St. Louis City Neighborhoods: Lafayette Square
Eleven Eleven Mississippi
1111 Mississippi Avenue; 314-241-9999 or click here for more info and a map
Happy Hour: Weekdays 4 to 6 p.m., with a late-night happy hour from 8 to 10 p.m.; half-price pizzas, $5 specialty cocktails on Monday and Friday, $2 locally bottled beers on Tuesday, half-price bottles of wine on Wednesday, $5 glasses of wine on Thursday
With soft lighting, graceful décor and an open floor plan that allows you to see every level of the restaurant, Eleven Eleven Mississippi has an understated, comforting and intimate atmosphere. The wine list is killer, and the best way to describe the specialty cocktails is "demure." (What did you expect with names like "The Pink Lady"?) The happy hour is a great opener to the real reason to try Eleven Eleven Mississippi: The actual dining room is a wonderful place to savor a delicious, multi-course meal. (KK)
Lafayette Fire Company No. 1
1801 Park Avenue; 314-621-5001 or click here for more info and a map
Happy Hour: Weekdays 3 to 7 p.m., with a late-night happy hour from 10 p.m. to close; $1 shot of the day, $2 for most domestic beers, $3 well drinks
This newcomer to Lafayette Square is bright and charming. With old-fashioned fire-and-rescue equipment hanging on the walls and an affable waitstaff dressed for the part, it's a place that simply makes you feel good — doubly so if you happen to be a member of the police or fire department, making you eligible for extra discounts every Thursday. Badgeless civilians have plenty of reasons to come by, too: Whether it's $1 Natural Lights on Wednesdays or cheapy mimosas on Sundays, there are plenty of specials to be had, no matter the day of the week. Befitting a place owned by a couple dozen firefighters and first responders, every happy hour can be an opportunity for philanthropy: Round up your tab to the next dollar, and the money goes to help out BackStoppers or burn victims. (KM)
Square One Brewery
1727 Park Avenue; 314-231-2537 or click here for more info and a map
Happy Hour: Weekdays from 4 to 6 p.m., $1 off pints and house-distilled drinks; selected appetizers $4.95 every day but Tuesday
Perhaps the most aptly named brewery in town, Square One is all about getting back to the fundamentals of food and drink, analyzing what works and, finally, making everything on the menu its own. Though Square One's microbrews change seasonally — from the refreshing (Light Squared is an ale that's almost always on tap) to the hefty IPAs — its dedication to craft and attention to detail remains the same. Tuesday is the one day that doesn't feature the usual happy-hour food specials, but you might want to stop by anyway: It's Square One's $2 "Build a Burger" night. Here, pick from dozens of toppings, some exotic, some run-of-the-mill, to customize your burger any way you can think of (each additional meat, veggie or cheese will set you back some change). It's just one more example of Square One and you building something great. (KM)
SqWires
1415 South 18th Street; 314-865-3522 or click here for more info and a map
Happy Hour: 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday; half-price select appetizers, $1.50 domestic bottles of beer, $2.50 draft beers, $3 house mixed drinks, $4 select glasses of wine, $5 martini, $1 oysters (Friday only)
The oyster happy hour at SqWires feels like the most grown-up happy hour in town. Picture yourself snacking on $1 oysters while discussing something adult — the mortgage, where the kids should go to school or maybe when to schedule that gutter-cleaning. See how none of that stuff even sounds that boring when you add the oysters in there? Or imagine happy-houring with friends, catching up on the latest gossip or planning a birthday party (i.e., having some fun) and watch as those oysters elevate your already enjoyable gab session to fab! It's like magic. Throw in SqWires' rustic, airy space and comfortable booth and bar seating, and you've got a lovely after-work/evening spot. If you're not wanting to go raw (or if you're visiting Tuesday through Thursday), SqWires' happy hour features other eats, including half-price bruschetta and crab cakes and $4 glasses of wine for those who like to drink their dinners. (AS)
