Howl At The Moon

I was here in May as Rachel C had won a free party that she decided to use for her birthday party. A couple things had me skeptical from the start, the initial party offer included drink specials for those at the party throughout the night; however, about two weeks before the party, they decide to limit it only one free drink with no further specials. After some negotiating, Rachel C did manage to get two free drinks for the guests with no further drink specials. I found rather tacky that Howl at the Moon would change the incentives after the party had already been won and scheduled. If you’re going to change the incentives, change the incentives for parties that have yet to be scheduled.
I know it is not fair, but having gone to the Shout House fairly regularly during the Proletariat hours, I ended up comparing Howl at the Moon to the Shout House. The musicians with the exception with the girl with dark curly at the Howl Moon are better at the Shout House. The musicians at Howl at the Moon just seemed like super cheesy lounge singers. The servers were good, but they didn’t seem as friendly and as fun as those at the Shout House.
Howl at the Moon does win for having a better use of space and it is a lot less crowded than the shout house. Also, the drinks seemed a little stronger than at the Shout House, but those two things combined are not enough to make me want to come back.
Overall, it is good to have another piano bar option to check out, but I’m not a fan.

Gorgeous bar… HUGE by Howl Standards (its a chain)
I liked this place a lot. The entertainers know how to throw a party. Its a great alternative to listening to a DJ. Cool bartenders, lots of seating, very very clean bar. You’ll definitely love it here.

A dueling piano bar chain with about 15 – 20 locations throughout the country. This joint was a little different than other dueling piano bars because there wasn’t as much interaction. There was a full band that played and the pianos didn’t stand out much… but that was early on in the evening 9−11pm. They turned in to more of a traditional show with customer interaction, college fight songs competition, and other acts. Good service by the waitress and very accomodating. Decent prices too. But all in all, I’ve experienced far better dueling piano bars in Milwaukee, Las Vegas, Little Rock and other areas.

Went for a birthday party for a friend for Friday night happy hour. It was super packed and hot as hell. as part of a reserved party they give you 2 coupons for free drinks… rails, house wine, domestic bottles, and domestic taps. The regular paying customers obviously get served first and the coupon people after. One lady next to me in her 40’s was pissed that she didn’t get served right away holding out her coupons. It was funny. :) The piano playing was pretty good and the girl singing was good but the guy was lacking tune. I was bored after about an hour, but to be honest my friends had been there for more than an hour before me and were pretty tanked so I was already not thrilled with them as well. If it wasn’t so packed there I think it would have been a good time. They definitely need more room.

Howl is a fun place to hit once in awhile. I’ve been there several times now,& recently «won» a happy hour party, which is a great deal for groups large or small. They offer free cover and drink discounts plus a buffet on Fridays if you plan in advance.
Of course it gets packed, but we were mostly all there by 5:30 and didn’t have any trouble finding seats. On weekends (it seems like usually around 7:30) they have a drawing you can enter, and 4 or 5 people get picked to win one of their bucket sized drinks (after they dance on stage). Haha! Two of my friends won! I’m glad I got to try them without buying one because neither were very good. We didn’t let them go to waste though and that was a fun bonus.: P
They have free cover before 8p coupons in the City Pages, sometimes.
It’s a good place to stop in before or after a game, if you’re looking for a party atmosphere.

I was in MN for a wedding and one of the girls in the wedding party won a free VIP party here, so we started our Bachelorette party here. Getting the specials was painless, we were given two drink tickets when we got in, and found a table off to the side for our group. I guess I would describe this as a typical piano bar experience, everyone on stage was talented, but I think it was lacking some excitement. We had a good time, but I can’t say I’d return.

Wow this was an amazing piano bar experience. Another bar on our bar hop schedule for St. Patty’s day and it became our final spot as the band kept us locked in with their music ranging different genres.
The band took requests and they did play some of the requests from our table. Especially Piano Man by Billy Joel that I had requested. They did a pretty good job with the song.
Luckily for us a fellow Unilocaler found free admission coupons on their website for St. Patty’s day. Either ways wouldn’t mind to pay the cover next time based on this experience.
Did not experiment with the drinks and I just settled in with the Summit Extra Pale Ale and the wings were well sauced and juicy.
Will no doubt be back here again.

I was here on a Saturday night. First off it was 7 bucks to get in, and I guess I’d rather go to one of the other bars right down the street which are cheaper to get in — or free. It was more of a cover band than dueling pianos with like comedy — which I was more expecting and would have liked to see. Second, drinks seemed a little overpriced. Third, the bathroom was terribly messy and needed to be re-​stocked, and I wasn’t loving the bachelorette party-​type crowd.

