Bunker's Music Bar & Grill

Music started at 9:30 on a Tuesday. I dined a few blocks away at the delightful Cafe Yoto. Greeted by charming Host, paid a Bargain Cover and Danced to Irie International Reggae All Stars like it was 1999! Bartender quickly helped with my Choice of Soda Pop, extra Lime or Lemon- The Lively Crowd filled the Dance Floor- I think I heard a Gentleman's Proposal last week! Here's to another 30 years of Live Music from Keyboards,Horns, Guitar, Drums, Bass, and Vocals Bravo!!!

Bunker’s is exactly what you’d hope for in a music bar and grill — great live music, a lively atmosphere, and a dance floor that was packed because the band was that good. There’s a bar for ordering drinks, but they also have waitresses who come right to your table to take drink orders. Our waitress was amazing — incredibly attentive, somehow tracking us down in the middle of the crowded tables, dance floor, and all the chaos. She deserves a raise for sure! There’s a cash-only cover at the door, so bring cash and your ID. All in all, a fantastic spot for a night out with great tunes, good vibes, and plenty of energy.

Went dancing, felt good! Great live band last night and the crowd was jovial and respectful ❤️‍🔥 drinks were nearly stadium prices tho, and there was a cover. One or the other people cmon!

Impressed with this little hole in the wall! Perfect walk before a concert or comedy show. Not a huge menu, but it's bar food! And it was great. Not amazing, but great. The tots were the star of the show. Definitely a good bar to order drinks from. You will leave happy :) and drunk.

I did not eat here so I cant comment on the food. However, I asked for a tap beer and 12 oz domestic bottle. My hazy ipa ($10) seemed reasonable but my brow raised at the ($9) (12OZ) bottle of domestic (luke warm Michelob golden light bottle) price. I WAS open minded to the price with the location and all. When I set down my next $20 and asked for another round whilst enjoying the music and seeing the bartender take my $20, they never brought us our next drinks. I Was told we only paid for our first round. I'm not a argumentative person but I did slightly in this case because my $1 of change was still sitting there. I pleaded my case but was led to no avail. The music and sound was great! We were happy to pay the cover charge ($10 each) for the show, even late at night when we arived. The patrons that were there were wonderful! I do warn to others to be weary of this staff, ownership and pricing who seem take from you any way they can. (Especially later in the night)

Drinks were nice and strong! And the band on Sunday was fiiiiiiiire!! I mean, they were all great and Monique and her voice was worth the cover on its own! The band aesthetic was ridiculous!!! I thought they would’ve charged more than $12 for a cover. And Kung Fu Kathy was the perfect bartender!!! Nice drinks and great hair!

Well it's not the Bunkers it once was. Extremely limited menu actually no menu at all. Chicken strips or a burger. And that's it. Very understaffed for a Friday. The bartender was the cook and the waitress. She was excellent despite not having support. She knew her customers. The two items we ordered were good. The place was clean. If you are looking for dinner selections this place is not for you. However if good drinks and free popcorn excite you Bunkers has you covered 😉 they also have live music 🎶.

Great Bar, Great Live Band, Glad I Could Support, Glad I was Able To Support, Thankful I Got Invited By My Mom To Come Out, And I'm Damn Sure Glad I Did. I Enjoyed Myself. Great Popcorn. Sadly, Pop Isn't Free Refilled. Needs To Be Especially Serving Food. Glasses Are So Tiny. I Don't Drink🍷 Alcohol, So I Was Stuck Paying For Four Shirley Temples $4 A Piece. Such A High Price, But Oh Well Enjoyed MySelf. Will Go Back Just Not On Such a Packed Night. I Get Anxiety And Anxious Around Large Crowds. Scares Me, But Bunkers Packs Them In. Standing Room Only!! We Had A Table Though, So I Was Ok. The Stools Are Not Comfy At All, But Had a Good Time Despite My Gripes. Oh Well, Enjoy Yourself Please Go. Will Return Again!! Thank You

