St. Louis has a complicated relationship with beer — Anheuser-Busch still looms large, but the craft scene has carved out serious territory. Beyond beer, the cocktail bars are quietly excellent, the dive bar culture is deeply ingrained, and the city’s neighborhoods each carry their own distinct drinking personality. Also: Missouri has some of the most relaxed alcohol laws in the country. No state-level open container law. Bars close at 3 AM. It’s a drinker’s town.
Planter’s House
Lafayette Square — Named for the hotel where the first planter’s punch was allegedly invented, this cocktail bar takes its place in St. Louis history seriously. The drinks are imaginative, the space is handsome, and the brunch cocktails are a weekend institution. Order: the Planter’s Punch (obviously) or a seasonal creation from the rotating menu.
4 Hands Brewing Co.
LaSalle Park — One of St. Louis’s best craft breweries, with a lively taproom that draws crowds for new releases. The beer ranges from approachable IPAs to wild collaborations. Order: City Wide American Pale Ale — St. Louis’s signature “city wide” beer in a city that takes the concept seriously.
Venice Cafe
Benton Park — A mosaic-covered wonderland of folk art, live music, and cold beer. Every surface is decorated with bottle caps, tiles, mirrors, and found objects. There’s nothing else like it in St. Louis — or anywhere. Order: a cold Stag beer (the local cheap choice) and wander every room.
Taste
Central West End — A cocktail bar in the Central West End that maintains high standards without high pretension. The bartenders are knowledgeable, the spirits selection is impressive, and the neighborhood setting is walkable and pleasant. Order: a well-made Manhattan or an amaro-based cocktail from their rotating list.
The Heavy Anchor
Gravois Park — A dive bar and music venue on the South Side that serves as a community hub for punk and indie music. Cheap drinks, loud shows, and a no-nonsense attitude. Order: Busch or Stag in a can — support the local economy of cheap beer.
Side Project Cellar
Maplewood — A world-class barrel-aging brewery with a tasting room in Maplewood. The beers — mostly wild ales and barrel-aged stouts — are among the most sought-after in the country. Lines form for bottle releases. Order: whatever’s on draft that day — every pour is special.
Handlebar
The Grove — A two-story bar with cocktails upstairs and a more casual scene downstairs. The Grove neighborhood has become St. Louis’s most vibrant nightlife strip, and Handlebar is its anchor. Order: a craft cocktail upstairs when you want to talk, a beer downstairs when you want to dance.
Schlafly Tap Room
Downtown/Midtown — St. Louis’s original craft brewery, operating out of a beautiful brick building since 1991. The tap room serves the full range of Schlafly beers plus solid pub food. Order: Schlafly Pale Ale or the seasonal kolsch in summer.
The Fortune Teller Bar
Downtown — A cocktail bar in a former fortune-telling parlor, with moody lighting and an occult-adjacent aesthetic. The cocktails are well-crafted, and the space has more personality than most downtown bars. Order: let the bartender “read your fortune” — they’ll build a drink based on their impression of you.
St. Louis drinking centers on a few key strips: The Grove (Manchester Avenue) for nightlife, South Grand for diverse food-and-drink, Cherokee Street for dives and taquerias, and Soulard for the old-school bar-crawl experience (especially during Mardi Gras — St. Louis celebrates it second only to New Orleans). Check out our St. Louis venue directory and St. Louis city page for more.