Best Sports Bars In Minnesota
We love our sports. No matter what time of year, Minnesotans have a team to cheer for. This has led to a plethora of drinking establishments paying tribute to local sports teams, and there is never a shortage of places to watch the game. But when you're dedicated, not just any old watering hole will do. You need places as passionate as you are that know how important getting that "W" is. Here are the best places around to cheer, or yell, yourself hoarse (depending on the score), with everyone else right along with you. Click here are a few more ideas from years past: Best Twin Cities Sports Bars.
Obb's Sports Bar & Grill
1347 Burns Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55106
(651) 776-7010
www.obbsbar.com
For the people who know Obb's, it's an institution and life wouldn't be the same without it. In general, however, this east St. Paul sports haven has operated quietly (sometimes) in Dayton's Bluff since 2001. With televisions strategically placed for optimum viewing pleasure, plenty of cold beer and rail drinks, good, greasy-delicious food, daily specials and a great crowd with which to cheer on Minnesota's sports teams, Obb's is the epitome of what a good sports bar should be.
Big 10 Restaurant and Bar
606 Washington Ave. S.E.
Minneapolis, MN 55455
(612) 378-0467
www.big10restaurant.com
Gophers fan? Former U of M student returning to your glory days? Just happen to be on campus and want to catch a few games while eating awesome subs? This is the place for you. Comfortable and with all of the necessary components for an optimal sports watching experience, Big Ten is a shameless Gophers sports bar that will no doubt get you in the mood for cheering, drinking and general rabble-rousing. The only people who might not feel at home are Badgers fans.
Billy's on Grand
857 Grand Ave.
St. Paul, MN 55105
(651) 292-9140
www.billysongrand.com
This Grand Avenue mainstay is welcoming to fans from all over the country. There are televisions dedicated to almost every game, and it doesn't matter who you're rooting for, Billy's is the place for you. Large, often rowdy, with plenty of beer on tap and plenty of food on the menu to soak it up, Billy's is, in a word, fun. Watch your games on the outdoor patio when the weather permits, or hunker down inside. For sports fans, there is always room for one more.
Alary's
139 E. 7th St.
St. Paul, MN 55101
(651) 224-7717
www.alarys.com
Not a family-friendly sports bar, Alary's is more of place to get together with a big group of friends and cheer as loudly as you want, especially if you're a Chicago Bears fan. But when Da Bears aren't onscreen, you can enjoy games from every cable sports package known to man while drinking beers from downtown St. Paul's largest beer list. It's open, roomy and has a few games, like pool and darts, to play during halftime. Take advantage of the shuttles that run up to the Xcel Energy Center during hockey season – a great way to get to and from Wild games when the weather is biting cold.
Bunny's Bar and Grill
5916 Excelsior Blvd.
St. Louis Park, MN 55416
(952) 922-9515
www.bunnysbarandgrill.com
An institution in St. Louis Park, Bunny's has welcomed diners and drinkers of all types through its door. With as many televisions as you need to catch a great view of the game, and an always excited crowd there to watch them with, Bunny's has a "Cheers" vibe that will get anyone into the cheering mood. With some of the metro's best drink specials to go along with the game, Bunny's clearly understands that, first and foremost, a bar should be fun.
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.
