A women-focused sports bar in Minneapolis is suddenly on the national radar. A Bar of Their Own, tucked into the Seward neighborhood, has been crowned the top local sports bar in the country in USA TODAY's Readers' Choice poll, a prize that arrives barely a year after opening and that owners say mirrors growing enthusiasm for women's athletics close to home and across the U.S.
Local TV coverage quickly backed up the big win. KSTP reported that A Bar of Their Own finished first in the Readers' Choice category, with owners telling the station the recognition "reflects growing support for women's athletics." The result shines a spotlight on a place that flips the standard sports bar script, centering women's games and community events instead of the usual wall-to-wall men's programming.
Founder Jillian Hiscock opened the Seward spot in March 2024, and the Minnesota Star Tribune, which covered the debut, described it as the state's first bar dedicated solely to women's sports. The paper noted opening-day crowds that packed the room, a wall lined with women's sports memorabilia, and early plans for regular watch parties and events designed to help build a more consistent fan base.
Part of a growing trend
A Bar of Their Own is not operating in a vacuum. In recent years, a wave of venues built around women's sports has emerged, from Portland's The Sports Bra to new concepts and expansions in other cities. Bring Me The News and other outlets have tied that growth to surging fan interest and entrepreneurs who see a business opening that traditional sports bars have largely ignored.
The Minneapolis bar sticks to a clear pitch: "All Women's Sports. All The Time." Its website lays out a detailed TV schedule and highlights community work that includes a fundraising effort called A Fund Of Their Own. A Bar of Their Own lists hours, game lineups, and ways for fans to plug in, from themed watch parties to volunteering and donation options.
How the Readers' Choice poll worked
USA TODAY launched its Sports Readers' Choice Awards in April, with nominees selected by an expert panel and winners chosen entirely by public vote, according to a USA TODAY press release. Voting wrapped up on May 11 and results went public on May 20. Coverage of those results, including a roundup from Patch, listed A Bar of Their Own as the number one local sports bar in the country.
The national nod could mean fuller tables and livelier watch nights for the Seward hangout built specifically to showcase women's sports. Owners say the victory is not just a boost for their business but also a win for the broader push to create more permanent, dedicated spaces for women's athletics in cities across the United States.
