Best Bars in St. Louis (2025)

St. Louis’ cocktail standard-bearer marries history and technique, from the Tom Bullock–inspired Bullock Room to seasonal originals and pitch-perfect classics. Consistently praised by the Post-Dispatch and Sauce Magazine, it’s a must for serious drinkers who also value a real meal.

Natasha Bahrami’s temple to juniper is nationally recognized—a recent James Beard semifinalist and added to 50 Best Discovery in 2025. Expect an encyclopedic gin list, educated service, and community events that helped make St. Louis a gin capital.

Laid-back energy, high-level cocktails. Draft and shaken signatures flow alongside a rotating pop-up food window. Nationally honored by Liquor.com and celebrated by local critics, it’s the Grove hangout where fun and craft actually co-exist.

A subterranean speakeasy from Niche Food Group beneath City Foundry, where classic technique meets luxury spirits and inventive house drinks. St. Louis Magazine calls it one of the city’s hippest bars—arrive to the red light and descend into the tunnels.

A 22-seat, reservation-friendly cocktail lab hidden behind a bookcase at Grand Spirits. Co-created by noted pros Meredith Barry and Michael Fricker, it pushes culinary technique and intimate hospitality—earning glowing coverage from St. Louis Magazine and Feast.

From the Yellowbelly team, this CWE hideaway spotlights inventive, precise cocktails and polished bar food. Regularly highlighted by local dining editors, it’s where to explore clarified, agave-forward, and seasonal creations without pretense.

A South City institution since 2005, known for civic-minded programming, a standout patio, and garden-to-glass drinks. Celebrated by St. Louis Magazine and Feast for its community role and seasonal approach, it’s the neighborhood bar that still sets the tone.

Part folk art environment, part live-music bar, Venice Cafe is pure Benton Park soul—mosaics, curios, and nightly energy since the late ’80s. Local critics call it a St. Louis landmark for good reason: there’s nowhere else like it.

Cherokee Street’s whiskey haunt balances rare pours, classic cocktails, and one of the neighborhood’s best patios. Monthly events and local collaborations keep it plugged into the scene—proof that a true neighborhood bar can still surprise.

Side Project’s intimate beer bar is pilgrimage-worthy for barrel-aged and wild ales, curated guest lists, and meticulous glassware. Annual events like Stout Week and a decade-plus of acclaim anchor its reputation in national beer circles.

A sophisticated CWE lounge with classic cocktails, a vinyl-friendly vibe, and a members’ cigar room upstairs. After setbacks, it returned stronger—now a favorite for dates, nightcaps, and low-key parties, regularly noted by local food media.

Cash-only, punk-spirited, and beloved by locals, CBGB is the dive that defines South Grand nights—cheap, stiff drinks, shuffleboard, and patio hangs. Lauded by Riverfront Times and national roundups, it’s pure, unvarnished St. Louis bar culture.