The ideal bar crawl through Northeast, Minneapolis’ best drinking neighborhood

There is no better way to get to know a city than by walking through its neighborhoods. And sometimes there is no better way to get to know a neighborhood than by sidling up to one of its bars.

Despite our car-centric culture, Minneapolis can be a highly walkable city if you zero in on the right hubs. In the case of northeast Minneapolis, also (lovingly) known as “Nordeast,” historic bars — eccentric, lived in and full of character — dot its narrow streets, while newer, nationally lauded restaurants with big-name chefs have established their own bar programs that deserve to be a part of the neighborhood rotation.

To acquaint yourself with this part of town, it’s best to lace up worn-in walking shoes and plot an epic bar crawl — or two.

A couple of notes: There are far more bars listed here than most could handle in a night. And the best bars inspire lingering, which could be hindered by too rigid of a to-do list. So, pace yourself and choose your own adventure from anywhere along the route that piques your interest. Know that many of these bars offer incredible nonalcoholic beverages, too.

Even with all of these spots, there are so many more great bars in Northeast. Let us know who we should include in our next crawl in the comments.

Start at the 1029 Bar: A real-deal neighborhood bar with affordable drinks, an established scene and Burger Dive burgers in the kitchen. You’ll find years of wall decor, an indoor bar for leaning, plus plenty of patio seats outside. 1029 NE. Marshall St., Mpls., the1029bar.com

5-minute walk to Dusty’s Bar: A testament to the staying power of a Northeast dive bar (pulltabs, live music), their signature Italian sausage patty sandwiches will save you from the ills of late-night decisions. Note the historic phone booth and the old illustrations on the bathroom doors. 1319 NE. Marshall St., Mpls., dustysbaranddagos.com

2-minute walk to Diane’s Place: Chef Diane Moua’s all-day restaurant is as acclaimed for her pastry work as her savory Hmong dishes, but don’t let them overshadow the fabulous cocktails, which take you from brunch to dinner. The Dark Forest is a favorite spin on an espresso martini. 117 14th Av. NE., Mpls., dianesplacemn.com

6-minute walk to Oro by Nixta: Set inside the James Beard-finalist Mexican restaurant that’s a celebration of masa is this in-the-know tequila bar. Sample mezcal or the top-shelf cocktails. 1222 NE. 2nd St., Mpls., nixtampls.com

1-minute walk to Vinai: It can be a hard reservation to get, but the huge bar always has room for cocktails with hints of Hmong flavors and ingredients (pandan, forbidden rice, spices). Chef Yia Vang’s full dinner menu is available at the bar, too. 1300 NE. 2nd St., Mpls., vinaimn.com

0-minute walk to Stargazer: This swank new cocktail lounge from the minds behind Travail and Meteor Bar has a strong galactic theme with drinks arranged by spirit and style, with an entire nonalcoholic selection. 1304 NE. 2nd St., Mpls., stargazermpls.com

4-minute walk to Minari: More formal than most of our other stops, this sumptuous new Korean restaurant (with dim sum at brunch) has a sleek list of cocktails to match the surroundings. There’s a walk-in bar area at the front. Bonus is the elegant NA beverage menu. 323 13th Av. NE., Mpls., minarirestaurant.com

1-minute walk to 331 Club: As this segment of Northeast has become a haven for award-winning restaurants, this former biker bar continues to be the kind of local music magnet for which the area has long been known. 331 13th Av. NE., Mpls., 331club.com

4-minute walk to Mayslack’s: Once famous for the wrestler who owned it, this bar has eased into a neighborhood hang with historic touches and lots of memorabilia on the walls. Though it’s known for its roast beef sandwiches, there’s a full food menu, and a decent local music lineup that plays in the backroom. 1428 NE. 4th St., Mpls., mayslacksbar.com

3-minute walk to Shaws Bar & Grill: Northeast’s hometown blues bar. This is a must-visit for fans of guitar rock legends. Regulars love the famous Shaw burger, a beautiful mess of a bite that’s good to groove on while Buddy Guy plays on the sound system, or live music slips into some stanky riffs about good love gone wrong. 1528 University Av. NE., Mpls., follow them on Facebook

7-minute walk to Jax Cafe: One of Minnesota’s first steakhouses has all the trimmings: a handsome bar for martini drinking and an unexpectedly charming back patio with a trout pond and babbling manmade brook. 1928 University Av. NE., Mpls., jaxcafe.com

5-minute walk to Small Hours: There are a few glasses, but the idea here is to take a chance on a new-to-you bottle with the coaching of the sommeliers. Tinned fish and small snacks make up the menu, all to the lush sound system spinning a soundtrack of retro vinyl. 2201 NE. 2nd St, Mpls., smallhoursmpls.com

4-minute walk to Hai Hai: Grab an outdoor spot and some snacks at the indoor-outdoor bar that brings the outdoors in and vice versa. Tropical drinks are made with Southeast Asian ingredients, such as fresh-pressed sugar cane (also available in an NA version). The ambience is fun and lively. 2121 University Av. NE., Mpls., haihaimpls.com

2-minute walk to Grumpy’s Northeast: Beloved by the artists and musicians of Northeast, this is a true neighborhood bar that serves the cool folks who live here. There’s a touch of 1950s rockabilly aesthetic and local taps. Ideal drink order is a beer and a bump. 2200 NE. 4th St., Mpls., @grumpysnortheast

5-minute walk to Northeast Palace Bar & Grill: The pours here are famously generous and served in a pleasantly dark room with historic beer brand decor. It’s a blue-collar icon that makes for an ideal last stop before catching a ride home. 2500 NE. 4th St., Mpls., @ne_palacempls

Start at Zhora Darling: There’s a pool table, private karaoke rooms, decent cocktails and vaguely Australian eats at this newish hangout and music venue. 509 1st Av. NE., Mpls., zhoradarling.com

0-minute walk to Bar Harmony: By day this is a coffee shop. But in the evening, this spare, hip setting becomes a wine bar, with select bottles poured exclusively by the glass. This is an ideal stop for bringing those cooler-than-cool friends visiting from out of town. 501 1st Av. NE., Mpls., bar-harmony.com

4-minute walk to Whitey’s Old Town Saloon: While the neighborhood around it has sprouted higher-end condos and restaurants, this classic bar stays true to its roots. There’s a giant sculpture of a woman over the bar and a sign from the iconic Ace Bar. Drinks and food are standards, but served with care. 400 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls., oldtownne.com

1-minute walk to Rosalia: Northeast’s newest patio doubles as an outpost of the Linden Hills wood-fired pizzeria, and should the weather not cooperate, a gorgeous interior bar is ready to supply all the spritzes. 333 E. Hennepin Av., rosaliapizza.com

2-minute walk to Sidebar at Surdyk’s: A sit-down branch of the venerable wine and liquor store offers snacks, dinner and many by-the-glass selections for sampling — with the option to buy the bottle next door. 303 E. Hennepin Av., sidebaratsurdyks.com

2-minute walk to All Saints: This restaurant leans fine dining, but the bar is worth a visit alone. Boundary-pushing beverages mingle with well-done riffs on classics or sophisticated NA sips at the long, slim bar or on a beautiful patio where you can sit and sip during warmer months. 222 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls., allsaintsmpls.com

2-minute walk to Jetset Underground: Serviceable large-format cosmos, Jell-O shots and such keep revelers hydrated at one of the city’s few remaining gay dance clubs. 205 E. Hennepin Av., Mpls., instagram.com/jetsetbarmpls