I came here with fellow Unilocaler Cassi N. last weekend for a birthday outing/​joining a party that was won. I was impressed upon walking in – the bar was pretty large and there was ample space for people to sit and stand without being too large like Shout House is. First impressions are always good when you walk into a new bar downtown! We got our wristbands for the party at the door, but really couldn’t hear the hostess as she explained what we got. We got two tickets for $ 1 drinks and then were given a flyer that outlined the specials for being a part of the party. We went in under the impression we were getting half price drinks until midnight, but after asking around it was half price appetizers. Oh well, we were there and ready to have a good time.
The music was loud but our group was in the back in a booth, so we were able to keep conversations. I didn’t really pay attention to the music though, although it was played well, sung well, and kept the crowd going. If i went back, I would recommend standing near the crowd at the front to be a part of the music.
The drinks were pricey for what you got, but I also frequent dive bars during happy hour because I’m cheap, and I’m a Jew. Literally. $ 5.50 for a small rum and diet and when I ordered two shots for me and the birthday girl, I was very surprised at the tab. It was $ 8 for a shot that was not well made and took too long to get to us (the bar wasn’t packed or anything). Our bartender was nice enough, and we were asked several times if we had been helped, but when we asked about the «party special» we were supposed to be getting, she didn’t ask anyone and didn’t tell us upon tab that she gave us one more drink for $ 1. When she told me my bill was $ 18.50, I was surprised. It’s nice to get the option for an itemized receipt so you know what you’re paying for. I don’t go to the bars downtown though, so I’m not really sure what the norm is. I stood around and asked and then she told us what each thing was and that she gave us another $ 1 drink.
I didn’t really have any expectations coming here, nor was it the best night of my life. I wouldn’t have minded going elsewhere, but it wasn’t a bad place to be in any case. I noticed around 1am the place started to really clear out, and I decided I should take my leave too. I would try going back again, but maybe pre-​gaming a little harder next time before I get there to avoid a spendy night!

Definitely not a place for a single girl to go to on her own, especially since finding seating is a competitive sport. I can see the appeal more if you’re going with a group (they do have some pretty great deals if you bring in a bunch of people). The entertainment is definitely great, I do enjoy live music. Maybe I’ll try going again when it’s not so packed with an entourage.

I won a Happy Hour at Howl At The Moon and I must say, I found myself howlin’ at the end of the night!
Everyone loved the musicians and were all impressed by their talent. Not only did they play pianos but guitars, drums, etc. The music spanned multiple genres and always kept us entertained… getting up on stage wasn’t as bad considering the staff gets up as well! I think it’s a great addition to MPLS and First Ave!
Try it out, you won’t be disappointed!

A friend got a deal for 100 people on a guest list to get your first two drinks for $ 1 dollar and then everything after that was half price. So we went to check it out and I liked what I found. A dueling piano bar that never stops playing and I’m pretty sure they can play every song ever written. It was a rather older crowd that night it seemed and with all the tables there’s really no dance floor — that would have been nice. If the drinks weren’t half price I’m pretty sure I would have went broke that night, they seemed pretty pricey. It was a really fun place to go, just not easy on the wallet.

You know you’re having a great time when you spend six hours at a bar after having worked eight hours before that. Granted, it was on a Friday, but still… I’m still patting myself on the back for staying up that long. Needless to say, my friends and I had a great time at Howl at the Moon. I went for the Unilocaly! Happy Hour hosted by the fabulous Kohleen L. We arrived around 5:15 and got free admission, 2 drinks for $ 1 (from a selected menu), half off drinks until 8 PM, and a buffet, which surprisingly was very, very good. That night they had a selection of fruits and veggies, but who are we kidding? I saved my plate’s real estate for the food that matters, the fry bread with the ground beef and toppings. Hot damn, it was the bomb. The fry bread was perfectly warm, the ground beef was well-​seasoned, and the toppings were copious. Plus, it went really well with my $ 1 margaritas. Um, hell yeah.
Then, the music started, and the real treat began. It was really more of a cover band show, and an epic one at that. All the musicians switched around the instruments more than once that night, and their talents were just sickeningly good. They played everything from the typical song requests (you know, your Billy Joels, your Sweet Caroline, and possibly every song in Elton John’s Greatest Hits album), but then they also had the club songs as the night drew on. We especially loved Allysa, who were calling Rihanna for half the night, because she the same shocking red hair and voice. Overall it was a pretty awesome night with the girls, the drinks, the food, and the songs.

Very crowded on Saturday night and took 15 minutes to get a drink! They def need more staff at the bar!
The atmosphere was fun and unlike other places, anyone could get on stage at anytime and go wild! They seemed to know and play a lot of current music. I plan to go again, but start early to try the food, free cover and get a good spot near the stage!

The food was really really great, and staff were all about making sure we had a great time. I was a part of a happy hour on Thursday and all staff (of course, performers as well) were on-​point.
The location, size, quality of food, and prices make this a place I will definitely come back to.

