Our 7 Favorite Bars On Lake Minnetonka

Enjoy A Day Out With Your Friends In The Best Bars On Lake Minnetonka

Lake Minnetonka is the ideal location for those who are looking for a place to unwind and spend time with friends while experiencing a fun night on the town. It has a wide variety of excellent bars and pubs to choose from, and it is known for its breathtaking views and one-of-a-kind atmosphere. The following are the top seven watering holes and bars on Lake Minnetonka that you absolutely must visit.

Our Absolute Favorite Bars

1) Red Rooster Bar & Grill

This delightful eatery in Long Lake specializes in sandwiches and burgers, but it also features one of the best bars in the area in addition to its other appealing amenities. In addition to its extensive list of drinks, which includes both red and white vintages in a variety of styles, Red Rooster is known for its signature cocktails and craft beers and stands out from other bars in the area.

2) Kip’s Irish Pub and Restaurant

Kip’s Irish Pub & Restaurant is a traditional Irish pub located near Lake Minnetonka that provides its patrons with a friendly and inviting ambiance to enjoy their time there. The variety of Irish and international beers and whiskies offered at Kip’s Irish Pub & Restaurant is one of the establishment’s most appealing features.

The pub serves a wide variety of lagers and whiskeys from Ireland and also features a rotating selection of beers from other parts of the world and from local breweries. Live music and other forms of entertainment are frequently enjoyed by patrons of Kip’s Irish Pub & Restaurant.

In addition to hosting regular performances by traditional Irish music and bands from the surrounding area, the pub also hosts a variety of one-off events and themed nights throughout the week.

3) Hazlewood Food And Drink

Those who are looking for a restaurant in Tonka Bay that has both a dining room and a great bar with drinks of high quality will find a lot to like about this establishment. Those who love various wines will be pleased to learn that Hazelwood’s extensive drinks menu includes a selection of red, white, and rose vintages that pair nicely with Hazelwood food.

A number of signature and specialty cocktails are also available at this Lake Minnetonka bar:

  • Margaritas

  • Manhattans

  • Hard lemonade

  • Ales, both bottle and draft

  • Non-alcoholic mocktails

  • Various whiskeys

4) Fine Dining At The Lake Room

In spite of the fact that the Lake Room is primarily a dining establishment, guests can still stop by the bar at any time during the day to enjoy some of the excellent beverages that are offered there. On the menu of alcoholic beverages, guests can choose from a selection of vintages, malts and lagers, and craft cocktails.

In addition, it offers mocktails and after-dinner drinks. This establishment can be found on Lake Minnetonka’s shore, and it overlooks Carman Bay. It is ideal for those who are looking to unwind with a drink on date night while taking in the beautiful scenery.

5) Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge

On the shores of Lake Minnetonka in Spring Park, Minnesota, sits Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge, a well-known establishment that features both a restaurant and a bar. The wide variety of food and alcoholic beverages, including malt brews, wines, and cocktails, is one of the most appealing aspects of Lord Fletcher’s Old Lake Lodge.

The bar serves a range of beers from around the world and from closer to home, in addition to offering a rotating selection of seasonal brews. The restaurant also features an extensive beverage list, and the bartenders are not only friendly but also very knowledgeable. This is also one of the oldest bars in the area.

6) Great Food At Surfside Bar And Grill

This whimsical establishment on Langdon Lake in the Lake Minnetonka area is a great destination for those looking for a place to have some fun and participate in the nightlife in the area.

The restaurant specializes in traditional bar food such as burgers, and sandwiches, and even has a taco Tuesday night once a week. In addition to providing daily happy hour specials and live entertainment, the pub features a diverse selection of alcoholic beverages, including red and white vintages, lagers, and cocktails, for customers to choose from.

A game of pool or pinball is available for guests to play while they are spending time at the bar. Additionally, the laid-back environment reminiscent of dive bars makes it simple to kick back with a friend and unwind.

