In the autumn of 2013, Maggie Fazeli Fard left her life in Washington, DC, (and her job as a reporter for The Washington Post) for an editorial position in Minneapolis, Minnesota. She experienced a culture shock within her first month in her new home. She expected the city’s frigid weather, but she didn’t expect the social scene to be quite so cold. On the surface, everyone was perfectly nice, but Maggie felt the locals were keeping her at a distance with their blanket kindness.
When Maggie heard the Midwestern expression, “Minnesotans will give you directions anywhere except their own house,” it rang true to her experience. The phenomenon of “Minnesota Nice” makes it difficult for newcomers, like Maggie, to penetrate the bubble of steadfast politeness and form a close relationship.
However, this industrious reporter wouldn’t let the social limitations of her surroundings get her down. “Gauntlet, thrown. Challenge, accepted. I was determined to prevail,” Maggie wrote in the Star Tribune. “But to do so, I needed a plan of attack.”
Outsiders may feel out of their element in the Twin Cities, but all it takes is a little effort and know-how to break into Minnesota’s social scene. Singles don’t have to spend their days alone, watching “Juno” and wondering where their Paulie is. Minneapolis has plenty of places, events, and opportunities to get a date — you just have to know where to look. To get you started, we’ve come up with 10 ways to meet new people and get more likes in the City of Lakes.
Minneapolis Dating Sites
This should be a no-brainer in today’s high-tech age. Anyone seeking local date prospects should seriously consider joining a dating site. Online dating has an array of niche communities designed to help singles of different ages and backgrounds find romance. We’ve picked out our favorite dating websites in popular categories to help Minneapolis residents feel at home while online dating.
Best Singles Site
In terms of popular dating sites, Match.com is the all-around best option out there. It uses personality-based matching tools to introduce local singles to one another. Launched in 1995, Match has facilitated more relationships and marriages than any other site in existence. In a few clicks, you can search for a date within a certain mile radius of Minneapolis.
- Relationships: Friends, Dates, and Relationships
- Match System: Browse by zip, age, appearance, more
- Our Experts Say: Match has facilitated the most dates and relationships of any dating site, and its large audience and high success rate make it our top review. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Over 50 & Senior Sites
The modern dating scene can feel overwhelming to singles of a certain age. So many features and options can be a bit much for someone unfamiliar with or uncomfortable on the web. That’s why OurTime eases new members into the dating site with an intuitive design and user-friendly tools. We recommend this site for daters over 50 because its niche community is best suited to people with a lot of experience in life and not as much experience online.
- Relationships: Dates and Relationships
- Match System: Search by profiles by zip and more
- Our Experts Say: OurTime is well-known in the over-50 dating crowd, particularly because it has a ton of helpful search features and an easy layout. Our Review »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
For Black Men & Women Only
According to the 2010 Census, 18.6% of Minneapolis residents identify as black or African American. Over the past few decades, the city has become more diverse and contributed to the colorful fabric of American culture. If you’re looking for a black single in Middle America, BlackPeopleMeet can quickly connect you to thousands of attractive options. Founded in 2002, this dating site now boasts the largest black and biracial dating community 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 »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Hookup & Sex Site
Not everyone needs a partner forever. Some singles just want a partner for the night. Adult Friend Finder gives Minneapolis singles a global dating network where people are open about their sexual desires. You can browse hot photos and live chat with someone near you on this uninhibited dating site. Whether you’re looking for a hookup or a threesome, Adult Friend Finder makes it easy to find easy dates.
- 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 »
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Popular Dating Apps
Boasting a population of over 425,000 people, Minneapolis is the largest city in Minnesota and presents active daters with a logistical challenge. Today’s singles are always on the move, and it’s hard to track down viable date prospects when they’re roaming from bars to hockey matches to nightclubs in one night. Fortunately, dating apps simplify the search for a date by bringing singles a handy location-based dating tool. Below you’ll find our top picks for dating apps for Minneapolis singles interested in fast results.
Match.com
- Relationships: Fun Dates, Serious Relationships
- Match System: Browse by location, age, interest, and more
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About the App:
Available via the App Store and Google Play, Match is a fantastic app for dates and relationships. With a user base of 30 million singles, Match is where you’ll have a high chance of success. It’s 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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
eharmony
- Relationships: Long-Term Relationships, Marriages
- Match System: Get daily match suggestions
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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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
OurTime.com
- Relationships: Dating and Relationships
- Match System: Search by age as well as zip, gender, more
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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.
