The 100 Best Bars in St. Louis
BY JESSICA ROGEN
When the idea to write about St. Louis’ 100 best bars first came up, it triggered some nerves — and a lot of questions.
First, we wondered about logistics. Could our small but mighty crew visit enough bars to figure out which should make the cut? How would those decisions be made anyhow? Could we then actually do the work of writing about all of these places and photographing them? How many writers could we pull in? How would our art director even fit all of these bars into the book?
Then there was the wisdom of it all. After we settled on our picks, would our list completely piss people off? Would we miss stars and include some dumpster fires? Frankly, the thought of it was a lot .
But we wouldn’t be the Riverfront Times if we didn’t throw caution to the wind and just do the damn thing. So that’s what we did.
In your hands you hold the fruits of those labors: our take on the 100 best places to tip one back in the St. Louis area, in alphabetic order.
To make the task doable, we gave
ourselves some restrictions. So, for example, you won’t find any breweries in here that only sell their own wares (there are just too many excellent ones to get into it, and we did a beer guide last year that you should absolutely check out). We also tried to avoid places that are primarily restaurants, even if they have great bars, though drawing the line on that was a lot more difficult. (And, this being St. Louis, it should go without saying that “best” does not equal “fanciest.”)
Developing the list took some thought, and we’ll admit that our proprietary method of doing so may include an element of subjectivity. Some hard decisions were made, and some tears were shed. But we did our darndest, and now you’ll find an authoritative roster that includes everything from the city’s most intriguing experimental cocktail lounges to its nastiest dives to dance clubs to …
Well, instead of me telling you about it, just turn the page and find out for yourself. There are some great ones in here.
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The RFT’s absolutely accurate and totally subjective 2023 bar guide
Tim's Chrome Bar.
BRADEN MCMAKIN
33 WINE SHOP & BAR
1913 Park Avenue, 33wine.com
A beloved fixture in the Lafayette Square neighborhood for 22 years, 33 Wine Shop & Bar has everything a grownup could want in a wine bar: a smartly curated short list of glasses and a long and fascinating list of bottles, bourbon and whiskey, friendly and knowledgeable barkeeps and just enough snacks (wine, cheese, olives, Union Loafers bread) to keep the conversation coherent. The two rooms can be noisy or hushed, depending on the evening, and the rambling patio is a great alternative on nice nights.
SARAH FENSKE
AMSTERDAM TAVERN
3175 Morgan Ford Road, amsterdamtavern.com
The beating heart of St. Louis’ soccer spirit, Amsterdam Tavern is the watering hole to catch a City SC game. From the outside, it looks like a pub from a London street corner, and the intimate interior draped with every kind of soccer scarf enhances the vibe. The back patio transports you to a German biergarten with long picnic tables, a bar and TVs blaring the game. People come as much for the camaraderie as the good game viewing, so don’t expect to hear the
play-by-play, but you won’t mind as you settle into a sea of City SC jerseys and make yourself at home.
BAR K
4565 McRee Avenue, barkdogbar.com
Every dog owner loves a wagging tail and joyful greeting upon returning home. But the flipside is sad eyes and maybe some separation anxiety when you leave. With Bar K, St. Louisans don’t have to sacrifice their companions' happiness for a night on the town. With an extensive food and drink menu for humans and a small one for the pups (dog risotto, meatballs, ice cream and more), it’s a veritable dog-person paradise. If that wasn’t enough, there are multiple dog parks, a stage and even an on-site training-and-grooming facility.
JESSICA ROGEN
BAR NAPOLI
7754 Forsyth Boulevard, Clayton; napolistl.com
Bar Napoli is a scene: Stop by on any weekend (and even some weekday) evening, and you’ll be greeted by a line of super high-end vehicles valet-parked in front of the bustling patio. Everyone here is dressed to the bougie nines, and that’s the fun of it all. The impressive wine list organized by varietal and country (along
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ROSALIND EARLY
with a menu of spirits and cocktails) and upscale Italian fare from Cafe Napoli are just bonuses.
BAR: PM
JESSICA ROGEN
7109 South Broadway, instagram.com/barpm_stl
Walking in from the street, you might assume you’ve entered a small neighborhood tavern, but in the past few years Bar: PM has morphed into a rabbit warren of excitement after expanding into a neighboring building and garage. In the back, there’s a wonderfully intimate drag cabaret. A narrow exterior gangway leads to two distinct walled patio areas where you can often find live music, both opening to a garage bar sometimes featuring a male pole dancer. Finally, an unassuming corridor lures you to a dark, pulsating dance bar you’d never expect.
CHRIS ANDOE
BJ’S BAR AND RESTAURANT
184 West Washington Street, Florissant; facebook. com/BJsFlorissant
Driving past, you might think BJ’s Bar and Restaurant is a vestige of Florissant past. The vintage Stag sign, boarded-up window and covered-over front door certainly give the impression of a place no longer in operation. For those who know where to locate the side door, however, this north county institution is alive and well, filled with massive mason jar cocktails, cheap cold beer and outstanding St. Louis-style pizza, made with mozzarella, that soaks up all of that inexpensive booze.
CHERYL BAEHR
BLOOD & SAND
1500 St. Charles Street, bloodandsandstl.com
When it first opened in 2011, Blood & Sand was a private, members-only club
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Bar: PM. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
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focused on elegant cuisine and a thrilling cocktail, wine and spirits program. Seven years later, Blood & Sand opened its doors to the public, but retained the clubby mystique that makes everyone who patronizes the place feel like a VIP. Now, over a decade into its run, the downtown lounge still feels like a vital and of-the-moment place to see and be seen thanks to its unwavering commitment to extraordinary drinks and hospitality.
BLUEBERRY HILL
CHERYL BAEHR
6504 Delmar Boulevard, blueberryhill.com
Blueberry Hill has been a mainstay — or more truthfully, a landmark — in the Delmar Loop for more than 50 years. Chuck Berry once said of the bar, “I don’t come here for the music; I come here for the wings.” Even so, Blueberry Hill is known for shaping St. Louis’ music culture, and Berry’s regular gigs were a huge part of that. With pop-culture memorabilia on every wall, walking into Blueberry Hill feels like walking into a toy chest. But this toy chest has an extensive bar with 18 taps and 60 bottled beers and a bustling live music venue, the Duck Room, in the basement.
BOOTLEGGIN’ BOB’S
3457 Morgan Ford Road, bootlegginbobs.com
Formerly Colorado Bob’s Ship of Fools, this south city staple is a neighborhood bar worth trekking to even if you’re not in Tower Grove South. The menu includes a plethora of craft beers and way more whiskeys than you would expect to find at a typical corner watering hole. On many nights, the front patio facing Morgan Ford hosts one of the chillest parties in town. While tossing a few back, be sure to try one of Bob’s pizzas or soft pretzels, so you don’t go bootleggin’ on an empty stomach.
