Twin Cities bars, restaurants getting in the spirits of the season
MINNEAPOLIS — Twin Cities bars and restaurants are getting in the spirits of the season. New holiday pop-up bars are open for those in search of festive fun.
Red Cow Uptown has transformed into the Red Nose Room for the holidays.
The pop-up features holiday décor, non-stop Christmas tunes and a dozen exclusive holiday-themed beverages.
The drink menu includes a peppermint espresso martin slushie, gingerbread white Russian and "Christmas Eve of Destruction," a rum drink with Benedictine, nutmeg syrup and lime.
No sign of Mr. or Mrs. Claus yet, but everything else Christmas can be found at "Tinseltown" inside O'Donovan's Irish Pub in Minneapolis.
"The decorations are amazing. We're waiting for Santa," said Libbi Rice of Corcoran.
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"We think Santa's coming," added Katy Storholm of Maple Grove.
"People are looking for a little bit more of an experience when they go out," said Dermot Cowley, owner of O'Donovan's.
The winter wonderland is drawing new customers to the downtown watering hole.
"People going 'Oh my God, I've never been in this pub.' They're talking to me and I'm like we've been here 25 years," Cowley said.
Post-COVID, O'Donovan's has been running with reduced hours unless there's a game or event at Target Center, Target Field or First Avenue. The pop-up bar changes that.
"Now we're now able to be open every day which is great," explained Cowley.
The toast of Tinseltown: essential cold weather drinks.
"We're doing a Bailey's chocolate martini. We're doing mulled wine. We're doing an Irish coffee or a Bailey's coffee," Cowley said.
After that first sip of mulled wine, it was fine time to take a trip to Hotel Emery — for some reverie at the Grinch's Lair.
"It's more of our speakeasy. In here, we have more of a quieter atmosphere. Very dark and green and grinchy," said Maddie Flom, marketing manager for Hotel Emery.
While the "heel who's as cuddly as a cactus and as charming as an eel" is prominently featured in the decor, the drink menu, and in person, the Whos have a place here too.
"We wanted to bring the whole story to life, so we have every different party of the storybook including Mount Crumpit, we have the Grinch's Lair, and then we go to Whoville," Flom said.
That's where we find visitors reliving their childhood.
"We were teeny tiny watching the movie, the Grinch is just fun, he gets his heart back and I think it's great because we can bring toys and donate toys too," said Terri Hayden of Minneapolis.
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There are Instagrammable spots to cozy up with your sweetie, or the Grinch in your life.
"I'm probably a little more grinchy than I am a Who, but she drags me along. She makes me watch all the Christmas movies and stuff so at the end of the day, I'm the Grinch that turned out to be the nice guy," said Jeff Hayden of Minneapolis.
Holiday cocktails and menu items have familiar names.
"Stink, Stank, Stunk. We have the Cindy Lou Who. We have Max the Reindeer. Our menu is a storybook of the Grinch himself visiting Hotel Emery," said Flom.
By our count, there are at least 10 spots in the Twin Cities where you can celebrate the season with a cocktail or mocktail.
"I'm always up for a bar whether it's a pop-up or a standalone," laughed Jeff Hayden.
Additional pop-up bar info
- The Red Nose Room at Red Cow Uptown - 2626 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55408
Open for walk-ins only Tuesday-Sunday.
Website - Tinseltown at O'Donovan's Irish Pub - 700 North 1st Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55403
Open Tuesday-Sunday, session tickets required.
Website - The Grinch's Lair at Hotel Emery – 215 South 4th Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415
Open Thursday-Sunday, reservations required.
Website