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Fun & Affordable
You can’t go wrong here, especially from 4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when you can order a $6 Blackberry Collins and French onion dip with Red Hot Riplets for $6. The regular menu also includes a classic wedge salad, smash burgers, pork steaks, and a killer gooey peanut butter cake. And The Golden Hoosier’s bar program delivers, with outstanding cocktails, whiskey flights, and a vast beer selection. 3707 S. Kingshighway.
Stella Blues
The unpretentious neighborhood watering hole is a wonderfully weird gem in Tower Grove South, where happy hour is from 3:30–7 p.m. daily, with $2 well drinks. Serving meaty kabobs, pork skewers, and, yes, Korean fare, it’s one of those inviting bars for after work or on the weekends. 3269 Morganford.
A little bit of NOLA in STL, BOB serves up traditional Creole cooking using sustainable seafood. Happy hour, from 11 a.m.–4 p.m. Monday through Friday, might be better named “happy all afternoon,” with an array of drink specials. If you love live music, fresh shucked oysters, and being in the middle of a loud, lively feast, there’s no better option. 736 S. Broadway.
From 4–6 p.m., this Grove hangout offers draft beers and wines by the glass for $2 off and $8 off for wines by the bottle. The pizzas, such as the sweet-and-salty Hawaiian, are half off as well. Those in the know visit on Mondays, when happy hour runs all evening. Fuel up for trivia nights, karaoke, live music, and DJ spins, which happen throughout the week. And if you find that you’re not ready to head home just yet, Handlebar stays open until 2 a.m. 4127 Manchester.
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New & Notable
If you didn’t think Brennan’s could get any cooler, you haven’t visited its new location, which has risen like a phoenix from the ashes of a fire that broke out in late 2020. There’s a wall-length bar and banquette on one side of the space, a lounge with mirror-backed bookshelves and loveseats on the other. Happy hour runs 4–7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, when you can buy two small plates and get a complimentary feta and olive tapenade. And start each week off right by meeting on a Monday, when cocktails are 25 percent off. 316 N. Euclid.
The drinks are the draw at Lazy Tiger, the 1,000-square-foot cocktail bar from Travis Howard and Tim Wiggins in the Central West End. The daily happy hour, from 5–7 p.m., includes $9 margaritas and palomas. Bonus: You can order from the menu of Yellowbelly, Howard and Wiggins’ seafood spot next door. The mini lobster roll is practically mandatory. 210 N. Euclid.
This charming new spot is situated along St. Charles’ historic Main Street. Visit from 3–6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when select drinks and appetizers are $2 off. There are also daily specials from 6–10 p.m. on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays—perhaps the best being buy-one-get-one wines, drafts, and mixed drinks on Thursdays. 201 N. Main, St. Charles.
The vibe here is Industrial Factory Cool. It’s a former auto-body shop with high ceilings and a wall-length bar–and the place is perennially packed. The best time to go? Before the crowds, from 3–5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Select drafts are $5, and the Chopped Cheese sandwich is a must. 216 W. Lockwood.
Recently relocated to Trace on the Parkway, the chophouse is known for quality steaks. Consider going early, from 3:30–5:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, when deals include $1 Old Bay cocktail shrimp, $2 pork belly deviled eggs, $4 beef and chorizo sliders, $5 for a pair of Buffalo prawns, and $10 for seared ahi tuna. Then there are the drinks: $1 off beers, $2 off select wine, and $5 Bartender’s Choice cocktails. OK, and stay for the steak. 6170 Bennett, Edwardsville.
Dog-Friendly Patios
With its indoor and outdoor dog parks, live music stage, restaurant, and multiple bars, Bar K has something for all visitors, two- and four-legged alike. Yappy Hour specials (4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8–10 p.m. Monday through Thursday) include $2 off snacks and appetizers (try the chilled ahi tuna), $1 off canned beers, $4 off draft pitchers, $2 off tapped cocktails—and thanks to Beer Paws Whiskey Biscuits, your dog won’t feel left out. 4565 McRee.
This place puts the “happy” in happy hour, with a 2 p.m. start (and 6 p.m. finish) Monday through Friday and $6 sangria and wine specials, in addition to discounted beers and well cocktails. Umbrellas and plants on the patio provide plenty of spots for canoodling for both you and your dog. 131 W. Argonne.
