As a business attorney in Minneapolis, I regularly meet clients at locations throughout the Twin Cities. Over the years, I’ve compiled this directory of free and affordable meeting spaces for professionals who need a private or semi-private place to meet without the overhead of a dedicated office.
Whether you’re an attorney, consultant, real estate agent, or small business owner, these options can help you find the right setting for your next meeting.
Public Libraries
The Twin Cities library systems offer the most reliable free meeting rooms in the metro. Every system uses LibCal for online reservations, and most rooms include WiFi and basic AV equipment.
One important note for business professionals: Most library systems prohibit “commercial activities” in their meeting rooms. This generally means no sales presentations, fee-based consultations, or client transactions. Internal team meetings, planning sessions, and educational discussions are typically fine. If your meeting involves exchanging money or pitching services, consider a coworking space instead.
Hennepin County Library (Minneapolis and Suburbs)
37 locations with meeting rooms, conference rooms, study rooms, and hybrid meeting rooms. The Minneapolis Central Library is the flagship, with rooms ranging from 4-person study rooms to Pohlad Hall (235 capacity).
- Cost: Free
- Capacity: Study rooms (4-10), conference rooms (10-20), meeting rooms (21-195)
- Book: Up to 90 days in advance at hclib.libcal.com
- Limit: Once per month per individual or group
- Tech: WiFi everywhere. Select branches have hybrid meeting rooms with cameras, mics, and wireless displays (North Regional, Oxboro, Ridgedale, Rockford Road, Walker). Video conferencing rooms available at 8 branches.
- Restrictions: No commercial activities. Must be 18+ to reserve. Light refreshments only.
Anoka County Library
6 locations with meeting rooms, many equipped with large monitors and kitchenettes.
- Cost: Free during library hours
- Capacity: 4-75 people depending on location. Largest: Centennial (75), Mississippi and Rum River (60 each, divisible into two 30-person halves)
- Book: Up to 60 days in advance at anokacounty.libcal.com
- Tech: WiFi, 65-inch monitors, projectors, whiteboards, wireless microphones at select locations. Centennial has the most complete AV setup.
- Restrictions: No commercial activities. Must be 18+ to reserve. Bring your own laptop and cables.
Ramsey County Library (Suburban Ramsey County)
5 locations with meeting rooms: Maplewood, Mounds View, Roseville, Shoreview, and White Bear Lake.
- Cost: Free for non-commercial use
- Capacity: Board rooms (2-28), community program rooms (10-125). Largest: Roseville and Shoreview (125 each)
- Book: Up to 60 days in advance at rclreads.libcal.com or call 651-724-6003
- Limit: 2 bookings per person per month
- Tech: Board rooms include sound bars, integrated cameras and microphones, wireless displays. Community rooms have projectors and sound systems.
Dakota County Library
- Cost: Free for nonprofit, for-profit, and community organizations
- Book: Up to 90 days in advance online. Maximum 10 active reservations.
- Restrictions: No commercial use or celebratory events.
Scott County Library
- Cost: Free
- Book: Online or by phone. Ages 16+ during staffed hours, 18+ for after-hours.
- Notes: Study rooms available first-come, first-served. Meeting rooms at most locations except Belle Plaine.
Saint Paul Public Library
10+ locations including the George Latimer Central Library.
- Cost: Free for nonprofits and government. For-profit organizations pay $50/hour plus a $25 non-refundable reservation fee.
- Capacity: Central Library has the largest rooms (up to 70). Smaller branches offer rooms for 6-50.
- Book: 3-90 days in advance at sppl.libcal.com
- Limit: 2 reservations per organization per month per location
- Tech: HDMI/VGA projector connections, video call kits at most locations. Library card required for AV equipment.
Coffee Shops with Meeting Rooms
Bordertown Coffee
315 16th Ave SE, Minneapolis (Dinkytown)
- Cost: Free
- Room: “Library Room” for groups of 4+
- Reserve: Call (612) 379-7277. Available 7-11am and 1pm-close (open seating 11am-1pm)
- Hours: Mon-Fri 7:30am-6pm, Sat 8am-4pm, closed Sundays
Quixotic Coffee
769 Cleveland Ave S, St. Paul
- Cost: $10/hour, but you receive a $10 gift card per hour booked (effectively free)
- Capacity: Up to 8
- Reserve: Book at least 4 hours in advance at quixoticcoffee.com or call (651) 699-5448
- Note: The room is not fully enclosed (no door), so expect ambient cafe noise. Not ideal for confidential discussions.