BRASS BAR
RYAN KRULL
4584 Laclede Avenue, brasseriebyniche.com
Once upon a time, acclaimed chef Gerard Craft had a cocktail bar that changed the way St. Louisans drank. That bar, Taste, closed in 2021 after a 12-year run, though this hallowed ground would not stay dark long. Craft swiftly reinvented it as Brass Bar, an intimate, sophisticated space that embraces the vibe of its predecessor with a more wine-focused, French accent. Though it’s impossible to forget Taste, the synergy with his adjacent restaurant Brasserie makes Brass Bar feel like the
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MONICA OBRADOVIC
Bootleggin' Bob's. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
concept that was supposed to be in this space all along.
CHERYL BAEHR
BRENNAN’S
316 North Euclid Avenue, cometobrennans.com
In its 20 years in business, Brennan’s has established itself as the unofficial watering hole of the Central West End, a reputation that has survived both a move and a catastrophic fire. It’s the perfect bar for the tony neighborhood: Stylish, sophisticated and a little bit upscale, it captures the cosmopolitan essence of its environs while still giving its guests — many of them regulars — the feeling of being warmly welcomed into a place that knows their name and has their drink waiting before they even ask.
CHERYL BAEHR
BRIDGE TAP HOUSE & WINE BAR
1004 Locust Street, thebridgestl.com
A narrow, two-story restaurant decorated with dark wood, willow chandeliers, an
elegant bar and shelves filled with bottles, Bridge has some serious aesthetics. It’s hard to know what to mention first: its beer or its wine selection. That’s because the downtown St. Louis spot was deliberately designed by restaurateur Dave Bailey to be the best of both worlds. There’s a rotating selection of more than 55 beers on tap plus more than 100 bottles, make-your-own beer flights and tap takeover events. There are more than 100 wines, a full 20 available by the glass, and flights aplenty.
JESSICA ROGEN
BROADWAY OYSTER BAR
736 South Broadway, broadwayoysterbar.com
The Broadway Oyster Bar’s reputation as a St. Louis institution is rightfully rooted in the fact that it’s one of best places in the city to see live music, particularly music involving a robust horn section. But don’t sleep on the food and drink offerings. In particular, you should check out one of the New Orleans-themed cocktails, like the Creole Mary or the Horny Gator, the latter a stiff mix of
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Brennan's. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
coconut rum and banana and melon liqueurs. The food menu includes plenty of salty fried options and, of course, the eponymous oysters.
BUBBY’S & SISSY’S
RYAN KRULL
602 Belle Street, Alton, Illinois; facebook.com/ people/Bubby-Sissys/100063468192944
You simply can’t find a friendlier vibe than Alton’s Bubby’s & Sissy’s, a place where the patrons’ sexuality can be as fluid as the cocktails, but nobody’s worried about it. Shoot some pool or play some slots before enjoying the best drag on the Illinois side when the Babes of Belle Street take the stage every Friday and Saturday. The dance floor gets hopping afterward, and the spacious back patio and yard is a good spot to enjoy a conversation as the waterfall babbles and the fireflies blink.
CHRIS ANDOE
CAT’S MEOW
2600 South 11th Street
Ignore the old carpeting on the floor and enjoy the friendly bartenders. Ignore the plastic cups and enjoy the blasting jukebox. Ignore the mosquitoes outside and enjoy the large, private patio. If you know the right things to focus on, you’ll find everything you want in a bar at the Cat’s Meow. This small Soulard dive somehow manages not to invite in the bro culture prevalent in the area, even if it does sell Mardi Gras beads behind the bar.
CBGB
3163 South Grand Boulevard
JAIME LEES
If fabulous views, great cocktails and a high-style crowd doesn’t appeal to you in the least, your new favorite bar is CBGB. A proper dive bar, CBGB offers cheap
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Broadway Oyster Bar. | PHUONG BUI
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JAIME LEES
drinks, two dimly lit rooms and walls that smell from years of cigarette smoke. It’s not the place to go when you want to meet a successful mate. It’s the place to go when you have $5 and want to make it turn into two beers. Basically, there’s nothing not to like about CBGB.
THE CORNER BAR
571 First Capitol Drive, St. Charles
Many a local bar claims to be the region’s oldest, but the Corner Bar, which traces its roots back to 1865, might take the crown. Not merely a historic spot, the Corner Bar is known for its cocked-hat bowling lanes — some of the last in the world — which are frequented by impossible-to-get-on league teams and patrons lucky enough to get their crack at the historic game. Even if you can’t get a lane, the Corner Bar is still the place to be for soaking up a bit of St. Charles history and having a drink with regulars.
CHERYL BAEHR
THE CRACK FOX
1114 Olive Street, thecrackfox.com
You never know what you might stumble into at the Crack Fox. One night it might be a goth dance party, the next a metal cabaret or drag show. One thing is for sure — you’ll always have a good time, and you’ll always be able to choose from a huge selection of beers (more than 60) and handcrafted cocktails. Known as an eclectic downtown dive, the Crack Fox is so much more than that. It’s a welcoming space for all.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
THE CROW’S NEST
7336 Manchester Road, Maplewood; crowsneststl.com
Both the heavy-metal-themed Crow’s Nest and its little sister in Soulard, Eat Crow, are beloved for many reasons. Not just the food, though it’s damn good. And not just the late-night hours (the Maplewood kitchen is open til 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and all the way to midnight on the weekends). It’s also the look its owners
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The Crack Fox. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
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call “a hoarders version of Cheers ” — but fans find downright charming. Is it metal to be charming? Somehow, these guys pull it off.
SARAH FENSKE
regulars and the best bloody marys in town.
SARAH FENSKE
THE CUE
3632 South Big Bend Boulevard, Maplewood; facebook.com/thecuestlouis
FIREPLACE BAR
3377 Tree Court Lane, Kirkwood; thefireplace.webs.com
The Cue is a welcoming pool hall for both die-hard 8-ballers and novices. It’s also a great place to socialize and drink for a reasonable price at its spacious bar. You can either BYOC (bring your own cues) or utilize the hall’s stock of quality cues. Located in a Maplewood strip mall, the Cue would be easy to miss. But don’t pass it up. If the clean tables and easy atmosphere don’t lure you back, the friendly staff will.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
THE DIAMOND CABARET
1401 Mississippi Ave, Sauget, Illinois, diamondcabaretstlouis.com
The Diamond Cabaret wisely put its bar near the entrance so strip club novices can find safe harbor upon entry, overwhelmed as they are sure to be by the abundance of flesh, neon light and gyration. When the bartender tells you that a single bottle of beer is $11, don’t fret. Pay with a $20, and keep the remaining singles. You’ll need them. Remember, you’re paying for the ambience, which — kudos to the cabaret — is legit relaxed (by East Side, full nude, open-all-night standards). Neither the bartenders nor the dancers get pushy. Though, of course, just say the word and you can spend that whole paycheck by sunrise.
