Great Hang in The Loop!

Delmar Blvd has its share of good bar and restaurant, and if you're a concert goer like me, you want a place to hang before big shows at The Pageant and Delmar Hall. Look no further than down the street. Pin-Up Bowl is your place.

I've been going to Pin-Up for as long as they've been open, but lately it's been more frequent because of my concert schedule. Depending on the act, I might go into Halo Bar early, but if I'm in no rush, Pin-Up is great for a few pints and a snack.

And let's not forget the bowling. You can bowl until two in the morning every night of the week! It's a great idea for a late night hangs or even scheduling an event.

Their beer selection is pretty solid. I usually don't have any trouble finding something new to drink, and they even have a weekday hour happy from 4-7 that features $3 Schlafly beers.

The service usually very good, too. Olivia was bartender last time, and she was pretty awesome!

If you're looking for a late night bar or wanting to bowl somewhere more exciting than your average alley, you should check out Pin-Up Bowl in The Loop.

Definitely not my scene.

I've lived in Bevo for nearly three years now, and the space at 6109 Gravois Ave has been a revolving door that whole time. No one has been able to sustain a business, but it looks like D.B. Cooper's Safehouse has found a formula that might work.

D.B.'s has been open for several months now, and business seems to be pretty steady. This new establishment offers cheap beer and decent pub food. Their website says it best: "Cheap Beer, Great Food, Frozen Drunks, and Sexy Babes also known as heaven!"

Obviously, D.B.'s isn't trying to appeal to me with its cheap domestic beer and hypersexualization of its bartenders, but hey, there's plenty of creep middle-aged men out there to make it work. And that is exactly D.B.'s cliental. When I went in my first and only time, the bar was filled with men in their thirties to their fifties.

That issue aside, what is with their price index? Who opens a cash only bar and doesn't factor tax into the prices? The sign outside says $1.25 beers, so shouldn't the price be what it says? The bartender was charging us $1.50 for tax purposes, so why not say $1.50 beers? We were being charged tax on the food, too. If you're going to stay cash only, post the actual prices and factor it into an even dollar amount.

Without a doubt, the food was the best part. Their wings are solid and incredibly cheap. You can get ten for $5.00 plus tax. The original wings have a Syberg's feel to them, with a mustard based, tangy sauce, but you can also order barbecue and jalapeño mango.

I'm definitely not a fan, but it seems to be fairly popular. They have a formula that works.

Number Two in The Lou!

Brewing beer is a dream job for a serious beerknurd. When Steve Crider received his first home brew kit, he had no idea that his name would become one of most recognized in the Saint Louis craft beer scene.

2nd Shift Brewing was making a name for itself right out of the gate. Their first beers were making appearances as guest taps all over Saint Louis, but when Crider opened the location on Sublette Ave on The Hill, 2nd Shift quickly got the ball rolling.

I am a fan of most, if not all local breweries, but I was a fan of 2nd Shift from my first sip, which was an IPA. However, they really made a name for themselves with Katy: an American Brett Saison. Their most celebrated beers tend to be on the lighter side, but they can get pretty dark or dank! Liquid Spiritual Delight stout and its variation are very sought-after. Other popular pours are Little Big Hop New England IPA, Art of Neurosis American IPA, and Technical Ecstacy Pilsner.

I also love the location of the brewery, just on the fringe of The Hill. However, if you're not careful, you will drive right past that baby! They could probably label it better, but you just need to look for the banner hanging on the fence. If you're a craft beer guy who's making your rounds, 2nd Shift is placed perfectly. Near UCBC in The Grove and down the street from Modern on Manchester.

This brewery has quickly entered my top five. So get over to 2nd Shift and have yourself a good time.

Craft Beer at Its Finest!

In 2011, Saint Louis saw a huge burst in the craft beer scene. Breweries were popping up all over The Lou. One of these breweries was Perennial Artisan Ales.

Honestly, I was not a big fan of Perennial at first. During my first visit, my favorite beer was a guest tap, which was a 2nd Shift ale. However, we will save that for another review. Like many of the best breweries, they had some growing pains, but when they found their niche, they hit the ground running.

People come from all over the country for Perennial's big barrel-aged beers, particularly Abraxas: an imperial stout brewed with ancho chili peppers, cacao nibs, vanilla beans, and cinnamon sticks. This black gold has given them many accolades in the craft beer community. Other popular imperial stouts include the minty 17 and the coffee-laddended Sump. However, not everything on the draft wall is dark. Perennial also dabbles in Belgian-style ales, saisons, barleywine, and the occasional IPA.

In addition, they have a pretty decent food menu, which changes periodically. You can snack on meats, cheeses, pretzels, or even a handful of sandwich options. Everything that I've had has been pretty good.

Perennial also has one of the best staffs in the local scene. Some breweries can get pretty pretentious and make little effort to connect with patrons. This is not the case at Perennial. The bartenders are incredibly courteous and friendly. They even occasionally "go to camp" with the patrons. During camp, the entire bar chugs a beer of the bartender's choice.

My only problem deals with hours. Perennial is only open five days a week. The tasting room is available Wednesday through Saturday in the evening, and they close at five on Sunday. Perhaps that's a small issue, but I would like it if they expanded those hours.

Perennial Artisan Ales is no secret in the craft beer community, but if you haven't been there yet, definitely check it out.