Drinks and Nightlife

St. Louis has a long history of being a “beer city,” going all the way back to the 1800s when Anheuser-Busch was founded on the Mississippi River. You can tour the factory and see the process of beer brewing in action (with lots of samples included). Nearly 65 small and mid-sized breweries have popped up around the city in the past 30 years, making it a hotspot for unique microbreweries. Top places to check out include 4 Hands, Schlafly, Urban Chestnut, 2nd Shift, Modern Brewery, and Brick River Cider.

As someone who is very passionate about cocktail and wine bars, I have a lot of great recommendations. If you want an easy-to-access place on Euclid Avenue in the Central West End, Brennan’s is not bad in my opinion. There’s also Maryland House, which is a speakeasy-esque place with a cool vibe. If you start going in the direction of downtown, None of the Above is a great place that is super intimate and good for dates. A little bit past Midtown, there’s Planter’s House. A super unique one is Thaxton Speakeasy, which is open on different days each week, and you’ll need a passcode to get in, which you can find on their weekly Instagram posts. The last recommendation I have is for wine specifically, and it’s called Black Mountain Wine House. If you enjoy having a drink or two with friends, St. Louis has a lot of great options!

If you like to romanticize studying on weekends by visiting a cute coffee shop, St. Louis has you covered with lots of options, aside from Kaldi’s Coffee, which you can find in just about every neighborhood. Northwest Coffee Roasting is in the Central West End and has a converted-garage seating area for a cozy atmosphere. Protagonist Café in Soulard has lots of books and eclectic decor that makes me feel like I’m in Gilmore Girls when I study there. Another favorite spot of mine is Gelateria Coffee Company, with lots of seating and tons of flavors of gelato for a mid-study session sweet treat. If you’re looking for a student discount, E61 Cafe offers 25% off if you show your student ID, plus lots of Greek pastries to try.

If you are new to the Midwest and despairing at the idea that every venue in St. Louis must be a sports bar that serves food and closes early, I am here to tell you that there is hope. After an evening out at med student mainstay Molly’s (which does have a fun albeit not air-conditioned dance floor), why not take an Uber to Rehab (not like that; it’s a bar that is open until 3:00 AM and always spinning club classics). To get your EDM fix, hit up RYSE Nightclub at the Ameristar Casino in St. Charles or check out events like Materia at Mississippi Underground. Latin Night at Sports & Social in Ballpark Village is a monthly tradition worth celebrating, and City Museum’s annual Halloween Freakfest is truly a one-of-a-kind dance music experience you can’t have anywhere outside of St. Louis.

There are many wonderful spots to get a marg in St. Louis, some near campus and some farther away! A great spot within walking distance is El Burro Loco in the Central West End. With huge margs and a great vibe, this is a good spot to hang out with friends after an exam or a long week. Narwhal’s also does great margs, and they have trivia nights too, which are pretty fun. Mi Ranchito has a great selection of flavors, and the pitchers are really affordable. You also get free chips and salsa with your drinks (a plus), and their food is pretty good (huge portions) if you like Americanized Mexican food. Lastly, Taco Buddha has delicious margs and one of the best outdoor patios in St. Louis in my opinion, and their tacos are cheap and delicious!

Trivia nights are a fun way to spend an evening testing your random factoid knowledge with friends! Three of the most commonly frequented bar trivia venues near WashU Med are Mike Duffy’s in Richmond Heights (Wednesdays at 9 p.m.), iTap on the Loop (Wednesdays at 7 p.m.), and BBQ Saloon (Mondays and Thursdays at 7:30 p.m.). All are free to play, usually have drink specials, and the winning team often gets a free round! Make sure to arrive early to snag a seat for your group.

During orientation week, a big chunk of our class went to John D. McGurk’s Irish Pub and Garden; they have a huge, beautiful garden patio in the back to hang out in. If the drinks or the patio aren’t enough to motivate you to visit, their whiskey bread pudding is amazing too. Closer to campus, in the Central West End, there are lots of other options with outdoor seating on nice days: First Watch, El Burro Loco, Shake Shack, Saigon Cafe, and countless others.