RYAN KRULL
THE FAMOUS BAR
5213 Chippewa Street, facebook.com/thefamousbarstl
The cleverly named Famous Bar has long been a favorite of the kind of drinkers who like both neighborhood bar atmosphere and a good martini. It’s one of those rare south city bars that’s greater than the sum of its parts, with ace bartenders, a crowd of fun-loving
If it’s your first time to Fireplace Bar, you may think you are being lured to your death. To get to this off-the-beaten-path dive, you have to pass under a train trellis, then drive down a gravel road in what feels like the middle of the woods. Do not be alarmed. This old shack, which used to be a hunting lodge, is home to one of the area’s most unique watering holes, which, thanks to its clandestine vibe, makes you feel like you can leave your inhibitions at the door. What happens in Fireplace Bar stays in Fireplace Bar.
CHERYL BAEHR
FORTUNE TELLER BAR
2635 Cherokee Street, fortunetellerstl.com
The Fortune Teller Bar may be the most Cherokee Street of all Cherokee Street bars. It has an effortlessly eclectic ambience that feels both intentional and curated, as well as relaxed and totally unpretentious. Cocktails like the FTB Vegan Sour and the Cucumber Gimlet (one of many NA offerings) are perfectly crafted without being overly complicated. And if you’re lucky, there will be a bona fide fortune teller on hand, ready to read your palm. Though, needless to say, if you’re at this south city favorite, the stars have already aligned in your favor.
RYAN KRULL
FOX & HOUNDS TAVERN
6300 Clayton Road, cheshirestl.com
A dogs-playing-poker painting come to life, Fox & Hounds Tavern has the sort of intimate, country club backroom atmosphere that makes you feel like you could close a deal over scotch, even if you have no business background whatsoever. The longtime lounge inside the British-inflected Cheshire Hotel has been offering its patrons a cozy, plaid-bedecked place for fireside chats for decades, retaining a timeless-yet-relevant feel that stays unapologetically true to its
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old-school, beautifully musty aesthetic.
CHERYL BAEHR
FRAZER’S COCKTAIL LOUNGE & CASUAL RESTAURANT
1811 Pestalozzi Street, frazersgoodeats.com
If Benton Park had a Cheers, it would be Frazer’s, a welcoming gathering place that, while known for its good eats, is equally renowned for its consistently excellent cocktails. Credit for its stellar beverages goes to Terry Oliver, who took over what was a solid restaurant bar about a decade ago and turned it into one of the best places in town to get a drink. Even with its lofty reputation, Frazer’s has an unassuming air to it — which makes it all the more special.
CHERYL BAEHR
FRIENDLY’S SPORTS BAR
3503 Roger Place, friendlyssportsbar.com
You know Friendly’s is a real sports bar when you wander into the game room and see the wall of six TV screens all paneled together. They aren’t even the
only TVs in the room: five more dot the walls, so no matter which way you’re facing, you won’t miss a moment. This is an old-school bar that’s not afraid to be a little down in the tooth — the gambling console looks straight out of the ’80s — but it is still filled with regulars. The outdoor area is expansive and, like a true sports bar, also has TVs.
ROSALIND EARLY
THE GIN ROOM
3200 South Grand Boulevard, natashasginroom.com
Heir apparent to her parents’ dearly beloved Persian restaurant Cafe Natasha, Natasha Bahrami instead decided to chart her own course, centered around a passion for gin that sparked when a proper martini changed her life. Now located inside Salve Osteria, the restaurant Bahrami and her husband opened after closing Cafe Natasha, the Gin Room has become a world-class, internationally renowned temple to the spirit, putting St. Louis in the conversation as one of the nation’s centers of gin culture and making Bahrami one of the premier gin experts in the world. It’s also just a fantastic place to
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Fox and Hounds at the Cheshire Inn. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
CHERYL BAEHR
have a drink, especially in its lush outdoor garden bar.
THE GOLDEN HOOSIER
3707 South Kingshighway, thegoldenhoosier.com
Let’s get this out of the way: The Golden Hoosier is far less hoosier-friendly than many of its south city counterparts, serving neither as a parody of a trashy St. Louis bar nor the embodiment of it. It is instead a great-looking pub with a good drinks list, a solid food menu and a friendly vibe. In other words, not only is there nothing hoosier about it, but it’s exactly the kind of bar you wish was in your neighborhood.
THE GRAMOPHONE
SARAH FENSKE
4243 Manchester Avenue, gramophonestl.com
What do you call a great bar that’s also a great sandwich shop? We’d call it the perfect place to go after you’ve been out drinking for awhile — and that magic
combo might be one reason the Gramophone is still going strong after 15 years, even as the Grove has seen tremendous change. A young, lively crowd suggests it has many more years of late-night eats and drinks ahead.
SARAH FENSKE
GREGG’S BAR AND GRILL
4400 North Broadway, 314-421-1152
There’s no reason to know Gregg’s if you don’t live or work in the Near North Riverfront area. But if you’re up there, then you probably should start using Gregg’s as an ersatz living room. There’s just something homey about it. On a recent stop, the bartender summarized the evening news that was playing above the bar: “A guy in California found a million pennies.” A patron said he’d been in for lunch and was having the baby-back rib special for the second time that day. OK, we’ll bite. And they were delicious.
ROSALIND EARLY
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Hammerstone's. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
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HAMMERSTONE’S
2028 South Ninth Street, hammerstones.net
From the outside, Hammerstone’s looks like any other corner bar. Don’t let its unassuming facade fool you. This beloved Soulard spot has been around 27 years for a reason. By day, it’s a cozy pub serving typical American fare. By night, it’s a lively music venue with a wellstocked bar. Hammerstone’s has live music seven nights a week. And if you’d rather not pay the cover, its beautiful patio, complete with an outdoor bar, provides just as good a vibe.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
HANDLEBAR
4127 Manchester Avenue, handlebarstl.com
No bar is more dedicated to giving you a place to shake your ass than HandleBar.
DJ Whiz, Umami, Tristano and DJ Jilliane are regulars on the ones and twos. There’s also a monthly swing dancing
night, and Maven Logik Lee hosts his Tens ballroom nights on site. You can even catch a monthly queer line dancing party. If you hate dancing, you may still love the HandleBar for its trivia nights, Wednesday karaoke, booze school lessons or sip and paints. Basically, it’s a social club with lots of bikes on the wall and booze behind the bar.
THE HAUNT
5000 Alaska Avenue
ROSALIND EARLY
Halloween has a home year round at this tiny horror-themed south city dive bar. Walk underneath a hanging skeleton to get in, and then check out the walls jam-packed with skulls and bloody dolls. Pool tables, live punk music and horror flicks are among the many entertainments. But despite the theme, the bar is not just a kitschy variation on a St. Louis watering hole. It’s also a great place to grab a cheap drink and settle in.
JESSICA ROGEN
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The Haunt. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
THE HEAVY ANCHOR
5226 Gravois Avenue, theheavyanchor.com
The Heavy Anchor doubles as a bar and music venue, and it’s never immediately clear what version of it you’ll get. The south city dive’s stage has welcomed innumerable local music acts in addition to comedy open mics every Monday. Other weekday festivities include movie nights and karaoke. But one constant at the Heavy Anchor is its cheap beer: You’ll pay as little as $3.50 for Bud Light, Busch, PBR and Stag. You’ll also find local brews, as well as hometown munchies.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
THE HIDEAWAY
5900 Arsenal Street, thehideawaystl.com
A piano bar given the south city dive bar treatment, the Hideaway is a beloved piece of St. Louis drinking culture. Though the place has seen some changes here and there since it served its first guests in 1954, it retains the sort of vintage bar feel that never goes out of style. At such a come-as-you-are place,
it’s not uncommon to be invited by strangers to play an impromptu game of cornhole or do a shot of Jameson with the person you’ve only known for five minutes. For such a dimly lit joint, its light shines bright.
