owner, Craig Bentdahl and co-owner and Chef Mike Rakun. I can't say enough about this place. The menu is Rockin' - great food. The place is really cozy with a library bar downstairs. They often have a DJ, but they do it right. The volume is at a level that encourages people to relax, stay, and quite frankly spend all their time there.
Front Entrance to Marin at 901 Hennepin Ave.
With many hotel bars in downtown Minneapolis, there are only a few that remain appealing to a middle-aged and up local crowd. Marin nailed it. Here's an article in Biz Journals about the design of their space and a couple Facebook food pics below.
Grilled Rosemary Lamb Chops, Sautéed Shaved Brussels Sprouts and Pickled Spring Onions.
Hoisin Glazed Chilean Sea Bass, Cucumber Salad, King Crab Citron Rice.
Bank at Westin
I've blogged about this space before. Bank is one of my favorite spots in Minneapolis. They have a happy hour here that stands alone. Most items on the list are $5 and these are menu items you could not reproduce at home for five bucks. Great food. Great Chef.
Bank at Westin. 88 South 6th Street. Downtown Minneapolis.
The space is "Grand" and the bar sits right in the middle of the entire room, with dining and plush seating all around. They have great hospitality and an excellent local business crowd. I have personally met more people and developed more relationships at Bank than anywhere in the city. Here's a few pics of Bank.
The Wine Vault.
The Gold Bar.
Seared Seafood Scallops. Chef John Mullen.
I highly recommend all three of these venues. ALL of these sweet-spots have some things in common... they are designed for the "mature partier", they focus on customer service and treat their patrons with a high level of respect and lastly, they are all very safe places to be, which immediately promotes them to the top of my list.
This is L.A. Nik's TOP 3 bars for the "mature crowd" in downtown Minneapolis.
