Dark Horse Bar & Eatery
NA Program Strength is an editorial assessment based on publicly available menu data. See methodology.
250 E 7th St, Saint Paul, MN 55101
Dark Horse Bar & Eatery is a Lowertown, St. Paul neighborhood bar and restaurant that spent a decade serving the district before closing in February 2025 and reopening in July 2025 under new ownership. The relaunch is run by chef Shane Oporto in the kitchen and Sarah McDonough on the floor, backed by Eclective, the hospitality group behind Saint Paul Brewing and Can Can Wonderland. The reopened menu pairs elevated bar food — a signature burger, pizzas — with a cocktail list that gives equal attention to its non-alcoholic side. A dedicated "Zero Proof" menu section ($9 each) features house-made drinks: a Ginger Beer built on house ginger syrup, cayenne, and soda; a Squirt with house grapefruit cordial and soda; and a lightly fermented Tepache of pineapple, piloncillo, and cinnamon. Athletic Brewing non-alcoholic beers (Free Wave, Upside Dawn) are also stocked.
What to order
- Ginger Beer
- Squirt
- Tepache
“Non-alcoholic and low-proof beverages receive just as much care in building flavors as the standard classics such as the Old Fashioned or Vesper martini.”— Star TribuneStar Tribune, 2025 →