- Browse Free: View Photos Now
Minneapolis Singles Bars
Before dating sites and apps came along, singles had to actually go out and talk to one another in person. In those days, local bars dominated the dating scene because singles do well in a low-key and fun atmosphere. Some extroverted traditionalists still prefer going to a bar and flirting in person rather than messaging on a dating platform. It takes more effort but can also yield more immediate results. If you’re looking for a place to unwind and pick up a date, a bar could be your ideal dating scene. We’ve looked around for the best low-key bars in Minneapolis where tons of singles hang out every night. Cheers!
Brit's Pub
Bringing British flair to Minneapolis, Brit's Pub and Eating Establishment keeps calm and carries on with trays full of delicious pub fare. Whether you enjoy cozying up to your date by the fire or challenging your crush to a game of lawn bowling, Brit's Pub provides a unique setting to get close to someone special. You'll often find sports fans glued to the TVs at the bar and cheering on their favorite soccer (aka football) or rugby teams. Since 1990, Brit's Pub has served European draught beers to scholars and scoundrels alike. Come in and share a cold one with someone special.
Psycho Suzi's
Psycho Suzi's Motor Lounge offers a crass and crazy tiki bar for cynical beach lovers trapped in Middle America. It's a refuge for weary singles. The bar serves fruity drinks "with a passive-aggressive mixture of bad taste and good Minnesota hospitality." On the riverfront patio, barflies can enjoy a faux glimpse of paradise while eating curiously craveable food and sipping superb liquors in touristy tiki mugs. The rum-spiked punch keeps patrons sane and entertained as they de-stress in Psycho Suzi's completely wacky atmosphere.
Up-Down
Looking for a cheat code to get a date? Try Up-Down! This arcade bar makes starting a conversation and making a friend easy — just play a game of Frogger, Donkey Kong, or Blasteroids. With over 50 arcade games, skeeball lanes, and pinball machines available, Up-Down certainly brings the fun to daters in downtown Minneapolis. The games only cost a quarter, so you can spend all night reliving your childhood and keeping your reflexes sharp. Anyone can go online to suggest a new game or beer to add to the collection, which is always growing. You can take your relationship to the next level by challenging your date to best you at life-size Jenga or Connect Four. Plus, the bar has over 64 beers on tap and five house-made pizzas served by the slice. What’s not to love about this place!
Gay 90s Minneapolis
Minneapolis is among the most welcoming cities for LGBTQ people. It has quite a few popular gay bars, but our favorite is Gay 90s Minneapolis. Why do we love it so much? Because they managed to pack six bars, three dance floors, and a whole lot of personality in one building. It’s pretty impressive. Every night, a themed drag show gets people laughing, and singing. LGBTQ millennials find a home-away-from-home here. The bar features karaoke nights, live musical performances, foam parties, dance parties, drink specials, cosplay competitions, and Taco Tuesdays. Whether you’re gay, straight, or somewhere in between, you’re sure to come away with a good story when you visit Gay 90s Minneapolis.
Buster’s on 28th
Buster’s on 28th is sheer heaven for beer lovers in Minneapolis. This quaint neighborhood bar often hosts special cask events to give people a taste of uncommonly good brews. The kitchen also boasts serving “pub grub you’ll remember,” including juicy hamburgers, savory paninis, and decadent cakes. If you like discovering new tastes while making new acquaintances, Buster’s on 28th offers the best of both worlds.
Union
With its high-arching glass enclosure, Union’s rooftop bar is an impressive sight. All year round, thirsty patrons crowd together on the roof to savor quality drinks as they look out over downtown Minneapolis. The Late Night Date Night deal, offered every evening after 8 p.m., gives couples a chance to share a three-course dinner and bottle of wine for a reasonable price. Plus, the Drag Queen Sunday Brunch keeps the party going into the morning with bottomless mimosas and live DJs.
Minneapolis Speed Dating
When you meet someone you like, you usually know right away. The chemistry is instant. Most daters don’t need longer than a few minutes to say whether they’re interested in seeing their dates again, or not. Yet the standard dating practice forces singles to linger on dates that have no future and waste precious time. Speed dating puts an end to that time suck and lets singles meet more people more efficiently. Event participants go on several mini-dates and indicate the ones they’d like to see again. Fast, easy, and fun, speed dating events in Minneapolis are fantastic ways to meet eligible date prospects.
