A catch-all bar for the twin cities gay scene. I've been here many times (usually with others or to meet up with someone there) but have never left with a great feeling. The place lacks a common theme, unless you count sleazy men staring at other guys. Drinks are decent -strongggggg - and I'm glad they re-modeled what used to be an outdoor smoking patio into a high-ceiling lounging room. Why a 2-star rating? I don't like going there because I leave feeling cheap and dirty. Nude shower nights, staring creeper men, and urinals with spotlighting - no thank you Saloon. It would be nice to see another banner outside on the corner of the building instead of the same one with a group of guys together that's been up there for the past 5+ years. read more

Drinks were trash, couldn't even get a good long island ice tea. The bartender was okay but the drinks were also over price for what they were. read more

Judgmental crowd, not accepting if new comers. Did not enjoy my time with the $10 cover.

I've been here a few times recently, but Friday night was a different story. I came here with a friend of mine and we ordered a few drinks. After which, neither of us remember leaving. I was woken up in an alley way and my friend fell asleep on his apartment floor. I was taken to the hospital and put on a hold because I was intoxicated. Well, I've been intoxicated before, and this wasn't that. I would watch your drinks when you're at this establishment. tl;dr Watch your drinks or you'll wind up in a hospital. read more

A sea of sleeve-less, clingy t-shirts and party boys that spent hours working out at the gym to come and dance the night away perhaps hoping to nab a phone number. After years of passing this place by, J & I dropped in looking for a fun place to dance. We found it. DJ was playing some really good music the night we were there. A lot of Chicago house and power remixes that people lost their minds to. Dance floor was rarely ever empty. A fun place to come and let loose and enjoy the scenery. The guy dancing under the rain show had some interesting moves and I appreciate that he wasn't wearing socks with his speedo. What is with that? Down at the 90's on the first floor there is always some guy dancing around on the bar wearing socks with his bottoms of choice. It just looks strange to me. Saloon is fun. Sky's the limit for atmosphere.. read more

I only got to have a midday Tito's and tonic here while waiting for my ride, I have never spent any time in Minneapolis(only the airport)and the people and service were the best! I got a burger for $4 and the people in MSP are amazingly friendly and so real, very multicultural and despite the ignorant anti trump rhetoric and the fact they got my order wrong-the music videos from playing and great service made up for that! read more

A gay mens bar that is open to others but discourages groups of straight women, like bachelorette parties. There is a bar area, a disco room with a stage for events, a back bar reserved for gay men only and a very small bar area with a fireplace that is very open to everyone. They serve food. It comes out slowly but tastes great. Staff is friendly but definitely favors the gay male patrons over any of the others. Drinks are average prices and food is cheap. read more

Update: 9/19/19: I emailed management regarding the incident below and visited the Saloon to tell my bar tender friend that I wouldn't be returning. Long story-short, both the manager and head of security tracked me down to discuss the incident. Both profoundly apologized for being wrongfully-accused and told me they would be talking to the bounce staff. I am impressed and greatful, and changed my 1 star to 5. i'm glad too because I have been going to this bar for more than 35 years and have always enjoyed it. As always, it's the staff who make it enjoyable. I had a recent bad experience whereby I was mistaken for someone who tried to sneak in the week before. Instead of treating this customer of more than 30 years with tact, they bouncers created an embarrassing scene in front of other customers. I will NEVER return, and suggest you don't either. read more

Visited several times during pride and was Almost always a perfect experience. Bartenders were fair (didn't skip people), swift (multi-tasked with ease), and were fun (packed bar and were smiling). My only disappointment was when the DJ was very adamant about not taking requests. I understand that they are a professional and are talented, but they are also in the customer service business and should at least try to accommodate what their paying audience would like to hear instead of such a firm no read more

Was traveling from out of town when I visited here. Danny (in the pictures) was a great bartender; very friendly with everyone and was helpful when I had questions about other stuff downtown. Plus the bar had a couple go-go boys and a couple drag queens ... on a Sunday night! read more

The Saloon - Gay Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

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I love this place! Only thing I have an issue with is how loud it gets. It's so hard to have a conversation with anyone because it's so loud and I end up having to yell which isn't fun. As a bi woman I'm always scared to go into Gay Bars in case the men there think I'm just a straight girl invading their space and ogling. But I haven't encountered anyone who was rude to me which I'm very grateful for. In fact, most of the patrons are very sweet. Make sure you got an abundance of dollar bills on you to tip plenty! read more

