How to Happy Hour in St. Louis Wednesday September 20, 2023 Share Dining By Rachel Huffman Sip, sip, hooray! Across St. Louis, top-notch restaurants and bars offer happy hour featuring an assortment of specials. From local beer, wine flights and house Margaritas to cheese curds, chicken wings and fish tacos, the affordable menu items will undoubtedly delight your taste buds. Anheuser-Busch Biergarten Founded in the 1850s as a small neighborhood brewery, Anheuser-Busch quickly transformed from a local fixture into a national presence. Today, it serves as a hub for brewing innovation, using the highest-quality ingredients, grown by American farmers, to produce more than 30 brands of beer. Take a tour of the innovative space, or simply stop by for happy hour at any time on Thursday until Nov. 17. You can savor $6 snacks, including cheese curds, soft pretzels, toasted ravioli and jalapeño-cheese nacho bites, and wash it all down with a $2 Bud Light. Armory STL Revel in the biggest happy hour in town at Armory STL. The massive entertainment complex hosts Friday block parties from 4 to 8 p.m. with $4 draft beers, $5 drink pouches, $6 cocktails and $7 toasted ravioli. In between sips and bites, compete in a game of cornhole, show off your skills on the putting green or have a go at the adult seesaw. Photo courtesy of Armory STL Art Bar Looking for an escape? Head to Art Bar on the roof of the Angad Arts Hotel, where craft cocktails, seasonal fare and continuous creativity set the scene. Throughout the week, guests can take advantage of various specials, as well. On Thursday, local canned beer at reduced prices and beats from DJ Mikossa draw crowds. Friday and Saturday also feature drink specials and live music, while Sunday Funday boasts discounts on signature cocktails, mini coolers and pouch drinks alongside lawn games. Basso Italian-inspired and locally sourced, the made-from-scratch dishes at Basso heighten the dining experience at The Cheshire, a boutique hotel on the edge of Forest Park. Get a taste of the cuisine during happy hour Monday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Menu items include cannellini dip with preserved lemon, basil oil and hearth bread ($7) and margherita pizza with mozzarella, tomato and basil ($7). You can also raise a glass with a $5 City Wide, $7 Aperol Spritz, $8 Manhattan or $7 Pinot Grigio, among other specially priced drinks. Big Sky Cafe In Webster Groves, Big Sky Cafe has a delectable variety of dishes, some of which appear on the happy hour menu. Snag a seat on the patio or at the bar to enjoy $7 small plates such as avocado and pancetta deviled eggs, Ozark Forest Mushroom bruschetta, Gruyère and spinach grilled cheese, pan-seared crab cakes and salmon pastrami. You can also toast with $7 batch cocktails, including the Purple Sky with tequila, crème de cassis, fresh lime and Sprite and the Elderflower Gimlet with gin or vodka, elderflower liqueur and fresh lime juice, or $8 slushies, including the Derby Old Fashioned with barrel-aged bourbon, ginger beer, dark cherries and orange. Happy hour runs Tuesday to Sunday from 4 to 6 p.m. at Big Sky Cafe. Photo courtesy of Grace Meat + Three Bowood by Niche South meets Midwest on the new Garden Party Happy Hour menu at Bowood by Niche. Available every day from 2 to 5 p.m., specials run the gamut from Mama Janie’s Chex Mix with mixed nuts, hard pretzels, rye chips and Chex cereal ($5) to barbecue chicken wings served with buttermilk and blue cheese dressings ($13). Other irresistible options include St. Louis-style pork ribs with spicy peach glaze ($15), beef skewers with roasted red pepper marinade ($13), smoked trout rillette ($18) and seasonal tartines ($15) – think roasted eggplant tartine with pine nut pesto, radish, herbs and olive oil served on semolina toast. Round out your meal with a house salad ($8) and seasonal vegetables with romesco ($11). Broadway Oyster Bar Some locals say that Broadway Oyster Bar serves the best gumbo in town. Its version of the classic Cajun soup features andouille, chicken and seafood. Try it for yourself alongside a few freshly shucked oysters. During happy hour, Monday to Friday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., take $1 off draft beers, well drinks and certain wines; then, stick around for live music from local and national bands. Cardinals Nation Cardinals