Ok, I want to go to a bar in the city I've NEVER been to before.  I've been to Dapper Dan's downtown.  Has anyone been to Friendly's on the South Side? What are some good ones?  Everyone has hear of Club 34 or Rosies in the West End.  I'm talking "deep in the city streets", where you would never notice them.

Pooh's Corner. Located at the corner of Bowen and Virginia. $9 buckets of 6 (most bars give 5) beers. Good people.



Rich by lindenwood park.

^ That's not far from my home. I may have to give it a try. How's the food?

Based on your location, not sure if you've been to Dochaus on Morganford- some of the best burgers in St. Louis.



My foggy memory tells me I've been to Club 34 when we lived in the CWE. I remember it was very dark.

the Hilltop on Morgan Ford and Loughborough is one of my favorites. The bartenders will even fry up burgers for you and they have a cool 1950ish popcorn cooker. Actually it's surprising how good their burgers are.

There's a whole strip of dives along Macklind, south of Chippewa.



J&A's in the CWE is one of my favorite dive bars.

Anyone ever been to Sandrina's at Arsenal and Brannon? I never know when it's open. The Trophy Room, right across the street from it, looks like a real hole too.

Krugers right by the forsyth station definately Qualifies. Feels more like arnold than clayton... good times

Has anyone been to the Billy Goat? How is the food?



Try Stagger Lee's on Broadway in Soulard.

STLgasm wrote:I've been to Friendly's many times. My friends like it more than I do. It's an interesting mix of South City hipsters and local hoosiers. One time a brawl broke out and a pregnant girl was trying to break it up. Ahh... I think that qualifies as a dive bar!

I'd say that's an accurate description, and for me at least, that's part of the place's appeal! I can't say I'm surprised by the incident you described!



Anyway, here are some more places off the top of my head:



- Black Thorn Pub, Wyoming at Spring, best known for its thick-crust pizza.



- Skip's Place, South Broadway at Osceola Street



- Windy's (on the Wedge), Virginia Avenue at Bates Street



- Ferguson's, Mount Pleasant Street at Pennsylvania Avenue. (The fried chicken dinners are insanely cheap!)



- The Bull Tadpole (lovely name, eh?), Grand Boulevard just south of Iron Street.

bpe235 wrote:Krugers right by the forsyth station definately Qualifies. Feels more like arnold than clayton... good times

Good times at Kruegers watching sports with a few beers, for sure, but I would not classify it as a dive bar. The Hide Away Lounge, off Arsenal, that's a dive bar.

I would say that Krueger’s is a college bar, but not necessarily a dive bar.



The Cat’s Meow in Soulard was a great dive bar in the early 90’s (back when we drank PBR because it was all we could afford, it still amazes me that it became cool) by the late 90’s it had become pretty much a dive that the scene-sters felt was authentic, that was followed by a disastrous remodel, I have not been by in years.



Any one remember Clark’s as Spring and Laclede? more college then dive bar, still was the one of the coolest places in the city. Or maybe getting served there when I was 19 forever endeared it to me beyond the normal.



20 North was OK,



The old Wabash Triangle where the Pageant now stands was cool, only made it there a couple of times before it burned down.

Boos Place on Delor by St. Mary's was the epitome of a South City dive. Rough crowd there. They've closed and something else has opened there sometime this fall.

Beer City wrote:The Cat’s Meow in Soulard was a great dive bar in the early 90’s (back when we drank PBR because it was all we could afford, it still amazes me that it became cool) by the late 90’s it had become pretty much a dive that the scene-sters felt was authentic, that was followed by a disastrous remodel, I have not been by in years.



Any one remember Clark’s as Spring and Laclede? more college then dive bar, still was the one of the coolest places in the city. Or maybe getting served there when I was 19 forever endeared it to me beyond the normal.



The old Wabash Triangle where the Pageant now stands was cool, only made it there a couple of times before it burned down.

I also remember the "old" Cat's Meow. The remodel was not planned and due to some sort of disagreement between the two owners. One kept the bar while the other took the old furnishings.



Clarks was classic. Always better than Humpreys in my book.



Wabash Triangle was a great place. Hadn't thought of that place in years.

Beer City wrote:(back when we drank PBR because it was all we could afford, it still amazes me that it became cool)

It didn't.

dweebe wrote:Boos Place on Delor by St. Mary's was the epitome of a South City dive. Rough crowd there.

Ohhhh yeah. Rough crowd indeed. Nel's Neighborhood Pub and Grill now occupies the space. I haven't had the chance to try it yet, but they're only surpassed by Imo's and St. Louis Pizza and Wings for the number of menu fliers left on my front porch.

STLgasm wrote:I just remembered a great one-- The Hi-Way Bar at the corner of Lynch and 13th (I think?) overlooking I-55 in the shadow of the Brewery. I got hit on by a 70-year old woman who told me, "You know, I'm still viable."

I REALLY hope you did not choose your ID based on that night STLgasm

There used to be a place called (I think) The St. Louis Pub on Gravois right by Bevo Mill. Somehow, they had a 3 AM license, so they always drew a late crowd. They also had live music by really cheesy "hair band" wanna-be's.

ynot wrote:blackthorn had some really good deep dish pizza... too bad it took them 2 hours to make it. that is not the place to go when you're looking for food fast.

Yeah, it's a lousy place to go when you're starving! It's never a good idea to drink much on an empty stomach, and it takes a lot of time for the pizza to arrive. It's definitely worth the wait IMHO, though.



FYI, Lemmons on Gravois Avenue north of Christy Boulevard serves the same pizza.

Some folks may consider Hair of the Dog on Washington to be a dive, but they offer a great down-to-earth alternative in the Loft District. They draw a friendly, cross-cultural mix of clientel, and nobody's trying to impress anybody. I wish they had openned their kitchen like they had planned to, though.