DJ
Leave it to Pete Ferretti and Buddy Coy to lock up the hottest DJ in St. Louis now: Like a Pied Piper of the late-night dance scene, DJ Hugh Tyson has been luring revelers to the duo's clubs in droves for months, and it has a lot to do with his off-the-wall mixes. You think Toto, LL Cool J, Annie Lennox and the Violent Femmes make for an odd combination? So do we. But Tyson makes it work, laying down infectious grooves that are accessible and utterly danceable.
Vodka Paradise
No local establishment better fills that role than the CWE's Sub Zero Vodka Bar. In martinis and other libations like the Leninade, patrons can enjoy more than 200 vodkas from around the globe (if not, alas, Putinka, the brand named after Russian strongman Vladimir Putin). Za vas! 308 N. Euclid, 314-367-1200, subzerovodkabar.com
Place to Be Seen
On one hand, grabbing an early evening cocktail on the patio of Clayton's Araka will have you pleasantly nodding to those walking by, perhaps en route from the Ritz to one of the boutique shops for jeans, olive oil or golf. Yes, your nod will say: Life is good. But on the other hand, Araka's interior is a stunner — and when it looks that good, you do, too. One of the intimate booths facing the bar — and the door — offers a choice vantage point to both view and be viewed. 131 Carondelet Plaza, 314-725-6777, araka.com
Gay Bar
The Loading Zone may be our closest equivalent to Harry Potter's Platform 9¾: Non-wizards and those otherwise uninitiated may walk right past to Tom's Bar & Grill next door, but those in the know realize that open door is a portal to the friendliest gay bar around, with a packed-to-the-rafters Tuesday show-tunes night, catchy music videos and a loft that'll remind you of your high school theater — if your theater had slamming bass, that is. 16 S. Euclid, 314-361-4119
Place if You Don't Want to Be Seen
Tired of the same places where you know everyone in the room? Unless you're a regular at Riley's, you won't be noticed. And sometimes that's just fine. Although it's been open only a few years, there's nothing new-seeming about it — Riley's feels like it's been there forever. It's rustic. And smoky. And there's always a low din from the crowd and the jukebox. With low lighting; cramped, high-backed mahogany booths made from old pocket doors; an original tin ceiling; and two rooms separated by the bar, it's easy to hide away in your own little corner. 3458 Arsenal, 314-664-7474
Bar for Games
Sounds of releasing triggers, clacking cue balls and winners' cries are what fill Jack Patrick's on a typical day. It's got darts. And pool. Shuffleboard. Bocce ball (in the basement). Big Buck Hunter. Countless tabletop interactive touch-screens. Arcade bowling. It also has that worn-in feel, and the drinks are cheap — an incentive that only encourages full participation in the extracurricular activities. The crowd is always playful, composed of tourists, sports fans, happy hour professionals and loft dwellers, all looking to release some competitive energy. 1000 Olive, 314-436-8879
Beer List
Baileys' Chocolate Bar is known for desserts and martinis, but its beer list is almost comically extensive. We're talking 13 craft beers on tap; four seasonal drafts (including St. Bernardus Abt 12, whose water, the lovingly written menu tells us, originated from 15th-century rainfall); six seasonal bottles; 60 year-round bottles (the Polish Okicim O.K. Lager purportedly tastes like Wheaties); and 15 beers from "the cellar." The priciest? The special-edition New Belgium La Folie Edition '04, $38 for 750 milliliters. Steep, sure, but was your last beer made in oak barrels that had been previously used to make cabernet sauvignon? 1915 Park, 314-241-8100, baileyschocolatebar.com
All-Night Diner
Nighthawks know the place to go for round-the-clock grill grub: Tiffany's Original Diner. The shotgun Maplewood beanery holds only a dozen and a half stools, their red tops chafed by countless bottoms. Decade after decade, moreover, endless elbows have scuffed big beige fractals in the faux-birch countertop while their owners wolfed down slingers "with," followed by wedges of pie from the caddy beside the register. You wanna hook up there about 3 a.m.? 7402 Manchester, 314-644-0929
Wine Bar
Wine bars, like coffee bars, often suffer from a confounding condition: They rarely score well across the board. But in the case of Robust, it all comes together like a fine Meritage. Call it "well balanced and approachable." The wines are assembled by taste, the small plates by an acclaimed chef, and the vibe, well, it hums like an Ameren substation. And with a whopping four sommeliers on staff, can you get a bad wine recommendation? 227 W. Lockwood, 314-963-0033, robustwinebar.com
Bartender
If you frequent Annie Gunn's, you know Robert Myover, and he knows you. Plus what you drink. And your nickname. And a little something about your life that you mentioned over a Manhattan 14 months ago. Myover's the longest-serving bartender at Annie Gunn's — the G.M. there calls him "a legend" — so he knows his way around the top shelves. But we like him for his company: kind, calm and equally attentive to his favorite customers and first-timers. 16806 Chesterfield Airport, 636-532-7684, smokehousemarket.com
Old-Fashioned
Huh? An old what? No, it's not the 1940s, and you aren't eating out with Grandma. When done right — as Duff's does it — the old-fashioned is the most refreshing drink you've ever had, regardless of the century. Its main ingredients are whiskey — Duff's uses bourbon — bitters and fruit, and it's golden in color, not too sweet, not too boozy. It's perfect for summer or winter. And it's even better when Arthur, the tall, deliberate, quiet daytime bartender, makes one. Make sure you sit at the bar, though — the best part is watching yours being thrown together. 392 N. Euclid, 314-361-0522, dineatduffs.com
Decadent Martini List
The staff at Cyrano's is a patient lot: Diners or drinkers at this pleasant Webster spot can spend way too much time looking over the Signature Cocktail list, deciding just what to get. By the time they notice the additional list of Signature Martinis — 18 in all, $8 each — another 10 minutes are needed. From the French Martini (Stoli Vanil vodka, Chambord, pineapple juice) to the German Chocolate Cake (Effen black cherry vodka, Malibu coconut rum, Godiva chocolate), the martinis at Cyrano's are uniquely concocted and deliciously intoxicating. 603 E. Lockwood, 314-963-3232
Perennial A-Listers
The Ritz-Carlton Bar & Lobby Lounge: Cocktail Hour
