Secret Cocktail Lounges You Have to Visit in Rochester, MN

All over Rochester, Minnesota we have some pretty cool places to hang out. There are great local coffee shops, breweries, and bars. There are also some really sweet spots that are like secret cocktail lounges in the downtown area.

Are of them are a little hidden, some more hidden and secretive than others, but they all are going for a speakeasy-type cocktail lounge vibe.

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Have you been to all of them yet? There's only one I haven't been to so I need to add it to my 'must-visit' list.

They all have their own unique feel and are cool places to meet up with friends for a drink.

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Let's take a look at these and I'm going to order them from easiest to hardest to find.

Rochester, MN's Secret Cocktail Lounges

1928 Cocktail Lounge

The one that I'd say is the easiest to find is the 1928 Cocktail Lounge inside Bebap. 1928 opened in just a few years ago and feature unique cocktails and small bites. This is the one I haven't been to but I need to go soon!

I say this is the easiest one to find because when you walk into Bebap there's a big staircase which is where you go up to the speakeasy. It's not too hard to miss.

They're open Fridays and Saturdays 5 - 11 PM with live jazz music 7 - 10 PM.

Bitter and Pour

Next, we have Bitter and Pour, the place that my husband and I go to most often. They're the ones who have been around the longest out of the cocktail lounges. They only serve cocktails, no food, but man, do they do it well.

I put them as the second easiest to find just because they have a sign on the street level, so you at least know they exist. Once you get inside though, you need to go downstairs and figure out the riddle to get yourself into the lounge. It's so fun!

They're open Monday - Saturday 4 PM - Midnight.

Palmetto Room

Up next: Palmetto Room. This is the newest speakeasy-style bar to Rochester and it's below Our Paladar. They're a rum bar and also have small bites that you can order. It's all super tasty.

Palmetto Room is harder to find. There's no sign outside and the staircase you need to go down when you get in the front door looks like it's a place you're not allowed to be. But trust me, it's down there.

They're open Tuesday - Thursday 4 - 10 PM and Friday - Saturday 4 - 11 PM. But make sure to check Our Paladar's Facebook page first, Palmetto Room is often booked out for events.

Shhhh...

And finally, we have Shhhh... which is below ThaiPop. This cocktail lounge has such a cool vibe but it's also the smallest one, so you may want to make a reservation (which you can do by calling ThaiPop). They serve unique cocktails and also quite unique small bites.

This is definitely the hardest one to find because you literally can't get in without someone from the ThaiPop staff walking you there. And then you have to walk through the entire restaurant and down some back stairs. So it's the most complicated, but totally worth it!

They're open Fridays and Saturdays 5 - 11 PM.