Urban Chestnut
Known for its variety of beers and fusion of modern American and old world European, Urban Chestnut is a well-known brewery and bierhall located in the nearby Grove neighborhood. Whether I’m catching up with friends, celebrating a birthday or attending an SNHC trivia night, I always look forward to escaping school of a few hours and just hanging out at Urban Chestnut. During the summer, it’s great to sit out on their patio or even venture to their downtown location, which has a beautiful outdoor biergarten. Even during the colder months, it’s great to just cozy up with a beer or my personal favorite, a hard cider, and maybe order some of that Poutine, which may give you a heart attack but is still so worth it. So head on over to Urban Chestnut and check it out for yourself. You won’t be disappointed!
– Maria S., M1
Schlafly and Other Local Breweries
St. Louis has an incredible craft beer scene, and tons of breweries have been opening all over the city and county during the past few years. Schlafly is probably the most popular, and has two locations relatively close to campus: Schlafly Bottleworks in Maplewood (about a 10-minute drive from campus) and the Schlafly Tap Room in downtown St. Louis. Both locations always have new limited edition beers on tap along with classic Schlafly brews such as their fantastic IPA, Hefeweizen and (my personal favorite) Coffee Stout. A good way to discover lesser-known craft breweries is to keep an eye on reviews in The Riverfront Times (a weekly St. Louis newspaper). You can also attend Beer School at Cicero’s (a bar/restaurant on Delmar Blvd. near the Danforth Campus) on Wednesday nights for a free hour-long lecture and tasting that’s sponsored by a different brewery every week.
– Christine H., M1
Taste
Taste is an upscale bar and restaurant with a warm and cozy ambience. Located in the heart of the Central West End (CWE), it offers locally sourced, seasonal small plates, but the real draw is its enormous handcrafted cocktail list. At six pages long, it boasts the classic drinks as well as its own original drinks made from ingredients I have never even heard of (fortunately, it doesn’t matter if you don’t know what the bartender is putting in your drink, because it will be delicious anyway). While a bit more on the expensive side, Taste has happy hour from 5 – 7 p.m. every day and all day on Sunday and Mondays, offering cocktails at $6. It is definitely a great first date-spot. Just make sure to call ahead as the wait can be pretty long, even during the week. Pro-tip: If cocktails are not your thing or you just want to get out of the CWE, Sasha’s on Shaw in Tower Grove is a great wine bar with a sophisticated atmosphere and outdoor patio. For the beer aficionado, The Side Project Cellar in Maplewood is for you: The low-key taproom offers barrel-aged brews made by its associated brewery. We have it all!
– Erin K., M1
Mike Talanya’s
Oh, Talanya’s! You are but that mirror-clad, disco ball strewn shack where so many nights have reveled on long after they should have been put to bed. When last call has come and gone, but the party must go on, this former strip club is everyone’s favorite destination. Talanya’s plays host to a cross section of St. Louis society and you’ll find undergrads and grad students from all of St. Louis’s universities dancing among bachelorette parties, wedding parties and reunion groups. Come early enough and you’ll get to have fun singing karaoke before it gets too busy.
– Maeve W., M1
iTAP
The International Tap House, or iTap, is a bar conveniently located in the middle of the Central West End. iTap has something for everyone, serving beers, wines, ciders and gluten-free beers. The walls are lined with TVs playing every sports game your heart could desire, and its three levels have abundant tables and comfy couches perfect for mingling. iTap is especially popular with the medical students because of its weekly special events. On Monday, half of the beers on tap are $2.50 and on Thursday, iTap hosts a free trivia night so you can test how little you know about every subject outside of medicine. If you are looking to relax on a weeknight, or are sick of Bud Light, iTap is the place to go.
– Tasha E., M1
Library Annex
Have you always dreamed of partying in your university’s library? You would, you typical WUSM student! Well, we can’t party in Becker Library, but Library Annex is as close as it gets. A bar decorated as a library, Library Annex is a fun bar populated largely by Saint Louis University undergraduates. Several pool tables, darts, pong (allegedly) and a fog-filled dance floor provide a range of different vibes for you to enjoy. So if you want to have an exciting Friday or Saturday night, grab your friends and head on over to Midtown’s Library Annex!
– Rob G., M1
Humphrey’s
Ah, the quintessential college bar: crowded, sweaty and drunk, and love is in the air. This bar’s known for its Wednesday night penny pitchers from 11 p.m. until midnight. Yes, a penny pitcher is exactly what it sounds like. Now that St. Louis finally has Uber, you can get there in less than 10 minutes for only a couple of bucks each. I would suggest going with a group of 10 or so people and then playing soccer (the drinking game) to try to kill multiple pitchers before midnight. If you remember your entire Humphrey’s experience, then you are doing it wrong. Pro tip: Pickleman’s deli is right next to Humphrey’s and stays open until at least 3 a.m.!
– Stephen H., M1
Just John
Just a short distance from campus, The Grove is full of so many bars and restaurants that are very LGBT friendly. Just John is one of those places, and it has an awesome nightly special. You can get a bucket of beer for your birthday on the third Monday of the month, and I am especially partial to the free popcorn that you can snack on with your alcoholic beverage of choice. Additionally, there are all kinds of themed nights from trivia to show tunes and more. Just John is definitely a fun and welcoming place to hang out.
– Owen H., M1
Attitudes and Rehab
Attitudes and Rehab bars are also excellent places for LGBT nightlife. Rehab is open during the day as a bar and grill. You can take a quick walk over and mix up your lunch routine by grabbing a quick bite to eat here. Rehab also has $1 wells and domestics every Wednesday, as well as karaoke for anyone who is interested. Both have extensive weekend drag show performances, as well as various themed events. Attitudes is now under new ownership, so there have been many fun and interesting themed nights added.
– Owen H., M1