St Louis: Nightlife and entertainment
Downtown St Louis' highest concentration of bars and clubs can be found in Laclede's Landing , with nightly jazz, blues, rock and reggae. Some of the outlying districts are well worth checking out in the evening; these include the Loop in U City, whose bars and cafés are not just popular with students, and the slightly more upmarket cafés and wine bars of Central West End . Unpretentious Soulard is the place to go for good jazz and blues. Every spring, the four-day Mid-America Jazz Festival (tel 314/241-1888) brings the top names together for performances all over St Louis.Don't forget also to check out Grand Center , centered on North Grand Boulevard in midtown, home to stage shows and the St Louis Symphony Orchestra (tel 314/534-1700). Excellent listings can be found in the free weekly Riverfront Times .
Blueberry Hill 6504 Delmar Blvd, U City tel 314/727-0880. Crammed full of memorabilia, with the downstairs dedicated to Elvis and a jukebox acclaimed by Cashbox magazine as the best in the country. The drinks and burgers are good, and live entertainment is offered every weekend (Chuck Berry comes in for monthly cameos).
Broadway Oyster Bar 736 S Broadway, downtown tel 314/621-8811. Cramped, crowded and dark blues club, in an atmospheric old bar.
1860 Hard Shell Café & Bar 1860 S 9th St, Soulard tel 314/231-1860. One of the liveliest bars in Soulard with dancing to blues, R&B and soul bands. Also serves good Cajun and fish dishes.
Mississippi Nights 914 N 1st St, Laclede's Landing tel 314/421-3853. The city's top venue for nonstadium bands.
Pageant 6161 Delmar Blvd, U City tel 314/726-6161. Large bar and live entertainment venue that brings in big name rock groups.
Pierre's 4th and Chestnut, downtown tel 314/342-4690. Open Thurs-Sat. "Cigar smoking encouraged" in this classy jazz bar in the Adams-Mark Hotel .
Riddles Penultimate 6307 Delmar Blvd, U City tel 314/725-6985. Very lively bar in the heart of U City, with a young crowd and some sidewalk seating.
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