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African Palace Bar & Grill
4005 Seven Hills Dr.
Florissant, MO 63033
314-921-4600
http://www.africanpalace.us
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Alternative Music Pub
4200 Manchester Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-652-5267
Alternative Music Pub (AMP) is one of the most aesthetically pleasing bars in St. Louis, with sinkable sofa sectionals, relaxing lighting and local art for sale on the walls. Lights and decorations hang from the ceiling, and once the board games get going and the liquor starts flowing, hanging at AMP is sort of like time-traveling back to freshman year of college. But instead of listening to the Smiths on your roommate’s boombox, you can dance each night away to video-DJ-chosen themes, including ´80s, Women in Rock and Alternative.
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America's Pub
621 Westport Plaza
Maryland Heights, MO 63146
http://www.americaspub.com/ If you listen to the local Top 40 station, you are well acquainted with the Americas Pub commercial: Ameeerrricas Puuub! Laaadies drink specials! Nooo cover before niiiine! Indeed, Americas Pub is the club-bar catch-all, with nightly top-40 DJs, drink specials, you-call-its, VIP service areas and enough game consoles to entertain the boys while all the women are roof-raising to the latest jams.
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Ameristar Casino-Bottleneck Blues Bar
1 Ameristar Blvd.
St. Charles, MO 63301
636-940-4300
http://www.ameristarcasinos.com/stcharles/index.asp Ameristar Casinos premier entertainment venue has a quality that will appeal as much to Grandpa as to newly 21 gamblers. The setup is reminiscent of a saloon -- but with bottle-cap mosaics on every table and chair and Christmas lights hanging from rusted brass chandeliers, the bar has irresistible kitsch appeal. From the back booths to the side bars to the front tables, there aint a bad seat in the house, so theres always a good view of both local and national blues bands, along with various comedians making the rounds.
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Ameristar Casino-Cabaret
1 Ameristar Blvd.
St. Charles, MO 63301
636-940-4300
http://www.ameristar.com The main music venue at Ameristar is the Bottleneck Blues Bar, but occasionally there are local bands throughout the casino. Small-piece jazz, folk and rock bands provide entertainment in the spacious lobby of the complex -- and also augment gambling on the floor of the casino itself. Losing at video poker never sounded so good.
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Anthony's Bar
10 S Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-231-7007
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Argosy Casino - Alton
219 Piasa St.
Alton, IL 62002
1-800-711-4263
http://www.pngaming.com
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Atomic Cowboy
4140 Manchester Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-775-0775
http://www.atomic-cowboy.com Mod furniture, funky lighting, retro artwork, exposed brick and a groovy ambiance make Atomic Cowboy one of the coolest bars in St. Louis. Their new (and very improved) location in the heart of the Manchester Avenue gayborhood provides ample room for all sexualities to enjoy nightly house beats, DJs and the occasional art opening. The patio features its own bar to complement an outdoor stage -- and to top it all off, the Cowboy has a 3 a.m. license.
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Backstreet Jazz & Blues
610 West Port Plaza
Maryland Heights, MO 63146
314-878-5800
http://www.backstreetclub.com We cant quite vouch for Backstreet being St. Louis best venue for jazz and blues, but its certainly the best place west of Jefferson. Its Westport Plaza location makes Backstreet an unlikely spot for regulars, and most of the crowds tend to pour in post-Funny Bone. Local acts such as the Soulard Blues Band, Joe Marlotti and Buffalo Bob fill this small, dark space with great music even when its not full of people.
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Baha Rock Club
305 N. Main
St. Charles, MO 63301
636-949-0466
http://www.baharockclub.com Situated on St. Charles’ crowd-friendly Main Street, the Baha Rock Club has a picture window to showcase its rocking talent (i.e., amped-up music emanates through the pane). The club itself has a friendly feel: a spacious dive complete with palm tree décor, bar games and its share of St. Charles regulars. Baha hosts an original music night on Tuesdays, Ladies Night (free drinks!) on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and live local rock shows on Fridays and Saturdays. But no matter the night, be sure to wear some comfortable shoes -- because this is one crowd that likes to get busy.
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Bar Italia (Luna Lounge)
13 Maryland Plz
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-361-7010
http://www.baritaliastl.com/luna.htm Given the sophistication of Bar Italia, it comes as no surprise that the late-night hotspot adjacent to it, Luna Lounge, sits demurely behind a velvet curtain. Luxurious without being stuffy, this upscale bar offers unobtrusive jazz to complement the swank surroundings – although after sampling a few of the dizzyingly delicious European-inspired beverages from behind the bar, you may just find yourself gleefully singing along.
