St Louis
St. Louis's craft-beer scene runs deeper than the tourist taps. These ten are where locals drink. The craft beer bars on this list span every neighbourhood worth a trip, Soulard, Central West End, The Grove, Lafayette Square all show up, and every price tier from a $5 local pour to a $25 hotel-bar tasting. Each bar earns its spot for a different reason.
LAFAYETTE SQUARE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
St. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
THE GROVE · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail-and-tapas bar with one of the longest tequila lists in the Midwest. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
CLAYTON · $$$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Heritage French-influenced cocktail-and-wine bar. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: Sunday from 6pm, when it's the room's quietest premium night and the kitchen is unhurried. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Avoid post-match nights if the local team is playing, the upstairs gets loud.
CHEROKEE STREET · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Boutique cocktail-and-pizza bar in a converted storefront. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: Thursday late or Friday early, when you'll catch the room building toward its weekend tempo. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. First-Friday traffic in the district can mean a 20-minute wait at the door.
TOWER GROVE SOUTH · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Cocktail bar inside a former corner shop. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
BENTON PARK · $$ · COCKTAIL BARS
Eccentric mosaic-tile bar that has been a St. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Use this guide either as a single curated route through St. Louis or as a checklist to revisit over a long weekend. Reservations are flagged where they matter. Otherwise, walk in. Below: the ten craft beer bars that any serious drinker in St. Louis would tell you to put on the list.
St. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: Tuesday and Wednesday before 9pm, when the regulars haven't filled the room yet. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Saturday after 10pm gets crowded, book ahead or arrive early.
Cocktail-and-tapas bar with one of the longest tequila lists in the Midwest. Order: Toasted-pecan Old Fashioned. Best time: any weeknight between 7pm and 9pm, when the bar settles into its rhythm and the bartender has time to talk. Best for cocktail-curious drinkers who want technique without theatre. Friday from 8pm fills up; reserve a counter seat or a high table.
Looking beyond St Louis? See our guide to the best craft beer bars worldwide, or compare craft beer bars city by city. Or find craft beer bars near you.