Minneapolis Singles Events
Singles events are the real deal. Everyone in attendance has a dating agenda, so it’s a flirtatious place to socialize with locals. If you ever feel like the dating scene is dead in Minneapolis, go to a singles event to mingle in a date-worthy crowd and come away with a pocketful of phone numbers. LockAndKeyEvents.com organizes fun lock-and-key parties where single women get a lock and single men get a key, and then they search out their match to win raffle prizes. Participants enjoy live music and drink specials throughout the night. It’s a massive opportunity to mix it up and meet fun-loving Minneapolis singles who are in your age group.
Minneapolis Singles Clubs
People go to St. Paul to work, and they come to Minneapolis to play. The city offers a vibrant nightlife to singles looking for a place to let loose. From jazz clubs to comedy clubs, the downtown scene has many attractions and distractions to make long hours seem short. A youthful crowd hits the nightclubs in Minneapolis to meet new people on the dance floor. As a whole, the Mini Apple’s colorful clubs certainly reflect the city’s openness, diversity, and free spirit.
Minneapolis Chat Rooms
Do people still meet in chat rooms? You betcha! Live chat rooms are just as popular as ever, especially among active daters. In a dating chat room, Minneapolis singles can feel free to be themselves. These virtual spaces attract web surfers longing for instant connection. The fast-moving chat helps daters up their game and get intimate with like-minded people in their area. Below, you’ll find links to popular online chat rooms for Minneapolis singles.
Minneapolis Personals
When your car is buried under a mountain of snow in the wintertime, you probably don’t want to go anywhere to meet new people. It’d be much more convenient if dates came to you, right? Well, online dating personals help singles attract a blizzard of date prospects without leaving the warmth and safety of their own homes. Simply create a profile, state your desires, and wait for compatible singles to answer your ad. You can also seek out local dating personals by searching by age, location, or interests. Dating personals websites make online dating much more straightforward and localized.
Get Active in Public Parks & On Local Waterways
Minneapolis literally means water city. In 1852, a schoolmaster named Charles Hoag combined the Dakota Sioux word for water (mni) and the Greek word for city (polis) to describe a city where land meets water and diverse cultures flow into one another. Today, the city continues to represent beautiful natural wonders and friendly people.
Even in frigid temperatures, many Minneapolis residents come to admire Minnehaha Park.
You can enjoy engaging scenery and meet outdoorsy folks by taking advantage of the well-maintained Minneapolis park system. Those who fly over this country are really missing out. You can head to Theodore Wirth Regional Park to recreate a scene in the cabin from “Mighty Ducks,” or you can go to the Lake of the Isles Off-Leash Dog Park to find fetching companions. If you’re looking for a romantic spot, the 53-foot waterfall at Minnehaha Regional Park definitely fits the bill. Over 500,000 visitors come to this public park every year. The wading pools, volleyball courts, and bandstands create plenty of opportunities to make new friends.
The Chain of Lakes, a series of parks around five central lakes, is the destination of choice for many bicyclists, fisherman, and ice skaters. Linked by a 52-mile network of pathways, these crowded shores provide just as much fun on land as on the water. On fair-weather weekends, the Chain of Lakes is a hub of activity, perfect for a single person looking to meet locals out of doors.
Break the Ice By Joining Friendly Groups
A great way to network with locals in Minneapolis is to join an activity-based group. Whether it’s a bowling league or a theater troupe, social groups offer adults a fun way to interact with one another and form tight bonds through common interests.
Break the Bubble, a Minneapolis social group, has over 1,700 followers on Facebook.
Not sure what your interests or hobbies are? No problem! Break the Bubble is a general social group for anyone seeking friends in Minneapolis. The welcoming group offers “the right kind of Minnesota Nice” by introducing new residents to new friends at engaging events. While the events aren’t exclusively for singles, they certainly offer a great opportunity for daters to reach out, find a friend, and see what happens.
“There’s no preconceived notions,” said Christian 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 she moved to Minneapolis, Maggie felt as lost and uprooted as Riley in “Inside Out.” However, once she started aggressively pursuing friendships, she found her social calendar gradually filled up and her relationships became more fulfilling.
Today, Maggie said she’s met some of her best friends in the Twin Cities. “That’s neither because of nor despite the veneer of ‘Minnesota Nice,'” she concluded. “It’s because I, an outsider, made an effort to smile and be the first to say ‘hi.'”
Singles can certainly learn from Maggie’s example as they tackle the dating scene in Minneapolis. Taking that step to put yourself out there online or in person can make the difference between sitting at home alone and going out on a lot of fun dates in Minneapolis. We hope our 10 ways to meet people helps you navigate the city’s dating scene and network in this curiously courteous setting. Good luck!