THE HONKY TONK
CHERYL BAEHR
756 South Fourth Street, thehonkytonkstl.com
The Honky Tonk is as close to Nashville as St. Louis will ever get. Located downtown next to sister establishment the Garage, Honky Tonk is one of a handful of the venues in the “Music Quarter STL.” The music here surely delivers. At least one artist plays every night Honky Tonk is open. If the “welcome ya’ll” sign at the front door doesn’t give you a hint of what you’re getting into, the crowd of dancers wearing cowboy hats near the stage will.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
INTERNATIONAL TAP HOUSE
Multiple locations, including 1711 South Ninth Street, internationaltaphouse.com
iTAP has one of St. Louis’ best beer
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The Heavy Anchor. | THEO WELLING
selections. The St. Bernardus ABT 12 from Belgium is a reliable place to start if you find the draft selection overwhelming. iTAP’s bottle game is even more extensive. Standouts include Xingu, a Brazilian black lager, and Weihenstephaner, a light bready malt from Germany that has been brewed the same way since the year 1040. The bar also has an extensive nonalcoholic selection. The array of big screens tuned to the Cards, Blues or City SC is the perfect way for your eyes to pass the time while your taste buds are out trotting the globe.
RYAN KRULL
which is likely a plus in many people’s minds. The beers are cold, the mixed drinks strong, the food amazing and the staff as friendly and welcoming as any in town.
JACK NOLEN’S
2501 South 9th Street, jacknolens.com
RYAN KRULL
IOWA BUFFET
2727 Winnebago Street
There is no bad day to go to the Iowa Buffet. But consider yourself extra lucky if you make it there on a Saturday, when the Iowa crew lights up the barbecue pit out back. That’s right: Every Saturday, they’re out there cooking ribs, chicken and, of course, pork steaks. This isn’t the place to go for a bespoke craft cocktail,
If you’re looking for a classic Soulard bar, Jack Nolen’s has everything — from the shotgun-style room dominated by a dark wood bar to the low-key patio to the friendly drunks watching the Cardinals on TV. It’s also generally (and correctly) acclaimed as one of best bar menus in town, with perfectly prepared sliders, a variety of loaded fries and top-notch deviled eggs. It even has nicely organized systems for placing your order and getting water refills. In short: It’s a Soulard miracle!
JOHN D. MCGURK’S
SARAH FENSKE
1200 Russell Boulevard, mcgurks.com
McGurk’s is a Soulard institution, one
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Iowa Buffet. | PHUONG BUI
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where you’re just as likely to see frocked priests grabbing a meal with their parishioners as singles out on the prowl. Widely regarded as a great place to hear live (mostly Irish) music and grab a Guinness stew or fish and chips, it’s also a classic St. Louis setting with a beautiful patio, stained glass, brick archways and hammered tin ceilings.
JUST BILL’S PLACE
2543 Woodson Road,
Overland
JUST JOHN
4112 Manchester Avenue, justjohnclub.com
ROSALIND EARLY
A quintessential dive in the heart of what was once Overland’s bustling downtown, Just Bill’s Place is beloved by regulars for its cheap drinks, always interesting jukebox and surprisingly solid live music lineup. Most importantly, though, Just Bill’s is known for its lack of pretense. This is a drinker’s bar where the pours are stiff, the pickle shots flow and they’re not going to pay too much attention to overserving you, so long as you don’t act like an ass.
CHERYL BAEHR
Just John is the home bar of the city’s LGBTQ+ power brokers and glitterati. Known for its great patio and still looking flawless from its six-figure 2020 renovation, the club hosts game nights, live music and dancing. The Grove is designed for bar hopping, and two of the region’s best-rated drag shows are within walking distance of Just John: Rehab’s Divas of the Grove and Prism’s Crown Jewels. Make a night of it.
KEYPER’S
CHRIS ANDOE
2280 Jefferson Street, keypersstl.com
This super chill (yet extremely fabulous) McKinley Heights dive offers stiff pours and some of the cheapest drinks in town ($4 wine pours, $2 tall boys!), along with a huge patio, darts and an LGBTQ-friendly atmosphere. Keyper’s used to be known primarily as a piano bar, but these days performances are mostly limited to
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Larry's Tavern. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
Thursday nights. SARAH FENSKE
KRUEGER’S BAR
7347 Forsyth Boulevard, kruegersbar.com
Krueger’s is a low-key neighborhood bar conveniently located in the triangle where three different municipalities short on neighborhood bars meet (that’s Clayton, U City and Richmond Heights). Very little seems to have changed since Krueger’s opened in 1946, right down to the distinctly un-PC cigar store “Indian” in the corner and the thoroughly un-elevated menu of bar food.
SARAH FENSKE
Accomplice, it can be hard to think of anything else. However, the Fox Park hotspot’s drinks program is more than up to the challenge of seizing your attention with outstanding cocktail selections. The drinks beautifully match Ely’s culinary creativity; offerings like Bring the Beet Back, which pairs dill-infused vermouth blue-cheese-washed vodka and beet-peppercorn shrub, seem as much at home on a tasting menu as on a cocktail list — a beautiful marriage of food and drink.
CHERYL BAEHR
THE MACK
4615 Macklind Avenue, mackbarandgrill.com
LARRY’S TAVERN
16833 Manchester Road, Grover
Walk into Larry’s on a weekend evening before it gets packed, and you’ll likely be greeted with an up-and-down look from the regulars who sit on the same stools every night. You might feel like an interloper at first, but by the end of the night — one filled with Miller Lites and the excellent burger your bartender cooks on a grill right behind the bar, naturally — you’ll leave feeling like one of the crew.
LAZY TIGER
CHERYL BAEHR
210 North Euclid Avenue, lazytigerstl.com
Entering Lazy Tiger — with its dark verdant walls, draped cord ceiling decor, plants and minimalist bar and tables — you might wonder how the bar’s offerings could keep up with its stylish vibes. One look at the menu, which features an intriguing array of traditional and surprising ingredients and liquors, will allay such fears. Then you’re there, sipping on a cocktail made with greenbean-infused gin or clarified Trix cereal milk and finding out that your life, or at least your drinking life, has been incomplete before now.
JESSICA ROGEN
THE LUCKY ACCOMPLICE
2501 South Jefferson Avenue, theluckyaccomplice.com
When chef Logan Ely is turning out one thrilling dish after another at the Lucky
Over the past decade or so, the strip of Macklind Avenue running through the South Hampton neighborhood has low-key become a great night and weekend hangout. This is in no small part thanks to The Mack, which has been a mainstay in the area for years. The bar and grill serves up classic American fare, including the smoked gouda mack and cheese bites, which can't be beat. Buckets of beer are priced to move every day that ends in y. Tuesday is trivia night. The bar is open until midnight on weekends.