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Bar Louie
14 Maryland Plaza
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-678-3385
http://www.barlouiestl.com Like nearby hotspots Drunken Fish and Sub Zero, the Central West End outpost of chain restaurant Bar Louie is suitable to pump up the jams. Although the décor pays homage to Louis Armstrong, loud Top 40 music actually overwhelms the bar. Keeping with the upscale-yet-urban motif is fancy mosaic tiling and wooden walls punctuated with plasma televisions to project Cardinals games. The oversized tables and circular booths provide plenty of room for rocking out while sipping a signature martini.
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BB's Jazz, Blues & Soups
700 S. Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-436-5222
http://www.bbsjazzbluessoups.com The B.B. in question here is blues giant B.B. King, so expectations are high when one ventures into this well-known establishment. A photo wall of local and national blues greats -- including Johnnie Johnson, Bennie Smith, Ike Turner and Fontella Bass -- greets you as you walk in. The bar runs about half the length of the narrow building, and the wider back room allows plenty of space for sit-down diners to enjoy some of St. Louis best music, from big bands to acoustic blues.
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Beale on Broadway
701 S. Broadway
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-621-7880
http://www.bealeonbroadway.com Taking its name from Memphis famed Beale Street, this small, boxy club has a little bit of every Southern river city in its hardwood and brick. Red track lighting runs along the base of the bar, Mardi Gras masks are pinned to the walls, and a wooden piano sits by the entrance, just begging to be played. Plenty of canned blues fill the room when the live music takes time off, and in the summer an outdoor patio and bar easily double the venues capacity.
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Big Bang
807 N. Second St.
St. Louis, MO 63102
314-241-2264
http://www.thebigbangbar.com The Big Bang is exactly what it should be: a big square room with plenty of tables and chairs and a saloon-style bar with plenty of options. A slightly elevated stage is home to two pianos, which your hosts for the evening will caress, bang and tickle until everyone in the audience has been made fun of or heard their fill of Bon Jovi and Billy Joel. Don't forget to leave a tip with your song requests!
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Big Muddy
204 State St.
Alton, IL 62002
618-463-1095
http://www.bigmuddypub.com This downtown Alton mainstay is a converted townhouse, which explains why it feels so homey: Picture windows look out onto State Street, friendly bartenders sling drinks, and the venues back room even resembles a renovated den. The audience packs into the latters cozy booths and tables nightly as musicians grace the stage, performing everything from jazz to jam sessions. The crowd is attentive and the acoustics amazing; you may just find yourself with a second home.
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Billiken Club at Saint Louis University - Busch Student Center
20 N Grand Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-977-2020
Over the past few years, the Billiken Club on the campus of Saint Louis University has hosted some of the most sought after and critically acclaimed indie rock acts while giving local and regional performers a chance to get involved as opening acts. Quality sound and lights and a black drape sectioning off the venue from the rest of the student center/cafeteria gives the space an authentic vibe. All performers are booked by the university committee, so there is a wide variety of student-sanctioned talent.
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Blue Note
17 N Ninth St.
Columbia, MO 65201
573-874-1944
http://www.thebluenote.com The Blue Note used to be a movie theater, and it feels like it, with plenty of floor space, a high-set stage, and tiered seating for the less physical in the crowd. Its reputation is the thing of music myth, and the storied stage continues to draw big names that would rather play a guaranteed college crowd than take their chances in St. Louis. It's a haul, but at the end of the night, the Blue Note is more than worth the drive.
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Blue Sky Café & Bar
9999 Winghaven Blvd.
O'Fallon, MO 63366
http://www.blueskycafeandbar.com Blue Sky is in some sense a standard bar, what with its dark oak booths and a loaded selection of liquids. But the rooms open-aired nature separates it from the pack. Blue Sky is so spacious, its easy to escape to your own corner for conversation and cointreau -- even when the bar is hosting one of its famous Thursday-night karaoke competitions. It also has a weather-permitting patio with umbrellas and rope lights, so patrons can enjoy the night sky under the stars.
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Blueberry Hill
6504 Delmar Blvd.
University City, MO 63130
314-727-4444
http://www.blueberryhill.com Sprawling, crowded, loud, dark and decorated with more St. Louis sports and music kitsch than Joe Edwards garage, Blueberry Hill is nothing short of an institution. The building spans an entire block and also houses a dart room and two separate downstairs venues: the Elvis Room, which features weekly karaoke, and the Duck Room, which many a local and nationally touring rock act has packed.