The Jolliest Holiday Pop-Up Bars in Minneapolis
Bars and restaurants are decking their halls with tinsel and baubles for the holidays in Minneapolis. Some might say the décor is borderline tacky, but we promise you’ll get into the holiday spirit after sipping themed cocktails in these mini-Christmas explosions. Check out the best holiday pop-up bars that will satisfy your cravings for cheer.
1. Holiday Flight Club in the Basement Bar at Travail
Now – January 4, 2025
Hop aboard Travail’s Holiday Flight Club. You’ll travel to Cleveland, Algeria, Austria, Finland, Siberia, Japan, Indonesia and Mozambique to explore the unique, holiday food traditions of each place. (If these locations seem random, that's because they are. The Travail team threw darts at a map to decide these featured locations.) Expect creative cocktail parings, wine and festive spirit-free beverages and a decked out basement bar. You must make reservations ahead of time!
2. Nico's Navidad at Nico's Taco Bar
Now - January 5, 2025
Celebrate Christmas with tacos and margaritas in hand. Nico's Taco Bar in Uptown has turned into the best Christmas Casa in Minneapolis. Sip fun cocktails, eat all the guacamole and chips your heart desires, hang out at the outdoor bar with firepits, and snap a picture in the bobcat sleigh.
3. Down Through the Chimney at Hotel Emery
November 21 - December 29, 2024, Wednesday - Sunday, 4pm - midnight
Holiday mischief awaits...Head to Down Through the Chimney at Hotel Emery for delightful decorations and photo opportunities. Indulge in the spirit of the season with delectable cocktails and festive snacks. From gingerbread to pomegranate and fig, each sip is a journey through the flavors of the season.
4. The Red Nose Room at Red Cow Uptown
November 20 - December 31, 2024
Step into a place that would make Rudolph smile and shine at Red Cow's Red Nose Room in Uptown. Sip on holiday bevvies, like a Gingerbread White Russian or an Abominable Snowman with cinnamon bourbon and toasted marshmallow. Make the memories last in the photo booth with a Santa chair and festive props!
5. The Naughty List at Umbra
November 24 - December 31, 2024
The Naughty List is a festive pop-up bar at Umbra in the Canopy by Hilton hotel, ready to serve all your holiday bar-crawling needs. Step up to the bar for a magical evening of holiday cocktails and yuletide cheer, straight from Santa’s secret stash! This is a limited-time, daily spirited bar service, with non-alcoholic options available. Reservations are not required.
6. Jingle Giles Holiday Extravaganza at Earl Giles
November 25 - December 31, 2024
This popular distillery in Northeast Minneapolis will transform into a 6-week, family-friendly festival of lights and cheer! Enjoy holiday themed drinks, sparkly and seasonal decor (including a 16-foot tree) and Saturday holiday markets from 11am to 3pm. Reservations at Earl Giles are strongly encouraged!
7. Holiday Pop-Up at Bina's
November 29 - when the supply of peppermint schnapps runs out
You'll probably find yourself on the naughty list after you visit Bina's kitschy Christmas bar experience in Northeast Minneapolis. Snap pictures in the decked out dive bar and drink all the peppermint schnapps cocktails your heart desires. Bina's is right down the street from Earl Giles, so you can hit up two holiday bars in one night.
8. Helladazzle at Hell's Kitchen
November 29, 2024 - Mid January 2025
An iconic Minneapolis brunch spot, Hell’s Kitchen has live music, a build-your-own Bloody Mary and mimosa bar and so much more (like homemade peanut butter and the best lemon ricotta hotcakes in town). This holiday season, enjoy brunch and seasonal specials at Helladazzle — their downstairs lair decorated with all the lights, wreaths, ornaments and cheer you could ever hope for. If you were hoping for the moody Lucifer vibes for which Hell’s Kitchen is known, you’ll have to come back later!
9. The Jingle Bar
Select dates in December
The Jingle Bar in Minneapolis is the ultimate spot for some festive fun this holiday season! With dazzling decorations, themed cocktails and snacks, non-stop holiday hits and games hosted by the onsite elves, The Jingle Bar is one of the merriest places to be this December. Purchase tickets ahead of time — they are selling out fast!
10. Winter Wonder Bar at Creekside Supper Club
Now through January 2025
Creekside Supper Club has decked the halls with Santas and baubles. Come for trivia nights, to sip and hang out with friends, or to try their raved-about food.
11. Mistletoe Mondays & Tinsel Tuesdays at Roxy's Cabaret
November 25 - December 24, Monday & Tuesday
Each Monday and Tuesday through the end of December, indulge in holiday cocktails, play board games, darts and skee-ball and visit with friends. On Mistletoe Mondays, Roxy's Cabaret will host an amateur drag competition and karaoke with free entry. Tinsel Tuesdays feature a raffle with great prizes, and each drink purchase earns you a ticket. Each event is free, but reserve tickets before you go.
12. Dorit's Tavern at Surly Brewing
December 4, 2024 - January 5, 2025
Instead of candy canes and cozy Hallmark endings, Dorit’s Tavern avoids direct sunlight and surrounds you with cold beers, killer pizza, jello shots and a cast of unsavory characters. (You’ll be fine, just don’t spill water on them.) This mid-'80s dive bar tribute is open on Surly's second floor and is now taking reservations.
13. Sippin’ Santa at the AC Hotel
November 18 - December 30
Add a tropical twist to your holiday season with a pop-up tiki Christmas bar! The opening of Sippin' Santa at the AC Lounge begins on on November 18th from 5pm to midnight. Enjoy festive island-inspired cocktails and a vibrant, holiday-themed atmosphere, complete with plenty of decorations to get you in the spirit! And of course you can't have a festive drink without matching festive glassware. This pop-up bar will be open November 18th - December 30th, and closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day.
14. Northern Starlight Express holiday pop-up bar at the Renaissance Hotel
November 29, 2024 - January 4, 2025
Get ready to step aboard the Northern Starlight, where a holiday adventure is just around the corner. You’re invited to embark on a 60-minute festive journey set in a reimagined historic train car featuring festive handcrafted cocktails and curated bites as you’re transported to a world of holiday wonder. The concept takes inspiration from the hotel’s rich history as a former train depot on the Milwaukee Road line, providing visitors with a nod to the past while engaging their senses with modern culinary delights and whimsical, unexpected elements. The experience will be available by reservation only.
