These 5 new Twin Cities area sports bars aim to score big with fans

Eric Harvey gets a chuckle every time someone asks about the neon wall-hanging in his Beckett’s sports bar in south Minneapolis.

“Some of the younger crowd will come in and say, ‘Why is this guy pooping out a football?’ but that’s not what he’s doing,” he said.

Diehard Minnesota Vikings fans understand the reference: The time Randy Moss scored a Vikings touchdown against the Green Bay Packers and made a mooning motion. “I guess Packers fans would moon visiting teams as they drove past on the bus, so this was a response to that,” Harvey said.

The custom sign made by a Minnesota company is part of the decor at the retro-themed place Harvey and his co-owners opened earlier this year as they set out to distinguish themselves in the ever-popular — and ever-expanding — sports bar arena. According to industry research firm IBIS World, the sports bar market saw a post-pandemic boost and is predicted to grow nearly 7% annually through 2032. Sports fandom and a hunger for social gathering spots and unique experiences are driving factors.

“I think sports is something that’s always growing and people are wanting a place to watch the game. And bars are trying to find different ways to add to that experience,” Harvey said.

At Beckett’s, it’s all about cheering on local teams, inclusivity and nostalgia with a side of humor. The name harks back to the sports trading card magazine the owners subscribed to back in the day. Memorabilia and decor include a Minnesota Wild rainbow flag and an “Everyone watches women’s sports“ sign. Menu items are moderately priced. “We’re trying to be a spot that’s inclusive for everybody. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from,” Harvey said. “We just want to hang and cheer and do that collectively as a bar.”

At A Bar of Their Own, which also opened earlier this year, owner Jillian Hiscock wanted to fill a void in the sports bar world. When her place in Minneapolis’ Seward neighborhood opened in March, it was the first sports bar in the Midwest to exclusively play women’s sports.

“We wanted to create a place that prioritized women,” she said about A Bar of Their Own, which draws lines out the door for big games such as the WNBA finals and spotlights women purveyors. “I don’t think I could be more happy about the first nine months. Me and my wife didn’t go into this to become millionaires; we came into this creating a space that the community deserves. Success to us is we have guests that keep coming back; we have staff that really takes pride in their work.”

And the sports bar trend shows no signs of slowing. In January, Joe Berg and his business partners plan to open the Rabbit Hole in Minneapolis’ North Loop. Green turf on the walls and neon signs will share space with more than 40 screens dotted throughout the 12,000-square-foot space featuring contemporary bar fare.

“When you hear about a sports bar, a lot of times people think of it as a man cave. We’re trying to change that narrative and make it more approachable,” Berg said, adding that there also will be late-night music. “We want to bring the fun.”

From quaint places to sprawling spaces, everything-under-$13 menus to high-end bar fare (with a side of zombie dodgeball), here’s how the newest sports bars are setting themselves apart. Plus, there are more in the works.

Pegged as the Midwest’s first sports bar that exclusively shows women’s sports, A Bar of Their Own rolled out in March in the former Tracy’s Saloon & Eatery. The Seward neighborhood place sets out to be an inclusive, family-friendly space with a varied menu of bar fare. Nods to the former Tracy’s dive bar remain, including original bar stools (although freshly upholstered) with signature tiles that read Tracy’s Saloon underneath them. The chicken wings are also familiar territory. “We purchased the dry rub recipe from the previous owner,” said owner Jillian Hiscock.

Where: 2207 E. Franklin Av., Mpls., abaroftheirown.com.

Hours: Wed.-Thu. noon-10 p.m., Fri. noon-11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-10 p.m.

Food and drink: Traditional sports bar fare such as nachos, wings and burgers as well as a variety of healthier options, like bean and grain bowls and salads. Also available: mocktails and vegan, dairy-free and kids’ menu options, and a weekend brunch of breakfast totchos, sandwiches, French toast sticks and more. Appetizers $10-$13, mains $11-$15, desserts $6, weekend brunch $11-$15.

Game on: Exclusively plays women’s sports across a dozen screens. Count on it as the home base for Lynx, Frost, Aurora FC, Vixen and Gophers games, as well as countless other college and semiprofessional games.

Good to know: Ten parking spots are available behind the bar on a first-come basis. If you’re headed there to catch a larger sporting event, such as WNBA and women’s pro-hockey finals, it fills up fast, so plan ahead and get there early.

Eric Harvey teamed up with friends/industry veterans Andrew Cook and Iowa City college buddies Josh Immerfall and Josh Ivey for this latest venture that was spontaneous at best. When space became available near Up-Down, where Ivey is a co-owner and Harvey a former manager, they jumped at the chance to open an inclusive space with a side of nostalgia. (The location previously housed Fool Me Once, Side Chick, Blue Door Pub and the Country Bar.) They also hope to draw regulars with a moderately priced menu.

Where: 3006 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls., beckettsmpls.com

Hours: Mon.-Thu. 2 p.m.-1 a.m., Fri. 2 p.m.-2 a.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-2 a.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-1 a.m.

Food and drink: All food items are $13 or less, the double-patty smash burger ($8) and twice-fried chicken wings ($12) among our favorites. The fully stocked bar includes 32-ounce beers, cocktail buckets and their signature Cookie Shot. It’s even cheaper during Beckett’s happy hour (2 to 6 p.m. Mon.-Fri.), which includes $5 smash burgers, cocktail buckets or big beers (22 ounces). Appetizers $5-$13, mains $7-$10. Drinks $4-$13.

Game on: There are 13 screens (including an 86-inch screen in the middle of the bar), making sure every seat has a view of the action. Local Minnesota teams take priority — Vikings, Lynx, Timberwolves, Frost, Wild, Twins, Aurora and Loons among them.

