St. Patrick's Day

St. Louis Food Blog Digest, 03.11-03.17

Gut Check dishes on our favorite St. Louis food blogs. A Veggie Venture: Alanna made cabbage, potato and kale soup for St. Patrick's Day. Cupcake Project: Stef shared hazelnut coffee cupcakes. The Sweets Life: Natalie made cranberry chocolate buttermilk bread. Eat Write: Judith shared schnitzel ... More >>

What It's Like to Bartend in Dogtown on St. Patrick's Day [PHOTOS]

Gut Check enjoys the drinking and general debauchery that descends on Dogtown on St. Patrick's Day in St. Louis as much as the next functionally alcoholic food blog, but until this year, our experience was simply as another soused, green-clad reveler trying not to hurl in the streets. When we learne ... More >>

St. Patrick's Day Parade: Coolers Banned in Effort to Limit Trash, Underage Drinking

We all know the damage that parades can cause to St. Louis neighborhoods -- and the folks over in Dogtown have one idea to make the St. Patrick's Day Parade this weekend slightly less destructive. No coolers allowed. The new rule, parade organizers say, should help cut down on underage drinking ... More >>

The Ten Best Food Events in St. Louis This Weekend: March 15 to 18

Let someone else do the cooking for you over the next few days. Enjoy a special dinner prepared by a competent chef at spots like the Kitchen Conservatory, or get the full package of food plus entertainment over murder mysteries, variety shows and even glassblowing. Don't forget to enjoy Irish fare ... More >>

Hibernians, Dogtown to Paradegoers: No Coolers for You

Dogtown residents are an almost universally genial bunch. They open their neighborhood and occasionally their bathrooms to faux Irish revelers, and generally accept that overflowing trash cans and parking inconveniences come with the territory for one rowdy day in March. And while paradegoers will ... More >>

The 10 Best Irish Pubs in St. Louis

To get everyone in the St. Patrick's Day spirit, here's an Irish poem about drinking: Some Guinness was spilled on the barroom floor when the pub was shut for the night. Out of his hole crept a wee brown mouse and stood in the pale moonlight. He lapped up the frothy brew from the floor, then back o ... More >>

Go Green

Shipping Up To Dogtown

St. Patrick's Day Poll: Downtown vs. Dogtown

Forget Chicago and its green river. Heck, move over, Ireland! St. Louis has some of the biggest and baddest St. Patrick's Day celebrations around! With two parades -- one downtown on Saturday and one in Dogtown on Sunday -- St. Louis is the place to knock back a pint of Guinness in your finest gree ... More >>

St. Charles GOP Holds a Caucus: Round Two

When last we left the St. Charles Republican Party, they were attempting to hold a caucus on St. Patrick's Day. That one ended in shouting, recriminations and a couple of arrests -- so it was more like Thanksgiving dinner than St. Pat's. Then David Cole, chairman of the state GOP, announced there wo ... More >>

Do-Over: State Republicans Plan Second St. Charles Caucus

​Following the St. Patrick's Day cock-up caucus in St. Charles, the Missouri Republican Party has officially scheduled a second St. Charles County caucus that it intends to see all the way through to the end. Tuesday, April 10, is the new date, and it will take place at 7 p.m. at the St. Charles C ... More >>

The Best of SXSW Music: Saturday 3/17/2012

So, we come to it: the end of all things. Four days of madness, Doritos, Skrillex and finally, St. Patrick's Day. Before we bid SXSW 2012 farewell, allow us to share our favorite moments from SXSW day four. Later, we'll let you know which shows weren't so hot. Find our favorites below, and if there ... More >>

Ten Best Food Events March 16-18

Friday (Mar. 16): Pre-St. Patrick's Day Festivities @ Westport Plaza Head to Westport Plaza for a pre-St. Pat's Day celebration to go green for the weekend. The event features green beer, green food and green fireworks all alongside a scenic green lake. Free. 6 to 9 p.m. Around the World Wine Dinn ... More >>

Ten Best Irish Dishes in St. Louis: Shepherd's Pie at Highlander Pub & Grill

With temperatures cresting 90 degrees, comfort food isn't exactly what Gut Check wants for dinner; but in the spirit of St. Pat's Day, it's what we're having. The hearty, stick-to-you-ribs shepherd's pie at Highlander Pub & Grill (5656 Oakland Avenue, 314-644-4646) is a monster plate of ground lamb ... More >>

Ten Best Irish Dishes in St. Louis: Irish Soda Bread at The Daily Bread

To many, Irish food is synonymous with potato soup, bangers and mash, and prototypical pub fare. But with St. Patrick's Day just days away, other Irish classics are making an appearance in local restaurants and bakeries. Irish soda bread is one such delicacy. For a taste of this festive bread we lo ... More >>

Ten Best Irish Dishes in St. Louis: Irish Whiskey Salmon at O'Leary's Restaurant & Bar

Between Lenten fish fries and preparing for St. Patrick's Day by eating Irish fare, Gut Check has recently indulged in many a deep-fried dish. So when we ventured to O'Leary's Restaurant & Bar (3828 South Lindbergh Boulevard, Sunset Hills; 314-842-7678) and ordered the Irish whiskey salmon, we were ... More >>

