Lesbian Minneapolis — Bars, Events & Community

A Bar of Their Own is a women’s sports bar in Minneapolis built around a simple idea: showing women’s sports, all the time.

The bar screens women’s leagues and competitions across multiple sports, making it a natural gathering place for lesbian and sapphic fans as well as anyone who wants women athletes treated as the main event rather than an afterthought. The atmosphere is much more neighborhood sports bar than nightclub, with food, drinks and big-game energy.

It’s also one of the most distinctive LGBTQ+-friendly venues in Minneapolis because the community around women’s sport is such a strong part of the Twin Cities scene. Expect a mixed crowd, with plenty of lesbians, LGBTQ+ locals, sports fans and groups meeting up for games.

A Bar of Their Own is on East Franklin Avenue and is a particularly good stop during Minnesota Lynx games and major women’s sporting events.

Black Hart of Saint Paul is an LGBTQ+ neighborhood bar in St. Paul, around 10 miles east of downtown Minneapolis, and one of the strongest sapphic nightlife options in the wider Twin Cities.

The bar has a particularly strong lesbian following, but the crowd is mixed and includes gay men, trans people and other LGBTQ+ locals. It’s also known as a soccer bar, so match days can bring a very different energy from the usual drag, karaoke and community nights.

Black Hart works well if you want something more local and less clubby than downtown Minneapolis nightlife. It has the feel of a proper neighborhood bar, with regular events and a crowd that tends to know the place well.

Although it is not in Minneapolis itself, it is absolutely worth including in a Minneapolis lesbian guide because the Twin Cities LGBTQ+ scene regularly crosses between Minneapolis and St. Paul.

19 Bar is the oldest gay bar in Minneapolis and one of the city’s true LGBTQ+ institutions, with roots stretching back to the 1950s.

This is an old-school neighborhood dive rather than a club: think pool tables, darts, a jukebox, cheap drinks and a loyal local crowd. It has long been a place where gay men could meet without the flashier atmosphere of bigger nightlife venues, and that low-key character is still a big part of its appeal.

The bar reopened in 2025 after being forced to close for almost a year following a fire caused by a nearby crash. Its return was a big deal locally, not just because of the history, but because 19 Bar has been part of Minneapolis LGBTQ+ life for generations.

It’s cash only, so come prepared, and expect a relaxed, unfussy night out rather than DJs or big productions. If you want to experience a piece of Minneapolis gay history that still feels like a proper local bar, 19 Bar is essential.

Queermunity MN is an LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community space, café and event venue in Minneapolis’ Uptown area, created as an alternative to nightlife-led socialising.

Open to the public with free general entry, Queermunity combines a café, co-working space, private offices and event rooms with a busy calendar of community programming. Regular events include Friday Friend Lab, book clubs, open mics, discussion groups and social gatherings, alongside more targeted support such as Trans Health Insurance Help and the monthly Trans Resilience Night.

For trans visitors, Queermunity is particularly useful because it offers practical support as well as somewhere to simply spend time. Trans Resilience Night includes gender-affirming gear giveaways and a community hangout, while the insurance sessions are run with trans navigators and accept walk-ins.

The café is open Wednesday to Sunday, with food, coffee and drinks, and alcohol served from 4pm on those days. If you’re looking to connect with LGBTQ+ Minneapolis outside the bar scene, this is one of the most useful community spaces to know.