Outfitted with oversize fire pits and large covered booths, the sprawling patio is ready for most Midwest seasons. Happy hour specials (3–7 p.m. Monday through Friday) include $3.50 beers, $4 well drinks, and $6 house wines. 14445 Manchester.
Relax in an urban oasis while sipping a frozen cocktail and scratching your pooch’s ears. At Narwhal’s, happy hour runs from 3–6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when all frozen cocktails are $1 off. While you’re enjoying a Cherry Blossom Mojito, your dog can have a homemade frozen peanut butter pup cup. 3906 Laclede; 1450 Beale, St. Charles.
Date Night
First date—or fiftieth? Olive + Oak strikes a perfect balance between relaxed and upscale. Sit at the bar, from 4–6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, and split a half-dozen Blue Point oysters on the half shell, along with a house wine and an old fashioned. 216 W. Lockwood.
Seafood’s the perfect ingredient for a romantic night. Go early, from 3:30–6 p.m. Monday through Thursday or 2:30–4:30 p.m. Saturday, when the deals include $7 cocktails and wine, $3 domestic beers, and select dishes for $8–$15. Try the Maryland lump crab cakes, the blackened big eye tuna, and a signature cocktail. 44 N. Brentwood.
The vintage, cozy setting in the Central West End is a magnet for leisurely meetups. Consider visiting from 4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when select wine pours and sangria are $7, and select wine bottles are $25. Or gather for a late-night rendezvous, from 10 p.m.–close Monday through Thursday, to enjoy half-off wine pours from open bottles, half-off beer bottles and cans, as well as $3 rail shots. Somehow, conversation naturally flowers, fortified by the superb drink selection. 4253 Laclede.
That timelessly chic zinc bar has reflected the shine of many a burgeoning relationship. The other environs—dim lighting, flickering lanterns, crackling fireplace—do their job as well. Visit from 4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday, when drinks are $3–$6 and select dishes are $4–$7. (Our suggestion: a margherita pizza with shishito peppers and an aperol spritz.) 7036 Clayton.
Family-Friendly
After all those pandemic nights at home becoming lethal at Candy Land and Sorry!, you might be looking for some new scenery. Enter this Soulard board game bar and café, which stocks nearly 1,000 games. Visit from 4–6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, when many appetizers are $4, along with specials on wines, drafts, and you-call-it cocktail mixers. 1535 S. 8th.
Make a beeline from school pickup to the Clayton restaurant, given the early happy hours (3–5 p.m. daily). Mini burgers and sliders are only $1.75, sides are $1.50–$2.95, and, for the adults, draft beers are half price and house wines are $3.50. 8125 Maryland.
The menu—specifically, the gluten-free menu—was created with kids in mind. Owner Brant Baldanza ensured a range of such options after his daughter, Hanna, was diagnosed with Celiac disease at age 7. Today, all three Corner Pub locations offer gluten-free menus, including $7 stuffed shrooms, potato skins, fried pickles, and spinach artichoke dip from 3–6 p.m. Monday through Friday. cornerpubandgrill.com.
It’s a pizza place, so you know it’s a solid bet for families. But consider the happy hour deals, from 4–6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday: Buffalo mac and cheese for $6, pretzel rolls for $4, and wings for $8. And for the parents, Peel Brewing’s beers and signature cocktails are $2 off. 208 S. Meramec.
Chain Reaction
The high-end chain offers exciting fare beyond the realm of the battered and fried from 4–6 p.m. every day of the week. Case in point: $12 Tuna Poke Tacos and $10 Coconut Curry Meatballs, Duck Potstickers, and Filet or French Dip Sliders. Sip on an 801 Manhattan, Troon, or House Margarita for $8 each, or enjoy half off all beer and glasses of house wine.
Visit the Frontenac hangout from 4–6 p.m. Monday through Friday for a Champagne Happy Hour at the bar. For bites, enjoy $7 sushi rolls, toasted ravioli, and Hong Kong dumplings. Feel like skipping the bubbly? Not a problem. You can also grab a well cocktail, martini, or house wine for $8, or a draft beer for just $4. 10342 Clayton.