Tattoos That Won't Win CraftBeer.com's Best Beer Tattoo Contest

Kristina ColeyIf you must get a craft-beer tattoo, take a clue from Stone Brewing's Greg Koch -- go temporary.​Good news! Tattoos have become mostly accepted by polite society and are no longer considered a sign of being a filthy, dirty sailor/whore! How mainstream have they gotten? Enough th ... More >>

Real Men Eat Meat - They Just Don't Like It: The Most Homophobic Food Ads

​Gut Check was enjoying a day dozing in front of the ol' Samsung when a Klondike commercial came on and jolted us out of our daydreaming. Was it the mere mention of this wholesome family treat that caused us to bolt upright in our Barcalounger? Sadly, no. The ice cream bar maker and its pare ... More >>

St. Louis Food Blog Digest, 3.14-3.20

​Gut Check dishes on our favorite St. Louis food blogs. Cupcake Project: Stef explains how to use your favorite coffee beans for baking. Family Style Food: Karen shared her recipe for Burnt-Sugar Mango Chutney & Goat Cheese Naanwich.

Ten Songs Perfect for Drunk Sing-Alongs

Wikimedia Commons​For many people, today is a drinking holiday -- whether you're celebrating St. Patrick's Day or reveling at SXSW. It's also a day to let loose those vocal cords, with these stellar drunk sing-along songs. Whether fun, maudlin or cheese-tastic, these ten songs are among the be ... More >>

Battle Corned Beef: The Leopold Bloom Special

​Father Blackie Ryan, the priest/gumshoe hero of a series of mystery novels by Andrew Greeley once claimed, "The Jews and the Irish do not share a heritage, but they do share a psychosis." The Jews call it guilt. The Irish call it shame. It pretty much amounts to the same thing and can be bla ... More >>

Mother Nature Loves the Irish More Than the French

When Irish hearts are happy all the world seems bright and gay, And When Irish Eyes Are Smiling, sure, they steal your heart away.​Could it be that Mother Nature (or perhaps even God!) loves the Irish more than the French? That's the message one could get while staring at the heavens this ... More >>

Snow!? Haven't We Seen Enough of This Sh@# Already?

​As of 7 a.m. it's more like a mini-blizzard outside the windows of the Daily RFT "Storm Center." The white stuff is coming down fast, and the National Weather Service predicts we could get 2 to 4 inches of snow by noon before the precipitation turns to rain.  Lovely. Here's the good news, th ... More >>

St. Louis Food Blog Digest, 3.7-3.13

​Gut Check dishes on our favorite St. Louis food blogs. Iron Stef: Skank Ham, Stef's alter-ego, guest-blogged about some of her favorite silly food-related blogs and web comics. Rhubarb and Honey:: Kimberly celebrated her love of St. Louis craft beers. Off the Menu: Joe asked St. Louisans ... More >>

Ancient Order of Hibernians St. Patrick's Day Parade

Savage Craic

They Wrote the Book of Love

They Wrote the Book of Love

Show Review: Dropkick Murphys, Against Me!, Off With Their Heads at the Pageant, Saturday, March 5

Todd Owyoung​It may have been Mardi Gras in Soulard, but Saturday night in University City, you would have assumed St. Patrick's Day showed up a little early. Covered in green, Mardi Gras beads and Guinness-infused grins, thousands shuffled into the Pageant to take in the beloved Boston punker ... More >>

Ten Best Non-Mardi Gras Things To Do This Weekend in St. Louis: March 4 to 6

​This weekend kicks off the drunkest time of the year in St. Louis -- yes, it's Mardi Gras, the precursor to the days-long St. Patrick's Day celebration. All of the Mardi Gras listings and action is here. Some of the shows coming to town are here. And below, ten more events at which you won't ... More >>

Tim Schall

Is That All There Is?

Not Good Things: Martha Stewart Behaving Badly

Last week, after years of being teased by David Letterman about her time in prison, Martha Stewart finally lost it and nailed him in his smartass face. It's hardly the first time the domestic goddess/ex-con has behaved poorly. We present a video history of Martha has defied proper housemaven beh ... More >>

Flogging Molly Coming to the Pageant in 2011

Todd Owyoung​In St. Louis, St. Patrick's Day festivities involve green beer, parades and a Flogging Molly show at the Pageant. That won't change in 2011: On Tuesday, March 8, the Irish-punks will bring their annual Green 17 tour to the Loop venue. Tickets are $27.50 and are on sale this Friday ... More >>

Moolah Theatre & Lounge's Sean McElroy: Featured Bartender of the Week

Welcome to Girl Walks into a Bar, a weekly Gut Check feature that spotlights local bars and bartenders. This week Alissa Nelson profiles Moolah Theatre & Lounge bartender Sean McElroy. Below is a Q&A with McElroy, followed by a video of him mixing an Old-Fashioned. Alissa Nelson​Sean McEl ... More >>

Back to Dogtown!

Dogtown's Big Day

Run, Then Walk

Afternoon on the Isle

Sounds of the Season

Feel the Luck

Dogtown's Big Day

Make a Float of It

Say Goodbye, Say Hello

Farewell to Dooley's — and Hi, Pi!

Your Eyes Smile Now, Too

The March of March

El Magnifico Margarita

El Burrito Loco, 3611 Bates Street; 314-457-8600.

Reeling in the Years

Magically Delicious

Dervish Fulfills Yer Wish

Black and Tan

John D. McGurk's Irish Pub, 1200 Russell Boulevard, 314-776-8309