Best Valentine's Day Bars For Singles In Minnesota

A good bar can often be a refuge where people escape real life to enjoy a few drinks with other like-minded people. This can be especially true on Valentine's Day. These are the bars you want on this the most gooey of holidays, the places where maybe you'll meet other singles like yourself, or at the very least stay away from the Hallmark romanticism that comes in the form of flowers, chocolates and red and pink everything. These are the best bars for singles on Valentine's Day.

Parlour Bar
730 Washington Ave N
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(612) 354-3135
www.boroughmpls.com

Parlour Bar. There is always a selection of good-looking singles out on the town. Given that it's located in the ever-growing North Loop neighborhood, your selection of eligible singles seems to be bottomless. Parlour manages to ride that line perfect between elegant destination and more casual place to relax with a drink, so there is always a wide selection sitting at the bar or on the comfortable couch seats. Even if you don't meet the one (and there's no pressure to), at the very least you can stare lovingly at one of the best burgers (truly) in the Twin Cities and know that, no matter, what Parlour Bar is there for you.

Kelly's Depot Bar: Lowertown is, in the words of "Zoolander's" Mugatu, "so hot right now" and is sure to be full of Valentine's Day canoodlers. But never fear: Kelly's is the antidote to all that. This is a a comfortable place, full of regulars and smiling faces. What this isn't is the type of place full of couples making out and exchanging flowers and gifts. It's for everyone else just looking for cheap drinks, good company (even if you're not a regular, they'll make you feel like one pretty quick) and will let you enjoy a night out without watching people make out.

This is a go-to for anyone in the Twin Cities looking for good beer and food, games, an always-lively atmosphere and all-around good experience. With three locations, in Lowertown St. Paul, downtown Minneapolis, and the original and probably still the best in Northeast, The Bulldog is a prime place to go with a group of single friends looking to forget all about the holiday. Open until 2:00 a.m., with food until 1:00, you can kick back and relax and enjoy a night out. By the time you get through that third game of shuffleboard, when the puck was definitely not over the line, you'll realize you can have a great time with your friends and only your friends. No roses necessary.

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Recently voted by Guy Fieri's show "Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives" (which is typically very un-Valentine's Day) as one of the best burgers in the country, the Nook's reputation for a fantastic meal in a come-as-you-are setting makes it a perfect place to grab a bite to eat along with a cold beer on the day of love. As it is not much of a date spot (the only thing pink should be the inside of that perfectly-cooked mid-rare burger), you'll be completely safe from Hallmark. If you're feeling like doing something more than just eating, the bowling alley downstairs, where you can order from the same menu, is always a lot of fun.

It's fun, pure and simple. No pretense, just a good old-fashioned bar to get drunk. You can feel the history of all the singles who have come there before you, and there are always more than a few characters around to keep things interesting. Whether you're looking to meet someone or not, the legendary club on Lyndale always makes strong drinks, always has good music playing overhead, and stays completely free of judgment making it a great choice for "oh, just one more..." on Valentine's Day.

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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.