There’s only one City That Never Sleeps. But if you’re looking to stay out all night and make the most of an evening, St. Louis has plenty of options to choose from as well – and the top 10 after-hours spots in STL are just the place to go when the party won’t stop. With kitchens that serve food late into the night and doors that are open until three in the morning, the spots on this list are made for after-hours eating, drinking, talking and dancing. Want to enjoy some fabulous blues and R&B? Determined to take in the sights on a rooftop terrace bar? Want to dance the night away? Thanks to the best after-hours bars and restaurants in STL, the lure of adventure is never far away. Because remember: You only live once, and when you’re having a good time, tomorrow can wait – as can your favorite Sleep Number mattress and pillow.
Broadway Oyster Bar Atomic Cowboy The Gramophone Sandrina’s
| Name | Location | Description |
| Broadway Oyster Bar | 736 S Broadway | We love St. Louis, but on some nights, a trip to New Orleans sounds pretty tempting. Enter Broadway Oyster Bar, which can transport you there without having to hop a flight. Serving up Cajun food, boozy drinks, and live music seven days a week, its Christmas-light-bedecked porch is a favorite drinking spot come spring and summertime. What’s more, on Friday and Saturday nights until 2AM, you can chow down on Fried Alligator or oysters prepared seven different ways while taking in blues, funk, or soul music. While it might not be Bourbon Street, it’s the closest thing you’ll find in the flesh this side of Louisiana. |
| Atomic Cowboy | 4140 Manchester Ave | Atomic Cowboy’s delicious menu of Mexican-inspired offerings makes a midday visit well worth the trip, and its popular Sunday brunch is also a highlight. But most importantly at night, however, Atomic Cowboy truly comes alive, and transforms into a hopping spot where you can drink, dance, and make friends with outgoing strangers. With an adjoining concert venue, dance floor indoors, and a patio outside, this staple spot in The Grove is usually hopping until its 3AM closing time. |
| The Gramophone | 4243 Manchester Ave | From the Gramophone’s beginning as a concert venue to its reincarnation as a “sandwich pub” featuring live music, one thing has remained constant: It’s a prime late night destination. Open until 3AM every day but Monday, you can sip one of 20 beers on tap and choose from more than two dozen sandwiches – the General Patton, with chicken, bacon, Cajun ranch and pepper jack cheese, is one of our favorites – while a DJ sets the mood. The pool table’s also a fabulous spot to hang out if you want to meet a fascinating array of characters. |
| BB’s Jazz, Blues and Soups | 700 S Broadway | The potato soup and the Blues Burger here are famous, but you don’t come to BB’s for the food. Rather, if live blues and jazz is your thing, there’s no better spot in St. Louis. Shows typically run seven nights a week, with back-to-back performances even on most weeknights. Like any self-respecting music joint, this place stays open into the late night – and any self-respecting music fans will quickly find themselves wanting to stay up to enjoy the show as well. |
| Beale on Broadway | 701 S Broadway | We said there’s nowhere better for blues than BB’s, but there is somewhere that may arguably be just as good… right next door. Every night of the week, Beale on Broadway serves up quality old-school blues, soul and R&B tunes to crowds young and old. And after you’re finished dancing, you can sip on a Schlafly or 4 Hands brew, with a number of popular local beverages on tap until the bar’s late night close. |
| Sandrina’s | 5098 Arsenal St | Let’s be honest: When you’re hunting for a 3AM bar, odds are good you’ve already knocked a few cold ones back already. Whether you’re looking to take the edge off or keep the party going, Sandrina’s is the spot to be. The venue’s Louisiana Barbecue Shrimp, Six Cheese Pizza and Duck Confit Quesadilla prove unusually sumptuous late-night dining choices, although you can’t go wrong with the more standard bar fare also on offer, e.g. fries or toasted ravioli. And with a wide variety of beers on tap to enjoy, finding decent libations will be the least of your problems. |
| Eclipse at Moonrise Hotel | 6177 Delmar Blvd | A predominantly younger crowd and buzzing rooftop lounge makes the quirky Moonrise hotel a go-to destination for a late-night drink or three, and it’s not hard to see why. An exuberant atmosphere combined with lip-smacking signature cocktails like the aptly named “Dude, Where’s My Uber” or the cucumber concoction “Buffy the Vodka Slayer” can make any evening more interesting. When the weather permits, you’ll find the venue’s outdoor seating, located eight stories above the Loop (complete with a faux moon), the perfect place to talk and mingle – and an excellent spot to take out of town guests. |
| Pin-Up Bowl | 6191 Delmar Blvd | Pin-Up Bowl – your average punk rock bowling alley – is about more than just racking ‘em up and knocking ‘em down. For example: There are pizza and sandwiches served until 2AM. And you can pair these tasty treats with signature cocktails around the bar—for instance, the Jim Beam-infused “Back Seat Bingo.” As for the clientele: It’s two parts hipster, three parts rebel, and five parts who knows what the hell will walk through the door. As you can imagine, Pin-Up promises a night that’s equal parts classic and unique – and one that won’t be lacking in offbeat moments. |
| The Upstairs Lounge | 3131 S Grand Blvd | When it’s late in the evening and you’re not done shaking a leg, The Upstairs Lounge is the place to go. Sunday through Thursday there are nightly drink specials. Friday and Saturday, DJs bumping EDM hits are the only incentive you’ll need to go. All you need to know: The energy on the dance floor is contagious – and it pays to get infected. |
| Hair of the Dog | 1212 Washington Ave | Hair of the Dog – a longtime staple on the popular Washington Ave corridor – takes dive bars to a whole new level. Offering a big, open space to play in (and arcade machines and shuffleboard tables to go with it), plus a wide beer selection, swing by to mingle with locals and midnight wanderers alike. You never know who’ll be hanging out in there – and 104.8% of those you’ll meet are sure to have a story to tell. |
CHEAT SHEET
You can stay up all night in STL with help from the following guides as well:
Riverfront Times – Ten More Great 3AM Bars in St. Louis
St. Louis Magazine – A Travelogue: St. Louis’ 3AM Bars
Foursquare – The 15 Best Places That Are Good for a Late Night in St Louis
Music, movies, fine dining, travel, and brunching - these are just a few of Associate Editor Stephanie Hartman's favorite hobbies. You're as apt to catch her at a summer festival or sipping Manhattans as at the city's best spas - and taking notes to share with readers.
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