I feel like there are very few live music dive bars spots in Minneapolis, so I was extremely jazzed (ha) to find this spot. Bunkers is a jazz, R&B kinda live music joint. We came on a Saturday. I was told the cover was ten dollars, but when we got to the door they asked for 12. Oh well. But they're also cash only soooo bring cash. They do have an ATM but it's a lot faster if you just have the cash ready. The music was TONS of fun. People really got into it. Lots of dancing, super loud, great vibes. Drinks were also good although STRONG!! I got a G&T and I think they forgot the T. But drinks are also pretty cheap, so best of both worlds. My G&T was $8, so I guess that's standard but idk I've been a victim of NoLo drink prices for so long that I find any drink under ten bucks to be a killer deal. They have people serving the tables, so it was honestly super clutch. We just got to sit and watch the music and not have to wait at the bar for our drinks (as I thought we would). Table service is a bit slow but they were crazy busy so more than acceptable. I'd definitely come back!!! This place is fun and definitely different than most bars I've been to in the twin cities.

Such a fun bar that has live music! Only downside is that they charge a cover, and with the majority of MSP bars being no-cover it's a big barrier to entry (plus I never have cash - but there's an ATM). When we got it in was definitely a mixed crowd, but still a fun one! Was relatively easy to get drinks, hard to get seats though. Prices weren't bad and there was free popcorn.

I've lived in minneapolis for about 5 years now and have passed bunkers many times. I finally went last Friday for rock, soul and R&B live music! The atmosphere was great. Lots of people singing along and dancing, free popcorn, great band, seriously can't ask for much more. There was a $10 cover to get in, which isn't bad. These local spots need to stay open so I support it! We arrived early to grab food only to find out they're working on a limited menu of burgers, chicken tenders, and fries. The burger was massive and tasted fine. My friend said the chicken tenders were really good. Even though the place is pretty divey the drinks were surprisingly expensive. A grain belt premium was around $9 and a whiskey coke was $13. Definitely try to get in during happy hour!

This is a great spot with a wonderful happy hour, live music, and tons of memorabilia. It's your classic dive bar without horrible bathrooms! So glad we stopped by and had a few, its worth a look when in the neighborhood!

I've been to this bar many times over the years. It used to be an amazing place. Sadly, it's devolved to a bar where 1) they don't have decent alcohol (the highest whiskey I could get was Bullet), 2) their food is horrible, and 3) they lack basic judgment to the point that they drive away regular paying customers who have been in the bar hours before a mediocre band is playing. After I had been at the bar for at least 1.5 hours and had already paid for 3 or 4 drinks, the bar manager approached me and demanded that I pay a cover charge or else leave. I later learned from friends that this is apparently par for the course for them.

Great music and ambiance! We had a great time here at this legendary music venue. Will definitely be here again! They have a variety of food options here but we never got a chance to try it. The service was amazing, the waitress working there was extremely friendly and would check up on us proactively.

We came in for late lunch on a Saturday afternoon, it was happy hour as well. They do have a different menu for the weekend versus the week. It was pretty dead and only one server/bartender. The service was fast and friendly though. The chicken corn chowder soup was amazing. We also came here for a Friday night bar outing with some friends. They had a live band playing so there was a ten dollar cover. The band was also a lot of fun and everyone's having a good time. The drinks were on the pricey side tho which is odd. Guess they gotta up charge on the weekend nights. $11.50 for a lemon drop shot, ouch. I enjoy coming here because it's a nice dive bar! It's in north loop but it doesn't attract that North loop crowd (sorry if you're one of them). Very laid back and fun.

I went to Bunkers this past Thursday for the first time. I can honestly say for the first music bar I've EVER been to. Bunkers was a great starter choice. In my opinion , the bartenders were very welcoming and open to me being new and asking questions about general recommendations. When the band came on @ 12 I was pleasantly surprised by the vibe they presented and also their music playing and vocals were pleasing to the ears and soul. There was a 10$ cover charge that they said goes to the band. Which I think is reasonable. While they have a limited selection of food options I still think the overall experience is WELL worth it .

Great place. Chase and the ovation. Great night. Great service. Looking forward to another visit

Great for live music. Horrible service and quality of drinks. The bar manager always had a attitude but if you can get past her it's an over all good time.