Dunn Bros Coffee
Multiple Twin Cities locations. Some locations have informal meeting areas or upstairs spaces, though there’s no standardized meeting room program. Contact individual stores to ask about availability.
Restaurants
Davanni’s
Multiple Twin Cities locations
- Cost: Free with food purchase
- Capacity: Party rooms seating 10-60 depending on location
- Reserve: Contact individual locations
- Notes: A practical option when meeting over lunch. Available across the metro.
Grocery Stores
Lunds & Byerlys
Multiple Twin Cities locations
- Cost: Free
- Capacity: Approximately 25
- Reserve: Book at lundsandbyerlys.com or contact individual stores. Recommend booking at least one month in advance.
- Notes: Enclosed community rooms separate from the retail area. Availability may vary by location.
Banks
Star Bank
250 Prairie Center Dr, Eden Prairie
- Cost: Free (primarily for nonprofits, but other meetings may be considered)
- Capacity: Up to 74
- Reserve: Call (952) 358-2265. Pick up key before the bank closes.
- Amenities: Adjacent kitchen
Coworking Spaces (Pay-Per-Use)
If you need a professional setting for a client meeting and don’t want a membership, several coworking spaces in the Twin Cities offer on-demand meeting room rentals.
WeWork
Capella Tower (225 S 6th St) and North Loop (729 N Washington Ave), Minneapolis
- Cost: From $10/seat per hour (no membership required)
- Book: Via WeWork app or website
- Notes: Professional downtown setting. Capella Tower is skyway-connected.
Regus
Multiple Minneapolis locations
- Cost: $29-65/hour depending on room and location
- Book: Online, by phone, or via the Regus app
- Amenities: Videoconferencing, whiteboards, AV equipment, on-site support, catering available
IDS Executive Suites
222 S 9th St, 9th Floor (IDS Center), Minneapolis
- Cost: $40-50/hour
- Capacity: Rooms for 4-12 people
- Amenities: Receptionist, Polycom speaker phones, downtown views. Very professional for client-facing meetings.
Local Collective HQ
523 Jackson St, Downtown St. Paul
- Cost: Day pass from $25; meeting rooms bookable hourly
- Amenities: Printers, whiteboards, TV monitors, complimentary coffee and tea
OffiCenters
6 Twin Cities locations (St. Louis Park, Minnetonka, Bloomington, St. Paul, and more)
- Free one-time day pass at any location for coworking access
- Book: officenters.com
- Notes: Meeting rooms available for a fee beyond the free day pass. Good way to try a space before committing.
On-Demand Booking Platforms
These platforms let you search and book meeting rooms across multiple venues without a membership.
- Peerspace — Wide variety of unique spaces. Average $68/hour in Minneapolis, as low as $25/hour. Tuesdays and Wednesdays tend to be about 19% cheaper.
- LiquidSpace — Free signup, real-time availability across many coworking venues. Book and pay online.
- Deskpass — App-based booking for coworking desks and meeting rooms across multiple venues.
Hotels
Hotel lobbies and business centers can work well for meetings with out-of-town visitors or when you need an upscale setting without booking a full event space.
- Hotel Emery (Downtown Minneapolis) — Pop-up office space with WiFi, AV, and 62″ flat screen. Private dining room on lobby level. Skyway-connected.
- The Saint Paul Hotel — Archbishop Ireland Room directly off the lobby. Upscale setting for client meetings.
- InterContinental MSP Airport — Lobby lounge for casual meetings. Convenient when meeting someone flying in.
Venues That Have Closed
Several meeting spaces commonly listed in older directories are no longer available:
- Common Roots Cafe (Lyndale Ave, Minneapolis) — Closed December 2022
- St. Clair Broiler (St. Paul) — Closed September 2017
- Coffee Bene at Davanni’s on Grand (St. Paul) — Permanently closed
- Toppers Pizza at 54th & Nicollet (Minneapolis) — Permanently closed
Tips for Choosing a Meeting Space
- For confidential discussions, choose an enclosed room with a door. Library conference rooms and coworking spaces are generally better than coffee shops for privacy.
- For client-facing meetings, consider a coworking space or hotel. The professional setting reflects well on your practice.
- For internal team meetings, library rooms are hard to beat—free, well-equipped, and widely available.
- Book early. Library rooms and Lunds & Byerlys community rooms are popular. Reserve as far in advance as the system allows.
- Bring your own cables and adapters. Most venues provide a screen or monitor but expect you to connect your own device.
- Check the commercial use policy before booking a library room for any meeting that involves sales, fees, or client transactions.
This directory is updated periodically. If you know of a free or affordable meeting space in the Twin Cities that should be included, please let me know.