KRULL
MAGGIE O’BRIEN’S
2000 Market Street and 3828 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Sunset Hills; maggieobriens.com
RYAN
For a city heralded for its French history, St. Louis has no shortage of good Irish pubs, and one of the best is Maggie O’Brien’s. At both the Downtown West original and the newer Sunset Hills outpost, Maggie’s stocks an expansive drink and food menu with everything from shepherd’s pie to bangers and mash. The atmosphere is laid-back, the staff friendly. With giant TVs on nearly every wall, it’s also a haven for sports fans.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
MARYLAND HOUSE BY BRENNAN’S
44 Maryland Plaza Rear, themarylandhouse.com
If you dare to drop by Maryland House
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JESSICA ROGEN
by Brennan’s on the weekend without a reservation, be prepared for the possibility that you may be turned away from what’s surely the Central West End’s hottest new bar. Located in the upstairs space that previously held Mandarin Lounge, the lightly eclectic interior (think modern meets wood paneling) includes digital artwork, couches and an actual library, along with a rooftop bar. It’s the perfect atmosphere to sip a signature cocktail and eat a refined small bite.
MILO’S BOCCE GARDEN
5201 Wilson Avenue, milosboccegarden.com
Milo’s is a unicorn of a bar. The little corner tavern in the heart of St. Louis’
Italian neighborhood has just about everything you’d want in a bar: The drinks are cheap, the food tasty and the entertainment fun. On summer nights, Milo’s has one of the best patios in St. Louis. You can even try a round of bocce ball if it’s not league night, which takes place from 6 to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Menu items include typical Italian and American fare, from pizza to cheese fries.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
MIMI’S SUBWAY BAR AND GRILL
46 North Florissant Road, mimisbargrill.com
Mimi’s Subway Bar and Grill bills its food as the best in Ferguson, and the claim is
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Maryland House. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
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not without merit. Mimi’s burgers and French dips are about as good as it gets, and the St. Louis-style pizzas are out of this world. Of course you need something to wash all that down. The standard bar menu of draft and canned beers as well as mixed drinks — not to mention the welcoming staff and relaxed atmosphere — will have you hanging around this basement bar long after the last bite.
RYAN KRULL
Meredith Barry and Michael Fricker is a speakeasy in the truest sense of the concept — hidden, secretive and slightly subversive. The pair have created a fiercely inclusive space where guests are encouraged to get out of their comfort zones and trust the journey into the unconventional. It’s a thrilling ride.
CHERYL BAEHR
MOLLY’S IN SOULARD
816 Geyer Avenue, mollysinsoulard.com
Molly’s is a bit of a chameleon. Every Thursday from 8 p.m. to close, it hosts a party with $5 drink specials and two-forone domestics, while a DJ gets the expansive patio bumping. Drunk young people lurch around to the tunes of Lil Baby and Sam Smith. But then come back on Sunday before 3 p.m. and the brunch crowd is enjoying the dining room and mimosas. Whatever way you arrive at Molly’s, you’ll definitely leave happy.
ROSALIND EARLY
NARWHAL’S CRAFTED
Multiple locations, including 3906 Laclede Avenue, narwhalscrafted.com
Sno cones are cool and all, but what if your flavored icy treat also got you drunk? You asked, and Narwhal’s answered. The bar is legendary around St. Louis for frozen cocktails that almost taste too good to be filled with alcohol, yet you have the bruise on your knee to prove it. They have regular drinks, too, but that’s not why you go to Narwhal’s. From the Bourbon Slush to the Cherry Blossom Mojito to the Chocolate Mudslide, the only problem you’ll have here is deciding which to order next.
JAIME LEES
NICK’S PUB
6001 Manchester Avenue, nicksirishpub.com
NEW SOCIETY
3194 South Grand Boulevard, newsocietystl.com
Step inside the natural wine shop Grand Spirits, and you’d have no idea that New Society exists. This is by design. The subterranean, experimental cocktail bar from esteemed bar professionals
To some, Nick’s Pub is the immediate answer to the question, “Where do we go after 1:30 a.m. bar close?” The watering hole on an industrial stretch of Manchester has been filling that void for legions of half-crocked imbibers for years. However, Nick’s is much more than just a place to end the night with a round of bad decisions. The unassuming Irish pub has an impressive draft beer selection, shuffleboard, Skee-Ball, solid bar eats and live music on Friday nights, making it possible to have a great time even when your eyes aren’t so bleary.
NOVELLA
CHERYL BAEHR
5510 South Kingshighway, novellawinebar.com
A classic storefront with dark wood and big street-facing windows, Novella would fit in just about anywhere in south city — but a close look at the menu makes clear this isn’t your average wine bar. Sure, you can get the usual cabernet, chardonnay, cheese or olives, but other choices are much more exciting. Befitting its location south of Bevo Mill, Novella has a heavy Eastern European accent, with wines from Romania, Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina along with Balkan meat platters and Croatian-style polenta fries. The servers are both knowledgeable and friendly; the patio, perfection.
SARAH FENSKE
OLD MILLSTREAM INN
912 Main Street, St. Charles; facebook.com/ oldmillstreaminn
Up until last year, no more than 50 percent of a bar’s total sales in St. Charles could be from alcohol, so every place was
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also a restaurant. That’s still the case for Old Millstream Inn, which has choice Cajun eats as well as nice drinks and cocktails. The expansive patio area with its fire pit serves all seasons, and a drink there in summer or winter is sublime.
ROSALIND EARLY
PAGAN WINE BAR
239 North Euclid Avenue, paganwinebar.com
Former Big Sleep Books proprietor Ed King founded this den of sophisticated iniquity in the Central West End storefront from which he used to sell
mystery novels, and it fittingly has an intimate vibe that’s both intelligent and sexily ominous. Beginning at 7 p.m. every day, Pagan is the place to be for both cocktails and smartly chosen varietals — to the point that you might have to wait outside before they even have space to let you in. Once they do, try the signature Green Dragon.
SARAH FENSKE
PIECES BOARD GAME BAR
1535 South Eighth Street, stlpieces.com
Pieces is one of the best places to take a
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Pagan Wine Bar. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
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group of ultra-competitive friends. In addition to an impressive bar and food menu, this handsome Soulard spot stocks more than 800 board games for you and your crew to roll, spin and draw your way through. Prime time is happy hour, Monday through Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Beers, mixed drinks and most appetizers are only $5, perfect for wallet-friendly after-work fun.
PIN-UP BOWL
6191 Delmar Boulevard, pinupbowl.com
THE PITCH ATHLETIC CLUB & TAVERN
2 South 20th Street, thepitch-stl.com
RYAN KRULL
Despite its name, Pin-Up Bowl isn’t just about throwing a heavy object at a bunch of pins: It’s a real bar with a distinct St. Louis “open until 3 a.m.” vibe. Just check out the drunkies stumbling over from Blueberry Hill after its midnight close to understand what we’re talking about. With a kitchen open until 2 a.m. and a lengthy list of cocktails, beer and wine, who can blame them? Take it from us, though: With its ’20s vibes, Pin-Up is great enough to warrant being your first and only stop of the night.