Have been there twice. For the grand opening and a friends party. The grand opening was AWESOME because they gave out free drinks and food. It was an awesome atmosphere.
The second time I went, I was not impressed. I went during happy hour when they had the free food. The platter of fruit and veggies was impressive, but the walleye they served was just gross and not cooked all the way. I know the food was free but still. The waitress was also a «bia» and not too thrilled we had $ 1 drink coupons to use. She asked for the $ 1 up front before getting the drink, which was fine. I proceeded to hand her a $ 20 bill and she replies, «A $ 20 bill is a servers worst nightmare.» Luckily a friend loaned me a dollar so she didn’t have to make change, what a request, right?! The drink I got tasted like straight up water, no alcohol whatsoever, so I didn’t even bother using the other drink coupon (I was driving to Madison, WI afterwards anyway). I asked the waitress for a water and she did not seem happy. When I was getting ready to leave she said, «You still had one drink left. Have a good night.» in a real nasty tone. Needless to say, I wasn’t about to leave her a tip! This place is mediocre, and with mean waitresses this place won’t last. I’ve never been to the ShoutHouse, but I guess maybe I will check it out!

A few friends and I visited Howl at the Moon about a week ago. They actually have great happy hour deals if you go there for a party. Free early admission, tasty appetizers and early drink specials.
We had great service all night. Amy was our waitress and though she was swamped, she did a great job making sure we had what we needed and even brought out waters when we weren’t yet ready for another cocktail. It was an added bonus to see her jump on stage and rock the fiddle with the other musicians. All evening she was very friendly, knowledgable about the specials, drinks and menu and really seemed like she too was having fun.
The early drink specials are a great deal. After that drinks seemed to be pretty comparable to other bars in the area. We did order a Bahama Mama bucket to share and it was tasty but didn’t seem to include «that» much alcohol. Others in my party ordered food later in the night and said they enjoyed it as well.
I would have to agree with others who say it’s not your «traditional» dueling piano bar and has more of a cover band type feel. I don’t mind over bands but at times I missed the interaction and «battle» between the pianists who instead seemed to be focused on trying to find the most intoxicated «pretty» girls to pull on stage. One frustration was the fact that my friends and I showed up early to lock in a couple tables toward the front but a large group of out of state college kids ended up standing in front of us for quite a while. I’m all for people having a place to dance and let loose but just standing in front of people who arrived early to secure a place to sit I felt was rude. Especially considering the place wasn’t packed and they too had tables to sit at next to us.
I also agree that the bathroom attendant is unnecessary. It even made a few of my friends uncomfortable because they didn’t expect to see one in such an establishment.
Overall, we had a good time and I plan to bring a large group back in a few weeks for my sister’s birthday party. On Friday night the place wasn’t too packed, there was a wide variety of people of all ages and demographics. If you’re looking for your «typical» dueling piano bar, this might not be the perfect place for you but if you want some live entertainment in a fun atmosphere I think you’ll enjoy yourself.

I went here for a friend’s bachelorette party, and only after printing of coupons from the website for a free cover.
Overall, I’d describe this place as a weird combination of classy and trashy – «clashy» if you will. On the trashy side, bar girls and servers dressed in skanky outfits and one girl passing out weird jello shots in syringes complete with whipped cream. This particular shot almost made my friend throw up because the girl giving them out would not allow my friend to control the rate at which she took the shot.
On the classy side, the bathroom attendant even though it just made all the people in my party uncomfortable. The clientele also seemed somewhat older and not as rowdy as the crowd you’d see at Shout House.
I feel as though everything is grossly overpriced. $ 125 to reserve a table even though I could just walk down and sit with a group of 8 friends. 35 dollars for a fishbowl is too much. The girl at the bar didn’t even give my friend her change when she paid for her beverage. In addition, there’s no clear way to get your song heard – my friend paid $ 2 for a song to be playe
d for our bachelorette and they played 4 seconds of it in a mashup with other songs.
The highlight of the evening was our server was also some sort of rock fiddler who got up on stage with the piano players for a few songs. This makes me think that probably all their staff are just musicians who happen to also serve, bartend, creepily hand you towels in the bathroom etc.

I was excited to spend a night out my ladies at Howl’s grand opening. Overall this is a fairly good addition to the minneapolis entertainment scene with a few kinks.
So here is our group review– pros: pretty sweet dueling piano players, super open layout, able to talk our way out of the cover, good place to bring out of town friends, excellent tambourine player, good environment for dancing — cons: you should probably be buzzed before you get here since the drinks are pretty weak, its chilly inside so don’t wear a tank top, have to pay for coat check, uneeded bathroom attendent (I can get my own paper towel).
Don’t order one of their group bucket drinks — lots of ice and soda for $ 35. Even when I asked for a «strong» vodka soda I was given a gin and tonic. Not sure about that one. Overall we did have a good time once we made our way to the stage area and did some dancing. It has less of a dueling piano bar feel where the piano players interact with each other and with the audience and more of a band feel.
I’m sure we will come back again but probably stick to our usual bars for ladies night out.