Next door, Brio hosts happy hour on its bar and inviting outdoor terraces from 3–7 p.m. on weekdays, when select dishes (the Brio Burger, carpaccio, and more) are $6 and drinks (cocktails, wine, sangria, and beer) are $5–$6. 1601 S. Lingbergh.
There’s a reason people gather near the bar at Bristol: The generous happy hours—4–7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 4:30–7 p.m. Saturday, and 4:30–8 p.m. Sunday—include such options as New England Lobster Rolls and other select appetizers for $8.50, as well as $8.50 cocktails (pair said rolls with the Eastsider cocktail), $6.50 house wines, $5 craft beers, and $4 domestic bottles. 11801 Olive.
The fiesta is at the bar from 4–7 p.m. and 9 p.m.–close Monday through Friday, as well as 11 a.m.–5 p.m. Saturday. That’s when you can find select dishes for $4.75–$7.75, as well as $3.50 domestic drafts, $4.50 imported drafts, $5.50 wells and house wines, and a $6.50 Casa Rita. Try the Pollo Avocado Fajita Tacos with a Casa Rita. 7710 Forsyth.
The wine-driven dining chain offers mid-afternoon deals from 2–5 p.m. Monday through Friday, when select appetizers and flatbread are $10–$14. As for the vino? Glasses range from $8.50–$10.50, wine specialty drinks are $7.50, and select cocktails are $9.50. Toast with a Cooper’s Hawk Bellini and the Mexican Drunken Shrimp.
We’re fired up about the happy hour specials, available from 4–7 p.m. Monday through Friday: $5–$12 Bar Bites, $2 off drafts, $5 wells, $6 select wine, and $7 classic cocktails. We can dine in style—with Grilled Tenderloin Medallions and a Double Black Diamond Martini—without breaking the bank. 1501 Beale, St. Charles.
If it’s been a minute since you’ve been to the mall, visit West County Center for an early dinner at this steakhouse specializing in wood-fired fare. From 4–7 p.m. Sunday through Friday, the Finest Hour deals include select appetizers for less than $9 and $2.50 oysters, as well as $4 domestic bottles, $5.50 crafts bottles and drafts, $6.50 wine, and $8.50 martinis and cocktails. 17A West County Center.
Sit at the upstairs bar, and take in the wonders of the Sizzle, Swizzle & Swirl menu, available from 4–7 p.m. daily, and including select dishes (Veal Osso Buco Ravioli, Shrimp Cocktail, and more) and drinks (cocktails, beer, and wine). Consider a seasonal pairing—for instance, a filet with a glass of wine. 16493 Wild Horse Creek.
On Sunday, crowds form early for the all-day happy hour, though there are also daily deals from 3–7 p.m. What’s the draw? There are $6–$9 select appetizers (for instance, Sushi Grade Ahi Tuna); $5 drafts, house wines, and rail mixed drinks; and $4 Bud family drafts—in addition to daily specials.
Hidden Gems
Over the past 30-plus years, Big Sky Café has somehow remained a hidden gem. The food and wine offerings are better than ever, as are the deals at happy hour, which runs six days a week (3:30–5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday). The “Lucky 7” menu includes creative small plates, batched cocktails, and eight non-mainstream wines, all priced at $7. Start with a “tastes like summer” Elder Flower Gimlet or a Violet Cosmo in a shade of purple that nature has yet to duplicate. Follow with avocado- and pancetta-studded deviled eggs, pan-seared crab cakes, a bowl of Bang Island Mussels in fresh herb wine butter broth, and the must-have Gruyère and Spinach Grilled Cheese sandwich. It’s served quartered on grilled sourdough, along with a cup of Big Sky’s signature chunky tomato soup for dipping—a nostalgic, smile-inducing treat, no matter the season. 47 S. Old Orchard.
When it was on the second floor of the .ZACK building, Sophie’s Artist Lounge was a hidden gem. Once it moved to the 36,000-square-foot mixed-use building at 3333 Washington, it was no longer hidden—but it remains just as much a gem. Part elevated street art gallery and part lounge, Sophie’s offers a dozen discounted house cocktails early on and a DJ after 9 p.m. Prior to the new location opening last fall, Chris Hansen, executive director of the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, which operates the space, said, “St. Louis hasn’t seen a lounge like this yet.”
Hungry for more? Check out these charts to find additional happy hours across the region.
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