Nation, a high-energy, memorabilia-filled restaurant across from Busch Stadium, offers 25 percent off appetizers during happy hour. Available Monday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., the joyous occasion also includes various drink specials such as $5 Margaritas (Monday), $5 souvenir drafts (Tuesday and Friday) and $5 frozen spiked lemonade (Thursday). Photo courtesy of Condado Tacos Condado Tacos Known for its custom-built tacos and tequila-infused cocktails, Condado Tacos has found a perfect home in Ballpark Village. The intoxicating experience becomes even more affordable during happy hour, Monday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. Drink specials include $5 house Margaritas, $7 seasonal Margaritas and $1 off all draft beer. Feeling peckish? Dig into tacos ($1 off), nachos ($7) or a trio of dips with housemade chips ($17). Eleven Eleven Mississippi Eleven Eleven Mississippi serves rustic Tuscan cuisine with New World influence in Lafayette Square. During happy hour from Tuesday to Friday, though, the focus is half-price domestic beer, wine by the glass and specialty cocktails – plus, pizza. On Fridays from 4 to 6 p.m., you can also score half-price bottles of wine. Bottoms up! Grace Meat + Three Helmed by husband-and-wife team Rick and Elisa Lewis, Grace Meat + Three is a family affair. Praised for its fried chicken, the Southern-inflected restaurant also boasts a mouthwatering happy hour menu, served Wednesday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m. Belly up to the bar for $1 off draft beers and $2 off select cocktails – and don’t sleep on the eats! The fish tacos ($9), queso and chips ($7) and popcorn chicken tossed in maple butter cream and served in a waffle cone ($6) are all delicious. Photo courtesy of Landry’s Seafood House Hamilton’s Urban Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar Happy hour at Hamilton’s Urban Steakhouse & Bourbon Bar will lift your spirits. Served Tuesday to Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. in the bar, the menu features $1 off bottled beer and $2 off wine by the glass. Nightly specials from 4 p.m. to close also include half-price appetizers (Tuesday), $15 flights (Wednesday) and half-price bottles of wine less than $75 (Thursday). Indo Chef Nick Bognar has designed a ridiculously delicious “social hour” menu, available every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 to 6 p.m. at Indo as well as Sado. Guests can indulge in expertly crafted small plates, in which Bognar’s culinary skills shine. At Indo, feast on the crispy, crunchy salmon rice bowl topped with eel sauce and spicy mayonnaise; refreshing chirashi packed with a variety of sashimi; and seasoned salmon skin chips. At Sado, chow down on maguro maki, poke bowls, bang bang shrimp and a selection of nigiri. We predict that you’ll become obsessed with Bognar’s inventive, multilayered, flavor-packed cuisine, so don’t forget to peek at the restaurants’ regular menus while you’re there. Landry’s Seafood House A staple of St. Louis Union Station, Landry’s Seafood House offers a variety of specially priced cocktails, wines and beers as well as light bites – think mini crab cakes and New Orleans-style crawfish bread – for happy hour, which is Monday to Friday from 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. While you’re at St. Louis Union Station, explore the on-site attractions such as the St. Louis Aquarium, the St. Louis Wheel and the Grand Hall, where a 3D light show runs every day on the hour from 5 to 10 p.m. Photo courtesy of Mission Taco Joint Mission Taco Joint Mission Taco Joint recently launched a new happy hour menu, available Monday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m. at all eight locations. The West Coast-style street food concept now offers weekday drink specials such as $5 draft beers, $3 canned beers and $3 shots of Mission Taco Joint’s private-label blanco tequila. Visiting with a group? You can get $10 off all Margarita pitchers as well as $2 off all individual Margaritas. When you get hungry, “crushables” – $5 each – include nachos with housemade tortilla chips, beer cheese, pico de gallo, pickled jalapeños and crema; taquitos stuffed with ground beef, potato and cheese; and tostadas topped with grilled chicken, lettuce, pico de gallo, guacamole, queso fresco and crema, among other