Mike Mills

What Is St. Louis' Most Underrated Barbecue?

Here is a category ripe for nominations. We know the big names: Pappy's Smokehouse (3106 Olive Street; 314-535-4340) and ​Bogart's Smokehouse (1627 South Ninth Street; 314-621-3107) , which between them have won the last five RFT "Best Barbecue" awards. We of course know barbecue legend Mike Mil ... More >>

The Seven Best Barbecue Joints in St. Louis

Gut Check has been looking back on the Riverfront Times Best of St. Louis 2012, but we're also keeping an eye on the Best of St. Louis 2013 by nominating finalists for our awards this fall. To see hundreds more winners and finalists, suggest your own contenders and download the Riverfront Times Best ... More >>

Sure are a lot of graveyards on Gravois.... Mmmmmm, ribs!

Why You Should Go See Chuck Berry As Soon As Humanly Possible

One year ago this week Chuck Berry collapsed on stage in Chicago. It was a call to action for many people who had been slacking on seeing his live show at Blueberry Hill. As residents of this city, it's hard to get perspective on just how amazing it is that Chuck Berry, the dude who probably invent ... More >>

The Five Best Barbecue Spots in St. Louis

Selecting Riverfront Times' Selecting Riverfront Times' Best of St. Louis 2011 was no picnic. Choosing the winner meant several worthy candidates would go unmentioned -- until now. In this Gut Check series, we are chewing our way through notable runners up in a number of categories. To see hundreds ... More >>

R.E.M Says Goodbye: The Great Beyond

Courtesy of R.E.M. ​One of the most important bands in rock music has broken up. After 31 years together, R.E.M. has announced its retirement on its website with a humble, thankful note. The declaration shocked fans, who immediately bombarded social networks and entertainment news stories with ... More >>

Graphic artist Mike Mills starts something new with Beginners

17th Street Bar and Grill Gets Double Recognition

Image via​Pit master extraordinaire Mike Mills of 17th Street Bar & Grill (1711 West Highway 50, O'Fallon; 618-622-1717 or www.17thstreetbarbecue.com) will be cooking at the famed James Beard House in New York City on July 15. The dinners at the Beard House are hosted monthly by the James Be ... More >>

Twangfest Lineup, Ticket Information is Here

​This year marks fifteen years of Twangfest, St. Louis' annual celebration of American music. This year's headliners include Hayes Carll, Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3, Robbie Fulks and Chatham County Line. The entirety of the current lineup can be found below. As it has been for the past eigh ... More >>

SXSW Day 2: Toro Y Moi, The Civil Wars, The Baseball Project, Bob Geldof, Vandaveer, Abigail Washburn, Charles Bradley, Ron Sexsmith and Surfer Blood, Thursday, March 17

Dana PlonkaThe Civil Wars​12:24 In the South By vortex, all news - or at least news not related to Jack White pop-up performances, Cee-Lo Green cancellations, Kanye gossip and R.E.M. show rumors - gets obliterated. Japan's nuclear nightmare is no exception. Glancing at an RSS reader under 75 d ... More >>

17th Street Bar and Grill Named 85th Best Restaurant in the Nation

Jennifer Silverberg​More accolades for pit master Mike Mills and his 17th Street Bar and Grill. His original joint in Murphysboro, Illinois (two hours southeast of St. Louis), has been named the 85th-best restaurant in the U.S. on The Daily Meal's 101 Best Restaurants list. 17th Street tied w ... More >>

Food Feuds Pits Pappy's Smokehouse vs. 17th Street Bar & Grill, Michael Symon vs. Geography

Food Feuds host Michael Symon judged the ribs from Pappy's Smokehouse and 17th Street Grill: Pappy's Mike Emerson (left) and 17th Street's Mike Mills (right) can't see Symon's O-face, but they sense something is amiss.​Food Feuds, the new Food Network show in which chef Michael Symon judges food b ... More >>

Pappy's Smokehouse vs. 17th Street Bar & Grill on Food Network

Image viaMichael Symon, host of Food Feuds​The Food Network will pit (ha ha) the ribs from barbecue meccas Pappy's Smokehouse and 17th Street Bar & Grill against each other for a new show called Food Feuds. Hosted by the Cleveland-based Iron Chef America chef Michael Symon, Food Feuds will deb ... More >>

Plush Pig Barbeque resurfaces in Rock Hill, but can this porker fly?