Good to know: This neighborhood spot also fills up fast for big games, so arrive early to nab a seat — perhaps one of the dugout-style bench seats. Looking to host a private party? There’s a casual clubhouse space upstairs available to rent.

When it comes to fancy sports bars, no establishment has done it with more flex and culinary luxe. Daniel del Prado (Colita, Martina, Blondette and Porzana in Minneapolis and Josefina and Macanda in Wayzata) has teamed up with Carla and Spencer Jones for this warm yet contemporary newcomer to the 50th and France area.

Where: 3717 W. 50th St., Mpls., dextersmpls.com.

Hours: Mon.-Thu. 4-9 p.m., Fri. 4-11 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m.-11 p.m., Sun. 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

Food and drink: Fries with caviar and crème fraîche, onion rings with truffle mayo, double-pressed prime chuck burgers and fancy seafood rolls all share space on the menu. Martinis (including a martini flight) abound, as do craft cocktails, mocktails and a well-curated list of about two dozen domestic and European wines. Weekend brunch was recently added. Starters $7-$26, salads $14-$16, charcuterie $12-$19, burgers and sandwiches $15-$26, desserts $7-$9. Brunch $13-$16.

Game on: Flat screens dotted throughout allow you to watch the game from any seat, yet are subtle enough that catching the game can either be the main event or an afterthought to conversing with the company you came with.

Good to know: We highly recommend the elote burger or lobster-shrimp roll with a side of those fries and caviar. For brunch, don’t skip the waffles with mascarpone whip and strawberry compote. Share with the table or hog it all yourself — it’s that delicious.

The main floor of Union Rooftop Kitchen, Bar & Grill rebranded itself at the start of the football season and is now a sports bar called Parlay. The prime location on Hennepin Avenue in downtown Minneapolis sets out to attract not only those who want to watch the game on a big screen, but also those looking for a pregame or postgame spot when heading to events such as Timberwolves or Lynx games at nearby Target Center. There’s also a club vibe; during a recent Vikings game, a DJ played music during commercial breaks.

Where: 731 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls., instagram.com/parlay.mn.

Hours: Mon., Thu., Fri., 4-9 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. 10 a.m.-9 p.m.

Food and drink: Bar and grill food such as pretzel bites with beer cheese dip, stuffed tots, wings, sliders, tacos and ribs are the name of the game. Parlay also has partnered with Mama’s Pizza to serve thin-crust pies from the beloved St. Paul brand. On weekends, brunch items such as bananas Foster French toast, hot chicken eggs Benedict, steak and eggs and breakfast pizza are also available. Drinks include 20 draft beers as well as mocktails and cocktails ranging from a pineapple express martini to mezcal Old Fashioneds. Shareables, salads and handhelds $10-$19, pizzas $15-$23, entrees $19-$33. Weekend brunch $17-$28.

Game on: Screens wrap along the bar and every wall in the dining area, including two 98-inch screens. Minnesota sports take precedence, while other games might be on in the background.

Good to know: On Sundays, an all-day menu of specials features $3 draft beers and $5 Bloody Marys.

This downtown Minneapolis spot takes a chapter from the playbooks of its predecessors, the former Rosa Mexicano and Prime 6, with a pull-out-all-the-stops space, a grand sports bar theme in this case. The sprawling, 600-person-capacity venue accommodates large groups with an expansive bar, high-tops, communal tables and bench seats. Part of a national chain co-owned by local Tom Ryan, the Minneapolis location also has a Topgolf Swing Suite where you can play interactive simulator golf and non-golf games. Baseball, soccer, football, hockey or, better yet, zombie dodgeball (yes, you read that correctly), anyone?

Where: 609 Hennepin Av. S., Mpls.; tomswatchbar.com.

Hours: Mon.-Thu. 4-11 p.m., Fri.-Sun. 11 a.m. to midnight.

Food and drink: Go big or go home is the name of the game. Find 40-ounce draft beers and the Party Starter, 22-ounce specialty margaritas and giant nacho platters. The extensive menu also includes staples such tacos and burgers as well as fancier fare like ahi tuna towers, poke bowls and a top-selling prime rib dip sandwich. Appetizers $10-$24, mains $18-$28, desserts $10, drinks $5-$23.

Game on: More than 80 screens ensure that everyone has a great view of the game no matter where they might be perched. Tuning into home teams is the priority, though there’s a wide range of teams and sports playing across the board.

Good to know: Tom’s Watch Bar is located on the first floor of the Minneapolis Marriott City Center, which has a ramp available for parking. Reservations and private party bookings are available 365 days a year for those looking to host an event.

December: The two-story Pizza Pub Prime in Blaine will feature a family-friendly sports bar on the first floor. Meanwhile, Prime, a fine-dining seafood and steakhouse, will occupy the upstairs space in the building that is part of the new National Sports Village next to the National Sports Center.

January: The Rabbit Hole is slated to debut the early part of the month in the former AxeBridge Wine Co. space in the North Loop, according to co-owner Joe Berg. The owner of the former Library Bar and Pourhouse, Berg has teamed with industry heavy hitters including Tom Pivec, Deepak Nath, Craig Dauffenbach and Jay Ettinger to open the contemporary sports bar. More than 40 screens will be tuned into women’s and men’s sports. Look for sports bar food cranked up a few notches as well as other fare, including mahi tacos, tuna tartare, tater tot hot dish, smash burgers and steak. “There’s a lot of competition in that field and we’d like to stand out,” Berg said.

On the drawing board: Namos Restaurant & Lounge, a high-end sports bar in the former Erik the Red and Hubert’s space near U.S. Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis, is in the works, according to Downtown Voices. Follow the progress at instagram.com/namosminneapolis.