Single in Minneapolis, MN? 10 Places and Apps to Find a Date
In fall 2013, Maggie Fazeli Fard left Washington, DC, and a reporting job at The Washington Post behind for an editorial role in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Within a month, culture shock set in. She’d braced for the icy weather, but not for a social scene that felt nearly as chilly. Everyone seemed perfectly pleasant on the surface, yet Maggie sensed that locals used their blanket kindness to keep her at arm’s length.
The Midwestern saying “Minnesotans will give you directions anywhere except their own house,” rang true for Maggie when she heard it. The phenomenon known as “Minnesota Nice” makes it tough for newcomers such as Maggie to break through that bubble of unwavering politeness and build a close relationship.
Still, this hardworking reporter refused to let her surroundings’ social limits drag her down. “Gauntlet, thrown. Challenge, accepted. I was determined to prevail,” she wrote in the Star Tribune. “But to do so, I needed a plan of attack.”
The Twin Cities can leave outsiders feeling out of place, but a bit of effort and know-how is all you need to crack Minnesota’s social scene. Singles needn’t spend their days by themselves watching “Juno” and wondering where their own Paulie might be. Minneapolis offers plenty of events, places, and opportunities to find a date if you know where to look. To help you begin, we’ve put together 10 ideas for meeting new people and racking up likes around the City of Lakes.
Minneapolis Dating Sites
In this high-tech age, this one’s a no-brainer: anybody looking for local date prospects should think hard about signing up for a dating site. Online dating offers a range of niche communities built to help singles of all backgrounds and ages find romance. So Minneapolis residents can feel at home dating online, we’ve chosen our favorite sites in several popular categories.
Best Singles Site
When it comes to popular dating sites, the best all-around option is Match.com. Its personality-based matching tools introduce local singles to each other. Since launching in 1995, Match has led to more marriages and relationships than any other site around. With a few clicks, you can look for a date within a set mile radius of Minneapolis.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: “Match pairs a large dating pool with search filters specific enough to make that size useful rather than overwhelming.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Singles | 49%51% | 14.6 Million | Try Match FREE |
Over 50 & Senior Sites
Singles of a certain age can find today’s dating scene overwhelming. All those features and options can be too much for someone who doesn’t know the web well or isn’t comfortable online. So OurTime eases new members in with a user-friendly toolset and intuitive design. We suggest it for daters over 50, since its niche community suits people with plenty of life experience but less experience online.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: “OurTime makes dating after 50 feel simple, with senior-friendly search tools and an easy-to-use layout.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mature Singles (50+) | 48%52% | 8.9 Million | Over 50? Try It FREE |
For Black Men & Women Only
The 2010 Census found that 18.6% of Minneapolis residents are black or African American. The city has grown more diverse over the last few decades, adding color to America’s cultural fabric. For anyone in Middle America hoping to find a black single, BlackPeopleMeet can link you up with thousands of attractive options in no time. Since its 2002 founding, it has grown into the biggest dating community for black and biracial singles in the US.
- Relationships: Deep Relationships or Just Casual Dates
- Match System: Search by location, age, more
- Our Experts Say: “BlackPeopleMeet.com is the one of the largest and most popular dating sites for black and biracial singles, and the site is used by more than 5 million people a month.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Singles | 47%53% | 5.7 Million | FREE Trial for New Users |
Hookup & Sex Site
Not everybody wants a forever partner; plenty of singles only want one for tonight. Adult Friend Finder offers Minneapolis singles a worldwide dating network where people are upfront about their sexual desires. This uninhibited site lets you scroll through hot photos and chat live with someone close by. Whether you want a threesome or a hookup, Adult Friend Finder makes easy dates easy to find.
- Relationships: Hookups Only
- Match System: Search by location, interest, more
- Our Experts Say: “Make no mistake: this site isn't about making friends, it's about finding hookups and casual encounters. No adult site has a larger or more active user base of those seeking discreet fun.” Our Review »
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| User Base | Gender Ratio | Popularity (Visits/Mo.) | Today’s Deal |
|---|---|---|---|
| All Singles | 65%35% | 25.5 Million | 3 Months @ $19.95/Mo |
Popular Dating Apps
With more than 425,000 residents, Minneapolis is Minnesota’s biggest city, and that poses a logistical challenge for active daters. Singles today are constantly on the go, and pinning down viable date prospects is tough when they bounce between bars, hockey matches, and nightclubs in a single night. Luckily, dating apps make finding a date simpler with a handy location-based tool. Here are our top dating app picks for Minneapolis singles who want fast results.
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
- About the App: Match is built for browsing rather than swiping. You can search by location, age, and interest, then take your time reading profiles before reaching out. The app is free to download, create a profile, search for date prospects, and receive compatible matches based on personalized preferences. Free members can also chat with select members and send unlimited likes.
