Ike's in downtown Minneapolis is temporarily closed

Like Ike's?

You may have noticed the classic cocktail bar in downtown Minneapolis is no longer open for business. According to a note on the restaurant's website, the downtown location closed on January 1 for "necessary upgrades and renovations" and will reopen next month. The Bloomington and Minnetonka locations remain open.

"We're 18 years old and our bones feel real tired," said Gene Winstead, owner of Ike's Food and Cocktails. According to Winstead, the necessary renovations include plumbing updates, fresh paint, new furniture and a new HVAC system. The latter would require tearing down the ceiling. "It's going to be a mess," Winstead said.

The website asks patrons to "keep an eye out for our Grand Re-Opening in February," and adds that the reopening will bring a "new enhanced menu."

Meanwhile, Winstead and his team are planning a second Bloomington location for Ike's at 8001 28th Av. S. If all goes according to plan, Winstead said construction will begin on the new location in March, with an opening date in late summer.

Late 2019 and early 2020 have seen a number of restaurant closings and changes. Betty Danger's Country Club announced a hiatus at the start of the year, with plans to reopen in April. Downtown Minneapolis Vikings bar, Erik the Red shuttered on January 1 and will reopen in south Minneapolis sometime over the summer. Blackbird Cafe in south Minneapolis, Sanctuary and City Works in downtown Minneapolis, JL Beers in Northeast Minneapolis and Caribbean Smokehouse in Stillwater have all closed their doors for good in the last few weeks.

But it's not all bad news and boarded-up shops. Gear up for a year of hot new places to try, detailed on our list of the most anticipated restaurant openings of 2020.