Best Restaurants for a Night Out in Minneapolis
TL;DR: The best restaurants in Minneapolis for a night out, organized by vibe. From special occasion spots like Mara and Owamni to relaxed neighborhood favorites, plus pre-event dinner timing for concert and game nights.
Minneapolis punches way above its weight for food. The restaurant scene here is legitimately world-class in spots, and you don't need a $300 tasting menu to experience it. Although those exist too.
Here are the restaurants worth building an evening around, organized by vibe.
The Special Occasion Restaurants
Mara - 700 Hennepin Ave (inside the Four Seasons). Mediterranean seafood, gorgeous room, impeccable service. This is the restaurant you go to when you're celebrating something real. Reservations required, often weeks out. Expect $100-150 per person with drinks.
Owamni - 420 S 1st St, on the riverfront. James Beard Award winner for Best New Restaurant (2022). Indigenous cuisine - no wheat, dairy, or cane sugar, but nothing about it feels restrictive. The food is unlike anything you've had anywhere else. The riverfront location is stunning. Book well in advance.
Alma - 528 University Ave SE. Alex Roberts has been running this restaurant since 1999. It's a Minneapolis institution. The tasting menu is seasonal and changes constantly. Intimate room, maybe 40 seats. Not flashy, just consistently excellent.
Spoon and Stable - 211 N 1st St, North Loop. Gavin Kaysen's flagship. French-American in a converted horse stable. The atmosphere is warm without being stuffy. The burger at the bar is one of the best in the city, if you don't want the full dining room experience.
The "Impressive But Not Stiff" Tier
Bar La Grassa - 800 N Washington Ave, North Loop. Pasta. That's what you're here for. Hand-made, seasonal, and some of the best Italian food between Chicago and the West Coast. The soft-scrambled egg bruschetta is legendary. Walk-ins at the bar are sometimes possible; reservations for tables.
Borough - 730 N Washington Ave, North Loop. Food hall concept with multiple kitchens under one roof, all run by chef-owner Jamie Malone. The cocktail bar is excellent. Good for groups because everyone can eat something different while sitting together.
Hai Hai - 2121 University Ave NE, Northeast. Vietnamese street food in a vibrant room. The atmosphere is energetic and fun. Great cocktails. Not a quiet dinner - it's a lively night out. The papaya salad and turmeric fish are the moves.
Young Joni - 165 13th Ave NE, Northeast. Ann Kim's pizza and snack bar with a speakeasy-style back bar. The pizzas are wood-fired and creative (Korean BBQ pizza works, trust me). The back bar serves different cocktails and has a completely different vibe - darker, more intimate.
Great Food, Relaxed Vibe
Revival - 525 Selby Ave, St. Paul (also a Minneapolis location). Southern food - fried chicken, catfish, hush puppies. The fried chicken is the best in the state, not close. Casual atmosphere, excellent bourbon list. St. Paul location has more character.
Martina - 4312 Upton Ave S, Linden Hills. Argentinian-Italian. Neighborhood restaurant with a loyal following. Wood-fired everything. The empanadas are mandatory. The patio in summer is one of the best restaurant patios in the city.
Centro - 401 N 1st Ave, Warehouse District. Mexican, and not the Americanized kind. The margarita program is serious. Late night on weekends it becomes more of a scene. Good for groups who want good food and energy.
Hola Arepa - 3501 Nicollet Ave S, South Minneapolis. Venezuelan arepas with Minnesota ingredients. Tiny space, huge flavor. Casual, affordable, and one of the most unique restaurants in the city. BYOB on certain nights.
The Pre-Event Dinner
If you're heading to a show at First Avenue, a game at Target Center, or an event downtown, timing dinner right is the key.
For First Avenue / Target Center: Eat in the North Loop. Spoon and Stable, Bar La Grassa, or Modist Brewing for something casual. All are within a 10-minute walk of both venues. Eat at 5:30-6 PM, walk to the venue, arrive relaxed.
For Xcel Energy Center / Palace Theatre: Eat in Lowertown St. Paul. Handsome Hog, StormKing, or Keg and Case Market. 10-minute walk to Xcel. Free street parking after 5 PM.
For The Armory: Downtown East has fewer restaurant options nearby. Best bet is eating in the North Loop or Mill District before walking over. Owamni is a 10-minute walk from The Armory.
Why a Night Out Works with a Car Service
You're going to a nice dinner. You might have drinks. You might hit a bar afterward. At some point, you need to get home to Edina, or Woodbury, or wherever you live.
Driving downtown means parking ($15-25), watching your drinks, navigating construction and one-way streets, and ending the night with a 30-minute drive you'd rather not make.
A car service turns the evening into a door-to-door experience. Get picked up, get dropped off at the restaurant, text when you're ready to leave (or schedule a pickup time). No parking, no keys, no calculating whether you're OK to drive.
For date nights and anniversary dinners especially, the car service is part of the experience. Walking out of Mara and stepping into a clean black SUV at the curb is a different ending to the evening than walking six blocks to a ramp.
NS Limo provides evening transportation across the Twin Cities. Dinner reservations, events, and nights out. Book online or call (320) 223-8146.