Bunker's is best known for live music, but a little known secret is they also serve food during lunch on week days. Typically, it's people who live or work in the North Loop who know about this and if you're in the neighborhood, I recommend checking it out. I've been here a couple of times and have tried a few things and suffice to say, the food is pretty good. Bunker's has your typical sandwiches, salads and soups, burgers, etc. but what I'm most impressed with is the house turkey and other lunch meats, which seem to be made in-house. The first time I tried Bunker's for lunch, I got the Signature Sandwich, which is the hot pot roast sammie - it's a large fork and knife type of meal served with a generous portion of homemade mashed potatoes and topped with beef gravy. I've also tried the soup and sandwich combo (natural ham; turkey breast - think Thanksgiving type turkey, not cold cut; grilled cheese or Albacore tuna salad) served on a whole grain wild rice bread (yum) with lettuce and tomato. Bunker's switches up their soups and I've tried both the clam chowder on Friday and the wild rice - both very good. Even though there's soup, you still get some kettle chips with the combo and for a whopping $1 more, you can get a full sandwich or if you aren't too hungry, you can save the dollar and get half a sandwich, either way, it's a lot of food! The real star of the lunch menu, in my view, is the New Yorker - it's lean pastrami and thinly sliced turkey on grilled sourdough with swiss, smoked provolone and a dark mustard. While this sandwich might not be as big as Katz's deli in NYC, it's still a great, little known sandwich in Minneapolis. As most people know in the North Loop, free parking is scarce but there are plenty of metered spots nearby.

Friend went to the women's restroom just to be told by another woman that she can't use the bathroom due to her color... bouncers didn't listen or fix anything. Just allowed it to happen without listening. Racism isn't cool, but what else would you expect from a place like bunkers.

Do not go to this bar. My friend was simply trying to use the women's bathroom and was told by another girl at the bar that she couldn't come into the bathroom because she was "not the same color as her." After confronting the racist girl and alerting the staff/security, my friends and I were kicked out of the bar for "causing a scene." When I tried explaining to one of the staff members what had occurred, I was told "race was not a factor in the situation" and that "we have been a multi-racial bar for 20 years." If that was truly the case then I find it hard to understand why the person being racist was not immediately removed from the bar. This should be seen as nothing more than an establishment blatantly ignoring racism by one of their patrons. Please think twice before spending your time and money here.

I had such a great time at Bunkers. The live bands are great, but my all time favorite Dr. Mambo's Combo is what I came for and they did not disappoint. I ordered a cheeseburger & fries, it was pretty good. Looking forward to coming back in June to see Chase & Ovation.

The worst experience since I moved to Minneapolis. The bouncer was incredibly rude. Will not come back

The food here is great the prices are great with daily specials. I have had thier turkey dinner with all the trimmings. The Rachel: turkey, kraut and dressing. The Sweet potato tots, turkey salad, chicken tortilla soup and chili... its All Good folks. The atmosphere is relaxed during the afternoon...my work lunch spot. There is music at night daily and parking is never an issue during the day...located on the side of establishment. The waitresses are very kind and well versed on the menu...Go check this place out.

I'll start by saying that I didn't go during one of the music events, and it would seem that bunkers doesn't have a lot to offer without the music. I was in town on business and needed food. I ordered a burger and sweet potato tots. The burger tasted good, but had no standard trimmings and the bin was flattened like something sat on it. The tots were about half the size of normal tots and there were only eleven. Eleven. The Guiness was a little flat and had no head. Then there was the waiter... He slid the food, and later the check, onto my table as he walked by without a word or glance. I would not return again.

Venue, music & bar service = 5 stars Saw Belfast Cowboys there - lots of fun! Limited food menu (Bunker burger only) at night (after 8pm) = 3 stars Bunker burger = 1 star (chewy and odd)

This is a great place to go for a chill night with friends for cheap drinks and good music! It seems like there is a local band playing here every night (at least weekends) and I've never paid more than $12 for cover. Also, Tuesday Reggae night is always a worth it! Don't bother dressing up here, the atmosphere is very casual. Plan for comfort so you can dance all night long! Try to hold your bladder here, because the bathroom is a tiny 1 stall, dark and dirty place. The line gets long to pee, but you could eat some free popcorn while waiting to kill the time! Also, it's in the north loop area with free parking-bonus!

Bunkers is a cool venue! I've been there for a Prince Tribute concert and a Stevie Wonder tribute concert. The crowd is typically a more seasoned crowd that tends to be a lot easier to interact with as a transplant. You also have an open bar and very good burgers that they serve. This place has a cool charm to it. I love the lighting, the stage set up and the atmosphere with the crowd and workers. It's a very charmful place in the North Loop with some rich history and some fun artist line-ups. It will be a place I visit time and time again.