JESSICA ROGEN
The Pitch Athletic Club & Tavern — located catty corner from St. Louis City SC stadium in Union Station — exudes ultimate sports bar vibes. Designed to be a slice of soccer heaven, the bar features more TVs blasting games than you can count, a long bar and artfully arranged sports memorabilia. There’s a large dining room and semi-private nooks around the perimeter of the room as well as fully private rooms. With upscale bar food classics to nosh on, an extensive beer list and shorter wine and cocktail lists, this is a great place to watch a game.
PLANTER’S HOUSE
JESSICA ROGEN
1000 Mississippi Avenue, plantershousestl.com
St. Louis’ undisputed beverage temple, Planter’s House is synonymous in this town with the craft cocktail — perhaps because co-owner Ted Kilgore all but sparked the craft cocktail movement in
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Platypus. | MABEL SUEN
St. Louis many years ago with his stints at the legendary Monarch and Taste. For the past decade, Kilgore, with his wife, Jaime, and partner Ted Charak have been pooling their expertise to give local imbibers the ultimate cocktail bar experience that is a stunning blend of the city’s rich cocktail history with its cutting-edge present.
PLATYPUS
CHERYL BAEHR
4501 Manchester Avenue, drinkplatypus.com
eschew the pomp and circumstance for something more down to earth. Rhonda’s has you covered. The humble north county dive bar gives new meaning to the term “strip mall,” with its small, pole-equipped stage and darkened environs serving as the perfect place to consume some Busch beer and take in the pastie-clad women on hand. It may be devoid of the frills and bourgeois sensibilities of, say, Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club, but Rhonda’s proves that you don’t have to be fancy to have a good time.
DANIEL HILL
RILEY’S IRISH PUB
3458 Arsenal Street, facebook.com/rileyspubstl
CHERYL BAEHR
Esteemed bar professionals Meredith Barry and Tony Saputo opened Platypus in the Grove not yet two years ago, but it feels like it has been an essential part of the St. Louis cocktail and nightlife scene for years. This is because the two, alongside their team of up-and-coming bartenders, have created a space that thrillingly blends extraordinary cocktails with easy-drinking offerings, knowledgeable staffers with inviting hospitality, serious drinks with loads of fun. This is the sort of place where you can nerd out on Aperol with the person making your drink before you head over to sing Whitesnake karaoke.
POP’S BLUE MOON
5249 Pattison Avenue, popsbluemoon.com
This is an old-school kind of pub. Even the prices seem from the past: It’s just $3.50 for a well drink. Thursday through Sunday, Riley’s also offers specials where you can get different pints for $3.50 (Guiness on Thursday, Schlafly on Friday, Civil Life on Sunday). The bar has all the notes of an Irish pub: There are wooden booths, an Irish flag, a map of Ireland and a drinker’s prayer watching over the establishment. So raise your glass and “Sláinte!” ROSALIND EARLY
ROOFTOP TERRACE BAR AT THE MOONRISE HOTEL
6177 Delmar Boulevard, moonrisehotel.com
RYAN KRULL
Pop’s Blue Moon might have the most chill vibe of any bar in St. Louis. Nestled into a residential block of the Hill, this crunchy spot offers up a classic bar menu, as well as a plethora of non-alcoholic options (the bar was, for a period, completely NA one night a week). On any given night, you might find a bluegrass outfit or a rockin’ jam band playing inside, or maybe even some electronica holding down a dance party on the sidewalk out front. No matter what’s going on at Pop’s, you’re guaranteed to be greeted with a smile .
RHONDA’S
10528 Page Avenue, Overland
The storied institutions on the East Side can be a good time when you’re in search of scantily clad women and intoxicating beverages, but sometimes you’d rather
The Rooftop Terrace Bar at the Moonrise Hotel is the place to hit up when you’re bored with normal bars. If tolerating the regulars at your neighborhood bar doesn’t sound like your idea of a good time, go to a place where you can be dazzled. This chill bar is just up a quick elevator ride from the bustling Delmar Loop business district, but it often seems a world away. Here, you can get a look at the St. Louis skyline and all of the twinkling lights above (stars) and below (streetlights). The bar is open daily until 3 a.m.
JAIME LEES
ROSIE’S PLACE
4573 Laclede Avenue
One of the last true neighborhood bars in
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the rapidly changing Central West End, Rosie’s offers a great place to watch the game (that includes not just the Cardinals, but also City SC) or just shoot the shit over a piping hot Dogtown Pizza. The handsome dark wood interior beckons you to stay awhile, but the picnic tables out front are the best place in town to find your fellow smokers.
THE ROYALE
SARAH FENSKE
3132 South Kingshighway Boulevard, theroyale.com
The Royale bills itself as a “true neighborhood public house.” While that description is spot on, we should add that this public house has an absolutely kick-ass backyard. Whether you’re hoisting a cold draft brew in July or clutching a craft cocktail as you huddle with your friends around the firepit in December, the Royale’s vibe inside and out can’t be beat. Don’t sleep on the food menu either, which includes mouth-watering cheat-day fare, such as brisket tacos and the Royale BLT, and also plenty of lighter options like the delicious beet
SAN BAR TAVERN
9441 Lackland Road, Overland
With a building dating back to 1903, a friendly atmosphere, low prices and a plethora of Cardinals memorabilia (including an impressive collection of bobblehead dolls), San Bar Tavern is pretty much what you picture if you envision the ultimate hole-in-the-wall neighborhood bar. A jukebox, beer signs, pool table and living-room area referred to as the “VIP Lounge” by longtime owner Kay Genail round out the picture.
JESSICA ROGEN
SASHA’S
4069 Shaw Avenue and 706 DeMun Avenue, sashaswinebar.com
Even the most dedicated hater of chains can’t resist the charms of Sasha’s on Shaw and Sasha’s on DeMun, the twin wine bars that (along with their younger sister, Scarlett’s) have become beloved St. Louis institutions. The DeMun location is
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salad. RYAN KRULL
The Royale. | MONICA MILEUR
the O.G., but its Shaw sister, which followed five years later, in 2008, has plentiful charms — in addition to two spacious rooms that somehow manage to be cozy, there’s also a lush street-facing patio.
THE SATURN LOUNGE
SARAH FENSKE
1915 Cherokee Street, thesaturnlounge.com
As a listening lounge owned by longtime KDHX DJ Doug Morgan, you know the Saturn Lounge will be spinning good tunes. However, the Cherokee Street spot puts equal emphasis on its cocktail game, offering a creative list with such libations as the gin and violette-liquor-based Violet Fizz and the Bolero, which pairs pineapple jalapeño tequila with mezcal and cilantro liqueur, as well
as an impressive wine and beer selection. It’s music to the mouth and the ears.