I have been to the Saloon plenty of times before and have always had a good experience. My gay friends and I love to come here and dance the night away. For the most part, we like the song selection here. I know they have $1 drinks on Thursdays which is a steal of a deal. Although I have never experienced anything negative here before, the one negative encounter I've had, ruined the Saloon for me. This past weekend, was my friend's 21st birthday. The guy who was the DJ was rude and inconsiderate. I asked for a song request for my friend's 21st birthday and he immediately told me to leave. He did not respectfully decline, but was harsh to me. He did not give me an explanation as to why he would not take a song request, and kept staring at me like I was asking him a stupid question. This DJ was a jerk and needs to learn how to be professional. I left feeling both offended and disappointed that one simple question about a music request, could be turned down in such a manner. Word of advice: Don't attempt to make a song request. You will be left feeling both confused and befuddled. Clearly, the DJ does not know how to cater to customers and needs to reevaluate how he approaches people. read more

Large bar multiple rooms, this is a big plus for those who varies music taste. It's a young people club and the young at heart. It was a nice mix people represented. So we so happen to make on the night that the naked boys were in the glass shower. There was definitely a lot to see there.. ;) . I will say this, straight women that think going to a gay bars as some type of safari for their bachelorettes parties please stop!!!! Don't come and be drunk assholes because you were expecting attention from men who won't give you the time or day. Go rent the hall at the American Legion. lol read more

It was a cute bar. If you don't like cigarette smoke you might not want to go here. The bartender also wasn't the friendliest but the drink was good. read more

There were all these annoying straight women dancing. I understand that every lady loves gays, but do we gays not get a place of our own? I mean, its 2017 already! Drinks are wayyyyyy too expensive. I'm not made of money, hunny! Cheaper drinks, fewer annoying straight women, and you got yourself the beginnings of a gay bar. As it stands, no thanks. read more

Each year, as a new generation of gay boys in the Twin Cities come out of the closet and enter the bar-hopping age, they invariably flock to the Saloon, where they are greeted (or rejected) by a group of habitués laying claim to the place. Eventually, they assume their position in the gay hierarchy for a few years, and when their time is up, the torch is passed to the next generation of out-and-proud homosexuals (and their loud, straight girlfriends). While one also sees an assortment of holdovers from the past (e.g., aging beauties, closeted married guys and starving chicken hawks), they have the look of houseguests that have overstayed their welcome. This is a place where youth rules. The Saloon has tried to diversify its target audience, but with the exception of Tuesday nights (the so-called "Latin Tuesdays"), it has failed in its attempt, as it continues to be the domain of suburban and farm-bred Scandinavian boys from Greater Minnesota, the Dakotas, Iowa, and Wisconsin, as well as the occasional (and overly assimilated) Asian, African-American and Latino admirer, all of whom have a nearly exclusive preference for White meat. Fridays and Saturdays are the most eventful nights, as the music improves noticeably (earlier in the week, one would be subjected to bland 80s pop, goth and singing that barely qualifies as karaoke). If you envision a sleek setting with well-lit bars, inventive cocktails, and hiply-dressed men, look elsewhere--like Chicago, Illinois. This is the Uppermost Midwest, afterwall, so the club still has the dark corners, sports-bar food and cabin-like wooden interiors that were typical of gay bars in the 1970s. Efforts have been made in Minneapolis to replicate the jet-setting trendiness of gay night life found in LA or NYC, but these have all fallen asunder (e.g., Karma on Friday nights, Boom!, Empire, etc.). In the end, the youthful, not-quite-cosmopolitan in-crowd of Twin Cities gays inevitably returns to the Saloon. read more

Having been born in SF, and living in the LA area I have to say the Saloon was not the best thing I have ever experienced. The cover wasn't bad, only $5, but I regret having spent that $5 almost instantly walking in. It felt like a dive bar that was trying to be a hip club. The things I liked are that it was big and the drinks were not bad. The downsides were many though. I am no prude, far from it in fact, but when you walk in and there is a naked guy swinging his dick in a shower, and to give him money he has to take it with his dick, I tend to barf in my mouth a bit. It felt dirty and skeezy. There is the allusion of sexy and then there is just nasty. The club itself was so large too that the dancing wasn't that great. The dance floor had almost too much space. I felt like it couldn't decide if it was a bar or a club. I also found the guys here to be not the friendliest. Clubbing and bar hopping in the Castro can be a lot of fun. Here the guys just felt unwelcoming and cruising. The worst of the worst though was the bathrooms. I hate peeing in gay bars. I don't get how the clubs can be so nice but the bathrooms can be so nasty. This place was not the cleanest inside and was by far nastier then nasty in the bathroom. I had to help hold up my poor friend while she squatted to pee. I think the Saloon needs to figure itself out. I enjoy dive bars, I enjoy trash, I also enjoy class. Class and trash don't mix though, and this place couldn't figure out what it was doing. I would look elsewhere for fun. read more