Drinks are good As little on the pricie side Good band ken valdez and band were great Not much for parking

My favorite hole-in-the-wall bar in the entire country, largely because of Sunday and Monday Nights. For those who dont know, members from Prince's camp and other well credentialed musicians play R&B covers every Sunday and Monday night from 9pm to close. Famous musicians will often sit in and when Prince was alive, he was known to sit in frequently. Despite that, it is only a $5 cover, and a very relaxed atmosphere. The crowd is more diverse than you see most places-- college students all the way up to grandparents, all races and colors represented. Unlike most "hole in the wall" bars, the sound system is EXCELLENT. Not unlike most "hole in the wall" bars, the burgers are excellent. My only gripe is the bathrooms. They may be clean, but they are crowded and dingy. If you are in Minneapolis on a Sunday or Monday night, you are doing yourself a disservice by not visiting Bunkers.

I decided to come here with a friend because we had a buy one get one free coupon for food. We arrived at 5:40 and were informed at 6 that they just shut down the grills for the night. This was a Wednesday so maybe it's different on weekend, but seems like a poor business decision to me to shut down the grills during the busiest time of day for restaurants. Side note it's dark and not very welcoming. Had a nice large stage so probably good for music... But I won't ever be back to know.

My favorite bar in the North Loop. The only neighborhood bar left (other than Cuzzys of course.) Joe, the day bartender is amazing. Try his bloody Mary's or the famous Cup o' Joe. This bar makes you feel like you're not in the epicenter of trendy Lululemon-infested bro-land. Minneapolis working-man bar with fantastic live music every night. The scratch soups are to die for. Love the BLT!

I was expecting a live band when I showed up... something!! It was 6pm on a Thursday evening....already paid for parking that took me 10 min to find, to end up walking into a dead bar with no "Grill" server said they close the menu at 6pm....it was a little past 6pm...I had n ok choice but to try and convince the man to feed me, he said he could cough up a bunker burger for me at the most. That worked. Ordered it everything plus bacon.. At the end before I left the man reminds me, hey I forgot to add the bacon on your burger. Do you still want it? For what? I said lol...no thanks. Too late. Smh...3 stars for that and no live music as google claimed I would see something....dead bar....smh....sorry Prince this place ain't what it used to be...

Prince used to go to Bunker's, occasionally taking the stage. As live music goes, this is where some of Minneapolis's funkiest musicians perform weekly, often drawing praise from stars who stop in, such as Bonnie Raitt. The menu changes to burgers and chips at night.

A bit dive-y, but that's part of the charm. GREAT music! Came here with a group on a Sunday night and we had a blast dancing and drinking. Great spot for live music!

My husband and I have a good friend who's band plays here frequently. Apparently this place is quite well known but I had no idea it existed, hah. On St Patty's today we finally decided to swing by and enjoy the music. First - there is a cover! $5. I've never been to a bar quite like this. The stage is in the corner to your left with a small open floor and some surrounding tall tables. The long 2 sided bar is more straight ahead, and off to the right are some smaller booths. When we arrived (10ish) it was packed, but we managed to grab a booth. Drinks are decently priced, so we grabbed those and managed to get a booth to settle in and enjoy the music. I was surprised at the different mix of people out on the dance floor haha - overall I'd say the clientele was a bit on the older side...40's-50's or so. The bathroom is....tiny, lol. We had already eaten so didn't get any food, I wouldn't be opposed to ordering if we go for another show, based on what I've heard from others though!

I met a friend who is a regular here for lunch. She swears by the tuna melt. Nice big pieces of wild rice bread perfectly grilled, loaded with tuna. I got a side of onion rings and they were ok. I started with a very generous cup of chowder and it was loaded with clams, and on a Monday yet. I got gingerale in a nice big glass and never had to ask for a refill. I know of some of the bands that play here and they are some of the best local talent. I'll gladly come here again.

Joe the bartender had everything before I ever thought to ask for it. Joe keep it up my friend you are killin it. I met the owner as well and she keeps life real, that's what we need for happiness. She was so open to a short talk too. Thank you dear. No matter what, this bar has been my best find I've had in quite some time. A real masterpiece of the mind. Dang root beer is the best too ;) try it somewhere you find it. Not here though.