CHERYL BAEHR
SCHOTTZIE’S BAR AND GRILL
11428 Concord Village Avenue, schottzies.com
The claim to fame at this south county sports bar is the brain sandwich, a ubiquitous St. Louis delicacy in the 1800s that’s now relegated to just a few spots. Owner Mike Carlson says people drive from all over to partake — but you needn’t be an adventurous eater to enjoy Schottzie’s, which also offers St. Louis-style pizza and wings. The space is about as laid-back as it gets, with wood-paneled walls, a drop ceiling and patrons enjoying a cold Busch, with or without their kids in tow.
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SARAH FENSKE
Saturn Lounge. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
THE SIDE PROJECT CELLAR
7373 Marietta Ave, Maplewood; sideprojectbrewing.com
To many, the name Side Project is synonymous with St. Louis’ renowned craft beer producer Side Project Brewing. However, for owners Cory and Karen King, world-class barrel-aged brews are only part of the story. The couple puts equal passion into their Maplewood bar, Side Project Cellar, which is known as much for its impressive whiskey and wine list as its uncompromising beer service. The bar, which is inspired by the couple’s fine dining background, even earned a James Beard nomination for Outstanding Bar Program. Is there any accolade the Kings can’t earn?
CHERYL BAEHR
SMALL CHANGE
2800 Indiana Avenue, smallchangestl.com
When you hear that Small Change is owned by the same folks as the esteemed cocktail bar Planter’s House, you might think you are in for a similarly elevated beverage experience. On the contrary, this Benton Park self-described dive bar is intentionally low-key, offering a modern take on the Falstaff-slinging south city watering holes that make St. Louis’ bar scene what it is. Of course, the talented Planter’s House beverage folks can’t help but put some of their signature cocktails on the menu; its gritty high-low vibe offers the best of both worlds.
CHERYL BAEHR
SILVER BALLROOM
4701 Morgan Ford Road, thesilverballroom.com
The pinball machines are the first thing one has to mention about the Silver Ballroom. The south city bar has 20 rotating ones on site — everything from Revenge From Mars to Judge Dredd — and they are a strong reason to make a trip. But not the only one. There are also great cocktails with eclectic names (an Electric Cat Piss anyone?) from the bar, dubbed the Retox Center, and a large beer selection. Then there’s the punkonly jukebox and the excellent food: Australian meat pies, pizza and some of the best Korean cuisine in the city from Tiny Chef, a.k.a. Melanie Meyer.
JESSICA ROGEN
SOHA BAR & GRILL
2605 Hampton Avenue, sohabarandgrill.com
You’ll find 40 beers on tap and an even wider selection of canned beers at SOHA Bar & Grill. The bar welcomes patrons with a tavern-like atmosphere that includes a fireplace and flat screens tuned to sports. Between drinks, tinker with SOHA’s various games including Skee-Ball and arcade basketball. The kitchen serves up typical yet tasty bar food, with options ranging from pizzas and salads to burgers and fried pickles. Situated right next to the Hampton exit off Highway 44, SOHA isn’t too far from anywhere, and the friendly service makes it a great south city watering hole to have a relaxed weeknight beer.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
THE SILVERLEAF
3442 Hereford Street
SOPHIE’S ARTIST LOUNGE
3333 Washington Avenue, kranzbergartsfoundation.org
Sophie’s Artist Lounge is the definitive bar of Grand Center — cool, artsy and filled with creatives of all stripes who gather in its salon-like atmosphere to take in its sights, sounds and tastes. Part art gallery, part DJ room and part cocktail bar, Sophie’s offers inspiration around every corner and is quickly becoming the arts district’s place to see and be seen.
CHERYL BAEHR
LEES
Hidden away in a residential area, this bar boasts that it’s the smallest in St. Louis. It’s certainly possible that this claim is true, too. The room holds just a few tables and a bar lined with stools. (The bathroom is definitely the smallest bathroom in St. Louis. Trust that.) But what it lacks in size, the SilverLeaf makes up for in personality. A classic dive, this place has the distinction of being open to newcomers too — a rare find in an old man bar. JAIME
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SOULARD BASTILLE
1027 Russell Boulevard, facebook.com/soulardbastille
Bastille is the Gay Embassy in Soulard, as indicated by the colorful characters filling the sidewalk tables out front. Chief among them is owner Bob Hiscox. When a neighboring bar owner learned Hiscox was upset about the fliers being placed on cars outside Bastille, they pleaded ignorance and called to ask for a flier to investigate. “I’ll see if I locate one somewhere,” Hiscox began, “but I gathered all I could find and took them with me to New Orleans to burn at the grave of Marie Laveau.” Don’t miss the Mighty Monday drag show.
’SSIPPI
CHRIS ANDOE
2926 Cherokee Street, instagram.com/ssippi_stl
A natural wine bar with Instagram-ready good looks and a young, diverse group of attractive patrons, ’Ssippi makes a compelling claim to being the hippest bar to open in St. Louis in the pandemic era. It’s a great place to try something new — you likely haven’t heard of most of the wines here, but that doesn’t mean you
won’t love them. Batch cocktails and a few beer options keep things accessible to everyone; the big patio provides room for the inevitable overflow.
SARAH FENSKE
START BAR STL
1000 Spruce Street, startbarstl.com
Start Bar STL is the kind of bar you could spend all night in. Whether you’re a Skee-Baller or pinballer, there are plenty of games there to keep you entertained throughout the night — including classic Nintendo 64 games such as Mario Kart 64 and Super Smash Bros. There’s also a menu of elevated bar food, including pizza, tacos, St. Paul sandwiches and even a Dorito Crunchwrap supreme.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
STELLA BLUES
3269 Morgan Ford Road
Fittingly named after a Grateful Dead deep cut, this Tower Grove South bar has a dedicated following, as well as a laid-back vibe that rewards repeated visits. The robust beer and liquor offerings are perfectly complemented by
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Start Bar. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
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an independent kitchen offering Korean-inflected pub fare, including an unbeatable bulgogi quesadilla. Be sure to check out the surprisingly big back patio, which is tucked away from the noise of the street but on most nights brings a bustle of its own.
STOVALL’S GROVE
RYAN KRULL
18720 Stovall Lane, Wildwood; stovallsgrove.com
The term honky tonk has become kind of gimmicky. Any place with a bit of country & Western music or patrons in cowboy boots can lay claim to the name. If you’re hankering for a true honky tonk — the kind Hank Williams would have graced — point your car west toward Stovall’s Grove, the most down-home lookingest bar in greater St. Louis, with live music, monthly barbecues and line dancing. You know you’re in the right place if the Missouri Valley Boys are crooning, the beer is flowing and the boots are a-scootin’. ROSALIND
TAKASHIMA RECORD BAR
4095 Chouteau Avenue, takashimarecordbar.com
Takashima Record Bar, which calls itself
“a listening lounge,” lives up to its name with a rotating cast of DJs and a space that relies on an overwhelming number of shelves of records as its statement decor. This place has a compact bar menu of 12 cocktails, four mocktails and an array of whiskeys and New World wine, but it also offers a selection of small noshes — hummus, boards and fries, for example — so that drinkers can pad their stomachs from the boozy sips.
