A friend recently recommended checking out a place in The Grove called HandleBar, located at 4127 Manchester, where Bar 5/Church used to reside.
The name comes from the place’s cyclist theme. Exotic custom bikes hang from the ceiling and the walls, and drink specials have bicycle-themed names. While the motif is strong, no one was wearing spandex; the atmosphere and dress were relaxed.
Handlebar hosts a variety of recurring weekly events. On Wednesday nights the Gateway Burners—a regional chapter of Burning Man enthusiasts—gathers to socialize and plan events. Don’t be alarmed if you see some form of fire twirling/juggling: Thursdays are Tenacious Trivia night, and while the trivia itself might not be tenacious, per se, my insistence that I get smarter when I drink certainly is. On weekends, the bar hosts live music, starting at 10 p.m. The month’s musical lineup is on the back of the menu.
Speaking of the menu, it's simple: A page of delicious pizza options, most of which have gourmet toppings and cheeses; a page of non-pizza choices; and then two pages of drinks and beers, many of the latter being Missouri suds either bottled or on tap.
Now that the weather is breaking its a perfect opportunity to hop on your bike and cruise down to Handlebar. Burning a few calories on the ride there will justify an extra beer and slice of pizza.
