Night Out on the Town

The season started with a tequila bar, and it will end with one as well. However the sites of the two couldn't be anymore different. The first was adjacent to the campus of Arizona State in Tempe. But this most recent post, Barrio is found in downtown Minneapolis, part of the Nicollet Mall area.

The location of Barrio is uniquely different. Many of the establishments in the area offer something different. Down one side of the street is a English pub - Brit's Pub - offering authentic fare with an rooftop bar that would be an ideal spot in the summer months. Across the street is the NewsRoom, aptly named for the many newspapers that line the walls. Next door is "The Local," an Irish pub offering the most poured Jameson Irish Whiskey, if that's your thing. And after trying it out, I realized it isn't my thing.

But Barrio is much different than any of those. First of all it is truly a tequila bar. A variety of labels are stacked behind the bar, high enough that a ladder is necessary to access some of the higher quality brands. And it is necessary to have all of those brands as the menu featuring the different drinks is vast.

And the clientele inside Barrio is not necessarily what you would find in any of the other bars. It definitely has a core target audience and entertains those who are inquisitive by the low lights and bottles of tequila. The wait staff is warm and welcoming to all patrons. And if you are lucky, you could be entertained by a random movie that is shown on the wall opposite of the bar. The one we were entertained to was of the independent variety.

The mass quantities of tequila behind the bar

Nicollet Mall is a great area for shopping, dining and nightlife. Barrio is one place that would be a definite stop. Each downtown establishment mentioned would provide much fun, and something for everyone.