Hygge You Can Hear

The 4 Coziest Music Venues in the Twin Cities

by Zach McCormick

In the depths of the Minnesota winter, it can be all too easy to succumb to the siren call of your sofa, but we’ve got a secret — you can stay cozy without staying home!

Proper venue selection is key to maintaining peak coziness when you venture outside of your nest. Luckily for us, the Twin Cities’ music scene offers an abundance of options for mellower moods and lowkey listening. Save the downtown danceterias and headbanger hangouts for another weekend, and get hygge with it at these comfy local music venues!

Aster Café

Perfect for Folkies, Foodies, & First Dates

While “Hygge Heavy Hitter” is something of a contradiction in terms, it could easily apply to our first cozy music venue on this list — the dreamy, intimate Aster Café. Situated just across a cobblestone-lined street from the Mississippi River in Northeast Minneapolis's St. Anthony Main neighborhood, the Aster’s brick facade oozes old world charm.

Once inside, you’ll find a modest stage backed against the front window, kitty-corner from a tall, dark, and handsome wooden bar crowned with subtle stained glass accents. Shaded lamp fixtures offer moody, romantic lighting for evening shows, and the place gets plenty of sun during brunch hours as well. Speaking of food, Aster’s is great, with a menu full of fresh veggies, flatbreads, and even chef-y dinner fare.

Aster is a great place to catch singer-songwriters, bluegrass pickers, and swing combos. Most shows are seated affairs, and pros in the know tend to reserve their seats in advance through Aster’s website, as things can book up quickly on weekends. Sit back, order a cocktail, wink at your date, and enjoy the show.

125 SE Main St, Minneapolis · astercafe.com

kj’s hideaway

Perfect for Jazz Cats & Speakeasy Sippers

Housed in the basement of the historic Hamm’s building in Downtown St. Paul, kj’s hideaway is a cozy little club that manages to embody the secretive, subterranean appeal of a speakeasy without any of the sleaze that sometimes accompanies that term.

With a brick-backed bar, plentiful tables, and a low-slung, black-curtained stage, kj’s paints the perfect picture of a classic basement jazz club. Well-mixed cocktails and a solid beer and wine list make it an easy place to enjoy a beverage.There’s even a menu of bar snacks if you get hungry.

While kj’s opened relatively recently in the fall of 2021, this basement room has been a great place to see jazz in St. Paul for years, having been the former home of legendary local jazz club the Artist’s Quarter, as well as the Dakotabacked Vieux Carré. kj’s continues to honor that legacy by booking plenty of jazz, but they’ve also expanded their bookings to include funk, Americana, and more.

408 St Peter St, St. Paul · kjshideaway.com

The White Squirrel

Perfect for Eclectic Listeners, Hipsters, & Cocktail Sippers

On a historic St. Paul thoroughfare known for its Irish bars and Italian restaurants, The White Squirrel is most definitely the new kid in town. But change is good, and this artsy, eclectic little cocktail bar has already left a positive stamp on the neighborhood it arrived in just over a year and a half ago.

While The White Squirrel may be brand new, the building itself isn’t. This homey little storefront dates all the way back to the 19th century. The cozy bones remain but these days, the building wears a fresh remodel that feels hip, artsy, and energetic. Plus, cool touches abound, like the arched ceiling above the stage, and the wraparound booth bench with lovely textile upholstery.

The Squirrel books a truly eclectic mix of acts. On any given week, you might catch neighborhood singer songwriters, avant garde jazz combos, metal bands, or country twangers. Whatever the music, you’re guaranteed an intimate, face-to-face connection with the artists, as well as an excellent, creative cocktail, if you’re so inclined.

974 7th St W, St. Paul · whitesquirrelbar.com

331 Club

Perfect for Relaxing Rockers & Art Gallery-Goers

The 331 Club is like your favorite pair of black jeans — a little bit comfy and a little bit rock and roll. This Northeast Minneapolis institution is capable of drawing top-tier local music talent while still feeling like a cozy neighborhood bar.

Maybe it’s the sumptuous booth seats that line the entryway, or the long, well-loved bar rail. Whatever the reason, 331 oozes authentic Nordeast cool, giving you a taste of the dive bar experience with elevated appointments and refreshments. Peep their great tap list, featuring plenty of brews from nearby breweries, plus a smart, simple, and delicious cocktail menu.

Peak cozy hours at the 331 occur on weeknights, when the venue’s small but mighty stage plays host to folk family jams, songwriter’s nights, bluegrass, hot jazz, and other musical stylings of moderate volume. If cozy isn’t synonymous

331 Club

with “quiet” for you, then feel free to stop by on the weekends, when indie rockers, punks, rappers, and all manner of artsy eclecticism take over the bar.

331 13th Ave NE, Minneapolis · 331club.com