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OurTime
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
- About the App: Made just for single seniors, OurTime is one of the most well-known niche dating apps. It’s a fun and straightforward app with simple swiping features. Once two people swipe right on each other, they can communicate. For more match options, visit the ConnectMe and I’m Interested pages.
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eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
- About the App: Responsible for 4% of marriages in the U.S., eharmony is among our top picks for relationship-minded heterosexual singles. To become a member, add the app to your phone (iOS or Android) and then take its 29 Dimensions® of Compatibility Matching Quiz. It’s absolutely free to do both these things — as well as receive matches and communicate during other special events.
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Minneapolis Singles Bars
Before dating sites and apps arrived, singles had to go out and actually talk face to face. Back then, local bars ruled the dating scene, since singles thrive in a fun, low-key atmosphere. Some outgoing traditionalists would still rather head to a bar and flirt in person than message someone on a dating platform. It’s more work, but the results can come faster. A bar might be your ideal dating scene if you want somewhere to unwind and meet a date. We’ve scouted Minneapolis for its best low-key bars, the ones where singles gather in droves every night. Cheers!
Brit's Pub
Brit's Pub and Eating Establishment brings a dose of British flair to Minneapolis, keeping calm and carrying on with trays of tasty pub fare. Snuggle by the fire with your date or challenge your crush to lawn bowling — either way, Brit's Pub offers a one-of-a-kind setting for getting close to someone special. Sports fans are often glued to the bar’s TVs, cheering for their favorite rugby or soccer (aka football) teams. Brit's Pub has poured European draught beers for scoundrels and scholars alike since 1990. Stop by and split a cold one with that special someone.
Psycho Suzi's
Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge is a tiki bar, crass and crazy, for cynical beach lovers stuck in Middle America — a refuge for worn-out singles. Its fruity drinks come "with a passive-aggressive mixture of bad taste and good Minnesota hospitality." Out on the riverfront patio, barflies get a fake glimpse of paradise as they eat curiously craveable food and sip superb liquors from touristy tiki mugs. Patrons stay sane and entertained on rum-spiked punch while they unwind in Psycho Suzi's totally wacky atmosphere.
Up-Down
Need a cheat code for landing a date? Up-Down has you covered. At this arcade bar, chatting someone up and making a new friend is as simple as playing a round of Blasteroids, Donkey Kong, or Frogger. More than 50 arcade games, plus pinball machines and skeeball lanes, make Up-Down a blast for daters in downtown Minneapolis. At a quarter a game, you can spend the whole night reliving your childhood and sharpening your reflexes. Anyone can suggest a new beer or game online for the ever-growing collection. Take things to the next level by daring your date to beat you at life-size Connect Four or Jenga. On top of that, there are five house-made pizzas sold by the slice and more than 64 beers on tap. What’s not to love?
Gay 90s Minneapolis
Minneapolis ranks among the most LGBTQ-welcoming cities around. There are several popular gay bars, but Gay 90s Minneapolis is our favorite. Why do we love it? Because it somehow fits three dance floors, six bars, and loads of personality into a single building — pretty impressive. Each night, a themed drag show has people laughing and singing, and LGBTQ millennials treat it as a home away from home. There are dance parties, foam parties, karaoke nights, live musical performances, cosplay competitions, drink specials, and Taco Tuesdays. Straight, gay, or somewhere in between, you’ll walk away from Gay 90s Minneapolis with a good story.
Buster’s on 28th
For beer lovers in Minneapolis, Buster’s on 28th is pure heaven. This charming neighborhood bar regularly holds special cask events so people can sample uncommonly good brews, and the kitchen takes pride in serving “pub grub you’ll remember,” such as decadent cakes, savory paninis, and juicy hamburgers. If you enjoy discovering new flavors while meeting new people, Buster’s on 28th gives you the best of both worlds.
Union
Union’s rooftop bar, with its soaring glass enclosure, is a sight to behold. Year-round, thirsty patrons pack the roof to enjoy quality drinks while gazing out over downtown Minneapolis. After 8 p.m. each evening, the Late Night Date Night deal lets couples split a three-course dinner and a bottle of wine at a reasonable price. The Drag Queen Sunday Brunch, meanwhile, carries the party into the morning with live DJs and bottomless mimosas.
Minneapolis Speed Dating
Usually, you can tell right away when you like someone — the chemistry hits instantly. Most daters need only a few minutes to know whether they want to see a date again. Yet conventional dating makes singles stick out dates that are going nowhere, wasting precious time. Speed dating ends that time suck, so singles can meet more people in less time. Each participant goes on several mini-dates and marks which dates they’d want to see again. Quick, easy, and fun, Minneapolis speed dating events are a fantastic way to meet eligible date prospects.