Perhaps I may not have the best position in which to review -- I've only been here once, and it was last year around this time. We students in our graduate program decided to take our incoming recruits here after getting thoroughly tanked on "pub row" down Nicollet. I don't know why we decided to come here. But it was great! Cover was really cheap and the DJ did a great job. It has a great upbeat unpretentious atmosphere on the dance floor, although it seemed like there was a different ambiance and crowd in each of the different rooms. It was fairly busy and we lost of of our group members (although our ability to pay attention was at a ... diminished capacity), including some of the recruits. Which must mean that the drinks were good. As a caveat, I would never use the restrooms here. Just sayin'. It was fantastic to go dance and not be hit on by creepers that walk up in the dark and hump a girl's leg. Really great. It was also fantastic to watch our very straight guy friends get free drinks from some of the fahhhbulous boys around the bar. I did, however, see the hottest guy I've ever laid eyes on to this very day. He had the most whoopass mohawk (real deal) and worked the bar next to coat check. I'd like to drag the incoming students there again this year just in the hope that he still works there and would be working the bar that night. Really, the most beautiful piece of man in the history of the world*. *May or may not have been influenced by copious amounts of beer and liquor. But seriously, I'd hit that, regardless of sexual preference. read more

3 gays, a mexican, a jew and a straight guy walk into The Saloon. They all come out well treated, equal and happily intoxicated. I think that says it all (by the way, I was the straight guy but I wish I was the Native American whom I did not include in the joke). read more

I have never had a bad time here, I came here for my 21st birthday years ago and everytime I want to go out (which isn't that often honestly, I'm a homebody) I want to come here, drinks are reasonably priced, music is always fun to dance to and the shower is always a new experience! Plus many people don't believe me when I tell them about it and there are truly rooms for everyone, they have the dance floor room, the standard dive bar room, there's food, you can go outside when it's nice out (and even of it's not) it's just overall a good time and I highly recommend going there if you want a fun night out read more

They have an aquarium, but with gay guys instead of fish. And they're dancing in the water, not swimming in it. But they are just as naked as fish. And they're lathering with soap, which, in a sense makes them cleaner and yet somehow not cleaner at all. I used to travel with a lot of gay men. It was like being in an upscale circus, but.... I can't think of any exceptions, so it was really just like being in the circus. People never believe me when I tell them that Minneapolis has a lot of gay bars and very, very hot men. Judging from my visit, The Saloon is where they go. If you find yourself here with the gay men in your life, who love you and always makes sure your tiara's on straight and would help you bury a dead body (hypothetically), but would also leave with some hot guy he met at the bar (not hypothetically), I would suggest you bring cab fare if they're taking you to The Saloon. read more

Great place to let loose for gay men, just watch out for the creepy guys who haven't learned what the word "no" is.

Not bad place to check out, good & strong poured drink and with all of the different rooms, you are bound to find one that matches your mood. Crowds are ok and I would suggest going with a large group. If you are from out of town, be sure to go with someone, otherwise you are not going to have a good time at this place (although it seemed that was the case for any gay bar in the city). Fun place to check out and I'm sure you can have a good time there. read more

It's a bit frustrating that I have to wait 45 mins for a cocktail while the bartender is dealing with pull tabs but I also can't leave cause he had my card. read more

Strange mixed gay bar... one room was quiet another was full of maybe-not-18 go go boys getting fully naked dancing. it was quite entertaining to watch i suppose. i'd go back! read more

I'n from Las Vegas, so I thought I had seen some crazy enough stuff. But when I came to Saloon, I realized how wrong I was. The first thing I noticed after getting through security is the, literally, enclosed shower on the wall with a naked (semi hard) man inside showing off his good stuff. Needless to say, you're in for a treat. The dance area was a bit smaller than I expected than expected, but that's not uncommon. Its a very popular place so come expecting to "see and be seen" (i.e. wear your white pants). There are a couple areas in the building, including the bar/dance/ shower main room, and two smaller rooms in the back with videos playing on the plasmas and space for more tame and quiet conversation. Surprisingly, we ordered some food (very affordable), chicken fingers and fries, and it was so friggin good! Took awhile to get the food, but what do you expect from a white boi who is lucky he looks good? read more

