Minneapolis Cheap Cocktails: Where to Drink Up

A stiff drink doesn't have to empty your wallet.

by Joy Summers@JoyEstelle Oct 16, 2015, 10:50am CDT

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by Joy Summers@JoyEstelle Oct 16, 2015, 10:50am CDT

Joy Summers

As much as Minneapolis loves a dive bar, an affordable cocktail can be found outside of the dim, dark lights of the city's hole-in-the-walls. Don't call them "craft" cocktails, just appreciate a proper pour at a reasonable price.

Did we miss your favorite cheap drinking spot? Hit the comments and let us know!

Whitey's World Famous Saloon

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If only every neighborhood bar could nail this beguiling cocktail of great drinks, fantastic beer list, good food and a vibe that makes you want to pull up a stool and stay for an hour or two.

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400 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55414

(612) 623-9478

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Eli's Food & Cocktails

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Eli's could rest on its reputation for good food and tantalizing wings, but there's a martini right there on the sign. The bar staff pours perfectly proportioned cocktails without pretension.

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1225 E Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55403

(612) 332-9997

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331 Club

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Great music with no cover charge and a beautifully stocked bar have made this Northeast club a mandatory Minneapolis drinking spot.

331 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55413

(612) 331-1746

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19 Bar

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The neighborhood may change, but thankfully, the 19 Bar has always been there for a game of pool and a couple of cocktails. There's a reason this spot is the perennial best gay bar on every "best of" list.

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19 W 15th St, Minneapolis, MN 55403

(612) 871-5553

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Red Cow

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The entire bar menu, all created by Ian Lowther, is $9. The drinks are sophisticated enough to please the spirit snobs, but approachable enough to drink before a ball game.

208 1st Ave N #B, Minneapolis, MN 55401

(612) 238-0050

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The Lowry

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Blue Plate knows how to read a neighborhood and The Lowry is no exception. With two happy hours and plenty of whisky, it's just the right mix of high end spirits with Uptown-friendly prices.

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2112 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405

(612) 341-2112

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Jasmine 26

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It's hard to pick a favorite Vietnamese restaurant on Eat Street, but it's worth noting that Jasmine 26 has a full bar. Even more interesting, Trish Gavin (of Il Foro, Brasserie Zentral, Heidi's and more) has consulting on a new menu. The cocktails are more sophisticated, but the prices remain one of the best deals on this street.

8 E 26th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404

(612) 870-3800

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