Best Bars To Watch Basketball In Minnesota
Basketball season is in full swing, and from NBA to WNBA to college, there is plenty to watch. The high-octane sport helps us through the winter. But where can you kick back with a beer and food and cheer as loudly as you want without waking the neighbors? The following bars are a pretty good start. Put on your jersey and enjoy a game away from home.
Mackenzie's Pub
918 Hennepin Ave
Minneapolis, MN 55403
(612) 333-7268
www.mackenziepub.com
So close to the Target Center that you can almost hear the action, Mackenzie's boasts a strong beer list, tasty bar food, plenty of seating and plenty of screens to catch the action. You might not have made it courtside, but there's no reason you have to have a subpar watching experience. Kick back with a beer and watch the Timberwolves (or whoever they might be playing if you're not a fan of our local boys) do their thing on the court.
Rival House
411 Minnesota St
St Paul, MN 55101
(651) 255-0645
www.rivalhousestpaul.com
Multiple screens showing multiple games, comfortable seating from which to watch, an awesome beer list to keep you buzzed at the buzzer, and great food to fill your stomach – is there any better way to watch basketball? If there's a lull in the game, this downtown St. Paul bar, located at the base of the Doubletree Hotel, offers everything from skeeball to ping pong, board games, Jenga and even a basketball hoop where you can take on your friends and rivals.
Stub & Herb's
227 SE Oak St
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 379-0555
www.stubandherbsbar.com
A classic example of a Minnesota sports bar, Stub and Herb's is a legendary watering hole in Stadium Village. You can feel the history hanging in the air when you step inside, and it's easy to imagine past generations of basketball fans watching games and cheering while drinking domestic beer. It's that kind of place. Some things don't need to change, and watching a game while sitting back with friends, maybe eating some good ol' fashioned bar food, will hopefully stay the same way for generations to come.
Tiffany's Sports Lounge
2051 Ford Pkwy
St Paul, MN 55116
(651) 690-4747
www.tiffanysportslounge.com
A Highland Park institution, Tiffany's has for decades served patrons from the neighborhood and beyond with cold beer, good bar food, conveniently located screens so you won't miss any of the action, and one of the best Bloody Mary bars in the area. It's a comfortable place, one where you could bring your rowdy friends or your grandparents and feel equally comfortable. It's the kind of place that will make you stay all day, tucked away from responsibilities and real life, simply lost in the world of sports.
Skarda's Bar
728 W Armstrong Ave
St Paul, MN 55102
(651) 224-0658
www.skardasbar.com
If you want something off the beaten path, a place to enjoy the game with spectacular drink specials in a warm atmosphere without being surrounded by hundreds of other fans bumping into you, then Skarda's is your place. Hidden away off West 7th in St. Paul, Skarda's is a neighborhood joint that supports local, both patrons and beer, and will always make you feel at home when you walk through the door.
Related: Best Bars To Watch The NBA Finals In The Twin Cities
Adrian Schramm is a resident Saint Paul writer with a passion for all things local. Through his work with Saint Paul Almanac and Minneapolis Examiner at Examiner.com, as well as in the kitchens of bars and restaurants around town, he has discovered what truly makes the Twin Cities tick.