SXSW Days Three and Four: Big Star Tribute, Band of Horses, Marianne Dissard, Jakob Dylan, Courtyard Hounds, Boxer Rebellion, KDHX/Twangfest Day Party -- and More

To conclude: Susan Cowsill and the Watson Twins sang "September Gurls," with the remains of Big Star playing loose and beautiful all around them. It shouldn't have happened; most of what happens shouldn't. In life, as with music, we only get so much say. Alex Chilton's passing just days before Big S ... More >>

Photos of Alex Chilton Tribute at SXSW. Plus Marianne Dissard, Jakob Dylan, Courtyard Hounds

Scenes from the Alex Chilton tribute at Antone's in Austin, March 20, 2010, plus more SXSW action. All photos by Dana Plonka. Dana PlonkaMike Mills of R.E.M. at the Alex Chilton tribute at SXSW 2010

Ian Froeb's 100 Favorite St. Louis Dishes, #95: Baby-Back Ribs at 17th Street Bar & Grill

I'm counting down -- in no particular order -- 100 of my favorite dishes in St. Louis. Some are well-known, others obscure. Some are expensive, others dirt cheap. All of them, I guarantee, are delicious.Please do not hesitate to share your own favorites via the comments thread. Ian Froeb​

FoodWire: Learn Barbecue from the Master, Mike Mills, Saturday, 1.16

Jennifer Silverberg​Barbecue legend Mike Mills, Memphis in May champion and owner of 17th Street Bar & Grill, is teaching a class on barbecue from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, January 16. The class will be held at the Ole Hickory Test Kitchen at 333 North Main Street in Cape Girardeau. The cost -- ... More >>

2009 in Review: July

​Kevin Ward, Wikimedia Commons​July was a quiet month at Gut Check International Headquarters as St. Louis turned its attention to a certain Midsummer Classic. We did offer dining recommendations to our out-of-town guests -- and, for those who took a shine to St. Louis cuisine, tips on how to br ... More >>

FoodWire: Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off Featured on New TLC Show BBQ Pitmasters

Last week, TLC debuted a new show called BBQ Pitmasters, which follows several prominent members of the competitive-barbecue circuit as they take part in various competitions. This week's episode was filmed during September's Murphysboro Barbecue Cook-Off. Murphysboro, of course, is the home base of ... More >>

Gut Check: Stimulus packages!

FoodWire: Playboy Honors 17th Street Bar & Grill

Playboy has posted its picks for the top ten barbecue joints in America, and 17th Street Bar & Grill makes the cut. Here is some of what Sean McCusker writes about 17th Street and owner Mike Mills: Known throughout the barbecue world as "The Legend," Mike Mills is the Muhammad Ali of ribs. He's ... More >>

Around the Horn: Ian covers all the bases to find you the best All-Star Game chow

Summertime St. Louis: Food Drive. Our restaurant critic's advice on where to go for some great out-of-town chow.

Hey, Danny Meyer! Cards Fans Gotta Eat, Too!

User "Metsfan84," Wikimedia CommonsMy colleague Chad Garrison passed along this Wall Street Journal article reviewing the food at the Yankees' and the Mets' new stadiums. Restaurateur extraordinaire Danny Meyer receives a whole lotta love for his offerings at the Mets' Citi Field. These include outp ... More >>

Show Review: R.E.M. at the United Center, Chicago, June 6, 2008

The Modern Skirts, Tuesday, April 15 at the Gramophone

The Modern Skirts

Feeling Gravity's Pull: R.E.M. hurtles toward the future on Accelerate

R.E.M. at Stubb's, SXSW, Wednesday, March 12: Review

R.E.M. Accelerate: An Advance Review and Song-by-Song Analysis of the Band's New Album

Danny Meyer on KDHX

New R.E.M. song, "Supernatural Serious"

Dinner Is Served

Ian takes one for the team and counts down the ten best restaurant dishes of 2007.

The Top Ten Dishes of 2007: #8

Mike Mills' Ribs Named the Best

More Love for Mike Mills

The Road to Ravioli

The latest stop on Ian’s Illinois vacation hits close to home.

In This Week's Issue

'Cue Ball

Ian goes east — and discovers great barbecue.

Review Preview: 17th Street Bar & Grill

Stipe Hunting

Little Misses

Introducing the best movies of 2005 you probably didn't see

The Opposite of Suck

Mike Mills' debut is smart, funny and gorgeously sad

Air

Talkie Walkie (Astralwerks)

Christy McWilson

The Lucky One (Hightone Records)