Skaalvenn Distillery & Cocktail Lounge — Restaurant in Brooklyn Park

"What an amazing night!", was the first thing my husband and I said to each other this morning. I have a feeling we will be saying this about our visit to Skaalvenn for years to come.

First of all, walking through the office building where the cocktail lounge is located doesn't prepare you for the "WOW!" moment of walking into Skaalvenn. In fact, you wonder if you've come to the right place, which only adds to the amazement of walking into the lounge through an undescript door and being greeted by a place that transports you to a different era. From the beautiful artwork, to handpicked furniture, to the carefully selected music and lighting, everything is about the details here. The drinks are no exception. Each drink is designed and prepared with love, and meant to create a statement. We had a mix of cocktails and spirits and every single order left us in awe of the quality, taste, and presentation.

What made this place truly unlike any others, in my opinion, was the heart of it - the people. Tyson and Mary (the owners) and their amazing mixologists (like Bryce and Nelson) spent time with us throughout the night, making us feel like we were special among all their guests. You can tell they all love each other as family and love what they do, which made us as customers feel so loved as well.

We were just passing through Minneapolis for the night, and now, I can't wait to return after visiting Skaalvenn. This will always be a stop for us in our future travels. Thank you, amazing...

To start, I know you will be curious of our date and time of my one-star experience. Let me save you the trouble - this last Saturday, about 7PM. I will leave my most honest review, please do not feel the need for a response as it will not change anything. Yes, it did take about 20 minutes for a cocktail, which some would find abysmal. Yes, we did have one good server, who did a great job of fixing the issue, but unfortunately it was overshadowed by the other who insulted our group not once, but four times. Comments about not being the “age” for the place, and to get a credit card that swipes better is just weird. By the way, if we want to talk about “age” I am not sure what crowd can, or wants to, afford a $17 drink in the burbs with no city view and a community restroom that brings me back to grade school. Now, to the owner. If you aren’t open to feedback, don’t put your number on the menu. And when a customer does reach out, maybe have a better response then “it sounds like we’re just not the place for you”. Utter disappointment from people who love to spend money on overpriced cocktails, in the burbs.

P.S. checking camera footage of customers tables is a...

Skaalven Distillery is doing some very special and unique things with their cocktails. From a lavender based cocktail smoked with a lavender fog to a tiki drink made with pork belly broth, Skaalven is shaking things up from your typical cocktail lounge.

Their location is truly bizarre but it actually adds to the dark and dramatic ensemble that awaits you once you step through the door labeled “Pillage Responsibly”.

Skaalven offers an elegant experience with steamed towels waiting for you as dog rolls over your table in the dimly light lounge.

They have an ever changing cocktail menu based on what ingredients they currently have so there is never a dull moment here.

Their staff are incredibly friendly and insightful about every ingredient that goes into their drinks. There are not many places like this in the area so I highly recommend you stop by if you’re looking to try something new and exciting.

If you end up liking one of their spirits as well, they sell bottles of their product on site that are for purchase so you can take some home with you!

We will...