Minneapolis Music & Nightlife - Gay/ Lesbian Nightlife & Bars

Kings and queens, boys and girls, straight, gay and bif...Everyone and anyone can find a reason to enjoy The Gay 90's. With three dance floors, two restaurants, seven bars and every type of entertainment you could imagine, it's no wonder that this massive establishment is widely considered a gay mega-mall. The Gay 90's is famous for their drag performances, but everything about this place has a glitz and glam unlike any other. Open-mic nights get folk with stars in their eyes on stage doing everything from juggling to stripping, and every night is generally packed by all brands of bipeds. The bouncers are big, the drinks are stiff, the drag shows area amazing and the Adonis Men who spend Wednesday nights stripping in one of the areas leave little to the imagination in every delicious way.

19 Bar is a no-frills, no-drama, all-adoring nook that everyone seems to love. It's your friendly neighborhood bar where the crowd is comprised of people who just want to hang out with friends over a couple of beers and escape the glitzy glam of the beat-pouring mega-clubs. As the oldest GLBT establishment in the Twin Cities, the 19 has earned a good, solid reputation as the place to go for everyone from young folks fresh out of the closet to seasoned rainbow-tattooed drinkers, and has the distinct Cheers feel that makes it feel like a home away from home.

Popular among the well-dressed martini-sipping clans in the GLBT scene in Minneapolis, the Jet Set bar is great for socializing and people watching. An extensive beer and martini list keeps most of the patrons happy, and it's pretty easy to get comfy on the 1950s-style modernist benches strewn about the bar. The monochrome décor lends to a sleek, sexy Manhattan vibe that draws the bold and beautiful folks from both genders. While there may not be the standard array of club activities, such as drag shows and karaoke, this Minneapolis gay bar makes up for it by being classically trendy, chic and friendly.

Arguably one of the most popular places to get your groove on just about any night of the week, the Saloon serves as a one-stop-shop for most of the folks in the gay scene. In some ways, it's the standard mellow dive bar and neighborhood tavern, replete with pool tables, televisions and a selection of delicious pub grub. In other ways, it's the social Mecca where folks can dance their hearts out on the gigantic dance floor. DJ's and music styles vary by night, and range from hard industrial and Goth to pulsing techno to sexy R&B. Show up on Sunday's when the back room of the Saloon is cordoned off to become a leather bar or drop in on Tuesdays for the karaoke contests; even the under-agers can show up on Thursdays for the scandalous Boys Night Out.

Between the beautiful women who make up the majority of the clientele and the decently priced selection of tasty comfort food, PI is one of the most popular lesbian bars in Minneapolis. The crowd in this discreet side-street bar will occasionally oscillate to include a few boys in the mix, primarily because this place is impossible not to love, but is generally comprised of women of all shapes and sizes; the sleek and sexy, the tattooed and pierced, the young and restless. The space is divided up to include a dining area, a back bar with pool tables and a large dance room where the DJs keep the best of Top 40, techno and hip hop booming out and keep the majority of the clubbers dancing all night. PI is also a great place to head to for various LGBT film screenings, fundraisers and discussion forums.

Hands down, one of the highlights of the St. Paul GLBT scene is The Town House. Drawing both boys and girls through the doors, this place has an equal following from just about every orientation. Monthly cabaret shows, drag king and queen performances, spectacular fundraisers, all-girl singing groups, incredible DJs, kinky karaoke… the list of great things about this St. Paul gay bar goes on for miles. Every night has a different theme, but each night is equally as fun as any other. The Town House also has a yummy menu of pub fare favorites like chicken strips, tater tots and seasoned chicken strips, as well as a killer selection of pizza touted as the best bar pizza in town.