Bizarre to me that anyone would have given this place less than 5 stars. Visiting from Los Angeles where there are plenty of "wanna be" musicians and that wasn't the case here. They sing great songs and are extremely talented. It reminded me of Nashville. Yes, it's $5 to get in but get over it. Way worth it. It was the most fun I had in Minneapolis.

Bunkers is fairly well the definition of a dive bar. It's pretty big, pretty dark inside and pretty OK. On the plus side, you can tell that this is a place known for local music and a good stiff drink. The beer selection was decent enough, with a dozen or maybe more options on tap and more in bottles. Nothing too froo foo, just good solid selection. I did hear some folks at the table next to ours complaining about their mixed drinks, but as I stuck with beer, I have no comment on the liquor. The stage at Bunkers is great... able to be seen from most tables, sound system adequately fills the space and then some. We had a very enjoyable time listening to music. Didn't drink quite enough to get myself out on the dance floor, but others certainly seemed to be enjoying themselves. We did not try the food as the free popcorn was plenty to munch on. After reading reviews here, I came with cash just in case. I can't say whether it was cash only (previous reviews seem mixed on this point), but we paid cash and that seemed good with everyone. I did hear our waitress tell the table next to us that they won't run a tab, so maybe that's an indication that there's a credit card option after all. Finally, again after reading reviews here, I went to the bathroom with some trepidation. But I found four stalls and a decently appointed bathroom with plenty of paper towels. So perhaps they have upgraded since some of the reviews here. We'd come back if there was someone we wanted to see playing Bunkers for sure. Seems like a good old fashioned divey bar with a good local following. FWIW.

What can I say. The burgers rock, the wings are tasty and are a Happy Hour staple, and they have snappy service as long as they have a good customer to bartender ratio. We were there on Dad Rock nite which sucked. But if they have a good band, this place can't be beat with the free parking, spacious bar, free popcorn, and accessible warehouse district location. Shawn's Tip: Free popcorn at the back of the bar!

This is hands down the best bar I have been too in a while. Drinks are reasonable for downtown. Music is great and the food during the day tastes like Grandma's home cooking. Would highly recommend.

Amazing live music!! First, I'd like to give a shot out to the bouncer at the door. It was an extremely cold night last Saturday, and they had called for a snow emergency. The bouncer had asked us where we had parked and informed us that we should probably move our car because they were plowing and would tow our car. We ended up sitting right next to the door and we could hear the bouncer literally ask every person where they parked, helped them figure out a better parking space, and every person came back thanking him for helping! This is something that would typically not be written about in a review, but it was so refreshing to see someone go above and beyond for guests. I don't know his name, but he is a great asset to the Bunker's team! Other than that, Mick Sterling and the Stud Brothers were excellent. If you can go see them, do it! You will be entertained. Everyone was dancing and having a great time. We will be coming back to see them for sure!

This is a spacious little bar with a great stage for live music. The food is much better than average for bar food. And, the portions are generous. The ingredients seem surprisingly fresh. There are a few good servers and a few that need a bit of work on their customer service skills. But overall, it's decent service. If you are in the neighborhood and need to grab a quick bite or want to grab a beer after work, this is a pretty solid spot that will not disappoint.

I went on a Saturday, when local R&B band Boombox played. They performed three sets and did a great job keeping the crowd energized and entertained. Typically, they're there on Wednesday's so if you're interested...check them out. RE: Establishment - Cover charge was $7, which wasn't bad. Just think about how much it would have cost at the Dakota. - Ambiance, there's no need to get all dolled up; the place is very casual and so is the crowd. It's a diverse group, but everyone's there to have a good time and party together. -There is a small dance floor so if the mood strikes you, you can "get down". -I did see the free parking lot and there was lots of space. -As other have mentioned, they don't take credit cards, but they have an ATM. However, the bartender offered to run my friends card for $30 and give her $30 from the register, which helped her save on the fees. With that, not sure why they are anti-credit cards seeing that they have the equipment, but...whatever! RE: Food/ Drinks -I didn't try any of the food and it didn't look like anyone else was eating. -I did have a couple of drinks which were good and so cheap, $5.25 for a pineapple/cranberry/rum concoction which at a place like Seven which would have been $9/$11. -I couldn't tell where people were getting the free popcorn from, but didn't really care. I knew it wasn't from Candy Land (love their Butter Popcorn), so I was fine without it. Overall, great night and I'll definitely be back.