7) PaddleTap Party Boats

Due to the fact that Lake Minnetonka is a well-known destination for various watersports, including boating, fishing, and other activities, PaddleTap boating excursions provide the one-of-a-kind bar experience that you have been searching for.

Visitors have their choice of four distinct pedal-powered watercraft, each of which contains bars in the middle and is staffed by an experienced bartender who serves drinks to you and your friends as you propel the craft around Lake Minnetonka using your pedal power.

This unique drinking experience is a fantastic way to unwind and have fun with your pals. However, if you don’t feel like pedaling, you can always rent the tiki bar craft, a popular floating excursion for people who are vacationing at the lake, and does not require a workout!

Our Favorite

It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a place to enjoy live music late at night or a spot to enjoy food and happy hour around Lake Minnetonka, any one of these bars is guaranteed to give your entire group a night that they won’t forget.

However, if you want to have an experience that is truly one of a kind, you should go to PaddleTap boats to spend a few hours on the water with your best friend while sipping drinks that are truly delicious and one of a kind. This one is definitely our favorite of all the bars on the lake!

Book your Tiki Themed Party Pontoon Boat today and take in the sights and sounds of Lake Minnetonka with us!

Duration
1 hour 40 minutes
Group Size
Up to 14

Paddle Pub 1 and 2-Downtown Excelsior-2 Boats (20% Promo)

PaddleTap is proud to offer private tours on our only downtown Excelsior powered party boat! These one of a kind Pedal Taverns can be rented out on Excelsior Bay! Remember the "peddling" is 100% optional. You do not have to pedal if you don't want too!

Our Paddle Pub Party Boats, holds a maximum of 14 people! By combing both you have have up to 28 people. This is great for private cruises who want to depart out of the award winning downtown Excelsior which is only 20 minutes from Minneapolis! Our PaddlePub 1 and 2 boats both have gas motors, which makes peddling 100% optional! Only difference between the boats is PaddlePub 2 has a bathroom (recently added). If a bathroom is a must make sure to reserve that boat online!

Plenty of local bars and restaurant’s such as:
-Maynards
-Excelsior Brewing
-Haskells (also a liquor store for any last minute items)
-Lago Tacos or The Suburban that are walking distance from our pickup location!

This is definitely the spot on the lake with the most action. You can even see the famous “Big Island” on your cruise if you ask your captain!
What to know:

100 minutes long
Bluetooth music
BYOB
Bathroom on PaddlePub 2 only (no bathroom on PaddlePub 1)
Departs out of Downtown Excelsior
250 square feet of usable room
Holds up to 14 guests
Pricing: $35-$49/person Private Cruise (10 or more required tickets to make it private)
25 HSP Gas Motor
Peddling (optional)
**20% OFF Promo on Private Paddle Pub Tours** (Code: Pub20)
**Discounted price gets private tours down to $30/person Sunday-Thursday and $39/person Friday/Saturday)

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$35
Duration
1 hour 40 minutes
Group Size
Up to 18

TikiTap-Back Channel Brewing

Our 100 minute cruise our Tiki Pub (yes, its a Tiki Themed Party Pontoon Boat and has ZERO pedals) boat offer the perfect scenic escape! It's our #1 Boat Tour for Bachelorette Parties!

This is our newest boat on Lake Minnetonka for the season. This adventure is perfect for any corporate event, private birthday party or just for fun on a bachelorette or bachelor parties!

This is the newest and largest single boat we offer and is 26 feet long and almost 12 feet wide! This party boat includes comfortable bar stool seating around the custom tiki bar, and seating for maximum of 18 total guests with plenty of walking room around the almost 300 square foot deck.

Enjoy our one of a kind Tiki Themed bar to rest your beer, wine, or cocktails.

Do you have any worry about a bathroom? Don’t! this boat does come equipped with a full bathroom for you to use.

Worried about rain? Don’t! We have a large canopy that covers 70% of the TikiTap! If this boat is open, book it soon as this is for sure the first one to be reserved.