JESSICA ROGEN
TAMM AVENUE BAR
1227 Tamm Avenue, tammave.com
Hungry patrons walking into Tamm Avenue Bar in Dogtown should find Patrick Swayze. Not the man but the painting directing you to the adjoining Nomad’s, where you can order the best pastrami in town. If the food isn’t tempting enough, the irreverent patio is still worth a visit. There, the Mona Lisa drinks a Red Bull alongside Urkel and you can play arcade games for $1 a turn. There are no giant stuffed bears to win, but there are tons of beers, which is better.
ROSALIND EARLY
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EARLY
Takashima Record Bar. | TRENTON ALMGREN-DAVIS
TAPPED SOCIAL HOUSE
7278 Manchester Road, Maplewood; @tappedstl
back room that will tell you how much a beer would have cost in 1994. Read it and weep. ROSALIND EARLY
TIM’S CHROME BAR
4736 Gravois Avenue, timschromebar.com
JESSICA ROGEN
A row of 40 pour-it-yourself taps lines one wall of the recently reopened Tapped Social House. It’s a bold visual statement in a room otherwise defined by a wall of memorabilia and red lighting. The taps are also the reason to hit up this Maplewood spot. Customers serve themselves pours using a bracelet that keeps a running tab of their consumption. In addition to a small wine and NA selection, Tapped also serves a menu of wood-fired pizza.
TICK TOCK TAVERN
3459 Magnolia Avenue, facebook.com/ticktocktavernstl
Tick Tock tavern is a vibe. Lo-fi hip hop plays over the speakers in a bar that is full of clocks and owls. The seating is all retro ’50s, and the place is adorned with colorful string lights that give tiki vibes, but also blend right in with the rest of the kitsch. In other words, it’s a laid back south city gem that is always worth a visit. There’s even a vintage menu in the
An unremarkable facade on Gravois opens up into a psychedelic lounge at Tim’s Chrome Bar in Bevo Mill. The beloved neighborhood spot got a facelift recently thanks to new owners Schuchard Event Spaces (Boo Cat Club, among others). That includes an updated drinks menu — cheeky cocktails, beer and wine — plus the food that you really want when you’re drinking, like pizza rolls.
JESSICA ROGEN
UPBAR STL
3763 Forest Park Avenue, upbarstl.com
This high-end watering hole is the perfect place to go when you want to feel a little fancy. It’s not over-the-top fancy but just fancy enough to make you want to put on a little lipstick and a nice dress. Located on Forest Park Avenue and offering a view of the St. Louis skyline,
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Tim's Chrome Bar. | BRADEN MCMAKIN
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this rooftop spot has a magical outdoor area where you can see all the way downtown to the Gateway Arch and beyond. Drop in and try the cocktail flights, order an appetizer and flaunt your fabulousness.
UP-DOWN STL
JAIME LEES
405 North Euclid Avenue, updownarcadebar.com
Entering Up-Down STL in the Central West End, the first thing you’ll see is a bright neon light reading, “This must be the place.” And Up-Down truly is the place. It’s a win-win of a bar — it has food (cheap pizza-by-the-slice served through a window) and two floors of arcade games. You’ll never get bored or hungry. Tables and seating are often hard to come by, but you’ll be too busy playing Pac-Man to notice. There’s a spacious patio outside if you’re ever able to pry yourself away.
MONICA OBRADOVIC
THE VANDY
1301 South Vandeventer Avenue, thevandystl.com
Six months after opening, the Vandy
finally has a sign out front, but even with that development, this hip little spot on the edge of the Grove prefers to be a cool kids’ secret rather than blare its trumpets. The brick-and-mortar debut of the roving STL Barkeep team, it’s a serious bar for people who like serious drinks, but even so, the people here seem to have a lot of fun.
VENICE CAFE
1903 Pestalozzi, thevenicecafe.com
SARAH FENSKE
Neither a cafe nor Venetian-themed (see its jungle-inspired second floor a.k.a. the “explorer’s lounge”), Venice Cafe is instead one eccentric and damn good bar. Mosaics and assemblages cover nearly every surface. You’ll find turtles, snakes and fish in various habitats. A steady stream of local musicians play five nights a week. Venice Cafe may be cash only, and it may have a comparably small drink menu, but its vibes are unparalleled — even if it recently banned smoking on the patio.
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MONICA OBRADOVIC
Up-Down STL. | KATIE COUNTS
VILLAGE BAR
12247 Manchester Road, facebook.com/VillageBarSTL
With all of the new places popping up along Manchester Road in Des Peres, it’s good to stop and remember that you might like the oldest joint in the area the best. This bar has a long history of serving the community, going back all the way to 1872 when it was a feed store and post office. But ever since Prohibition, it has been serving up booze and food for the people. (And the people approve.) Go for the booze, but stay for the signature “Better Burger” and onion rings.
JAIME LEES
shop focuses on small production wines sourced worldwide and frequently offers wine tastings as well as a monthly wine club. Classic wine bar food is on offer, along with a small selection of beer and cocktails.
JESSICA ROGEN
W KARAOKE
6655 Delmar Boulevard, thewkaraoke.com
VINO GALLERY
4701 McPherson Avenue, vinostl.com
Strolling by the chic Vino Gallery, you would be forgiven for thinking the corner shop is an art space. But the art here is a collection of hundreds of bottles arranged in wooden cube display cases. The neighborhood wine bar and retail
There are plenty of places to sing karaoke in St. Louis, but this eye-catching spot in the heart of the Loop is one of the only ones to let you do it Korean-style, with private rooms where your friend group keeps control of the playlist and the mic. Despite the privacy, service is prompt and can be summoned by pressing a button.
THE WAITING ROOM
SARAH FENSKE
10419 St. Charles Rock Road, waitingroombar.com
For a never-ending supply of booze served by some of the nicest enablers in St. Louis, head to the Waiting Room, where the drinks are cheap and the pinball is plentiful. You never know who you’ll find at the Waiting Room, from local musicians looking to drown their sorrows, to blue-collar buddies grabbing a pint after work, to semi-celebrities like David Yow doing stints as guest bartenders. (It happened, we swear.) They also keep six local craft beers on tap and serve and sell fresh-baked Australian meat pies for drunken noshing.
WEBER’S FRONT ROW
JAIME LEES
Multiple locations, including 8169 Big Bend Boulevard, Webster Groves; webersfrontrow.com
At the Webster Groves Weber’s Front Row, you’re greeted by 12 TV screens, your sign that this is a sports bar of the first order. It also offers specials based on what games are on said TVs. This place is all about cheering on the hometown, as the walls are lined with a Blues jersey, as well as one from DeSmet and another from Webster Groves (obvs). The menu is classic sports bar, too, with an emphasis on burgers, fries, sandwiches and pizza.
BAR GUIDE 2023 | RIVERFRONT TIMES 65
EARLY
ROSALIND
66 RIVERFRONT TIMES | BAR GUIDE 2023
BAR GUIDE 2023 | RIVERFRONT TIMES 67
