Bar in Minneapolis, United States
Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery
100Pearl PointsSpirits-first venue that earns its food reputation.
About Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery
Earl Giles is a working distillery with a bar and kitchen in Northeast Minneapolis — the right pick if you want house-made spirits at the center of the experience, not as a gimmick. Booking is easy, timing matters (go early for a quieter room), and the format works well for dates or small groups with an interest in craft spirits.
Quick Verdict
Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery at 1325 Quincy St NE in Minneapolis's Northeast neighborhood is the right call if you want a single venue that covers house-made spirits, food, and atmosphere without bouncing between stops. For a first visit, the distillery format is the draw: this is a working production facility with a bar and kitchen attached, which means the spirits program is the reason to book, not a secondary feature. Booking is easy, which makes it a low-risk pick for a weeknight out or a date that needs a talking point beyond the menu.
What to Expect
As a distillery-anchored venue, Earl Giles is leading understood as a spirits-first experience with food as a genuine supporting act rather than an afterthought. The Northeast Minneapolis address puts it in a neighborhood that has grown into a reliable destination for independent food and drink, and the industrial suite format fits the area's character. If you are visiting for the first time, go with the intention of exploring the spirits program. House-distilled products are the editorial lens here: cocktails built on the distillery's own output give you something you cannot replicate at a conventional bar. For comparable craft cocktail depth in other cities, venues like Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, Jewel of the South in New Orleans, and Julep in Houston operate in the same territory of house-program seriousness.
Timing matters here. A weekday evening or early weekend visit gives you a calmer room and better access to bar staff who can walk you through the spirits lineup. Later on weekend nights the venue draws a broader crowd and conversation becomes harder. If you are coming specifically for the distillery experience rather than a late-night out, arrive before 8 PM.
Know Before You Go
- Address: 1325 Quincy St NE Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55413
- Neighborhood: Northeast Minneapolis
- Booking difficulty: Easy — walk-ins are generally manageable, reservations recommended for groups
- Ideal time to visit: Weekday evenings or early weekend for the quietest experience and leading bar access
- Format: Working distillery with attached bar and restaurant
- Good for: Date nights, small groups, spirits-curious first-timers
For more options in the city, see our full Minneapolis bars guide, our full Minneapolis restaurants guide, and our full Minneapolis experiences guide. Nearby alternatives worth knowing: 112 Eatery, All Saints Restaurant, and Able Seedhouse + Brewery if you want to stay in Northeast. 5-8 Club is a useful fallback for a more casual room. See also our full Minneapolis hotels guide and our full Minneapolis wineries guide if you are planning a longer stay.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a reservation at Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery?
A reservation is worth making, especially for dinner at this Northeast Minneapolis distillery where the dining room draws both locals and out-of-towners. Walk-in bar seating may be available, but if you have a specific time or group in mind, book ahead. Weekend evenings fill fastest.
Is the food good at Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery?
Yes, with the caveat that the distillery is the main attraction and the kitchen earns its keep rather than competing for top honors in the Minneapolis dining scene. The food functions as a genuine complement to the house spirits program rather than an afterthought. If you want food as the headline, 112 Eatery is a stronger call.
Is Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery good for a date?
It works well for a date, particularly if your baseline is drinks-led and you want something more interesting than a standard bar. The distillery setting at 1325 Quincy St NE gives the evening a point of conversation without being gimmicky. Pairs better with an early evening slot than a late-night visit.
What's the crowd like at Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery?
Expect a Northeast Minneapolis mix: creative professionals, couples, and spirits-curious regulars who know what they ordered. It skews adult and relaxed rather than loud or scene-driven. The format suits groups who want to talk across the table.
Does Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery have happy hour deals?
Happy hour specifics aren't confirmed in available records, so check the venue's official channels at 1325 Quincy St NE to verify current offers before you visit. Distilleries in this format often run early-evening promotions on house pours, but assume nothing until confirmed.
What's the signature drink at Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery?
Earl Giles distills its own spirits on-site, so the house cocktails built around those products are what you come for. Specific current cocktails aren't confirmed in available records, but the through-line is that you're drinking something made in the same building you're sitting in, which puts it ahead of most Minneapolis bars on that count.
Location
1325 Quincy St NE Suite 100, Minneapolis, MN 55413
Minneapolis, United States
Compare Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery
| Venue | Booking Difficulty |
|---|---|
| Earl Giles Restaurant and Distillery | Easy |
| Meteor | Unknown |
| 112 Eatery | Unknown |
| All Saints Restaurant | Unknown |
| Amazing Thailand | Unknown |
| Bar Brava | Unknown |
Comparing your options in Minneapolis for this tier.
Also Consider
- Meteor, Notable alternative
- 112 Eatery, Notable alternative
- All Saints Restaurant, Notable alternative
- Amazing Thailand, Notable alternative
- Bar Brava, Notable alternative
Among Minneapolis venues in this tier, Earl Giles occupies a specific niche that most competitors do not: it is a production distillery first, with a bar and kitchen built around that identity. That gives it a clearer reason to visit than a standard cocktail bar but also a narrower appeal. If you are primarily after food quality and a proven kitchen, 112 Eatery is the stronger call, it is one of the most consistently recommended kitchens in the city and the food is the draw rather than a supporting act.
All Saints Restaurant and Bar Brava are worth considering if you want a venue where the dining and drinking programs feel more balanced in ambition. Meteor is a better pick for a pure bar experience without the distillery context. Earl Giles wins on originality of concept and the house spirits angle, if that is what you are after, no other venue on this list replicates it.
For a broader view of where Earl Giles sits relative to the full Minneapolis drinking and dining scene, Amazing Thailand covers a completely different flavor profile and is not a direct competitor. The practical answer: book Earl Giles when the distillery experience is the point; book 112 Eatery when the meal is the point; book Meteor when you want a straightforward bar night without the production facility context.
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