Things to Know:
What to know:

100 minutes long
Bluetooth music
BYOB
Bathroom on board
Departs out of Back Channel Brewing in Spring Park
300 square feet of usable room
Holds up to 18 guests
Pricing: $35-$49/person Private Cruise (10 or more required tickets to make it private)
135 HSP Gas Motor

8 Reviews verify
from
$35
Duration
1 hour 40 minutes
Group Size
Up to 18

LazyTap Double Deck-Back Channel Brewing (18 person boat)

PaddleTap’s #1 boat tour! For the people who like to take it easy on the lake! Our LazyTap Party Boat ride has your name written all over it. This is our only double deck party boat that is massive! PaddleTap offers one boat for 2024. This boat can hold up to 18 guests!

Both boats offers two levels and covers at least 300 of deck space on the main level with an additional 100 square feet on the upper deck! This boat has zero pedals and is the true lazy experience that can hold up to 18 total guests!

These boats offer a private party bar down the middle for you to load up with your own drinks and bench seating all the way down on both sides.

We have a large wide open space in the front where people can move around and take in the views, or sit in our comfy seating all around.

This is our only boat that can allow swimming (on requests) which has a ZERO alcohol policy. If you want to swim no alcohol is allowed. but it still does only last 100 minutes. If you do choose to swim, we limit it to four people at one time and must wear a life jacket (provided) BUT ZERO ALCOHOL. Swimming on our LazyTap is only allowed out of Back Channel. We do not allow it out of Downtown Excelsior.

The LazyTap has a large 150 HSP motor, we can cover a fair amount of lake to enjoy everything that Lake Minnetonka offers! Our pickups are out of Back Channel Brewing, Lord Fletchers, Downtown Excelsior or Wayzata.
What to know:

Private boat captain
100 minutes long
Bluetooth music
BYOB
Bathroom on board
Departs out of Back Channel Brewing in Spring Park
400 square feet of usable room (two levels)
Holds up to 14-18 guests (depending on the boat you select)
Pricing: $39-$45/person Private Cruise (10 or more required tickets to make it private)
*$4/more a person from July 12th-August 4th 2024*
150 HSP Gas Motor
Zero Pedals (not even an option here)

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from
$35
Duration
2 hours 30 minutes
Group Size
10 to 18

2.5 hour Private Tour-Private Tour Back Channel Brewing (18 max)

PaddleTaps longest tour of the season-2 hours and 30 minutes! This tour is new for 2024, and only being offered starting in June of 2024.

Explore Lake Minnetonka in the fall where the leaves start changing. Explore the channels and bays that the larger charter boats cannot offer. Bring your own beverages, some snacks and let us drive you around West Arm/Seaton Channel/Cooks Bay for 2.5 hour on the water, our longest cruises of the year! We will get up and close to some of the best fall colors Lake Minnetonka offers. This tour will have a bathroom on board as well with bluetooth music.

This tour will either be on our largest 30 foot LazyTap double deck boat, or the 25 foot TikiTap boat. Depending on boat availability with other tours being offered"

Pricing is $70/person for the 2.5 hours, and private bookings require 8 tickets to be purchased as a down-payments are utlizied before the season starts to reserve your boat. But you are more than welcome to book as many seats as you need up to the boat maximum of 18 guests.

Duration
1 hour 40 minutes
Group Size
Up to 14

Small Group/Public Tour (All Boats)

Do you have a smaller group? Or just don't want to rent the entire boat? Book our per seat boating option! Perfect for those smaller groups who still want to go out and celebrate that Birthday/Bachelorette or even just a night out! This option does have a requirement of of 6 guests to guarantee it will go out. But you only pay for as many seats as you want. This option is not guaranteed private, and it is very likely you will be paired with other people! (we offer private cruises that start with 8 ppl-18 ppl)

This public option is only available out of our Back Channel Brewing Location (LazyTap or TikiPubs) and downtown Excelsior on our original Pedal Tavern Boat Cruise.