delectable dishes. Olive + Oak This bustling neighborhood haunt offers friendly service, a warm ambience and an intimate setting – plus, a fantastic happy hour at the bar. Available Sunday to Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m., the menu features $2 oysters and $9 hamburgers with griddled beef, dill pickles, onion and white American cheese. Pair the food with $6 draft beer, $8 house wine, a $9 Old Fashioned or a $9 Daiquiri. Pennydrop Bar + Kitchen Secure inside The Pennywell Hotel, Pennydrop Bar + Kitchen mixes unique cocktails with clever names such as Dark Money, Pure Gold and Safe Word, which pay homage to the building’s rich history as the former Merchants-Laclede National Bank of St. Louis. During “Banker’s Hour,” Monday to Friday from 4 to 6 p.m., you can savor a $10 Money Tree featuring Woodford Reserve bourbon, Amaro Montenegro, cinnamon and lemon, alongside discounted appetizers. Pennydrop Bar + Kitchen also offers rotating beer, wine and cocktail specials – plus, live music from local artists in the lobby Thursday to Saturday from 9 to 11 p.m. Photo courtesy of Robie’s Restaurant & Lounge Robie’s Restaurant & Lounge Robie’s Restaurant & Lounge recently revealed a revamped menu at the Magnolia Hotel St. Louis. Seated in the historic space, treat yourself to an elegant meal, alluring cocktails and live music. If your visit coincides with happy hour, which runs daily from 4 to 6:30 p.m., you can also indulge in draft beers, house wines and well drinks ($6) along with appetizers such as smoked chicken pot stickers, housemade crab cakes and cream spinach-stuffed mushrooms ($2 off). Rosalita’s Cantina Join the party at Rosalita’s Cantina. Happy hour runs Monday to Friday from 3 to 6 p.m., and it includes tempting drink specials such as $6 Margaritas, $4 well drinks, $3.50 draft beers and $3 off appetizers. Make sure to ask your server for more details. Sophie’s Artist Lounge This immersive art lounge serves creative cocktails alongside high-fidelity audiovisuals. Operated by the Kranzberg Arts Foundation, Sophie’s Artist Lounge also offers happy hour on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Specials vary but generally include discounted house cocktails, glasses of wine and beers. Photo by Mark Hermes SqWires Restaurant & Market Housed in a lushly renovated Victorian factory, SqWires Restaurant & Market uses locally sourced ingredients to make exquisite American cuisine. Everyone can enjoy the fine-dining experience during happy hour, Tuesday to Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. Sip local craft beer, wine by the glass or house mixed drinks ($5), among other drink specials, and fill up on hush puppies ($7), housemade hummus ($8), truffle fries ($8) and roasted wings ($9). For something more substantial, order the tempura portabella ($9), crispy cauliflower ($9), baked Brie ($10) and calamari ($11). The Frisco Barroom Buzzing with excitement at all hours, this casual corner tavern welcomes guests with rustic plates, clever cocktails and live music on Friday and Saturday. If you’re in search of happy hour in St. Louis, you’ve come to the right place. Available Tuesday to Friday from 2 to 6 p.m., the menu ranges from a beer and bratwurst combination ($7) to fried cauliflower ($7) and deviled eggs ($6) to a snack flight with housemade beef jerky, smoked mixed nuts and pickled vegetables ($7). From the bar, you can get a 16-ounce can of Schlafly Pale Ale ($4), 4 Hands Brewing Co. Sparkler hard seltzer ($5), house wine ($6), ginger-lemon spritzer ($7) and more. Photo courtesy of SqWires Restaurant and Market Union 30 Nestled in Hotel Saint Louis, Union 30 offers happy hour Monday to Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. in a retro-chic setting. Imbibers will enjoy $3 off all drinks, from a lavender French 75 to an elevated Long Island and Civil Life American Brown to Erath Pinot Noir. Shareables such as margherita flatbread, toasted ravioli, yellowfin tuna tartare and bacon-wrapped shrimp are $10. Bon appétit! Winnie’s Wine Bar Let the good times flow! Happy hour at Winnie’s Wine Bar runs from 3 to 6 p.m., with half-price bottles of wine less than $75 on Tuesday; buy one small plate, get one for 50 percent off on Wednesday; and $3 off wine flights, $2 off wines by the glass and cocktails and $1 off bottle and draft beers on Thursday. Share