Expensive ($3.50 for Designated Driver diet coke, no free refills,) overcrowded (Prince-related show) to the point of feeling unsafe, cash-only bar, and slow kitchen service. At least the opening act was terrible. Oh, wait. Review gets one star for the great burger, and another for a friendly bar staff. Will not darken their door again.

4 stars because it's a great live music venue downtown. $5 cover at the door to see a jam band called Frog Leg. They put on a great show. Would've given 5 stars if they had a better beer selection. Only an IPA and your typical coors/budweiser cans. But definitely a place to check out if you happen to be in Minneapolis for a night

This place is for the privileged. If you aren't befitting find another place. Food is mediocre, service is alright.

Love this dive place where the staff remembers your name and keeps me returning! Can't wait to see the remodel in May!

Great bar. Don't come looking for "exquisite" cuisine, but the food is good (don't be an idiot and order the chicken corn strips and think you are going to get the works) and the service is great! Great staff. Highly recommended for the lunch office crew.

Great place to hangout and enjoy a drink with friends. They have an extremely long bar which is great considering many of the surrounding bars have smaller bars. The staff is nice but could be friendlier. We were there at 9pm on a Saturday and there was a $7 cover for the band. The kitchen only serves a burger and chips for $10 at night, which was kind of a bummer because we wanted food. We ate popcorn and went to a different bar with a full menu.

Used to love this place, but since I'm temporarily on the wagon, I could only order a Diet Coke. Theo the bartender charged me $3.50 for my SECOND one. No refills at Bunkers??? C'mon!!!

Bunkers is one of my favorite places in Minneapolis for live music. The combination of the diveyness of the bar plus the placement of the stage and the regular bands that they have in rotation makes this my happy place. The drinks can be weird sometimes (their rail vodka tastes AWFUL...) and the drinks aren't strong at all. The bathrooms are weird and usually to some varying degree of yucky. But I've met some amazing characters had had such great conversations in there that I don't mind at all that I feel like I have to wash my hands twice and pray that they actually have paper towels there. Word to the wise, the bar has this weird no-tab policy, so you can estimate how much you'll be drinking that night when you place your first drink order and they'll give you cash back. This is just a more annoying quirk than anything, but just know how they do this here.

I love this place, but I also kind of hate this place. I will start with the good- It's cozy, cool, has a great vibe, and great bands. The bad- It's way too small. They need to stop letting people in the door when it gets to the point that it takes 15 minutes to get from one side of the place to the other when it should take 8 seconds. When it's this busy, it's damn near impossible to get a drink at the bar. It also gets so effing hot in there that you shed 10 lbs in sweat, even in the dead of winter. Open a door or something, people! But, never the less, I will still go back, cuz the place is cool, and a fun spot to watch a show.

Bunkers is great, and it's become a Minneapolis music institution. Where else can you listen to live music (and GOOD live music) every night of the week? Dependent on the night, you might be listening to funk, reggae, rock and roll, or soul and everything in between. The dance floor is generally hopping after 10pm and the people watching is unparalleled - I mean seriously where do these people come from - head-to-toe Fubu, short-shorts in the winter, cheetah print, fake fur, (p)leather?! AMAZING! A couple things to keep in mind before heading to Bunkers: -There is a cover charge every night. It's usually under $10 and only after 9pm.... but still, cover charges are lame. -They have free popcorn. -There is an ATM, but otherwise it's cash only. -They have great burgers. -Did I mention the great live music and phenomenal people watching?

Great music venue with some set regular acts to see. Gives off good vibes... mambos combo and the international reggae All Stars to name a few. Also, free popcorn!

Out of town visitor to tour paisley park. We got there extra early (like 3 hrs) just to eat a bit and visit. we were already seated for 45 min when we were told at our table that we had to pay a cover fee. I've never been anywhere else where this has occurred in 20 years of going out. Food menu was very limited. We got burgers but they were very raw. I would've sent mine back but feared food retaliation.

Greasy bar food at its best. A little pricey for what you get but reasonable considering the location. I have only ever been there for lunch but they look set up well for live music in the evening. Staff has always been friendly and helpful.