Went there with my roomate last week when we were already drunk and ready to dance. Huge place, lots of rooms, on e including a naked man dancing in a glass cage. Woop Woop. I have heard they pour strong drinks, so it's an economical place to drink. Large crowd of dancers mostly men, lots of them had their shirts off, which is pretty awesome. Overall a fun place to dance. Club music and a dark dance floor, but be prepared for all the PDA, if you don't like seeing many pairs of guys making out on the floor, it's probably not for you. Overall this place made my heart swell, all the people I met were really nice!!! I would go there again and again!!! read more

There are few places I love more than the Saloon on Friday after work. I have a standing "Casual Cocktail Friday" date once a month with an old coworker who I fondly call Jeffalicous. We always always always go to the Saloon. Why? Because the Saloon is fantastic. And because Jeff loves the boys and the boys love me. I may get slightly tipsy at the Saloon. It isn't my fault. The men love me and give me nicknames. And then buy me drinks. And then I drink them. And fun ensues. Plus on Fridays the Saloon boast buy one get one of anything. And they have a strong pour. Just don't take too long deciding what you want. The bartenders are famous for their amazing drinks and lack of patience. After a few cocktails, I always venture off my usual perch on the patio and into bar. There are several bars within the Saloon, each with its own personality. The front bar is the kind of place you flit around from group to group giving air kisses to people you know and meeting new people and asking lots of questions and telling jokes and touching and teasing and flirting. However, my favorite is the bar on the dance floor. It is always happening, and its also the kind of place where you get your groove on while you wait for your drink. And you will get your groove on at the Saloon. They have a great DJ and a great light show. They also have men in showers on the dance floor, but you have to see it to experience it. Really. Bottom Line: Saloon is totally fabulous for gay men and straight women alike. read more

Stopped in for a drink on our way to a concert across the street. Didn't realize it was a gay bar but it didn't take long to figure out (ooops). The bartenders were very fun and friendly. It was happy hour on a Saturday so our rail drinks were half price. The womens bathroom "down the hall" is a little sketchy, and the decor throughout the bar area was a little, well, different. Not a place I'd find myself again, but our experience was fine. read more

The Saloon - Pre-show drinks! - Gay Bars Near Me - Minneapolis, Minnesota

All in all, the Saloon is like an old queen. It looks tired and saggy on the outside, the inside needs a little work, but it's still a staple in the community. I have had many a fun time here and will no doubt in the future as well, even though I have mellowed out a lot more than I like to admit. The drinks are nice, the music's a little techno-dancey but it works, and all the party boys are just looking for some fun, which can be quite amusing. This is probably a good place to cut your teeth, especially if you're fresh off the turnip truck, but there are many better places to go for that kind of fun in this town. read more

Strong drinks, male dancers and greasy bar food in the back. I like sitting in the main bar area because they play random music videos and you can people watch while you drink. As it gets more packed, the other side opens up into a dance floor/bar which is always fun if you are with the right group of people. They have a pool table and the area in the back is more relaxed if you aren't into loud music and sloppy drunks. Came here once for the bingo night (or as they like to call it, bango) after work and it was thoroughly enjoyable. On weekend nights after midnight the bar turns into a pumpkin and nude shower dancers appear. Seeing the faces of my straight friends when they saw it for the first time? Classic, but the novelty wears off pretty quickly and we are back to dancing in no time. read more

I've seen a naked man in there. Go with your pals and you will have a very memorable night. read more

Karaoke! Bartenders doing the lift from Dirty Dancing! Cute boys with fauxhawks! FUN! read more

Strongest drinks in town! The bar service is amazing... everything else, Meh. Lots of bars to choose from, the best bartender I've had there yet is named Danny. He's in the back corner bar with the videos playing. They have a dance floor. Like anywhere, the later it gets the more hoppin' it gets. If it's of interest to you, they do have a "shower" that males get into and strip and dance for money. Depending on who is in there, you may see a ball or two.. maybe even the whole peen. So just be aware. Not a bar you would take your mother to... or is it? read more