Minneapolis Singles Events
Singles events are the genuine article. Everybody there is looking to date, so it’s a flirty setting for socializing with locals. If Minneapolis’ dating scene ever seems dead to you, head to a singles event, mingle with a date-worthy crowd, and walk out with your pocket full of phone numbers. LockAndKeyEvents.com throws fun lock-and-key parties: single women get locks, single men get keys, and everyone hunts down the one who fits, with raffle prizes up for grabs. Live music and drink specials run all night long. It’s a huge chance to shake things up and get to know fun-loving Minneapolis singles in your age bracket.
Minneapolis Singles Clubs
St. Paul is where people work; Minneapolis is where they play. The city’s vibrant nightlife gives singles plenty of places to let loose. Between the comedy clubs and jazz clubs, downtown is full of attractions and distractions that make the hours fly. Young crowds hit Minneapolis nightclubs looking to meet new faces on the dance floor, and taken together, the Mini Apple’s colorful clubs reflect the city’s diversity, openness, and free spirit.
Minneapolis Chat Rooms
Are people still meeting in chat rooms? You betcha! They’re as popular as ever, especially with active daters. Minneapolis singles can relax and be themselves in a dating chat room. These virtual hangouts draw web surfers who crave instant connection, and the fast-paced chat helps daters sharpen their game and get close to like-minded locals. Check out the popular online chat rooms linked below, all aimed at Minneapolis singles.
Minneapolis Personals
When winter leaves your car under a mountain of snow, heading out to meet new people probably isn’t appealing. Wouldn’t it be easier if the dates came to you? Online dating personals can bring a blizzard of date prospects to singles who stay put in the warmth and safety of home. Just set up a profile, spell out what you want, then sit back while compatible singles reply to your ad. You can also hunt for local dating personals by interests, location, or age. These sites make online dating far simpler and more local.
Get Active in Public Parks & On Local Waterways
Minneapolis literally translates to water city. Back in 1852, schoolmaster Charles Hoag joined mni (water in Dakota Sioux) with polis (Greek for city) to describe a place where water and land meet and diverse cultures blend together. The city still stands for friendly people and beautiful natural wonders today.
Plenty of Minneapolis residents come out to admire Minnehaha Park even when temperatures are frigid.
Take advantage of the well-kept Minneapolis park system to enjoy captivating scenery and meet outdoorsy people. Anyone who only flies over this country is truly missing out. Head to Theodore Wirth Regional Park to reenact the cabin scene from “Mighty Ducks,” or visit the Lake of the Isles Off-Leash Dog Park to find some fetching companions. For romance, the 53-foot waterfall in Minnehaha Regional Park fits the bill perfectly — more than 500,000 people visit this public park each year. Its bandstands, volleyball courts, and wading pools offer lots of chances to make new friends.
The Chain of Lakes — a string of parks surrounding five central lakes — is a favorite destination for ice skaters, anglers, and bicyclists. Connected by 52 miles of pathways, the busy shores are as entertaining on land as they are on the water. When the weather’s nice on weekends, the Chain of Lakes buzzes with activity, making it perfect for singles who want to meet locals outdoors.
Break the Ice By Joining Friendly Groups
Joining an activity-based group is a great way to connect with locals in Minneapolis. From bowling leagues to theater troupes, social groups offer adults an enjoyable way to interact and build tight bonds over shared interests.
More than 1,700 people follow the Minneapolis social group Break the Bubble on Facebook.
Unsure what your hobbies or interests are? That’s fine! Break the Bubble is a catch-all social group for anyone in Minneapolis who wants friends. The friendly group delivers “the right kind of Minnesota Nice” by pairing newcomers with new friends at engaging events. The events aren’t just for singles, but they’re still a great chance for daters to reach out, make a friend, and see where things go.
“There’s no preconceived notions,” Christian said in a BTB testimonial. “If you love beer or your neighborhood or dogs, then share the love!”
Meeting Nice People Is Easy in the Mini Apple, Dontcha Know
When Maggie first moved to Minneapolis, she felt as lost and rootless as Riley in “Inside Out.” Once she began chasing friendships aggressively, though, her social calendar slowly filled up and her relationships grew more fulfilling.
These days, Maggie says she has made some of her closest friends here in the Twin Cities. “That’s neither because of nor despite the veneer of ‘Minnesota Nice,'” she summed up. “It’s because I, an outsider, made an effort to smile and be the first to say ‘hi.'”
Singles tackling the Minneapolis dating scene can take a page from Maggie’s book. Putting yourself out there, online or face to face, can be what separates nights home alone from plenty of fun dates around Minneapolis. We hope our 10 ideas for meeting people help you find your way through the city’s dating scene and build a network in this curiously courteous place. Good luck!
About the Author
By: Emma Wilson
Editor-in-Chief
Emma Wilson is the Editor-in-Chief at thecandiddate.com. When she was growing up, her family teased her for being 'boy crazy,' but she preferred to think of herself as a budding dating and relationship expert. Emma brings her tireless wit and relatable experiences to thecandiddate.com.
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