Minneapolis–St. Paul, MNHoliday Bars

Mpls.St.Paul Magazine calls this downtown basement restaurant's Hell-a-Dazzle takeover an annual tradition, one the restaurant's own team has marked with anniversary posts dating back several years. Every inch of the room fills with Christmas bling assembled by the employee owners, the signature 35-foot Bloody Mary and mimosa bar turns into an ice themed display, and the kitchen adds festive food and drink specials through early January. Order from the seasonal drink specials and stick around for the live music the magazine notes runs on select dates. The takeover runs from late November into the second week of January most years.

Mpls.St.Paul Magazine says Jingle Giles is back yet again at this Northeast Minneapolis distillery and restaurant, describing an established annual transformation into a lights filled winter wonderland. The regular room fills with a towering Christmas tree and thousands of twinkling lights, and the kitchen and bar add themed cocktails and holiday food alongside weekend holiday markets. Order a themed cocktail and check the calendar for the trivia and ugly sweater nights the magazine notes run through the season. The pop-up typically runs from late November through New Year's Eve.

Mpls.St.Paul Magazine describes this Mill District hotel restaurant bringing back its Naughty List pop-up bar for a second consecutive year, transforming the space into a spirited holiday bar inside the Canopy by Hilton. The regular list gives way to a North Pole themed drink program built around spiced rum, bourbon and barrel aged spirits, plus a mulled cider strong enough to thaw a snowman. Order the mulled cider or ask the bar which of the North Pole themed pours is on tonight. The pop-up runs daily from late November through New Year's Eve, with no reservation required.