If I could give this place zero stars I would. The bouncer refused to let us into the establishment purely because we were a part of a bachelorette party and she stated we needed to make a reservation to enter thirty days in advanced. Then the second bouncer proceeded to let three people from our group in the door because they said they weren't with our group. When the rest of our group tried to do the same he refused us again. Next the first bouncer stated that we couldn't enter because we had to be a group under 8. When I explained there were only 7 of us, the second bouncer said he still would not let us in. I asked to speak to the manager and he refused to allow me to speak to anyone. When I went on the website on my phone and explained there was nowhere stating any of these rules he still refused to let us in. Lastly we walked away took off our pins and my sister took off her Bride to be Sash, we stated the party was over and anyone could head back to the hotel that wanted to. We went back up to the door as individual patrons, still the bouncer did not allow entry. No one in our group was intoxicated, we were polite and tried to be understanding, the establishment was not at capacity, as he continued letting other people through the door. He would not even let me go in to retrieve the three other people from our group. There was no reason for him to do this and it was completely uncalled for. It almost ruined our entire night. I understand that the door people do not make the rules and they were only trying to do their jobs, but they should have in the very least allowed me to speak to management when I requested. read more

Wednesday. At 9pm, drink are a DOLLA. At 10pm, 2 DOLLA. At 11pm, 3 DOLLA.... and so on till close. Not reason enough for you? Food is stupid cheap too. I always have a good time at the Saloon. Maybe that's because I'm a cool person, but it's just a fact. I like the bar in the back, because that's where the tap beer is. And I've yet to not LOVE my beertender. It's too big to be a dive bar, too dark to be anything else, and I really wish I could get the gig as the pull-tab seller... but I heard the waiting list may involve someone's will so, I'm not holding my breath. Swing by and have a cheap thrill. You might even come back read more

The Saloon has definitely become my bar of choice since making the move to downtown mpls a couple months ago. I stop by after work most nights, but my favorite nights are definitely Wednesday (progressive night, $1 drinks at 10pm - hey girl hey) & Sundays (2-4-1's after 10pm). Always have the best time, always park right up at the video bar with the best bartender in the world (Brock!) and my friends and I get really loud and obnoxious while belting out Destiny's Child and Kylie Minogue songs, don't judge me - this is totally acceptable here. I love that there's a room for every mood i'm feeling. If I wanna just catch up and chat about the day I had, video bar. If I wanna dance and pretend i'm Britney, disco. If I wanna stuff my face with THE BEST CHICKEN FINGERS AND FRIES IN THE WORLD (as you can see i'm all caps serious about this one, insane amount of tenders and fries for $3.50) I go to the back bar. Overall, I've never had a bad night at The Saloon! I love the place so much, it's definitely my favorite spot downtown. read more

I like the music and the crowd here. I'm definitely a 90's girl most of the time but the runway on a Friday night with my girls when we're glammed out is pretty great! read more

For gay males in the Twin Cities there is no better bar than the Saloon. Leave the queens at the 90's and take your ass on over to the Saloon for a California Cocaine, some dancing, and maybe some fries if you're feeling flush. The Saloon's bartenders serve em up strong, all for six bucks or less, and look good while they do it. The patio on the side is a great place to congregate and enjoy the weather, however, the newly added rustic room is a great place to smoke when it's a tad chilly or rainy outside. It's also a great place to people watch. There are at least four bars in the Saloon, I prefer the back bar because the drinks always seem a bit stronger and there isn't as much of a wait as at the front bars. Be warned though, if you do get a long island, it will be pretty much straight alcohol. (you are at a gay bar honey, hellooooo!!) My favorite part about the Saloon is, of course, the shower. On 21+ nights there are boys in the shower baring it all with nothing but a sheet of plexiglass and some suds between you and their cash and prizes. Make sure to tip them if your ogling exceeds a few seconds, these boys work hard for their money. read more

Alright, we all knew that I would eventually revisit this review. I have to say, my experiences with the clientele here haven't changed a whole heck of a lot... But what has changed is my attitude when I am here. The staff here is so friendly, they are more than willing to hang out and chat with you (if they aren't busy), and depending on who you actually go to, you can get one of the greatest drinks in the Twin Cities. Oh sure, they will make it for you at LUSH, of course they can make it for you at Sneaky's... but when Brad makes you his "B-Raz" (which is NOT bacardi raz lol) it is literally like heaven in a glass with sugar spilled all over it! The music has gotten noticeably better, and with all the recent renovations I must say that I am beginning to actually, dare I say it, have FUN here! The food really hasn't gotten any cheaper, but after trying a few more of the items, I think I now understand why it's priced the way it is. It's DELICIOUS! I have a few more things to try before I can say for sure that it is all good, but for now I feel safe assuming :-) I look forward to this weekend, I know I will be out enjoying myself surrounded by friends! read more